Apple Cinnamon Twists

For many years, I have dreamed of owning a B&B. The best time of the day for me is in the morning, and I love the thought of serving all of those delicious breakfasts. There would be fresh, warm scones every morning (see past recipes for Maple-Oatmeal/July '07, Cheddar Dill/June '07, and Triple Ginger/March '08), homemade granola, and almost certainly, these Apple Cinnamon Twists. They can be made up the day before and baked just before breakfast. I love the apple pieces, and I use either pecans or walnuts. I also really like the way these are twisted, rather than the traditional style of cinnamon buns (with that said, I would never turn a traditional cinnamon bun away, just for being too conventional!).

I was recently informed that a new B&B has opened up in Vancouver; the "Cherry Blossom Bed and Breakfast". After checking out the website, I think I have a very good reason for making a trip to the west coast! They don't call it the "Cherry Blossom" for nothing. Take a peek at www.cherryblossombb.com

I have been thinking about a special recipe that I could do for Alison, the owner and a loyal friend of "The Good Egg", without sounding like a broken record (scones, scones, scones...). Inspiration hit this afternoon when I noticed this old recipe card sticking out of my file box. I cut this recipe out of a magazine many years ago and I have made it more times than I can remember. This recipe was actually the catalyst for my wanting to sell baked goods at the market. I wanted to make these buns and have them freshly baked, as well as unbaked, for those people who might want to take them home and bake them just before serving. They are very good, fairly easy (if you enjoy baking), and people go bananas for them.

Good luck, Alison. If your guests wake up to the smell of Apple Cinnamon Twists in the morning, I predict that you will have the happiest breakfast table in Vancouver!

Apple Cinnamon Twists

4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. honey
2 eggs
1 c. raisins
Filling:
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 c. finely chopped, peeled apples
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 to 1 1/2 c. finely chopped nuts, toasted

1. Generously grease two 9 or 8-inch square pans. Lightly measure flour into a large bowl. In bowl of a Kitchenaid mixer, combine 2 cups flour, salt, and dry yeast; blend well with paddle attachment. In small saucepan, heat milk, water, 1/4 c. butter and honey to very warm (120-130 degrees on your candy thermometer). Add warm liquid and eggs to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
2. By hand, stir in raisins and 2 1/2 c. flour to form a stiff dough. On floured surface, knead in up to 1 cup of flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and cloth towel; allow to rest for 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. sugar, cinnamon and apples. Punch down dough. Divide dough into 2 parts. Roll out half the dough to 12-inches square; brush with 2 T. melted butter. Sprinkle with 1/4 of apple mixture on center third of dough; sprinkle with 1/4 of nuts. Fold 1/3 of dough over nuts. Sprinkle with 1/4 of apple mixture; sprinkle with 1/4 of nuts. Fold remaining third of dough over nuts. Cut crosswise into 1-inch strips. You will have about 24 rolls in total.
4. Twist each strip in opposite direction. Place in prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate anywhere from 2 to 24 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and rolls; let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until deep golden brown and rolls sound hollow inside when lightly tapped. (If rolls become too brown, cover with foil the last 10 minutes)
6. Remove from pans immediately by covering a the rolls with a large dinner plate. Flip the plate and rolls over and the yummy gooey side will be right side up.

*Optional Glaze - 1 c. icing sugar, sifted and 4-6 t. water. Combine and drizzle over warm rolls.
*Read the directions carefully when you are doing the filling and cutting of the twists. Think of your dough as being the Canadian flag. Cover the white area and the leaf with the first amount of apple & nuts. Then fold over one side of red. Repeat.

Baked Custard

I am recuperating from a fabulous "girl's weekend". Many G&T's, lots of great food, poker... and then a stomach bug hits me. I am still getting back to normal.

Last night, I was really wanting something comforting and sweet. This form of custard is what is known as "nursery food". So soft, warm, and delicious. Of course, the quality of the ingredients goes a long way to creating this simple dessert. I used eggs from Farmer Jones' hens, organic milk, and regular old, white sugar. A dusting of fresh nutmeg on top of the custard, before it goes in the oven, is great as well. However, in my delicate state, I wasn't taking any risks.

This baked custard was also on my list of "must-haves" when I was having my babies. Just as I catered to my sister's every whim during the birth of the ridiculously-cute Hugh, my sister was an unbelievable personal chef during those challenging hours for me. Here is a recipe that can get you through the tough times!

Baked Custard

3 large eggs
1/2 c. white sugar
3 c. milk

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Gather your pans together. You will need an 8x8 square glass pan and a 9x13 (or larger) glass pan. Make sure that the smaller pan fits into the larger pan.
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a medium bowl very well. Add the milk and stir. Pour into the 8x8 glass pan.
3. Place smaller pan into the larger pan and put into the oven. Fill the larger pan half full with hot water. Bake for 75 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Store in the fridge.

Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

This recipe comes from the cookbook "Mangoes & Curry Leaves" by Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford. It is a beautiful, coffee table book that has wonderful recipes in it (a lot of books with that much show, often don't have that much go!). They are a husband and wife team who live in Toronto, but travel the world, learning about different food and cultures. I love reading their cookbooks and they also contribute to "Saveur" magazine.

When I initially tried this recipe, I decided to include it in a bunch of recipes that I am putting together for the Clean Food Connection website. You may, or may not, know that I am going to start doing a "recipe of the week" for the CFC website. Bob asked me to put together a few recipes up front and this recipe will be one of the ones that is included. I am going to try to do different recipes for the CFC and The Good Egg blog, but I just have to share this chicken with everyone.

Last week, my sister and my nephew, Hugh, came to visit. For one of the dinners, we had this chicken done over charcoal, the delicious Puy lentil salad (see previous recipe), and a green salad. It was a wonderful meal, and pretty healthy too. Lori enjoyed it so much, she recreated the same dinner over the weekend, and she encouraged me to post the chicken recipe on the blog.

I have made this chicken with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and with boneless thighs. The boneless thighs are my absolute favourite, staying moist, and cooking evenly and more quickly than leaving the bone in. I must admit, I love crispy chicken skin, but if it isn't your thing, remove the skin after cooking the chicken (the skin keeps the chicken moist).

Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

4 chicken thighs, boned with the skin on
1/2 c. yogurt
2 green onions, sliced
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

1. Mix yogurt, green onions, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Add the chicken thighs and cover with the yogurt mixture. Let sit for at least 1 hour; longer if you have time.
2. Get the barbecue going. Once the barbecue is nice and hot, grill chicken over indirect heat, being careful not to burn it. The marinade will cook off of the chicken, leaving moist and flavourful thighs.

Puy Lentil, Feta, Roast Tomato and Onion Salad

This salad is a STUNNER! End of story. Almost...

This week, my friend Shaila came up for lunch. Since she lives far away, this was a reason to celebrate and I really wanted to knock her socks off. Turns out, I think her socks were definitely knocked off, and I think this salad even knocked her Aunt's socks off, as she joined us for lunch as well. We enjoyed this incredible salad with a pot of homemade chai (December 2007). If I would have had time, a batch of Triple Ginger Biscotti would have been perfect to end the lunch with. (Look for that recipe coming soon to the "Clean Food Connection" website! More information to come.)

Puy lentils (pronounced "Pwee") are grown in France. They are dark green and stay firm after they have been cooked. You can buy them at most specialty food stores or well-stocked grocery stores.

