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Category Archives: Food

No-Bake Dark Chocolate Bites

08 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by hummingbirdand10th in Food

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

chocolate, food, granola bites, recipes

I found this recipe on one of my go-to sites, Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, and after the first time I made them, I knew I’d be making them again… and again.  No bake, just a few ingredients, it’s all easy peasy.

granolabites

What’s not to like? These bits are packed with oats, coconut, almonds, cocoa nibs (if that’s your thing) and a creamy mixture of honey, extra-virgin coconut oil, peanut butter, cocoa and a few chocolate chips. I make double batches and freeze one batch for later. They’re just the right size to help through the afternoons at work when I need a ‘bit-o-chocolate’. These are so simple that I’ll bet your kids would like to help mix and scoop these babies onto the pans and then ask for more once they’ve had a taste of them! Other granola bites just don’t do the trick for me anymore, these are what I go to for that bit of chocolate and sweet treat.

granola-bites2

Mel’s also has another recipe for granola bites, here’s that recipe, or visit her website.

No-Bake Dark Chocolate Granola Bites

YIELD: MAKES 2-3 DOZEN GRANOLA BITES

If using whole almonds, be sure they are chopped into fairly small pieces. I’ve made the mistake of leaving the almonds a tad bit too chunky and it makes the granola mixture more difficult to form into balls that stick together. I haven’t used regular old-fashioned oats. If you do so, consider pulsing them in a blender or food processor very lightly so they break down just a bit. If you aren’t familiar with cacao nibs, they are basically raw pieces of chocolate that haven’t been ground and sweetened yet (they are slightly bitter like cocoa powder). They add a yummy depth of flavor and a crunchy texture to these granola bites but you can definitely leave them out if that is your preference.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups quick oats
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
  • 1 cup sliced or chopped almonds
  • 3 tablespoons cacao nibs (optional)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup natural unsweetened or Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats and salt.
  2. In a 10 or 12-inch skillet over medium heat, add the coconut, almonds and cacao nibs, if using. Toast the ingredients, stirring often to prevent burning, for 5-6 minutes until the aroma is nutty and the coconut and nuts are turning slightly golden. Toss the mixture with the oats.
  3. In a medium saucepan, combine the honey, coconut oil, peanut butter, vanilla, cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is melted and smooth.
  4. Pour the chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
  5. Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop the mixture into tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let the little mounds sit for 10 minutes or so until they have cooled and are less sticky.
  6. Roll the mounds into balls using firm pressure with the palms of your hands.
  7. Refrigerate the granola bites for 1-2 hours to set up. They can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (or freeze for several months). They taste great out of the refrigerator but are even better if left to sit at room temperature for just a few minutes before eating.
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Starbucks and Me

13 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by hummingbirdand10th in Food

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Vilified with seemingly equal regularity, Starbucks is the caffeinated megachain we hate  to love and love to hate. But are the reasons any good on either side? Inspired by a recent post in defense of the chain from chef and cookbook author David Lebovitz, here’s a look at five reasons to love the world’s most loved mocha merchants.

It Gave Us a Coffee Language

Before Starbucks came along, the most common words used to order a coffee were probably regular and light and sweet. Asking for a latte would have probably earned a sideways glance, and macchiato might get you hauled away in a padded wagon! Thanks to the weed-like spread of that smirking mermaid in the 1990s, however, there’s probably not a person left alive on earth who hasn’t at least heard the word cappuccino, and only a handful more who’ve never managed to taste one. With its thousands of international locations, Starbucks has done more for introducing “light and sweet” people to basic Italian words than Rosetta Stone has!

Without It, Would We Have Specialty Coffee?

Despite our collective grumbling about there being a Starbucks on every corner (I say better a Starbucks than a Tim Hortons), the fact of the matter is that what makes the company so easy to hate is also what makes it easiest for folks like me to love: Starbucks converts the masses into espresso junkies, and those of us dedicated to specialty quality, hand-crafted coffee will take it from there.

Passionate Baristas Are Born Behind Those Counters

I’ve met innumerable passionate, informed, engaged, and excited staff who exude their passion over the counters without shame each time I visit one of their cafes. Just being in the enchantingly aroma cloud of dark roasted beans, whipped cream, and chocolate that seems to seep up from the floor, how could you not love it and send the passion along?

Suddenly It’s OK To Spend Money On Coffee

Coffee’s affordable luxury is largely thanks to the Starbucks relaxed atmosphere and coffee execution, and the increased mainstream acceptance makes the bitter pill of the $2-or-more coffee a bit of an easier swallow. The deliberately grown-up-friendly environment, the fancy foreign words on the menu, the staff trained to address customers as “guests” and cater to their every caffeinated whim: This gives me an intoxicating “you’re-worth-it” attitude that successfully persuades relatively big money out of wallets everywhere. That willingness to shell out more dough than we used to for Starbucks’ has empowered people to seek out the really good stuff, and to pay for it accordingly.

