Snickerdoodles

So, I wanted to make snickerdoodles, I found this recipe online and if I hadn’t been stupid, they would have been great. I mixed up some ingredient (misread) and they stayed in the shape of a ball and were dryer but still tasted decent. I am going to have to give it a second try.



Snickerdoodles

2¾ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and put in refrigerator to chill.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

4. Gradually stir in the flour mixture, beating on low speed just until the flour is blended.

5. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

6. In the meantime, mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

7. Scoop 1-inch balls of dough and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat.

8. Place on chilled cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes.

9. Chill the dough and cookie sheets between batches.

10. Let cookies set on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack. Store cookies in an airtight container.

red velvet and chocolate cupcakes.

So…Hawaii was fantastic – Hence the lack of posts.

I made these sometime this summer and had not got around posting them. We had a garden party with the regiment my husband belong to and I was tasked to bring cupcakes (because every time the girls meet, I am requested to bake something)




Everything is made from scratch aside of the icing that is Betty Crocker!

Red Velvet cupcakes



I• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa (powdered)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup of butter at room temperature
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Sift dry ingredients three times. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well after each egg. Add 1/4 of dry ingredients to creamed mixture then approximately 1/4 of buttermilk alternating until mixed well. Mix in vanilla and food coloring.
Fill lined cupcake pans 1/2 full of red velvet batter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes in pans for 5 to 10 minutes then remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

Chocolate cupcakes



• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Cabbage rolls

If something remembers me of my parent’s home, it is cabbage rolls. My mum does the best and she gave me her recipe years ago. I love mines, but they are nothing compares to my mother… I remember going to visit them and she would ask for what I wanted to eat and invariably, I would ask for cabbage rolls even in the midst of summer! I would have dinner and then, in the middle of the evening, get some more. I would literally eat like a pig.

So today, when I saw that the snow was not going to stop, I felt like a home dinner. Something wintery, something that brings good feelings; I made my mum cabbage rolls.



Cabbage rolls

- 1 pounds of lean ground beef
- ½ cup of rice (I used brown rice)
- Salt and pepper
- Onion powder to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 table spoon of milk
- 1 big cabbage
- 1 big can of tomatoes juice
- 1 can of tomatoes sauce
- 1 can of tomato paste

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees. In a large bowl, put the beef, rice, egg, milk salt and pepper and onion powder and mix thoroughly (I use my hands, like kneading bread, it mixes everything evenly). In another bowl, mix the tomatoes juice, sauce and paste until smooth. Put the cabbage in a large pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove one cabbage leaf at the time and put aside. Once all the leaves are out, it’s time to get rolling!



Put a spoon or two of the meat mixture in each leaves and roll. Put in a large cover dish. Once all the rolls are in, pour the tomatoes mixture over it, cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours. Check through the coking to ensure there are still liquid, if there isn’t, add tomatoes juice.

It’s delicious with mashed potatoes and sliced beets on the side!

Healthy food for natural boost!

Alright, I've got some picture of food I bake and cooked but they are on my portable hard drive and I forgot it at work. There will be a food post this week end, sorry for my lack of enthusiasm!

**Berries - I love berries, especially raspberries! Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are high in vitamin and fiber content, they're an excellent source of antioxidants, compounds that protect our bodies from the stress of day to day living, and fresh berries are kind to the waistline; they are naturally high in water and low in calories. Dried berries also provide excellent nutrition, but since most of the water is missing, their calories are more concentrated and you’ll usually end up eating more of them.


**Citrus -Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C; one orange has a whole day’s requirement.They’re also loaded with soluble fiber which lowers cholesterol, maintains healthy blood sugar levels, and helps you to manage your weight.


**Salmon -Cold-water fish, like salmon, mackerel and herring, are premiere sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids. These are fats our bodies can’t produce, so it’s essential we include them in our diet.


**Vegetables -There’s no such thing as a bad vegetable... so eat up. Vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, and are a crucial component of any healthy eating plan. Orange and yellow veggies like winter squash, carrots and sweet potatoes and leafy greens contain beta-carotene(what is it in English?) , a pigment our body converts to vitamin A. Eating lots of these vegetables will help maintain healthy skin and hair, protect against prostate cancer and promote a healthy vision.

**Nuts and Seeds -Almonds, pecans and pistachios are rich in protein. Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids. Toss sesame seeds in a meal for an extra dose.

Sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds are particularly good sources of phytosterols , also known as plant sterols , which promote heart health. These are easy to take with you for on the go energy.

** Olive oil -Olive oil is an excellent source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that may lower the bad cholesterol and raise the good cholesterol. It contains Vitamin E and antioxidants and is an excellent replacement for unhealthy saturated fats like butter. Extra virgin olive oil is also great for healthy skin.

**Tea - Recent studies have shown drinking green tea might boost metabolism, oolong teas can lower blood sugar, and black teas can promote oral health. Tea contains half the caffeine of coffee and packs a punch of polyphenols , powerful antioxidants believed to protect against heart disease, certain cancers and stroke.

**Legumes -Beans, peas, peanuts and lentils are all part of the legume family. Legumes are rich in folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and antioxidants. Their high protein and complex carbohydrates provide steady energy that lasts for hours.

**Whole grains -They’re delicious, inexpensive and packed with protein, B vitamins, minerals and fiber. Some immediate benefits you might notice are stable blood sugar, less hunger between meals, and better weight management.

**Lean Protein -Protein is an important part of every diet and is found in many different foods. Lean protein, the best kind, can be found in fish, skinless chicken and turkey, pork tenderloin and certain cuts of beef, like the top round. Low-fat dairy products like milk, yogurt, ricotta and other cheeses supply both protein and calcium.

I don't know if that is of any interest but hey, it's my blog, Can do what I want and I felt like posting but didn't have pictures. So I thought I might as well make it instructive.

Honey glazed pork chop

When BBQ season was coming up, after we all cried for hot dog and burgers, the next thing we were asking my mum was for her delicious honey glazed pork chop. Pork is a rather cheap meat (depend on the cut) and contrary to the preconceived idea, pork should not be cook through and through. There was some history of disease, but the Canadian pork that is available everywhere right now doesn’t have a hint of disease so it is perfectly safe to eat it pink.

I am still struggling with cooking steaks on the grill. I love mine rare and the problem is: I always overcook it. I don’t know why, but I do not have this problem with pork. So the other night, when I had to cook (In exchange for my husband to put together my new bike) I decided to make my mum honey glazed pork. So simple, as usual, I’ve modified the recipe a little bit so that it has more garlic.



Honey glazed pork loin (changed the cut too)

- 4 pork chop (or loin)
- 1/3 cup liquid honey (used the organic one from the Calgary farmers market, has more of a “earthy flavor)
- 1/3 soy sauce
- 2 table spoon chili sauce
- 4 crushed garlic cloves

Mix everything together and brush the meat with the mixture until cooked and no mixture if left.



It truly has a great flavor. You could also marinate meat overnight in this. (but do not use to glaze)

Spinach and Strawberries salad

I have been taking pictures of my food, cooking and baking a little bit less than usual, but I still do. I figured I have been a really bad foodie blogger lately.

My husband is doing the Hawaii Ironman in October (vacation for me!!) and he told me he needs to lose some weight before. He has always struggled with his weight (so does most of his family) and I wasn’t a very good wife. Us French, loves to use butter, cheese, cream and extra rich ingredient. The obesity rate is a lot lower than in America and I think that even if our food is decadent, we just don’t eat as much. There might be an entire tray of delicious cupcakes in front of us, we’re only going to have one.

Anyhow, I’ve tried to include more vegetable in our alimentation (if at all possible, we’re already having ¾ veggies each night ¼ proteins.) As a side, for the remaining sunny day, I’ve made a simple, but delicious spinach salad.

Spinach and Strawberries salad

- Spinach
- 3-4 thinly sliced strawberries per serving
- A handful of shaved almonds
- Few crumbles of herbs goat cheese feta

Vinaigrette

- Lemon juice
- Drizzle of olive oil
- A crack of pepper (surprisingly, pepper goes really well with strawberries)



Put everything together and enjoy!

Cabbage side

Me love some cabbage! I am lucky that my husband like it too as I very often make a side dish with cabbage. This one is quite simple and is the “I-Don’t-know-which-thing-to-try-today”.

Simple side cabbage

- Cabbage duh!
- 1 Chopped red onion
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- A bit of butter

Thinly slice the cabbage, put butter in the pan and add the garlic. After a little bit, add the onion, once they start to get tender, add the cabbage and season. Stir for about 5-10 minutes (depending on how you like your cabbage).



Serve hot, it’s yummy!