Author Archives: Chatty Kathy

Unknown's avatar

About Chatty Kathy

Living in the beautiful Okanagan Valley in BC, we have an abundance of fresh food to cook with, and believe me, I do! We have 5 daughters, 3 grand daughters, and lots of honorary daughters ...I love cooking for family and friends and they all keep me busy in the kitchen. Here is hoping that this blog will allow my entire family to access those recipes they ask for, and maybe even enjoy a few travel photos!

Asian Noodle Stir Fry

Posted on by
Reply

This is easily one of the simplest noodle stir fry dishes I have made, and packs lots of taste in every bite.  I think the secret is the spicy vinegar for the finishing touch!

Image

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ red onion, julienned

1 sweet red pepper, julienned

2 cloves garlic, chopped

⅓ cup oyster sauce

⅓ cup water, mixed in with oyster sauce

2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped

1 bunch green onion, chopped

Flavoured Vinegar

½ cup rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons palm sugar (or natural sugar)

1-2 tablespoon chili oil

1 bunch chives, finely chopped

salt

 

Stir all vinegar ingredients together and set aside – really important to do this to your individual taste – SOME LIKE IT HOT …

Mix oyster sauce with water

Soften egg noodles according to package directions, but be careful not to overcook them.

Heat oil in wok, add onions and saute until softened and translucent, add ginger, garlic and red pepper.  Stir fry until just softened.

Add some of the oyster sauce and stir until well combined – add most of the rest of the sauce and stir in the noodles.  Stir fry until all the noodles are well coated and heated through – finish with the last drizzle of the oyster sauce.

Serve with chives to garnish.  I served the vinegar on the side for everybody to add as they pleased, but it could easily be added as soon as the dish is finished.

This dish is really made for you to experiment with – go green instead of red and stir in chopped fresh spinach or sliced snow peas right before serving and garnish with cilantro, green onions and bean sprouts.

For a complete meal add some prawns or thinly sliced chicken – stir fry with the onion/pepper mixture before adding the noodles.

Citrus Loaf

Posted on by
Reply

The sweet/tangy glaze drizzled over this citrus loaf adds the perfect touch!

Image

1 medium lemon – zest and juice

1 medium orange – zest and juice

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Grate 1 tbsp peel from lemon, and squeeze 1 tbsp juice – set aside

Grate 1 tbsp peel from orange, and squeeze 5 tbsp juice – set aside – separately from lemon juice

In large bowl combine dry ingredients, then cut butter in, stir in lemon and orange zest.

In separate bowl beat eggs, milk and 4 tbsp orange juice.

Stir liquid into flour just until mixed, do not over mix.

Turn into greased and floured 9×5 inch loaf pan.  (I like to use parchment paper so it is easy to lift out)

Bake 1 hour, at 350 degrees – cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove to a cooling rack.

Once you take the loaf out of the oven, combine the remaining  1 tbsp lemon juice, 4 tbsp orange juice and 2 tbsp sugar in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and allow to gently boil until reduced slightly and thickened.  Once loaf has cooled a bit, drizzle glaze over top.  

Try to resist cutting the loaf until it has cooled quite a bit ….

 

Mexican Chocolate Snow Caps

Posted on by
Reply

These delicious little bites were waiting for Hayley, Sloan, Stella and I when we arrived at big sister Meghan’s house – you can’t have just one!  She made them as peppermint, and they are fabulous.  Gluten free too!

 

Image

8 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped

2 tbsp butter

1 1/4 cup ground almonds

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp ancho chile powder 

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Sifted icing sugar to roll cookies

In a heatproof bowl (over pan of gently simmering water) melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat.  Stir in almonds and salt.

in a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until pale and thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add in chocolate mixture and spices.  Fold until well blended.  Cover and put in the fridge until very firm – about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Form dough into 1 1/4″ balls.  Roll balls in icing sugar.  

Place 2″ apart on trays.  Bake until puffed, starting to crack on top and the edges are firm – about 12 minutes.

