In My World

15 cups peaches 6 cups sugar 6 tbsp lemon juice 3 tsp vanilla, coconut or brandy extract Peel and cut the peaches and place them into a food processor to puree in batches.  In a large stockpot, combine the puree, sugar and lemon juice.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes more.  Add the flavouring of your choice.  Fill sterilized pint jars and then process for 20 minutes in a water bath.  Makes 8 pints.

I was asked the other day if I JUST share recipes or if I have actually made them.  I have made or tasted (if a friend was the cook) ABSOLUTELY every recipe on this blog.  In fact, I often make notations of changes I made or might make and if dear hubby (the fussy eater) likes it. This recipe is the one I use when I run out of Jiffy corn bread (my favourite corn bread in the world but hard to find in Canada). Corn Bread 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup milk 2-1/2 tsp lime or lemon juice 1 egg, beaten 2 tbsp lard, melted Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.   Mix milk and lime juice, add to dry ingredients along with egg and lard.  Mix well, but do not beat.  Pour into a greased 11 x 7 x 1-1/2 inch baking pan. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is brown and tests done.  Cool slightly and cut into squares. About 8 servings. A...

Serves 8 Crust: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 1/4 tsp ground ginger Filling: 1 cup pumpkin puree 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg or ginger 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a 7" spring-form pan and line the bottom edge with parchment paper; set aside. For the Crust: In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, ground ginger and melted butter.  Mix well.  Tip crumb mixture into bottom of the prepared pan and spread evenly across the bottom.  Tamp the crumbs down firmly with the bottom of a glass.  Bake until golden brown and toasted, about 7 minutes; set aside to let cool completely. For the Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1/4 cup softened butter and the cream cheese until smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the mixer.  Add pumpkin ...

My cousin Kim gave me this recipe. I haven't tasted it, but Mom had a jar from Kim last year and she said it was quite tasty. Ingredients 5 pint jars, washed and sterilized 10 pounds fresh asparagus, washed, cleaned and cut into 4-3/4" spears 2 cups white vinegar 2-1/2 cups water 2 tsp mustard seed 1 tbsp pickling spice, placed in a gauze bag 2 tbsp pickling salt Per jar: Dash cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp dill weed or dill seed 1/2 clove garlic 1/2 jalapeno pepper, optional 1 onion slice Place asparagus spears in boiling water and blanch for two minutes; drain and cool. Place dill, garlic, cayenne pepper, onion slice and jalapeño pepper into bottom of each jar. Pack asparagus spears upright into each jar. Combine vinegar, water, mustard seed, canning salt and bag of pickling spice into saucepan and boil for 15 minutes. Remove bag of spices and discard. Pour brine over asparagus, and seal jars. Place jars into canner of boiling water for 10 minutes. Cool. Cook's Notes: We made 4 ...

I  LOVED, LOVED, LOVED  these recipes and I was sure Hal would too.  Wrong again.  The man likes tomatoes, fruit, rice, curry and he has unwittingly eaten tofu many, many times in Thai food.  But apparently I'm wrong.  He liked the rice and the strawberries . . . sigh . . . well I won't give up!! Tofu Curry with Fruit ½ onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced ½ apple, peeled and cut into quarters 2 slices canned pineapple, cut into bit-size pieces 1 banana, cut into bite-size pieces 150 g watermelon, cut into bit-size pieces 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp curry powder ½ cup vegetable broth 220 g firm tofu, cut into 1.5 cm cubes ½ tbsp canola oil ¼ cup cream 15% Salt and pepper to taste Heat half of the butter in a pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic, then sauté 3-4 minutes until they become translucent.  Add the apple and cook 3-4 minutes until it starts to soften.  Add the curry powder and sauté 1 minute with stirring....

