STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING TRIFLE

I used this recipe for sticky toffee pudding and baked it in my silicone muffin pan for individual puddings. They were so good I decided to make them again, but this time as a trifle with some salted caramel pudding.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING MUFFINS:
1 c. pitted dates, finely chopped
1 1/4 c. boiling water
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. + 1 tbsp. flour (not sure why you need the extra tablespoon, but just go with it)
1 tsp. baking powder

Soak dates in boiling water and baking soda. Set aside to cool.
Cream butter and sugar, and beat in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat together. Fold in the date mixture. Pour into greased muffin pan and bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes.

CARAMEL SAUCE:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. whipping cream
1 c. brown sugar

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Cook for about 8 minutes or until it thickens.

SALTED CARAMEL PUDDING:
2 c. milk
1 packet Epicure's Salted Caramel Pudding Mix

Beat together for 2 minutes and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Stir well before serving.

WHIPPED CREAM:
2 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together till it forms stiff peaks.

TRIFLE:
In a large bowl or 9x13" dish, layer the pudding, whipped cream, chopped up muffins, and caramel sauce. Repeat. Top with a final layer of whipped cream and sprinkle with Skor bits.

LENTIL TACOS

I tried this recipe from Michael Smith, and it was delicious! I left out the chickpeas and made a half-batch:

2 tbsp. oil
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp. Epicure's Chili Seasoning
1 tsp. Epicure's Cuban Seasoning or Fajita Seasoning
salt
1 can lentils, drained and rinsed
1 c. water

Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté onion and garlic. Add spices and cook for a couple minutes. Add lentils and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve in tortillas or taco shells or on tostado shells.

Toppings (any or all):
cheese
lettuce
avocado
radishes
pickled red onions (1 red onion, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp. sugar; 1 lime, juiced; let it sit for 15 minutes)
salsa or diced tomatoes
cilantro
lime wedge

RED VELVET CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This recipe is from another Epicure consultant, and it makes a huge batch (5 dozen). The raspberry and beet powder gives these cookies a nice red colour and unique flavour, without all the food dye you usually find in red velvet desserts.

2 1/4 c. flour
2/3 c. Epicure's Red Velvet dip mix
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. white chocolate chips

Sift dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, cream remaining ingredients together except for chocolate chips. Gradually mix in dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 9-11 minutes.

CHIMICHURRI PASTA SALAD

Another Epicure consultant came up with this recipe - it's so quick and easy, and it tastes great!

4-6 c. cooked pasta
thinly sliced red onion
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1 batch Epicure's Chimichurri Finishing Sauce (2 tbsp. each Chimichurri mix, water, white vinegar, and olive oil)

Toss together and serve!

VEGETARIAN CRÊPES WITH BÉARNAISE SAUCE

Crêpe Batter:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tbsp. Epicure's 3 Onion dip mix
2 c. milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp. oil
salt

Whisk ingredients together. Heat a frying pan with a bit of oil and pour a thin layer of batter in the pan. Swirl it around so that it coats the pan in a nice thin circle. Cook 1-2 minutes per side. Stack crepes on a plate until you are ready to eat.


Filling:
2 onions, sliced
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
2 c. spinach, chopped
4-6 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
1 c. ricotta cheese
Epicure seasonings (I used SPG and Sun-kissed Tomato)

Sauté onions and mushrooms in a frying pan. Season with SPG (or use salt, pepper, and garlic). Add spinach and continue cooking until spinach wilts. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta cheese, and add seasonings if you like.


Béarnaise Sauce (adapted from Ina Garten's recipe)
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. white wine
2 shallots, finely diced
2-3 tsp. Epicure's Fines Herbes
salt & pepper
3 egg yolks
1 c. butter, melted

Put everything except egg yolks and butter into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for a few minutes until reduced to a couple tablespoons.  Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly. Whisk in egg yolks and pour mixture into a blender. Blend for about 30 seconds, then slowly add hot melted butter to the blender and continue blending for about 2 minutes. If it's too thick, add some more wine to thin it out.

Next time I make these, I'll assemble the crepes and put them in a baking dish in the oven to keep warm. Then I could pour warm Béarnaise sauce over top just before serving.

CANDIED BACON

Many thanks to my friend Jacqui who gave me the inspiration for this recipe!

Measurements are approximate.

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

pinch of Epicure's Sriracha Seasoning or Chipotle Chili or Chili Powder (optional)

8 slices bacon

Epicure's Maple Bacon Pepper

Combine first 4 ingredients - it should be like a dry rub. Lay bacon slices onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (enough to fold over and cover the bacon). Rub the sugar mixture into each slice of bacon, and sprinkle with Maple Bacon Pepper. Fold parchment paper over the bacon and lay another cookie sheet on top if you want to keep the bacon flat while cooking. Bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes, adding additional 10 minute intervals until it looks done. Let the bacon cool and then break into pieces before serving.

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP

Here's my adaptation of a recipe I found on Simply Recipes.

1 onion, diced

2 celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 tbsp. Epicure's Mango Curry Dip Mix

salt

2 chicken breasts, chopped (mine were already cooked in the slow cooker when I made homemade chicken stock overnight. You could use raw chicken and just let it cook in the soup.)

2 c. chicken stock

2 c. water

1/3 c. basmati rice

1 granny smith apple, chopped

1/2 c. coconut milk

Heat some butter and olive oil in a pot and add vegetables. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, then add Mango Curry dip mix and salt. Cook for another minute and then add chicken, chicken stock, and water. Bring to a boil and add rice and apple, then reduce heat and cover for 15 minutes. Stir in coconut milk.