Italian Bread for the Bread maker

This bread takes less than five minutes to put together and gets rave reviews every single time I make it. You put the ingredients in the bread maker and set it for ‘dough’. When the timer goes, remove dough and the real magic begins.

Italian Bread for the Bread maker

You’ll need:

1 1/3 cups warm water (should be warm on wrist)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 2/3 cups unbleached white flour
1 1/4 teaspoons yeast (although recipe calls for bread machine yeast, I use ordinary yeast)

Add ingredients to bread maker pan in order given and select dough setting. On my machine, the timer will go after 2 hours.

When timer goes, remove dough from pan and turn onto lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for a few turns then cover with a large bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. DON’T FORGET TO TURN OFF THE OVEN BEFORE LOAF GOES IN TO RISE.  Now remove bowl and, on floured surface, gently shape loaf into long, fat Italian loaf. Sometimes I flatten the bread quite a bit and put grated cheese down the centre then fold the bread over and seal it. That gives a lovely ribbon of cheese inside the cooked bread.

Oil a large cookie sheet and gently sprinkle cornmeal over it to keep the bread from sticking.

Put bread on cookie sheet and put it the oven for 45 minutes. Turn the oven off first!

After 45 minutes, remove bread from the oven and cover with a clean tea towel. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. When oven is preheated, remove tea towel and bake bread for 20 minutes. I often brush water over the risen dough then cover the bread with grated cheese before baking. Yummy! I brush the top of the finished loaf with butter as soon as the bread comes out of the oven.

I know this sounds like a lot of work, but it isn’t and the result is an amazing loaf of fresh Italian (cheese) bread. Enjoy!


Festive Apple Cake

Being born in Ireland, Christmas always meant plum pudding for dessert on that very special day. My mum cooked everything in the pressure cooker, so whenever she made the pudding, I’d sit at the kitchen table doing homework and listen to the rhythmic, breathy song of the pressure cooker as the plum pudding steamed.

Even the serving was a ritual. We’d all be together around the big table when she carried in the festive dessert. I have to admit that, at the time, I never really liked the stuff. The only reason I ate it was because foil wrapped money had been inserted in each piece that went to a child. What better way to entice children to eat something they don’t particularly like than to hide money in it. It may have only been a quarter, but when I was a child, that was a fortune. My mum also made the best hard sauce in the world and you could drown the pudding in it and hide the taste.

Now, fifty years later, I love the stuff. But I’m not into all the time and effort Mum put into it so I’m going to share a recipe that makes a cake that is reminiscent of plum pudding and much easier and quicker to make. I’ve forgone the traditional hard sauce for a lighter lemon sauce.

Hope you enjoy my cheater cake.
Kaenar

So here’s the recipe.

You’ll need:

2 1/2 cups grated apple, peeled and cored first
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 Tbsp oil
1 cup + 2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease and flour 8x8 inch pan.
2. Pour boiling water over apples, raisins and dried cranberries. Top with oil and let stand 10 minutes.
3. Add honey and spices (including salt) then let stand to cool.
4. Mix flour and baking soda, add walnuts and combine with the other ingredients. Pour into well-oiled pan and bake 45 minutes to an hour.

Lemon Sauce

You’ll need:

1 Tbsp flour or cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
Few grains of salt
1 cup water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp butter

Instructions:

1. Mix cornstarch/flour, sugar, lemon rind and salt then gradually add water.
2. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
3. Cook over hot water, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice and butter.
5. Spoon sauce over slices of warm cake.


Mango Lassi

In our house, we love preparing and eating Indian food and a mango lassi is really the perfect drink to accompany Indian fare. It had the appeal of a milkshake but without the calories, and the taste is exquisite with spicy or savoury foods.

The recipe calls for milk and yoghurt but our son is allergic to the casein in cows’ milk so we’ve tried many, many variations.

We’ve used sheeps’ milk and sheeps’ milk yoghurt, goats’ milk and goats’ milk yoghurt and soya milk and soya yoghurt. We’ve tried all the computations and permutations of these milks and yoghurts and find the goats’ milk and goats’ milk yoghurt to be the best combination. They give a sweet but tart appeal to the beverage.  My son makes a great, big blender full and it quickly disappears.

