Style Symmetry

A couple weeks ago my boyfriend mentioned that I should make cannelloni and that it would be fairly easy.  I found the recipe here on Dairy Goodness, picked up the ground beef, cannelloni pasta and frozen spinach I needed and got to it.  Now the recipe called for a 28oz can of prepared tomato pasta sauce but I decided to make it from scratch instead.

From the Joy of Cooking, Quick Tomato Sauce
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add and cook until softened half a small onion, minced.
Stir in one 28oz can whole tomatoes, 1/4 cup tomato paste, 2 tsps dried herbs (basil, thyme, oregano etc.), 1 tsp salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered for about 20 minutes, crush tomatoes into sauce.

Now the Dairy Goodness Stuffed Cannelloni recipe says 50 minutes for prep and the 45 minutes to bake.  The prep took me ohhh twice as long, squeezing water out of spinach takes forever and stuffing pasta takes even longer!  So of course the lovely romantic dinner I was planning was not ready in time and I was left feeling exhausted but oh my, the cannelloni was delicious.  I know my mom would be proud.

I used the recipe on the Fry’s Cocoa (below).

You learn why you were supposed to use a large saucepan to melt butter when everything else has to get mixed in.

When you pick up connected measuring cups forgetting you already poured the sugar, you create a mess.

But mess no long matters when you end up with a delicious chocolate brownie treat.

Recipe
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup Fry’s cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in cocoa. Blend in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour batter into greased 13×9 2 inch rectangular baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Cool.

Who wants the recipe?

Continuing with my winter baking craze I decided to make my first ever quiche!  I already had many of the ingredients at home so I picked up feta, grape tomatoes, bacon and a frozen pie crust.  I started with this Tomato and Basil Quiche recipe as a base.

Then I turned to The Joy of Cooking and learned that you need 3-4 eggs for every 2 cups of milk and to brush the pie crust with egg yolk to prevent sogginess.  After sauteing onions and mixing the eggs and milk I layered feta, bacon, broccoli and tomatoes into the pie crust.  Then the milk egg mixture is poured into the pie and extra feta is layered on top.

Ready to Bake Quiche

I spilled a bit of the soupy mixture moving the quiche to the oven so I definitely recommend using both hands and carefully transferring your quiche.  Cooking time varied by recipe anywhere from 15-35 minutes so after 20 minutes I did the ‘toothpick test’ every five minutes.  After 35 minutes the result was this gorgeous and delicious pie.  It was consumed immediately.

I decided that this fall/winter I am going to learn to bake.  I started with Banana Bread since I heard it’s the easiest. I followed Janet’s Rich Banana Bread recipe off All Recipes.  Usually I change around recipes, never following them exactly but since this was my first baking excursion I thought sticking closely to the instructions would be best.  I exchanged cane sugar for white sugar.

It turned out delicious, almost half has already been eaten.

It made quite a mess too!

Next up are quiches and pies.