My Cupboard Love...
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Celebrations
    • The 12 Days of Christmas
    • Thanksgiving
  • Inspiration

Lost in translation

2/22/2015

2 Comments

 
Mother Nature is having her way with us.  So much snow and ridiculously cold temperatures have us all hunkered down and hibernating.  There will be no escaping the -40 degree weather tomorrow, but tonight we have hot chocolate and Netflix.  All is not lost Dear Reader.  Pull the couch blankie over your lap and snuggle in.  It can't last forever...right?  Right?? 
Picture
The upside to this crazy weather is the down time it creates for luxurious lounging in your favourite slouchy, lazy lump clothes and drinking seemingly bottomless cups of coffee.  It allows for guilt free lingering over the weekend newspaper.  And binge watching full seasons of House of Cards on Netlflix.  Or reading and reading and reading until that book you just can't put down is finally done.  So it isn't all bad is it?

I had planned to share a recipe today with you for a Victoria Sponge cake.  I have made versions of this cake many times with no trouble at all.  Unfortunately, that is not the case today.  It was a Jamie Oliver recipe with measurements by weight.  Judging from the hard, dense frisbee cakes I ended up with, I can only assume that I converted the measurements incorrectly.  My digital scale battery died.  And now here we are.  Math was never my strong suit.
Picture
Normally, this cake would be light.  It would have a jam filling  with a splattering of berries and a generous amount of whipped cream sandwiched between the spongy layers of cake.  The top would be dusted with icing sugar.  It would go very well with a nice cup of tea.  Normally.  But not today.  Damn. 

All is not lost though.....I do have something tasty to share with you that I came across on Twitter yesterday.  Last night I made beef tenderloin medallion steaks and what I am calling steak frite nachos.  I didn't follow the recipe for these so this is more of a how to....

I fried a pound of thick cut bacon and set it aside.  I cut enough potatoes into equal sized wedges to fill a cookie sheet lined with parchment.  I tossed the potatoes in the grease from the bacon(!!!!) and added garlic, cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper.  I roasted the potatoes at 400 degrees until they were cooked through and nicely browned.  I removed the tray from the oven and sprinkled shredded cheese all over the potatoes.  Next I chopped up the cooked bacon and sprinkled it over.  Finally, I sliced 4 green onions and spread that evenly over the potatoes.  I put it back in the oven until the cheese was melted.  I added a dollop of sour cream when I plated it.  And then the compliments started Dear Reader.  Of course, this isn't something you should eat every day, but it was perfect comfort food for a stormy, cold Saturday night.  I hadn't planned on writing about it this week so we will have to make do with this picture I (luckily) took with my phone. 
Picture
I will be back with that Victoria Sponge soon!

Until then, keep warm!
xx
2 Comments

Polka dots & pina coladas

2/1/2015

1 Comment

 
I have a confession. 
Every month, my husband and I spend at least $200 on our morning coffee on our way to work. 
That is $2400 a year! 
I am only confessing because of the new Keurig machine at work
.
It got me thinking....

Imagine the cookbooks I could buy with that money!!!

So that got me thinking about "breakfastie" morning treats like bagels, croissants and muffins.  After all, I am going to need something wonderful to nibble with my office java right?

It is -25 in Toronto right now with a big storm supposed to hit this evening bringing with it 20 to 30 cm of snow.  I am craving sunshine and citrus and pina coladas. Lots and lots of pina coladas!  Since I am not heading to the airport right now for a flight to the tropics, let's make Morning Glory muffins Dear Reader.  The coconut and pineapple will inspire sunny thoughts as we shovel the driveway.  Ok - probably not.  Work with me here! Either way, these are moist and delicious and will make our morning cheerier - snow or no snow.

Morning Glory Muffins

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1 medium sized Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if you like

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the three eggs.  Add the applesauce, oil and vanilla and stir until well combined.  Next, add the carrots, raisins, apple, coconut, pineapple and nuts, if using.

Next, add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and stir together until well combined.

Line 2 muffin pans with pretty cupcake liners and fill each until 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Yield 24
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
I love polka dots! They remind me of my Auntie Ann.
Picture
Picture
1 Comment
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    blog love
    Orangette
    Habit
    Smitten Kitchen
    Manger
    reclaiming provincial
    my madeleine
    seven spoons
    The Wednesday Chef
    Sweet Amandine
    The Vanilla Bean Blog
    david lebovitz
    3191 Miles Apart
    Forty-Sixth at Grace
    Farmette
    spoon fork bacon
    indian simmer
    Joy the Baker
    just a smidgen
    Lottie + Doof
    Couple of Cooks
    Food 52
    Apt.2B Baking Co.
    rachel eats
    Miss Foodwise
    Chocolate & Zucchini

    Shutterbean
    Rocket & Squash
    the little loaf

    Once Upon a Chef
    The Eating Tree
    Local Milk

    I'm Reading....
    Picture

    archives

    January 2019
    July 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    Creative Commons Licence

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly