[ spicing things up a little too much ]

AFTER YOU have had your fill of turkey during the holidays, a pot of chili is a great way to feed a crowd and is great comfort food on a cold winter day. Have you ever made a pot of chili and realized that it is much too spicy to eat? What do you do?

Well, this happened to me recently even though I was following my usual recipe to a T. Little did I know that the chili powder and cayenne pepper I stocked our kitchen with here in Dubai were much more potent than those I had in Canada or Ireland so quantities should have been adjusted.

Well, with my mouth on fire just from taste-testing a spoonful, I quickly researched for a way to salvage my chili without having to start again from scratch. 

Try one of these:

1 add a spoonful of sugar

2 add a tsp of baking soda

3 add a drizzle of honey

4 add a spoonful of smooth peanut butter

Any one of these should take down the heat. I had to try all 4. Finally, with the peanut butter, it was saved! I had to add a bit more salt afterwards but managed to get it back to being edible. whew!

lisa

[ simply sinful ]

IMAGINE WAKING up on Christmas morning to warm cinnamon buns....mmm...
These buns are pretty easy to make - they're the first thing I ever baked using yeast and if you've never baked with yeast, after you try these you'll wonder why - it's not that scary!

Lisa's sinful cinnamon buns
These easy buns can be made using a bread machine or without. You can assemble them the night before and then just bake them in the morning. Or make them in advance and freeze for a real time-saver. The cream cheese icing makes these so yummy. Makes 12 buns.

what you need:

dough:
1 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees F)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast (or 8g packet of dry active yeast if not using bread machine)

filling:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

icing:
1 (3oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

how to:

with a bread machine:
Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle, press Start. Proceed to step 2.

without a bread machine (by hand or Kitchenaid):
Heat oven to 200F then turn it off. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and sugar in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes until it gets foamy (use your Kitchenaid bowl if using). Stir in the butter, salt, vanilla and eggs. Add flour a bit at a time and mix. Use dough hook on Kitchenaid to knead about 4 minutes (or knead by hand).

Knead the dough into a ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour or cooking spray. Put in a large bowl, cover with a moist tea towel and let rise in warmed oven about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

2. After the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover again and let rest for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, work together brown sugar, softened butter and cinnamon into a paste (this will help it to adhere to the inside of the bun and not seep out to the bottom of the pan).

3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with paste.

Roll up dough tightly and cut into 12 buns.

Place buns in a lightly greased 9x13 inch glass baking pan, or 2-9x9 inch square pans. Cover and let rise a bit, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F (180C).

4. Bake buns in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

While buns are baking, make icing by beating together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt (it may seem too thick but keep beating until it turns silky).

Remove buns from oven and let cool slightly. Spread frosting on warm buns before serving.

if making for breakfast:
After cutting and putting buns into the pan, cover and let sit for about 30 minutes and then cover with plastic wrap and put into the fridge overnight. In the morning, remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking, then bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly and spread with icing.

if freezing:
Unbaked buns freeze well (use 2-8 inch square foil pans and put 6 buns in each pan). The night before baking, remove pan from freezer and put into the fridge. In the morning, they're ready for the oven. Don't worry if they don't look risen enough before baking - they will rise in the oven. Freeze icing in 2 small Ziploc freezer bags and defrost one in the fridge overnight. Spread on warm buns.

Or, freeze baked, iced cinnamon buns. Then you can pop them out of the freezer, put them in the microwave and they'll taste fresh from the oven! Or freeze individually for a single treat. Yum!!

lisa

linked to recipe swap sundays @ remodelaholic

[ beef filets in red wine sauce ]

IF YOU'RE looking for an elegant dinner for a special occasion, the holidays or New Year's Eve, this is it. It sounds fancy but it's really very easy. I first made it about 12 years ago for my guy's birthday and it's always a hit ~ I don't know why I don't make it more often! Delicious with mashed potatoes and green beans.

beef filets in red wine sauce

what you need:
2 beef filets, approximately 1" thick
2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, chopped or 1 tsp minced garlic in a jar
2 small shallots, chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp flour
1 cup canned beef broth or beef bouillon cube dissolved in water
1 cup dry red wine

how to:
Season beef filets lightly with salt and pepper.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a heavy skillet over med-high heat. Sear beef on both sides until brown outside but still pink in centre, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove beef from skillet and transfer to plate to rest.

