I guess growing up in an outport fishing community, I ate my fair share of fish. My mom is the expert on preparing fish of all kinds. Anything and everything that my Dad brought home from the ocean, and asked Mom to cook, she would search her cookbooks and find a recipe, and try it out. My Dad always ate whatever she prepared. Me and my siblings on the other hand were sometimes a little apprehensive. We would usually try it though. Lots of things I liked, but Cod fish was always the best. I like it prepared lots of ways, Cod au Gratin, is one of my favorites.

Cod Au Gratin

Melt 3 tbsp butter in a saucepan over med. heat, whisk in 3 tbsp. flour and gradually add 2 cups milk whisking all the while to form a roux(white sauce).
Chop one small onion.
Place cod fillets , chopped in bite size pieces, into a greased casserole dish. Put onion on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper as you wish. Pour white sauce over the fish. Top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of bread crumbs.

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees.

So easy, sooo yummy.

Homemade tarts. These are relatively easy to make and require that you have a mini muffin pan. There is no rolling dough. I made these yesterday, and took a dozen to a function at church last night. I thought people were going to fight over them. They are very tasty, and you can fill them with whatever you like. This recipe came from my Mom. Anyone who knows her knows that she can bake nothing wrong!!


Homemade Tarts

Cream 3/4 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar. Add 1 egg, and 1 tsp. vanilla. blend well. Mix in 1 1/2 cups flour and 1 tsp. milk.
Dough will be sticky, but able to be rolled into balls. place one ball into each muffin cup, and you need to make an opening in the centre to fill with jam, or lemon pie filling etc.
I use a pastry tool that makes a proper opening ( I bought mine at Regal) but you could use your thumb or something else that you have in your kitchen that is a little smaller than the muffin pan openings. Just flour whatever you use, and push it into the dough so that the dough fills the muffin tin like a little cup. If you want jam filled tarts put the jam in before baking.
Making unfilled tarts is a little harder because the dough will rise if there is nothing in it. I used my pastry tool again after I removed them from the oven, and while they were still hot I pushed the hole into them again, and then let them cool before filling with lemon pie filling, pudding, etc.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. ( Don't forget to lightly grease your muffin pan.) Top with a little whipped cream and voila!! Fresh tarts. These are a favorite!!

This recipe is my daughters favorite. We love to make crepes and they can be topped with just about anything. It is such a wonderful easy dessert( especially if you have the crepes made in advance)
This basic crepe recipe is taken from Allrecipes.com

Basic Crepes

1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp.butter melted

in a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, add milk and water, and melted butter. Add salt, and stir in the flour, mixture will have a few small lumps. (its a lot like making pancakes except the mixture is thinner)
Heat a frying pan over med high heat, and lightly oil surface. ( Pam cooking spray works great)
Pour about 1/4 cup of the batter into the hot pan, tilt the pan so the batter coats the surface evenly.
Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes until the bottom is lightly brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve warm.
As you remove these from the pan place a layer of wax paper between each crepe. They can be frozen and used at a later date if you so desire.

Now for toppings, you can be very creative with this!!

My daughter likes to spread her crepe with nutella spread. then sliced bananas, and cool whip.

I like Caramel Pecan Crepes.
I use a bottle of caramel or butterscotch ice cream topping in a saucepan, throw in about a cup of pecans(unsalted), and heat this up.( do not boil, or it will harden)
Place a crepe on a dessert plate, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, fold the crepe in around the sides and top with the warm caramel pecan topping, and whipped cream ( use the kind in the can) it looks so much nicer for presentation.

I have also seen these with various berry toppings.. strawberry, bakeapple, the list is endless.

Your guests will think you have slaved for hours!!
This is sinfully delicious and beautiful to look at !!

Its been a long time since my last post. Its been a busy month with Easter, and all. I am so looking forward to spring. The snow is finally melting and we are able to see some subtle signs that spring is coming-- although technically it came on March 20th!! We have actually had sun here for 3 days in a row!!

I have been wanting to bake a little to celebrate the sun, so I ahve been baking recipes that make me feel like spring!!

One of my favorite light desserts is so simple, It can be eaten as a fruit salad, or used to top angel food cake. This can even be low fat.
All you do is mix crushed pineapple (drained),with cool whip and yogurt( i like vanilla or strawberry), and use it to top angel food cake. I have added my own extra fruit, chopped small,( strawberries/ bananas/ kiwi/ grapes/) to this to mixture, and eaten it as a fruit salad.
Its healthy and it tastes great.

I have to give the credit for this next recipe to my friend and coworker Tina. This is an appetizer that has been a big hit at many gatherings that I have gone to, and now people will ask me to bring them.

Tina's Baguette's

Mix together 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 pkg. slivered almonds, 6 slices of crumbled bacon or 6 tbsp. bacon bits, 1/2 pound of grated cheese( try different flavors), and 1 finely chopped onion.
Buy two whole wheat baguettes and slice them into 1/4 inch slices. Place them on a cookie sheet and put a tsp of the above topping on each slice. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool slightly and serve.

Yummy

The days go by so fast. I can't believe I haven't written anything here since Feb. 29th.
Today I am trying 2 new recipes- Ribs in the slow cooker, and a new fish recipe. I will wait to see how they turn out befor publishing them here. I only want to share good stuff!! LOL
I will share a recipe I tried recently though. This one is for chicken.

Bruschetta 'n Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts ( from Kraft Canada)

1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil, do not drain
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 pkg. stove top stuffing for chicken
8 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup Kraft signature Roasted red pepper and parmesan dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the basil and the dry stuffing mix. Stir until moistened
Place 2 chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag and pound chicken until it is 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with all chicken breasts.
Place chicken top side down on cutting board and spread evenly with stuffing mixture. Starting at one of the narrow ends, tightly roll up the chicken.Place seam side down in a 13x9 baking dish. Drizzle evenly with the dressing.
Bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and return to oven until cheese is melted.


I had to leave my chicken in the oven a little longer because I used bigger chicken breasts. These were very tasty and impressive.

Who loves cinnamon buns? I sure do. I also love making them because I enjoy watching them dissappear. My family and friends absolutely love them!
This is my mother in laws recipe. She usually makes a glaze with icing sugar and milk to put on them while they are still hot.

Dora's Cinnamon Buns

3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
3/4 cup butter
5 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
cinnamon and sugar mixed 1:2 or 1:3 depending on your taste

Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl, and blend in butter using a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Beat egg in a seperate bowl, and add milk. add wet ingredients to moist and mix just until all dry ingredients are moistened. Stirring too much will cause dough to toughen.

Split dough into 2 balls, and roll out each ball, one at a time, on a lightly floured surface. I like to roll betwen two layers of parchment paper.
Butter the surface of the rolled dough, the same as you would butter a slice of bread, and sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar mixture, generously.
Roll the dough and place seam on the bottom. Then slice into 1/4 inch- 1/2 inch thick slices.
Bake at 35o degrees, for approx 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Remove from baking sheet after cooling for 1-2 minutes and then drizzle icing sugar glaze over them if desired.( Icing sugar glaze is made by adding small amounts of milk to 1 cup of icing sugar until you have a mixture that will pour slowly from a spoon.)

Usually these will only last a few hours, if I am lucky.
I hope you and yours will enjoy as much as we do!