Cobb Salad

A Cobb salad is a great choice for a summer dinner. We have been enjoying this salad at least once a week. You can add all these ingredients or leave out the items you don't enjoy. We use a salad spinner to get the romaine to a dryer consistency.

Cobb Salad for two:

2 hearts of romaine chopped, washed and spin dried.
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced.
1 Avocado skinned and chopped.
4 slices of cooked bacon, chopped.
1 cup cooked and chopped chicken breast.
1 tomato, chopped.
Crumbled bleu cheese or Gorgonzola.
Red onion thinly sliced.

Layer your choice of ingredients and enjoy.

The choice of dressing is up to you. My husband enjoys a Bleu cheese dressing with his Cobb. I prefer to just use salt and fresh squeezed lemon. A Red Wine Vinaigrette is also a good choice.

Chocolate Tiered Cake with Berries

If you think you can't make a special cake for a birthday... 

think again.

I baked this cake for my brother Gerry's 60th birthday back in May. 

This cake is barely frosted and you could use cake mixes to achieve the look or use the recipe that I've posted below.  Use your favourite chocolate frosting and whip some cream and the rest is all fun in placing berries around the cakes to give it a special 

My favourite Chocolate Cake is from the cookbook Eat, Shrink & Be Merry by Janet & Greta Podleski.  I've done a bit of tweaking in today's recipe.  You can find the original in their cookbook that was published ten years ago but is still available for purchase today.    

Chocolate Tiered Cake  

You will need two recipes to make  two 9" X 1 1/2" inch cakes,  one 6" X 3" cake and one 4" X 4" cake.

• 3 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup hot strong brewed coffee
• 3 cups white sugar
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Prepare pans by greasing them and lining with parchment paper.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
3. Combine chopped chocolate and hot coffee, stir to melt and allow to cool.
4. Sift dry ingredients and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, beat eggs until thick and lemon colored. 
6.  Add wet ingredients. Beat well.
7. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
8. Fill pans 2/3 full. 
9. Bake until toothpick tests clean in center of pan.  For the taller pans, use a skewer. The 9 inch pans will take about 25 minutes.   The taller pans will take longer. 
10. Once baked, cool cakes right side up on wire racks with parchment paper still on the bottom of the cake.

To assemble you will need about 4 - 5 cups of chocolate frosting of your choice.  

1.  Split cakes in half and fill with a thin layer of frosting. Place the two 9 inch layers on cake pan.
2. Split 6 inch cake into two layers and put a thin layer of frosting between layers. Place 6 inch cake immediately on top without frosting between the 9 inch and 6 inch cakes.  Keep parchment paper on the bottom of the 6 inch cake to make removing it easier for cutting.  
3. Split 4 inch cake into two layers and put frosting between those two layers.  Place 4 inch cake immediately on top without frosting between the 6 inch and 4 inch cakes.  Again, keep parchment paper on the bottom of the 4 inch cake.
4. Put a very thin layer of icing around the outside of cakes, scraping the sides to give it a rustic look.  This cake in not meant to be perfectly frosted.  This is what makes it easy for those of us who are not cake decorators. 

Now you are ready to garnish with whipped cream and berries, cherries and kiwi.

1. Fill two piping bags, one with sweetened whipped cream and one with frosting. Starting at the base of the  bottom layer,  pipe whipped cream around edge and decorate with fruit, piping frosting on as needed to anchor fruit.
2. Repeat with each layer.  

Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Strawberry season is here. All these ingredients combined results in a delicious bar. I know my son would want it in a bowl with milk and that would be delicious as well.
Wrap each individual piece in plastic wrap and you have breakfast to go.

Crumbles:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup coconut
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Whisk together flours, oats, sugar, almonds, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
2. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Still using pastry blender, mix beaten egg into crumbly mixture.
3. Press half of the mixture into a greased 9" x 13" pan. 
4. Spread *strawberry filling over the base and top with the rest of the crumbles.
5. Bake in a 375º oven for 30 minutes.
6. Serve warm or cold.

*Strawberry filling:

• 2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Stir together strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla until combined.