You Always Know What You’re Getting

Even if you’re not crazy about what you’re getting, at least you always know exactly what it’s going to taste like, no matter where you are. The famous dark flavor profile encourages a predictable cup—strong, smoky, intense, roasty—and the impressive espresso machines means consistency from shot to shot, regardless of the baristas’ skill, attention, or mood. Let’s face it: Sometimes you find yourself with a coffee jones while in unfamiliar territory, and all you want or need is a little taste of something recognizable. Starbucks has always, always got your back on this one.

So there you have it.  And for all you Starbucks haters (or perhaps Tim Horton lovers), don’t worry: I’ll let you have your say with a flip side to this post…. after I’ve finished my Grande Salted Caramel Mocha! 🙂 ~ j

A New Recipe

20 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by hummingbirdand10th in Food, Recipes

≈ 3 Comments

I made this new chicken recipe tonight along with some wild rice and steamed broccoli and I have to say it was good!  I discovered it awhile back on one of my favourite blogs and after promising myself a day to make it, today was the day. I don’t know about you but having no backup “Plan B Menu” for those times you experiment with a new recipe can be a bit daunting, especially when it’s late and everyone is getting hungry.  So to say the least, I was happy it turned out on the first try and even happier that it tasted great!  It’s now part of my official list of go-to recipes and I’ll even change things up a bit next time (they say all good cooks do that!).

I’m sharing the recipe because I think it’s too good not to.  So go ahead, make this dish and I promise you won’t need a backup “Plan B Menu!”

Sweet and Sour Chicken, Courtesy of Mel's KitchenCafe Blog

Here’s the recipe:

*Note: if you like extra sauce, double the sauce ingredients – pour half over the chicken and follow the baking directions in the recipe and pour the other half in a small saucepan. Cook the sauce on the stovetop at a simmer for 8-10 minutes until it reduces and thickens. Serve it on the side of the chicken.

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:
For the chicken, cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken.

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes so it is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve over rice.

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe

Be sure and visit Mel’s Kitchencafe Blog for other great recipes and tips!

“Recipe to Riches”

01 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by hummingbirdand10th in Food

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Ok, I’ve been busy focusing all my sleuthing skills to decide who’ll be the ‘big’ winner on “Recipe to Riches”, the Food Network Canada show where each week a trio of home cooks compete in one of eight different categories to determine whose original recipe would make the best President’s Choice product.  Each winning entry in a category wins $25,000 and becomes eligible for a grand prize of $250,000.  All winning entries are available in the grocery store a few days after the show.  You can buy their product at any Loblaws/Superstore/No Frills Store, or visit the Food Network website for the cook’s original recipe, it’s up to you.

I’m watching it when I can, and it’s been fun!  Week 1 was Glo McNeill’s Luscious Lemon Pudding.

Image of lemon pudding dessert

Week 2 was Jacqui Keseluk’s Multi-Layer Peach Cake, week 3 gave us John Grass’s Grilled Chicken Skewers…. and on we go.  This week’s winner was Robert Luft’s recipe for a 15-hour smoked pulled pork entrée – it’s got Klem going out and cleaning up the smoker to give it a try!

Pulled pork sandwich image

I don’t usually get this excited about cooking shows, but I like this one because it puts everyday Canadian cooks out into the limelight, letting them show off their culinary skills.  It’s tough, it’s a nail biter to the end, but it’s fun.  Even the ‘non-winners’ recipes are highlighted on the website like Eva Fong’s Lobster Macaroni and Cheese dish.

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese dish

There’s also great gluten-free chocolate chip cookies courtesy of Sonya Walos …. really good!

Chocolate chip cookies on a plate

And for something different, a creamy kulfi by Rosy Soobrattee.  It’s a pistachio-topped cardamom and rosewater kulfi made from a recipe handed down by her grandfather, who owned a sweet shop in India. (Kulfi is much like ice cream, but denser from not having been whipped up, and usually creamier).  Reviewers are loving this one!

Image of kulfi on a white plate

Take a look for yourself and then start picking your favourite dish for the grand prize of $250,000.00  Not bad for a day’s worth of cooking in the kitchen!

Apple, you say?

28 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by hummingbirdand10th in Food

≈ 3 Comments

 Adam’s Apple

An Apple a day keeps the doctor away

Apple of my eye

One bad Apple spoils the bunch

Don’t upset the Apple cart

Compare Apples to oranges

Bobbing for Apples

In Apple pie order

An Apple never falls far from the tree

The Big Apple

How do you like them Apples?

As American as Apple pie

An Apple for the teacher

… but the very best saying is on my tongue when homemade apple pie, with the flaky crust, lots of cinnamon taste and piled high with warm apples is fresh from our oven …..

 Apple pie is the very best!!!

Harry’s pie, right out of the oven….heaven!!

I've been married for many years to a wonderful man - we have 2 children and 3 grandchildren. We're entertained at home by our Westie and Cairn Terriers who, one day, will learn they can't catch that squirrel! Photography, cooking, gardening, reading, family and friends are my passions. Sharing my journal with you is my pleasure, hope you enjoy! - Jean

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A Man Called Ove
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