Easy Leftover Roast Beef Stroganoff

It's a great idea to make enough Roast Beef for leftovers and this is one of my favourite ways to make a whole new meal.  

• 3-4 cups slivered leftover roast beef
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 large onion
• about 15 large button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups beef or mushroom broth
• 1/3 cup red wine (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh or freeze dried chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• a few dashes cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• wide or medium hot buttered noodles

1. In a large saucepan, saute onion and mushrooms in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until veggies begin to caramelize.
2. Add flour and stir to combine for a minute and then add mushroom or beef broth and red wine, stirring to create a sauce.  
3. Add leftover roast beef and seasonings and simmer a few minutes to blend flavours.
4. Add sour cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat through.
5.  Add a bit more broth if necessary to thin the sauce and bring to a simmer. 
6. Serve over hot buttered noodles. 

Homemade Flour Tortillas

I had been told that tortillas were easy to make and now I know that they are. Fresh flour tortillas really taste better than store bought. These can be made in a cast iron or a nonstick frying pan. I used my trusty old cast iron frying pan and the tortillas turned out great.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 2/3 cup hot water

Method:

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cut in shortening until crumbly.
3. Pour in hot water, a little at a time, mixing with a fork until dough comes together.
4. Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead a few minutes until smooth.
5. Cover and let rest 45 minutes.
6. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a ball, cover balls with plastic wrap. 
7. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6 to 7 inch circle, don't worry they don't have to be perfect circles. Cook one tortilla while you roll out the next one. 
8. Preheat your pan on medium heat. Do not add oil.
9. Place tortilla in hot pan and cook until small bubbles appear before flipping to the other side, cook approximately one minute on each side.   
10. Stack cooked tortillas and cover with a tea towel till all are cooked.
11. Now they are ready for your favorite recipe.  Can be frozen for future use.

Citrus Lime Punch

A perfect mix of sweet and tangy make a refreshing punch. Pretty for Easter or spring showers.

• 2 295ml cans Five Alive frozen juice (Passionate Peach Citrus flavour)
• 6 cups pineapple juice
• 2 295ml cans frozen Limeade
• 3 cans (using one of the frozen juice cans for the measurement) cold water
• 1 1 litre bottle sprite (regular or Citrus Sprite)
• 6 cups ice cubes
• frozen berries and citrus slices (optional)

**Do not add the water that the cans of juice called for, only the water listed in the recipe. I never find it too sweet, but if you do, add more ice an extra can of cold water**

1. Add all juice and water into a punch bowl. Stir until frozen juice has broken up well and is incorporated into the pineapple juice and water. 
2. Add ice cubes and stir the punch for a few minutes to combine and cool off well.
3. Add Sprite and serve. Garnish as desired.

Applecrisp Cheesecake

What do you do when you have guest for dinner? Do you make the entire meal or do you ask them bring something?
It varies for me. Sometimes I like to do the entire thing, and sometimes the guests contribute. That way we share the cost and preparations to ease the event for the hostess.
I love that our friends enjoy contributing to that kind of dinner. It sure makes it easier, and they know that when it is their turn to host, we all bring something in return as well.
My cousin Doris brought this delicious cheesecake for dessert that I just had to share with you! Next time you are asked to bring dessert somewhere, consider this Apple Crisp Cheesecake.  Mmm,so good! Thanks Doris.

Crust:

• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour

1. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. 
2. Add the flour and mix well.
3. Pat the dough  on bottom and 1" up the sides of a 9" spring form pan.

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 2-8 oz / 250g packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
2. Add 1 egg at a time beating after each egg addition.
3. Add vanilla beat again mixing well.
4. Spread over crust.

Apple Crumble:

• 4 cups sliced apples
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup softened butter

1. Layer the raw apples over the cream cheese filling.
2. Combine ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over apples.
3. Place the spring form pan on a parchment lined cookie sheet for easy clean up. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. 
4. Reduce temperature to 300 and continue baking 1 hour longer or until golden brown.
5. Cool on a cooling rack. 
6. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Flashback Friday Apricot Cheese Coffee Cake (yeast dough)

It's Friday already! I looked back over the years of recipes I've posted here and thought I'd 'flashback' to a recipe post I did in 2009. I had originally baked this for a coffee time with some girl friends where we were celebrating some birthdays...Bev's being one of them.

