Trouble Makers.

November 26, 2010 at 6:04 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment
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My kids are great. I love them. That being said, they are also little monsters (my three-year-old even insisted on being a monster for Hallowe’en and her favourite movie is Monsters Inc). I think my kids are such trouble-makers so that I can experience what my parents went through.

When I was only a toddler, my brother and I would hatch plans and get into a terrible amount of trouble. Soon after I learned how to walk, I used the drawers in the kitchen to create steps up to counter. There I was able to get the bottle of Flintstones vitamins and hand them to my brother who proceeded to open said bottle–we ate them all.

Another time, we decided that we wanted all the Fudgesicles and Popsicles for ourselves. So, when my mom and dad went to bed we snuck downstairs to the big chest freezer in the basement. My brother lifted me up while I opened the freezer and took the icy treats. We thought we would be smart and save them so we hid them under our pillow. We awoke to my mother’s screams as she saw a melted brown mess spreading from underneath my pillow.

Now, it is my turn.

It seems like every day my daughters stir up trouble. One incident happened just yesterday. I went to the bathroom and I was gone for under 2 minutes only to return to a gigantic mess of cracked eggs and butter smeared over the kitchen floor and on my little angels. Mind you, this was just after then had been given a bath.

Today, they decided to top themselves. My daughter asked me to peel her an orange. My first mistake was turning my back to them. They grabbed one of their chairs from the craft table and placed it near the cabinets. My eldest daughter climbed up and removed the vaseline from the a basket. All the time I was doing this I was thinking “wow, my children are so great. They can play so nicely and quietly together.” That was my second mistake–my girls never play quietly.

Let’s just say that vaseline is a lot harder to clean up than butter and eggs.

Despite the lack of butter and eggs, I knew I had to make some cupcakes today. It was someone’s birthday weekend and I had to deliver some birthday spirit in the form of baked goodies. It was a bit hard to figure out what to make because this person doesn’t really like sweet stuff. So I racked my brain and decided on Gourmet’s dessert of the month, Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Again, this recipe is perfect to satisfy a desire for autumn flavours (and a cinnamon fanatic like myself). Instead of a cake I made cupcakes so that it would be easier to serve and eat.

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SPICED APPLESAUCE CAKE WITH CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
From Gourmet Magazine
Makes 14 cupcakes

FOR CAKE

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

FOR FROSTING

  • 5 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line muffin tin with paper cups or grease.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Scoop batter out into muffin tin filling it 3/4 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.

Cool in muffin tins for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy.

Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.

Spread frosting over top of cooled cupcakes.

Blueberry Muffins

October 6, 2010 at 3:01 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment
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As a young mom I often feel intimidated around older moms. I don’t know if all young mothers feel like this but I do. Now after having two children, I am starting to gain confidence. However, that confidence suddenly becomes fleeting and I am broken down within two minutes over certain instances.

The times when I can’t control my children and they run around or the moments where I have older women telling me how I should dress or parent my children is when the belief in myself as a mother crumbles into a pile of self-doubt.

When my oldest daughter was born I was constantly busy trying to balance the life of a university student with motherhood. Some days I would go out of the house with my daughter dressed in a sleeper onsie, which for those who don’t know is basically a one-piece pajama with long arms and legs.

At the mommy groups, older mothers would constantly comment on the dreaded sleeper. “Oh, your daughter is so adorable but she’s wearing a sleeper?” “Is that a sleeper your daughter is wearing?” were questions I often heard.

Time passed and I, of course, became more resilient. However, sometimes the comments from complete strangers still sting. I don’t know if I am a good mother, but I do know that I am constantly striving to be one. I love my kids and my biggest fear is failing them. So, I try to spend as much time with them by interaction.

One activity my eldest daughter likes to do is help me bake. I usually give her a bowl of flour and water and let her “bake” daddy something. Because I love my daughter and feel an utter amount of regret for leaving the house with her while she was wearing sleepers I decided she could bake today.

