Baked Chicken Wings with Yogurt-Blue Cheese Dressing

With Super Bowl Sunday just a week away, I thought now would be the perfect time to post this recipe.  For those of you who don't have a grill (like me), and baking your chicken wings is your only option, this is a recipe for you.  My friend, Chris, from Nibble Me This, states that every time you use an oven instead of a grill for chicken wings, an angel loses it's wings.  Sorry Chris, but since you don't live next door to me, I had no choice.  :o)

I made these last Sunday and and Joe and I pretty much polished off the entire 3 lbs. of wings ourselves.  And wanted more.  They were that good. 

I honestly didn't know what to expect from baked wings, but I have to admit to being very pleasantly surprised.  They were so tender, they literally fell apart in our hands, as well as crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside (you may need to bake them longer than the recipe states to get the amount of crispiness you like), and we loved the sauce!  The hot sauce and honey were a great combination.

You also must make the yogurt-blue cheese dip.  It is out of this world.  I'll never buy blue cheese dip again.  This homemade version is definitely better than anything you can buy in the store.

I would, without a doubt, make these again and can't wait to do so.

Enjoy!

I'm sharing this post with:

The Gallery of Favorites at 21st Century Housewife

Baked Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese-Yogurt Dip
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Dip

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 small clove garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon skim milk or buttermilk

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Wings

Cooking spray, for the baking sheet

3 pounds chicken wings, split at the joints, tips removed

4 stalks celery, cut into thirds

4 carrots, cut in half

2 bay leaves

1 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce (or 1/2 cup other hot sauce)

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon honey

Make the dip:  Pulse the yogurt, blue cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, milk and lemon juice in a food processor until combined but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Make the wings:  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Put the chicken wings in a deep skillet; add 3 pieces of celery, 3 pieces of carrot, the bay leaves, chicken broth, hot sauce, paprika, butter, honey and 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the chicken is almost cooked through, about 18 minutes. Transfer the wings to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer; reserve the sauce in the skillet.

Bake the wings, turning once, until the skin is golden and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, simmer the reserved sauce over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Discard the celery, carrot and bay leaves. Reserve one-quarter of the sauce for serving. Return the wings to the skillet and toss with the remaining sauce. Serve the wings with the blue cheese dip and reserved sauce; cut the remaining celery and carrot into sticks to serve on the side.

Makes 6 servings (really, for us it only made 2-3 servings)

Source:  Food Network Magazine - January/February 2012

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Peanut-Butter-Cup-Stuffed Ginger Cookies

I've been holding on to this recipe, with every intent to make it, for about two months now.  I originally intended to make these cookies for Christmas, but obviously just never got around to it.  When I was grocery shopping the other day and spotted a bag of mini peanut butter cups, I remembered them.

No mind, as these aren't necessarily a "Christmas cookie".  They're a cookie that can be enjoyed any time of year, although I suppose anything ginger is reminiscent of fall and winter.  This is a lightly spiced ginger-molasses cookie baked around a mini peanut butter cup, and then dusted with icing sugar.  I know that ginger and peanut butter may sound like an odd combination (it did to me), but these cookies are anything but odd.  Ginger and peanut butter are apparently a match  made in heaven.  Delicious!  I found the ginger wasn't too overpowering either.  I'm thinking even someone who isn't terribly fond of it might still enjoy these, especially with the peanut butter cup center.

I'm so glad I finally got around to making these cookies and found they are a perfect companion to a tall, cold glass of milk.

Enjoy!

I'm sharing this post with:

The Gallery of Favorites at 21st Century Housewife

Peanut-Butter-Cup-Stuffed Ginger Cookies
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3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (8 oz./1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

36 miniature peanut butter cups, such as Reese’s, chilled

Confectioners’/icing sugar, for rolling

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Whisk in the ginger, cinnamon, pepper and salt.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on high speed until smooth, light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in the egg for 30 seconds, then mix in the molasses. Scrape down the bowl. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing on low speed until just combined. Turn out the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Using the wrap to help, form the dough into a disk and seal tightly. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment. Working with 1 tbsp. of dough at a time, mold the dough around each peanut butter cup to enclose completely. Place 12 dough balls on each of the prepared pans. Bake until the tops are just set and slightly cracked, 12 to 14 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool for 5 minutes.

