Home Made Flakey's

I really wasn't sure what this was last night, and it took me looking at the pictures this morning again to figure out what exactly I'd concocted. What it was was a flakey, and a delicious one at that! Don't be scared off by the strange line drawings, it was easier to draw it out then explain it, and this really is one of the easiest treats to make!

Home Made Flakey's

Prep Time: 10 minutes (unless you make your own curd)
Bake Time: 20 minutes + 5 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:


1 sheet of pre-made puff pastry dough (in the freezer asle)
1 egg, beaten
large decorating sugar
½ c lemon curd, berry curd, or jam of your choice
2 egg whites
pinch of cream of tartar
¼ c of sugar

Directions:


1. Pre-heat your oven according to the directions on the box of puff pastry (usually 350°F), and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Unroll the sheet of pastry, and following the diagrams below, cut into four rectangles and extra edging pieces. Brush the edges of all pieces with the beaten egg, then place the edging pieces onto the main squares. You're basically framing the squares of puff pastry to make a little "boat" once it cooks.

3. Brush the edges again with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with the large decorating sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden and puffed.

4. While the pastry is baking, make the meringue. Beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until starting to foam. Gradually add the sugar, then continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

5. When the pastry is cooked, push down the inside of the "boats" with the back of a spoon. Split the curd or jam between the four "boats", spreading in an even layer. Top with meringue, then return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, until the peaks are just turning golden.

Enjoy!

 Puff Pastry Cutting Diagrams:

Start out with a whole sheet of pastry

Cut into quarters.

Here are the quarters.

Cut the edges of each of the quarters like this.

Discard the filled in squares, you don't need them.

After brushing the edges with the beaten eggs, lay the cut edges on top of the main square as shows above. Then, brush these edges with egg again and sprinkle with the sugar.

Gone in a Blink Nacho Dip

This is a favourite amungst both my side of the family, and Bo's. My mom's got her version, my Nana has her's, and Jenny's got her's too. Now, I've finally got my own!

This isn't to say that everyone else's wasn't good enough for me. The issue was that no one could ever remember exactly what portions they used of the ingredients, which meant that 50% of the time it was great, and 50% of the time it was either too runny, or too hard.

So, I made it a couple of times, and actually remembered to measure what I was throwing in, and I've finally got it down. Yes!

Worlds Best (and easiest) Nacho Dip

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Chill Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients:


1 pkg cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
½ tbsp taco seasoning (optional)
1 jar salsa
1 ½ c shredded cheese (I like a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)

Directions:


1. Shred the cheese that you want to use.

2. Put the cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor and mix until smooth. Add the sour cream and taco seasoning and mix until well combined.

3. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Top with the salsa, then with the shredded cheese. Chill until the cheese firms back up a bit, about 30 minutes. If you're in a rush, it's find to eat right away.

Enjoy!

NOTE: There are all kinds of other things you can add in here, like freshly chopping jalapeños, onions or peppers. I prefer to leave it as is, and just bump up the flavor by using home made salsa when I have an extra jar lying around.

Nan's Buttertarts

Buttertarts

This is my great-grandmothers recipe for buttertarts, and it's so simple that I almost feel like they can't possibly be as good as they are. And they are good. I'm currently trying to find a fair to enter them in (because yeah, on my bucket list, right next to making it into the Guiness Book of World Records for anything, is to win a blue ribbon at a country fair. I think these are my ticket).

I made these a week and a half ago, and I know that I've got at least one more pack of frozen tart shells in my freezer, so it's been a battle of the wills to not make at least another dozen. Can this (with it's butter and milk) count as a serving of dairy? Half a serving?

Oh yeah, these are definitely Oliver approved too!

Without further ado...

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 28 minutes
Makes: 24 tarts (standard size)

Ingredients:



2/3 c butter, softened
2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla
walnut pieces (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F and prepare your tart shells.


2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy


3. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and mix until well combined.


4. Drop a few nuts (if using) into the bottom of your prepared tart shells (or your tenderflake ones from the freezer, like I do). Fill each shell with 1 tbsp of filling

5. Bake at 450°F for 8 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (do not remove the tarts) and continue baking for another 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.


NOTE: At 15 minutes, your filling will be runny, at 20 minutes it will be firm. I'm a firm filling person (as were the folks here at the office, who have been harassing me all week to bring in more), so I strongly suggest going that route.

Potato Leek Soup

Potato Leek Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 8

Ingredients:


1 cup butter
2 leeks, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp corn starch
4 cups yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk

Directions:


1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook leeks in butter until tender, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, about 15 seconds.

2. Stir cornstarch into broth and pour broth into pot. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Add the cream and milk, reduce the heat, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

3. OPTIONAL -  Purée the mixture in your blender, or with an immersion blender. It all depends on if you like your soup smooth or chunky. I'm a smooth gal myself.

