Month: November 2024

I am making a classic Canadian dessert for Kade’s Kitchen to impress faint-hearted sweet lovers. I have memories of it during family gatherings and reunions. My grandma would always make them and put them next to Butter Tarts on a tray for everyone to devour. Without further ado, say hello to Nanaimo Bars. They are a three-layered no-bake dessert bar with a mixed chocolate walnut coconut bottom base, a heavenly to-die-for custard filling, and a silk semi-rich dark chocolate that helps mediate the delightful adventure.

Nanaimo Bars were first officially created as chocolate squares in the 1952 edition of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Nanaimo Hospital Cookbook. Although it might have been made during the city’s early coal mining settling days, this is problematic with similar baking treats named the New York Slice and Prayer Bar. Hopefully, you enjoyed that sweet slice of history (hahaha, pun not intended)! What is your favourite no-bake dessert?

I used the recipe from TikTok Milkshake connoisseur Spirit Alchemist, who has 6.8 million followers on the platform. His real name is Larry Canam, and he is a 71-year-old X-Military member from Fredericton, New Brunswick. The short video is precise, like a well-crafted recipe from a cookbook, and the steps are to the point. Larry makes it easy and informative for new bakers. The presentation and home-style editing help create a legendary video that will make anyone crave Nanaimo Bars. It made me want to check out the rest of his videos, which are wholesome food videos for responsible desert drink lovers. For more, outside of the World Wide Web, look no further than this unique Milkshake Monday cookbook on Amazon and Indigo.

Here is the recipe video and one from Larry’s Milkshake Monday series. Get ready to read my reactionary tale on the road to fun, joy, and experimentation!

@thewhyteelephant

Heres a delicious no bake dessert recipe. The 3 layer Nanaimo Bar. #recipe #dessert #tutorial

♬ vlog, chill out, calm daily life(1370843) – SUNNY HOOD STUDIO

@thewhyteelephant

A delicious Nanaimo Bar #milkshake #milkshakemondays with music by @Lance Allen

♬ original sound – Lance Allen

The Ingredients: 

Bottom Layer

• ½ cup of Butter
• ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon of Cocoa
• ¼ cup of Yellow Sugar
• 1 beaten Egg
• ½ cup of Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1 cup of Flaked Coconut
• ½ cup of a Nut or Granola

Middle Layer

• ½ cup of Butter
• 3 tablespoons of Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons of Custard Powder
• 2 cups of Powered Sugar

Top Layer

• 1 Dark Chocolate Bar
• 2 teaspoons of Butter

I started the recipe by using a scary and new baking technique, the double broiler. I added softened Butter, cocoa powder, and brown sugar to the broiler, constantly mixing until melted. Then, I made sure the beaten egg would not turn into a scrambled, inedible mess by slowly tempering the completed mixture. The DB is an exciting technical process involving two pots and boiling water trapping steam, making indirect gentle heat. Next, in a medium-sized bowl, I added all the dry ingredients for this bottom layer, whipping them together to a refined shape and then putting them into the container.

I proceeded to the delectable custard layer using a hand mixture for a fluffy texture. Some advice: I would like my audience/classmates to get used to mixing because that is in a lot of baking, but boy, is it fun to taste in the end. Is it snowing in my house? No, it’s only the powdered sugar, and I followed Larry’s recipe to the tee for this part because no one wants to clean the residue clouds. After all this, I mixed again and patted the custard into my container. Leave the Nanaimo Bar mixture in the fridge for an hour to cool. This will always test my patience because I am consistently hungry.

We are close to finishing this recipe since it is time for the dark chocolate layer! I used my microwave to melt the rich dark chocolate bar butter mixture in fifteen-second increments. Remember to keep stirring until the consistency is thin and melted to perfection. I finally poured it over the custard layer by smoothing the chocolate over the dessert area. The Nanaimo Bars were finally completed after a quick ten-minute chill and an arm workout of slicing them into bar shape!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post; feel free to leave comments about new recipes for me to try or platforms to find some on! Next time, I will pair homemade soup with a lovely bun recipe. Here is a hilarious meme on Nanaimo Bars. As always, try to seek the adventurous side of learning!

Meme from patjames.com

During week 6 of the learning project, I decided to swim over to the savoury side of cooking with salmon. I wanted to discover how to prepare and cook meat from the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It also brings back memories because my family loves making a salmon recipe with a maple glaze, but I decided to broaden my horizons involving one of my favourite fishes. Thanks to all who commented on my last blog post with supportive and uplifting comments! The online source I used was the Food Network, which I have only watched without making anything from. The shows can be addicting to watch and make the viewers couch potatoes. I will base my review of the Food Network on three criteria: 1. The recipe clip from the website, 2. The information of the recipe, and 3. My overall impressions of it.

Mary Berg’s confidence and down-to-earth, likeable personality help complement the dish. She truly wants people to take something from each of her recipes. It helps that Mary won Master Chef Canada season three and knows what it means to learn as a home cook in the kitchen. The 4:46 minute segment is quick and reliable compared to some YouTube shorts or TikTok videos. Also, the information and steps have the purpose of not just entertaining the viewer, like a show by Guy Fieri. I would gladly watch and make another recipe from Mary Berg due to its simple and fun execution of flavours.

