Soft Pretzels with a Cheesy Mustard Dipping Sauce

The recipe for the salt pretzels comes from my bread machine cook book.  If you don't have a bread maker just google a good soft pretzel recipe that you can make on your own.  I'm loving my bread maker all over again these days.  So easy- no mess, no stress, lots of fun things to do with it.

Ingredients:

Pretzels:
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp shortening
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp bread machine yeast

Topping:
1 egg
1 tbsp water
coarse kosher salt

Sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
pinch of salt

Directions:

Pretzels:
Add the pretzel ingredients to your bread maker in the order that they are listed.  Set to Dough cycle. After the dough is ready, take it out of the bread machine, place on a lightly floured surface and cover with a big bowl.  Let rest for 15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350.  Once dough has rested, divide into 12 pieces and roll each one into a rope.  Shape into whatever pretzel shape you please.  Mix the egg and water together and brush over formed pretzels.  Sprinkle coarse kosher salt all over.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Sauce:
Melt butter in small sauce pan over medium heat.  Whisk in flour then mustard then milk till it starts to thicken.  Add in shredded cheese.  Add salt to taste. 

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Great, full flavoured taco salad but super light on the calories!

Source: http://nutmegnotebook.com/2011/06/chipotle-chicken-taco-salad-2/

Note: If you've never bought canned chipotle peppers before, they are usually found in the Mexican/Taco section in a small can and it will actually say Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce on the front.  You usually only use 1 or 2 in a recipe so to avoid waste, blend up the rest into a puree and store in a labelled ziplock bag in freezer and cut off a piece to thaw out next time you need some.  If you're someone who loves chipotle flavours, instead of freezing it just mix the remaining puree with sour cream or greek yogurt mixed with a little salt, lime juice and cumin and use as a chipotle sauce on whatever you want!

Ingredients:

Dressing:
1/3 cup cilantro
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 tbsp chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce (1 chili for mild/medium, 2 chilis for spicy)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp salt

Salad:
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped chicken
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved OR 2-3 chopped roma tomatoes
1 avocado, chopped
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion or green onion (I don't like the harshness of raw red onion)
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or pinto or kidney if you prefer)
1 can whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained


Directions:

For dressing: Put all ingredients in a food processor/magic bullet/blender and blend together.  If you don't have any of those, mince the chipotle really well and chop the cilantro and then just whisk everything together.

For salad: Put all ingredients in a bowl and toss with dressing.  Serve immediately.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake with Coconut-Brown Sugar Topping

Lovely, simple cake for after dinner when you feel like a little dessert.  I was able to successfully cut the recipe in half and pour into a small round cake pan.  Original recipe (as shown below) will fill a longer, rectangular dish/pan.

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 cup quick-oats
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Icing:
5 tbsp butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Cake:
Mix oats, butter and water together in large mixing bowl and put towel over top.  Let sit for 20 minutes.  Then rest of cake ingredients and mix well (I used my electric hand beaters).  Pour in greased pan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes (if recipe is cut in half, 20 mins). 

Icing:
Mix ingredients together in sauce pan over medium heat stirring often.  Bring to boil for a couple minutes (stirring stirring stirring so not to let the bottom burn).  If it's hard to see the "boiling" like it was for me, just let it cook long enough to incorporate and get hot.  Don't let the coconut burn.

Spread icing/topping on cake as soon as it's done baking so it melts into cake.  Serve warm.  Though I may have had a piece for breakfast at room temperature the next day and enjoyed it as well ;)

UPDATE: one time we topped the whole thing with skor bits.  Enough said.

Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

This recipe has been trending on Pinterest and Facebook.  There's a reason: it's freakin DELICIOUS! I'm not sure if this is the original creator of the recipe but I got it from here.  My version of the recipe excludes the red onion and includes the edamame.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1-2 cups shredded red cabbage, depending on how much you like
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup diced green onions
1/2 cup roasted, chopped cashews (or peanuts if you want)
1 cup edamame (I get mine in the frozen section, steam 1 cup, add a pinch of salt and add to salad)
fresh lime for a REQUIRED garnish (the extra tang of lime squeezed over it is a must!)

Dressing:
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey (use agave for vegan option)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp oil (the original recipe calls for 1 tsp of this to be sesame- I hate sesame so I don't, you are welcome to, though)


Directions:

Cook quinoa according to your package.  Remove from heat, fluff with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool.

Make dressing: mix all ingredients together.  If you want your peanut butter to incorporate easier (especially if you're using all natural from the refrigerator kind), microwave it first with the honey and then add all the other ingredients.  Use water to thin if necessary.  Add to quinoa.

Fold red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots and cilantro into dressed quinoa.  Garnish with cashews/peanuts.  Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges.  Remember, they elevate the salad's taste- they're not just to look pretty.

Big hit with men and women!  Great recipe to try if you're trying to get your man to eat more quinoa or veggies.

