Living in the Kitchen with Puppies

Every Kind of Sandwich Imaginable

2012-02-04T09:11:00.000-05:00

What does a bread baker need most in her life? Sandwich inspiration!
Okay, even if you don't bake bread - sandwiches are the best thing since.... I don't know what.

400 Best Sandwich Recipes gives you 400 kinds of happy, wrapped up in breadie goodness. What could be better than that?

The chapters include:
Breakfast, Appetizers, Lunch Box, Classics, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Burgers, Wraps, International Sandwiches, Regional American Sandwiches, Light and Healthy Sandwiches, Condiments, and Desserts.

That's a whole lot of sandwich love right there. And speaking of sandwich love - here is what we whipped up this week, and what you can try at home.

Happy sandwiching!

Huevos Rancheros Wraps

Huevos Rancheros Wraps
Serves 4

The first time I ever had huevos rancheros was in Boulder, Colorado, when I was in college. I ate them every Saturday morning while I was living there. I love making these still today.

4   large eggs   4
1⁄4 tsp   salt   1 mL
1⁄4 tsp   freshly ground black pepper   1 mL
1 tbsp   butter or margarine   15 mL
1   can (14 to 19 oz/398 to    1
   540 mL) black beans,
   rinsed and drained
1   small tomato, sliced   1
1⁄3 cup   sliced black olives   75 mL
2 tbsp   chopped red onion   30 mL
1 cup   salsa or Pico de Gallo    250 mL
   (page 328) or store-bought
4   8-inch (20 cm) flour tortillas,    4
   warmed (see Tip, page 23)
1 cup   shredded Cheddar cheese   250 mL
2   avocados, thinly sliced   2
2 tbsp   chopped fresh cilantro   30 mL
   (see Tip)

1.   In a bowl, whisk together eggs, salt and pepper.
2.   In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté eggs for 3 to 4 minutes or until scrambled. Set aside.
3.   In a large nonstick skillet over low heat, combine beans, tomato, olives and red onion. Stir in salsa and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated and slightly thickened.
4.   Place tortillas on a work surface. Divide egg mixture equally in center of each tortilla. Arrange cheese, avocados and cilantro equally over top. Fold both ends over filling then roll up tortilla. Serve immediately.
Tips: Cilantro, also called Chinese parsley or coriander in its dried form, has a pungent flavor and fragrance and is used in many cuisines. Choose bunches with leaves that are bright and vibrant with no sign of wilting.
Don't forget to drain and rinse canned beans to get rid of excess salt.

Greek Pita - yes, it should be in a pocket but I accidentally bought Lebanese pitas. ☺

Greek Pita Pocket
Serves 4

This Greek-style sandwich is a delicious combination and is so easy to make. We love making these on busy weeknights.

1 cup   plain nonfat yogurt   250 mL
2 tbsp   freshly squeezed lemon    40 mL
+ 2 tsp   juice
1 tbsp   chopped fresh dill    15 mL
   (see Tips)
1⁄2 tsp   lemon pepper, divided   2 mL
12 oz   lean ground beef   375 g
1⁄2 cup   diced onion   125 mL
2   cloves garlic, minced   2
1 cup   quartered cherry tomatoes   250 mL
1 tsp   Greek seasoning    5 mL
   (see Tips, right)
4   6- to 8-inch (15 to 20 cm)    4
   pitas with pockets
11⁄2 cups   chopped romaine lettuce   375 mL
4 tsp   reduced-fat crumbled    20 mL
   feta cheese

1.   In a small bowl, combine yogurt, 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the lemon juice, dill and 1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) of the lemon pepper. Set aside.
2.   In a large nonstick skillet over medium_high heat, sauté beef, onion and garlic, breaking up meat with a spoon until beef crumbles, for 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, Greek seasoning, remaining 2 tsp (10 mL) of lemon juice and remaining 1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) of lemon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.
3.   Place pitas on a work surface. Spread yogurt sauce equally in each pita. Place lettuce, beef mixture and feta cheese equally in each pita.

Tips: Fresh dill can be kept for only about 2 days. It's wonderful in chicken salad, with seafood and as a garnish to many dishes.
To make your own Greek seasoning: In a small bowl, combine 1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) each dried oregano, dried parsley, dried garlic powder and salt.

Classic Club Sandwich

Classic Club Sandwich
Serves 4

My favorite club sandwich is at the Pine Tree Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama, where I live. They have been making it the same way since I was a child.

12   slices white bread (1⁄2-inch/    12
   1 cm thick slices), toasted
1⁄2 cup   Homemade Mayonnaise    125 mL
   (page 321) or store-bought
8 oz   sliced turkey   250 g
2   small tomatoes, sliced   2
8   slices Swiss cheese   8
8   slices bacon, cooked   8
4   lettuce leaves   4

Tip: Deli or roasted turkey can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

1.   Place bread slices on a work surface. Spread mayonnaise on one side of 8 bread slices. Arrange turkey, tomato and Swiss cheese over mayonnaise on each slice. Stack 2 slices together, keeping toppings up, then place 2 slices of bacon and the lettuce on top of cheese. Cover with remaining top halves and press together gently. Slice into quarters. Secure with toothpicks to hold the stacks together.

Variation
Updated Club Sandwich: Use 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) aïoli instead of mayonnaise. Substitute 4 watercress leaves for each lettuce leaf, 8 slices applewood smoked bacon, for bacon, 8 oz (250 g) peppered turkey for turkey and 8 slices pepper Jack cheese for Swiss.

Classic Club Sandwich

Pueblo Chile-Bathed Pork on Homemade Corn Tortillas

2012-02-03T09:03:00.000-05:00

I resolve to travel more this year. No, I don't mean anything crazy like actually leaving the house. But travelling through my kitchen, exploring a few new countries and palates.

There are a few areas that especially intrigue me - the Middle East and Mexico definitely beckon. You know, as far as food goes.

So in cooking through Alford and Duguid's Flatbreads and Flavors - I chose a Mexican/Southwest dish to begin with. Simple and delicious and a whole new world of flavour for me. I am officially in love with guajillo peppers, you will be too!

Marinate the meat the night before, and make the tortillas while it is simmering the next day. Don't forget to have a cerveza or two while you cook!

The Night Before:

Make a marinade for the pork.

1½ lbs lean pork, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Marinade
1½-2 oz dried red New Mexican chiles or 10 dried guajillos, stems removed and coarsely chopped
¾ cup water
½ tsp salt
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (original recipe uses one)
1 Tbsp dried oregano or fresh

Blend the marinade well in a blender or food processor. Combine pork and marinade in an airtight container, coating all the pork pieces, and let sit in the fridge overnight.

Corn Tortillas

Please forgive mine, I am still new at making them. I only have a small press, so I made small ones and toasted them longer to make crispy tostadas.

You will need - a tortilla press and a heavy duty large freezer bag. Don't have those? Don't worry. The freezer bag gets cut in half to make two heavy-duty plastic sheets - you can use equivalent plastic sheets of any food-safe plastic.
Don't have a press? Try using a heavy cast iron skillet or pot as your press. Or rolling pin over the plastic. The tortillas will be covered in food and eaten, they don't have to look perfect.

2 cups Masa Harina
1¼ cups hot water, approximately.

Combine the masa and water by hand in a large bowl. Adjust hydration if necessary and mix by hand until you have a nice soft dough, not too sticky. It won't bind like bread dough does, as it has no gluten.
Make into a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Let sit on your counter to rest for at least a half hour.

Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Squish the balls gently into discs and place on the counter. Cover with a tea towel so they don't dry out while you are working.

Set out 2 cast iron pans on the stove. One on medium and one a little hotter.

Flatten your tortillas, one at a time, in between the plastic sheets, using either the press or a heavy pot. Click here to watch how it is done.

Peel the tortillas off the plastic and cook on the lower heat, on both sides, until cooked through and then on the higher one to toast up.

Let them rest in a tea towel after cooking, to keep them soft and moist. You can stack them all on top of each other in the tea towel after cooking.

Make the Pork

Heat up a large cast iron pan with a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil (or corn oil) until nice and hot.
Pick pork out of marinade as much as possible and give it a good sear in the pan. (Keep the marinade!)
Add in the reserved marinade and a splash of water, stir and cook on lower heat for an hour until tender.
I covered mine for the first half hour and uncovered it for the last half hour to thicken up.

Serve pork with the tortillas and some fixings such as avocado, sliced green onions, tomatoes, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and sour cream.

Recipes adapted from Flatbread and Flavors, A Baker's Atlas - Alford and Duguid

Basic White Bread

2012-02-02T08:37:00.000-05:00

We all need a simple white bread recipe in our repertoire. It's not so much a "little black dress", but comfy pajamas. Not the good pajamas, like the ones you wear to the Walmart (I'm looking at you). But the worn flannel ones that wrap you up and soothe you when the world gets too loud.

And some sandwiches call for simple white bread, so as to let the bread be part of the supporting structure, rather than the star itself. Like a club sandwich. Wherein the bread is the scaffold for bacony poultry goodness.

This is such a bread.

Basic White Bread
adapted from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Bread
makes 2 loaves

Ingredients
5 cups AP flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 pkg (2¼ tsp) instant dry yeast
½ cup dry milk powder
2 cups hot water (120°-130°F)
3 Tbsp vegetable shortening, room temp

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Grease two loaf pans (I use pyrex ones)
Mix all ingredients in your stand mixer with the dough hook. 3 minutes on low to combine, medium for 5 minutes to knead. Adjust hydration if necessary.
Empty dough out onto a lightly floured board and finishing kneading until you have a lovely soft dough. Form into a ball and let rise, covered, about an hour.
Punch down dough and divide into two equal pieces.
Shape each into a loaf by pushing into a flattish oval and folding tightly in half. Tuck nicely into prepared loaf pans, seam sides down, and cover. Let rise another 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F
Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F and bake about another 20 minutes, turning loaves for even golden brown colouring halfway through. Internal temperature should be 200°F and you should get a hollow sound when you knock on the bottoms.
Remove from pans and let cool on racks.

This club sandwich recipe, along with 2 others, will be posted Saturday

Spicy Chickpea Salad

2012-02-01T06:53:00.000-05:00

This is a highly flavourful salad, made spicy with the addition of two chillies, that would make a great side for a Greek-style pita or souvlaki dinner.

The salad marinates for a little while before serving, bringing out the tart/salty/spicy/herbal flavours.

Leftovers make for great lunchbox fare.

You know, if you have any leftovers. ☺

Spicy Chickpea Salad
adapted from Falling Cloudberries, Tessa Kiros
for I♥CookingClubs, Some Like it Hot

One 14 or 19 oz can chickpeas, or equivalent amount of soaked and cooked chickpeas
½ - 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 red chillies, fresh or dry, chopped fine
1 2/3 cups feta cheese, crumbled
4 scallions, green parts only, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 lemon

Rinse chickpeas, drain, and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a pan and fry the red onion gently on medium heat until softened and golden. Add the garlic and chillies and sauté one more minute. Remove pan from heat and let cool.
To your chickpeas - add in the feta, scallions, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, parsley and lemon juice.
Add in cooked onion mixture and toss. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Let sit at room temperature at least an hour before eating.

Armchair Novel Review: Now You See Her by Joy Fielding

2012-01-31T07:30:00.000-05:00

Now You See Her
by Joy Fielding
Trade Paperback, 384 pages
Also available as an eBook and a hardcover

Joy Fielding is a New York Times bestselling author and a master of suspense. In her newest book, Now You See Her, we meet a recently divorced middle-aged woman still grieving the drowning death of her daughter two years before.

Still reeling from being left so suddenly by her husband of over twenty-five years, Marcy impulsively decides to go on the vacation that they had been planning for their anniversary. By herself.

While in Cork County, Ireland, Marcy spots her daughter in a crowd. This triggers a fast-paced and pulse-racing journey through Ireland and through the layers of mystery surrounding her daughter's disappearance and presumed death.

Now You See Her deftly explores the inner layers of mystery in the human psyche while delivering a breathless joyride through the Irish countryside.

A great weekend read.

Visit www.joyfielding.com

or browse the book here:

Italian Challah

2012-01-30T07:20:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting challah, deemed Italian by virtue of its use of olive oil instead of butter or milk. It is leaner than other challahs but still has that lovely braided shape that we love so much. I tucked my ends under and baked it up in a loaf pan for sandwich making. You could also bake it as a braid on a sheetpan.

A simple but fun loaf that you could get the kids to help you with. ☺

January BOM:
Italian Challah
recipe and notes from Anthony Cuttitta Jr., my changes in red.

INGREDIENTS
500g all-purpose, unbleached flour
215g warm water
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
15g white sugar
15g extra virgin olive oil
11g kosher salt
10g active dry yeast (instant, for easier blending)
1 large egg (for egg wash)
A 9"x5" bread pan (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS (alter this as need be for those old-school hand kneaders; I've done it, but I'm young enough to be lazy to ♥ my mixer more)

1. Scale out your flour, salt, yeast, olive oil, and sugar into the bowl.

2. Crack the eggs (separating the one) and add to bowl.

3. Scale out your water (separately in case you mess up), and then add it to the bowl.

4. Use the dough hook on your mixer and mix the dough on the lowest setting for 2-3 minutes until everything pulls together.

5. Depending on your mixer, put it up to the typical speed that you're comfortable mixing bread doughs at. Whatever that is, allow the dough hook to knead it for 15 minutes. (5 minutes was fine for me)

6. When done kneading, place it in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap (sometimes I spray a bit of vegetable cooking spray on it just in case it proofs up and touches the plastic wrap). Allow it to proof until doubled.

7. Once doubled (dimple test it), remove the dough from the bowl for shaping.

8a. You could very easily just shape this as a regular pan loaf by rolling it out (whether with a rolling pin or just by hand) to about 1/2 inch in thickness. The width should be no wider than the bread pan you intend to use. Then, roll up the dough tightly and make sure it seals well at the end.

8b. If you want to do the traditional challah three-strand braid, here's a good video if you don't know how: http://www.ehow.com/video_2341031_baking-three_strand-challah-bread-loaf.html. Even half of her dough is larger than the dough my recipe makes, but you'll at least get an idea of how to braid it.

8c. This dough is AWESOME basis for cinnamon rolls...but that instruction will have to wait for another BOM. :)

9a. If you chose to use a pan, tuck the ends of the challah under if your braid was longer than your pan. Cover again with plastic wrap and allow to double again (should crest nicely above the rim of the pan).

9b. If you chose to have a free-form braid, just cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to double on the sheet pan.

10. While waiting, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

11. Also, whisk the extra egg and add an two to three tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. I typically prefer a thin egg wash, but your mileage may vary. (I added about 1-2 tsp water only)

12. Once doubled, just before placing in the oven, brush on the egg wash. Be sure to get the sides and make sure it's got a nice even coat. (I baked mine in loaf pans, so only egg washed the top)

13. Toss a bit of water (or ice cubes) in the bottom of your oven, placing the loaf inside and bake for 20 minutes, turning half way through baking until it's a rich golden brown. (I don't use steam for enriched breads)

15. Depan it at the end of 20 minutes and see if the lower crust is browned enough. If it is not browned enough, put it back in on a sheet pan or pizza screen for another 5 minutes. (Mine took about 30-35 minutes in the pyrex loaf pans)

16. Allow to cool completely on a rack before slicing. Enjoy!

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

You can also find out more recipes on Reader's Digest

Puris!

2012-01-29T09:43:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make - when I was little I did not like Indian food. I'm not sure why, but I assume it has something to do with the mixing up of foods. I, like other young people, liked my foods separate.

So on the occasions that I found myself accompanying adults to an Indian restaurant - I ordered bread.
Indian breads are vast and diverse and always addictive.

These cute little puris are fried into little puffs that can be used to mop up delicious curries or even stuffed with tasty fillings. And they are quick and easy too. Which is perfect, because I just might eat most of the first batch before anyone else has a chance to try them. ☺

Puris
adapted from Simply Indian
Sweet and Spicy Recipes from India, Pakistan and East Africa
by Tahera Rawji and Hamida Suleman
for Cookbook Sundays #8

1 cup flour
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup water

2 cups vegetable oil for frying (med/high)

Mix together the flour, salt and 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and rub together with your fingers to make a breadcrumb-like mixture.
Add in the water and knead to make a soft dough.
Divide into 10 equal pieces
Roll out each piece to about 1½ inches in diameter
Fry in the medium hot vegetable oil until browned on both sides - they will puff up and brown quickly, so keep a close eye on them. 3-4 should fit in the pan at a time.
Drain on racks for a minute before serving.

