Raspberry Apple Muffins

Raspberry Apple Muffins

These may be some of the best muffins I have ever tasted; I just love 'em! The method may be a little unfamiliar to some but it reminds me in a way of an old chocolate cake recipe that uses mayonnaise as a base to produce a moist and tender crumb in the finished product. Whipping the sugar and eggs together and then pouring in the oil slowly creates an emulsification similar to making mayonnaise and accounts for the beautiful texture of these muffins. The basic recipe is very good, so you could easily substitute blueberries if you wanted.

The batter here will be somewhat lumpy but don't let that bother you; it is as it should be. I also like to sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over the batter of many kinds of muffins to create a sweet glossy crust but this step is of course, optional. These will make a great start to your Sunday brunch!

Sift together and set aside:

2 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment in place, whisk together on high speed until foamy and slightly stiffened.

2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together in a measuring cup with a spout:

1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Slowly add the oil and butter mixture to the egg mixture in a slow stream as the mixer continues to whisk.

Mix together

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Add slowly to the mixing bowl continuing to mix but at a reduced speed.

Fold in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula being careful not to over mix. Don't worry about lumps in the batter, they are fine. When the dry ingredients are almost incorporated, gently fold in

2 small apples, peeled and diced small

1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

Spoon batter into well greased muffin tins, filling them to the top. If you like you can sprinkle about a teaspoon of sugar over the top of each muffin before baking.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Spicy Blackbean Ginger Shrimp

Spicy Blackbean Ginger Shrimp

Serves 4

1 pound large shrimp, deveined and shelled

3 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic

salt and pepper to season

Lightly sauté the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and sauté for only about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Add to the pan, all at once

1/2 cup blackbean sauce

3 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp fresh greated ginger root
1 tsp chinese five spice powder
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp chili paste (optional)

Stir to combine and simmer for a minute or two. Add the shrimp back to the pan along with

1 cup diced red or green  pepper
1 1/2 cups snow peas

Stir fry for an additional minute. Toss well then thicken the sauce with a slurry of

1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in a little water

Serve over rice or your favorite noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Sausage Chili and Rice Soup with Cornbread Loaf

Sausage Chili and Rice Soup with Cornbread Loaf

Spouse makes another guest appearance on the blog today with her quick and easy idea for a Sausage Chili and Rice Soup. She is a lover of both soup and chili, so it's a bit of a surprise that it took so long to come up with this one. This soup would also be good just using good lean ground beef or a beef and sausage combo. The Cornbread Loaf is shown plain with this soup but another great twist is to add some finely minced jalopeno peppers to the batter before baking; that's the way I like it best but Spouse and I don't see eye to eye on spicy peppers.

1 pound Italian sausage, chopped or broken into small pieces
3 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
salt and pepper to season

Saute the garlic, onion, red pepper and sausage in the oilve oil to brown the sausage. Season with salt and pepper. Add

4 cups low sodium sodium beef stock
4 cups canned diced tomatoes
1 large coarsely grate carrot
1/4 cup long grain rice
1 cup cooked kidney beans ( you can use canned)
2 tsp chili powder
3 tbsp minced jalopeno peppers (optional)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Simmer gently until the rice is cooked; about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If you wish, you can add fresh baby spinach leaves at this point and let the spinach wilt in the soup.

Garnish with some grated cheddar or a dollop of sour cream...or both. Serve with Cornbread Loaf.
Cornbread Loaf

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an flour a standard size loaf pan.

Sift together:

1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 rounded tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk together
2 eggs
3/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups milk

Fold in the dry ingredients (and 3 tbsp minced jalopneo pepper, optional)
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes.

Curry Chicken Sliders

Curry Chicken Sliders

This is an alternative way to serve the same curry chicken that I had wrapped in phyllo pastry a couple of weeks ago. http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/11/phyllo-curry-chicken.html

These little curry chicken sliders are served on garlic bread and really need no condiments at all but a good suggestion for one would be Bakeapple Peach and Ginger Chutney.

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/03/bakeapple-peach-and-ginger-chutney.html

These tiny burger sandwiches were a popular hors d'ouevre at a recent party I attended but I like the curry chicken recipe so much I think they would also make great full size burgers as well. I particularly like the more familiar texture created by using small diced chicken breast rather than ground chicken breasts which is why I think this recipe would make a good burger. Gotta try that soon.

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chinese five spice powder
3/4 cup finely diced red pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves finely minced garlic
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and drop rounded tablespoons of the curry chicken mixture into the pan, forming the little patties into an oval shape about 2 inches long. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side until fully cooked.

Cut thin slices of french baguette on a diagonal. Rub fresh garlic cloves onto the surface of the bread and lightly butter the bread before toasting lightly under the broiler or a hot grill pan. Serve the curry chicken patties between slices of the toasted garlic baguette.

