Bacon Cheddar Bread

• 3 slices bacon
• 3/4 C plus 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch pepper
• 2oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1/2 C)
• 1/4 C whole milk
• 3 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing pan
• 1 large egg
• 1oz Parmesan cheese, shredded on large holes of box grater (about 1/3 C)

1.  In a cast iron skillet, cook bacon well.  Crumble and spread out to cool on paper towels.  Drain off excess bacon grease but do not wipe out or clean skillet.
2.  When bacon is completely cool and all grease is gone from it, preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne, and pepper together in medium bowl. Fold in cheddar, breaking up clumps, until it is coated with flour mixture. In separate bowl, whisk milk, sour cream, melted butter, and egg together until smooth. Gently fold milk mixture into flour mixture with rubber spatula until just combined (do not overmix). Batter will be heavy and thick.
4. Scrape batter into skillet and smooth top. Sprinkle remaining 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese evenly over top of batter. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes.
5. Let bread cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Robyn's notes: I had originally envisioned these as biscuits, but the batter was quite loose and ran together in the oven.  I cut the finished bread into four quarters along the lines where the biscuits had been dropped in.  Really good.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Marbled Mint Brownies

With a handful of ingredients and one quick trick, a delicious dessert for any romantic occasion, effortlessly!

• 1/4 C butter, cubed
• 1 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1 egg
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/4 C flour
• 2 Tbsp chocolate chips (optional)
• 2/3 C Andes brand Peppermint Crunch baking chips

1.  In a small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Remove from the heat; cool.
2.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Beat egg and vanilla into cooled chocolate mixture.  Combine sugar and flour; stir to combine.  Fold in chocolate chips, if using.
3.  Spread into a 8"x4" loaf pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 350°F for 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, rotating pan halfway through baking time.
4.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.  Immediately sprinkle mint chips over surface of hot brownies, and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Once chips have melted onto brownies, use a knife or metal spatula to gently swirl together melted mint chips to cover the entire surface of brownies.  Cool 2 hours or until slightly set.  Do not cool in refrigerator.

Robyn's notes: this is a take-off of brownies my mom made when I was growing up.  She used Camp Fire mint patties (Brown & Hailey brand), but it's hard to get those anymore, so I experimented with various mint toppings until I found one that works.  If the Peppermint Crunch chips aren't available, Andes brand Creme de Menthe baking chips work just as well, and if even those can't be found, chopping up some Andes mints will do in a pinch.  If you have heart-shaped cookie cutters that can make a nice presentation for the holiday.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Slow-Cooker Breakfast Bake

I'm someone who enjoys traditional breakfast foods at any time of the day, but if you prefer not to have breakfast for dinner, this makes a great weekend brunch.  Just start it when you first get up, and in a couple hours it'll be ready! 

• 1 C frozen hash brown potatoes
• 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

1.  Spray the inside of a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.  Pour potatoes, cheese, and bacon into slow cooker, stir briefly to combine.
2.  Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until well mixed.  Pour over mixture in slow cooker, stir briefly to distribute potatoes, cheese, and bacon throughout eggs.
3.  Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 4-5 hours, until well set.

Robyn's notes: I used Southern-style hash brown potatoes, because it was what I had on hand, but the shredded will also work just as well.  I also used a four-cheese Mexican cheese blend because again it was what I had on hand.  If desired, add chopped green onions when combining potatoes, cheese, and bacon.  I thought this would be only ok, but I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

PB Poire Belle Helene

From the first moment I heard of this recipe I knew I had to make it.  Poached pears with vanilla ice cream in warm chocolate sauce?!  Absolutely, I'm all over that.  But I basically just didn't get around to it, until one day I was playing around in the kitchen and came up with the peanut butter chocolate sauce.  I decided I had to try that with the pears, and here we are!

