Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Squares

Adding peanut butter instantly revives the traditional rice krispie treats. Adding a drizzle of chocolate on top finishes the accomplished culinary resurrection and brings it to chocolate peanut butter heaven. My mum would make these quite often and they were devoured quickly. Not always with chocolate on top because these are quite enjoyable when plain too. There are plenty of ways one can add different flavours or ingredients to this meek sweet treat. You just have to let your culinary creativity decide.  

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Squares

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1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup smooth no salt natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 package (400g) of mini marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

Optional: Melted dark or milk chocolate for drizzling on top. 

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside. 

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low to medium heat. Once melted stir in the marshmallows. Stir until melted.

Add the peanut butter and vanilla and stir until combined, remove from heat.

Stir in the rice krispies. When everything is coated nicely press into the prepared pan. Cool completely then cut into squares. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if you like. Allow to set. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Kirsch Rickey

This is a lovely change of pace for a cocktail, the Kirsch Rickey. I have heard of a Gin Rickey however not necessarily a Kirsch Rickey. Still this cocktail will definitely have you dreaming of summer with it's fragrant tones and a fizz of sweet nectar; which would be most refreshing on a hot summer day... or night. If you prefer something a bit more dry you can exclude the simple syrup if you like and a touch more if needed. Although the recipe did not call for 2 maraschino cherries I decided to add them to each glass anyway. 

Kirsch Rickey
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1/2 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
2 ounces of Kirsch
1/4 to 1/2 ounce simple syrup, optional
ice cubes 
chilled club soda

1. Add the lime juice, kirsch and simple syrup (if using) to a highball glass or any comparably sized glass. Stir.

2. Add 2 to 3 large ice cubes or a few smaller ice cubes to the glass. Top it off with club soda. Stir again. Serve with a stirrer or straw.

Notes: You can use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of lime for an equally refreshing cocktail.  

Keeping things simple and dreaming of summer. - JD 

Leftovers #27 ~ Cauliflower and Cheese Soup

I just knew when I posted about the Crock Pot Cauliflower and Cheese that I would be making it again soon. This time I had leftovers and decided to make a soup. I added some low sodium chicken broth, a teaspoon or two of mixed herbs and blended it until smooth. Then transferred the soup mixture into a large sauce pan and heated until warm. The soup was a substantial cheesy herbed one that was enjoyed by everyone.  

Hope everyone's weekend was a good one whether you celebrated St. Valentine's Day or not. Ours was quite a good one! - JD 

Picnics for Lovers

Since Valentine's Day is this weekend and it has been a bit since I posted about a cookbook, I thought this would be a good one. 

Picnics to me, evoke that easy breezy leisurely lunch on a warm summer day. As for the winter months one can reminisce about those summery days however this cookbook makes picnics, romantic or not, to be enjoyed indoors just as much as the outdoors. Which span all the 4 seasons. Whether it is sunny, rainy, or snowy the picnic may be spontaneous or just as much preplanned. It all comes down to being creative, suggestive, and selective.  

This cookbook combines food and love and the love of food in inspiring romantically inclined recipes. Recipes appeal to the beginner and the more experienced cook and of course are meant to be shared. If you want a menu hinting of romantic getaways gone by or those you are longing for than this cookbook is for you. This book is divided into 4 cheeky chapters, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Autumn Leaves, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, and Cherry Blossoms. Each chapter has subtitled menus like... Rendezvous at the Old Mill, A Taste of the Canadian Wild, For Those Who Are Game, For the Bewitching Hour, Memories of Mexico, From Italy with Love, Middle Eastern Love Affair, Spring Fever Tonic, and Spring Time Fancy. The suggestive whimsical illustrations are done by Frank Newfeld.

There are plenty of recipes from this cookbook that could be made for any occasion and devoured by all. I have booked marked a few and will make them regardless of my mood or if it is Valentine's Day. For those of us who are longing for Spring, here is a lovely recipe from the Cherry Blossom Chapter...

Vichyssoise
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2 large leeks, trimmed or greens and roots
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons (30ml) butter 
2 medium - sized potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock, low sodium is preferred
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon (5ml) finely chopped chives or green tops

Split the leeks and thoroughly wash between each layer. Chop into bite-sized pieces. In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the leeks and onions in butter until transparent. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. 

Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate. Just before serving, stir in the cream. Served in chilled bowls, topped with chopped chives. 


And for those who need something a bit more substantial this recipe from the Autumn Leaves Chapter should do...

Baked Eggplant with Cheese and Tomato
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1 small eggplant (aubergine), cut into 8 slices 1/2 in. (1cm) wide
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
flour
1 large tomato, cut into 8 slices
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices of Mozzarella cheese, cut in halves
4 slices of Swiss cheese. cut in halves

Sprinkle salt over the eggplant and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Heat the oil in a skillet. Dust the eggplant slices with flour and fry over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until the eggplant is tender.