Add remaining butter to skillet. Add garlic, shallots and thyme and sauté about 3 minutes. Add flour and stir for about 1 minute.

Add broth and wine. Boil sauce until it thickens and reduces to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Return beef to skillet with any collected juices on plate and heat through for a minute or so in the sauce. Check filets for doneness and continue cooking for a couple minutes if too pink for your liking. Transfer to plates and serve with sauce.

{This makes enough sauce for 4 filets so if you are serving 4 people, just add a couple of beef filets}.
Yum!

lisa

[ my one bowl chocolate cake ]

IT'S MY guy's birthday tomorrow so it's time for his usual chocolate birthday cake. I thought I'd share my recipe because it really is a heavenly cake that you won't be able to resist. And everything is done in one bowl which makes it really easy.

Lisa's one bowl chocolate cake
This is a delicious, moist, fudgey cake - it doesn't rise up super high since it's a bit denser than those ultra fluffy boxed mixes. But once you've tried this, you'll never make a mix again.

what you need

1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water

how to

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 2 9" pans.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer.

Stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin.

Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to a rack to fully cool.

Rich chocolate frosting
Time to frost! If you are tight for time or lazy, you can always use some store-bought icing. But this icing is super good so it's worth trying:

what you need

1 cup butter softened
4 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk {or maybe a bit more}

how to

In large bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in icing sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add enough milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Makes plenty for a 2 layer cake. The longer you beat it, the creamier and fluffier it gets.

Frost and decorate as desired. If I'm not writing on the cake, I'll often put a few chocolate curls on top by running a potato peeler across a chocolate bar.

Yum!

lisa

[ sweet sweet monday ]

EVER JUMP out of bed so fast that you give yourself vertigo? That was me this morning. My guy left early for work but no sooner had he left, he returned with a package in hand! What a great way to start off the week!

My dear bloggy friend Janis at Pinecone Camp sent me this lovely package - I won her giveaway back in June and can you believe it took 2 attempts to get this to me? The first package disappeared into obliviion {or it was too darn cute that someone helped themselves to it?}. So you can imagine my excitement when this one actually fell into my hands!

Oh, the anticipation....

the cutest little package with a custom notecard attached with fancy striped tape...

a lovely handmade fabric pouch....

containing the most beautiful recipe cards I've ever seen...

recipes printed on the backs....

The photography is so mouth-watering gorgeous, it makes me want to run over and preheat my oven stat!

If you haven't discovered Janis' delicious blog, check it out here. Janis is an incredible photographer who shoots for numerous magazines and every week she bakes up some delectable treat, and most are even healthy! {no excuses not to try them!}

Thank you my sweet friend! I will treasure these recipe cards and think of you everytime I bake up one of these delicious treats. xo

lisa

[ crockpot french dip sandwiches ]

IF YOU are looking for a super-easy, delicious meal, how about french dip sandwiches in the crockpot? This couldn't be easier...

lisa's ultimate french dip sandwiches

This recipe is so easy! I used 2 small roasts since that's all there was available in the grocery store at the time. Pile onto soft buns, and serve with the 'au jus' liquid it cooks in.

what you need:

3 lb beef roast (I used rump roast)

1 packet dry onion soup mix

15 oz can of beef broth or 2 OXO beef cubes dissolved in 15 oz boiling water

1/2 cup water

buns (I used Portugese rolls)

how to:

Put roast into crockpot (remove any strings holding it together). 

In a medium bowl, combine beef broth, onion soup mix and water. Stir until combined. Pour mixture over beef, put lid on crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

An hour before serving, shred meat with two forks or slice thinly. (If you want your 'au jus' for dipping to be lump-free, strain liquid from crockpot to remove onion bits from the onion soup mix. Then return all liquid to crockpot). Put shredded meat back into crockpot for another hour.