Pizza Rolls

Pizza Rolls (aka Pizza Fingers)

These were my favorite things to order at a restaurant called Melanie Pringles in the town I grew up in (I think it's still there). When we moved, I found them at M&M Meats, but then they stopped making them. I had no choice but to figure out the recipe on my own. Lucky me it was ridiculously easy, and they freeze well. Woot!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:


1 package large won-ton wrappers (16 count)
1 package pre-sliced pepperoni
Motzerella cheese, grated
2 small cans of pizza sauce
Any other toppings you want
1 tbl cornstarch mixed with ½ cup of water

Directions:


1. Pre-heat your deep fryer to high, or get a couple of inches of oil in a deep pot (If using a pot, prep the rolls first, then heat your oil and cook, never leave hot oil with your back turned).

2. Lay out 4 won-ton wrappers at a time. Ust a basting brush to brush the water/cornstarch mixture around all four edges, about ½" wide (this helps the edges stick). Place pepperoni, about 1½ tbsp sauce and 2 tbsp motzerella onto the center of each won-ton.

3. Now it's time to roll them up. First, fold the two corners in where the filling is. Flatten the edge as much as you can. Then roll one of the remaining corners over, and press it down along the edges. Finally roll up, and pinch any edges/ends that you can. FYI - There's usually a diagram on the back of the won-ton wrapper to follow (I'm sure I haven't done a good job of describing it here!)

Note:  You can cook right away, or just cover them with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until you're ready to cook. I usually prep them the morning that I'm going to cook them, so that it's nice and quick later on. You can keep them in the fridge for up to a day, any longer and I would cook/freeze.

4. Fry the rolls in three batches of 6 (in a deep fryer) until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Let cool 5 - 10 minutes before eating, the filling will be VERY hot. I like to dip them in the leftover pizza sauce, but it's gotta be warmed.

Apple Spice Breakfast Cake

Apple Spice Breakfast Cake

I mean, what kid won't get excited when you tell them that they get to have cake for breakfast!
The next time I make this I think I'll double it, and back a bunch of little ones in mini loaf pans. I'll update when I do with times and such.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8 (large pieces)

Ingredients:

3 cups finely chopped apples
1 pkg ( 14 oz / 400g) spice cake mix
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup wheat bran
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
2 tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9" square cake pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups of the apples, cake mix, wheat germ, wheat bran and cinnamon. Stir in the milk until just blended. Spread the cake pan.

3. Top with the rest of the apples and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top.

4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Move to a wire rack to cool

Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread

First off, a warning. This takes some time...like...a lot of time. It's totally worth it though, and with the cold weather coming, well, this is going to be a staple for the night we decide to stay in and watch all those old Christmas movies with Oliver (remember Frosty and Rudolph!). It's worth it, but it's definitely for those special weekends where you've got a day to devote. Oh but is it worth it!

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes + cooling time
Serves: 8

Ingredients:


Dough:

1 cup whole milk, warm

1/3 c water, warm

4 tbsp butter, melted

3 tbsp honey

3¾ c bread flour

2¼ tsp (1 envelope) instant or rapid rise yeast

2 tsp salt

Topping:

7 tbsp butter, melted, plus extra for the pan

1 tbsp vanilla extract

¾ c granulated sugar

½ c packed light brown sugar

¾ c pecan pieces, toasted and chopped fine (optional)

2 tbsp cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

Directions:

For the dough:

1. Whisk the milk, water, 3 tbsp of the butter, and honey together in a large liquid measuring cup. Mix 3½ cups of the flour, the yeast and the salt together in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the milk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.

2. Increase the mixer speed to med-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (If after 5 minutes the dough still looks really sticky, add the remaining ¼ cup of flour, 1 tbl at a time, until the dough clears the side of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom).

3. Turn the dough onto a clean counter and knead by hand to more a smooth, round ball (about 1 minute). Place the dough in a lightly oiled (vegetable or canola) bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours. 

Trick: If your house is cold or drafty, my favorite thing to do is place the dough in the oven with only the oven light turned on, that works wonders!

For the monkey bread:

1. Lightly grease a large tube or bundt pan with butter. Combine the butter and vanilla in a shallow bowl. Toss the sugars, nuts, cinnamon and salt together in a separate bowl, then spread out over a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, divide it into 36 even pieces, and cover with plastic wrap. Working with one piece of dough at a time, rough into a tight ball. Roll the balls in the butter mixture, then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat and arrange evenly in the prepared pan. Drizzle any remaining butter and sugar mixture over the top. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the monkey break until golden, 40 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use an offset spatula or knife to loosen the edges of the bread from the pan. Flip out onto a serving platter, but be very careful because that caramel is HOT. Let it cool slightly before serving.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

This is an Oliver approved recipe; my boy simply can not get enough of this stuff. If he knows it's in the house, he refuses to eat anything else. I tend to triple the recipe, then bake it in those smaller foil loaf pans they sell at the grocery store (just decrease the time in the oven by about 15 minutes, and check on them more frequently) and freeze them.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes + cooling (if you can wait)
Makes: 1 x 9" loaf

Ingredients:

2 c flour

¾ c sugar

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 very ripe bananas (the browner the better! It means the natural sugars have released and they'll be sweater)

6 tbl butter, melted

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ c plain yogurt (I've substituted sour cream frequently and it's just as good)

1 tsp vanilla

1¼ cup toasted walnut pieces (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease (hello Pam) a 9” x 5” loaf pan.