Canadian Living: The One-Dish Collection

2012-01-28T09:13:00.001-05:00

Canadian Living:
The One-Dish Collection
All-in-one Dinners that Nourish Body and Soul
Written by Canadian Living Test Kitchen
Trade Paperback, 288 pages

Sure it's cold outside, but the kitchen is nice and warm and these all-in-one dinners will thaw you out in no time.

The Canadian Living Test Kitchen has put together a book of their most delicious one-dish meals that range from easy weeknight fare to slow-cooked special weekend delights.

Each dish combines essential protein, starch and veggies all together in one delicious pot. Or pan. Or casserole. You get the idea.

Every recipe comes with full nutritional data and many have tips for freezing as well as recipe variation ideas. And with over 80 full page colour photos - you are bound to be inspired!

Contents include:

Soups
Stews
Salads
Casseroles & Bakes
Skillets, Simmers & Stir-Fries
Pasta & Risotto

Check out some of these delicious one dish meals below to warm up your weekend!

Chalet Supper Soup
By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen author of Canadian Living: The One Dish Collection

This simple chowder combines everyday cold-weather ingredients to make a satisfying supper. You can use about 8 cups torn Swiss chard leaves instead of the spinach if you like. Serve with crusty country-style bread.

3 carrots
3 leeks (white and light green parts only)
1 thick slice ham (6 oz/170 g)
2 lb small red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
3 cups milk
1½ cups wide egg noodles
1 pkg (10 oz/284 g) fresh spinach
1 cup finely shredded Gruyère cheese or extra-old Cheddar cheese
½ tsp pepper
Cut carrots into 1½-inch (4 cm) lengths. Cut leeks lengthwise almost but not all the way to root end; spreading leaves, flush out grit under running water. Cut crosswise into 1½-inch (4 cm) lengths. Cut ham into ¾-inch (2 cm) chunks. Halve or quarter potatoes; set aside.

In large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat; sauté carrots, leeks, ham and onion until leeks and onion are softened, about 8 minutes.

Add potatoes, 4 cups water and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.

Add milk; bring to simmer. Stir in noodles and spinach; simmer, uncovered, until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cheese and pepper.

Makes 6 to 8 servings. per each of 8 servings: about 303 cal, 16 g pro, 11 g total fat (6 g sat. fat), 37 g carb, 5 g fibre, 48 mg chol, 736 mg sodium. % RDI: 31% calcium, 23% iron, 108% vit A, 32% vit C, 38% folate.

Excerpted from Canadian Living: The One Dish Collection by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Copyright © 2012 by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Excerpted by permission of Transcontinental. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Beef Stew With Blue Cheese Biscuits
By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen author of Canadian Living: The One Dish Collection

Cooking the shallots until they're caramelized creates the flavour base, and their subtle sweetness naturally balances with the sharp blue cheese. If you’re not a fan of blue, try the same amount of shredded extra-old Cheddar instead.

2 lb (900 g) stewing beef cubes, trimmed
½ tsp each salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bag (8 oz/225 g) shallots, peeled and quartered
3 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 carrots, chopped
1 turnip, cubed
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup red wine or white wine
¾ cup sodium-reduced beef broth
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

Cheese Biscuits:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 oz/115 g)
1 cup buttermilk (approx)

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. In Dutch oven, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium-high heat; brown beef, in batches. Transfer to bowl. Add remaining oil to pan; cook shallots over medium heat, stirring, until caramelized, 8 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, carrots, turnip, garlic, thyme and bay leaves; cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, scraping up brown bits. Add broth and tomatoes. Return beef to pan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1¼ hours.

Uncover and cook until thickened and beef is tender, about 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaves. Scrape into 13- x 9-inch (3 L) baking dish.

Cheese Biscuits: Meanwhile, in bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly; stir in blue cheese. Drizzle with 1 cup buttermilk, stirring, just until soft sticky dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead 6 times or just until smooth. Roll out into 10- x 8-inch (25 x 20 cm) rectangle; cut into 12 biscuits. Arrange over stew; brush biscuits with 1 tbsp more buttermilk. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven until filling is bubbly and biscuits are golden and no longer doughy underneath, about 35 minutes.

Makes 8 to 10 servings. per each of 10 servings: about 487 cal, 27 g pro, 27 g total fat (13 g sat. fat), 35 g carb, 3 g fibre, 90 mg chol, 705 mg sodium, 730 mg potassium. % RDI: 20% calcium, 31% iron, 40% vit A, 18% vit C, 39% folate.

TO FREEZE: Refrigerate thickened stew for 30 minutes; freeze in airtight container for up to 2 months. Freeze unbaked biscuits on lined baking sheet; transfer to airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw stew; scrape into baking dish and arrange frozen biscuits over top. Bake as directed, increasing baking time to 45 to 50 minutes and covering with foil if browning too quickly.

Excerpted from Canadian Living: The One Dish Collection by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Copyright © 2012 by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Excerpted by permission of Transcontinental. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Apricot Almond Couscous With Chicken
By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen author of Canadian Living: The One Dish Collection

Having a selection of ingredients on hand can bring flavours from around the world to your table. For example, this salad features a Moroccan-inspired, pantry-friendly combination of dried fruit, nuts, couscous and spices, plus chicken from the freezer

¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp each cinnamon and pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ cups couscous
⅔ cup dried apricots, cut in strips
1 tsp grated orange zest
¼ cup orange juice
⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
4 each wedges lemon and orange

In bowl, combine 2 tbsp of the oil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, half of the salt, the cinnamon and pepper; set aside 1 tbsp for couscous. Add chicken to remainder; toss to coat.

Grill chicken, covered, on greased grill over medium-high heat, turning once, until no longer pink inside, about 12 minutes. (Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)

Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine couscous and apricots; add 1½ cups boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes; fluff with fork.

Whisk together orange zest and juice, remaining oil and reserved spice mixture. Using fork, mix into couscous along with almonds, parsley and remaining salt. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)

Divide salad among plates. Cut chicken crosswise into thick slices; place on salad. Serve with lemon and orange wedges.

Makes 4 servings. per serving: about 669 cal, 44 g pro, 22 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 73 g carb, 6 g fibre, 84 mg chol, 378 mg sodium. % RDI: 8% calcium, 29% iron, 18% vit A, 37% vit C, 27% folate.

Excerpted from Canadian Living: The One Dish Collection by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Copyright © 2012 by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Excerpted by permission of Transcontinental. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Cinnamon and Cardamom Rolls

2012-01-27T08:44:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of tea. Not black tea or even the ever-popular green tea, but herbal teas which apparently are not even called tea but tisane. Hmm. I still call them tea. Peppermint, lemon zinger, raspberry zinger.. (okay, anything with the word zinger in it) that's what I like for my mid afternoon and after dinner sipping.

And a good tea deserves a good nibbly to go with it.

These cinnamon and cardamom rolls are perfect for tea time. They are Scandinavian in origin and are smaller and more biscuit-like than traditional North American cinnamon rolls.

The taste is subtle and delicious, and the diminutive size? Means you can eat more than one at a time. Like three, like me. ☺

Cinnamon and Cardamom Rolls
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Falling Cloudberries
for I♥CC, January Potluck

Dough
1 cup lukewarm milk (250 ml)
½ cup white sugar (125 ml)
2¼ tsp dry instant yeast
1 egg
¼ lb plus 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
2 tsp ground cardamom
4½-5 cups AP flour

Butter spread
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Top
1 egg, lightly beaten and 1 tsp water added
1-2 Tbsp turbinado sugar

Add all the dough ingredients, holding back a little of the flour, into the stand mixer. Mix for 3 minutes, until incorporated. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead, adding in the remaining flour as needed to form a nice, soft yet firm dough.
Place in a clean bowl and let rise about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile - blend the butter spread ingredients together in a mini food processor or by hand. Set aside.
Divide the risen dough into 4 parts. Roll one out to a 10"x12" rectangle and spread with ¼ of the butter mixture. Roll up from the wider side and cut on angles to make about 8 V-shaped little rolls.
Place rolls on a silpat or parchment-lined half sheet pan. Repeat with the rest of the dough and cinnamon butter.
Brush lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Let rest ½ hour while you preheat the oven to 350°F
Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely golden top and bottom.
Let cool a bit and eat warm or room temperature.
Store the remaining rolls in a cake dome or airtight container.

These rolls have been YeastSpotted!

Armchair Book Review: There Are Things I Want You To Know About Stieg Larsson and Me

2012-01-26T09:17:00.000-05:00

"There Are Things I Want You to Know" About Stieg Larsson and Me
Written by Eva Gabrielsson
Contribution by Marie-Francoise Colombani
Translated by Linda Coverdale
Trade Paperback, 224 pages

also available as a hardcover and ebook

Millions of us were instant fans of the Millennium Trilogy, Stieg Larsson's three epic crime novels from Sweden; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Many of us also know that Stieg Larsson died soon after delivering his manuscripts to his publisher.

Most of us don't know much more about him than that.

"There Are Things I Want You to Know" About Stieg Larsson and Me is written by his long-term companion and (in North American parlance) common-law wife, Eva Gabrielsson.

Devastated by her partner's sudden death, and delivered a second blow from the Swedish government by not qualifying as legal wife and therefore left penniless by his estate, Eva did what she does best. She fought back.

In this book Eva shares her early life with Stieg, a couple of revolutionaries who wanted to change the world, or at least make it a better place for the oppressed and depressed. They gave all of their time and energy to fighting battles for the marginalized, all over the world. They spent over thirty years together, side by side and relatively poor, but happy. Money was never a big subject as they never had a lot and shared what they did have with those who needed it more. Certainly they never expected to have fortune come their way, and they never prepared for it. Eva faced homelessness when Stieg died, just when his books were at their peak of popularity.

Eva shares her struggles, but she also shares an intimate look into Stieg's early years. She writes about the sources and inspirations for the books, people and places that Stieg had known in his life. A fascinating look at the seeds of the Millennium Trilogy.

At times angry, sentimental, hopeful, and despairing, "There Are Things I Want You to Know" About Stieg Larsson and Me is a raw and intimate look into the life and death of the man behind the books and the woman he left behind.

Pane Siciliano

2012-01-25T08:16:00.001-05:00

Where would you like to go?
I'd like to go to Italy. Sure, I might get dumped in the ocean, but I am willing to take that chance.
I like the thought of a floating hotel room, satisfies the hermit in me as well as the wanderlust.
A little place to scurry back to when it all gets to be too much.
Plus -water. I like water. This surprises my family as I am afraid of most things. Heights, depths, crowds, reality television...
But I find the water soothing, and I like being on a boat.
It's been awhile though, and it is likely to continue being awhile.
So for now I will continue to travel in my kitchen. With the pups.
To Sicily! For bread. What else?

Pane Siciliano
adapted from The Italian Baker, Carol Field

Ingredients
2¼ tsp dry instant yeast
1¼ cups lukewarm water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp barley malt syrup
2½ cups fine semolina or durum flour
1 cup AP flour
1 Tbsp fine sea salt

1 egg, beaten
Handful of sesame seeds

This shaping is called Occhi di Santa Lucia - Santa Lucia was the patron saint of vision.

Everyone into the pool!
Combine all the ingredients in your stand mixer, with the dough hook, and mix for 5 minutes on low.
Empty the bowl out onto a board and knead until you have a smooth ball.
Place the dough into a clean bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled - about 1½ hours.

A fine, dense bread - great for canapés and snacking

Divide dough into two equal pieces.
One piece at a time - roll out into a snake, just like kindergarten, about 20-22 inches long and 1½ inches thick.
Roll up into a tight S on one side and turn around and repeat with the other.
Let rise on a silpat or lined baking sheet that has been sprinkled with a little cornmeal.
Cover and let rise until doubled in size - 1-1½ hours.
Preheat oven with baking stone in it to 400°F
Brush loaves with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
When ready to bake - gently transfer loaves to baking stone and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and baked through. Internal temperature should be over 200°F.
Let cool on racks.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Armchair Novel Review: Mr g - A Novel About the Creation

2012-01-24T07:06:00.000-05:00

Mr g
A Novel About the Creation
Written by Alan Lightman
Hardcover, 224 pages
Also available as an eBook

Are you ready for a bedtime story in quantum physics and the creation of the universe?

Alan Lightman, author of the bestseller Einstein's Dreams, is both theoretical physicist and novelist. With Mr g he has given us the science of creation wrapped up in a myth-style presentation.

Mr g (god) has woken up from his nap in the Void and has decided to create.. universes. Time, space, matter, planets, stars, suns, and finally intelligent beings develop in his creation. Mr g is not untouched by his acts, he finds himself changing and changed by the very process of creation as well as challenged by the mysterious Belhor - a seeming consequence of the act of creation.

An interesting parry and thrust develops over the role of the creationist in creation, and with their banter the concepts of good and evil are explored.

Mr g combines philosophy, astronomy, biology and physics into this fascinating tale. The writing reminds me of Richard Bach (of Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah fame).

One thing is certain, you have never read a book like this before.

Click here to read an excerpt from Mr g.

Limoncello Cheesecake Squares

2012-01-22T09:58:00.000-05:00

There are two universal facts about cheesecake:
#1 - everybody loves cheesecake
#2 - no matter how much they love it, nobody has enough room for a whole slice of it after a big dinner.

That's why these cheesecake squares are such a great idea! You can have one if your are fairly full, and a few if you are really in the mood for cheesecake. Hey - we're not judging. I myself happen to like these cheesecake squares first thing in the morning, right out of the fridge. They're handy like that.

The cheesecake turned out smooth and perfect, no cracking or sinking or any other potential cheesecake pitfalls. And the limoncello? Inspired! I love the light lemony flavour with the subtle kick of the booziness. Perfect for when you are having friends over.

Limoncello Cheesecake Squares
For Cookbook Sundays #7
Giada De Laurentiis, Giada's Family Dinners
Also available on FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients

    Nonstick cooking spray
    8 ounces purchased biscotti
    6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted
    3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
    1 (12-ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta, drained, at room temperature
    2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
    1¼ cups sugar
    ½ cup limoncello liqueur*, store bought or homemade, recipe follows
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.

Blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl. Blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, and pulse just until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the baking pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firm when it is cold).

Transfer the cake to a rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into squares and serve.

*Limoncello liqueur can be found at most liquor stores and in the liquor department of some specialty markets. If limoncello liqueur is unavailable at stores near you, use the following recipe to make your own limoncello liqueur.

Limoncello:

    10 lemons
    1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
    3 1/2 cups water
    2 1/2 cups sugar

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.

Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.

Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.

Makes: 7 cups

Chocolate Whoopie Pies!

2012-01-20T08:38:00.000-05:00

I know it will surprise a few people that I baked these - but when King Arthur Flour posted the recipe... I couldn't help myself. They are huge. And rich. And decadent. And seriously over the top.

With all the drama over the fate of Twinkies and other creamy-sugary-cakey snack products - rest assured you can make these at home. Just be sure you have a young person or two around to help you eat them. Did I mention how rich they are?

KAF Chocolate Whoopie Pies
shared from King Arthur Flour

Cakes

    1/2 cup butter
    1 cup brown sugar, packed
    1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 large egg
    1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa
    2 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
    1 cup milk

Filling

    1 cup vegetable shortening
    1 cup confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar
    1 1/3 cups Marshmallow Fluff or marshmallow creme
    1/4 teaspoon salt dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

2) To make the cakes: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla till smooth. Add the egg, again beating till smooth.

3) Add the cocoa, stirring to combine.

4) Add the flour to the batter alternately with the milk, beating till smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat again briefly to soften and combine any chunky scrapings.

5) Drop the dough by the 1/4-cupful onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between the cakes; they'll spread. A muffin scoop works well here.

6) Bake the cakes for 15 to 16 minutes, till they're set and firm to the touch. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the pans. While still lukewarm, use a spatula to separate them from the pan or parchment; then allow to cool completely.

7) To make the filling: Beat together the shortening, sugar, and marshmallow till well combined.

8) Dissolve the salt in the water, and add to the marshmallow mixture. Add the vanilla, and beat till smooth.