Raspberry Chocolate Buttercream Napoleons

This is another of what I call a fridge cleaner recipe because it started with leftover puff pastry and buttercream frosting that I had in my refrigerator at the time. A few frozen raspberries and a little chocolate ganache later and voila, a melt-in-your-mouth napoleon that is fit for any fancy dinner party or as a special treat to be shared by two. I'm sure you'll find someone willing to spend a little chocolate time with you. ;) ..and if not maybe this dessert might be good bait! ;)

Raspberry Chocolate Buttercream Napoleons

Makes 6 Napoleons

One large package frozen puff pastry, 2 sheets.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

First cut each sheet of puff pastry into 6 equal sized rectangles. You may have to roll the pastry out a little using a rolling pin depending on the size of the sheets. Place about an inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet. Pastry should be as cold as possible before baking so if it has warmed up to room temperature, place cookie sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before baking. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Cool pastry completely before continuing.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 cups sugar


1/3 cup water


Combine and bring to a boil. Continue to boil over medium heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile beat together to stiff peaks

3 egg whites at room temperature

¼ tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Slowly pour in the sugar syrup hitting the side of the bowl and not the beaters. Continue beating the frosting for 10-15 minutes until the meringue is completely cool. When completely cool, slowly begin to add, a few tablespoons at a time

1 cup softened unsalted butter

Beat until smooth after each addition.

Combine and melt in a double boiler:

1/2  pound chocolate, chopped in small pieces

1/4 cup butter

Add to the meringue mixture and beat well until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. This may take 15 minutes or so and you may have to chill the frosting for several minutes before beating it again to get it to stiffen. Alternatively, you can place the frosting bowl in an ice bath while continuing to beat constantly until the icing stiffens sufficiently.

Using a piping bag pipe a layer of buttercream frosting onto half of the pastry layers. Add a layer of

whole frozen or fresh raspberries

pipe an additional layer of buttercream frosting over the raspberries and top with another layer of pastry. Top all 6 pastries with Chocolate Ganache and serve.

Chocloate Ganache

1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Melt together gently in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth.

Chorizo Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Don't throw out that leftover rotisserie chicken...make soup! This delicious, hearty soup began as about half a leftover rotisserie chicken from Costco. I always make stock from all leftover chicken and bones and if I can't find the time right away, I always freeze it until I have the time to make stock.

The chorizo sausage adds a warm smokey character to the broth which is a nice twist on a traditional chicken noodle soup.

Chorizo Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 6

6 cups chicken stock

Remove most of the meat from a rotisserie chicken, cut it in large cubes and set aside for later. Boil the chicken bones in about 10 cups water along with one chopped onion, 1 chopped carrot and 3 cloves crused garlic. Simmer gently for about an hour. Strain the stock through a cheesecloth lined collander. Skim off any excess fat that comes to the surface.

3 carrots, cut in coins or sticks
6 ounces chopped chorizo sausage
1 diced red pepper
2 tbsp summer savoury
1 cup medium egg noodles
Salt and pepper to season

Add the chicken stock, savoury, carrots to a large soup pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes before adding the pasta, red pepper and cubed cooked chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the pasta is tender and serve.

The Perfect Macaroon

For coconut lovers, there's nothing quite like a great macaroon. I've tried many recipes over the years, tweaking this and that and finally came up with this great version that uses sweentened condensed milk. The condensed milk produces a moist soft center with a crispy caramelized outside; in other words, the perfect macaroon.

I've taken a couple of plain macaroons here and sandwiched them with a little chocolate ganache which is a great alternative to chocolate dipped macaroons. The second version is a personal favorite of mine, Lemon Macaroons, which only adds a little lemon zest to the recipe but boy are they good! Another great version is a chocolate-orange macaroon. Try adding orange zest to the recipe instead of lemon and then sandwich them with the chocolate ganache. Those are phenomenal!

A note about the proper consistency of the macaroon dough. Because the egg whites vary in size, it is difficult to give an exact measurement for the amount of sweetened coconut. You may need to add a little more sweeetened coconut at the end to make the dough stiff enough. If the dough is not stiff enough the macaroons will spread too much while baking. I've added a photo here of the macaroons before they went into the oven to demonstrate how they should look. If , when you drop the cookie dough onto the sheet pan, any liquid starts to form at the base, that is a sign that you may need to add more coconut.

5 1/2 - 6  cups sweetened coconut

2 large egg whites

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 can (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk

pinch salt

Mix together the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla, then fold in the coconut. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and then fold the coconut mixture gently through the beaten egg whites. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner. These WILL stick to a regular greased baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees F until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheet before removing the cookies.

