Tuesday 24 March 2015

Lemon Chicken Sauce

Lemon Chicken Sauce

Ingredients:
  • 1/3 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 1 Cup Chicken Stock
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • Salt as needed
  • 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
Instructions:
  1. In a small bowl whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, chicken stock and lemon juice.
  2. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium sauce pan or skillet until quite hot.
  3. Pour the sauce into the heated pan, whisk occasionally while heating until sauce thickens and becomes less cloudy.
  4. Heat until reduced to desired consistency. Season with salt as needed.
  5. Goes great with chicken, duck, or most things.
Enjoy!

Breakfast Bars

Breakfast Bars

Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups Breakfast Cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios (2 3/4 cups)  rolled oats (1/4))
  • 1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries (Optional)
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts (Optional)
  • 1/4 Cup Honey
  • 1/4 Cup Chocolate
  • 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

Instructions:

  1. Measure your cereal or blend of cereals into a large bowl, stir in the nuts and dried cranberries if using.
  2. In a small sauce pan melt the honey, chocolate and peanut butter together until melted smooth.
  3. Grease a 9X9 sqaure pan with cooking spray.
  4. Pour the melted honey, chocolate and peanut butter mixture over the cereal and stir everything well. Press into the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge until set, 2-3 hours.
  5. Cut into squares, and keep covered.

Enjoy!


Monday 16 March 2015

Fluffy Frosting

Fluffy Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 Cup Water
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tarter
  • 1 Cup White Sugar
  • 2 Egg Whites
  • 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

  1. In a small sauce pan whisk together the water, sugar and cream of tarter. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble slightly.
  2. While the sugar is dissolving, using electric beaters whisk the egg whites and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. First the egg whites will get light and fluffy with many small bubbles. Continue whisking until the egg whites are white, have thickened and when you lift the beaters small peaks form and stay standing.
  3. While continuing to beat with the electric mixer, slowly add in the sugar syrup while it is still warm. Continue to beat until frosting is white and fluffy. About 7-10 minutes of extra beating.
  4. Frost cake or cupcakes or brownies, or cookies as desired.

Enjoy!

Notes:

Also known as, Boiled Frosting or sometimes Royal frosting!

Friday 13 March 2015

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Brownies

I know I don't usually do my recipes with the measurements in grams, but after trying an awful lot of different brownie recipes, it just works out better with everything measured this way.

Ingredients:

  • 185 g Dark Chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 185 g Butter
  • 85 g Flour
  • 40 g Unsweetened Coco Powder
  • 100 g Chocolate Chips (Optional)
  • 100 g Walnuts/mixed nuts (Optional, I never use nuts)
  • 3 Eggs
  • 275 g Brown Sugar
  • 3-4 g Baking Powder
  • 2 g Salt
  • Cooking Spray

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Lightly butter or grease a 8-9 inch square baking dish and set aside.
  3. Set a small pan of water on the stove to boil. In a medium to large stainless steel or glass bowl, add the broken chocolate and butter.  Place the bowl with the chocolate and butter over the pot of simmering water and gently melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth.
  4. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
  5. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, coco power, salt, and baking powder. Add the chocolate chips and shake to blend in.
  6. After 5 minutes, beat in the sugar until smooth and even.
  7. Beat in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is glossy.
  8. Fold the sifted flour mixture into the chocolate, stirring until everything just comes together and there is no dry flour pockets left in the batter.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and gently smooth into an even layer in the dish.
  10. Bake in heated oven for 35-45 minutes, until the edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the baking dish and the middle doesn't jiggle or feel squishy when VERY GENTLY touched. Should feel like a spongey cake with a nice crisp crust over top.
  11. Allow to cool in baking dish for about 10 minutes before trying to cut.
  12. Serve as is, or with chocolate sauce, or frosting.

Enjoy!