Top each piece of eggplant with a slice of tomato and season with salt and pepper. Add the slices of Mozzarella and Swiss cheese. Cover and cook until all the cheese has melted. Serve hot. 


For some refreshments how about these from the A Midsummer's Night Dream Chapter...

Champlemousse
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1 grapefruit, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon (5ml) sugar
champagne, well chilled
2 twists of lime

In to fluted champagne glasses, mix fresh grapefruit juice and sugar. Fill the glasses with champagne and add the twists of lime. Serve immediately.

Or this lovely one...

Kir Royal
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champagne
2 tablepoons (30ml) créme de cassis

In two fluted champagne glasses, combine the créme de cassis with well-chilled champagne. Serve. 


I wanted to share a couple more illustrations from the cookbook with you. 

It is bitterly cold today so staying warm is the key. Have a great weekend, everyone!  
- JD 

Easy Chocolate Cake

No milk, no eggs and no butter. There is a video in regards to this chocolate cake floating around the internet and I wanted to give it a try. This is quite truly the simplest of cakes. You can whip it up in a cake tin, as the video suggests, however I did use a bowl. I added about 2 to 3 teaspoons of rose extract to give the cake a subtle rose flavour. I made a simple chocolate butter cream icing, to ice the cake and then decorated it with edible rose petals. Which is perfect, for a pre Valentine's Day treat. The cake itself was moist and not to heavy and had a delightful fudge taste. 

Easy Chocolate Cake

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1 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. 

Mix everything together in a round or square non-stick cake tin, until combine. ** If you are not using a non-stick cake pan then grease and flour the inside of the cake tin, both bottom and sides, then place a piece of parchment paper inside the bottom of the prepared pan. This helps to release the cake more easily and prevents sticking. 

Then create 3 wells and in each pour...

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup of water

Blend and mix well.

Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 35 minutes. Allow cake to cool completely. Icing or leave plain dressed with fresh fruit. Slice and serve.  

And this is what the cake looked like released from the tin. Lovely form, springy and a nice rich chocolate tone. It is perfect as is, however icing just added that finishing touch and the rose petals on top enhanced the rose flavour.  

Crock Pot Cauliflower and Cheese

Still going through my cauliflower phase and this recipe is an easy way to make a delicious dish with little to no effort. I normally do not cook with cans of soup due to the salt content; however for this recipe I had all the ingredients, the can of soup and evaporated milk, and decided to give it go anyway. 

Crock Pot Cauliflower and Cheese

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1 medium/large head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 small onion, finely diced

1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 can (370ml) of evaporated milk

1 teaspoon paprika 

1-2 teaspoons Colemans mustard powder

salt and pepper, to taste

3 cups of grated cheddar cheese

Grease the inside of a 3 to 4 quart crock pot.

Place the cauliflower florets inside the crock pot.

In a large saucepan combine the diced onion, soup, evaporated milk, paprika, mustard powder, salt and pepper, and the grated cheese. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted.

Pour the sauce over the cauliflower. Give a stir if you feel the need to. Then place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. It depends on how tender you would like the cauliflower to be.

Notes: I used old cheddar cheese however do not recommended using extra-old cheddar. It is acidic and may make the sauce go grainy. Also cooking on high may curdle the sauce so cooking on low is strongly recommended. You may try adding curry powder, chili powder, turmeric, crushed garlic and fresh chives. Even though I had set the slow cooker to 4 hours, I found that by 3 1/2 hours the cauliflower had the perfect tenderness for my liking. The sauce was not heavy or stodgy perhaps because I added the whole can of evaporated milk; possibly if I had added less the sauce would have been a bit more thick. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

I know, what an interesting combination. Who would have thought that peanut butter, chocolate chips and pumpkin would work so well together to create a delicious cookie. The texture is velvety and melts in your mouth. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

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1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 cup dark demerara sugar, not packed

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin purée  

1 cup unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups Old Fashion Rolled Oats

1 cup good quality chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a large bowl mix together the unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, ground flax seeds, baking soda, salt and oats. Set aside.

In another large cream together the peanut butter, butter, caster sugar and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla to the creamed mixture. Add the pumpkin purée and stir until combine. Gradually add in the flour mixture and stirring until well combine. 

Add in the chocolate chips, stirring until evenly distributed.

Drop the cookie dough by spoonfuls onto a non-stick baking tray. Gently press the top with a floured fork. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until matte and golden.

Feeling a bit better today. Hope everyone had a good weekend! - JD