The FN website is unique and different from a site or blog from individual cooks. It has sections for breakfast, lunch, dinner, chicken, and pasta recipes. The layout makes it easy for people to find the recipe they want from specific chefs. However, the site is gimmicky, focusing on shows, “trendy news,” and storefronts to capitalize on the network’s superfans. When they focus on proper recipes, it is well executed for beginners like myself. For this recipe, the seven directions are practical and educational in that anyone can cook salmon in 45 minutes. I would give the Food Network 4 out of 5 chef’s hats for a learning focus in the kitchen!

Ingredients for Crispy Salmon Fillets:

• One 1.5-kilogram/3.3-pound salmon side
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56 grams)
• 4 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried herbs (such as Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Nonstick cooking spray

I started by getting a baking sheet and cutting my salmon. Luckily, mine did not have skin, so it was less labour-intensive and time-efficient—and I was hungry! In the meantime, I melted butter on my stove and gradually added the other dry ingredients. These were panko, which I recommend adding slowly, or you will create a big mess. Then, I seasoned the panko and made sure it got to a golden brown colour. Next, I transferred it to a sallow dish to get the breadcrumbs to room temperature. 

I easily mixed eggs, mayo, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard for the sauce or dredge. It was finally game time to prepare the salmon by dipping it into the panko breadcrumbs and the dredge. Finally, the oven was at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and I put the salmon on the baking sheet for 15 to 18 minutes. I completed the Crispy Salmon Filllets with mini-roasted potatoes and asparagus. Side note: This is an excellent recipe for meal-prepping and a fantastic meal worth your money off the internet!   

As always, I look forward to your reactions and feedback. Next week, I will look at one of my favourite content creators on TikTok; a hint is Milkshake Monday! Till then, I will leave you with this inspirational advice!

Pinterest post by Gail Shinkle

I am falling right back into the swing of things in my kitchen; after cooking a great steak meal, my next step involved something related to the autumn season in Saskatchewan. This week, I searched far and wide to create one of my favourite desserts, Cheesecake with a pumpkin spin. Thanks to the previous comments on my posts about different baking recipes! The source I used was from Natasha’s Kitchen, and it was an honest, trusted recipe with step-by-step documentation. However, the challenge in baking was lovely and in a setting where I felt like a professional due to the amount it produced. I gave it to lucky friends and family members who enjoyed the rich taste and hard-working effort.

The history of Pumpkins in baking dates back to early American settlers of the 17th century, when they would make a pre-version of pumpkin pie with milk, honey, and a variety of spices inside the vegetable over hot ashes. Cheesecake evolved from Greek and Roman recipes using honey, flour, eggs, and crushed cheese. Fun fact: the “dessert” was presented at the first Olympic games. It would later include sugar during Tudor England (1485 – 1603). Then, cream cheese was created in 1872 by American immigrants, and its current form was created with New York Cheesecake’s creation during the Roaring 20s.

Here is the Pumpkin Cheesecake for your consideration, lifted from the website:

The Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs/12 whole graham crackers
• 6 Tbsp unsalted melted butter
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

The Filling:

• 24 oz room temperature cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 15 oz can pumpkin pie mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Starting the recipe, my head was filled with thoughts about making this cheesecake, which is truly a science, like in the chocolate chip cookies. It made me confident and excited to conquer the long 7 hours and 30 minutes. First, I grabbed a plastic bag and put the graham crackers into it. Letting out some steam, I smashed them like the Hulk into a fine form that would soon resemble a crust. So, I added the crumbs into a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and everything nice (melted butter), stirring them to perfection. I deviated a little bit because I did not have a springform pan; instead, using a glass baking pan. I gently jammed them into the bottom and let the crust cook for eight minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. They then had to cool to room temperature, but that was alright since it was time to fill it with the Pumpkin Cheesecake goodness!

Luckily, my stove was already at the desired temperature, and I was reunited with an old friend, the mixer. This is the rich part with the heavenly cream cheese and brown sugar. I made sure not to have a lumpy filling, but the part I did not enjoy was how sweet the brown sugar was in the final result. So, I recommend putting less (1 cup instead of 1 ½) for your tastebuds to not be overloaded by sweetness, saving you a trip to the dentist afterwards, haha! Then, I added the remaining wet ingredients into another bowl and ensured they were finely combined. It is also great because this part of the recipe adds a little extra flair for the baker besides the traditional baked cheesecake! The final part, before baking, required me to transfer the completed filling to the graham cracker crust.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake was in the oven for around one hour and thirty minutes, and I remembered to leave the stove ajar to allow air to circulate during the baking process. Also, I let it cool for forty-five minutes.  In the meantime, I made homemade whipping cream, beating the vanilla, sugar, and heavy whipping cream together for a delicious finish to the recipe that only took two minutes. Now, there was waiting time for the cheesecake to cool in my refrigerator for four-ish hours. Side note: it was cracked when I took it out of baking. I know it was only my first time making any cheesecake, but be sure not to bake it too long, get the perfect speed or time for incorporating air during mixing, take your time while cooling, and check the (cold) temperature of ingredients. Lastly, I have to work on my patience, precision, and timing, as mentioned earlier, while baking to limit mistakes. However, they are a part of the learning process, and I should accept that because nobody is perfect at everything!

Thanks for reading about my discoveries in the kitchen with this famous rich and filling dessert! What is your favourite Cheesecake? As always, I am up for suggestions in the comments! Next week, I will dip my toes into the world of cooking shows on the Food Network. Keep staying positive, and have a tremendous week!