french fridays WITH Dorie - January 7th - paris mushroom soup

paris mushroom soup from page 72

This ismy first French Fridays recipe review, as I just received the cookbook - around my french table for Christmas. It has been a rather hectic time, so I ended up doing this recipe late. But I did complete and found it very easy to make for the most part.

 I have never removed the germ from garlic before, but did so this time in order to follow the recipe as closely as possible. We usually just mince with a garlic press, and don't worry about the innards. Also cheat slightly with chopping onions (to avoid too many tears) by using a tupperware gadget - Tupperware® Chop ’N Prep™ Chef 

Chop 'N Prep

 

Ready to chop the onions and mince garlic.

All was added with butter and softened, and mushrooms added - allowed to release water and reduced. Did find that on our gas stove had to turn up more than medium to get mushrooms to 'release' - but we are familiar with this due to making the family Ukrainian boiled and then fried mushrooms, served with sour cream for every holiday meal!

Onions, garlic and butter
Note personalized wooden spoon!

Simmering before pulverizing with immersion blender.

While simmering was taking place,  I prepared the mushroom salad in bowls - using herb cutting shears I recently found in Montreal at Arthur Quentin ooh la la! Added spices to mushrooms and prepared to puree.

Chives cut and spices added to mushroom salad.

Salad ready for soup!

Waiting is difficult - good time to pour the wine and ensure it has not 'gone bad' - a full glass should ensure that and make sure soup has simmered sufficiently. This is a step that should not be skipped when cooking 'French' - 'Cooking with wine = wine in the cook!

Waiting....

Simmering ...

Voila!  Soup!

This was all easy to do, did not take very long and most ingredients we regularly have stocked in the kitchen. I did not have any problem pureeing the mushroom mixture - used a heavy duty immersion blender - Braun and was did right in the pot, removed blender and put pot back on burner to ensure was good and hot before serving.

Serve with wine!

Bon Appetit! 

...darleen

Yummiest Best Carrot Cake for everyone - Dairy, Soy, Eggs Free

Yummiest Carrot Cake - the Best!!

 I didn't get the best photo of the final cake - will try to get a better one next time.

I have adjusted the recipe to accommodate No Dairy, No Soy, No Eggs and reduced the Sugar - or at least used good sugar and less of it!  This cake is the lightest, fluffiest Carrot Cake - ever.

The ingredients can be adjusted slightly as needed or for personal desires - as I will note in the recipe.

I have not tested gluten free yet, but have found similar recipe using Almond Flour, however it uses eggs - so I will test it without eggs and my substitutions.

The Icing - I have 2 versions, depending on dietary restrictions.
One uses Cool Whip frozen whip topping that may contain soy, icing sugar and creamed cheese.
Then I did find one at Elanas Pantry - organic and gluten free cooking - which is dairy and soy free.

Cream together the wet ingredients

Add dry ingredients and carrots

Put into pans - I do two layer cake

Ready for the oven

Cooked perfectly - golden!

Ready to be iced

Mix the icing - frozen dessert whipped topping into  cream cheese/ sugar mixture

Lick the batters - or share.

Icing in the middle and I added shredded coconut

DONE  - and ready to cut.

Please  Click On Continue Reading for Recipe

Yummiest Banana Muffins Ever With Sugar On Top - Adapted: No Soy, No Milk, No Eggs

Banana Muffins before eaten in record time

I have used a Banana Muffin recipe for over 20 years, and believe it to be 24 years I was given this recipe.
The secret ingredient being Miracle Whip
 - reason for loving this recipe myself, was due to the super moistness and fact that do not crumb.
YES! When I had 3 toddlers all under 3 years of age, crumbly muffins were enough to cause me to run away from home. Or at least not allow my daughters muffins, until they graduated from high school.
These muffins were the answer, and had the seal of approval from both my daughters and myself.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 35 min  - 12 large muffins

2 -3 Bananas
1 cup Miracle Whip
3/4 cup sugar
 Beat  / mix all together

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 - 1/2  teaspoon salt






I modified the recipe years ago, in order to use brown sugar - my girls preferred. On a whim, one morning, I sprinkled brown sugar on top of muffins before popping them into oven. Yummy!! And if I ever omitted this step, ever after that - there were pouts, and "where is the sugar on top?", from my daughters. As if I no longer loved them.

These muffins have been a staple in our diet, and special treat I would make for them fresh in mornings - so they could have directly out of oven, before school, and eat the remainder for lunch and after school. 12 never lasted long with 3 girls, and friends that would have to have one as well, and anyone that was within smelling distance.

Now that 'my girls', have grown and left home - the banana muffins are still expected if they ever stay over for a visit, or if they let me know in advance. After all, if no banana muffins - do I not love them anymore?

Yes, these banana muffins are that good.

I have made them for work colleagues at different companies I have worked for, and they are also apparently addictive - once you have one, you cannot stop from having another, until they are all gone.
I added blueberries for blueberry fans, and although I thought they looked hideous they were a hit, yet again. Chocolate chips were added, and although not my favourite (and I am a chocoholic) - others enjoyed very much.

