Blueberry Scone Cake

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Andrea

I love this little cake so much. Not only is it original and easy, but it’s absolutely delicious. It will always be special to me since it is the last recipe I shared with my dear friend Chris before she passed away. We loved cooking together and sharing recipes, and I’ve been thinking about her so much, I felt compelled to share this recipe here. This cake is awesome for anytime of day, including breakfast. It’s buttery moistness and all around deliciousness will (hopefully) make you very happy. Continue reading →

Almond Thumbprint Snack Cookies

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Andrea

Healthy Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookie

Use your favourite jam

When you’re feeling like eating some baking, but you really shouldn’t go too crazy, as in, you want to justify eating cookies because they are made with healthy ingredients — or you are looking for a nice snack cookie – these fit the bill perfectly. I really like these because they taste like an excellent treat, but all the ingredients are essentially healthy. I made them with mostly organic ingredients as well, so all the better. You can customize them by adding your favourite jam for the centers. I have used raspberry here and they are so good. I still ate 4 or 5 of them, but oh well, I threw caution to the wind. So sue me.

I imagine they would suffice for a breakfast on the run as well. Super easy and they freeze well.

Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

inspired by The Nourishing Gourmet

Makes about 24-30 cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups whole or sliced almonds, ground coarsely in processor

3 cups oatmeal, ground finely in processor

1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup maple syrup

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

Heat oven to 350F. Prepare baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.

Grind almonds coarsely in a food processor by using the ‘pulse’ button. You don’t want them too fine, you still want to see little chunks of them. Remove from processor and place in large bowl.

Process oatmeal the same way, except you want it to be quite fine, so push the ‘run’ button for 10-20 seconds.

Mix all ingredients together in the bowl. Form into 1 1/2 tablespoon size clumps. (a small cookie dough scoop works well for this). Place on cookie sheet about an inch apart and bake for 9 minutes. Remove from oven to indent your cookies with your finger or a cylindrical spoon handle. Return to oven and bake for another 8-9 minutes until starting to brown on the edges. Using a tiny spoon, fill indents with your favourite jam. Cool. Enjoy.

Grind up your oatmeal in processor

After baking 9 minutes, remove from oven and make your indents. Return to oven.

When fully baked, add a dollop of your favourite jam

A delightful snack with a cup of tea

Delightful and healthy

Quick Cheesy Drop Biscuits

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Andrea

cheesy tender delicious biscuits

Here’s a really good recipe to make – it’s a basic drop biscuit recipe but I’ve thrown in some old cheddar and a little garlic powder. So, if you want plain biscuits, take those two items out. It’s a big recipe – I made small biscuits here (for a potluck) and I got about 45 biscuits (about 3 inch diameter after baking). Alternatively, you may want big, fat drop biscuit and you can go right ahead. Adjust your baking times accordingly. These are fast and so easy.

Quick Cheesy Drop Biscuits

makes about 20 large or 40 mini biscuits

2 eggs

4Tbsp granulated sugar

2 cups milk

2 Tbsp melted butter

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cream of tartar

2 cups shredded old cheddar

1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

*additional melted butter to brush on tops

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

Mix 1 cup of the milk with the eggs and sugar until combined.

Add the remaining cup of milk and melted butter.

Mix dry ingredients together, stirring in shredded cheese and garlic powder. Add to milk mixture. Stir until just combined. Dough should be wet and sticky.

Drop blobs of dough on baking sheets. Bake 7-10 minutes for small, 12-15 minutes for large or until bottoms are lightly browned. Brush with

melted butter, if desired. Cool slightly, these are best enjoyed warm.

mix wet ingredients, add cheese to flour mixture, then combine

mix cheese in with flour mixture

mix until just combined. Dough will be sticky.

drop blobs on baking sheet. Small or large, you decide.

bake until bottoms are browned and tops bounce back when pressed with a finger

brush tops with melted butter if desired.

these are awesome with soup or stew or on their own

Deep Dish Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Andrea

Deep Dish Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

the insides....yum

These are fun to make – everyone loves these, and they taste so much better than the ones you buy – a real treat. I would use a milk chocolate or if you want it darker than that – maybe a chocolate around 55-60% at the most. Give them a try — easy, but there are a few steps involved.

Deep Dish Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

from Chef Michael Smith’s Kitchen

makes 8 large treats

8 muffin liners

8 ounces of milk or dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp pure vanilla

1/2 tsp grated fresh nutmeg

Directions:

Place muffin liners in muffin tin. (this recipe uses regular sized muffin liners).

In a heatproof bowl over a pot with about an inch of boiling water, place chopped chocolate, stirring occasionally until fully melted. Turn off heat. Using a small pastry brush, and holding the muffin liner steady, paint the bottom and about 2/3 of the way up the sides of the liner with chocolate. Place pan in refrigerator until chocolate has hardened.

Place peanut butter and cream cheese in processor and process until smooth. Scrape down sides and add honey, vanilla and grated nutmeg. Remove chocolate cups from fridge and place 2 to 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into each cup. Smooth top of filling to make level. Place back in fridge to firm up, abotu 15 minutes.

Reheat your leftover chocolate over hot water until melted again. Spoon chocolate over top of your chilled peanut butter filling, sealing the edges. Refrigerate again until firm. To serve, peel off liners. Enjoy. Keep refrigerated, but they taste best if you let them warm up a bit (10 minutes or so) before serving.

melt chocolate in heatproof bowl over an inch of simmering water

Mix up peanut butter filling with cream cheese in processor. Add other ingredients.

paint insides of muffin liners with chocolate, about 2/3 of the way up the sides. Let harden.

place filling into cups, leveling it. Place back in fridge to firm up.

Spoon remaining chocolate over filling to seal edges. Back in the fridge to harden.

Yum

Santa likes these.

Peanut Butter Buds

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Andrea

It’s about the only way I can describe these cookies. I love peanut butter and these give you a double whammy with a peanut butter cookie topped with a melty mini Reese’s peanut butter cup. Hello. The cookie is small and delicate and chewy, as long as you don’t overbake them. Very cute and delightful and you really can’t have just one, you have to have a few. An easy dough that comes together fast.

Peanut Butter Buds

adapted from The Brown Eyed Baker

makes approximately 48 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter (regular, not pure peanut butter with no additives)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated preferred)

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar (to roll cookie dough balls in)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats or silicone liners. Set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter. Add white and brown sugar and mix until well combined.

Add eggs and vanilla and continue to mix on medium speed until well incorporated.

In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. On low speed, gradually add to peanut butter mixture. When just combined, remove mixing things and finish combining all the flour with a spatula. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or so, until firm.

Place remaining 1/3 cup sugar in wide shallow bowl. Using a spoon or small cookie dough scoop, make 3/4 inch balls,, fairly small- about 1 1/2 tsp to 2 tsp of dough), roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet.

Bake for 7 minutes, or until puffed. They turn out beautifully chewy and delicate if you take them out before they brown. Remove from oven and press Reese’s mini peanut butter cup into center of each cookie. Cool 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Try to eat just one! It’s not possible. So good.