Chocolate Trifle (Non-Alcoholic)

I served this delicious Trifle for Christmas dinner - a showy finale for any special occasion! I’ve posted the recipe before, but am bringing it back with a non-alcoholic twist. Rather than soak the dried cake cubes in the coffee liqueur the recipe calls for, try substituting 1/4 c. (60 mL) espresso and 1/4 tsp. (1.25 mL) pure orange extract. I’ve done that - with superb results!

Making this special trifle one day ahead blends the flavors perfectly as well as allowing a little extra time for your New Year’s Eve preparations.

I’m reprinting this terrific recipe today so you’ll have time to buy the ingredients and get busy drying the cubed chocolate cake in a low oven. I set mine to its “dehydrate” function - use the lowest temperature you can. Drying the cubed cake takes about 2 hr., but the rest of the preparation is quick and easy.

I served this trifle in a large crystal bowl, but the recipe is so versatile that it can easily be cut in half or prepared in individual goblets. Serves 8. If you prefer, here’s the boozy version: Chocolate Trifle (Alcoholic).

One more important thing, Dollinks: Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays, 2017

From Our House to Yours 

On This Special Day!

Grog Nog

 A pitcher of this makes a great start to any party, but no one needs to drink to have fun. Find the joy in the season.

Grog Nog:

Two 10-oz. (300 mL) cans sweetened condensed milk

5 c. (1.1 L) water

2 c. (500 mL) brandy

1 c. (250 mL) dark rum

4 large egg whites (see Note)

Dash of nutmeg, as garnish

Stir together milk and water in a large bowl. Add brandy and rum; set aside. Beat egg whites to soft peaks in small bowl. Fold into milk mixture and pour into punch bowl or pitchers. Garnish with nutmeg. Yields about thirty 3-oz. punch-cup servings.

Note: Because they’re consumed raw, packaged, pasteurized egg whites are safer for use than raw egg whites in this and similar recipes. You’ll find pre-packaged pasteurized whites in your grocer’s dairy case.

Further Note: Be sure to offer a non-alcoholic alternative at any party! I recommend my super-easy hot Spiced Apple Punch, Mulled Apple Juice, or Pink Lady Punch as non-alcoholic alternatives at any party.  

Thanksgiving Zebra Cake

I’ve been thinking of a dessert suitable for a small Thanksgiving celebration for one person or two. This one literally “takes the cake”! (The sweet young things with a gelled green Mohawk hairstyle, an eyebrow piercing, and a skull tattooed on their arms won’t know what that phrase means, and nor will their male friends. Live with it! I’m struttin’ my advancing years, Dollinks.)

I’ve been writing about small Thanksgiving celebrations, this week. Not everyone has a large family - and if they do, not everyone is able to visit. This dessert is ideal for your small celebration! It’s also inexpensive and very, very easy to make. It requires just three  ingredients: Whipped cream, confectioners’ sugar, and chocolate wafers. Important! Prepare this cake at least three hours ahead so the whipped cream softens the wafers, turning them into cake. 

A tip: Because it’s Thanksgiving, use thin, plain ginger cookies instead of the chocolate ones. 

Another tip: Whip the cream in the kitchen sink to minimize splashing. I’ve done that for years, with the result that my kitchen’s semi-clean.

I’ve published this excellent recipe before. You can make it large, or you can make it small. Treat yourself: Don’t use a whipping cream substitute when you make this outstanding little cake! Here’s where you’ll find it on my blog: 

http://nicoleparton.blogspot.ca/2013/09/zebra-cake.html

Just before serving, garnish the cake with one or two finely crumbled wafers. As the hair-color ads used to say: You’re worth it! Even if you do wear a gelled green Mohawk and celebrate Thanksgiving on your own.

Party Nugget Potatoes

These potatoes are an excellent choice for a small Thanksgiving dinner for one person or two. The cooking time varies with the size of potato. In my opinion, smaller nuggets are preferable to larger ones. While my recipe serves more than two, it’s terrific to have leftover nugget potatoes with bacon and eggs the next morning. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CXFXB4uknI

Naturally, vegetables and cranberry sauce are a huge part of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. If you don’t care for cooking and there’s just you, or you and a friend, don’t feel embarrassed to serve frozen mixed veggies and canned cranberry sauce with these easy potatoes. And check out the Cranberry-Orange Chicken Breasts I blogged yesterday!

Because these chicken breasts use a few cranberries, you’ll have plenty extra on hand … C’mon, go ahead and make that Cranberry Sauce! Click on the Index under Cranberries: Sauces. You’ll find some great recipes there!