I  LOVED, LOVED, LOVED  these recipes and I was sure Hal would too.  Wrong again.  The man likes tomatoes, fruit, rice, curry and he has unwittingly eaten tofu many, many times in Thai food.  But apparently I'm wrong.  He liked the rice and the strawberries . . . sigh . . . well I won't give up!! Steamed Basmati Rice 2/3 cup basmati rice 1-1/3 cup water Salt to taste Rinse the rice and drain it. Pour the specified amount of water into a saucepan, cover, then bring to a boil.  Add the rice and salt.  Cover and cook over very low heat about 15 minutes without uncovering. Remove the saucepan from the heat.  The water should be completely absorbed.  Should it not be, cover and simmer for a few more minuters.  Let stand, covered, 3-5 minutes. Serves 2

So how did you make out with Challenge #6?  Are you ready for  Challenge #7 ? Embellishments are some of the easiest things to buy. Everything looks so good, and you really believe you NEED everything! Embellishments are also one of the supplies most affected by trends so careful consideration is really needed here. It's also important to find a system that will help you store all of your embellishments in a way that won't overwhelm you, yet also is visible enough that you don't forget to USE them.  Let's  S.P.A.C.E.  them. SORT :  As always, bring all of your embellishments together. Touch every piece that you have and ruthlessly sort through them, deciding what to KEEP, TOSS, SELL, DONATE. PURGE :  Immediately throw out the TOSS pile. Bag up and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile, and put them in the garage sale box. Set up a drop-off or pick-up of the DONATE pile. ASSIGN :  Sort through the KEEP pile in a ...

1 cup strawberries 1 banana 2 tbsp fresh mint 1 tbsp sugar Hull the strawberries, halve them and put them in a bowl.  Cut the bananas into small rounds and add them to the bowl.  Pulse the mint and sugar together in a food processor until finely ground.  Sprinkle the mint sugar over the fruit and toss gently to combine.  Let the fruit stand a few minutes before serving into cups.

Lettuce and Tomato Salad 1 tomato 2/3 curly leaf lettuce 2 radishes 1 green onion Salt and pepper Cut the tomatoes into segments and place them in a salad bowl.  Add lettuce leaves.  Finely slice radish and green onion then add them to the bowl.  Pour in 2 tbsp Classic Vinaigrette .  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss and serve.

Pasta with Sausage and Cauliflower ½ onion, coarsely chopped 1-1/4 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets 1/2 tbsp olive oil 2 Italian sausages ¼ dried chili peppers, minced ¾ cup chicken broth, warm 2 cups penne rigate or other short pasta Salt and pepper 2 tbsp parmesan Keep the serving dishes in the oven at the lowest setting so they are warm when you serve.  Put a colander in the sink to drain the cooked pasta so that it will be ready when needed.  Prepare vegetables.  Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté 2-3 min with stirring.  Remove the skin from the sausage, and then add the meat to the pan.  Break up the meat using a wooden spoon and cook 4-5 minutes until it loses its pink colour.  Add the chili pepper (if the sausage is not already spiced).  Pour in the warm broth and stir in the cauliflower.  Bring to a boil then lower the heat.  Cover and simmer 10 min until the cauliflower is cooked al d...

Are you ready for Challenge #6?  Let's talk about ribbons and fibres and washi tape.  There is no "right" way to store your ribbons and fibre. The most important factor is that the system works for YOU. First, let's make some  S.P.A.C.E. SORT :  Gather together all of your ribbons and fiber, and sort them into piles: KEEP, TOSS, SELL, DONATE. PURGE :  Throw out the TOSS pile. Immediately make arrangements for pick-up or drop-off of the DONATE pile. Bag up, and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile, and immediately put these in your garage sale box. ASSIGN :  Sort your KEEP pile into types/colours of fibre and ribbon. If your ribbons are in a big wrinkled mess, take time now to give everything a pressing (careful with the heat, some synthetics may melt!). CONTAINERIZE :  Consider the space that you have, and the way that you work. Here are some ideas that work for both ribbons and fibres: 1) on those little cardboard bobbins meant ...

Here's an example of a Six Word Story: Describe your life or current situation using exactly six words.

