Peanut Butter Cookies with some almond flour

Peanut Butter Cookies made partly with almond flour

2 cups vegetable shortening

2 ¼ cups peanut butter

2 cups white granulated sugar

2 cups golden yellow sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. Baking powder

2 tsp. Baking soda

¾ tsp. Salt

2  cups almond flour

3 cups white flour (I was running out of flour so I used unbleached flour & gluten free flour, 1/2 and 1/2)

Cream shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and creamy.

Add eggs and beat well until well combined.

In a separate mixing bowl combine baking powder & soda, flours and salt. Stir well.

Add dry ingredients to the egg/sugar mixture. Mix together until well combined. 

Scoop dough into desired size scoops and line up on cookie trays to bake. Press down each cookie with a fork dipped in sugar.

Preheat oven to 375 °. Bake for 12 minutes.

Cool before serving.

Beef Stroganoff - slow cook style for Linda after work

This is one of those recipes that you can prep a day ahead and leave in the slow cooker/instant pot insert overnight in the fridge.  Before you leave for work, pop the insert into the instant pot and turn onto 'slow cook' for 6-8 hours. When you arrive home your main course is ready. Cook the noodles and enjoy!

2 onions - always saute the onions & garlic for this recipe. I have tried adding raw onions and turning it on and it just doesn't cook the onions well enough.
3 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp. olive oil

750g - 1 kg. steak of choice ( today I used a top sirloin steak that was on sale) sliced in long strips
1/2 can or 1 cup of tomato puree
5.5 oz. can tomato paste
2 tbsp. paprika
3/4 cup of beef stock
1/4 cup red wine

save for later:
6-8  cremini mushrooms - sliced thin
1/2 cup sour cream (dollop a tablespoon onto the stroganoff on your plate)


Slice up onions and garlic and saute in olive oil. This is a must for most recipes... if you do not saute the onions and garlic it ruins the flavor of your dish as all you taste if raw onions.
Add to the onions: steak, tomato paste, tomato puree, paprika, and beef stock or broth♥
Set the slow cooker to medium for heat for 6-8 hours.

When the cooking time is up add the sliced mushrooms to the stroganoff. Turn the heat back on and cook for 10 minutes and allow the mushrooms to cook.
Today I am cooking up some fresh Fettuccine noodles (Duso's brand) as my starch base for this stroganoff. If pasta is not your thing then mashed potatoes are a great alternative.

Add a dollop of sour cream to your serving of stroganoff.



♥Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥
if you do not have beef stock or broth on hand I always have 'better than bouillon - beef base' in the fridge.

cooked onions and garlic & tomato paste & puree

ingredients at a glance

Duso's fresh fettuccine is so very delicious 

Home Made & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe can be adapted to add vegetables of your choice but for a quick meal in 1/2 an hour this is a good formula to follow.  I used my own chicken broth but store bought chicken broth/stock is totally acceptable.

these noodle are perfect for chicken soup

1 onion
1 1/2 cup celery
1 1/2 cup carrot
1 chicken breast
1 chicken bouillon cube (for extra flavor but not necessary)
1 tsp. salt
1/2  tsp. pepper
8 cups of chicken stock (please click here to go to my recipe for chicken stock.

1/2 cup of noodles (your choice but I prefer the Felini noodles in the pic above...reminds me of the noodles my Mom use to put into the soup she made for us)

serrano pepper - optional - (this does add heat - not recommended for children)

Saute onions in a large soup pot and then add carrots & celery and saute for a few minutes. Add chicken, salt & pepper, bouillon cube & chicken stock.

Bring up to the boil and reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

This soup cooks very quickly and will be ready to serve immediately.

Chicken broth made easy

700g + or so of chicken bones (necks & backs) Often I find chicken bones on sale at the grocery stores so I like to keep some in the freezer for cold snowy days like today.

This recipe yields 8 cups of chicken stock

After straining off the stock the remaining ingredients can go into the compost

4 sticks celery or more if you have it available
1 large onion - peeling not necessary
1 large carrot
3-4 bay leaves
8 cups water
broccoli or cauliflower stems that your are not going to be used for dinner and
any vegetables in your fridge that is wilting and beyond it's fresh date

Instant Pot Method
Add above into the instant pot.  Set on soup/stew setting for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes allow to cool.

Stove Top Method
Add above into a large soup pot. Bring it up to the boil and then turn down to simmer for 1 hour.

After cooking:
Stain the stock and cool. Store in the fridge to use for chicken soup (please click here for my chicken noodle soup recipe)
If not needed this stock freezes really well.

Egg Muffin Bites for the busy mornings or for quick lunches

These delicious bites are perfect for breakfast. I froze the leftover ones and then popped them into the toaster oven for 20 minutes (350°) and they were delicious. For those really busy mornings, pull 3 or 4 of the bites out of the freezer and package up for your work lunch. Heat up when you get hungry. Can't get any easier.

1  X 6 cup muffin pan, well greased
6 eggs
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup of spinach
6 pieces of cheese ( flavor of your choice)
cottage cheese or cream (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Clean & chop the broccoli and spinach.
Spray the muffin tin well with cooking spray.
Divide the spinach and broccoli evenly between the 6 muffin cups.
Add cheese & cottage cheese (approx. 1 tsp each), salt & pepper.
Crack one egg into each muffin cup. With a sharp knife break the yolk and stir slightly.
Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes until the eggs are set.
Half way through the baking process use your sharp knife to puncture the top of each egg muffin bite.
I am using my toaster oven as this method takes less time.
Serve hot and if there are leftovers freeze or store in the fridge for tomorrow.

