Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party September 14/12

Were does the time go?

It just seemed like yesterday that I posted last weeks Linky Party and it is time to do it again.

Last week we had a wonderful turn out

And I have to say that this is the first week I haven't gone through all the links,

The Linky Party is now my go to place for recipes.

It is great to have such great recipes from great bloggers right at my fingertips.

Thank you to all that have linked up and I hope to see you again this week 

and I promise to get to your recipes.

I love them all!

Last week winners:

This week's sponsor was Cindy Bazor of Bazor Designs

3 lucky randomly picked winners won a hand screen towel ~ I hope you enjoy your towels.

The Meltaways Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Earning My Cape Microwave Dried Fruits
A Slice of South Pineapple Grilled Port Tenderloin

Last week's Top 3 Voted

Hun What's For Dinner Lemon-Blueberry Zucchini Loaf
Cozy Cakes Cottages Buttermilk Breakfast Cake
Jenmi Jenmi Chocolate Chip Cream Pie

Last week's Top 3 Clicked

Hun What's For Dinner Lemon-Blueberry Zucchini Loaf
Cozy Cakes Cottages Buttermilk Breakfast Cake
Once Creative Procrastinating Gal 3 in One Meal

Host Favorite 

Feel free to grab you button from here or at
Foodie Friends Friday

This week my host favorite is:   Coconut Cranberry Granola from White Lights on Wednesday.

I have wanted to make granola for a long time and this was my chance.

Yum! It was so delicious and I have been eating it all week.
The link to my version of this recipe is HERE

Doesn't this look good...

Now for this week party............. 

Hosts for this week:

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/  

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade  http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Ericka at Chef Picky Kid  http://www.chefpickykid.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

Amber at http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/

All links will be on each one of the members blogs.. So great exposure.  All we ask is that you link back your recipes to Foodie Friends Friday and I would love if you shared that you linked up with my blog.

Giveaway for this week's party 

Sponsored by Miss Macie- A custom made spoon ring
One random winner

Let's start the Party: After the Rules....

Dried Cranberry Granola

I love Granola  and have been wanting to make it for a long time... So when I saw this recipe on our Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party, submitted by White Lights on Wednesday, I just knew that I had to make it.  I think I made it the day after she linked it up... and it is just about gone... oh! it is so yummy and good for you.  A great snack!

Dried Cranberry Granola

Dried Cranberry Granola

recipe adapted from Coconut Cranberry Granola

 Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup flax seeds
1 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp all-spice
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking mat or parchment paper.  (I used only one large but I suggest to use two as the edges of my granola got very crispy).
In a large bowl combine rolled, oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, cranberries, cinnamon, all-spice and salt.  Mix well.
In a separate microwave bowl, add coconut oil and honey.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds and stir.  Continue this process until heated.  Whisk thoroughly to combine and pour over dried mixture.  Stir well until honey/oil mixture is mixed well with dry ingredients.
Pour mixture on cookie sheets and spread evenly.
Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.  I rotated my pan every 10 minutes so there was more even baking.
Let cool and break into pieces and enjoy.

*This recipe was very good and I can envision many additions to as I continue to make it... almonds will go into my next batch and probably more cranberries or maybe some raisins...

dry mixture

adding oil and honey

cooling granola after baking for 30 minutes.

Break granola into pieces and enjoy!

Thanks White Lights on Wednesday for submitting this wonderful recipe.  I am going to have fun coming up with new ingredients and flavours for my next baking of this recipe.  I am thinking sliced almonds, more cranberries and maybe some dried fruits.  The possibilities are endless.

Remember to join us again this week for another Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party.  There are always great recipes linked up from some great foodie bloggers like this one.  It is a great place to get your weeks menu planned... there is a little something for everyone and if you link up your recipe you have an opportunity to win some great giveaways... This week one recipe will win a custom made spoon from Miss Macie.

           til next time <3 <3<3  Marlys       

This recipe is linked : Sunday Sweet Confessions    

Crostata Crumble

I have been seeing lots of recipes for crostatas and wondered what they are for sure. So I went to wikipedia... my look up dictionary and it says "is an Italian baked dessert tart, and a form of pie... I love pies and desserts so why not try and make some myself. They look simple enough, but it also said " the jams that are typically used as a filling are cherries, peaches, apricots, and berries. Well, I didn't want to use a jam ~ I just wanted to use fruit... Fruit like apples and maybe peaches.