Roll the cookies in the confectioners’ sugar, then return to the rack to cool completely. Roll the cookies in the confectioners’ sugar again before serving.

Makes 36 cookies.

Source:  Every Day with Rachael Ray - December 2011

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Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Even though I've lived almost 2/3 of my life in Canada, I was actually born in Worcester, Massachusetts and lived there until the age of 19 when I married and moved to Toronto, where I've lived ever since.  Yes, I married at 19, and yes, 30 years later we're still married!  Go figure.

I have many wonderful memories of growing up in Auburn, where we actually lived, and Worcester, but one memory that will forever stick in my mind is going with my Mom and Dad to Jordan Marsh at the Worcester Center Galleria and eating the delicious blueberry muffins from their bakery.  Those muffins were definitely a treat and quite famous.  Rightfully so I might add.  Enjoying a blueberry muffin from the bakery was just part of the experience of shopping at Jordan Marsh.  I was probably around 10 or 12 years old at the time and although I honestly don't remember much about shopping there, I do remember how much I loved those muffins.

I also remember when a newspaper, I can't recall which one, printed the recipe for the Jordan Marsh blueberry muffin and then shortly after retracted it, stating it wasn't the real recipe (someone obviously got in trouble for printing it in the first place.......).  Well by then my Mom, and probably half the population of Worcester, had already cut the recipe out of the newspaper.  So we got to enjoy those famous muffins at home. 

Do they taste like Jordan Marsh's muffins?  Yes they do, actually.  I'm pretty sure the muffins from the Jordan Marsh bakery had larger tops or were maybe just larger overall, but yes, these muffins definitely do taste very much like the muffins I enjoyed growing up.

Making these back in the summer when it was blueberry season in Ontario may have made more sense, but when I was grocery shopping the other day they had blueberries on sale from California, and blueberry muffins immediately came to mind.  Not just any blueberry muffins, but the famous Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins.  You can use frozen blueberries if you'd like, but you might want to toss them with a bit of flour so they don't sink to the bottom.

These gorgeous muffins are packed with blueberries, super moist, and incredibly delicious.  Don't be stingy with the sugar for the tops of the muffins either!  This recipe is for all you New Englanders out there who fondly remember these iconic muffins like I do. 

Enjoy!

P.S.  Go Patriots!!!!

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins
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1 cup butter
1 - 1 1/4 cup sugar (I used 1 cup, some recipes for these muffins call for 1 1/4 cups)
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups blueberries
sugar for top (I used "sugar in the raw")

Preheat oven to 375F.

With electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well after each addition.  In separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together and add to egg mixture alternately with milk and vanilla.  Gently stir in 2 cups blueberries (if using frozen blueberries, you may want to toss them with a bit of flour to avoid them sinking to the bottom of the muffins) by hand.  Grease muffin tins well, including tops of pans.  Pile mixture high in each cup.  Sprinkle sugar on top.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

Source:  My Mom's Recipe File

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Ultimate Grilled Cheese

Who doesn't love an ooey gooey grilled cheese sandwich?  I have a lot of favourite sandwiches, but I think grilled cheese will always rank right up there near the very top as one of my ultimate favourites.  Growing up, my grilled cheese sandwiches consisted of Wonder Bread and "sweaty cheese" (processed cheese slices).  To me, there was nothing better, and I still think white bread and processed cheese slices make an awesome grilled cheese.  However, there's nothing wrong with a more sophisticated version of that classic too.

This is Ina Garten's version of grilled cheese.  Shredded Cheddar and Gruyere with a creamy mayo-Dijon-Parmesan spread, along with crisp bacon, sandwiched between white or sourdough bread, and then grilled on a panini grill until crisp and gooey.  If you don't have a panini grill, no problem, just use your frying pan.  This sandwich was heaven.  It definitely gave the white bread and sweaty cheese combo a run for it's money.