• 2 pears, halved, peeled, and cored
• 3/4 C water
• 1/4 C vanilla sugar
• 1 C vanilla ice cream
• peanut butter chocolate sauce

1.   In a wide saucepan or deep skillet, bring water and sugar to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 
2.  Add pears, cut side down, and raise the heat so that the syrup boils up over the pears (it may be necessary to spoon some syrup over the top of the pears).  Lower heat, cover, and simmer 5-7 minutes.  Turn pears, cover and simmer another 5-7 minutes.  Pears should be tender when pierced.  Remove from heat, cover, and leave to cool. 
3.  Scoop 1/2 C ice cream onto each of two serving dishes.  Place two pear halves alongside each scoop of ice cream, and drizzle with chocolate sauce. 

Robyn's notes: Bosc pears are the best for poaching, as they hold their shape when cooked.  This was really quite good, best with a bit of each element in every bite. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently  

Peanut Butter Chocolate Sauce

• 1/3 C chocolate chips
• 2 tsp shortening
• 1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

1.  Add chocolate chips and shortening to a small microwave-safe bowl, do not stir.  Microwave, at 70% power, for 2 minutes.  Remove from microwave and immediately stir in peanut butter until sauce is smooth.

Robyn's notes: I have made this with milk chocolate a few times but have mostly used semi-sweet.  My microwave is 1540 watts, cooktime and power level may be different for other machines.  This is great over ice cream, cookies, all sorts of things, and licking the bowl is a must!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Instant Fudge Cake Mix

This is a copycat of your standard box cake mix, but makes a much smaller cake or fewer cupcakes.  It's shelf-stable for several months in a sealed container.

• 2/3 C flour
• 1/2 C + 1 tsp sugar
• 1/3 C cocoa
• 1/2 rounded tsp baking powder
• 1/4 rounded tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp shortening

1.  Stir together all ingredients except shortening.  Using a hand mixer, add shortening until it is completely mixed in and no visible chunks remain.

To use:

• 1/3 C + 1 1/2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 egg

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.  In a medium bowl, combine wet ingredients with dry cake mix.  Divide batter equally between two mini loaf pans (or two 6-inch round cake pans).  Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Robyn's notes: I mixed up the dry ingredients and put them in a mason jar, which was left on the counter for a couple weeks of changing weather conditions, to see how well it would hold up in heat, direct sunlight, and unexpectedly cold nights.  No problems with the mix.  I used the mix for Chocolate Cherry Bars and they came out fabulously.  For cupcakes, I baked for 17 minutes.  Waatch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good.  Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently.   

Slow Cooker Cherry-Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

I'm really quite proud of this recipe.  Here's what happened: I'm recipe testing a dessert (hopefully soon to appear!) which will require half a can of cherry pie filling.  As has been shown time and again here on Our Small Table, I don't like using "half a can" of anything, unless I have a use for the remainder.  I was also working on the recently-posted Pork Tenderloin with Horseradish Sauce, which meant I had half a pork tenderloin left.  Same problem.  Well, cherries and pork go together, right?  Why not combine my two orphaned ingredients?  So I sat and brainstormed what else should go in, and the cooking method I wanted to use, and I really thought it would take several attempts to get it just right.  Lo and behold: delicious on the first try!

• 1 C cherry pie filling (from a 21 oz can)
• 1 garlic clove. minced
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
• salt and pepper to taste

1.  In a small bowl, stir together pie filling, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and ginger.  Set aside.
2.  Season pork with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place in a 1-1/2 qt slow cooker.  Pour cherry mixture over top of pork, covering completely.  Cook on LOW heat for 4.5-5 hours or until meat thermometer inserted at thickest part of meat reads 160°F.
3.  Remove pork from slow cooker and set aside to rest before slicing.  Meanwhile, pour sauce from slow cooker into medium saucepan.  Bring to a slow boil over medium-low heat and reduce for 5-6 minutes.  Slice pork and spoon sauce over top.

