Cupcakes and Stragglers

Do you have any friends that are super talented?  They have a skill, a small business or a talent that is just out of this world and you would be so happy to just see them succeed?  I am lucky enough to have met a few friends in the past year that fall directly into this category.  I wanted to take a moment to recognize them and give them a free plug for what it is worth.

Sweets by Ashley

When most single women go out to a bar with their friends they usually try to find the best looking single man in the bar and try to work their womanly ways on him.  I on the other hand go to a bar and pick up a girl that makes cupcakes.  If I have to choose between a stinky beer drinking boy or a retro Cupcake Fairy I will choose the Cupcake Fairy every time.  And this is how I came to be friends with Ashley Burt of Sweets by Ashley.  Ashley works part time baking and creating cupcakes and other desserts that are out of this world.  Imagine a cupcake with a Reese's Peanut Butter cup baked into the bottom.  Yep, Ashley did that.  Not only are her cupcakes to die for, her eye for design and artistic ability make her creations as beautiful as they are tasty.  I have ordered cupcakes from Ashley on several occasions for both personal events and for my Social Committee at work.  Everyone always raves about how yummy her treats are and I just can't argue. 

So, if you are craving a cupcake fix be sure to stop by Ashley's website and order a dozen or two.  You can always share your leftovers with me.  I won't mind.

The Stragglers


Truth be told I don't really listen to a lot of mainstream music.  I tend to like my music acoustic and depressing with a dash of heartbreak thrown in for good measure.  However, I had the pleasure of meeting Mark this past summer and learned that maybe I should expand my musical tastes just a little.  Mark is the lead singer in a local punk band called The Stragglers.  Just to be clear, I do not normally listen to punk music but Mark invited me to a show this summer and I was more than happy to support him and his band.  And, you know what?  I actually really enjoyed the show. Mark is a talented singer and the rest of the band is equally skilled.   

The Stragglers play local venues and shows when they can and have recently released an EP.  I believe it is so important to support local talent...especially in the music industry.  So, check out The Stragglers the next time you feel like expanding your musical library.

PBG Recipe: PB & J Sandwich Cookies

To be honest, this is not so much a recipe as it is just a really, really good idea.  Peanut butter.  Jam.  Cookies.  How can these three things together ever be wrong...well, they can't.  Just take a look...

This recipe is super simple but it will please all of the Peanut Butter lovers in your house, I guarantee.  Simple bake up a batch of your favourite sugar cookies and let them cool.  Cover one cookie with your favourite nut butter and another with your favourite jam.  Sandwich them together and voila!  Cookie awesomeness is born.

Need a closer look? 

Now, go make these yourself.  Do it!

PBG Recipe: Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I adapted this recipe from several I found on my favourite food sights.  I used half whole wheat flour for some health benefits and replaced half the butter with almond butter because I am a sucker for nut butter.  The end product is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.  Perfect for breakfast as a snack with a glass of milk. 

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 cup Almond Butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together.
4. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture.
5. Stir in the oats, cranberries and walnuts.
6. Chill the dough for 20 minutes in the fridge and then scoop cookies onto a sheet. The cookies should be two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in). Take them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top.
8. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

PBG Recipe: Best. Brownies. Ever.

Last week I made the world’s best brownies, for the second time.  I made them the first time for the family to try.  I had never made brownies before but I know that I like my brownies to be fudgy, not cakey.  I also like them to be very rich and chocolaty with the added crunch of nuts.  After searching the web for the perfect recipe I came up with my interpretation of brownies.  And, if I do say so myself, they were easy and super tasty.  These will certainly be my go-to recipe for an easy chocolate treat.  They are the perfect compliment to vanilla ice cream.

Make these now.  You won’t regret it. 

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted or salted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup dark chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Line a 9-inch square baking tin with two pieces of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side.  Lightly grease the parchment paper with butter or cooking spray.

2.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.   Add the chocolate and with a spatula, stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.

3.  Whisk in the sugar until well combined.

4.  Whisk in eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

5.  Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift in the flour.  Whisk batter vigorously for 1 full minute, until batter loses its graininess and becomes smooth and glossy, and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.

6.  Add the chopped nuts and with the wooden spoon, stir to combine.

7.  Pour batter into prepared baking tin and bake for about 30 minutes, until the centre feels almost set, do not over-bake.

