It’s rhubarb season and I was itching to make something rhubarb-y, but unfortunately, my rhubarb patch is a late bloomer (so late in fact, that it’s tends to be ready to harvest in the middle of the worst of the Spring bug season and no one wants to go out and harvest it!). Thankfully, my Dad’s was ready and he generously shared some from his patch.

I haven’t made a lot of cobblers, so I don’t have much to compare it to, but I can certainly vouch for this one being tasty. In hindsight, I wish I had not chopped my rhubarb so finely. I think a bit chunkier would have been better for this dish. Next time. I am glad though that I decided to increase the amount of rhubarb a bit from the amount suggested in the original recipe. The fruit to cake ratio ended up being perfect. I originally thought it seemed like a lot of sugar going into the bowls, but the cake was not overly sweet and the tart rhubarb really does need the brown sugar to sweeten it up.

I enjoyed this just as it is was, warm from the oven. A bit of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream would certainly not be out of place on top of this dessert, to be sure.

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Skillet Rhubarb Cobbler

Summary: This is a delicious way to use fresh rhubarb. Baking it in a cast-iron skillet makes a rustic presentation and lots of crispy, tasty edge bits. I think you could also use frozen (unthawed) rhubarb for this dish quite successfully.

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh rhubarb, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly (divided)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. shortening, for greasing pan (could use butter or spray)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. with rack in centre of oven.
2. Grease a cast-iron frying pan with shortening, butter or spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.
3. Chop the rhubarb and place in a large bowl. Toss well with the brown sugar and set aside.
4. In another medium bowl, combine 3 Tablespoons of the butter, the eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and sugar. Using a whisk, stir until batter is smooth and thick.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared frying pan and spread evenly. Top with the rhubarb, spreading it evenly over the batter. Drizzle top with remaining 1 Tbsp. of melted butter.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes until firm and golden brown.
7. Serve warm as it is, or with a bit of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 45 min | Total time: 1 hour

Number of servings (yield): 6 – 8

Adapted from a Saveur recipe

For this bread recipe, the bread dough is chopped up (monkey bread style), tossed in brown sugar and cinnamon and then baked in a bundt pan, so the sugar and cinnamon weaves it’s way through the bread. I used the basic recipe as published, but without the suggested overnight rise in the fridge. I know that most yeast doughs do benefit from a longer rise for the best flavour, but I was impatient and wanted to make it within one day. I opted for the standard double-rise to make it in one afternoon. Even without that extra rising time, this was a great bread with lots of flavour. If you have the time though (and the patience) or it fits better with your baking schedule, try the overnight rise. If not, you can certainly make this bread in a morning or afternoon.

One other change I made was to bake this bread in a bundt pan instead of the suggested springform pan. This change was for purely practical reasons. I just think it’s easier to slice a ring than a large round bread.

Finally, I decided to add an icing sugar glaze to my bread ring. I am always torn because the icing means the bread can’t be toasted, but I love the bit of sweet on top and I can always give it 10 seconds in the microwave to warm a slice instead of toasting.

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Cinnamon Raisin Bread Ring

Summary: This bread both pretty and tasty. The bread dough is chopped up (monkey bread style), tossed in brown sugar and cinnamon and then baked in a bundt pan. It’s great for Sunday breakfast or afternoon tea or would be perfect for a special occasion buffet table. I like the bit of sweet from the icing but it is optional.

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. dry active or instant yeast
• 3 cups bread or all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• For the filling:
• 2 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 tsp. cinnamon
• 5 Tbsp. brown sugar
• For the Icing
• 1 1/2 cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and honey and warm, over medium heat until the mixture reaches 100 to 110° F. Add the yeast and stir. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, butter, egg and salt. Add the milk/yeast mixture and with a dough hook at low speed, mix dough until a ball forms. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough comes together into a smooth ball, about 8-10 minutes (*Note, this is a moist dough. You can add a bit more flour if needed but resist the urge to add too much more. It will come together as the kneading continues).
3. Oil a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rise overnight OR let sit at room temperature until dough has doubled, about 1 hour.
4. When dough is just about finished rising, combine the butter, raisins, cinnamon and brown sugar in a large bowl. Grease a bundt pan.
5. Once dough is risen, turn out onto a floured surface and press down into a rectangle. Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Place the dough bits into the large bowl with the cinnamon mixture and toss well to coat each piece of dough. Add the coated dough and any remaining bits into the prepared bundt pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour (or longer, if you’re starting with dough that has been in the refrigerator overnight).
6. Preheat oven to 375° F. Place the pan in the centre of the oven and bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until crust is dark brown and crispy. Immediate remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
7. Prepare icing by combining icing sugar, milk and vanilla and stirring until smooth. (Add more milk or icing sugar as needed to get a consistency that will easily drop off a spoon).
8. Once bread is cool, place a piece or waxed or parchment paper under the cooking rack and spoon the icing over the top, allowing it to spill down the sides. Allow to sit until the icing sets.
9. Slice and enjoy with a bit of butter or re-warm a slice, in the microwave for 10 seconds or so.

Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 30 min | Total time: 3 hours

Number of servings (yield): 12

These grilled pork tacos are a family favourite – one of those supper dishes that everyone loves. It uses pork tenderloins which are marinated in a spicy sauce and then grilled on the bbq. Pork tenderloin is one of my favourite meats to put on the BBQ. It cooks quickly and is always juicy and tender. For this recipe, the tenderloins are butterflied, which really speeds up the cooking time and makes smaller pieces for putting on the tacos. As a side note, this sauce and method works really well with boneless chicken breasts, as well!

Serve your tacos with the toppings of your choice. Placing them all in separate bowls and letting everyone just dig in makes for a fun dinner. I like to serve these with grilled corn on the cob.

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Grilled Pork Tacos

Summary: These tacos use pork tenderloin, marinated in a spicy sauce then grilled on the BBQ and topped with toppings of your choice. This is a quick dinner idea that everyone loves. Try this same recipe with grilled boneless chicken breasts, too!

Ingredients

• Marinade:
• 1/2 cup chili sauce (I used Heinz™ chili sauce with chunky sweet peppers)
• 3 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 Tbsp. chipotle Tabasco sauce
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 pork tenderloins
• 10-12 soft tortillas or hard shells
• Toppings:
• grated cheddar cheese
• iceburg lettuce, chopped
• avocado, diced
• tomatoes, diced
• onion, diced
• red pepper, diced
• jalapeno, diced
• salsa
• sour cream

Instructions

1. Combine the chili sauce, molasses, Tabasco sauce and chili powder in a small bowl.
2. Prepare the pork tenderloins by removing the silverskin and then butterfly them, by cutting down the centre almost, but not all the way through.
3. Lay the tenderloins flat in a large, shallow dish. Spread half the marinade over the top then turn the tenderloins over and brush the other side. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-6 hours.
4. When ready to cook, heat grill or bbq. Grill pork until it reaches 150° F. Remove from grill and let rest 5-10 minutes while you prepare the toppings and heat your taco shells or tortillas (I like to throw the tortillas on the bbq grill for a minute on each side).
5. Slice pork into thin slices and place in a bowl alongside your toppings. Enjoy!

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 20 min | Total time: 30 min

Number of servings (yield): 4-6

Adapted from ricardocuisine.com

Beyond the great taste, I loved these cookies for the easy preparation. The dough is very easy to work with and roll it out. Using a pastry/ravioli cutting wheel to cut the dough into strips, then rectangles, means little waste or need to re-roll scraps.

Be sure to be generous when sprinkling the sugar and cinnamon topping. These cookies took about 11 minutes in my oven. Watch the first batch carefully. The cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of your dough.

This will make lots of cookies. I didn’t count, but I baked 3 sheets of about 20 or 25 cookies each, so expect to get at least 60 cookies.

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Sugar and Cinnamon Crisps

Summary: These cookies are the perfect afternoon tea companion. Sweet and salty, full of cinnamon flavour and perfectly crispy, they are sure to become a family favourite.

Ingredients

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. kosher salt (less if using table or sea salt)
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks/8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar (I used dark)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• Topping:
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Place the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl using electric hand mixer). On medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg, vanilla and lemon zest, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the egg is completely incorporated.
3. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat the dough until it comes away from the sides of the bowl. Shape the dough into a large disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
4. When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove the dough from the refrigerator to slightly soften. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° F. and position the rack in the center of the oven. Spray two cookie sheets lightly with non-stick cooking spray or line with a silpat or parchment paper.
5. Make the topping by whisking together the milk and egg well in small bowl. In another bowl, stir the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Set both aside.
6. Divide the dough into three pieces. Working with one piece at a time, on a lightly floured board or counter, roll the dough into a rectangle shape, 1/8th of an inch thick. Using a sharp knife or fluted pastry/ravioli cutting wheel, trim any irregular dough edges into a straight edge, then cut the dough into long strips of about 1 1/2-inches wide and then into squares or rectangles about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.
7. Arrange the dough pieces about 3/4-inch apart on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, glaze the top of each cookie with the egg and milk mixture and then sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
8. Bake the cookies 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are nicely golden brown. Turn the baking sheets halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning.
9. Allow the cookies to cool for one minute on the sheet, and then transfer them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat as necessary with the remaining pieces of dough.
10. Cookies will store up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 10 min | Total time: 1 hour

Number of servings (yield): 60 cookies

Adapted from From McCall’s Cookie Collection 1965 via Serious Eats

I’ve learned a thing or two about how to make good granola through trial and error. First, it has to have oil. If you want crispy granola, you need oil. I use vegetable or canola. You could use coconut oil, which is healthier, but it will impart a light coconut flavour. It also has to have sugar of some sort. Maple syrup or honey together with some brown sugar hits the sweet spot for me. No pun intended :). It’s always tempting to try to reduce the fat and sugar, but I’ve never been happy with the results. I’d much soon eat less of a better tasting granola.

Secondly, you need to cook the granola until it is well-toasted. Toasted oats have the most flavour. You also need to stir the granola regularly as it cooks, to ensure it toasts evenly. Without stirring, it will almost certainly be over-cooked around the edges.

Finally, I’ve learned the proper time to add different items when cooking granola. Don’t cook any fruits (add in at the end), add coconut and walnuts/pecans near the end of the cooking time to avoid burning or bitterness. Almonds can be added from the start.

This recipe is great with maple syrup or honey. Honey seems to produce more clumps than maple syrup for some reason. I love the flavour undertones of maple syrup, myself, so I sacrifice the clumps usually. If you love clumps in your granola, go for the honey and don’t stir it after you take it out of the oven.

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Muskoka Maple Granola

Summary: This granola can be made with maple syrup or honey. And of course, you can change up the add-ins to suit your taste.

Ingredients

• 4 cups large-flake (old fashioned) oats
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw unsalted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable, canola or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup (you could substitute honey)
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 ° F.
2. Combine the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, brown sugar and salt in a large bowl. Stir well to combine, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar.
3. In a glass measuring cup, combine the oil and the maple syrup. Microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Remove. Add vanilla and stir well.
4. Pour oil/maple syrup mixture over the oats mixture. Using two spoons, stir and toss the mixture until all of the oats are coated with the syrup.
5. Place granola directly onto a baking sheet and place in the oven. Set the timer for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 miinutes, remove the granola and stir, moving the granola around the outside edges into the middle and the middle out towards the edges. Set the timer for another 10 minutes. After the second 10 minutes, sprinkle with the coconut and then stir well again. Return to oven and set the timer for one last 10 minute bake. (30 minutes total, stirred twice at 10 minutes and 20 minutes). At the end of the last 10 minutes (30 minutes in the oven), remove the granola from the oven. Stir just a bit then sprinkle with the cranberries and raisins and leave undisturbed until it is completely cooled. Once cooled, stir the granola. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container. Will keep for several weeks (although it may not last that long).

Prep time: 5 min | Cook time: 30 min | Total time: 35 min

Number of servings (yield): About 26 to 28 1/4-cup servings

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 2 review(s)

Nutritional Info (per 1/4 cup serving made with real maple syrup):
Calories: 147, Fibre: 51g, Iron: 6g, Carbs: 19g, Fat: 6g (1g saturated), Protein:3g, Sodium:4mg, Sugar:12g

So now that I have made 3 batches from 3 different recipes, I have definitely settled on my favourite. It was my third attempt and it comes from the grandfather of bread baking – Bernard Clayton. I had recently found a 1st edition of his book “The New Complete Book of Breads” at an antique store and snapped it up. Interestingly, this first edition has an error in the recipe for English Muffin Bread. It fails to include the specifics for the baking soda, despite mentioning adding it in the instructions. I did manage to find the amounts on the internet though, so I was ready to go.

The first thing to know about this bread, is that she ain’t going to win any bread beauty contests. When you remove it from the pan, it will be flat, squatty, browned and wrinkled. It might even sink a bit in the middle as it cools. As you slice into it, you might find some brown-ish spots or streaks, caused by the chemical reaction of the baking soda. But take that slice and toast it, and add a generous spread of butter and you will soon forget all that! This bread toasts beautifully – crispy around the outside and tender in the middle. The nooks and crannies are perfect vehicles for little pools of melted butter. Almost crumpet-like. It’s excellent toasted or grilled (makes a killer grilled cheese) or try it toasted under a poached egg or with eggs benedict. This bread is great anywhere you might use a regular English Muffin.

This is also the perfect bread for non-bread bakers to try. This is a batter bread, so there is no kneading involved. You literally pour this batter into the pans. It will take you about 3 hours from start to finish, but only about about 10 minutes of hands-on time.

The only small issue I had with the original Clayton recipe was the shortness of the loaves. I wanted more with each slice and was tired of losing them in my toaster and resorting to all manner of devices to fish them out. So while it felt a little wrong to mess with a Bernard Clayton recipe, I did scale it up by half, to make a bit higher loaves. It worked perfectly. I kept the original ratios intact, so the scaled version was identical in taste and texture to the original, just higher and not nearly as prone to getting lost in my toaster.

So here it is. I urge you to try it. You won’t be sorry!

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English Muffin Bread

Summary: This English Muffin bread is a no-knead, batter bread, so it’s perfect for non-bread bakers and bread bakers alike. It is a toasting bread, delivering a great crunchy crust and a soft and tender middle, with lots of nooks and crannies for the melted butter to pool in. It’s sure to become a favourite in your kitchen! Your finished bread may have brownish areas in the crumb here and there. It’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a result of the baking soda.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp.) dry active or instant yeast (not rapid rise)
• Pinch of sugar
• 3/4 cup warm water (105-115° F.)
• 2 1/4 cups warm milk (100° F.)
• 1 Tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 1/2 Tbsp. water
• Cornmeal for dusting pans

Instructions

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. At the end of the 5 minutes, it should be foaming with bubbles (this is called “proofing” as it proves your yeast is active). If you have bubbles, you’re good to go.
2. Add the warm milk to the water and yeast mixture. Add the salt and mix in. With a large wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer running at low speed, add the flour 1 cup at a time, stirring the flour in after each addition. Stir until smooth and well-blended, about 30 strokes by hand or about a minute on low with a stand mixer.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour. (I make this in a stand mixer. After mixing, I simply remove the paddle attachment and place plastic wrap over the top of the stand mixer bowl. Wash off the paddle attachment to use again later.
4. Prepare two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans by spraying well with non-stick spray (or grease well). Sprinkle liberally with cornmeal on the bottom and sides of the pans. Set aside.
5. At the end of the hour rise, the dough should have doubled in size and be quite bubbly.
6. If making by hand, stir down the batter-like dough and add the dissolved baking soda. (This is responsible for the lovely bubble texture of the finished bread.) Be sure to stir the baking soda in well. If using a stand mixer, remove the plastic wrap from the bowl and return the paddle attachment to the mixer, then add in the dissolved baking soda and mix into the dough on low speed for about 30-45 seconds.
7. Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans, dividing the batter evenly between the two pans. A silicone bowl scraper works really well for this job. If necessary, use a spatula to push the batter into the corners of the pan. The pans will be about 1/2 full. *Tip: To clean your mixing bowl, fill it with cold water and let stand a bit. With the water still in it, use a cloth to wipe the dough off the bowl. Empty the bowl, then proceed to wash as usual.
8. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with non-stick spray and place over the pans, sprayed side towards the dough. Place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise, for about 30 minutes – 1 hour, or until the dough rises to within 1/2-inch of the top of the pan, but not cresting the pan. Don’t wander to far, as this may happen fairly quickly. You don’t want the dough to rise above the edge of the pan. It’s important that this bread doesn’t over-rise to get the proper texture.
9. When your pans are nearing ready, preheat your oven to 375° F. When the loaves are ready, you may sprinkle the top with additional cornmeal, if desired. Place in the oven and bake for 60-70 minutes. (I set my timer for 50 minutes and at that point I place a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the top of the loaves to prevent them from browning too much. I re-set the timer for another 10 minutes and check for done-ness at that point. I will often give them another 5 minutes, covered loosely again with foil, as you really can’t hurt it. If under-baked, this bread may collapse in the middle, so I tend to go for the bit longer time. The loaves will be well-browned and have pulled away from the sides of the pan. when done.
10. When done, remove from the oven and immediately remove the loaves from the pans. Set them to cool by laying them on their side on a wire rack (cooling on their sides prevents the centre of the loaf from sinking in). Allow to cool completely before slicing.
11. This bread freezes well or store at room temperature in a ziploc bag for several days.

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 3 hours

Number of servings (yield): 2 loaves

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 2 review(s)

Adapted from Bernard Clayton’s “New Complete Book of Breads”

I love this loaf because it is a nice blend of whole wheat and all-purpose. It doesn’t have so much whole wheat that it is heavy or the kids won’t eat it but it does have enough to make me feel a little better about eating it. The touch of honey makes for a slightly sweet bread (but not overly so) with a subtle honey flavour. This is a great sandwich bread and makes perfect toast.

I like to use instant yeast but active dry yeast will work as well. If you’re new to bread making, make sure your yeast is fresh and don’t rush it. Making bread is not hard but it does require time. And speaking of time, the rising time for bread is always just an estimate. Depending on how warm or cold your kitchen is, it can take less time or more time. The only way to really judge when it’s ready it by how much it’s risen. This is especially important for the 2nd rise. Make sure it’s risen above the edge of the pan (in the case of this bread, just above the edge in the centre) before baking, otherwise, you’ll get a dense loaf.

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Honey Wheat Bread

Summary: This is a great every day bread that. It is about 30% whole wheat, which is a nice level for a lighter bread. The added honey makes for a slightly sweet loaf with great flavour.

Ingredients

• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 tsp. active dry or instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
• 1/2 cup honey (reduce to 1/3 cup if you like it a little less sweet)
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 4 to 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Add lukewarm water and honey to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle with yeast, stir and let stand 5 minutes. (Mixture should be bubbling a bit after 5 minutes)
2. Add the whole wheat flour and the salt and mix lightly. Mix in vegetable oil. Work in all-purpose flour gradually, adding just a 1/2 cup at a time and mixing until dough comes together into a smooth, moist but not sticky dough. (I only needed to add just over 4 cups to reach this proper dough consistency).
3. If using a stand mixer, knead on low for about 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Add in only enough additional flour to stop the dough from sticking.
4. When dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a well oiled bowl. Turn it several times in the bowl to coat the surface of the dough, and cover with a plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal sized pieces. For each piece, press dough down while moving it into a rectangle shape, with the short side roughly as long as your loaf pan. (I used 81/2 x 41/2 inch loaf pans because I like a taller loaf but 9×5 would work as well). Roll up the dough from the short side, pinching it together with each roll. Pinch together the seam when finished and place seam side down into greased loaf pans. Allow to rise until dough doubles and crests about an inch above the edge of the baking pan in the middle (it will rise more in the oven). If desired, just before baking, spritz top of loaves with water and sprinkle with wheat bran.
6. Bake at 375° F for 30 – 40 minutes or until thermometer inserted in the bottom of the bread reads 195-200° F. Immediately remove bread from pans and cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 hours 45 min

Number of servings (yield): 2 loaves

Here’s what up for the coming week …

1. Bucatini with Bacon Sauce and Meatballs - I’ve never tried this dish but it has excellent reviews. I personally love bucatini (and I might even make it fresh with my Kitchen Aid Pasta Press thingy), but from reading the reviews, it sounds like it’s not to everyone’s taste. I think this sauce and the meatballs  would be great with any type of pasta though. I mean what’s not to love here – bacon sauce and meatballs. How can that possibly not be great?

2. Mandarin Orange Goat Cheese Salad with maple syrup glazed grilled salmon – Goat cheese, mandarin oranges and balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! It will be perfect with the grilled salmon. I noticed President’s Choice has some interesting new ORRI Mandarin oranges that are advertised as low-acid and sweet, so I think I will pick up a bag to try in this salad.

3. Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs - This is a recipe that caught my eye in the April Bon Apetit. It reminds a lot of Italian Wedding soup (one of my favourites!) but with a lighter, Spring set of ingredients. I predict I’ll love it. I’ll serve it with some homemade Parmesan cheese bread.

4. Chicken Piccata (I like Giada’s) with green beans – Simple and classic. And did I mention fast and easy! This is a great 30 minute meal for whatever night time is tight.

5. Asparagus Frittata – Another quick dinner option, making use of the great Spring asparagus that’s showing up in the stores.

Other things I might cook up this week:

English Muffin Bread - I’ve never made or even had English Muffin bread, so I’m curious to try it. Apparently makes great toast.

Rhubarb Crisp – I still have some rhubarb in the freezer from last year to use up and it’s almost time for another season’s crop. So I’ll be making a crisp this week.

Ultimate Sticky Buns – Yes, the ones from the cover of the April Bon Apetit. I figure I can only look at it for so long on my coffee table before I’ll get up and make them :)

So what are you cooking up this week?

About my meal plans: I have always done better when I plan my meals. I waste less food, I spend less time in the grocery store and I am less stressed about mealtimes. My meal plans consist of just 5 meals. Typically that covers me from Sunday through Thursday. I find that works best for us, as we will inevitably eat out or bring in one night and probably have left-overs another. I also don’t assign meals to days. I just plan, buy the ingredients and then cook whichever one seems to suit the day.

Photo Credits: 1. 2. 3. 4.

This is a spin on the classic pudding, featuring apples instead of dates. It also features some chopped pecans for flavour and a bit of light crunch. The result is every bit as comforting as the original with a nice change in flavours.

Of course, one of the best parts of Sticky Toffee Pudding is the toffee sauce. It’s served warm over the top of the pudding. Allow it to puddle generously onto the plate. It not only looks pretty but trust me, you’ll enjoy taking a bit of it with each bite of pudding!

This is a great dessert for a special holiday event or dinner. It can be made ahead and refrigerated. You can re-heat both the pudding and the toffee sauce in the microwave before serving.

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