Beef Short Ribs with Orange Gremolata & Polenta

Posted: February 21, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Beef, Main, Uncategorized | Tags: , , | 22 Comments »

 

Beef short ribs have been on the menu of many of the meals that I would rank as highly memorable over the years. There was the dinner at Scalini Fedeli in Tribeca, New York City; an anniversary dinner at the Charles Inn Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake; and a recent dinner in the Quinn Family Kitchen after a fun afternoon of skating (thank you Laura and Kevin).  Whatever the occasion—fine dining or a casual family get-together—there’s just something about beef short ribs.

I had high expectations of this short rib recipe and I can tell you that it didn’t disappoint. I made it a while back when my good friend Pam from Ottawa came to spend a night with us—so for that reason alone it was a memorable evening. But the combination of the orange gremolata, short ribs and polenta made me unable to control myself—I must have eaten three bowls of this dish. It is comforting, hearty and very flavourful.

If you’ve never tried polenta, why not shake things up a bit? I saw chef Michael Smith make polenta with a can of cream-style corn many years ago and I’ve made it this way ever since.

Beef Short Ribs with Orange Gremolata

Adapted slightly from Judith Finlayson, Slow Cooker Recipes

  • 4 lbs beef short ribs
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • ½ cup dry red wine

Directions

  1. Preheat oven on broil setting. Broil ribs on both sides until brown, about 10 minutes per side. Place in slow cooker.
  2. Heat oil over medium heat and add onions, carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add garlic, salt, pepper and thyme and cook for one minute. Sprinkle flour over mixture and cook, stirring for one minute. Add tomato paste, beef broth and wine and bring to a boil.
  3. Pour mixture over ribs and cook on high in slow cooker for 5 to 6 hours (or low for 10 hours) until ribs are tender and falling off the bone.

Orange Gremolata

  • ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Grated orange zest from one orange (using a microplane)

Combine ingredients in a small bowl just before serving and pass at the table. (We passed the gremolata at the table, so you won’t see it in my photo!)

Polenta

  • 1 14-oz can cream-style corn
  • ½ can milk (use the empty corn can for measuring)
  • 1-1/2 can of water
  • ½ can of cornmeal
  • 1 tbsp butter
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Add cream-style corn to medium sauce pan (with metal handle, so that it is oven safe) on medium heat.
  3. Add water, milk and butter and stir for a couple of minutes until butter is melted and well incorporated.
  4. Pour in cornmeal in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes on the stove top and then cover with lid and cook in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

 TIP:

  • If you want to make this on your stove top, follow step one. Then for step two, use a dutch oven and follow all steps noted. However, you’ll need to add extra liquid — increase the beef broth to 1-1/2 cups and increase the red wine to about 3 cups. Add short ribs to the dutch oven and cook covered on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until meet is fall off the bone.

Chocolate and Black Beans – Original or Common?

Posted: February 12, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Baking, Brownies | Tags: , , , , , | 20 Comments »

You may be starting to sense a chocolate theme in my recent posts. Well, this fascination with chocolate all started two weeks ago when my husband Kevin and I went to dinner at Victor Restaurant here in Toronto. The restaurant offers an Iron Chef dinner option, where you select a feature ingredient and they prepare a five-course dinner battle around that ingredient. Each chef or cook in the Victor Kitchen prepares a different course and you rank each of the courses based on four criteria. At the end of the meal, you tally up your scores and the chef or cook’s dish with the highest ranking wins. Doesn’t that sound fun?

So it’ll come as no surprise that we chose chocolate as our theme ingredient. That’s right—five glorious courses each prepared with chocolate in some shape or fashion. I’m going to summarize each of the dishes at the end of this post, but I want to start by telling you about our first course and how it inspired today’s recipe.