9) Spread the flat side of half the cakes with the filling. Top with the remaining cakes, flat side towards the filling. Wrap individually, in plastic wrap, till ready to serve.

10) Yield: 8 large whoopie pies (about 4" dia., about 5 ounces each).To make 16 smaller whoopie pies (about 2 3/4" dia., about 2 1/2 ounces each): drop the dough onto the baking sheets in 30g balls, about the size of a large ping pong ball, or about 1 1/4". Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, till set. Finish as directed in the recipe.

Skordalia! For Serious Garlic Breath

2012-01-19T06:18:00.000-05:00

We are celebrating white foods and white ingredients at I♥CookingClubs this week and I got my garlic on with skordalia. Apparently skordalia is the Greek vehicle for garlic. Serious garlic. And lemon. This dish is not for the faint of heart, or the underworld set - but it is bracingly delicious.

Skordalia
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Food From Many Greek Kitchens
for I♥CC, White as Snow

1 lb, 5 oz Yukon gold potatoes
8 cloves garlic
Juice of 2 lemons
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (be generous!)

Chop your garlic and put it into a mortar and pestle. Add salt and grind into a paste.
Boil your spuds in salted water, in their skins, until tender.
Push them through a ricer into a tall bowl.
Add garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.
Stir well with a wooden spoon and adjust seasonings to taste.
Serve with some hearty Greek meats and veggies and enjoy your vampire-free life.

Semolina Rolls with a Whole Grain Soaker

2012-01-18T08:18:00.000-05:00

A great sandwich deserves a great bun. And a messy sandwich needs a good, hearty bun that won't fall apart under pressure.

These semolina rolls are hearty, chewy, grainy and ready to hold on to your Philly cheesesteak or your pulled pork or whatever else you throw at them! (And by throw, I mean place - the kitchen is no place for throwing. Unless you are throwing a party - in which case - I'm in!)

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Semolina Rolls with a Whole Grain Soaker
adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread
for the Mellow Bakers

Soaker
2.6 oz Cornmeal
1.9 oz Millet
1.9 oz Sesame seeds
8 oz Boiling water

Mix all soaker ingredients together in a heat-proof bowl and let rest, covered, for 4 hours.

Sponge
6.4 oz Durum semolina flour
6.4 oz Bread flour
9 oz Water
1½ tsp Dry instant yeast

Mix all sponge ingredients together and let rest, covered, while soaker is soaking. (3 hours in a cool kitchen, 1½-2 in a warmer one.)

Dough
9.6 oz Durum semolina flour
9.6 oz Bread flour
8.3 oz Water
1 Tbsp + ½ tsp Salt
all of the Soaker
all of the Sponge

Everyone into the stand mixer! Mix all dough ingredients together with the dough hook, on low, for three minutes. Knead on medium three more minutes and turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead a couple more minutes and form into a nice ball. Place into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise 50 minutes, fold into itself and let rise another 50 minutes.
Divide into twelve equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Let balls rest 5 minutes, covered with a tea towel.
Shape each ball into a mini baguette or batard (long roll) and place on a lined baking pan or in a baguette pan.
Let rise one hour in a cool kitchen, a little less in a warmer one.
Preheat oven to 440°F
Bake for 17-20 minutes, until baked through and coloured nicely.
Let cool on racks.
Throw a cheesesteak party!

Makes a great Philly Cheesesteak

Steamed Mussels with Lemon Grass from Simply Thai Cooking

2012-01-17T07:38:00.000-05:00

Ladies and gentleman we have a winner! These Thai mussels with lemon grass are the most delicious thing we have eaten this month. There was so much groaning in pleasure at the table that we almost lost our PG rating. We doubled the batch. For three of us. We finished it in one sitting and are now dreaming of more.

Thai food is intoxicating - the flavours and perfumes transport you to another world. And did you know you could make it at home? I know what you're thinking - it's got to be complicated, or time consuming, or both. It doesn't have to be - Simply Thai Cooking is a great book for home cooks to bring the favourite flavours of Thai cooking into their own kitchens.

This is the third printing of Simply Thai, it already graces over 100,000 kitchens. The recipes are simple and straightforward and the results are out of this world.

Simply Thai Cooking
Wandee Young, Byron Ayanoglu
Paperback, 192 pages

Contents include:

Appetizers
Sauces and Condiments
Soups
Salads
Noodles
Rise
Beef
Chicken and Duck
Pork
Fish and Seafood
Vegetables
Desserts

Some of the fan-favourite recipes include:

Thai cold spring rolls
Chicken satay
Lemongrass-shrimp soup
Thai hot and sour soup
Green papaya salad
Glass noodle salad
Pad thai
Coconut noodles with chicken and shrimp
Thai beef curry
Marinated grilled beef
Roast duck in red curry
Pork with red chili sauce
Shrimp in spicy coconut milk

Tossing the ingredients together.

Hoy Maeng Phou Oap
Steamed Mussels with Lemon Grass
Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main course with steamed rice

Mussels steamed in an aromatic broth is a delicious practice of all maritime countries, with Thailand no exception. This recipe is as easy to make as the very popular moules marinières of French cookery and makes for a pleasant, lemon-limey alternative to it.

28   mussels   28
   (fresh and cleaned or frozen)
2 oz   salted butter   60 g
1   stick lemon grass   1
30   fresh basil leaves   30
1⁄2 cup   fresh coriander leaves   125 mL
1 tbsp   chopped garlic   15 mL
1 tsp   black pepper   5 mL
1⁄2 cup   white (or rice) wine   125 mL
2   limes   2
2 tbsp   soya sauce   25 mL
1⁄2   medium red pepper,    1⁄2
   cut into thin strips
   Additional fresh coriander leaves
   YOUNG THAILAND Hot Sauce

Tastes just as gorgeous as it looks.

1.   Place mussels in a work bowl. Add chunk of butter.

2.   Smash lemon grass with the flat of a chef’s knife once and chop into 1-inch/2.5-cm pieces. Add to the mussels.

3.   Add basil leaves, coriander leaves, garlic, black pepper and wine. Stir a few times.

4.   Cut limes into quarters. Squeeze the quarters directly onto the mussels and then add the rinds to the mussels. Sprinkle soya sauce evenly over all and stir a few more times. If you wish, you can make up the recipe to this point and keep for up to one hour. Simply cover and refrigerate the work bowl and proceed with the recipe when ready. Alternatively, proceed after a 2-3-minute wait, once all the above ingredients have been combined.

5.   Place a large pot with a lid on high heat to get it red hot (about 2 minutes). Transfer the mussels and all the marinating ingredients into the pot, cover tightly and cook for 2 minutes. During this cooking, shake the pot a couple of times to mix things up, but do not uncover.

6.   Still on high heat, uncover the pot and stir the mussels several times to bring the ones from the bottom up to the top. Add half of the red pepper strips and cook for 1 more minute, until it’s all bubbling happily. Take off fire.

7.   Transfer to a deep serving dish, along with all of its broth. Top with the remaining red pepper strips and some fresh coriander leaves. Serve immediately with a bowl of YOUNG THAILAND Hot Sauce (page 41) on the side.

Excerpted from Simply Thai Cooking, 3rd Ed. By Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu © 1996, 2003, 2011 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Mmmmmm....

Cuban Bread

2012-01-16T07:16:00.000-05:00

Need bread in a hurry? This Cuban bread bakes up fast and delicious. You don't even have to turn your oven on first!

Bread Baking Babe Ilva was intrigued by this cold oven method of baking and challenged us to give it a try. The results are seriously delicious for such a simple bread - quite similar to French bread, and perfect for sandwiches.

Go ahead and give Cuban bread a try in your kitchen - if you get it done by January 28th, contact Ilva about earning a Bread Baking Buddy Badge!

Cuban Bread
from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

1,2-1,4 litre/ 5-6 cups of bread or AP flour (I used about 4½ cups)
2 packages dry (instant) yeast, Ilva used 50 g fresh
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
500 ml/ 2 cups hot water
sesame or poppy seeds (optional)

by hand or mixer (15 mins)
Place 4 cups flour in a mixing bowl and add the yeast, salt and sugar. Stir until they are well blended. Pour in the hot water and beat with 100 strong strokes, or three minutes with a mixer flat beater.
Gradually work in the remaining flour (using fingers if necessary), 1/2 cup at a time until the dough takes shape and is no longer sticky.

kneading (8 mins)
Sprinkle the work surface with flour. Work in the flour as you knead, keeping a dusting of it between the dough and the work surface. Knead for 8 minutes by hand or with a dough hook until the dough is smooth, elastic, and feels alive under your hands.

by processor (5 mins)
Attach the short plastic blade.
Place 2 cups flour in the work bowl and add the other ingredients, as above. Pulse several times to thoroughly mix. Remove the cover and add 2 more cups of flour. Replace the cover and pulse to blend.
Add the remaining flour through the feed tube, pulsing after each addition, until the dough begins to form and is carried around the bowl by the force of the blade.

kneading (45 secs)
Turn on the machine to knead for 45 seconds.

rising (15 mins)
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and put in a warm (26-37°C/80-100°F) place until double in bulk, about 15 minutes.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

shaping (4 mins)
Punch down the dough, turn it out on the work surface, and cut into two pieces. Shape each into a round. Place on the baking sheet. With a sharp knife or razor, slash X on each of the loaves (I managed to forget to do this..), brush water, and, if desired, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

baking (205°C/400°F; 45-50 mins)
Place the baking sheet on the middle shelf of a cold oven. Place a large pan of hot water on the shelf below, and heat the oven to 205°C/400°F. The bread of course, will continue to rise while the oven is heating. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the loaves are a deep golden brown. Thump on the bottom crusts to test for doneness. If they sound hard and hollow, they are baked.

*Note - mine was done in 35 minutes - ovens will vary, keep an eye on the bread. You want a nice deep gold crust and an internal temp of over 200°F

The Bread Baking Babes

Peanut Butter Cake Donuts

2012-01-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?
Homer Simpson

Bake a cake and it is for dessert - bake a cake with a hole in it and you can have it for breakfast!

That's logic I can live with. And eat.

Traditionally I like yeasted donuts, but I thought I would give my new donut pans a workout with the cake variety. Well, I saw a picture of these peanut butter ones with chocolate glaze...

And the rest was history. I told myself they were for my son. I even let him have some. I'm a good mom like that. ☺

Peanut Butter Cake Donuts
adapted from So Sweet by Sur la Table
for Cookbook Sundays #6

You will need - donut pans - 12 regular sized wells.

½ cup salted butter, room temp
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1½ cups AP flour
¼ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
¼ cup sour cream

Glaze
½ cup chocolate chips
6 Tbsp butter, salted
½ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F
Spray pans lightly with baking spray
Cream the two sugars with the butter in your stand mixer.
Add in the peanut butter, scraping down the sides.
Mix in eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Add in vanilla and mix.
In a smaller bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
Add half the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, mix until incorporated.
Add in the sour cream, mix until incorporated.
Follow with the last of the dry mixture.
Place all of the batter into a large freezer bag and cut a dime sized hole in the bottom corner.
Pipe into the donut wells. Tap pans down to let batter settle.
Bake 12-14 minutes or until set and baked through.
Let cool fully on racks.

Make glaze
Melt chocolate and butter gently over a double boiler.
Stir and let cool slightly.
Dip donuts into warm glaze to coat tops.
Garnish with chopped peanuts.

Canal House Cooking Volume No. 7: La Dolce Vita

2012-01-14T07:28:00.003-05:00

Canal House Cooking
Volume No. 7: La Dolce Vita
Melissa Hamilton, Christopher Hirsheimer
Flexibound: 128 pages, 22.6 x 16.8 x 1.5 cm

Are you familiar with the Canal House series of books?They look like journals and really they are journals - the journals of two tour de force women from the food world who have teamed up to create, discover, travel and write together.

The authors, Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer, have long and prestigious histories with Saveur Magazine as well a multitude of cookbooks and other food publications. Ultimately though - they missed the intimacy of home cooking. Being of similar backgrounds and living just across the river from each, they joined up to rent a loft studio in an old warehouse, perched above a lazy and peaceful canal.

Each day they meet in their little studio to create - they paint, photograph, design and write - and they stop working halfway through the day to cook. Focusing on regional and seasonal ingredients, Melissa and Christopher draw from their vast experiences and creativity to make delicious meals together.

More importantly - they share! The Canal House has become dear to a multitude of followers and will soon become dear to you as well.

La Dolce Vita is the seventh book in the series, based on a month spent together in Tuscany in a rustic old farmhouse. It celebrates the bounty of the harvest season and the beauty of Italy.

The Adventure Begins!

Previous Canal House Cookbooks

Canal House Cooking Volume No. 1Summer

Canal House Cooking Volume No. 2Fall & Holiday

Canal House Cooking Volume No. 3Winter & Spring

Canal House Cooking Volume No. 4Farm Markets & Gardens

Canal House Cooking Volume No. 5The Good Life

Canal House Cooking Volume No. 6The Grocery Store

Read the blog Life at the Canal House.
And check out the blog Canal House Cooks Lunch for daily dishes!

Tomato Risotto

2012-01-13T06:51:00.000-05:00

Making risotto is one of the more relaxing kitchen endeavours. Assemble your ingredients beforehand (mise en place), and pour yourself a glass of wine, and begin a leisurely hour of slowly stirring and tasting.

Sides should be simple; blanch yourself a bunch of broccoli rabe earlier on and you can quickly pop it into a hot pan with olive oil and garlic at the last minute. A little S+P, a little squeeze of lemon, and you are done. Now you have a sumptuous Italian dinner, just in time to refill your glass. Nobody will know how easy it all was. I won't tell.

Tomato Risotto
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Apples for Jam
for I♥CC, Rice is Nice

4 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Good pinch chilli flakes
1 cup arborio rice
1¼ cup passata, or ground tomatoes
5 cups good vegetable broth
2/3 cup mozzarella, cut into ½-inch chunks
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for top
Couple of basil leaves and a handful of Italian parsley, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan to medium and add olive oil.
Throw in onion and sauté, stirring often, for 4 minutes.
Add chilli flakes and garlic and sauté for another minute.
Add in rice and stir until each grain is coated and starting to toast - about a minute.
Add in half the passata and a cup of the warm broth.
Turn heat down to med-low, a low simmer, and stir often while the rice starts to absorb the liquid and you have a glass of wine.
Add the rest of the passata and another cup of broth.
Keep stirring, salt and pepper to taste.
Just keep along with your stirring, tasting, and adding broth until you have the texture and consistency that you like.
Add in the cheeses, reserving a little Parm for presentation.
Stir in the herbs, do a final taste check, and serve with a dusting of Parm on top.

Five-Grain Levain

2012-01-12T09:41:00.000-05:00

Bread is best when it has some chew. White flour gives loft and airiness to a loaf, and whole grains give satisfying chewiness. The best breads are a good balance of each. And if those breads have a sourdough kick to give them a little tang and extended shelf-life? Even better!

Break out the good cheddar, the aged stuff that bites back, and whip up some of this 5-grain bread. You are in for the best cheese sandwiches of your life.

Five-Grain Levain
adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread
for the Mellow Bakers
makes 3 loaves

The night before:

Build up your sourdough
8 oz Bread flour
10 oz Water (no chlorine - let water sit out overnight to dissipate)
3 Tbsp Mature sourdough starter

Add sourdough ingredients to a stand mixer bowl, stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter overnight - 12-16 hours.

Make a soaker
2.9 oz Cracked rye
2.9 oz Flaxseeds
2.5 oz Sunflower seeds
2.5 oz Oats
13 oz Boiling water
1 tsp Salt

Add all soaker ingredients into a large, heatproof bowl. Combine, cover and let rest overnight on the counter - 12-16 hours.
Get some sleep!

The next day:

How did you sleep? Have a coffee and some breakfast, maybe a shower too.
Now start making bread!

Dough
1 lb Bread flour
8 oz Whole wheat flour
8.4 oz Water
1 Tbsp Salt
1 tsp Instant dry yeast
all of the Soaker
all of the Sourdough build (or keep back a couple of Tbsps for your next loaf)

Everyone into the pool! With everything in the stand mixer bowl, mix on low for 3 minutes. Turn to medium and mix for 3 minutes - adjusting hydration as necessary.
Turn out onto a floured board and knead into a nice ball.
Place the ball into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise 50 minutes. Fold in onto itself and let rise another 50 minutes.
Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape each into a loaf.
Let loaves rise 1-1½ hours, until nicely puffed.
Preheat oven to 440°F
Slash (I didn't but it occurred to me later that they needed it) and let bake for 30 minutes for long loaves, up to 45 for round. Check internal temperature of breads - it should be about 204°-206°F
Let cool on racks.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Durum Semolina Bread

2012-01-10T07:56:00.000-05:00

"Without bread all is misery."
William Cobbett, British journalist (1763?-1835)

And a little butter is good too...