So easy to switch these up and make them into Peppermint Caps – substitute the chile powder and cinnamon for 1 tsp peppermint extract.

Backstrap Venison ….. Thai style!

Posted on by
Reply

We had the good fortune to have backstrap venison grilled at our good friend Rob and Mandy’s ….Rob being the hunter … and further good fortune as they sent us home with the leftover, rare grilled venison.  It was amazing the first time, and just as fabulous as a “leftover”  … repurposed as a Thai style salad.

The instructions for this are VERY loose.  It involved what I call creative cooking, or clean out the fridge.
Thai Style Backstrap Venison

Pan roast some peanuts, and if you are fortunate enough to have a mortar and pestle, grind them up a bit with about 1 tsp chili flakes (obviously to your taste).  Add tamarind, palm sugar (2 tsp?) freshly squeezed lime juice, light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, roasted sesame seeds and even a bit of peanut oil.  A little of this, a little of that.  Keep doing that until your taste buds sing and you can hardly wait to dress your salad.

Thinly slice red onion, and pour boiling water over.  10 seconds later, yes, TEN SECONDS, pour the water off – add a bit of kosher salt, a few chili flakes, and cover with freshly squeezed lime juice …. (if you run short top it up with regular vinegar)

Cook up a few ramen noodles, or rice noodles, or whatever you have on hand.

Lay the cooled noodles over a serving platter, and build your salad on top of that with whatever strikes your fancy. (and is in your fridge)   Add some thinly slivered protein – i.e. the venison, or you could use cooked chicken, steak, and prawns.  Again – totally up to you!  (and if you are looking for a vegetarian option – do some tofu!)

Top with the quick pickled red onion, some of your roasted peanuts, sesame seeds – and although I didn’t have any today – I would have loved some bean sprouts and fresh cilantro over it all …..

Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

Posted on by
Reply

Pictured here on a moist delicious chocolate cake made with applesauce and buttermilk, it is a perfect (not too sweet) topping. Go ahead and mix it up though – instead of chocolate use raspberry jam for flavoring!

Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

1 cup salted butter

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 one ounce squares of melted semi sweet chocolate (make sure to cool it!)

1/2 tsp instant coffee

1-2 tbsp cream

3 – 3 3/4 cups icing sugar

Melt chocolate squares in microwave carefully, until they are smooth – stir and set asdie to cool

Whip the butter until light anf fluffy

Add cocoa powder, beating well

WHEN CHOCOLATE IS COOL, add to butter

Add instant coffe to 1 tbsp cream, then add to butter mixture

Now, add in enough icing sugar, 1 cup at a time until you have reached the consistency you are looking for – fabulous!

Chocolate Cake (your new favorite!)

Posted on by
Reply

This cake is enough on it’s own, so moist and delicious with the buttermilk and applesauce – with a little chocolate butter cream icing on top, but if you are feeling fancy, go ahead and dress it up!  I have photos of this cake a couple of ways – always a hit!

Moist Delicious Chocolate Cake
2 cups butter milk (If you don’t have any buttermilk use regular milk, adding 2 tsp vinegar per cup)

1 cup apple sauce

2/3 cup oil

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Blend well and set aside

In a separate bowl sift together:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

Gently stir dry ingredients into wet, do not overmix.  When combined, pour into prepared (greased and floured)  baking dish –  9 x 13 baking pan, or 2 layer cake rounds.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes – check to make sure it is well set before removing from oven.

When I want to fancy this up and make a special occasion cake, I like to use a vanilla cream in between the layers, and also pipe it on top with fruit and a dusting of icing sugar. (Vanilla cream is featured on my Boston Cream Pie recipe) 

I was really fortunate to get this recipe from Gayle – our office works closely with hers, and as a treat, she dropped off this cake to us one day … we were all hooked!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Posted on by
Reply

This is THE ONLY peanut butter cookie recipe you will ever need – deliciously addictive!  My good friend Jean gave me this family recipe, from her Aunt Grace, and we have always called them “Jean’s Aunt Grace’s PB Cookies” … 

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter (or margarine)

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars until light, fluffy, creamy and smooth.  Add eggs, vanilla and beat until a little frothy.

In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together.  

Combine dry ingredients with butter sugar mixture and incorporate – you may have to work the last bit with your hands until the batter is smooth and holding together.

Form small balls and place on cookie sheet. (I like to use parchment paper) Press a fork (dipped in flour) both ways on the cookie to create a cross pattern.

Bake at 350 for 10-16 minutes.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

Posted on by
2

Warm desserts are perfect on cold nights, and warm chocolate oozing out of these cakes with a bit of vanilla ice cream are a real treat – add a few raspberries for a bit of tartness.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

4 ounces semi sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup butter

1 tbsp good red wine (I like Cab Sauv)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup icing sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

6 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp ground Saigon Cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 400

Butter 4 6 oz custard cups and place on baking sheet

Microwave chocolate and butter in bowl at 30 second intervals just until butter is melted and you are able to melt the chocolate into it smoothly.  Stir in wine, vanila, and icing sugar until smooth.  Stir in eggs and yolk.  Add flour and spices.  

Pour batter into custard cups.

Bake for 13 minutes (until sides are firm but they are soft in center).  Let stand 1 minute.  

Carefully loosen edges (with knife if necessary) and invert onto serving plate.  Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with fresh raspberries and a small bit of vanilla ice cream.

Roasted Squash Soup with Chipotle & Chorizo

Posted on by
Reply

It is squash season and soup is the best way to enjoy those cool fall nights.

Chipotle Chorizo Squash Soup
1 butternut squash

1 red onion

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 chorizo sausage

2 tsp chipotle chile in adobo sauce

cilantro, roughly chopped

green onion, sliced

 

Quarter a whole squash lengthwise, quarter the onion, & drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast at 375 until fork tender.

While the squash and onion are roasting, remove chorizo from casing, and crumble into soup pot.  Fry until sausage is crispy, and allow to drain on a paper towel. Drain any residual grease from pot, but do not clean.

In same soup pot heat up chicken or vegetable stock.  When squash and onions are fork tender take them out of the oven and remove skins and put the pulp into the pot.  Simmer until quite tender.

Using an immersion blender puree until smooth.  (Alternatively you could use a blender and blend in small batches, but always remember to leave room for the steam to escape out the lid or it will explode and you and your kitchen will be covered in hot, steamy soup …. NOT a good thing).  

Return to simmer, and taste – adjust for seasonings with salt, pepper and if you like it spicy, add a bit more chipotle.

Garnish with cilantro, green onion and crispy chorizo.

Serve as a starter course or a whole meal with fresh hot baking powder biscuits.

Use your imagination – all soup recipes are just a starting point.  Tonight’s version of this soup included some leftovers …. in this case I had some leftover stewed yellow heirloom tomatoes with squash (yum yum), and a little bit of chipotle chicken leftover, so they went into the pot before using the immersion blender.  

Avocado Salad Dressing

Posted on by
Reply

Ever slice open an avocado to use in a salad and think …. yuck … half of this is disgusting????  That happened to me this week when I really had a craving to add creamy avocado to my salad.  After fuming for a moment I decided to turn it into a dressing.  I know I always say to taste taste taste – but it is really important to do that with this dressing – you really want it to pack a punch of flavour into a mouthful.  By the time you dilute it with all your salad ingredients you still need to get all that avocado party going on.

Avocado Salad Dressing

In a mortar and pestle combine:

avocado (1/2?)

grainy dijon mustard (1 tsp)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp lime juice

Grind well until it is all creamy and bright – slowly drizzle in about 1/3 cup good quality olive oil and continue until it is all smooth.  (Yes, sure – you could do this in a blender, or a bullet, or just in a bowl)

Taste and adjust for seasonings.  If you like it a bit spicy, add a few chili flakes.  If you like garlic, add a garlic clove before you really start grinding it with the mortar and pestle.  You get the idea – add stuff you really like.  And – yes, that is a glass of wine in this photo – everything I make tastes better when I cook with wine!