::Banana Cream Yogourt::

THIS RECIPE IS ONE FROM MY CHILDHOOD. MY FIRST TASTE WAS AT THE GANZ FARMHOUSE. I LOVED IT THEN. I LOVE IT NOW. IT'S FRESH AND DELICIOUS. IT'S ALSO LIGHT AND RELATIVELY HEALTHY.

Instructions:
1 (750g) tub of plain yogourt. (2% or higher)
8 Tbs sugar
8 Tbs oats
Juice from 1 and a half oranges
Juice from half a lemon
2 mashed bananas
2 diced bananas
1 1/2 cups whipped cream

Instructions:
1. Mix sugar and oats into the yogourt. Set for 1 hour, so the oats can soften.
2. Add remaining ingredients and serve.

NOTES: Top with fresh berries if you want.

Crunchy Delicious Macaroni & Cheese

INGREDIENT INTENSIVE, BUT WORTH IT. THE YUMMIEST MACARONI AND CHEESE I HAVE EVER HAD. I LOVE THAT THE PASTA DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PRE-COOKED. NEXT TIME CHEESE GOES ON SALE I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE SPLURGE.
{Picture and Recipe via SmittenKitchen}

Ingredients:
{for a 9x13}

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  
• 2 cups whole milk cottage cheese
• 4 cups milk (not skim)
• 2 teaspoon dry mustard
• Pinch cayenne
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large block (540g) of sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 pound (450g) elbow pasta or rotini, uncooked.
• 1 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 cup extra grated cheese
• 2 T melted butter
  

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 2 tablespoon butter to butter a 9x13 baking pan.

2. In a blender, puree cottage cheese. When consistency is extremely smooth, add milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. In a large bowl, combine grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.

3. Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with extra cheese and breadcrumbs, held together with 2 T melted butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

NOTE: I also added: 3 strips of chopped bacon & half an onion sauteed, plus 1 cup parmesan. And DO serve this with a BIG GREEN SALAD. You will feel less guilty about the fat content of this stuff.

Brie & Puffed Pastry

BRIE IS GOOD.
BRIE WRAPPED IN PUFF PASTRY IS BETTER.

Ingredients:
Package of Puff Pastry, thawed
1 egg
1 T water
1/2 cup apricot jam, or seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup pecans
Brie, small round

1. Roll out your puff pastry.
2. Mix egg and water and brush over the pastry. Spread jam over the pastry aswell.
3. Place cheese in the center of the pastry. Top with nuts.
4. Fold pastry up over the cheese in pleats. Close the seam as best you can. Brush all with egg mixture.
5. Place in an ovensafe dish and bake for 20 minutes in a 4oo degree oven.

Serve with baguette rounds or crackers.

Big Red Pizza

Mmmm. For a friend's belated birthday celebration, we decided to throw a pizza party- adult style. We four couples decided to top one pizza each with our favourite things. If Aidan had his way our pizza would be absolutely heaving with meats of all kinds. Ugh. But since I was the one doing the baking. . . Here's what I chose to create, and I HIGHLY recommend it:

The "Big Red" Pizza
Food & Drink Magazine

Crust:
I make my Dad's perfect pizza crust. It's all about beer and basil. Once you've found the perfect crust, you never go back.

Cheese Topping:
12 oz mozzarella
12 0z Provolone
4 oz Romano
4 oz Parmesan

Pesto Sauce:
[to be blended in food processor]
3-4 Roasted Red Peppers
1 Garlic clove
2 T Olive oil
1/2 t Balsamic vinegar
1 cup of the cheese mixture above
1/4 cup Fresh Basil or Parsley

Topping the Pizza:
Roll out the crust
Cover with Pesto Sauce
Sprinkle with cooked shrimp and finely sliced red onion
Top with more of the cheese mixture

I can't tell you how good this was. A very grown up pizza.

Hot Spinach Dip

Rich and Cheesy
[Via Alanna-Thanks!]

1 pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup parmesian
1/4 cup Romano
1 clove garlic
1/2t basil
salt+pepper
1 pkg thawed spinach

1.Place all in an ovenproof dish, topped with mozzarella
2.Heat for 25 minutes at 350 degrees

Custard Tarts

SO SIMPLE, BUT TRULY AMAZING. THESE TARTS CAN BE MADE VERY SMALL AND STILL SATISFY BECAUSE OF THEIR RICHNESS.

12 frozen 3-inch tart shells
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake shells for 8 minutes.

Mix all ingredients and add to cooked tart shells. Cook filled tarts for 20 minutes. The filling will be set on the sides but loose in the middle.

Place tarts in the fridge for 1 hour to a day.

Topping ideas:
Any favourite will do, but we used thinly sliced apples coated lightly in sugar and cinnamon. We topped each tart and then broiled them until the apples were soft and golden.

Baked Pasta and Ricotta Casserole

Here is another casserole recipe that I have made lots of times and everyone loves it. (except Josh, who doesn't like ricotta cheese! ) This one also freezes well - so double the recipe and put one in the freezer for another time, or to give away. This recipe comes from a Milk Calendar recipe book that my mom gave me.

8 oz pasta (eg. penne, ziti, rotini, etc.)
** Cook Pasta. Rinse with cold water. Drain well. Reserve.

1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cayenne
** Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic and onion and cook 3-4 min.
Add flour and cook 3 min. stirring often.
Add milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cook gently 5 min.

** Combine:
pasta
sauce
8 oz ricotta
2 cups grated mozzarella
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

**Pour into a 13x9 inch baking dish.
Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 25-30 min. until bubbling and brown

Baked Eggs

This is a crustless quiche. Really good, again may be prepared ahead and frozen. Everyone loves this recipe. It's nice for a ladies lunch or a pot luck buffet.

6 Bread Slices, cubed
2 cups Cheddar, grated
1 cup Ham, cooked and cubed (can be left over roast ham, or deli ham or cooked bacon)
1/4 cup Green Pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
6 Eggs
3 cups Milk


Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl. In separate bowl beat eggs and milk together.
Pour bread mixture in a 9 x 13 pan evenly. Pour milk and egg mixture over top.
Cover will foil and freeze or bake immediately. To prepare frozen dish for serving, thaw first.

Bake 375 for 45 minutes, uncovered.