The holidays are over and it’s back to “real” cooking with a fantastic bratwurst recipe.
This is one of our easy dinner recipes. You can find lots more on the main site here.
I love rustic home style meals during the winter months and this bratwurst recipe is perfect for a cool winter day.
It combines tasty sausage with potatoes (a perfect combination), vegetables and “gravy”. The gravy is actually a can of soup. How easy is that?!
Of course we do want to eat healthy most of the time and this is not the most low fat recipe in the world.
But I think some nice warming comfort food is perfect once in a while and I love this kind of recipe.
It’s a lovely sausage casserole with vegetables right in it.
I love one pot meals. They are so easy to make and to clean up from.
You can add more vegetables to the recipe if you want. Instead of just carrots, use a carrot and peas mix or a mix of frozen vegetables with green beans and corn added.
You can also change up the kind of sausage you use. A mild Italian sausage or Enlgish sausages would work well in this sausage recipe too.
This is a great recipe for using up leftover potatoes. If you don’t have any potatoes leftover, you can cook them quickly and easily in the microwave. Just make sure you leave the skins on, puncture them several times with a knife and cover them lightly with a piece of paper towel.
The potatoes don’t have to be fully cooked as they will continue to cook a bit in the oven.
Campbell soup recipes are so easy and often really good.
Cheesy Sausage Casserole
6 bratwurst or Polish sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices (1 pound)
4 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and cubed
10 ounces frozen cut carrots, thawed
1 can reduced fat and reduce sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
Additional shredded cheese (optional)
Cook the bratwurst in a frying pan over medium heat. The Polish sausage, if you are using that, is already cooked. Slice the cooked sausage into 1/2″ slices.
In a large bowl stir together the bratwurst, potatoes, carrots, soup, cheese and the chopped onion.
Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 2 quart baking dish or other casserole.
If you like, you can add a bit more shredded cheese to the top of the casserole. Bake it, covered, at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until it is well heated throughout.
Please note that this contest has ended. The winner is Marilyn Crewe. Thanks for all who participated. Keep looking for new contests.
Enter the KitchenAid Food Processor Giveaway!
KitchenAid® is giving away a brand new 13-cup Food Processor – just in time for the holidays!
I am so excited about this Kitchenaid Food Processor Giveaway I wish I could enter the contest myself!
This is such a wonderful machine, as all KitchenAid® appliances are. (I have a stand mixer and LOVE it).
This food processor has an externally adjustable sliding blade (coupled with exceptional KitchenAid® performance) to ensure controlled and precise slicing, chopping and pureeing.
Key Features of this food processor include:
New external adjustable, stainless steel slicing disc provides ultimate versatility
Dual shredding disc easily flips the disc from 2mm to 4mm to achieve ideal slicing thickness
Large 13-cup (2.75L) leak-proof work bowl, plus chef’s bowl and mini bowl to efficiently
Ultra Wide Mouth Feed Tube™ adjusts to 3 different sizes to accommodate foods of varying sizes, including whole potatoes and cucumbers
17 precise food processing options for speed-controlled slice, shred, chop & puree functions plus three maximized slice, shred and puree/chop blades and bonus dough, egg whip & Julienne blades
It also includes:
A new stainless steel multipurpose blade
A maximized S blade for exceptional performance
A dough blade
A dual stainless steel shredding disc
How fantastic is that? Just think of all of the wonderful recipes you could whip up with this gem of a machine.
So how do you win? Just follow these simple instructions:
First of all, the contest is open to Canadian residents only. Sorry to our other visitors, but this one is for Canadians only.
You need to do just two simple things to enter the contest:
1. Go to our main site home page and like us on Facebook. Just click on the Like button at the top of the right hand column of the home page (or any page of the site actually).
2. Send me a recipe. It could be for anything, from appetizers to desserts and everything in between, preferably a healthy one, but certainly one you love. Some of your recipes may appear on the Cookingnook.com website. So get your your favorite recipes and just submit one of them to me at cookingnook (at) cogeco.ca . (Please make sure I have your full name and mailing address on the email in case you win.)
And yes you can enter more than once. For each additional entry though, ask a friend to Like Cookingnook too.
That’s it. The contest is open until the end of the day November 30, 2011. I will select the winner myself and notify KitchenAid® immediately, so you get your food processor before the holidays.
Enter the Kitchenaid Food Processor Giveaway today!
This is a light and lovely cheesecake recipe with a creamy-smooth texture.
Served with a fresh raspberry sauce it makes a refreshing dessert.
The raspberry sauce adds rich color and a wonderful fruity taste. It is easily prepared while the cheesecake cools in the refrigerator.
