Rolled Fondant

A month ago I decided that I would make an attempt at rolled fondant as I wanted to make a cake for a friends baby shower. This recipe is fairly simple and tastes great. It was my first attempt and I am happy to say there were no major issues I encountered ( well other than not having the right cake pans ). So I am posting the recipe as is. To dye the fondant I bought a gel food coloring and kneaded a drop or two into the fondant just before I used it to get the color I wanted.

Ingredients

1 (.25 ounce) package unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup glucose syrup
1 tablespoon glycerin
2 tablespoons shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

Combine gelatin and cold water; let stand until thick. Place gelatin mixture in top of double boiler and heat until dissolved.
Add glucose and glycerin, mix well. Stir in shortening and just before completely melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Mixture should cool until lukewarm.
Place 4 cups confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and using a wooden spoon, stir in the lukewarm gelatin mixture. Mix in sugar and add more a little at a time, until stickiness disappears. Knead in remaining sugar. Knead until the fondant is smooth, pliable and does not stick to your hands. If fondant is too soft, add more sugar; if too stiff, add water (a drop at a time). Use fondant immediately or store in airtight container in fridge. When ready to use, bring to room temperature and knead again until soft.

I'll be back

Its been almost 7 days since I have posted and thought that I would just let everyone know that yes I am still here.. I have recently started a new job and by recently I mean Monday and am still currently working part time at my old job until this coming Monday.. Confusing yes, tiring yes lol … I am still alive and kicking and will be posting some more recipes and life adventures as of next week.. So have no fear I am not far just out of order for the week 

 

The Terrible Twos ??

 As I was leaving the supermarket today the cashier looked at my son and said " I remember you from yesterday your a mischievous one aren't you ?"  then she looked at me and said " you are going to have your hands full" and laughed. I then thought ,Going to have my hands full?  Nathaniel is a wonderful little boy dont get me wrong he is well behaved most of the time and most people say I am lucky.  But recently he has been a little more into everything than usual. Hes now climbing on everything and anything and if he can climb in it guess where you will find him, yelling when he gets frustrated and cant do something, hitting other children and my favorite looking at people and throwing his cup or whatever he has at the time at them to see if they will pick it up for him.  Is this the start of the terrible twos? and if so how do I stop it lol..
 I have tried time outs and well to be honest with an 18 month old putting them in a chair for 30 seconds seems like eons but doesn't seem to get the message across. I have tried the distraction method which doesn't work anymore like it use to, the take away method leaves you with a screaming toddler.  So far the only thing that works is bringing out the vacuum and let him push it around or give him the broom and he is content and not into anything for a good 15 - 20 minutes.  The only downside is when I have to take that away.   I have now started getting in the habit of telling him the broom or vacuum needs to go night night and we will see it later, and that seems to be working for now but for how much longer.
The terrible twos? Probably .. Now excuse me while i get my son off of the kitchen table.. Guess who figured out how to push the chairs back up to it ;)

Cabbage Roll Casserole

So this recipe is originally from my boyfriends Mother.  If you dont want to go through all the trouble cooking cabbage rolls but want all the taste then this is definitely for you.


1 1/2 lbs. ground beef                            
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 14oz can tomato sauce
1 can water
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
4 cups of shredded cabbage
sour cream


Saute onions and garlic, brown ground beef.  Drain fat from beef.

 Add salt, pepper, tomato sauce and water.
Bring to a boil and stir in rice.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

 The rice mixture will thicken during this time if its too thick add more tomato sauce or a touch of water.
Place 1/2 of the cabbage in a greased baking dish; cover with 1/2 of rice mixture. Repeat layers.

Cover and bake in oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

Serve with sour cream
( can be refrigerated before baking if needed)

Serves 6

Please come into my office

I am not sure when it happened but somehow it did. Somewhere in between the time I got pregnant and now my office has slowly moved into the kitchen. And now my kitchen table is covered with notes , books and my laptop. Or as it stands right now my kitchen counter is my desk; my little boy has discovered the joy of laptops and how fun it is to push buttons so I had to move to higher ground. Gone are the days of flowers, tablecloths, candles or anything for that matter on the kitchen table. I am looking forward to the day when I can have a vase or my lucky bamboo on the table again, but i guess being a mom you give up those privileges for a little while. Oh well totally worth it. Now I must go clean up Cheerios on my living room floor  And so the day begins

Chocolate Cake

This recipe comes from a recipe book called Joe's Notebook ( 50th Anniversary Edition) its an amazingly good chocolate cake and really easy to make.

2 cups of all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 oz unsweetened chocolate melted
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl , stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in melted chocolate, then eggs, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth.  Add flour mixture; beat to make a smooth batter. Spread evenly in two 9 inch, round cake pans, greased and floured. Bake for about 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes our clean. Let pans cool on wire rack for 5 minutes; run knife around edge and turn onto wire racks to cool.

To assemble cake: place one layer on serving plate. Spread with frosting. Top with second layer and spread frosting over top and sides of cake.
Serves 8 :)

Shortbread

 So again from the Canadian Living 93 holiday edition book comes a great shortbread recipe.

1 cup butter softened
3 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups of all purpose flour

In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy;gradually beat in corn starch,then sugar.  With wooden spoon, beat in flour, about 1/4 cup at a time.
On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using floured fluted 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Place on waxed paper lined trays; prick each cookie three times with a fork. Freeze until firm.  ( can be stored for up to 1 month in freezer)
Place frozen rounds on baking sheet;bake in 275 degree oven for 40 - 50 minutes until firm to the touch. Remove from baking sheets and let cool on racks. ( can be stored in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks)
Makes approx 24 cookies

Please come into my office

   I am not sure when it happened but somehow it did.  Somewhere in between the time I got pregnant and now my office has slowly moved into the kitchen.  And now my kitchen table is covered with notes , books and my laptop.  Or as it stands right now my kitchen counter is my desk; my little boy has discovered the joy of laptops and how fun it is to push buttons so I had to move to higher ground.   Gone are the days of  flowers, tablecloths, candles or anything for that matter on the kitchen table.   I am looking forward to the day when I can have a vase or my lucky bamboo on the table again, but i guess being a mom you give up those privileges for a little while. Oh well totally worth it. Now I must go clean up Cheerios on my living room floor ;)  And so the day begins

Pasta Salad

Easy and delicious … Add different veggies to keep it new and exciting

Ingredients:

1 long English cucumber

1 red pepper

1 orange pepper

4 stalks of celery

2 carrots

1 avocado ( optional)

Black olives halved (optional)

1 cup of dried cranberries

1box of whole wheat Rotini of Fuseli

½ cup of  Italian dressing

Directions:

Boil Pasta until al dente, drain put aside

 Wash and chop all veggies. Combine veggies and pasta. Add Italian dressing and cranberries and toss.

Serve J

May add  different veggies or cheese based on taste.

The Mysterious "Healthy" Granola Bar

  So I have been searching for a while for a recipie for granola bars one that is healthy as well as nut free. Finally I have found one!!! thought I would share it incase others are searching as well ..


2 ½ - 3 cups rolled oats                          ¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup ground or whole flax                      ½ cup raisins
¼ cup dried cranberries                           1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon                            ¾ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp baking powder                               ½ cup honey
1 egg beaten                                         ½ cup canola oil or ( ¼ oil / ¼ applesauce)
2 tsp of Vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 13 baking pan
In a large bowl mix together the oats, brown sugar, flax, cinnamon, flour, raisins, cranberries and salt. Make a well in the center; pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well. Pat the mixture evenly into the pan.
Bake for about 25-30 mins or until golden. Do not over bake or they become hard. Cool for 5 mins then cut into bars then allow to cool completely.