Many thanks to Joanie, owner and graphic designer at Ice Moon Studios, for this amazing recipe.

I found Joanie’s recipe at tastyplanner.com and she whole-heartedly allowed me to post it on my recipe page. Thanks Joanie.

So here’s the recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups mango purée
2 cups milk
1/4 cup brown sugar (I use 2 Tbsp)
1 handful of Ice

Note:

1. Mango purée can be bought in most grocery stores. I find it in the International Aisle in our local small-town store.

2. I don’t use much sugar except with the goats’ milk then we use about 2 tablespoons to sweeten.

3. The last time I thought I was buying mango purée, I bought mango slices by mistake and we used them anyway. My son blended them first in the blender then added the rest of the ingredients. The taste was even better, fresher than with the purée-a happy accident.

4. Warning: Mango lassis are addictive. The taste is so smooth and creamy and this recipe so darn easy. Enjoy!

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine yogurt, mango purée, milk, some sugar (to taste), and ice cubes.

2. Blend until smooth.

3. Pour into 4 tall glasses to serve. That’s it!

Note: It has been suggested that you DO NOT use fresh mango. Indian restaurants only use canned mango or mango pulp from the sweetest, least fibrous mangoes. The mangoes that you buy in the US and Canada is not the sweetest. Their fibers will destroy the smooth creamy texture, and their acid content will ruin the taste and possibly curdle the lassi.


Lemon Yogurt Bread

Original recipe by Ina Garten, modifications by Kaenar

This recipe makes a luscious, lemony loaf. My son especially loves it because you roll the loaf in the lemon glaze. Yum!

Lemon Yogurt Bread

You’ll need:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/3 cups brown sugar (divided into 1 cup and 1/3 cup)
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (1 or 2 lemons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Options:

1. Sometimes I substitute unsweetened apple sauce for the oil. Works perfectly and less fat.

2. Add a handful of raspberries, blueberries or any fresh or frozen fruit.

3. I often drop a bunch of chocolate chips on half then stir in with a knife.

4. Lemon juice in a bottle works, but is not so potent and delicious.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and combine the 1/3 cup of lemon juice and the 1/3 cup brown sugar in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

1. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

2. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Stir in grated lemon zest. Add optional fruit to these dry ingredients.

3. In another larger bowl, whisk the yogurt, 1 cup of sugar, oil or apple sauce, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.

4. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

5. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until a knife placed in the center of the cake comes out clean.

6. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 or 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and place onto a baking rack over a cookie sheet. Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a thin knife or toothpick. Then, while the cake is still warm, pour the lemon sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Once you have poured all the mixture over the cake remove the baking rack and roll the cake bottom and sides in the leftover mixture on the sheet pan.

7. Allow the cake to cool completely.

8. It is delicious!


Broccoli Garbanzo Soup

This soup is one of our family favourites. It’s quick, easy and delicious. Serve it when you’re having Indian food. With a loaf of fresh crusty bread, you’ll find it to be a lovely accompaniment.

Broccoli Garbanzo Soup

You’ll need:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric
3 cups water
2 cups milk
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 large can garbanzo beans (chick peas)

In one saucepan, bring the 3 cups of water to a boil, lower heat and cook the chopped broccoli for 5 minutes.

While broccoli cooks, melt the butter in another large saucepan. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and turmeric. Cook slowly until mixed, then add broccoli water and stir with wire whisk until well blended. Add broccoli and beans and heat gently for ten or fifteen minutes, to release flavours.

Add milk and heat gently. As with many soups, this one always tastes better the second day when the flavours have had a chance to mellow. The colour is fabulous and the taste is amazing.

You can play around with the quantities of milk and water. Add less water and more milk if you prefer or the reverse.


Fudge Drop Cookies

You’ll need:

1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine (You could use regular margarine or butter if you dont need the cookies to be dairy-free.
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli cocoa and I absolutely love the rich flavour it imparts to everything)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup soy yogurt (I substituted leftover protein shake. You could use soy milk, fruit pure, whatever is thick like yoghurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I used raspberry wine vinegar and the results were wonderful)
(optional pinch of cinnamon)
Vanilla sugar (Pulverize a vanilla bean with sugar in the blender) (I skipped this)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. You can buy parchment paper at a dollar store and it makes cleaning up a breeze.

Mix the flour, soda, and salt together and set aside.

In another bowl, mix the cocoa with the sugar and set aside.

Melt the margarine and when it is completely melted, take it off the heat and add to the sugar/cocoa mixture and stir to combine. Then add the soy yogurt, vanilla extract, and vinegar and stir until mixed. Finally, add the flour mixture and stir just until it’s combined don’t over-mix.

Using a spoon, drop tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets about 1 1/2-inches apart. The first time, I left them as balls to cook, but the second time, I flattened them a bit with a fork like you do with peanut butter cookies. Both results were yummy.

(Sprinkle lightly with vanilla sugar), and place them in the oven. After 5 minutes, switch the pans in the oven and change around front to back as well. Check again in 4 or 5 minutes. They shouldn’t need more than 10 or 11 minutes in total


Old-fashioned Irish Scones

The cold weather and blowing snow of January make me wish for comfort food and these scones would definitely be at the top of my list.

They’re easy to make and can be whipped together in no time flat for a breakfast treat. I love to add fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries or drain one of those little cans or plastic packs of individual peaches and add them. Pears are fabulous in them too.

To accompany soups or stews, make them savoury instead by grating some cheese and adding basil, thyme or dill. In our house, they usually don’t last past one meal. They’re best warm from the oven with lots of butter. Yummy.

Old fashioned Irish Scones

You’ll need:

3 cups unbleached white flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups milk or buttermilk or soya milk (All these will work. I’ve even used a combination of soya milk and plain yoghurt to make it thick like buttermilk)

Optional: Add a handful of raspberries, blueberries, whatever you want.

If I’m adding fruit and making sweet scones, I add 1/3 cup brown sugar.

Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. You can buy parchment paper at a dollar store and it makes cleaning up a breeze.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees. (Original recipe says 425, but my oven won’t go that high.)

2. In large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter and milk and mix, first with wooden spoon then with hands, adding flour if necessary until dough no longer sticks to hands.

3. Knead dough gently for a minute or so.

4. Flour a clean surface and a rolling pin and roll dough into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Sometimes I just flatten the dough with floured hands and don’t bother with the rolling pin. With a sharp knife, cut off pieces to form scones and transfer to parchment covered cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes, until they begin to brown. If baking at 425, bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

I haven’t posted a chocolate recipe for quite a while, so here goes.

These treats bring back wonderful Christmas memories. Every year my mother-in-law would make a batch of these, but no matter how big the batch, it was never enough. A definite crowd pleaser, marrying two of my very favourite things-chocolate and peanut butter.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

You’ll need:

1 cup icing sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup butter
4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot water
You’ll also need two cookie sheets.

1. Line one cookie sheet with waxed paper. In large bowl, mix icing sugar, peanut butter, coconut and 1/3 cup of butter together until well blended. Gently fold in Rice Krispies cereal until well coated. Form into 1" balls. To make the rolling easier, use lightly dampened hands. Refrigerate on cookie sheet 30 minutes.

2. To make chocolate dip: In medium saucepan or in microwave, melt chocolate chips, remaining butter and water. If mixture is a bit thick for dipping add 1 to 2 tablespoons more hot water. Use low heat if using saucepan.

3. Using two forks or a toothpick, drop a couple of peanut butter balls in chocolate mixture. Roll balls around in chocolate mixture to coat in chocolate. Chill on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet until chocolate is set. Other serving suggestions: peanut butter balls can be served plain or lightly drizzled with chocolate dip. To decorate balls with chocolate, use tip of spoon to drizzle chocolate over balls.


Apple Pie Muffins with Crunchy Topping

These are the very best muffins especially warm from the oven. The topping is crunchy and oh so delectable. Of all the muffins I make, my younger son loves these the most.

Apple Pie Muffins with Crunchy Topping

You’ll need:

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
6 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Batter:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups diced apple

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin tins. Mix topping ingredients in 1 bowl. Mix batter ingredients in another bowl, adding liquid ingredients to dry. Stir gently to mix then spoon batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle topping on top of batter. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 16 muffins.


