Kale and Feta Breakfast (?) Casserole

I wanted to make a casserole and found this recipe on foodgawker (obvi) that looked really delicious and easy. However I made it for dinner, kale and feta just don't speak breakfast to me but I have toast and OJ for breakfast every morning so I guess I'm not one to talk. But I guess this works for whatever meal you want, and it takes about 2 min to prepare so I would definitely recommend. Also we thought using 12 eggs in a single recipe was not only excessive but also expensive, so we adjusted the original recipe.

Ingredients
10-12 oz. (enough to fill your pan) fresh kale, washed and coarsely chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
3/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
9 eggs, beaten
Seasonings: basil, oregano, salt, pepper

Can never have too much kale!

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9" x 9" pan with nonstick spray.
2. Wash and chop the kale. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook kale for about 5 min until it begins to soften. 
3. Beat eggs in a bowl and add seasonings.
4. Put kale in your pan. Crumble in feta overtop. Pour in eggs. 
5. Bake 35-40 minutes until eggs are set. 

This recipe was really good (anything with feta is good) except a bit heavy. Still delicious though.

Dessert Tacos

I also tried one last recipe before leaving. These were awesome, however we had some trouble making the tacos. Our recipe used sugar cookies but other recipes such as this one recommend using flour tortillas which sounds a lot easier. I’ll give instructions for the way we tried. 

Also the key to making these amazing is using fresh fruit and to making some real whipping cream. They can be served as dessert or a not so healthy but yummy breakfast. 

Ingredients
1 pkg. sugar cookie mix
Cinnamon sugar
Fresh fruit
Whipping cream

Directions 
1. Prepare sugar cookie mix according to directions. Roll into large balls and flatten on a baking sheet. 2. Make sure the cookies are fairly large, you need to be able to fold them in half and fit a fair amount of fruit in them. Sprinkle cookies with cinnamon.

3. Bake according to directions. Immediately after removing them from the oven, drape over some sort of cylinder object. We used aluminum foil rolls. This is where it gets difficult however because our cookies kept breaking. We also tried, as you can see in the photo, to drape between two rolls to stop them from breaking, this sort of worked but still was frustrating. My advice would be not to push to cookies to much because they are very delicate. 

4. While the cookies cool, use a beater to make whipping cream. Beat until the cream becomes thick, this will take a while if you haven’t done it before but it is so worth it. Cut up your fresh fruit.

5. Fill each taco with whipped cream and fruit and enjoy all your frustratingly hard work.

April Pick-Me-Up ☼

Oh man, April. A month of conflict; Rain and sun, Exams and Freedom, and then amidst all this dichotomy: A chocolate holiday, EASTER! I love Easter, and this year at Ste. Fam, we started early and made some delish hot cross buns (recipe synthesized from a variety of online sources). It was a most exciting exam break, and a pretty easy process, not removing me from my Art History paper for TOO long.

Put down those notes, put yo bunny ears on and get ready to knead!

Oh hey, appetizing. Glistening with apricot topping.

You will need:

• 1 1/3 c warmed milk
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 3 c flour
• 1/4 c softened butter
• 2 c dried fruit of choice (I recommend raisins and apricots)
• 2 lightly beaten eggs
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp all spice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt

And eventually, to finish...

• 4 tbsp apricot jam
• 1/4 c flour 
• 4 tbsp water

Directions:

-Mix yeast warmed milk, and sugar together with a whisk until sugar is dissolved, then set aside for 10 minutes until mixture is frothy, like this:

-Mix together flour, spices, salt, and dried fruit, then gradually blend with eggs and yeast mixture. You will get a nice, gooey dough ball, so be sure to flour your hands before kneading for 5 minutes. Don't add too much flour though, or your dough will be dry!

It got a little sticky, but then white flour rescued me (giving it some redeeming qualities since I despise it usually)!

-Next, get a clean bowl and pour enough oil to coat the base, then roll the dough ball in it until the surface is covered, put a towel or saran wrap over the bowl, and leave the dough to rise for 45 minutes. 

-When dough is risen, divide it into 12 balls and place in a baking pan so buns are not quite touching at this point. Cover and let sit for 20 more minutes.

-For the crosses: Mix together 1/4 c flour and 4 tbsp water, then place in a plastic bag with a hole, or an icing dispenser, and paint crosses on the buns when they are ready to be put in the water.

-Heat the oven to 400 F and bake for 10 minutes. Bring the temperature down to 350 and bake for another 20, or until buns sound hollow when you tap them. 

-Warm about 4 tbsp apricot jam and put it through a strainer to get rid of chunkies. Brush over buns while they are still warm. 

A delicious and festive breakfast!

Hoppy Early Easter to all! (Yes, really lame pun intended...)

Scottish Grandma Scones

So this post is kinda a big deal. I am about to share with you a top secret family recipe. If my grandma could actually figure out how to use the internet, she would be legitimately pissed. So don't tell, k?

I will also note that being approximate is totally appreciated by the Scottish, and this recipe had to be converted from pinches and dashes, etc.

3 cups flour (we used half whole wheat, just to make them a little healthier)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup raisins

1 egg white (SAVE THE YOLK! you will need it)

Mix as for baking powder biscuits, cutting butter into the flour and baking powder, mixing in the sugar and milk, and adding raisins and egg white last. Pat the dough flat to about ½ inch thick on a (very) floured counter. Spread with well-beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with sugar before cutting into triangles or squares.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-ish minutes (but the recipe does not actually come with a time-frame (apparently Scottish women just know), so keep an eye on them).

They taste fab with a little butter or marmalade spread on them, or just as is.

Also: it's pretty much required that these be served with afternoon tea, so get the kettle going. 

Yum!

2 a.m. Pancakes

What do you do when you have a not-so-great night out in Montreal? You stumble back to your apartment with some friends and make pancakes! I can think of no better way to improve any situation. These babies are great for Sunday breakfast, or Wednesday dinner. Really, they're not that bad for you so feel free to whip them up at any time.

The recipe is another one from the Tassajara Breadbook that Caitlin is mildly obsessed with, and their pancakes, like their banana bread, are absolutely phenomenal.

SO GOOOOOOOOOD. And much healthier than the other 2 a.m. lower-plateau area option, $2 chow mein.

Whole Wheat Pancakes:

2 cups whole wheat flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp brown sugar or honey

3 eggs, separated (as if we separated...)

2 cups milk

1/2 cup oil

We didn't add any interesting filling because we were a little preoccupied with getting good food into our stomachs ASAP, but blueberries, chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit are a great addition. One time we made them with fresh strawberries and chocolate. It was to die.

Blend the dry ingredients and then fold in the wet. Heat a griddle or frying pan to medium with a little bit of butter so the pancakes don't stick, and watch for bubbles on the raw side so you know when it's time to do the first flip. 

if you're super creative like us, cut them into fun shapes! Enjoy your healthy drunk food experience.

Hipster Jars 101

Around Montreal, there are LOTS of hipsters. You know, the super skinny, nauseatingly artsy, nerd glasses and american apparel clad, rich, yet grungy, early twenties descendants of hippie parents that now like to carry all of the minimal foods and drinks they consume in jars. Weird right?

We think so. We do, however think their jars are an economically and environmentally appealing storage solution, so we decided to try 'em out! With granola. Mmmm. Jars are also great for storage of baking essentials, or if you're like the strange people I see at the library tea, soup, or other mysterious liquids... It's really up to you.

Almond Coconut Raisin Granola

4 cups whole oats

3/4 cups maple syrup (gotta be real, yo)

2 tbsp. desired oil (we used olive oil, but I'm not sure if it was the best choice)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

a few pinches of salt

1 cup chopped or slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup raisins (sliced apricots or dried cranberries are a great substitute or addition as well)

So throw on some really obscure music that you totally discovered before anyone else and get started!

Heat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well mixed and pour it onto the baking sheets. Cook for around 30 minutes, depending on how well done you like your granola, stirring occasionally for even baking. 

Let it cool and transfer to your super alternative jar. You're so original and unique.