Hot Cross Buns

I originally posted this recipe last year around Easter, but since it is that time of year again and I'm currently making my second batch of Hot Cross Buns, I thought I would re-post in case anyone is interested in a Hot Cross Bun recipe ... and this time with more pictures.

Hot Cross Buns - from America's Best Bread Machine Baking Recipes
1 cup water
1/4 cup skim milk powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/4 tsp yeast
1 cup raisins

1. Measure all ingredients except raisins into bread pan. Select dough cycle. Add raisins at add ingredient signal.

2. When done, turn out onto lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 12 portions. Roll each into a ball and place on prepared baking stone. Gently flatten each ball with the palm of your hand. Cover and let rise for 35-45 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375. Mix together 1 egg white and 1 tbsp of water and brush over buns. Using a knife, cut slits in the top of the bun, to make the shape of a cross.

4. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until tops are brown and they sound hallow when tapped.

Makes one dozen buns.

White Chocolate Raspberry Bark - updated with pictures

This was originally posted for a recipe swap but now I have pictures so I decided to repost.

If you know me at all, you know how much I love love love the Christmas season and all it brings with it. I decided to let the fabulous dude decide which recipe I would share. So I asked him the question and let him fill in the blank. When I said "It wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't eat..." he said Chocolate Coated Almond Toffee and White Chocolate Raspberry Bark. Since I've already posted the Chocolate Coated Almond Toffee I decided to go with the Raspberry Bark.

Every year, I join together with my mom to do our holiday baking. As you might remember, I have an excellent reason for doing so. I like to put together tins of baking to give away to friends and family members as well as have enough sweet treats kicking around to help me gain 50 pounds enjoy. The recipes tend to stay the same from year to year but occasionally we try something new. The following recipe is one of our tried and true ones. It is very quick, simple and delicious.

White Chocolate Raspberry Bark - from Lucy and her Mumma
1 bag white chocolate chips (or you can use baker's squares)
1 tbsp Shortening
4 tbsp raspberry jam
Mint flavouring

1. Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once smooth, add a few drops of mint flavouring (you can omit if you are not a fan of chocolate mint). Pour chocolate onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

2. Meanwhile, melt jam in a 1 cup measure for 30-45 seconds, or until runny. Pour jam over chocolate. Using a toothpick, drag jam to blend in with chocolate. Get creative here and make fun designs!

3. Refrigerate and cool for 5-6 hours, until chocolate is hardened. Break into small pieces and enjoy!

This recipe is being linked at the Ultimate Recipe Swap: Christmas in July Edition

French Onion Soup

French Onion soup is on the top of my list in terms of 'favorites'. I often order it at restaurants and it's one thing that I can never seem to get sick of. I've made it a few times on my own but this week's version has been the best so far. I might even go so far as to say that it was comparable to my favorite restaurant version which is from The Keg.

French Onion Soup
4 cups sliced onions (I used Spanish)
Olive oil
Salt
6 cups chicken broth (it really should be beef but I didn't have any)
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 good shake of Worcestershire sauce
Pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
6 slices crusty french bread
1 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella but aa stronger cheese is ideal)

1. Coat a large stockpot with olive oil. Add sliced onions and toss to coat. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until onions are soft and beginning to brown.

2. Reduce heat and caramelize onions for 20-30 minutes until a deep golden brown and reduced by about half.

3. Add sherry and cook until reduced by half.

4. Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and pepper. Boil for 30 minutes to an hour.

5. Ladle soup into oven safe soup bowls. Top with a slice of crusty french bread. Cover with cheese.

6. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Makes 6 servings.

Sweet Potato Soup

If you are a soup fan like me, you must try this recipe. It is so delicious. It is creamy and sweet, yet the after taste has a bit of a kick to it. It is the perfect fall warm-me-up soup!

Sweet Potato Soup
2 large (and I mean giant) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1.5-2 tsp dried ginger (2 T of freshly grated ginger would be preferable, but unfortunately I didn't have any)**
3/4 tsp minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 cups milk
2 T heavy cream***
A pinch of nutmeg

** I just so happen to be of the opinion that ginger is one of the best flavours in the world. I realize that other crazy people may disagree, so adjust the amount to taste.
*** It would be fine to use all milk and no cream. I would normally do that, except that I had some cream in the fridge.

1. Place peeled and chopped sweet potatoes, white potatoes, apple and onion in a pot. Add ginger and garlic. Pour broth and water over potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes and apple are soft and tender (the sweet potatoes will cook fastest so make sure that the white potatoes and apple are soft).

2. Remove from heat and mash up as much as possible with a spoon or masher. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth (or transfer 1/4 of soup at a time to a food processor or blender).

