Recipes I recommend

Frog Eyes

1 cup margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups smarties

Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs. Mix in vanilla. Add flour, soda, salt and one half of the Smarties. Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press the rest of the smarties on top of cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Did I have you worried?  The beaver tail is actually beaver tail though...not those yummy treats they sell on the canal.

Bannock

5 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup melted lard (or oil) has to be warm

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (you can add more if needed)

Baked Bannock: Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together is a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the melted lard followed by the water. Mix together adding more water if required. Turn onto a floured counter and knead until no longer sticky (not too long though or it will be tough). Roll into an oblong shape approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Poke all over the top with a fork. Bake at 450 degrees until golden brown.

Fried Bannock: Omit the lard and add a bit more water. Once the dough is rolled out cut down the length then crosswise into little rectangles. Make a couple slices in the top of each piece. Fry in hot oil until golden flipping once.

Asparagus Soup with Crab

I loved this soup. It has a deliciously mild asparagus flavour.   The crabmeat is just a garnish and to my taste didn't add much.

3-3 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus

2 tbsp butter

6 1/4 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp cornstarch

2-3 tbsp cold water

1/2 cup whipping cream

salt and black pepper

7oz white crab meat (not critical to the flavour)

Cut the woody ends from the botto of the asparagus spears and cut the spears into 1" pieces. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add tthe asparagus and cood for 5-6 minute, stirring frequently, until it is bright gren but not browned. Add the stock and bring to the boil simming off any foam that rises to the surface. Simmer over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until the asparagus is tender, yet crisp. Reserve 12-16 of the asparagus tips for the garnish.  Season the soup, cover and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes until he asparagus is very tender.

Puree the soup in a blender or food processor.  Return the soup to the pot and bring boil over medium-high heat. Blend the cornstarch with the water in a small bowl. Whisk into the boiling soup, then stir in the cream. Adjust the seasoning.

To serve laddle the soup into warmed bowls and top each one with a spoonful of the crabmeat and a few of the reserved asparagus tips.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Cake:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

dash of ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups grated carrot

1 can (19 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Icing:

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

Preheat oven t 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat eggs and oil in a large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Gradually add sugar, mixing until well blended. Add flour mixture, carrots, pineapple and walnuts.  Mix well. Pourinto greased and floured 10 inch tube pan.  Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or untl woden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (this took 2 hours in my oven, but that could just be the oven).  Cool 10 minutes, loosen from the sides of pan with spatula or knife and gently remove cake. Cool completely on wire rack.

For icing, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with electric mixer, until well blended. Gradually add icing sugar, juice and peel, beating until well blended after each addition. Spreadon topp of cake. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

Roasted Red Pepper & Sweet Potato Soup

3 sweet red peppers, chopped

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried Italian herb mix

1/4 tsp each salt & pepper

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup water

1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)

2 tsp dried parsley

In a roasting pan,  toss together red pepper, sweet potato, onion, garlic, oil, Italian seasoning, parsley and salt and pepper. Roast in 425 degree oven, stirring once, until tender, about 1 hour. 

In food processor, in batches, puree vegetables with broth, strain into saucepan. Whisk in 1 cup water. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir parsley into the yogurt. Dollop on bowls of soup.

Italian Bean Soup

2 tsp Olive oil

1 leek, washed and chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried basil

1 cup frozen green beans (it called for fresh, but that wasn't happening up here)

1 can cannellini beans (I used mixed beans because that's as close as I could get)

3 oz small pasta shapes (I like rotini because it holds together well)

4 cups vegetable stock 

8 cherry tomatoes (beieve it or not, those we have)

Hot chili sauce to taste

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add the leek, garlic an oregano andcook gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the green beans and the cannellini (or mixed) beans. Sprinkle with the pasta and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes oruntilthe vegetables are tender and te pasta is cooked to 'al dente'. Stir occasionally.

In a heavy based frying pan, dry-fry the tomatoes oer a high heat until they soften and te skins begin to blacken.  Gently crush the tomatoes in the pan with the back of spoon and add to the soup. Season with salt & pepper to taste. I like a bit more heat so I added a very tiny amount of hot chili sauce to my  bowl.  Serves 4.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad

1 Head Broccoli cleaned and cut into small flowerets

1 Head Cauliflower cleaned and cut into small flowerets

1/2 pound bacon cut into small pieces and friend to medium crispness

1/2 a red onion chopped

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Combine dressing ingredients and set aside.  Toss all salad ingredient together then mix dressing in to coat thoroughly. 

This salad is best if it is refrigerated for a few hours or overnight.

