Monday, 1 June 2009

Chocolate Moose



Ingredients:
12 oz bittersweet chocolate in chunks (I used 3 bars of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao)
¼ cup flavored coffee
1 strawberry (this is used for a bit of extra flavor so if you don’t want it, don’t use it)
¼ teaspoon vanilla paste
¾ cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
2 Tablespoons sugar
A pinch of salt
2 cups whipping cream (with extra to whip for the top)

Warm chocolate with coffee, strawberry, and vanilla until chocolate begins to melt. Set aside. Warm milk in a saucepan but don’t boil. In a small bowl whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt until mixed. Pour a little bit of the warm milk into the egg mixture and stir, then place full egg mixture into rest of milk. Stirring continuously, heat on low until milk and eggs begin to thicken. (This is the hardest part because you don’t want it too thick. I moved the pan to the side and waited until the mixture began to film on the sides. Meaning the milk didn’t drip down. Hope that makes since, it was a guess on my part too, but it ended up forming just fine).

Once milk and eggs have thickened pour over top chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool briefly. Whip cream until lightly formed. When chocolate mixture is cool, but not set, fold in whip cream—1/4 mixture at a time. Fold until there is no white showing. Place in fridge for at least three hours to form (moose can be in the fridge for up to three days). Serve in your favorite dessert dish topped with a spoonful of whip cream and any fruit you like if desired.

Easy Breaded Chicken



This is one of my family’s favorites. We have recently adapted it a bit. But I have been eating this since I was a kid. (Mind you I am still a kid at heart).

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts (1 chicken breast will feed 2 people. Base # of chicken breasts to those you are feeding).
Bread crumbs (I use Progresso Italian Style)
Oil
Lemons

Take one chicken breast and cut it in half butterfly style. Place the two halves in-between two pieces of plastic wrap and whack with a pot until thin. (I wanted to call this “Get Your Aggression Out Chicken” but decided against it.) Continue process with the rest of the chicken breasts you have. Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish big enough to fit pounded chicken. Dip chicken in water and then into bread crumbs.

Heat oil hot in a skillet. Test oil by sprinkling a few bread crumbs in. If they sizzle then put chicken breasts in to brown both sides. Heat your oven and place chicken in a oven safe dish to keep warm while you finish browning the rest of your breaded chicken.

Serve with a few slices of lemon to squeeze on the chicken. Great with a bit of red wine vinegar or ketchup as well.

Saturday, 30 May 2009

Chocolate Strawberry Cake



This is the easiest cake recipe I know and I am always making changes to it. My friends came over for this one, and we enjoyed it with a nice bottle of Pinot Noir. Thanks for the sweet memories guys.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
A pinch of salt
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup boiling water
1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
16 oz fresh strawberries (cut up to size desired, save a few for garnish)
Splash of full flavored molasses

Place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well but do not beat. Place in desired size cake pans that have been buttered and lightly floured (I like to make one large circle cake and then the rest of the cake mix is placed in mini loaf pans so friends can take it home easily). Bake in oven at 350*F. for approximately 30 minutes.

This also makes for a great breakfast in the morning. ☺

Rosemary and Garlic Chicken with Rice



This is a fun and quick recipe. Your ingredients will vary on the number of people you are preparing for.

Ingredients:
Chicken Breast (de-boned)
Olive oil
Balsamic
Garlic cloves
A few fresh sprigs rosemary
Salt and Pepper

Rice


Place chicken in Tupperware. Top with balsamic, olive oil, chopped garlic and chopped rosemary add a bit of salt and pepper. Cover container and shake well. Place in refrigerator to marinade.

When ready to cook throw chicken on BBQ or place in skillet. Take extra marinade and heat in a saucepan. Make whatever rice you like. (I like a light and fluffy white rice, but wild rice would be great for this too). Once marinade is heated place cooked rice into it and mix.

Food is ready when chicken is cooked through. If you want garnish it with a bit of cilantro or left over rosemary. Enjoy! You know I did.