Guest Post – Potato Pancakes~Latkes

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. We celebrated a family birthday (watch for a DIY card post this week) and had a family photo session! We were so busy that I’m only now posting One Hungry Dude’s awesome recipe for Latkes. Rosh Hashanah may have come and gone but these things are so seriously good that I’d eat them every day of the year!

A week ago Sunday was the start of Rosh Hashanah, and for those of you who don't know, my dad's side of the family is Jewish. While I'm not a religious person, I do appreciate good food. So Sarah made some Challah and Apple Honey Bundt Cake, and I cooked Brisket and Latkes. I'll discuss the brisket in a a two part recipe, beginning next week. But here's a simple and quick recipe for some delicious potato pancakes. These are not Kosher — just delicious!

Ingredients
• 4 Large Yellow Potatoes, peeled and rinsed
• 1 Medium Sized Yellow Onion, skin removed
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tsp Thyme
• 1 Tsp Parsley
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• About 1.5 Cups Canola Oil, for frying

Start by shredding the potato using the large attachment on a grader. Place the potatoes in a large bowl, and cover with cold water. Allow the potatoes to sit in the water for about 20 minutes; this allows the starch and excess moisture to drain out of the shredded spuds. Shred the onion using the fine grater attachment. Set the onion aside.

Remove the potatoes from the water, and place on a layer of paper towel. Wrap the potato with the towel, and squeeze out the excess moisture. Put the potatoes back in the bowl, then add the onions, flour, Worcestershire, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients, and set aside.

Bring the oil to medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Scoop a palm full of the potato mixture into one hand, then use your other hand to press it into a thick pancake. Place the pancake into the oil, then repeat the process, filling the frying pan, but making sure none of the pancakes touch. You can press down on the pancake, using a spatula. Flip the pancakes, once they begin to brown on the bottom. Continue frying until the other side browns, then remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Repeat this process until all of the potato mixture has been cooked. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately with apple sauce or sour cream.

This recipe yields about 10 to 12 pancakes.

By the Batch – Honey Apple Bundt Cake

I hope everyone celebrating has had a lovely Rosh Hashanah! If you follow Sugar and Shimmer on Facebook you’ll know that I was busy in the kitchen this weekend baking up a storm. Today I want to share with you a recipe for an incredible Honey Apple Bundt Cake courtesy of the Shiksa in the Kitchen (love her!). I made some slight modifications but all credit to Tori – check out her original recipe here.

Ingredients

Cake

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 4 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and shredded

Icing

• 1 cup + 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

• 1-2 tbsp milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they are frothy. Whisk in the honey, white sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and spices.

Incorporate the flour mixture into the liquid, stir to blend. Fold in the shredded apples.

Spray your Bundt pan with cooking spray, making sure to evenly coat the entire inner surface. Pour your batter into the pan, no more than 3/4 full. Use a spatula to gently push the batter to the outside of the pan, pushing slightly up the walls. Smooth the batter on the top so it is flat and even all the way around the pan.

Bake cake in preheated oven for 75-90 minutes. When the edges darken and pull fully away from the sides of the pan, and the cake browns all the way across the surface, it should be done. You should be able to insert a toothpick into the thickest part of the cake and have it come out clean.

Let the cake cool for exactly 10 minutes, then invert it onto a flat plate. Tap the Bundt pan gently to release the cake. If your cake sticks, use a plastic knife to carefully loosen the cake around the center tube and sides. Allow cake to cool completely.

To decorate sift 3 tbsp icing sugar on to cake. Next, make your drizzle icing. Sift 1 cup of powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Add ¼ tsp of vanilla extract and 1 tbsp milk to the bowl and stir. Add additional milk by teaspoonfuls, mixing constantly, until the mixture has the texture of thick honey. Drizzle over the cake. Allow icing to dry completely before serving, about 30 minutes.