For Lemon Macaroons, fold the finely zest of two lemons into the dough.

Spicy (or not spicy) Creamy Garlic Shrimp

This very quick and easy shrimp dish is one I often use for a quick lunch or even as a go-to recipe for last minute dinner guests because it takes only about 20 minutes to prepare. If you are not a fan of spicy food, you can easily omit the chili paste and substitute a tablespoon or so of dijon mustard to the sauce instead for an equally good dish without the kick. Who doesn't need such a versatile dish in their recipe arsenal?

Serves 4

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 cloves minced garlic

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to season

½ cup small diced red pepper (or roasted red pepper)

¼ cup white wine

3 tsp crushed chilli paste (optional)

3 tbsp chopped fresh basil or Italian parsley

1 ½ cups whipping cream

Lightly sauté the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and sauté for only about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan and add the white wine. Reduce the white wine to about half before adding the chilli paste, red pepper and cream. Simmer the sauce for a couple of minutes until the cream begins to thicken slightly.

Add the shrimp back to the pan along with the chopped herbs and simmer only for an additional minute or so before serving over your favourite pasta, couscous or rice.

Easy Partridgberry Pear and Cream Cheese Strudel

This simple recipe idea was another fridge cleaner I came up with using leftover stuff in my fridge as a last minute dessert. I think a little creme anglaise might go well with this one too...well, then again, what doesn't?

Serves 4

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 12x 12 inches)

½ cup partridgeberry jam

2 ripe pears, peeled cored and cut in wedges

½ cup cream cheese

3 tbsp honey

½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg

Eggwash (1 egg whisked with 2 tbsp water)

2 tbsp sugar

Lay the puff pastry flat on a piece of parchment paper. Spread the jam down the center in a 3 inch wide stripe, stopping 1 inch before the top and bottom edges. Lay the pear wedges evenly over the top of the jam.

Mix together the cream cheese, honey and nutmeg until smooth. Spread evenly over the pears.

Brush the eggwash around the outside edges of the pastry. Fold one edge over the filling and brush that edge as well. Fold the opposite edge over the first fold, Pinch together the top and bottom edges and fold them toward the middle to seal.

Flip the entire pastry over and brush the entire surface with eggwash. Place the strudel in the fridge for a half hour or so to chill the pastry again, it is important that the pastry be very cold in order to puff properly. Cut several slits in the top of the pastry and sprinkle the sugar on top. Bake until golden brown at 400 degrees F, about 35 minutes. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

23 Great Cookie Recipes for Christmas Baking

Judging by my email requests for Christmas treat ideas, I'd say the holiday baking season has begun in earnest. Empty freezers await frozen sweet morsels to be later devoured at Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, staff parties and impromptu gaterings throughout the holiday season, so you'd better be ready!! ;)

Today's post is a pretty big collection of some of my favorite cookies that are freezer friendly and ready to be pulled out at a moments notice to take to your family pot luck or whenever guests arrive, either expected or not. Stay tuned for more Christmas baking ideas to follow in the weeks leading up to the holidays for even more new recipes including some killer Chocolate truffle Macaroons, Chewy Sugar Cookies and Mollasses Cookies too, that will make their appearances in the coming days.

So here we go; here is my collection of links to some tried, true and tested recipes for some great cookies to fill your holiday freezer. Happy Baking!!

The Perfect Snowball

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/11/perfect-snowball.html

Chocolate Arrowroot Squares


http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/chocolate-arrowroot-squares.html

Partridgeberry Coconut Meringue Squares

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/partridgeberry-coconut-meringue-squares.html


Melting Moments

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/melting-moments.html


Apricot Coconut Cookie Bars

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/apricot-coconut-cookie-bars.html


Scottish Shortbread

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/scottish-shortbread.html


Gingerbread Cookies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/gingerbread-cookies.html


The Best Oatmeal Cookies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/01/best-oatmeal-cookies.html


The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/10/best-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Aunt Aggie's Peanut Butter Cookies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/09/aunt-aggies-peanut-butter-cookies-guest.html

The Best Brownies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/10/best-brownies.html

Parkin

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/11/parkin.html

Two Tone Chocolate Chip Cookies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/11/two-tone-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Chocolate Chip Squares

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/chocolate-chip-squares.html

Almond Raisin Biscotti

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/almond-raisin-biscotti.html

Noah's Triple Chocolate Cookies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/01/noahs-triple-chocolate-cookies.html

Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Biscotti

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/12/chocolate-dipped-gingerbread-biscotti.html

Lemon Coconut Squares

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/12/lemon-coconut-squares.html

Raspberry Vanilla IceCream Puff Pastries

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/02/raspberry-vanilla-ice-cream-puff.html