We started with: Chocolate Soup with Black Bean Salsa, topped with Crispy Pumpkin Seeds, Cilantro and Crispy Pork Belly and Tortilla Strips. As we tasted the delicious soup, Kevin started to work on his rankings and I have to say he was taking it all very seriously. When he got to the “how original or authentic was the dish” category, he started to talk about how the flavours were the same as my chili (which has a bit of chocolate in it) so he felt it wasn’t that original. I countered that it was in fact original for a savory chocolate soup to have those same flavours. Out came his BlackBerry, followed by a Google search on “chocolate and beans.” Well, this resulted in hundreds of black bean brownie recipes—but no chocolate and black bean soup recipes. In the end, Kevin still felt it wasn’t that original because obviously the chocolate and black bean combination was pretty popular in the form of brownies. So tell me, what do you think? Was this an authentic/original dish—or a common one? Which one of us was right?

I decided on the spot that I would make a Black Bean Brownie recipe for you as a tribute to this amazing dinner and our lively dinner debate. I whipped up a batch right away, altering the recipe a bit as I went along. The brownies were super easy to make and surprisingly tasty. The ponytails didn’t suspect for a minute that the brownies were made with beans. There you have it—flourless Chocolate Black Bean Brownies! Who knew? (Apparently the hundreds of people who have blogged about black bean brownies…)

Black Bean Brownies

Adapted from Allrecipies.com (Canada) by Elizabeth

  • 1 15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tbsp canola oil
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp instant coffee (optional)
  • ½ cup chocolate chips (I used milk and white chocolate swirl chips)

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly grease an 8” x 8” square baking dish.

3. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in a blender and blend until smooth.

4. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.

5. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top of dish.

6. Bake in preheated oven until top is dry and edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.

Victor Restaurant (at Hotel Le Germain, Toronto)

Iron Chef Dinner — Theme Ingredient: Chocolate

Dish 1:   Chocolate Soup with Black Bean Salsa, topped with Crispy Pumpkin Seeds, Cilantro and Crispy Pork Belly and Tortilla Strips (Total score 34 out of 40; each of us could award up to 20 points, with up to 5 points in 4 categories)

Dish 2:   Lobster and Scallops with White Chocolate Velouté in Puff Pastry (Total score 40 out of 40; THE WINNER of the Challenge; prepared by the Salad Cook and apparently his 1st win!)

Dish 3:   Duck and Soba Noodles, with Chocolate, Mushrooms and Bacon in a Cocoa Butter Sauce (Total score 33 out of 40)

Dish 4:   Organic Beef Tenderloin, White Chocolate Potatoes Purée, Spinach, Pickled Onion and Beets, with Cocoa Sauce drizzled on the side (Total score 38 out of 40)

Dish 5:   Flourless Chocolate Cake, Brandied Cherries, Chocolate Ice Cream, and Chocolate Truffles with Crushed Praline (Total score 33 out of 40)

Essentially Victor’s five chefs/cooks created this menu just for us, as we were the only ones in the restaurant participating in the Iron Chef dinner that night. It was an absolutely unique and delicious dining experience that we both LOVED. I highly recommend the Iron Chef Dinner Challenge at Victor Restaurant. However, you must book your Iron Chef dinner well in advance when you provide them with your theme ingredient. It was $80 per person for the meal, and $40 per person for the wine pairings.

Two BFFs: Sweet and Salty

Posted: February 5, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Baking, Cookies | Tags: , , | 16 Comments »

Bad or good; ugly or beautiful; sweet or salty—conventional wisdom has taught us that if one of these qualities holds true, then the opposite is automatically untrue. And then along came Thai cuisine into the mainstream a number of years ago, to teach us that sweet and salty can co-exist in mouth-wateringly delicious ways. Now it seems that we think nothing of adding salt to our caramels and other sweet confections.

This cookie bar recipe will show you that not only can sweet and salty get along well—they can in fact be BFFs. They get along so well that they are dangerous. Yes, these cookie bars are that good. It is dangerous for me to be alone with them, as they are dangerously good. Just ask the colleague who had one at our company pot luck last week. She chased me as I was picking up my Tupperware container, so that she could have the leftover crumbs. Yes, they are dangerous.