Summer Torte with Berry Filling

Despite the fancy name, this torte is very easy to make and sublimely delicious. It’s delightful for dessert when you’re spending time with friends on a hot summer day. It takes very little time to prepare and they’ll think you were slaving in the kitchen for hours.

Summer Torte with Berry Filling

A springform pan is essential for this recipe.

You’ll need:

Base:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
3-4 cups blueberries or strawberries
Grated rind of 1 lemon or lime
2 tablespoons sugar

Custard:
2 cups sour cream
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

Combine the ingredients for base in a bowl. Combine well, mixing by hand, and pat evenly in the bottom of a greased 12-inch springform pan.

Lightly mix berries, rind and sugar and sprinkle evenly over dough. Whisk together custard ingredients and pour evenly over berries.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until firm and top is golden brown. Cool thoroughly before serving.

Serves 8-10.

Bon appetit!


Gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookies

The addition of oatmeal, coconut and bran flakes makes an interesting and delectable chocolate chip cookie. I’ve substituted whatever cereal is on hand and always ended up with spectacular cookies.

They don’t last long.

Gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookies

You’ll need:

1 cup butter or 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup margarine
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup bran flakes
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter, add sugar and then the eggs. Beat until light and creamy.

Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add bran flakes, oats, coconut and chocolate chips. Stir into creamed mixture and mix well.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Press down with a fork and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cookies are light brown.

Makes 6-8 dozen cookies.

Bon appetit!


Wicked Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

These brownies look fabulous and taste even better. I like to pretend that using ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese somehow makes them healthier and less fattening. It’s my illusion, so don’t spoil it for me.

They are quick and easy to prepare. No one will know you didn’t slave over them for hours!

I took them to work and they disappeared in a flash.

Wicked Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

You’ll need:

3/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
generous 1 cup unbleached or whole wheat flour

Cheesecake mix

generous 1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 11x7 inch pan.

Melt the butter in a medium pan, remove from heat and stir in cocoa and sugar. Beat in the eggs, add the flour and stir to mix evenly. Pour into the prepared pan.

For the cheesecake mix, beat together the ricotta cheese, sugar and the egg. Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture over the chocolate mixture. Use a metal spatula or knife to swirl the two together.

Bake 40-45 minutes, until just firm to the touch. Cool in the pan, and then cut into squares or bars.

Bon appetit!


Date Loaf with Dried Cranberries

With so many recipes for sweet things on the page, I thought I’d give you one that’s sweet but also healthy. If you like a moist, rich Christmas cake, this loaf has that same dark goodness.

Every time I take this loaf somewhere, someone always asks for the recipe.

1 cup chopped dates
(look for a bulk store where you can buy them already chopped)
1 cup dried cranberries (or half raisins/half cranberries)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. shortening (I use oil)
3/4 cup boiling water (or a mixture of water and a good juice)
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
(I’ve even used spelt flour for friends with wheat intolerance and the taste is still wonderful)

In small saucepan combine dates, cranberries, soda, salt, shortening and boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes.

In large bowl, combine flour and sugar.

Add eggs to saucepan mixture and mix well.

Add liquid to dry and blend well.

Pour into greased and floured bread pan and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Makes 1 loaf.

This is a substantial loaf - not for the faint of heart.


Incredible Valentine’s Double Chocolate Brownies

My family said these brownies are the best they’d ever tasted. You couldn’t wish for a better recommendation than that.

With Valentine’s Day happening this month, wouldn’t you love to make up a batch of heavenly chocolate brownies for someone special?

Hope you like them as much as we did. They disappeared way too fast!

Incredible Double Chocolate Brownies

You’ll need:

1/2 cup of melted butter
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup unbleached flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line the bottom of an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
In a double boiler or in a bowl over hot water, melt butter and chocolate. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
Stir in sugar, salt and vanilla extract then add eggs one at a time, stirring until well blended.
Mix together flour, cocoa and chocolate chips and add to butter mixture. Beat until smooth.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is evenly coloured and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out almost clean.

In case they’re not sweet enough or didn’t already have enough chocolate, here’s the accompanying fudge sauce.