2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl mash the bananas and mix with melted butter, eggs, yogurt and vanilla. Fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the nuts (if using). Don’t over mix, it's supposed to look thick and chunky.

3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a wire rack.

The best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies you, your Momma, your Grandma and your Grandma's Daddy ever tasted!

Seriously. The title can not lie (it's like incapable or some shit).

I had been on the hunt for YEARS (really, close to a decade) for the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie because it's Bo's favourite and he really doesn't ask for much. I thought that I had it, Bo always requested it, the guys at his work always looked forward to them. They were the shit. Until I tasted Jen's (my cousin via Bo). She kicked my cookies ass to the curb, stomped on them a bit, dug her heel and and spit while she was walking away. The abuse was rough, I'm surprised she didn't need a cigarette afterwords. Anyway, here's Jen's recipe, which she actually got in a high school home-ed class (go figure).

Don't doubt it by the ingredients, just make them. You'll never go back.

Shakespeare Cookies (Oatmeal Chocolate Chip)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 12 - 15 minutes

Makes: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup rice crispy cereal

1/4 c chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prep two baking sheets with parchment paper or your sil-pat mat's.

2. Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg, and beat until combined.

3. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour and beat until no dry flour is left. Add the rolled oats, rice crispy cereal and chocolate chips and mix until combined.

4. Place cookies with about 1½ inches between them (I get 12 per sheet). Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cookies are a nice golden brown around the edges, and light brown in the center. Turn the sheet half way through baking to avoid overcooking or under cooking a side beside of hot spots in your oven.

5. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Turkey Parmigina and Mini Banana Muffins

Turkey Parmigiana

This recipe is one that I've tucked into my "perfected" file. I basically cook a recipe over and over again, trying to simplify everything I can while making absolutely fantastic tasting food (taste always comes first though, I just save the time consuming dishes for weekends).

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes (10 of which are in oven)

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 Turkey scaloppini (or chicken or veal, turkey is WAY cheaper though)

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/3 cup fresh grated parmigiana cheese

1 egg

Olive oil

1 jar of pasta sauce (Bo makes me use Ragu, lol)

1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Steps:

1. Pre-heat your over to 400.

2. Put the bread crumbs and parmigiana cheese in a dish and mix well together. Put the egg in a second dish and whip up with a fork.

3. Dip each cutlet into the egg, and then put it into the bread crumb mixture. Make sure that they've evenly coated with crumbs. The panko crumbs won't look as uniform as regular bread crumbs, but the crunch? Oh la!

4. Heat some olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet (about 1/8" think coating). Make sure the oil it super hot, but not smoking. Look for it to start to shimmer on the surface, this is when you're ready to rock!

5. Put the cutlets into the pan, carefully! Always start with the chicken hitting the pan closest to you, then drop it down towards the back, this way you don't get splashed with boiling hot oil (trust me on this one). Cook each cutlet until well browned, about 3 or 4 minutes on each side over med-high heat. The best part about this, it's totally ok to flip it back and forth a couple of times (I always do), to make sure it's nice and brown!

6. As the turkey is cooking, pour your pasta sauce into a large rectangular baking dish. HINT: Line the dish with foil first, this makes for a really easy clean up! When the turkey is done, lay the cutlets in the sauce and then top each one with a sprinkle of the mozzarella cheese. Throw this puppy in the oven for 10 minutes, just until the cheese has melted and the sauce heated up. If you're in a rush, you can throw it under the broiler and it'll be ready in 3 - 5 minutes, just be careful that it doesn't burn!

NOTES: Don't put any sauce on top of the cutlets, as this gets rid of that incredible crunch that the panko crumbs adds. Instead, when you serve, put a nice dollop of sauce on the side for dipping, and if you want to go all fancy drag your spoon through it on a curve to make a tail.

If you want to make the scaloppini yourself, just butterfly a chicken breast, and then pound to 1/4" thickness between two sheets of cling wrap.

For the garlic pasta with vegetables: Go to your freezer isle, buy a bag for $2, pour it into a pot with 1/2 cup of water and crank the heat for 6 minutes. Delicious!

Mini Banana Muffins

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 15 minutes

Makes: 48 mini muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt (good substitutions are sour cream, or milk if you don't have either of those)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (3 med bananas, 4 small bananas, make sure they're VERY ripe, mostly brown)

Topping:

2 tablespoons white sugar

Dash of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350.

2. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

3. In a second, smaller bowl, mix together the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until combined (It will seem quite stiff).

4. Mash the bananas in the bowl that the wet ingredients were in. Make sure that you mash them really well, then mix into the batter.

5. Drop by a spoon into mini muffin tins (filling 3/4 of the way up the sides)

6. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping, and just lightly dust the top of each muffin.

7. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes, until golden brown, and enjoy!

NOTES: If you want to make full size muffins, just increase the baking time to about 25 minutes. You can also add some chocolate chips, or toasted walnut pieces to these and it'll be DELICIOUS!