This was originally a bread machine recipe, but I've made the yeast dough in the bread machine and also using the traditional method of mixing and kneading the dough by hand. Both have the same outcome....but using the bread machine allows you the luxury of the machine doing all the work of kneading and a warm place for the dough to have it's first rise.

Dough:

• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 3 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp grated orange zest
• 1 tbsp fast rising yeast (instant) if mixing by hand, OR if making the dough in the bread machine used 1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

Filling:

• 4 oz spreadable (soft) cream cheese
• 1 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1/3 cup apricot jam (or substitute with your favourite kind of jam)
• 1 egg, beaten, to brush over the whole yeast bread before baking

1. If using a bread machine to mix dough, add all the dough ingredients in order given to bread machine. Select dough cycle. Once complete (approx 2 hours) remove dough, cover and let rest on lightly floured counter for 10 minutes. If using the tradition hand knead method, stir together warm milk, egg and melted butter. In a larger bowl stir together dry ingredients and zest, using instant yeast (rather than the bread machine yeast). Stir in milk mixture and then knead to a soft but not sticky dough. Cover with a cotton towel and set in a warm place to rise for approximately 1 hour. Once risen punch down lightly. 
2. Using a 9 1/2 inch spring form pan remove the ring and spray base and ring with a non stick spray. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 15 inch circle. Lift dough and slide the base of the spring form pan under, centering it under the rolled out circle of dough. 
3. Mix together the cream cheese and flour and spread onto the dough covering the area that is sitting on the base of the pan. Spread the jam on top of the cheese mixture.
4. Using a sharp knife make cuts 1 inch apart around dough stopping when you get to the edge of the pan base where the filling mixture starts. Twist pairs of dough strips together. Bring up to centre over the filling. Secure the greased outer ring of the spring form pan to the pan bottom. 
5. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place (I use my oven with the light on) for 45 minutes. After rise, just before baking, brush top of cake with beaten egg. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes. (or convection oven at 360º for 33-40 minutes) Cover with foil after 20 minutes if becoming too brown. Allow to rest in pan for 10 minutes so the filling sets and then remove to cooling rack. To ice and serve slide off base of spring form pan onto cake plate. Drizzle generously with the following icing once cake is warm or completely cooled. 

Icing

• 3 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Beat together until smooth and runs thick but evenly from a spoon. Drape icing over cake. 

Lemon Coconut Bars

Spring is here and that means I crave something lemon, and then to add coconut, well that just is an added bonus. These bars are delicious and wake up your taste buds. Add this to your Easter menu, those lemon lovers will thank you.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Juice of 2 large lemons
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup coconut

1. Combine flour and icing sugar in a bowl. Add butter cubes and using a pastry blender cut in butter until you have fine crumbs.
2. Press the mixture evenly into a greased 9" x 13" pan.
3. Bake in a 350º oven for 15 minutes.
4. While the crust is baking, beat eggs, sugar, baking powder, lemon juice, and zest together until well combined and the mixture has turned a pale color. 
5. Pour mixture on the crust, sprinkle coconut on top and return to oven to bake another 25 minutes until golden.
6. Cool on cooling rack and cut into bars. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

The Final Oatmeal Cookie

"Gather a bouquet of nice things each day!"  - Wonderful advice that would surely include a perfect oatmeal cookie shared with someone you love!
Oatmeal cookies have always been my favourite cookie and although I have made and posted other gf oatmeal cookie recipes they were never quite good enough for me to stop trying to tweek a better recipe version.
This Final Oatmeal Cookie will satisfy that for me!   This cookie from mixing to eating has none of the undesirable characteristics that  a gluten free cookie can have.
While the recipe is a fairly large one,  extra cookies can be frozen or freeze some of the dough for future 'warm out of the oven'  cookies that leave a kitchen mess-free!

