Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

We absolutely loved this soup (with and without the croutons).

I really like soup, but since most recipes make so much I tend not to make it very often as it is usually just me eating a giant vat over the course of the next two weeks. Andrew doesn't like soup very much, and he really doesn't like tomatoes. Needless to say tomato soup is not on his list of favourite, or even remotely liked foods. So I was gearing up to get ready to enjoy soup all week. I was greatly surprised when Andrew finished the first bowl at dinner and when I got home the following night and he had eaten a ton.

We have to declare this soup a success. It was easy to make. I like that it wasn't just thick paste and that it had a nice texture. You can never really go wrong with grill cheese, so the croutons were a nice touch.

Sara Lisa's Iced Banana Cake

We love banana bread in this house, and I am always trying out recipes trying to find one that meets both our tastes. Andrew likes moist & banana-y, and I enjoy sweet & bread-y.

I have never tried the Sara Lee frozen cake, but I have to say this banana cake is awesome. We both loved it. Our only complaint was that the icing was very sweet and there was way too much. I will definitely be making this cake again and cutting the icing recipe in half.

The execution of the cake is very easy. The only problems I ran into was my lack of patience. I tend to bake early in the morning, or really late at night. I know I am suppose to wait until the cake is cool to icing it. But when you are very tired and just want to go to bed... you can pretty much convince yourself of anything...

The good thing about having most of the icing drip onto the counter is that it cut the recipe in half. The bad thing is that after licking icing off your finger trying to save it from the counter you end up with a midnight sugar rush.

Well here is my cake the next morning...

Falafel Veggie Burgers

I am not sure why these are called burgers? The first batch we ate as sandwiches in pita pockets. The second batch I wrapped in the pita like a burrito as it made for easier portability for lunches.

These are a good lunch idea, but after 3 days we were ready to move on. I am sure I will make them again in the future as they are a great easy lunch idea. I just ran everything through the food processor, shaped, and baked!

The recipe as written in the book was a little dry. The "patty" was too crumbly and would fall everywhere. I loved the minty sour cream sauce and think it is essential to what makes these good. We both agreed there was potential, so I made a second batch and this time left out the breadcrumbs (and the mayo in the sauce). We both really like them.

Pistachio Ice Cream

This ice cream looks a bit grainy and dull in this picture, but in reality it was neither. It was creamy and delicious, and almond extract adds a bright fresh flavour. It was the easiest ice cream recipe ever and turned out wonderfully.

Poor Andrew has to put up with a lot of different random things to eat in our house, some good, some not so good, usually with no asking if it is something he would like to have. So one day I asked, "would you like pistachio encrusted salmon for dinner?" as I was pulling the ingredients out. The answer was a sold "Hell No! I don't like nuts on my meat!" That was a crazy answer to me. But I felt bad for the experiment with chayote we had with our dinner the night before, so I complied and grilled sans nut salmon was had for dinner.

What is a girl to do with a bag of nuts? Well ice cream was made, and eaten, and loved. Fortunately Andrew doesn't like nuts in his ice cream either so I didn't have to share, and enjoyed savouring all the creamy goodness.

Crunchy Tortilla Chicken with Avocado Dip

Sorry about the crappy picture and out of focus chicken. It is actually a testament to how awesome this chicken tasted. Andrew was stealing pieces from the baking sheet when they came out of the oven. By the time I got out my camera he had already ran off with a plate and finished it.

I don't normally like breading things, and going through the coating process it. So I was happy this was an easy two stepper. Everything that coated this chicken was delicious on its own, so it made for a great combination and great chicken.

I was a little nervous when I was making the avocado dip because I had made vegan key lime tarts in the past which were basically avocado and lime and the smell makes me wrench a little. So I did my best to not inhale the dip. I am very glad I made it because it was a fantastic accompaniment to the tasty chicken.

So I have been very clear that we loved the chicken. We loved it fresh out of the oven crispy, and the next day at work reheated and a bit soggy. I have not yet taken a moment to flip through the cookbook Bite Me just yet. I literally opened the book to the correct page and went at it. Since I have started the Baking Beauties I have been trying to be more diligent in my life about only eating food I make, or others make, but not processed. So yes I make homemade ice cream and scarf it down, and you may or may not understand, but unfortunately this chicken, may never be made again in my home. I broke a huge rule bringing Tostitos into the house, actually even going down that isle in the grocery store. So I loved the chicken, but would I also just love eating Tostitos with melted cheese dipped in mayo alone, probably, and that is all I could see when I was eating lunch. So it is with a little apprehension as I turn the page, but I am open and ready to see what is next...

Pecan Sticky Buns - Brioche Dough

Wow did I love making Brioche. The dough was great to work with and did everything the recipe said it would. This was also the first time I made dough with my stand mixer. That too was a terrific experience. The stand mixer really does make life easier.

I can't get over how great the sticky buns turned out. I was so impressed with all the layers that emerged and how they retained their bread texture.

The before... resting and rising before making it into the oven.

The after... straight out of the oven. Beautiful bread sitting in hot bubbling sugar.

I still have a second log in the freezer that is being saved for a Saturday morning treat. I can't wait!

Apple Upside-Down Chiffon Cake

I previously made a nectarine version of this cake and it was a huge crowd pleaser.