This bread is made with durum semolina, the same coarse grain that good Italian pasta is made out of. It gives the loaf an almost corny flavour and firm crumb. Perfect for sandwiches or slathered with a little pâté or salted butter.

But, then again, what isn't?

You can make these loaves in one day. Like today!

Durum Semolina Bread
adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread
for The Mellow Bakers
makes 2 loaves

Early that morning:

Make a sponge!

Sponge
6.4 oz Durum flour
6.4 oz Bread flour
9 oz Water
1¼ tsp Dry instant yeast
½ tsp Sugar

Combine sponge ingredients in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest 2 hours. (Less in a hot kitchen)

Later that same day:

Make the dough!

Dough
9.6 oz Durum flour
9.6 oz Bread flour
10.8 oz Water
1 Tbsp Salt
3 Tbsp Olive oil
All of the Sponge

Everyone into the pool! Combine all the ingredients in your stand mixer with the dough hook, on low for three minutes. Turn to medium and mix three more minutes. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead into a ball. Place ball into a clean bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour. Fold bread in onto itself and let rise another hour.

Divide dough into two equal pieces and shape into long loaves.
Cover and let loaves rise 1½ hours.
Preheat oven to 440°
Slash loaves and bake 25-35 minutes, depending on how thick they are.
Internal temperature should reach over 200°F
Let cool on racks.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Cinnamon Monkey Bread

2012-01-08T08:58:00.001-05:00

Last time we monkeyed around with herbs and garlic, this time we are getting a little sweeter. Mainly because I was having a serious craving for cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon rolls from a store can have a fatal flaw (you know, besides the very real possibility of being stale) and that is uneven distribution of cinnamon. You know what I mean. You spend half the time searching for it until you start choking on it in the last bites.

These monkey bread pieces are each rolled in cinnamon and sugar for perfectly balanced cinnamon placement. No monkeyball left behind - that's my motto.

By now you will be thinking that you can make monkey bread into just about any flavourings you want. You would be right. Let's see what other combos we can come up with this year!

Cinnamon Monkey Bread
adapted from King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion
for BYOB, and Cookbook Sundays #5

Dough
3 cups AP flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1¼ tsp salt
3 Tbsp white sugar
4 Tbsp butter, room temp
¼ cup dry milk powder
¼ cup potato flour
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp lukewarm water

Topping
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix together in a shallow bowl or small plate - you may have to top this up.

Mix all dough ingredients in your stand mixer with the dough hook. 3 minutes on low to combine and then 3 minutes on medium to knead. Turn out onto a board and knead a couple more minutes, forming the dough into a smooth ball. Place ball into a clean bowl, cover, and let rise one hour.

Butter a bundt pan well.
Divide dough into 32 equal-sized pieces. Roll into balls.
Roll each ball in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place balls in the Bundt pan evenly.
Cover filled pan and let rest one hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F
Let bake 30 minutes.
Flip onto rack and then onto plate, right side up.
Dust with icing sugar and eat while warm.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Fusilli con Cavolfiore

2012-01-07T10:04:00.000-05:00

Fusilli con Cavolfiore sounds like the sexiest thing you could possibly whisper into someone's ear. It certainly sounds sexier that noodles and cauliflower. Everything sounds better in Italian.

This is a simple and delicious Italian dish, sort of a milder putanesca. With cauliflower. I promise you though, it is addictive. This would make a great side for some eggplant parm, or an Italian-style roast. Put on some Andrea Bocelli, dim the lights, and speak in whatever Italian you can come up with. It's okay if they are only food words. I won't tell.

Buon Appetito!

Fusilli con Cavolfiore
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Twelve
for I♥CC Under the Tuscan Sun

Ingredients
2 lbs cauliflower florets
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
1 tin anchovies packed in oil (about 6)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 lb fusilli or other short, fun pasta
1½ cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Cauliflower - you will want to steam or cook it lightly before hand so it is soft. Set a large pot of salted water to boil and cook or steam until just tender. Set cooked cauliflower aside. Reserve water for pasta.
Pasta - Start cooking pasta while you make the sauce, it will all come together fairly quickly.
Sauce - Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add in the garlic, half the parsley, and the chilli flakes. Keep stirring until they get hot and fragrant and the anchovies start breaking up. (Help them along with your spoon)
Add in the cauliflower and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.
Add in the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes and then add in cooked pasta and a ladleful of pasta water.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Toss in cheese and the reserved parsley and serve hot.

Get Ready to Get Light! Everyday Food Light

2012-01-06T08:49:00.001-05:00

Everyday Food: Light
The Quickest and Easiest Recipes,

All Under 500 Calories
Written by Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Trade Paperback, 384 pages
Also available as an eBook

The holidays have come to an end, your coffee cup is no longer half-filled with Irish cream, you are no longer eating eight turkey sandwiches a day. But you have noticed that the new year brings a sluggish new you, still bogged down with winter weight. Sure, you could eat light... but that seems so very.. limiting. A restrictive diet is not something that people can stick to very easily. Especially when we are also trying to balance work and family and all those other plates in the air.

But what if we had a whole book of quick and easy recipes that were a little lighter but still just as satisfying as all our favourite meals?

The good people from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living have answered the call beautifully with Everyday Food Light. It contains 250 easy weeknight recipes for everything from soups and salads, mains and sides, to desserts.

The chapters include:

Tips and Techniques

The Best Methods for Light Cooking
Tools for Lower-Calorie Cooking
Low-Fat Flavor Boosters

And Recipes by Season

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Get ready to eat healthier without giving up great flavour!

In our KitchenPuppy test kitchen: we whipped up this Lighter Eggplant Parmesan. A light bechamel gives the dish gloriously rich body and at no point did any of us feel we were eating light. This is my kind of healthy!

Lighter Eggplant Parmesan
From Everyday Food: Light by the editors of Martha Stewart Living Magazine
serves 4
prep time: 20 minutes
total time: 45 minutes

WHY IT’S LIGHT This Italian restaurant standby turns virtuous with baked (instead of fried) eggplant and a healthier béchamel made from skim milk, which is then combined with some marinara sauce. Using less cheese also helps; here, the two cheeses are sprinkled only on top, rather than in each layer.

1 large Italian eggplant (2 pounds), sliced ½ inch thick crosswise
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup homemade or store-bought marinara sauce
½ cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450°F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush eggplant on both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and very tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning slices and rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back half-way through.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together ¼ cup milk, the flour, and garlic. Gradually whisk in remaining ¾ cup milk and ½ cup marinara sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Spread ¼ cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Alternate layers of baked eggplant with milk sauce. Dollop with remaining ¼ cup marinara sauce. Top evenly with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake on upper rack until cheese is browned and sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

per serving: 229 calories; 9.3 g fat (3.3 g saturated fat); 11.9 g protein; 26.7 g carbohydrates; 8.9 g fiber

Excerpted from Everyday Food: Light by From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living Copyright © 2011 by From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living. The photographs in this book originally appeared in issues of EVERYDAY FOOD magazine. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

We have also been nibbling on Martha's Healthy Oatmeal Cookies all week. This is light that I can live with!

Lemony Quickies

2012-01-05T09:36:00.000-05:00

I am one of those few rare women who don't really care about chocolate. Sure, it's fine and all. In small quantities. And I do get some for Christmas - that usually lasts me for months. But what I really crave is bold, tart fruit. Like lemons.

Come on. I know I am not alone in this. Let's get our lemon on.

These muffins go together very quickly and deliver a lemony lemony-ness that will satisfy your lemony cravings. The zest in the cakes is complemented by a sweet but lemony tart glaze that permeates the muffins. It's a lemonpalooza. Your lemon-tooth will thank me.

Lemony Quickies
adapted from 500 Best Muffin Recipes by Esther Brody
makes 12 muffins

Grease or line a 12 cup regular sized muffin tin
Preheat oven to 400°F

Ingredients
6 Tbsp butter - room temp
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1½ cups AP flour
½ cup whole milk
Grated zest of 1½ lemons
¼ tsp salt
1½ tsp baking powder

Glaze
Juice of 1½ lemons
1/3 cup white sugar

In your stand mixer, with the paddle attachment - cream together butter and sugar.
Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until incorporated.
Dish out into 12 muffin tin cups.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
Place on racks, remove papers if used.

Combine glaze ingredients on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Brush over entire (warm) muffins repeatedly until glaze is all gone. Lick fingers and dance around the kitchen.

Armchair Novel Review: The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill

2012-01-03T08:38:00.001-05:00

The Betrayal of Trust
by Susan Hill
Hardcover, 368 pages
Also available as an eBook

I have to admit that what first caught my attention, besides the great title, was the recommendation by P.D. James.

Susan Hill is a new author for me and I am really glad I have discovered her. This is her 6th book in the Simon Serrailler crime series.

Heavy rains and flash flooding have ravaged the countryside of Lafferton, just outside of London. The remains of a young woman are found, opening up a 16-year old cold case involving a missing local girl. Soon more remains are found and Simon Serrailler is scrambling to find a connection between the two victims while dealing with old evidence, dead-end leads, and an almost non-existent police budget. Balanced with his investigative work is his own rich inner life; love, art, and family - making Serrailler a fascinating 3-dimensional character.

Susan Hill is known for her literary fiction as well as her mystery writing and it shows. In this mystery she manages to weave in parallel and deeper mysteries of the head, heart and body and how ultimately we betray ourselves as much or more than each other.

Other books in the Simon Serrailler series:

The Various Haunts of Men
The Pure in Heart
The Risk of Darkness
The Vows of Silence
The Shadows in the Street

Learn more about Susan Hill at her website or at Random House Canada

66% Sourdough Rye

2012-01-02T08:23:00.000-05:00

One of our holiday traditions, or, I should say, one of my husband's holiday traditions - is to buy a big wheel of brie. A kilo of brie, to be exact. I know what you are thinking, we must do a lot of entertaining. Well. Not really. Mostly we just really like cheese. And bread.

A good cheese deserves a good bread, and a lovely sourdough rye gives you a nice earthy contrast to the mild cheese. And if you run out of brie - we have some to spare.

66% Sourdough Rye
adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread
for the Mellow Bakers
makes 2 loaves

The night before:

Sourdough
12.8 oz Rye flour
10.2 oz Water
2 Tbsp Active sourdough culture

Combine sourdough ingredients in a small/med bowl, cover with plastic and let rest on the counter overnight, about 16 hours.

The next day:

Dough
8.3 oz Rye flour
10.9 oz Bread flour
13.8 oz Water
1 Tbsp Salt
1 tsp Instant dry yeast
All of the Sourdough (or keep back 2 Tbsp for the next bread)

Everyone into the pool! Add all the dough ingredients to the stand mixer bowl. Mix on low, with the dough hook, for 3 minutes. Scrape down sides if necessary. Increase speed to medium and mix another 3 minutes.
Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead into a ball.

Let stand,covered for 1 hour.

Divide dough into 2, shape into loaves.
I tend to do French-style long loaves, and let them rise and bake in my Chicago Metallic French bread pan. Parchment or sheetpans are also fine.
Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 440°F
Slash loaves and bake 30-45 minutes, depending on the shape.
Internal temperature should read 206°F
Let cool on racks.
Wrap in tea towels when cool, and let rest another 12 hours before slicing.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Armchair Novel Review: Tigerlily's Orchids by Ruth Rendell

2011-12-31T09:52:00.000-05:00

Tigerlily's Orchids
by Ruth Rendell
Trade Paperback, 288 pages
Also available as an eBook and a hardcover

This is my favourite Ruth Rendell book so far.

There is a mystery, deep in the heart of the book, but more than that it is a fascinating tapestry of people and events and an illustration of how each affect each other.

The residents of Lichtfield House are all invited to a party at the flat of Stuart Font, a beautiful but clueless young man who has taken a year off to find himself. Instead he has found himself in an affair with a married woman, soon to be replaced with a fascination with the mysterious and entrancing Asian waif across the street.

Complications arise from the associations between the neighbours, in this complex and humourous web of cause and effect.

I couldn't put it down.

Lasagne!

2011-12-30T11:24:00.000-05:00

Santa gave me a shiny new red lasagne pan this Christmas. I know what that means. I can take a hint. Actually, Santa can also take a hint as Mrs. Claus had told him where they were on sale for 70% off. We are big on hints in this family. Also big on lasagne.

A traditional meat lasagne with creamy bechamel and homemade noodles is the perfect antidote to turkey. Sure, it takes just as long or possibly longer to make, but then again you are making Italian food and therefore ~~allowed~~ expected to drink wine as you cook. Even if you start at noon. It's good to be Italian.

Lasagne
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Twelve
for I♥CC, Winter Wonderland

You will need:
1 batch ragu (about 1 litre/ 4 cups)
1 batch fresh pasta (about 1 lb, 7 oz)
1 batch bechamel sauce (about 1 litre/ 4 cups)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese
1 lasagne pan
Lots of red wine

Preheat oven to 350°F
Spread a little bechamel on the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of noodles down. Follow with a layer of ragu, some more bechamel, a sprinkling of Parmesan, and another layer of noodles. Keep going, making as many layers as you can - at least four.
Top with mozzarella and bake 30 minutes. Broil for a minute to toast cheese on top. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes. Serve with Caesar salad and garlic toast. And more wine. Of course.

Ragu

Big splash olive oil
¼ oz dried mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water and chopped (reserve water)
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
12 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
Kosher salt
Hot pepper flakes
500 g (1 lb, 2 oz) ground beef
2 Italian sausages, crumbled, or 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped fine
1 bunch chard or kale, chopped
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 cups red wine
Basil, oregano, and thyme - to taste.
1 small bunch parsley, chopped

Heat up the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot on medium/high heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add ½ the garlic and continue to stir. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt and a good pinch of hot pepper flakes.
Add in your sausage or bacon and continue to cook, stirring regularly.
Add in your ground beef, breaking it up with your spoon or spatula.
When the meat is cooked through, add in the tomatoes and the wine, as well as the chard or kale, mushrooms and mushroom water. Add in a big pinch each of basil, oregano, and thyme.
Let come to a boil and then turn down to a low simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Add in the second amount of garlic and the chopped parsley at the end. This gives a fresh taste to the sauce.

Egg Pasta
450g (1 lb) AP flour
1 tsp salt
4-5 eggs

Pulse flour and salt in the food processor. Add 4 eggs and continue to pulse. Add the other if you need it to get the dough to come together. It should be stiff but pliable play-doh. Not dry, but not too soft either. Finish kneading by hand and wrap in plastic. Let rest on the counter for a half hour.
Roll into lasagne sheets using your pasta roller. I use the KitchenAid ones. Go by manufacturer's instructions.

To cook: Set a large pot to boil, salt liberally. Add a splash of olive oil so they don't stick. Add pasta and stir now and then to make sure they are not sticking. Boil about 4 minutes, or until softened.

You can either lay cooked noodles on a cloth or oiled sheet pan.

Bechamel
1 litre (4 cups) whole milk - warmed
100 g (3½ oz) butter
80 g (3 oz) AP flour
salt
pepper
fresh grated nutmeg

In a large saucepan, heat up butter on medium. Add in flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add warm milk in by ladle-full, whisking well with each addition. Season to taste (liberally) with salt, pepper, and fresh ground nutmeg.

Armchair Novel Review: 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz

2011-12-29T10:41:00.000-05:00

77 Shadow Street
A Novel
by Dean Koontz
Hardcover, 464 pages
Also available as an eBook and in large print trade paperback

Warm blanket - check.
Hot cup of tea - check.
Lights on in every room in the house - check.

Okay, it's time for the master of horror and suspense!

Dean Koontz's 77 Shadow Street is just in time to put some post-Christmas icicles in your veins.

I am the One, the all and the only. I live in the Pendleton as surely as I live everywhere. I am the Pendleton's history and its destiny. The building is my place of conception, my monument, my killing ground. . . .