Party Nugget Potatoes:

1 lb. (454 g) nugget potatoes (about 20 small), unpeeled 

1 tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil

1-1/2 tsp. (7 mL) garlic salt
1/4 tsp. (1 mL) dried onion

1/4 tsp. (1 mL) dried leaf-style thyme (not powdered)

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) dried leaf-style marjoram (not powdered)

Scant grinding of pepper

Preheat oven to 450 deg. F. (See Note) Select approximately 10 red and 20 white nugget potatoes. Wash potatoes, blotting dry. Add potatoes and oil to a small work bowl, stirring until potatoes are well coated. 

To a very small bowl, add garlic salt, dried onion, thyme, marjoram, and freshly ground pepper, combining well. Sprinkle over potatoes, stirring gently until evenly coated. Turn into small, ungreased oven-proof dish. Bake 30-to-40 min., depending on size of potatoes. Turn potatoes over halfway through baking time. Potatoes should be nicely browned, slightly shriveled, and soft inside. Test with a sharp paring knife to ensure doneness.

Note: I baked these super-simple potatoes in a toaster oven. 

Combine nuggets with olive oil and salted herb mixture.

Pop into an oven or toaster oven.

Ready for my close-up, CB!

Done!

Cranberry-Orange Chicken Breasts

The traditional image of Thanksgiving is one of huge families, all of whom exercise the boarding house reach in search of more potatoes, more cranberries, more turkey … Life doesn’t always match that image.  Sometimes, Thanksgiving is very small - dinner for one or two. No matter who you are or where you are, what’s important is to give thanks.

So here’s a simple recipe I invented a couple of days ago, with a small Thanksgiving dinner in mind. I’m printing it well in advance of the occasion, so you can be sure to have the ingredients on hand.

You’ll love these deliciously low-calorie Cranberry-Orange Chicken Breasts. Trust me, Dollinks! 
This dish is a keeper! I know it’s a disappointment not to have a

a photo, but (blush!) this chicken 
was so good that we gobbled it up fast! Only this dirty skillet remained.

Cranberry-Orange Chicken Breasts:

2 chicken breasts, about 10 oz. (285 g) each, fresh or thawed (See Note)

1/3 c. (80 mL) orange juice, preferably without pulp 

1/3 c. (80 mL) water

2-to-2-1/2 tsp. (10-to-12.5 mL) all-purpose flour

2 tsp. (10 mL) orange-flavored liqueur such as Grande Marnier (optional)

7 or 8 whole cranberries, fresh or frozen

Dusting of dried parsley or leaf-style dried marjoram or thyme  

Add orange juice, water, and chicken breasts to a medium-sized skillet. Place chicken in skillet, best side up. Cover, bringing liquids just to a boil. Reduce heat, simmering 20-to-25 min. Chicken is done when no pink remains at center. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. Gradually whisk flour into liquids on low heat as orange sauce. Return chicken to thickened liquid, stirring in liqueur. Do not boil. Drop in cranberries, simmering 1 min. Nap sauce over chicken, dusting lightly with marjoram, thyme, or dried parsley. Serve hot. Makes 2 servings.

Note: Choose firm, high breasts, 

as per the photo.

Focus, men, focus! Stop thinking about Pamela Anderson! If they’re fresh from the farm, you may want to wash them in cold water, blotting them dry with a paper towel. Again … Stop thinking about Pamela Anderson!

Sambuca Prawns

This excellent stove-top recipe looks complex, but isn’t. Be sure to use prawns about 1-1/2 in. (3.8 cm) long - not shrimp. Prepare and assemble all ingredients before starting.

Sambuca Prawns: Colorfully exotic.

Sambuca Prawns:

3 slices bacon, in medium dice

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

2 tbsp. (25 mL) finely diced ginger

4 green onions, finely sliced

1 jalapeño pepper, finely sliced, seeds removed

2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil

Fresh or thawed raw prawns, peeled or unpeeled

1/2 c. (125 mL) white Sambuca liqueur (see Note)

Fresh baby Romaine lettuce, chopped in 1/2 in. (13 mm) pieces, as needed on serving plate (see Further Note)

1 medium mango, peeled, stone removed, in medium dice

1 medium tomato, peeled, sectioned in eighths

In skillet on medium-high heat, fry bacon until crisp. Drain and blot dry. Set aside. With a paper towel, wipe out skillet until no fat remains. Using same skillet on medium-high heat, sauté garlic, ginger, green onions, and jalapeño pepper 2-to-3 min. in olive oil. 

