I am doing a Relief Society Demo tonight on Flat Breads. Since Tortillas are flat breads, and you make tortilla crisps/chips with tortillas, one of the things I am bring along to share is this Simple Taco Dip. (Relief Society is our ladies auxiliary at church.)
At its very simplest it is quick, easy and delicious . . . but it is also very easily amped up to something more by making a few tweaks, none of them very complicated. This is one recipe you can very easily adapt to individual family tastes.
For the creamy dip which is on the bottom, I like to make my own Taco seasoning. Its very easily done and I know what is in it, which I like. I hate filling us up with preservatives, sodium and sugars. This just gets mixed into a mix of sour cream and cream cheese. Simple.
You can also amp it up by adding a layer of taco beef on the bottom. (Room temperature.) I tell you how in the recipe. You can also use the Taco seasoning for this.
Shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes go on top of the creamy mixture. Make sure you drain your chopped tomatoes or you will have too much juice. I use cherry tomatoes because I think they are sweeter.
On top of the tomatoes you add a nice thick layer of grated cheese. I use a mix of strong and mild cheddar, but you can use Jack cheese if you want, or if you really want some spice mix in some jalapeno jack. Wowsa!
And that's it, the dip at its simplest. Now is when you can play and have fun with it, by adding layers of things your family loves.
Chopped spring onions, and bell peppers. You can do only green pepper or you can do a mix of different colours.
Chopped black and or green olives. They also had nice flavours, as do chopped pickled jalapeno peppers. (Do be judicious with those as they can really pack a punch!)
This is great for game nights, served chilled from the refrigerator (which makes it a great make-ahead) with a variety of chips and dippers!
Yield: 16
Simple Taco Dip
prep time: 20 minscook time: total time: 20 mins
This is a taco dip at its very basic, but it can also easily be amped up to something much more exciting, depending on ingredients used and individual tastes.
ingredients:
250g cream cheese (8 ounces)
250g sour cream (8 ounces)
2 TBS taco seasoning (see recipe below)
1/2 head of lettuce, finely shredded (1 1/2 cups)
120g cherry tomatoes, chopped and drained (1 1/2 cups)
180g grated cheese (1 1/2 cups, I use strong cheddar)
Optional Toppings and additions:
chopped black and/or green olives
chopped spring onions
chopped sweet bell pepper
chopped roasted jalapeno pepper
chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
a layer of taco beef (put on the bottom,
brown a pound of ground beef with some taco seasoning, salt and pepper, drain well
and place on the bottom of dip dish)
A layer of re-fried beans (just open the tin and spread on the bottom of the
dip dish)
instructions:
You will also need tortilla crisps/chips for dipping
For
the basic dip, whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream and taco
seasoning, mixing all together well. Spread in the bottom of a 9 by 13
inch glass dish. Top with the lettuce and then the tomatoes and finally
the cheese. Cover and chill for several hours. Serve chilled with
tortilla crisps/chips.
the basic dip, whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream and taco
seasoning, mixing all together well. Spread in the bottom of a 9 by 13
inch glass dish. Top with the lettuce and then the tomatoes and finally
the cheese. Cover and chill for several hours. Serve chilled with
tortilla crisps/chips.
If you want to amp this
up, stir a can of well drained green chilies into the cream cheese
mixture, or whisk in a teaspoon of chipotle pepper paste (or to taste).
You can also put a layer of cooked taco meat in the bottom of the dish
and top with the cream cheese mixture, and add other toppings as
desired.
up, stir a can of well drained green chilies into the cream cheese
mixture, or whisk in a teaspoon of chipotle pepper paste (or to taste).
You can also put a layer of cooked taco meat in the bottom of the dish
and top with the cream cheese mixture, and add other toppings as
desired.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Taco Seasoning
prep time: 10 minscook time: total time: 10 mins
Not just for tacos! Add it to salad dressings, casseroles, soups, etc.
ingredients:
1 TBS mild Chili powder
1/2 TBS ground cumin
1/2 TBS onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)instructions:
Whisk together all of the ingredients and store in an airtight container in a dark place for up to 6 months.
use for Tacos. Brown a pound of lean ground beef (or chicken or
turkey) together with one chopped onion. Drain well. Add 1 TBS of the
seasoning mix and 120ml/1/2 cup water. Cook, simmer, until most of the
liquid has evaporated.
Created using The Recipes Generator
I really hope that the ladies enjoy what I am preparing for them and sharing with them tonight! Fingers crossed! Bon Appetit!
Every once in a while we toy with the idea of going Vegetarian, but I confess, I like a good steak every now and then and Todd enjoys his chops. He is also a real Pie Man. He loves a meal of pie and mash.
Some of the favourite holidays that Todd and I have taken together have been to Germany. I actually lived in Germany for a time when I was a child, and have German ancestry on my mother's side and some on my father's side way, way back. Todd has lived there several times in his lifetime, both as a serving soldier and then as a civilian farm worker. In any case, it is a country which we both enjoy, not the least of which is because of the food!
Since it is October I thought I would cook us a real October-fest meal the other night, of Bavarian Sauerkraut , Bochwurst and boiled potatoes.
My mother's father and his family used to make their own Sauerkraut from scratch and indeed it is a very Nova Scotian Ingredient. We buy it back home in wax cartons, much like milk cartons, with the most famous brand being Tancook (they also make Turnip Kraut which is really good). Here I buy it in the jar, with the above being my favourite band. There is not a lot of liquid in this one, so it hardly needs draining at all. (My sister still makes her own Kraut.)
Mom always cooked a piece or ham or a pig's knuckle in hers and I have cooked pickled pork with mine in the past which is very good, but for today I served the kraut with German Bockwurst, which is really like big fat hotdogs. You don't really need to do anything to them, except to add them in a layer on top of the kraut about 5 or 10 minutes before it is done.
They are already cooked, so basically you are just heating them through. If you were going to cook them with ham, pork or some other raw meats, you would need to add them a lot sooner and perhaps cook the whole mess for a lot longer. Mom used to have hers cooking for the best part of a day, or at least for several hours.
Mom always served hers with mashed potatoes and that is certainly what I have done for the most part. My favourite thing is a pile of mashed potatoes, with a heap of kraut and a knob of butter melted in. Today however I kept to the German tradition of serving it with simple boiled garden potatoes . . . boiled in the skins and then peeled and rolled in some butter, parsley and seasoning.
A good German mustard is also very nice served with this dish. I don't like the really hot one, preferring the medium hot, or even Dijon. (Shhh . . . don't tell the Germans!)
Todd likes his with hot English mustard. He insists that English mustard is the only mustard worth eating. LOL He is such a Brit.
Altogether this went down a real treat. Of course if you were in Bavaria and a drinker you would be washing this down with iced mugs of a good German pilsner beer.
We don't do alcohol as a beverage so I enjoyed mine with a diet coke and Todd with a glass of milk. To each their own!
A nice crusty roll is also great with this or a slice of a good Rye bread. Oh, I do so love the German Brotchen!!
Whenever we have travelled there breakfasts are always served with heaped baskets of fresh Brotchen . . . crusty German bread rolls . . . beautiful and fresh, crisp on the outsides and soft in the middle . . . with plenty of cold butter for spreading . . .
Fresh jams, an assortment of fresh fruit, meusli, yogurt and platters of sliced meats and cheeses. Ohhhh . . . butter cheese . . . that is so good . . .
Heck, now I am wanting to go back to Germany, if only for the breakfasts. Sigh . . .
Yield: 6
Bavarian Sauerkraut
prep time: 10 minscook time: 40 minstotal time: 50 mins
This makes the perfect Octoberfest meal served with some boiled potatoes, German sausages and a good hot mustard!
ingredients:
1 TBS bacon drippings or butter
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
650g jar of mild wine sauerkraut (about 23 ounces)
1 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced
120ml chicken stock, cooking sherry or boiling water.instructions:
Heat the fat in a medium sized saucepan (with a lid) over medium
low heat. (I use my La Creuset cast iron casserole) Add the onion and
cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent. Drain the
sauerkraut and rinse if necessary. Add to the pot along with the brown
sugar, caraway seeds and diced apple. Add the stock/sherry/water. Stir
well together, then reduce to a really low temperature and cover
tightly. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until almost all of the liquid has
been absorbed. Serve hot.