As yummy as this sandwich was, it would have been even yummier with the Cheddar the recipe calls for.  I had four kinds of cheese in my fridge.  Parmesan, Gruyere, Mozzarella, and Monterey Jack.  No Cheddar.  I substituted Monterey Jack for the Cheddar and although it was still delicious, I think there's nothing quite like a nice strong Cheddar in a grilled cheese.  I'm definitely making these again and using a good Cheddar.

Also, this makes WAY too much mayonnaise spread.  Way too much.  I would seriously consider making half, if not a quarter of what the recipe suggests.  I also suggest adding the Dijon a little at a time to your taste.  I love Dijon but found it just a tad overpowering. 

Having said all that, this sandwich was still incredibly delicious.  I have to say I absolutely loved how the bacon came out after baking it in the oven.  I always just fry my bacon on top of the stove, but from now on I'm using the oven to bake it.  It came out amazingly flat, perfectly cooked, perfectly crispy and no mess.  Who knew?  Apparently not me, but now I do!

If you're in the mood for a more adult version of the classic grilled cheese, look no further. 

Enjoy!

Ultimate Grilled Cheese
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12 slices thick-cut bacon, such as Nodine’s applewood smoked
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard*
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 white pullman loaf or sourdough bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick (12 slices) (I used whole-grain bread)
6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature (I used unsalted and it was fine)
6 oz aged Gruyere or Comte cheese
6 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, such as Cabot or Shelburne Farms

*I suggest adding the Dijon gradually to your taste.

NOTE:  I found this makes way too much mayonnaise mixture.  I suggest at least cutting it in half.

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Arrange the bacon on a baking rack set over a sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned.   Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and cut in 1-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.   Lay 12 slices of bread on a board and spread each one lightly with butter. Flip the slices and spread each one generously with the mayonnaise mixture. Don’t neglect the corners!

Grate the cheeses in a food processor fitted with the largest grating disk and combine.   Distribute the bacon evenly on half the slices of bread.   Pile 1/3 cup grated cheese evenly on top of the bacon and top with the remaining bread slices, sauce side down.

Heat an electric panini press. When the press is hot, cook the sandwiches for 3 to 5 minutes in batches until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.   Allow to cool for 2 minutes.   Cut in half and serve warm.

Makes 6 sandwiches.

Source:  Ina Garten's How Easy is That?

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Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes

In just a little over three weeks it's Valentine's Day.  Holidays really come around incredibly fast, don't they?  Wasn't it just Christmas?  Valentine's may still be three weeks away, but today I'm sharing what I think would be a perfect Valentine's Day treat for you and your (adult) loved one - a chocolate-bourbon cupcake filled with Kahlua-spiked ganache and covered in vanilla vodka-spiked marshmallow buttercream.  Oh, and then because that's not quite enough decadence, the cupcake is drizzled with just a bit more Kahlua before serving.  I think skipping dinner and going right to dessert sounds good!

How delicious were these cupcakes?  Well, according to Joe, "I think this is the best cupcake you've ever made."  He had two last night for dessert.  Enough said.

I found this recipe at one of my favourite sources for great recipes, Life Made Delicious.  I was searching for something chocolatey to post in preparation for Valentine's Day and as soon as I saw these cupcakes, I knew I had my recipe.  I just had to try them as I figured you can't go wrong with chocolate, ganache, buttercream, and booze.  I was right.  The bourbon and Kahlua flavours are definitely present, although not overwhelming.  For the drizzle of Kahlua at the end though, I suggest just a very small amount.  You don't want to drown out the wonderful flavour of the cupcake.  They really do make a wonderfully delicious adult treat!

February isn't all about chocolate though, it's also Heart Month, and just in time for Heart Month, I'm excited to announce that Cheerios has launched an all-new site, Cheerios.ca.  It's filled with heart healthy content, including recipes, lifestyle tips, information on cholesterol and much more.  Did you know that both original Cheerios cereal and Honey Nut Cheerios cereal help lower cholesterol?  They contain beta-glucan, a soluble fibre in whole grain oats. This is one specific type of fibre that has been shown in scientific research to help lower cholesterol.  You can get more tips on how to lower cholesterol naturally at Cheerios.ca.  

These cupcakes may be a contradiction to "healthy", but I personally believe in everything in moderation.  I suggest actually using moderation though, unlike my husband, and only having one.  :o)

Enjoy!

