Earth Day Recipes

I made these on Rogers Daytime with host Darrin. Tons of fun! Amazing what can be done in 13 minutes!

Earth Day Fresh Rolls

1 package rice paper wraps

1 cup (250 mL) cucumber, seeded,cut into thin sticks

1/4 cup (60 mL) shredded carrots

2 cup (500 mL) thin rice noodles, cooked according to package directions

1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh mixed herbs, finely sliced (cilantro, basil, mint are all good choices)

2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh lime juice

2 tablespoon (30 mL) soy sauce

1 teaspoon (5 mL) fresh ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 green onions, finely sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1. Combine noodles with herbs, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, green onions, and jalapeno.
2. Dip one sheet of rice paper into warm water, lay out on work surface, and place some shredded carrot, cucumber sticks, and some fresh herb leaves in center of wrap. Top with noodles. Fold in edge, then roll up into a cyclinder. These can be made in advance, but must be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out. Cut in half before serving.
3. Serve with dipping sauce
4. TIP: spray the platter with cooking spray so the rolls do not stick!

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup (125 mL) smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon (15 mL) rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried chili flakes

1 tablespoon (15 mL) soy sauce

Hot water

Combine all ingredients. If it seems too thick, add a little hot water. Serve with wraps.

Love The Planet Brownies

1/4 cup (60 mL) Ontario maple syrup

1/2 cup (125 mL) organic raisins

3/4 cup (185 mL) organic butter

6 oz (160 g) fair trade or organic chocolate (70-80% cocoa solids)

3/4 cup (185 mL) organic all purpose flour

1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder

2 organic eggs

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 inch metal or Pyrex baking pan with cooking spray or butter and flour it.
2. Warm up the maple syrup, either in the microwave or in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in raisins and let sit to plump while you are preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. In the top of a double boiler, melt the butter with the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool somewhat.
4. Sift together the flour with the baking powder. Set aside.
5. Beat the eggs with the sugar. Stir in the melted chocolate and butter. Stir in the flour and baking powder. Stir in the raisins and maple syrup. Scoop batter into prepared pan.
6. Bake brownies for 50-60 minutes, until edges are raised a bit, and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of moist batter attached. These are a dense moist brownie, so you don’t want to over-cook them.
7. Cool completely before cutting.
8. Cut into 16 brownies.

Recipes from a few Rogers TV shows that I did this Winter

The past few months I had the opportunity to be on Rogers Daytime show with hosts Darrin and Stephanie. What a ton of fun! The very first show was just before superbowl, so I had to come up with recipes that were good for entertaining a superbowl crowd, but healthy at the same time. Here’s what I came up with:

You can eat locally, even in winter, and you can eat healthy, even when entertaining for an event such as superbowl Sunday.

Define local: my definition of local changes throughout the year.

Why would you choose to eat local? The first reason for me is that it’s  FUN to eat locally, it gives you a reason to slow down and really think about what you are putting on your plate, you are supporting the local economy, you are supporting small farms, it’s healthier (you know what’s in your food), it creates conversation (both at the store/market and around the table), it gets you in touch with the seasons.

How do you do this? The easiest way is to shop at farmers markets or directly from farms during the growing season. You can preserve/freeze/ can food at its peak of freshness, and then you can enjoy local produce year round.

Choosing to make all your own food and shop locally is naturally healthier, as you are simply more inclined to include more fruit and vegetables in your diet.

Entertaining can be a dieters conundrum, can low fat healthy food taste delicious enough for that ‘wow’ factor we look for when entertaining? Of course the answer is yes. I have never been a big fan of deep- fried greasy food, anyway.

Let’s think about today’s menu, we need it to fulfill certain criteria: local, healthy, delicious, crowd pleasing, not fussy to make, and everything needs to be made in advance so we can all enjoy the party.

No sweat. I’ve chosen a couple of casual entertaining /potluck ‘musts’ and run with them. Pizza and chili.

Our pizza has a home-made whole multi-grain crust, then I topped it with roasted local mushrooms and peppers, caramelized local onions, some Ontario mozzarella cheese and Ontario goat cheese finish it off. You can make this in advance and freeze it unbaked, which makes it really easy to deal with the day of your party.

Our chili is made with low fat turkey, which is pretty much one of the leanest sources of protein you can get. I’ve added some nutrient rich Ontario sweet potatoes to the mix, and we are going to top it all with low fat sour cream and low fat grated cheese. You can make this the day before, and then just reheat it in the crock pot the day of the superbowl.

Here are the Recipes as promised:

Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Shallots and Leeks

Dough:

2 cups (500 mL) warm water

2 teaspoon (10 mL) yeast

2 teaspoon (10 mL) granulated sugar

2/3 cup (150 mL) olive oil

2 teaspoon (10 mL) salt

3 cups (750 mL) all purpose flour

2 cups (500 mL) whole wheat flour

1. Combine warm water, yeast, sugar, olive oil, salt, and all purpose flour in bowl of table top mixer. Beat with a dough hook for a few minutes, until you have smooth dough, and then add the whole wheat flour.
2. Beat with dough hook until it comes away from the edges of the bowl, about 5 minutes.
3. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk. Makes enough for 2 large pizzas.

Caramelized Onion Topping:

1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil

3 large onions, sliced

2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced

4 large shallots, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup  (125 mL) balsamic vinegar (choose a less expensive one)

1/4 cup (60 mL) maple syrup

1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt

2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh rosemary, minced

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. To caramelize onions, place a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Pour oil into pan, and stir in onions, leeks and shallots. Pour in balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Stir so everything is coated. Sprinkle salt on top of mixture, stir, and let cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat so mixture does not burn. The onions should be a deep, rich colour and very soft.
2. Remove pan from the heat.  Stir in rosemary and freshly ground pepper, add more salt if necessary. Let mixture cool.

Other toppings:

1 of each, red, orange, yellow peppers, thinly sliced and roasted

3 cups (750 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup (250 mL) crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

1/4 cup (60 mL) chives or green onions, finely chopped for garnish

1. While onions are caramelizing, roast peppers. To roast pepper, heat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss sliced pepper in a bowl with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray, and spread peppers out on sheet. Place in oven for 30 minutes, or until peppers are softened and a deep brown at the edges. Remove from oven and let cool.
2. Keep oven at 425 degrees F.
3. To assemble pizza, divide dough in half, and press out onto two pizza  or cookie sheets that have been prepared by spraying with vegetable oil. Press out as flat as you can, without over-working the dough.
4. Spread the caramelized onion mixture over all of the dough. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, scatter roasted peppers over mozzarella, and sprinkle with blue cheese.
5. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. The edges should be a deep golden brown, and the cheese should be melted.
6. Let sit for a couple of minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with chives.
7. Makes two large round pizzas, which could serve four people each, or one very large rectangular pizza, which you can cut into about 12-16 pieces.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

1 Tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil

1 lb (500 g) ground turkey meat

1 cup (250 mL) chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 Tbsp (30 mL) chili powder

1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin

1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano

1 cup (250 mL) chicken or vegetable broth

1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces

2 cans beans (540 mL each) – your choice, I used black beans and white beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) cayenne (or to taste)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh cilantro

Shredded cheese, optional

Sour cream, optional

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over medium high heat. Add the turkey meat, cook, stirring to break up the chunks, until turkey is no longer pink, and adjusting heat as necessary. Add the onion to the pan, cook and stir for 5 minutes, add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, ground cumin, and oregano. Cook and stir for another couple of minutes. Add the broth, the canned tomatoes, and the sweet potatoes. Cover the pan and let simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add  the beans and let simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Season to taste with cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir in cilantro. Serve immediately topped with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
• Serves six to eight.

The largest egg ever!

Well, the chickens have been laying for well over 2 months now, and today we got the largest egg ever! I made an omelette for lunch for lunch with that giant egg, and I only needed that one egg for a very substantial lunch!

check out the picture! See, it is the largest egg ever!

Garlicky Green Bean Salad

So, we were invited out to dinner and I had to bring the salad – pretty easy considering we do live on a farm! This is what I threw together in under 20 minutes (does not include time to pick the beans). We used this recipe as well at the Farmers’ Market Flavours of Canada BBQ on Augsut 1st as well.

Garlicky Green Bean Salad

Trim 2 lbs of green beans, put into boiling salted water, and cook ‘al dente’. Cool under cold running water. Drain.

Whisk together 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir in 4 cloves of minced garlic and a bit of salt and pepper. Toss with beans. Spread out on top of a platter of mixed greens or arugula. Garnish with about 1/4 cup of sliced basil, and a few tomatoes. I added olives to this the first time I made it as well-very good!

