Connoisseur Vodka Filled European Dark Chocolate

These vodka filled cholates by Connoisseur are quality chocolates and hopefully available at a Giant Tiger near you!  Unfortunately the Giant Tiger in southwest Edmonton is closing down this week but the manager told me that the remaining three stores in north Edmonton are going to continue to do business. I picked up the last three boxes they had in stock so don't go to the southwest location! Here's the back of the label for further info. No weird ingredients and no nasty artificial taste! Note they are Made in Germany - enough said when it comes to chocolates! I believe I paid $2.77 for the box but perhaps that was close-out price? Worth far more.

I was in the mood for some fun, festive baking so decided to go with some snowflake sugar cookies - glazed with icing and sprinkled with crushed peppermint. I used a recipe I previously posted back in 2009. Check it out here.  I liked the result - pretty, pink and sparkly!

Fabulous Fudge

I am in love with the recipes from the Toronto Vegetarian Association bake off!  I think I should try each and every one as they truly are winners.  I made this one exactly as written and it turned out beautifully.  They hold up well even at room temperature for about an hour or so (well that is the case in my kitchen as it is fall/winter here on the prairies and it is snowing lightly as I write) and the taste is reminiscent and superior to that of traditional peanut butter chocolate bars. Even my niece Cristina, who normally does not like chocolate, loved these and said she plans to make them for her office annual Christmas cookie exchange. Here is the recipe as posted by TVA. I used my favorite Camino baking chocolate and my favorite creamy peanut butter (the one with the two bears on it)! Key to best flavor is a neutral tasting margarine (I opted for vegan Becel).

Dashing Dan’s Fabulous Fudge
Dan Pitman
Winner Vegan and Gluten-Free - TFVBO 2010
Recipe from “Peanut Butter Planet” by Robin Robertson (now out of print). Used with permission. Check out Robin’s website: www.globalvegankitchen.com or blog: http://veganplanet.blogspot.com.

Ingredients
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margerine
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan.  Place the chocolate, peanut butter, and margarine in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.Turn off the heat and whisk in the sugar and vanilla until smooth and well-blended.Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and cool until firm.  Cut into squares, Keep refrigerated.

Rachel's Birthday Cupcakes GF

I was so excited with how beautiful these cupcakes turned despite not being made from traditional white flour that I had to post them here for you all to see.  The taste was really delicious and I hope I can replicate them again!  I don't always do everything exactly the same each time - the only way to get the best results is by look and feel.  Even remaking my own recipes the measurements don't always work out. I believe it really does depend on the humidity in the air, brand of flour, type of sugar and heavens knows what other factors.  So learn to trust your own eye when deciding whether to add another tablespoon or two of flour if batter looks too runny or another tablespoon or two of liquid if it looks too dry.

The revision was based on this previous post dated 9/17/2011.  When making GF I tend to add more batter per cupcake than what is traditionally called for as due to being vegan and gluten free you're not going to get the same rising power.  I was really pleased with the height of these - exceeded my expectations. Lucky day, right humidity etc. I started with 1/2 cup organic brown rice flour, 1/4 cup almond flour and 1/4 cup of potato starch but ended up adding a couple of more tablespoons of each as my batter was much too runny. I used soy milk (silk original). I did not have vanilla pods or maple extract so only used 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract.

The caramel burns very fast  so do heed her warnings and for one dozen cupcakes I think 1/2 the recipe is totally sufficient.  I had lots left over - not a big problem as it does taste like yummy homemade toffee once it hardens! If you like to have super high frosting I suggest doubling recipe below and do use electric beaters (makes it much creamier and thereby significantly improves the taste)! Personally, I prefer vegan Becel for frosting instead of Earth Balance spread. It has a lighter taste and feel in your mouth.  For baking though I love the convenience and flavor of Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks! I used my beautiful, retro Glo-Hill cake server to display my cupcakes and used nutella wafers ( that my niece Cristina bought back from Italy for me this fall) as dividers between them.

Here is the original recipe: by Sherry Vanstone.(Winner Vegan Cupcakes and Best in Show - TFVBO 2010).


Vanilla Cake Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
(mix dry ingredients in one bowl)
1 cup soy or almond milk
(almond milk will separate- don’t sweat it, it turns out fine)
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla extract + the seeds of one whole vanilla pod
1/2 tsp maple extract
1 tsp vinegar

(mix wet ingredients together, then add to dry)
Pour batter into cupcake liners in a muffin tin.  Bake at 350 for 18-20
minutes. Take out as soon as the risen centre springs back.

Frosting
1/3 cup Earth Balance Margarine
2 cups icing sugar
1 tbsp soy creamer
1 tsp vanilla extract and more vanilla seeds
Whip on high until fluffy.
Once you have your cupcakes frosted- then make the caramel.   The caramel needs to be warm to drizzle.

Caramel
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp Earth Balance Margarine
1/4 cup soy creamer
Using the stove top, melt the sugar on medium heat in a heavy pan.  Stir constantly.  It burns FAST!  When completely melted, take off heat and immediately add your Earth Balance.  Use a metal whisk to incorporate completely and work out any lumps.  Work quickly.  Pour in all the soy creamer and whisk (it will bubble up a lot).  Keep whisking until it’s smooth and creamy. Drizzle over cupcakes and add a few grains of sea salt.

