Dec 1, 2021
ROLL IT ■ MOLD IT ■ SCULPT IT ■ CUT IT.
This marshmallow fondant is easy to make, and tastes delicious! Use it to decorate cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and more.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 package (10 ounces) white mini marshmallows
- 3 tablespoons water
- 6 cups sifted powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- Vegetable shortening
- Food Colour Gel (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Pour the marshmallows into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the water, coating the marshmallows evenly.
- Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat, 30 seconds at a time, until the mixture is smooth.
- Sift 3 cups of the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the sugar.
- Pour the melted marshmallow mixture into the well of powdered sugar.
- Sift the rest of the powdered sugar on top of the marshmallows.
- Oil your hands with vegetable shortening to prevent the marshmallow from sticking. Knead in the sugar mixture until you have the consistency of soft taffy and the fondant no longer sticks to your hands. If you are colouring the fondant, add the food colouring at this step and knead until the color is fully incorporated.
- Use immediately, or store in a plastic bag at room temperature.
FOOD DYE TIPS
Coat hands lightly with vegetable shortening, or use food-safe gloves to prevent hands from staining.
To remove food colour stains from hands, wash repeatedly with soap and water.
For countertops, use an all-purpose cleaner with bleach.
Nov 17, 2021
Gratin Dauphinois is a classic French dish featuring layers of thinly sliced potatoes and cheese, baked in milk or cream, originating from the Dauphiné region in south-eastern France.
Prep Time: 20 mins ■ Cook Time: 45 mins ■ Makes: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 8 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 – 2 1/2 lbs)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 cups grated gruyère cheese, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
- 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, optional
DIRECTIONS
- Move oven rack to center position. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart casserole or baking dish.
- Wash and peel potatoes. Slice about 1/8-inch thick. Place the slices in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning while slicing. Drain thoroughly before using in next step.
- Add heavy cream, milk, and garlic to a large saucepan; bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, salt, and pepper, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer half the potatoes to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half the thyme. Add remaining potatoes and pour cream mixture from the saucepan over the potatoes to just cover. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and the remaining thyme, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Grate nutmeg over top just before serving, if desired.
Nov 17, 2021
This recipe is the famous Apple Pie by Grandma Ople and it is outstanding! Pouring the butter and sugar mixture over the crust results in a decadent, sticky-sweet top crust.
Serve hot or cold. Top with whipped cream, ice cream, caramel sauce, or a slice of cheddar cheese.
Prep Time: 30 mins ■ Cook Time: 1 hour ■ Makes: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
For 9-inch Double Pie Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose white flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup cold butter
- 4 to 5 tablespoons ice-cold water
For the Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 8 Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored and sliced
DIRECTIONS
- Combine flour and salt in bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened.
- Divide dough in half; shape each half into ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap 1 ball in plastic food wrap; refrigerate.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste, and cook together for about 1-2 minutes. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil; stirring constantly. Reduce temperature and let simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Remove one half of dough from refrigerator. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold dough into quarters. Place dough in bottom of pie pan; unfold. The dough should extend beyond the rim of the pie dish by about 1/2 inch. Put it in the refrigerator to chill while you work on the lattice.
- Roll out remaining ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle or large enough to extend a few inches beyond the edge of the pie pan. With a pastry wheel or knife, cut the dough into even strips, 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch wide, depending on how thick you want your lattice strips.
- Fill the bottom pie shell with apples, mounded slightly.
- Lay out strips of dough vertically over pie and then lift and weave horizontal dough strips through the vertical strips of dough. Trim, seal and crimp together the bottom and lattice top crust.
- Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over, and in, the lattice openings in the crust. Pour slowly, letting it seep through the openings and making sure it doesn’t run off. NOTE: Alternatively, you can pour the mixture over the apples and then top with lattice crust. Brush crust with an egg wash or milk before baking.
- Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.
NOTE: To prevent the pie crust edges from over-browning or burning, use a pie edge protector or aluminum foil shield. You can use the protector at the beginning of baking and remove it for the last 20 minutes of baking, or use it once your crust is nearing that perfectly golden point. The foil/edge protector will keep the edges from burning for the rest of the baking time.
Nov 10, 2021
This pie blends the tartness of cranberries with sweet apples – a perfect combination for a Thanksgiving Day dessert. Plus, the streusel topping gives this pie an extra punch of flavour and crunch.
Prep Time: 2 hours ■ Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes ■ Makes: 10 servings
INGREDIENTS
Butter Pie Crust
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 to 4 Tbsp ice water
Filling
- 4 cups sliced peeled cooking apples (4 medium)
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Dash nutmeg
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
- For the crust, combine flour and salt in bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened. Shape dough into ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic food wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In large bowl, gently mix apples and cranberries. In small bowl, mix remaining filling ingredients. Add dry ingredients to fruit; toss to coat.
- Roll out the refrigerated dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into 9-inch pie pan; unfold dough, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge of pan. Crimp or flute edge. Fill with fruit mixture.
- In small bowl, mix all topping ingredients except butter and pecans. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle evenly over filling.
- Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until apples are tender, and crust and topping are golden brown. After 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. If desired, serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Nov 2, 2021
Tender chunks of beef in a luscious mushroom sauce and served over a bed of buttery Pappardelle pasta.
Prep time: 10 mins ■ Cook Time: 1 hour ■ Makes: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 9 oz. pappardelle pasta (or you can substitute with fettuccine or egg noodles)
- Cooking spray
- 1 pound top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 1 (8-ounce) package baby bella mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium beef broth
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1½ oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
- Cook pappardelle pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm.
- Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut into slices.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat the pan with cooking spray. Add the beef and brown all over, stirring regularly. Remove beef from the skillet and cover to keep warm.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallots and mushroom slices, and sauté for 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Add the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Add pepper, salt, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Return beef to pan; cook 30-45 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the meat is tender. Discard thyme sprigs.
- Add the cooked, drained pasta, 1 Tbsp softened butter and half of the grated parmesan to the beef and mushroom mixture, stirring well until the pasta is coated in the sauce and the butter has melted.
- Divide the pappardelle with slow-cooked beef and mushrooms equally among four serving bowls. Sprinkle each serving with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Nov 2, 2021
Tender slices of sauteed chicken breasts in a lemon and pesto sauce served over linguine is a light, but satisfying meal.
Prep Time: 15 mins ■ Cook Time: 20 mins ■ Makes: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg. (16-ounce) linguine
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 5 chicken breasts, sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz. basil pesto
- 1/4 cup squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
DIRECTIONS
- Add pasta to boiling water; cook according to package directions. When pasta is done, drain and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine butter, oil, and garlic and cook over medium-high heat; about 1-2 minutes. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir over medium heat until chicken is almost cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add the cream, combining well, and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low.
- Add pesto, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Toss over medium heat until chicken is thoroughly cooked and the mixture is hot.
- Place the warm linguine in a dish and top with chicken mixture, and serve.