According to Sarah

This cake came out beautifully! Mine baked for 80 minutes and was perfect. It released from the Bundt pan very easily and I love the suggestion for decorating. The cake itself was moist but not mushy – it had the perfect amount of springiness to it. One suggestion, make it on the day you intend to eat it because it does get soggy after sitting for a couple of days. Though that shouldn’t be a problem because it’s so good it’ll get eaten up quickly! Even my very picky mom – who normally doesn’t eat dessert with fruit in it – thought this was delicious :)

Guest Post – Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya

It’s Friday and we have a fun weekend ahead of us! I plan to do some baking (more on that next week) and we’ll be celebrating the start of Rosh Hashanah on Sunday with my parents and a delicious dinner. If your weekend plans include some cooking then consider this recipe from our very own One Hungry Dude!

I've been making this dish for over a year. It's a comfort food that I've come to crave, whenever the weather starts to get cooler, and grilling season gives way to oven and stovetop cooking. There are a lot of ingredients involved, but most of them are household staples. This Jambalaya is also quite simple to prepare, as long as you have the time and patience. It's done in one large pan, and clean-up is quick. It's perfect as a side or as a filling meal in its own right. I also tend to make it in large batches, because the leftovers are easy to reheat, and can be just as tasty as fresh.

Ingredients
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 Slices Bacon, sliced
• 2 Sausages
• 2 Yellow Onions, diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Cayenne Peppers, sliced
• 1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 Tsp Dried Basil
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1/4 Tsp Chili Powder
• 1/4 Lemon, zest and juice
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 Red Pepper, chopped
• 1/2 Orange Pepper, chopped
• 4 Mushrooms, cut in half, then sliced
• Handful of Green Beans, stems removed, then cut in half
• 1/2 Large Tomato, diced
• Handful of Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
• 3 Cups Vegetable Broth
• 3 Cups Instant Brown Rice
• Sprinkle of Parsley, for garnish

Place the olive oil and bacon in a large sauce pan, and heat over medium-high. Once the oil heats up, add the sausage. Cook the meat until done, then set aside on a piece of paper towel. Put the onions in the pan, and cook for about two to three minutes, then add the garlic, cayenne, Worcestershire, thyme, basil, bay leaves, chili powder and lemon. Cook until the onions soften and brown. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the red and orange peppers, mushrooms, and green beans, cooking for about another five minutes. Add the tomatoes, and cook until they begin to break down and soften. Add the broth, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Put the rice in the pan, stirring occasionally, cooking until tender (about 15 to 20 minutes). Remove from the heat, scoop onto plates, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

This recipe makes about 8 to 10 servings.

By the Batch – Mini Pecan Pies

I watched an episode of Street Eats recently that featured a food cart called The Pie Spot. Their menu consists of  mini pies that you eat with your hands – sounds delicious, right? So delicious that I wanted one, really wanted one. But since The Pie Spot is in Portland I had to make my own. So I adapted this crust recipe and this filling recipe and whipped up a batch of mini pecan pies.

 

Ingredients

For Crust

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons milk

For Filling

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. To make the crust, combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix with a fork until pea sized balls form. Loosely fill the holes of a muffin tin with the dough mixture. You’ll have dough left over as this recipe yields 18 mini pies. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of each hole. 

For the filling begin by beating the eggs lightly in a medium bowl. Add corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt; stir until well blended. Pour your mixture into the dough filled muffin pan holes, about 3/4 full. Again, you’ll have leftover filling enough to make 6 additional pies.

Arrange two pecan halves on top of each pie and then place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 25-30 minutes. Because muffin tin sizes vary so will your cooking time so check frequently – the pies are done when they are browned and puffed up on top.

Let cool completely before removing pies from tin. If they stick you  can gently run a knife around the edges to loosen them.  I recommend warming them slightly and serving with whipped cream!

Guest Post – Shrimp Rotini

Good Monday morning, everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I was loving the cooler fall-like weather – this is definitely my favourite time of the year. I guess I was enjoying myself so much that I’m late posting this week’s One Hungry Dude recipe. Hope you’ll forgive me! Enjoy!

Admittedly, I swoon at television advertising at times. So while watching a commercial for Red Lobster the other day, I got an immediate craving for shrimp. We're on a tight budget right now, so eating out is a rarity. But luckily, with a few staple items from the freezer and pantry, I made this delicious dinner in under 45 minutes.

