Portobello Mushroom Burger

I am not a vegetarian nor have I ever been a vegetarian. I am a carnivore, I love meat and lots of it please.

This past year my mom got diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. The day she finished chemotherapy we threw a party to congratulate her. That night at the dinner table she told us all she was becoming a vegan. I looked at her and told her I was never coming for lunch again. My mom is one of my favorite people to brunch/lunch/dine with so this "vegan" lifestyle was not a option.

She was my inspiration to make this burger. When you have cancer you have to limit your red meat intake but who doesn't love a burger? I took a portobello mushroom (removed the stem and gills) brushed on a balsamic vinegar and olive oil glaze, and dusted a little oregano and basil on it. I broiled it in the oven for about 3 minutes per side. I layered on my favorite burger toppings, a slice of cheese, garlic aioli (still working on that one), and used one of my homemade buns.

Best vegetarian burger I ever had-I didn't miss my beef or the grease one bit.

Enjoy!

Portobello Mushroom Burger

• portobello Mushroom
• splash of balsamic vinegar
• splash of olive oil
• pinch of dried basil
• pinch of dried oregano

Broil in your oven 3 minutes per side. Toast your burger bun towards the end of the mushroom cooking time if you want a toasted bun. Layer with your favorite toppings

Need inspiration-here is what I am thinking for toppings:

- avocado

- roasted red peppers

- red onion

- lettuce

- tomatoes

- swiss/cheddar cheese

- pickles

- dijon mustard

Buns, Buns, Buns

I love the smell of fresh bread! Don't you?

Last summer I took my moms bread maker from the cabin in Kelowna and to my condo in Port Coquitlam. One day before I had to pick T up from work, I loaded all the ingredients in and turned it on. We were going to have hamburger soup and fresh bread for dinner, I was pumped (also 5 months pregnant and hungry). On our way home a fire truck came racing past us and I looked at T and said "it's probably the bread maker". We giggled for a few seconds until we realized there were four fire trucks outside our building; wasn't too funny anymore. We slowly drove by our patio to make sure there was no smoke coming out of the windows and all was clear. T looked at me and said "Chinese sound good?" That night someone down the hall set their kitchen on fire, our kitchen smelled like a bakery.

Just like a hot cup of cocoa on a cold day, the scent warms me from my head to my toes. I pluck a bun off the baking sheet, breaking it open, and watching the steam rise off the bread. I spread on my smooth, creamy peanut butter, and take the first bite. Mmmm so delicious I am left speechless plus I have peanut butter stuck to the top of my mouth.

Hungry yet? Here is the recipe.

Enjoy!

2 Hour Buns

Adapted by www.food.com

• 3 cups warm water

• 2 tbsp yeast

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 beaten eggs

• 6 tbsp oil

• 7 cups of flour

• Combine yeast and warm water. Stir that yeast so it dissolves and bubbles begin to form on the surface of the water-about 10 minutes standing time
• Combine sugar, eggs, oil, and water/yeast mixture. Stir till combined.
• Add in your flour one cup at a time and mix until stiff dough forms.
• Dot the dough with oil.
• Let rise for one hour uncovered in the same mixing bowl, punching the dough down every 15 minutes
• After one hour form into buns and place on greased baking sheets. We like big buns so we get 14 huge buns out of this recipe.
• Cover buns with a tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
• Once risen bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

Chunky White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

I am back in action...in the kitchen. After becoming a mom I have decided there is a such thing as Superwoman. I have never seen Superman do a load of laundry, dishes, tidy the house, bake cookies, breast feed while eating a bowl of cereal, and all before 8 am. All I have seen Clark Kent do is take his glasses off and save the world...and he gets all the credit. It's sad to think my son's first words most likely will be "Dadda". Oh well at least I make good cookies.
After short circuiting my oven, I was suspended from baking. So instead of baking I searched out every cookie, muffin, and bake good recipe in my cookbooks instead of baking. This was the first one I wanted to bake since T enjoys white chocolate. As I write this posting I am eating one and just realized "I really don't like white chocolate!" Oh well still a good cookie, can't waste it.

Enjoy!


Chunky White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Adapted From: Bite Me Cookbook

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks (I used chips)
• 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

• In your mixer cream butter and sugars together on medium speed. Add egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy

• On low speed, add flour, baking soda, salt, white chocolate, and cranberries. Mix until flour disappears, do not over mix.

• Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheet.

• Bake 10-12 minutes, just until edges are brown.

• Cool cookies on rack.

I'm still cooking...

I'm still cooking, just not blogging. We are moving!! I will be back to blogging in a week, in the meantime I'm hunting new recipes. I've caught a few already :)

Ginger Snaps

It's cold outside, the stores have Christmas items out, people are making lists, and my mother-in-law has Christmas music in her car ready to go. I am not yet ready to start thinking of the festivities, nope not thinking about it. My rule is no decorations, baking, or singing till December 1. However my stomach is thinking otherwise this month. All week I had homemade ginger snaps on the brain. Not even fudge cookies, ice cream, or chocolate could curb this craving, there it was whispering "ginger snaps, mmmm ginger snaps". Even my coffee didn't taste all that great without my favorite accessory. I purchased a box trying to stay within my rules of "no Christmas baking before December 1" but they don't even come close to the real thing. Sorry Mr. Christie, your going to have to try again.