Prep ahead:
prep the egg  muffin bites ahead of time but store in the fridge until it is time to bake. In the morning, preheat your oven too 400°and bake for a fresh, hot breakfast treat.

Easy brocolli & cauliflower soup for a cold snowy night

easy ingredients for an easy but delicious soup

I prefer to blend this soup at the end to get a creamy texture (without cream) but this step is not necessary if you like a chunky soup.  Thanks for joining me on my blog for this delicious soup.

2 heads of broccoli
1 large head of cauliflower
1 large onion
3 gloves of garlic
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 L of vegetable stock (or water or stock of your choice)
salt & pepper to taste


Instant Pot Method
Chop onions & garlic and saute' in olive oil.
Wash & chop up the broccoli and cauliflower saving 1/2 of both for the end of the cooking time.
Add 1/2 of the broccoli and cauliflower to the onions and garlic. Add 3/4 of a L of vegetable stock to the vegetables and close the lid on the instant pot.  Set the dial to pressure cook for 15 minutes on high. Allow to cook and then cool
Once cooled, release the steam and open the lid.
Add the remaining broccoli and cauliflower and cook again for 10=15 minutes on saute'.
Remove from heat and carefully puree with an emersion blender.  Serve hot.

Stove Top Method
Chop onions & garlic and saute' in olive oil in a large soup pot on medium heat.
Wash & chop up the broccoli and cauliflower saving 1/2 of both for the end of the cooking time.
Add 1/2 of the broccoli and cauliflower to the onions and garlic to start with. Add 3/4 of a L of vegetable stock.
Bring this up to the boil, reduce the heat and allow to cook until the vegetables are tender. Approximately 1/2 an hour.
Add the remaining broccoli and cauliflower and cook again for 10-15 minutes until the new broccoli and cauliflower are just cooked.
Remove from heat and carefully puree with an emersion blender if desired.

immersion blender

add to the soup at the end to enhance the freshness of the soup

Quiche for any meal

1 'blind-baked' pastry shell (please scroll to the bottom of this blog for the instructions on how to 'blind-bake) Please click here to go to my recipe of the 'best pastry ever'.

this is an example of a blind-baked pastry shell

6 eggs
1/2 cup milk or cream
salt/pepper to taste
bacon - 2 strips - cut up into bite size pieces (use more bacon if you wish)
cheese - grated - 1/2 cup
spinach - 1/2 cup or 1 handful of washed spinach
4 large mushrooms - saute mushrooms first with the sauteed onions ( I always quickly rinse off my mushrooms as I usually find they are very dirty. Please check out my blog for this quick and easy method that will be available soon)
onions - 1/4 cup (saute in 1 tbsp.butter and 1 tsp. olive oil)

Add eggs, milk, salt & pepper together in a bowl and whisk until well blended.

Layer the ingredients in the baked pastry shell in this order:
cheese, bacon, spinach, mushrooms & onion and then pour the egg mixture over it all.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the eggs mixture is set.

Eat while it is hot or cool down the quiche and wrap well and freeze for later use.

'Blind baking' pastry

Blind baking (or pre-baking) is the best way to avoid a soggy pie crust! Before the lining with the foil, prick the bottom of the pie crust with a sharp knife to avoid bubbles. Line the pie crust with tin foil and weigh down the foil with dry beans or rice or small forks or spoons. Bake at 400 until golden brown.  

This is an example of a store bought pastry shell....a good option when you don't have enough time to make your own pastry.

 

Best Pastry Ever

PASTRY (enough pastry for 4-5 pie shells)  The original recipe is from my Mom, Eileen,  who made the best pies ever.  

5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 lb. shortening

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 egg
3 tbsp. vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar but any vinegar will do)
1 & 1/4 cup cold water

1.     Mix together flour, salt and brown sugar. Whisk together to remove the lumps.

2.    Cut up shortening into small cubes, return to cooler to keep cold.

3.    Add vinegar and egg to liquid measure cup. Beat with a fork.

4.    Add enough ice cold water to egg/vinegar mixture to make a total of 1 1/4 cup of liquid.

5.    Place measured dry ingredients in a large bowl if mixing by hand.

6.    Add shortening and with a knife or a pastry blender start cutting the shortening in to the flour until all the shortening is dime size and mealy.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ If using a stand mixer for pastry making do not multi-task. Stay at the mixer and pulse the machine on and off until the flour and shortening are slightly mixed but not totally combined. There should still be big size chunks of shortening showing and plenty of loose flour when you add the liquid. Do not be alarmed at this because if you go too far at this stage you will ruin the pastry.

7.     Add liquid to the flour mixture and with a fork mix liquid in. Do not over mix at this stage or your pastry will be tough. Gently form into a ball with your hand.

8.    Roll dough up into a disc and wrap in parchment paper and then in a clean plastic bag and store in cooler until needed.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ Making this pastry ahead is a great time saver. It keeps well for over a week in the fridge as long as it is wrapped well. After making pies freeze the remaining pastry for use later.