Avocados - Let's make Guacamole!

Well, we have received quite a dump of snow this past while.....so our first day of Spring is rather white, instead of the hoped for green.  Here's to hoping it doesn't snow on Easter....eek!

Anyways, I've been enjoying my month of green things; Kale, smoothies, and now AVOCADOS!!!  I'm like totally on a kick with them right now!  And when I say kick, I mean I have bought them two grocery shops in a row....I know, I am crazy like that!

I've always liked avocados. I like them plain with lemon juice and salt and pepper, I like them with cottage cheese, and my all-time favorite way to eat them is in dip form, guacamole in fact.  Guacamole doesn't have to be complicated at all.  It seems we can "doctor things up" a lot and the food gets over-powered by the spices.  (I should know, I love to add a dash of this and that...my poor husband - trying to guess what I did to certain dishes....All in the name of Science I say!)  Anyways....I like my guacamole simple, to let the goodness of the green things sing for themselves.  So here's my recipe.

Oh by the way....I'm still on the hunt for creme de menthe....It may not happen.  Can't seem to find a size smaller than a litre.  Eek!  So, I may be changing up my sweet treat this month.  I WILL make the tart someday though.....as soon as find some creme de menthe.. (back to guacamole now.....)

My Guacamole

What you need:

1 ripe avocado

1 green onion

1 small tomato

1 garlic clove

2 TBSP of lemon

salt and pepper to taste

What to do: 

1. Mash avocado in bowl.  2.  Chop/dice/mince green onion, tomato and garlic clove.  

3.  Add lemon juice and dashes of salt and pepper.  4.  Combine to your liking.  5. Serve with pita, chips, veggies....and EAT!!!!

 

WHAT??? Spinach in a smoothie??? Go on!!

The first time I heard about putting leafy things in my blender filled with fruit was from a friend of mine who was working on getting her kids to eat more veggies.  It totally astounded me that they 1. drank the smoothie, and 2. Enjoyed it!  Didn't taste like salad at ALL!

So, my curiosity was piqued.  I do like veggies, but sometimes I balk at eating them.  Of course as a good mom I make my kids eat them all the time.....But I need my mom to phone me and tell me to eat more veggies...Ok mom, text me....:)

So I went on Pinterest and saw this great recipe for adding leafy greens to a tasty fruit smoothie. I tried it and LOVED IT!  Went through a whole bag of spinach and didn't have to throw any of it away because it went bad!  YAHOO!  Veggies that don't taste like veggies!  Revolutionary I know!  I drink this smoothie quite regularly.   Feel free to make as many adaptations as you can!

My Green Smoothie

1 handful of spinach leaves

1 cup of vanilla almond milk  (feel free to use whatever "milk" product you like here)

1/2 cup of lime Greek yogurt  (other flavors would be great too)

1 kiwi peeled and cut up

1/2 - 1 cup frozen peaches

1/2 a banana

* adding ground flax seed would be wonderful as well.  

What to do:

Place all ingredients into blender.  Blend until smooth and pour into children's and your glasses.  Place straw into cup.  SLURP UP WONDERFULNESS! 

Grilled Chicken and Kale Thai Rice Bowl

Can you feel it?  Winter is slowly shrinking back to its Artic Cave and Spring is giving us small hints of what is to come!  I am really looking forward to Spring this year. (I KNOW - we will probably get a big snow storm this month.....but I don't care)  I am breaking out the soft colors, buying "springy" clothes and thinking and dreaming of my little garden.

I am so PUMPED about my little garden!!!  Green things growing!!!!  That I planted.  So cool.  In honor of green things sprouting in our dreamed about gardens, along with the whole Irish thing....I plan to post "GREEN" things this month.  Yes there will be actual veggies featured but I am also aiming at making a fabolous Creme de menthe pie!!!!   EEEK so excited about THAT!!! 

But first things first....Green Veggie.....KALE!  I have never had this popular veggie.  I have been a bit of whimp really.  Curious, but reticent.  But a recipe from another blogger, Nutritionist in the Kitch came to the rescue!  She is a friend of mine's sister and a nutritionist and has a passion for good food. Totally check out her amazing blog!!  So when I saw her Kale recipe I KNEW that this was the one to try Kale with for the first time.  I adapted the recipe as I am not as "vegan" and some chicken sounded so good.  Also I had to adapt ingredients as I don`t have a grand supermarket with exotic ingredients at my disposal....I wish I did.....but I don`t...