I almost forgot... this recipe is from a book called "Good Tempered Food: Recipes to Love, Leave, and Linger Over", by Tamasin Day-Lewis, a cookbook author from the UK. I happened upon this book at the library and I love it! There are so many recipes in it that I would like to try and she also has four other books that I would love to check out. Have you seen any of her books before? Is she related to Daniel Day-Lewis? I hope that wasn't a ridiculous question... Regardless, enjoy this amazing salad!

Puy Lentil, Feta, Roast Tomato and Onion Salad

12 oz. Puy lentils (French lentils)
4 large tomatoes
2 onions, peeled and cut into 6 pieces
Olive oil
3 handfuls of baby spinach
3/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 inches fresh ginger
1/2-1 t. red chilli paste
A large bunch of fresh cilantro
A generous teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Olive oil
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the lentils in a pot and just cover with water. Bring them to a boil, take any scum off the surface, then simmer them until cooked, about 40 minutes. They do not need to be pre-soaked.

2. Meanwhile, halve the tomatoes and place them on a baking sheet with the onions. Pour olive oil generously over the tomatoes and onions and roast in the oven for about 30-40 minutes. The tomatoes should be weeping juice and soft, and the onions should have caramelly bits and also be soft. Drain the lentils and place them in a bowl with a splosh of good olive oil and the spinach, which will begin to wilt in their heat. Stir until it has. Crumble the feta over the top.

3. Now make the dressing. Chop the garlic, ginger and chilli and put them in a food processor with the cilantro. Add any juices from the roasted tomatoes and onions, the mustard, then some more olive oil, about 5 T., and the lemon juice. Season and blitz in the food processor. Place the warm tomatoes and onions in the salad and pour the dressing over all. Mix altogether gently, but thoroughly. Serve or leave to marinate for a couple of hours and eat at room temperature.

*I ate this salad for three meals in a row! I warmed the salad slightly in the microwave before eating it.

Triple Ginger Scones

Two years ago, I had the idea that I wanted to start baking and selling my own creations at the Newmarket Farmer's Market. Only after diving into the venture did I realize how much time it would actually take to have enough baking done for Saturday mornings, to make a go of it. Ellen was still just a baby at that time, and I figured I would start up again after she was a bit older. So far, I haven't gone back to selling at the market, but never say never!

The Friday night before my first day at the market, I was being driven insane wondering if I had enough cinnamon rolls, granola, cookies, etc. I decided, on a whim, to make two batches of scones. The maple-oatmeal scones and the cheddar-dill scones (find the recipes in July & June 2007 respectively). As fate would have it, they were the most popular items from day one. The second week, I added the triple ginger scones, and I sold out just as quick. In case you're wondering, they were priced at $2 each.

Personally, I love the chewy bits of candied ginger. If you are going out to buy candied ginger, try to find the soft, chewy chunks, which are fresher. If they are harder, little, dice-like pieces, it doesn't matter. Just watch your fingers when you are cutting them up! I buy mine at health food stores or you may find it at someplace like the "Bulk Barn".

As recent as this past Christmas, I had a faithful customer from the market, call and order two dozen scones (12 triple ginger, 12 cheddar-dill). Often she will have people over for dinner and serve a soup course. She loves to serve the scones in her bread basket, and she requests that I don't put sugar on top of the ginger scones, making them suitable for serving with a pumpkin soup, for example. What a great idea!

Triple Ginger Scones

4 c. plus 1 T. all-purpose flour
2 T. baking powder
2 T. sugar
2 t. ground ginger
2 t. kosher salt
3/4 lb. cold, unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly (4 x-large eggs equals 1 cup*)
1 c. cold heavy cream
1 T. grated fresh ginger
1 c. candied ginger, roughly chopped
1 egg beaten with 1 T. milk or water, for egg wash
Raw sugar (demerara sugar)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 4 c. of flour, baking powder, sugar, ground ginger, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the cold butter and fresh ginger and mix on low speed until the butter in pea-sized pieces.

2 Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour and butter mixture. Combine until JUST blended. Toss together the candied ginger and 1 T. of flour and add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

3. Dump the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and knead it together until the little pieces of candied ginger are distributed throughout the dough and most of the flour has been incorporated. Do not over mix! Roll or pat the dough into a 1-inch thick square (about 8 inches square). Cut into 4 4-inch squares and then in half again. Now cut these into triangles, ending up with 16 triangular scones.

4. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar crystals. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 20 minutes, turning the pan around half way through the baking time. The scones should be a light, golden brown.

*Because I use Farmer Jones' eggs, they are never consistent in size. When I am mixing the eggs and cream, I use a 2-cup measuring cup and measure the eggs first. If I have less than 1-cup of eggs, I will add another egg to the mixture, and then pour in the whipping cream, for a total of 2 cups.

*If you have the time, put the unbaked scones in the fridge for an hour or so (up to 24 hours, if you like) and then bake them from cold. The scones will hold their shape better, and cold butter hitting a hot oven produces flakier baked goods.

*When you pull the scones out of the oven, there is usually a lot of melted butter on the pan. Just leave the scones on the pan and they will soak up any of the butter they they have released during baking. I once made a batch of scones and forgot to add the butter. When they came out of the oven, I knew what I had done right away because there was no butter on the pan, even though the scones looked (to my surprise) picture perfect! Incidentally, I took that butterless batch of cheddar-dill scones over to Farmer Jones and he served them to the chickens and Mr. Cogburn.

From the Mixed-up Files of Moira A. McDonald

While we were visiting my parents over March break, my Dad mentioned that he had found some files of mine in his filing cabinet. He started bringing armfuls of files down the stairs. Apparently, my very organized father hadn't realized that the entire bottom drawer of his filing cabinet was full of my files on food, cooking, travelling, and other interesting information that I had collected during the years that I had lived there, moved out, moved back in, moved out...

From that pile of paper files, I found some of the most interesting things, some of which I would love to share with you.

I found a menu from THE Barefoot Contessa gourmet food shop from sometime in the late '90's. There is a catering menu and a list of their most popular dishes. A quick glance through that list and you know where most of the recipes came from for Ina's first cookbook, the original "Barefoot Contessa Cookbook". There was also this postcard that says ...


Oh, to have been in the Hamptons for one of the first copies of that cookbook. I wonder if they had any idea how huge Ina's cookbooks would become. Just so you know, the Barefoot Contessa food shop is no longer open. Thanks to my cousin Beth for picking those up for me.

In November 1996, I was living and working in Vancouver and I had an opportunity to meet friends of mine in Honolulu, Hawaii. One of the meals that we pre-planned was dinner at one of Hawaii's best restaurants, "Alan Wong's". We sat at the counter for dinner, looking in on the chefs working their magic. As I look at the menu that I kept from that memorable meal, I am in awe of some of the dishes. The first item on the menu is the "Opihi Shooter". Opihi are a Hawaiian seafood delicacy, they look like an oyster, but are very dangerous to harvest. They grow along the shorelines of rocky cliffs, where the pounding surf is a constant threat to people trying to collect them. The harvesters also have to use a very sharp knife because the opihi cling to the rocks as if their life depends on it, which it does. If I were at Alan Wong's today, that would be the first thing I would order, but I don't think we tried it that night.


Because we were sitting at the counter, we were able to chat informally with the chefs as they worked. I told them that I was a cooking in Vancouver and they joked that I should come and cook with them. It was a great evening and Alan Wong signed my menu with the inscription "To Moira, To the next generation of aspiring chefs. Aloha, Alan Wong". I was thrilled. Well, two days later, I was shopping in the middle of the afternoon and who do I run into? Mr. Alan Wong! He was with his wife and kids, and we had a nice chat. You would have thought that I had run into Magnum P.I. himself, I was so excited!

