Improv Challenge: Cinnamon and Sugar (Strawberry Cobbler)

Once again I find myself thinking… it’s been way too long since I’ve posted on my blog! Last post, I had just made it through the exam season. Since then, I’ve been quite busy as usual.

I took a short vacation to visit one of my very best friends and her family in Northern Ontario. I spent 3 wonderful days visiting and relaxing. The time out of the city was much needed.

Waterfall in South River

Waterfall in South River

We made a day-trip to Pickerel River where H’s aunt and uncle own a lovely cottage. It had been about 10 years since my last visit. As children, we visited for a week most summers, not a whole lot has changed (except they finished building the house). We even fit in a short kayaking trip! I wish I had been brave enough to bring my camera along, the was a waterfall down the river that was still frozen.

Pickerel River

Pickerel River

A beaver swimming in the Pickerel River

A beaver swimming in the Pickerel River

I have to admit I didn’t really want to come home. Don’t get me wrong, I missed Bryan and Loki. And I was looking forward to starting my summer classes. But a full week away would have been nice. :)

I’m excited to once again be participating in the Improv Challenge hosted by Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker! This month, the challenge ingredients are cinnamon and sugar. So far, I’ve shared:

This month, my dish is inspired by my trip up north. When we visited Pickerel River, H’s mom made a lovely peach cobbler that we took along for dessert. For the challenge, I made a Strawberry Cobbler!

Strawberry Cobbler

Inspired by S’s Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

Fruit Filling

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar – approximate cost $0.25
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 cup COLD water
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice – approximate cost $0.20
  • 3 cups sliced strawberries – approximate cost $2.00
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon – approximate cost $0.10

Topping

  • 1 cup flour – approximate cost $0.40
  • 1 tablespoon cane sugar – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1/2 cup whole milk – approximate cost $0.50
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided into 6 – approximate cost $0.30

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Prepare the fruit filling.
    1. Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a cup.
    2. Mix well.
    3. Add cornstarch mixture and brown sugar to a sauce pot.
    4. Cook over medium heat until thickened and sugar is dissolved.
    5. Remove from heat.
    6. Add lemon juice.
    7. Add strawberries.
    8. Pour into a 9×13 baking dish.
    9. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
  3. Prepare the topping.
    1. Combine flour, cane sugar, baking powder, and sea salt in a large mixing bowl.
    2. Add milk, stirring constantly.
    3. Add water, stirring until well-mixed (no dry flour).
  4. Spoon the topping over the fruit (leaving it in dumpling shapes).
  5. Dot each dumpling with butter.
  6. Bake the cobbler for about 25 minutes (or until topping is cooked through and golden brown).
  7. Cool slightly.
  8. Serve warm and enjoy!

Makes 6 servings (approximate cost: $0.60 per serving).



27 Comments
by Amber on May 16, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Desserts, Family and Friends, Recipes
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Posted by Amber on May 16, 2013

http://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/improv-challenge-cinnamon-and-sugar-strawberry-cobbler/

Asian-Inspired Bean Sprout Salad with Citrus and Soy Dressing

Whew! I’ve made it through yet another exam season. Grad school is a bit different, we tend to have large research papers to hand in. I’m relieved to be done course work for a few weeks. And am working on a few other projects before the spring term begins. One is a research project I’ve been working on for a little over a year. It’s nice to see it coming together! The other is an event for game enthusiasts: Make a Game or DIY Trying. We’ve invited local speakers who work in the game industry to talk about their careers and will host a design competition in the afternoon. I’m looking forward to taking a few days off next week to relax before the next set of classes start.

With everything coming to an end for the term, Bryan and I took the evening of April 23rd off to celebrate our 9 year anniversary! 9 wonderful years. It sounds like a long time. It hasn’t felt all that long.

