Day 5 - Your Favourite Recipes

Ohhh, yummy! This is a bad one because now I wanna make all this stuff that I so shouldn't eat (at least not in the quantities I cook!!) I enjoy cooking...more than that, I enjoy baking. Desserts are actually my thing. I enjoy making a nice meal, too, but if there's no dessert it is just wrong! My Mom is a fabulous cook and I like to think that I've inherited/learned some of that from her. I love to look at recipes but I like old, tried and true recipes...ones that people actually prepare and eat. My favourite cookbooks are the fundraiser ones put out by schools and churches because I know people actually eat them! However, time and having to do it everyday sometimes saps the creativity and desire! These are a few of my favourites:

Main courses:

Pineapple Chicken - delicious with rice and SOOO easy to make!!

6 to 8 pieces of chicken

3/4 c brown sugar

2/3 c ketchup

1/2 c vinegar

1 can pineapple pieces plus juice

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp soya sauce

Mix together everything but the chicken. Pour over chicken in a roaster and bake, uncovered at 375 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Chicken & mushroom stew (this is THE BEST the next day...I love mine on a toasted sandwich and I substitute grape juice for wine because we never have wine in the house)
3 tbsp of olive oil
8 x chicken thighs
1 lb. of cremini or button mushrooms, cut into quarters
2 x Portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 x onions, sliced
1 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of wine, red or white, your choice
salt and pepper
Preheat a large skillet over a medium-high heat then add the oil and a single layer of the chicken thighs. Because you will be adding liquid and lowering the temperature of the chicken, this is the only opportunity you will have to add the rich flavours of caramelized chicken - so be patient. Brown evenly on both sides. When they are done remove and rest on a side plate. Pour off most of the accumulated fat.
Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan. Sauté first until they begin to release their juices then as they start to become golden brown. Place the chicken thighs back into the pan; then add the stock, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a slow simmer; a boil will toughen the meat. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid so that no moisture escapes and simmer slowly until the meat is very tender and falling off of the bone, about 45 minutes.

Now to the desserts - I have so many! The biggest hit this Christmas was actually chocolate dipped chocolate chip cookie dough. I found a cookie dough recipe that didn't include eggs (it was made so you could eat it raw) and then just dipped them in chocolate - SO good. I also make a version of Reese Peanut Butter cups but as balls and mint patties...mmmm, I love chocolates. Another big hit is my banana cream square (I make it in a 9x13 pan because pies don't keep their shape, anyway!) It's so simple - graham crumb crust, slice bananas on top of that, add instant vanilla pudding over that and top with whipped cream - HUGE hit and TOO easy!

The two that first popped into my mind, though, are Skor Trifle (this is Jason's favourite and always his request!) and hot fudge pudding!

Skor Trifle

Cake:
1 3/4 c flour
2 c sugar
3/4 c cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c boiling water
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c oil
2 tsp vanilla

Layers:
1 tub Cool Whip or whipping cream
6 SKOR chocolate bars
1 lg pkg & 1 sm pkg instant chocolate pudding

Cake: Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Layers: Prepare whipping cream. Crush bars. Prepare instant pudding according to directions. Put a layer of chocolate cake squares in a large glass bowl (huge). Pour half chocolate pudding over cake. Spread half of Cool Whip over pudding. Sprinkle half crushed bars over Cool Whip. Repeat. Eat at your own risk :)

Hot Fudge Pudding - I haven't had this in ages because it's best eaten hot but it's kinda much...though as I'm now reading, a 9x13 pan is a double recipe so maybe this would be doable. I've never made it smaller than a double!! :D

1 c sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa
Sift the above together in a bowl and make a well.
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted butter
Pour above into well
Beat together and add 1/2 c nuts (optional). Turn batter into a greased pan (9x13 for a double recipe)

Mix together:
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
Sift over mixture in pan.

Pour 1c cold water over mixture. Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes. Turn upside down to serve.

This has a nice chocolatey sauce - yummy!!

I could go on and on, but I won't. These are a sample of my favourites!

I'm really enjoying this 30 day thing. Today was quiet around here as there was no school so the boys wanted to go to Auntie's house. It's been kinda nice having some peace and quiet as spring seems SOOO far away right now (coming from someone who doesn't usually care how long winter is, as long as she doesn't have to drive on icy roads!). It will come sometime. It's been really nice this week but it's hard to get outside too much during the week and, of course, it's supposed to be cold tomorrow! Oh well.

Until next time...