Make-Your-Man-Love-You Beef Dip Sandwich

You know those pub style beef dip sandwiches you can get? This isn't that.  This is so much better.  It's made with real chunks of slowly simmered roast beef and will put a smile on your man.  Assuming he's a big meat eater.  It's a stereotype I know- but if your man fits the stereotype, pull this baby out next Father's Day, birthday, Superbowl or any day you just want to make him happy.  This recipe is mine- it's what I came up with when Cole said he wanted beef dip.  I never ordered it in the restaurants because it never looked very good.  This version is scrumptious.

Ingredients:

1 beef roast (it's going to simmer in your crock pot all day so a tough cut is ok)
salt/pepper
Montreal Steak Seasoning
red chili flakes (optional)
2 tbsp oil
4 submarine buns
3 large, sweet onions
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
shredded cheese (I usually use white cheddar)
garlic butter (I mix butter with minced garlic, lemon zest, chopped parsley and salt)

Directions:

Rub your roast with salt, pepper, steak seasoning (I use Montreal), and chili flakes if you like it to have a kick. 

In a HOT pan (medium high heat), add some oil.  Then sear your roast on all sides.  Let it sit undisturbed for a good 4-6 minutes before turning it to the next side.  Put your seared roast into a crock pot and cover half way with beef broth.  Let it go for 5ish hours on high (depending on your crock pot- you want it shredable).

Make your garlic butter and set it aside till your roast is done.

A half hour or so before you are ready to eat, slice your onions and get them into some butter on low/medium heat with some salt.  Stir and let them carmelize.  It takes a while.  I add some brown sugar towards the end of the process to sweeten them a little more because I use chili flakes on the roast so it's a little spicy.  The sweet onions with the spicy beef is a nice mix. 

When you're ready to assemble your sandwiches, take your subs and spread some garlic butter on each side then put under the broiler to toast.  Add your cheese on one side a few minutes into the broiling and let it melt. 

Top your buns with meat and onions.  Slice.  And serve the au jus (the simmered broth from the crock pot) on the side.

Parmesan and Pea Risotto

I have been wanting for a while to add risotto to my cooking arsenal.  I spent a lot of time watching TV chefs make it, I was on youtube for a long time studying it, I went to a nice Italian restaurant, ordered the risotto and then studied that as well.  In the last month I've made it 3 times and I feel confident enough to post a recipe now. 

Tips:
-Arborio or Carnaroli rice needs to be used.  You need a short grain, high starch rice.  Arborio is the easiest to come by.  I found Carnaroli in a small Italian market in Victoria and can attest that it is the better variety.  It creates a creamier product.
-You have to make this right before you are going to eat.  It takes 30 minutes once all your prep is done.  You have to eat risotto as soon as its done.  So take that into account.
-Your prep has to be all done before you start.  Your broth HAS to be hot.
-You need a wide pan with higher sides so that your rice has room to develop all that lovely starch.
-You have to commit.  You can't be doing too much else while you're making risotto.  Be prepared to stand there the whole half hour, stirring most of the time.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil
1 finely chopped shallot (or 1/3 of a large onion)
1-2 minced cloves of garlic
1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1/4 cup white wine (or 1 fresh lemon+water to make 1/4 cup)
4 cups chicken broth (homemade is best- if you're going to use a box broth, use 1 cup broth to 3 cups water otherwise it will taste too artificial)
1/2 cup frozen peas
2-4 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated

Directions:

Get your broth heated and keep it on low with a ladle beside your risotto pan.  Heat your pan over medium heat.  Add oil and shallot.  Cook for a couple minutes (lower heat if shallots start to darken, you want translucent not dark) then add your garlic.  After a minute add your rice and toast until the grains look white and opaque.

Pour in white wine and start stirring.  As soon as that's absorbed add in your first ladle-full of hot broth.  Keep stirring.  The risotto method is to add hot stock to the rice and stir till almost completely absorbed then repeat.  You will see the starch start to develop.  Keep adding more ladle-fulls of hot broth and stirring till it's absorbed.  At about the 16 minute mark, start tasting the rice to make sure it doesn't go over.  You want your grains to still be al dente.  When you get to the last 1/3 of your broth, add it in smaller batches so not to overcook your rice.  If you get to the end of your broth and you don't think your rice is done, add some hot water. 

Once your grains are al dente, add in the parmesan, parsley and peas.  Taste and add salt/pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.  Now you know how to make a basic risotto.  The possibilities are now endless.  No more paying $20 for a bowl of this stuff!

