BBQ NEW YORK STEAK by Chef Bari

What's for Dinner Tonight ?  How about starting up your BBQ and cook a steak.  It's quick and easy to do. 

Last night, invited my daughter Trisha  for a Labour Day Celebration.  It's also an excuse to fire-up the BBQ. 

Trying to use the BBQ as much as possible before the snow flies in the Great White North

We had New York Steaks with the usual trimmings, such as loaded baked potato, honey cinnamon honey glazed batonnets carrots  and garlic toast. 

One of steaks were prepared medium (M) while I enjoy MR ( medium-rare). 

A steak dinner like this going out to your favourite high end restaurant will cost you between $30-$40 each.  

At home, all- in, it cost me $21 for the three of us, for 2- 12 oz steak including trimmings. 

My wife and daughter shared one of the steaks. Of course I had the 12 oz Steak for myself.

That's $7.00 per person.  

A far cry from $40 per person.  Any high-end restaurant final bill with drinks would run you $90 - $120 for two.

At home for two people, the cost is $10.50 per person. 

In Vegas I paid $56 for one steak. But, of course, the service and atmosphere is always nice.

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Honey Cinnamon Glazed Carrots by Chef Bari

Honey Cinnamon Glazed Carrots

Ingredients: 

4 large carrots or 8 small 

2 tablespoons of Butter

2 tablespoons of honey

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 

METHOD: 

Mise en Place : ( Prep) 

You cut carrots as shown. You then cook the carrots in hot water until blanched ( still firm but pre cooked) Cool off in cold water. 

Drain water. 

Get your fave sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Heat up pan melting butter and honey.  Add cooled down carrots.

Cook on medium heat until nicely glazed, as you see in my photo. If I had fresh dill, I would have added it.

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KEG SIZE SUPER APPLE CRISP by Chef Bari

KEG SIZE APPLE CRISP by Chef Bari

The best and quickest way to use up apples that have been sitting in your fridge for over a month, is to make a Apple Crisp - a nice sweet treat for your whole family.

So, without further ado - Here's my recipe, Keg Size Super Apple Crisp by Chef Bari

KEG SIZE SUPER APPLE CRISP 

Ingredients: 

TOPPING: 

1/2 cup of flour

1 cup of Oats

1 cup of Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 

1/3 lb. of butter ( Yes. Not cup but one third a pound of butter - Keg Size) 

APPLE FILLING: 

14  small sliced apples (see photo) 

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 cup of apple juice or water

3 tablespoons of Lemon juice

Getting Apples ready for Apple Crisp

METHOD OR DIRECTIONS : 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Spray a baking dish, or you could use a Dutch Oven or ceramic baking dish.  Which ever you have.  Preferably a 12X8 or 12X9 pan. 

Photo Credit : Chef Bari

For the topping, add all ingredients except butter together in mixing bowl of your choice. Mix together.

Wash your hands, if you haven't by now. 

Take a paring knife, begin cutting butter into small cubes into oat/flour mixture.  

Now mix together well to form a beady crumbling mixture. Don't worry if it's not perfect. I find the best way, is to use your hands, to achieve this crumbling mixture. You can rub your hands together to help breakdown and get that beady crumbling mixture.  Set to the side for now.

NEXT - 

Peel, slice and core Apples. Place in mixing bowl. 

Add 3/4 cups of sugar, lemon juice and apple juice ( or water) and cinnamon. Mix together.

Place Apple mixture into your pan. Press down with your hand to get it tightly fitted in.  Remember, this is Keg Size. ( See Photo) 

Apples sliced and ready for oven by Chef Bari

NOW - 

Add your crumbling topping on top of apples. Lightly press down to fit and even out, if necessary.

Crumb placed on top of Apples - its now ready for the oven at 375 degrees F 

Set in the middle of your oven under a baking sheet to collect spill-over juices. ( It's a safer method to have a tray and it doesn't make a mess of your oven) 

OK.  So my Apple Crisp took 1 hour ( 60 minutes) to cook at 375 degrees F.  

Side View of KEG SIZE SUPER APPLE CRISP by Chef Bari

I highly suggest you set the timers for 40 minutes and keep checking it 10 minute intervals after that, until you achieve this nice golden brown topping.   

See my finished photo of the nicely baked Keg-Size Apple Crisp by Chef Bari. 

