Mushroom Eggs.....an easy breakfast treat

Hope everyone is having a great day today! This morning I treated my husband to one of his favorite breakfasts, Mushroom Eggs.  When I married my husband 34 years ago I inherited two wonderful Sister in laws and from each one I have received some great ideas for meals. I first tasted something like this at my Sister in law Marilyn's home and ever since it has been one of our breakfast staples.  So easy to put together, very tasty and filling.  This is a perfect dish to make on those Holiday mornings such as Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving when the house is full of family or friends and you need to put breakfast on the table and  visit with your family and friends too!  This can be made the night before, or the morning of and while it bakes in the oven you can enjoy your first cup of coffee and a visit, while your breakfast bakes.  All that is needed to complete this meal is a nice soft bun or a
piece of multi-grain toast, a plate of fruit or a fruit salad.

MUSHROOM EGGS

So good, so filling, so easy!

 The ingredients you will need.

Spray muffin tins with oil and add the bread crumbs (add herbs if you like)

 (I make my own breadcrumbs with leftover crusts that I toast and store in a glass jar)

Add a slice of cheese (your choice)

Break an egg onto the cheese.

In a small bowl empty the can of mushroom soup and whisk in the milk.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the soup mixture onto each egg.

The Mushroom Eggs baked and ready for toast.

Spoon the eggs out onto the toast, make sure you get all the sauce too.

Mmmm.....so good, nice and hot, a perfect breakfast treat any day of the week.

 A bowl of fruit salad is all you need to finish off a perfect morning meal.  Any leftovers are wonderful as leftovers when reheated the next day.  

MUSHROOM EGGS RECIPE

Eggs, (2-3 eggs per person)

1 can mushroom soup (condensed)

1/4 - 1/3 cup milk (per can of soup)

bread crumbs

cheese

Toast, buns or bread of your choice.

Spray or grease muffin tins with oil

Into each muffin tin add:

2 teaspoons bread crumbs

1 slice of cheese

1 egg

Top each egg with 1-2 Tablespoons of the soup mixture.

Put filled muffin tins onto a foil line tray (this helps keep the mess to minimal)

Place into a preheated 350 degree oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until eggs are set.

Serve over toast, on a bun or bread of your choice.

Cook the leftover mushroom soup/milk mixture and spoon over top of eggs and toast as a 'sauce'.

Enjoy!

'This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it's with us wherever we are.'

-Perma Chodron

Grilled Cheese ' with a Twist'



Grilled Cheese 'with a Twist'

In our home we love cheese, grilled, melted or just as a snack.  When I make a pot of homemade soup I like to make grilled cheese sandwiches to eat with it. My family likes a bit of 'heat/spice' in their foods by my palate can't handle too much heat so I make up these Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  I added Pickled Hot Mix, (this mix has just enough heat for my palate) which contains a variety of vegetables (cucumbers, cauliflower, hot banana peppers) that I found in the grocery store.
 This jar of Hot Mix is wonderful to have in the fridge to use for many dishes,
                                                such as a quiche or even into appetizers.
We always have a few different cheeses in the fridge and I like to mix a few of them together in this Grilled Cheese Sandwich mix.  I love to grill them up for lunch, to eat with a salad and even toast some up as 'Open Faced Sandwiches'. I sometimes add chopped canned mushrooms or finely chopped fresh mushrooms that I have sauteed for a few minutes, the additions are endless! This cheese mix will sit in the fridge for at least a week, but mine doesn't usually last that long!

 The ingredients you will need.



The Hot Pepper Mix, garlic and onion all chopped.

The cheeses have been grated.

Then mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper are mixed in and it's ready for the bread.

You can even stuff this into jumbo pasta shells for some interesting appetizers!



Here is my recipe:



Pam's Grilled Cheese Sandwich Mix Recipe

1 cup Hot Pickle Mix

1-2 cloves garlic

1/2 small onion

Put all the above ingredients into a food processor and process until finely chopped,
 but don't over process, you want to taste the bits of Hot Pickles.
In a large bowl:
 Grate 2-3 cups of cheese (your choice of cheese),

I usually use Cheddar, Mozzarella and Asiago cheeses.

To the shredded cheeses add:

4 tablespoons light Mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Salt, pepper to taste

Add the chopped Hot Pepper Mix and combine until everything is evenly mixed.

