Eggs Benedict ala Silke

I love eggs benedict.  I don’t make them very often, but when I do , I make them with gusto.

Eggs benedict ala Silke   ( for two )

• 2 english muffins toasted
• half an onion caramelized  ( If I know I’m making these ahead of time, I will caremelize the onions the night before )
• 4 slices of tomato grilled
• 4 slices black forest ham lightly grilled
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar
• 4 eggs poached to your liking
• 1 cup hollandaise sauce.  ( I cheat here and use a mix )  I know you frown upon this Patrick, but……….

To caramelize onions, sautee in 1 tbsp olive oil until glassy.  Add 2 tbsp water and continue to sautee until they’ve reached a caramel colour.  You may need to add a bit more water as you cook them.

• Directions.  Have your hollandaise sauce ready to go.  Assemble the rest of the ingredients.  Toast english muffins.  Poach your eggs in poacher or in simmering water.  Add a bit of vinegar to simmering water so that the eggs stay together.  Put two english muffin halves on a plate.  Layer, starting with onions, ham, tomatoe, egg, and grated cheese.  Spoon over 1/4 cup hollandaise on each half.  Serve right away.

You can go crazy and make up your own version of Eggs Benedict.  I would love to hear how you enjoy them!

Red Lentil Soup

As some of you might know, I had a bit of a setback a few days ago.  My hemoglobin level plummeted to 66.  A normal level is 120.  My Doctor ordered me straight to the hospital for a blood transfusion.  Wow, what a wake up call that was.

After doing a lot of reading about iron rich foods etc. I’ve come up with a few recipes that I would like to share.  My friend Meike and I came up with this recipe today.  It was delicious!  Now I must tell you, I am not a big fan of Lentils.  When I was much younger I was known to put a simmering pot of Lentil soup on ” high ” so that it burned.  Here’s the recipe,  we thought it was delicious.  You can make a vegetarian version without the ham bone.

• 2cups of red lentils
• 3 large carrots
• 1 large onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 ham bone
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 large yam
• 2 potatoes
• half a can of coconut milk   ( freeze the other half for next time )
• 2 tbsp.  vegetable bouillon
• ¼ tsp sambal olek
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp patak’s curry paste
• 1 tbsp Curry powder
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste

Directions.  Cover red lentils and ham bone with water, add salt and bring to  a boil.  Dice onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, and yams and add to pot.  Add minced garlic and grated ginger.  Add tomato paste, curry paste, vegetable bouillon, curry powder , coconut milk, samba olek and cardamom.  Let simmer until vegetables are tender. Take out the ham bone and cut off meat.  Dice and add it to the soup. Throw the bone to the dog.   Adjust seasonings.  You may add a dollop of yogurt to each bowl when serving.  Enjoy!

Huckleberry Banana Shake

Another beautiful day in paradise.  I just came back from a bike ride around the perimeter trail with a friend visiting from Germany.  After pedaling up that long hill to get back home all I wanted was something cold and icy.  A few years back an acquaintance passed on a recipe for a “skinny shake ” from weight watchers .  I’ve improvised it a bit to make it better.  I hope you enjoy it.

Huckleberry Banana Shake

• 1 ripe banana    ( I throw them into the freezer when they get too ripe, then they are always at hand for shakes or baking.)
• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 1/2 cup huckleberries ( or frozen blueberries )
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend.  It will be thick enough to eat with a spoon.  If it’s too thick for your liking add a bit more milk.  Enjoy

Papacita’s favourite Hazelnut Cake

This cake is one of my husband’s favourites.  The recipe card is so tattered and worn that it stands out in my box!  I like to buy the nuts  in the bulk section at Nature’s Pantry, ( our local health food store ) as they are always fresh.

You will need a kitchen scale to bake this cake as it is translated from German to English.  It is baked in a bundt, cake pan.

Hazelnut Cake

• 300 grams butter
• 250 grams sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 250 grams flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 200 grams hazelnuts, ground
• 1 tsp almond extract

Glaze

• 150 grams icing sugar
• 2 tbsp. cocoa
• 3 tbsp. rum
• 3 tbsp. water

Cream butter, sugar,  eggs and almond extract until light and fluffy.  Sift flour, b.powder and salt.  Add to butter mixture, along with ground hazelnuts.  Mix together.  Spoon batter into greased bundt pan and bake at 350 F  for 50 to 60 minutes.

Mix icing sugar with cocoa, rum and water, stir until smooth.  If too runny, add a bit more sugar.  Using a pastry brush, glaze cooled cake.

Cool, remove from pan and glaze.  This cake tastes best if served the next day.

Dennis Lake Steak Marinade

Summer is back in Northern B.C.  28 c today.  We went on a family barbecue to Dennis Lake today.  My husband’s job was to marinate the steaks, Sharon and I  got to make the salads and pack up the rest of the food.  The steaks marinated over night and were awesome.  I would like to share the recipe with you.

Steak Marinade

Makes 1-1/4 cups

* 2 gloves of garlic, minced
* 2 medium shallots,or 1/2 onion minced
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
* 3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 1/3 cup olive oil

Blend/mix well

I like to marinate the steaks in a large zip loc bag.  If you can, marinate them over night.  If you don’t have the time, a few hours is also good.

Enjoy!