Robyn's notes: I didn't think about a side dish until the pork was done cooking, so I needed something that would cook fast, while the sauce was reducing.  Since I didn't have any instant rice in the cupboard, I chose plain couscous.  This was really good.  I got a little nervous at around the 4 hour cooking point, because I could really smell the vinegar and thought it would overpower the dish, but it turned out to be just the right amount.  

**** 4 Stars: Very Good.  Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently.  

Pork Tenderloin with Horseradish Sauce

With just a few steps of prep-work and about half an hour in the oven, a delicious pork dinner that can be served hot or cold.

• 1/2 tsp steak seasoning
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 pork tenderloin (3/4 pound), trimmed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp olive oil

Horseradish Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp prepared horseradish
• 1/8 tsp grated lemon peel
• dash salt and pepper

1.  In a small bowl, combine the steak seasoning, rosemary, and thyme; rub over meat.  Using the point of a sharp knife, make eight slits in the tenderloin.  Insert garlic into slits.  Place meat on a rack in a foil-lined shallow roasting pan.  Drizzle with vinegar and oil.
2.  Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 30-40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F.  Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
3.  Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients; chill until serving.  Serve with pork.

Robyn's notes: I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I expected.  Pork was not in heavy rotation in my house when I was growing up (aside from ham and bacon), which means that my main exposure to it for many years was pork chops at buffets and potlucks.  That's not the best example of the meat, as it tends to be dry and somewhat tasteless in those cases.  This was juicy and tasty and I would absolutely have it again.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good.  Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently.  

Fiesta Chicken Kiev

I feel quite warmly toward this recipe.  Not only have I been eating it for decades, since my mom was the original discoverer, but it was the first meal I cooked for my sweetheart when we'd been dating for about 6 weeks.  I use "mild" chiles, but those with a stronger taste for spice can use the regular kind.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Old English cheese spread (see note, below)
• 1 tsp dried minced onion
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp chopped green chiles from a 4oz can
• 1/4 C butter, melted
• 1/2 C crushed cheese crackers (Cheez-Its)
• 1 Tbsp taco seasoning mix

1.  Pound each raw chicken breast to flatten to 1/4 inch thickness.
2.  Beat together softened butter and cheese spread until well blended.  Mix in onion, salt, and chiles.  Divide mixture evenly between the two flattened chicken pieces, spreading along center.  Roll up each chicken piece, tucking in ends to completely enclose filling.  Secure with toothpicks if needed.
3.  Dip each roll in melted butter to cover, then coat with mixture of crushed cheese crackers and taco seasoning mix.  Arrange rolls in small oven-safe casserole or gratin dish.  Cover with parchment or wax paper and microwave for 4-5 minutes on 70% power, or until juices are clear and chicken is cooked through.

Robyn's notes:  served alongside steam-in-bag microwave rice and on a bed of lettuce with diced tomato.  The video shows what the cheese spread packaging looks like, it can usually be found in the cracker section of the grocery.  There will almost certainly be leftover filling, which is great when stirred into scrambled eggs in the pan.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!  

**** 4 Stars: Very Good.  Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently. 

Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cupcakes

I'm really quite pleased with this recipe.  I was doing some chores one morning recently, and thought to myself "a cupcake that tastes like my favourite instant oatmeal would probably be really good".  I was quite sure I could make an easy maple buttercream frosting, so the next step was the cupcakes themselves.  My elevation gave me some real challenges this time, so after I had the recipe working I had two family members test it for me, as they both live at sea level.  Came out even better for them than it had for me!

• 1/4 C boiling water 
• 1/4 C old-fashioned oats (not "quick cooking") 
• 2 Tbsp sugar 
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar 
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened 
• 1 1/2 Tbsp beaten egg 
• 1/2 tsp 100% real maple syrup (not Mrs Butterworth's, Log Cabin, Aunt Jemima, or other "breakfast syrups") 
• 1/2 C flour 
• 1/4 tsp baking soda 
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four regular-size muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, pour boiling water over oats, stir so that all oats are wet, and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl cream together sugars and butter. Beat in egg and maple syrup. Stir in oats.
4. Combine dry ingredients and add to batter. Blend until just combined, do not overmix.
5. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, and bake at 350°F for 19-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes to cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing. 