Pile onto rolls. If you like, you can top with some mozzarella cheese slices and put under broiler until cheese melts. Serve with a bit of 'au jus' from the crockpot in a small bowl on the side. Yum!

lisa

[ mmm... coffee cake ]

LOOKING FOR an easy recipe for a little treat to enjoy with your latté or afternoon tea? This is it! Makes a small cake in an 8" square pan.

lisa's streusel coffee cake

what you need

topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar or Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 tsp cinnamon

handful of finely chopped pecans

cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

a good sprinkle of cinnamon

a pinch of nutmeg

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup granulated sugar or Splenda Granulated

1/3 cup melted butter or oil

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp plain or vanilla yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

how to

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, beat together egg, sugar and melted butter. Add milk, vanilla and yogurt. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour some batter into a greased and floured 8" square pan. Sprinkle half of topping mixture evenly over batter. Pour on rest of the batter and smooth out. Bake for 15 minutes, then...

sprinkle on remaining topping mixture and bake for approximately 10 minutes more or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Yum!

lisa

[ soup's on! ]

THERE'S nothing like a warm, comforting bowl of soup on a cool day. This chicken and rice soup recipe is so easy and you can freeze individual portions so they're ready anytime. Enjoy with a warm slice of homemade bread for the ultimate in comfort food.

lisa's chicken and rice soup

what you need:

1 tbsp butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp flour

6 cups chicken stock or broth

3 cups water

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 uncooked boneless chicken breasts (or thighs)

1/2 cup brown rice

1/2 cup long grain rice

1 tbsp chicken bouillon

1/2 cup sliced shiitake or button mushrooms

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans)

2 tbsp light sour cream or plain yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

how to:

Melt butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft. Add flour and stir around for another minute.

Add chicken broth, water, garlic, celery, brown rice and chicken. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add long grain rice, chicken bouillon, mushrooms and frozen vegetables. Cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove chicken breasts from pot and shred with two forks. Return to pot and add sour cream. Add more water if soup seems too thick for your liking. Heat through. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve.

Makes 6-8 servings. Enjoy!

lisa

[ delicious pumpkin loaf ]

I HOPE YOU all had a fabulous weekend! Thanks so much for all the lovely Thanksgiving wishes! The two of us had our little Thanksgiving dinner and while my hunt for pumpkin here in Ireland came up empty, I made lemon pie for our dinner instead - still yummy!

As promised, I'm back with my Pumpkin Loaf recipe so you can use up the rest of your big can of pumpkin from your pumpkin pie!

Lisa's pumpkin loaf
This is a super easy recipe that makes two 9"x5" loaves. If you prefer a lighter version, substitute the oil for 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce.

what you need:

3 1/2 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (or try 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce instead of oil)
14 oz can pure pumpkin (or 1/2 of a big 28 oz can)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

how to:

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Mix water, eggs and oil together and then add to dry ingredients. Stir in pumpkin. Stir in walnuts (if using).
Pour into 2 lightly greased loaf pans.
Bake about 1 hr until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack to cool completely.

Happy baking!

lisa

[ individual turkey pot pies ]

LOOKING FOR something to do with all that leftover turkey? How about making these individual pot pies? They look great for serving or freeze them all for future meals. You can use ramekins that go from freezer to oven or little disposable foil containers - just assemble everything, top with crust and freeze.

Individual turkey pot pies

This is a great recipe for cleaning out your fridge after a big Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. Use up leftover turkey and veggies. The crust is delicious - or save time by using frozen, prepared pie crust from the grocery store. You can substitute chicken instead of turkey for any time of year.

what you need:

for the filling: 

3 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large potato peeled and diced (not a baking potato)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper diced

8 oz button mushrooms, diced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

leftover cooked turkey (or a rotisserie chicken from grocery store)

1 - 2 cups frozen peas and carrots (or any leftover veg you would like to add, diced)

for the sauce:

8 tbsp butter

1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

dash of hot sauce

salt and pepper

for the crust:

16 tbsp cold butter

3 cups flour

10 oz cream cheese, chilled

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 large egg

how to:

filling:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and potato to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes. Mix in the garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms and cook for about 15 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender. While the veggies are cooking, shred or chop the turkey (or chicken) into bite-sized pieces. Once the veggies are finished cooking, turn off the heat and mix in the chicken and frozen peas and carrots. Stir in the red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

sauce:

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chicken broth and cook over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup (don't overcook). Mix in the heavy cream, hot sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauce will be thick. Pour the sauce over the turkey and veggie mixture and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into 6-8 individual ramekins or foil containers.

crust:

Cut butter into 16 pieces. Pulse together in a food processor with flour until crumbly. Add the cream cheese, salt and pepper. Continue pulsing just until the dough forms a ball. Transfer dough to slightly floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out dough rounds to be about 1 1/2 inches larger than the diameter of your pot pie dishes. 