Tomato and Feta Cheese Salad and Spaghetti Carbonara 2 tomatoes, sliced 50 g feta cheese, crumbled 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 6 black olives 2 tsp dried oregano ground pepper to taste Cut the tomatoes crosswise into slices approx. 5 mm thick and arrange them in a shallow dish. Crumble the feta cheese over the tomatoes.  Drizzle with oil.  Add the olives and sprinkle with oregano.  Season with freshly ground pepper.  It is not necessary to add any salt, since the feta cheese is already rather salty.  Serve at room temperature.  Serves 2. Hal & I both LOVED this salad.

Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Cream 2 peaches or nectarines 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp honey 1/2 tbsp canola oil 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 cup whipping cream 35% Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits.  If the pit does not pull out easily, use a small sharp knife to cut around it. In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, oil and half of the ground cinnamon.  Dip each peach half into the mixture and transfer it, cut-side down, to a medium hot grill.  Cook until the cut side is golden and juicy, about 3-4 minutes.  turn the peaches and cook them an additional 3 minutes or so until the skin side is soft.  The exact cooking time will vary with the size and ripeness of the peaches. Meanwhile, whip the cream until soft peaks form.  Transfer the peaches to individual serving plates.  Portion out the cream on top of the peaches.  Drizzle any remaining vinegar-honey mixture over each peach, dust with the remaining ground cinnamon, and ser...

Chicken Cutlets Milanese 2/3 chicken breast, boneless, skinless (obviously I used a whole breast . . . LOL) 1 large egg 2 tbsp bread crumbs 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp canola oil salt and pepper to taste Tenderize the chicken by flattening the cutlets using a meat pounder.  Slice breast horizontally into 2-3 cutlets. Prepare 2 shallow dishes:  beat the egg in one, and put the bread crumbs in the other.  dip one cutlet at a time in the egg, let the excess egg drip off before coating the cutlet with bread crumbs.  Turn the cutlets to coat both sides, then set them aside. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, taking care not to let them burn.  Add the cutlets and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes on each side.  Add salt and pepper.  Serve on the warmed plates. Any remaining beaten egg may be cooked as an omelet and served along side the cutlets. Serves 2

Hal had two helpings of the Cold Melon Soup . . . which means I have to come up with a new dessert for Saturday night . . . but that's okay. Cold Melon Soup 1 melon 1/4 cup apple juice 2 tbsp sugar Cut the melon in half and remove the seeds.  Using a melon baller, cut 4 balls per serving and set them aside in the refrigerator.  Using a spoon, scrape out the remaining pulp, dice it coarsely and transfer to the blender or food processor. Pour in the juice and sugar, then pulse until very smooth.  Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. When ready, pour the "soup" into cups, add the melon balls and garnish with mint leaves. Makes 4 servings.

Here is a famous example of a Six Word Story: Describe your life or current situation using exactly six words.

1 tbsp canola oil 1 onion, coarsely chopped 6 carrots, coarsely chopped 2/3 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed (2 oranges) 2-1/2 tbsp gingerroot, coarsely grated 2 cups chicken broth 2 cups water 1/4 cup cream 15% (optional) ** salt and pepper to taste **I didn't add the cream and it was lovely and flavourful.  I'll try adding cream next time I make it. Prepare the vegetables; chop them coarsely. In a pot, sweat the onion in oil over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.  Add the carrots, orange juice, gingerroot, broth and water.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender or processor, then pour it back into the pot.  Stir in the cream and just warm the soup a few minutes. Makes 4 servings

Potato Wedges with Rosemary and Garlic 2 potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 4 wedges 2 tsp. olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 sprig rosemary, fresh, finely chopped salt and pepper to taste Blanch potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain well. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, garlic, rosemary and freshly ground pepper.  Arrange the potatoes on an outdoor grill rack or an oven broiler pan. Cook the potatoes on a hot grill or in the over for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden brown.  Season with salt and serve. Serves 2.