Here is a recipe for Best Blueberry Muffins. It is an America’s Test Kitchen recipe and I really liked the way they made the blueberry flavour intense. I might not be the best mom but I know a darn good recipe for blueberry muffins so I guess that is a step in the right direction.

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Best Blueberry Muffins
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

From Season 10: Best Weekend Breakfast

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries (about 10 ounces) (I used frozen wild blueberries as blueberries aren’t in season)
  • 1 1/8cups sugar (8 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon
  • 2 1/2cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
  • 2 1/2teaspoons baking powder
  • 1teaspoon table salt
  • 2large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/4cup vegetable oil (I used Almond oil)
  • 1cup buttermilk (I used whole milk)
  • 1 1/2teaspoons vanilla extract

Method
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat.

Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to ¼ cup, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk remaining 11/8 cups sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil
until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (Batter will be very lumpy with few spots of dry flour; do not overmix.)

Following photos below, use ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). Spoon teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter. Using chopstick or skewer, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure-eight motion.

Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time.

Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Off-beat.

February 27, 2010 at 6:32 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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My parents are great people.  A little strange but none-the-less great. Maybe that’s where I get my eccentricities; they did raise me after all. And, because I love my parents so much I will tell you a little bit about their off-beat nature.

When my brother was born my parents–who are Chinese and Caucasian–decided to name him Mathieu and not Matthew.  We aren’t even French, but I guess it was better than some of the alternatives they had.

My real name is Victoria, but they have never called me by that name.  I think they actually dislike the name.  Ever since I was born I have gone by Tori.  Wait, correction, I went by Torey but then somewhere between my birth and when I was five the spelling suddenly changed.

We also didn’t experience a lot of food variety. Pumpkin pie has still and probably always will remained a mystery to my palate; I am afraid to try it!   There was a bunch of food my brother and I were never exposed to and I think that is thanks to my dad’s pickiness in regards to food.  I never had bananas with peanut butter, brussel sprouts, eggplant, cauliflower, spinach, etc.   However, my family was eating sushi way before it was ever popular (20 plus years ago!).

I, personally, don’t think I missed out on many food opportunities except for one. My mother never made banana bread! I didn’t try banana bread until I was older. We always had bananas in the house and banana muffins were readily available but, alas, no bread of the banana variety.

Banana bread is probably one of my favourite quick breads. When I bake it I just want to eat the whole loaf. Of course, everyone has their favourite version of banana bread. Mine is one that is light and airy yet moist, not too sweet with a strong banana taste. I mean, it is called “banana bread” not “semi-banana bread.”
The recipe below is catered to my favourite kind of banana bread.

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Light and Airy Banana Bread
Ingredients

  • 1/2 cups Brown Butter, cooled in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes
  • 1 cup golden brown sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cake flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare two loaf tins 8 1/2×4 by greasing the bottoms and sides (I am sure you could put the batter into one loaf tin but I like my loafs cute and miniature in size and not because I am trying to portion control my intake of banana bread…).

Mix together butter and sugar till thoroughly combined. Stir in eggs until well blended.

Add bananas, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth.

In a medium bowl sift together flours, salt and baking soda.

Slowly stir in flour until just moistened and pour one half of the batter into each loaf tin.

Bake in a preheated oven for 40-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the bread.

Remove from oven and place on a wired cooling rack. After ten minutes, remove loaf from tin and let cool on the wire rack for an additional 60 minutes.

Wrap in plastic wrap.

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Chocolate chip cookies are a good bet in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

February 26, 2010 at 5:32 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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I spent six years of my life in Yellowknife, N.W.T.  It was an experience, that’s for sure.  We moved up there for my father’s job when I was five from the urban mecca of Toronto, Ontario.

I don’t know if you have ever been to Yellowknife but the winter’s there are gloomy and you hardly see daylight.

During the winter day’s there wasn’t very much to do.  It was way to dark to play outside.  Even if there was some light, playing in minus 40 degree weather isn’t fun.  Believe me, I did it and got frost bite a few times.