Broken Glass Dessert

3 small pkg jello (1 each red, yellow, green)

Dissolve eaach one in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water; put into shallow pans orlarge pie plate and let set.

Crush 31 Graham Wafers

mix with 1/2 cup soft buter or margarine and

1/2 cup brown sugar

Pack into a 9x13 dish reserving a small amount to sprinkle on top

Dissolve 1 envelope plain gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Stir in 1 cup hot pineapple juice or orange juice. Let cool, but not set.

Whip 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream with 2 tsp white sugar and 1 tsp vanilla

Fold cream into gelatin and juice mixture

Cut jello into 1 squares

Fold into above mixture

Pour over wafers in dish

Sprinkle with remaining crumbs

Refrigerate until ready to use.



Creamy Caribbean Chicken & Coconut Soup

This soup has great flavour but it you can't handle hot food stir clear of this one; it's a good one for blocked sinuses.

6-8 Green onions                                       

2 Garlic Cloves

1 red chilli (I used 1 small pickled Haberno chilli (but it packed a lot of heat!)

4 boneless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 can Coconut Milk

900 mL chicken Broth

2 cups small pasta (shells)

3 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 Tbsp dried Cilantro (or 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro)

Trim the green onions and thinly slicce.  Peel the garlic and finely chop. Cut off the top of the red chilli,, slit down the side and remove the seeds and membrane, then finely chop and reserve. Wear gloves and be very careful when handling the chilli.

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and peppers and cook until the onion has softened (approx. 2 minutes)

Blend the coconut milk with the chicken stock until smooth.  Pour into the stock pot.  Add the pasta and lemon juice and bring to a boil.  Simmer half covered until the pasta is tender (approx. 15 minutes) stirring occasionally. 

Season with salt, pepper and cilantro.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the chicken is heated through.

Fresh Mushroom Soup with Tarragon

2 Tbsp Butter or Margarine               1 1/4 cups milk

4 Shallots finely chopped                 1 Tbsp dried Tarragon

6 cups finely chopped mushrooms     2 Tbsp red wine (+1 glass to drink)

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth               Salt & Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a dutch oven.  Add shallots and cook gently for 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook stirring frequently for 5 minutes.  Add broth and milk and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the tarragon and salt and pepper and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree.  Return to pot and add the red wine.  Warm gently.

Curried Sweet Potato Bisque

The curry gives this soup a really nice flavour.

2 tbsp olive oil                          1 1/2 cups water

1 medium onion chopped           2 (14oz) cans low sodium chicken broth         

4 tsp curry powder                    5 cups cubed peeled sweet potato

1/2 tsp ground allspice              1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oinion, saute 2 minutes. Stir in curry powder and allspice, cook 1 minute. Add water, broth, and sweet potato. Cook 25 minutes or until potato is tender.

Place half of sweet potato mixture in a blender, process until smooth. Set aside in another bowl. Process the second half of the sweet potato mixture.  Return sweet potato mixture to the pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the yogurt until blended.  Makes 7 servings.

Greek Red Lentil Soup

This flavourful soup is one I discovered while visting Penny at Paradise Found in beautiful Sunshine Coast, BC.  I'm a soup lover already, but this one just may be my favorite.

2 cups red lentils                                   2Tbsp Olive Oil

1 large yellow onion                              2tsp sea salt

8 cloves garlic minced                            2 carrots diced

1tsp cracked pepper                               1/4tsp red chili flakes

1Tbsp minced Rosemary                         2Tbsp minced oregano

2 bay leaves                                          8 cups vegetable stock

zest of 1 lemon                                      juice of 2 lemons

1 cup crumbled feta cheese                    2tsp minced Rosemary

Cracked pepper to taste

Modifications for my remote location: dried herbs & spices are all that are available here.  We have lemon, but it's expensive so I just used lemon juice.  We don't have any vegetable stock so I used chicken broth and it was just as tasty.  An interesting fact...you can freeze the solid type of feta cheese.  We don't carry it, but it was available in Thompson so now I'll stock pile it in case I get the urge for this soup again.  I've already made this 3 times since I've been here.

Rince lentils thoroughly in a colander under cold runing water.  Set aside to drain.  Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat and saute onion with 1 tsp salt until translucent.  Add garlic, carrot, pepper, chiles, herbs, bay leaves and remaining salt.  Stir well and saute until carrots are just tender.  Add rinced lentils and stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer partially covered until the lentils are soft and falling apart.

Season soup with lemon zest, lemon juice and more salt and pepper to taste.  Before serving stir together the feta cheese, Rosemary and pepper. Sprinkle over bowls of hot soup and enjoy!