Lime Tart

I made this tart for Valentine's Day.  My husband and I put our girls to bed early and had a beautiful, delicious homemade meal ending with this amazing lime tart.  I originally wanted to made a rhubarb curd tart but it's a hard time to find rhubarb.  I'll try again when it's in season.  This lime tart is a cross between a lime curd and a key lime pie. 

Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/best-lime-tart

Note: This tart can be made the day ahead but not any further than that as the crust will be soggy on Day 3. 

Ingredients:

Crust-
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup ground almonds (I just put some slivered almonds into my food processor with the graham cracker crumbs to grind them up)
3 tbsp sugar

Filling-
4 egg yolks
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (I used 1/2 c of key lime juice and then added some extra regular fresh lime juice till I reached the desired tartness- it's just a personal preference thing)
2 tsp grated lime peel

Topping-
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp grated lime peel

Note: If your tart pan is bigger than 9-10 inches, you will need to increase the amounts in the recipe.  I didn't realize it but my tart pan is actually bigger than 9 inches..it's more like 11.  So I barely had enough crust, I thought I could do with more filling but I didn't realize till I was at the topping.  So I did 1 1/2 of the topping so I would have enough to fill the tart.  Look at your pan beforehand and figure out what you'll need.

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, butter, almonds and sugar. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. tart pan. Bake at 325° for 15-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, milk, lime juice and peel. Pour over crust. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in sour cream and grated lime peel. Spread over tart.
Yield: 12 servings.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A friend sent me this recipe over Pinterest and I decided to try it out the night after we roasted a chicken.  This is an excellent day to try out this soup because you use the leftover shredded chicken and HOPEFULLY this also means you will have just made homemade broth from the chicken bones.  This soup is DYNAMO with homemade broth.  It sends a simple recipe just way over the top flavour wise.  So so yummy.  There are few things in the food world I relish more than a hot bowl of homemade soup with soft pillowy white (homemade) buns.  I know I know- white flour is of the devil.  But nothing else tastes so good with homemade soup.  It just doesn't. 

Source: http://www.ablossominglife.com/2014/01/creamy-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup.html
-Some changes were made

Note: To make homemade bone broth, save the bones from your roasted chicken.  Put them in the pot with some garlic and onions and whatever herbs you have on hand (bay, parsley, thyme, etc).  Add salt to preference.  Fill to almost the top with water.  Bring to boil and then gently simmer for a couple hours.  Pour through a strainer and you are left with delicious homemade chicken broth.  Freeze whatever you won't use in the next 24ish hours.

Ingredients:

4-6 pieces of bacon, diced
butter/oil
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth (homemade bone broth)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup shredded chicken
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 tsp italian spices (I have a blend I use- you use whatever you have on hand you like to use)
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

In a pan, cook your bacon.  Set off to the side.

In a large soup pot, add a few tbsp butter or oil (or combo), chopped carrots and onions.  Cook until soft.  Stir in garlic and herbs/spices.  Cook for a couple more minutes.  Add in broth, let it come to boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Reduce heat and stir in cream, cooked rice and chicken and simmer for 10 more minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't over boil.  Add back in reserved bacon.

Serve along side homemade buns/bread (one would hope!).  Serves 6.

Apple Cider Syrup

My family (my husband in particular) loves the Browned Butter Buttermilk Syrup recipe I tried out a few months ago.  This week I tried this Apple Cider Syrup recipe (found HERE) and it was a big success, too.  Less sweet than the other one.  It's consistency is more like gravy with all the cornstarch though.  I may fiddle with that next time.  You have to almost bring it back to boil the next day to get the runny consistency again (just like day old gravy).  This recipe would be great over some homemade pumpkin french toast or something.  We served over THESE pancakes.

Ingredients:

1/2 c granulated sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 c apple juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter


Directions:

Whisk together sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch (I like to always sift my cornstarch so I don't get lumps).  Whisk in the apple juice and lemon juice.  Bring mixture plus butter to boil over medium heat in a small sauce pan.  After it boils, let it gently boil for 2 more minutes.  Serve warm over waffles or pancakes or french toast.

Cake Pop Tutorial (with Cake Pop pan)

I didn't enter the cake pop world the same time as everyone else.  I'm not really a cake person so it didn't interest me.  But my dear friend, Rachel, brought me by a raspberry truffle  cake pop from Starbucks one day.  Wow.  And then this year at Christmas she brought me a white chocolate peppermint holiday cake pop (from Starbucks).  Wow again.  THEN for my birthday she gave me heart shaped cake pop pans.  So what choice did I have this Valentine's but to make cake pops?  So really, this blog post is dedicated to Rachel.

