Ginger Snaps

INGREDIENTS

•       1 Egg
•    3/4 cup  Butter/Margarine, soft
•       1 cup  Sugar
•    1/2 cup  Molasses   
• 2 1/2 cup  All Purpose Flour
•       2 tsp   Baking Soda
•    1/2 tsp  Salt
•       2 tsp  Ginger
•       1 tsp  Cinnamon
•       1 tsp  Vanilla (if desired)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cream Butter and Sugar.  Add the Egg, then mix in the Molasses. Add vanilla if desired.
2. Mix in dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon).  Mix well.
3. Shape into 1" to 1.5" balls.  Roll in granulated sugar and place on greased baking sheet.  They will spread (cookies ended up at 2" diameter), so leave some space.
4. Bake at 350 F for 10 -12 minutes for soft-centered, crispy outside cookies.

Makes ~3-4 dozen, depending on ball size.

Chocolate Raspberry Turnovers

INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg yolk 
• 2 tsp. water 
• Flour 
• 1 puff pastry sheet 
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips 
• Raspberries, frozen or fresh

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the egg yolk and water together. 
2. Spread some flour on a workspace. Lay out the pastry sheet on the flat, floured surface. Cut the pastry into 3-inch x 3-inch squares. 
3. Brush the egg mixture onto the pastry. 
4. Add two raspberries and a teaspoon of chocolate to the center of each square. 
5. Fold the square over into a triangle. Pinch the edges closed with a fork. 
6. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat for all the pastry squares. 
7. Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg mixture. 
8. Place tray in freezer for 15 minutes.
9. Heat the oven to 375oF. Remove the pan from the freezer and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chocolate Raspberry Turnovers (printable)

Standard Muffin Mix

This is a great batter to start making muffins.  Add your favourite fruit or other fixings to create your muffins.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

OPTIONS:

(a) Add 1 cup frozen fruit for fruit muffins.
(b) Add 1 cup chocolate chips for chocolate chips muffins.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Crease or line muffin pan, makes 12 muffins.
3. Mix together butter, milk, vanilla, and egg.
4. In smaller bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Add flour mixture to egg mixture.  Mix until just blended.  May need to add more milk to make the batter moist.
6. Fill muffin pan.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack.

Standard muffin mix (printable)

Chickpea Lime Salad

I got this recipe from a friend of mine for Christmas and I finally got around to make it.  Too bad I did not try this sooner.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 2 green onions, finely diced (can use 1/2 of a red onion)
• 1/2 cup celery, finely diced (about 1 large stock)
• 2 limes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix chickpeas, red pepper, onion, and celery in a bowl
2. In a small bowl, mix the juice of the two limes, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  You may want to add more olive oil if the dressing is too tart.
3. Pour dressing on salad and serve.

Chickpea Lime Salad (printable)

Anzac Cookies

My husband and I have recently moved from Canada to Australia, so it has been a while without being able to update the site.  Thank you for being patient.  To mark this occasion of my first post since moving to Australia, I've posted a recipe for Anzac Cookies which is a common cookie here.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup flour (plain or all-purpose)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tbsp corn syrup (golden syrup)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 320F (160C).
2. Sift flour in mixing bowl.  Add oats, coconut and brown sugar.  Mix together.
3. Place butter, syrup and water in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir constantly until melted.  Remove from heat.  Add baking soda.
4. Pour butter mixture over flour mixture and stir until combined.
5. Roll a tbsp of batter into a ball and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Flatten with a fork.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.  Let cool on pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Anzac Cookies (printable)