6 servings 2 pounds boneless pork chops, cut into 1/2-inch strips 1/4 cup butter 2 medium onions, sliced 1 (15-oz.) can stewed tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (I used herbes aux Provence) 1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Trim excess fat off pork chops; slice into thin strips. In large skillet over medium heat, melt half the butter. Add slices of pork; cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink. Remove meat from skillet; set aside. Stir onions into juices remaining in pan; cook until just tender. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and mixed herbs to pan. Heat to boil; reduce heat; simmer about 5 minutes. In casserold dish, layer pork, sauce and potatoes (end with potato layer). Brush top of potatoes with melted butter; sprinkle with parsley. Cover casserole dish with a lid and bake at 350F for 1 hour. In my opinion:  Beautiful!! While we were at it, Mom sliced up some extra potatoes and onions and...

6 servings 6 thick-cut pork chops (about 1-inch thick) 1/2 cup wild rice mix 2 tablespoons margarine or butter 2 cups mushrooms, sliced 1/3 cup sherry 1/2 cup onion, chopped 2 teaspoons pepper 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika 1-1/2 cups fat-free beef broth 2 tablespoons cornstarch Cook wild rice mixture according to package directions, substituting 1/3 cup sherry for 1/3 cup water in directions. Heat butter in skillet; stir in mushroom slices and onions, cook until softened. Remove from heat. Stir 1/2 mushrooms into wild rice mixture. Slice a pocket in each chop. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons wild rice/mushroom mixture into each chop. Close with toothpicks. Rub pepper and paprika into chops. Broil chops on broiler rack 5-inches from the heat for 15 minutes (turning halfway through). To make sauce, in saucepan stir together broth and cornstarch. Add remaining sauteed mushrooms; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1 tablespoon sherry. In my opinion:  We...

Source: Canadian Living Magazine: October 2004 Ingredients 2 tsp (10 mL) extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped 6 cups (1.5 L) sliced white mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, (1 lb/500 g) 6 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock or vegetable stock 3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice or wine vinegar 1 cup (250 mL) 5% cream 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh chives or green onions Preparation In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in stock and lemon juice, scraping up any brown bits; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes; refrigerate in uncovered container until cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat over medium he...

What better way to remember which recipes are best than to look for the pages with the most spills on them . . . LOL . . . And that's how I chose this recipe . . . Cereal Jumbles 1/3 cup shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 well-beaten egg 1-1/2 tbsp milk 1 cup sifted enriched flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup finely cut dates 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flakes** ** I went to 3 different stores and could not find any wheat flake cereal. I ended up using Presidents Choice On Track cereal. It was a good decision. And I've been really enjoying eating the leftover cereal. ** Cream shortening; add sugar gradually, and blend. Add egg and milk. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Add vanilla, dates, and nuts. Crush cereal flakes slightly. Drop cookie dough from teaspoon into crushed cereal flakes and roll so that balls of dough are entirely coated. Top with nut meat halves, if desir...

From Encyclopedia of Cooking  by Mary Margaret McBride (1958). I am posting a recipe for Steak and Onion Pie exactly as it is written in the cookbook and then adding my own comments in red. The result (using my changes) was delicious and I would definitely consider this casserole as "comfort food" of the highest order. I served the pie with cabbage salad. Hal and I both had more than one serving . . . LOL . . . but there is still enough left for lunch with a salad or veggie. Steak and Onion Pie 1 pound round steak, cubed 1/4 cup flour 2 teaspoons salt  (I thought this was a crazy amount of salt - substituted 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash) 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon paprika dash of ginger  (I was shocked to find I had no ginger or allspice - substituted with Herbes de Provence - which I really love) dash of allspice  (see note on ginger) 1/4 cup fat  (how about just drizzling a little olive oil in the bottom of the skil...