The Pendleton is a luxury building that stands at 77 Shadow Street. Once the palace of a wealthy business tycoon and his family, it now houses the luxury suites of an assortment of fascinating characters.

Silas Kinsley, widowed and retired, spends his time studying the frightening history of the estate. Madness and murder have plagued the building since the late 1800s, seemingly on a predictable schedule. By his calculations that time is now.

Koontz lets us into the minds of a myriad of characters as we experience the horror of the Pendleton with them. Past, present and future, reality is bent and twisted in one night of horrific terror.

The master of suspense, he winds the tension ever tighter - bouncing from one point of view to the next in a frenzy to the finish.

A most satisfying roller coaster ride to get your heart racing.

Click here for an interactive web experience of 77 Shadow Street.
Click here for Dean Koontz's website.

Sourdough Seed Bread

2011-12-28T11:24:00.001-05:00

Seedy isn't always a bad thing. When it comes to bread it can be downright wonderful. Seedy bread goes great with cream cheese. In fact it loves cheeses of all varieties.

As an added bonus - all those seeds are good for you. This makes eating delicious carbs almost guilt-free. Or that's what I tell myself, anyway. You know, when my mouth isn't full.

Sourdough Seed Bread
adapted from Bread, by Jeffrey Hamelman
for the Mellow Bakers

The Night Before:

Sourdough starter
4.8 oz Bread flour
6 oz Water
1 oz Active sourdough culture

Mix sourdough starter ingredients together in a bowl, cover and let rest overnight - 12-16 hours.

Soaker
2.2 oz Flaxseeds
6.7 oz Water

Mix soaker ingredients together in a smaller bowl. Cover and let rest overnight - 12-16 hours.

The Next Day:

Dough
1 lb, 8.6 oz Bread flour
2.6 oz Rye flour
3.8 oz Toasted sunflower seeds
1.9 oz Toasted sesame seeds
11.3 oz Water
1.5 Tbsp Salt
1 tsp Instant dry yeast
All of last night's Soaker
All of last night's Sourdough starter

Everyone into the stand mixer! Mix on low with the dough hook for 3 minutes. Scrape down sides if necessary and mix on medium for 3 minutes. Form into a ball and let rest, covered, one hour. Fold in onto itself and let rest another hour. Fold again and let rest 45 minutes.

Divide dough in half and form 2 loaves. I like to go with long, French style loaves.
Let rise until doubled, this may take a few hours.
Preheat oven to 440°F
Score and bake loaves for 30-40 minutes, depending on how you shaped them.
Long, thinner loaves don't take as long to bake.
Make sure instant read thermometer reaches 206°F
Let cool on racks.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Armchair Novel Review: The Bomber

2011-12-27T09:53:00.000-05:00

The Bomber
Written by Liza Marklund
Translated by Neil Smith
Paperback, 528 pages
Also available as an eBook

Scandinavia continues to send us the most compelling mystery and detective fiction.

The Bomber features a feminine twist on the hard-nosed investigative reporter that we loved so much in Stieg Larsson's Millennium series.

Annika Bengtzon is a crime reporter who juggles family life, workplace misogyny and politics while doggedly pursuing her stories. She is awakened in the middle of the night with news of the bombing of the Olympics Stadium in Stockholm. One person has been killed in the blast. No terror or protest groups have claimed responsibility and few clues are left at the scene. She throws herself into the case, working day and night to unravel the mystery of the bombing, when another bomb goes off. Another body is found and, as Annika gets closer to solving the mystery of The Bomber, she finds her own life is at stake.

The Bomber is an intelligently written procedural mystery novel from a female crime reporter's point of view. It starts off with a bang and races breathlessly to the ultimate climax. Larsson fans will be thrilled to discover the books of Liza Marklund.

Also by Liza Marklund:
Red Wolf
Exposed

By Liza Marklund and James Patterson:
Postcard Killers

www.lizamarklund.com

Gravlax with Dill Cucumbers

2011-12-24T16:59:00.001-05:00

My husband and I are big on holiday "picnics". Both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and quite often my Birthday Eve and Mother's Day Eve, we have a beautiful array of cheeses, breads, olives, pâtés, crunchy fruits or veggies and, on extra special occasions, I will make gravlax.

Have you ever had gravlax? If you like smoked salmon, you will like gravlax. The fish is cured in a seasoned salt/sugar mixture, in your fridge, for 3-4 days - depending on the recipe. It is a little more intense than smoked salmon, but I like that. Plus, you have the joy of knowing you cured it yourself. Huzzah!

Wiki on Gravlax
Gravlax or gravad lax (Swedish), gravad laks (Danish), gravlaks (Norwegian, Danish), graavilohi (Finnish), graavilõhe (Estonian), graflax (Icelandic) is a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon, cured in salt, sugar, and dill. Gravlax is usually served as an appetizer, sliced thinly and accompanied by hovmästarsås (also known as gravlaxsås), a dill and mustard sauce, either on bread of some kind, or with boiled potatoes.
History

During the Middle Ages, gravlax was made by fishermen, who salted the salmon and lightly fermented it by burying it in the sand above the high-tide line. The word gravlax comes from the Scandinavian word grav, which literally means "grave" or "to dig" (in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch and Estonian), and lax (or laks), which means "salmon", thus gravlax means "buried salmon".

Today fermentation is no longer used in the production process. Instead the salmon is "buried" in a dry marinade of salt, sugar, and dill, and cured for a few days. As the salmon cures, by the action of osmosis, the moisture turns the dry cure into a highly concentrated brine, which can be used in Scandinavian cooking as part of a sauce. This same method of curing can be used for any fatty fish, but salmon is the most common.

Gravlax with Dill Cucumbers
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Falling Cloudberries
for I♥CC Holiday Goodies

Gravlax
½ cup white sugar
2/3 cup coarse salt
2½ cups fresh dill
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 whole fillets salmon (cleaned and deboned, with skin left on)

Dill Cucumbers
1 English cucumber, sliced thin
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
½ cup white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 tsp salt

Chopped fresh dill, lemons and capers for garnish.

Make the Gravlax:
Combine the sugar, salt, dill and pepper in a bowl. Lay a sheet of wax or parchment paper down and place 1/3 of the mixture down. Pat out about the size of the fillet. Place the fillet, skin side down, on the salt mixture. Place another 1/3 of the mixture on the fillet. Pat to coat evenly. Place the second fillet on top, skin side up. Place the last third of the mixture evenly on top and wrap up in the parchment or wax paper. Place bundle on a sheet of foil and wrap again, firmly Place bundle in a small dish to contain it.
Let sit in the fridge for 4 days, turning every day.
Scrape off mixture (or rinse, for a less salty flavour).
Peel off skin and slice the fish thinly.
Serve with the cucumbers, lemon, and capers. Good mustards are also nice, like this Finnish Mustard that my friend Sue made from the same book.

Make the Cucumbers:
Combine the dressing ingredients and pout over the thinly sliced cukes in a shallow bowl. Let sit at least 2 hours.

Unquenchable

2011-12-23T06:55:00.000-05:00

Unquenchable
A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines
Written by Natalie MacLean
Hardcover, 368 pages

Also available as an eBook

When I was young wine seemed so grown up. It had its own glass and everything. At that point I knew 4 types of wine: red, white, pink and bubbly. I bought cheap wine because.. it was cheap. This is how most of us begin our wine journey.

As I grew up I learned a little more about wine. I have incorporated it into my life like a good friend and while I might not know much if you stand me beside an expert - I have learned a few things along the way.

I have even read a couple of books on wine. Let me tell you - a book on wine can be drier than chalk. I generally end up reading the same paragraph four times and then falling asleep. (And this is without the addition of an actual glass of wine by my side.)

Until I discovered Natalie MacLean. I read Red, White, and Drunk All Over about five years ago and it both tickled and educated me at the same time. Reading Natalie's books is like having a good friend bring you along on her wine-soaked adventures.

Natalie never forgets one of the most important things about wine - it's fun!

In her new book, Unquenchable, she travels to eight different wine-producing regions to discover what makes them unique. She focuses on a few wineries from each place, tasting their wares from the highest offerings to the bargain bottles. (It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.) By identifying the reliable producers of good table wines, she is able to discover and recommend a fine variety of budget-friendly bottles for your collection. After all, wine should not be the prerogative of the very wealthy, nor should it be so rarefied as to be only consumed on major holidays.

The chapters include:

A Nose for a Bargain: Opening Thoughts

1. Sunday: The Wine Wizards of Oz

2. Monday: The Unbearable Lightness of German Riesling

3. Tuesday: Helicopters, Hawks, and Hellacious Ladybugs

4. Wednesday: The Cape Crusaders of Africa

5. Thursday: Vino Under the Volcano

6. Friday: A Smouldering Liquid Tango

7. Saturday: A Storm of Pleasure in Every Port

8. Sunday: La Vie en Rosé en Provence

Drinking My Words: Closing Comments

But I have to say my very favourite thing about Natalie MacLean's books is her inviting manner of weaving intimacy and humour with knowledge. You feel like you have made a friend when you read her books, and in a way you have.

Her website acts as an interactive companion to her books. At http://www.nataliemaclean.com/ you can find wine and food pairings, wine ratings, insider wine tips, and access to her free newsletter. You'll never feel stuck again!

Garlicky Herbed Monkey Bread

2011-12-22T09:44:00.000-05:00

Why is it called monkey bread? There are many theories. It is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Monkeys pull apart their food like this bread is pulled apart. It is often served to children who are, for all intents and purposes, monkeys...

Mostly I think it is fun to say monkey bread. You could also call it bubble bread or pull-apart bread, but you won't have the same sense of glee in your voice.

Monkey bread is made either sweet, generally with sugar and cinnamon, or savoury. Once you make a couple, you will realize that you can probably flavour it however you want. Like this Bocconcini Stuffed Mediterranean Bacon Pull Aparts that I made last year. I still dream about that bread. The world is your oyster. Or monkey bread.

If you are a fan of garlic and herbs (and really, who isn't?) give this one a try!

Garlicky Herbed Monkey Bread
adapted from King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

Dough
3 cups AP flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1¼ tsp salt
3 Tbsp white sugar
4 Tbsp butter, room temp
¼ cup dry milk powder
¼ cup potato flour
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp lukewarm water

Herb oil mix
1 Tbsp each - thyme, oregano, basil
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane or finely minced
Pinch kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil

Mix all dough ingredients in your stand mixer with the dough hook. 3 minutes on low to combine and then 3 minutes on medium to knead. Turn out onto a board and knead a couple more minutes, forming the dough into a smooth ball. Place ball into a clean bowl, cover, and let rise one hour.

Butter a bundt pan well.
Divide dough into 32 equal-sized pieces. Roll into balls.
Cover with a tea towel while you mix herb oil ingredients.
Place 1/3 balls in the buttered pan.
Drizzle or brush 1/3 of the herb oil mix over them.
Repeat 2x more.
Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Bake for 25-35 minutes.
A darker pan will brown/bake faster.
Turn out onto a plate or board and eat while still warm.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

The Joy of Giving

2011-12-21T10:16:00.000-05:00

Last minute shopper? Me too. Well, I am an early shopper and a last minute shopper. There seems to be a lull in the middle where I don't get much done. Sort of like staring into the headlights, or Christmas lights, as it were.

Here are a few ideas for you, in case you are feeling stuck. Happy shopping!

Let's start big, shall we? For the cook who longs for the very best - the new KitchenAid 13 cup food processor. It has adjustable slicing, as well as the shredding and julienne disks, chopping and mixing blades. It also has variable speed and a three in one wide mouth feed tube. But, most importantly - it is one totally sexy machine!

For Family Cooking - these are my favourite family-style cookbooks of the year.

John Besh's My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking

Trish Magwood's In My Mother's Kitchen: Three Generations of Simple, Delicious Food.

For the exotic cook on your list - how about a tagine and a book on tagine cooking? Bring the flavours of Morocco to someone special.

Wine

Got a wine lover on your list? How about a basket with a lovely bottle of vino, some cheese and grapes and a copy of Natalie MacLean's Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines.

If you're lucky they might share!

Reading

For the readers on your list - Jann Arden's Falling Backwards is a tender and humourous look at the singer/songwriter's early years.

Give the Gift of Flavia!

Alan Bradley's 11-year old sleuth Flavia de Luce will warm the heart of the mystery-loving reader on your list.Think of Sherlock Holmes as a young girl. A delightful series!

For a darker, more complex mystery series - Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole books are gritty and intense and intelligently written. He is currently my favourite author.

And, most importantly, give to those who need it most.

There are many charities who would be thrilled to have your generosity shared with them. Don't be overwhelmed with choice, just pick something that means a lot to you and give what you can.

If your favourite Aunt Martha was taken too soon by disease, you might want to fund research in her name.
If cats are near to your heart, you may want to donate to a rescue agency.
There are many lands far away that need a helping hand due to famine and natural disaster, as well as people in your own community. Find what means the most to you and give generously.

Don't have much money? The gift of time is the ultimate in generosity - consider volunteering your time to a shelter, retirement home, or any other organization in need in your community.
There is a reason they call it the season of giving. The best thing - you will feel great!

In My Mother's Kitchen, by Trish Magwood

2011-12-19T08:59:00.003-05:00

Heather's Pick at Indigo!

In My Mother's Kitchen

Three Generations of Simple, Delicious Family Food
by Trish Magwood
Hardcover, 256 pages

Trish Magwood, author of the James Beard Award winning Dish Entertains, host and co-creator of Party Dish, believes in the family table. It was there that she learned about food, about love, and the importance of family.

In these rapid times it is difficult to find the time to recreate the kitchen culture of our mothers and grandmothers, but Trish does so by providing simple meals that even the busiest families can share.

Calling on the recipes of her own mother and grandmother, In My Mother's Kitchen offers wholesome, straightforward dishes from three generations of her wonderfully food-centric family.

Everything from breakfast to dessert can be made simply and fairly easily. After all - as an author, chef, and food & lifestyle consultant - Trish knows what it's like to be a working mom.

Filled with inviting family recipes, as well as beautiful full-colour photos - you will be inspired to bring the family table back to your home.

In our KitchenPuppy test kitchen, we delighted in these homey recipes all week:

Family Granola

To quote my husband, "amazing". Simply the best granola recipe that we have ever had.

You can find a sneak peek of this family granola recipe on Trish Magwood's website.

Skinnier Caesar Salad

All the flavour and no guilt! We served this lightened-up Caesar salad with the Sunday roast for what had to be my son's all-time favourite meal, ever.

Sunday Roast Beef Dinner

Tis the season for standing rib roasts, and we loved this roast beef dinner. Trish uses small potatoes with her roast but I had regular ones on hand so just cut them in half. What a treat!

Stewie's Yorkshire Puddings

My husband is the Yorkshire Pudding king. I made the batter for him and he baked them when the roast came out of the oven. They were perfect!

And these ginger cookies are perfect for your holiday table, or simply with a nice pot of tea.

Stewie's Ginger Cookies

Stewie's Ginger Cookies
from In My Mother's Kitchen, by Trish Magwood
reprinted from an article on the book on NBC Today Show: Food

Ingredients

    3/4 cup butter (at room temperature)
    1 cup sugar (plus additional for rolling)
    1 egg
    1/4 cup molasses
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    2 tsp. baking soda
    2 tsp. ground ginger
    1 tsp. cinnamon
    1/2 tsp. salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in molasses until well combined.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Stir into batter until just mixed.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in white sugar to coat. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Do not flatten.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies just start to crack.

Let sit on cookie sheets for several minutes, then transfer to flattened brown paper bags or racks to cool.

Variations: For special ginger cookies, stir in 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger before shaping into balls.

For the chocolate lovers, once cookies are formed on the cookie sheet, gently press a small chunk of good-quality milk chocolate into the top.
Serving Size

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Awesome links:

Trish Magwood on CityLine

and on the NBC Today Show

In My Mother's Kitchen is also available as an iPad app!

Milk Rolls

2011-12-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

It is good to have a few simple bun recipes on hand. Something that goes together easily and can be made in one day. An uncomplicated roll that can go with anything.

These milk rolls fit the bill perfectly. Soft and white with a little whole wheat thrown in just to give them a bit of a rustic edge, they make for an excellent cheese sammie. Or any kind of sammie, really.

They are all about versatility, and bound to please the most fussy of bread eaters. Like children.