Dilemma
We hit a roadblock however recently due to several family members, including my mother and my eldest daughter discovering food intolerances. Not just to one item, but several with dairy and soy being the most severe. My daughter Rachel, has discovered she cannot tolerate protein whey - which is in almost everything! My mother has severe issues with soy, and also avoids dairy and eggs.
Miracle whip has soy added now in the past few years, and you will find this in many salad dressings, and other prepackaged foods, as well as cake mixes. What to do?

I consulted with a favourite Foodie of mine
- Cat Can Cook, and her Cook Book.
hmmmm .. almost acceptable, with a few modifications or adaptations.

RECIPE - Adapted to avoid dairy, soy and eggs.

4 large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup white sugar -   3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg  - omitted
1/3 cup melted margarine or butter - little less than 1/3 cup canola oil + slop of applesauce
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt - omitted
1 1/2 cups flour - used unbleached all purpose white
1 tsp pure vanilla  - my addition
Cane sugar for sprinkling on top - a must have.

Preheat Oven - 350 degrees F
 - or if using convection oven like I do - 325 degrees F

I put bananas in freezer when they become over-ripe to be on-hand for when I want.
Thus - first thaw bananas in microwave for about 1 or 2 minutes, and snip ends off and squeeze into mixer bowl. They should be almost mush, but may need a bit of mixer magic to puree.
 
I use muffin paper cups, but if preferred you can just spray muffin tin (vegetable spray).
YIELD = 12 muffins - can be easily doubled.

1. Smash/mix the bananas with mixer and add sugar, oil and applesauce.
2. Add vanilla
3. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time  - after fist cup add the baking soda and baking powder
   - this allows for the action of rising to take place with the wet ingredients activates the soda and powder.
4. Add remaining 1/2 cup of flour - the batter will be sloppy.
5. I spray a 1/3 cup measuring cup with vegetable spray, and use to fill the muffin tins about 3/4 full.
6. Sprinkle with brown cane sugar if you wish, and want your children to know you love them!
7. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or when toothpick inserted in middle  comes out dry.

These have been tested by my mother and daughter and no ill effects. In fact were considered perfect.
Next will be to adjust to make gluten- free, but still retain the moistness and wonderful taste.

Try these and let me know what you think.  Do you feel loved?

Enjoy
 ...darleen

ARE YOU MY CUPCAKE?

 Update - the cupcakes that I did make
Well, the cupcake were much more difficult than books, or online directions appeared. Or, and this is quite possible, I need more practice. A lot more practice!

I did try the easy chocolate wings, and the Hello Cupcake fancier wings, but ended up doing most with the pretzels - these were very easy. And they sorta look like butterflies :)

Katelynn's Birthday Cupcake - hers was Hello Cupcake wings

I will persevere however, and learn how to make these darn cupcakes and many more that I wish to try. 

...darleen

Weekend Birthday Party -- eek .. running out of time

Need to make cupcakes

Either  .. these:

My Wooden Spoon

OR 


Maybe These ...

Cupcake Creations

OR ....
 

Annie's Eats

OR MAYBE  ....

Heavenly Delight Cakes

Update to follow ... and recipe updates.
Have a Great Saturday!! ...

...darleen

Anything can be cooked on BBQ - start with RIBS

BBQ Anything..

Yes .. I have proved that anything can be cooked on the BBQ. This was not tested by myself, as a test or study - but due to fact that oven was out of commission for 6 months. Why 6 months? Because we had a the kitchen renovated, that was to take a week, and well .. so far it has been 4 years, 3 months and 2 days (not that I am counting). The oven was reconnected after 6 months, in time to cook Christmas dinner.

I would like to feature BBQ ribs to start, since they are one of the most logical foods to cook on a BBQ.

RECIPE & DIRECTIONS TO FOLLOW ... stay tuned..

Breakfast Egg Poof

FIND SOMETHING TO EAT!

I have changed the name of  my Cooking Blog, as the original name of Kitchen TNT, just did not bond with me- AND ... this is what I am usually doing or saying to others. Find Something To Eat!!

If you have others in your household, such as spouse or teenagers you will often find them staring into an open refrigerator, and then cupboards. Finally they proclaim, "There is nothing to eat in this house!". They then proceed to flop onto the couch and further state, "I'm bored."  Since there is no food to be found and nothing to do, happiness is hopeless. AND - it is of course your fault.

  If only ... it were possible to rig the fridge to create a blasting response

 BUT....

Of course there is always something to eat in the house (except for extreme circumstances). There may not be anything prepared, or anything that appeals to their investigation. And that is what I would like to show you how I deal with,  and also still holler back "Find Something To Eat!"

Also, I hope you will follow along as I demonstrate that a recipe is just a guideline, and how you can modify ingredients and become creative according to what is in your cupboards, fridge, freezer, gardens - with the odd run to neighbour or corner store.

As this blog evolves, I will be adding features and look forward to getting to know you.

Featured Recipe:  Breakfast Egg Poof

Click on READ MORE to go to next page

Meyer Lemon Curd Pie w/an Espresso Ganache

 I MUST MAKE THIS !

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Pi Day (3.14)- Meyer Lemon Curd Pie w/an Espresso Ganache