My next step was to get some apples..Well, that won't be a problem, my brother has apples in his yard, so all I have to do it go and pick some. We went there one day and the apples were at the top of the trees, so my husband climbed the trees and threw the apples down to me ~~ the hardest part I had was catching them right? Have you ever tried to catch an apple that was thrown down from the top of the tree... Not so easy and a few fell to the ground and rolled down the gully.. No I didn't go and get them. Those ones will be easier for the animals to eat :).

a bag full of yummy apples

Now I have the apples... the next step was to find a recipe.. So google search, here I come and I came across an article called Crostatas: They are easy as pie and it gave me an idea of how to make them and the pie crust looked great so I thought I would try it.  I made these twice.  The first time I made them, I used bought pie crust as I was in a hurry and wanted to make them for dessert for my company, they were good but they tasted store bought.  The second time I made them I made my own pie crust from the recipe in the article and wow.. what a difference.

..... And Crostatas are easy as pie

Here is how I made mine.

Ingredients:

pie crust either homemade or store bought

For home made pie crust: (adapted from Crostatas: They are easy as pie - called pasta frolla)

   3cups unbleached all purpose flour

   1 cup confectioner's sugar

   1/4 tsp salt

   finely grated zest of one lemon

   1 cup cold unsalted butter (cut in 1/2 inch cubes)

   1 large egg 

   2 large egg yolks 

3-4 apples or peaches cut in slices

sugar to sprinkle over crust

1 egg white whisked with 1 tsp milk

1/4 cup oats

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp butter

caramel topping - homemade or store bought

For homemade caramel topping  I used this recipe from The Slow Roasted Italian no fail caramel sauce.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

If using homemade pie crust, make this first as it needs to be refrigerated for at least an hour prior to using.  In large bowl, combine flour, confectioner's sugar, salt and lemon zest.  Cut butter and place in bowl and mix together until mixture is crumbly.  Add egg and egg yolks and mix until  the dough comes together.  I use my hands to mix this but you can also use a food processor fitted with metal blade.  Once dough comes together take out of bowl and place on work space with small amount of flour on the table.  Knead it briefly and shape into disc or ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Once ready to make crostatas, take homemade crust or store bought crust out of refrigerator and let sit for at least 45 minutes.  While waiting for the crust to become pliable to work with, slice apples or peaches.  I added a bit of lemon juice to my apples so they didn't get brown. If using store bought pie crust roll out and cut into approx 5 inch circles ( I used a glass bowl to do this).  I then rolled out the left over dough and cut more circles.  I was able to get 6 circles out of one pie crust.  If using homemade dough, knead slightly and roll out to about 1/8 inch high~ using glass bowl cut into 5 inch circles.  Place on cookie sheet covered with baking mats or parchment paper.

Place 5 -6 slices of peaches or apples in the center of each dough circle.  Bring edges of the dough up around the fruit.  Whisk 1 egg white with 1 tsp mild until frothy.  Brush edges of dough with egg wash.  Sprinkle with sugar, you can also sprinkle fruit with sugar if you would like it sweeter.

To make crumble combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cut butter into small pieces and mix with oat/flour mixture until it is crumbly.  Sprinkle this mixture over the center of your crostatas.  

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, turn down to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown in colour.  Let cool for a few minutes and drizzle caramel sauce over the entire individual crostata.

* You can make this in a big pie also, instead of cutting in individual 5 inch round pieces, just roll out the store bought pie crust or homemade pie crust to 9 or 10 inch round.  I used a tart pan to make my big crostata as it was easier to carry, but it can be placed on cookie sheet also.

dry ingredients and cut butter

mix until crumbly

                     

add eggs

mix until you can form ball or disc

roll out dough and cut into 5" circles

add apples to center of dough 

Add peaches to center of dough

drizzle caramel over crostata

large pie... 

drizzled with caramel sauce after baked

Enjoy with ice cream

Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys

Linking this recipe to Mommy's Sweet Confessions, Tasty Thursdays, Mix it up Mondays, Tastetastic Thursdays

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party - Sept 7/12

It's Time to Party!

