Apple cinnamon loaf review

This recipe has been passed around on Facebook and looked too good not to try! Here's my review:

Mix cinnamon and brown sugar together

Set aside.

In mixer

Cream sugar with butter

Add in eggs and mix well

Add in vanilla

Add in flour

Add in baking powder. Mix.

Add in milk and beat just until combined.

Taste test!

Now for the assembly.

Batter

Apples ( I used my pre-peeled, cut and frozen apples)

Sugar mixture

Repeat ending with the sugar mixture.

Ready for the oven. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes.  

This was a very simple and straight forward recipe as far as loaves go. Simple ingredients that most people have on hand.  I used my frozen apples; not sure if this made a difference but my loaf took almost 2 and half times the baking time suggested.  It tastes as good as it looks! I would definitly reccommend trying this recipe!

10/31/13:
After eating this the next day; I will defintily be making this again. It still has a crunchy egde and the apples made it super moist. It was pretty dense but I enjoy that in a loaf. I was hoping to share this with my coworkers but half way through assembling the loaf I noticed that Aubrey wasn't just eating some of the apple pieces; she had been taking a bite and putting the half eaten piece of apple back in the bowl. In this case others wouldn't think sharing is fun! The joys and hazzards of baking with a 2 year old!

Breakfast Cookie; Vegan and Gluten Free

My client; whom I share the "travelling jar" with; brought me this delicious cookie for breakfast.

I was just getting hungry, so this was perfect timing. Don't people just love to feed the pregnant ladies? I think we love to be fed!

I have never made these before but thoroughly enjoyed it. It was hearty, fulfilling and packed with goodness.

Here's the recipe:

Vegan Health Cookies

4 cups ground nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup agave syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract
1-2 tsp cinnamon to taste
1 - 2 tsp assorted spices (nutmeg, cardamom, clove, etc)
1 tsp salt optional
1/2 cup dried fruit chopped
1/2 cup raw oats (GF)
2 tablespoons poppy seed, pumpkin seed, sunflower, etc. crushed

Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix all liquid ingredients in a
separate bowl. Combine. Form I to 2" inch balls and place on cookie
sheet with Pam (or the like), flatten with fork and bake for 15-20 min.

ENJOY

Definitly look in the mirror after eating these!!!!!!

Homemade chicken nuggets

Warning!!!!!! If you don't like the site of raw meat; you will not enjoy this post!  

I do not enjoy eating chicken with bones or even the thought of it for that matter.  Not sure why? I never enjoyed dark meat until my husband showed me you could make it crispy.  

It was my turn to make dinner tonight while Jeff and Aubrey went outside to play. Normally Jeff would do any type of butchery in our house but I did go to cooking school people! My education should give me some qualifications. I actually remember being at the Woodbine racetrack and one my assignments was de-boning a case, yes a case of chicken thighs.  Oh boy, this sure brought me back. 

I wouldn't normally buy thighs with the skin on and the bone-in but Jeff did...and a sale is a sale....thank you Costco!

So here's a quick lesson.  If you got them you mine as well use them.

First I use a cutting board that we only use for meat.

I peeled the skin off

Flip them over and run my knife down both sides of the bone

Once I can insert my knife under the bone to the other side I pull my knife through just leaving the large ball attached (I don't think that's the technical term!); actually Jeff advised me it's the thigh joint.

Cut that out

You're left with boneless skinless chicken thighs.  

You can always buy them at this stage; which I usually do and freeze them in packages of 6.

I cut them into chunks and I cleaned up my station.

Now let the seasoning begin!

I used cornmeal, flour, curry powder, onion salt, salt and pepper. You can pretty much do anything you want!  If I was doing this GF I would of used my cornstarch instead of flour.

Once this is coated well I add a touch of olive oil to coat it even more and lay it out on a parchment lined pan with a drizzle of olive oil.

Since I'm making a full meal I needed a veggie. I decided to roast cauliflower. I could use the same pan and similar flavours.

Cut the stem off

Insert my knife around the core and pull it out

After I rinsed this I added a touch of olive oil, salt, pepper, curry powder and brown sugar.  The brown sugar will help the cauliflower carmelize while it cooks.

I put this in the oven at 400F for 15 minutes to start.  I checked on it and flipped everything to make sure both sides get crispy.

This should take another 15 minutes.  The perfect amount of time for our last component of the meal; onion rings! 

These are my favourite; a splurge!

Everything should be done at the same time.

I have enough time to set the table, light a candle and turn on some music!

I will be serving this with my moms homemade tzakiki sauce, ketchup (known as "dip" in our house) and hot sauce of course! 

Aubrey's plate; all ready and cooling!

Aubrey gave it a thumbs up...well her version of thumbs up!

It was a great meal; full of laughter, interpretive dancing and great company!

Aubrey ate pretty much her whole plate; she tried the cauliflower but thought it was too picy (spicey). She loved the chicken!

She finished off dinner with a much deserved Popsicle and the ritual of blowing out the dinner time candle.

I love evenings like this...so nice to enjoy dinner together as a family!  So thankful!

Pita pizzas

Sometimes nostalgia plays a big part of what I want to eat.  I remember being a teenager and every time I would go to Evans house their mom would serve pita pizzas. Looking back; we probably ate them out of house and home.

I was totally craving these with a little twist.

I started with a bag of mushrooms that needed to be used up and three smaller onions from the fridge.  I chopped these up finely.

With a little butter and olive oil I put these in a hot pan and just cooked them down.  I wanted them to be carmelized.

I added salt and pepper.

Once they had cooked a little I deglazed my pan with balsamic vinegar, turned my heat down and just let them be.  Stirring every couple of minutes.

To finish them I added a touch of honey to round out the flavours.  This mixture could be done ahead and used for various recipes; a side with steak comes to mind.

I laid out all of my toppings. Grated light mozerella, pineapple, tomato sauce and the sautéed mushroom and onion mixture.  

Whole wheat pitas; I have these on hand in the freezer and used them right from frozen for this.

I put these in the oven at 375F convection.  These took about 8-10 minutes.

My sister came just in time for lunch and loved it.  I was so happy to share!  I made Aubrey's with just sauce and cheese.  I feel this is a great meal for kids.  Quick, easy and you can make it as healthy as you want.