Spudnuts!

Wow... I haven't posted since before Baby #3 was born...  and she's 14 months old already!   We've moved, and now settled in (mostly)... and it's time to share some new recipes.

Today I'll be sharing the spudnut recipe I tried a few weeks ago. We joked that I should only make them on Thursdays (it's a Lethbridge joke). These are tasty!

 

This recipe was given to me by the sweet lady down the street.  Really the only neighbour I've gotten to know.   It makes a huge batch, so be sure to share with everyone you know!

Spudnuts 

makes 5-7 dozen

 

2 pkg yeast

4 cups scalded milk, cooled

1.5 tsp salt

1 cup margarine

5 eggs, well beaten

1 cup sugar

2 cups mashed potatoes

2 tsp nutmeg

lots of flour

 

Add risen yeast (mix yeast with 1/4 c warm water) to cooled milk, then add sugar, eggs, margarine, salt mashed potatoes and nutmeg.  Stir well, and add enough flour to make a soft dough.

 

Let rise until double in size.   Then knead and roll out to 1/2 inch thick.  Cut with a donut cutter (I used a round cookie cutter, and my apple corer), and lay out on sheets to rise again. 

 

Cook in fat/lard until golden brown.   Then dip while hot in glaze.

 

Glaze:

1 lb icing sugar

2 Tbsp butter

 

Add enough hot water for it to be faintly thick.

 

Tips passed on to me before beginning:

 

-use electric frying pan.  3-4 Crisco cubes will be perfect to cook the donuts.  Temp at 375-400

-use whatever you have to shape donuts...   drinking glass, and spout to empty soy sauce, is what my neighbour uses

-use the remnants after cutting donuts to make various shaped donuts....    twists, donut hole clusters, etc (see pic below).

-neighbour uses instant mashed potatoes.  I would have made potatoes from scratch, so this was a good little time saver.

 -when donut is golden on one side, use a fork to turn over

-line a bowl, or lid of electric fry pan with paper town, and when removing donuts from oil, place in there to cool a smidge, and to drain fat off before glazing.

-they can be frozen

-extra hands are very handy!

 

Some twists made from remnants:

A donut holes bunch:

 

Mmm:

 

Nicely golden:

Next time I may dip the tops in Chocolate icing.   But I think this is a once to twice a year recipe.  They're too hard to resist when they're in the house.

 

Enjoy! :)

These were tasty and a great use of zucchini and pumpkin.

Pumpkin Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread and Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

2 sticks of butter, softened

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tbsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini

1 15oz can of pureed pure pumpkin

 

Preheat the oven to 350F

Cream butter, and add eggs one at a time.   Add milk and beat.    Add in pumpkin and zucchini.

In separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.  

Add to wet ingredients, being sure not to over mix.

Pour mixture into 2 greased bread pans, or into greased muffin pans.   

Bake  for 45-60 minutes for loaves and 25-35 minutes for muffins (or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

 

*I felt this recipe could use a little extra spices…. maybe a smudge more cloves and cinnamon, but otherwise very tasty.

Almond Milk Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

This may have been an experiment, but it was pretty tasty!!

We were a little eager to have dessert, so we didn't let it set up the full time in the freezer (plus it was hot out), so please excuse the photo.



Almond Milk Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

1.5 cups of Almond Milk
2 ripe bananas
2-3 Tbsp of cocoa
2 Tbsp of sugar (this probably could be omitted, it was plenty sweet from the bananas and almond milk)

Heat up the almond milk with cocoa and sugar to get it all mixed together nicely (either microwave or stovetop). Don't make it hot, but just warm enough for the ingredients to blend nicely. Once it's mixed evenly, pour into a blender with the bananas, and blend til smooth.

Pour into your ice cream maker and run it for about 20 minutes. Pour in freezer safe bowl to set up for about an hour (or if you're like us, you'll pull it out after about 20 minutes, cause you just can't wait).

*in thinking now... if you cooled the whole thing after blending, in the fridge... it might set up enough to be ready to eat right from the ice cream maker.