The credit for this recipe goes to Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod. (Her photos of these cookie bars are way better than my pic!) I didn’t change a thing because the recipe was perfect as is. I highly recommend this recipe, as these bars are super easy to make and a sure-fire hit for any pot-luck lunch or night home alone.

Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

  • 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 10 ounces caramel candy squares, unwrapped (about 35 caramels by my calculations)
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Sea salt, for sprinkling over caramel and bars

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart baking pan (11 x 8 glass Pyrex dish).

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the melted butter and sugars together until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on low, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the caramels and heavy cream. Microwave caramels on High until caramels are melted, stirring every 20 to 25 seconds. This will take about 2 minutes, depending on your microwave.

5. Divide the cookie dough in half. Press half of the cookie dough into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula. Pour hot caramel over the cookie dough. Sprinkle caramel with sea salt. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough over the caramel and spread dough with a spatula until the caramel is covered. Sprinkle the bars with additional sea salt.

6.Bake cookie bars for 30 minutes or until the top of the bars are light golden brown and the edges start to pull away from the pan. Cool bars on a wire rack to room temperature. Cut bars into squares and serve.

Chocolate & Zucchini Eat Quick Bread

Posted: January 29, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Baking, Quick Breads | Tags: , , | 20 Comments »

I’ve finally managed to break free from my Banana Bread rut. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like a slice of really good Banana Bread. The ponytails just love it and it is a great way to use up my never-ending pile of over-ripe bananas each weekend. But after a few months, the love starts to fade a bit.

I bought some zucchini to use in a veggie chili that I made recently and had a large zucchini left over. Then I realized it was time to start making room for another kind of loaf in my life.

I baked this bread on Saturday afternoon after my daughters’ swimming lessons, and the moans of hunger from the girls started about 10 minutes before I removed it from the oven. As soon as the loaf was cool enough to handle, I sliced and served a piece to each of them. When I turned around, I discovered that half the loaf was gone. In my house, you have to eat fast if you want to get your share. So, I think that this loaf is appropriately named. However, I might have also called it Chocolate & Zucchini Take Photo Quick Bread – since it was disappearing faster than the money in my wallet after payday. My husband Kevin has pointed out that I need to be patient, as the family is still getting used to this whole “cook and click” routine and that a picture of a partial loaf proves that it is a good recipe. Hopefully you agree?

Chocolate & Zucchini Eat Quick Bread

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup cocoa, sifted
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup sour cream (I used 1%)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 350° and grease 9 ½” x 5 ½” loaf pan.

In medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, sour cream and vanilla. In a second bowl, stir together the two flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Add zucchini and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes (until inserted toothpick comes out clean). Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

TIP:

  • Walnuts and/or chocolate chips would be a great addition to this recipe (1/2 cup). I didn’t add the nuts because the loaf is this week’s school snack. I also wanted the zucchini to be the star of the show so I held back on the chocolate chips this time.

Greek Lasagna (a.k.a. “More Please Mom”)

Posted: January 22, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Mains, Pasta, Uncategorized | Tags: , , | 17 Comments »

As much as I love to cook, a bit of the joy slips away when my ponytails look at a dish and start to groan like their arms are being slowly torn from their socket, or make faces that imply a sock that has been worn for several months is dangling precariously close to their cute little nostrils. Naturally, I’m more drawn to recipes that I know are going to be guaranteed hits with everyone who eats at my table. Call me crazy, but their little smiles and nods of approval make the mountain of dishes that I always leave behind in the kitchen somewhat more bearable.

So, when I stumbled upon a recipe for Pastitsio (pronounced pah-stee-tsee-oh) last weekend, I headed straight to the kitchen to start the meat sauce. A rich creamy sauce over a meat-pasta combo—how could I go wrong? I actually set out to make Aubergine Lasagna, after reading a recent post by Charles over at Five Euro Foods – but I didn’t buy enough eggplant on shopping day. Mind you, pastitsio is actually very similar to Charles’ dish—both recipes include delicious béchamel and meat sauces.