Ingredients
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 Slices Bacon, sliced
• 1 Onion, halved then thinly sliced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, diced
• 1 Cayenne Pepper, chopped
• 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 Bay Leaf
• A Few Sprigs of Fresh Basil, chopped
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Splash of Vegetable Broth
• 4 Cups Rotini
• 12 to 16 Cooked Shrimp
• Sprinkle of Parmesan
• About 1/2 to 3/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
• Squirt of Lemon Juice
• Sprinkle of Dried Parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high. Add the bacon, cooking until brown. Once cooked, remove the bacon, and set aside on a paper towel. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the onions, cooking for about three to four minutes, then add the garlic, cayenne, thyme, bay leaf, basil, salt and pepper. Cook until the onion begins to soften and brown, then add the vegetable broth and reduce the heat by about half.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, bring salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. About five minutes before the pasta is ready to be drained, add the shrimp and bacon to the skillet. Remove the bay leaf. Stir the mixture once or twice. Drain the pasta, add it to the skillet, along with the parmesan, and mix together. Place the cheddar on top. Once the cheddar melts, place the pasta on plates, squirt a bit of lemon juice on top, and garnish with parsley.

This recipe yields about four servings.

Free Printable! I Love You To the Moon and Back

Just a quick post tonight to share a little digital art I’ve created. My mom likes to say “I love you to the moon and back” to Nathan and we talked about how the phrase would make for some cute framed art in her guest bedroom where he sleeps when we visit. I checked Google and Pinterest and there were options but nothing that I loved that could be printed for free. So I decided to make my own!

 

I love the way it turned out – it’s cute for Nathan but not so cute that it will look strange hanging in a bedroom that adults will sometimes sleep in as well. If you like it too then you can print one of your own! Just click on the image to get the full size version. It’ll print to 8x10 or smaller if you prefer.

And since I liked this blue version so much I decided to make one that is a little more girly. Again, just click the image for the full size, print and frame!

 

If you do use this printable I’d love to hear about it so please leave me a comment. I’ve decided not to include any kind of watermark since I think that makes for a nicer printable but please don’t share this art without a link back here. And because I believe in giving credit where credit is due I have to thank Miss Tiina Fonts for her awesome free Sweet Sky Dings – that’s where the adorable moon came from.

Sweet dreams everyone!

Guest Post - Mozzarella Stuffed Hamburgers

Well here we are in the last long weekend of summer. Can you believe it?! I’ve always loved fall and back to school is one of my favourite times of the year. Can’t wait to put on some sweaters! But I’m getting ahead of myself. If you plan to celebrate this weekend with a barbecue consider trying this awesome hamburger recipe from One Hungry Dude!

On a hot day in mid-summer, I can rarely think of a better option for an entree than a grilled hamburger. Admittedly, it's easier to buy a frozen variety, toss it on the barbecue, and have a delicious and enjoyable dinner within minutes. But I prefer to create my own burger. It allows me to control the ingredients, and really doesn't take a lot of extra time to prepare. This recipe is definitely worth the little bit of extra effort.

Ingredients
• 1 Kilogram Ground Beef
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tsp Thyme
• 1 Tsp Parsley
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Cayenne Pepper, chopped
• A few sprigs of Fresh Basil, chopped
• About 12 Slices of Mozzarella Cheese, cut from a brick

Place the ground beef in a bowl, then add the eggs, Worcestershire Sauce, olive oil, thyme, parsley, garlic powder, cayenne and basil. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 16 evenly sized balls. Place one of the balls on a flat plate, covered with plastic wrap. Take a cutting board or flat bottomed plate, and press down on the ball, until it has been flattened to about one centimetre thick. Cut the cheese slices in half. Place three of the cut slices in the centre of the patty. Place another ball on top of the cheese, then flatten it. Use your fingers to press down on the edges of the burgers, to ensure the meat bonds together and the cheese stays in place. Cover the burger with plastic wrap, and place on a tray. Repeat this process until all the meat has been used. Place the patties in the fridge for about an hour.

Pre-heat the grill to high. Place the burgers on the grill, and cook until done, flipping once. Place on a bun, add your favourite toppings and serve.

I've chosen to top the burger with extra cheese, mushrooms (sauteed with margarine, salt, pepper and splashes of Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice and red wine), bacon and sliced pickles. But that's the beautiful thing about hamburgers — there are some many combinations of ingredients that work well with ground beef, so experiment and enjoy!

This recipe yields eight hamburgers.