Category: Recipes

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Buttermilk Chicken

Buttermilk Chicken
Buttermilk Chicken

I like the buttermilk chicken at Montana’s so much I decided to try making some at home. No buttermilk in the fridge, no problem.

Pour a half inch of milk in a flat baking dish and add a tablespoon or so of vinegar. Stir it up a bit.

Spread out boneless thighs to soak in the buttermilk for an hour or two, turning them over once or twice.

Pour some flour into a plastic bag and add barbecue chicken spices. If you don’t have a spice mix, try cayenne pepper (depending how hot you like it) or paprika and salt.

Shake the chicken pieces one at a time in the bag, holding the top tightly closed.

Meanwhile, preheat a half inch of olive or other cooking oil in a pan on medium. Add the chicken and cook for a half hour or so on med-low, turning several times until cooked through and the coating is crunchy.

Mine turned out tender and tasty 😋. Hope yours does too.

Instead of wasting the chicken-soaked buttermilk and flavourful flour mixture, once the chicken has been fried and removed from the pan, on low heat, stirring constantly, gradually add to the residual oil together with potato water. Mmm, delicious gravy.

Okay, so now you know why I’m fat 😏.

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Blueberry Oat Muffins

platter of blueberry muffins
Nutritious, tasty blueberry muffins
small plate with two blueberry muffins and watermelon slices
A perfect nutritious snack.

Nutritious, tasty blueberry oat muffins, paired with fresh fruit, make a perfect snack. Not too sweet, the combination of oats and brown sugar with the blueberries gives you that great feeling of eating something satisfying and delicious without guilt. Health-giving nutrition rather than empty calories. Long-lasting energy so you won’t feel hungry again right away. Did you know that blueberries are good for your eyes?

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
  • 1 cup blueberries

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine oats and buttermilk in a small mixing bowl. Let stand. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, just add a tablespoon of vinegar to regular milk. If using large flake oats, I recommend allowing them plenty of time to soak in order to soften them.

In a larger mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and brown sugar. Stir well to blend.

Add egg to oat mixture and stir. Keep stirring while drizzling in the melted butter. Add this mixture all at once into the dry ingredients and stir just until all ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Grease muffin tin and fill cups to 3/4 full. Bake 15-22 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Makes one dozen muffins.

Enjoy!

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Moist Molasses Pear Muffins

Satisfying and slightly spicy, perfect for fall and winter with a hot drink, these moist muffins are sure to please.

Molasses Pear Muffin

Ingredients:

  • raisin bran cereal – 1 & 1/2 cups
  • ground flax – 1/2 cup
  • whole wheat flour – 1/2 cup
  • all-purpose flour – 2 tablespoons
  • baking soda – 1 teaspoon
  • salt – 1/4 teaspoon
  • currants – 1/4 cup
  • chopped candied ginger – 2 tablespoons
  • cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
  • cloves – 1/4 teaspoon
  • allspice – 1/4 teaspoon

Measure above ingredients into a large bowl and stir together. In a smaller bowl, beat one egg until frothy, and add 1/4 cup cooking oil, 1/2 cup molasses, 1 teaspoon cider vinegar mixed with 1/3 cup milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Chop 3 small pears and add to wet ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir just until moist. Spoon into greased muffin tin and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 12.

The spicy scent of the muffins mingled with the scent of a rose that my late husband planted–such a lovely gift from him. He would have like these muffins too I’m sure.

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While enjoying your muffin you can shop at the affiliate link above. I put it there for your pleasure and convenience. If you purchase anything through it, at no extra cost to you it helps me keep my website going.

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Tabbouleh (parsley salad)

My version of tabbouleh

Last week someone posted a photo of her tabouli on Facebook and it looked so good that I suddenly wanted to make some too. My version is a bit different from hers, and you can change it up according to what you have on hand. I used Italian parsley, wheat bulgar, chopped yellow and red tomatoes, half a cucumber, and some lemon zatar dressing.

You can use olive oil, squeezed lemon or lime, and salt & pepper for the dressing, and grate some lemon or lime zest into it and a bit of garlic if you like. Try tossing in a few chopped olives too, and scallions and mint leaves if you have any.

First I put a quarter cup of the bulgar into a small bowl and poured boiling water onto it to soften it for 15 minutes. Meanwhile I chopped the other ingredients and put them in a serving bowl. Lastly I poured the water off of the bulgar, mixed it into the salad, and stirred in the dressing.

So fresh, juicy, and flavorful! Parsley is high in zinc, which helps fight viruses, is healing for the skin, and is especially good for men to prevent prostate cancer.

