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butter pecan squares

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Pecan tarts are one of my favorites.  The pecans, the gooeyness, even the raisins, who wouldn’t love it? I’ve always wanted to try making these but the idea of making tart shells kind of put me off.  When I found this recipe for squares and an easy shortbread bottom, I quickly put it on my list of baking to do over the holidays.  Although I made these to distribute, none of them made it out the door.  They were delicious and satisfying and by the time I was putting together packages, there weren’t many squares left!

Unfortunately I don’t remember where I found this recipe.  It’s easy and delicious though, so definitely try it out!

Butter Pecan Squares

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

2 TB melted butter
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2 TB flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup raisings
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine flour and sugar and cut in the cold butter until the dough is crumbly.  Press the dough into a 9″ square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

In a bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.  Pour over the baked base and bake at 350 degrees for another 25 minutes.

anju

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Last month, we finally had a chance to check out Anju, a Korean-inspired tapas restaurant.  It seemed that everyone on twitter was talking about this place and raving about the great food, and I couldn’t wait to try it.

Anju is located in a cute little house converted into a restaurant in downtown Calgary.  It was a good thing we had made reservations because the place was packed.

I had heard amazing things about their gochujang chicken wings, and knew we definitely needed to try them.  The reviews did not disappoint and this was our favorite dish of the night.  The sticky sauce was spicy but I couldn’t get enough.  I’m hungry just thinking about these wings. 

We also tried the oxtail tortellini which I loved!  This was finished with truffle oil and cheese.

The spicy salmon tacos were great!  A little messy to eat but incredibly tasty.  They had just the right amount of heat and Q loved the crisp wontons.

Our server recommended the stone rice bowl which we had with beef.  It was good but after the flavour we experienced in our tapas, this seemed a little bland.  We asked for a side of the gochujang sauce and it perked up the dish tremendously. We really enjoyed it after the addition of the sauce.  Q, who can eat eggs every day for every meal, was very happy that the dish had one.

All in all, it was a great experience.  I would definitely go back to enjoy a flavourful meal of appetizers.

Anju Restaurant & Eecha Lounge on Urbanspoon

chocolate chip cookies

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The end of August was spent in the Okanogan.  Our week in Kelowna included quality family time and enjoying the sun, sand and water.  What really excited me was having a working oven for a week! I’ve been a little lost with mine still not working, and I’ve been missing baking with Q.

I had most of the ingredients with me, but no baking soda or a mixer.  I made a few changes and within twenty minutes, we were eating warm cookies with cold milk.  The cookies were also great later in the day when we sandwiched some vanilla ice cream between them.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Combine the sugars and softened butter.  Once combined, add the eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and add to the wet mixture.  Mix until completely blended.  Add the chocolate chips.  Drop dough on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

coconut cake

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We celebrated another anniversary this month – my in-laws.   We had a Mexican feast to celebrate their 36 years of marriage.

I had a cake in mind that I wanted to try and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to make it.  I had seen Ina’s famous coconut cake many times on her show Barefoot Contessa.  It was also recently showcased on Next Food Network Star so I knew I just had to try it out.

 I gathered the ingredients together and when I went to preheat the oven, I found that my oven had completely stopped working!  I was not going to let that stop me from making this cake, so I loaded up my car and finished the cake off at my parents.

I made a few changes to up the coconut factor and of course I had to add some chocolate.  I made one layer rather than two and found that it was the perfect amount.  This cake was a hit!  I even saw my father-in-law have seconds – unusual for someone who doesn’t eat sugar.  I will definitely be making this cake again and again (once I get my oven fixed).

Coconut Cake

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp coconut extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

nutella
cream cheese frosting (below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease one 9-inch round cake pan.

Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time.  Add the extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and then fold in the coconut. 

Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes before frosting.

Cover the top of the cake with nutella.  Wait 5 minutes before icing the entire cake with the cream cheese frosting and covering it with coconut.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package cream cheese
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1/2 pound icing sugar
3 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Combine the cream cheese, butter, and extracts on low speed. Add the icing sugar and mix. 

celebrating 37 years with a turtle cheesecake

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My parents just celebrated their 37th anniversary!  This definitely called for a celebration, and every celebration calls for cake.  Tired of making the usual though, I wanted to do something different.  I decided to do a cheesecake, a dessert that my dad loves.

I knew this cheesecake needed nuts, chocolate and caramel and after doing a search, this recipe was found on the Kraft website.  The layers of caramel and pecans are divine.  As good as it tastes when you first make it, it tastes even better the next day, if there’s any left!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!  Love you lots!

 

Ultimate Turtle Cheesecake

2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
6 Tbsp.  butter or margarine, melted
1 pkg. caramels
1/2 cup  milk
1 cup chopped pecans
3 pkg. cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 squares chocolate, melted

Heat oven to 325°F.

Mix crumbs and butter; press onto bottom and 2 inches up side of 9-inch springform pan.

Microwave caramels and milk in small microwaveable bowl on high 3 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute. Stir in nuts; pour half into crust. Refrigerate 10 min. Refrigerate remaining caramel mixture for later use.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over caramel layer in crust.

Bake 1 hour 5 min. to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Microwave reserved caramel mixture 1 min.; stir. Pour over cheesecake. Melt chocolate and drizzle over cheesecake.

chocolate cupcakes for graduation

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It’s convocation day!!  Hubby is getting his Masters today! S has worked hard for this degree.  It took a few years, with him squeezing it in while working many hours at a demanding job.  He also had a baby at home wanting to play and a wife wanting some attention too.  It was hard work, with sleepless nights, so this calls for some celebration.  As with any milestone, cake is definitely in order!   