While I was going through all those files, I weeded out lots (at least 2/3rds) of papers that I have no use for keeping anymore. Of the papers I kept, there are lots of old menus, from places I have worked, as well as eaten. There are articles on many different food topics. From heirloom vegetable seeds to candy-making. From Sauternes (a sweet wine from France) to peppercorns grown in India. I was surprised at some of the information in those files, sometimes vaguely remembering cutting them out, and other times trying to recall what would have led me to be interested in such things.

I have kept lots of information about Chateau Drouilles, the place I lived and worked at in France, and in the coming weeks I will be writing more about that experience. I also found some of my own writing and I may share some of that with you as well. Can't guarantee that it won't be bad, but I have never made that guarantee with anything I have written!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

In 2004, my sister, Lori, was preparing to marry Jake. Anna Olson, the host of the Food Network show "Sugar", and cookbook author was preparing a wedding segment for her show. Lori & Jake both know Anna Olson from when they worked at the Cave Springs Winery restaurant, Inn On The Twenty, and Anna asked Lori if she would like to be a guest on the show.

The invitation included myself and Lori's best friend, Sarita, and it was actually an invitation to come and do a screen test. We must have done something right, because we were asked to come back. The day of the taping, we were all impressed with how Anna makes it look so easy, and it is no where near easy. While the camera was rolling, we mostly had to sit there and pretend to be busy - it was exhausting! We scribbled notes to each other, as though we were writing out shower invitations, trying to make each other laugh. Example: "Nice hairy lip."

Keep your eyes peeled for reruns of that wedding show. It was an hour long extravaganza of cakes, cookies, candies and ideas, perfect for that special day. And just for the record, I really don't think my voice is as deep as it sounds on the show (but I have been assured that it is).

The whole "Sugar" cookbook is very good, and I have given copies of it to a few friends. I wasn't as impressed by her second book, "Another Cup of Sugar", but it could be that I haven't given it a proper chance. The secret to these fantastic cookies is the addition of cornstarch. I love the chewy texture. It reminds me of the old "chewy chips ahoy" cookies, only better. For all I know, chewy chips ahoy cookies are still around. I wouldn't dream of buying them these days, especially when I can have these homemade ones mixed and baked in under a half an hour.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. golden brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. white sugar
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
2 c. all purpose flour
2 t. cornstarch
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
8 oz. chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate cut into little chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and blend in. Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. I have found that once the cookies start to smell good, they are very close to being finished. Let cool slightly and enjoy!

*I usually make a double batch of these cookies in my KitchenAid mixer. If possible, I roll any remaining dough into a log and pop it into the fridge or freezer for later use.
*I use an ice cream scoop to portion out the cookie dough. The one I use makes scoops containing 2 tablespoons of dough. For the kids, I cut the scoops in half and form smaller cookies. For adults, I like to keep them a little bigger. When I was baking for the Newmarket Farmer's Market, I used an even bigger scoop and made huge cookies that looked gorgeous in the glass cookie jars. Just remember, the bigger the cookie, the longer the cooking time.

Tabbouleh with Feta

Last week, Oprah had a show on about "Freegans". In a nut-shell, these are people who opt out of consumerism and live on what other people throw in the garbage. They showed people going through grocery store dumpsters, finding food that was perfectly good to eat. Now, I don't want you to think that I am about to start doing this. However, last Thursday, while picking up my milk and groceries at the Clean Food Connection, I found myself looking at things a bit differently.

There were big bags of apples that were set off to the side. They were obviously past their prime but for the first time, I pictured a huge pot of apple sauce. For a much discounted price, I took two bags home and that afternoon, we enjoyed the smell and taste of homemade applesauce (16 cups or so of quartered, peeled, and cored apples, 3/4 c. brown sugar, 1 T. cinnamon, simmered on the stove until they were mushy, then mashed a bit more with a potato masher). After cutting out all the bruises and any rotten parts, there were still tons of apples for the sauce and we all loved it.

Then, I saw two containers of organic feta cheese in a brine. They were a few days past their sell-by date, and marked down half price. Both containers were fine and I used one for the tabbouleh salad and the other one in the spinach pie wrapped in phyllo, from the Barefoot Contessa's first cookbook. All in all, I probably saved at least $15 and saved some food that was perfectly fine, from going to either the landfill or to Bob's cows (I hope they didn't go hungry waiting for apples!). I wonder what great finds I will come across this week?

Just a few notes about bulgur... The recipe I used, from a magazine called "Cooking for Two", said to soak the bulgur in boiling water for an hour. In my haste, I actually boiled the bulgur on the stove for over an hour. It was really mushy and at that point I realized I had made a mistake. I had already added it to the rest of the salad though, so I continued on and it was still very tasty. Afterwards, I looked up cooking bulgur on the internet. There are many slightly different takes on cooking bulgur but here are a few that seemed keep coming up...

*Don't wash or rinse bulgur before cooking.
*Bulgur can be prepared either by soaking (for salads) or cooking (for casseroles, etc.).
*To soak bulgur, add twice as much liquid as bulgur, stir, let stand covered for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
*When soaked or cooked, bulgur will increase in volume by twice or more, depending on the amount of liquid used.
*You can use stocks or juices instead of water to add more flavour to the bulgur.
*Bulgur is actually whole wheat kernels that have been boiled, dried, and crushed. It can be red or white and comes in a variety of textures. Bulgur is different from cracked wheat because it has been pre-cooked.

So, there you have it - everything you always wanted to know about bulgur! This salad is really very simple, quick, and healthy. It will taste even better when the veggies are in season (I'm dreaming of a vine-ripened Harrow tomato in August!). Is there anyone reading this that still doesn't know where Harrow is??

Tabbouleh with Feta

1 c. dried bulgur wheat
2 c. boiling water
2 c. tomatoes, seeded, and diced
2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 c. cucumber, seeded, and diced
1 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1 c. green onions, sliced
1/2 c. chopped fresh mint (I didn't have any so I would consider it optional)
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste.

1. In bowl, pour boiling water over bulgur and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 1/2 hour. Drain well before using.
2. While the bulgur is soaking, toss the tomatoes, parsley, cucumber, feta, and green onions in a large bowl. Drain the bulgur and add to the salad ingredients. Pour the lemon juice and olive oil over the salad, season with salt, and toss gently. Chill salad until ready to serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
*I doubled this recipe from the original.

Perfect White Cake

For Ellen's 3rd birthday, we had two birthday dinners. For a change of pace, we had both of these meals around lunchtime. All through high school, I worked at Maria's Hair Villa in Harrow, as a shampoo girl. Maria and her family are from the Azores, and I remember that on Sundays and holidays they would all get together at her mom's house and enjoy a big Sunday lunch. Europeans aren't the only ones that follow this ritual and it struck me lately, that eating in the middle of the day would have many advantages for my family, too.

Let me explain how it worked with having these celebrations at lunch. Firstly, the kids are at their best during the day. Once dinner comes, they are starting to wind down for bedtime, and are usually getting a little grumpy. Eating around 1pm worked really well for the kids, but this isn't the only plus. I worked on both meals during the morning and by the middle of the afternoon, we were finished eating, and I was sitting down with a glass of wine, not a care in the world. We were able to go sledding (all nine of us) in the bright winter sunshine on the first occasion, and last weekend, we sat around the table playing Candyland and Make-A-Match. No one was tired and there was nothing else to be done in the kitchen (except clean-up, my downfall I'm sorry to say!).

