Nutella Orange Cake

Happy World Nutella Day! It's one of my favourite days of the year, and this year I decided to create a recipe that uses Nutella, rather than just eat it straight from the jar (OK, I still ate some, but just a little bit. Well, maybe more than a llittle bit).
I tried to make a wholewheat Nutella swirl bread - that was my original idea, but there must be too much water in an ingredient in Nutella that turned to steam in the oven, and my swirl bread swirled, it just didn't stick together. I could literally unwind the bread. In the heat too, something happens to Nutella. It looks like it splits, the solids cook and the liquids soak into the bread. Tasted good, looked horrible. 
Then I remembered a candy called Jaffas that I grew up with in Australia, and they are chocolate balls coated with a candy orange coating. Very delicious, and I thought that would make an excellent combination in a cake. 
I switched up a lemon bread quite a bit to make it an orange loaf, and then marbled Nutella through the middle. Then topped it with a quick fresh orange glaze - the result is so delicious, the cake is moist and orangey with a hint of chocolate. Perfect for that afternoon cup of coffee.


Nutella Orange Cake
Makes one loaf (10" x 3", or 9" x 5")


Cake:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
zest from 1 & 1/2 oranges
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 & 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup Nutella
Glaze:
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 cup icing sugar


Preheat oven to 350F and grease pan.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, orange zest and juice. Beat well until thoroughly combined. Add the sour cream, milk and eggs and mix well. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix well, scraping sides. 
Pour half the batter into prepared pan, spoon over the Nutella and then top with remaining cake batter. Using a skewer, swirl the layers so the Nutella marbles through the cake. 
Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. 
Remove the cake from the oven and place on a rack.
To make glaze: combine juice and icing sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle over top of warm cake. 
Allow cake to cool before slicing. 


Enjoy!

Carrot Lentil Soup

I was looking for a great hearty soup to make to keep me warm today - and it turns out I had all the ingredients in my fridge and pantry for this one. It's also great as it doubles as baby food for my twins. The soup is not spicy, it's smooth but thick, and it's packed full of red lentils and other goodness.

I found this recipe on the Canadian Living website last week, while I was looking for a bread recipe, and it just sounded so good.

I love to eat soup, actually, if ever there was only soup left, I would be happy. I should make it more often, it's so easy, generally everything just gets thrown into a pot and left to simmer. Occasionally, there are a few more steps. I often disappoint myself when I give in and buy soup from the grocery store - it's never flavourful enough, or it's overly salty, or there is just something lacking. I will be honest, my favourite canned soup is Baxter's, and I love their Lentil and Smoky Bacon Soup. My kids love it too. In an emergency, when I am too tired or too busy to cook, I will generally reach for a can of Baxters soup for lunch.

Carrot Lentil Soup

adapted from a recipe here at Canadian Living

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 carrots, peeled & sliced

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoons minced ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

8 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup red lentils

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

1/2 cup sour cream

Heat oil in large saucepan, add carrots, onion. garlic, ginger, cumin, salt & pepper. Cook gently until onions are softened and just beginning to brown. Add stock with red lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until carrots are soft. Puree, either in blender or use an immersion blender, then stir through coriander and sour cream. If soup is too think, add additional stock or water. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

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Vegetable Herb Bread

I love making bread from scratch, I love watching it rise, I love the smell wafting through the house as it bakes, and then I love to eat hot bread smothered (and I mean Paula Deen-style smothered) in soft butter. There needs to be enough butter so that when I hold it, melted butter drips down my hand. Ooh, I can't wait for this one to be baked.

There is just something so delicious about fresh-out-of-the-oven bread, that I have been known to eat more than half a loaf at a time, OK, sometimes even more. I just can't help myself. This is one of those breads.

Vegetable Herb Bread
adapted from a recipe by Canadian Living
Makes 2 loaves

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 onions, sliced thinly
1/2 teaspoon salt

5 & 1/2 cups flour
1 & 3/4 cups warm water (from the tap)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 & 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/3 cup shredded zucchini
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (oil packed)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Heat oil in large pan, add onions and salt and cook over med-low heat until golden brown and caramelized. Remove from heat set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add onions and mix slowly until everything is combined. You may need to add a tablespoon or two more water to make a nice dough. When dough has come together, increase speed to #3 and knead for 8 minutes.

Transfer dough to lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

When doubled in size punch down dough; divide in half. Form each into oval and place parchment lined baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for about 1 hour more, or until doubled in bulk. Brush tops with water; with sharp knife cut 3 diagonal slashes on tops.

Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 1 hour or until golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Remove from pans; let cool on racks. (Make-ahead: Wrap in plastic wrap, overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 1 month.)

Enjoy!

Easiest Tastiest Hummus

I don't do this to myself often, I am catering an event, have it planned down to the last sprinkle of salt, and then WHAM, I forget an important ingredient. This time it was hummus. I couldn't believe it. There was no way I was heading back out to the store in this weather, so I had to make it myself. 

I wonder why I have never made it before. It is so easy, and so so so delicious. I cannot get over how good this hummus is - and with so few ingredients. Seriously, if you only have a can of chickpeas on hand, you can make this right now. 

Enjoy this hummus straight from the food processor with a spoon (like me), or on a sandwich, or dipped into with fresh bread, carrots or cucumber spears, mix anything into it - sun dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, more garlic, chili. This is just a base recipe, let your imagination run wild!

So Easy Hummus

Makes about 2 cups

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (more if you prefer)

6 tablespoons oil (I used 4 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoon canola oil - I just find the taste of olive oil sometimes overwhelming)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Place everything into the bowl of your food processor fitted with metal blade, and whizz together. If you like it a little smoother, add more oil a teaspoon at a time, if you like it chunkier, don't add so much oil.

OMG, you won't be able to stop eating it - and it is so much better than the commercially prepared hummus! 

Delicate Doilies Card

Another Delicate Doilies card...I haven't used the die cut doily sheet yet, and every day I go into my craft room, I see it there and I think "I'll save it for a special occasion". Well, that special occasion is today. I don't know why I put off using it. 
This card is really simple, but striking. The Melon Mambo really stands out against the Wisteria Wonder background. And who doesn't love the new stamp set Occasions Alphabet - every letter has the perfect sentiment!

I decorated the inside too - Whisper White, with a strip of the Flirtatious DSP at the bottom, and some stamped doilies complete my card. 

Stamp Sets: Delicate Doilies, Occasions Alphabet

Cardstock: Pretty In Pink, Whisper White

Ink: Melon Mambo, Wisteria Wonder

Other: Wisteria Wonder Ruffled Ribbon, In Colour Brads, Circle & Oval Punches

Meatloaf (even my son will eat)

I have the pickiest eater in my 2 year old son. He doesn't eat any fruit or vegetables, save the occasional piece of peeled apple, tomato sauce on spaghetti, or whatever juice is in a freezie. He only eats sausages, or chicken if it's mashed up with whatever else is on his plate, or we can sneak by his picky little palette.

When I told him the meatloaf was just a big sausage, he ate it without complaint, even saying it was a really yummy sausage and finishing his entire serving. I think from today onwards, everything will be just an odd-shaped "sausage". Now, if only there was a way to get more vegetables in his diet.

This meatloaf is pretty simple, made with ingredients I am sure you have in your pantries, or have really easy access to. Trust me, I didn't go out of my way to purchase anything fancy.

I like to wrap my meatloaf in foil, like a big sausage, I get a bit tired of the loaf pan look. Just remember to spary the inside of the foil with cooking spray (or a light brush of vegetable oil will work too) and wrap tightly. I also cook my meatloaf on a parchment lined pan and the only reason is to make clean-up easier. You can do it without and still get the same results.

To be honest, I haven't left my house in three days because it is just too hot to go out. Then my husband suggested he cook dinner, and I had to get that idea out of his head ASAP. I adore that he wants to cook, but I want to eat, and sometimes those two ideas don't exactly mesh!

Meatloaf

Makes 4-6 serves

2 tablespoosn vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 slice bread

3 tablespoons milk

1 lb ground beef (lean or medium)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt, extra

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 sun dried tomatoes, chopped (if packed in oil, drain well)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 - 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a small frying pan, heat oil and cook onion with garlic and 1 teaspoon salt until softened and just beginning to colour. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, place slice of bread on deep plate and pour over milk. Leave to absorb.

Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl, adding cooled onion mixture and milk soaked bread. Mix well with your hands.

Form into log shape (see photos) and wrap in aluminum foil. Place on baking sheet and cook for 40-45 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches a minimum of 160F (see Health Canada website for more info).

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping and slicing.

Enjoy!

Bridal Shower Cupcakes

And then, to top off the wedding weekend, my girlfriend had her bridal shower and I made the cupcakes.

Her wedding colour is fuschia, which explains the cupcake liner, and fuschia butter cream is not really something I think I would like to eat (too much colour), so I went with a white chocolate cream cheese frosting - soooo good, and topped with a fresh raspberry. The cake itself, was a raspberry vanilla cake.

Everyone seemed very happy, I know I enjoyed them - I think I ate two :)

Enjoy!