A Better Box Cake

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Ingredients

  • 1 box of yellow cake mix
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 box vanilla pudding instant mix (3.4 oz)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C)
  2. Grease and flour a bundt pan to prevent sticking
  3. In a large bowl combine yellow cake mix, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla pudding mix and cinnamon.
  4. Add eggs, water and oil. Beat on medium speed until the batter is smooth and well blended.
  5. Pour the batter evenly into a prepared bundt pan
  6. Bake in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool the cake. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely

Optional glaze

  1. Combine 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the warm glaze over the cake for a shiny delicious finish.

Recipe Source

Beef and Broccoli

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Marinade

  • 1 lb steak
  • 2 TBS Hoisin Sauce
  • 1 1/2 TBS Soya Sauce (preferably low sodium)
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper

Sauce

  • 3/4 cup Chicken Stock
  • 2 TBS Hoisin Sauce
  • 2 TBS Light Soy Sauce
  • 1 1/2 TBS White Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp White Pepper
  • 1 TBS Corn Starch

Vegetables

Choose 10 oz of broccoli or your favourite veggies

Directions:

  1. Marinate the beef with at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator
  2. After Marinating fry beef with some oil until cooked
  3. In a pan or in the microwave, steam broccoli (or vegetable of choice) until cooked
  4. Add steamed vegetables to beef mixture and serve over rice or noodles.

Recipe source

Banana, Applesauce, Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg
  • 3 bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Cup oatmeal (I used old fashioned for this recipe, not quick cooking oats)
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Combine wet ingredients together, the vanilla, applesauce, egg, bananas and brown sugar.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients together, salt, cinnamon, flour, baking soda, baking powder and oatmeal.
  4. Mix both wet and dry ingredients together
  5. Spoon batter into a 12 muffin non-stick muffin tin oiled with cooking spray or use muffin liners.
  6. Bake 18-20 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the muffin to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, they are done.

Enjoy

Original Recipe

Stir It Up…Stir Fry

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (preferably low sodium)
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or (Asian black vinegar ie. Chinkiang Asian vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon light soya sauce (light sodium preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce (or vegan oyster sauce)
  • 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch (flower)
  • 1 tablespoon (3 cloves) mined garlic
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Choice of protein if desired (sliced beef, sliced chicken or shrimp)
  • Choice of sliced vegetables (carrots, broccoli, onions, snow peas, celery, cauliflower, bok choy)
  • Cooking oil

Directions for Stir Fry Sauce

In a bowl or a container with a lid add: broth, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, corn starch, white pepper (do not add ginger or garlic at this stage). Mix together ingredients.

Directions for Stir Fry

  1. Over high heat, add a tablespoon of cooking oil to a fry pan or wok
  2. Add your protein, and stir fry it. Adding a little water and cover the pan will add some steam to the help cooking
  3. When almost cooked remove protein and add some more cooking oil
  4. Stir fry the onions then add your prepared vegetable and if necessary add a little water and cover to steam them
  5. Add your minced ginger and garlic (adding these aromatics at this stage will prevent them from burning
  6. When almost cooked add back your protein and stir together
  7. Make a “well” on the side or middle and add your sauce mixture
  8. The sauce will thicken and mix it into the vegetable/protein mixture (if necessary add a little more corn starch to thicken)

Serve over rice or by itself and enjoy

Bravo Beef Stroganoff

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound cooked roast beef or steak
  • 1 medium onion sliced or diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 8 ounces of button mushrooms, quartered
  • 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups of beef broth
  • 1/4 cup dry parsley leaves or 1/2 cup fresh
  • 5 tablespoons of butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 10 oz of broad or wide egg noodles

Directions

  1. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a skillet and add onion
  2. Cook onions until soft
  3. Add garlic and cook for about a minute or until fragrant
  4. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and cook mushrooms
  5. Add thyme and beef broth and whisk the sauce till smooth
  6. Fold in sour cream and continue to whisk
  7. Add the beef and parsley and cover
  8. Meanwhile cook the egg noodles for about 11-13 minutes
  9. Drain and add remaining butter
  10. Fold noodles into sauce
  11. Add salt and pepper if needed and serve with a dollop of sour cream on top

Enjoy

Sweet Chili Chicken

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Ingredients:

  • 12 oz. skinless boneless chicken breast/thigh, cut into small pieces
  • oil (enough for deep-frying, about 2″)
  • 1 tablespoon oil for frying garlic
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 4 tablespoons bottled sweet chili sauce (you can also use your favourite Asian sauce like lemon sauce or sweet and sour sauce or even plum sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt

Frying Batter:

  • 1 egg white
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup corn starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup water (ice cold)
  • 1 pinch salt

Directions:

  1. Put all the batter ingredients into a bowl along with the chicken
  2. Put frying oil into a wok or pan to a depth of at least 2″
  3. Heat oil till oil begins to simmer, do not overheat. You can test oil by putting a wooden skewer in oil and bubbles form. If bubbling hard, oil is too hot.
  4. Gently place the battered chicken into the oil and deep-fry until the chicken is golden brown
  5. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
  6. Heat another pan over medium heat and add the oil for the garlic. Fry until fragrant and add the chicken to the pan along with sweet chili sauce, lime juice and salt. Continue to toss until chicken is coated with sauce.
  7. Serve right away to keep crispy

Enjoy

Based on the original recipe

All Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

  • 3 tsp olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 gloves of garlic minced (1 tsp)
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 3 celery stocks diced
  • 3-4 medium potatoes diced
  • 1 28 ounce can of tomatoes (I pulse mine in a blender)
  • 4 cups of vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp ground thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 can of white beans (cannellini) or your favourites
  • 3-4 parmesan rinds (the outer part of the cheese)

Directions

  1. Put olive oil, diced onion, carrots, celery and potatoes in a Dutch oven or pot an sauté for 3-4 minutes on medium high.
  2. Add garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for another minute
  3. Add tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil
  4. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just becoming tender
  5. Add white beans and continue to heat until done
  6. Remove parmesan rinds and serve with a slice of your favourite fresh bread

Enjoy

Cooking Conversions

  • Baking Powder (5 ml / 1 tsp)
    • Baking soda (1 ml / 1/4 tsp) + Cream of Tarter (3 ml / 5/8 tsp)
  • Chocolate Square – unsweetened 1 square
    • Cocoa (50 ml / 3 tbsp) + Shortening (15ml / 2 tbsp)

Small Volume (Liquid)

  • 1 teaspoon = 5 ml
  • 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 1/2 fluid ounces = 1/16 cup = 15 grams = 15 ml
  • 2 tablespoons = 6 teaspoons = 1 fluid ounce = 1/8 cup = 30 grams = 30 ml
  • 4 tablespoons = 12 teaspoons = 2 fluid ounces = 1/4 cup = 57 grams = 60 ml
  • 5 tablespoons = 16 teaspoons = 3 fluid ounces = 1/3 cup = 85 grams = 74 ml
  • 8 tablespoons = 24 teaspoons = 4 fluid ounces = 1/2 cup = 115 grams = 118 ml
  • 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons = 8 fluid ounces = 1 cup = 227 grams = 240 ml

Large Volume (Liquid)

  • 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 1/2 pint
  • 2 cups = 16 fluid ounces = 1 pint = 1/2 quart = 455 grams = 480 ml
  • 3 cups = 24 fluid ounces = 1 1/2 pints
  • 4 cups = 32 fluid ounces = 2 pints = 1 quart = .95 liters
  • 8 cups = 64 fluid ounces = 2 quarts = 1/2 gallon – 1.8927059 liters
  • 16 cups = 128 fluid ounces = 4 quarts = 1 gallon = 3.8 liters

Dry Measurements

  • 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
  • 1 pound dry = 16 ounces

Metric Weight Conversions

  • 1 gram = .035 ounces
  • 100 grams = 3.5 ounces
  • 500 grams = 17.6 ounces; 1.1 pounds
  • 1 kilogram = 35 ounces; 2.2 pounds

Cooking and Oven Temperature Conversions

0°C = 32°F
100°C = 212°F
120°C = 250°F
160°C = 320°F
180°C = 350°F
190°C = 375°F
205°C = 400°F
220°C = 425°F
230°C = 450°F

Easy To Remember, One Cup Yorkshire Pudding

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Yes, that’s right no need to try to figure out how many of this and how many of that. You only use a cup to measure the ingredients…easy breezy to remember

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of all purpose flour
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 cup of eggs (just keep cracking those eggs till they fill up the cup)
  • 2 tbsp of shortening or lard or beef drippings

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C)
  2. Whisk all ingredients together and let stand for 5 minutes
  3. In a large muffin tin or 8″x8″ square pan put in lard and then put into the preheated oven.
  4. Pour batter into smoking hot muffin tins or pan
  5. Bake in hot oven and let puddings dry about 10 minutes

Temperatures and Cooking Times:

  • First bake at 450°F (230°C) – 15 minutes
  • Then lower temperature to 350°F (180°C) 10-15 minutes
  • Then turn off and let bake for 10 minutes in oven
  • Finally remove from oven and let them sit for 5 minutes

Enjoy

Baked Buttered Chicken

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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, use to your taste
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 can (14 ounce) full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons cold, salted butter, sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped or parsley
  • Steamed rice and naan, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
  2. In a bowl, combine the chicken, yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Let sit 5 minutes.
  3. Add the onion, then pour over the coconut milk. Add the tomato paste. Stir until creamy and well-mixed. Arrange the butter slices over the chicken. Bake 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked throughout. Top with cilantro or parsley.
  4. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice and naan.

Enjoy!