Making Merry Irish Cream

Years ago I got this recipe from a friend and it has become part of our Ladybug traditional pre-holiday baking tradition. I started sharing it at family gatherings and now it's just expected that this homemade yummy version of Irish Cream will make an appearance if I'm there. You'll find some of this in my fridge at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and  St.Patrick's Day. It's easy to make and so yummy! 

I get asked a lot of this recipe, so here it is...

Making Merry Irish Cream

1 cup Whipping Cream (or Creamo if you want a lighter option)

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1-2 cup(s) Whisky (I generally do 1 cup, whatever kind you like, I have been happy with Forty Creek, but it tastes amazing with Single Malt Scotch...daddy ladybug wasn't so happy with me!)

1 tsp Coconut Extract (other flavourings like vanilla and peppermint are good)

1Tbsp Chocolate Syrup

Combine all the ingredients in a jug or jar and mix well to incorporate the sweetened condensed milk well. Chill. Enjoy straight, in your coffee, add to eggnog, or over ice with chocolate shavings.

I make a few batches at a time in canning jars (easy to shake to mix) and use the empty whisky bottle to share with others.

Enjoy.

~Adel~

Turkey Rice Soup

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving from the Ladybug house!

Turkey day is over in our house, and there is so much left over! What to do with all that food in the fridge?? I'm slowly gathering a collection of Turkey dishes to use up leftovers, but this is one of those family favourites. 

This is a classic after Turkey day meal, great for a rainy day, whether you're relaxing or busy doing those projects, entertaining casual style, have weekend guests you need to feed after a heavy holiday meal, sharing a home-made meal with someone else, or hanging out with the family.

I've been wanting to share this recipe for years, but I just haven't been able to sit down and write it out or take a picture, but we got it done this year.

Turkey Soup

1 onion, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1 cup celery, diced

2 cups Shredded Turkey Meat

1 cup leftover gravy if you have it

8 cups Turkey Stock

2 Bay Leaves

1/4 tsp Poultry Seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chicken Bullion (optional)

2 cups Rice

1 cup frozen peas

Dice onion, carrots and celery and cook in a large soup pot for a few minutes until soft and browned. Add turkey meat, gravy, and stock. Season with bay leaves, poultry seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste, depending on the flavour of your turkey, stock, and gravy, you may need to add chicken bullion or chicken stock/flavouring. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes. Taste your soup base and adjust seasonings if needed.

30 minutes before serving, add rice and simmer for 20 minutes, then add peas. Add additional stock to adjust to your desired consistency, the rice really makes it thick, so add more stock if needed.

Serve hot with fresh buns or bread for a tasty, comfort meal.

Don't forget to use those old canning jars to share the love it's an easy way to bring joy to others.

with gratitude,

~Adel~

Need More Turkey Recipes?

Turkey Tetrazzini

Sweet Potato Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Peppermint Cookies

Peppermint cookies are a Christmas classic in our house, the first of the holiday baking and usually several batches later January 1st rolls around and we finally stop stuffing our faces!

My first introduction to these wonderful cookies was the special mommy care-package that would arrive frequently to one of my college roommates - a bucket of beautiful pink, soft, pepperminty cookies that I'm sure were a significant contributing factor to my "freshman 40". They were so good that it was one of the first recipes I sought out when I had my own kitchen and they've stuck with me since. They're a traditional Mennonite cookie, made by many an Oma - usually made with baking ammonia, but I've tried to update the recipe to use baking powder & baking soda instead.

Peppermint Cookies

Makes about 48 cookies

1/2 cup Butter

2 cups Sugar

2 Eggs

2 cups Heavy Cream (Whipping Cream)

2 tsp. Peppermint Extract or 2 drops Pure Peppermint Essential Oil

5 & 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

Peppermint Butter Icing

Long Shredded Sweetened Coconut

Cream the butter. Add sugar and eggs, beat well. Add remaining wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients and add to wet. Refrigerate in plastic wrap for 2 hours - overnight. Roll dough about 1 cm -1/2 inch thick for a soft fluffy cookie, thinner if you like a crisper one. Cut in circles and bake at 375 for 6-7 minutes or until the bottoms start to brown.

Cool on a wire rack then ice with Peppermint Butter Icing. Sprinkle tops with coconut and serve.

These cookies can be adapted to any holiday, just change the colour of the icing or the shape of the cookie. I make mine round, but shapes work well too. These cookies freeze really well (I actually prefer them frozen).

Happy Baking!

~Adel~

Rollkuchen & Watermelon

It's hot right now and who can resist fried dough and watermelon?! 

Rollkuchen is a traditional treat of fried dough served with watermelon slices. It's basically the Mennonite version of doughnuts. I was first introduced to Rollkuchen (and many other wonderful Mennonite dishes) from a dear friend and director at summer camp. She would make the staff these interesting dishes on our days off and when I married into a Mennonite family later in life, I learned to make them. We even have them when we're camping - Daddy Ladybug's family goes on a camping trip every summer to the Okanagan and each year we make Rollkuchen for a crowd of about 30 people (no small task). 

Rollkuchen

Watermelon
Oil for frying (I used vegetable oil)

3 cups Flour

1 tsp Salt

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1/2 cup Milk

~1/2 cup Flour for kneading

Heat oil to 375F. I used an electric frying pan with about 3" of oil. 

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients and add to dry. Mix well and add additional flour to knead to a soft dough that isn't sticky. Roll out about 1/4" thick and cut into long rectangles (about 4"x2"). Cut a slit in the middle and pull one side through the slit to make the twisty effect shown in the picture. 

Fry in oil until golden brown on both sides (turn once). Drain on paper towel and serve with delicious watermelon slices and your choice of toppings (some family favourites include: white sugar, powdered sugar, rogers golden syrup, pancake syrup, jam, honey).

A lovely summer treat!

~Adel~

Make-Ahead Herb & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

At family gatherings, I often get asked to bring mashed potatoes, a staple with holiday dinners. It's hard to whip up mashed potatoes while getting two toddlers ready (not to mention trying to get ready myself), so I've been making my mashed potatoes the night before and baking them either right before I leave or where we're eating. It's so much easier! Plus this way I get to add some fun flavour to a pretty standard dish.

Make-Ahead Herb & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

8 medium Potatoes
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Herb & Garlic Cream Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
Paprika to taste or sprinkle on top

Cut the potatoes into 1" pieces and boil until a fork goes through easily (but not mushy). Strain the water and return to the pot. Add butter, sour cream & cream cheese and cover for 2 minutes while everything gets melty. Add seasonings to taste. Mash with a potato masher or use a mixer/hand blender if you like them whipped (I like mine with potato chunks and some skin as you can see in the picture!). Spread evenly in a 9 x 13 oven safe dish and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden on top.

The perfect companion to Easy Slow Cooker Roast Beef smothered in gravy - one of my ultimate favourite meals. Serves about 6 people.

Yum, second's please!

~Adel~

Coconut Paska

Trying something new - a coconutty twist on the traditional Paska recipe! Makes a great dessert after your Easter meal. 

If you want to see the Paska making process from last year's Paska fun, check out my Easter Bread post!

Coconut Paska

1 Tbsp Traditional Yeast

1/2 cup Warm Water

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 cup Shredded Coconut

1 Tbsp Coconut Extract

1 cup Warm Milk

1/4 Melted Butter

1 egg

1/3 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

4 cups Flour

Icing:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Cream Cheese
1 3/4 cup Icing Sugar
1 tsp coconut extract
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Combine yeast, warm water and 1 tsp sugar into a bowl and let sit until frothy (about 5 minutes).

Combine coconut, coconut extract, warm milk, melted butter, egg, sugar, and salt together in a mixer. Mix well. Add in yeast mixture. Mix in flour slowly - 1 cup at a time, switching to a dough hook at about 3 cups. You may have to add a little more or less flour to make a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl when it is mixing. Knead for about 8 minutes. 

Let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1&1/2 hours until doubled. Punch down and let rise another 10 minutes. Grease pans. Make 2 loaves or buns and let rise for 1 more hour.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Cool before icing or serving.

Icing:
Combine butter, cream cheese, icing sugar and cocount extract until smooth. Spread on top of coconut paska and top with shredded coconut. Use remaining icing to spread on individual slices as desired.

Enjoy something new!

~Adel~

Home Made Irish Cream

I know...I know, I've been MIA. Trying to balance work, life and everything in between has made finding a little inspiration to blog difficult. It really didn't help that I was without a computer for almost 2 months! Nothing like the new year and a new computer to bring on a little blogging inspiration.

So in honour of 2014, here's something special for you!

Years ago, I got this amazing recipe for home made "irish" cream from a friend (cheers to Harry T). I tinkered with it a bit and started bringing it to family gatherings and it's become one of my signature contributions to holiday parties.
Take a bottle (make that 2 or 3...trust me!) with you and you'll be a hit, even with those who don't really drink or like alcohol!

Grab a cup and some ice and get ready for a treat!

Home Made Irish Cream

1 cup Whiskey* (add more/less to taste) 

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup Cream (I used 33%. To make a lighter version, substitute coffee cream (18%) or half & half (12%))

2 tsp Coconut Extract**

1 Tbsp Chocolate Sauce (I used Nesquick)

*The better the whiskey, the better the Irish Cream (I used Forty Creek Whiskey (Canadian) to make mine, but a good 18 yr old single malt scotch makes the best EVER...sorry Daddy Ladybug!!)

**Alternatives: Peppermint, Almond, Coffee, Vanilla

Combine all ingredients, mix well with a whisk, and pour into a serving container. Keep refrigerated. Fits nicely into a 750ml bottle.
Pour over ice or cut with eggnog for a delicious creamy holiday drink.

Happy New Year!

~Adel~