Chicken Diane

I got this recipe back in university. I usually serve it with rice because I like the sauce. It is pretty simple, only takes about 20 minutes to get it ready (about the time it takes to cook rice).

4 boneless chicken breasts
fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp chopped fresh chives or green onions
juice of 1/2 lime (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp brandy
3 tbsp fresh parsley (1 tbsp dried)
2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp butter

Pound chicken breasts between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap (I often just cut the chicken into smaller pieces). Sprinkle with fresh pepper. Heat olive oil in large skillet. Cook chicken over high heat for about 7 minutes per side. Add chives, lime juice, brandy, parsley and mustard to pan (I mix these together while the chicken is cooking). Cook 15 seconds, scrapping up the pan drippings. Whisk in broth, then butter. Stir until butter melts. Serve, spooning sauce over chicken (and rice, if you want)

Wacky cake

The very first cake I baked was this so-called Wacky cake. It was from a recipe book for kids that someone had given my sister. It has no milk or eggs, so I guess it is vegan.

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp vinegar
10 Tbsp oil
2 cups water

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients seperately, then combine with dry. Bake in 2 9-inch round pans (greased and floured) for 30 minutes at 350F.

You can make this recipe without a mixer, or you can make half of it right in the pan (but you have to serve it out of the pan because it will stick. And I would do it in a 8-inch square).

Biscuits

I got this recipe in grade 8 Home-EC class. I remember coming home after that class and making supper for my family. We had these biscuits and corn chowder (that recipe has been lost, but I think it was basically boiled potatoes with cream of corn soup and milk, and a little bacon and onions).

1 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 butter
2/3 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients together, cut in butter until it is very small. Add milk and mix lightly. Turn out on floured surface and pat out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or small glass. Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes.

This should make about a dozen, depending on the size you cut them.

Maple Pork Tenderloin

I found this recipe in the paper a couple of months ago, it is very tasty. I have done it as a glaze and a marinade, it is all good.

2 tbsp minced shallot (I used onion)
3 tbsp maple syrup
4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
pork tenderloin

For a marinade, mix everything together and let pork sit in it for 4-24 hours, then bake at 375F for 30-45 minutes (depends on the size of the tenderloin). It should be 155F internally. Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing thinly.

For a glaze, brown pork in a hot ovenproof skillet. Generously brush top and sides with maple syrup mixture. Pour in 1/4 cup broth (chicken or veggie) and bring to a boil. Transfer skillet to oven (375F) and roast 20-25 minutes, brushing with the maple syrup mixture 3 times. While the pork rests 5-10 minutes, bring the pan juices to a boil on the stove top and add the remaining syrup mixture. Boil, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until thickened slightly. Serve sauce drizzled over thinly sliced pork.

Meat Loaf

I never liked meatloaf when I was growing up. I could barely choke enough down to please my parents. Then a friend served me some made with mozzarella cheese and ham. Wow! What a revelation! I found this recipe in the newspaper a couple of years later, and have been making it regularly since. It is a hit with the kids.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 egg
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs or oatmeal
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
pepper to taste
1 tsp parsley
4-5 slices cooked ham
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Blend all ingredients except ham and 1/2 the cheese. You can play with the amount of tomato sauce and bread crumbs so that you have moist mixture that will hold its shape. Spread on a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper. Lay ham out on top, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and roll up like a jelly roll (removing plastic wrap as you go). Place seam side down on a baking sheet and cook at 350F for 45 minutes.

It can be a bit challenging to get this to roll, I usually end up with more of a fold-in-thirds look. I like to serve this with rice, but potatoes or pasta are tasty, too.

Valentine's Day

Want a quick and easy Valentine's dessert? How about Chocolate Fondue! All you have to do is melt some good quality chocolate (about 8 oz) with some whipping cream (about 3/4 cup). You can play around with the consistency of the sauce by using more or less cream. And you can use milk for a lower-fat version, but it isn't quite as rich and smooth. Dip firm fruit (strawberries, orange segments, apples, pineapple), cake, cookies, or marshmallows into the warm chocolate. And if there is any left over sauce, use your imagination!

Ultimate Brownies

This is a recipe I can claim as my own. I combined a couple of Brownie recipes, then tweaked it to develop the ultimate brownies. These are not your bake-sale brownies, not your quick-treat-for-the-kids brownies. These are a chocoholics delight, especially if you follow the instructions for the Million Dollar Brownies at the end.

3 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 oz dark chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp dark rum
1/3 cup flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sour cream

Melt chocolates and butter. Whisk eggs with sugar and rum. Stir in chocolate. Mix dry ingredients separately, then fold into chocolate mixture. Fold in sour cream. Bake in 9 inch pan for 30 minutes at 325F. The edges should just be pulling away from sides of pan. Let cool in pan for an hour, then place in fridge for about an hour before cutting.

For Million Dollar Brownies, chop 4 oz each white, milk and dark chocolate. Add half to batter. Melt remaining chocolates separately. Drop spoonfuls on top of batter in pan, then swirl for a marbled effect. Bake as above.