Mini Banana and Butterscotch Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing

I had some friends over for dinner. We did the common thing that friends often do; I make the main, some one brings a dessert and another brings some kind of canapé.
My friend brought a delicious apple cheesecake with butterscotch sauce.... to die for! but unfortunately this post is not about that meal (not a great way to introduce what's coming is it? ha!)

Getting to the point... there was some butterscotch sauce leftover. It was quite a small amount but it was so delicious I felt it would be a sin to chuck it.

Now the question, "how am I going to use this butterscotch sauce?". I mulled over it for a while.... I had some frozen bananas I was planning to make a banana loaf with, and I thought "banana and butterscotch?... yummy!"
Now, how to use the two together?? We all know about cupcakes filled with icing or whipped cream right? ..... well..... :)

3-4 bananas, mashed

½ C melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 ½  C flour

¾ C white sugar (I actually put just under ¾ C. I don’t like too sweet)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

About 1/2 cup butterscotch sauce

Oven @ 350F

Line mini muffin tin with mini-cups

Mix all wet ingredients in one bowl and all dry ingredients in another bowl. Then add dry mix to wet mix and combine well (I use a kitchen aid – God sent!!!)

Pour batter into each mini-cup to just under the rim. Bake for approx. 15min or until golden and knife comes out clean from the centre of a muffin.

And now for the butterscotch filling; with a small knife, cut out little hole in each mini muffin (don’t discard the hole tops); fill with butterscotch, and replace the little muffin top. It looks like this but obviously much smaller.

As for the cream cheese icing, I don’t really measure. I just mix to taste. It was about ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup cream cheese and ¾ cup icing sugar. Whip together (in a kitchen aid or with hand-held electric mixer). (The butter and cream cheese should be at room temperature. If they’re not just whip them long enough, they will warm and soften enough eventually). Again, I don’t like anything too sweet so you can add more or less icing sugar depending on how thick and how sweet you want your icing.

I was actually inspired by this recipe… amazing!! I’ll have to try it sometime

Red Pepper Jelly

 I made this as a gift for some friends and paired it up with goat's cheese (made locally) and rice crackers. A totally sibbling combination! (minus the rivalry of course).
My first attempt at jelly... looked so easy, and IS easy, as long as you don't boil it for too long; an important point I did not know until after the fact. This Red Pepper Jelly tastes delicious, however, it turned into more of a drizzly glaze. After speaking to a friends of mine who has more professional cooking experience, he explained that if it is boiled for too long the pectin loses all it's activity.
Trial and error! Although this jelly didn't really come out jellified I want to share it with you because it still tastes delicious, looks amazing, and I will get it right next time. You can learn from my mistake

 4 red bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons dried hot red-pepper flakes
1 pouch of liquid pectin
5 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

• Place red peppers in a food processor and purée.
• Combine puréed peppers, sugar and vinegar in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid scorching.
• Remove pot from the heat. Let cool for 15 minutes. This allows the peppers to continue cooking slowly and prevents them from floating to the surface.
• Add pectin and return pot to stove. Simmer over medium heat for at least 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Skim any foam from the surface.
• To jar your jelly, place your jars and their lids in boiling water to sterilize them. Spoon the jelly into the jars immediately and lid them. As long as you use hot jars and hot sterilized lids they will stay sealed.

Salmon with Grilled Asparagus topped with a Tarragon Hollandaise Sauce

 If you're having a dinner party, have little time but want to serve something impressive this is a great dish! This meal presents a most beautiful display. It's colourful, elegant, and best of all, the taste is wonderful! It's the sauce that truly makes this dish. Well, it usually is the sauce that pulls any meal together, but this sauce, in particular, is to die for! And wouldn't you know, the friends (including the birthday girl and photographer of these photos, Monique Napier) I made this for, raved about the cherry tomato garnish too! I have to admit I was very proud of that. The bright red and deep green makes the rest of the dish come to life, esthetically.