Come and join the fun!

Great Recipes!

Great Giveaways!

It's all on Foodie Friends Friday!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

Last Weeks Winners:

Randomly Selected Winners received Ranch Dressing Mix from Robyn's View: 

1. Hot Eats Cool Reads - Raspberry Custard
2. The Big Green Bowl - Toffee Bars
3. Zent Mrs & The Mr Chocolate Caramel Peanut Popcorn Cupcakes

The Top 3 Voted:

1. The Full Fridge - Frittata with Goat Cheese
2. CEO of Me, Inc. -  Low Fat Turkey Taco Pizza
3. Cozy Cakes Cottages - Apple Sauce Muffins

 Links with the Most Clicks:

1. Cozy Cakes Cottages - Apple Sauce Muffins
2. Hun... What's For Dinner? -  Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies
3. My Biscuits are Burning Smothered Pork Chops

And Last but not Least:  Host Favorite:

Walking on Sunshine - Fresh Tomato and Pasta

For my recipe go HERE

Now onto this week's party:

3 Randomly Picked Winners
Will receive hand screened towels from
Bazor Designs

Hosts for this week:

Foodie Friends Friday http://ww.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/  

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

Keira at Luscious Delights www.lusciousdelights.blogspot.com.au

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade  http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Ericka at Chef Picky Kid  http://www.chefpickykid.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Skye at A Virtual Essence http://www.avirtualessence.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

Rules: 

Fresh Veggies with Pasta and Smoked Salmon

If you have been following my post, you will know that each week I feature a recipe from the previous week Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party.  I also try to make that recipe and usually change it to suit my own needs and  also the ingredients I have in my house.  While scrolling through the 150 plus recipes that were linked last week, a recipe jumped out at me and when I opened the link up I thought ~~ what a great way to use some of the fresh vegetables that are growing in my garden.

You are probably thinking... well, where did she get this great recipe.  The recipe came from one of our FFF members Lois from Walking on Sunshine and she in turned got it from Sunflower Supper Club.  The original recipe was posted on our Linky Party.  See how great these parties are, recipes are passed from one to another and either used as the recipe states or in my case tweaked slightly.  You can always join us, each weekend for our linky parties, either coming back to my blog or heading over to Foodie Friends Friday.  There are always great recipes from a multiple of great cooks and the best part they have been tried and liked by the bloggers and their families themselves.

Let's get onto what I did to this fabulous recipes.  The only thing I really did was add more vegetables.  To see the original recipe from Walking on Sunshine go HERE.

Fresh Veggies with Pasta and Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

1 cup tomatoes - I used both red and yellow cut in small pieces

1/2 cup red onions -diced

1/2 cup cucumbers -diced

1/2 banana pepper - cut in small slices

1 1/2 garlic cloves minced

1/8 cup fresh basil - chopped (that was all I had - you could use more)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

2 cups cooked pasta - I used small shells

1/2 cup Tillamook garlic white cheddar cheese (cut in approx 1 cm cubes)

3/4 cup smoked salmon

fresh parsley to garnish

Cut vegetables and place in bowl. In separate bowl combine basil, olive, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir until mixed.  Add to vegetable mixture, cover and let sit for approximately an hour, stirring occasionally.

Cook pasta as directed on box.  Add to vegetable mixture, stir.  Add cheddar cheese and smoked salmon. Place on plate and garnish with fresh parsley.  Enjoy.

look at all this goodness

dressing applied to vegetables

I had first served with out smoked salmon...
as I had forgot to put it on.

Enjoy!

Thanks Lois for this great recipe and I hope you like the changes that I made. 

 This recipe and many more can be found on our wonderful Linky Parties.

Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys

Links Thursday Treasures, Simple Meals Friday, Saturday Dishes Link Party - Noodle

 

Akume

Akume is a traditional Togolese meal that is made with corn flour.  It is eaten with Green sauce with is made with Ademe leaves (a native vegetable green), jute leaves or spinach and we have even made it with cassava  leaves.
In this post I will show how Akume or corn porridge is made.  I have been trying to make this myself but still haven't been able to whip or stir it enough to get the right consistency.  Maybe one day I will be able to make it from start to finish.

