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.

Always room for comfort

November 21, 2010 at 8:41 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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It seems like November has only just arrived but it is already mid-month. Where has the time gone? This month has been extremely busy–the majority of which I spent lying in bed in at my parents’ house in mild pain and sleeping. When I finally returned home, I was struck with the bite of frosty weather.

The weather in Whistler is getting chilly and my house lacks proper insulation. So, I decided I would be efficient and heat the house with my oven while baking something homey for my husband since apparently the bachelorhood he endured while the girls and I were gone made him feel quite lonely.

Apple crisp was the perfect treat for these cool fall days especially for my family because we always equate the dessert with feelings of comfort. This is a straight forward recipe that has always been a hit with our family. Sometimes comfort comes in the simplest of ways. It may not be the prettiest dessert, but it’s sure to warm you up on a cold, wet day.

Mom’s Apple Crisp

10 medium sized apples (macintosh, golden delicious or granny smith) peeled and sliced

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Juice from 1 lemon

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup butter, cut into cubes

Method:

Preheat oven to 370 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl toss the apples with granulated sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Pour apples into a 9×13 pan and set aside.

In another medium sized bowl, mix flours and sugar together. Then, with a pastry blender (you can also use your hands) cut in the butter until it the butter is coarsely mixed in and is about the size of peas.

Spread the flour mixture on top of the apples evenly and place in preheated oven.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and you can see the apples mixture at the corners bubbling.

Remove from oven and cool.

Serve with ice cream or on it’s own for breakfast, lunch, dinner or all of the above.

For the love of Autumn.

October 18, 2010 at 11:12 am | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment
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I absolutely love autumn. I think it is my favourite season. I love the smell of the sweet decay of leaves, the vivid colours of rust and gold that hang from tree branches and the crisp fall air.

Autumn is also my favourite season to run in because of the reasons mentioned above. However, since I live in British Columbia this time of the year means rain. I don’t have a problem running in the rain (it actually makes me feel tough and reminds me of action movie montages where the heroes are training for the next battle). I can’t run in the rain anymore though because I am a nice mother and would rather my kids not soaking wet.

So, when it’s a rainy October day and running is not an option the next best thing to do is bake cookies to warm-up the house and our stomachs.

Fall baking, to me and probably most people, means a treat that is made with spices and brings comfort upon the first bite.

I decided to make these snickerdoodles because they encompass what I believe is a good autumn treat, and my husband told me he wanted me to make them. A win-win situation for all!

I found the recipe from this great blog called Liv Life, which always features delicious goodies.

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Best Ever Snickerdoodles
Nancy Baggett, The All-American Cookie Book p. 14

Flavorful cookies with a texture that ranges from slightly crispy around the edges to slightly chewy as you reach the center. Sure to be a hit anywhere you take them!

Ingredients

  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cream of tarter
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbs light corn syrup
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sugar combined with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon for topping

Method

Preheat oven to 375º and prepare baking sheets with a silicone mat or cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, set aside. In another large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and corn syrup together until well blended and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating until well blended and smooth. Beat in half of the flour mixture until evenly incorporated. Stir in the remaining flour mixture just until combined. Let the dough stand for 5-10 minutes. Mix together the additional sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Roll portions of the dough into generous 1 1/2 inch balls with lightly greased hands (dough will be soft). Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar. Place on the baking sheets, spacing about 2 3/4 inches apart.

Bake the cookies 8-11 minutes, or just until light golden brown at the edges. Reverse the sheet from front to back half way through the cooking time to ensure even browning. Transfer the baking sheets to a wire rack and let stand until the cookies firm up slightly, about 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

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.

This is my confession

February 16, 2010 at 8:17 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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I have a confession to make. I am clumsy. I have always been clumsy. Ever since I was a little kid I would walk into trees, walls, doors, you name it.

I’ve fallen down flights of stairs in high school, I’ve tripped on my own jogging pants and I’ve slipped in puddles of mud. And let me tell you that going to school covered in mud is not fun. It’s a good thing my cousin Chris and I were in the same school because his gym clothes saved me more than once.

This clumsiness followed me to university, but when I had my daughter my clumsiness seemed to magically go away. I stopped dropping things and I no longer tripped on my own feet. It was a miracle.