PBG Recipe: Cake Balls #fail

You've seen them.  Cute little balls of sugary goodness.  If you haven't seen them you may have been living under a rock but likely haven't gained 5lbs of sugar filled flab in your behind either.  But, this is the price one pays while searching for the next tasty treat.  These little devils were so cute I decided this was something I needed to try myself.  Cake Balls. 

Much to my chagrin, the reality was not nearly as brilliant as the fantasy.  To quote my brother, "Just call them Cake Flops and no one will expect them to look good."  Gee, thanks Stephen.  But, despite their grotesque appearance they actually tasted pretty good.  I will need to work on my technique but I will be trying these again. 

The recipe is super simple and I can not take credit.  Just search the Internet and you can find a recipe that works for you.  Here is the one I used.

Ingredients
1 box cake mix, any flavour (I rolled with chocolate of course)
1/2 tub frosting (chocolate again)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup peanut butter chips
3 cups coloured chocolate wafers (I used yellow and pink for Easter)
Candy sprinkles/confetti (optional)

Directions

• Make cake according to directions on the box.  Set cake aside until cool enough to handle. 
• Using your hands or a fork crumble the cake into a large bowl.
• In stand up mixer combine the frosting and the peanut butter and beat with paddle attachment until well combined.
• Add frosting mixture and peanut butter chips to cake mixture and mix until well combined.
• Roll cake into one inch balls and place on a cookie sheet in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden.
• Melt coloured chocolate wafers according to package directions.  I did mine in the microwave.
• Dip hardened cake balls into melted chocolate.  Remove cake ball from chocolate and allow excess chocolate to drip off.
• Place cake ball on parchment paper.
• Sprinkle confetti on cake balls while chocolate is still soft to ensure they stick.
• Place cake balls in the fridge until ready to server. 

PBG Recpie: Springtime Sugar Cookies

I decided last night that I was going to bake some cookies today.  Cute little sugar cookies with fun decorative icing.  The thing is, I have never decorated a cookie in my life.  So, needless to say I turned to Martha Stewart for some springtime inspiration.  And, if anyone can offer some inspiration she can!  She has such creative (although sometimes labour intensive) ideas.  With inspiration tucked safely away I got started with the cookies. I just found a basic sugar cookie recipe - nothing fancy.  You can use whatever family recipe works best for you.  I think they turned out looking pretty cute and are totally yummy.  I will be giving these to friends and family over the Easter Holidays.  I hope they like them.

Ingredients - Sugar Cookies

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until pale and fluffy.
• Reduce speed to medium; add eggs and vanilla.
• Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture gradually, beating until incorporated.
• Shape dough into 2 disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Let 1 disk of dough stand at room temperature until just soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness.
• Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter.
• Transfer to baking sheets. 
• Freeze until cookies are firm, 15 minutes.
• Bake 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Ingredients - Royal Icing

2 large (60 grams) egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

 

• In the bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until combined. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth.
• Add food colouring to achieve desired colour. 
• The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air.
• Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.
• Spoon royal icing into a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip, and decorate cookies. Let stand overnight or until icing dries completely
• 
  

PBG Recipe: Coconut Quinoa Bars

As I mentioned earlier I am trying to focus on more healthy recipes now that the Holidays are over and the New Year is upon us.  I also have a tonne of baking supplies left over from my holiday baking - nuts, dried fruit, more nuts, coconut, rolled oats, more nuts.  So, this recipe was partially an effort to create a healthy granola type bar and partially an effort to use up some of my baking supplies. 

These turned out OK.  They were a little crumbly so I think maybe a full cup of the sweetened condensed milk might be make them hold together better.  They taste pretty good however.  Not too sweet and the coconut flavour is not over powering at all. 

Ingredients
1.5 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped hazelnuts
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions
These couldn't be any easier to make.  Just dump it all in a bowl and mix.

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir until fully combined.
• Press into a lightly greased 8x8 pan.
• Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until just lightly golden around the edges.
• Cool and cut into 10 bars.
• Can be stored in an airtight container for a few weeks or in the freezer for a few months. 

Nutrition

Calories 360

Total Fat 14g

Total Carbohydrates 53g

Dietary Fiber 6.5g

Sugars 27g

Protein 9g

Look Out Martha Stewart

I have been on a domestic rampage this weekend.  I can't seem to stay out of the kitchen.  It must be the Holidays.  This weekend I have tried several new recipes including...

Candied nuts...some sweet and some sweet with heat
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Brown Sugar Shortbread
Cranberry Persimmon Relish with Vanilla Bean
Vanilla Sugar and Lemon Sugar

Some of these will be Holiday gifts and some of them are just for me!  I have never been very good or very interested in baking but it seems that something has awoken my inner baker these days.  My brother has always been the better chef so I would be lying if I said a little sibling rivalry might be involved as well. 

