Flourless Chocolate Cake.

In my family, we are always looking for great recipes which are without flour since my mom and brother both have Celiac disease, which means they cannot eat any wheat or gluten.
Usually, I barely get through most "gluten-free" rice flour or some kind of weird starch desserts, but I can honestly say that I would make this for myself, so we all win!
This cake is quite light, with just the right amount of sweetness, and of course, chocolate.  It can be dressed up with berries, more chocolate sauce, but is beautiful and elegant with just a scattering of sifted icing sugar over top. Makes a fairly flat, wide cake.

1 cup (8 oz) bittersweet or dark chocolate, cut into small pieces or chocolate chips.
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, but into pieces
5 large eggs, separated
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup sugar (reserve 3 Tablespoons)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Line with parchment and butter the base of a 10 inch round Spring form or cake pan.
In a double boiler, melt your chocolate and butter over simmering water.
Whisk together the egg yolks, and all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar.
Stir melted chocolate into eggs yolks until thoroughly combined.
With an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat egg whites and  salt untili soft peaks form.
Gradually beat  in the 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Carefully fold in chocolate mixture into egg whites.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Turn out onto a rack immediately (I don't do this.)
As the cake cools, the center will sink and crack-do not worry.
Dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream and berries.

Recipe by Wolfgang Puck.

I melt the chocolate & butter together, use good quality chocolate to make it really good.

Line the pan with parchement paper, trace the out line and cut it out beforehand to make it as easy as possible.

Fold in the melted chocolate, this keeps the egg whites from losing their fluffiness.  

Banana Muffins.

Whenever I am in the grocery store, I always grab a bunch of bananas. They are one of the easiest foods to feed anyone in my family since I can add them to cereal, in pb sandwhiches, in crepes, in smoothies, etc.

Whenever I see them go brown, and my family won't touch them.  I put them in the freezer, peel and all, and save them for a giant batch of muffins.  We love mini muffins, because it just feels more fun to eat 3 instead of 1.  I throw them in a container and into the freezer so that they will keep for instant snacks.

DRY                                                            WET

3 cups flour                                                   4 cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 12 bananas)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour                             1 ½ cups brown sugar

1/4 cup ground flax seeds                              4 eggs

2 tsp baking powder                                      2/3 cups applesauce or vegetable oil

2 tsp baking soda                                   

1 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin cups well.  Mix dry ingredients together and then wet ingredients together.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just blended and moist throughout.

Fill cups ¾ to full. 

Mini muffins: bake 15 minutes until firm and golden.

Standard muffins: bake 25-30 minutes or until firm and golden.

These freeze super well for up to a month.

Tip: Start collecting over ripe bananas by putting the whole banana (unpeeled) in the freezer.

Defrost and then peel off the skin, use as you would a regular banana. 

Or freeze puréed bananas in portions.

Ready for the freezer.  You can't even tell that there is flax whole wheat and fruit in there. 

Liv tries frozen banana.  Don't tell the health inspector.

Dahlia & Liv mash the banana, and of course, another taste test.

Fresh muffins out of the oven are a thing of beauty.  I think they should make a Yankee candle in this scent...I would buy it and then maybe try and eat it.

Cinnamon Rolls.

• I made these over Easter weekend, since they take a little time and I am scolded by my husband for making them when he is not around.  These cinnamon buns are THE BEST.  It is worth the effort to make these since they can be made in advance. I have made these for groups, brunches, retreats, and just for breakfasts on the run.   This cream cheese icing will have you  licking the bowl.  
• 
  
• 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast or 1 package
• 2 tsps honey or white sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup margarine, softened or shortening or butter
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour (I use all purpose and it turns out fine, just add in 3 Tbsps extra milk.) (can sub in half whole wheat flour if desired)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar
•  
• Filling:
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• Optional: Chopped pecans, walnuts, raisins
• 
  
• Icing: 
• 1/2 block cream cheese, (125 g) softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Step 1: 
If using traditional yeast:

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and sugar or honey until foamy, about 10 minutes. 