Then I had my other daughter and I believe that the magic that cured my clumsiness was cancelled out by having another child thus resulting in the clumsies. Yup, I have gotten it down to a scientific equation.

Anyway…

Yesterday after a trip to the grocery store I was dropping off my shopping cart to cart drop-off. I had my baby in the baby bjorn and I grabbed my toddler from the cart and held her on my hip. I pushed the cart into the other carts and started walking away.

Suddenly, my cart rolling backwards into the parking lot where there are, of course, parked cars. I start running for it while carrying to children and I catch it with my free hand. But, it didn’t stop there.

More carts start rolling backwards; some are going left and others are going right. The panic hits me and I am trying to catch all the carts. Finally, some grocers see me and run to my aid.

See, I am clumsy. I am pretty sure I somehow hit the carts by accident with my purse which then in turn caused the chain of event.

Things like that only happen to me, which I have to laugh at because it is pretty funny and I can just imagine what the bystanders think.

There is only one thing that really irks me about my clumsiness and that is spilling chocolate milk.

I love chocolate milk but I try not to drink it very much. However, whenever I do drink it I either spill it while trying to pour it or I spill it when I try and drink it. That’s right, I miss my mouth while drinking chocolate milk.

So now I have come to the point of interest and what I really wanted to tell everyone about: my favourite guilty food pleasure. And, I think you should probably try because it is very good.

First, you need to go the to grocery store and buy a box of Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits
Cinnamon Harvest. It is a very healthy cereal and great because it doesn’t contain any white sugar; cane juice crystals are used instead. It’s a cereal I feel comfortable giving to my daughter in an age of overly processed packaged foods.

But I digress.

You then pour yourself a big bowl of that cereal and cover it in — that’s right, you guessed it– chocolate milk. It is great. It is actually fantastic. The chocolate and cinnamon are amazing together.

I always keep a box of the stuff around when I feel like I need a pick-me-up because it is kind of healthy, kind of sinful but extremely satisfying (at least to me anyway).

The cereal might make you extremely happy just.  Soon after you finish it you will be smiling like this:

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That’s genuine happiness right there. You would never know she was teething.

Cinnamon Apple Tart

September 22, 2008 at 6:59 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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So, last week I had big aspirations for baking. I bought a bunch of ingredients including phyllo dough. When I got home from the supermarket I placed in in the fridge so that it could defrost. Seven days go by and it was still in the fridge starring me down. I couldn’t take it anymore so I took it out and decided I would make an apple tart with a bag of apples my hubby told me he would eat (he hasn’t even eaten one, sheesh).

Anyway, my sisters were over and since we are such dessert maniacs I decided this would be the perfect treat for us. My inspiration for this dessert came from a recipe book my parents gave me for Christmas call The Silver Palate which has very many tasty creations in it. Well, I took their idea of apples wrapped in phyllo dough and made it my own — kind of like apple pie wrapped in phyllo, yum yum yum!

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Ingredients

  • 6 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut thin (I used granny smiths)
  • 12 phyllo leaves
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbs cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 2 tbs granulated sugar
  • 1/8 salt

Prepare

Unwrap the phyllo dough and cover with a moist towel for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Melt butter on the stove top.

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In a bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves together. Toss apples in the sugar cinnamon mixture.

In a separate bowl combine granulated sugar and salt together.

Grease or place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Grab one leaf of phyllo and lay it on the baking sheet. Make sure the damp towel is always placed on top of the phyllo that isn’t being used.

Cover the phyllo dough on the baking sheet with butter using a pastry brush. Then sprinkle some of the sugar and salt mixture over it. Repeat this five times.

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After the sixth layer pile apples in the centre of the phyllo creating a circle. Pour the excess sugar cinnamon syrup on top of the apples.

Put on another leaf of phyllo dough. Cover with butter and sprinkle with sugar salt mixture. Repeat this five times. On the last leaf only cover with butter.

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Cut off excess phyllo only allowing the dough to be 8 inches in diameter. Pinch the edges shut.

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Place in the preheated oven for 35 – 40 minutes. Cover with aluminum when top becomes brown (about 10 minutes).

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and enjoy (I hope).

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