The recipe may look long and difficult but it is NOT at all, so don’t be put off by the fact that there is a crust, a filling and a sauce to make. Each component is quite easy and very quick to make.
I love easy dessert recipes that make me look like a genius and gourmet cook. This chiffon like cheese cake does that and more.
This is a perfect dessert for an elegant dinner party, a holiday dinner or as a party dessert.
It comes from a cookbook I just reviewed for the main site called Simply Fresh: Casual Dining at Home by Jeff Morgan and based on the food from the popular restaurant chain, Ruby Tuesdays. The cookbook even includes a coupon for $5.00 off your next visit to Ruby Tuesdays.
It is a beautiful cookbook, full of great recipes you will actually make. Each recipe has a picture so you know exactly how it should turn out.
I love this cheesecake recipe from the book:
Vanilla Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberry Sauce
Crust
1/2 cup (4 ounces/1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
15 whole graham crackers, broken into squares
1/4 cup sugar
Filling
2 1/4 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Raspberry Sauce
2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, plus additional for garnish
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan with the 1 tablespoon butter.
In a food processor or blender, pulse the graham crackers until they form coarse crumbs. Scrape down the sides of the processor or shake the blender as needed to pulse them evenly. Add the sugar and process until the crumbs are finely ground.
In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 1?2 cup butter over low heat. Pour the butter into the crumbs in a steady stream while you continue to pulse. Stop to scrape down the sides or bottom of the bowl or beaker as needed. To test if the mixture is ready, squeeze a bit of it in your hand; it should feel moist and firm.
Pour the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Pat and press the crust firmly and evenly onto the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan.
Bake the crust for 5 to 7 minutes, until it is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, or until cooled to room temperature. Decrease the oven temperature to 300°F.
To make the filling, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the cream cheese and mascarpone for about 1 minute, or until soft and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the sugar in a steady stream and continue beating. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the salt and vanilla and beat for about 1 minute, or until well blended. Set aside.
When the crust has cooled, wrap the bottom and sides of the spring form pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. This will ensure that no water will seep into the crust while the cheesecake bakes in a water bath. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the crust and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Place the wrapped spring form pan into a baking pan, and pour warm water into the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the spring form pan.
Carefully transfer the baking pan to the oven and bake the cake for 1 1/4 hours, or until the surface is pale gold and the top has risen nearly to the rim of the pan. The cake should jiggle slightly when the pan is moved.
When the cake is done, turn off the oven and leave the oven door slightly ajar. Let the cake rest in the oven for 1 hour. Then remove the cake from the water bath, discard the foil from around the bottom and sides, and place the cake in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or until well chilled.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. In the blender or food processor, combine all of the ingredients and process until smooth. Strain the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan. Press on the contents of the sieve with the rubber spatula to force as much liquid through the sieve as possible. Discard any solids caught in the sieve.
Place the pan over medium-low heat and bring the purée to a simmer. Decrease the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid begins to thicken. Remove from the heat. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature.
To serve, unclip and lift away the pan sides, then slide the cheesecake off the bottom of the pan onto a flat plate or other flat serving surface. Slice the cake and top each slice with a tablespoon of the raspberry sauce and a scattering of raspberries.
Hi all,
A little while back I posted about a fantastic program hosted by Hellmann’s called the 2011 Real Food Grant Program. They were giving away $110,000 in funding for local projects that share Hellmann’s vision of helping Canadian families learn about and experience real food.
They received over 400 applications, which shows that communities are really beginning to care about the food we eat. It is about time we got more involved, not only in ensuring that our children get good nutrition, but also that we support our Canadian farmers, who grow the food we put on our plates. Local food is the best food we can get and we in Canada have such an abundance of fresh produce available to us.
This year Hellman’s awarded Real Food Grants to twenty four recipients from Newfoundland to British Columbia, in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. The winning initiatives include school lunch programs, real food festivals and even the provision of new kitchen appliances to a school committed to changing its cafeteria menu so it can provide students with real food every day.
Here are a couple of other examples of creative thinking: In Calgary, the Greenstart Project is using a grant for a mobile greenhouse that travels to schools in Alberta, providing children with a hands-on learning experience with mini-gardens and snacks. The University of Guelph is teaching elementary school students about healthy and sustainable eating practices through its Garden2Table program.
Hellmann’s also gave $4000 to fund a locavore School Lunch Program, London, ON. Locavore means as much local produce and products are used as possible. Yeah London and yeah Hellmann’s for recognizing the importance of an initiative like this.