Us at Bryan's convocation -- there are very few pictures of us because I'm usually the one holding the camera

Us at Bryan’s convocation — there are very few pictures of us because I’m usually the one holding the camera

Anyway, we were both quite busy during the day, but were able to spend the entire evening together, starting with dinner at our favourite restaurant, Taka! It’s on the opposite side of the next town (near where I grew up), but is always worth the trip! The family that manages the restaurant is very generous, they always greet us with enthusiasm, give us appetizers on the house, which usually means we go home with leftovers. Yesterday was no different. Warm welcome, fantastic and friendly service, delicious food, and enough leftovers for a quick lunch today. We then headed home for a quiet evening. We’ve been watching Game of Thrones (I got the DVDs for my birthday a while back) and watched the final episode of season 2. We can’t wait for season 3 to finish and come out on DVD!

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is a salad that I’ve been making a lot recently that we’re both very fond of. The idea for the salad is based off of a recommendation from a friend. It’s very easy to make and surprisingly filling!

Asian-Inspired Bean Sprout Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cups bean sprouts – approximate cost $2.00
  • 1/2 cup watercress – approximate cost $1.00
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen edamamae beans – approximate cost $1.50

Method

  1. Cook edamamae beans according to package.
  2. Soak hot edamamae beans in an ice water bath.
  3. Rinse the bean sprouts and watercress.
  4. Pat dry.
  5. Combine bean sprouts, watercress, and edamame beans in a large salad bowl.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Top with Citrus and Soy Salad Dressing.
  8. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Citrus and Soy Salad Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice – approximate cost $0.15
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar – approximate cost $0.15
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine) – approximate cost $0.15
  • 3 teaspoons Kikkoman soy sauce – approximate cost $0.20
  • 3 teaspoons sesame oil – approximate cost $0.50

Method

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass. 5.75
  2. Mix well.
  3. Pour over salad (before the oil and citrus separate).

Makes 2 meal-sized servings (approximate cost: $2.88 per serving) or 4 appetizer-sized servings (approximate cost: $1.44 per serving).

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5 Comments
by Amber on April 24, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Appetizers, Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Salad, Vegetarian
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Posted by Amber on April 24, 2013

http://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/asian-inspired-bean-sprout-salad-with-citrus-and-soy-dressing/

Nana’s Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

This post is for my childhood best friend and her mom. I know you’ll be reading this and you’ve wanted to know the “secret” macaroni and cheese recipe for a while now (I put sectret in quote not because this recipe is secret… but because it’s one of those things I had to be in the kitchen to learn, there wasn’t a written recipe for a while). This recipe is my progress so far at imitating Nana’s Macaroni and Cheese Casserole. It’s not quite as delicious as hers (yet). She jokingly told me last weekend that hers tastes better because of the added love. :)

To me, this is my all-time favourite comfort food. It reminds me of my childhood. When I was in grade school, Dad would pick my brother and I up from school during lunch hour and we would go visit Nana and Boppa (I had trouble saying Papa as a toddler and the nickname “Boppa”stuck). Nana always had a fantastic meal ready when we arrived. We ate lunch, visited, and Dad dropped us back at school on his way to work. Back then, I didn’t realize how lucky I was to have a home-cooked meal every day. And to spend time with my family at every meal.

Nana’s repertoire seemed endless, I remember homemade soups (chicken noodle, cream of asparagus) and sandwiches (grilled cheese made with a sandwich press, ham, turkey, hot chicken with gravy). Lunch was rarely the same two days in a row.

My favourite was always the Macaroni and Cheese Casserole. This was Dad’s least favourite meal, so Matt and I would beg Nana to make it. And she would.

I miss those lunches. But it’s a fantastic memory! As we grew up, we went to different schools, Dad was moved to an office that was further away, and eventually Nana decided to move. We still try to get the family together on weekends for dinner when possible.

Over the years, I’ve tried my best to learn from Nana and imitate the recipe. You see, it was originally my Great Grandmother’s recipe and it had never been written down. Interestingly, Nana tells me that she and her sisters each have their own way of making the recipe. And each of them insists theirs is “just like mom’s” The differences are minor: the tenderness of the pasta before it is added to the casserole, the topping, the way you prepare the cheese, and whether or not you include the liquid from the canned tomatoes…

I hope to learn to make more family recipes, but this is the one that I hope to perfect soon!