Another good reason for doing this was to avoid grazing on appetizers throughout the afternoon, thus taking away our appetite for what was supposed to be the main event, dinner. Then there is the advantage of not going to bed full and we were able to enjoy tea and coffee without the fear that sometime in the night we would be tossing and turning, because we had caffeine before bed. We all agreed that it was a very civilized way of doing a weekend meal. I realize that many of you probably eat like this, but in our family, it is a big shift in our thinking. I am so glad that we gave it a try and having Sunday lunches is definitely going to become a tradition at our house. I must mention that I don't think this will work as well for us in the summer months. Too busy outside and too hot to sit down for a meal before the sun starts to set.

Now, let me tell you about the food. For the first meal with my sister & her family, and my parents, we did a lamb in the crockpot. My mom put the lamb roast on around 6am but I think it would be great to put it on before you go to bed and just keep it on low. Then you could turn it off in the morning and just reheat it before lunch (or keep it in the crockpot on the keep warm setting). The lamb was simple, just garlic and seasonings. I made a rice pilaf from "Please To The Table", the Russian cookbook. It was delicious and very flavourful. It had orange zest, currants, slivered almonds, and tumeric for colour. For a vegetable, I made a huge Greek salad, without lettuce. Add warm pita bread and tzatziki and we had all the fixings for make-your-own gyros. The rice dish was a splash of colour and flavour and everyone loved it. For dessert, I made a vanilla chiffon cake (in a tube pan), with fresh lemon curd layered on the inside, and a raspberry/strawberry mousse on the outside. A chiffon cake is more substantial than an angel food cake, but still quite light.

The second meal was with my father-in-law, the same day that I had him try my butter. I marinated a sirloin steak in a mouth-watering marinade. Apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro, etc. We then grilled the steak over charcoal. I made a Yukon Gold potato and sweet potato gratin, without cream or cheese. I drizzled olive oil between the layers and put a heavy pan on top of the whole thing while it baked in the oven. It was tasty and not too heavy (not that I mind cream or cheese, as you know!). I found really great looking arugula and I added that to a mixed green salad with a well-seasoned vinaigrette. Delicious! For dessert, I made a wonderful white cake from Bonnie Stern's "Essentials of Home Cooking" cookbook. I thawed some leftover mousseline buttercream and whipped that with a drop or so of blue food colouring, as per Ellen's request. Very simple and very good.

Here is that simple cake recipe. There are no yolks in the cake, making a very white cake, great with any colour of icing. I have made it many times and it also makes wonderful cupcakes. Sometimes you just want a basic white cake, no frills. This is the perfect white cake.

Perfect White Cake

1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 c. white sugar
6 egg whites
2 t. vanilla
3 c. all purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk

1. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans. Butter bottom and sides and then line bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl or KitchenAid mixer, cream butter and sugar until very light. Beat in egg whites two at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. If you have been using a mixer, switch to a wooden spoon and blend flour into butter mixture alternately with milk in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Do not over mix.
4. Divide batter evenly between the pans. Bake for around 25 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then invert onto racks to cool completely.
5. Ice cakes with your favourite icing (I promise I will put my favourite icing on the blog asap).
Makes one 9-inch two-layer cake.

*This recipe makes around 24 large cupcakes. I use the jumbo-sized muffin cups. Reduce the baking time to somewhere around 20 minutes, but check after 15 minutes to be safe.
*For Ellen's white cake with blue icing (see picture above), I used only one layer and I froze the other layer for later use.

Sweet Cream Butter

Saturday Night
Sweet. Cream. Butter. These are three words that go ridiculously well together on paper and spoken out loud. I smelled real sweet cream butter tonight, and I think I actually swooned. The best part is that it was in my own kitchen. I made my very first batch of real butter.

This week, I received my first Saveur magazine (my favourite cooking magazine) in the mail and, of all things, they are featuring butter. You've got to check out the articles on butter, written by some great cookbook authors, Naomi Duguid ("Flavours & Flatbreads" plus many more) and Nick Malgieri (author of many great baking books), just to name a couple. They also show "30 Great Butters" from around the world, of which two are made in Ontario and two are made in Quebec.

There is also a recipe for "homemade butter" with comprehensive pictures beside it. I read through the steps and there is nothing complicated about it. I think that organic cream is key to the best butter you can make. I have been asking myself lately, why I only buy organic milk, and then turn around and use any old butter. The Harmony cream that I bought to make the butter had two ingredients; cream & milk. Have you checked out the ingredients on regular creams lately? Depending on the brand, there can be several extra ingredients included in the carton, most of them probably extending an otherwise short shelf-life.

At this point, I haven't had any of my butter on toast. I did lick my fingers a couple of times and the sweet and salty were fabulous. Technically, this butter isn't sweet because of the addition of the salt. However, the fleur de sel, being the creme de la creme of all salts, doesn't add a salty taste exactly. It makes the butter flavourful; alive on your taste buds. And the aroma from the butter is exactly what sweet cream butter smells like. I'm shaking my head right now; it is that unbelievable.

Sunday Morning
I found a butter glossary online and it said that "sweet cream butter" is lightly salted. "Sweet butter" is unsalted. Thank goodness, because I don't think I could have changed the name of this recipe; I want, no, I need to see "Sweet Cream Butter" on this blog.

I pulled the butter out of the fridge this morning and let it warm up (slightly). First, I pulled out the last of a package of Saltines. I proceeded to butter each one of the crackers. This was a favourite snack at our house when I was growing up and this homemade butter just took it over the moon! Next, I toasted a sesame bagel and applied the fresh butter. I took a couple bites and I couldn't stop myself from adding more butter to each piece before I popped them in my mouth. Then there was the issue of the kids wanting some bagel. This butter is not the kind of thing that should be given to people who will not appreciate it thoroughly. Sorry kids, I think this butter is for adults only!

Later in the day, my father-in-law came over for lunch. I quietly made him a little piece of toast and buttered it well. I passed it to him and Alan explained that I had made butter. He ate it and then he said, "It's better than any butter you can buy in the stores nowadays." So, there you have it. A glowing endorsement from one of my toughest critics.

Now, here's a thought - instead of making Christmas cookies this year or buying birthday gifts, make them some sweet cream butter. Who wouldn't love that??? And if they don't, well, don't feel bad about sneaking it out in your purse!


Sweet Cream Butter
1. Start with a half litre (500 ml) of the best quality organic whipping cream you can find. Pour it into bowl from your KitchenAid mixer*, cover with plastic wrap, and leave on the counter for 6 hours. The cream will begin to sour slightly, making for tastier butter. Before starting to make your butter, line a colander/strainer with cheesecloth and set it inside another clean bowl.

2. Using the whisk attachment, start stirring the cream on the slowest speed of your mixer. As the cream reaches soft peaks, speed up the whisking a notch or two. Very quickly, the butter & milk will separate. Stop whisking when the butterfat granules are around the size of peas.

3. Pour the entire contents of the bowl into the cheesecloth-lined strainer and let the mixture drain for several minutes.

4. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth together and squeeze, pushing downward to extract as much liquid as possible. Unwrap the butter solids but leave them on the cheesecloth. (The author suggests saving the buttermilk and using it in something like biscuits).

5. Pour cool water over the butter and rinse, carefully squeezing and folding the mass in on itself, until the water runs clear. Put the butter into a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of fleur de sel or kosher salt.

6. Using a wooden spoon, smear the butter repeatedly against the side of the bowl to aerate it and thoroughly incorporate the salt. Pour off any additional liquid the butter might release.

7. Transfer the butter to a piece of waxed paper and roll it into a log or form it into a brick. Wrap the butter tightly in the wax paper and refrigerate it overnight before you use it, to allow its flavour to develop. Keeps for about 3 weeks. A half litre of cream yielded somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 lb. of butter.