Spread onto some nice hearty bread and either toast open faced or top with another piece of bread and grill.   I also love to use this as an appetizer by spreading some of the cheese mixture onto a loaf of French Bread which I have sliced in half. Spread both halves of the French Bread with the cheese Mixture and place onto a cookie sheet and then into a preheated 350-375 oven for about 10 minutes then on broil for 5 minutes until top is bubbling.

'Treasure this day. No matter what is going on, look for the gifts and blessings in everything you are facing.  It might be challenging if the day is not going well, but still they are there.  Once you find them, things will shift for the better.'

Fruit Pyroshki - Fruit Tarts

A friend sent me a message via Facebook yesterday telling me that she was looking for the recipe for the Pyroshki that belongs to the photo I have posted here on my blog.  This spurred me on to do some baking on this rainy and windy Saturday.  Thank you for the 'reminder' Natalie, I enjoyed my baking day and the house smells amazing.  This recipe is one that my Mother passed down to me, My parents baked these in their Vegetarian Restaurant (Doukhobor Village Restaurant) that was beside the Doukhobor Village Museum - the museum now known as Doukhobor Discovery Centre, it is located just outside of  Casltegar, BC.  Sadly my parents had to close the restaurant due their health.  I have fond memories of  these Fruit Pyroshki that my Mom made when I was growing up and when there was an abundance of fruit from their orchard in the Summer and also in the Winter when this fruit was processed and frozen for later use.

Today in my recipe I am using fresh strawberries and apples, the sour cherries are from my freezer as are the blackberries, which came from the blackberry bush that is growing in my back yard.

I don't have an orchard like my parents had, but in the last few years I have planted an apple, pear, fig, plum and sour cherry tree and have strawberries and raspberry plants too.
 My parents taught me that if you grow your own fruit (and vegetables)
 you can be self sufficient and be able to provide your family with nutritious food.  For this I am very thankful.  'Spaseebo' Mom and Dad'

We enjoy the fruits during their growing season in the summer time and I also freeze quite a bit to have throughout the winter - just like Mom did!  Enjoy this recipe.

Fruit Pyroshki

The ingredients you will need for the Pyroshki dough.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and cut in your butter and shortening.

 Mother used Margarine but I have changed to butter and why shortening too - because Mom says so!

 This shows the butter has been cut into the flour and it's the size of a pea.  Perfect!



The mixed wet ingredients are incorporated into the dry.

The dough should look like this, a bit rough but you don't want to over mix.

It will all come together once you start rolling it out.

Put dough out onto a floured counter and roll it out to approximately 1/4 inch thick.

Re roll any pieces and cut again.

Cut with a large size cutter (as you can see I favour a large glass) to fit into a muffin tin.

If using fresh fruit, wash and cut into smaller pieces.

Add sugar and cornstarch, mix and it's ready to fill the pastry shells.

Peel and great the apples.



Ingredients for the apple cinnamon filling.

  

Such beautiful and delicious plate of 'Summer'.....enjoy with some whipped cream or ice cream.

In my house they don't last too long and are eaten 'as is'.

These freeze very nicely too!

FRUIT PYROSHKI RECIPE

 Recipe will make 2-3 dozen Pyroshki - can be halved.

5 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups butter

2 Tablespoon vegetable shortening

4 large eggs

1 cup milk, (I use 1% but any milk will do)

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter and shortening.

In a small bowl whisk eggs and milk together and add to the dry ingredients.

With a spoon or spatula mix the dry and wet ingredients until combined, then place onto a well floured counter and roll out to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into circles and place into a muffin tin, stretching the dough gently until it is level with the rim of the muffin tin.

Set aside and prepare the fruit fillings.

Fill the pastry lined muffin tins 3/4 full and bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. (until pastry browns nicely)

Remove from muffins tins and let cool on a rack.  Enjoy.

FRUIT FILLING;

Apple -  2-3 apples, grated, mix with  1 Tablespoon cinnamon and 3 Tablespoons sugar.

Strawberry - 2 cups fresh strawberries, wash and dice, sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons sugar and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, combine.

Blackberry - 2 cups blackberries, 3 Tablespoons sugar, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, combine.

Sour Cherry - 2 cups sour cherries, 3 Tablespoons sugar, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, combine.

Any fruits of your choice can be used, fresh or frozen, the method is the same.  I don't like to add too much sugar to my fruits if they are very sweet themselves - it's your choice.

'Your life is a message to the world, make sure it's inspiring.' 



LAPSHA (Egg Noodles) made with love

Happy International Women's Day to all the women out there.  This is a post that I thought would be appropriate for today as it requires strength, determination and Women working together and teaching the next generation of Beautiful Women.

Making Lapsha is a day long affair and if you are lucky you will have family around to come over and help you.  I have so many good memories of making Lapsha, I can still hear the laughter, feel the heat of the stove and ovens and feel the workout that my muscles got from turning the handle of the pasta maker. (yes it was all done by hand with a 'manual pasta machine') a great upper body workout that is for sure!  I remember my Grandmother Polly, my Mother Vera and my sisters Wendy and Holly being a big part of making enough Lapsha to last for months (my brother Lawrence always seemed to be busy on these days) hmmm.  Mom first mixed up the dough with flour, fresh eggs from our chickens and butter from our cows and unbleached flour from the Doukhobor Flour Mill in Grand Forks, BC.   When we were young girls my Mom and Grandmother mixed the dough and cut it into pieces then one of my sisters was nominated to press each piece into flour and pass it to my other sister who would roll it through the pasta machine on the required 'first' setting.  She would then pass the pieces of dough to myself who would then press it into flour once again (this prevent the flour from sticking to the rollers/cutters of the pasta machine). (My sisters and I would change 'Lapsha' jobs' during the day long process so we did not get too tired during each step, this also taught us each step along the way).  Once the pieces were all 'floured' we moved on to the first setting (1) on the pasta rolling machine.  Once all the dough was put this this we moved onto 'second' setting (3) on the machine, which rolled the pasta a bit thinner and finally onto the 'third' step (the last point on the machine) of very thin sheets of pasta which we would hang on pieces of wood or wooden chairs covered in tea towels.  These sheets would then be taken by my Mother and she would 'cook' them on the surface of our wood stove until bubbles formed on one side and then they are turned and cooked until this side starts to bubble.  Then these are taken off the cooking surface and placed onto clean tea towels and covered until there is enough 'cooked' pasta sheets to begin the next step - this step is critical, the cooked sheets cannot cool down or they will be difficult to cut on the cutters of the pasta machine.  So while they are still warm from the stove top they are put into the pasta machine and cut and laid out onto baking sheets.  The final step is to bake these cut pasta sheets until they start to brown. This is where my Grandmother sat on a wooden chair near the oven watching so the pasta did not over bake.  I can still see her sitting on the chair in her homemade apron with a kerchief on her hair watching the cut noodles (and making sure we were all doing our jobs, nothing went passed her 'experienced eye'.  They are then taken out of the oven and left to cool and then finally put into bags for storage.  This all happens like a 'graceful dance' each step flows into another and before we know it - it's time for a break and lunch!  There is nothing like eating a piece of freshly baked pasta 'sheets' straight from the stove top and then dipped into melted butter................oh my mouth is watering as I write this.  So good.  After a break and lunch it was time to get back to the pasta dough and continue this process until it was all baked, cut and toasted.  Of course there was more sampling to be done and homemade jam was added to the freshly baked pasta sheets and then rolled up like a 'cigar' and quickly devoured and onto another.  It was always a full day, a lot of standing and walking and turning the handle of the pasta machine; but so worth the effort.  What a great way to spend time with Mother and Grandmother - we sang while we worked, we reminisced about the memories from previous days/months/years and we planned.
  We live away from immediate family and have for many years but when we crave  Lapsha I make up a batch all by myself but also 'with my Grandmother and Mother' by my side directing from her home if only in spirit.  Grandmother passed away many years ago but Mom is always there when I have a question about cooking and for that I am so very thankful,  she taught us so much.

Making Lapsha is a lot of work but you will be set for months, it makes a perfect meal if you are short on time and fills your stomach with such warmth and goodness.
I hope you try make a batch with family or friends.

Lapsha ready for any meal you choose. A labor of love.

The Lapsha dough has rested for about 20 minutes and is now ready to work with.

My 'work station' with the dough, flour, the pasta machine along
with a griddle for 'toasting' the pasta sheets and cookie sheets for the cut pasta
sheets that will go straight into the oven.

 

 All the Lapsha dough is cut, floured and now ready for the second setting
on the pasta machine.

Here is the Lapsha dough all set to be rolled on the second setting. 

Lapsha dough is now ready to be put through the third and final

rolling which will make it into the thin sheets of Lapsha ready for cutting.

Here you can see the Lapsha 'sheet'  it is ready to be placed on
a hot griddle (pancake griddle works well set at 350 degrees).
Wait until you see bubbles forming in the dough then flip and watch for
more bubbles to form. You can then take it and put it through the
cutters on the pasta machine or collect a few by placing the sheets into a clean
towel to keep warm.

The Lapsha (pasta dough) fresh off the griddle and into the cutters.
Spread the 'unbaked' pasta noodles thinly on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 until slightly browned (5-8 minutes)

Lapsha nicely browned and smelling so good!

Here is some Lapsha that I cut into 'fettucini size' pieces.

The usually setting for the cutters is 'spaghetti sized'.

Finished Lapsha noodles ready to be put away for storage.

It feels so good to see all the work and effort sitting on the counter,

and knowing that this is the start to so many meals for my family.

 

Lapsha (Egg Noodles) stored in bags that I will keep
in a cool dry place.  You can also store it in jars too!


LAPSHA (EGG NOODLE) RECIPE

12 whole eggs, beaten
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon salt
 1/2 cup butter, melted
10 cups flour, approximate

In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, water, salt and melted butter.
Whisk until well combined.  Add flour a few cups at a time.
You can also knead in the flour until the dough is smooth - about 10 or 15 minutes.
  Set aside and let rest for about 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, flour your counter and set aside some flour in a bowl.
Cut the dough into large 'golf ball' sized pieces and set aside.
Take each cut piece (both sides) and press firmly into a pile of flour, set aside.
Continue until all your dough is floured.
Repeat this step from step one through two on the pasta rollers.
Once all dough has been floured and rolled through the second setting on the pasta roller,
keep floured dough pieces covered with a tea towel so they do not dry up.
Set your pasta roller to the last mark/setting and continue to roll each piece into
thin sheets, you can stop after 4-5 sheets to start baking,
Set your griddle to 350 and bake each sheet until bubbles form then flip and do the same with
the other side.  DO NOT OVER BAKE as this will make it very difficult to cut.
 It's better to under bake the sheet of pasta dough as it will slide much easier through the cutters.
Working very quickly with the 'bubbled' sheets on the griddle, take each sheet and put
it through the cutters on the pasta machine. Place a cookie sheet under the cutters to collect the
cut pasta.  Once you have a thin layer of cut pasta, place into a 350 degree oven and bake for
5 - 10 minutes, until a light brown colour.  Remove from oven, let cool and store in a large container.
Lapsha is delicate so you do not want to overfill.
Once all your dough pieces are rolled, baked, cut and out of the oven you can then store your Lapsha
in plastic bags or jars.  Keep the Lapsha in a cool dark place and it will store for many months.
Enjoy!

My family's favorite way to eat Lapsha is to boil a few cups of water
add a teaspoon of salt and several tablespoons of butter, bring to a boil then
drop several 'handfuls' of the Lapsha noodles into the boiling water. 
Simmer for approximately 5 minutes.  (it will thicken up the longer it sits)
 Spoon into a bowl and simply enjoy!

Leftovers from this can then be made into Lapshevnik (Noodle 'Cake') - see recipe below.
which can be served with my Vegetarian Chili.


LAPSHEVNIK - Noodle Cake Recipe

2 cups homemade Lapsha Noodles (cooked)
6 eggs, beaten
4 cups sweet cream
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, cream, salt, butter and baking powder.
Mix in the Lapsha Noodles, breaking up any clumps (for leftover Lapsha).
Pour into a 8 x 8 inch 'greased' pan and bake for 25 - 30 minutes until nicely browned
and the center is set.  Serve hot with melted butter.  This will feed 4-6 people very nicely.