Chocolate Orange Brownies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/10/chocolate-orange-brownies.html

The Best Butter Tarts

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/10/best-butter-tarts.html

Coconut Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/11/coconut-chocolate-chip-sandwich-cookies.html

Apricot Raisin Five Spice Oatmeal Cookies
http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/10/apricot-raisin-five-spice-oatmeal.html

Apricot Light Fruitcake

As promised to my followers on the Rock Recipes Facebook Group, here is the light fruitcake that I have been working on based upon the Apricit Raisin cake that is so popular here in Newfoundland, especially during the holiday season. I've always liked the texture of that cake, so I bumped up the amount of fruit in it, adding some glace cherries and mixed fruit as well. I've added no nuts here but if you are so inclined, add your favorite chopped toasted variety to this recipe. This just may destined to be a new family favorite for the holiday season.

Apricot Light Fruitcake

In a medium saucepan combine and boil for 30 minutes:


2 ½ cups water

1 ½ cup sultana raisins

¼ cup sugar

2 cups dried chopped apricots

Cool completely.

Cream until light and fluffy:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

4 ounces cream cheese

Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together

2 ½ cups flour

½ tsp baking powder

Fold half of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Fold in the cooled boiled apricot mixture, followed by the remaining dry ingredients along with:

1 pound glace cherries

1 pound mixed dried fruit

Bake in a greased and floured tube pan or 3 greased and parchment lined loaf pans at 325 degrees F for about an hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pear and Almond Cake with Creme Anglaise

Pear and Almond cake with Creme Anglaise

Readers in the UK will undoubtedly know of the fantastic Channel 4 food series "River Cottage". I was watching the first episide of the new Winter series yesterday morning with Spouse, (the pear lover) and we just had to make this slightly adapted version for dessert with our roast turkey Sunday supper. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the host and chef on the show, served his with clotted cream but I decided to serve it warm with a warm Creme Anglaise, which is a very simple custard sauce.

The cake was wonderfully moist and the pears were tender perfection. The Creme Anglaise complimented it perfectly too. This is a MUST TRY recipe! ...and if you've never visited the "River Cottage", I highly recommend the journey!

3-4 medium sized pears, peeled cored and quartered


¼ cup brown sugar

3 tbsp butter

½ tsp nutmeg

Heat the butter and brown sugar together in a large sauté pan until bubbling. Add the pears and nutmeg and cook until the pears are softened, tossing occasionally.

Almond Cake:

Cream together until light and fluffy

1 ½ cups butter

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Add, one at a time and beating after each addition,

4 eggs

Sift together

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Fold into the creamed butter mixture just until the flour is incorporated. Spoon the batter evenly into a greased and floured 10 inch springform pan (no smaller!) Arrange the pears on top of the batter and pour the pan drippings from the sautéed pears over the top. Bake for about 40 minutes at 325 degrees F or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm with clotted cream or Crème Anglaise.

Crème Anglaise

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup whole milk (or use half milk and half whipping cream for a richer sauce)

1 tsp vanilla extract or the seeds from one small vanilla pod

Scald the milk almost to boiling.

Whisk egg yolks and sugar well together until pale. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the scalded milk to the whisked egg yolks and sugar whisking very quickly as you pour. Add this mixture to the pot along with the rest of the milk and stir constantly with a wooden spoon over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Ham and Parmesan Scrambled Egg Phyllo Cups

Ham and Parmesan Scrambled Egg Phyllo Cups

I was in a brunch mood again this morning and procrastinating on my school work as usual, so in the spirit of  both avoidance and good taste, I set out a challenge to make something out of things already on hand in my fridge.

A few sheets of phyllo were left over from that curry chicken dish a few days ago and we had some good black forest ham on hand as well, which gave me the idea for the egg cups but I was in the mood for some of my great roasted tomato jam as a side condiment for them. Not having any fresh tomatoes in the house at all, which in itself is weird, I settled for some rehydrated sundried tomatoes to make a quick version of the intensely flavored jam and threw together a simple olive and parmesan tapinade too. The tomato jam also got treated to the last waning sprigs of sage from my backdoor herb garden. The scrambled eggs were enriched with a splash of cream and some freshly grated parmesan cheese which I also used to garnish the dish at the end. All these great flavors came together for what, in the end, was a very satisfying brunch without the necessity of an early morning trip to the supermarket! What could be better on a relaxing Sunday morning?

Serves 4

4 large sheets of phyllo pastry
3 tbsp melted butter

Brush the butter between the individual layers of phyllo pastry, stacking all four together. Cut the stack into 4 rectangles and fit into the bottom of 4 large greased ramekins.

8-12 slices of thinly sliced ham

Place the ham in the bottom and around the sides of the phyllo lined ramekins.

