Mason Jar Easter Baskets

Easter weekend is over, but Orthodox Easter is next weekend and Mother's Day is around the corner.  Cute little gift idea...

These paper flowers were simple to make. Take 8 pieces of tissue paper and staple them together in the center. 

Then, using the jar lid as a template, cut each stapled stack into circles. Scrunch up each layer starting in the center and then fluff them out.

Place a piece of double backed tape on the bottom of the flower and stick it to the lid.

Then fill with some tasty treats.

I used washable glass markers to make them into table place markers.

Tonic Water Waffles

Whether for Easter brunch, Mother's Day or just a regular Sunday breakfast, these Tonic Water Waffles are going to be our new family favourite waffle! Crispy outside and soft and fluffy inside!

2 cups flour
2 tbsps sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
pinch or 2 of nutmeg
4 tbsps butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 - 355 ml (12 oz) can tonic water
oil for waffle iron

Note: Don't use leftovers from last night's gin and tonic, the tonic water should be freshly opened because you want the bubbles not a flat tonic.

Whisk the dry ingredients together...flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add butter, eggs, tonic water and whisk to combine.

Lightly oil the waffle iron and pour batter in, enough to fill but not overflow when closed.  It might be a trial and error thing until you find out what amount is right for your iron.

Cook as per your waffle iron's instructions, usually until the light goes out. 

Serve with syrup and fruit

You can see here just how light and airy they are!

Is it Sunday yet?

Chocolate Chip Overnight Brunch Bake

Just a few minutes prep time in the evening, then bake while you get ready for the day the next morning. 
Not sure if I would have it on any old morning, you could I guess, but for Christmas, Easter or Mother's Day breakfast it's fantastic!

12 oz/320 g package chocolate chip buns or croissants
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
8 oz/227 g cream cheese, room temperature
4 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
2 cups milk
1  1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Spray a 9 X 13" baking dish with cooking oil. Cut the buns into 1 1/2" cubes and put them in the dish. Add the chocolate chips.

In a large mixer bowl cream the cream cheese and sugars together. Next add the eggs, vanilla and milk.

Pour into the baking dish, cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning uncover and bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes.

Serve warm.

The first time I made this it was Christmas day. It came out perfectly! But I wasn't quite ready to serve it and stupidly covered it with foil. Don't do that! The nice crisp top turned pretty soggy : (

Cheesy Baked Egg and Toast

Weekends are made for this kind of breakfast. 

eggs
bread
spinach/arugula
mushrooms
shredded cheese

Make a depression in the bread with the back of a spoon then crack an egg into it. Top with chopped arugula/spinach.

Pile the shredded cheese and sliced mushrooms around the edges leaving the egg yolk uncovered. Salt and pepper to taste.

Bake in a 375 F oven for 10 minutes.
Broil 2 minutes.
Happy Weekend!

Healthy Pancake Mix

Make up this pancake mix, keep it in the pantry, and when the family wants pancakes you've got it covered.

You'll need:

4 cups flour
3 tbsps baking powder
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tbsps sugar
3 tbsps ground flax
2 tbsps wheat germ
1/4 cup whey powder

Keep this dry mix in a jar or plastic container.  When you want to have pancakes, to 1 cup of mix add:

1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp melted butter or oil

I always add a little more butter to the pan, even if it's a non-stick pan, just to get the crispy edges. When you see the bubbles popping through the batter it's time to flip them.

Then dig in! 

Protein Egg Puff

Here's a quick little breakfast that you make in the microwave.  It puffs up like a little mini soufflé.

To serve 2:

4 eggs
4 oz cream cheese
2 tsp sweetener (sugar, stevia)
2 pinches cinnamon
2 tbsps protein powder

Put 2 oz cream cheese in each of 2 large mugs or microwave bowls. I used 12 oz mugs.

Even though this recipe makes 2 egg puffs, microwave one at a time. 
Microwave the cream cheese and a pinch of cinnamon for 20 seconds.