Maple Buttercream Frosting:

• 4 Tbsp butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp 100% real maple syrup (again, not "breakfast syrup")
• 1 C powdered sugar

1. With a mixer, beat together butter and syrup until fluffy, add sugar and mix at low speed until combined.

Robyn's notes: high altitude may have to increase flour measurement to 2/3 C.  These will be just a little bit muffiny, but the frosting is so sweet that I think it makes up for that.  And since this is oatmeal, it could even be an excuse for cupcakes for breakfast, right?  Breakfast syrups have little or even zero actual maple syrup in them, and the main ingredient--hfcs--won't have the same reaction in baking as real maple syrup will, so the pure product is necessary.  After taking the picture I sprinkled some maple sugar on top of one of the cupcakes, since I had it in the house, and it was great!  But as that's a specialty ingredient I didn't mention it in the recipe.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good.  Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently.

Bacon Cream Cheese Sandwiches

When I was in elementary school my mom sometimes sent these sandwiches to school with me in my packed lunch.  I loved them, and I always encouraged other kids to try a bite.  Every time one of them did, they would tell me how great it was ("best sandwich I've ever had!"), until I listed the ingredients.  Immediately they would decide it was gross because those things don't go together.  I figured they were missing out and more for me!

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened, divided
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 1/4 C diced cooked bacon
• 1/4 C shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4 slices bread

1.  In a medium bowl and using a hand mixer, beat together orange juice and 2 ounces of cream cheese.  Stir in bacon, add remaining cream cheese, and beat until combined.  Add Cheddar cheese and stir until fully incorporated.  Spread half of mixture onto each of two slices of bread, top each with remaining bread slices.

Robyn's notes: I use no-pulp OJ because it's what I prefer to drink, but I also think it's the best texture for the filling.  I prefer a fairly plain bread for this--white, potato, similar--because I like to taste the filling, but whatever favourite bread is preferred is fine.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good.  Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently.

Pear Butter

Served over Baking Powder Biscuits, shown above.

• 3 lbs pears
• 2 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp grated orange peel
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp orange juice

1.  Wash pears, core, peel and slice. 
2.  Combine pears and 1/4 C water in a large saucepot.  Simmer until pears are soft.  Puree using a food processor or food mill, being careful not to liquefy.
3.  Measure 1 quart pear pulp, combine with sugar in a large saucepot, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon.  As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. 
4.  Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles, adjust two-piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner at sea level, increasing 1 minute for every additional 1,000 feet elevation.

Yield: 5 half-pints

Robyn's notes: I made this the same day I made Spiced Peach Butter, and while he didn't have a preference between the two, enjoying them both, I admit I preferred this one slightly.  It had such a fresh, summery feel that I didn't want to stop eating it!  I did make one error with this, taking a phone call while the pulp was cooking.  I knew that the peach butter had cooked for over 25 minutes uncovered, so I covered this batch and stirred less frequently.  At the end of my phone call I realized I was approaching that 25 minute mark, and rushed to stir.  It had started to stick while I wasn't watching it, and a small amount of the butter scorched.  Fortunately it didn't give a burned flavour to the whole batch, and I got to it in time, but it's a good reminder to focus on one task at a time. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good.  Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently.

Now on YouTube!