For the scrambled eggs:

4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to season
4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp finely minced garlic

Whisk all together well and pour into the ramekins.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Sundried Tomato Jam

1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup water
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper to season
2 tbsp chopped sage ( or another fresh herb)

Lightly saute the garlic in the olive oil before adding the other ingredients and simmer gently intil the tomaotes reach a jam-like consistency.

Parmesan Olive Tapinade

1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
1/2 tsp frsh ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin oilive oil

Mix all ingredients together until well blended.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies

This recipe has appeared on this blog in the past in a different form and one of the most fuss-free cookies to make, Chocolate Chip Squares ( http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/chocolate-chip-squares.html ). This is my Moms recipe that was undoubtedly made hundreds of times during my childhood.

All these years later, I decided to try them as drop cookies with a chocolate ganache center to sandwich them together and they turned out beautifully. I expect there will be a few of these in the freezer for the holiday season this year.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies

Cream until light and fluffy:


½ cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

Add

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat well.


Sift together

1 cup + 2 tbsp flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

½ cup fine unsweetened coconut (optional)

Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, folding to combine well. Fold in

1 cup chocolate chips

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache Filling

In a small saucepan, over minimum flame, heat to scalding:

1/3 cup whipping cream

Stir in:

1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips

Stir constantly until the chocolate chips have completely melted. Set aside to cool to lukewarm before spooning the ganache onto a cookie and topping it with another.

Honey and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry Sauce

Well tomorrow's the weekend again and time for a great brunch! This great french toast version is one of my all-time favorite things to have at a weekend brunch. For me, good french toast is all about the bread and again, there is no better available in St John's than that found at Georgetown Bakery. Here I've used their Belgian Loaf but I've also used their brioche or great baguette in the past. Treat yourself to this fantastic brunch this weekend or surprise someone who's had a hard week; they'll thank you for it, I guarantee.

Honey and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry Sauce

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Boil gently together for about 10 minutes. Thicken with a slurry of 1 teaspoon of corn starch dissolved in a little water ( about an ounce). Femove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Filling

1 cup cream cheese

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

4 tbsp honey

Mix honey, nutmeg and cream cheese until well blended. Cut 4 double thick slices of any good artisan style bread, then cut pockets into the thick slices with a sharp breadknife. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly into the pockets.

Whisk together

4 eggs

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Dip the stuffed bread into the egg mixture and then fry in butter over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Pour blueberry sauce over the top to serve.

Phyllo Curry Chicken

Today's recipe is one that I have served as an entree at dinner but is also a great hors d'ouevre idea as well, simply by cutting them into smaller pieces like I did at a get together last weekend. This is another recipe that can be made in advance and just popped into the oven when you need it. I have even frozen these, thawed them and baked them with no problems. My Bakeapple Peach and Ginger Chutney is a very good accompaniment to this dish. Find that recipe here:
http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/03/bakeapple-peach-and-ginger-chutney.html

Phyllo Curry Chicken

Serves 4

12 sheets phyllo pastry

1/2 cup melted butter

Brush butter between the sheets of phyllo dough, stacking 3 sheets per serving.

Filling:

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp chinese five spice powder

3/4 cup finely diced red pepper

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves finely minced garlic

Mix all ingredients together well and diide into 4 equal portions. Working on the shortest side of the phyllo pastry, spoon the filling in a straight line close to the edge, leaving a 1 1/2 inch space on either side. Fold the edges in over the filling to form the ends of the roll. Roll up the filling in the phyllo pastry and set, seam side sown, on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Bake for about 35-45 minutes at 375 degrees F until the phyllo pastry is a medium golden brown.

Spiced Pear and Raspberry Cobbler + Quick Cobbler Anytime!

Two recipes for the price of one today!...well one recipe and a really great idea for a quick fruit cobbler anytime, even just a single serving! Look for that and some demonstration photos at the end of this post.

First, today's recipe is a great marriage of flavors in a warm cobbler dessert. Marriage is a good decription for this recipe because spouse's favorite fruit is pears and my favorite berry is raspberry so we both really enjoyed this one.

Spiced Pear and Raspberry Cobbler

6 large pears, peeled cored and cut in large wedges

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Melt the butter in a large saute pan and then toss in remaining ingredients and saute together over medium heat until the pears are just warmed through. This will give them a bit of a head start in cooking before adding the cobbler dough on top. Transfer hot pears to a 9x9 (or larger if necessary) baking dish.

Cobbler dough

In a food processor combine:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

Using the pulse button on the food processor cut in

1 cup very cold butter, cut in small pieces

Pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. ( If you don't own a food processor, you can cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or even a couple of knives.)

