Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Buns

Time and energy to clean all the dishes is needed but this recipe will really show that you care! (for others… not your waste line).

Dough:
1 1/4 cup of 2%milk warmed to body temperature
1/3 Cup melted butter
1 Egg room temperature
2 1/2 Tsp of fast rising yeast
1/4 Cup of sugar
3 1/2 Cups of all purpose flour
1/2 Tsp salt

Mix together with an electrical blender and once it starts climbing up it is done! Roll into a ball and put into a bowl lightly oiled and tightly covered. Place in a warm area to rise for 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Topping:
1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup of butter
1/2 Cup of maple syrup

Bring to a boil in a pan then add to 9/11 pan that has parchment paper or lightly greased.

Filling:
2/3 Cup of brown sugar
1 Tbsp of cinnamon
1/2 Cup of raisins

Directions:
Roll out dough to a rectangle shape on flour and lightly brush with butter. Add filling then roll. Cut into 8-12 rolls and place in pan filled with sticky topping. Cover and let rest for another hour. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Try to resist until you see your company! This recipe is only slightly adjusted from my baking hero Anna Olsen.

Flip while still warm and TAAAA DAAAA! No icing needed :) 

Healthy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This concept has been bouncing around in my head for over a year and I have never even eaten Gnocchi soup! What do I know? SOMETHING!

Ingredients:
2 Chicken breasts
Chicken stock
1 Cup of celery diced
1 Cup of carrots diced
1 Large yellow onion diced
1 Large clove of garlic minced
2 Tsp italian seasoning blend
1 Tsp corn starch

Directions:
Bake chicken breast sprinkled with italian seasoning blend for 30 minutes at 350.
In a pot saute onions in olive oil with salt and pepper then add the rest of the veg. Top with water 6-8 cups, corn starch and how much powdered stock you want to taste. Or use stock in a box. Bring to a boil then add diced cooked chicken, and a tsp of italian seasoning.
Boil mini gnocchi in a separate pot as directed and add to the rest.

Enjoy!

Coconut Banana Nut Cupcakes

A non-traditional holiday sweet treat!

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup butter
2/3 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
3 Medium ripe bananas (frozen and thawed)
1/2 Tsp nutmeg
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
1 Cup flour
1/4 C
hopped pecans
1/4 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Bake at 350 for 18 minutes.


The cream cheese frosting is bought (so shameful) but it was in my fridge on a whim!

Mushroom Omelette with Artichoke, Avocado and Feta

I'm not keen on the title but it gets the point across. What a sophisticated omelette this is, served with italian roasted potatoes. Hello adulthood!

Ingredients:
2 Large free-run eggs
Splash of milk
1 Artichoke diced
2 Mushrooms diced
1/2 Avocado cubed
1 Tbsp of feta crumbled

Directions:
Beat eggs and milk, add other ingredients and cook in a frying pan with a lid just below medium heat for about ten minutes. Check it periodically!

Because my flipping skills are less then stellar I have this sub-par photo but wanted to share this creation anyways!

My Puttanesca Recipe

Subsite anchovies for onions. Not that I don't like "real" puttanesca… I just don't have confidence using anchovies yet! …And it is a bit of a creepy concept.

Fun fact: Puttana translates to "whore." Puttanesca which originated in Naples was referred to as a whores supper. Am I selling it?

It's fresh, salty, tangy, comforting and EASY! Better?

Ingredients:
1 Cup of my homemade kale marinara (slightly spicy)
1 Small yellow onion sliced
1 Tbsp of capers
10 Black olives (pitted and quartered)
2 Artichokes quartered (I used canned, shameful)
1 Tbsp of my pecan pesto
2 Cups of cooked ancient grain pasta (buckwheat soba noodles would be good too!)

Directions:
Soften onions over medium heat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Add sauces and other ingredients until heated through then toss in the cooked pasta. You can drizzle extra olive oil on top to finish. This isn't meant to be a saucy dish and this recipe serves 2!

Pecan Pesto: http://comeforfood.blogspot.ca/2015/09/seasonal-pasta-with-pecan-pesto.html

Kale Marinara: http://comeforfood.blogspot.ca/2013/12/tomato-kale-marinara.html

Seasonal Pasta with Pecan Pesto

Totally inspired from my Farmer's Market Cooking Class yesterday! I used seasonal vegetables bought at the market.

My seasonal Vegetables:
Onion sliced
Garlic minced
Yellow pepper sliced
Zucchini chopped
Tomato diced

Pecan Pesto:
2 Cups of basil
2 Cloves of garlic minced
Olive oil (to mix)
1/3 Cup pecans
salt and pepper
- puree in a blender

Directions:

Blanch vegetables (starting with the hardest ones) to equal parts olive oil and a cup of water. Simmer well-seasoned vegetables until desired tenderness and add a couple dashes of red pepper flakes. Add cooked pasta (2 cups uncooked) and pesto (about 2 tablespoons). Mix well and top with your choice of protein.

Homemade Raspberry Simple Syrup

Helloooo raspberry mojitos!

Ingredients:
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup water

(heat until sugar melts)

2 Cups of raspberries (frozen from garden)
Simmer for 10 minutes then let steep for 10 more.
You can strain but I chose not to because I think it will be prettier and tastier this way! Or you can add some fresh raspberries to your cocktail to garnish.

Muddle with mint, lime, run and top with soda!

Enjoy a seasonal summer happy hour with this tart treat!

Muddle 1/2 lime with 4 mint leafs

fill glass with ice

2 oz rum

1 oz simple syrup

Top with soda water

Garnish like a pro