The morning after I made this dish, I proudly consulted with Miss Kerassia, my authority on all things Greek. Miss Kerassia is a wonderful home cook who moved to Toronto from Greece some time ago. She works at my daughter’s daycare, and I look forward to her warm, welcoming greeting every morning. She tells me that Pastichio (as it is also known) is the equivalent of lasagne for Greeks, and it is a favourite go-to meal for her and many of her friends.

Kerassia educated me on how this dish has been influenced by Italy and Turkey, two neighbouring countries to Greece. Pastitsio takes its name from the Italian pasticcio, which means baked savory pies with meat, fish, or pasta. She talked about how the unique spice combination in this dish (cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice) is in fact reflective of Turkish origins. While I only sprinkled a pinch of cinnamon on top of the béchamel sauce before baking, Kerassia likes to add a cinnamon stick to the meat sauce while it is cooking—so I’ve added that optional step to the recipe below. However I should point out that the version that I made did not include any allspice.

If you’re looking for a smile or two next time you spend time in the kitchen, then I highly recommend this recipe.

Pastitsio (Pah-stee-tsee-oh) [Baked Penne with Béchamel Sauce]

Adapted from Three Sisters Around the Greek Table

Meat Sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb (500g) extra lean ground beef
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 28 oz tin crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1tsp thyme
  • 1 cup red wine
  • Pepper to taste
  • Cinnamon stick (optional)

Sauté onions with olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until soft (about 5 minutes). Add ground beef and cook until brown, adding salt to the beef as it cooks. Break up the beef as it cooks. Add the wine and cook until the wine is reduced by half. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomato sauce, oregano, thyme, cinnamon stick (if usin) and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add some water. Remove cinnamon stick (if using) and remove from heat.

Bechamel Sauce

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 ¼ cup of milk
  • 2 tbsp grated romano cheese

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the flour and mix with a spoon until the flour and butter are combined. Gradually add milk and whisk (using magic whisk) continuously to avoid any lumps from forming. Simmer until sauce is thick and creamy, about 10 minutes. Remove sauce from heat before it reaches boiling point. Add the cheese and set aside until ready to use.

  • 5 cups penne pasta, dried
  • ¼ cup grated romano cheese (or pecorino/mizithra)
  • 2 tbsp grated romano cheese (or pecorino/mizithra)
  • 6 slivers of butter
  • Pinch cinnamon
  • Pinch nutmeg

Prepare meat sauce and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta until al dente (or as you like it).

Place the cooked penne in an 11” x 14” in baking dish (rectangular or oval) and sprinkle with the cheese.

Pour the meat sauce on top of the penne and mix together until the penne is evenly coated with sauce.

Prepare the béchamel sauce and spread evenly on top of the pasta with meat sauce.

Top the béchamel sauce with cheese and slivers of butter. Sprinkle on cinnamon and nutmeg. Place in a preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Let the dish sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

TIPS/NOTES

  • I actually used my own white sauce recipe for the Béchamel and added some grated romano cheese, as the original recipe suggested. (I add a cup or so of grated cheddar cheese to the sauce when making Mac & Cheese.) My version makes less than half of the original recipe, but it is enough to cover the entire pasta dish (I was trying to minimize the number of rich calories). You could easily double the sauce recipe when you feel like splurging (I intend to at least one time in the future).
  • I really recommend using the magic whisk when making a Bechamel or white sauce. It works wonders at getting out any lumps in the sauce. I bought mine at the kitchen shop in St. Lawrence Market.

Kitchen Sink Granola Bars

Posted: January 12, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Snacks, Uncategorized | Tags: , , | 23 Comments »

They say that many hands make light work. But, I think that all depends on the size of the hands.

Although little hands—like those of two energetic and competitive (“no, I want to add the honey”) ponytails —certainly do make things more fun. Well, fun in a making sure your helpers don’t eat all the ingredients before they are added kind of way. Okay, and fun in a bonding kind of way too.