The Tarragon Hollandaise Sauce can be made first.
 What you need:
Hollandaise Sauce (Follow the link for the basic hollandaise sauce recipe.)
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon

Follow the steps for the hollandaise sauce, but add the tarragon at the end with the season.
Set aside while preparing the rest of the meal. This sauce can be made ahead up to 2 hours. (Keep it warm by leaving the bowl in the warm water of the 'bain marie')

For the Salmon, I used a tradtional method of cooking in a foil bag in the oven. Perhaps I should have taken photos to show you how to prepare the foil bag. But for those who do not know, I have found a good step by step instruction here.
What you need:
Foil
4 small salmon fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup
Seasoning of your choice (I just used salt and pepper this time, but a bit of parsley too would be nice)

Rub the olive oil all over the fish fillets then sprinkle with seasoning. Once the bag was made, but before folding the last seal, I pour about 1/4 cup of dry white wine into the bag with the fish. This is if you'd like the fish steamed rather than baked. I place the bag on a cookie sheet and cooked in for about 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

For the Grilled Asparagus, after trimming the asparagus, I simply tossed the asparagus in olive oil.
Place the asparagus, small bunches at a time (you want each spear, touching your hot grill pan). Turn them around once they start charring. This should only take about 5-10 minutes per bunch (depending on how thick the spears are). You'll know they're ready if you can easily get a fork through.
TIP: a fool proof method of trimming asapargus is just by using your hands. No knife needed! :) Hold the asparagus at each end and bend. It will break at the right spot. Check here for a more detailed explination, if you're new to trimming, or even cooking, asparagus.

To garnish I grilled some cherry tomatoes left on the vine. They were on the grilled for about 2-3 minutes. Just until they were charring and softened.

Trust me, you will feel pride when plating up this elegant dish!

Bon Apetit!

Hollandaise Sauce

I have died and gone to buttery heaven! Hollandaise sauce is becoming by far my favorite accompaniment sauce. It goes great with just about any meat, fish or poultry; and of course with the famous Eggs Benedict, (my absolute fabourite breakfast). And no wonder; it's practically pure butter. What do they say in the world of french cuisine? The three most important ingredients are butter, butter and more butter!

 I have made Hollandaise sauce a few times and this particular recipe that I fiddled with, using a few recipe ideas and put into one, turned out great.

3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Juice of 1 small lemon
1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 sticks of unsalted butter (melted - should be about 1 cup)
2 tbsp warm water
2 or 3 pinches of sugar
pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:
- In a stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water (this is called a 'bain marie' or you may have a double boiler) over low-medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks with the lemon juice, prepared mustard and zest. Do not let the egg scramble! This is why it is important to keep on a simmer

- Whisk the mixture until it is a pale yellow and slightly thick.

- Remove the bowl from the pot and whisk vigorously.

- Add the melted butter, in a slow steady pour, a bit at a time, while continuing to whisk, until all is incorporated.

- Add the water 1 tbsp at a time and whisk until encorporated and smooth. Depending on how thick you want your sauce you may only want 1 tbsp water, or you may even want as much as 3 tbsp of water. 

- Taste and if it is too lemony add a pinch or two of sugar. Whisk and taste again. Decide if you want to add one more pinch of sugar.

- Season with a dash of salt and pepper.

As mentioned before, this sauce is great with many things. i especially like this sauce with asparagus, salmon or even steak! 

Yum yum!!

Bon appetit

Pesto Sauce (Basil)

This has got to be my favourite Italian sauce. It's fresh (meaning no cooking involved!), ultra tasty and super easy to make!

The mix of flavours bursting with every bite from the earthiness of basil, nutty flavour of pine nuts, and the vintage appeal of parmegiano. And who can miss the kick of garlic! Such simple ingredients to make this most satisfying sauce.

Another great thing about pesto is that it can be stored so easily and used in numerous ways.

Of course the most traditional (and my favourite) is with pasta.

You can also use it with chicken, fish, potatoes, stuffings....the options are endless.

I've made pesto a few times and this has to be my best yet.

1 large handful of fresh basil leaves

1 cup parmigiano reggiano (freshly grated)

1/2 cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)

1 clove of garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients together all at once, slowly adding the olive oil in last (mix in less or more as you can choose the consistency you prefer)

I usually mix my pesto up in a food processor but if you have a pestle and mortar go for it! :)

Yummm! Enjoy, however you decide to serve it up!