Author Archives: wrks4me

Carrot Cake

21 Tuesday Jul 2020

Posted by in Baking, Dessert

≈ Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp (2.50 ml) ground ginger
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) fine salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups (500 ml) white sugar
  • 1 cup (250 ml) canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted butter (optional for firmer cake, I leave this out)
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (500 ml) grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) pecan chopped
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) walnut chopped
  • 1 cup (250 ml) canned crushed pineapple (drained)
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) raisins (optional)

Icing

  • 1 pkg (250 g) cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) softened butter
  • 1.5 tsp (7.5 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (750 mg) icing sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
  2. Grease and flour a 9″x13″ baking pan
  3. Sift together, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt, set aside
  4. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, oil, butter and vanilla extract
  5. Pour over dry ingredients and mix until moistened
  6. Sir in carrots, pecans, walnuts, pineapple and raisins (optional)
  7. Pour batter into baking pan
  8. Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean
  9. Remove from oven and cook in the pan on a rack

Icing

  1. Beat together, cream cheese and butter until smooth
  2. Add vanilla extract and then icing sugar a little at at time until smooth and creamy
  3. Spread over cooled cake and serve

Enjoy

Easy Zucchini Cake

15 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by in Baking

≈ Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 Cups Shredded Zucchini
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup of chopped Walnuts

Icing

  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup Powder Sugar
  • 2 tsp Water
  • 1/3 cups chopped Walnuts

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine all ingredients and mix well
  3. Pour into an 11″ x 7″ baking dish
  4. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
  5. Cool and prepare icing
  6. Combine icing sugar and water until it is well mixed
  7. Drizzle over the cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped walnuts

Enjoy

Cake Box Cookies

05 Sunday Jul 2020

Posted by in Baking

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

This is the easiest way of making cookies and you can do so with any of your favourite cake box recipes

Ingredients

  • Your favourite cake box
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp of vanilla (optional)
  • 1 cup of chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Open up the cake box and put into a mixing bowel
  3. Add eggs, oil, vanilla and optional nuts or chocolate chips
  4. Stir until well mixed
  5. Put into the refrigerator between 1/2 to 1 hour for firm up batter
  6. Using a 1 1/2″ cookie scope or table spoon, roll batter between hands for make a 1 1/2″ ball of cookie dough
  7. Roll in sugar and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silicon pad
  8. Bake for about 10-12 minutes
  9. Remove and let cool about 1 minute before placing on the cooling rack
  10. To keep moist place cooled cookies in an airtight container

Enjoy

Curry Comfort

05 Sunday Jul 2020

Posted by in International Dishes, Main Dishes

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs (.907 kg) beef or chicken
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic (finely diced)
  • 1 medium onion (diced)
  • 3 inch piece of ginger (finely diced) or 1-2 tsps
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less depending on how “hot” you want it)
  • 2-3 Tbsp curry powder
  • 2 (13 oz.) cans of unsweetened coconut milk (or use beef or chicken broth)
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

  1. Add oil, beef or chicken to a skillet and season with salt and pepper
  2. Cook meat on medium heat until golden brown and both sides
  3. Remove meat and set aside
  4. Add onion and cook til transparent
  5. Add ginger, garlic and spices and cook to release fragrance (1 minute)
  6. Add coconut milk or broth and simmer.
  7. Return meat to skillet and simmer for about an hour
  8. Serve topped with yogurt and a slice of naan bread

Enjoy

Easy Focaccia

01 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by in Baking

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Foccacia3

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon yeast, active dry or instant (1 gm) or use 1/8 teaspoon yeast and mother from previous bake – see how to make
  • 1 teaspoon salt (6 gms)
  • 1 1/2 cups water not boiling (354 mL)
  • (about 2 Tablespoons extra flour for shaping)
  • Rectangular pan or casserole dish
  • wrks4me_terry_tested-11Parchment Paper
  • Olive oil and herbs of your preference (ie. Herbs Provence, Italian Seasoning or Rosemary)

Directions

FIRST RISE

  1. Put all of the ingredients except for the Extra flour into a bowl
  2. Mix all together til well blended
  3. Put plastic wrap over top and put in a non drafty place for 8-12 hours

SECOND RISE

  1. After 8-12 hours the dough mixture should have risen and appears bubbly
  2. Remove plastic wrap and with a spatula gently fold the dough over itself a few times. 
  3. Line a rectangular pan or casserole dish with parchment paper
  4. Turn out dough onto parchment paper and gently spread out with fingers to edges
  5. Cover with a dry towel and let rise 35 minutes to 1 1/2 depending on how dense you wish the bread. The longer it rises the more airy it will be.
  6. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. (I use 400, others use 450 depending on your oven)
  7. Prepare olive oil mixture (olive oil and herbs, I use Herbs Provence but you can use Rosemary or Italian Seasoning)
  8. foccacia1After dough has risen a second time, now is the time to create “dimples” in the dough by dipping your finger in some olive oil and press them all over the dough to create “dimples”.
  9. foccacia2Brush the olive oil mixture over top of dough and sprinkle with some Kosher salt is you like.
  10. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.
  11. Remove bread to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Enjoy

Tortellini & Sausage Soup

25 Monday May 2020

Posted by in Soups, wrks4me - Recipes

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

sausage tortellini soup3

IngredientsCovid Comfort Food

  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
  • 8 oz (225 g) Italian sausage meat (casing removed)
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves (chopped) or 1 tsp chopped garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can (28 oz/796 ml) diced tomatoes with juice
  • 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
  • 1 can (19 oz/540 ml) lentils, rinsed and drained or 1/2 cup 125 ml dried lentils
  • 1 lb cheese or meat filled tortellini
  • 3 cups (750 ml) lightly packed baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan cheesewrks4me_terry_tested-11

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan add oil,sausage and onion cook over medium heat until meat is cooked
  2. Add garlic and carrots and stir for 5 minutes
  3. Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, tomatoes, chicken broth and vinegar.
  4. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low for 5 minutes
  5. Stir in canned lentils (note if using dried, pre-cook them) and tortellini and simmer until tortellini is tender
  6. Stir in spinach, cover and turn off heat. Let stand for a minute or so until spinach is wilted

Instantpot Version

  1. In the Instantpot add oil,sausage and onion to Instantpot and saute until meat is cooked
  2. Add garlic and carrots and stir for 5 minutes
  3. Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, tomatoes, chicken broth, dried lentils and vinegar.
  4. Cover and select “soup”
  5. After soup has finished, manually vent and remove lid when completely vented
  6. Add tortellini as well as spinach and simmer until tortellini is tender
  7. Serve, once tortellini and spinach is cooked

Serve with a sprinkling of cheese.

Yeast – How to save yeast for another loaf

26 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by in Baking, Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

Covid Comfort FoodIf you’re finding yeast a hard commodity during this pandemic,  think of this technique of stretching your existing bread yeast to last and last.

Technique

  1. If you have started making bread (try my recipe for no kneed bread), allow the dough to rise the first time. Then before the second rise, take a good pinch (about a heaping tablespoon) and put it in a clean container with a top.
  2. Add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of lukewarm water
  3. Mix very, very well and put it in the fridge with a lid on (can be stored for up to 2 weeks). Make sure there is no mold development otherwise you have to discard it.
  4. When you are ready to make another loaf add the mixture to the batter instead of adding dry yeast.
  5. Let it rise as usual and repeat procedure (1) as taking a pinch of bread dough and putting in a container with equal amounts of flour and water, then store in the fridge.

NOTE: If you find your bread does not rise as high as you’d like, you can give a little boost to the yeast, just add 1/8th to 1/4 tsp to your bread batter after you have added this starter.

