Kale, Salmon and Poached Egg with Crispy Capers

Healthy and delicious! A nice dinner recipe I found in Food and Drink Magazine

2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup capers, well drained and patted dry
750 g salmon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch kale, centre rib removed, torn into pieces (10 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1:4 cup red onion thinly sliced
4 poached eggs

1.  Heat oil in large frying pan over high heat. Add capers and fry 2 minutes or until crispy. Remove to a paper towel ones plate.
2.  Season salmon with salt and pepper.
3.  Return pan to medium high heat. Add salmon and cook until flaky.
4.  Transfer to plate and let cool slightly.
5.  Place kale in bowl and rube through hands until leaves have softened.
6. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, zest, maple syrup, and mustard. Drizzle over kale and divide between plates.
7.  Break up salmon into pieces and place on top of salad. Top with capers and poached egg.

4 servings

Sautéed Pineapple with Fresh Avocado and Mango

A delicious and healthy dish where heat meets s sweet.

1/4 cup lime juice (about 4 limes)

2 tsp liquid honey

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp avocado oil

2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped 

1 cored and peeled fresh pineapple sliced into cubes

1 pinch pepper seeds

1 mango peeled pitted and chopped 

2 avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped 

1/4 cup pepitas 

1 Make vinaigrette by whisking together lime juice, honey, salt and avocado oil.

2 Heat cast iron pan, spray with oil and sauté pineapple and pepper seeds until fragrant and browned.

3. Place in bowl, add mango, avocado and cilantro. Top with vinaigrette and toss to coat. 

4 Sprinkle with pepitas and serve.

Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts

This is a quick and easy dish to put out for your Easter guests before dinner or to give to your host or hostess.

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp table salt
1 egg white
3 cups unsalted mixed nuts

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, mix sugars, chili powder and salt until evenly distributed.

3. In large mixing bowl, whisk egg white until frothy. Stir in nuts until evenly coated. Sprinkle sugar mixture over nuts. Stir to coat evenly. Place nuts in single layer on prepared sheet.

4. Bake nuts on middle rack until browned and fragrant, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool completely, carefully breaking apart as they cool. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to one week.

Plum Torte with Cardamom

The tang of Plum along with the sweetness of the cake makes this a winner!  This recipe is adapted from Food and Drink Magazine.  I think I will try this again with fresh peaches.  Serve with a dollop of good quality vanilla ice cream or whipping cream.

1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cardamom, divided
Pinch of table salt
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
¼ cup (60 mL) milk
3 large ripe purple plums, halved and pitted, about 1 lb 6 oz (625 g)
2 tbsp (30 mL) packed brown sugar
Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream to serve

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Generously butter a 10-inch (3-L) springform pan. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ½ tsp (2 mL) cardamom and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla.

4. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of milk. Fold until no white streaks remain. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top level.

5. Arrange plums, cut-sides up, on top of batter, fitting them snugly in pan.

6. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and remaining cardamom. Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over plums.

7. Bake until a cake tester inserted into batter in centre of pan comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.

8. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a palette knife around edge of pan, then release sides of pan. Slide torte onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6 to 8

No Bake Kit Kat Cheesecake

This is a really simple recipe and comes out so light and delicious.  It is really worth it to make your own chocolate sauce.  It is tasty and not too sweet.  I think I will add some berries on top next time I make this.

4 regular KitKat bars (73 g each), divided
7 graham cracker cookies or 1 cup (250 mL) crumbs
6 tbsp (90 mL) unsalted butter, melted
2 blocks (250 g each; 500 g total) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream, chilled
¼ cup (60 mL) sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
1 tbsp (15 mL) orange zest
Chocolate Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Grease an 8-inch (20-cm) springform pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Combine 2 KitKat bars, graham crackers and butter in a food processor and process until crumbly. Press into prepared pan.

3. Combine cream cheese, cream, sugar, vanilla and orange zest in a food processor and blend until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes.

4. Chop the remaining 2 bars and fold most of it into cream mixture leaving a few pieces for garnish. Spread over crust and freeze until firm, about 4 hours. This gives the cheesecake a better shape.

5. Run a thin knife around the edge and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter. Drizzle cheesecake with Chocolate Sauce. Garnish with reserved (plus additional, if desired) chopped KitKat. Allow to soften for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Serves 8

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

A rich chocolate sauce that can be repurposed as a fondue dipping sauce if any is left.

½ cup (125 mL) cocoa powder
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
1 cup (250 mL) water
½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt

1. Sift cocoa and sugar into a medium pot. Slowly add water to cocoa mixture while whisking. Bring mixture to a boil. Add cream, bring mixture back to a boil then reduce to medium and simmer, whisking often, until reduced to 1 cup (250 mL), about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and salt. Cool slightly before serving with cheesecake.

Makes 1 cup (250 mL) sauce

This is from Food and Drink Magazine

Jello Martini

A fun little dessert!

1 pkg cherry jello
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup Galliano
Maraschino cherries 🍒

Mix jello powder and boiling water until powder is dissolved. Add vodka and Galliano. Put two maraschino cherries on a toothpick. Put one in each of 6 martini glasses.  Pour jello mixture over cherries in glasses. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

Maple Walnut Biscotti with Maple Syrup Glaze

We make our own maple syrup and the flavour it gives these cookies is fantastic. Pick up some from an independent distributor and tast the difference.

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsest chopped

Maple Glaze
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in maple syrup and vanilla. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla.  In separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into butter mixture in two additions to form slightly sticky dough. Stir in walnuts.

Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface form each into 12 inch long logs. Place 3 inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press to flatten to 2 1/2 inches wide. Bake in 325 degree oven for 30 minutes or until firm.

Transfer logs to a cutting board; cut on diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Stand slices up 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Bake in 300 F oven for 30 minutes or until almost dry. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Maple Glaze
In small bowl, whisk icing sugar with maple syrup. With cooled biscotti sitting side by side, drizzle glaze over tops. Let stand until set about 15 minutes.