Grilled Tri-Tip Roast with Mushrooms

I'm posting a tri-tip roast similar to one that Ellen posted last year. because it's easy to forget the great recipes that are there and I, for one, like to compare two recipes and find my own way after getting good hints from both. Tri- tip is a fairly lean cut of beef from the bottom sirloin and has a triangular shape to it, hence the name. If you do not see it in your meat section, you can ask the butcher to cut you one. I spy them out when they are on sale and freeze them for a beautiful, yet simple to prepare company meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 - 2 1/2 lb (1 Kg) tri-tip roast
• 2 tsp salt
• good shake of pepper 
• garlic powder

Method:

1. Rub roast with salt and sprinkle with pepper and garlic all over. Let sit in fridge for several hours and then at room temperature for about half hour before grilling.
2. Grill on high heat (375 F) for 7 minutes or until nicely browned, on each side. 
3. With one element off and one or two on, cook roast on element that is turned off allowing the heat of the elements on each side (or one side) to do the slow roast, lid closed, at 350 F. 
4. Roast about 25 - 30 minutes, until internal temperature is 145 F. for medium done. Let sit 10 minutes before carving. Check direction of the grain (easiest to see when it's raw, so make a mental note) and carve across the grain in thin slices.* (see below) Serve with mushrooms, roasted potatoes and/or yams and a salad.  Serves 6 - 8

Cooked mushrooms

To make ahead . . . slice 1 pound button mushrooms and cook in 1 - 2 Tbsp butter until juices mostly disappear, a few minutes, Continue stirring until tender or add 1/4 cup white wine (optional) and cook until juices disappear again, about 5 minutes. At this point the mushrooms should still be light and  not too soft. Set the pan aside and re-heat them just before serving.

On Carving Meat against the Grain: 

* Have you ever come away from a buffet table with a slice of roast on your plate that just seems hard to chew? The main reason could just be how it was cut. Carving meat with the grain leaves muscle fibres long and hard to chew, while cutting  across the grain (fibers) makes them shorter (barely held together) and tender. In the above photos you can see how the grain in the raw piece of meat changes direction about half way through. The knife shows the direction going across the grain. To get a tender bite, it will help to keep this in mind when you carve, by cutting it in half and changing direction half way through or creating a circular kind of carve as pictured.

Swimming Pool Cake

Since it's a holiday...I'm going with a 'pool party' theme here today and featuring the cake we served  for my granddaughter Lucy's third birthday.  Having your own 'special' cake is always fun for the kiddos!  I'll leave you with a basic outline of the procedure but feel free to 'dip into your imagination' and come up with your own version of a pool cake.

• 1 chocolate cake (mix prepared as directed on package)
• 2 boxes blue Jello
• Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting (recipe to follow or use your favorite)
• Lifesaver Gummies
• Gummy bears
• KitKats
• red licorice sticks
• jawbreakers

1. Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Pour into two 9" round prepared pans (greased and/or lined with parchment). Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
2. Place one layer on cake plate.  Frost top with about 2/3 cup of the prepared frosting. 
3. Remove center area of second cake layer by cutting a 5" circle to form the swimming pool area. (This needs to be to cut at least 3/4 of an inch deep...I cut out entire round of top layer.) Place on top of frosted cake layer.
4. Next cover the entire cake with prepared frosting, including sides of pool.  
5. Create the 'fence' around the pool by arranging Kitkat pieces or biscuits sticks around the edge of the cake...leaving a 2 inch gap to make room for the ladder.  
6. Chill cake for 1 to 2 hours for frosting to set. 
7. Prepare blue jello as directed on jello package. Chill jello until almost set...then pour into the pool area of the cake to create the water. 
8. Next you can add the pool items...licorice ladder (held together with toothpicks), gummy life savers placed on the jello as 'floaties'...teddy bears around the pool and in the water...'beach balls'...umbrellas, etc.  Use your imagination.

  Serves 12-16
 
 Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 1/4 cups butter, softened at room temperature (not in microwave)
• 5 cups confectioners (icing) sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
•  dash of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy.
2. Combine icing sugar and cocoa (sifted). Alternately beat in sugar/cocoa mixture and cream...making several additions. 
3. Beat in vanilla and salt.

*If the frosting needs to be stiffer, add a little more sugar. If it is too thick, add additional cream, 1 tablespoon at a time.

I really should have baked a white cake and gone with the red, white and blue theme.  But we have the red and blue, and if you look really hard you might find a bit of white as well.  Happy July 4th to all of our American friends from all of us at Mennonite Girls Can Cook!

  
 

Penne with Creamy Salmon

When we grill salmon I'm always happy to have enough left over meat to make this simple but flavourful pasta dish. Serves 4.

• 2 cups (or more)baked salmon, cut into chunks
• 375 gram box penne pasta
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 2 cups cream
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup drained and chopped sun dried tomatoes (optional, but add great flavour)
• salt and pepper to taste
• feta cheese (optional but adds great flavour)

1. Cut salmon into small pieces.
2. Boil pasta as directed on package.
3. While pasta is boiling, melt butter in a large non stick skillet. Add garlic and saute, but do not allow to brown. 
4. Immediately add cream. Bring to a slow boil and turn down to a simmer. The cream will begin to thicken slightly. Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to temperature where it is just barely bubbling, stirring often for approximately 10 minutes. Add chopped sun dried tomatoes and chopped salmon. Continue to cook for approximately 10 minutes.
5. When pasta is done, drain well. Place pasta in a large bowl and add creamy salmon mixture. Stir lightly, coating the pasta with the cream mixture. Sprinkle generously with crumbled feta. 