Mix in the margarine, salt, and eggs, in a large bowl, add in yeast/milk mixture.

Add flour and mix well. 

If using quick rise yeast:
Mix 1/3 your flour with yeast, the sugar, salt and then add very hot milk.  
Add in the eggs, mix, then butter.


Step 2: Knead until smooth and elastic, using a dough hooks on a mixer or your hands for about 6 minutes.

Step 3: Put in a bowl, cover with a moist tea towel or saran wrap, and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. 

(I use my oven that has been heated to 200 degrees and then turned off.)

Step 4: Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. 

Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. 

OR mix the butter and sugar mix together first and then spread.

Step 5:  Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. 

Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch glass casserole dish. 

Step 6: Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.

 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Place the rolls close together, so you have to pull them apart, or more separated and will be more crisp on the outside.

Step 7: Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. 

Step 8: While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Turn buns over when they get out of the oven or the filling that has dripped out will stick them to the pan.

Make ahead option:

Roll the dough with the filling, cut into rolls.  Place in greased glass casserole dish, cover dish with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Place chilled dish and rolls(right from the fridge) into a COLD oven.

Turn on the oven 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Freezer Instructions:

The unbaked rolls freeze well 
(I used 2 8-inch square disposable pans and put 6 rolls in each pan.) 

The night before, simply put the pan into the fridge. In the morning, they're ready for the oven. Easy and great to have on a cold morning. I was a little concerned that they didn't look doubled before I baked them this way, but they rose perfectly in the oven. Sure beats having to get up 3 hours before breakfast!

Taken from allrecipes.com; "Clone of a Cinnabon"

Proofing the yeast: your milk should be as hot as a drinkable coffee, add some sugar and sprinkle the yeast granules on top.  It will start to foam after about 10 minutes.   

Knead the dough with your hands or a mixer until the dough is smooth and elastic.  This will have your arms toned by the end.

Roll out the dough and add butter, sugar, cinnamon, (and walnuts).  Leave one seam that has less stuff, that will be your outside seam so that everything will not leak out.  The thinner you make the dough, the more the filling will  be apparent and the tighter the roll.

When the rolls come out of the oven, flip them onto a plate so they don't stick to the dish.  Pull them apart and top them with the cream cheese.  

Sweet Marie Bars.

We were at my in-laws house this weekend and I devoured these.  Every time they were passed around I found myself saying, "Just one more..." These bars are nicknamed, "Bars of Goodness"by my sister in-law, and are a good mix of  peanut butter, chocolate and chewy crunch.   Enjoy, I know I did. ;)

 1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter (unsweetened or else these bars are intensely sweet)
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal 
1 cup nuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips 
1 tbsp peanut butter


Melt sugar, corn syrup and peanut butter in a large pot, but do not boil!
Add the rice crispies and butter, mix until combined.
Press into a large pan, should be a little less than and inch thick.
Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in microwave in 10 second spurts.
Spread chocolate over the base, cut while still warm and then let cool or else they get harder to cut. Let them sit for about an hour to harden a become more solid.


These freeze exceptionally well, so will be perfect for late night snacks or unexpected guests.
I used Puffed wheat cereal, was a little chewier but still delicious

Mind the dishes in the back, this is real life and some baking needed to get done!

Licking the bowl: Is that considered cleaning up?

Summer Meringue Pavlova.

This light, summery dessert was made for me by a friend form New Zealand.  She made it for my mom, who is allergic to flour, but we all enjoyed it tremendously.  The meringue base can be made in advance, and add the whipped cream and berries just before serving.  It does not keep well once combined since the meringue becomes too soggy, so make sure you eat it all or make it in two smaller cakes so that you can serve it the next day with another batch of fresh fruit.

The presentation can be beautiful with the right dish, berries, lighting...either way, so good for a light finish to a heavy meal.  I made my meringue fairly shallow, but you can make this into individual small servings or a thicker, rounder, more stylized cake...just adjust your baking time accordingly.