3. Return blended soup to the stove. Over medium heat, gradually add milk and cream. Stir until well combined, but do not boil.

4. Serve with a drop of cream or sour cream on top, if desired.

This recipe is being shared at the Ultimate Recipe Swap: Favourite Fall Recipe edition.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of this pizza because it was gorgeous. I debated whether or not to even share the recipe because of the lack of photo but I decided to anyway because I don't want to forget it.

BBQ Chicken Pizza
1/2 recipe of bread machine herbed pizza crust
1/2 pint BBQ onions (or use your own homemade or storebought BBQ sauce)
1 1/2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
Chopped onion (if none in the sauce)
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
A few handfuls of spinach
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Roll dough onto pizza pan in desired shape. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes until crust is beginning to brown.

2. Remove crust from the oven and spread with sauce. Sprinkle toppings over the sauce, with spinach being last. Cover entire pizza with cheese.

3. Continue baking for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is done. I like to turn the broiler on for a few minutes at the end to really crisp up the crust and the cheese!

Although I have no pictures of the pizza itself, I do have a photo to indicate that this pizza was approved by all necessary parties ...

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

Zucchini and Blueberry Muffins
1/3 cup oil (normally I would use applesauce but I didn't have any)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
just under 1 tsp salt
1 - 1 1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1. Beat together oil (or applesauce), egg, milk and vanilla in a large bowl.

2. Stir in zucchini.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.

4. Add blueberries, stir to coat.

5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir until moistened.

6. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins (makes 12).

7. Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Tortellini Bake

This post was originally posted in July but I am re-posting it for Kelly's Korner: Show Us Your Life: Dinner Recipe Edition because it is my all time favourite dinner recipe!

I was looking through my recipe box the other day and pulling out some of our old time favourites. Lately I've been so interested in trying new recipes that I have forgotten about the tried and true ones. So, tonight I made my favourite pasta dish. I started making this one when we first got married and it is delicious and very filling.

Tortellini Bake
1/2 cup chopped onion
A drizzle of EVOO
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups Alfredo sauce (or one jar)**
1 package frozen tortellini (I use cheese filled)
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 cup frozen peas and/or asparagus (We love it best with asparagus or a combo of the two but sometimes asparagus just isn't in the budget and so peas it is)
Pepper

Topping:
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 tbsp butter
1 cup bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400. Over medium heat, cook onion and garlic, drizzled in EVOO for 2-3 minutes, until onion is tender.

2. Stir in Alfredo sauce, tortellini, chicken, milk, water and peas/asparagus.

3. Heat mixture until it comes to a gentle boil (about 10 minutes), whisking occasionally. Remove from heat.
4. In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Stir in bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

5. Transfer pasta mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.

6. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

7. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are bubbly.

Serves 4-6. Serve with a green vegetable (such as roasted broccoli) or salad and some crusty bread (such as cheesy garlic french bread). If you are looking for a vegetarian recipe, simply omit the chicken and add more veggies!

** Tonight was the first time I've made this dish with homemade Alfredo sauce, usually I used a jar from the grocery store. Let me just say, it was SO worth the extra few minutes it took to make the sauce. Normally, this dish is so rich, almost too rich. But, since I make the homemade sauce with milk rather than cream, it really cuts on the richness. While I would normally think Alfredo would not be as good with milk as with cream, in this case, I think it actually improved the overall taste of the dish.

Spicy Beet Tops

This is the first week of the Food Network Chef's Cooking Challenge, hosted by Sarah at I Blame My Mother. The chef featured this week is Aaron McCargo Jr. After searching his recipes for one that suited us, I found this one, for spicy swiss chard. I didn't grow swiss chard this year, but I did grow beets, and I use the tops in many dishes in place of spinach and/or swiss chard. I decided to follow his directions but replace the swiss chard with beet tops. We really loved this recipe, perhaps even better than my other favourite way to fix beet tops. I will definitely be doing this again (but not this year, because this was the last of the beet tops).

Spicy Beet Tops (OR Swiss Chard) - from Aaron McCargo Jr
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes (I really used a pinch, next time I might use a bit bigger of a pinch - they weren't very spicy)
1 bunch beet tops, stems removed, sliced into thin strips
Splash of white wine
1 T sugar
Salt

1. Place oil, red pepper flakes and garlic in a large frying pan and cook over high heat until the garlic until golden brown.


2. Add chard and toss quickly.

3. Stir in a splash of white wine. Cook and toss until liquid evaporates and chard is wilted.

4. Add the sugar, season with salt and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Come back next week and see which recipe I choose from Aida Mollenkamp.