Celebrity Chef Chuck Hughes has been working with Hellmann’s on the Real Food Movement program. Visit Facebook.com/HellmannsCanada to hear more about this year’s grant recipients, see what Chuck is up to or share your thoughts with the real food community.
It is a charming cookbook with some absolutely fabulous recipes and great images. I love a cookbook that has images of the finished product so you can see how it is supposed to look when you are done. Some recipes are obvious, but many are not.
I also like the detailed instructions in this book. The authors explain exactly how to make it. They don’t leave you guessing.
Some of the recipes you will find in this sweet treat of a cookbook include:
Church Windows
Chocolate Mint Bars
Buffalo Chip Cookies
Gran’s Tea Cakes
Kentucky Jam Cake
Banana-Caramel Cake
Transatlantic Chocolate Truffles
Cherry Slices
If you love baking and sweets this is a wonderful cookbook to add to your collection. I think you would find yourself using it a lot.
As the authors Sugar Mommas Kimberly “Momma” Reiner and Jenna Sanz-Agero explain, “We drove down memory lane to discover our sugar inheritance, and then dug into everyone else’s past to find their dusty, torn, and butter-crusted index cards.”
The journey was well worth it to share these delicious treasured family recipes.
Here is the vanilla pudding pie recipe:
Vanilla Puddin’ Pie
Ingredients:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 basic single Pie 9-inch pie crust, homemade or ready-made, prebaked and cooled completely
Whipped Cream (optional)
Place the sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Gradually stir in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken, 11 to 14 minutes. The consistency should be like a thick cream soup.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. To temper the eggs, pour about 1 cup of the hot, thickened milk mixture into the bowl of yolks. Quickly whisk them together and then slowly blend the egg mixture back into the hot milk in your saucepan. Decrease the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until the mixture takes on the consistency of pudding. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter until melted, then mix in the vanilla.
Allow the filling to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and chill for at least 1 hour. Serve alone or topped with the whipped cream topping.
Banana Pudding Pie: Momma Jenna slices bananas onto the bottom of the baked crust before filling it with vanilla cream. Momma Reiner dices up bananas to layer all over and in between!
Coconut Pudding Pie: After the vanilla cream mixture has cooled, fold ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut into the filling before pouring it into the baked crust. Decorate by sprinkling toasted coconut on top. Serve alone or topped with whipped cream.
These fantastic chocolate cupcakes are packed with crunchy nuts, chewy marshmallows, rich chocolate, and a creamy marshmallow swirl.
Just like rocky road ice cream, which is probably why they are called Rocky Road Cupcakes.
This recipe is from a new cookbook from the Sur La Table people and you know they develop amazing recipes that turn out wonderfully each and every time.
So Sweet is a fantastic little cookbook that is jam packed with luscious sweet treats, from things like Raspberry Cherry Crumble Bars, to Cappuccino Biscotti with Hazelnuts and Chocolate, to baked Blueberry Buttermilk Doughnuts, to Whoopie Pies.
This recipe from the cookbook is bound to be a hit with kids and adults alike.
It’s easy to make and filled with sweet, gooey and crunchie goodies.
I think you will love this twist on chocolate cupcakes.
Rocky Road Chocolate Cupcakes
Cake:
1/2 cup unsifted unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 cup water
3/4 cup (11?2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups toasted walnut pieces
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup prepared marshmallow cream
Filling:
1 cup prepared marshmallow cream
Preheat the oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the center. Line 2 standard-sized cupcake pans with 20 paper liners.
To make the batter, place the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Heat 1/2 cup of the water in a small saucepan just until it begins to simmer. Pour it over the cocoa and whisk until blended and smooth. Add the remaining 1 cup water and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside until the mixture cools to room temperature. If warm, it will melt the butter and ruin the texture of the cake.
Place the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until very light in color, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. With the mixer running on medium, add the eggs one at a time, pausing between each until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
With a fine-mesh strainer, sift the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and blend with a whisk. With the mixer running on the lowest speed, add the flour mixture and the cocoa water alternately, beginning with one-third of the flour mixture and half of the cocoa water. Repeat, then finish with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl and finish blending the batter by hand, if necessary.
Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pans.
Make the topping. Scald the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and pour over the chocolate morsels that have been placed in a medium bowl. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before stirring with a rubber spatula to combine. Add the softened butter and corn syrup, and mix thoroughly.
The mixture needs to thicken to a frosting consistency. This can either be done the day before and stored covered at room temperature, or to proceed right away, the mixture can be placed in the refrigerator. The mixture should be stirred every 20 minutes until it has thickened to a frosting consistency. This will take approximately 2 hours.