*The recipe in Saveur called for the cream to be whipped by hand. I started off doing this and quickly realized I didn't have enough time to finish the job before the kids needed to go to bed. The mixer made quick work of it and the butter looked great to me.
*I'm really going to have to dig deeper into the world of butter. There is so much to learn!

Chicken Stew with Herbed Biscuits

On Sunday morning, my neighbour, Carmen was over having coffee. As we chatted, we were looking through some of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. We came across the "chicken stew with biscuits" recipe, and we both agreed that it was the perfect day for a comforting dinner like that. Icy, snowy, and cold. Carmen suggested we pool our resources and have dinner together and I was quick to jump at the idea. I love the idea of really good recipes inspiring get togethers. I wanted to try it, she wanted to try it; let's have a party!

The stew turned out beautifully. The biscuits were my favourite part. They were crisp on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. I made sure not to over-mix the biscuit dough and we were rewarded with the perfect winter's dish. My sister mentioned that she made biscuits recently and was careful to not over-mix hers as well. She said that she could see little chunks of butter in the dough, and that is exactly what you want. The same goes for any scone recipe. The less handling, the better. I think Lori said that she made the biscuits to go with soup, one night when she had run out of bread. Quick and easy and what a treat. In similar circumstances, I usually turn to the Buttermilk Skillet-Sizzled Cornbread (Nov. 2007).

When I worked at Meinhardt Fine Foods in Vancouver, we made several batches of chicken pot-pies every week. We used the 3 or 4-inch individual pie shells and scooped the chicken pot-pie mixture into the shell. Then we piped (using a large piping bag) mashed sweet potatoes on top of the tart and baked them for probably around 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven, until the bottom of the tart shell was cooked. You could use this idea with the chicken stew mixture below. I like this method because instead of having a pastry top on your pot-pie, you get all the goodness of sweet potatoes. My friend Tracy, who also worked in Meinhardt's kitchen, still makes these and freezes them for easy dinners. I should really try to think back to some other recipes from the kitchens of Meinhardt's. Their gourmet-to-go was unbelievably busy and I know for a fact, that while Tracy and I were there, the food was very good (if I do say so myself...)!

Chicken Stew with Herbed Biscuits

6 chicken breasts, cooked, and cubed into bite-sized pieces (without the skin), between 4 to 6 cups
5 c. chicken stock, preferably homemade but use what you have
1 T. chicken bouillon (or two bouillon cubes)
12 T. butter (1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup)
2 c. chopped onions
2 c. chopped leeks, washed well
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. heavy cream
2 c. carrots, cut in coins, blanched in boiling water for 2 minutes
2 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. minced parsley

For the Biscuits:
2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. sugar
1/4 lb. cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 c. half & half cream
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. chopped fresh chives
1 egg mixed with 1 T. water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions and leeks over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 t. salt, 1/2 t. pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10x13x2 inch baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas (don't mix for too long!). Add the cream and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough out on a piece of parchment paper on the counter. With your hands, pat the dough gently into a circle, until it is about a 1/2-inch thick. Cut the circle into 8 triangles.

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the triangle biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with the egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

*The Barefoot Contessa says that if you are making the stew in advance, refrigerate the stew and the biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30-35 minutes, until done.

*The Barefoot Contessa calls for using frozen small whole onions; I think she means pearl onions. Unfortunately, I have never found frozen pearl onions in Canada. She uses them in quite a few dishes and I wish they were available here. Because I didn't have any, I used the leeks instead, adding lots of flavour and a little more colour to the stew.

French Olive Bread

Yeast has always amazed me. I still hold my breath as I wait for bread dough to rise. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it doesn't. On those occasions that yeast hasn't cooperated with me, I am sure that it has been the extreme temperature (either way) that killed any chance of that yeast coming back to life. One great thing about this recipe (original recipe can be found on epicurious.com) is that it gives you the exact temperature that you want the liquid to be at when you add the yeast. This is where your trusty candy thermometer comes in handy. Have you bought one yet? I just clip the thermometer onto the side of the bowl and watch as the liquid comes down to the temperature necessary to activate the yeast.

The other great thing about this recipe is that there is no kneading needed. There seems to be a trend towards these breads that don't require kneading. In Nov. 2006, the New York Times published a recipe for No Knead Bread that turned bread baking on its end. One of my favourite cookbook authors, Rose Levy Beranbaum, has picked up on it and her blog makes for very interesting reading on the subject of No Knead Bread. http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2006/11/holy_bread.html

I have made this bread three times now and I must say, the last time I made it was the best. Don't forget to let the unbaked loaves sit for 15 minutes before putting them in the oven. I didn't the first two times I made the bread and it really made a difference to the finished product (I must be impatient?). Another must in this recipe is the spraying of the oven with water. When Julia Child perfected her baguette recipe in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume One", she used this method. I don't know if bakers in France spritz their ovens, but if they don't, they probably have some other trade secret that gets them crusty, golden loves. Oh, before I forget, make sure to check your oven for before you turn the temperature up to 500 degrees. If you have any old spills on the bottom, you will have a house full of smoke in no time. Scrape up any old messes and wipe them away (don't use oven-cleaner and then bake this bread, or anything else for that matter).

By making this bread, you are going to look like a super-star, plus you will have the absolute pleasure of making your own bread. Enjoy and have lots of salted butter on hand!

French Olive Bread

1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup water, room temperature
2 teaspoons quick-rising dry yeast
3/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives (about 4 ounces pitted) 2 teaspoons salt
4 cups (or more) all purpose flour
Olive oil
1 egg white, beaten to blend

1. Bring milk to simmer in small saucepan. Add butter and sugar; stir until butter melts. Pour mixture into large bowl. Add 1 cup room-temperature water and cool mixture until lukewarm (85°F to 95°F), about 10 minutes.
2. Add yeast; stir to blend. Stir in olives and salt. Add 1 cup flour. Using wood spoon, stir until flour is incorporated. Add 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir vigorously with wood spoon until incorporated after each addition. If necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour until dough is smooth and begins to pull away from sides of bowl.
3. Oil large bowl. Transfer dough to bowl; turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes (do not punch down dough).
4. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 500°F. Oil large baking sheet. Turn dough out onto floured work surface (to avoid deflating, do not punch down dough and do not knead dough). Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Gently form (do not knead) each piece into baguette 15 inches long by 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches wide (dough will not be smooth).
5. Transfer baguettes to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until slightly puffed, about 15 minutes.
6. Brush top of each loaf lightly with egg white. Generously spray inside of oven with water (about 8 sprays); immediately place loaves in oven. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and continue to bake until loaves are deep golden and sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack.
*The original recipe calls for fresh thyme. Add 2 teaspoons, if you like.

NYC - February 2008

After a busy weekend in New York City, I am finally caught up on my sleep, and I can't wait to tell you about all the great food I had! I stayed with my cousin Beth, and her fiance, Matt. Lucky for me, they both love food and know all the great spots.

Thursday night, we went to "Mary's Fish Camp" in Greenwich Village. It is a small restaurant that specializes in fish and seafood. We started with raw Malpeque oysters, fried Canadian smelt, and salt-crusted shrimp. Then we split a breaded cod sandwich with a celery root remoulade. We still had wine to drink, so we ordered a lump crab gratin. Everything was scrumptious, especially that cod sandwich. Wow!