Lay the dough rounds on top of the individual dishes and pinch along the edge. Beat the egg with a whisk and brush the dough tops lightly.

If freezing, wrap in foil and place into freezer bags. Do not bake before freezing. Frozen pies can be baked straight from the freezer. Remove foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 375F oven for about 60 minutes.

If baking, place pot pie dishes on a baking sheet. Place in a preheated 375F oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

lisa

[ pumpkin pie and giving thanks ]

IT'S HARD TO believe it's already Thanksgiving in Canada this weekend! I wish I could be there to enjoy the changing leaves from our dock and feel them crunching under my feet while I walk down the driveway. It's such a pretty time of year at our place.

But I'm here in Ireland and I have managed to find a turkey breast to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner so it's not all bad! I'm still on the hunt for pumpkin with no luck so far so we may not be enjoying my pumpkin pie and pumpkin loaf this year!

But I'll share my pie recipe with you so at least someone will be enjoying it!

Lisa's no-fail pumpkin pie
This recipe is very easy and turns out every time. It has just the right amount of spice (not too much like some of the store-bought pies tend to have).

what you need:

pastry for single crust pie (make your own or buy a frozen deep-dish one to keep things simple)

2 eggs
14 oz can pure pumpkin (or 1/2 of a big 28 oz can)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 2/3 cup evaporated milk (12 oz can)

how to:

Preheat oven to 425F. Roll out pastry into pie plate.
Beat eggs until frothy with mixer, then beat in remaining ingredients on low (add milk slowly as last ingredient.)
Pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350F. Bake about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool.
Serve with dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Mmmm.... I can almost taste it! I'll be back on Monday with my Pumpkin Loaf recipe - great if you used 1/2 a big can of pumpkin for your pie and need to use up the rest (it will make 2 loaves).

Have a fantastic weekend and Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians! Don't forget to give thanks for all the good things in your life xo

lisa

[ outrageous slow cooker whole chicken ]

IT'S BEEN a while since I shared a great recipe and believe me, this one is GREAT! If you are looking for a carefree, delicious whole chicken recipe, this couldn't be easier. Just get out your slow cooker and spices and you're off to the races! You'll never want to roast a chicken in your oven again.

Lisa's outrageous slow cooker whole chicken
This recipe couldn't be easier and you will be amazed at how juicy and delicious this chicken is. The best part? You can use the juices to make a yummy gravy for serving, or, throw all the bones back into the juices in the slow cooker, add water and cook on low overnight to make the best chicken stock ever.

what you need:

roasting chicken (mine was smallish at 3 lbs but the larger, the more cooking time)
1 cup sliced onion

2 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper


how to:

Combine all spices together in a small bowl.

Rinse your chicken, remove giblets and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub spices all over your chicken on both sides.

Arrange your sliced onion into a bed at the bottom of your slow cooker.

Then lay your chicken on the bed of onions.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and set to LOW. Don't open it during cooking - just let it do its thing.

Let it cook 5-8 hours on LOW. The larger the chicken, the longer the cooking time. If juices run clear when a skewer is inserted and the leg moves freely, it is done {or use a pop-up poultry thermometer while cooking}.

This chicken will be juicy and succulent when it's done. If you prefer a crispier skin, after it is cooked, place the chicken on a baking pan and put it under the broiler for 5-10 minutes.


to make amazing chicken stock:

After dinner, remove all leftover chicken from bones and refrigerate. Put all the bones back into the slow cooker with the juices. Add water until it's about 3/4 full (I added about 8 cups). Put the lid back on and let it simmer on LOW overnight.

In the morning, strain out all the bones, onions, etc through a colander. Chill and skim off any fat/oil from surface. You can do a second strain through cheesecloth if you like.

Use for soup, or freeze 1 cup portions in freezer bags for future cooking.


to make amazing chicken pasta soup:

Saute 1/4 cup diced celery and 1/4 cup diced carrot in 1 tsp oil in a saucepan. Add chicken stock (I added about 5 cups for 2 large servings). Add in some chopped, leftover cooked chicken and bring to a boil. Add 2 handfuls of uncooked shell pasta and simmer until pasta is tender. Season with salt/pepper to taste.

This slow cooker chicken recipe goes a long way and is also an easy, economical way to cook chicken to use for other recipes like pot pie, quesadillas, chicken salad etc. Enjoy!

lisa