Just don't tell them about the whole wheat.

Milk Rolls
adapted from Apples for Jam, by Tessa Kiros
for I♥CC December Pot Luck

1 cup warm milk
1 pkg (2¼ tsp) dry instant yeast
1 tsp honey
3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp salt
1 egg
3 Tbsp butter, melted

Place all the ingredients into the stand mixer and mix on low, with the dough hook, until thoroughly combined - about 3 minutes.
Turn to medium and mix 3 more minutes.
Turn out onto board and knead into a ball.
Place ball in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise 2 hours.
Divide into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a ball.
Place the 12 balls onto a silpat-lined half sheet pan and flatten them somewhat with your palm.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1-1½ hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F
Let bake 17 minutes or until nicely golden and baked through.
Let cool on racks.

These buns have been Yeastspotted!

Armchair Birding with The Crossley ID Guide

2011-12-17T10:12:00.000-05:00

The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds
Richard Crossley
Flexibound, 544 pages

I married a man who could look upon items and creatures in nature and name them. I was not born with such a talent, but he awakened in me a desire to get to know my surroundings more, especially birds.

I have a few bird books already, eastern birds - as I live in Ontario, Canada. I don't know what western birds look like, but I picture them in little cowboy hats.

My main beef with bird books is that they give you one lousy photo - sometimes just a drawing - of the bird. I soon learned that birds can look quite different depending on age, sex, and time of year. I have always wanted a book that showed both sexes, different stages, and different positions - so that I might actually be able to identify a bird.

Low and behold, I have discovered such a book. The Crossley ID Guide may not be the most portable of books - it is big and thick like a phone book - but Richard Crossley has done a remarkable job of showing multiple versions of birds in their habitats out of 10,000 of his own beautiful photos. With the wonders of modern technology, each page gives you several aspects of the same birds.

Crossley gives you tips on being a better birder; with notes on what to look for, size, structure and shape, behaviour, probability, colour, vocalizations, bird topography, molt, terminology, and factors affecting appearance.

He also has an interactive website www.crossleybirds.com that you can use as a companion to the book.

Check out this video, in which Richard Crossley introduces his book, and you can see the genius of the photos inside.

Perfect for the bird enthusiast on your list!

The Bread Baking Babes have been Stollen!

2011-12-16T07:11:00.001-05:00

Oops. Make that "The Bread Baking Babes have baked Stollen!"
Not as dramatic, but more truthful.

What is stollen? A rich dough studded with fruit and nuts and a little rum, perfect for your holiday tea.

This was the seasonal challenge set forth by Bread Baking Babe Susan of Wild Yeast and it has an interesting fold designed to look like a swaddled babe in the manger. Mine look a little bit more like coffee beans, but I'm okay with that. ;-) I've never been all that big on religion anyway, but I do love my coffee.

Sliced thin like biscotti, these stollen are a lovely accompaniment to your mid-morning coffee and tea.

Stollen
(Adapted from San Francisco Baking Institute)

Yield: 1500 grams (3 loaves, more or less)

Time:

Candy and dry citrus peel: 12 hours or more (can be done ahead)

Soak the fruits: 12 hours

Mix and ferment sponge: 12 hours (can be simultaneous with fruit-soaking)

Mix dough: 20 – 30 minutes

First fermentation : 30 minutes

Preshape, rest, and shape: 30 minutes

Proof: 90 minutes

Bake: 30 minutes

Sponge Ingredients:

120 grams flour

80 grams water

0.1 gram (small pinch) instant yeast [or 0.13 g active dry, or 0.25 g fresh]

Soaked Fruit Ingredients:

130 grams raisins

75 grams dried cherries (or more raisins)

61 grams candied orange peel

92 grams candied lemon peel

82 grams slivered almonds

34 grams rum

Final Dough Ingredients:

348 g flour

53 g milk

25.3 grams (2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) instant yeast [or 18.6 g osmotolerant, or 31.6 g active dry, or 63.3 g fresh]

8 g (1-1/3 t.) salt

8 g (2-1/3 t.) diastatic malt powder (omit if you don’t have it)

51 g sugar

50 g egg (about one large egg)

5 g grated lemon zest (one average lemon)

5 g grated orange zest (one small orange)

1/3 t. of each of these ground spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, allspice, nutmeg

273 g unsalted butter, at room temperature (should be pliable)

all of the sponge

all of the soaked fruits

Finishing Ingredients:

clarified butter

fine granulated sugar

powdered (confectioner’s) sugar

Method:

Toss the soaker fruits with the rum in a medium bowl. Cover and leave at room temperature for about 12 hours.

Meanwhile, combine the sponge ingredients in another medium bowl. Cover and ferment at room temperature for 12 hours.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine all of the final dough ingredients except the soaker. Mix in slow speed until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Continue mixing in medium speed until the gluten reaches full development. The dough should come together around the hook and should no longer stick to the sides and bottom of the bowl. This could take about 20 minutes or more, but will depend on your mixer.

Add the soaked fruits and mix on slow speed just until they are evenly distributed through the dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered container. Cover and ferment for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Turn the dough onto the counter. Divide into three pieces, or however many you would like. Preshape the dough into balls and let them rest, covered, for 30 minutes.

To shape each loaf: Form a blunt-ended batard and dust it lightly with flour. With a thin rolling pin, press down firmly, separating about 2/5 of the dough from the other 3.5. Roll out the flap of dough connecting the sections so it is about 2 inches wide. Flatten the larger section slightly with your hand, then fold the smaller section over to rest on the larger one.

Place the loaves on parchment-lined baking sheets (two per sheet) and slip them into a large plastic bag with a bowl of warm water. Proof for about 90 minutes, replenishing the water when it cools.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 on convection setting or 400 on regular bake setting. You will also need steam during the initial phase of baking, so prepare for this now.

Bake for 10 minutes, open the oven door briefly to allow any remaining steam to escape, and bake for another 20 minutes. If you do not have convection, you may need to rotate the position of the baking sheets halfway through the bake to ensure even browning and keep the one on the lower rack from burning on the bottom.

While the loaves are still warm, brush them with clarified butter. Dredge them in fine granulated sugar, brushing or shaking off the excess.

To finish, sift powdered sugar over the loaves.

Cut when completely cool. You can leave the stollen out overnight to let the loaves dry and the sugar crust up a bit.

The Bread Baking Babes

This bread has been Yeastspotted!

Holiday Entertaining with the President. Part Two: Baking!

2011-12-15T09:39:00.000-05:00

How is your holiday baking going?

I know, some days you can spend the afternoon baking from scratch, and some days you have an hour to whip up something delicious. The President wants to help you with your holiday baking and has all sorts of wonderful baking mixes and essentials to get you through the holidays.

Here are just some of the delicious offerings this season from President's Choice!

PC Brown Sugar Blend Sucrella

For those who are reducing their sugar intake.
Each 1/2 tsp (2 g) serving of President’s Choice Sucrella Brown Sugar Blend provides the equivalent sweetness of 1 tsp (4 g) of brown sugar. Because it’s twice as sweet as brown sugar, you can use 1/2 cup in place of 1 cup of brown sugar. Ideal for baking and desserts.

PC The Decadent Milk Chocolate Chips

You have to have chocolate chips!

I have also been known to throw a handful of these on some French Vanilla ice cream. Heavenly!

PC Pumpkin Spice Loaf Mix

Made with real pumpkin and a traditional autumn spice blend, this easy-to-prepare loaf bakes up moist and delicious with an aroma that’s certain to entice friends and neighbours from miles around.

PC Red Velvet Cake Mix

The classic Red Velvet Cake comes home in this easy-to-make mix. Moist, rich and velvety, the crowning touch is a simple cream cheese icing (recipe included).

PC Chocolate Whoopie Pie Baking Mix

Soft, chocolate cookies surrounding a luscious fluffy filling, our easy-to-make Whoopie Pies are part cake, part sandwich, and utterly irresistible. You’ll never wonder why they’re named the way they are.

PC Sugar Cookie Mix

Delectable old-fashioned home-baked sugar cookies – ready in minutes. Just add butter, water and an egg.

PC Gingerbread Cookie Mix

Homemade holiday treats made easy – enjoy delicious gingerbread cookies fresh from your oven.

PC Shortbread Cookie Mix

A classic homemade holiday treat made easy – bake up deliciously fresh, buttery shortbread cookies your family and guests are sure to love.

Holiday Baking with the President. Part One: Care for a Cuppa?

Now let's get baking!

150 Best Tagine Recipes

2011-12-13T08:35:00.000-05:00

150 Best Tagine Recipes
Including Tantalizing Recipes for Spice Blends and Accompaniments
by Pat Crocker
Paperback, 224 pages

Do you... tagine? I have to admit, I have a love affair with these beautiful cooking vessels and the deeply fragrant dishes that they produce. In North American cookware stores they come in two basic varieties: cast iron bottomed ones that can be used on the stove-top and in the oven, and the glazed and unglazed terra cotta or ceramic ones that are used in the oven only. They are generally brightly coloured and often have intricate painting on them. I think they are beautiful just to look at - but of course they are wonderful to cook with too.

Cast iron bottomed tagine, safe for stove-top cooking and oven cooking.

Glazed and unglazed terra cotta or ceramic tagines
are good for the oven but not stove-top.

Unglazed ones (plain like flowerpots) need to be soaked first.

Tagines make great Christmas presents!
Santa? Are you reading this?

Pat Crocker de-mystifies tagine cooking and makes it accessible to the North American cook. In 150 Best Tagine Recipes she introduces us to the flavours and ingredients of North Africa and offers tons of delicious recipes for all different kinds of tagines as well as condiments, sauces, sides, salads, beverages and even desserts!

The flavours of tagine cooking are warm and complex, leaving little need for extra salt. This makes tagine cooking one of the healthiest ways to eat - unless you are like me and sneak a little salt in anyway. Ahem. Don't tell my doc.

You can spice up your serving to taste with the traditional condiments - my favourites being harissa (traditional Moroccan spicy hot sauce) and preserved lemon. Seriously, I would be tempted to put them on just about anything. I love that kind of table-side dressing up of my meals. And as I like my foods hotter than... just about anyone else I eat with - I can tailor the heat on my own plate. Perfect!

The author uses the stove-top method for browning and cooking the ingredients to cater to the modern kitchen, but the recipes are easily adaptable for oven cooking for those of use with more delicate tagines.

We had an all-tagine weekend and whipped up these gloriously fragrant dishes: Beef Tagine with Squash and Beets, and Golden Chicken with Potatoes and Chickpeas. Delicious! I made the Buttered Almond Couscous, Harissa, and Preserved Lemon to accompany them. I love a cuisine with accessories. ☺

Beef Tagine with Squash and Beets

Rustic and hearty, this warming winter tagine uses ginger and hot chile pepper for a touch of spicy heat.

Tip: I recommend the use of organic, cold-pressed extra virgin avocado oil in the tagine recipes in this book because it is excellent for medium to high heat cooking. Unlike other polyunsaturated oils, olive oil in particular, avocado oil does not break down under high heat cooking. It is an excellent source of vitamin E and contains beneficial omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Medium or large tagine

3 tbsp   avocado or olive oil   45 mL
1   onion, cut in half and sliced   1
1 tbsp   Ras el Hanout (page 50) or hot sauce   15 mL
1 lb   cubed stewing beef   500 g
4   cloves garlic, crushed   4
1   hot chile pepper, chopped, or   1
   1 dried cayenne pepper, crushed
1   slice candied ginger, chopped   1
4   medium beets, quartered   4
2 cups   diced squash   500 mL
1 cup   beef broth   250 mL
2   oranges, cut into segments   2
2 cups   fresh or frozen chopped Swiss chard   500 mL
1⁄2 cup   chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf   125 mL
   parsley

1. In the bottom of a flameproof tagine, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and ras el hanout and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add beef, garlic, chile pepper and ginger, stirring well to coat beef with vegetables and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes or until beef is browned on all sides.

2. Add beets, squash and broth and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover with tagine lid, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Add oranges and Swiss chard, replace lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Beef should cut easily with a fork and if not quite tender, replace cover and cook until beef is tender. Garnish with parsley.

Golden Chicken with Potatoes and Chickpeas
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Two colorful and aromatic spices combine in this beautiful dish for tastes fit for a sultan. Chickpeas and potatoes give substance to the tagine, which carries the meal.

Tip: For chicken pieces, you can use breasts, legs, thighs or drumsticks.

Medium or large tagine

3 tbsp   melted butter   45 mL
20   strands saffron   20
1 tbsp   ground turmeric   15 mL
3 tbsp   avocado or olive oil   45 mL
2   onions, cut into quarters   2
4   medium potatoes, cut into wedges   4
4 to 6    skinless bone-in chicken pieces   4 to 6
   (about 21⁄2 lbs/1.25 kg) (see Tip, left)
1 cup   chicken broth   250 mL
1   piece (2 inches/5 cm) cinnamon stick   1
1   can (14 to 19 oz/398 to 540 mL)    1
   chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1⁄4 cup   chopped flat-leaf parsley   60 mL

1.   In a bowl, combine melted butter, saffron and turmeric. Set aside.

2.   In the bottom of a flameproof tagine, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add spice mixture and chicken, meaty side down, sliding around and moving vegetables away from bottom so that flesh is in direct contact with bottom of tagine. Cook for about 5 minutes or until chicken is browned on meaty side.

3.   Using tongs, turn chicken over. Add broth and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Cover with tagine lid, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring once, for 25 minutes.

4.   Stir in chickpeas and parsley. Replace lid and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until chickpeas are heated through and chicken is longer pink inside for breasts and juices run clear for thighs. Discard cinnamon stick prior to serving.

Up next on my to-make list is this gorgeous Cinnamon Lamb Tagine with Apricots, I can almost smell it already!

Cinnamon Lamb Tagine with Apricots

Cinnamon is one of the key ingredients in North African spice blends. Here its sweetness is balanced by the tartness of the dried apricots.

Tip: For this quantity of cooked chickpeas, soak and cook 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) dried chickpeas or use 1 cup (250 mL) canned, drained and rinsed.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Medium or large tagine

3 tbsp    avocado or olive oil    45 mL
1    onion, cut into quarters    1
1 tbsp    Moroccan Cinnamon Spice Blend    15 mL
    (page 47) or store-bought
    garam masala
11⁄2 lbs    boneless lamb leg, trimmed and cubed     750 g
2     cloves garlic, chopped    2
1     can (14 oz/398 mL) diced tomatoes    1
    with juice
2    carrots, cut into coins    2
1    medium zucchini, chopped    1
1⁄2 cup    sliced dried apricots    125 mL
1 cup    cooked chickpeas, drained     250 mL
    (see Tip, left)
1 tbsp    liquid honey    15 mL

1.    In the bottom of a flameproof tagine, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add spice blend, lamb and garlic, stirring to coat lamb with vegetables and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 7 minutes or until lamb is browned on all sides.

2.    Add tomatoes with juice, carrots, zucchini and apricots and bring liquids to a boil, stirring frequently. Cover with tagine lid, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

3.    Stir in chickpeas and honey, replace lid and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until lamb is tender. Lamb should cut easily with a fork and if not quite tender, replace cover and simmer until tender.

photos of the empty tagines are from nextstep.com

Same Day 6-Fold French Bread

2011-12-12T12:11:00.000-05:00

So nice, I made it twice.

This is one of those recipes that seems to defy logic and physics and all that Star Trek stuff.

A wet dough is just brought together, ignored for several hours, and then turned every half hour for 3 more hours. Then loosely shaped and baked quickly in a hot oven. Voila! One day baguette with the complexity of two day French bread. Amazing.

Also amazing is how the wet dough starts coming together on its own. Far out. Totally.

I made the recipe twice, once with baguette and once with smaller rolls for sandwiches. They both turned out great.

Try them yourself!

6-Fold French Bread
adapted from Bread, by Jeffrey Hamelman
for the Mellow Bakers

Stage One:

In your stand mixer - add:

1 kg bread flour
730 grams water
3½ tsp fine sea salt
1¼ tsp dry instant yeast

Mix with dough hook, just until all ingredients are evenly combined.

Remove hook, place bowl on the counter and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 3½ hours. Go have a nap, clean up the yard, or buy something shiny.