______________________

This is super tasty. I will probably omit the sugar next time, but best way to test is to take a little spoonful taste test before pouring it in the ice cream maker.

You can tell from the picture it is quite soft, but if you leave it the full hour in the freezer, it should set up nicely.

I might also experiment with different flavours.. I love the nutty taste of the almond milk, plus it gives more dairy-free options.

I see a host of experiments coming from this one.... using both the ice cream maker (mine is an attachment for my KitchenAid Mixer), and using the Vitamix.

If you experiment with this recipe, let me know!! :) We started with chocolate.. since we're chocolate fiends... but I think I may give strawberry a go very soon!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I was on snack duty for preschool for Valentine's Day. I went through a variety of ideas, but of course it HAS to be cupcakes!

I was trying to come up with something fun, but decided to stick with the classic chocolate cupcake, and then for icing, I decided to come up with a strawberry jam buttercream. There's one kid in the class that has a red dye allergy, so I had to not include anything pink or red.... but a natural pinkness would be perfect.

I also decided to try a trick I saw on pinterest:

Source: flickr.com via Tamara on Pinterest

Heart shaped cupcakes!

Here's the result:





I made a strawberry jam buttercream once before, but it wasn't this perfect. I used that one to top a peanut butter cupcake (and it was a delicious combo), but I think I perfected the recipe this time!

Strawberry Jam Buttercream Icing

1/4 cup butter
1/2 bag of icing sugar
3/4 cups strawberry jam (used my homemade jam from this last summer)
3(ish) Tbsp milk

Using a hand mixer (or you could use a stand mixer), thoroughly mix the butter and jam. Add icing sugar and milk until you have reached the desired consistency. I'm not exactly sure how much milk I used, but I did use half the bag of icing sugar, and just splashed a bit of milk here and there.

Super simple... just buttercream with jam in it.... maybe it was the difference between store bought and homemade preserves.... or maybe I just had the proportions better this time, but it was DELICIOUS... like lick the bowl out delicious.

Christmas Baking Blitz

I don't have much time for Christmas baking this year (one of my favourite activities). So we decided that this morning would be my only baking time. SO I stuck to simple, fast and easy recipes this year and did it in 3 hours.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (previously blogged)


Oreo Pops

Thought these were a great idea, but make sure you get the double stuffed Oreos, or they won't work (I didn't, and ended up having to combine 2 Oreos for each, so didn't make too many of them)

-Double Stuffed Oreos
-White Chocolate Chips (or Melts)
-sprinkles, or crushed candy canes
-lollipop sticks

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave. Power level 50%, for 1 minute, then for 30 secs at a time until melted (stirring between each).
Put Oreos on stick, dip in melted chocolate, and dip in sprinkles (or just sprinkle them on top). Lay on wax paper until dried (put in fridge if you want them to harden faster)

Simple and easy treat!

Since I didn't buy double stuffed Oreos, I quickly decided to just dip the cookies:

White Chocolate Dipped Oreos


Same as oreo pops, but skip the stick. Dip halfway in melted white chocolate, and then dip in sprinkles, and lay on wax paper to harden (I put the wax paper on a plate and put in the fridge). Delicious, festive and super easy!

Candy Cane Rice Krispie Squares


-1/4 cup margarine
-1 pkg of marshmallows
-1 tsp vanilla
-6 cups Rice Krispies
-1/4-1/2 cup of crushed candy canes

Melt margarine in a pot on the stove. Add marshmallows and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat, add vanilla, Rice Krispies and candy canes. Stir until mixed, and dump into a greased 9x9 pan. Using a greased spatula, press down on the top to flatten. Let cool, slice and serve.

These are super yummy. I was on a "add crushed candy canes to everything" kick a few years ago, and created this yummy variation! Scrumptious, and always devoured!

Saltine Toffee

-Saltine Crackers

-1 cup butter

-2 cups brown sugar

-2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line cookie tray (jelly roll type... with edges) with tin foil, and spray with non-stick spray

Lay the bottom of the tray with saltine crackers... closely together, as few gaps as possible.

Melt butter and sugar together over medium heat on the stovetop.