To the flour/butter mixture add

3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Fold in the cream just until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork the dough or it will become too tough. Less is more here and the less you work the dough, the lighter your cobbler will turn out.

Drop the cobbler dough in heaping tablespoonfuls onto the hot fruit mixture in a 9x9 nbaking dish. Over the cobbler sprinkle:

1 pint fresh or frozen raspberries

Bake at 350 degreed F for about  25-35 minutes or until the top is evenly golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Let the cobbler rest for 10-15 minutes before serving warm with some good French Vanilla ice cream.

QUICK COBBLER

The quick cobbler idea that I mentioned at the beginning of this post is really very simple and takes only a little forethought to be able to enjoy even a single serving of fruit cobbler in about 2o minutes. Great for last minute dinner guests or just to indulge a little comfort food craving.

When I make cobbler dough, I generally make two batches and freeze one, shaped into a 3 inch log and wrapped in plastic wrap. With the cobbler dough already made and standing by in the freezer, I can then at any time, very simply cut off a 1 1/2 inch round of the cobbler dough and place it on top of a couple of tablespoons of my favorite homemade jam in a greased ramekin. In the photo below I have used some Heavenly Rhubarb Jam that I recently featured on this blog. ( http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/10/heavenly-rhubarb-jam-rhubarb-strawberry.html )

Then, i sprinkle the top of the cobbler with a little sugar and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the cobbler is nicely golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Black Bean and Ginger Glazed Ribs

This is one of my favorite rib recipes which I often serve with some great oven baked potato wedges for a weekend supper. (Find the potato wedges recipe here along with a great meatloaf sandwich: http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/01/meatloaf-bacon-and-onion-on-toasted.html )

This past weekend, however, I made a few racks of these ribs to serve at a small gathering of friends to celebrate my continuing march toward oblivion, also known as a birthday! They were snapped up pretty quickly and several guests declared them to be the best ribs they had ever eaten. Who am I to disagree? ;)

Black Bean and Ginger Glazed Ribs

4 racks back ribs

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp chinese five spice powder

2 tbsp freshly grated ginger root

Mix together the garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and five spice and rub onto the ribs. Roast the ribs slowly on a rack at 300 degrees F for about an hour before beginning to brush on the Black Bean and Ginger Glaze:

Black Bean and Ginger Glaze

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp peanut oil

1 cup black bean sauce

3 tbsp freshly grated ginger root

2 tbsp soya sauce

1 tsp chinese five spice powder

4 tbsp rice wine vinegar (use cider vinegar in a pinch)

1/2 cup brown sugar

Simmer all ingredients together for about 15 minutes before beginning to brush the glaze onto the ribs. Increase the heat to 375 degrees F and brush the glaze on both sides of the ribs in 3 or 4 increments about every 10 minutes. Allow the ribs to rest, covered in aluminium foil for 10 minutes before serving.

Raspberry Chocolate Buttercream Cake

Happy Birthday to me!! Today's my birthday and this was my birthday cake of choice for 2009 simply because I can't get enough of anything chocolate and raspberry. Here, a chocolate scratch cake is filled with a raspberry sauce and my favorite frosting ever: chocolate buttercream! The chocolate buttercream frosting  admittedly may take a little practice to master but it is well worth the effort!

There are a couple of slices of this one still in the fridge from a little gathering of friends last night. Is it wrong to have this for breakfast? It is my birthday after all! ;)

Raspberry Chocolate Buttercream Cake

Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup soured milk

1 cup black coffee

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla flavouring

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes.

Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans, or one 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Raspberry Sauce


3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
2/3 cup sugar

Boil together gently and then thicken with a slurry of 1 tbsp corn starch dissolved in a little water. Cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup water

Combine and bring to a boil. Continue to boil over medium heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile beat together to stiff peaks

6 egg whites at room temperature

¼ tsp cream of tartar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Slowly pour in the sugar syrup hitting the side of the bowl and not the beaters. Continue beating the frosting for 10-15 minutes until the meringue is completely cool. When completely cool, slowly begin to add, a few tablespoons at a time

2 cups softened unsalted butter

Beat until smooth after each addition.

Combine and melt in a double boiler:

1 pound chocolate, chopped in small pieces

½ cup butter

Add to the meringue mixture and beat well until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. This may take 15 minutes or so and you may have to chill the frosting for several minutes before beating it again to get it to stiffen. Alternatively, you can place the frosting bowl in an ice bath while continuing to beat constantly until the icing stiffens sufficiently.

Split the cake layers in half, horizontally, making 4 layers in total. Fill with alternating layers of buttercream frosting and raspberry sauce.  Garnish with fresh raspberries and chocolate ganache or chocolate curls if desired.