Walk Through the Garden Salad

The garden is a bit slow this year due to the cooler weather we have been experiencing. That’s OK, as we still have plenty of deilcious greens available to make my family’s favourite salad. Just like the title says “walk through the garden”, (or your local Farmers’ Market) and pick whatever is fresh, green and tasty.

Vinaigrette:
1 tsp (5mL) Dijon mustard
1 tsp (5mL) liquid honey
1 Tbsp (15 mL) rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

Salad:
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 small handful basil leaves
2 handfuls watercress

Grilled bread:
4 large slices sourdough bread
1-2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
2 cloves garlic, cut in half

1/3 cup (80 mL) goat cheese, soft
Sprinkle of chives

• Make the vinaigrette first: whisk together the mustard with the honey and vinegar. Whisk in the oil, season with pepper. Set aside.
• Wash all the greens very well and dry in a salad spinner. Set aside.
• Lightly brush the bread with olive oil. Place on medium high grill and toast, tuning over when one side has become golden brown. When both sides of bread are toasted, remove from grill. Rub cut garlic on top of bread. Spread softened goat cheese on each slice. Place bread on plates. Toss greens with vinaigrette and top each piece of bread with salad. Sprinkle on a few chives. Serve immediately.
• Serves 4.

The Tent in the Woods & What I Made with the Morels and Wild Leeks

After John went on his wild leek excursion, I wanted to go hunting for leeks as well, so my youngest daughter and I got very clear instructions from John on where exactly the leeks were. We headed up into the woods, headed for the train tracks, and then headed to the left, and what was there? Not the big giant patch of wild leeks we expected, but a camouflage tent – right there in the middle of our woods, creepy and mysterious. Yup, we high-tailed it out of there, looking over our shoulders for Freddy Kruger, and forgetting about the leeks.
LOL, joke was on us. When we got back to the house, John told me it was a friend of ours that had pitched the tent. Even so, it was still creepy. John had to go back into the woods with us to find the leeks after that, and we did find a nice smallish patch. We dug up just a few of those intense little bulbs, and I used them with some morels in a delicious sauce for our dinner.

Wild Mushroom and Leek Sauce for chicken or pasta or gnochhi

2 tablespoons (30 mL) butter
1 handful of washed, chopped leeks
2 cloves garlic, minced
Big handful of washed and chopped wild mushrooms
Splash of sherry or white wine (optional)
1 sprig savoury
1 sprig thyme
1 cup (250 mL) 35% cream
Salt, pepper, cayenne, to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish

Melt the butter in a good sized pan set over medium high heat. Add the leeks to the pan, cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms to the pan, cook and stir for another 5 minutes, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and continue to cook until mushrooms start releasing their delicious mushroom juices. Add the splash of wine or sherry to the pan, if desired. Toss in the sprigs of fresh herbs; cook and stir until mushroom aroma is completely delicious, and the liquids are pretty much reduced by half. Add the cream to the pan, cook and stir until it has reduced somewhat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and a pinch of cayenne, if desired.
Serve over a cooked chicken breast or thigh, or toss with some pasta or gnocchi. Some freshly grated parmesan is very nice on top of everything, and maybe a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley, just to boost the colour.

Rhubarb Cobbler

With an abundance of rhubarb in the garden right now, it is shame not to use it while it is at it’s peak. So, let’s make a homey and old fashioned cobbler; that delicious catch-all for seasonal fruit. I’ve used some maple syrup to help with the sweetening, some coarse cornmeal in the topping adds a bit of a pleasing crunch.

First, head out to your garden (or your neighbours – they are probably looking for people that want some rhubarb!) and pick about 10 stalks of rhubarb. Cut the leaves off and dump them in your compost. Head inside, wash the rhubarb and cut it into about 1-inch long pieces. You should have about 5-6 cups. Turn on your oven to 375 degrees F. Stir together the rhubarb with 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice, 1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup (125 mL) maple syrup. Pour all of this into a 9-inch square or round pyrex or other non-metallic pan. Now make the topping:
1 cup (250 mL) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) coarse cornmeal
1 teaspoon (5 mL) cinnamon
2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking powder
2 tablespoons (30 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt
2 tablespoons (30 mL) butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) milk
Stir together the flour with the cornmeal, cinnamon, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk. Give it all a quick stir until it comes together into a ball, then gently roll it out into a circle or square that will fit your pan. I had a round pan, so I rolled out a circle and then cut it into wedges, and placed the wedges on top of the rhubarb mixture. You can leave the pastry as a ‘whole’ if you’d like, or cut it into smaller pieces and fit the pieces on top of your rhubarb. That part is up to you. After you’ve done this, brush it all with:
1 tablespoon (15 mL) melted butter
and then sprinkle with:
1 tablespoon (15 mL) granulated sugar (I used organic sugar for a coarser texture)
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the rhubarb is bubbling and the topping os golden brown and delicious looking. Let sit for a while so the juices settle down a bit, then serve warm with your favourite vanilla icecream. We’re big fans of London icecream. Feeling healthy? It’s nice served with yogourt, too.

