Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Cholcolate Chip Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened 

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup bananas (about 3 medium), mashed 

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large bowl cream together butter, vanilla and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. 

In a separate bowl sift together floor, salt and baking soda. 

Add sifted dry ingrediants alternately with mashed banana to creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into well greased muffin tins or parchment muffin lined tin using an ice cream scoop. 

Bake 25 minutes or until firm. 

Fresh Home Made Pasta

Fresh Home made Pasta 

2 cups flour

3 large eggs 

1 tbsp water 

Add eggs to stand mixer and using paddle mix until beaten. 

Add water to eggs and then flour slowly while mixer is running until it comes together. Change to dough hook and run for five minutes on medium. Remove from mixer and cut dough in half. 

Set pasta machine regulator to position 1.  Pass dough through the machine. Repeat this process 6 more times increasing the regulator by 1 each time ending on 7. 

Allow pasta to stand for 30 minutes before cutting. 

If the rollers won't cut, your pasta is too moist. Run through the roller again, adding some flour to the mixture. 

If the dough is too dry and cannot be caught by the cutting rollers, add some water and run through the roller again. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook 5 - 8 minutes depending on the thickness. Drain and serve with your favourite sauce. 

Pasta can last several weeks in an air tight bag in the fridge. 

Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pizza 

1 naan bread, 6 - 8"

Olive oil

1/3 cup onions, Caramelized 

Salt 

Pepper

Sugar 

Goat cheese

Basil - garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees 

Drizzle olive oil on naan bread and spread with onions. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar. Top with pieces of goat cheese. 

Bake 8 - 10 minutes. 

Top with garnish and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing. 

Roast Beef and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Roast Beef and Caramelized Onion Pizza 

1 naan bread, 6 - 8 "

1/4 cup onions, Caramelized 

1/4 cup roast beef, thinly sliced 

3 slices deli provolone 

Fresh parsley - for garnish

Green onions, diced for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Spread onions over bread. Cover with roast beef.  Tear cheese and cover beef. 

Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with garnish and allow to rest for 3 minutes before slicing. 

Cornish Hens Au Vin

Cornish Hens Au Vin

Recipe adapted from Claire Robinson from Food Network 

10 slices bacon

2 Cornish hens, rinsed and patted dry

1/2 cup flour

Salt 

Pepper

2 cups dry white wine

1 cup water 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add bacon and cook until browned and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. 

Place the flour in a large bowl and season heavily with salt and pepper. Toss the hens in the seasoned flour until coated, shaking off the excess.  Add the hens to the bacon grease remaining in the pan and brown on all sides. Remove hens. 

Add wine and deglaze pan. Stir in wine and garlic & bring to a boil. Add hens back to pan, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover and braise hems approximately 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer hens to a baking dish and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. 

After removing the hens continue simmering the liquid uncovered until thickened about 10 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper 

Remove hens from oven and allow to rest approximately 10 minutes before carving. 

Arrange sliced hens on a serving patter, sprinkle crumbled bacon and serve immediately with gravy. 

Spiced Shrimp with Avocado Mousse

Spiced Shrimp with Avocado Mousse

1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Salt

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sliced red onion

1/4 cup cilantro 

2 cloves garlic, sliced 

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander 

1/2 tsp chilli flakes 

Salt shrimp and set aside. Bring remaining ingrediants to boil in a wide pot. Add shrimp and reduce heat to medium low. Cook until shrimp are pink and slightly curled, approximately 3 minutes. Let cool in liquid. 

Mousse 

1/4 cup marscapone or cream cheese

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped 

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp cumin

2 tbsp lime juice

2 ripe avocados 

Salt vegetable or tortilla chips 

Combine cheese, onion, chilli flakes, cumin and lime juice. Pit avocados and scoop out flesh. Add to cheese mixture and beat with electric beater until combined and fluffy. Salt generously and garnish with chopped cilantro. 

Serve with shrimp and chips. 

Makes a lot of mousse compared to shrimp. Even when doubling shrimp, still too much mousse 

Liver Pate

Dad Kirk's Liver Pate

2 pkg gelatin

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 large onion, chopped

1 lb chicken livers

8 oz cream cheese

6 slices bacon

Brandy - optional

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

2 cups chicken broth

Dissolve gelatin in first amount of chicken broth. Sautée bacon until crispy. Remove from pan. Sautée onion, chicken livers and spices in bacon fat until tender and cooked through. Cube cream cheese. 

Place all ingrediants in a blender and blend until smooth. 

Pour into small cups or loaf pan and cool. 

May freeze. 

Mom's Apple Salad

Mom's Apple Salad

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 heaping tbsp miracle whip

10 oz jar maraschino cherries, drained

Apples, peeled and chopped

Mix whipped whipping cream and miracle whip. Peel and chop apples, folding into cream as chopped to prevent browning. Halve maraschino cherries and fold into mixture. 

I used 3 red delicious apples, 4 would have been better 

Best served same day. 

Oatmeal Brown Sugar Scrub

Oatmeal Brown Sugar Scrub

1 cup oatmeal

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

Using a coffee grinder or food processor, finely grind the oatmeal.  Place all ingrediants in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined and all lumps are removed. Pour into a decorative mason jar and seal. 

To use, scoop a teaspoonful onto your hand and add a few drops of water. Mix with your finger and then apply to already moistened face, gently massaging in a circular motion. 

Rinse with warm water, gently pat face dry and apply moisturizer.