I think this might be my new favorite cupcake recipe.  It’s Martha Stewart’s One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes.  No need to separate the dry ingredients from the wet and they were ready in 20 minutes!  I didn’t have buttermilk so I substituted that with yogurt mixed with some water and I used canola oil rather than safflower.

One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
  
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

nutella ice cream with almonds

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As much as I enjoy chocolate, I can’t eat plain old chocolate ice cream.  I need add-ins, like roasted nuts or coffee or chocolate chips.  The combination of this chocolate ice cream with nutella (yum!) and roasted almonds is divine.  This is an easy recipe, perfect for those nervous about making ice cream with eggs, like me.  I am determined to try that one of these days, but for now, the simplicity of this creamy concoction will do just fine.  This is the perfect dessert to end a meal, even my parents agree.

Nutella Ice Cream with Almonds

3 cups whipping cream
1 300 mL can sweetened condensed milk
4 TB cocoa
4 TB nutella
1 cup roasted almonds, coarsely chopped

Whip together the first four ingredients until everything is well incorporated.  Place in the chilled canister and follow the directions of your ice cream machine.  5 minutes before your ice cream is ready, add in the roasted almonds.  Chill for a couple of hours and enjoy every heavenly bite.

food mamma is one! chocolate layered birthday cake

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Food Mamma is ONE!  Wow, a whole year has gone by since my first post.  As much as I loved the idea of a food blog, I wondered if I would be able to maintain it, and come up with different things to make and post about.  Turns out, content wasn’t an issue. Finding time to post the content, well that’s another story.

I am inspired daily by all the wonderful blogs that I read.  They influence this blog and make me want to inspire others.  Thanks to everyone for stopping by and for your comments. 

I thought it would be fitting today to post the amazing cake my mom made for my birthday this year.  Q requested chocolate so mom happily obliged.  Four layers of chocolately goodness separated by a mocha whipped cream icing.  The rich cake with the light icing made it a perfect pairing. Delicious!

Four Layered Chocolate Cake
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup margarine
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk

Mix the first three ingredients and keep aside.

Mix the dry ingredients and keep aside.

Beat the butter, margarine, sugar, vanilla, eggs and milk.  Add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add the chocolate mixture to this and mix again.  Pour batter into 2 round cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.  Once the cakes have cooled, cut each layer in half so that you have four layers.  Frost all layers with the icing.

Icing
3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
pinch salt
2 tsp instant coffee Beat all the ingredients together until the whipping cream comes together.

carrot cupcakes with cream cheese icing: happy birthday dad!

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Today is my dad’s birthday.  There are many words to describe this amazing man – wonderful, giving, selfless, loving.

When Q turned one and I went back to work, I was lucky to have my dad take care of my son.  While many had to worry about who was taking care of their children, I had reassurance that Q was in good hands.  Not many grandfathers would take on the task of looking after a toddler, let alone changing diapers!  Even now that I am home trying to start up a business, my dad takes care of Q for a few hours a day.  I am so grateful to my dad, I don’t know what I would do without him. His day definitely needs to be celebrated.

Since we had lots of chocolate cake on the weekend, I called my aunt for her amazing carrot cake recipe.  This was a really easy cake to make, with everything blended in a food processor.  Nuts are optional but I chose to add walnuts which added the perfect crunch to the moist cakes.

Carrot Cake

2 cups carrots, grated
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1.5 cups flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Grate the carrots in a food processor.  Add oil and eggs and blitz until combined.  Add sugar and blitz again.  Add the dry ingredients and blitz until combined.  Gently stir in the nuts.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 block cream cheese
1 stick butter
3/4 cup icing sugar

Beat until combined.

making butternut squash ravioli from scratch

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Last year, at one of our family dinners, my cousin AJ made us butternut squash ravioli with sage butter sauce from scratch.  It was so rich and flavourful and ever since, I order butternut squash ravioli anytime I get a chance. When I bought my pasta machine this past Christmas, I knew the first thing I wanted to learn and make was my cousin’s pasta.

AJ came over yesterday and taught me how.  I couldn’t believe how easy it was.  I found it amazing how the pasta machine could take a ball of dough and turn it into something so long and thin.  Amazing that all it took was flour and eggs.  The word of the night was amazing.

The dough was just 1 1/2 cups of flour, 3 eggs and a little bit of olive oil.  It came together pretty easily and then we kneaded it for over 10 minutes.  We let the dough rest while we prepared the filling.

I had roasted the butternut squash earlier in the day with some olive oil and salt and pepper.  It was really tasty and it was hard to not eat the whole thing before pasta making time.  For the filling, we heated up some oil and sauteed a shallot with one clove of garlic.  We then added the squash and 150 grams of goat cheese until it was all incorporated.  We took it off the stove and mashed.  We then filled up a ziploc bag, our makeshift piping bag.

The dough was put through the pasta machine a couple times on each thickness.  By the time we got to the thinnest plate, the dough was long, thin and pliable.  We piped the squash on one half of the dough and folded the dough over.  Air pockets were removed and the dough was cut with a pizza cutter into squares.  We boiled the ravioli for only 3 minutes!

We topped the pasta off with a sauce made with browned butter and sage ,and some parmesan cheese.  So simple and with so much flavour!

I had so much fun making pasta. The end result was a very tasty, rich pasta.  Amazing!