Add prawns, sautéeing until prawns turn pink and are lightly cooked, about 1 min. on each side. Stir in Sambuca, simmering about 2 min., until flavors blend and some of the Sambuca is absorbed. 

In small bowl, combine reserved bacon, mango and tomato as prawn mixture simmers. Spread Romaine over serving platter. spooning with hot prawn mixture. Immediately decorate with bacon, mango and tomato. Serve at once.

Note: Sambuca is a strongly flavored anise-based liqueur. Any quality brand will do: Ouzo works well.

Further Note: Substitute uncooked baby spinach, stems removed, if you prefer. 

Spicy BBQ Peppers, Zucchini, and Mushrooms

Husband Ron has been making this outstanding recipe for many years. I finally asked him how he does it!

Spicy BBQ Peppers, Zucchini, and Mushrooms:

Assorted sweet bell peppers, seeded and quartered, as needed

One zucchini, unpeeled, 10-to-12 in. (25-to-30 cm) long and cut into thirds, as needed 

Large white button mushrooms or brown crimini mushrooms, whole, as needed

Olive oil, as needed

Chili oil, as needed

Seasoning salt, as needed

Preheat barbecue to 375-to-400 deg. F. Place prepared fresh vegetables into plastic bag. Add just enough olive oil to coat vegetables, shaking gently. Drizzle on just enough chili oil to season vegetables, shaking gently. Sprinkle on just enough seasoning salt to flavor, shaking gently. 

Place vegetables directly on grill at the same time. Barbecue mushrooms 10 min., turning occasionally. Barbecue bell peppers and zucchini, skin-side down, about 6 min. Turn and barbecue a further 4 min. Transfer to heated serving plate.

Note: For more zucchini recipes, see One Click: Zucchini.

Nicole’s Plum Pie

This is a fantastic dessert! To make it, I adapted one of my all-time favorite cake recipes: Company Plum Cake . 

I increased the ingredients by 1-1/2 times, omitting the cake’s glaze. Why did I do this? The cake is small, which means that much of it is an edge piece.

The pie is generous, with only a small amount of edge and plenty of moist, delicious plums. Judging by my taste testers’ comments, the idea to switch up the cake to a pie worked! Even though I’ve made and enjoyed this cake for four decades, I found the pie superior. 

Nicole’s Plum Pie:

To Prepare Streusel Topping:

3/4 c. (180 mL) brown sugar, packed

1-1/2 (7 mL) tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. (80 mL) butter or margarine, softened

In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon until thoroughly mixed. Using a fork, cut in butter or margarine until well-mixed and crumbly. Set aside.

To Prepare Pie:

¼ c. + 2 tbsp. (90 mL) butter or margarine, softened

1-1/2 c. (375 mL) granulated sugar

3 large eggs, separated

2-1/4 c. (560 mL) all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. (7 mL) baking powder

3/4 c. (180 mL) milk

About 15 prune plums, halved and pitted

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Spray-grease 10-in. glass pie dish. Cream butter and sugar until no grainy texture remains when you rub creamed mixture between thumb and index finger. Add egg yolks, continuing to beat well. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture into butter-egg mixture in alternate thirds with milk. In another bowl, whip egg whites until stiff, gently folding into batter. 

Pour batter into pie dish, smoothing with spatula. Place halved prune plums lightly onto batter. Sprinkle Streusel Topping over plums. Bake 45-to-55 min. Best served warm. Makes 8-to-10 servings.

Note: This pie is very moist. It may slop over its dish during baking. Place foil or another oven protector over rack before baking. 

Triple-Chocolate Chocolate Cookies

If you don’t eat cookies often, you may as well have outstanding ones when you do. These are soft and chewy and really quite extraordinary. 

Triple Chocolate Chocolate Cookies:
Excellent in every way!

Triple-Chocolate Chocolate Cookies:

1-1/4 c. (300 mL) butter or margarine, softened

2 c. (500 mL) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. (10 mL) vanilla extract

2 c. (500 mL) all-purpose flour

1 tsp. (5 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) salt

3/4 c. (175 mL) cocoa powder, sifted

1 c. (250 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. (250 mL) white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Line ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

In large mixing bowl, beat butter or margarine, adding granulated sugar a little at a time until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder. Gradually add to mixer bowl, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonsful onto large cookie sheet. Bake 8 or 9 min. Cookies will be soft, rising during baking and flattening as they cool. Makes 4-1/2 dozen. 

World’s Best Window Cleaner

Wow! You’ve got to try this!

World’s Best Window Cleaner:

5 qt. (4.7 L) water

5 c. (1.2 L) white vinegar

5 tsp. (25 L) liquid dish detergent

Pour into bucket. Slosh it on. Hose it down. Squeegie dry. 