Add 2 eggs, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp protein powder and mix well.

Microwave 45 seconds. Stir again, breaking up any set egg. Finally, return to the microwave for a full 2 minutes and watch the magic happen. (Sorry, too dramatic?)

But it is pretty cool to see it puff up. Loosen the sides and turn out on to a serving plate or eat right out of the mug. Top with a little syrup and a side of fruit.

Repeat for the 2nd serving.

Adapted from sugarfreelikeme.com 

Smorgastarta or Sandwich Cake

These sandwich cakes are a beautiful addition to any buffet table, be it for a sweet sixteen birthday, graduation, bridal or baby shower. Or just because.

Butter crustless slices of bread on both sides, use any sandwich filling you like such as egg salad, tuna, chicken or salmon.  And use different fillings/colours in each layer. Stack the sandwiches as high as you like and side to side as long as you like.

Now for the cake "frosting"
Whip 2 cups whipping cream until stiff.  Fold in 1  1/3 cups mayonnaise and frost your cake!
Garnish with cucumber or radish roses, egg slices, shrimp or whatever you fancy.

Best thing about these cakes is that they can be made up to 8 hours before serving.

Wish I'd taken a picture after it was sliced : (

Apple Roses Strudel

This is a very pretty strudel.  Don't be intimidated, it's easy to make.

You'll need:

3-4 apples (Fuji, Granny Smith, Pink lady, all good choices)

ginger ale

puff pastry

butter

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp white sugar
honey to drizzle
icing sugar to dust

Slice apples and leave them in a bowl of ginger ale for a few minutes to prevent them from browning. Then drain and pat dry.

Cut a 1 inch strip of puff pastry and slightly overlap apple slice halves.  Roll up to form roses.  Have a sheet of puff pastry laid out on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush it with melted butter.  Place the roses on top.  Make as many or as few as you like, then cover the rest of the puff pastry sheet (leaving a border of puff showing) with apple slices, overlapping as you go.

Brush with melted butter, sprinkle top with lemon zest, cinnamon, brown and white sugar.

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.

Drizzle with honey, cool and dust with icing sugar.

Terribly Sophisticated Blender Almond Torte

I've made this cake many times and it is always well liked.
A light and easy ending to a meal.  And for those of you concerned about gluten, there's only 2 tbsps of flour in this recipe.  Although I've never tried it, I'm pretty sure you could substitute that for another more tolerated flour.

4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup whole almonds (brown skin on)
2 tbsp flour
2  1/2 tsp baking powder


Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans, greased and lined with wax or parchment paper.

In a blender, combine eggs and sugar until smooth.

Add almonds, whole, and blend until nuts are very finely ground. (Don't start with ground almonds, it doesn't turn out the same) Now add flour and baking powder.
Pour batter into pans, bake at 350F for 15 minutes.

Let cakes cool 5 minutes.

Turn out and cool completely before icing with Terribly Sophisticated Mocha Whipped Cream Frosting.  


Terribly Sophisticated Mocha Whipped Cream Frosting

1  1/2 cups whipping cream  (375 ml)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsps vanilla
1 tbsp instant coffee
Grated chocolate to garnish

Combine all in a large bowl and beat with mixer until stiff peaks form.

Garnish with grated chocolate. Makes enough for a 2-layer round cake.

Best Mom Hands Down

So, this is my first attempt at blogging.  Hope you like it.

My Mom is going to be 85 this weekend.  She is kind of hard to buy for, but this is what I came up with. (This works for Mother's Day too)

I picked up some stuff for her hands....emery boards, cute rubber gloves (from the dollar store), hand cream and soap from Bath and Body Works and a gift certificate for a manicure.

Then I put everything in a basket and wrapped it all up.  See the hands....
I traced everyone's hand in the family and personalized them with jewelry, bandaids and nailpolish so she'll recognize each one.


Kind of cute, eh?