Since playing outside was not an option my brother and I always had friend’s over to our house after school.  It was always the house to go to because both my parents were usually at work and there were yummy goodies, or more specifically my mom’s delicious chocolate chip cookies.

Everyone wanted those cookies. No one wanted to share and with no parents around  many brother-sister scraps took place (our friends knew not to get involved with arguing siblings).  These fights continued to happen until we decided to play a game to win the cookies.

Of course, ever 8-year-old knows how to play poker (or at least my brother and I did and we taught others, the little trouble makers we were) and poker was the game to be played.  The wager?–chocolate chip cookies.

So there we all were, 4 or 5 kids playing poker for  cookies.  Oh, the life of a child in Yellowknife.

Anyway, I decided recently that I wanted to make a chocolate chip cookie my way.  I wanted a cookie that was not too sweet, had just enough chocolate, a crispy bottom and chewy centre.

Lo and behold my chocolate chip cookie recipe.

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Tori’s Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1-1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp milk
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream together butter and sugars on medium until smooth for 3 minutes.

Beat in eggs one at a time and then mix in vanilla.

In a small cup, heat milk in the microwave for 5 seconds. Remove, swirl milk around and microwave for another 5 seconds.

Add baking soda to milk and stir until baking soda becomes dissolved. Add milk to batter while mixing on medium speed (make sure you scrape the bottom of the cup to get all the baking soda out). Add salt and mix.

With the mixer on low speed, add flour by 1/2 cup intervals and mix until combined. Once flour is combined stir in chocolate chips.

Shape cookies by scooping out a tablespoon of batter, rolling it into a ball and then placing it on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 minutes, turning baking sheet once after 5 minutes so that cookies are evenly browned. When the cookie is cooked it will have spread and be golden.

Remove from oven and let rest for two minutes. Transfer cookie to a wired cooling rack and let rest for 30 – 45 minutes before putting them in an airtight container.

Battlefields and cookies.

February 24, 2010 at 8:11 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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Oh my goodness, I haven’t written on my blog for a few days. I am so ashamed of myself but playing with my children and family time comes first! My girls have been very grumpy lately. I swear my two-year-old is afraid of sleep. She just won’t sleep when she is obviously tired. In her world naps are a punishment but when she takes one she is so much happier.

That is the bulk of what I have been doing for the past few days. The battle lines have been drawn and my oldest daughter and I are going head-to-head to see who wins on the nap-time debate of 2010. As of the moment she is in her room having quite time and I hope she falls asleep. A well rested child is always more pleasant than a grumpy one.

My baby’s issue is that she won’t sleep unless I am holding her and I don’t have the heart to see her cry. I tried to leave her for 10 minutes and it was the worse 10 minutes I have ever endured.

Because of these sleep issues I am facing I decided that I needed a cookie. Sorry, I don’t have any picture but that is what happens when the children are cranky.

Hopefully I will be able to do some photo documentation in the days to come.

Oh, and if you really want a picture here is one of Whistler during the olympics. I still can’t believe I live here!

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(Whistler 2010 Olympics and the massive amounts of people!)

Cinnamon Roll Cookies (from cuisine at home Holiday Cookies)

Prep: 40 minutes; Cook: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Dough:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar (I used golden sugar)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Icing:

  • 1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1/2 tsp. powdered egg whites (I used meringue powder)
  • I added 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

Dough

Combine granulated sugar and 2 tbsp cinnamon in a bowl; set aside.

In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Slowly incorporate flour mixture making sure not to overmix (dough can become tough).

On a piece of parchment paper, trace a 9×16″ rectangle.  Place dough on parchment paper and make rectangle by patting out dough.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cinnamon sugar mixture on dough.

Roll into a log beginning on the long side.  Wrap log in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours or freeze dough until ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 1/2 inch-thick slices and place on cookie sheet making sure they are spaced 1″ apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden.  Let cool on pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to cookie rack.

Icing:

Mix confectioners sugar, warm water, powdered egg whites and vanilla extract (if using) together.  Use spoon to drizzle over cooled cookies.

Let stand at room temperature until icing dries.

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