The wine of the weekend was Gruner Veltliner, a white Austrian wine that was beautiful before, during, and even after dinner. Casually known as "Gru-Vee", I don't know what the availability is like here in Ontario, but there was no shortage of it in NY! If you can find it, try it.

For breakfast the next morning, Beth had made granola and we had that with Greek yogurt and Tasmanian honey. After a morning of shopping, we went to Bouchon Bakery for lunch. I had a braised beef brisket sandwich with parsley pesto on grilled farmhouse bread. For dessert we shared three tiny brownies with cherry ice cream and cherry compote. After lunch, I zipped over to Kitchen Arts & Letters, a well-known cookbook store. I was very giddy to be there and enjoyed every minute. They had every cookbook you could ever imagine, and then some. Unfortunately (and fortunately), I didn't see any book that I couldn't live without, so I wasn't tempted to spend my trip budget on books.

For dinner on Friday night, we walked up the block to an Italian restaurant specializing in regional cuisine of Florence. The restaurant was called La Cantina Toscana. For starters, we had two portions of spinach & ricotta "gnudi". You are not the only one questioning what these might be. Here's what I found out...
"You may not have noticed, but we are in the midst of a gnudi craze. Gnudi (a.k.a. ignudi, nudi, or nudi ravioli) are what Florentines call the loosely packed spinach-and-ricotta dumplings that look like slightly overgrown gnocchi. They’re called gnudi ravioli (naked ravioli) because the poor little lumps are essentially doughless, like lost ravioli fillings with no place to call home. Which is not to say they aren’t delicious" - New York Magazine
These little gems were absolutely delicious. It didn't hurt that they were floating in sage butter. For my main course, I had braised rabbit with a soft polenta. And then we shared a tiramisu for dessert. When it was time to walk home, I seriously considered just laying down on the sidewalk and rolling down the hill. Imagine living within walking distance of this little gem.

Saturday night, we had reservations at a restaurant called Blaue Gans (Blue Goose), located in Tribeca. An Austrian restuarant isn't all that common, in fact I don't recall having ever been to one before. We started with a bottle of Gruner Veltliner (again) and two orders of raw oysters from Long Island. Mmmmm. For my main, I had the calves liver special, served with apples and cippoline onions (sweeter, flat, Italian onions). The big surprise of the evening was walking into Blaue Gans, and seeing my friend Annie and her husband, enjoying dinner. Complete coincidence. What are the odds of running into my friend from Harrow, in a restaurant, in NYC? We probably should have went out and bought lottery tickets that night!

Sunday morning was here before I knew it, and I was heading for home. It was a great weekend and the food was definitely a highlight. Thanks again B & M!

Uzbek Lamb Stew

When my friend Elaine mentioned that she was having a Russian New Year's party in mid-January, I was intrigued. When she told me how the party unfolded, I was enthralled! The menu was extensive and included iced vodka shots and champagne, no less. Most of the recipes came from a book called "Please To The Table" by Anya Von Bremzen, and Elaine sent me a copy not long after the party. I was not at this party, but believe me, I will walk over coals to be there next time!

This lamb stew was on her menu and she spoke so highly of it, I had to try it. It was delicious. Uzbek is short for Uzbekistan, a republic in the southwestern part of the former Soviet Union, near the border of Afghanistan and China. This area is apparently one of the most ethnically diverse in the world and this recipe seems to combine many ingredients that are familiar to me, yet produces a fresh, new style of curry-like stew.

I served the lamb stew with Basmati rice, with frozen green peas thrown into the rice once it started to boil. I didn't have much lamb and it still worked out beautifully. That is why I have given a range in the quantity of the lamb. In the cookbook, they call for a pound of lamb neck and a pound and a half of lamb shoulder. I checked with Elaine to see if she uses lamb neck, and she was quick to assure me that she does not. She uses the President's Choice leg of lamb, of which she said there is no waste. I believe it has most of the bone removed before it is sold, making it very easy to cut up.

The original recipe called for cumin seeds and coriander seeds, both of which I was out of. I used pre-ground cumin and coriander and the results were fine. I definitely think using the whole seeds would elevate the flavour that much more, but don't run out on a cold night just for those things. I loved the way the naan soaked up the juices; reminded me of my childhood delight - bread & gravy.

So, imagine this stew with a pomegranate and red onion salad, a glass of your favourite wine, and a table full of friends. Life is good.

Uzbek Lamb Stew with Cumin, Coriander & Bread

1/3 c. olive oil
1-2 lbs. lean lamb shoulder or leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped thin
2 sweet red peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
2 t. tomato paste
4 to 6 black peppercorns
1 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. sweet Hungarian paprika
1/4 t. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2 c. beef stock (homemade or canned), or more if needed
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt to taste
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional for garnish
2 pita breads or naan, toasted and quartered

1. In a large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat in batches and brown on all sides, stirring often. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat to a platter. 2. Add the onions, carrots, and peppers to the pot and sauté, stirring, until deeply coloured, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain off most of the fat.
3. Return the meat to the pot and stir in the tomato paste, peppercorns, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, garlic, and enough stock to barely cover the lamb. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer until the lamb is tender, about 1 hour.
4. Add salt and the remaining broth and simmer, covered, for about 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Stir 1/4 c. cilantro and the bread into the stew and cook for 1 more minute.
6. Sprinkle with cilantro to serve.

*For those of you who don't remember, I worked for Elaine in Windsor about 10 years ago, when she owned Elaine's Bistro. She has since moved home to Newfoundland, opened and sold another restaurant, and cooks more than anyone I know. She is truly an inspiration to me!

The Creamiest Rice Pudding

This rice pudding surprises me every time I make it. There is only a half of a cup of short grain rice and six cups of liquid. Seems like the rice will never soak up that much milk but it always does. The pudding takes up to an hour to cook on the stove so I have started making it in double batches. I even made a triple batch once, when I had lots of milk that needed to be used up. The only problem with making so much in the same pot was making sure it didn't boil over! Keep an eye on the pudding until you are sure that it is nicely simmering away, at a temperature that won't make the milk expand out of the pot and all over your stove.

This recipe comes from Bonnie Stern and it has been published in at least two of her cookbooks, under different names and with slightly different ingredients (one has cinnamon and the other nutmeg). I don't add either to mine and I also use currants instead of raisons. I like the way the currants plump up but they aren't over-powering for people who don't love raisons.

The Creamiest Rice Pudding

1/2 c. uncooked short-grain rice (I have used Arborio and Japanese sticky rice)
1 c. boiling water
1/3 c. white sugar
1 t. cornstarch
5 c. milk
1/3 c. currants (or raisons), optional
2 egg yolks, optional
1 t. vanilla

1. Place rice and boiling water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook gently, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the water.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in 1 cup of milk. Add this mixture to rice along with the remaining milk. Add the currants.
3. Bring the pudding to a boil, being careful that it doesn't boil over. Partially cover and cook gently for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very creamy and thick. (Fiddle with the temperature. If it is too low it will take a long time to cook and if it is too high it will boil over. Best to be on the low side but it should still be bubbling a bit.)
4. Stir in the egg yolks, if you are using them. I always do and it just adds a nice richness to the pudding. Cook gently for one minute. Stir in vanilla. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual bowls. Serve warm or cold. Store in the fridge.

White Chocolate Butter?

Today is Alan's birthday and in honour of the occasion, I went to work on a beautiful cake. He requested white chocolate, not one of my personal favourites, and as I forgot about his request for liver & onions with lima beans for dinner, I felt I must do my best with the cake. Upping the stakes, I asked our neighbours over for cake and a birthday drink this afternoon.