Nana’s Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried macaroni noodles – approximate cost $0.60
  • 1 sleeve salted top crackers – approximate cost $0.60
  • 1 796 mL can of whole tomatoes, undrained – approximate cost $1.25
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt – approximate cost $0.10
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1 egg – approximate cost $0.30
  • 1 cup milk (the type of milk has changed over the years, I currently use whole milk or 2%, Nana uses Skim or 1%) – approximate cost $1.33
  • 250 grams of medium cheddar cheese, cubed – approximate cost $3.50
  • 250 grams of medium cheddar cheese, shredded – approximate cost $3.50

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  3. Add the macaroni noodles.
  4. Boil the noodles for HALF of the recommended time (Nana calls this “parboiling”), about 4-5 minutes.
  5. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.
  6. Add the noodles to a large mixing bowl.
  7. Drain the liquid from the tomatoes into the mixing bowl with the noodles.
  8. Dice the tomatoes into small pieces.
  9. Add the tomato to the noodles.
  10. Add the cheese cubes and shredded cheese.
  11. Mix until well-combined.
  12. Pour the noodle mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish.
  13. Add the milk, egg, sea salt, and black pepper to the now empty mixing bowl.
  14. Mix the milk and eggs until well-combined.
  15. Pour milk mixture over the noodles (The noodles should be just covered, and it’s ok if a few tops of the pieces are not submerged. Add a bit extra milk if needed).
  16. Put the salted-top crackers in a plastic bag.
  17. Use a rolling pin to crush the crackers into fine crumbs.
  18. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the noodles, making sure to completely cover any exposed noodles so they do not dry out.
  19. Bake for 1 ½ hours (the edges should be slightly browned and the topping golden-coloured)
  20. Remove from oven.
  21. Allow the casserole to stand for 15-20 minutes on the counter.
  22. Serve and enjoy!

Makes about 8 servings (approximate cost $1.40 per serving).

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12 Comments
by Amber on April 3, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Family Recipes, Main Course, Recipes, Vegetarian
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Posted by Amber on April 3, 2013

http://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/nanas-macaroni-and-cheese-casserole/

Slow-Cooked Beef Brisket Sliders

It was starting to look like spring around here. Most of the snow had melted and the weather was warm enough that I put away my heavy winter jacket in favour of a lighter spring jacket. Then, without warning, winter returned… Temperatures dropped back down to -9 degrees Celsius! And it snowed again.

With the return of colder weather, I decided to make some comfort food. So, I picked up some beef brisket and made sliders!

This was more than enough for the two of us. So, the next day, we served the leftovers to some friends that stopped by around dinner time. They reheated nicely in the oven and were just as delicious the next day!

Slow-Cooked Beef Brisket Sliders

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil – approximate cost $0.05
  • 2 onions, sliced – approximate cost $0.80
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced – approximate cost $0.50
  • 2 pounds of beef brisket – approximate cost $10.00
  • 1 bottle of light beer (we used Bud Light Lime) – approximate cost $1.25
  • 1 teaspoon paprika – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder – approximate cost $0.10
  • ½ teaspoon cumin – approximate cost $0.05
  • 3 dashes natural hickory liquid smoke – approximate cost $0.10
  • 2 teaspoons beef bouillon – approximate cost $0.10
  • 2 bay leaves – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper – approximate cost $0.05
  • ½ cup Carolina-style barbecue sauce – approximate cost $1.30
  • 12 slider hamburger buns – approximate cost $2.50

Method

  1. Preheat a frying pan and the grapeseed oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion slices when the oil is hot.
  3. Cook the onion for about 7 minutes, or until softened.
  4. Add the garlic to the onions and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  5. Add the cooked onions and garlic and beef brisket to the slow cooker.
  6. Combine the beer, paprika, chili, cumin, liquid smoke, bay leaves, and beef bouillon in a large measuring cup.
  7. Mix well.
  8. Pour the beer and spice mixture over the beef brisket.
  9. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until beef is cooked through and tender.
  10. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  11. Remove the brisket and onions from the slow cooker.
  12. Shred the brisket into thin pieces.
  13. Place the shredded brisket and onions into a large baking dish.
  14. Cover with Carolina-style barbecue sauce.
  15. Mix well until the meat is thoroughly coated with the sauce.
  16. Bake for about 15 minutes so the sauce is warm and there are a few crusty pieces.
  17. Place the brisket on slider hamburger buns.
  18. Serve and enjoy!