I served this dessert at a friend's engagement party,  which is pictured here.  Our Ghanaian groom is not pictured.

.
6 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (powder)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1  cup fresh strawberries/raspberries, or whatever fruit is to your liking!


Line baking sheet with parchment paper, set a bottom-less 8 or 9 inch spring form pan on top. (This will give you an idea how big to make the meringue base.)
In a bowl, beat egg whites, salt, cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in sugar in thin steady stream until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Fold in cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla extract.
Spoon batter onto the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spoon.
Bake at 275 degrees, for 2 1/2 hours, or until crisp and light brown on the outside, but still soft in the inside.


Whip your whipping cream and vanilla extract until peaks form. May be done up to two hours ahead of time.


At serving time, spoon on your whipping cream and the berries. 


Serve and enjoy!

Two Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes.

My new favourite tool.  Golf ball size and smaller ice cream scoops make the job sooo easy.
Buy good ones, mine are falling apart already, the bolt on the bottom fell off. :(

My little helper.

2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract
+
1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

4 1/2 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal (quick 3-5 minute)
1/2 cup flax or wheat germ
3 cups chocolate chips

Makes about 6 dozen, cuz let's be honest..you can never have enough cookies.
(Freeze the dough or the baked cookies.)

Bake at 350 degrees for  8-12 minutes.  I take them out when they are starting to get golden and "just done".
Let the cool on a wire rack or on the pan if underdone.

_______________________________________________________________

OR

Here is another healthy cookie recipe from Debbie.
Tuck these inside lunch boxes and know your kid is snacking on something good.

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 omega-3 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup barley flour

1/2 cup ground flaxseeds

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (not quick or instant)

1/2 cup chocolate chips or carob chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream together butter, sugar, then egg and vanilla in large bowl.

3.In another bowl, mix together all your dry ingredients.

4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

5. Drop batter 1 tablespoon at a time onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Taken from Today's Parent Magazine.

Apple Crisp.

Fresh from the oven, just begging for a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Make a friend and make a little extra for the neighbours.

With every marriage there is love, fights and compromise.  Apple crisp is one of my

husband's favourite desserts which "had to be made like Moms."  At first, I resisted, quite happy with my own family's version, but now has become "our" best recipe, and a standard when we come back with 20 lbs of apples from fall apple picking every year.  Tastes like an oatmeal cookie served over apple pie.

For a larger casserole dish:

2 cups butter (or margarine)

2 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

3 cups oatmeal

about 13 apples? (depending on the apples) to fill the dish.

For a small sized casserole dish:

1 cup butter (or margarine)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cup oatmeal

about 8 apples? (depending on the apples) to fill the dish.

Cut and core your apples.

(Peel if you wish, but perfectly acceptable and delicious if left on.)

Mix ingredients together, mixing after each addition.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream when hot.

Freezes well, unbaked.

Mini Pumpkin Muffins.

Yields 48 mini muffins.

3/4 cup flour (175 ml) 

3/4 cup whole wheat flour (175 ml) 

1/2 cup wheat germ (125 ml) 

1/2 cup sugar (125 ml) 

1/2 cup brown sugar (125 ml) 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon each baking soda, ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves 

1 1/2  cups pumpkin (310 ml) 

4 eggs 

1/2 cup oil (125 ml) 

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). 

Mix together in a large bowl. 

Make a deep well or crater in the center. 

If using a fresh pumpkin: Remove stem, pumpkin seeds and cut into chunks. 

Boil in water 8-12 minutes. Drain. 

(Or microwave in covered dish 8 minutes.) 

Purée in blender or food processor. 

Lightly beat eggs, then add to oil and puréed pumpkin. 

Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. 

Spoon batter into greased mini-muffin tins. 

Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes.

Option: Add 1/2 cup (125 ml) cranberries, chopped 

pecans or mini chocolate chips.


Thanks, MS!  The kids loved them, especially since they were mini and fun!