I chose the "Black & White Chocolate Cake" from the "Baking From My Home To Yours" cookbook by Dorie Greenspan. I made the cake layers this morning and they seemed to turn out ok, maybe a little dry. Then I made a dark chocolate pastry cream (think really good homemade chocolate pudding) to use on two of the layers. Finally, I had to make a white chocolate whipped cream for the very middle of the cake and the icing.

This is where things started to get a little dicey. I melted the white chocolate over simmering water and heated some of the cream in a separate pan. After the cream came to a boil, I poured the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Then I gently tried to get the chocolate to come together with the cream. Eventually it did but I was starting to wonder about it, and also about the time that I was running out of.

The recipe said to leave the mixture on the counter until it came to room temperature. It was very important, as anything warmer than room temperature would ruin the whipped cream. Once at room temperature (or was it warmer than it should have been?), I whipped the rest of the whipping cream in my Kitchenaid mixer, just until very soft peaks formed. Then I added the white chocolate-cream mixture to the softly whipped cream. The recipe then calls for you to turn up the speed on the mixer until the whipped cream mixture has stiff peaks. I watched and I watched and I couldn't understand why I wasn't seeing any "peak" action. I kept thinking that maybe just a little longer and the cream would whip up like it usually does.

Then the unthinkable happened. The whipped cream/white chocolate mixture turned to butter before my eyes. I was in shock and it took a minute before I dipped my spoon into the bowl to see if it actually tasted like butter. The curds tasted just like butter, but the whey was a wonderful white chocolatey liquid. I recognized that this was dangerous territory for me, being alone in the house, with a white chocolate mistake staring me in the face. Luckily, I had my wits about me, and I threw most of the mistake into the green bin (recycling for food products). I quickly chose another icing recipe to try, a chocolate malt buttercream, and had the cake assembled well before our neighbours were due to arrive.

Fast forward to cake time with our neighbours, Carmen & Carl, and their three kids. I didn't really enjoy the cake, even though I finished my whole piece (why do I eat things that aren't 100% pleasing to me? It's as if I am afraid of offending the piece of cake in question. Do I need therapy or what!?). The cake turned out to be dry and dull, an unfortunate way to celebrate Alan's birthday, but guess what - it really didn't make a difference to him, or my neighbours, or to me, even. Sometimes, it really is more about the time spent being together, rather than the food. And without flubs now and then, how would I ever learn anything new? Maybe my next project will be making butter - on purpose!

Lentil & Quinoa Salad with a Ginger-Curry Vinaigrette

I heard about quinoa many years ago when I first moved to Vancouver. My friend Rachel's mom told me about it, after hearing that I was a cook, and I have always meant to try it. For some reason, I had the idea that quinoa would be hard and chewy and ultra-healthy (like wheat berries or millet). Turns out, quinoa turns soft when it is cooked and it will actually turn into a mushy ball if cooked too long. It is a lovely grain and I will be making it a lot more often.

This salad is my suggestion to a group of women in a Bible study in Vancouver. Hello Ladies! My friend Shaila (best friends since grade 2) asked me for a recipe idea for a lunch meeting and this one is a winner. I would suggest also making a bowl of fresh hummus and/or tzatziki and having a basket full of fresh pita or naan. For afterwards, a hot pot of chai (December), and a batch of thinly rolled sugar cookies (December). If you want to have a second salad option, try the carrot & chickpea salad (June). Mmmm... wish I could be there!

Lentil & Quinoa Salad

6 c. cold water (for the lentils)
1 1/2 c. French green lentils (Puy lentils or lentilles de Puy), picked through and rinsed
3 c. cold water (for the quinoa)
1 c. quinoa, picked through and rinsed
3 or 4 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place the 6 c. of water and the lentils in a big saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not losing their skins. The best way to test is to bite into one. Drain the lentils well in a colander, and dump them into a big bowl.
2. At the same time you're cooking the lentils, place the 3 cups of water and the quinoa in another big saucepan, and bring them to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, until the quinoa looks slightly translucent and as if it has a tail, a spiral separating from the grain. Drain well through a fine sieve or mesh colander, and add to the bowl with the lentils.
3. Add the grated carrots and the chopped cilantro to the bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, and toss together. Serve it warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Ginger-Curry Vinaigrette

Juice of 1 lemon
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. curry powder
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (a rasp works great for this)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t. salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil

Whisk all the ingredients together except the olive oil together in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a slow steady stream, whisking as you go to form an emulsion.

Shepherd's Pie with Caramelized Onions and Cheesy Mash

In honour of having just finished the latest Alexander McCall Smith books, "Love Over Scotland" and "The Careful Use of Compliments", I made this shepherd's pie for Sunday dinner. I don't know for a fact if they eat a lot of shepherd's pie in Scotland, but I am guessing that they might. If you have read any of McCall Smith's books, you will know what I mean when I say that he has a great sense of humour about human nature. So often, while reading one of his books, I have laughed and thought, "Isn't that the truth!".

The 44 Scotland Street series started as a serial novel written in daily episodes in The Scotsman newspaper. It revolves around a group of everyday people living in Edinburgh, and all of their ups and downs. There are now three books in this series and I think a fourth is coming out sometime this year.

I loved the Sunday Philosophy Club series right from the start. The main character is Isabel Dalhousie, an independently wealthy philosopher, living in Edinburgh, who is pretty nosy, and solves little mysteries now and again. I can't do her justice, but she is just the kind of person that I would love to know. And her niece owns a delicatessen where she can go for good food & coffee. A warning: If you decide to read either of the series, make sure you go in order.

Now back to the shepherd's pie. I ordered "Cooking with Shelburne Farms - Food & Stories from Vermont", from the cookbook club (I am trying to make a dent in my obligations to them!). One of the first recipes to catch my eye was this shepherd's pie. They use ground lamb instead of ground beef (they mention that a true shepherd's pie is made with lamb and a cottage pie is made with beef), caramelized onions in both the filling and on top of the potatoes, and cover the top in their own cheddar cheese. It was perfect for a cold, snowy, Sunday dinner.

Take your time caramelizing the onions. You want them to be golden and sweet when they are done. The potato mash is drier than the way I would normally make my mashed potatoes, but this is because of the richness of the lamb and the cheese. And speaking of cheese, I happened to have some leftover Colston Bassett Stilton from Christmas, and I crumbled that on top of the potatoes, along with some 2-year old cheddar. Lucky for us, Colston Bassett Stilton is available in Canada and the US, at better cheese shops. When I was going to cooking school, I did a big project on this exact cheese. I received 100% on that project, and I probably owe most of that mark to the fact that I had a good sized wedge for everyone to try. Check out this unbelievable Stilton at www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk

Shepherd's Pie with Caramelized Onions and Cheesy Mash

For the caramelized onions:
3 T. olive oil
2 lbs. onions, thinly sliced into rounds
1 t. kosher salt

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pan or skillet set over medium heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the onions to the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low.
2. Sprinkle the onions with the salt and cook, stirring frequently to make sure they brown evenly, for about 30-40 minutes or until they are completely golden brown and soft. You should have about 1 1/2 c. of onions. Set aside.

For the potato mash:
3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the flat side of the knife
1 t. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 c. butter

3. Boil the potatoes and garlic in a large pot. Cook until the potatoes break apart easily when poked with a fork. Drain the potatoes and garlic and leave them in the cooking pot. Cover the potatoes with a clean dish towel and let them dry out for about 5 minutes (don't let the potatoes get cold or they will be a gluey mess when you mash them). Add the butter to the pot and use a potato masher to smash the potatoes and garlic until blended but not completely smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.