When mixture comes to a rolling boil let boil for 2 minutes, stirring.

Pour mixture over crackers.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes (it will bubble up all nicely)

Remove from oven... let stand for 2 minutes.. then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Spread the chocolate evenly over the top as they melt.

Sprinkle peanuts, or crushed up saltines on the top.

Put pan in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Break it up and enjoy!


as well as Peppermint Nanaimo Bars (which I'll photograph and blog tomorrow).

I couldn't have done it without help:


She's a good helper! She dipped cookies in chocolate and sprinkles, crushed up saltine crackers, laid out saltine crackers, rolled the pb blossoms in sugar and placed them on the pan, as well as "kissed" the cookies when they came out of the oven. Plus a variety of other little tasks.

Julia helped too... kinda. At least she was in the kitchen with us:

Peppermint Patty Brownies

I had this recipe on my previous blog... with no indication of where I got it from. This was a favourite, and I haven't made them in FOREVER! I was reminded about them tonight, when I saw peppermint patties at someone's house. I think I'm overdo in making this recipe again. There are a few people that want this recipe, so I'm posting now, and will make them this week (well, actually the first week of December) and take pictures to post here.

Peppermint Patty Brownies

1 1/2 cups margarine
3 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
24 small peppermint patties


Mix butter, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs till well blended. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Blend well.
Reserve 2 cups of batter, set aside. Grease 13x9x2 inch pan. Spread remaining batter in prepared pan. Arrange peppermint patties in a single layer over batter about 1/2 inch apart. Spread reserved 2 cups batter over patties. Bake 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50-55 minutes till brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Enjoy!!!

Caramel Rice Krispie Squares

This recipe I had for the first time at Easter, at a wedding. A friend made these for the dessert bar at the wedding, and somehow we ended up bringing an entire tray of them home after the wedding.

I almost didn't get a chance to photograph these, as they went that fast! First we sampled them, then sampled some more... then I cut most of them up to send to my husband's office (cause I know I wouldn't be able to resist them sitting in the kitchen). There was 2 left, and I ate one and this one was intended for my 3 year old... I only remembered to photograph hers before she ate it.

Caramel Rice Krispie Squares


Make 1 batch of rice krispie squares:

-bag of marshmallows
-1/4 cup butter

Melt in large pot
-1 tsp vanilla
-6 cups rice krispies (I use about 5.5 cups, makes them a little more gooey)

Press into large pan.

Centre:
2-3 bags of caramels
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butter

Melt in small pot, pour over first layer of rice krispies.

Make a 2nd batch of the above rice krispies and press into pan on top of caramel. Let them set up.

So yummy, and gooey :)

Fruit Crisp

A favourite dessert growing up was crisp. In our house, the most common was berries and rhubarb, or apple. YUM!! We always had rhubarb in the garden, or in the freezer, so it was easy. I must say... I miss having rhubarb on hand (and only really clued in that you could buy it at the grocery store the other day.... guess I'm so used to having it on hand).

This week we made my mom's crisp recipe, but we did a strawberry apple crisp. Upon getting the recipe from my mom, I found out it was actually another relative's recipe.



Fuit Crisp

Fruit of choice
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash salt
1/4 butter or marg.

Cut up your fruit of choice and lay in the bottom of a baking tray (9x9 or 9x13).

Mix up the topping and sprinkle over top. You'll need to double for the 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 until it gets bubbly, topping is golden brown (30-40 minutes).


I love adding more spices, often will add more cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves, depending on what the fruit is.

Some favourite fruits used were, peach, strawberry rhubarb, apple, and mixed berry.

Best served warm with vanilla ice cream! We used cookies and cream ice cream this time around, since we were out of vanilla.

Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake

From Fix It and Forget It: Kids Cookbook



I've gotten a few kids cookbooks lately, as my daughter ALWAYS wants to help. This one looks like a really good one.

