Have I mentioned that I don’t like to bake?  The task of making six dozen somethings to exchange with beloved friends seemed simple enough.  I was persuaded to prepare the recipe for Lime Coconut Shortbread that I shared here a couple of weeks ago.  Things didn’t go swimmingly.

I knew that I would have difficulty rolling out and cutting the shortbread as I often do,  so I was prepared to take on the modified version of rolling the batter into balls and flattening with a sugared flat surface.  But even that proved too daunting for me.  The dough would not bind and I’d be damned if I was going to chuck it out and start again when I had invested in so much butter (have I mentioned that I’m very frugal?).

In the end I pressed the mixture onto a huge cookie sheets and then cut the dough into sqaures when the pan came out of the oven.  I then glazed them with a lime frosting and sprinkled on more coconut.  They taste delicious-not melt in your mouth like a whipped shortbread but surprizingly zesty because of the lime and crunchy due to the coconut.

They have been delivered to Sister #3’s in time for the exchange and that is a big check mark on my Christmas to do list.  My sage advice to share with you?  When you are baffled by a recipe-improvise!  No one but you will know what the picture in the recipe book looked like.

Kath’s quote: “God bless us, every one!”-Tiny Tim in Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’

I do not particularly like to bake.  Cakes are my worst nightmare-breads and crisps are more my style.  But if I have to bake, I love to in the early morning. Perhaps this is a throwback to the summers that I spent with my Grandma who did her baking before the kitchen got too hot (she had a wood stove in the kitchen and an electric stove in the porch).  And so here it is at 7:25 am and two loaves of banana bread are already in the oven.

My early morning baking companion…

For some comfort foods, “old  school” is best.  I’ve been making this recipe since the kids were little.  I have “gussied” the recipe up with pecans or blueberries but in the end it is this basic version that my gang loves.  We are planning a family road trip soon and this is always the first request when I pack the lunches. 

Best-Ever Banana Bread (from Grand Slam- Best of Bridge)

2 c sugar

1 c butter

6 overly ripe bananas-mashed (3 c)

4 eggs, well beaten

2 1/2 c flour

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With electric beater, cream butter & sugar until light and fluffy,  Add bananas, eggs, and beat until well mixed.  Blend dry ingredients together in a large separate bowl.  Pour in banana mixture and mix just enough to blend-do not over-mix.  Pour into 2 lightly greased loaf pans.  Bake 45 minutes to one hour.  Test for doneness.  Cook on rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans.  These freeze beautifully.  We like them best a day later when they have been stored at room temp.

Kath’s quote: “Happiness is when you see your husband’s old girlfriend and she’s fatter than you!” -author unknown

love, love, love

Not only did D prep all weekend for his annual catered Christmas dinner for 80 (inlcluding 5 turkeys) but he made me chicken soup and tea because I wasn’t feeling well AND he made us a scrumptuous Sunday dinner when the kids came over. 

Hoisin Chicken

3 lbs. boneless chicken, cut into small serving sized pieces

corn starch, enough to coat chicken

enough oil to shallow fry

3 T oil

1 inch ginger piece, peeled & grated 

2 onions, roughly chopped

8 oz. brocoli, cut into small flowerettes

1 red pepper, cut into squares

1 cups of sliced mushrooms

2 T hoi sin sauce

2 T dry sherry

1 T soy sauce

2 T vinegar

salt

1 c water

2 chicken stock cubes

1/2 t sesame oil

 3 t cornstarch

Heat oil in wok.  Fry a few pieces of chicken at a time until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes, drain well.  Drain excess oil from pan  and heat 3 new T of oil.  Add ginger and heat 1 minute.  Add onion and heat 1 minute.  Add brocoli, peppers and mushrooms and toss well for 2 minutes.  Add combination of hoi sin, sherry, soy, vinegar, salt, water, chrciken stock, sesame oil & 3 T corn starch.  Add chicken back to pan with veggies.  Add sauce & toss over high heat until sauce boils and thickens.  Continue to toss for 2 minutes.  Serves 6 (we even had enough for 4 left over servings).

Kath’s quote: “American women expect to find in their husbands a perfection that English women only hope to find in their butlers.”                      –W. Somerset Maugham

and I love him

You must be thinking that I never eat at home…..untrue!  I do admit that I have enjoyed a long stretch of business lunches and catching up with friends, but my lunch calendar is empty for the month of December and the outings will revolve around family get togethers. 

I also depended upon my restaurant experiences to blog about as I seem to have run out of family favourites which is not surprizing as I am approaching the first anniversary of this blog’s existence.  BUT last night I invented a new favourite, trying to re-create a dish that we often enjoy at Inferno’s and Bistro 7 1/4.  I served it over rice and not with French fries or else it would be known as Moule et Frites.

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 red pepper, cut into narrow strips

1 carrot, peeled and then using the peeler cut into very skinny strips

1/2 c sliced mushrooms

1 can coconut milk

2 dozen(ish) fresh mussels

In the bottom of a pan or pot that has a tight fitting lid, pour a glug of olive oil.  Add veggies and saute until onions are translucent.  Pour in coconut milk and bring to a slow boil.  Through in the mussels and securely cover.  Reduce to a medium heat.  Peak under lid after 3-5 minutes.  If the shells are all open-they are done.  Ladle onto cooked rice and serve with a spoon! 

Kath’s quote:  “It is not a matter of indifference whether we like oysters, mussels or clams, snails or shrimp, if only we know how to unravel the existential significance of these foods.”-Jean-Paul Satre

Love lifts us up where we belong.

An honourary sister is already making shortbread for our cookie exchange so I can’t make this amazing recipe that was shared with me.  I still don’t know what I’m going to make but  this recipe looks so good that I didn’t want you to miss out.  Being a lover of all things tropical-this shortbread version has lime and coconut!

Zesty Lime Shortbread

dough:

1/2 c flaked coconut,

1/2 c sugar

2 T finely shredded lime peel

1 t vanilla

2 1/2 c flour

1 c butter, cut into pieces

lime glaze:

2 c icing sugar

 1/2 t finely shredded lime peel

1 T lime juice

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  In a food processor combine coconut, sugar, lime peel and vanilla.  Cover and process until coconut is finely chopped.  Add flour, cover and process with one on/off pulse to just combine.  Add butter; cover and process until mixture starts to cling.  Transfer to an extra large bowl (dough will appear dry).  Knead dough until smooth.  Shape dough into ball; divide in half. 2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough portion to about a 1/4″ thickness.* Using desired 1 1/2-2 ” cookie cookies (I think you should make heart shaped ones-jmho), cut out dough.  Place cut outs 1″ apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  3. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 15-17 minutes or just until bottoms start to brown.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.  Repeat with the remaining dough portion.  Prepare the lime glaze by mixing the ingredients in a small bowl and adding just enough water (2-3 T) to make a glaze of spreading consistency and sprinkle with additional grated lime peel.   4.  Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container.  Store at room temp for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months and be careful of the midnight freezer cookie monster.

Coconut palm outside our kitchen window-Isla

*(or if you prefer {like me}, shape the dough into 1″ balls instead or rolling and cutting out dough.  Place the balls of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Dip the bottom of a glass in sugar and flatten each ball to about 1/4″ thickness.  Bake as directed). 

Kath’s quote:  “My mother didn’t really cook. But she did make key lime pie, until the day the top of the evaporated milk container accidentally ended up in the pie and she decided cooking took too much concentration.”-William Norwich

Love warms.