Stage Two

Take your bowl scraper, or a heavy duty rubber spatula, and turn the dough in the bowl 20 times. Bring the dough up from the bottom and fold on to the top. Keep rotating the bowl as you do this.

Set your timer for 30 minutes. You need to do this handy folding thing 6 times in total, every 30 minutes.

When you are finished your turns and the last 30 minutes have elapsed - form into 4 baguettes. Loosely and delicately, as it is a delicate dough. Sort of like ciabatta.

Let your baguettes rest for 1½ hours, or longer if your kitchen is quite cool.

Preheat the oven to 460°F

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and lovely and baked through. Let cool on racks.

*Alternatively, shape into smaller rolls for sandwiches.

**I use a Chicago Metallic French bread form for final rise and baking. Lined with parchment, if the dough is quite wet.

***I scored my loaves, but I am not sure it was necessary.

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

Beet Gnocchi

2011-12-11T08:49:00.001-05:00

What could be better than gnocchi? Red gnocchi!
Molto bene, no?

This week our cooking club is celebrating all things red in A Study in Scarlet. (What can I say? I am a big Sherlock Holmes fan.)

And I immediately pounced on these lovely red gnocchi. Besides, beets were on sale. I can't resist a good sale on a big bag of beets. I even enjoy beet-stained fingers. They make me laugh. I feel like Lady Macbeth.
Of course, you could wear gloves - but what's the fun in that?

Serve these red gnocchi on a bed of baby spinach and you have yourself a very Christmassy looking dish. (Or, complement your beet-stained hands with a green sweater for the same red and green look.)

Buon Appetito!

Beet Gnocchi
adapted from Apples for Jam, by Tessa Kiros
for I♥CookingClubs, A Study in Scarlet

Stage one
Roasting

3 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
1 medium beet, scrubbed and dried

Wrap each potato and the beet tightly in foil and roast until tender, about an hour at 400°F

Let cool until handle-able.

Stage two
Mixing

Peel beet and purée in small food processor bowl or blender. Empty out into large bowl.
Cut spuds in half and press through a ricer into the bowl.

Add
1 2/3 cups flour
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
good pinch kosher salt

Mix all together gently until combined.

Stage three
Shaping

Scoop up a handful of the dough and roll out on lightly floured board, into a snake. (Just like playschool)
Cut your ¾ inch diameter snake (approx) into 1-inch pieces, either with a knife or a dough cutter.
With floured hands, shape each piece by gently rolling along a gnocchi board or the back of a fork. You want the little grooves for holding sauce.
Place each shaped gnocchi on a silpat-lined floured sheetpan.
Let gnocchi chill, uncovered, in the fridge for an hour.

Stage four
Cooking

At this point I froze half of the gnocchi, as there are only two of us eating it. I layered them with wax paper in between.

To cook - place a large pot of water on the boil. Salt, just like pasta.
Place about 20 gnocchi in the water at a time and boil until they rise to the top.

Serving
Tessa serves hers with a rough pesto, I browned some butter with shallots and garlic, then added in parsley, lemon juice and zest, Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Delicious!

I like to sauté the gnocchi in the butter for a minute after it is cooked, just like pierogi.

However you serve yours - it is bound to be a hit!

Beet gnocchi would pair perfectly with natural organic wine !

Bake Something Great!

2011-12-09T09:17:00.001-05:00

Bake Something Great!
400 Bars, Squares and Cookies
by Jill Snider

Spiral-bound, 480 pages

It's that time of year - people are baking up a storm! Something about the shorter days, the colder weather, the darker mornings and evenings (heck, afternoons!), and the myriad winter holiday festivities wakes up our sweet tooth.

This is a time of baking to share. With your family, neighbours, office mates and other friends. And two-bite bars and cookies are the perfect confections for sharing.

Bake Something Great! has 400 bars, squares, and cookies that you can whip up in your own kitchen to bring a smile to the ones you care about.

It has a hard cover and a spiral binding, so it lies flat for you while you bake. Perfect!

Part One is all about Bars and Squares and the chapters include:

* Chocolate Bars and Squares * Fruit Bars and Squares * Nut Bars and Squares * Shortbread * No-Bake Bars and Squares * Good for You, Too * Not Just for Kids * Cake Mix Bars and Squares *

Part Two is all about Cookies and the chapters include:

* Drop Cookies * Refrigerator Cookies * Pressed, Cutout, and Sandwich Cookies * Shaped Cookies and Biscotti * Chocolate Cookies * Shortbread and Holiday Cookies * Good for You, Too * Not Just for Kids * Cake Mix Cookies *

We whipped up the Fabulous Fig Bars from the Good for You, Too chapter in the bars section. They are just like Fig Newtons, only better for being homemade and figgier! Try them yourself this weekend. ☺

Fabulous Fig Bars
(pg 200) ~ Good For You, Too

These bars are a childhood favorite. I'm not sure whether I love making these for the taste of the moist fig filling in the buttery crust or just for the memories.

MAKES 18 TO 48 BARS, (see Cutting Guide, page 10)
•   Preparation: 35 minutes
•   Cooking: 25 minutes
•   Cooling: 30 minutes
•   Baking: 35 minutes
•   Freezing: excellent
•   Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
•   8-inch (2 L) square cake pan, greased

FILLING
8 oz   dried figs, chopped   250 g
1 cup   water   250 mL
1 tbsp   freshly squeezed lemon juice   15 mL

CRUST
3⁄4 cup   unbleached all-purpose flour   175 mL
1⁄2 cup   whole wheat flour   125 mL
3⁄4 tsp   baking powder   3 mL
3⁄4 tsp   ground cinnamon   3 mL
Pinch   salt   Pinch
1⁄4 cup   butter, softened   60 mL
1⁄2 cup   granulated sugar   125 mL
1   egg   1

1.   Filling: In a saucepan, combine figs, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until water is absorbed and figs are tender, about 25 minutes. Let cool to lukewarm. Transfer to a food processor and purée. Set aside until cool, about 30 minutes.
2.   Crust: Combine all-purpose and whole wheat flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar and egg until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, gradually add dry ingredients, mixing just until dough comes together. Using floured hands, knead dough to form a smooth ball. Divide in half.
3.   Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, roll out one half of the dough to an 8-inch (20 cm) square. Remove top sheet of waxed paper and transfer dough upside down into prepared pan. Remove second sheet of waxed paper. Spread cooled fig filling evenly over dough. Repeat rolling with other half of dough. Trim edges to make an even square. Place over filling.
4.   Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into bars.

TIPS
I like to use a combination of Calimyrna (golden) and Mission (black) figs in this recipe.
If your dough seems soft after mixing, chill for 30 to 60 minutes. It will roll out much more easily.
Don't worry if the dough tears when you transfer it to the pan. You can patch any tears by pressing it together with your fingertips. The bottom crust can extend a bit up the side before filling. The top crust is trimmed to fit over it.
This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13- by 9-inch (3 L) pan.

And, to kick off your holiday baking,

try these delicious recipes!

White Chocolate Cranberry Hazelnut Brownies
(pg 38) ~ Brownies

I'm sure this creamy white chocolate brownie, loaded with hazelnuts and cranberries, will become one of your favorites.

MAKES 16 TO 48 BARS OR SQUARES
(see Cutting Guide, page 10)
•   Preparation: 20 minutes
•   Baking: 30 minutes
•   Freezing: excellent
•   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
•   8-inch (2 L) square cake pan, greased

6   squares (1 oz/28 g each)    6
   white chocolate, chopped
3⁄4 cup   granulated sugar   175 mL
2   eggs   2
1⁄3 cup   butter, melted   75 mL
1 tsp   vanilla   5 mL
11⁄4 cups   all-purpose flour   300 mL
3⁄4 tsp   baking powder   3 mL
3⁄4 cup   coarsely chopped hazelnuts   175 mL
1⁄3 cup   dried cranberries   75 mL

1.   In a small saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
2.   In a bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until blended. Whisk in melted butter and vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder. Stir into egg mixture alternately with melted chocolate, making 2 additions of each and mixing until smooth. Stir in hazelnuts and cranberries. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
3.   Bake in preheated oven just until set and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into bars or squares.

TIPS
These make a nice holiday gift. Pack them in a decorative airtight cookie tin or box, tie with a festive ribbon and add the recipe with your gift tag.
If you can find orange-flavored dried cranberries, try them in this recipe. They taste particularly delicious in this brownie.

Candy-Cane Twists
(pg 412) ~ Shortbread & Holiday Cookies (kids love making!)

Kids will enjoy making these cookies and leaving them for Santa as much as Santa will enjoy receiving them.

MAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES
•    Preparation: 25 minutes
•    Baking: 11 minutes
•    Freezing: excellent
•    Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
•    Cookie sheet, ungreased

2½ cups    all-purpose flour    625 mL
1 tsp    baking powder    5 mL
1 cup    butter, softened    250 mL
¾ cup    granulated sugar    175 mL
1    egg    1
½ tsp    peppermint extract    2 mL
½ tsp    red food coloring    2 mL
¼ cup    crushed red and white peppermints     60 mL
    or candy canes, optional

1.    On a sheet of waxed paper or in a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Set aside.
2.    In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, egg and peppermint extract until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until blended. Divide dough into halves. Add food coloring to 1 portion and, using your hands, knead until thoroughly mixed in. If using, knead crushed candies into other portion.
3.    For each candy cane, roll 1 tsp (5 mL) of each kind of dough into a rope 5 inches (12.5 cm) long. Place 2 ropes side by side and twist together, then gently roll to meld. Place about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on cookie sheet. Curve one end to form handle of cane. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 11 minutes or until light golden around edges. Cool for 5 minutes on sheet, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.

TIP
If you like peppermint, increase the extract to ¾ tsp (3 mL).

Variation
Use green food coloring, mints or candy canes that have green stripes on them.

Stuffed Turkey Breast with Sweet & Sticky Glaze and Holiday Slaw!

2011-12-07T08:12:00.001-05:00

Looking for the perfect simple holiday dinner? This stuffed turkey breast and holiday slaw make for a simple and delightful meal and the new KitchenAid 13 cup food processor makes short work of the prep.

This leaves you plenty of time for socializing, romancing, cuddling...

The new KitchenAid 13 cup food processor. Otherwise known as the new love of my life. Otherwise known as "The Sexy Beast".

If you have the ultimate foodie on your list this year - this would be perfect. If you are that foodie... even better!

Try this Stuffed Turkey Breast with Sweet & Sticky Glaze and Holiday Slaw from KitchenAid - absolutely delicious!

Holiday Slaw

This crunchy slaw with its sweet and tangy vinaigrette is a delicious and refreshing accompaniment to serve with turkey and trimmings. Using your food processor makes the preparation very easy and this salad can even be made days in advance.

Ingredients
½ large green cabbage, cored
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed
8 large red radishes, trimmed
6 green onions, trimmed
1 green pepper, cored
1 cup (250 mL) dried cranberries
½ cup (125 mL) white wine vinegar cup
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp (75 mL) each oil and maple syrup
2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
¾ tsp (4 mL) salt

Directions

1. Cut the cabbage into 5 or 6 wedges. Position the adjustable slicing disc in the work bowl and, using the thin setting on High speed, push the wedges through the feeding tube. Transfer to a large bowl. Switch to the coarse side of the reversible shredding disc. Cut the fennel into quarters. Push the fennel and radishes through the feeding
tube; add to the large bowl.

2. Cut the green onion and green pepper into chunks. Use the multipurpose
metal blade to chop finely. Add to the cabbage mixture. Combine the cranberries, vinegar, oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, mustard and salt in a small saucepan set over medium heat; bring to a boil. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to 4 days. Makes about 12 cups (3 L).

The slaw was the perfect accompaniment to this gorgeous, glistening beast.

Stuffed Turkey Breast with Sweet & Sticky Glaze

Easy to carve and serve, this delicious turkey breast is a stress-free alternative to the traditional whole bird. Although perfect for a small cozy family gathering, this recipe can also be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.

Ingredients
½ French baguette, about 5 oz (150 g)
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 cup (250 mL) cubed, aged white Cheddar cheese, about 4 oz (125 g)
½ cup (125 mL ) dried apricots, pear or apple
¼ cup (50 mL) each dried cranberries and golden raisins
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme leaves
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, melted
1 boneless, skinless turkey breast, about 1 kg (2 lb), butterflied (see Tip)
½ tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
½ cup (125 mL) melted apricot jam
2 tbsp (30 mL) each brown sugar, wholegrain Dijon mustard and cider vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Meanwhile, position the multipurpose blade in the work bowl. Tear the bread into large chunks. Add to the food processor along with the onion, cheese, dried apricots,
cranberries, raisins, 1 Tbsp rosemary, and thyme. Pulse until crumbled but still chunky. Add the egg and butter; pulse just until the stuffing comes together uniformly.

2. Spread out the turkey breast and sprinkle both sides evenly with salt and pepper. Arrange the stuffing on one side; fold over the other side and tie with kitchen twine to securely enclose filling. Transfer to a rack arranged on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet.

3. Using the mini bowl and blade, blend the apricot jam with the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar and remaining rosemary on low speed until combined and smooth. Brush ¼ of this mixture evenly over the turkey breast. Roast, basting liberally with remaining glaze, for 1½ hours or until an instant-read thermometer, inserted into individually into the meat and the stuffing registers 165°F (74°C). Let stand, tented with foil, for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Tip: To butterfly the turkey, lay the breast flat on a clean work surface. Cut almost all the way through, from one side of the breast so that opens like a book. Or, to simplify preparation, ask the butcher to butterfly
the breast for you before purchasing.

What a fantastic meal. And so easy!

What sets this new KitchenAid food processor apart? Well, to start with - you can choose the thickness of your slices!!! I know, I can't believe it either. Brilliant.

3-in-1 Feed Tubes. Your choice of wide or smaller feed tubes, so that you can tailor to your ingredients. No more cutting up food before your process it.

And a tool box! This handy-dandy box holds your three blades - 1 multipurpose for the big bowl, 1 multipurpose for the smaller bowl, and 1 dough blade. Underneath are stowed the shredding, slicing and julienne discs. The food processor also comes with mini bowl that fits inside for smaller projects, and some models come with a 10-cup bowl and egg whip attachment.

Ready to work!

The heavy duty base gives you solid footing for creating in the kitchen!

The new KitchenAid 13 Cup Food Processor. The ultimate holiday gift!

Armchair Novel Review: The Forgotten Affairs of Youth

2011-12-06T06:40:00.001-05:00

The Forgotten Affairs of Youth
An Isabel Dalhousie Novel
by Alexander McCall Smith
Hardcover, 272 pages

Also available as an eBook and in large print trade paperback.

I love the Alexander McCall Smith books. They are like a warm sweater in your closet - put one on and your are in a world of cozy.

He may be most famous for The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, but McCall Smith has several different series, each unique and inviting.

The Isabel Dalhousie novels focus on Isabel - a philosopher in Edinburgh with a tendency to over-think just about everything. In The Forgotten Affairs of Youth she meets a fellow philosopher, Jane, who is visiting from Australia. When Jane asks for help in tracking down her roots, Isabel is eager to help. What results is an investigation, as much philosophical as physical, into the past and what it means to be family.

The usual cast of characters are there: her niece Cat with her troubled decision-making skills, beautiful and somewhat younger fiancé Jamie, spiritualist housekeeper Grace, and Isabel's precocious son Charlie.

Alexander McCall Smith is the king of the character sketch and rarely disappoints. His books are a gentle treat at the end of a long day. A delightful mix of humourous and cozy.