(some time later....)

And it WAS GOOD!  But I do think Kale stems......are not my favorite...  I will cut them out next time.  My favorite part is the sauce.....over the veggies, chicken, and the rice....YUMMMMMMY!  This was so easy to make and very tasty.  Feel good about what you are cooking!!
 

 What you Need:

• 4 cups chopped Kale
• 1 cup packaged cabbage slaw
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup of sliced snow peas
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1-2 cups sliced grilled chicken (breast or thigh)
•  
• Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2-3 tablespoons of Asian Sesame dressing (Kraft)
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon crushed chili flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons water

1. Whisk together sauce ingredients until smooth (add more water to get a thinner sauce consistency)
2. Heat a non stick pan or wok at medium heat.
3. Add kale and veggies. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, add sauce and cooked chicken.  Stir to coat.  Cook another 3-4 minutes.  You want the Kale to be wilted and the veggies to be tender crisp.
4. Serve over hot cooked brown rice (or quinoa) and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
5. Enjoy!

Decadent Red Wine Brownies with Red Wine Ganache

 

"With great chocolate comes great responsibility," - Larry Boy.....

The cucumber had it right, chocolate can be good, or it can be GREAT!!  I have only made homemade brownies once before....they were a flop - dry, no rich flavor...sawdust in a pan really.  Since then I have stuck with brownie mixes, I love those things for a quick wonderful chocolate brownie fix that doesn't need to be used as fire starter.  NOW, however, I have discovered GREATNESS in a pan!


Red Wine Brownies.....I can not describe to you the wondrousness of these things.  These are a very rich, decadent, smooth brownie (insert I went to go get one and eat as I type here...) Chocolate and WINE - two of my favourite things married together in a pan.  Oh my!!!  One can only eat small amounts of this as to not be overwhelmed by their AWESOMENESS!  I used a Melbec wine from Argentina, but any red wine would be just fine...It doesn't overpower the chocolate, but enhances it and adds a "je ne sais qwaaaaah" about the whole thing....It's beautiful.  So here it is.  Make it for one you love, and for yourself too....

Red Wine Brownies with Red Wine Ganache

-adapted from Simply Scratch

What you need:

- 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, divided
- 4 ounces Unsweetened Chocolate, evenly chopped
- 2 cups Sugar
- 3 whole Eggs
- 1 teaspoon  vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons Melbec (or any red wine)Wine
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

What you do:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 baking dish with parchment paper and grease with either butter or baking spray.

2.  In a medium size sauce pan over low heat; melt the 3/4 cup of butter and the 4 ounces of chopped unsweetened chocolate.

3.  Once the chocolate has melted and is smooth add in the two cups of sugar.  Stir to combine.

4.  Add in the three eggs, whisking after adding each one.

5.  Stir in Vanilla and the half cup of red wine.

6.  In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

7.  Pour the chocolate/sugar mixture into the bowl, stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and set aside.

8.  For the ganache: In a small sauce pan combine the 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons of butter and the 3 tablespoons of red wine.  Heat over low and stir constantly until smooth and silky.

9.  Spread 2/3 of the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the wine-ganache over top. Pour remaining 1/3 batter over the ganach and spread with a spatula.

10.  With a sharp knife make a couple zig-zags through the brownies to create a swirl pattern then place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minute.  WATCH CAREFULLY!!

Let cool completely before removing the brownies.
Cut and serve and ENJOY!

Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread

It's Valentine's WEEK!  My husband surprised me with some beautiful roses and chocolates.  The flowers are so beautiful.  I stop and smell them and admire their beauty every five minutes or so.  Love it!  This week has been so busy with STUFF: swimming lessons, kids' groups, and just the general busyness of life, so baking is sometimes hard for me to fit in my schedule.  I love to bake and I love to give my family homemade treats in their lunches.  Of course, having chocolate as part of the recipe is always a good thing. 