Savoury Turkey Stroganoff (Another Leftover Rescue Recipe)

Savoury Turkey Stroganoff

If I have to eat leftovers, then at least let them be turkey leftovers! ( Did you miss my recent post: All That Leftover Turkey? http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/10/recipe-revisits-all-that-leftover.html )

A good roasted turkey dinner is one of my very favorites, and one of the few things that I even bother to try to stretch into a second  leftover meal. This one can be very simple and very fast to make, especially if you have leftover gravy from that roast turkey dinner. The only caution I would add here is that it had better be GOOD gravy! I like to reduce mine by boiling it down considerably to concentrate the flavour before making a stroganoff sauce out of it. The more you reduce the gravy, the better this dish will be.

The same applies if you are starting your gravy from homemade turkey stock, like I do. I reduce my turkey stock by at least half to make the gravy that is used in this recipe.

Serves 4
1 clove minced garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cups good turkey gravy (measured after reducing, see note above)
1 tbsp dry summer savoury
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
4 cups leftover diced or shredded roasted turkey

Begin by sauteing the garlic and mushrooms in the oilive oil for just a couple of minutes. Add the other ingredients except the turkey and simmer for only about 5 minutes before adding the leftover turkey and continuing to simmer until the turkey is well heated. Serve over egg noodles.

Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes

This is a variation on one of the most commonly made desserts at our house, especially at summer barbeques and picnics. I love shortcakes made with sweet biscuits, simply filled with fresh fruit and topped with whipped cream. Here are a couple of examples of other versions featured on this blog in the past:

Strawberry Orange Shortcake

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/04/strawberry-orange-shortcake.html

Easy Peach Shortcake

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/05/easy-peach-shortcakes.html

Today's recipe uses Frozen Strawberries to make a very simple sauce and the biscuits are filled with good vanilla ice cream. When the kids had these at dinner last night, they didn't look up from their plates for 10 whole minutes of blissful silence. That might be a good enough reason in itself to make these easy and delectable sundaes.

Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes

Shortcake Biscuits:

In a food processor, combine:
1 ¾ cups flour½ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
Cut in:
3/4 cup very cold butter cut in cubes
Pulse process until this mixture resembles a coarse meal. It is very important that pea sized pieces of butter remain in this mixture. Transfer from processor to a large bowl.
Mix together:
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup milk
Pour over the dry ingredients and toss together lightly just until a soft dough forms. Do not over mix. Drop the dough in large rounded tablespoons into greased ramekins . Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until evenly golden brown.
Cool completely on a wire rack after removing the biscuits from the ramekins. Split in half and fill the biscuits with scoops of good vanilla ice-cream. Top with Strawberry Sauce and some sweetened whipped cream.
Strawberry Sauce
6 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple juice or water
Gently bring the ingredients to a boil. It is important not to boil too vigorously or the strawberries will not maintain their shape. After boiling gently for a few minutes, thicken the sauce with a slurry of 1 tbsp corn starch dissolved in a little cold water. Cool completely before serving.
Makes 1 dozen.

Deep Dish Apple Crumble Pie

To my way of thinking, if you're going to make an apple pie, make it a deep dish apple pie...after all, its all about the apples and more is always better! ;) One of the tricks I use for deep dish apple pie is to slightly cook the apples in a large saute pan before adding them to a bind baked bottom crust. This technique helps keep the bottom crust from getting too soggy as the filling bakes and also provides a heat start on getting the fillling nice and bubbly to ensure it is well baked without burning the crust. Of course, an aluminium foil collar around the perimerter crust always hels to keep the outer crust from getting too dark.

Deep Dish Apple Crumble Pie

For the crust:

2 ¼ cups flour

1 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening  (Very cold and cut in cubes)
1/2 cup butter (Very cold and cut in cubes)
6 tbsp ice water

Pulse the cold butter or shortening into the flour sugar and salt using a food processor until the shortening or butter is reduced to pea sized pieces. Remove to a large bowl. Sprinkle the water over the surface and toss with a fork until the water is just incorporated into the dough. Do not over work the dough; handle it only enough so that the dough stays together. Separate the dough into 2 balls and wrap in plastic. Place in the fridge to chill well. You can freeze one for another time. Roll out into a 10 inch round and place into a 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Tuck the excess pastry under the edges and flute the edges with your fingers or a fork. Wrap an aluminum foil strip around the outside of the crust and blind bake the pastry using baking weights in parchment paper for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.

For the filling, add to a large saute
1/4 cup butter
3 lbs apples, peeled, cored and cut in large wedges
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar

Saute until the apples are just warmed through, remove from the heat and add:

1 1/2 tbsp corn starch

Toss together well with the apple mixture. Set the apples aside to cool a little before adding them to the blind baked pastry shell.

