Over the Kitchen Counter: Angie's Place for Cooking and Crafts

GCN's Carrot Cake Oatmeal

We have been riding every day and having a blast! After taking a break from both cycling (for the winter) and watching GCN videos (too hard to see them riding in such gorgeous locations while my bike was stuck on the ceiling!), I am so happy to be back to both.

This video below, hosted by new presenter Emma Pooley (who I love!), caught my eye. She is doing a series on 'oat' cuisine featuring nutritious oatmeal. I was excited to try this recipe for Carrot Cake Oatmeal. I made mine in the Instant Pot using steel cut Irish oats. I added the grated carrot, raisins, orange zest, and spices (cinnamon and ginger), plus a little dash of vanilla.

The oatmeal was great and I loved the hint of orange. You really couldn't taste the carrot but the spices were lovely. I didn't exactly melt away into a carrot cake feeling of bliss (gotta miss that cream cheese frosting!), but it was a wonderful way to shake up the daily oatmeal breakfast and both of us would definitely eat it again. (I've also added my video for How to Make Carrot Cake below...just in case you'd rather eat your carrots for dessert than breakfast! It is such a delicious cake!!!!)

We always enjoy coming home to a hearty breakfast after an early morning, longer ride. The stomach is always growling and ready for some nutrition and it tastes even better outside on the deck. I'm pleased with how quickly we have got back into cycling and both of us feel much stronger than our first summer last year. Ride on!

Martha Stewart's Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna

I usually make a meat sauce-based lasagna but I didn't have any ground beef on hand and I DID have everything I needed to make a gorgeous vegetarian spinach one. I found THIS RECIPE from Martha Steward for Spinach Lasagna and it was amazing. It was not difficult to assemble and I was also happy it didn't call for ricotta cheese or cottage cheese since neither was in my fridge at the time.

Once you have steamed the spinach and prepared a simple bechamel sauce it is really quick to add the layers to a casserole dish. I made the process even faster by using some pre-grated cheese left over from the CREAMY 4-Cheese Garlic Spaghetti I'd made (another fantastic and simple recipe, by the way! Highly recommend!).

The lasagna smells incredible while it bakes and tasted absolutely fabulous. I was quite surprised by the lack of garlic in this recipe but it was actually a nice change. You could certainly add it into the sauce if you preferred, as well as substitute other vegetables for the sautéed zucchini. Broccoli or asparagus would both be good substitutes in our house.

I will definitely be making this vegetarian version of Spinach Lasagna and I'm looking forward to the leftovers tonight!

Royal Wedding Celebration!

I am very excited for the Royal Wedding on Saturday and will definitely be up early to watch. Even hubby is on board knowing I will be serving English Cream Scones at 6:00 a.m. There is nothing like enjoying these tender biscuits with clotted cream or Devonshire Double cream and a wonderful jam. I made a special trip to the British foods store to gather all I needed for the day and it took all my willpower to talk myself out of getting the souvenir Meghan and Harry gold-rimmed plate.

There is a bit of the Christmas fruitcake I made last winter to serve as a wedding cake stand-in (since I don't have time to make a Lemon Cake this week) and I plan on Cornish Pasties with potato, onion, and swede/rutabaga (you can find the recipe I used IN THIS POST) for dinner.

With all the media coverage on t.v. I had to pull out my scrapbook from our trip to England in 2016 to find my photos of Windsor (see them HERE) and re-live that amazing tour of the castle. It made me yearn to return and we so enjoyed the town of Windsor it is hard to see everyone standing where we stood, celebrating without us. Well, it looks like it will be a beautiful day and I cannot wait to see the bride and groom.

You can watch me make scones in my video below...an excellent treat to serve with tea!

Frittatas

I happened to catch an episode of Martha Stewart's 'cooking lessons' show and it was featuring egg recipes. The first was for a simple fried egg on toast and I thought it looked very appetizing! Next was a potato and onion frittata and that looked even better! As I had a leftover boiled potato in the fridge it would be ideal for my lunch. I remembered how much I like Martha and back in the day, I learned so much from her. Even though she has had her issues and some people do not enjoy her as much as I, it is still with such appreciation and fondness that I always will stop and watch, listen, and yes, continue to learn from Ms. Martha!

So...here is my frittata! I have made them in the past but usually I baked the dish in the oven for 'x' minutes. Martha suggests cooking and setting the eggs (and flavourful fillings) on a low heat on the stovetop and then finishing under the broiler for only a minute or two. The frittata should then turn a light golden brown and actually puff up with the direct heat. Mine did just that!

The addition of cheese (I used feta) and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan before going into the pre-heated broiler was a wonderful touch and the frittata was perfect. I love how Martha will never shy from sharing very simple and basic recipes and methods with her viewers/readers. The love of amazing dishes starts with the appreciation of fresh, quality ingredients. They don't have to be prepared in a fancy way to be absolutely incredible.

Here is a link for the video from the Martha Stewart website on the formula for foolproof frittatas. Worth a watch if you want to brush up on your skills and make a delicious and quick breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner...

https://www.marthastewart.com/1129210/formula-foolproof-frittatas

Tasty Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges

I wanted to serve something different (besides the old stand-by of chips or fries) with the slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches I'd made so I searched for some recipes on-line. I came up with these Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges from Tasty. The recipe was easy, quick, and I had a new bag of russet potatoes in the pantry. They sounded really flavourful too and I thought they'd be a hit with the family.

Once the potatoes are cut into wedges and tossed with olive oil, a spice mixture of garlic, paprika, and Italian seasoning is combined with freshly grated Parmesan to coat the spuds. The wedges are baked in tidy rows, skin side down, so there is no tending or flipping throughout the 40 minute cooking time. Very simple!

The Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges were a lovely change from the ordinary and everyone ate them up. They were golden and tender, not too spicy, and excellent dipped in ketchup. I will certainly be making these again soon. You can get the recipe HERE.

3 Ingredient Banana Pancakes

Bananas are zero points on the Weight Watchers program. This is a very good thing for me since I love them and they are quite filling. Our family eats a lot of bananas anyway so the fruit bowl is always full! They never go to waste because when they get too brown to eat, a batch of scrumptious muffins or a couple loaves of banana bread are only minutes away. In the rare instance we have some 'in between' bunches, neither too green nor too ripe, I will freeze a couple for Yonanas, incredible Chocolate Dipped Frozen bananas, or use them fresh for quick and easy 3 Ingredient Banana Pancakes.

The pancakes are simply made with banana, eggs, and baking powder with a dash of cinnamon if desired. They are fried up in a greased pan and topped with syrup as usual. They are sweet and rich with a caramelized banana flavour - a low-point alternative to a regular pancake breakfast. Very fast and easy to make, I love having these on a weekend morning but they can also work on a busy weekday too.

You can find one version of the popular recipe HERE. Next grocery trip make sure to stock up on a good sized bunch of bananas...

Le Creuset Casserole Dish

I have wanted a Le Creuset Enamel Cast Iron Dutch oven forever but the price is extraordinary. My kids sweetly knew my admiration for the company and surprised me with this beautiful, grey ombré, genuine Le Creuset casserole dish for my birthday. It is gorgeous! I'm not sure of the exact size of it but it's roughly a 9x13 ceramic dish about 3" deep.

The included lid is something I've never had with my everyday bakeware and will be so useful, I'm sure. The casserole dish is heavy and the finish is stunning. It is the perfect size and unlike any others I have in the kitchen so it's very handy. I have a dedicated lower shelf just for my new Le Creuset so it doesn't get chipped or broken and it's also kind of heavy to pull off of a higher shelf so a low one is much better.

Macaroni & Cheese

So far I've made my macaroni and cheese in it and last night did scalloped potatoes. It was fabulous for both of those dishes and just the exact size for my recipes. Clean up was so easy (I am sure it could go in the dishwasher but I'm babying it and hand washing. I don't want to risk cracking the glaze or chipping the dish or lid).

Scalloped Potatoes

I can't wait to make a scrumptious casserole or roast something requiring the lid. It may not be cast iron but this Le Creuset set is simply lovely and very versatile.

You can watch my macaroni and cheese video below - (always a hit at our house)...and you can find my favourite-potato-recipe-ever for Scalloped Potatoes, HERE. Have a great day!

Weight Watchers Microwave Egg Cooker

Eggs are now zero point foods on the new Weight Watchers Freestyle plan. Eggs are so versatile and I try to keep a bowl of hard boiled ones (made so easily in the Instant Pot!) in the fridge for those hungry snack times. I usually only have eggs for breakfast once a week, if that, on the weekends but I still picked up this plastic microwave egg cooker from Weight Watchers. Members seem to really like it and even though I can whip up an omelet in minutes in a sauté pan or poach an egg just as easily, I love a good gadget!

The cooker is only $6 and has a removable insert for poaching two eggs, and then the two-sided compartment for making omelets. I followed the directions exactly with regards to cooking time in the microwave and even though my appliance has a lower wattage, it worked out pretty well prepared as directed. I made an omelet first by beating an egg for each side and partially pre-cooking. You can add veggies and cheese at this point but I chose to sauté my onion, mushrooms and peppers first to soften them and flavour with a bit of olive oil.

The filling is added to one side of the cooker and then the lid is carefully closed (allowing the other half of the omelet to fold over) and cooked for another 15 seconds to melt the cheese. The omelet was very good and only 'cost' me a couple points since I used just a half teaspoon of oil and a sprinkle of feta cheese. Yum!

The poaching insert worked even better and was very easy to use. My eggs were a little over done for my preference so I will cook them less next time. I love how perfectly round the eggs are and they are ideal to top an English muffin. The cooker washes up effortlessly (I washed it by hand but it is also top-rack dishwasher safe) and I store mine on top of the microwave. I think this is a great little kitchen addition for those times when you want a quick snack or meal for one without getting the pans out or turning on the stove. It's a good investment of my $6 bucks!

Pickled Red Onions

I grew up eating traditional British pickled onions made with malt vinegar (my mouth is watering just typing that!), although I've never bottled them myself at home. Recently my daughter has become entranced with the thinly sliced red onions often served at restaurants as a garnish. She found a recipe to make them at home after I gave her a mandoline slicer for Christmas and insisted I try them.

It's actually very simple to pickle your own vegetables and in this recipe the brine is just vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic and spices. Using a mandoline allows you to get paper thin slices of onion and the process also goes much faster. I used about 2 onions to fill my 500ml Mason jar and that yields plenty of pickles. I find the white vinegar very strong so a small amount of onion goes a long way on a sandwich, topping a salad, or even straight off a fork. The pink colour is so pretty and the jar will keep in the fridge for a few weeks.

If you'd like to give making quick pickles a try you can find the recipe we used HERE.  This is just a starting point and you can switch up the taste by trying different spices and seasonings. I might prepare the next batch using malt vinegar or perhaps, even try making those British whole onions I remember!

Blueberry-Raspberry Overnight Oats

The first time I tried overnight oats I wasn't blown away. I am used to hot, creamy oatmeal in the morning so I found the cold, gloppy mixture of these raw oats a little strange. The method of layering large flake oatmeal with various ingredients in a container (typically a mason jar) and letting it sit overnight in the fridge, has really taken off! I do love the convenience of having my oats ready to go first thing in the morning and when I had a super early train to catch, I decided to give Overnight Oats another shot.

The beauty of this technique is that there is no right or wrong way to make the oats. Start with a basic base of oats and a liquid (usually the recipes call for equal ratio, say, 1/2 cup of oats and 1/2 cup of milk) and then add in what you like. Frozen fruit is ideal because as it thaws overnight the juice flavours the cereal below but any fresh fruit is nice too. I've used blueberries, peaches, fresh apples, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, and cherries. You can add Greek yogurt, honey or maple syrup, nuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax meal, coconut, and even chocolate powder or peanut butter. The combinations are endless and I'm having fun trying all sorts of flavours.

My latest favourite is blueberry-raspberry layered with shredded unsweetened coconut, bananas, yogurt and honey. In the morning I tip out the contents of my 500 ml mason jar into a bowl and top with Hemp seeds and chopped nuts. With all the add-ins the amount is usually too much for me so I easily divide the contents of the jar in two portions and have the other half for a snack later or the next day for breakfast.

I got most of my inspiration from the Quaker Oats website HERE and there are instructions for making the oats as well as many, many recipes. Of course I change them up and customize as I try new variations and I've since reduced the ratio of oats to milk (I use vanilla almond beverage) to 1/3 of a cup and that's the perfect amount for me. I would suggest giving Overnight Oats a try (or even a second try like I did if you weren't loving them the first go 'round). I eat them about once a week, and alternate between hot oatmeal (creamy old-fashioned one day, textured steel-cut the next) and regular cold cereal the other days. It's fun and tasty to experiment with tastes and textures and lovely to have breakfast waiting for me when I finish my cup of coffee.