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes
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Cupcakes

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup bourbon whiskey
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

3/4 cup whipping cream
6 oz (6 squares) semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped (or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips)
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons coffee liqueur (I used Kahlua)

Frosting

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons vanilla-flavoured vodka*
3 cups icing sugar**

*I didn't have vanilla vodka, so I used 1 tablespoon of vanilla and 1 tablespoon of regular vodka.

**I used 4 cups of icing sugar.

Garnish

1/4 cup coffee liqueur (I used Kahlua)

Heat oven to 350ºF (325ºF for dark or nonstick pan). Generously spray 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. Make cake batter as directed on box, using cake mix, water, oil, bourbon, eggs and vanilla. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for filling, in medium microwavable bowl, microwave whipping cream uncovered on High 1 minute 30 seconds or until boiling (I just did this on the stove). Stir in remaining filling ingredients until chocolate is melted. Cover; refrigerate about 60 minutes or until spreading consistency.

For frosting, in large bowl, beat marshmallow creme, 1 cup butter and the vodka with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in icing sugar until fluffy.

To assemble, cut tops off each cupcake horizontally. Spread about 1 tablespoon filling onto bottom of each cupcake; add cupcake top. Pipe frosting on cupcake tops. Just before serving, drizzle each cupcake with 1/2 teaspoon coffee liqueur.

NOTE:  Although I did cut a couple of these cupcakes in half and spread with ganache as suggested in the recipe (for a photo), for most of them I simply cut a cone shape out of the cupcake and filled them with the ganache that way.  It made them easier to eat.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Source:  Life Made Delicious

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Ina Garten's Baked Parmesan "Risotto"

I don't have a lot of side dishes on this blog, do I? I guess I'm not a fancy side dish kind of person. I have a bamboo steamer and that's how I cook most of my veggies, and then serve them with either nothing or just a little bit of butter. I don't like sauces, cheese or otherwise, on my vegetables and I don't really like vegetable casseroles. I'm boring, I know, but I prefer just the flavour of the vegetables without dressing them up too much. Not that only veggies can be side dishes, I know that, but I just don't have a lot of great side dish recipes of any kind to share.

However, it's my goal in 2012 to add more side dishes to this blog and here is one I am absolutely thrilled to share. It's Ina Garten's Baked Parmesan "Risotto" from her How Easy is That cookbook and it is out of this world delicious! Ina says this is not technically a classic Italian risotto (as it's baked in the oven), but personally, I couldn't tell the difference, and honestly, I didn't care. To me, it was risotto and an incredibly easy one at that and best of all, oh so creamy and delicious.

You just take some Arborio rice and chicken stock and dump into your Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 45 minutes and then add more chicken stock, Parmesan, wine, butter, salt and pepper. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes and then add the peas and stir until heated through, another minute or two. That's it! No standing at the stove stirring and tending to your rice for 30 minutes.

I served this with baked salmon, although it could be a main dish on it's own. To make this vegetarian, simply swap the chicken stock with vegetable stock.

I encourage you to try this easy, creamy, delicious risotto. I promise you'll love it.

Enjoy!

Easy Parmesan "Risotto"
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1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
5 cups simmering chicken stock, divided
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 T unsalted butter, diced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the rice and 4 cups of the chicken stock in a Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter, salt, and pepper, and stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the peas and stir until heated through. Serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6

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Giada's Chicken Marsala with Mustard and Mascarpone

Come December, when I do "My Personal Top 12 Favourites of 2012" post, I already know that this dish will be there.  Yes, I know it's only mid-January and I have oodles more recipes to add to this blog before then, but this dish will be there.  Mark my words.

And I also know it doesn't look very appealing.  It actually looked the same in real life.  Before I tasted it, I looked at the pile of brownish chicken and mushrooms on my plate and said to Joe, "I can't post this, no matter what it tastes like, it looks so boring and......brown."  We both took a bite, looked at each other with eyes wide, and licked our plates clean.  I then decided it was going to be posted, no matter what, and I'd just have to try and convince you how damn good it is!!  (My only consolation is the picture on Food Network isn't any better....this is just not a pretty dish). 