I will be sure to post the official recipes for these goodies this week, just in case you want to make some for your family. 

There is also some Holiday decor at my house.  I have to be honest, while I do love the Holidays I have never been a big fan of Christmas Trees.  This is the first time in about 8 years that I have bothered with a tree.  The turquoise and silver theme is fun and not too traditional, I think.  I have added some ribbon since I took this picture but now the light is all gone so no more pictures.   The picture below looks a little naked but in person the tree really looks lovely. 

Do you celebrate Christmas?  Do you have a different tradition in your culture that you are practicing this time of year?

PBG Recipe: Apricot Oat Squares

I first saw this recipe over at Oh She Glows - good job Angela.  As soon as I saw the ingredient list I knew I was going to make these.  I had all the ingredients on hand and have been looking for a good mid-morning snack option for work.  This seemed to fit the bill perfectly. 

I made a few very minor tweaks to make it my own and went to town.  They turned out pretty good. I think next time I am going to incorporate some nut butter into the base mixture.  Yum!

1.5 cups regular oats
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seeds+ 4 tbsp warm water)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp chocolate almond milk
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 cup fruit jam of your choice (I used apricot)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a square pan with parchment paper or use a non-stick pan like my funky silicone one.

In a small bowl, mix the chia seeds with the water and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. 

In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and chia egg. Stir well.

Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well.

Pour the oat mixture onto a square pan and press down firmly into the pan.  

Spread fruit jam on top of the oat base and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.  Press the seeds into the jam.

Bake at 350F for approximately 30 minutes. Allow to fully cool for at least 30-40 minutes before gently removing from pan. Slice and then store in a container or wrap in individual squares and freeze.

PBG Recipe: Chocolate Summer Squash Loaf

I was looking for a way to use up the rest of these very cute summer squash that I bought earlier.  There were way to cute to go to waste.

And, as usual, I was craving something sweet.  Ideally, something with chocolate.  So, a chocolate zucchini loaf was the obvious answer.  I googled a few basic recipes and came up with the following sinful list of ingredients.  The final product was moist and chocolaty.  I made 2 loaves and thankfully have some family members that are more than willing to help me eat my creations.  

Chocolate ZucchiniLoaf

Makes 2 loaves.

1/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 heaping tbsp Greek yogurt
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsps cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions

In large bowl, cream together oil, butter, yogurt, apple sauce and sugars.  Stir in eggs, vanilla and buttermilk.

In medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir until just combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.

Pour mixture into two greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.

Bake in preheated 350F oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Eat a slice, or two, or three with your family, friends or even by yourself.  I promise I won't tell anyone.

A Better Baker

Let's set the record straight.  I am not a baker.  I am not good at following recipes.  And the reality is that baking requires precision and accuracy.  Not my strong points.  But last night, I tackled my foe head on with a simple (and as it turns out...tasty) recipe for Cheddar and Apple Drop Biscuits.  This recipe comes from a cookbook I picked up while I was at the International Plowing Match 2010.  There are no fancy pictures but it's one of those books that has recipes compiled from favourites of the local community.  Lots of classic comfort food and few new things to try.   The Flavours of Elgin cookbook has more than a few recipes I will be trying.

 

 

But, back to my Cheddar Apple Drop Biscuits.  I would like to the original recipe but (shockingly!)  The Flavours of Elgin Cookbook is not actually online.  I actually only made a half batch since I would be the only one eating them but they still turned out great.  I actually used less butter and more apple then the recipe below called for. 

 

Cheddar Apple Drop Biscuits

 

1 3/4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1 cup shredded old cheddar cheese
1 cup peeled grated apple
3/4 cup milk

Mix all dry ingredients together.
Grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients and toss together.
Add cheese and apple and combine.
Stir in milk and miz with a fork until a rough dough is formed.
Drop 1/4 cupfuls onto a lines baking sheet.
Bake at 425F (220C) for 13 - 15 minutes.

 

 

 

The biscuits turned out moist and delicious with just a hint of apple flavour.  I think you want to use the strongest cheddar cheese you can for this recipe otherwise the cheese flavour will be lost I think.  So, I might not be a baker but I rocked this these biscuits.  They would be great with chili or on their own with a little nut butter.  Yum!  I think I know what I am having for breakfast.