For the crumble topping:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup cold butter
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup rolled oats

Run all the ingredients together with your hands until the butter is fully incorporated into the flour, then sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apples. Bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour or until the filling is bubbly. You may need to use another strip of aluminium foil over the outer crust if it begins to get too dark during the baking time. Cool for at least a half hour before cutting and serving.

Easy Stir Fried Pineapple Pork

This one comes under the banner of what I call a "Leftover Rescue Recipe". Although you can make this by starting with pork tenderloin medallions, you can use leftover roasted pork loin as well. Here I used the leftovers from a dijon and brown sugar glazed pork loin roast that we had a couple of days before this.

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/10/easy-brown-sugar-and-dijon-glazed-pork.html

Any recipe that successfully stretches leftovers into a second delicious dinner is bound to get high marks from me since, in general, I am not a big fan of leftovers. I think this one worked very well with the leftover pork.

Easy Stir Fried Pineapple Pork

Serves 4

1 pound fresh pork tenderlion, sliced in medallions (or one pound of leftover cooked pork loin roast, sliced)

2 cloves minced garlic

3 tbsp peanut oil

salt and pepper to season

In a hot wok, heat the oil and quickly stir fry the pork and garlic for a few minutes. Remove the pork from the wok and set aside.

To the hot wok add

1/2 red onion diced

Stir fry fir a minute or two before adding:

1 1/2 cups snow peas

1 cup diced red pepper

1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts

1 cup diced pineapple

Toss togeter for about a minute or two before adding the following ingredients all at once:

3 tbsp Hoisin sauce

2 tsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp chinese five spice powder

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger root

1/4 cup rice wine

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)

1/2 cup pineapple juice

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp chili flakes (optional if you don't prefer spicy)

Bring to a boil and return the pork to the wok before thickening the sauce with a slurry of 1 tbsp corn starch dissolved in a little cold water. Serve over rice or noodles.

Chocolate Marshmallow Whoopie Pies

There are a couple of other whoopie pie recipes on this blog and this one is just a different version of the classic chocolate whoopie pie, using the marshmallow type frosting that we so often use on Black and White Cake. ( http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/03/black-and-white-cake.html )  This is the most popular version I make, especially with my kids. I've often make platters of these to bring to birthday or school parties for the kids and they disappear almost immediately!

Chocolate Marshmallow Whoopie Pies

4 heaping cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sour milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon genuine vanilla exract

Mix together shortening, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.
Add milk, cocoa and hot water. Then add the dry ingredients.

Scoop large rounded spoonfuls of batter onto a greased cookie sheet and space at least 2" apart. An ice cream scoop works well for this purpose too. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until centers spring back when touched. Cool completely.

Marshmallow Frosting

3 egg whites


¼ tsp cream of tarter

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

½ cup corn syrup

3 tbsp water

In a small saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer or when a teaspoonful of the mixture dropped into ice water forms a soft ball that holds its shape when cool.

Whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla extract to soft peaks in a large bowl. With the mixer on medium high speed, slowly begin to pour the sugar syrup down the side of the egg white bowl in a thin continuous stream. Continue to whip the frosting until it forms stiff peaks.

Lemon Raisin Scones

This is a slight twist on my standard raisin scone recipe which is a no sugar added recipe. Find that recipe here: http://rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/04/no-sugar-added-raisin-scones.html?pfstyle=wp

This recipe does have sugar in it but you could easily make it without the sugar if you prefer. You can also cut these out with a biscuit cutter if you prefer not to make such large scones. This weekend, we had these warm out of the oven with dairy butter melting through them for Brunch...now that's a reason to get out of bed!

Lemon Raisin Scones

I start these in my food processor because it is so fast but they can be made just as easily in a large bowl by cutting the butter in with a pastry blender or even 2 knifes held between the fingers.

In a food processor, combine:

3 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Zest of one lemon, finely grated.

Cut in:

¾ cup very cold butter, cubed

Pulse process until this mixture resembles a coarse meal. It is very important that pea sized pieces of butter remain in this mixture. Remove to a large bowl and toss in:

1 cup raisins (light or dark, your preference)

Mix together:

Juice of one lemon

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

Pour this over the surface of the dry mixture. Toss all together gently with a fork only enough to form a dough ball. It is important that you work this dough as little as possible or the finished scones will be too dense and heavy. Roll to 1 inch thickness and cut out scones with biscuit cutter or in triangles with a sharp knife and place on parchment lined baking sheet.

If desired you can brush the tops of the scones with an egg wash of 1 egg beaten together with 1 tbsp water. You can sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar if desired but this is, of course, optional.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Baking time will vary depending on the size of your biscuit cutter. This recipe makes 8 large scones.