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Quick & Easy Vegan Soup

A friend asked me for an easy go-to recipe for a quick meal, so here you are! I like this because it’s versatile. Whatever vegetables or herbs you have on hand you can throw in, and if you don’t quite like something you can leave it out or change the amount of it next time.

Quick & Easy Vegan Soup

I keep on hand a wee jar of Better Than Boulion. I get the vegan one; you can also get beef or chicken. I also keep on hand a wee jar of dried onion bits. My husband is very fussy about onion; he likes the flavour but not the texture, so adding a tablespoon of dried onion bits to something works for us.

I also usually have some carrots and celery and potatoes. So I start with whatever vegetable needs to be cooked the longest, usually chopped onions if I’m using fresh ones, and celery. I saute them in a spoonful of olive oil in the bottom of the pot, starting on high till they sizzle and then turning down the heat and waiting patiently till they are translucent and soft.

Meanwhile I peel and chop the carrots and potatoes or whatever other root vegetables I have. Maybe a parsnip or turnip or yam. Small yellow potatoes work well, chopped bite-size, because they stay firm. Russets tend to disintegrate if boiled long, so if using them throw them in last.

The trick is to add the vegetables that need the longest cooking time first (usually carrot or maybe beet because they are firm). Add water according to the amount of vegetables you are using and how much broth you want. Here is where you throw in some dried onion if you haven’t used fresh and any herbs. Parsley is always good in soup, either dried or fresh. Oregano if you want a stronger flavour. Maybe thyme or rosemary… Experiment and see what you like. Herbs fight viruses! And so do hot fluids.

Continue adding your vegetables and cook a few minutes to let the flavours blend. You might want to throw in some frozen green beans or a bit of leftover corn. Now taste-test and add boullion, salt and pepper a bit at a time till it’s just right! Cook a little longer to let the flavours blend more. Taste-test a chunk of vegetable to see if it’s done.

A crusty bun or grilled cheese san is nice on the side. If not, your tummy will surely beg you for a second bowl!

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Warm Apple Blueberry Cake

Warm Apple Blueberry Cake

Just what you want on these chilly fall evenings here in Canada! Using fresh local ingredients, this dessert is wholesomely satisfying. I couldn’t resist a second helping!

Ingredients:

  • 5 small apples
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon hot water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 8 inch square pan. Chop apples and toss with blueberries, spices and 2 tablespoons sugar. Scoop into the bottom of the greased pan.

Cream 1/2 cup sugar into butter, adding tbsp. of hot water gradually. Stir in eggs one at a time. Sift flour and baking powder together and beat gradually into batter. Spread batter over fruit mixture with a spatula. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm with table cream poured over.

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Aged Nut-based Cheese, recipe and photos contributed by Monica Sturgess

Supplies:
  • high-speed blender
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • small glass bowl
  • cuisine mold rings: 4″ for camembert or brie, 3″ for bleu
  • plastic container with lid to hold the cheese
  • oven paper
  • bamboo or plastic mat with holes cut to fit plastic container (to aerate the cheese)
  • fridge
  • paper towels
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • 1 inch square of rind from cheese (brie or camembert etc.) or some mold from bleu
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt (to add 3 days later)
Starting the Cheese:
  1. First soak the cashews overnight or for at least 5 hours.
  2. Then drain and cover with boiling water for a minute or two to kill bacteria and drain again.
  3. Blend cashews with water, coconut oil and cheese rind or mold on high speed, scraping down the sides until mixture is smooth and thick. You may need to add a bit more water, watch not too much. This could take up to 10 minutes to get the right consistency.
  4. Transfer mix to glass bowl. Cover with cling film. Let sit at room temperature for one day to start fermentation.
  5. Refrigerate for about 4 hours to chill.
  6. Wrap mold ring with cling film so that the cheese mixture will not touch the ring itself. Place ring on top of bamboo or plastic mat, covered in oven paper. Press cashew mix into the mold using a spoon or piece of cling film. Cashew cheese mixture should be touched as little as possible.
  7. Place the mold holding the cheese on the mat and oven paper into the plastic container with lid and refrigerate at 52-56 degrees F or 11-13 degrees C. A wine fridge is ideal. A regular fridge is cooler, so takes longer to age.
Aging the Cheese:
  1. For the first few days wipe off any condensation from the inside of the box. On day 3 carefully remove the mold and sprinkle the salt on top, bottom and sides of cheese and change the oven paper.
  2. After that continue to wipe off condensation from box and flip the cheese every day to allow for maximum aeration. Mold should begin to form after 5-7 days. Try not to touch the cheese with your hands.
  3. Camembert and Brie type cheeses should be ready after about 3 weeks and will keep for a month in the fridge.
  4. For Bleu cheese, follow steps 1 & 2 above to start. After 2 weeks scramble the cheese and reform it in the mold. Then remove the mold and continue as in step 2 for 3 more weeks. Bleu cheese keeps for 2 months in the fridge.
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Blender Orange Loaf

