Pumpkin, Papaya and Mandarin Muffins

A little bit of this, a little bit of that...

Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 mandarin oranges, chopped
1/2 cup chopped papaya
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2  1/2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips, raisins or dried cranberries

Cream the eggs, oil and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Then add the pumpkin, papaya and mandarin oranges.

Mix the dry ingredients together and add to the wet in 3 additions.

Fold in the chocolate chips, raisins or dried cranberries.

Scoop the batter into prepared muffin tins ...

and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes.

Makes 33 medium sized muffins

Sweet Pepper Shrimp

I'm making myself hungry just posting this recipe!

Ingredients:
300 g (16/20) shrimp
lemon pepper
6 mini sweet peppers or 1 large, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 cup chopped greens (kale, spinach)
2 tbsps sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat oil in skillet to medium high and add pepper and onion slices. Cook about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle lemon pepper on the shrimp, move the veggies to the side of the pan and add the shrimp to the middle. Cook 1 minute, then flip them for another minute.

Add the chili sauce and greens, toss together and cook for 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat and give the whole thing a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice!

For a homemade Sweet Chili Sauce check out this recipe:
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2019/02/asian-sweet-chili-sauce.html

Kale and Kidney Bean Salad

You can serve this salad as a side for supper then pack a container for lunch the next day, and the next and the next...

Ingredients:
1  1/2 cups packed chopped kale
19 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup diced sweet red pepper
1/3 cup kernel corn

2 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
herbed sea salt and black pepper

1 tbsp sunflower seeds (optional)

So, pretty simple... combine all the veggies. You can massage the kale, but not necessary as it will soften with the dressing as it sits. Mix up the dressing and toss together. Refrigerate about 1 hour before serving.

Top with sunflower seeds if you like and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Sirloin Steak and Mushrooms

This classic steak and mushroom combo has an added flavour dimension... radishes!

Ingredients:
1 lb beef sirloin steak
5-6 oz mushrooms, thickly sliced or quartered
2 radishes, thinly sliced
2 tbsps worcestershire sauce
2 tbsps vegetable oil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
salt, pepper, parsley

First, let the steak come almost to room temperature. So have it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking, then pat it dry with a paper towel.

Heat a large skillet to medium high and add oil. Season the steak with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook 3 minutes.

Lower the heat to medium. Flip the steak (snip the fat with scissors if needed to lie flat) and add mushrooms, radishes and worcestershire sauce.

Cover and cook 4-5 minutes. Keep it a little pink, you don't want to overcook it.

Remove from heat and let stand 3-4 minutes before topping with parsley and servings.

Serves 2

Impossible Cherry Berry Cobbler

World Baking Day 2019...
making the impossible, possible!

Ingredients:

4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups coconut
1  1/2 cups frozen cherries and berries
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Butter a deep dish 9" pie shell.
In a blender combine milk, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, butter, salt and vanilla. Mix well.
Add the coconut, lemon juice and zest and blend.

Pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle the cherries and berries on top.

Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes. The center will be a little jiggly but will set.
Sorry for the poor quality pictures. They were taken on a very dull day : (

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Meatball Parm Bake

Oven baked meatballs means no stove top splatter!
Serve them with pasta or rice. Or you could use them in a meatball sub!

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

2-28 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 - 2 tbsps olive oil
1 small onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
1 tsp oregano
pinch of fennel seeds
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp sugar
some red wine if you have it ; )
1 or 2 carrots

For the meatballs:
1 lb medium ground beef
3 or 4 tbsps fresh baguette, torn in small pieces
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar or red wine
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp olive oil

1  1/2 - 2 cups pizza mozzarella, shredded

Start the sauce in a large pot...lightly brown onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Simmer uncovered on low heat for about 1 hour or until the carrots are cooked. Remove the carrots to a plate and purée the sauce with an immersion blender.

For the meatballs, crumble the baguette and soak in 2 tbsps balsamic or red wine for about 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef, onion, garlic and parmesan. Combine the eggs, milk and olive oil and add to the meat.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil and spray with cooking oil. Take large heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture, form into balls and place on the baking sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Spoon some of the sauce into the bottom of a baking dish, nestle the meatballs in and cover with more sauce.

Top with cheese and you could add some parsley or oregano.

Bake covered at 375 F for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20 minutes. Broil the top for 2-3 minutes to get it good and golden!

There's enough sauce left for some pasta on the side.
And don't forget to serve those carrots!

Serves 4-6
Makes a dozen large meatballs

Banana Butterscotch Coffee Cake

When you just need a little something to satisfy your sweet tooth....

This coffee cake could be made topped with a light frosting or drizzled glaze, but I prefer it with a smear of butter.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2-3 ripe bananas
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butterscotch chips

Cream the butter and brown sugar together then add the eggs, banana and vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the wet ingredients. Fold in the butterscotch chips.

Spread the batter in a greased 8 X 8" baking dish. It's a little thick as you can see below.

Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.