Maple Syrup time

Actually it's kind of late for a maple syrup post but anyway...I just pulled out a can from our case of maple syrup today and tried a new dessert. We buy a case of maple syrup every spring but really we should buy two since one only lasts for half the year (If we're lucky!)

Maple Syrup Squares

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch square pan.

Mix together:

1 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

and pat into bottom of pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until light, golden brown. Let cool and spread over base:

1 cup walnut pieces

Turn oven up to 450.

Next mix in a small saucepan and simmer for a couple of minutes, until sugar is dissolved:

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup maple syrup

Let cool a little. Then mix into the cooled syrup:

2 beaten eggs

Stir in:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbl flour

Pour this mixture over the walnuts. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 and bake for 20 minutes more. Cool and cut into squares.

Granny's Cookies

My Granny made the best oatmeal cookies...thin, crisp, with a hint of nutmeg. I finally tracked down the recipe and made them. Almost as good as Granny's!

*Granny's Oatmeal Cookies*

Stir together the following and put aside:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Cream 1 1/2 cups of margarine or butter.

Add:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Add flour mixture and combine well.

Turn onto lightly floured surface Knead until smooth. Roll into a 10 x 12 inch rectangle. Cut into 1 1/4" squares.

Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Makes lots!!

Camp food

Dinner the first night.
Step one
Get it on the fire.

Step two
Get it cooking.

Step three

Let's eat...glazed ribs, carrots and onions, with potatoes. (The hole in the potatoes was my fault. I was checking to see if they were done. Can't blame the cook for that one!) I've got to admit I don't even like ribs but these looked and smelled so good that I just had to try them...WOW, I'm now a convert.

Chef at work. Notice how everything is laid out ready to be used. This was dinner on Saturday night. The Chef made a wonderful meal of chicken with a Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, potatoes baked in the coals and steamed carrots and onions. Absolutely delicious. Too bad I ate it all before remembering to take a picture of the finished product. Sorry!

Sunday breakfast cooked on the fire. Bacon and eggs just don't taste like this at home! Notice the paint scraper...necessity is the mother of invention. (Needless to say it was new)

Breakfast the last day

oatmeal with pears, apples, nuts ,brown sugar and cream

Okay so I am totally spoiled. I admit it. And very, very lucky to have such a great guy in my life.

Other than boiling water, warming soup and making toast I didn't cook a thing all weekend!!

Mudd Lake

Mudd Lake

Kids at the troll bridge.

Kids on the dock.

Nathan, Madison, a friend and Sam

Since Monday was Victoria Day and the kids had no school, we had a bit of a holiday at home as well. After a nice lie in, I made banana pancakes which the kids love and I don't make often enough. Very simple to do...

*Banana Pancakes*

Mash 2 large ripe bananas

Blend together:

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. sugar

Add bananas and the following:

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. oil

Blend until everything is moist. Batter is going to look lumpy.

Lightly coat a frying pan or griddle. Heat until a drop of water sizzles. Drop spoonfuls of batter and cook on each side until pancakes are nicely brown and cooked through.

Enjoy with maple syrup and extra sliced bananas if you want!

After enjoying the pancakes we packed up the van and headed to Mudd Lake. It was a beautiful day and we all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly (despite my going off the main trail and ending up in a bog!)

Sonja's Pear Cake

My Norwegian friend Sonja brought this wonderful pear cake to our First Annual Single Mother's Day barbecue yesterday. Absolutely delicious and amazingly easy to make.

Start off with a storebought flan and put it on a pretty cake plate. Soak the flan with the some of the juice from a can of pears. Dice the pears pile on the flan. Using lightly sweetened stiffly whipped cream build up the cake to make straight sides and a flat top. For the icing: melt semisweet chocolate (however much you want) and add a bit of milk. Pour all over the cake and spread so that it drips over the edge.
Yummy!!!