You’d better boost your accident insurance because you’ll be smashing into the windows like crazy because they’re so clean. This is amazing! 

Goodbye, high-priced commercial brand! Goodbye, streaks!

2022 update: My friend Lorna Blake has sent along her method, too:

“Here’s my window washing gear.

The bottom line on pail is 16 c. (4 L), about 1/4 pail of water. Add 1 drop liquid dish detergent and a glug (2 tbsp. or 30 mL) isopropyl alcohol. 

“The T-bar and fleece “condom” are for washing; squeegie dry (elastic band on broomstick helps either attachment wedge on). 

“Use (pale blue) “glass and mirror” cloth on one finger to wipe water from edges: Use a different cloth to wipe up drips.

“PS: Be ultra-careful with the rubber squeegie. Inspect replacement blades before purchasing. Mine had a tiny nick, I think from being held by a tight elastic in at the janitors’ supply store. I reset it to lead with the other edge, and damn, eventually got another nick. One tiny streak, each swipe. 

“You can use the fleece washing bar for leaded glass windows, but dry with the “glass and mirror” cloth. Not as easy, though.”

Classic Beef Stroganoff

I recently found this recipe - once a family favorite - tucked away in my files. I’ve made it twice in the past few weeks, never quite quick enough to leap up and grab the camera. A couple of tips based on personal preference: 

Don’t substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream this recipe calls for. Yogurt has a slightly acidic under-taste - not the soft, creamy taste that makes Beef Stroganoff so delicious. Do use broad noodles and no other pasta. They feel exactly right on the palate for this dish. I like every type of pasta - but strongly prefer broad noodles in this recipe. 

And Dollinks … While you certainly can use dried parsley flakes, I greatly prefer garnishing this with fresh, chopped parsley for its color, taste, and micronutrients. Parsley is easy to grow inside or out. Read this and parsley will soon become your favorite herb! http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=100&tname=foodspice

Classic Beef Stroganoff:

1 medium onion, sliced

1 c. (250 mL) sliced mushrooms

1 large garlic clove, crushed

3 tbsp. (45 mL) butter or margarine, divided

1/2 lb. (250 g) boneless sirloin, divided (see Economy Note)

Seasoned flour, as needed

One 10-oz. (284 mL) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 tsp. (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce

1 c. (250 mL) dairy sour cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Hot broad noodles, as needed, cooked and drained according to package directions 

Chopped fresh parsley, as garnish

In a deep skillet, sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic until soft and golden in 1 tbsp. (15 mL) butter or margarine. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Cut sirloin into thin strips. In a plastic bag, shake meat together with seasoned flour. Brown in the remaining 2 tbsp. (30 mL) butter or margarine for about 5 min., turning often. Add soup, Worcestershire sauce, and reserved onion mixture. Simmer, covered, 7-to-10 min., or until meat is cooked through and tender.

Over low heat, blend in sour cream, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Season to taste. Pour over hot cooked noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serves 6.

Economy Note: Or ... slice leftover roast beef into strips, cooking just until heated through.

Easy-Peasy Note: For more Stroganoff recipes, see One Click: Stroganoff.

Beef Stroganoff “Stew”

This oven-baked Stroganoff is a departure from the usual. It’s easy, quick, and inexpensive.

Beef Stroganoff “Stew”:

2 tsp. (10 mL) canola oil

1-1/2 lb. (0.7 kg) lean stewing beef, in bite-sized chunks

Seasoned flour, as needed

4 tbsp. (60 mL) butter or margarine, divided

2 onions, sliced

2 c. (500 mL) fresh mushrooms, halved

1 large garlic clove, crushed

2 tbsp. (30 mL) butter or margarine

Salt and pepper

1 c. (250 mL) beef broth

1 tbsp. (15 mL) cornstarch

1 tbsp. (15 mL) tomato paste

1 c. (250 mL) sour cream

Hot broad noodles, as needed, cooked and drained according to package directions

Chopped fresh parsley, as garnish

Preheat oven to 325 deg. F. Heat oil in skillet until almost sizzling. In a plastic bag, shake meat together with seasoned flour. Add floured beef to skillet, turning often, just until browned. Remove to ovenproof casserole. 

In 2 tbsp. (30 mL) butter or margarine, sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic until soft and golden. Season to taste.

In small bowl, whisk together beef broth, cornstarch, and tomato paste. Over medium heat in skillet, stir into onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Remove from heat, slowly stirring in sour cream until well blended. 