Spread the nuts on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove the nuts from the oven and set aside to cool completely. Using a rubber spatula, stir the marshmallows and cooled nut pieces into the thickened topping, then gently fold in 1/4 cup of marshmallow cream, creating a swirl. Do not over mix.
Fill the cupcakes. Using a small serrated paring knife, remove a 1 1/2-inch diameter cone-shaped plug from the top of each cupcake and set it aside, making sure not to cut all the way through to the bottom of the cupcake. Evenly distribute the remaining 1 cup of marshmallow cream among the cupcakes and replace the cake plugs, gently pressing down and allowing the plug to sit up a little higher than the top of the cupcake.
To finish the cupcakes, using a tablespoon, evenly distribute the topping among the filled cupcakes.
The chocolate cupcakes should be stored in a covered container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 2 days, but probably won’t last that long!
Here is what Dani says about her peanut butter and jelly pie -
“The Classic lunchtime sandwich becomes a crowd-pleasing dessert! Try it with a Graham Cracker Crust, and even use some cinnamon or chocolate grahams. You won’t want to cut the crusts off! Make up a half recipe of the crust, because this is a single-crust pie.”
Jelly and Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
Makes 1 Single-Crust 9-inch Pie (or 1 Single-Crust 7-inch Deep-Dish Pie, 18 Petit-5s)
Ingredients:
All-Butter Crust (below)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup jelly (see note)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanuts and fruit (whatever kind is in the jelly), for garnish, optional
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place a rack in the center of the oven.
2. To make the crust, follow the All-Butter Crust recipe (making one-half of the recipe) and roll out the dough per the instructions.
3. Gently drape one edge of the rolled-out dough circle over the rolling pin, and revolve the rolling pin to wrap the whole crust around it. Place the rolling pin over the edge of the pie plate or tin, and carefully unroll the dough over to the other edge of the pie plate so the dough circle is centered. Press the dough gently into the bottom of the pie plate and around the sides. Trim the dough edge to a 1/2 to 1-inch overhang beyond the rim of the pie plate.
4. Go around the pie and use the fold-tuck-crimp method to seal the pie edge: Starting in any spot, use the fingers of both hands to gently press and fold over the overhanging crust and tuck it under at the outer edge of the pie. Then, to crimp, using the forefinger of your left hand and the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, go around the pie edge and press in with the left forefinger and simultaneously outward with the right thumb and forefinger. Or alternately, instead of crimping, after you fold-and-tuck, use a fork and press the back side of the fork prongs into the pie edge all around the rim.
5. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove the weights, and let cool.
6. To make the filling, in a large bowl, with a spoon or an electric mixer, stir together the cream cheese, peanut butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the milk, honey, and salt until well combined.
7. Spoon the peanut butter pie recipe mixture into the crust and spread evenly over the bottom.
8. Spoon the jelly onto the peanut butter layer, and spread it evenly on top.
9. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, whip the whipping cream, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, and the vanilla until soft peaks form.
10. Top the jelly layer with the whipping cream, as thick or as thin as you like (I recommend 1 to 2 inches).
11. Sprinkle with some peanuts and just a few raspberries (or whatever fruit the jelly contains), for garnish.
12. Chill until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes.
Note: The author uses raspberry jelly, but you can use your favorite.
From the same great little cookbook comes the recipe for the crust:
The All-Butter Pie Crust is your go-to crust; it works with all pie shapes and recipes.
Ingredients:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
¾ cup ice water
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar, and mix well.
2. Add the butter to the flour mixture, and mix gently with a pastry blender, a fork, or your hands. The goal is to lightly incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. The butter pieces should be well coated with the dry mixture and somewhat flattened.
3. Gradually add the water to the flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue mixing the dough until it comes together and forms pea-sized or crouton-sized crumbs. The dough should look like coarse individual pieces, not smooth and beaten together like cookie dough.
4. With your hands, gather the dough crumbs together to form 2 patties, gently molding the crumb-like mixture into a patty shape and being careful not to over handle the dough. Wrap each patty in plastic wrap.
5. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days. The dough can also be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
6. When you’re ready to use the dough, let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to soften it and make it workable. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each of the 2 dough patties to about a 1/4-inch thickness, lightly dusting it with flour, if needed, to prevent sticking, and making sure to roll the dough evenly.
by Jeff Morgan and based on the food from the popular restaurant chain, Ruby Tuesdays. The cookbook even includes a coupon for $5.00 off your next visit to Ruby Tuesdays.
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by Dani Cone.