Happy Canada Day Cake with Bunting Tutorial

Happy 148th Canada Day!  

Here is a dessert idea that you can bake up while you get the kids busy on making a cake bunting.

Cake  (to serve 24)

• 1 white cake mix  (18.25 ounces or 461 grams)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1  1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 4 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Prepare an 11 X 14 pan by spraying with baking spray and placing a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan.
3. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl of a mixer.  
4. Beat together wet ingredients and pour into dry ingredients and beat for 3 - 4 minutes on medium.
5. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.
6. Cool on wire rack

Whipped Cream Topping

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups whipping cream, whipped
• 2 cups mini marshmallows

1. Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl, beat until smooth. Add vanilla and combine.
2. Fold in whipped cream and then marshmallows.

Berry Topping

• 1 can light and fruity cherry pie filling
• 2 pounds sliced strawberries

1. Combine pie filling and strawberries.

Assemble

1. Remove cake from pan and put bottom side up on a serving tray.
2. Fill a large piping bag with cream topping, cut a hole large enough for the mini marshmallows to fit through and pipe an edge all around the top of the  cake and then fill in with remaining filling.  The edge should be a bit higher than the center so that the berry topping stays on. 
3. Spoon topping over the cream topping.  
4. Place the banner on the cake and refrigerate until serving time.  

Let your banner fly high!

To make the bunting, save the photo below and then print it out on a full sheet of paper. 

Cut along the faint lines and fold each letter in half.  Use glue to attach to twine.  

Cut a small slit half way through a straw near the top to anchor the twine in. 

Wrap the twine around fly your bunting across your cake.

Have a safe and happy Canada Day everyone!

Szechwan Caesar Salad

 With it being a holiday in Canada tomorrow, consider trying a Caesar salad with a twist and topping it with bbq Szechwan Chicken and instead of the usual croutons try it with peanuts, it really is very tasty. If you have roasted Asparagus, add that too, you won't be sorry. I won't add the amounts just the ingredients.

• romaine lettuce
• chicken breasts
• store bought szechwan sauce
• roasted peanuts (I use unsalted)
• your favorite caesar salad dressing , homemade or store bought
• fresh lemons
• roasted asparagus

1. Wash the amount of lettuce you want to use and tear into bite size pieces.
2. BBQ the chicken breasts and brush with the szechwan sauce, then cut into thin slices. Or if you do not wish to bbq then slice the chicken thinly and cook on the stove top in a lightly oiled frying pan for a few minutes until no longer pink, then add the sauce and cook for just 2 or 3 more minutes. 
3. Add desired amount of dressing. 
4. Sprinkle with roasted peanuts
5. Serve with fresh lemon wedges to squeeze over the salad.
6. Add roasted asparagus if you wish. We love it with the asparagus. 

This makes a nice meal on a hot summers day. 

Grilled Peppers and Asparagus

It's Barbeque Season and I find it such a treat to have my husband in charge of the grill.

When he looks after doing the meat and often the veggies, my part of the meal is easy peasy.

I love peppers and I love asparagus and the two vegetables  

 complement each other so well.

Recently, I found some of those long pointed sweet peppers at my 

local produce market.

Their lovely shape took this combination of vegetables up a notch in presentation, 

matching the long strips with the asparagus spears.

Once again this is more a serving suggestion than a recipe.

1. Take 3 long pointed sweet peppers - preferably 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 orange
2. Cut them in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and white membranes and slice lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips.
3. Mix about 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 - 2 cloves minced garlic.
4. If you have one of those BBQ pans with the holes in them, place pepper strips and asparagus in a single layer on the pan and brush them all lightly with the olive oil and garlic. If you don't have a pan, grill the veggies on a piece of heavy foil instead.
5. Grill over medium high heat until asparagus is crisp tender and peppers are beginning to char around the edges.
6. If you like, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
7. Top with coarsely grated or shaved parmesan cheese and serve.

Bread for the Journey

Psalm 98 ESV

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
    for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.

The Lord has made known his salvation;
    he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
    to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation of our God.

 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody!
 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    the world and those who dwell in it!
 Let the rivers clap their hands;
    let the hills sing for joy together
 before the Lord, for he comes
    to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    and the peoples with equity.

As I read the first verse about singing a new song I wondered what it meant, does it just mean to sing a new song that you haven't heard before or does it mean more? To me it speaks of letting go of/forgetting negative thoughts/deeds from the past and starting fresh, being joyful and praising Him for all the marvelous things He has done for me.

That is my new song that I am singing to the Lord.