No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are so easy to do.  I rolled mine in ground almonds instead of the coconut due to my coconut hater in the house.  These taste much better the second day.

1 can sweetened condensed milk 300ml
36 graham wafer squares or 2 1/2 cups crumbs
1 pkg chocolate chops 350 g
coconut

If using squares, crush until fairly fine.  Mix the sweetened condensed milk, crumbs and chocolate chips.  Form into balls.  Roll the balls in coconut and place on wax paper until set.  Store in sealed containers. No cooking required.  Makes 48 balls

Fresh Orange Chicken Salad

I love Chicken Salad and this is a great version.  Quite often I find it isn't worth my time to make a salad dressing but this is an exception.  Make sure you try the salad dressing, it is light but with lots of flavour.  Use a good quality whole grain or multigrain bread for the croutons.  From Canadian Living Magazine.

1 1/2 cup cubed multigrain bread
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 orange
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Pinch each salt and pepper
3 cups romaine lettuce
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup black olives, pitted and chopped
225 g boneless skinless chicken breast, grilled and sliced

On baking sheet, toss bread with 2 tsp of the oil.  Bake in 375F oven, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut top and bottom off orange; slice away peel and white pith.  Working over bowl, cut between fruit and membranes to release segments into bowl; set aside.

Squeeze 2 tbsp juice from remaining membranes into separate small bowl; whisk in remaining oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

In salad bowl, layer lettuce, onion, olives, reserved orange segments and chicken.

To serve, add dressing and croutons.

Potato Gnocchi

I have tried gnocchi from the grocery store and liked them so I wondered if making them from scratch would be worth the effort.  It definitely was!  These are not difficult and tasted so much better than what I could buy commercially.  Do not cook too many gnocchi at once.  They should have plenty of room to bob about in the boiling water.  From Food and Drink Magazine Spring 2001.

3 medium baking potatoes
1 egg
2 tbsp butter at room temperature
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
Salt and freshly round pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped chives

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Prick potatoes and bake one hour or until very tender.  Halve and scoop out flesh while hot.  Pass through ricer or mash.  Add egg, butter and mix well.  Add cheese and enough flour to make a soft but not sticky dough.  Season.
2. Let cool slightly.  Take half the dough and roll on well floured surface into a 1 inch rope.   Cut into 1 inch pieces and place onfloured baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.  They may be cooked immediately or kept refrigerated for several hours.  Once cooked they must be eaten immediately.
3. To cook, bring a large pot of water ot boil.  Add salt and reduce to simmer.  Add about 20 gnocchi and stir.  Once they rise to top cook for another minute.  Remove with slotted spoon and place in warmed serving dish.  Toss gently with olive oil.  Repeat with remaining gnocchi.  Top with chives.

Serves 6

The Ultimate Lasagna

Got this recipe from Canadian Living Magazine…a really yummy family friendly recipe.  Like any lasagna it takes some time to prepare…but it is worth it.  I like that this recipe doesn't just use a commercially made tomato sauce but prepares one from tomato paste and diced tomatoes.  Fresh garden tomatoes could be used instead of the canned if you have them available.

12 lasagna noodles
1 tub (475 g) extra smooth ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
4 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

TOMATO MEAT SAUCE:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 cans each (156 ml) tomato paste
675 g lean ground beef
2 cans diced tomatoes (each 796 ml)
1 cup red wine
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper

• In Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions, celery, carrot and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste.  Add beef; cook, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, wine, bay leaves oregano, salt and pepper; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 40 minutes.  Discard bay leaves.  (Make ahead; let cool for 30 minutes.  Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days.)
• Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles for 2 minutes less than package directions for al dente.  Drain; lay noodles, without touching, in single layer on tea towel. ** I always make a couple extra…mostly because I usually end up breaking or destroying one or two of them.
• Stir together ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.  **make sure you use the extra smooth ricotta for this and don't buy the pretend Parmesan..I know it is cheaper but it doesn't work as well as the real stuff.
• Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce.  In 13 x 9 inch baking dish, spread one third of the remaining meat sauce.  Arrange 3 noodles over top; sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese.  Top with half of the remaining meat sauce, 3 noodles, ricotta mixture, 3 noodles, remaining meat sauce, then 3 noodles.  Top with reserved meat sauce, then remaining mozzarella cheese. (Make ahead; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.  Unwrap before baking.)
• Cover with foil.  Bake in 375F oven for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake until cheese is golden, about 15 minutes.  Loosely cover with foil; let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Smoked Salmon Roll-ups

Delightful and so easy!

4 oz cream cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
4 green - spinach flavoured tortillas
6 oz smoked salmon, thinly sliced

1. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, onions and dill.  Spread mixture evenly over tortillas.
2. Layer salmon over cream cheese.  Roll up tortillas.  Cut each tortilla into 4 pieces.

No Knead Cranberry Focaccia

From Food and Drink Winger 2012.  This worked really well and is a relatively simple bread.  I like the cranberries but they could be switched with dried sweet cherries or a dry fruit of your choice.

True focaccia is not just flatbread, but a light loaf with an airy network of bubbles.  The trick to developing this texture is to ignore traditional bread making techniques.  This slow rise dough requires no kneading, has reduced yeast and is quite moist; the salt is added at an unusual time.  Mix by hand since a machine such as a stand mixer with a dough hook or a food processor is not suitable.  Machines cause gluten to develop, something not desirable for the texture of this mildly sweet bread that is perfect for brunch or sweet snacking.

1 tsp instant or traditional yeast
1 1/2 cups water, just warm to the touch
2 3/4 to 3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries or cherries
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins or finely diced dried apricots
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp coarse sugar such as organic

1. Proof yeast by sprinkling it over water in a large mixing bowl and setting it aside for 5 minutes.  Then stir to dissolve yeast.  Meanwhile, line a 9 inch round or square cake pan with aluminum foil, extending up and slightly over side.
2. Add 2 3/4 cups flour all at once to proofed yeast; stir with a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon until flour is absorbed.  Dough should be sticky, but not wet.  Stir in additional flour if needed.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let rest for 1 hour or until doubled.
3. When dough has doubled, sprinkle salt evenly overtop; stir in thoroughly let rest 10 minutes.  Then add cranberries and currants; mix well into dough.
4. Brush some melted butter over pan bottom and sides.  Scrape dough into pan.  Using buttered fingers, pat out to cover pan bottom completely; top is rough in appearance. Brush with remaining butter.
5. Adjust rack below oven centre; preheat oven to 375F.  Loosely cover pan with plastic wrap.  Let rise for 30 minutes in warm spot on top of or near warm stove (not over oven vent!) or until focaccia top is about 1/2 inch above pan sides.  Then uncover; sprinkle top evenly with coarse sugar.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until richly golden.  Cool on a rack for 5 minutes.  Using foil edges, lift loaf from pan.  Remove foil and continue cooling bread on rack.  Cut warm loaf into wedges or slices to serve.  

Spanish Hot Tenderloin

The family really enjoyed this one.

2 large pork tenderloins
Salt and cayenne papper
2 onions
butter
1/4 lb mushrooms
1 lb potatoes, peeled and grated
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 to 5 tbsp grated medium to sharp cheese
1 to 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Cut each tenderloin into fairly thick slices and flatten with a heavy spoon or mallett. Sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper; brown them on each side in butter or olive oil.  Arrange slices closely together in a greased ovenproof dish.  Finely dice onions and mushrooms; fry them for a few minutes.  Add grated potatoes; stir for about 4 minutes.  Add more salt and cayenne to taste and then add the cream.  Toss until blended; arrange on top of meat.  Sprinkle with grated cheese and parsley; drizzle generously with melted butter.  Bake at 400F for 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve with a green salad.