Easy to make on a day when you are in a bit of a hurry, blender orange loaf doesn’t require mixing bowls and ‘elbow grease’ as my mother used to call it.

I have 2 recipes that can be made in a blender, the one turning out more like a Christmas fruit cake with a firm texture, and the other one is moister but a bit crumbly.  For flavour, colour, and moist texture that doesn’t crumble so easily I prefer the traditional recipe, but these are also very good!

Fruitcake-style Blender Orange Loaf

Put in blender:

  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 cup sugar

Blend until well mixed.

20190406_112925Add 1 cup flour and blend in.  Add a second cup of flour and pour in on top of it 1/2 teaspoon each of baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring them into the flour with a fork before blending.

 

Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender.  Lastly add 1 cup cranberries and 1 cup walnuts and pulse just until mixed in and chopped a little.  You can also use other fruits of your choice.  Pictured here I omitted the nuts and used dried currants in place of cranberries. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry.

 

Moist Blender Orange Loaf

This loaf turns out moister but a little crumblier than the one above.  First add to the blender:

  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup cooking oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 20190323_152655.jpgBlend until mixed well.  Add 3/4 cup sugar and blend in.  Add 1 1/2 cups oatmeal or whole wheat flour and blend in.  If you use the oatmeal the texture and flavour turns out a bit like coconut. Pour 1 1/2 cups white flour on top and stir 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt into it before blending.

Lastly add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or cranberries or dried currants and pulse briefly until mixed in.  Pour into loaf pan and sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes or until toothpick tests dry.

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Green Bean Soup with Ham Hock

The flavour of fresh green beans and herbs combined with smoked ham is superb!

20190329_174608                      This is old-fashioned home cooking at its finest, which takes time, so it’s a project for a day when you’ll be at home for a couple of hours.  It makes lots though, so pair it with crusty rolls for a light family meal when the kids are home or freeze some of it in quarts for another day.  It’s hearty and filling and you’ll definitely want a second helping!

Recipe:

Put the pork hock in a large soup pot with 2 quarts water.  Heat to boiling, then simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove pork hock and allow to cool.

Meanwhile add to the broth:

  • 2 chopped medium-sized onions
  • 4 cups cut-up green beans
  • 3 cups cubed yellow-flesh potatoes
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley (cilantro really sparks up the flavour)
  • 4 sprigs chopped fresh summer savory or 1 teaspoon dried savory (or marjoram or thyme if you don’t have savory)
  • dash of pepper

Added salt is not necessary as the pork hock is already salty and the herbs, beans and pepper make the soup very flavourful.

Cut the meat off the bone in bite-size pieces and return it into the soup.  Cook for 20 more minutes or until the vegetables are done.

When serving pour a little table cream into the soup in your bowl.  Enjoy!

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Orange Cranberry Loaf

A zesty slice to go with your coffee!  Mmm, yum-yum!

20190311_214336

Ingredients:

  • 2 organic oranges
  • 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 teaspoons stevia (or sugar)

Method:

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.  Beat butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl.  Grate rind of one orange into the bowl and stir.  Squeeze the juice from that orange into a half cup measuring cup and add water to fill the measuring cup.  Add that into the batter as well and mix.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and dried berries.   Add to the other bowl and stir just until moistened.  Turn into the loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes, testing with a toothpick to see if it’s done inside.

Meanwhile squeeze the juice out of the second orange and stir the stevia into it.  Poke holes it the top of the loaf while hot and pour this glaze over.  It soaks into the loaf and makes it moist and delicious!  Let the loaf cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pan.

This loaf can be wrapped in wax paper and stored in the fridge.  Great to make ahead of time when expecting houseguests!  Using stevia in the glaze keeps down the calories!

 

 

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Roasted Roots

Roasted RootsHere in our cold Canadian winters roasted root vegetables are part of a hearty locally-grown meal to provide warmth and lasting energy to body and soul.  Shown here along with some Mennonite farmer sausage and frozen green peas are my roasted potatoes and a medley of roasted turnip, carrot and apple.  A bit of herbs and spice makes it nice, and adds extra nutritional benefits as well!  Smells so yummy too!