It has also been a rainy week around here... so we've been cooped up. So more baking than normal. :)

Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake

1 cup all-purpose BAKING mix
2 cup sugar, divided
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 1/3 cup divided
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 2/3 cups hot water

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray.
In a medium0sized mixing bowl, mix together baking mix, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 Tbsp cocoa powder, milk and vanilla. Spoon the batter into your slow cooker and spread out evenly.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa and the hot water together. Carefully pour this mixture over the batter. Do no stir.
Cover your slow cooker. Cook the cake on high for 2-3 hours.
After 2 hours, check with a toothpick. If it looks wet, the cake needs to keep cooking, if it has crumbs on it... it's time to eat.
Test every 15 min if it does need to cook longer.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Mmmm

Banana Bread

We like to make dessert on Sundays... it's different every week, and not pre-planned. Usually cookies or something, but we had bananas to use up this week, so we made banana bread (and banana chocolate chip muffins for the freezer).

I don't remember having banana bread much growing up (although, we did have banana chip muffins on sundays often). I never had a banana bread recipe handed down to me, so I've tried many over the years that I've found online, but always been somewhat disappointed with them.

I reached out to some of my friends, and fellow etsy sellers, and the lovely Ann of Magpie Quilts sent me her tried and true recipe.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!

I've made it several times now.



Here is her recipe:

Banana Bread

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional - I'm not a nut fan, so I left them out)
3 mashed bananas
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Mix in order given, baked in greased pan at 350 for 45-60 min or until knife comes out clean.

This recipe also makes awesome muffins. I always add chocolate chips to them! :)

The one pictured I added a glaze.... TOTALLY not necessary! I love this bread on it's own, I just had some cream cheese I wanted to use up, so I thought it might compliment the bread (made it very dessert-like with the glaze).

Peanut Butter Blossoms

This is a go-to cookie recipe in our house.  Whenever I see chocolate kisses on sale... we stock up and do some baking.  

Peanut Butter Blossoms


1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
sugar (just enough to roll dough balls in)
Hershey's Chocolate Kisses (1 bag)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk until creamy. Add Bisquick and vanilla and stir. Chill in fridge for an hour or more. Roll dough into small balls and roll in sugar. Place balls 2" apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Unwrap Hershey's Kisses and put one Kiss in the middle of each cookie. Let cool.

 My 2 year old loves to roll the balls in the sugar... and to "kiss" the cookies after they're out of the oven :)  A good recipe for baking with little ones.

Nanaimo Bars (a Canadian Classic!)

Nanaimo Bars 

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tbsp Cocoa
1 egg
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 cup fine coconut

2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup margarine
3 tbsp custard powder
4 Tbsp milk

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp butter

1. Mix and melt over hot water: 1/2 cup margarine, sugar, cocoa and egg.
2. Add graham cracker crumbs and coconut
3. Pack into a greased 8 x 10 pan, cool 15 minutes
4.Cream 1/4 cup margarine, icing sugar and custard powder until smooth
5. Add milk 1 Tbsp at a time
6. Spread over first layer and let sit 15 min
7. Melt chocolate and butter over hot water
8. Spread over top, Cool and refrigerate

That's the recipe for standard nanaimo bars.

Peppermint Variety
At christmas I swap the middle layer out for peppermint icing (icing sugar, 1/4 cup margarine, milk, green food colouring and peppermint extract)

I've also done:

Cherry Variety
Swap middle layer for cherry icing (cherry flavouring, red food colouring)

Orange Vatiety
Swap middle layer for orange icing (orange flavouring, orange food colouring)..... also adding some orange rind to the base layer is yummy.

Basically you can flavour them anything that goes with chocolate and coconut.

Enjoy! Super yummy.

Chocolate Cherry Brownies

These brownies are a quick and easy dessert to bring places (it makes a large amount). A favorite in my husband's office, with the playgroup moms and just about anywhere else I've brought them!


1 (18 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs , beaten
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup milk
1 (6 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In mixing bowl combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, almond extract and beaten eggs.
3. In sprayed, floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan, pour batter and bake for 25-30 minute.
4. Icing: in medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, butter and milk, bring to boil and stir constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until smooth and creamy.
5. Remove from oven and pour icing over warm cake.