Poppy Seeds are easy to use – cakes, muffins, cookies. This is a great cake recipe.
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup Crisco oil
- 1 1/4 cups sweetened coconut
- 1 cup poppy seeds
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1 tsp. chocolate flavoring
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat eggs and sugar until light in colour and thickened. Add oil and continue beating until well combined.
In a small bowl, stir together coconut, poppy seeds, flour, baking powder and salt. Stir half of the mixture into the egg mixture. Add the yogurt, flavouring and remaining dry ingredients.
Pour batter into a greased and lined with parchment paper 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Smooth the top with an off center spatula and bake for about 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched in the center.
FROSTING
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 7 oz. white chocolate
- Poppy seeds
Place butter and chocolate in a double boiler and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Whip the cream until stiff. Slowly whisk in the cooled chocolate into the whipped cream and ice the cake when it is completely cooled. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top.
From my “Stress Free Extraordinary Dinners” Cookbook
English Royale Martini
With the upcoming wedding in England, it only seems appropriate to make a martini to cover the event. You will need:
- 3 parts Cinnamon Vodka
- 2 parts Calvadoes Brandy
- 1 part Gold Schlager (need the ‘bling’ of course)
- 1 part white chocolate
Rim glasses by dipping in calvados and then into a mixture of cinnamon sugar.
Pour ingredients into a shaker filled with crushed ice. Shake well and strain into prepared chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a piece of cinnamon bark.
Gather round the television set and make a toast to the beautiful Catherine and handsome Prince William on their wedding day. Actually who needs the excuse of a wedding. This goes well at any time.
Rack Of Lamb
This is what you serve your company with great flair.
- 3 tsp. butter
- 1 1/2 cups chopped white onions
- 1 cup finely chopped carrots
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour
Preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt 2 tbsp. butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and sauté for about twelve minutes or dark brown (not burnt). Add broth and next 4 ingredients and boil for ten minutes.
Mix remaining tbsp of butter with 1 tbsp flour to make a paste. Whisk into the sauce and simmer until the sauce thickens which should take about ten minutes. Strain the sauce and put back into saucepan, keeping warm until ready to serve.
- 1 cup honey
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 2-1 1/4 lb. trimmed racks of lamb
Whisk honey, soy sauce and mustard in a small bowl, adding two tbsp. glaze to this. Place lamb on a baking sheet and brush each lamb rack with remaining glaze. Roast only until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the lamb registers one hundred and thirty degrees. Continue brushing with glaze throughout the cooking process.
Cut the lamb between the bones and serve with sauce drizzled over.
Lime Dacquoise
- Candied lime rind (recipe follows)
- 2 1/4 cups sliced almonds
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 9 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 3/4 cups icing sugar
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- grated lime rind
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Draw eight inch circle on each one. Turn the paper over and put aside.
Spread almonds in oven on a flat pan and bake about seven minutes until a light golden colour. Let cool . Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees.
In a processor, grind the almonds, one half of the sugar and cornstarch until it becomes a powdery consistency. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and add the remaining sugar a tbsp at a time, beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle in one half of the ground almonds and fold in the egg whites. Now fold in the remaining almond mixture.
Divide this mixture between the two pans and spread evenly to fill. Bake in top and bottom third of the oven set to 275 degrees for about sixty five to seventy minutes. Rotate the baking pans in the oven halfway through.
While this is hot, take the cake pan (used to draw circles) and set over the meringue, Cut around with a serrated knife so that both circles are the same size. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
To make the lime cream, whip the sugar, lime juice and cream, and stir in the grated lime rind. Set aside two cups of this mixture for the icing segment.
Centre 1 meringue layer on a serving plate. Make sure to put strips of waxed paper underneath the meringue to prevent sloppy spills on the plate. Spread with one third of the lime cream. Place the second meringue on top and repeat with the remaining cream and meringues. Spread the reserved cream on the sides first, then the top of the cake. Press remaining almonds on the cake side. Refrigerate up to eight hours making sure to remove the wax paper strips.
To poach the rind, take a paring knife and cut strips of rind top to bottom and then be sure to slice into straight edges. Take 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a sauce pan and bring to the boil. Add the rind and again, bring to the boil. Cook for a few moments until it gets thick. Remove the rind, drain off the liquid and toss in a plate covered with berry sugar, roll around and set on a rack to dry.
Set these out in a pretty fashion on top of your cake when ready to serve.
Healthy Martini
this is sooooo healthy for you. Makes you think it could have been considered for breakfast. Hush! The children are listening. Try this on a beautiful sunny, let’s bbq kind of day OR just relaxing on a sunny deck with not a care in the world.
- 2 parts Orange Vodka
- 1 part Triple Sec
- 2 parts orange juice
- 1 part white Chocolate liqueur
Pour ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and strain into prepared martini glasses. Garnish with (what else?) a slice of fresh orange.
Olivers Martini
As we will be relocating to Oliver shortly, it is only right that they should have their very own martini. Right? Let’s see if this one works with their logo. “View of Heaven, in the Okanagan”. We could call it “taste of Heaven”…..