Spinach!

Have I ever mentioned how much spinach we eat this time of year? With it being the first green out of the gate each spring, we tend to kind of over-load until the rest of the veggies come along. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining at all; nothing is so delicious as a fresh spinach salad alongside any meal. In fact, I’ll toss spinach into just about any dish with pretty good results.

I recently taught a cooking class with some of my favourite recipes, and this Spinach and Feta Pie was a huge hit. Yes, it is basically a giant spanikopita, but a lot less fuss. Enjoy!

SPINACH AND FETA CHEESE PIE

8 cups fresh spinach, trimmed of heavy stems

2 Tablespoon (30 ml) olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano

2 cups (500 ml) ricotta cheese

2 cups (500 ml) feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup (60 ml) Parmesan cheese, grated

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon (15 ml) fresh dill, minced

Pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper, to taste

8 sheets phyllo dough

1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, melted

• Wash and drain the spinach, but do not spin it dry. Place it in a microwavable container, and microwave it until it is wilted. Squeeze the moisture out of the spinach, and chop it. You should have about 3/4 cup (185 ml). Set aside.
• Meanwhile, pour the oil into a pan and sauté the onion and garlic over medium high heat. When the onion is translucent, after about 5 minutes, stir in the spinach and oregano. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium size bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese with the feta cheese, Parmesan, and two eggs. Stir in the cooled spinach and onion mixture, then stir in the chopped dill and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Spread out one sheet of phyllo dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with melted butter, then top with another sheet of phyllo, giving it one-quarter turn; brush this sheet with butter as well. Repeat layers, always turning the sheets slightly from the one underneath. The final sheet should pretty well line up with the first sheet. Pile your cheese and spinach mixture in the center of the phyllo, then flatten it out slightly, leaving a three to four inch edge on the dough. Fold this phyllo edge over the edge of the filling, leaving the tart slightly open in the middle.
• Place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Let sit for five to ten minutes before slicing into wedges. Delicious with a Greek salad on the side.

Serves six to eight.

Steak and Mushroom Pie

Comfort Food

I like our Sunday meal. Even though the world has changed dramatically since I was a child, we somehow always manage to sit down on a Sunday evening and have a good family meal. I like to make a bit more of an effort on Sunday – no hurried supermarket pasta and sauce on this day, but a substantial meal, one that makes everybody feel special because I’ve put some thought and time into it.
As with all delicious food, the quality of the initial ingredients is as important as the skill going into making it. Make your own beef stock. You will be amazed at the difference in the final dish. Make the pastry yourself as well. This pastry recipe is tender and flaky, not to mention flavourful. Just remember to use a light hand when mixing and rolling.
This might seem like a lot of work at first, but it makes two generous pies, so you can wrap one up and freeze it for later use – you’ll be off the hook for dinner another night!

Steak and Mushroom Pie

3 slices bacon
3 lbs (1.5 kg) beef sirloin, cut into bite size cubes
1 cup (250 mL) pearl onions, peeled
4 cups (1 L) small white mushrooms, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots, finely diced
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil
1/2 cup (125 mL) red wine
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
1/2 cup (125 mL) all purpose flour
2 cup (500 mL) beef stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp (30 mL) Italian parsley, finely chopped
Cheddar pie dough (recipe follows)

In a large saute pan, cook the bacon until it is crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. In the bacon fat that is remaining in the pan, sautÈ the meat, in batches, until it is browned on all sides. Set the meat aside.
In the same pan over medium high heat, brown the onions, stirring frequently, for five minutes. You might need to add a bit of vegetable oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms and sautÈ until golden. Stir in the garlic and carrots, and cook for another five minutes. Stir in the thyme, basil, and the red wine. Let the wine reduce by half, and then add the mustard; stir to combine. Add the flour, cook and stir for about three minutes, until everything is well combined. Gradually stir in the beef stock. Let the mixture come to a boil, stirring until it is smooth. Stir in the beef cubes, and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces, and stir into the mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the pastry. Makes enough filling for two large pies.