Final Oatmeal Cookies

• 3/4 cup butter - room temperature 
• 1/4 cup shortening 
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1/4 white sugar 
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla 
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 1 (4 serving size)  box of instant vanilla pudding 
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup millet flour 
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum 
• 1 tsp. baking soda 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 3 1/2 cups gf oat flakes 
• 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries 
• 1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces

• OR  instead of the cranberries/walnuts , add your own variations -  raisins, chocolate chips. 

1. Whip butter and sugar , then add eggs and vanilla and beat. 
2. Add the instant vanilla pudding and the milk and  beat until perfectly smooth. 
3. Add the blended dry ingredients all at once , mixing well. 
4. Stir in the oat flakes and the cranberries and nuts.    
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet (greased or lined with parchment paper)  - flatten slightly with fork. 
6. Bake for 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven. 
7. Try to eat just one ! 

Ranch Salad Dressing

Here in the valley the weather has been so lovely. My chives are standing at least 8"tall...lush green and so fresh tasting. Dill and parsley will be added to my little herb garden. During the winter months I'm thankful I can buy fresh dill and parsley to add to my home made ranch dressing. If you don't have room in your yard don't let that stop you from planting herbs. This is the perfect time of year to find a good size container, fill with soil and plant some herbs. You'll enjoy their fresh addition to many dishes.
Ranch dressing is our grand children's favourite and this recipe is nice served over a spinach or green salad or used as a fresh vegetable dip.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• dash hot sauce
• 1 tsp finely minced chives
• 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped fine

Method:

1. Measure all ingredients into the blender container. 
2. Blend well for one minute.
3. Pour into a jar with a lid. Store in refrigerator. 

This is a small recipe and can easily be doubled. I date my fresh dressings and only keep for up to one week.

Fruit Tart

Summer fruit is still months away but those tiny baskets of berries and a few kiwi can go a long way to remind us that summer is on it's way.  

• pastry for one 9 inch pie shell

1. Roll out pastry and fit into a tart pan with a bottom that can be removed.
2. Place heavy foil firmly against the pastry to keep it from shrinking.
3. Bake in a 375 F preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until pastry is just beginning to brown.  Carefully remove foil and continue to bake until the pastry is golden brown. 
4. Cook on wire rack.

Cream Custard Filling

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine cornstarch and sugar in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Add egg yolks and egg and whisk with a small amount of milk to make a smooth paste.
3. Add remaining milk and heat in microwave one minute at a time, stirring in between each minute until the mixture is thickened and just beginning to boil.
4. Add vanilla, place plastic wrap on surface of cream filling and refrigerate.

Assembling the tart

1. Spread cooled filling evenly over tart shell.
2. Arrange any fruit of your choice over custard.
3. Drizzle glaze over fruit and refrigerate until serving.

Glaze

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup white grape or white cranberry juice

1. Combine sugar and cornstarch, add juice and heat in microwave until thickened.
2. Add additional juice as necessary to make a pourable glaze.  It will thicken as it cools.

Double Chocolate Mint Brownies

This is a tried and true basic brownie recipe with a mint and chocolate layer added...perfect for St. Patrick's Day or just because.

Brownies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mint Layer

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
• 1-2 tablespoons cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• a drop or two of green food colouring (optional)

Chocolate Glaze

• 3 oz. semi-sweet or milk chocolate pieces
• 1 tablespoon butter

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Melt butter in large saucepan on stove top.  
3. Remove from heat and add sugar, cocoa, and vanilla.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
5. Add flour and baking powder, and stir until batter is smooth.
6. Stir in nuts.
7. Spread evenly in a 9-inch square greased pan.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out 'almost clean'.  (Do not over bake for a moist brownie.)
9. Remove from oven and cool completely.
10. For mint layer, ombine softened butter, icing sugar, milk and peppermint extract and beat until smooth.  Add a little more cream if frosting is too thick. (Add green food colouring, if desired).   Spread frosting over cooled brownie base and chill.
11. To make chocolate glaze, melt chocolate and butter in glass bowl in the microwave.  Stir until smooth.  Spread evenly over mint layer and chill for 30 minutes before slicing.