Describe your life or current situation using exactly six words. Very busy for the foreseeable future

4 servings Preparation 10 min Cooking 25 min 100 calories per serving Ingredients 4 carrots, cut into thin rounds 1/2 onions, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 1/2 tsp butter, unsalted 2 1/2 tsp curry powder 1 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup cream 15% 1 pinch salt [optional] ground pepper to taste Before you start A mandolin will make slicing the vegetables easier. A blender or food processor will be very useful to purée the soup. Method Prepare the carrots: slice them into thin rounds, finely chop the onion and garlic. In a pot, sweat the onion and garlic in butter over medium heat for about 3-4 min. Add the carrots and sauté a few minutes. Add the curry and cook 1 min with stirring. Add salt and pepper. Pour in the broth and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 min. Purée the soup in a blender or processor, then pour it back into the pot. Stir in the cream and just warm the soup ...

From  Encyclopedia of Cooking by Mary Margaret McBride : Grated Potato Pancakes (Latkes) 6 medium raw potatoes 1 small onion 2 slightly beaten eggs 3 tablespoons flour dash of pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional) Pare and grate raw potatoes and onion. Let stand 10 minutes so that liquid will rise to top. Remove liquid. Stir in eggs. Add other ingredients and blend together. Drop by spoonful into a hot well greased skillet. Brown on both sides over moderate heat. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with applesauce, sugar or sour cream. Serves 6. I drained the potatoes for 10 minutes, but they still kept draining so I had to pour off the liquid several times. I didn't know how thick the pancakes should be so I made some thin and crispy and some thick and softer. I really enjoyed the thin ones but Hal preferred the thicker ones. I served the potato pancakes with unsweetened applesauce.

From soscuisine.com , this little recipe makes a delicious salad dressing. I love it, perhaps because it reminds me of the East Side Mario's salad dressing. 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 3-1/2 tablespoons of wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Whisk together, pour over salad, toss and serve.

"Pollo al Mattone" (i.e. under-the-brick) is a traditional Italian cooking method: The bricks weigh down the  butterflied  chicken, which allows even and quick cooking and yields a crispy skin and succulent meat. If you don't have bricks, a pot with 4 litres (16 cups) of water will do the trick. Another recipe from soscuisine.com . . . Hal and I both loved this simple recipe. I didn't have any bricks so I just flattened the chicken as best I could. Ingredients aluminum foil 1 tbsp olive oil 1 chickens, whole, butterflied , trimmed of excess skin and fat 1.4 kg salt to taste ground pepper to taste 1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed 2 lemons Before you start Ask your butcher to split the chicken for you or do it yourself using a knife or poultry shears to cut out the backbone, then press down the breast to flatten it as much as possible. This chicken can be cooked in a pan or using an outdoor grill. Method Baste the chicken with the oil. Season with salt and pepper....

. . . from www.soscuisine.com . I loved it. Hal wasn't crazy about it. I thought it tasted sort of like a Tim Horton's Ice Capp. Caffé "Affogato" (drowned) Vanilla ice cream and hot coffee.  Only 2 simple ingredients for this Italian classic dessert. The ice cream is literally "affogato", i.e. drowned in the hot coffee. Preparation 10 min 80 calories per serving Ingredients 1/2 cup coffee (liquid) 2 scoops vanilla ice cream Method Prepare a very strong coffee (ideally espresso). Place one scoop of vanilla ice cream in a heat-resistant cup. Pour the hot coffee on top and serve immediately.

From About.com . . . Ingredients: 2 teaspoons butter 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 1/2 pounds ground round or ground sirloin 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats 1 cup tomato juice 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided 1 egg 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt Preparation: Heat oven to 350°. Heat butter in small skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Combine cooked onion, ground beef, oats, tomato juice, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Stir until well blended. Press into 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or meatloaf pan. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and spread remaining barbecue sauce over top. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Place loaf on serving plate. Slice and serve. 8 servings. Okay . . . in our case, the recipe only feeds 4 apparently. Of course, Tim was over for supper . . . LOL . . . and the couple of...

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese (I used Parmesan) 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts (I used pine nuts) 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts, pulse them a few times first before adding the basil). Add the garlic, pulse a few times more. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Makes 1 cup Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.