Dark Chocolate Mousse

Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay.  The only change I made was to add vanilla.  It's a good, basic, simple recipe that you could make your own with a little skill and creativity.  I haven't gone beyond the basics of this recipe but I imagine if you swapped out different extracts you create some lovely combo flavours like chocolate-mint, chocolate-orange, etc.

Note: If you are making this during a non summer or hot month, be sure to keep your chocolate warm.  The first time I made this was a hot day so it didn't matter that my chocolate sat on the counter after it had melted because it remained warm.  The next time I made it, it was much cooler and letting my chocolate sit on the counter while I prepared the egg whites and cream was a colossal mistake because the chocolate cooled too much and seized when I tried to incorporate the cream and whites.  I had to throw it out and start again.  Keep your chocolate on the double boiler once it's done melting. Just turn off the heat.  The residual heat will keep it warm enough.  Chocolate can be tricky!

Ingredients:

149 grams bittersweet or dark baker's chocolate, coarsely chopped (Divide the total grams on the outside of your package by the amount of squares on the inside to help you figure out how many you need for 149.  As close as possible is fine.)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups cold heavy (whipping) cream
3 large egg whites
2 tbsp white sugar
Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish, optional
Shaved chocolate, for garnish, optional

Directions:

Place chocolate in a large bowl nestled in a pot of simmering water or in a double boiler. Be sure to not let any water get into the chocolate or it could seize.  Stir chocolate until melted. Turn off the heat but keep it where it is. Mix in vanilla.

example of bowl set in pot for homemade double boiler

Beat the cream over ice until it forms soft peaks. Set aside and hold at room temperature. With a mixer, whip egg to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and continue whipping until firm.

Remove the bowl from the pot of water and using a whisk, fold in the egg whites all at once. When the whites are almost completely incorporated, fold in the whipped cream (for the part I used a spatula). Cover the mousse and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour or until set. Serve in goblets topped with more whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.

Makes 4 full dessert sized portions or 8 sample/party sized portions (like seen above)

Apple Strudel Muffins

One morning I was in a baking mood- I made granola and a couple different kinds of muffins all before the kids took a nap.  Unfortunately, my baking powder was dead and I didn't realize this and I proceeded to go through all the effort of making these Apple Strudel muffins.  It wasn't until the timer on the oven went off and I opened the door that I saw my sunken oozy mess.  I knew instantly my baking powder was the culprit.  I tested it out by mixing baking powder with hot water and when one little bubble formed and nothing else, my suspicions were confirmed.  Just to see if my baking soda was also failing me, I mixed that with vinegar but got a lovely bubbly reaction.  Off my husband went to the store to pick up some more baking powder and the Buttermilk Oatmeal muffins that were also on my baking to do list were saved.  The sunken gooey apple strudel mess was delicious and addicting and had disappeared by the end of the day.

A week or two later I made them again for a baby shower.  They rose just fine this time; however, the dense sunken mess was actually more delicious than the properly risen muffins.  But if your baking powder is fresh, you will never discover this, so proceed.

Great Autumn Baking Recipe!  Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

Muffins:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups apple (1 cup shredded, 1/2 cup chopped- approx 3 apples)

Strudel:
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp oats


Directions:

Combine shredded and chopped apples with 1/2 of the brown sugar in a bowl and set aside to allow sugars to leech out the juices (this is a good thing- keep the juices!)

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder+soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  In another mixing bowl, combine melted butter, remaining sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Whisk or use your electric mixer to mix well.  Add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing with a wooden spoon until just combined.  Add in apple/sugar mixture (and the juices at the bottom of the bowl) and combine gently.  Don't over mix your muffins. 

In another bowl, combine the strudel ingredients except for the oats and mix with a pastry cutter to create a crumble.  Divide in half and add oats to one. 

Fill your greased or paper-cup-lined muffin tin with a heaped teaspoon of the muffin mix, add the non-oat strudel topping and then add another heaped teaspoon of muffin mix on top.  Top with oat strudel topping.

Bake for 20 minutes at 375 or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let your muffins sit a few minutes before removing them from the pan.

Gluten Free Soft Peanut Butter Cookie

I have a gluten free friend and whenever I host anything I'm always very aware that my baking is not gluten free.  I always try to have enough gluten free options to include everyone but I feel at a disadvantage when it comes to baking.  These cookies are for all of you out there like me, who need occasionally to bake something gluten free but don't have gluten free flours in your pantry.  This is a flourless recipe.  One you wouldn't even know is gluten free.  Thanks to my mom, I now have something to make in a pinch when I need something gluten free. 

Makes 20-24 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar (or 1/2 cup of both brown and white)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup butterscotch or peanut butter chips

Directions:

Cream together first four ingredients then stir in chips.

Roll 20-24 balls and flatten with fork.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 9 minutes.  They should look under baked.  Let cool ON cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to plate.