I would not normally recommend going out to buy a bottle of booze for a recipe, but in this case I do.  If you don't have any Marsala at home, go buy some to make this.  These tiramisu cupcakes also use Marsala so you can make dessert too!  Just don't leave out the Marsala.  Don't leave out the Mascarpone.  Don't leave out the Dijon.  Please make this dish as it's written and then if you want to make any changes, fine, but you really have to try it as is because it's absolute perfection.  I found this recipe in my Family Dinners cookbook by Giada, but it's also on Food Network, and I've included a link so you can see the 766 reviews with an overall 5 stars (out of 5).  See, it's not just me that's swooning over this recipe, hundreds agree with me.

It tastes fantastic, it's easy to make, and you'll be fighting over the leftovers. 

Enjoy!

Giada's Chicken Marsala with Mustard and Mascarpone
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1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 tablespoons butter, divided

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup dry Marsala wine (I used sweet)

1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish

12 ounces dried fettuccine

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet.  Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Makes 4 - 6 servings.

Source:  Giada De Laurentiis' Giada's Family Dinners and Food Network

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Pizza Hut Pan Pizza - Copycat Recipe

I'm so excited to share this recipe today.  We had this pizza just last night and it was absolutely amazing!!!  Yes, it did taste very similar to Pizza Hut pan pizza, right down to the crunchy, crispy crust. 

I found this recipe by accident actually.  I don't even remember what I was looking for now, but in the midst of googling this past Friday, I came across this recipe and was so intrigued I had to make it the very next day.  I have always loved Pizza Hut's pan pizzas, and I just had to see if this recipe was anything like the real thing.  If you click on the source at the bottom of the recipe, you can see all the rave reviews and yes, it really is that good.

I only made a couple of changes.  The recipe calls for 3 ounces of oil in the bottom of each pan (this recipe makes 3 9-inch pizzas).  I couldn't bring myself to use that much oil, so I just used 2 tablespoons of oil in each pan and for us, it was perfect.  You may want to use more or less.  I had to double the sauce recipe as we can only buy 398 ml/14-ounce cans of tomato sauce here.  I like a little more sauce on my pizza, rather than less, so I ended up using almost all of it anyway.  I used two 9-inch cake pans and my 10-inch cast iron skillet to bake these.  I sprinkled a bit of Parmesan and Italian seasoning over the crusts before adding the sauce and toppings, and for the cheese I used half mozzarella and half Monterey Jack.

The dough was unlike any dough I've ever worked with.  Joe said it was like silly putty and he was right!  That's exactly what it was like.  I didn't even need to use flour to roll the dough out.  It didn't stick to anything, not the rolling pin, my hands or the table.  I couldn't quite roll mine out to fit the pans perfectly, but once the dough rested and rose, it filled the pans perfectly.

I was thrilled with how these pizzas turned out.  We all loved them and the recipe is super easy.  Three pizzas may sound like a lot, but they're really not that big.  They'll get eaten.  Trust me.

If you like Pizza Hut's pan pizza, this recipe is a must!

Enjoy!

Pizza Hut Pan Pizza - Copycat Recipe
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Dough

1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.) (I used instant/bread machine yeast)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/3 cup warm water (105 degrees F)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for dough)
4 cups flour
9 ounces vegetable oil (3 ounces per pan) (I used 2 tablespoons of oil per pan instead of 3 ounces)
butter-flavored cooking spray

Sauce

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

NOTE:  I was only able to buy a 398 ml/14 ounce can of tomato sauce so just used that and doubled the spices.

Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large (2 qt.) bowl. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes. Add oil and stir again. Add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed.

Turn out on to a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes (I let my KitchenAid do the mixing and kneading). Divide dough into three balls. In three 9" cake pans, put 3 ounces of oil in each (I put 2 tablespoons of oil in each) making sure it is spread evenly. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9" circle. Place in cake pans. (Don't worry if you can't roll it out to fit cake pan exactly.  As it rests and rises, it'll fill out the pan).

Spray the outer edge of dough with cooking spray. Cover.  Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Sauce:

Combine ingredients and let sit for 1 hour.