Root and Apple Medley

  • 1/2 small turnip
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 apple
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • dashes of allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon

Chop roots and apple into small pieces.  Stir brown sugar and spices into melted butter in an oven-proof bowl and add roots and apple, stirring to coat.  Roast at 400 degrees F. for 40 minutes, stirring every ten minutes.

Tasty Roasted Taters

  •  One large Russet potatoe
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • spicy pepper medley to taste

Peel and cut potatoe into cubes.  Mix olive oil, lemon juice and spicy pepper medley in bottom of a bowl and put the potatoe cubes in, stirring to coat.  Then lay out the coated potatoe cubes on a baking tray and roast at 400 degrees F. for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

The ‘spicy pepper medley’ I have contains black pepper, onion, red bell peppers and garlic.  I shook in lots of it, but you could use other herbs or spices too, as you like.

The spices and herbs in these recipes make them aromatic and flavourful without the use of salt, which you may be avoiding if you have high blood pressure.

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Sid’s Crepes

My husband loves to make (and eat!) these crepes.  He can eat lots of them but I have to limit myself to a few as they are more filling than they seem!  The batter can be mixed the night before so all you have to do in the morning is pour it.  They are very nice, and low carb too, however high fat content because of the cream.  Some experts these days say that’s good.  We heard a local Nanaimo chiropracter, Dr. Stefani, give a talk recently on Health Over 55, and he recommended eating lots of fat and doing lots of excercise.  They seemed to give Sid the energy he needed for shoveling the driveway today anyway!

Ingredients:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup 18% cream
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • jam or other filling

Method:

Preheat a non-stick frying pan to medium-low.

Whisk the eggs and then gradually add in the cream and flour alternately while continuing to whisk.  Whisk in the melted butter and vanilla.

Pour one crepe at a time onto the frying pan and flip it when the bottom is done.

Spread with your favourite jam or other filling.  Cinnamon & sugar is also nice, or fresh strawberries, or whatever you might like to try.

Mmm, so nice for a special treat!  They go down easy, but make you feel full for hours! Pictured is my share; Sid eats twice as many!

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Norwegian Applecake

A great recipe for apple season; delicious and easy to make.  I got it from a Norwegian friend more than 30 years ago in Prince Rupert.  My Norwegian husband loves to eat it in a bowl dowsed in table cream.  I like it with a little ice cream, or even just a fresh warm crispy-edged slice by itself with coffee or tea.

Ingredients:

1 cup less 1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine

2 eggs

1  1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cream sugar into butter.  Add eggs one at a time.  Stir in sifted flour and baking powder.

Put in square or round baking pan.  Slice apples and insert into the top of the batter.  Sprinkle white sugar and cinnamon on top.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Go for a half hour jog while baking to ward off the extra pounds 🙂

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Vegan Peanut Butter Stirfry

An easy and nutritious meatless meal, with peanut butter for the protein.

Ingredients:

  • cooking oil to cover bottom of pan.  I recommend coconut oil or olive oil.
  • assorted vegetables, such as onion, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, celery
  • a few cloves of garlic
  • a teaspoonful of chopped ginger
  • a scoop of peanut butter
  • a tablespoon of Chinese chili in oil or other hot pepper sauce
  • a dash of soya sauce

Method:

Chop all the vegetables and stir-fry them on medium high.  Add two tablespoons of water to the pan and cover for three minutes.  Chop the garlic and add that, then the ginger.  Stir in a scoop of peanut butter.  Add some chili sauce, and finally some soya sauce, adjusting the amounts according to taste.

Serve over steamed rice.  Mmm, delicious and nutritious!

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Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

My very favourite cookies (especially with chocolate chips)!  They don’t contain any eggs, so if you are vegan just use margarine instead of butter, and perhaps currants instead of chocolate chips.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup margarine
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (or currants, raisins, walnuts or combination)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream margarine, adding sugars gradually.  Cream in vanilla.  Meanwhile boil water in the kettle.  Put the baking soda into a half cup measure, and pour boiled water onto it.  It fizzes right up!  Gradually add that to the mixture, continuing to cream it.  Blend in rolled oats, salt, and flour.  Finally add in the chocolate chips or currants or whatever you prefer.  Drop teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until just browning around the edges.  Cool 10 minutes before removing from cookie sheet with a metal spatula.

One batch fills 3 cookie sheets, so be sure to share with friends!