Saturday 23 November 2013

Citrus Hot Toddys



As the weather is cooler....I yearn for comfort and warmth.  I sit by the fireplace, have a warm blanket around my legs, slippers... Oh so cozy!  I love it!  My husband and I usually spend our evenings this way watching our favorite tv show when the kiddos are asleep.  We usually make ourselves a cracker and fancy cheese plate and have grown-up drink.  And we've discovered.....TODDYS....

And not just a simple toddy of rum, hot water and cinnamon....This toddy takes it up to another level!  Citrus!!!!  I've combined fresh lemon and orange juices, sweet honey, and cinnamon.  Add to that some spirits (we like spiced rum) and some hot water....you have a perfect cozy drink!  This would also be very comforting after a day out on the slopes, or sledding, or shovelling, or staying inside watching everyone else....shovel.....

:)

So, break out a couple of your favorite mugs, mix up these easy ingredients, light a fire (or turn on that fireplace station on tv) turn on some Christmas tunes...(NO ITS NOT TOO EARLY!!!!) and sip this sweet nectar....


Citrus Honey Toddys
adapted from:  Camille Styles

What you Need:
(serves 2)

- juice of one lemon
- juice of one navel orange
- 2 TBSP of honey
- 1/3 cup of spiced rum
- 1 cup plus 1/4 cup of hot water
- 2 lemon wedges
- 2 cinnamon sticks

What to do:

In a glass bowl combine, juices of lemon and orange, honey, rum, and hot water. 

Divide into mugs.  Check to see if its your desired temperature for hot drinks.

Add lemon wedges and cinnamon sticks

Enjoy!



Friday 15 November 2013

Glazed Chocolate Mini-Donuts




So we've finally had our first big snow!  And I am okay with it.....I'm not ready for extreme cold yet and thankfully we've had decent temperatures for our area.  Snow gear is out in full force and we've already had our first mitten casualty....Lost forever in the bowels of the Elementary School lost and found bin....

I gotta go buy some more mittens.  I'm slightly anal about it when one is lost.  I go searching for it...

In grocery store parking lots...

tearing through bins.....

Yep...apparently I've got a problem with lost mittens...

But I don't have a problem with donuts....mini ones to be precise!  I bought myself a new silicone mini-donuts baking pan..So fun..Yes, I could use my mini muffin pans for the same purpose...but mini donuts are so cute!  So to try out the pan I made these sweet babies...And they are GOOOOOOOOD!  Easy to make, easy to eat!  If you don't have a mini-donut baking pan....don't sweat it...use that mini-muffin pan that I know everyone has hidden amongst the  bundt, cheesecake (various sizes) jelly roll, and every size cake pan...

:)

Glazed Chocolate Mini-Donuts

adapted from Buns in My Oven


What you Need:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 egg
6 TBSP of sour cream (preferably full fat)
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of vegetable oil

For the Glaze:
1 1/4 cups of powdered (icing) sugar
6 TBSP of milk
1 tsp of vanilla

What You Do:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

2.  In a large bowl combine dry ingredients for the donuts.

3.  In a small bowl whisk together vanilla, egg, sour cream, milk, and oil. Once well-mixed, pour wet ingredients into the dry.  With a spatula or wooden spoon stir to combine.  Don't over-mix.

4.  You can spoon batter into a greased mini-donut pan (or mini muffin pan), or you can spoon batter into a piping bag and "pipe" the batter into the pans.  I did this and found it less messy.

5.  Bake for 10 - 12 minutes in oven. 

6.   Remove from pan and cool on rack.

7.  Make Glaze.  In a small saucepan over medium-low heat combine glaze ingredients.  Heat and keep stirring for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

8. Dunk cooled donuts into glaze and place on rack to cool and allow the glaze to harden.  This may take a bit of time...be patient....:)

Enjoy.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and baking soda.
In a small bowl, beat together the vanilla, egg, sour cream, milk, and oil.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
Spoon in a greased donut pan.
Bake for 8 minutes or until the tops spring back when you touch them.
Let the donuts cool in the pan before glazing.
To make the glaze:
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, milk, and vanilla until well combined. Remove from the heat.
Dunk the donuts in the glaze to fully coat and place on a wire rack to set.
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/04/01/glazed-chocolate-donuts/#SXgWSlVi51mRZpQB.9

Ingredients:

For the donuts:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
6 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

To make the donuts:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and baking soda.
In a small bowl, beat together the vanilla, egg, sour cream, milk, and oil.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
Spoon in a greased donut pan.
Bake for 8 minutes or until the tops spring back when you touch them.
Let the donuts cool in the pan before glazing.
To make the glaze:
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, milk, and vanilla until well combined. Remove from the heat.
Dunk the donuts in the glaze to fully coat and place on a wire rack to set.

Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/04/01/glazed-chocolate-donuts/#SXgWSlVi51mRZpQB.99

Ingredients:

For the donuts:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
6 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

To make the donuts:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and baking soda.
In a small bowl, beat together the vanilla, egg, sour cream, milk, and oil.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
Spoon in a greased donut pan.
Bake for 8 minutes or until the tops spring back when you touch them.
Let the donuts cool in the pan before glazing.
To make the glaze:
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, milk, and vanilla until well combined. Remove from the heat.
Dunk the donuts in the glaze to fully coat and place on a wire rack to set.

Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/04/01/glazed-chocolate-donuts/#SXgWSlVi51mRZpQB.99

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Jiffy Cinnamon Buns





As a busy mom I do appreciate things that are "jiffy".  Things like canned soup, KD, apple sauce, yogurt tubes, and juice boxes.  Yes, even store-bought cookies and microwave popcorn are nice on occasion too.  When you don't have all the time in the world....these things are helpful in a pinch.

That is what I think about cinnamon buns.  I do like....um...love cinnamon buns.....but the time it takes to make them.  They can be.....well.....not so....jiffy.  This can be a problem for the mom who is running to skating, swimming, pre-school, play groups, pick up school kids, groceries, mail, clean,....ya...you get it...I bet you get it REALLY GOOD.  I'm speakin' your language....:_

So there are these babies...A jiffy, biscuit-based cinnamon bun that really takes no time to make...OK...a bit of time....but it is so manageable. So next time you get a hankerin' for some cinnamon bun love.....try these....:)


Jiffy Cinnamon Buns
adapted from Company's Coming


What you NEED:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 TBSP granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine

1 cup cold milk

for filling mixture:

1/3 cup butter or margarine softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tsp cinnamon

**if you like raisins or currants you can add 1/3 cup to the filling mixture..

What you DO:

1.In a large bowl combine, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut in the first amount of butter until crumbly.

2.  Add milk to bowl.  Stir to form a soft dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough 8 - 10 times.  Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle about 1 cm (1/3 inch) thick and 30 cm (12 inches) long.
Width will vary...no worries.

3.  In a medium bowl cream second amount of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together.  

*** at this point I put muffin liners into a muffin tin.  Its easier for me.  You can just grease a muffin tin if ya like.  

4.  Place 1 tsp of filling mixture into bottom of each muffin liner or tin.  Spread remaining mixture onto the dough rectangle.  Sprinkle with the raisins or currants if you like these.

5.  Roll dough up length ways like a jelly roll.  Mark first with knife 12 even lines/spaces for the rolls.  Cut.  Place cut side down into muffin pan.  

6.  Bake in 400 degrees oven for 20 - 25 minutes.  

7.  Let cool 10 minutes in pan once removed from oven.  Remove from muffin tins.  

ENJOY!!!!  with a coffee is really good.