For each nine-inch pizza: Preheat oven to 475F.  Spoon 1/3 cup sauce (or as much as you want) on dough and spread to within 1" of edge. Distribute 1 1/2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce. Place toppings of your choice in this order: pepperoni or ham, vegetables, meats (cooked ground sausage or beef). Top with 3 ounces mozzarella cheese.  Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown (about 10 minutes in my oven).

NOTE:  I sprinkled a bit of grated Parmesan and Italian Seasoning over my pizza doughs before adding sauce and toppings.

Makes 3 9-inch pizzas

Source:  CDKitchen



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Quick Banoffee Pie

Banoffee pie.  For years I had no idea what banoffee meant.  I just thought it was a really strange name for a pie.  Then finally I read somewhere that the name is constructed from the words "banana" and "toffee".  Okay, that makes sense.  This pie is traditionally made by boiling a closed can of sweetened condensed milk to make dulce de leche.  If you don't want to boil a can of sweetened condensed milk (that would be me), another option is to pour the can of milk into a pie plate and bake in a water bath for about 2 hours.  I always wanted to try this pie and every time I had a can of condensed milk in the cupboard, I would say I was going to make banoffee pie, but always ended up using it for something else.

Well last weekend I finally got around to making it.  Google naturally gave me way too many recipes, but this one caught my eye as there was no boiling a can of milk or waiting 2 hours for the milk to turn into caramel.  This recipe uses a stove top method and I could have my pie chilling in the fridge within 30 minutes.  Bingo!

You simply pour the can of milk and some brown sugar into a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and heat, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Then you immediately add some whipping cream, rum, vanilla, and butter.  Whisk that mixture together and pour into a pie crust that has been covered in a layer of banana slices.  Chill for at least 30 minutes and then cover with mounds of lovely fresh whipped cream. 

This pie is exceptional.  I don't think I've ever tasted anything quite like it.  It is very rich though so small slices will suffice.  Everyone that tried it raved about it.  If you don't like rum you can leave it out, but I thought it added a nice flavour.  It wasn't overpowering at all, just sitting there quietly in the background.

If you're in the mood for something rich and sweet and delicious, this pie is for you.

Enjoy!

Banoffee Pie
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Pastry Dough

1 cup ground almonds, lightly toasted
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
zest of one lemon
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

dash ground cloves

2/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled

1 egg yolk
1 whole egg

1 tablespoon brandy

NOTE:  I used a graham cracker crust in an 8-inch pie dish instead of above recipe

Filling

3 bananas (I only needed one)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1 tablespoon rum

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Topping

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

chocolate shavings, for garnish, optional

cocoa powder, for garnish, optional

Pastry Dough

Blend together almonds, flour, sugar, zest and spices. Cut in butter until the texture of coarse meal.

Stir together yolk, egg and brandy and blend into dough until it just comes together. Shape dough into a disc, wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just greater than 1/4-inch thick.

Line a 10-inch tart shell with pastry, trim edges and chill 15 minutes.

Dock pastry with a fork and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.

Filling

Slice bananas and arrange in bottom of tart shell.

Stir together condensed milk and brown sugar in a heavy-bottomed sauce pot.

Have ready remaining ingredients. Whisking constantly over medium heat, cook condensed milk until it thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in whipping cream, rum, vanilla and butter.

Pour over bananas in tart and spread evenly. Chill for 30 minutes.

Topping

Whip whipping cream with sugar to soft peaks.

To Assemble

Spread whipped cream topping on top of tart. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings or a dusting of cocoa powder for garnish if you wish.

Source: Food Network Canada

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Egg Farmers of Ontario Giveaway Winners!

It's time to announce the four winners from my Get Cracking giveaway.  Thank you to everyone who entered this giveaway, and thank you to Egg Farmers of Ontario for your generosity in providing the gift baskets.

I used random.org to pick the four winners and the winners are.......

#7 - Susan

#31 - Dockdancer

#53 - Valerie Theberge

#19 - Paul

Congratulations to the four winners!  Please email me at brenda_desousa (at) yahoo (dot) com within the next 48 hours with your mailing address so I can pass the information on to Egg Farmers of Canada and they can get your gift baskets out to you.

Thank you again everyone for participating and have a great weekend!