As much as I loved it, I had a feeling I had done something wrong (too much butter or undercooked) as it seemed too wet. Not pleasantly moist, just wet.

I am not talented enough to start modifying recipes, so I just ensured I didn't add too much butter to the bottom of the pan and that the cake was well cooked.

This cake batter is so different than any others I

make. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup lemon juice and it is like a science experiment as the dry ingredients are mixed in and the batter takes on a spongy texture. At first the cake satisfyingly rises in the oven, but then quickly deflates as the browning really starts.

I definitely cooked the cake longer and better this time, but when the cake was flipped there was oozing butter everywhere.

I really like how this cake tastes. I like that the cake has texture and isn't too dense. But I don't find the top layer moist, just wet.

Lavender Shortbread

I loved the idea of Lavender Shortbread cookies, but I had never tried them before. Then, recently at the farmer's market I found a local farmer with lavender for sale.

I found a recipe that sounded really great as it called for lemon zest and fresh mint.

The cookies were pretty easy to make, and I loved the way the house smelled. The lavender was really strong and the finished cookies easily doubled as room fresheners.

The finished cookies were tasty. But not

something I would ever want more than one of. I took the cookies to a dinner party and everyone was pleasantly surprised at how good lavender tasted.

I don't think I would make them again. I think they would be a nice touch as a one bite accompaniment to an afternoon tea. I think they are memorable and would add a special touch to just the right event.

Winter 2010

It has been a pretty mild winter, and while I haven't been hibernating, I have definitely been spending some time getting reacquainted with my "stuff."

Moving sucks! I am not having fun, I am not enjoying myself, and I can't wait for the moving part to be over and the settling in part to start. I know everything is going to be fantastic when I make it through t0 the other side, but I do not want to be taking this voyage often. It could be worse; I could be moving twice with a new baby in tow, or moving an entire library, so I am not complaining.

There are the little moments of joy. When you find that box in the lower back corner of the storage room covered in cat litter dust and inside are treasured memories. I think that is why we keep these things; so next time we are stressed out, we can happen upon keepsakes that remind us of the fun and love that life has to offer.

I hope that your screen resolution is good when viewing this picture and you can see the mass amount of tape holding this collage together.

I have been trying to keep up good habits and finding time to bake and cook. I whipped up a great platter of treats for a recent soirée. I also spent the next two weeks eating finger sandwiches for every meal. I wont lie, Julia's Best Ever Brownies were always on the menu for breakfast. They are highly addictive. If I had chocolate in the cupboard I would be happy to eat an entire batch right now.

I love seeing my fridge so empty. I make up a weekly menu, buy the ingredients, and then I devour ever last bit. Yes, I am stress eating.

I am taking this time at home alone to make some fun treats for myself. I have been trying to perfect the poached egg. I would love to know how to keep the egg scum off the pans though. The cleaning-up after is a real chore.

I have really been enjoying eggs benedict with smoked salmon. I had no idea hollandaise sauce was basically egg yolks and butter. Yum!

I also tried various recipes for kale chips. I forgot to take a picture. I can't believe how good baked kale is. I have tried just salt and pepper. I have also tried soya sauce. They really are a great treat, what a great healthy side!

I needed a break from all the packing today, so for lunch I had a tasty meal of herbed pork chop and roasted grapes. Delicious!

Happy Birthday Merry Christmas to Me!

Hello Kitty! Who is your friend?

2009 has been an exciting year. Thanks to the Baking Beauties I fancy myself as a good little baker now. I have really enjoyed learning about baking, learning the importance of following a recipe correctly, and learning that sometimes its not me but a bad recipes. Butter tarts have been causing me some issues lately, but I refuse to give up just yet.

My hand blender took a real beating this year (funny??!?!). I have broken dough hooks and the motor is a little sad these days. Boxing day sales just couldn't be resisted and while Andrew dragged me from electronic store to electronic store I happen across an amazing deal. I am now a very proud own of my first stand mixer.

Today was my first try and I couldn't believe the wonder. I whipped up a pie crust dough in a snap and I didn't have to worry about my warm hands melting the butter chunks. The final crust was light and flakey - my best to date!

The pie filling wasn't too shabby either, a mix of fruit from the fridge and freezer that needed to be used which included blueberries, raspberries, peaches and lemons.

Nectarine Upside-Down Chiffon Cake

I was really excited to try making this cake. A brown sugar, butter and nectarine topped cake with an almond streusel centre layer.

The cake was a dream to make. Maybe it was because it only took an evening rather than a multi-day event. I enjoy baking, but I don't enjoy all the waiting called for in so many recipes.

This cake is really good. Andrew loved it, which was a nice surprise. My only complaint is that there is a ton of butter in each layer, and the cake was very moist (almost wet) as a result. It took much longer than the indicated bake time and I probably could have baked it even longer.

Really nice to flip and remove the pan and have the cake look perfect. Much much better than the Boca Negra incident.

Cranberry-Walnut Pumpkin Loaves

These loaves are full of so much goodness. I nice bread loaf with large pieces of walnut and explosions of cranberry. Once you start snaking on this bread it is impossible to stop yourself before it is all done. It is a nice bread that has great flavours and not too sweet.

The recipe is two days of work, with all the rising and chilling. Since the loaves were so good I didn't think it would be a problem to whip up another batch a couple of days later. But the second batch was a disaster. The loaves were under cooked and retained a wet texture.