Fudge Sauce

You’ll need:

4 tablespoons butter
generous 1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
generous 1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup corn syrup
7 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces

Place butter, sugar, milk, cream and syrup in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and stir for 10 minutes, or until mixture is caramel-coloured. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Cut the brownies into squares and serve with the sauce.


Fabulous Fudge

1 package (350g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 1/4 cups icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts or dried cranberries

In double boiler, melt chocolate chips with condensed milk then stir in remaining ingredients. Spread evenly in waxed paper or parchment paper lined 8x8 inch pan. Chill 2 to 3 hours then turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper and cut into squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature. Makes about 2 lbs.

Microwave: In 2 qt. glass measure, combine chips with condensed milk. Microwave on full power (high) for 2 minutes. Stir until chips melt and mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Proceed as above.

Fudge may be well wrapped and frozen for up to 6 weeks. Thaw at room temperature before cutting. I can’t imagine ever getting it to the freezer. Even if it were frozen, we’d eat it anyway!


Homemade Granola Bars

In a large bowl combine:

(1) 3 cups of rolled oats (oatmeal)

(2) Choose any four of the ingredients listed below and add 1 cup of each, or be creative and use whatever you have on hand:
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup coconut
1 cup raisins
1 cup butterscotch chips

Our favourites are chocolate and white chips, dried cranberries and coconut.

(3) 1/2 cup melted butter

(4) 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (not Carnation evaporated milk)

Spread mixture on large greased cookie sheet. I invested in Parchment paper to cover the cookie sheet. Don’t bother to grease the pan if you use the parchment paper. The bars won’t stick and clean-up is a breeze!

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Cook until edges begin to brown and cut while still warm. We love these in our house and so does the staff as I make them often and take them to school.

Hope you enjoy them. Let me know how it turns out. kaenarmail@kaenar.com


Oatmeal Pancakes- just like Mariah
made for Gabriel

When Mariah assembles the ingredients to make pancakes
from scratch, Gabriel laughs.

His mother would just get out a box of pancake mix and a bottle of syrup.

Mariah broadens his horizons and you can too. Make these for your sweetheart for breakfast or brunch and see what happens.

Hope you enjoy them. Let me know how it turns out.
...Kaenar
kaenarmail@kaenar.com

Mix well:

1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder

Add and mix:

1 egg
1/4 cup oil

Add 1 cup water and 1 1/2 cups milk and blend until well mixed.

Adding fresh or frozen fruit to the batter will make your pancakes even more special.

Fry on oiled, hot griddle and serve with warm maple syrup.


Mariah’s Black Dress Hot Fudge Cake

What was it that Mariah said about vanilla ice cream?

Ah yes...

with a tub of vanilla ice cream and a little black dress, a woman can have whatever she wants.

This delicious chocolate cake makes its own hot fudge sauce and cries out for vanilla ice cream and a little black dress.

I don’t know if you’ll get what you want but I can guarantee that it will be fun to try.

Hope you enjoy it. Let me know how it
turns out... Kaenar
kaenarmail@kaenar.com

You’ll need:

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar (try brown sugar)
5 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups boiling water

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cocoa. Add the milk and melted butter and stir well. Place in an ungreased, square cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of brown sugar and 4 tablespoon cocoa.

Sprinkle evenly over the mixture in the pan. Pour the boiling water over the whole mixture just before putting into the oven. Do not stir.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 55 minutes. Serve warm with a quality vanilla ice cream, wear your black dress, close your eyes and wish.


Gabriel’s Peach Crisp

I can’t promise a man as wonderful as Gabriel to make this for you but go ahead and try it on someone special.

This dessert is fabulous when made with fresh, ripe peaches but canned peaches will do just as well.

Serve it warm like Gabriel did for Mariah and add some vanilla ice cream to create a tantalizing treat.

Hope you enjoy it. Let me know how it turns out. kaenarmail@kaenar.com

Love,
Kaenar

You’ll need:

5 large peaches, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Grated rind from 1 lemon

Topping:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients. Toss until the peaches are coated. Butter a 2 quart baking dish and pour in the mixture.

Mix together all the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the peach mixture. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm with ice cream, preferably while wearing a little black dress.

Hope you enjoy it. Let me know how it turns out. kaenarmail@kaenar.com