Avocado Bar, Great Summer take on Baked Potato Bar

Saw this idea today on thekitchn.com.  I can't wait to try this out and to share with my mother-in-law in Chile.  Just remember to serve each topping on its own plate and with own serving utensil.  And it's always a good idea to let allergic individual help themselves first to avoid possible cross contamination. And when it comes to prepping the ingredients, keep cross contamination in mind if you have an allergic guest or family member.  


http://www.thekitchn.com/backyard-party-idea-an-avocado-bar-174480

Rice pudding (arroz con leche): No Egg In Mine

Arroz con leche/rice pudding could be my all time favorite treat, maybe even more so than ice cream. This rice pudding recipe contains no egg.   It is creamy and comforting and easy to make in the Thermomix.   The Thermomix requires so little effort that you will hug your machine with each delicious bite.  This is a great go-to treat for any time of day.  I even like it for breakfast, especially during pregnancy; filling and not too sweet.  Top with ground cinnamon or add cinnamon sticks, lemon/orange rind to milk as it cooks.  

I froze two rocket pops with the rice pudding, let's see how they come out:

Recipe on Thermomix App under "Desserts and Sweets".  Great step by step instructions and pop-up ingredient list

What you need:
1000 g milk
50 g sugar
1 pinch salt
220 g white short-grain rice (I use Whole Foods Arborio)

What to do:
Place, mik, sugar and salt into mixing bowl, heat 8 min/100 degrees C/speed 1 without inserted measuring cup.

Add rice, cook 30 min/90 degrees C/reverse/speed 1 without inserted measuring cup.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

When in Toronto, please enjoy Monforte cheeses; I miss them terribly!

wrapped like a present

I was just thinking about all the yummy things I miss eating in Toronto.  And funny that I stumbled across Monteforte Dairy on the kitchn.com today.  Oh, what I'd do to get some of their pescorino fresco.  It happens to be my son's favorite cheese spread on bread and one of our summer go-to cheeses.  I often would pick up a variety of their cheeses twice a week at St. Lawrence Market, Brickworks, and the Metro Hall Farmer's Market on Thursday mornings.  My son knew the names of the friendly people behind the cheeses and loved strolling to get it.  Check out a good description with photos here: http://www.thekitchn.com/in-canada-try-monforte-dairy-cheeses-the-cheesemonger-174298

drizzled with local buckwheat honey!

Allergy-Friendly Entertaining Ideas

So great to come across allergy-conscious articles on entertaining with food.  It is great to feel included, no?  It is great to a have a host make sure an allergic person, especially child, feels included and safe.
Check out these ideas for baby showers:
http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2012/07/12/allergy-free-recipes-for-your-baby-shower/
They bring up a good idea for avoiding cross-contamination:  put out items on separate tapas-style plates with separate serving utensils for each one.  No bananas mixing with the strawberries, thanks!

How funny, and later in the day I stumbled upon this question: How far should a guest go to accommodate?  Some good comments to read on this subject. 

 http://www.thekitchn.com/restrictive-diets-burden-of-the-guest-or-host-the-new-york-times-174088

I struggle with how much to hope for as a guest, especially with an allergic child.  I just feel that it comes down to basic empathy and wanted to include vs. exclude.  

And check out: 
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dealing-with-food-allergies-as-a-host-180304

Strawberry Icebox Cake

Fast-Forward to whipped cream with
stiff peaks!

Icebox cakes are perfect for this time of year. I'm sure I'll feel that way about no-bake cakes for most of the year here in hot Houston.  All you have to do is make an assembly line and build your cake.  Just don't over whip the cream like I did this time and create butter-like whipped cream!  That's what happens when you multitask and walk away from your cream. I blamed it on the cream being different in Houston than in Toronto and that the freshness of the cream affects the whipping time.  The only truth is that I do prefer the fresh cream in glass bottles with less shelf life and will miss making butter with it.  I made this cake for Father's Day when organic strawberries were on sale.  I think that I will make a version of this cake next year for either Canada Day or the Fourth of July and use berries to resemble the flag.  I also like the idea of making these icebox cakes for cookouts.  The graham crackers soak up the moisture and takes on a spongy cake-like consistency.  Best part is that no eggs needed here!!!! Feel free to drizzle yours with chocolate sauce.  I'll make it next time right before serving using the ganache recipe in the Thermomix Everday Cooking For Every Family.  The original recipe is from The Kitchn: http://www.thekitchn.com/summer-recipe-nobake-strawberr-117900


What you need:
2 pounds of fresh strawberries: washed, hulled and sliced.  (keep a few intact for decoration)
3 1/4 cups whipping cream, divided
1/3 cup confectioner sugar (made in an instant with Thermomix with Wholesome Sweeterners regular sugar)
4 sleeves of graham crackers (I use Whole Foods 365 brand.  Allergy warning states: "produced in a  facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs and soy".  My toddler's allergist gave the go-ahead for such warning for my toddler at this moment in time)
1 teaspoon of vanilla


What to do:

Take out a few of the best-looking strawberries and set them aside for the garnish. Hull the remainder of the strawberries and slice each berry into thin slices.

With a hand mixer, Thermomix or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip 3 cups of cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla, and rosewater(if using) and whip to combine.

Spread a small spoonful of whipped cream on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan, or a similarly-sized platter. Lay down six graham crackers. Lightly cover the top of the graham crackers with more whipped cream, and then a single layer of strawberries. Repeat three times, until you have four layers of graham crackers. Spread the last of the whipped cream over the top and swirl it lightly with a spoon. Add a few more strawberries.

To make the ganache, heat the cream until bubbles form around the edges, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for a few minutes, then whisk until the mixture is thick and glossy. Drizzle this over the layered dessert with a spoon, or transfer to a squeeze bottle and use that to drizzle.  Or use your Thermomix and just add ingredients and press buttons!

Refrigerate for at least four hours, or until the crackers have softened completely. Garnish with additional berries.


For more no-bake dessert recipes:
http://www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com/desserts-2/seriously-easy-fresh-strawberry-pie-no-bake/


Recetas en español-----Para MásTortas Frías:
Torta Fría con Galletas María: http://www.centrodepostresroyal.com/recetas/torta-fria-con-galleta-maria/

Easy Treat To Celebrate Canada Day

So easy to do with a maple leaf cookie cutter. I got mine at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto right before we moved to Texas.  Oh, how I miss Saturday mornings there!






A nice Canada Day, Sunday morning breakfast, eggless waffles with vanilla strawberry compote and Canadian maple syrup, well sort-of but not quite the syrup I would buy at the markets in Toronto.

For waffle recipe, click on "breakfast"
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