Devilled Eggs

We are purists when it comes to Devilled Eggs ... no relish or herbs, just the traditional dusting of Paprika and that is it.

7 hardboiled eggs, shelled

2 heaping Tbsp. Miracle Whipe or Mayonnaise

1 heaping tsp. Gulden's Mustard (any spicy brown mustard)

salt & pepper to taste

Paprika

1. Slice the eggs in half and gently scoop out the yolks and place in a bowl. Using a fork, mash the egg yolks until fine.

2. Add Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise, salt and pepper and mix well together.

3. Using a fork place egg mixture back in egg halves. Do not mash down.

4. Sprinkle pinches of Paprika over egg yolk mixture. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight and serve cold.

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini is a vegetable that I have only just come to appreciate, particularly in bread form. This is a good mid-morning coffee break or tea-time kind of bread. This recipe makes 2 loaf pan or 5 mini-pan sized loaves. They freeze well.

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup water

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts/pecans

1/2 cup raisins

1. Mix the flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking powder together in a small bowl.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until well mixed and light lemon in color. Add oil and water and beat well.

3. Fold zucchini into the egg mixture. Add flour and fold until just mixed. Fold in nuts and raisins, making sure that they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

4. Pour mixture into two greased and floured loaf pans or five greased and floured mini-loaf pans.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes. Start checking mini-loaf pans at 30 minutes.

6. Rmeove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Note: I am not a big fan of cinnamon so I use Allspice instead. I have also used half granulated sugar and half brown sugar for this recipe and I love the taste. I also sprinkle maple sugar on the batter before baking and it gives it a really lovely top crust. I love maple sugar and I have some real Vermont maple sugar so I use it every opportunity I get.

Cranberry White Chocolate & Walnut Cookies

My friend Gina from Oklahoma sent me Most Loved Cookies cookbook for Christmas and this is one of my favorite recipes. I love the combination of chewy cranberries, smooth white chocolate and the crunch of toasted walnuts.

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 3/4 cups brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. Beat eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until thick and pale. Add cooking oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to brown sugar mixture in two additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains.

3. Add cranberries, white chocolate chips and walnuts. Mix well.

4. Cover and chill in fridge for at least an hour. Roll into balls, using 1 tablespoon dough for each. Arrange about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet or ungreased baking stone.

5. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 -12 minutes until golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

6. Makes about 4 dozen (48 cookies). Store in tightly covered tin or container.

English Tea Squares

This is another recipe from my Aunty Win in Canada. We made this together that Christmas so long ago when I was far from home and missing the holiday baking with my mother and sisters. This is still one of my favorite cookies which makes an appearance every Christmas without fail. I cut it into fingers rather than squares.

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. Allspice

1 cup toasted almond/walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup strawberry jam, warmed up

Confectioners sugar for dusting

1. Beat butter until light. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.

3. Stir in flour, allspice and almonds or walnuts.

4. Spoon about half of mixture into a lightly greases 9-inch square pan or rectangular dish. Spread strawberry jam on top of mixture.

5. Top with remaining dough. The process works well if you use a teaspoon and drop bits of dough until the top is completely covered.

6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until delicately brown.

7. Cool on baking rack. When completely cool dust with confectioners sugar and cut into small squares or fingers.

Beignets

Fried dough and powdered sugar, how can you go wrong? In 2007 a conference took me to New Orleans and after dinner one night, close to midnight, we made the trip to the famous Cafe Du Monde for its world renowned beignets, and even at that time, the place was bustling. A serving at the cafe is three beignets with what looked like a pound of sugar!

Not long after that my sister, Priscilla, sent me a recipe that was pretty close in taste. Sarah thanks her silently every time I make these.The full recipe for these beignets will feed seven to eight hungry teenagers. I usually half this recipe and still have leftovers. Below is a note on how to freeze the dough you do not use up.

1 envelope active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup evaporated milk

7 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup shortening, softened

1. Place warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over warm water, stir to dissolve.

2. Add eggs, sugar, salt and milk. Whisk to blend thoroughly.

3. Add 4 cups of flour; beat until smooth.

4. Add shortening; beat in remaining flour.

5. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least four hours or overnight.

6. Roll out onto a heavily floured board; cut into 2 1/2 -inch squares.

7. Deep fry in vegetable oil; turning as soon as beignets are golden brown on one side. When beignets are a golden brown on both sides, remove and drain on paper towels. Roll in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and serve hot.

Note: To freeze dough -- roll out and cut into squares, place on a floured baking tray and place in freezer. Once squares are frozen, remove and place in freezer bags. To use, simply remove from freezer, place in single layer on baking tray and bring to room temperature and then fry as usual.

Beignets with powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar

The Cafe Du Monde at midnight

Recreation of New Orleans' Mardi Gras

Lemon Cornmeal Cake

This recipe reminded me of the kind of cake I used to have for tea as a child. A plain but flavorful cake. And so when I had a neighbor over for tea some weeks ago, I decided to make this cake. I liked it and will definitely make it again.

1 1/3 cups (5.7 oz/161 g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (5.3 oz/150 g) stone-ground yellow cornmeal

1 cup (7 oz/200 g) granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups (12.75 oz/363 g) sour cream

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks/6 oz/170 g) unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 3-inch springform pan. Dust the pan with flour.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt, set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs until blended. Add the sour cream and whisk until combined. Add the butter and whisk until blended. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.

4. Using a rubber spatula fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

5. Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.

6. Unmold the cake and dust the top with confectioners' sugar or a lemon glaze.

Note: I substitute 1/2 cup of the sour cream with mascarpone cheese simply because I had it and the cake was delicious. I also make a lemon glaze using half a cup of confectioners' sugar and 1 - 2 tsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you want the glaze more runny use more juice and reduce the juice if you want a thicker glaze that you can pipe.