These granola bars are perfect for making with little ones, because there are only four simple steps involved. Measure. Add. Mix. Pour. Of course you must also put them in the oven, but that is no different than lifting a spoon or a fork to your mouth, is it?

The end-result of all that adding and mixing is pretty tasty, and rather healthy I might add. These are perfect to make if you’re looking to reduce the number of pre-made, store-bought snacks (with packaging) in your world. Not that there’s anything wrong with buying snacks—we all have busy lives. I just like to mix things up (literally) and add some homemade snacks to our routine. These are fast and easy.

I’ve adapted the recipe that I found with some substitutions, and added in a few extra goodies. We really like this recipe, but if you have a granola bar recipe that you recommend, I’d love to hear about it. 

Kitchen Sink Granola Bars

Adapted from the printed version of TogetherFamily.ca

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
  • ¼ cup wheat germ
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup dried blueberries (substitute with chopped dried cherries or dried cranberries)
  • ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup butterscotch chips
  •  ½cup marshmallows (optional)
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the oats, sugar, wheat germ, sesame seeds, cinnamon, flour, raisins, dried blueberries, coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, marshmallow (if using) and salt.
  4. Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil honey, egg and vanilla. Mix well.
  5. Pat the mixture down well in the pan.
  6. Bake for about 25 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Be careful not to overcook.
  7. Cool for 5 minutes and then cut into squares. Do not let them cool completely or they will be difficult to cut. Once cut, let cool completely before removing from the pan—as they crumble easily if they have not had time to set.

TIPS:

  • When adding your ingredients with your measuring cup, be sure to add the oil before the honey. The oil coats the measuring cup, making the honey slide out more easily.
  • We also added ¼ cup of cranberries, along with the blueberries because we had lots on hand. We didn’t add any nuts because the school is a nut-free zone.
  • Be sure to follow instruction #7 because they will be too hard to cut if you don’t cut them shortly after taking them out of the oven. And, if you try to remove them from the pan right after they are cut, they will be crumbly.

Garlic-Rosemary Roast Beef and Versatile Blogger Award

Posted: January 7, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Mains, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 16 Comments »

Over the holidays, I was nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by Eva at Kitchen Inspirations, which I humbly accepted. Eva is a long-time friend, who I have known for more than 20 years. Food has been a constant in our friendship—we’ve shared a meal and a laugh in countless restaurants in both Toronto and out West (Eva and her husband John visited me when I lived in Vancouver), and our homes. Receiving an invitation to dinner at Eva’s is akin to winning the lottery because you are guaranteed a Michelin star-worthy meal with perfectly-paired wines. One memorable evening was a relaxing international tapas dinner in front of the fire, which I’m not soon to forget because all the courses were captured on a printed menu keepsake. Fortunately Eva and John took an instant liking to my husband Kevin 10 years ago—so much so, that I’m not sure where their alliance would fall if my husband and I ever separated. Let’s hope we don’t have to put that one to the test ever.

I made two recipes from Eva’s blog for our New Year’s celebration and I highly recommend them both. The Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Dip and Cheez-Itz crackers were both gone in a flash.

Blogs I Nominate for Versatile Blogger Award:

  • The Gouda Life – This is a blog I have followed for quite a while. Kelly’s fresh and fun approach to food is down-right addictive. I highly recommend this blog. (I made her Green Lentil Soup with Brown Butter Curry last night. Kevin and I both loved it, but I’m afraid it wasn’t a hit with the ponytails.)
  • With a Glass – I recently discovered this blog and I’ve quickly become a big fan. Isn’t everything better “with a glass” of something adult-friendly? The photography is lovely and I have a long list of recipes that I’d like to try.
  • Two Peas & Their Pod– This is another recent discovery. I was instantly attracted to the wide range of cookie recipes on this family-friendly blog.

