Welcome to the best part of my life. I will share here my passion for family, food and feeding them, it is truly feeding a crowd!
Enjoy!
“Life is short, try something different! R.F.”
Fruit Fly Trap in 40 Seconds.
“Life is short, laugh more, worry less. R.F.”
In honour of my father and mother, who's wedding cake was a rum cake and my father reminded me for so many years that they don't make them like they use to. Well here is one rum cake, in all it's glory and decadence. Worth making for celebrations and Sunday night suppers! It is very sweet, I do suggest serving it with whipped cream or other to make it even better!
Wow! Blast from the past, bread made with Carnation milk, or what is evaporated milk. When I saw the recipe in a very old recipe book that was my mother’s I had to try it.
The book is so old, I am in awe of it, I love perusing the recipes in it and comparing it to how we cook/bake today.
Since I think I want to expand the bread recipes on the Feeding a Crowd website, I thought I would start with that one. It is different in many aspects, and it is worth making, the bread is rich, doughy and yes light, the taste is full flavored and not too sweet.
You just have to make this! At least once, then you will make it again and again!
It's the perfect party food!
I so do love a dessert that is minimum fuss and a sure winner for those in my family with a sweet tooth. I have adapted this recipe from another as the original I had was even sweeter. This is is still ever so sweet, but a tad less and my dessert lovers still enjoyed it. Though, small slices are recommended.
I am making all these recipes because my wonderful daughter in law loves pumpkins and I love coming with recipes I know she will enjoy when she comes over. And it also gives her another recipe to make with all the pumpkins has laying around, waiting for her to make her magic with.
The pumpkin biscotti were a real hit with her and all of us, so here’s another one for you my Jenny Penny!
Biscotti for every occasion, here is a recipe that is perfect for Thanksgiving, using only a cup of pureed pumpkin puree and is so delicious, you will have it for breakfast, snacks and tea time. I liked using fresh ginger, but dried ginger works as well.
I have used this recipe so often, the pages have come out of the cookbook, this cookbook is Betty Crocker’s Cookbook! I favor many recipes in this book, though most I have changed over the years.
What is happening is the more comfortable I am getting in the kitchen, the less I use recipes, even when it comes to baking. I asked my daughter in law Jenny if this was because I was getting good at baking, of if it just means I am lazy, she says it’s because I am good! So I am taking her word for it.
Why stew? Who makes stews anymore? Well, I do, they are fun to make, you can use the slow cooker or your oven and they always taste amazing! I do like to caramelize my onions when using, if using other vegetables, such as carrots, turnip etc, I also give them a quick sauté before hand. I am using red wine in this recipe, but this can easily be replaced by stock or water, no worries.
I have worked hard to find a balance when making this recipe, it can be so delicious or so blah. I like the latter, it has to be delicious, shrimp are not a cheap ingredient, I hate not bringing the best out of an ingredient, I feel I am cheating it out of its glory.
Sam doesn't like spaghetti sauce, that was the first thing I heard, I thought mmmmm, true, many spaghetti sauces are ingredients thrown together and served in whatever way. Many spaghetti sauces are seriously under seasoned, people forget about the wonderful oregano, the heady paprika and all important crushed red peppers for a kick.
So, it isn't an apple crisp. It isn't an apple pie. I love both of those desserts, here is a really awesome variation that brings both together.
What is different about this dessert, is the dough, the dough is butter based and a tad sweet. It is easy to make also, it is a tad different to work with and roll out, sometimes more flour is needed, but not to much or the dough will harden. Anyhow, it is apple season, so not much sugar is used.
Summer is lasting this year, my garden is happy with plenty of zucchinis, peppers of all kinds, eggplants and strawberries! on't know about this second harvest of strawberries, but I am taking full advantage of it.
The week started quickly, I am still in the midst of full kitchen reno, with only the island to work on, thankfully a large island! It was decided that I would make one of my family’s favorite dishes, the cassoulet with cheese bread and my iced tea. Ok, that is not how it happened at all, but it was a start.
I think I am starting to breathe, perhaps not often enough still, my watch keeps telling me to breathe, I sort of expect it to just say “Breathe! Damn it!” I do take a moment to breathe when the sign comes on, I loosen my shoulders and smile, because we all know, even when you don't want to smile, a smile, even just an inner smile makes things better.