I've been wanting for a long time to start uploading cooking demonstration videos, but had to wait until Google+ was uncoupled from YouTube.  First video covers one of my more popular recipes, Small-Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Cream Cheese Mints

• 4oz room temperature cream cheese (not light or 1/3 less fat)
• 1/2 tsp peppermint or spearmint extract
• 3 C powdered sugar

1.  Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth (to get air into it), adding the extract at the same time. 
2.  Add powdered sugar 1/2 C to 1 C at a time and mix until well combined.
3.  As the dough is exposed to the air it will become less sticky.  Scoop up small amounts from the sections that aren't too sticky and roll into 1/2 inch balls, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Quickly press each ball flat with a fork, lifting fork fast before it can stick.  Refrigerate several hours or overnight.  Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Robyn's notes: the first Christmas that I made these, I batched the dough into 3 bowls, adding red food colouring to one, green to another, and leaving the third white.  I then combined half balls of multiple colours to get the effect shown above.  The following year I gently swirled red and green food colouring into the white dough, so each mint ended up lightly marbled with all three colours.  This was easier and I liked the look better.  Leaving the mints white is totally fine, too.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Curried-Pear Chicken

I love the smell of curry powder, but don't get the opportunity to use it as often as I'd like.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
• 4 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 pear, peeled, cored, and thickly sliced
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 C dry white wine (see notes, below)
• 1/4 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp chopped fresh mint

1.  Season chicken on both sides with 1/8 tsp salt and pinch of pepper.  Heat 2 tsp oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until well-browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2.  Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 tsp oil to the pan.  Add pear, shallot, and curry.  Cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add wine and broth; bring to a simmer.  Cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
3.  Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan.  Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to 2 plates.  Add coconut milk, cilantro, and mint to the pan and stir to combine.  Season with the remaining salt and pepper and spoon over the chicken.

Robyn's notes: I can't afford wine for cooking, so I simply used all chicken broth (or 1/2 C total) instead.  Another option is to replace the wine with apple juice.  I thought I had the fresh herbs in the house but turned out to have misremembered, so I just left them out.  I found the chicken really quite good, but it all went best when each bite had a bit of chicken with sauce, a bit of pear, and some of the Ginger Pear Rice that I made as a side.  

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently
 

Raspberry-Glazed Chicken

For several years I found myself regularly running across recipes that called for "seedless raspberry jam", but couldn't find the stuff in any of my local stores.  I've made raspberry jam, but straining out the seeds was a pain, and due to my health problems I should avoid seeds as much as possible, so just substituting regular jam didn't seem the best idea.  I did eventually find the product, and of course bought it immediately...then couldn't find any of those recipes again.  This one doesn't necessarily require seedless, but I find it better and now that I have the jar I might as well enjoy it!

• 2 tsp canola oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 3 Tbsp raspberry jam
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 C raspberries (frozen and thawed is ok)

1.  In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Cook chicken in oil 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when cut.
2.  In small bowl, mix jam and mustard.  Spoon jam mixture over chicken; top with raspberries.

Robyn's notes: I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was, as I expected it to just be acceptable.  The sweet from the jam combined with the sharp bite of the mustard worked great together.  I served this with Creamy Couscous, which I think was a good choice for the dish. GF: check your mustard, some brands are free of cross-contamination, others may not be. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently
 

Open-Face Breakfast Sandwiches

This is another quick dish I had regularly growing up. I don't buy bread products at the store very often, because they tend to start growing before I finish the package. So this is a good way to use up English muffins without feeling like I'm eating the same thing day after day.

• 2 English muffins, split
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced into coins
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 3-4 oz Cheddar cheese, sliced
• 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled or diced

1.  Toast English muffins.

2.  Top each English muffin half with single layer of egg coins, season with salt and pepper.  Top with slices of cheese and sprinkle bacon on center of cheese.

3.  Microwave on high 20-45 seconds, until edges of cheese are starting to melt, but slices retain their shape.

Robyn's notes: as soon as these come out of the microwave they should be moved to a different section of the plate, or the condensation beneath them will make the English muffins wet and gummy.   Can be made without the bacon, if that's too much trouble or it's not on hand.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Chunky Applesauce

My mom has been making this applesauce for a good 45 years or so.  Back when she started, my great-grandfather gave her a crate of apples every year that he'd grown, and they had to be dealt with before they turned, so applesauce was a great project.  She doesn't use a recipe, so she sent me basic instructions for her method, which I have used repeatedly and turned into this recipe.  Read all notes before beginning.