Pour sauce over meat. Cover and bake 1 hr. Lower heat to 200 deg. F. With casserole still covered, continue baking 2 hr. until meat is tender. If sauce reduces too much, add 1/2 c. (125 mL) water in final hour. Serve over hot broad noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serves 6.

For more Stroganoff recipes, see One Click: Stroganoff. For more Stew recipes, see One Click: Stew. You can also search under Stroganoff: see One Click or under Stew: see One Click. 

African Fire Pork Stew

Turn up the heat! This is fabulous, Dollinks, fabulous! As with any stew, this recipe takes time … Allow 4-to-4-1/2 hours if you use dried chilis; about 3 hours with fresh ones. That’s a long time, but worth it. I started cooking this in a 3 qt. (2.8 L) pot on the stove, but as I added more and more to the pot, I transferred the works into a 5 qt. (4.7 L) pot. Adding more and still more, I split the stew between both pots. At the end of what seemed a very long cooking time, we pronounced it delicious! 

African Fire Pork Stew:

6 small dried red chilis

3 lb. (1.5 kg) pork butt 

3 tbsp. (45 mL) canola oil

2 large onions, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

6 fresh jalapēno peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped 

2 tbsp. (30 mL) coarsely chopped fresh ginger

1 tbsp. (15 mL) paprika

2 tsp. (10 mL) ground allspice

2 tsp. (10 mL) ground cinnamon

2 tsp. (10 mL) ground coriander

2 tsp. (10 mL) ground nutmeg

2 tbsp. (30 mL) dark brown sugar

5 c. (1.25 L) beef stock

One 26. fl. oz. (796 mL) can diced tomatoes, undrained

3/4 c. (175 mL) unsalted peanuts

4 medium-sized (about 3 lb. or 750 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 3/4-in. (2-cm) pieces

1/4 c. (60 mL) red wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Chopped fresh parsley, as garnish

Read recipe and all Notes before starting; prepare and assemble ingredients as dried chilis soften.

Cover dried chilis with boiling water (See Chili Note). Soak 2 hr. or until soft. Drain, chop coarsely, and set aside.

Trim and discard pork fat (see Pork Note). Slice meat into 1-in. (2.5 cm) pieces. In large, heavy, lidded pot, heat oil over high heat. Add pork, onions, garlic (see Garlic Clove Note), and jalapēno peppers (see Jalapēno Pepper Note). Sauté 7-to-10 min. until pork loses its pink but is not cooked through. 

Lower heat to medium, adding ginger, paprika, allspice, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and sugar. Cook 5 min., stirring frequently. 

Add stock, bringing to a boil over high heat. Add tomatoes, peanuts, and reserved red chilis (with stems discarded but seeds intact). Reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, 1 hr., stirring occasionally. 

Add sweet potatoes and vinegar. Cook, covered, just above simmering 40-to-45 min., or until meat and potatoes are tender. Season (see Seasoning Note), garnishing with parsley. Serves 8.

Chili Note: There’s no need to soften fresh red chilis; skip this step.

Fresh red chilis ... Hot, hot, hot!

Pork Note: Weigh pork after de-fatting. Masochists and fools like me will say: “I’m not going to spend an extra 50¢ per lb. ($1 per kg) to buy stew-sized pieces of pork when I can easily do that myself!” How much do you value your time? Pork can be quite fatty, and one of the chunks I bought was loaded with far and gristle running through the grain. It may be worth paying the extra to have the work done for you. Fortunately, I also bought a pork roast with only a thick sheath of fat over its top, and flawless meat. This was easy to cube. Any raw meat is easiest to slice if it’s partially frozen, as this second chunk was. 

Choose the least fatty pork possible! I did not!

Quite a chore … Fat and gristle inside and out!

So much easier! Only one large sheath of fat over this 

piece - easy to remove from partially frozen meat.

Here’s some of what I removed! Lesson: Buy diced 

pork to check the amount of fat inside.

Garlic Clove Note: Pressing on a fresh bulb of garlic cloves with  the flat side of a meat mallet or heavy cleaver will loosen its skin as well as the skins of the cloves inside. 

Jalapēno Pepper Note: A grapefruit knife is the ideal tool to strip away the inner membrane and seeds of these and any other peppers. 

For other stews, see One Click: Stew.

Add pork, onions, garlic, and jalapēno peppers. Stir well.

Two hours later …

Serve! An outstanding stew! Very spicy!

Seasoning Note: I used freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground black peppercorns - but only a whisper. With the many spices and peppers in this stew, you don’t need much.

For other stews, see One Click: Stew.