I broke the rule and whipped up a small batch of cookies. The whole house smelled like Christmas. Brought back memories of my mom playing "Santa Baby" on repeat. I can sing the whole song like Brenda Lee or Madonna after a few cocktails now thanks to my Mom. Boney M, Charlie Brown, all the classics were played while she baked and we iced and sprinkled the cookies. Great memories.

Hot out of the oven these cookies were firm on the outside, chewy in the center. Lots of bite from the ginger but still sweet. I brewed myself a pot of coffee, popped one in my mouth, and my oh my were they good. I almost broke out into the chorus of "Jingle Bells" but I had another cookie instead. Not ready for carols or "Santa Baby" yet...maybe another cookie.

Enjoy!

Ginger Snaps

Adapted from: Joy of Baking

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

• Beat the sugars and butter until light and fluffy (I did this in my kitchen aid on high for 2 minutes)
• Add molasses, egg, and vanilla. Mix until combined
• In a seperate bowl, stir flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture, stir until well combined
• Cover and chill your dough for 30 minutes or until firm

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
• Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper
• In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup white sugar to roll balls of cookie dough in for garnish
• Break off pieces of dough and roll into a small ball
• Roll ball in sugar
• Place on cookie sheet leaving enough room for the cookie to be pressed (the cookie will spread as well when being baked)
• With a bottom of a glass or mug, press the cookie
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cookie feels firm on top (the longer you bake the crispier the cookie)
• Cool on wire racks after baking

Greek Lemon Potatoes

When I don't feel like cooking, I barbecue. Throw potatoes in the oven, steam some veggies, and put the meat on the barbecue, no thinking or prepping involved. I'm so thankful for our covered patio, like the rain in Vancouver, my non-cooking days happen year round.

We love Greek food in our home and Greek chicken on the BBQ with tzaki is my go-to recipe for lazy cooking days. My sister loaned me a great cookbook, it's called "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" in it Greek lemon potatoes. I had been eyeing this recipe all week, dying to try it out. I had all the ingredients in the cupboard

(minus fresh lemons but I had lemon juice) and with my son happily in his bumbo seat, I went to work.

The prep time for these potatoes took me 15 minutes, I'm a slow peeler so it could be even faster. Mix the ingredients, pour over potatoes, and one hour later you have tender, lemony, and garlicky potatoes. I couldn't stop eating them, I chose more potatoes over ice cream for dessert.

T is a very picky eater and his response "these are awesome!".

Enjoy!

Greek Lemon Potatoes

Adapted From: Mennoite Girls Can Cook

• 6 large potatoes with or without skin, cut into wedges
• 2-4 tbsp of olive oil (I used 3 tbsp)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (I used lemon juice from a bottle)
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
• Peel your potatoes if you prefer no skin
• Place in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan
• Combine ingredients together and poor over potatoes, stir coating all potatoes
• Bake for 1 hour. If you want a softer potato, cover for the first 30 minutes. If you want crispy edges bake uncovered for the full hour. Stir potatoes every 20 minutes.

Hamburger Soup

Halloween is over :(. Last night I took my almost 3 month old son trick or treating. He had a great time, well a great nap. By the time I got to the next candy stop (we went to the mall) my mouth was full of candy. It was great to be a kid again. After filling myself full of candy we went out for dinner. I couldn't help sit and savor the Halloween night we were having. Only a couple more years and we will be the parents standing at the end of the driveway, travel mug in hand, watching our overly excited son run up and down driveways filling his bucket with candy. But last night we enjoyed a nice dinner and polished off mini chocolate bars for dessert.

Now it's November and winter is lurking right around the corner. Time to get cooking the comfort foods. After last nights feast on candy I chose a lighter fare for dinner.Hamburger soup it is. The best way to describe this soup is it's beef barleys cousin. It has all the similar ingredients but takes the slicing of beef out by using ground beef. Much faster in prep time. You can also prepare this soup for the freezer and save it for a later day. Serve with fresh crusty bread or buns.

Enjoy!

Hamburger Soup

Adapted from: Best of Bridge

• 1 1/2 pound groud beef (I use extra lean)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 can (28 oz/796 ml) tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 3 cans (each 10 oz/284 ml) consomme
• 1 can tomato soup (10 oz/284 ml)
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• parsley
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup barley
  
• There is a little prep work

• Brown meat and onions, drain well
• Combine all ingredients in large pot
• Simmer covered for a minimum of 2 hours.

I didn't have time to bake bread or rolls so my soup was a little lonely. I topped it off with sour cream and cheddar cheese, very good.