Step 1: Dough that has risen overnight (first rise)
Step 2: Take out a walnut size (heaping tablespoon) and put it in 1/2 cup each of water and flour
Step 3: Mix all into a slurry (If not required put in the fridge)
Step 4: Add slurry to your new loaf and following your bread directions
Step 5: Enjoy your new loaf of bread (repeat procedure each time you make a new loaf by saving some risen dough in the fridge

No Kneed Dutch Oven Bread

07 Tuesday Apr 2020

Posted by in Baking, wrks4me - Recipes

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

No kneed bread

WCovid Comfort Foode are all staying inside during these trying time. So what better way of passing time then to make some bread. Here is a simple way to making yourself and someone you love happy during this pandemic. MAKE BREAD.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon yeast, active dry or instant (1 gm)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (6 gms)
  • 1 1/2 cups water not boiling (354 mL)
  • (about 2 Tablespoons extra flour for shaping)
  • Dutch Oven
  • wrks4me_terry_tested-11Parchment Paper

Directions

FIRST RISE

  1. Put all of the ingredients except for the Extra flour into a bowl
  2. Mix all together til well blended
  3. Put plastic wrap over top and put in a non drafty place for 8-12 hours

SECOND RISE

  1. After 8-12 hours the dough mixture should have risen and appears bubbly
  2. Dust your surface with flour and gently turn out dough mixture
  3. Dust the top of the mixture and fold dough over a few times. Shape into a ball and place into a parchment lined bowl. (You don’t have to use parchment, but it makes it easier to lift out)
  4. Cover bowl and let rise 35 minutes to 1 1/2 times its size depending on how dense you wish the bread. The longer it rises the more airy it will be.
  5. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. (I use 400, others use 450 depending on your oven)
  6. Put your dutch oven in the oven to get it piping hot (25-30 minutes)
  7. Once the dutch oven is hot, [Be careful to remove dutch oven (very hot)], place parchment with dough directly in the dutch oven, and cover.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes with cover on and then remove cover and continue to cook for 5-20 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.
  9. Be careful to remove dutch oven (very hot) and remove bread to let it cool for at least 15 minutes.

Adapted from original recipe

Original Video Instructions

Covid Comfort Soup

07 Tuesday Apr 2020

Posted by in Soups, wrks4me - Recipes

≈ Leave a comment

Covid Comfort FoodDuring these trying times, I hope all is staying well and inside and if you must go out for groceries or to walk the dog around the block for the 10th today, you are observing physical (social) distancing. The other thing we can do is to use up what we have in the fridge so as not to waste and put an undue demand on our food distribution system.

Stay well by staying inside.

Covid Soup 3

Covid SoupIngredients:

  • 1/2 medium cabbage (diced)
  • 3 stalks of celery (diced)
  • 2 large carrots (diced)
  • 1 large onion (diced)
  • 3 medium potatoes (diced)
  • 1/2 cup pot or pearl barley (rice)
  • 1 can (pasta sauce)
  • 2 containers 900 ml each (4 cups) of broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)

(Use up your vegetables in the fridge you feel would make a great soup)

Directionswrks4me_terry_tested-11

  1. Put all the vegetables into a deep pot and saute lightly for 10 minutes
  2. Pour in the pasta sauce and your favorite broth.
  3. Bring to a boil
  4. Reduce and simmer for 2-3 hours until slightly tender
  5. Put in your barley or rice an hour before serving (if using pasta cook separately, then drop into your bowl when serving. Once soup has cooled down, put remaining pasta into the soup so as not to overcook it).

Instant Pot Cooking Option 2

  1. Put all vegetables into the Instant Pot and saute for 10 minutes
  2. Put broth and pasta sauce, barley or rice into the pot
  3. Put on lid and select soup option.
  4. (If using pasta cook separately, then drop into your bowl when serving. Once soup has cooled down, put remaining pasta into the soup so as not to overcook it).

Enjoy and keep safe