Banana Streusel Muffins

Sometimes you just have to make him his favourite muffins.

Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Muffins:
1  1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 egg
1  1/2 cups mashed banana (3-4 bananas)
1/2 cup melted butter

Mix topping ingredients together and set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Beat egg, mashed banana and melted butter. Now add banana mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened. The batter will be thick.

Spray muffin tins or line the tin with papers.

Put a heaping tablespoon of batter in each then about a teaspoon of streusel.

Top with more batter then sprinkle on the remaining streusel.

I used to make these with all the streusel on top which looked really good, but I found most of it would fall off. This way, putting some in the middle you keep all the flavour.

Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes.

Makes 12 very moist muffins

Salsa with Orange

Sometimes you just open the fridge and make salsa out of whatever you find inside.

1/2 cup  diced tomato
1/3 cup  diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced orange segments
1 diced avocado

2 tbsps honey
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp minced ginger
a few grinds of pepper

Chop everything up, mix the dressing, toss and serve immediately.

Have it with chicken, fish or pork.

Sushi Style Meatloaf

In an effort to get my daughter to like meatloaf, I thought I would make it to resemble something she does like! Sushi

2 lbs lean ground beef
3 hard-boiled eggs
handful chopped greens (lettuce, spinach, kale)
2/3 cup chopped mushrooms (reserve 2 tbsps)
a few black olives
1 carrot, julienne cut
1 egg (uncooked)
1/2 cup short grain rice (I used calrose)
1 cup water
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup oats
salt and pepper to taste


Glaze:
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
2 tbsps finely chopped mushrooms (reserved from earlier)

Start by boiling 3 eggs to hard-boiled.  Once boiled remove them from the hot water and leave them to sit in cold water. Plunge the carrots sticks into the pot with hot water for 3-5 minutes, then drain.

Cook the 1/2 cup rice in 1 cup water and set aside.
There should be about 2 cups cooked rice.

In a large bowl mix ground beef, 1 uncooked egg, 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp parsley, 1/4 tsp dry mustard, 1/4 cup oats, salt and pepper. 

Spray a 9 X 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

So here's the thing...I thought starting the loaf on wax paper would be a good idea. Not really, but you can see how the layers come together.  I suggest you start your layers right in the loaf pan.

Take half the meat mixture and press into the bottom of the loaf pan. Next half the rice and half the mushrooms (remember to reserve 2 tbsps). The rice should not go right to the edge of the meat, as I did here. I should have left about 1/2 inch on each side so the top layer of meat would seal together. Oh well, live and learn : )
Add some chopped greens and top with hard-boiled eggs.

(I decided to transfer this thing into the loaf pan now)
Tuck some black olives in between the eggs.

For the top layer I was still stuck on making it on wax paper, but this time there was a definite reason. It would have been hard to layer the carrots and mushrooms on top of the eggs. This layer was easier to lift into place. Spray oil on wax paper and layer the remaining ground beef, rice mushrooms, carrots and greens.

It was a little tricky to do, but I lifted it and flipped it on top of the first half. Now if I had of left a 1/2 inch meat on each side of the bottom layer the meat would have sealed better. Anyways press down to form a nice even top, mix the glaze ingredients together and spread on top.

Into a 350 F oven it goes for 1  1/2 hours.
Let rest 10 - 15 minutes before slicing.

While my daughter is still not a big fan of meatloaf she did say this one was alright.

Turkey and Biscuit Pot Pie

May 9th and it is freezing out today! Ugh.
Need me some comfort food.

3 tbsps flour
2  1/2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
ground salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp thyme
1 can mushroom soup
1 (empty soup) can milk
1 cup kernel corn
squirt sriracha sauce

Make up this tea biscuit recipe from the 5 Roses recipe book and set aside. (I added some parsley to the mix)

Brown onion and garlic in olive oil. 
Toss turkey with spices and flour and add to the pan.

Add soup and milk, veggies and sriracha. Cook a few minutes until the sauce thickens.

Grease an 8 X 11" baking dish and pour in the turkey mixture.
Top with the biscuits and bake at 450 F for 15-18 minutes.

Hope the weather warms up soon.

Easy Zipper Repair

If you have a zipper on your jeans that is broken and will not stay up then you need to read this!

Use a key ring and pass it through the little tab hole thingy.
(Does that thing even have a name?) If you have trouble with opening up the key ring just use a staple remover to hold the key ring open. 

Just pass the key ring through the tab, pull up the zipper and loop the ring around the button. Then do your pants up like usual. Works like a charm.

In a pinch you could also use an elastic band in place of the key ring.

Is that little tab thingy broken right off?  No problem!

Just pass the key ring through the link where the tab used to be and Tah dah!

You're welcome : )

Asian Shrimp Pasta

This dish serves 4 with just enough sauce to coat everything but to not have your meal sitting in a puddle of it. 

1 tbsp olive oil
300 g (56/65 per lb count) shrimp
10 oz spaghetti
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 carrot, julienne cut
a handful of spinach, chopped

Sauce:
4 tbsps light soya sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsps hoisin sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
2 tsps fresh grated ginger
pepper to taste

Begin by whisking together the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Cook the pasta, drain well and toss with a little oil.
Also set aside.

Heat oil in a wok, toss shrimp with 2 tsps of prepared sauce and cook until pink. Remove to a plate.

Add the mushrooms and carrots to the wok and cook until carrots are tender-crisp. Return the shrimp to the pan long with the pasta.

Pour in the sauce, stir together and heat through. Toss with chopped spinach and serve.

Who needs take-out?

Restaurant Style Fluffy Baked Potatoes

All this time I have not been baking potatoes the right way!
(Thanks for setting me straight Di)

Take your baking potatoes (russet are best) and scrub them clean with a brush. Pat dry.
DO NOT POKE SKIN.

Brush all over with olive oil and set on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. I used Himalayan pink here.

Bake at 425 F for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of your potatoes. When the potato is soft when you press it it's done.

Here's the cool part.....

When you take the potato out of the oven, drop it onto the counter from about 10" up. This makes the insides all soft and fluffy.

Make a slice in the top of the potato and squeeze the ends gently to open it up more.

Serve with your favourite toppings.
It's so simple, but it really does make a difference!