Now I need to tell you about my love/hate relationship with banana bread.  For the last 12 years it has really been a trial......and error.  Sometimes it would turn out lovely, many times it was burnt on the outside and raw in the middle......ARG......so frustrating.  So I actually gave up on making banana bread as I was an epic failure at it...UNTIL....

I realized something......

It came as a revelation, beam of light kind of thing......YOU DON'T HAVE TO FILL THE PAN SO FULL!!!!   Seriously....I was always using all the batter, filling the baking pan to capacity, and then crying when my bread totally flopped.  NOW, (after the beam of light) I only fill the pan 3/4 full. (use extra batter in muffin tins and bake less time)  It has worked out PERFECTLY since then.  So life changing.  Now I can confidently make banana bread.  And this swirly version is my favorite!

Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread

-adapted from Kraft Canada

What you Need:

1 egg

1/2 cup Miracle Whip Original Spread

1-1/3 cups mashed fully ripe bananas (about 3)

1-1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup of chocolate chips, melted

What to do:

1. HEAT oven to 350ºF.
 
2.  BEAT egg, dressing and bananas in large bowl with whisk until blended. Mix all remaining ingredients except chocolate in medium bowl. Add to banana mixture; stir just until moistened.
 
3.  POUR half the batter into medium bowl; stir in chocolate. Spoon batters alternately into 8x4-inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray; swirl gently with knife.
 
4.BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 5 min. or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool bread in pan 10 min.; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Then month of LOVE is upon us!!!!!  Yahoo for February.  When its cool to wear red, pink and purple together, and chocolate is everywhere!!!!  I like February....I do....except for the bitter cold and the fact that spring is not coming this month, no matter what I say.  I am grateful that Mother Nature has blessed us with a mild week of weather.  And no snow!  Thankyou Nature!!!!

This month I decided I would jump on theeeee oooool' bandwagon and make sweet chocolate treats.  I got a lovely chocolate banana bread coming up, some sweet cookies.....and I can't wait.......Brownies with WINE in them!  They are for my beloved on Valentines day.....MMMMWah!

Today's offering is THE BEST peanut butter cookie recipe I've ever eaten.  Really!  My family ate them and they don't normally like cookies with peanut butter in them.  It's a principle that they have held to since the beginning of time and they weren't about to change unless they were bribed with chocolate.  So, here is a lovely Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

adapted from: How Crazy Cooks

What you Need:

• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• ½ cups Brown Sugar
• ½ cups Sugar
• 1 whole Large Egg
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of chocolate chips
• Extra Sugar As Needed For Rolling Dough

What to do:  1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2.  Measure peanut butter, sugars, egg, baking soda, vanilla, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix all ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined.

3.  Gently stir in chocolate chips.

4.  Roll 1 generous tablespoon of dough into a ball. Roll each ball in the extra sugar. Place dough balls at least 2″ apart on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

5.  Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack.

ENJOY!!!  SO GOOD!!

Crock-Pot Creations 4 - A Caramel experiment.....

Question:  How does sweetened condensed milk change when submerged into hot water for an extended period of time?

Hypothesis:  I percieve that the mixture will change molecularly (ok not so much) into a new and amazing substance called Caramel!

Procedure:  1.  Peel label off of a can of sweetened condensed milk.  2.  Place can of sweetened condensed milk into Crock Pot.  3.  Pour water over over can until submerged.  4.  Turn Crock-pot on to low setting. 4.  Cook 8 hours.  5.  Remove can from Crock-pot, place into fridge for at least 2 hours.  6.  Open can be amazed!


Observations:

 I was unsure how this experiment would go....But in the true essence of Science....one must still try!  It was exciting as I peeled off the paper of the sweetened condensed milk and plopped it (yes that is a science term...) into my crock-pot full of water.  Set the baby to low and 8 hours later.....put the can with a bit of rust on it....(hmmmm) into the fridge to cool.

The next day.....my husband and I with bated anticipation opened the can and BEHOLD what did I see inside the can?   CARAMEL or in fancy terms....Dulce De Leche.  I gingerly put my finger into the can and taste tested.....yep it tasted caramelly!  Wahoo!!!!  My science experiment complete.

Conclusion:  The sweetened condensed milk when cooked in this manner produced a delicious topping for a plethera of desserts....We tried it with homemade ice-cream!