Cheddar Pie Dough

5 cups (1.25L) all purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 tsp (5 mL) dry mustard
1 lb (454 g) vegetable shortening
1 cup (250 mL) old cheddar cheese, shredded
1 egg
Cold water (approximately 3/4 cup)
1 egg for brushing on the pastry

In a large bowl, stir the flour with the salt and the dry mustard. With a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles crumbs. Stir in the cheese. Crack the egg into a 1 cup (250 mL) liquid measuring cup. Add enough cold water to measure 1 cup (250 mL). Mix egg and water vigorously with a fork. Add to flour mixture and stir lightly until mixture comes together. Dump pastry out onto lightly floured surface, and gently knead 5 or 6 times to make a soft, workable pastry. At this point you can wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate, or continue on to the next step. Makes enough pastry for two double crust pies.

Assembling the pies:
Heat oven to 400_ F (200 _ C).
Beat the egg, set aside.
Divide pastry into four pieces. Roll out the pastry into large circles, and place two of the pieces into two large pie plates. Do not trim the edges yet. Fill the pastry shell with the steak and mushroom filling. Brush the edges of the pie with the beaten egg, and then place the remaining rolled out pastry on top, pinching the edges together. Repeat with other pie. Trim edges and crimp. Brush the top of the pies with the remaining beaten egg. With a sharp knife slash the surface once or twice to create a vent for steam. At this point you can wrap your pies in plastic wrap and freeze for a later date, or you can bake them right away. If you are having them for supper tonight, continue on.
Place pie in hot oven, and let bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn heat down to 350_ F (180 _ C) and let bake another 35 to 40 minutes, until pastry is a deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Makes two pies.

Originally published in eatdrink magazine February 2008 (www.eatdrink.ca)

Cooking Craft for Kids

Looking for something fun to do with the kids on a March Break afternoon? These flower pots cakes should fit the bill for just about any age. They are simple to make and delicious to eat, not to mention adorable to look at!
This fantastic chocolate cake recipe is from one of the moms at my children’s school. It makes a wonderful cake for any occasion.
You can buy flower pots at the dollar store, or at garden center. Give them a thorough wash in the dishwasher before using. The ones I bought hold up to two cups of liquid, you can certainly buy smaller ones and make more flower gardens if you’d like, just adjust baking time accordingly.

FLOWER POT CAKES

3 Cups (750 mL) all purpose flour
2 cups (500 mL) granulated sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda
1 tsp (5mL) salt
6 Tbsp (90 mL) cocoa powder
3/4 cup (185 mL) vegetable oil
2 Tbsp (30 mL) white vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
2 cups (500 mL) water

Heat oven to 350 _ F (180_ C). Line 4 clean clay flower pots with foil. The pots should be large enough to hold 2 cups of liquid. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Stir wet ingredients together in another bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients; stir until mixed.
Pour batter into four prepared flower pots. Place in hot oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven, let cool in pots on a cooling rack.

GREEN GRASS ICING

1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, soft
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
1 Tbsp (15 mL) milk
Green food colouring

Beat butter with a wooden spoon. Gradually add the icing sugar. Beat until creamy.
Stir in the vanilla and milk; beat again so icing is very smooth.
Add food colouring.
Makes enough to ice 4 flower pot cakes.

FLOWER POWER COOKIES

3/4 cup (185 ml) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) icing sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 cup (500 ml) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) baking powder

Smarties, assorted colours
18-20 Popsicle stick

Heat oven to 325_ F (160_ C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In food processor or with an electric beater, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugars, vanilla and egg and blend till smooth.
Sift together flour and baking†powder and slowly add to dough until it comes together.† Roll out dough to desired thickness and cut into flower shapes. Press a smartie in the center of each cookie. Push a Popsicle stick into the dough, so that once baked the cookies can be picked up like lollipops.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Makes 18-20 two inch cookies.

To assemble the flower spots:

The cakes must be completely cool. Remove from the pots, remove the foil, and then return cakes to pots. Ice with the green icing, and then push the Popsicle stick cookies into the cakes. Take a picture!