Peanut Buttery Cookies Revised

I did a slight revise on my favorite veganized Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookies I made on September 11th, 2011.  I cut out the tofu, decreased the flour and added the leavening ingredients at the very end. I did this because we enjoy small amounts of raw peanut butter cookie dough. However,  I didn't want to eat raw baking powder or baking soda so left it out initially so we could enjoy a few bites of raw dough and cook the rest. I super-sized them as well - using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. 

• 1/2 cup Becel vegan margarine
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup white organic sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup unbleached organic white flour (Western family)

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon organic baking powder 
• 1-2 tablespoons soy milk

Mix the first 6 ingredients together.  Enjoy a few balls of raw cookie dough. Chill in the fridge for an hour or more. Mix baking soda, baking powder and soy milk together well. Mix into your cookie dough. If too wet add a tablespoon of flour or if too dry add another splash of soy milk. Whatever it takes to make a nice pliable cookie dough you can easily work into balls.Use at least two tablespoons dough per ball.  I used a parchment lined cookie sheet.  I used a fork to press it down - only one way (I did not do criss cross for this batch).

Bake them at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Be careful as they tend to burn quickly. Above ones were a tad overdone but still tasted great. My grandson was cutting and pasting whilst I was baking so I thought I'd take a pic of both our work together - love in the kitchen :)

The pre-cut sheets by If You Care are my favorite parchment baking sheets.

Willow Creek Organic Oat Bran ++

Don't you love the name?  I do - it conjures up wholesome prairie days of long ago.  I also love it when I find organic products from our next door neighbor - Saskatchewan! Watson, Saskatchewan to be exact. They're busy there growing all kinds of beautiful, healthy organic foods that are good for the land and good for our body.  One of my favorite past recipes is my Gluten Free Oat Bran Muffins that I just don't tire of. Still enjoy them even after the 50th batch (possibly more)! These are so versatile - I just tried a carrot/raisin combo this week and I'm hooked! Hooked on trying as many other combinations as possible too!  I purchased some ripe, juicy, and delectable strawberries for my next batch and will post pictures of all as I try them out.  Here's the carrot raisin one:

Check out their website and sign up for their weekly free recipes delivered to your e-mail box. Great organic products priced right for what you are getting!

Here's a pic of a quick cold salad I made using GF rice noodles and garbanzo beans - a delicious and filling GF/Vegan food item for your summer picnics. I added a few tablespoons of super quick homemade salad dressing (olives, tomatoes, olive oil, ketchup, garlic powder) and some finely grated carrots for extra yumminess!

Spring Storm on the Prairies and Prunes!

It's a crazy day on the prairies here in Alberta! Yesterday I was listening to the happy whirl from my neighbor's leaf blower as he cleaned up his yard! Right now I'm listening to the heavy sounds from his snow blower as he tries to plow through the slush and snow! Take a look at the above photo that I snapped 2 hours ago from my front door - UGH!  Especially cruel, in light of the fact, that the day before I was happily sitting on my front porch feeling loved by the beautiful rays of sunshine engulfing my poor pallid body!

The only thing I would really really love to do on a day like today is to go bake a batch of cookies but I must resist!  The cookie monster in me needs to be tamed but it's not easy.  I went to the kitchen in search of something - anything and lo and behold I came up with a jar of PC brand Organic prunes!  I had bought them to keep on hand for adding to muffins but I was feeling rather desperate!  I opened the jar and started spooning it into my mouth! Was I ever surprised - this was seriously like candy in a jar! It says for 6+ months so that definitely applies to me :O) I had to read the label because I thought perhaps they had added a lot of sugar - it's that deliciously sweet!!Much to my surprise there are only three ingredients - water, organic prunes and ascorbic acid.  Went to the PC website to check out the reviews and I see that I in good company amongst those who love this product. I thank mother nature and President's Choice for a divine and natural treat! I'll be picking up a whole lot more of these to keep on hand - for baking, babies and me :O)

GF Banana Mini-Chocolate Chip Muffins

What else can you do when faced with 3 very ripe bananas? There's no choice but to whip up a batch of muffins and since my nephew Austin has decided to go gluten free I thought I'd create a "new GF" recipe for his files! I also had a bag of  "Only Oats Pancake Mix" in the cupboard so thought I'd use a bit of that as well.

Here's what I decided to go with and I have to say they turned out a-okay! I'll be making them again when faced with the blackened bananas that have no future left other than getting baked! In fact with how tasty these turned out I'm looking forward to some overripe bananas soon! Quick and easy to make - even with a 4 year old helper at your side!

Dry Ingredients:
1/3 cup Only Oats Pancake Mix
1 cup of  *gluten free flour mixture*
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground golden flaxseed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Wet Ingredients:
3 very ripe bananas
4 tablespoons soy milk
4 tablespoons juice
3 tablespoons organic canola oil

Sift the dry ingredients through a sieve into a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Whirl the wet ingredients together in a blender.  Pour wet into dry - blend together.  Measure 1/4 cup batter into lined or oiled muffin cups. Bake at 375 for about 16-18 minutes.

*Gluten-free flour mixture: 2-3/4 cups organic brown rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca starch plus 1/4 cup Almond Meal flour. This makes 3-1/2 cups gluten-free flour.*