Makes about 12 sliders or 6 large sandwiches (approximate cost $1.42 per slider or $2.84 per sandwich).

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2 Comments
by Amber on March 27, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Appetizers, Beef, Main Course, Recipes
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Posted by Amber on March 27, 2013

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Improv Challenge: Peas and Carrots (Shepherd’s Pie)

I’m excited to once again be participating in the Improv Challenge hosted by Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker! This month, the challenge ingredients are peas and carrots. So far, I’ve shared:

For this month’s Improv Challenge, I made Shepherd’s Pie! When I heard the challenge ingredients were peas and carrots, I knew exactly what I would be making (It happens to be one of Bryan’s favourite meals). I changed up the recipe a bit from the usual… I added some crimini mushrooms and cut the amount of mashed potatoes in half. The mushrooms were a great addition. I missed the extra potatoes (Bryan seemed to enjoy it more this way)! If you love mashed potatoes… DOUBLE the amount called for in this recipe.

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil – approximate cost $0.05
  • 4 onions, sliced – approximate cost $1.50
  • 1 bunch (9 small) carrots, sliced – approximate cost $2.00
  • 250 grams crimini mushrooms, sliced – approximate cost $1.50
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced – approximate cost $0.50
  • 2 pounds learn ground beef – approximate cost $9.00
  • 2 284 milliliter cans of beef broth (+ 2 cans of water) – approximate cost $2.40
  • 500 grams green peas – approximate cost $3.00
  • 3 pounds potatoes, diced – approximate cost $3.00
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch – approximate cost $0.10
  • 2 teaspoons paprika – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1 cup milk – approximate cost $1.00
  • 1/2 cup butter – approximate cost $1.00

Method

  1. Prepare the meat and vegetable mixture.
    1. Preheat the grapeseed oil in a large pot over medium heat.
    2. Add the onion slices.
    3. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
    4. Add the minced garlic.
    5. Cook until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes).
    6. Remove the onion and garlic mixture and set aside in a mixing bowl.
    7. Add the ground beef to the cooking pot.
    8. Brown the ground beef.
    9. Use a wooden spoon to break the ground beef into small pieces.
    10. Return the onion and garlic mixture to the pot.
    11. Add the carrot, mushrooms, and green peas.
    12. Mix well.
    13. Add the beef broth and water.
    14. Bring the pot to a boil.
    15. Cook for about 5 minutes.
    16. Add the paprika, rosemary, and black pepper.
    17. Mix the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup cold water.
    18. Stir the cornstarch into the broth slowly.
    19. Stir frequently until thickened.
  2. Prepare the mashed potatoes.
    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
    2. Optional: Peel the potatoes. (We dice them right away, leaving the skin on)
    3. Dice the potatoes.
    4. Boil the potatoes until tender (about 10-15 minutes).
    5. Drain the potatoes.
    6. Add the milk and butter to the potatoes.
    7. Use a potatoes masher to mash the potatoes.
  3. Put it all together!
    1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Divide the meat and vegetable mixture evenly between two 9×13 baking dishes.
    3. Top with an even layer of mashed potatoes.
    4. Bake the Shepherd’s Pie for about an hour and a half.
  4. Remove the shepherd’s pie from the oven.
  5. Let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes.
  6. Serve and enjoy! (Makes fantastic leftovers)

Makes 16 servings (approximate cost: $1.58 per serving).



9 Comments
by Amber on March 21, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Beef, Main Course, Recipes
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Posted by Amber on March 21, 2013

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ALMOST Gluten Free Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week, I attended a potluck dinner. The theme was St. Patrick’s Day – so green and/or Irish foods were a preferred contribution.

Generally, I contribute a savory food, something that can be a side dish or a main course. However, this time I decided to go with a (green) dessert. I was in class prior to the potluck and needed something that would be easy to transport and didn’t require refrigeration.

I’ve wanted to try making gluten free cookies for a while and decided this was a good opportunity. And it’s a good thing I wasn’t serving the cookies to anyone with an intolerance, because, as it turns out, these cookies did contain gluten. As I was researching gluten-free cookies, I realized the spelt flour (that I had bought in the healthy food section at the grocery store next to the gluten-free flours and cake mixes) contains gluten! According to The Kitchn:

“Spelt has a reputation as a “healthier” grain, but as far as gluten-free cooking goes, it’s out. It is a direct relative of wheat, and while its protein content may be higher and therefore better for those of us without a gluten intolerance, it will cause problems for those with gluten-intolerance. One interesting note, however, is that some people who simply have a mild intolerance say that they can tolerate spelt better than wheat. But you should still avoid it completely when cooking for those with a gluten or wheat intolerance.” (from “Cocoa to Cornstarch: Are These 10 Ingredients Gluten-Free?” on The Kitchn)

A few other things “went wrong” in the process. First, I realized after adding the green food dye that it was also mint-flavoured. This ended up not being an issue because both Bryan and I like mint. And I let my classmates know about the flavour ahead of time. Second, although the dough was green, the cookies turned out golden-brown with a green center. They didn’t look very festive. Next time, I will take them out of the oven sooner so they retain a bit more colour.

So, while these cookies were not, in the end, gluten-free… they were a delicious first attempt. (Bryan asked me to tell my classmates that they were terrible so we could have more at home). However, I promised to make these cookies again soon. However, the next batch will be truly gluten-free, substituting a bit more of each of the other flours to remove the spelt flour.

ALMOST Gluten Free Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup salted butter, softened  – approximate cost $1.50
  • ½ cup brown sugar  – approximate cost $0.25
  • ½ cup cane sugar  – approximate cost $0.45
  • 1 egg  – approximate cost $0.30
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract  – approximate cost $0.15
  • 20 drops of mint-flavoured green food dye  – approximate cost $0.25
  • 2 teaspoons xanthan gum  – approximate cost $0.50
  • ½ cup spelt flour  – approximate cost $0.50
  • ½ cup coconut flour  – approximate cost $0.60
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour  – approximate cost $0.50
  • 1/3 cup almond meal flour  – approximate cost $0.50
  • 1/3 cup white rice flour  – approximate cost $0.50
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch  – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda  – approximate cost $0.05
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt  – approximate cost $0.05
  • 150 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips  – approximate cost $1.25

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and cane sugar.
  3. Add the egg, vanilla, and mint-flavoured green food dye.
  4. Stir until well blended.
  5. Mix together the xanthan gum, spelt flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour, almond meal flour, white rice flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and sea salt.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture ½ cup at a time, mixing well each time you add flour.
  7. Add the chocolate chips when the flour is completely blended with the butter mixture.
  8. Use an ice cream scoop to make spheres of cookie dough.
  9. Place each scoop of dough onto a non-stick baking sheet (about 5 centimeters apart).
  10. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the cookie is golden (the dough on the inside of the cookie will be green).
  11. Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet.
  12. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
  13. Enjoy immediately and pack a few cookies away for later!

Makes about 15 cookies (approximate cost: $0.50 per cookie).

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5 Comments
by Amber on March 20, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Desserts, Recipes, Snacks
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Posted by Amber on March 20, 2013

http://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/almost-gluten-free-mint-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Lobster and Egg Served Over a Potato Pancake

Breakfast is probably our favourite meal of the day.

I’m an early riser. Loki (my kitty) likes to be fed by 7am and wakes me up regardless of whether it is a day I can sleep in. (Loki purrs loudly to wake me up, it’s really cute. If I don’t wake up, she will paw my hair, which is my least favourite way to wake up). Bryan, on the other hand, prefers to stay up late. Loki likes to stay up late with him, snuggled in his lap while he is at the computer working. Luckily for us, these diverse schedules both work for graduate students.

Loki would like some breakfast too, please!

That said, our “breakfast” times do not frequently coincide. So, we enjoy breakfast meals at any time of the day. Actually, not that long ago I learned of the mash-up word “brinner” meaning breakfast foods served for dinner. The word hasn’t made it into our regular vocabulary yet, but I can see if happening sometime soon.

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is one that I made for a weekend brunch. It felt like it took quite a while to make… but it was worth the wait!

What is your favourite meal of the day?

Lobster and Egg Served Over a Potato Pancake

Potato Pancake

  • 1 ½ cups shredded potatoes  – approximate cost $1.00
  • 1 egg  – approximate cost $0.30
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt  – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper  – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil  – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour  – approximate cost $0.25
  • 1/3 cup whole wheat flour  – approximate cost $0.25

Toppings

  • 4 eggs, cooked sunny-side up or over-easy  – approximate cost $1.20
  • ½ cup cooked lobster, shredded  – approximate cost $7.00
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded  – approximate cost $2.00
  • 2 green onions, sliced  – approximate cost $0.15
  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced  – approximate cost $0.60
  • 2 cloves garlic  – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil  – approximate cost $0.05

Method

  1. Cook the onion and garlic toppings.
    1. Preheat a frying pan and add a ½ teaspoons of the grapeseed oil.
    2. Add the sweet onion slices and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
    3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
    4. Make the potato pancakes.
      1. Combine the sea salt, black pepper, all-purpose flour, and whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl.
      2. Add the shredded potato and egg.
      3. Mix until well-combined.
      4. Preheat a frying pan and add the grapeseed oil.
      5. Add ¼ cup of the potato pancake mixture.
      6. Press the mixture down until it is about 1cm thick.
      7. Cook until golden.
      8. Flip.
      9. Cook until golden and cooked through.
      10. Set aside.
      11. Repeat steps e-j until the mixture is used up (makes about 4 pancakes).
      12. Cook the eggs (ours were sunny-side up, but over-easy would be awesome as well).
      13. Place a potato pancake on a serving plate.
      14. Top with lobster, onion and garlic mixture, cheddar cheese, egg, and green onion slices.
      15. Serve warm and enjoy!

Makes 4 servings (approximate cost: $3.25 per serving).

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10 Comments
by Amber on March 13, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Recipes
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Posted by Amber on March 13, 2013

http://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/lobster-and-egg-served-over-a-potato-pancake/

Piparkakut (Finnish Gingerbread) Cookies

I’m excited to once again be participating in the Improv Challenge hosted by Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker! This month, the challenge ingredients are hearts and flours. So far, I’ve shared:

This month, I’m sharing a gingerbread cookie recipe I got from my friend Kas (with slight modifications).

  • The original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon ground cardamom in addition to the other spices. However, I left this out because I didn’t have the ingredient readily available in my pantry (and it was Family Day, so I couldn’t go to the store to buy some).
  • I used fancy molasses instead of unsulphured molasses.
  • I baked the cookies for 8 1/2 minutes (which made for crunchy cookies, but I would have preferred they turned out soft like Kas’s cookies).
  • I used lactose-free milk instead of regular milk.
  • I used cane sugar instead of white sugar.
  • I used sea salt instead of table salt.

Kas’s Piparkakut cookies are amazing. She tends to make them around Christmas and, if you’re lucky, you get a pack of cookies as a gift. this year, I had the privileged of making a double-batch of cookies with her during a visit. I’m not great at baking, so it was nice to go through the process with a pro (it is her family’s recipe after all!). The ones we made over the holiday were decorated with sprinkles and divided between the two of us. I gave a few away, but Bryan and I kept most of that batch for ourselves.

So, after getting the stand mixer a few weeks back, I decided it was about time that I try making these cookies at home. So on Family Day (this past Monday), I enlisted Bryan’s help with some cookie making. One thing I must point out is that the cookie dough is just as delicious as the cookies themselves. As we were rolling out the cookies, Bryan and I enjoyed many tastes of the dough before it even made it into the oven! We just got our first set of cookie cutters and made several shapes: hearts (as per the Improv Challenge), stars, multi-pointed stars and a shape we cannot agree on (I think it’s candy — Bryan thinks it’s a bone). At the end of the night, we’d sampled so much dough that we were too full to sample the finished cookies! I may have had cookies for breakfast on Tuesday morning, just to make sure they tasted ok.

A single batch, we found, was wayyyyy too many cookies for the two of us. So I’ve given a few to friends as taste testers of my first batch.

Kas and her partner got half a dozen. I was upfront with her about the changes I’d made. Their verdict? Not bad for the first batch! And they didn’t miss the cardamom too much, They only complaint was that I’d left them in the oven a touch too long and they were a bit crispier than they should be. I was already aware of this.

Another half dozen went to my childhood best friend and her sister. Our visit was unplanned, but I was glad to have a few cookies to share with them. They had also tasted a few that I had made with Kas over the holiday and had a point of comparison. They too thought the cookies were pretty good!

Finally, I gave another half dozen to my friend and her four-year old son when I went to babysit last night. She, as far as I know, hasn’t tried a cookie yet, but they also seem to be kid-approved! I allowed him to have one cookie during my visit last night and he savored it over about half an hour.

Hooray for a successful batch of cookies!

Piparkakut (Finnish Gingerbread) Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter – approximate cost $2.50
  • 1 ¼ cups cane sugar – approximate cost $1.00
  • ¼ cup fancy molasses – approximate cost $0.25
  • 1 large egg – approximate cost $0.25
  • 2 tablespoons lactose-free milk – approximate cost $0.20
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (and a bit extra for rolling the cookies) – approximate cost $0.75
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda – approximate cost $0.10
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon – approximate cost $0.15
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger – approximate cost $0.10
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves – approximate cost $0.05
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper – approximate cost $0.03

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix together the butter, sugar, and molasses until well mixed and fluffy.
  3. Add the egg and lactose-free milk and stir until well mixed.
  4. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, sea salt and pepper in a separate large mixing bowl.
  5. Slowly add the flour and spice mixture (1/2 cup at a time) into the butter and molasses mixture, mixing constantly until the two are well-combined.
  6. Roll out the dough on a floured surface (the dough should be about 1cm thick).
  7. Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies.
  8. Gently peel away the unused dough.
  9. Work the unused dough into a ball.
  10. Place cookies on a cookie sheet.
  11. Bake cookies for 7 1/2 minutes (until golden brown but still soft).
  12. Remove cookies to a wire rack.
  13. Repeat steps 6-12 until you use up all of the dough.
  14. Cool cookies completely before packaging or enjoy warm.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookie-cutter shapes (approximate cost: $0.15 per cookie).



35 Comments
by Amber on February 21, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Desserts, Recipes
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Posted by Amber on February 21, 2013

http://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/piparkakut-finnish-gingerbread-cookies/

Hummus and Vegetables

Back during the summer, my best friend and I had an evening together. Most of the time, we get together as couples. I don’t remember why it was just the two of us, but it’s what made the evening memorable. We ate homemade hummus (Bryan’s least favourite snack), chatted, and made an impulse decision to go to Dairy Queen at about 10:30pm. I was really impressed with her homemade hummus and ate way too much of it. I was even more surprised when she told me that it was very easy to make. (Put all of the ingredients in a blender, combine, and enjoy!)

The next day, I got a call saying that the hummus tasted even better the next day. The flavours had a chance to meld.

This recipe is my attempt to re-create T’s hummus. I made it based off my memory if the ingredients she told me to use. Adding a bit of this and that until it tasted right. I even took some of the finished product to work and allowed my co-workers to taste test. I’m thrilled to report they thought it was pretty good!

I like to serve hummus with vegetables (carrots, radishes, celery, etc.), but it’s also great with pita  chips.

Hummus

Ingredients

  • 1 x 540 mL can of chickpeas, ¾ of the liquid drained – approximate cost $1.25
  • 5 tablespoons tahini – approximate cost $0.75
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice – approximate cost $0.50
  • 4 cloves of garlic – approximate cost $0.40
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.10

Method

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
  2. Process until chickpeas are smooth in texture.
  3. Pour into a serving bowl.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavours meld together.
  5. Serve with a side of fresh vegetables such a mini carrots, radishes, celery slices, green pepper slices, etc, and/or pita chips.

Makes 2 lunch-sized servings (approximate cost: $1.50 per serving) or 6 servings  (approximate cost: $0.50 per serving) as a snack.

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6 Comments
by Amber on February 20, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Appetizers, Main Course, Recipes, Snacks, Vegetarian
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Posted by Amber on February 20, 2013

http://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/hummus-and-vegetables/

Peppery Beef Heart Burgers

Eat your heart out!

Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day and I’ve been planning our special meal for about a week now. We’re staying home and cooking dinner and will probably watch a movie or play video games together afterward. I’m looking forward to a quiet evening at home.

Much of the menu is still up in the air as I write this post, but one thing is for sure… Beef heart burgers will be making an appearance at our table!

We’ve been making jokes/puns about hearts for a few days now. Such as the one with which I began this post and other cheesy lines. We’re very amused at the idea of eating a heart while we celebrate the occasion. Some friends have told me it’s morbid. Others have laughed at the irony of the meal. I hope you find this post amusing!

I’m very excited to feature these burgers as well because they are something that Bryan and I worked on making together. We rarely spend time together in the kitchen! Because it’s a messy job and we were making a large batch of burgers, I enlisted his help.

I mixed, portioned, and pressed the burgers. Bryan kept my workspace clean, wrapped the burger patties, sorted them into perfect portions for freezing, and fended off a curious kitty who wanted to see what we were up to. I was very glad for the help!

Of course, we had to cook two burgers immediately to make sure they were as delicious as they looked. We topped the burgers with a slice of cheddar cheese and an egg, cooked over-easy. They were delicious! (We made the burgers about a week ago and only have about 6 left in the freezer)

What will you be doing to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Peppery Beef Heart Burgers

Ingredients

  • 1 beef heart (about 1.9 kg), ground – approximate cost $12.00
  • 0.9 kg of fatty beef brisket, ground – approximate cost $10.00
  • 5 teaspoons finely ground sea salt – approximate cost $0.25
  • 2 teaspoons finely ground black pepper – approximate cost $0.10
  • 12 hamburger buns – approximate cost $3.00
  • Grapeseed oil for cooking – approximate cost $0.25

Optional toppings

  • Egg (cooked over-easy)
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Guacamole
  • Bacon
  • Sweet onion
  • Mushrooms
  • Tomato
  • Avocado
  • Dill pickle
  • Lettuce

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Work with your hands until the ingredients are well-mixed.
  3. Divide the meat into approximately ½ pound portions (12 burgers).
  4. Use your hands to shape each portion into a very large, tightly-packed meatball.
  5. Press the meatballs into burgers (you can use your hands or a burger press).
  6. Keep the burgers separate by placing a piece of waxed paper between each patty.
  7. Preheat a frying pan with a small amount of grapeseed oil over medium heat.
  8. Place burger patties in the frying pan (being careful not to overcrowd the pan).
  9. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.
  10. Flip the burger patty.
  11. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes (or until cooked to desired done-ness, my burgers were medium, with a very small amount of pink still in the center of the burger).
  12. Serve on a bun with desired toppings.

Makes 12 servings (approximate cost: $2.13 per serving + optional topping).

We’ve had these burgers a few times already and it’s gone well with all of our favourite toppings. Bryan’s favourite set of toppings was an egg – over easy – and a slice of cheddar. Mine is guacamole and a slice of bacon.

These burgers are VERY filling and just one is enough even for those with a hearty appetite. I’ve yet to finish an entire burger myself (but got very close).

Wednesday Link Parties

4 Comments
by Amber on February 13, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Beef, Main Course, Recipes
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Posted by Amber on February 13, 2013

http://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/peppery-beef-heart-burgers/

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