You will need:
- 3 parts Chocolate Vodka,
- 2 parts Creme de Cacao
- 2 parts Bailey’s
Pour into a shaker filled with cracked ice and strain into prepared martini glasses that have been garnished with caramel sauce in a decorative pattern.
Switch it up and use chocolate sauce.
Wellington Lobster/Scampi
If you live anywhere near the ocean, or a top notch restaurant like the Red Lobster you know how wonderful it all tastes. This recipe is a little different and I am sure you will repeat the recipe many times over.
To serve 6 people (adjust to number of diners)
- 6 small lobster tails
- 6 eggs
- 1 tbsp. or so of plain vinegar
To poach the eggs, fill a wide pot with water and the vinegar added. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Break the eggs, one at a time, and CAREFULLY add to the water. Cook for about four minutes or until the whites are set. Be sure to baste the eggs while cooking with the water. With a slotted spoon remove the eggs and submerge in ice water.
To make the blender sauce, you will need:
- 3 egg yolks,
- 1/4 cup orange juice (or even blood orange juice)
- 8 oz. butter
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
Put the yolks in a blender and blend really well. Boil the orange juice until it reduces down to 1 tbsp. Add the butter and lemon juice and bring to a boil. With the blender running, carefully drizzle the butter mixture into the yolks in a slow, but steady stream until fully incorporated. Season with salt and white pepper. Keep warm.
Reheat the lobster for a moment by slipping it back into the reheated water.
Split english muffins in half and place one half on each plate. Spoon a small portion of the sauce on top and top each one with an egg and spoon remaining hollandaise on top. Place the lobster tail meat or scampi on top of the egg.
This makes my mouth water. It is so scrumptuous
Gotta Love Spring
You just gotta love Spring…..especially if you are like me and dislike having flannel sheets on the bed. NOW, because it is Spring, I get to remove them and put real, regular, slide-into-bed-cool sheets. This is a game my husband and I play with…he gets the flannel sheets for six months (seems like fifteen)and I struggle until Spring.
I tried to get away with the change to daylight savings time but he wouldn’t buy it. I know we are not the only couple like this. But now, the season is mine, mine, mine!
Like Me Honey Martini
This is a nice trend-setting martini to try again and again. Yummmmmmm.
You will need:
- 2 parts Grey Goose Vodka
- 4 parts Brandy
- 2 parts Creme de Menthe (not green)
- 1 part Irish Mist (or Glayva)*
Pour ingredients into a shaker filled with cracked ice and shake well. Strain and pour into prepared martini glasses. Garnish with a honey stick.
*Glayva is a honey flavoured liqueur from Scotland. Irish Mist has a honey flavour as well).
Lamb, Beef or Pork Pot Pie
This makes two pies…one for now, one for later or if really, really hungary……
You can make it with whatever meat you like. You will need:
- 2 lbs. meat, boneless,
- 2 tbsp. MILD curry paste
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger
- 3 cups sodium reduced beef stock
- 2 red peppers, chopped
- 1 seeded and minced jalapeno pepper
- 1 lb. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2/3 cup flour
- 2 boxes frozen deep dish pie shells, thawed (oh, go ahead and cheat a little)
The day before, place the meat (cut into 1 inch cubes) in a large bowl and add the curry paste. Stir well to cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
Next day, in a large frypan, heat the oil on medium heat. Brown the meat in batches and remove to a plate. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and 1/2 cup of beef stock and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the peppers and cook a further 2 minutes.
Add the meat to the saucepan and add the remaining stock and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Now reduce the heat and cook for 30 minutes until tender.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk flour and 1 cup of water until smooth. Drizzle into meat mixture and bring to a simmer and cook, stirring continually for about 5 minutes until thickened. Let cool but stir from time to time.
Place the two thawed pie shells on a baking tray and divide the filling evenly. Now roll out the top pastry and cut into 3 inch circles. Place the circles by laying them flat on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes.
When serving, place a circle of the pastry on top. Looks great and tastes even better.
Icewine Martini
This is one way to serve icewine. Make it into a martini.
In a shaker filled with cracked ice wine, pour:
- 1 1/2 ounces of chilled icewine,
- 1/8 ounce of lemon juice,
- 1 ounce fresh peach juice
- 1 ounce cranberry juice.
Shake well and strain into prepared martini glasses. On a cocktail pick, thread 3 fresh cranberries or a slice of fresh peach and serve.
Pumpkin Smoothie
This smoothie is little different….it is packed with vitamins and is really scrumptious. Did I say “non-fattening?” I don’t think so.
- 1/4 cup pure pumpkin
- 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1 small banana
- 1 tsp. creamy peanut butter
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 cup whipping cream
- dollop of whipped cream
- sprinkle of cinnamon
In a blender, mix 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin and vanilla yogurt. Add a small banana and a spoonful of creamy peanut butter and a tbsp. honey. Blend well.
Now add a handful of ice cubes and about 1 cup of whipping cream until you get the desired consistency. If it is too thick, thin with a little milk. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and cinnamon.
All who try this always ask if there is more.