• 3 lbs apples (about 8 medium)
• 1 1/2 C apple juice
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1.  Core, quarter, and peel apples, cut them into 1 inch chunks.
2.  In large saucepan, combine apple juice and cut-up apples.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
3.  Using sugar and cinnamon, sweeten to taste.  Be careful!  These apples and the liquid they're sitting in can burn your tongue.  Be aware that the apples will taste sweeter when hot, so for a very sweet applesauce it may be necessary to over-sweeten them at this stage.
4.  Return to a boil for about 1 minute, remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Smash with potato masher to desired consistency.  (For creamy applesauce, press through a ricer or food mill instead)

Applesauce is ready to eat at this point, or it can be preserved in a boiling water canner as follows.

5.  Carefully ladle hot applesauce into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Remove all bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids.  Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner at sea level, increasing processing time by 1 minute for each 1,000 feet of additional altitude.

Yield: 5 half-pints

Robyn's notes: I've used several different varieties of apples, but have to say that my favourite batches have been made with two varieties together.  Because of what's available at my market this has generally been Fuji and Golden Delicious.  I have been told that the best varieties for applesauce are those as well as Braeburn, Cortland, Crispin, McIntosh, Liberty, and Rome.  Use a saucepan large enough that the liquid and apple chunks combined in it fill no more than 30-50% of the interior.  While simmering, the apples will splatter and bubble up the sides, so they need a lot of room in the pan.  The juice should be enough to cover the bottom of your pan by 1/2 inch.  A larger saucepan may need more than I use.  Water can be used in place of apple juice, but the flavor will not be as deep and more sugar will need to be used.  I always use 100% not-from-concentrate apple juice.  While I'm a fan of the assembly-line method of doing practically anything, I don't use it for prepping the apples.  As soon as they are exposed to the air they will start to oxidize, but this will be slowed when they're in the juice.  So I do each apple as quickly as possible without risking my fingers and move on to the next.  I have never measured the cinnamon, instead just dashing it in.  I quite like the taste of cinnamon in my applesauce, so if I use a bit too much I'm ok with it, it just makes for darker applesauce. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Homemade Magic Shell

"Magic Shell" is, of course, a brand name, but it's the term most people are familiar with. This is the chocolate sauce for ice cream that is liquid when it's poured on, then goes immediately solid.

• 1/4 C semi-sweet chocolate morsels 
• 1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil 

1. In double boiler, melt both ingredients, stirring to combine.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool for two minutes.
3. Pour over ice cream, wait for shell to harden, and enjoy!  

Robyn's notes: if the sauce is not used right away, it should be refrigerated, as there are no preservatives like the bottled store-bought version has. The sauce will of course harden in the fridge, it can be microwaved to return to liquid form before using, or the container it's in can be placed in a hot water bath.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Havarti-Dill Mashed Potatoes

• 1 large russet potato
• 1/4 C milk
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp shredded Havarti cheese
• 1 tsp fresh dill
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel potato and chop into 1/2 inch pieces (see notes below). Place in large saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes can be broken up with a fork.
2. Drain, return to saucepan, and shake over low heat for 1 minute. Mash in remaining ingredients, leaving some potato chunks if desired.

Robyn's notes: he likes potato skin in his mashed potatoes, I can't have the skins, so I sometimes make two versions of any mashed potatoes, peeling half the potato for mine and leaving the other half unpeeled for his.  Add the milk while mashing, depending on the size of the potato it may not be necessary to use the full amount.  Havarti, being a semi-soft cheese, is difficult to shred.  It can help to spray the grater with cooking spray, or simply cut it into small pieces off the block instead of shredding. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently