Potatos, Peas & Mint Salad

1 1/4 pounds baby red potatoes (I just use regular red potatoes)

• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped mint leaves
• 3/4 tsp coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Scrub the potatoes and remove any eyes. Cut into half-inch cubes. Cover with water and cook just until they lose any crunchiness. Drain and set aside. Cook the peas and save the liquid. Mash the peas with a fork, or use a food processor if you wish. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil (I like to use half EVOO and half lemon-infused olive oil) and 1/4 cup of the liquid. Toss potatoes with pea mixture and remaining ingredients. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil.

It may sound scary, but it's amazing! I like it best when it's slightly warm, but it's good cold too. Be warned that it only keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days. Here's where I got it.

Ice Cream Cake

The Cake

Make Wacky Cake, and divide batter into two greased and floured 9" round cake pans. Bake (duh), then remove from pans and cool on rack. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and freeze for several hours or overnight.

The Ice Cream
Choose your ice cream. I chose a delicious coconut gelato, and I think it was one of those 1.5-quart containers. You know, the kind where you feel a little ripped off. Using one of the cake pans you used for the cake, take some more plastic wrap and put it inside the pan. Then take your chosen ice cream, which is now slightly softened, and press it all into the pan. I'm guessing you could fit up to 2 quarts into a pan like that. Cover with the plastic wrap and freeze for a couple of hours.

The Frosting

Put into small saucepan:

5 Tbsp flour

1 cup milk

Stir constantly over medium heat until you have a think paste. Let cool to room temperature.

Add:

1 tsp vanilla

Stir, baby.

Cream together:

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar (not powdered/icing/confectioners sugar!)

When this mixture is light and fluffy, add the other mixture and whip it into a delightful frosting.

Here's the original recipe for the icing. Of course, you can never go wrong with Anna Mae's(ing) Icing either.

All of the following must be done quickly: Put one round of cake on whatever serving vessel you have. The ice cream goes on next, and then the other cake. Drown that cake in frosting (quickly!). I toasted some unsweetened coconut flakes in the toaster oven until they were slightly browned and then sprinkled them all over the cake. Freeze again. I didn't cover the cake from when I put it together in the afternoon until we ate it in the evening, and it didn't hurt it at all. It served about 15 adults and 13 kiddos and there was a chunk leftover. Good stuff.

I can't wait to try more flavor combos, like peanut butter ice cream with this. And Rhonda and Robyn, I know you make ice cream cakes, so you should post what you do too.

Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce

¾ cups Fresh Basil Leaves
½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
Salt And Pepper, to taste
⅓ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cups Heavy Cream (I used half and half)
2 Tablespoons Butter
¼ cups Grated Parmesan (additional - I forgot and left this out)
12 ounces, weight Pasta (cavitappi)
2 whole Tomatoes, Diced
Cook pasta until al dente.

Add basil leaves, 1/2 cup Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and salt and pepper to a food processor or blender. Turn machine on, then drizzle in olive oil while it mixes. Continue blending until combined, adding additional olive oil if needed. Set aside.

Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pesto and stir.

Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl. Pour pesto cream over the top. Toss to combine. Add diced tomatoes and toss quickly. Serve immediately.

My notes: I made this as our main dish, but it would be so good as a side with a grilled chicken breast... or really good with anything else. This is SO good. Make it. Make it today.

Nova Scotia Oatcakes

I had never heard of oatcakes before I lived in Halifax. Almost every coffee shop serves them here, and at first I was a little skeptical. They seemed pretty bland and boring. Once I got my mind past the fact that they are not cookies, well, it was true love. They are the perfect dunking biscuit, especially with your coffee or tea mid-afternoon. There are also savory versions, but I prefer this one, which is just a little sweet. My favourite oatcake is the one that the Second Cup downtown serves (the Bedford Second Cup's are different). I prefer more oats, less "dough" surrounding the oats. This recipe has a lot of dough, but I kept adding more oats until my dough was quite stiff and you could see more oats and less dough. This recipe reminds me more of the Mrs. P's Bakery oatcakes (for those of you who know what those are).
Please leave comments if you try these!!!


Beat together:

1/2 C butter
1/2 C shortening
1/4 C white sugar
1/4 C brown sugar

Put 3 Tbsp boiling water in a cup and dissolve 1/2 tsp baking soda in the water.
Pour over butter mixture and beat well.

Add:
1 1/2 C flour (part whole wheat if you want)
1 1/2 C rolled oats (I probably ended up using about 2 1/2 C but just keep adding more until it's the balance of dough vs. oats that you want. It's not picky.)
1/4 tsp salt

Roll into balls and shape and flatten with hands until they are perfectly round with no rough edges (if your dough ends up stiff you can roll them out and use a cookie cutter).
Bake in preheated oven at 375F for about 8 minutes or until the edges are golden.
*Note to my sisters: this is one biscuit that I don't leave underbaked. They are for dunking anyway so go ahead and dry them out a bit, just not too much! :-)

**This recipe makes about 12 medium oatcakes.

Five-Spice Noodle Bowls

(adapted from Clean Eating March 2011)

2 tsp sesame oil
1 white onion, very thinly sliced
2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
4 C low-sodium beef broth
3 C baby bok choy, chopped
8 oz brown rice vermicelli noodles, soaked in hot water and drained
8 oz beef, trimmed of fat and very thinly sliced (best to do this while partially frozen for thinner pieces)
4 green onions, thinly sliced (seems to be a common theme here)
tons of cilantro (especially for Rhonda)
soy sauce to taste
sambal oelek to taste (aka Rooster Sauce) - or another hot chile sauce
fresh limes, sliced

In a large pot, heat oil and cook onions, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add five-spice powder, cooking and stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add meat and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add bok choy. (Don't worry about your meat not being done. It is very thin and you don't want it tough)

Cook until bok choy reaches desired level of crunchiness. :-)
Right before serving, add noodles.

Garnish with cilantro, lime, green onions and hot chile.

This is so easy and so tasty. My kids loved it, without the hot sauce of course.
This is something you probably have to plan ahead for to pick up the ingredients, but it is worth it!
Delish.

Asian Chicken Salad (or wraps!)

(I had to hurry and finish eating this so I could post the recipe!)

leftover shredded chicken
nappa cabbage, sliced very thin
green onions
cucumber
shredded carrots
fish sauce
soy sauce
lime juice (fresh, don't use bottled - yuck)
fresh mint or basil or cilantro, or a combination of any or all!
dash of olive oil

almonds or peanuts to garnish
wraps if you so desire!
canned oranges and crunchy noodles would be nice too (I didn't use them)

For those of you that are counting calories, this has approx. 100 cal/cup

French Bread

• 1 1/4 cups water (70 to 80 degrees F)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 
  
• GLAZE:
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
• 
  
• Mix water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit til bubbly. Combine yeast mixture with salt and flour. Divide in half. Roll each portion into a 10-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet with cornmeal; place loaves seam side down on prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes. Whisk egg and water; brush over loaves. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

My notes: I usually just make one big loaf, either long or round. I rarely use cornmeal on the bottom, although it's good. I've used 1/2 whole wheat flour and it's just as delicious. 

Double Orange Scones

1 C all purpose flour
1 C whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp grated orange peel
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C cold butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
1/3 C milk
1/2 C chopped mandarin oranges, well drained
additional sugar

Orange butter (note: I have not tried this part)
1/2 C butter, softened
2 Tbsp orange marmalade
Beat until fluffy and serve on warm scones.

Scones: Combine dry ingredients and orange peel. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Combine the egg and milk; add to crumb mixture. Stir in the oranges just until moist.

Knead gently, using more milk or flour as needed (I had to add a bit more milk). Pat into 2 6-in. circles; sprinkle with additional sugar and cut into eight wedges (or one big circle for larger scones). Separate wedges gently and place on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

(Steel-cut) Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 C rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1/3 C steel-cut oats (not cooked)
3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 C butter
1/3 C granulated sugar
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 C raisins or dried fruit of your choice

Bake at 375F for 10 minutes
*I think you can cut down on the sugar, or leave the white sugar out. They're really sweet.
Pretty basic recipe...I think the main difference is the steel cut oats - really a nice crunch in them.

Thai Curry Soup

3 c. chicken broth
1 c. bottled clam juice
1 to 2 T. fish sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
2 t. minced fresh ginger
2 1/2 t. red curry paste
1 (8 oz). Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pcs.
1 (3 oz.) pkg trimmed snow peas
1/3 c. fresh lime juice
2 T. sugar
4 T. sliced green onion tops
4 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large Dutch oven, stirring with a whisk. Add mushrooms; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Add the shrimp, chicken, and snow peas; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice and remaining ingredients. Cook 2 minutes until heated.

**My notes: I had to change a few things, mostly because of Lack of Ingredients. I couldn't find clam juice, so I substituted some oyster sauce and a bit more water. I used about 2 Tbsp of ginger and a whole can of curry paste. I didn't use shrimp or green onion tops. Let me say that this was so, so good. Thanks and blessings to cousin Michelle for sharing it with me.