More in the Isabel Dalhousie series:

The Sunday Philosophy Club

Friends, Lovers, Chocolate

The Right Attitude to Rain

A Careful Use of Compliments

The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday

The Lost Art of Gratitude

The Charming Quirks of Others

The Forgotten Affairs of Youth

Visit Alexander McCall Smith's website here.

~~~

Don't Forget Your Furry Friends This Christmas!

2011-12-05T06:01:00.001-05:00

There is no question that dogs and cats increase our quality of life. They are family, and they make a house a home. They are there for us when we get home, and they love us unconditionally- no matter what we look like that day. They sense when we are sad or sick and attend to us. They agree that family nap time is the best time of day.

Is it any wonder that my best friends are dogs?

And of course they love the holidays. More people to love, more food to eat, and, if they are lucky, a stocking of their very own. But there are a few ways in which we have to protect our furry friends over the holidays. Here are a few tips to keep your furry family members safe this season.

As we prepare for the holiday season, it is important to remember that many of our festive traditions can be harmful to our four-legged friends.

Keep your pet seasonally safe with the following tips — on behalf of Iams Home 4 the Holidays

Mmmmmm… Chocolate….
Although Fido or Fluffy may be attracted to the smell and taste of chocolate it will make them very sick if ingested. Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical toxic and even fatal to dogs in sufficient quantities.

Holiday Tree Safety
As the centerpiece of holiday fun, the tree can pose danger to your pet

-Standing water at the base of the tree can contain fertilizers and bacteria from stagnation so make sure this water is not accessible to your pet

-Also consider anchoring your tree to the ceiling using string or rope to prevent this joyful holiday prop from falling on your animal

Did you know?

Many holiday plants, while festive and fun,

can be poisonous to pets if ingested including:

• Ivy

• Holly

• Poinsettia

Festive Safety Facts

-Tinsel – can cause severe intestinal blockage if swallowed

-Ribbons and bows – can be chewed or swallowed so keep these packed away

-Lights – strings of merry illumination contain methylene chloride, which can be fatal to pets

-Ornaments - hang these treasured decorations higher on your tree to avoid animals playing with them

-Extension cords – keep all extension cords away from your pets. Where possible, tie cords out of the way

-Snow globes – often contain antifreeze and should be placed well out of reach to avoid breakage

Dressing for success
Avoid the temptation to tie ribbon and bows around your pet’s neck. Although adorable, these festive additions can become a choking hazard if not properly monitored.

To learn more visit www.facebook.com/iams

Of course not all animals have it so good. There are a great many animals who need good homes with loving families. Consider opening up your homes and hearts to a furry friend in need this year. Either by adopting a homeless pet or donating to a shelter.

This season Iams Home 4 the Holidays Kicked off its 13th annual pet adoption drive
- a program to help place 1.5 million pets into loving homes this season.

Iams Home 4 the Holidays, one of the world’s largest pet adoption programs, has kicked off its annual adoption drive with the goal of finding homes for 1.5 million orphaned pets across North America. Now in its 13th year, the program, which runs from October 1, 2011 through January 3, 2012, has helped 5.8 million pets find loving homes across the globe. This year, Iams will again work in conjunction with founding partner Helen Woodward Animal Center, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies and more than 3,500 animal organizations worldwide to encourage pet adoption. In addition, Iams will also donate 5 million meals to animals in need at adoption and rescue centers through its Bags 4 Bowls program.

“Only 45 per cent of dogs and cats admitted into shelter care are adopted out, leaving many perfectly-fit family companions without a home,” said Barbara Cartwright, Chief Executive Officer for the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. “Iams Home 4 the Holidays celebrates the experience of adoption and the love and companionship found through bringing home an animal in need.”

While finding loving homes for orphaned pets is critical and the core of the program, the campaign is also designed to provide shelters and rescue centers with much needed food donations. With the help of consumers, the Iams Bags 4 Bowls program aims to donate 5 million meals to animals housed in participating organizations.

“Each year, as many as 4 million orphaned dogs and cats are euthanized due to shelter overcrowding– that is approximately one pet every eight seconds,” said Mike Arms, founder of the adoption drive and president of Helen Woodward Animal Center. “We’ve been a part of the adoption drive for 13 years now and have really seen the benefit of what this program can do for animals, our employees and the families who adopt.”
Canadians can participate in the program in more ways than one. Lend a hand by simply:

•    Visiting the Iams Facebook page and clicking to “Like” the page or various messages, photos, videos, etc. For each “Like” comment, photo posted, etc., Iams will donate meals to participating animal shelters.

•    Becoming a fan of the Iams Facebook page (www.facebook.com/iams) and creating a custom adoption announcement or holiday card to share the news of their new four legged family member or just send a season’s greeting to their family and friends. For each card created and shared, Iams will donate meals to participating animal shelters

•    Purchasing specially-marked packages of Iams dog or cat food during the duration of the campaign. For every specially-marked package sold, Iams will donate one bowl of food to a participating Iams Home 4 The Holidays animal organization.

Iams Home 4 the Holidays strives to educate about the importance of adoption so that every pet adopted goes to a permanent, loving home. Those who adopt through the program will receive an Iams adoption kit loaded with important information about nutrition, training and proper care to ensure their relationship with the new animal starts off on the right paw. “Since its inception, Iams Home 4 the Holidays has seen 5.8 million pets find loving, forever homes and that truly is a gift that keeps on giving,” said Maria Beatriz Rodriguez, Iams general manager. “We recognize that not everyone is in the position to welcome a pet into their home. However, we still want to empower consumers to get involved and our Bags 4 Bowls program enables people to do just that.”

To learn more about how to get involved in Iams Home 4 the Holidays and the Bags 4 Bowls program, including details about pets available for adoption, fun ways to donate meals and quick access to informative content and tips, visit www.facebook.com/iams

About Iams Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH)
As one of the most successful pet adoption programs in the world, IH4TH partners with thousands of animal organizations dedicated to finding forever homes for orphaned pets. Founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center and supported by Iams, IH4TH began in 1999 with just 14 participating animal shelters in San Diego County. Since it began 13 years ago, IH4TH – along with more than 3,500 pet adoption centers – has helped 5.8 million families experience the joy of pet adoption, including nearly 1.1 million pet adoptions from 2010. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/iams

About CFHS
Since 1957, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) has been working to improve conditions for animals across the country. With member humane societies and SPCAs across Canada, the CFHS is the national voice on animal welfare in Canada. It uses this voice to liaise with animal welfare organizations, government, the public, industry, the scientific community, educators and the media to end animal suffering. Find out more at www.cfhs.ca

About Helen Woodward Animal Center
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where “people help animals and animals help people.” Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 57,000 people and thousands of animals annually. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the international Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive and the Animal Center Education Services program, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world.

Apple Walnut Palmiers from California Walnuts

2011-12-04T07:53:00.001-05:00

Apple Walnut Palmiers from California Walnuts

Looking for a simple and delicious holiday cookie with wow factor? These apple walnut palmiers bridge the seasons perfectly and offer a little something special with your tea.

Don't worry, they only look difficult! You don't have to let anyone know how easy they were to make.

From California Walnuts:

Apple Walnut Palmiers

2 cups    California walnut pieces, coarsely chopped     500 mL
½ cups    apple jelly     125 mL
½ cups    honey     125 mL
½ tsp    cinnamon     2 mL
1     450 g (16 oz) package puff pastry, thawed     1


Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine walnuts, apple jelly, honey and cinnamon.

Divide mixture between two sheets of puff pastry and spread mixture evenly. To shape the palmier, roll one edge of pastry to form a pinwheel; stopping at the middle. Roll the opposite edge to make a second pinwheel. Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet.

Transfer the palmiers onto a cutting board or plate and cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

After the palmiers have been refrigerated for 30 minutes, remove them from the fridge and slice each palmier roll into 16 even slices and place onto a baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time on the centre oven rack for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 32 palmiers.

Tip: Palmier rolls can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept refrigerated. Baked palmiers will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

PER SERVING (1 palmier): about 152 cal, 2 g pro, 10 g fat (2 g sat. fat), 15 g carb, 1 g fibre, 36 mg sodium. %RDI: 4% iron.

Source: walnutinfo.com

John Besh's My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking

2011-12-03T07:41:00.001-05:00

My Family Table
A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking
by John Besh
Hardcover, 9¼ x 11 in., 272 pages

John Besh, celebrated chef and author of My New Orleans, has a mission: to get people off of packaged foods, off of their couches and into their kitchens. He believes that dinner is a family affair and that meals should be simple, delicious, healthy and satisfying. And, most importantly, enjoyed together.

We all know John Besh as an award-winning chef and committed advocate for Louisiana, but what he is most proud of is being a dad. It's easy to get caught up in the hype of celebrity chef-dom, but at the end of the day his family is what matters most to him.

It is the idea of family and cooking for family that inspired this book. This is not precious restaurant food - it is the food that your family wants to eat. He has picky and precocious boys with busy schedules, just like many other people. And he firmly believes that the family table is the foundation to healthier and happier families. What could be better than that?

"If nothing else, I want people to realize that My Family Table isn't about a chef cooking fancy food at home, it's about a fancy chef who's learned to actually cook at home for his family." John Besh

This is a gorgeous book. It is coffee-table sized and style with many photos of John's home and family, as well as the delicious recipes. He incorporates personal anecdotes and gets his kids in on the action.

Chapters include:

Introduction: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking
* Kitchen Focus * Sunday Supper * Dinner from a Cast Iron Pot * School Nights * Breakfast with My Boys * How to Cook a Fish * Fried Chicken (& Other Classics) * Barbecue Wisdom * Jazz Brunch * Goose for the Holidays * Drew Makes a Cake (& Other Desserts *

Kitchen Focus is a brilliant chapter that gives you master recipes for Risotto of Almost Anything, Creamy Any Vegetable Soup, Simple Meat Ragu for Any Pasta, Curried Anything... you get the idea. He also re-purposes leftovers for you so that you get the most for your dollar.

Since this is a family cookbook, I let my family choose what we made from it. They were extremely happy with the results...

The Bird's Nest Potatoes from Breakfast with My Boys were crunchy and fun and delicious. No more boring hash browns for us! These will become a Sunday morning staple for us from now on.

The Provencal Stuffed Tomatoes, one of the sides in Sunday Suppers, were delightfully tender and savoury and.. easy! Love 'em.

And, since there is an entire chapter dedicated to Fried Chicken and Other Classics - we had to make some! This one is titled My Grandmother's Fried Chicken and was crispy, crunchy delicious with tender meat inside. We paired the fried chicken with My Favorite Potato Salad from the Barbecue Wisdom chapter. Who needs take-out?

In my world, the best cookies have oats in them. And these Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies were the perfect confection for packing into lunches and general after-dinner snacking. They are hearty and chewy and nutty - halfway to being a granola bar. Wonderful.

We had a great time cooking along with John Besh's My Family Table, and you will too!


My Family Table - John Besh

Click here for John Besh author appearances this month.

Cannellini Beans in Tomato Sauce

2011-12-02T08:01:00.001-05:00

Beans are a big part of Italian cuisine. They are a pantry staple and provide shelf-stable nutrition for lean times. They are great sources or protein and fibre and carry flavour well. We should definitely be incorporating beans into our meals more often.

Beans also happen to be the theme of this week's cooking club. I have adapted Tessa Kiros' cannellini beans in tomato into a more saucy version, suitable for ladling over pasta shells.

Pasta shells are fun, and they hold on to the little beans perfectly, like a well-deserved hug for this hard-working pantry item.

Buon Appetito!

Cannellini Beans in Tomato Sauce
for I♥CookingClubs Bean There Done That
adapted from Apples for Jam, Tessa Kiros

1¼ cups dried cannellini beans

1 sage sprig
1 bay leaf
kosher salt

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large purple onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
¼ cup red wine
handful of chopped parsley
fresh ground black pepper

In a small slow cooker, place the dried beans and cover with about 5x the amount of water. Let sit, covered but don't turn it on!, overnight.
The next day - turn the slow cooker on to high. Add the sage and bay leaf. Cook, covered, until the beans are the texture you like. This will likely take a couple of hours, depending on the age of the beans. Add a good pinch of kosher salt half way through.
Drain your cooked beans. (If they are ready before you are, they can sit for a little bit in the water. Or if you want to cook the next night, you can put the beans in the fridge.)

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot - heat up the olive oil and cook the onion on med-low until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two and then add the tomatoes. Stir and cook on medium until it starts to bubble. Add in the paprika and beans and turn back down to a low simmer. Add wine and let cook about a half hour, stirring. Add kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Just before serving, add in a handful of chopped parsley.

Serve on pasta shells and pass the Parmesan.

This dish is healthy and delicious, and can easily be made into gluten free food by using gluten-free pasta!

Just in time for the holidays NIGELLA CHRISTMAS available as an e-book for the first time

2011-12-01T11:28:00.001-05:00

I am dreadfully behind in matters of technology and admit to still loving the feel of a paper cookbook. Although I do love my Kindle for novels, so maybe electronic cookbooks won't be too far in my future....

But for those of you who embrace these technological marvels - this is perfect for the season!

I absolutely loved the hardcover version, the ebook sounds brilliant! And so I pass this bulletin on to you:

Just in time for the holidays
NIGELLA CHRISTMAS available as an
e-book for the first time

*FOOD *FAMILY *FRIENDS *FESTIVITIES

On November 30, 2011, Knopf Canada released Nigella Lawson’s bestselling classic cookbook, NIGELLA CHRISTMAS as an e-book, in glorious full colour and with interactive features.

Guaranteed to add major sparkle to your festive gift giving, the e-book is tailored and optimized for digital reading. Interactive navigational features make it simple to browse and discover the over 150 recipes, from Christmas cakes and puddings, to quick and easy homemade presents (cookies, preserves). The traditional index has been transformed into a handy list of recipes categorized by food groups, which link directly to the pages, and there is also a separate list of Christmas day recipes taking you straight to the Main Event! Also an interactive list of dishes at the beginning of each chapter previews what’s to come in each section.

Illustrated with fabulous full-colour photographs by Lis Parsons, NIGELLA CHRISTMAS includes recipes for feeding friends and family over the holiday season with minimum stress and maximum enjoyment (food to cook and freeze ahead or oven slow-cooking), as well as Christmas party food and drinks, and of course, exciting and inspiring variations for the Big Day itself.

This special NIGELLA CHRISTMAS digital edition will be available for all e-reading devices and will retail for $50.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nigella Lawson is the author of the bestselling books, How to Eat, How to Be a Domestic Goddess, Nigella Bites, Forever Summer, Feast and Nigella Express, which, together with her successful TV series have made hers a household name around the world. She is a contributor to the New York Times and lives in London with her family.

Let California Strawberries Sweeten Your Holidays!

2011-11-30T08:22:00.001-05:00

CaliforniaStrawberries.com

Knock, Knock! Your favourite berry is here to help sweeten your holidays.

I know, you love strawberries on your cereal, ice cream and baked goods - but did you know that they are delicious in savoury foods too? They pack a lovely balance of tart and sweet that wakes up your dish and makes it sing. And they are a superfood!

Fresh from the sunny fields of California, strawberries are a superfruit for every day. In addition to great taste, research studies continue to indicate that strawberries promote overall good health – including disease prevention and anti-aging. A true “superfruit”, California strawberries boast high levels of vitamin C, fibre, potassium and folic acid. The antioxidants, flavonoids and phytonutrients found in strawberries may also regulate blood pressure levels, while reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer and cognitive decline.
With California strawberries now available at local supermarkets across Canada, it is a great time to incorporate them into a healthy daily diet.

Here are some festive ideas for your holiday table, courtesy of California Strawberries.

Festive Red and Green Salad
Recipe and image courtesy of the California Strawberry Commission

Ingredients
1 tomato, chopped
6 California strawberries, sliced
8 oz pre-washed arugula
8 large basil leaves, chopped
1 pinch sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Combine tomato, strawberries, arugula and basil in a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil and toss well to coat.
Then add the vinegar and toss once more. Serve the salad with freshly grated Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings

Succulent Holiday Turkey with Maple Strawberry Glaze
Recipe and image courtesy of the California Strawberry Commission

Ingredients
2 cups California strawberries, crushed
1 cup maple syrup
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 boneless, single turkey breast, (about 3 lbs, 1.5 kg)
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Bring first nine ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low
and cook, stirring often, 25 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool. Reserve 1 ½ cups sauce; cover and chill.
With fingers, loosen skin at the thickest part of the turkey breast. Slide fingers under skin to loosen and make pocket, leaving skin intact on 3 sides. Press thyme, lemon rind, salt and pepper into pocket, pressing skin to spread evenly.
Place turkey, skin side up, in a small shallow roasting pan. Spread with ¾ cup of the maple-strawberry sauce; cover loosely with aluminum foil and roast at 325°F for 45 minutes; uncover and bake 45 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer registers 185°F, basting with remaining ¾ cup maple-strawberry sauce every 15 minutes.
Transfer turkey to cutting board; tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved maple-strawberry sauce. Garnish with fresh California strawberries.
Serves 8
Tip: The maple-strawberry sauce can also be used on a whole turkey – perfect for a holiday dinner.

For more strawberry-licious recipes - click here!