Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

2/3 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. sweetened dried cranberries (about 1 1/2 cups)
2/3 c. white or semi-sweet chocolate chips(optional)

Preheat over to 375 degrees F (190 C). Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix well.
Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in Craisins and chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 2 dozen large cookies.

These are really good. I didn't put the chocolate chips in.

Smoo Cake

Thank you Margaret for the smoo cake recipe! I love smoo cake, of course I had some years ago in Winnipeg!

I settle don a chocolate sponge cake, with lemon cream, fresh raspberries and chocolate buttercream! It was delicious!

I will have to try Davids recipe out though, hmmmm! Thanks for sharing it!

Trying the recipes!

Tried the pasta with the roasted squash sauce. It was very easy to make. I doubled the recipe to feed the whole family. I was disappointed by my daughter's first reaction, "Mom, it looks like hamburger helper, even though I've never tasted it". It has a very appealing delicate taste, and Dave and Katy really enjoyed the differenceness (my new word), of it. I used mild sausage, but next time will add the spicey one, also as the color is rather pale it is good to serve a nice colorful salad with it. I love the addition of the feta cheese as well. I will make this recipe again.

Birthday Cake

Hi Pegg

Here is a cake that is popular around here. Though I must add, I have never made it! This is Daves' specialty and is a hit at home and is requested at the Firehall.

Shmoo Torte

Cake:
7 egg yolks
8 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup finely chopped pecan

Filling
500 ml whipping cream
3 tbsp. icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Sauce
250 ml whipping cream
3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar

Oil bottom of a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. Preheat over to 325

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until almost stiff. Add cream of tartar and very gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar
In another bowl, beat egg yolks until light; add remaining sugar and vanilla. Fold yolk mixture into whites; then fold in flour and baking powder. Fold in nuts by hand.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven and invert to cool. When cool, remove from pan and slice cake in two or three equal layers.

Filling: Whip the 500 ml of cream, sweetening with sugar and vanilla. Spread between layers and over top and sides of torte.

Sauce: Bring 250 ml. of cream, butter and brown sugar to a boil in saucepan. Remove from heat and cool.

Just before serving, drizzle some sauce over torte. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Where's all the new Recipes?

Okay guys.. get posting... I want new recipes... I am looking for a sinful delicious birthday cake recipe.. or just a cake.. who wants to bake me the ultimate birthday cake??? It will probably be me baking, I searched online this morning for cake recipes. I have quite a few bookmarked, maybe I will combine a few. I will post the recipe after my birthday.

Souffled

Thanks Diane for the recipe. Made it last night it was very good, and the presentation in the ramkins was very nice. I think I probably used too many potatoes, (the other kitchen gadget to get - the scale - how much does 2 lbs look like!) One kid thought cheese might be a nice addition to the souffle as well. I would make this again.

Up For A Potato Challenge

Try this one Margaret:

Souffle Potaotoes

2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut in chunks)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1/4 cup roasted garlic
1 tbsp. chopped chives

Place potatoes in cold salted water and bring to boil Boil until tender (about 10 to 15 minutes). Drain potators and return to pot. Place on turned-off burner for a minute to dry out.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Whisk potatoes with an electric beater until smooth and without lumps. Season well with salt and pepper. Beat in oil and egg yolks.

Beat egg whites until stiff in a separate bowl with clean beaters. Fold egg whites and garlic into potato mixture.

Oil six 1-cup individual souffle dishes. Divide potatoes between disheds and bake for 20 minutes until potatoes have risen and are hot. Sprinkle with chives and serve in souffle dishes.

Serves 6. (This recipe is from Food and Drink - Spring 2007)

Diane

Potato challenge

Hey Ladies

Kim what a great idea! Thanks.

Here's a challenge ladies. Here it is Sunday morn and I'm planning on making a nice Sunday supper meal. Took out the beef roast to thaw, and trying to think of something new to go with it. I'm going to try carrots done with a middle eastern glaze, and then comes the potato.

I'm soooo tired of mashed potatos. Any suggestions on what we could do to give this veggie new life - and don't say scalloped! So there's the challenge!

My potato peeler and I happily wait for some inspiration!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Following Kim's lead... here is a  yummy squash soup recipe, from the rebar cookbook, enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

10 cups vegetable or chicken stock

3 lb. butternut squash

2 red peppers, quartered

1 garlic bulb

4 tomatoes

2 tsp. salt

1 onion, diced

2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground coriander

 2 tbsp. minced sage

zest and juice of one orange

1 tsp. chipotle puree

cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375° F.  

Cut squash in half lengthwise, scrape out seeds and place cut side down on an   oiled foil lined baking sheet. Bake until a sharp knife easily slides through the flesh. About 45 minutes.

Separate garlic cloves and remove skin. Core tomatoes and slice in half. Toss garlic, peppers and tomatoes with 2 tsp. oil and 1/2 tsp. salt. Place on a foil or parchment lined baking tray and roast until the garlic is golden and the tomatoes and peppers are beginning to char, about 20 minutes.

Heat the remaining oil in a soup pot and add onion and the remaining salt. Saute until translucent. Add the chili powder, coriander and sage; saute 5 minutes more.  Roughly chop  all the roasted vegetables and add them to the pot along with enough stock to cover. Bring to a  boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree soup until smooth using a hand blender or  food processor.  Gently reheat soup to a simmer and add the orange zest, juice, chipotle puree and more stock to thin it if necessary. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Simmer several minutes to blend flavours and serve hot.

Bistro 305 - Open for Sharing, Comparing and Airing

After making a great pasta dish, I thought that it would be really cool if there could be a place that I could post it, and a place where others could post things as well to share different ideas. This could be where we share recipes, tips, ideas that we might be interested in. To begin, here is a really delicious pasta that you might like to try:

Penne with Roasted Squash and Sausage

2 hot Italian sausages, casing removed
1 small onion, sliced and sauteed
1 cup acorn squash, baked and peeled
2 cloves of garlic, roasted
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups cooked penne
8 leaves fresh sage, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Slice sausage open and saute the meat until browned, breaking it apart in the process. Set aside.
To a blender or food processor, add sauteed onions, baked squash and roasted garlic. Puree. With blender running, add olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and blend until smooth. When finished it should have the consistency of a tomato sauce; if the puree seems too thick, add about 2 tbsp of water to thin it out. Transfer sauce to a medium saute pan.
Add the cooked pasta to contents of the saute pan, stir together and heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in chopped sage. Top with sausage and crumbled feta and serve. (Serves 2 - adjust to feed as many as you need).

Recipe from Best Health Magazine, Nov/Dec 2008

It was a nice change, and something you might find in a nicer restaurant. I tried to talk flavours with Dom, but he really doesn't care much for dissecting the food - that's why I wanted to share it here - lol.