by Michael P. Clive
March 2, 2011
Kick your Mardi Gras party into high gear with this Mardi Gras specialty!
1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened grapefruit juice
1 cup (250 mL) tomato juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) juice from canned Jalapeno peppers
2 tbsp (30 mL) Grenadine
Combine ingredients, chill and serve.
by Michael P. Clive
March 2, 2011
Serves 4
2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
1 cup (250 mL) each chopped celery, chopped green pepper and chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups (1 L) low-sodium beef broth
14-oz (398-mL) can tomatoes
10-oz (300 g) package frozen cut okra
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) each dried thyme and oregano leaves and cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
4 U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, green pepper, onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add broth, tomatoes, okra, salt, thyme, oregano, cayenne and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer stirring occasionally 30 minutes.
Add catfish pieces and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily tested with a fork. Discard bay leaf. Serve gumbo in large shallow pasta bowls over cooked rice.
by Michael P. Clive
March 2, 2011
The King Cake is baked with a small plastic baby or edible treat (for safety) hidden inside and whoever receives the slice with baby or bean in it has to host the next party!
Important Safety Note: Be sure to tell everyone to inspect their piece of cake before eating. To be extra careful, use a plastic toy baby that is too large to swallow, or hide an orange wedge or 3-4 pecan halves inside the cake (avoid items that may hurt someone’s teeth) and then simply place the toy baby outside on the top of the cake for all to admire! Recipe yield: 2 cakes.
For pastry:
1 cup milk
¼ cup butter
2 packages active dry yeast
⅔ cup warm water (110° F)
½ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
For Filling:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
⅔ cup chopped pecans
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup raisins
½ cup melted butter
For Frosting:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon water
To Make Cake:
1. Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
4. Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
5. To make filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, ½ cup flour and ½ cup raisins. Pour ½ cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
6. Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10×16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts one-third of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners’ sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
King Cake recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com
by Michael P. Clive
December 21, 2010
Date Bread
This is a one-bowl recipe, and one of the easiest quick breads. It makes a wonderful hostess gift, and you can make several at once to freeze and keep on hand.
1 cup (250 mL) Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped (about 10 dates)
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1 cup (250 mL) boiling water
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 egg
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 ½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125 mL) walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch (2L) loaf pan or line with parchment paper. Place dates in a large bowl, sprinkle with baking soda and cover with water. Set aside to cool.
Add butter, egg, sugar, salt, vanilla and flour to cooled date mixture, beating well. Stir in walnuts and pour into prepared pan.
Bake for one hour or until tester inserted in centre of loaf comes out clean.
Let stand for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
by Michael P. Clive
Dreamy Date Pudding Cake
with Caramel Infusion
Serves 6 – 8
Butter and powdered cocoa, to prepare pan
1 cup (250g) Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped (about 10)
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1 ½ cups (375 mL) boiling water
½ cup (125 mL) butter, softened
1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar, packed
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 ¾ cups self-rising flour, sifted
Red glace cherries for garnish (optional)
Caramel sauce
1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
1 ¼ cups (300 mL) whipping cream
½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
¼ cup (50 mL) butter
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). To prepare baking pan, brush the inside of a Bundt pan thoroughly with melted butter. Liberally sprinkle powdered cocoa over butter, then turn upside-down and tap to remove excess cocoa.
In a small bowl, sprinkle baking soda over dates. Add water and set aside for 20 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a large metal spoon, fold in date mixture and flour until well mixed. Batter will be thin.
Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to stand for about one minute, then carefully turn onto a plate.
To make the caramel sauce, set a saucepan over medium heat and add sugar, cream, vanilla and butter. Cook, stirring often, until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 more minutes.
While cake is still warm, use a wooden skewer to make holes all over the top of the cake. Pour half of the warm sauce over the warm cake. Garnish with glace cherries, if desired.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into slices and serve with remaining sauce.
by Michael P. Clive
December 21, 2010
Date Porcupines (we can shape this into a porcupine)
2 eggs
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter, melted
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 cup (250 g) Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about 10)
1 cup (250 g) chopped walnuts
¾ cup (175 mL) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) sweetened shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, beat eggs well and add melted butter and vanilla. Fold in dates and walnuts. Sift flour and salt together and gradually add to date and egg mixture, mixing well.
Form into small balls (about 1 tbsp/15 mL), and roll in coconut. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until coconut is beginning to turn golden.
Makes 36 cookies.
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