low heat. (I use my La Creuset cast iron casserole) Add the onion and
cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent. Drain the
sauerkraut and rinse if necessary. Add to the pot along with the brown
sugar, caraway seeds and diced apple. Add the stock/sherry/water. Stir
well together, then reduce to a really low temperature and cover
tightly. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until almost all of the liquid has
been absorbed. Serve hot.
serving hot dogs or bochwurst with this, layer them in the pot for the
last 5 to 10 minutes or cook time to heat through. Serve a portion of
sausage with some of the kraut and some boiled potatoes for a genuinely
authentic German Meal.
Created using The Recipes Generator
We both really enjoyed this change of pace . . . October and German food go together like peas and carrots! Guten Appetit! Mahlzeit! Happy Octoberfest!
I am sharing a lovely teatime treat with you today in the form of a beautiful sweet loaf cake! This is a vanilla cake with a tasty almond macaroon filling. NOM NOM NOM!
This is actually a recipe I have promised myself to bake since 1986! It only took me thirty two years! I can't believe that, but its true! Why did I wait so long!
The year is 1986 and I am a young mum, aged 31 with four children and a fifth one on the way. I buy my very first store purchased baking book. I have never owned a cookbook like this before. I remember it being a bit of a bargain. Our local book shop used to have a table of books with prices cut every now and then. This was on that table.
You all know of the fondness I have for red and white toadstools. I bought this book on the strength of this recipe alone . . . Dainty Toadstools. A vanilla sugar cookie topped with sweet cherries and blanched almonds, decorated to look toadstools. I wanted to make them for my middle son's nursery school Christmas party. (This was before nut allergies, etc.) I did make them, and they were a hit.
I have had this recipe for Macaroon Loaf flagged ever since. The photo in the book looked incredibly delicious. It was a bit faffy however, and I never quite got around to it. It involved making a regular cake batter and then making an almond macaroon batter and then filling the centre of the unbaked cake with that same filling.
Our almond meal over here is made from blanched almonds, which is why it looks white instead of toasty brown. Not quite the look given in the loaf in the book, but I can promise you it is quite delicious nevertheless!
As I said filling it with the macaroon filling was a bit faffy, but not un-doable. You just need to be persistent. I am a stubborn person and was not going to let it defeat me . . .
As fast as I made the trough for the filling the cake would start filling the trough in. I kept at it however, and although I did not get a truly deep trough of macaroon filling . . .
I did get some . . . as you can see, not deep and more or less kind of spread somewhat over the top, but quite delicious . . . I promise you!
This is the kind of cake that begs to be enjoyed with copious cups of hot steaming tea. I love the red fruit herbal teas myself, but peppermint is also nice.
Mmmm . . . it was very good. Just don't over bake it or it will end up dry. This is one of those stodgy almost pound cake types of cakes. Break out the kettle and start warming the tea pot. You are going to love this!
Yield: Makes 1 large loaf
Macaroon Loaf
prep time: 15 minscook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 15 mins
A delicious vanilla cake with an almond macaroon filling which baked right into the cake.
ingredients:
For the cake:
180g softened butter (3/4 cup)
125g granulated sugar (2/3 cup)
2 large free range eggs
2 large free range egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
280g plain flour (2 cup)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
120ml milk (1/2 cup)
For the macaroon filling:
2 large free range egg whites
43g icing sugar, sifted (1/3 cup)
85g ground almonds (1 cup, almond meal)
1/2 tsp almond extractinstructions:
Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin and line with paper. Set aside.
Cream
together the butter, sugar, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla for the cake
until creamy. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to
the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. spread the batter into
the prepared loaf tin.
together the butter, sugar, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla for the cake
until creamy. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to
the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. spread the batter into
the prepared loaf tin.
Whisk the egg whites
until stiff but not dry. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until
thick and glossy and stiff. Fold in the almond extract and almonds.
Using the back of a spoon make a deep trough, two inches wide, down the
middle of the batter in the pan. Spoon the almond mixture into the
trough. (This is the hard part, but be persistent.)
until stiff but not dry. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until
thick and glossy and stiff. Fold in the almond extract and almonds.
Using the back of a spoon make a deep trough, two inches wide, down the
middle of the batter in the pan. Spoon the almond mixture into the
trough. (This is the hard part, but be persistent.)
for 60 to 65 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre
comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift
out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into slices to
serve.
Created using The Recipes Generator
As I sit here this morning, I am thinking that this would also be very nice spread with some jam. Just saying . . . Happy Sunday and Bon Appetit!
Before moving over to the UK, Pudding to me was something rich and creamy, milky, and rich. Like a thick custard you could eat it with a spoon, best served ice cold, and coming in flavours like butterscotch, vanilla, chocolate, lemon . . .
This was the pudding I grew up with and it came in packages that my mother added milk to and cooked on top of the stove until it thickened. She would pour it into individual bowls. We each had our own colour of bowl. My favourite part was the skin that formed on top and I loved butterscotch pudding best of all.
I remember being really surprised when I moved over here to the UK and was asked if I wanted pudding . . . expecting a choice of vanilla, chocolate, or butterscotch at the very least, of the creamy milky concoction of my younger years but was presented instead with a whole menu . . .
A menu filled with delicious sounding collations . . . such as sticky toffee pudding, roly poly pudding, bakewell pudding and the like . . . all substantial, and served warm with cream or warm custard . . . which was the only thing even remotely resembling the puddings of my childhood.
And not only that but the word "Pudding" was designed to cover a whole variety of dishes . . . "Desserts" . . . "Afters" . . . a cornucopia of wonderfully tasty delights to tempt the palate. Each one designed to make your eyes light up and your lips say howdy!
Pies and cakes and bakes . . . oh my! So I must apologise if you have come here today looking for something like jello . . . this is not that kind of pudding. This is a British pudding . . .
Rich, hearty, warming and delicious . . .
consisting of stewed summer fruits . . . berries . . . blueberry, raspberry, blackberry . . . baked at the bottom of the dish . . .
with a light blanket of cake baked on top . . . buttery and rich . . . with a moist yogurt batter . . .
sprinkled with flaked almonds . . . . the fruit stews and bubbles away in the oven while the cake puffs and the almonds toast . . .
Delicious served warm and spooned into bowls . . .
and topped by dollops of icy thick yogurt . . . or lashings of rich pouring cream if you would rather . . .
The perfect Autumnal dessert . . . for those nights when you desire an additional bit of comfort as you sit by the fire and toast your toes. Delicious!
Yield: 6-8
Mixed Berry Pudding
prep time: 10 minscook time: 45 minstotal time: 55 mins
I had some berries needed using up and so I made a type of pudding cake with them. Moist and delicious. Serve warm with some pouring cream or plain yogurt spooned on top.
ingredients:
50g butter, softened (3 1/2 TBS)
125g caster sugar (2/3 cup)
300g fresh or thawed frozen berries (3 cups)
2 medium free-range eggs
100g thick Greek yogurt (6 1/2 TBS)
125g self-raising flour, sifted (1 cup minus 2 TBS)
2 TBS flaked almonds
icing sugar to dust
Pouring cream or plain yogurt to serve
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark3. Butter the bottom of
am 800ml (4 cup) baking dish. Mix 2 TBS of the sugar with the berries
and scatter over the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
am 800ml (4 cup) baking dish. Mix 2 TBS of the sugar with the berries
and scatter over the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
Cream
together the butter and remaining sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in
the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the
flour and yogurt, alternately in three batches, until smooth.
together the butter and remaining sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in
the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the
flour and yogurt, alternately in three batches, until smooth.
the batter over the berries and smooth out. Scatter the almonds over
top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the sponge is golden brown and
springs back when lightly touched. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm
with the cream or additional yogurt.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Todd really, really enjoyed this. He is a pudding fiend, and these types are his favourite kinds . . . he would actually prefer custard with his, but today he had to make do with yogurt. He was licking his chops afterwards with a deep smile of satisfaction on his face. I love it when that happens. Bon Appetit!
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