Other Blogs I Enjoy (they also received the award over the holidays)

As part of this award, I’m to share 7 Things About Myself

  • I made my first roast beef last week. I never liked roast beef growing up, so I’ve just never made it. My inspiration came from reading the online version of Everyday Food on our new iPad (the online version is THE BEST). The Rosemary-Garlic Roast Beef and Potatoes with Horseradish Sauce just looked so good and simple to prepare. And it was! This is a great dish to prepare when having company—just prepare the rosemary-garlic rub in advance and then sear the beef about 40 minutes before you want to eat and pop it in the oven. I used a sirloin tip and made the recipe’s horseradish sauce, along with roasted asparagus.

  • I used to live in the basement of my good friends Eva and John (Eva from Kitchen Inspirations). It was more years ago than I’m willing to admit. They offered me a nice space at a very reasonable rate, and it worked out quite nicely. It was the only time in my life I’ve been known as Bargain Basement Barb, although Eva still likes to call me that on occasion (mostly when I’m being cheeky, so very rarely).
  • For my first summer job, I was an elevator operator at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (Alberta, Canada). It was back when the hotel was managed by Canadian Pacific and I worked there for two summers as a university student. Our crew of elevator operators will go down in history as the last crew—the elevators were automated shortly after we left. The elevator was controlled by a manual lever, and you had to watch for numbers on the shaft wall as you ascended or descended and then release the lever at just the right moment to ensure a smooth landing for passengers. You can imagine how many times I was asked if the job had its “ups and downs” by tourists. I was definitely on the fast track, as I was promoted to Tea Service Waitress my second summer. The view of the lake is one of the most spectacular in the world, and when I look at pictures of it now I still feel as though it is my own special little corner of the world. The hiking was incredible, and we took full advantage on our days off. The most challenging and memorable hike of my life was an overnight excursion up to a stone cabin called Abbot’s Hut (here’s a video of the hut), which is perched at the top of a glacier path called The Death Trap and straddles the British Columbia/Alberta Border.

I'm the swiss miss on the far left.

  • I was chased by a wild pig while on vacation in Jakarta, Indonesia. My friend and I were out late one night trying to find a place to get something to eat while staying at a remote inn just outside Jakarta. After being chased by what sounded like a wild pig (I was too afraid to turn around), we returned to the isolated inn empty-handed and hungry. I have no idea where we were, but I don’t recommend that you stay there.
  • My first 10 km run was the Vancouver Sun Run, which I ran with three good pals. We called ourselves the Red Rovers and we were known for our ability to talk fast and run slow.
  • I was a “temp” in London, England for a summer during university. Over the course of my two months working there, I lived in a couple of different flats—one at Seven Sisters and one at St. John’s Wood. Can you guess which flat was just down the road from the walkway where The Beatles’ Abby Road album cover was photographed?
  • My all-time favourite chocolate bar is Toblerone. I spent a few days in Switzerland during the summer I worked in England and I thought that I’d died and gone to heaven when I discovered the vending machines were filled with Toblerones and Lindt chocolate. Not sure why I didn’t just stay there and settle down. No really, why did I leave?

Turkey Leftovers Two Ways

Posted: December 30, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Soup | Tags: , , , | 18 Comments »

Turkey Soup with Cranberry Parsley Pistou and Turkey Salad

I’m a big fan of cooking without a recipe (except when baking). And, when I’m trying to clean out my fridge I can get pretty creative—although not everything is picture-worthy. Yesterday I was anxious to finish up the leftover turkey in my fridge because last year I stuck the turkey in the freezer at the last possible minute and then never used it—and that is just wrong.

So, this year I made two dishes: Turkey Soup with Cranberry Parsley Pistou and Turkey Salad. The turkey soup is pretty standard, but I spiced it up with the Cranberry Parsley Pistou. If you’ve never tried Soupe au Pistou, it is a French vegetable soup from Provence with a dollop of “pistou” which is essentially pesto without the pine nuts. It’s a puree of olive oil, garlic, parmesan and herbs (usually basil). The version of pistou that I’ve made before has tomato paste in it as well. I really like it because it is a great way to jazz up soup, and shouldn’t soup be jazzy? However, my ponytails don’t like jazzy soup (they call anything they don’t like “spicy”) so they will get the plain version. Isn’t that perfect though? An ingredient so special that it is just for the adults?