*If using dry Lapsha Noodles, cook the noodles in salted water for 5 minutes, drain and
pour cold water over them to ensure they do not stick together.  Drain well again.
  If using leftover cooked Lapsha take out of the fridge about 15 minutes so they can warm up some, this will make it easier to separate them.
I have also substituted half and half for the cream.

My Grandmother and Mother also had a 'medicinal' recipe for when we got sick,
  I make it for my family when they are feeling 'under the weather'.

Lapsha 'Soup'
Bring one cup of water to a boil, add a pinch or two of salt, 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of butter.
Drop in 2-3 Tablespoons of finely diced potatoes and about 1/4 cup of Lapsha.
Simmer until potatoes are tender.  This sure works wonderfully if sick with the flu or cold
or if you don't have an appetite and need some nutrition.


'Your life is a message to the world.  Make sure it's inspiring.'

HEARTY VEGETARIAN CHILI....made easy...

It's now March and the weather is still so cool and wet, seems the perfect time for some comfort food.
Chili is another one our family's comfort foods -  so filling, warm and hearty.  This is what I chose to  cook up today along with some Whole Wheat San Fransisco Sourdough Bread.  This recipe for the Vegetarian Chili was passed along to me by my cousin Vera.  Many, many years ago she hosted a lunch at her place in Ootischenia and had a pot of this on the table.  I had asked her for the recipe and have been making it for the last 20+ years.  My family loves it and each time I make it I change it up a bit.  This recipe is an adaptation of Vera's that always hits the spot!  I sure miss those 'family' gatherings with all my Aunts, Cousins, and many more family members.  When our family would come down to the Kootenays for a summer visit or for a wedding, engagement party or sometimes a funeral, there would always be a gathering and a wonderful time for me to catch up on what has been happening in our family and extended family - as per tradition it is done around a beautifully set table - for breakfast - lunch or dinner.  There is always homemade pickled vegetables, both wild and from their gardens, baked breads or buns and of course a decadent dessert.  Most of all there is always so much loving energy, always great big hugs and sometimes tears that just happen to sneak out.....and the memories are always in my heart and will be there forever.  To my family and extended family in the Kootenays - thank you for all the love, support and inspiration you have given myself and my little family, it will always take me Home.

Vegetarian Chili...

The ingredients you will need.

  

The onions, celery and garlic are ready for the pot.

 Mushrooms are chopped and waiting to be added.

The onions, celery and garlic have sauteed and then the mushrooms are added.

The beans have been drained and rinsed and are waiting for the pot.

 A mixture of Chili Powder, Seasoned Salt, Cayenne and Cumin.

Spice mixture is added to the tomatoes, onion mixture. 

 The beans, corn and ketchup waiting to be added.

I also had some cooked quinoa in the freezer that I added.

So satisfying, fills the belly and warms you from the inside out!

Enjoy.

Vegetarian Chili Recipe



Yield: 5-6 quarts
2 tsp. vegetable/olive oil

2 medium/large onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 stalks celery chopped

2 cans sliced mushrooms (I use fresh or dried )

2 quarts canned tomatoes 

1 cup ketchup or BBQ sauce (or half & half)

2 540 ml cans of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 540 ml cans of pinto, Romano or black beans, or chick peas,  drained and rinsed

2 540 ml cans (or equivalent of) beans in tomato sauce

1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon Cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 Tablespoon Seasoning Salt

(a few drops of liquid smoke if you like a smokier Chili)

1 can of corn niblets, drained and rinsed (optional)

Quinoa (optional)

In a large stockpot saute the onions, garlic, celery for 3-5 minutes then add the chopped mushrooms and tomatoes.  Simmer for approximately 1 hour - until thickened.

Add the spices and stir in, simmer another minute more then add your beans, ketchup and salt (if needed).  Bring back to a simmer for about 15 minutes stirring constantly or the bottom with burn.

Scoop some Chili into a smaller pot for supper and pour the rest of it into jars and seal. 

 This will keep in the fridge until you are ready for it.  Just pour into a pot and reheat.

Serves with some fresh garlic bread sprinkled with the cheese of your choice.

'It's funny how in this journey of life, even though we may begin

at different times and places, our paths cross

with others so that we may share our love, compassion, observations, and hope.

This is a design of God that I appreciate and cherish.'

Dr. Steve Maraboli