My trademark is "Cook'n up a storm by Chef Bari"

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Thank you, 

Chef Bari

Lazy Daisy Cake by Chef Bari

Lazy Daisy Cake by Chef Bari 

With the Lazy Daisy Cake, you will see in my photos that I divided the recipe, so I could give my daughter a pan also. 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F 

Get your pan ready - Oil spray a 9x9 pan and set to the side.

Cake Ingredients: 

Dry ingredients 

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. It also good to sift your flour. 

Wet ingredients 

4 eggs 

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons of butter

Method: 

In your favourite mixer, add 4 eggs and mix. 

Add 2 cups of sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Mix until a nice creamy mixture. 

In a 4 cup measure add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of milk. Place in microwave for 1 minute or until butter is melted.

Now alter with the flour mixture and then the milk mixture, with the flour mixture at the end.

Let your mixture rest for five minutes and then pour into your pan or pans. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

While your waiting, prepare the topping - 

COCONUT BROWN SUGAR TOPPING

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 can of sweet condensed milk ( eagle brand ) 

2 cups shredded coconut 

Method: 

In a bowl, add melted butter and brown sugar. Mix throughout with wooden spoon. 

Add condensed milk and shredded coconut and mix well. 

When the cake is done, let rest for 5 minutes until you begin to spread on the coconut brown sugar topping. Spread evenly on top of the cake.  Now place back in the oven with just the broiler on.  Let cook for 4 minutes. Be careful, because the last minutes brown fast. Watch to make sure it doesn't burn.  

In other words, keep your eye on it. 

Voilà!  You have just made the easy Lazy Daisy White Cake by Chef Bari.

TIP : The white cake recipe above can be used for birthday cakes as well.  

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By Chef Bari 

Remembrance Day Hellmann's® CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CUPCAKES

Today, November 11 is in remembrance of all the men and women who served and protected us from harms way, in order we may have freedom and enjoy on a daily basis.  I would like to personally thank my dear uncle Marcel for his bravery during WWII.  During this war, he was shot down by enemy aircraft, while being performing his duties on a Lancaster.  He was one of the fortunate ones to have survived the crash. 

Unfortunately, his mates, didn't.  

In remembrance and a thank you to the men and women who served, my daughter, Trisha and I got together to make Remembrance Chocolate Cupcakes with red icing to resemble the poppy.  We wanted a cupcake that was nice and moist, plus chocolate.  You know the kind, the ones that melt in your mouth.  

For the icing, it had to be a rich dark Red Icing to resemble the Poppy. 

So, the overall best recipe for a nice moist cake would be the original HELLIMAN RECIPE. The original recipe is for a whole cake, but it also makes for a prefect cupcakes. 

The recipe is below or you may check out the recipe yourself : 

 http://www.hellmanns.com/recipes/detail/35904/1/chocolate-mayonnaise-cake

MY TEST ON HELLMAN'S RECIPE is successful and highly recommended.  

IT IS a nice moist cake. Light. 

The finished batter is easily POURED into the cupcake tins OR, if making a cake, into cake pans. 

TIP:  After measuring each ingredient, put it away. This way you'll know what you used without using again or make the mistake of doubling the ingredient. 

Remembrance Cupcakes by Chef Bari

THE Hellmann's® CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CAKE OR CUPCAKES 

Serves : 12 

If making CAKE : COOK TIME :  350 degrees F  - 25 minutes

If making CUPCAKES: 350 degrees F - 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

3 eggs

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise

1 1/3 cups water

METHOD: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.

In large bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. 

Beat in Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise at low speed until blended. Alternately beat in flour mixture with water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. 

Pour into prepared pans.

Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. On wire racks, cool 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely. 

Frost, if desired, or sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Chocolate Cupcakes prepared by Chef Bari

ICING :  

Ingredients: 

1 cup of Butter ( 1/2 lb) 

3 cups of Icing Sugar (dry cup measurement)

1 teaspoon Vanilla 

Optional : 1 teaspoon of milk ( we didn't require this, as we wanted our icing firm. But, if your doing a cake and you want to spread it out, then you may require a smooth icing ) 

Method: 

Whip up butter and add 1 cup of icing sugar at a time. Add in the vanilla after the first cup of icing sugar. Blend until smooth. 

Red Icing 

NOTE :  To get that deep red colour you will have to use a gel colour. You can find it at a Micheal's store in the baking and decorating section.  It cost $4.99 for one. It's tasteless too, which you want.  If you use the conventional red colouring package ( comes with red, blue, green and yellow), you will only get a pink colour, no matter how much you put in. 

I hope you enjoy my cupcakes.  