I should point out that the cranberry in the pistou is VERY subtle. It just adds a hint of sweetness and you see a few tiny specs of red in the soup, but you really have to look for them. I loved being able to use up the left-over cranberry as well!

Now I have put together a recipe for my soup (below), but it is the perfect dish to try without a recipe or to completely change up my version. Consider mine a starting point and go with what you have leftover in your fridge and how much you have of each ingredient. I’ve also made a small portion of the pistou because it is just for the two of us, but you could easily double it if you are serving a crowd.

I’m not going to include a recipe for the turkey salad. I just chopped up the turkey into cubes, added enough low-fat mayo to cover it nicely, then threw in a couple pieces of chopped celery and green onion and a handful of pine nuts and raisins. I’ve never had it with pine nuts and raisins before, but perhaps it is not that original. I quite liked it.

Turkey Soup with Cranberry Parsley Pistou

For the stock:

  • Turkey carcass and bones
  • Onion, quartered
  • 2 whole carrots
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • Small bunch of parsley (whole)
  • Bay leaf

For the soup:

  • 1-1/2 small onions, chopped
  • 3 celery, diced
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 2 potatoes diced (if you have them – I was out so didn’t use them this time)
  • 3 cups chopped turkey
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 2 cups medium egg noodles
  • 1 cup peas

For the pistou:

  • ½ cup tightly packed flat leaf Italian parsley
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp whole cranberry sauce
  • 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan
  • ½ clove of garlic, minced (add more if you like garlic)

Place the turkey carcass and bones, along with vegetables (onion, carrots, celery, parsley and bay leaf) in a large stock pot and cover with water. I filled mine pretty close to the top of the pot, because I wanted to maximize my soup yield. Simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Strain turkey stock and throw out the carcass, bones and vegetables. Place the lovely strained stock back in your pot and add all remaining ingredients except the peas and egg noodles. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the peas and egg noodles and cook for 15 more minutes. (You can sauté the vegetables in a bit of olive oil first, but I skipped this step.)

For the Pistou, place the parsley, cranberry, parmesan, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and puree. Pour in the olive oil with the motor running until the mixture is completely blended.

Ladle your soup into a bowl and add a dollop (or two, pending preference) of pistou. Enjoy.

Here’s a picture of the turkey salad, just waiting for some good bread.

Mom’s “Modern” Plum Pudding

Posted: December 27, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Pudding | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments »

There’s something very grounding about traditions. They link us to the past, and sometimes they even link us to past generations. Such is the case with my mom’s recipe for plum pudding. She’s been making it at the holidays for at least 45 years now. And, my grandmother made it every year for Christmas, as did her mother and grandmother before her. (My mom fondly remembers the Christmas day of her childhood — a horse drawn sleigh ride on the farm, followed by dinner and pudding.) By my calculations then, this pudding has been an Edington family tradition for well over 100 years.

I must tell you though, that the name of this dish is very misleading, as it is neither “modern” nor does it contain any plums. Apparently, it is called “modern” because at the time (100+ years ago), it was a new take on the traditional plum pudding made with preserved or glazed fruit and nuts. The grated carrots and potatoes, (without any egg) make this a unique take on “The Pud”. I would describe it as a cross between carrot cake and sticky toffee pudding.

Traditional plum pudding is also doused in brandy and lit at the table, or served with brandy butter or a white cream glaze. My mom developed her own version of a Brown Sugar Brandy Sauce for The Pud, which I love so much I could bathe in it. Her pudding and sauce are the reason that I am unable to move after Christmas dinner. The knowledge that this flavor combination comes but once a year prompts the second and third helping. You get the picture. Both ponytails loved it this year, and I guess that makes sense since they always order sticky toffee pudding at our local pub.