Akume with Ademe Sauce

                                                           Akume
Ingredients
2.5 cups water
1-1.5 cups corn flour ( we do mix small amount of white flour with the corn flour - approximately 1/4 cup)

Bring water to a boil.  Once water has come to a boil, mix 1 tbsp of corn flour in 1/2 cup of cold water.  Stir into boiling water.  Boil for a few minutes.  Pour about 3/4 cup  of this mixture in a bowl and set aside. Pour approximately 1 -1.5 cups of corn flour into boiling water and stir.  Continue to stir until akume becomes firm but soft to the touch.  Pour in the corn flour mixture that you set aside, let it come to a boil before stirring into the rest of akume.  Once it is to the right consistency, pour a small amount of water into a bowl and swish it around and dump it out (this is so that the akume doesn't stick to the bowl.  Spoon the akume in the bowl and tap down.  Place upside down onto a rinsed plate and remove the bowl.

* All measurements of the ingredients are an approximations as we don't measure.  My husband always tells me ~ we just pour what we think is right... we don't have measuring cups.

The beginning of the stirring

more stirring

continue to stir

pouring in the set aside corn flour

stirring

it is starting to look right.

akume in bowl turned up side down on plate

 

Akume

I will post the recipe for the Ademe sauce soon.

  Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys

Kale and Chickpea Quinoa

Lately it seems like the only thing that I blog about is the recipe that I make from Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party but lately that is the only place I have to go and get some great recipes.  This week again I have a superb recipe ~ and I found it on...... You guessed it right Foodie Friends Friday. This recipe is downright fantastic and even my husband liked it and he is not a fan of quinoa.  When we first found quinoa I made it at least every other night and my husband gets tired of things very quickly, so when he heard I was making quinoa for dinner the other night.... his nose went up and he wasn't very excited.  To my surprise he ate it and went for seconds and today when we were eating seconds he jumped at having more.... That is how good it is.
Where is the recipe from you may ask... It is from The Veggie Nook and the recipe is called Quinoa with kale, raisins and chickpeas.  I am not vegan so did use some animal products in mine and I also used some different veggies.... But, I know I will be making this again and the leftovers even tasted better then the first day!

Kale and Chickpea Quinoa

Ingredients:

2/3 cups dry quinoa, rinse well

1 1/3 cup water mixed with maggi cube (chicken flavour)**

2 cups kale torn in pieces

small amount of spinach

1 tsp coconut oil

2 cloves garlic minced

small amount of banana peppers minced

1/4 cup onions sliced very thinly

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/4 cup green beans

1/2 cup cooked chick peas*

1/4 tsp seasalt

1/2 cup yellow or red cherry tomatoes ( I cut mine into quarters)

* was going to put in 1/4 cup dried cranberries - but I forgot.

*I approximated all my ingredients... I don't measure except for the quinoa and water I cooked them in. 

* Cook dried chickpeas in water until soft.  I do not soak mine before I cook them.  I rinse and then cook them in water with a small amount of salt.  Keep adding water until chickpeas are soft and don't  burn them like I just about did... I got to the stove just as they were starting to burn.

** You could use chicken broth or veggie broth instead of  maggi cube mixed in water.

Place quinoa and broth in large saucepan and bring to boil.  Turn heat down to simmer until almost all the liquid is absorbed.  In last couple of minutes add kale and spinach and give a stir.  Cover and cook for another 2 minutes.  Set aside.

Heat a large pan over medium heat, add oil and saute garlic, banana peppers and onions until starts to turn brown. Add mushrooms and green beans.  Cook until green beans are starting to get soft.  Add chickpeas and cook until warm.  Add quinoa and seasalt, stir well.  After everything is warm and just about ready to serve, add cherry tomatoes and cook for one minute.  Serve.

For leftovers we just heated everything up again and Enjoyed.

This is a recipe that I think you could add just about any vegetable you want into it.  I think I will be doing some experimenting the next time I make it.

Til next time <3 <3 <3 Marlys

Linked to these great parties: Foodie Friends Friday,  Gluten Free Friday Recipes #4