Please support my efforts by buying my cookbook, " Canadian Recipes of the Great White North 

By Chef Bari 

#moistcake #Cake #Chocolate #cupcakes #baking #ChefBari  #icing 

Dumplings for Stew by Chef Bari

Beef Stew by Chef Bari

Moist light dumplings for your choice of stew by Chef Bari 

Ingredients: 

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

1 egg

 1/4 cup Water (consistency should be sticky gooey dough) 

Method:   

Mix dry ingredients together including salt.

Mix egg with water

Mix liquid into dry ingredients.

Procedure: 

Dip big spoon into gravy of your cooked stew. Take a healthy portions of your dumpling mix and place into stew. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.  You want a light simmer only.  If you don't, your stew will burn. So, easy does it. 

Beef Stew by Chef Bari

By Chef Bari 

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by Chef Bari" - the one and only Great Canadian Cookbook. 

Tex-Mex Cheese and Spinach Muffins by Chef Bari

Tex-Mex Cheese and Spinach Muffins by Chef Bari

Please head down to the recipe if you rather not read my story of Pinterest.

Here's the thing about Pinterest :

As an experienced Chef I'm very leery to the recipes on Pinterest.  Food photos on Pinterest look good, but NOT necessary, are the recipes any good. Therefore, before I begin any baking recipe I have a closer look at the ingredients and the method in how they go about preparing it. 

Most of the time I end up making up my own recipe to make it work and to also make it a lot easier for my viewers.  

For example, most people can relate to cups then any other measurement.  It's faster and soooo much easier to follow. 

My baking skills go way back to my kid days as my parents owned a Spudnut Shop in Vernon, BC.  Knowing too well what the restaurant life is actually like, I went to Okanagan and Cariboo College before I ended up taking my Culinary Arts Program at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology).

After over twenty-five years in the culinary industry, working at finer hotels and private clubs, I made my fun cookbook, Canadian Recipes of the Great White North, the one and only great Canadian cookbook. 

Anyway, on to my recipe : 

Tex-Mex  Cheese and Spinach Muffins by Chef Bari

The fast and easy muffin for those in a hurry.

FIRST :  Pre-heat Oven to 350 degrees F 

Ingredients : 

Place Wet ingredients into blender : 

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups of shredded Tex-Mex Cheese ( optional to use your choice of sharp cheddar or Feta cheese chunks )

1 cup of cooked spinach ( place fresh spinach into the microwave for fast results. A couple of minutes.)

1 cup Milk 

1/4 cup of olive oil (  I used coconut oil, because apparently it's the new trend)

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

Method : 

Blend all the wet ingredients together. ( I like to use a blender, but this is optional)

Blend WET Ingredients - the fastest way By Chef Bari

NEXT : 

DRY ingredients : 

2 cups Flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Place sifted flour and baking powder together in large bowl.  Stir evenly throughout.

NEXT: 

Important : Combine the the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Just to mix. Don't over mix or your muffins will end up tough. 

Adding Wet to Dry Ingredients - Golden Rule by Chef Bari

Spray your muffin tin well. 

Adding muffin mix to Muffin Tins by Chef Bari 

Either by large spoon or ice cream scope, fill each tin to the very top.  Place muffins into the pre-heated 350 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes. 

Cooked Tex-Mex Cheese and Spinach Muffins by Chef Bari 

TIP : Take out and let rest in tins for 5 minutes. This way your muffins get time to cool off a little and easier to remove from the muffin tin. 

Serving it up by Chef Bari

TO SERVE : 

These muffins can be served a bunch of different ways, but I enjoy them with a nice slice of fresh tomatoes and sharp cheddar cheese or some enjoy feta cheese.  You can even melt some nice sharp cheddar cheese on top. So many options to choose from. The fresh tomato really adds to the flavour of the muffin.

I hope you enjoy my efforts in Cook'n up a storm with Chef Bari. 

Please take a minute to support my efforts by buying my cookbook, Canadian Recipes of the Great White North by Chef Bari

ALSO : 

Let's say you decided to NOT use the blender for your WET ingredients - you can, but it takes longer to prepare.  If NOT using a blender you can fine-cut fresh Spinach to equal 2 cups (fresh only) and add your other ingredients into another bowl.  You can whisk together by hand using wire whip.

TIP:  Always add WET ingredients to DRY ingredients. Golden Rule. 

Well.  Another recipe by Chef Bari - have a wonderful day Cook'n Up a Storm ! 

Up Close and Personal with Tex-Mex Cheese and Spinach Muffin by Chef Bari

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