NOTES

 

A traditional cake pop is born out of cake gone wrong.  You crush up cake and mix it with jam or icing and roll it into a ball and dip in some kind of coating.  Fast forward a few years, cake pop craze abounding- the cake pop pan is now an option as well.  I am a serious budding foodie so I research like crazy before attempting a new skill in the kitchen or trying a new recipe.  I read a bunch of reviews on cake pop pans and tips about traditional vs pan pops.  So now here's my two cents.

 

The Nordicware Cake Pop Pan (mine is Valentine's themed) actually works great.  NOW, I am by no means a professional (one day maybe:) )- and for sure in the baking world, I'm the equivalent of a little baby- it's a whole different ball park than cooking.  Finesse and artistry are not my strong points.  So for perfectly round, beautifully decorated cake pops- I'm not sure- maybe traditional is better?  Or so says THIS lady.  But I had a very positive experience with the pans. 

I tried a bunch of different combos for coatings but the two that worked the best were a Nutella ganache covered with coconut AND a white chocolate with homemade sugar sprinkles (find tutorial at bottom of the page for sprinkles).

I wanted to do a white chocolate/crushed peppermint combo but they weren't turning out as pretty because the crushed mint was too heavy for the chocolate and was dragging it off the pop.  Also, I tried a chocolate/sprinkle combo but that didn't work because you couldn't see the sprinkles- the chocolate overwhelmed them. 

TIPS

Tips for Cake Pop Pans

-Use a fudgey cake recipe or a dense brownie recipe.  Something that will hold up to being dipped.  The recipe found on this blog post is tested and works great.

-If you use a recipe that involves melted chocolate in the batter (like the one found on this page) WAIT until the batter cools down to fill the pans.  Once it cools, it is sooo much easier to not overfill or have the batter ooze everywhere.  You will spend less time trying to pick off excess cake to make your pop perfectly round (or in my case, heart shaped), if you just wait to fill your moulds till the batter is cool.

-Put your cake pops in the freezer once removing them from the moulds.  Don't try to pick off excess yet- you will just tear your pop.  Freezer for 30 minutes.

-Once your pops are cold and hard (not frozen solid though), now is the time to trim the excess off the sides.  Just use your hands.  Knives and vegetable peelers caused more problems than is necessary.  Once your pops are cold and hard, the bits will just rub off in your hands.

Tips for Decorating Cake Pops

-I found the sticks would crack the cake pops if I just tied to push them in.  But once I started poking a hole with a pointy skewer first, problem was solved.

-Dip the tip of the stick in the melted chocolate or ganache before putting it in the cake pop- will act as glue later.

-There is a delicate balance (hard to maintain) between too hot and too cold for your chocolate or ganache.  Too hot and you will have dripping issues.  It will be a race between you and the warm chocolate trying to cover the chocolate in sprinkles (or whatever) and putting it on parchment paper on a plate in the fridge before it drips off everywhere in a mess.  Too cold and it won't cover smoothly.  It's jut practise.  Find that optimal temperature where you can dip your pop but it won't run off before you get it too the fridge.

-Use an extra stick to help remove the excess chocolate so you avoid as much dripping issues as possible- plus it's faster than waiting for it to run off itself. 

-Dip your pop in the chocolate but not in the coating (in my case coconut and sprinkles).  You have to pick the coating up in your hands and sprinkle it on. 

 

 

See all the excess? This was my first batch when the batter was still too warm.  Don't try to take off excess till your cake pops are cold and hard- freezer for 30 mins!

 

Finished Cake Pops



 

RECIPES

Fudgey Cake Pop Recipe (like a brownie)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp. cocoa

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

24 lollipop sticks

toppings/coatings (I used a ganache and coconut, and white chocolate and sprinkles)

 

Directions:

 

Heat oven to 325F.  Grease and flour cake pop pan.

In a medium sauce pan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips and butter together.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and pour into medium bowl.

 

Add sugar and cocoa. Mix until blended.

 

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

 

Add flour and salt. Stir until blended.

 

Spoon batter into bottom half of pan (without holes) filling each well so it mounds over the top of the pan.

 

Place top half of pan on top and secure with keys. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out almost clean.

 

Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove cake pops from pan to a plate or bowl that you put in the freezer for 30 mins.

Prepare your toppings/coatings.  Remember not to dip your pops in chocolate that is too hot.  Always dip your stick into the chocolate before inserting it into the pop.  Sprinkle your coatings onto your dipped pops- don't roll the wet chocolate in anything.  Put on parchment lined pan/plate and put in fridge till coatings have set.  Keep cold till serving.