Modern Plum Pudding

  • 1 cup grated raw carrot
  • 1 cup grated raw potatoes
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ¾ cup sultana raisins
  • ½ cup currants
  • ½ cup butter or suet
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp soda

Grate carrots and potatoes. Measure and set aside. Mix the butter and sugar until well blended. Add ½ of potatoes, and all of carrots. Mix well. Sprinkle raisins and currants with 1 tbsp of the flour and add to the potato mixture. Mix together remaining flour and spices, and add to the mixture. Dissolve soda in remaining half of the potatoes, mix well and add to the mixture. Stir the mixture well. Place in a pudding mold and add lid. Set the mold in a into a large pot filled with water half-way up the mold and steam (with lid on) for 3 hours.

(Before I bought the mold that we use now, my mom always used a small pyrex bowl and covered the pudding with cheese cloth and then wax paper. She placed a rack in the bottom of a canning pot, placed the bowl on the rack and then filled the pot with water until it touched the bottom of the bowl. )

Brown Sugar Brandy Sauce

  • 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 to 5 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp brandy

Melt butter in large frying pan. Add brown sugar and cook until mixture starts to brown (approx. 2 minutes). Add water, and stir. In a small bowl add a bit of water to the corn starch (enough to cover) and mix. Add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar mixture to the cornstarch before adding to the pan. The sauce should be thick enough to nicely stick to the pudding. Add brandy and vanilla. Drizzle the sauce over each piece of pudding before serving.

“Checking” Out

Posted: December 18, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Cookies | Tags: , | 16 Comments »

The mixer is back in the cupboard. The baking sheets are taking a rest. I’m ready for a martini—but it’s only 7 am. Okay so maybe some baileys in my coffee since I’m a lightweight.

The final count for the Cookie Challenge came in at 889 cookies, with 13 different batches. The lowest cookie yield was the Coconut Pyramids (27) and the highest was the Gingerbread Cookies (118).

So, the “best guess” cookies go to Mercedes, whose “final answer” was 864. Her next challenge will be to eat all the cookies before she heads off to New Jersey and Puerto Rico. Thanks to all who submitted a guestimate.

I’m wrapping up the cookie recipes with Checkerboards. There’s always a bit of curiosity about how they’re made. I’ve always claimed that I piece each one together by hand….now you’ll know the truth.

Checkerboard Cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate , chopped
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tbsp vanilla
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1tsp 

Preparation

Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper or grease; set aside.

In bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate, stirring often. Let cool to room temperature.

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in 2 of the eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt ; stir one-third at a time into butter mixture, using hands if too stiff to stir.

Remove half of the dough for vanilla dough. Stir chocolate into remaining dough, using hands to blend thoroughly.

Divide vanilla dough in half; flatten each half into square. Place dough, 1 square at a time, between waxed paper; roll out to 7-inch (18 cm) square. Straighten edges with ruler. Repeat with chocolate dough. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Using ruler and sharp knife, cut each square into nine 3/4-inch (2 cm) wide strips.

Place 12-inch (30 cm) long piece of plastic wrap on work surface. Alternating vanilla and chocolate strips, place 3 strips of dough side by side (close but not touching) on plastic wrap. Whisk remaining egg; brush over sides and tops of strips. Gently press long edges of strips together to adhere. Repeat, forming second and third layers and alternating flavours of strips, to create checkerboard effect. Repeat to make 3 more logs, reversing colour pattern. Fold plastic wrap up to enclose logs; refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Or overwrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 1 month.)

Using serrated knife, trim ends of each log; cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick slices. Arrange, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on prepared pans. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until firm to the touch, about 12 minutes. Let cool on pan on rack for 3 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 month.)

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: December 2003

 TIP:

  • I find it hard to get the height of the chocolate and vanilla dough the exact same height because the chocolate is a different consistency. If my checkerboard is slightly uneven after being sliced, I just cut off the uneven bits.
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