 

 

Nutella Ganache Recipe

Ingredients:

 

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (weigh if you can- if not it's about a cup)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup soft butter, diced

1/3 cup Nutella

 

Directions:

 

Put chocolate chips and butter in a medium, heat proof bowl.  Heat cream in a sauce pan over medium heat until almost boiling.  Pour cream over chocolate and butter.  Let sit a couple minutes and then stir till smooth.  If your kitchen is super cold and the cream cools before it can melt the chocolate perfectly, pop in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Add Nutella to melted chocolate.  Still till smooth.  Wait till cooled and a little thicker (but still loose enough you can dip your cake pop into it).

Refrigerate left overs for 30-60 minutes and then take teaspoon size pieces, roll into balls and coat in leftover sprinkles, coconut, whatever.  Voila- truffles!

 

 

Homemade Sugar Sprinkles Recipe

Note: Anyone else hate the store bought nasty sprinkles? So chemically tasting! These are delightful.

Ingredients:

sugar (whatever size crystals you desire for your sprinkles- I used a coarse cane sugar)

food colouring

Directions:

Set your oven to as low as it gets- for me it was 170F.  Mix sugar and a drop or two (to start) of food colouring in a bowl.  Mix till sugar is coated and add more colouring till you get what you want.  Spread on parchment lined pan and bake for 10 minutes.  Once cooled, break up and use as you desire. 

 

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tart

I got a tart pan for Christmas and I've been so excited to use it.  I picked this tart as my first attempt because we were supposed to go visit some friends who have moved away (about an hour away) BUT first our dinner date got cancelled because their baby was sick and then the next day it was cancelled because we got snowed out! I was so mad I ate some tart for breakfast.  But we did have some people over last night so we had some help eating this delightful treat.

It is decadent, beautiful and actually not hard to make.  I messed up a bit on the crust because when I took it out of the oven I didn't have my hands placed very well and the removable bottom slipped and the crust broke in one place that resulted in a crumbled edge and allowed the caramel to leak through the bottom.  Really-no biggie. No one would have noticed but me- you would have noticed at a restaurant but not a dinner party.  Side note- this recipe is totally restaurant quality. So next time you need to impress at a dinner party, pull this bad boy out.

Source: http://www.maureenabood.com/2012/11/15/chocolate-caramel-pecan-tart-recipe/
-was impressed enough with this recipe that I will start perusing her blog

 

 



 

 

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 2/3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup whipping cream
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
½ teaspoon salt

Topping:

3 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup whipping cream

Note: On the source blog, she demands that you don't use chips for the chocolate. Confession...I did.  My husband accidentally brought home a filled chocolate bar, which made it unusable so I was left with chips. Honestly, it was fine. 

 

Directions:

 

Crust:
Blend the flour, sugar, salt, and almonds in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Using on/off turns, cut in the butter until a coarse meal forms. Add the egg and blend just until dough sticks together when pinched. Dump the dough onto a piece of waxed paper or plastic. Gather the dough into ball with the paper; flatten into a square 1-inch thick, wrap, and chill 1 hour.

Line the bottom of a 9.5- or 10-inch round removable bottom tart pan with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 1-inch slices. Lay the slices in the bottom of the pan and push them together, closing all fissures completely. Line the edges of the tart with slices of dough placed horizontally around the fluted edges. Press this dough into the bottom of the crust, closing all fissures, and into the fluted rim. Refrigerate for one hour. (I just read this part now- I missed it while I made it...I didn't refrigerate the crust once it was in the tart pan- I just baked it.  Totally was fine so if you don't have this extra hour, don't stress.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 17 minutes. You will notice that the crust is somewhat puffed up; this should be tamped down with the flat bottom of a glass.

Note: Here is a LINK to her section about making caramel in case you need some tips.  She makes it really easy.

Filling:
Stir sugar and corn syrup in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and boil the mixture until the syrup turns golden brown, swirling pan occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup whipping cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over the heat until any caramel bits dissolve. Remove mixture from heat. Place milk chocolate and honey in medium bowl. Pour caramel over and let the mixture rest for a couple of minutes while the chocolate melts. Whisk until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in chopped pecans. Transfer filling to crust. Chill until set, about 4 hours or overnight.

Topping:

Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in small bowl. Bring remaining 1/3 cup cream to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over bittersweet chocolate; let the mixture rest for a couple of minutes while the chocolate melts. Whisk until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over tart. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead; keep refrigerated and serve chilled)

Remove the tart from the fluted ring. Use a flat metal spatula to lift the tart off of the metal tart pan bottom. Place on a serving platter, cut tart into wedges and serve. Serves 8.

 

After filling went in, before it was chilled and before the topping was added

 

 

 

 

This is the piece with the messed up crust- see the corner?