Make the meat filling and finish the pie:
1 T. olive oil
3 medium carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 lbs. ground lamb
1 1/2 t. minced fresh thyme leaves
1 t. kosher salt
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. tomato paste (use ketchup in a pinch)
2 c. chicken or beef stock
1 c. frozen green peas
1 c. grated cheddar
3/4 c. crumbled Stilton

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet or pan set over med-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the diced carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until softened.
5. Add the lamb, thyme, and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Carefully pour off all the fat and discard. Sprinkle the flour over the lamb and cook for one minute, stirring. Then stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer. Pour in the stock, along with 1 cup of caramelized onions and the green peas. Increase the heat slightly and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the gravy thickens slightly.
6. Spread the lamb into a 9x13 baking dish. Spread the potatoes on top. Scatter the remaining caramelized onions over the potatoes, and then sprinkle the cheeses on top of that. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 20 minutes.

*I made mine earlier during the day and cooked it at 375 degrees for around 45 minutes or so. I had already sprinkled the cheeses on top so I covered the whole thing with a piece of tin foil that was sprayed with Pam. When it was close to being finished, I pulled the tin foil off and let the cheese get nice and bubbly.
*I served the shepherd's pie with a green salad and a loaf of homemade crusty olive & thyme bread. I'll save that recipe for another time!

Maple Baked Beans

When I think of baked beans, I think of beans out of the can, maybe doctored up with some condiments. When I saw this recipe in the Barefoot Contessa's "At Home" cookbook, I was intrigued. Baked beans have never interested me much before, but after looking at the recipe and the picture that went along with it, I knew I had to try them.

They turned out to be delicious. And Alan loved them, which you might think was a given being all the good food that is made in my kitchen (yes, there are some disasters in my kitchen and I promise I will write more about those in the future). But Alan is somewhat picky, and just when I think I have made something out-of-this-world, Alan will snub it. This doesn't sit well with me, as you can imagine! With these baked beans, he was so enthusiastic, he ended up eating them three nights in a row. Usually, he "isn't into leftovers" (his words exactly...).

Beside the recipe in the "At Home" cookbook, there is a small picture of a pound of bacon with a knife. In the background is an empty package, presumably from the bacon, with Niman Ranch printed on it. For a few minutes, I thought this was the bacon that Zingerman's uses on all of their sandwiches, and I started to reminisce. I quickly did some research and realized I was thinking about "Nueske's Applewood Smoked Bacon".

When I did my short stint at Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I worked the early morning shift, starting at 6am. One of the first items on the "mise en place" every day was baking the applewood smoked bacon, for all of the sandwiches that have bacon on them (check out Zingerman's sandwich menu to see what I am talking about).
http://www.zingermansdeli.com/content/pages/menu.php)
It was impossible not to eat at least one piece of bacon every time I worked. Sometimes more. There was something so special and delicious about this bacon, it is worth the trip to Ann Arbor. Check it out at Nueske's website or from THE food mecca, Zingerman's...

www.nueskes.com
www.zingermans.com

If you need directions to the famous deli, just let me know and I'd love to be your personal navigator! Zingerman's serves applewood-smoked baked beans and it's too bad I didn't get that recipe during my time there. The next time I get my paws on some of Nueske's applewood-smoked bacon, I am going to make these maple baked beans and turn it into my own version of applewood-smoked baked beans. Until that time, I will just use the best bacon that I can find.

Maple Baked Beans

1 lb. dry red kidney beans
1 large yellow onion, cut in eighths
1 bay leaf
6 whole black peppercorns
3/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/2 c. ketchup
1 T. Chinese chili paste
1 T. grated fresh ginger
1 t. kosher salt
5 oz. thick-cut smoked bacon, cubed

1. Soak beans in a large bowl filled with lots of cold water. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Drain and rinse the beans and then drain again.
2. Place the beans in a large pot with 2 litres (8 cups) of water, the onion slices, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 50 minutes, or until tender. A good test is to scoop up several beans in a spoon and blow on them: if the skins start to peel off, they're done. This really works! Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
3. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. In a small saucepan, whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, chili paste, ginger, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid, still reserving the remaining liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the beans to a large pot that will fit in your oven. Push half the bacon into the beans and place the rest on top. Pour the maple syrup sauce over the beans. Place the lid on top and bake for 6 to 8 hours. Check occasionally and if the beans are too dry, add 1/2 cup more of the cooking liquid. When the beans are done, remove the bay leaf. Serve hot.

Homemade Shake & Bake Chicken

I remember eating a lot of Shake & Bake chicken when I was growing up. And I remember loving it. Now that I am feeding my own family, I have never thought of buying a Shake & Bake mix for dinner but when I saw a homemade version in Bonnie Stern's "The Best of Heart Smart Cooking", I didn't hesitate. This recipe isn't glitzy, but it is good. And on a weekday night, that is what really counts.

This cookbook by Bonnie Stern is destined to be a true classic. It is right up there with my "Best of Canadian Living Cookbook" in terms of being full of consistent, flavourful recipes and having lots of Canadian content. The world needs more Canadian content, don't you think?!

The great thing about this recipe is it's flexibility. If you are having more people for dinner, just add more chicken. If you don't have any dry mustard, don't worry about it. Sometimes I put the minced garlic in the buttermilk or OJ, and sometimes I don't . I have used both the OJ and the milk, and depending on the amount of chicken, I sometimes add a bit more to cover the chicken.

Homemade Shake & Bake Chicken

3 chicken legs & 3 thighs, cut apart if not already separated
1/2 c. buttermilk or orange juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. dry bread crumbs (I have used Saltine cracker crumbs and also fresh bread crumbs. Whatever you have will work.)
2 T. cornmeal
1 T. paprika, use smoked paprika if have it
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard
1 t. ground cumin

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry the chicken pieces and toss with the buttermilk (or OJ) and garlic. Marinate for at least 10 minutes.
2. While the chicken is marinating, combine all the dry ingredients in a large Ziploc bag.
3. Shake the excess liquid off the chicken and add it one piece at a time to the plastic bag. Shake until completely coated and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cooked through, brown and crisp. Serves two adults and two kids with leftovers - sometimes.

Cheesy Tuna on English Muffins

My Dad has requested that I put my tuna melt recipe on "The Good Egg Blog" almost since the beginning. This being his birthday, and it also being a very special birthday at that (did I already mention that he is 70 years young today???), I have decided to give him this gift. The recipe that was given to me by his Mom, Grandma McDonald, was a perfect lunch dish and she made this for us often.

I have found tuna melts to be a great lunch dish for my kids. However, keep this in mind if you are making tuna melts for company: not everyone likes tuna and I really like my own, but not necessarily anyone else's. Last spring, my parents had my cousin and her fiance over for lunch. When I called my Mom that morning, I asked her what she was making for lunch. "Tuna melts," was her answer and I groaned. How did she know that either of them even liked tuna? When I spoke to her later that day, she admitted that my cousin's fiance did not like tuna. I am sure he was starving by the time they peeled out of the drive, making for the nearest Tim Horton's. (not a quick drive from my parent's house!)

I have my own way of making tuna melts these days. I add cornichon pickles, dill pickles, and green onions. I also use more tuna and less mayo. I top the melts with my favourite stand-by, Balderson Cheddar. I really like both of these tuna melts and I won't make my Dad pick his favourite, especially on his Birthday! Happy Birthday Dad!

Cheesy Tuna on English Muffins

1 can of tuna, drained and flaked
1 c. finely shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t. Tabasco sauce
6 English muffins, split & lightly toasted (or use hamburg buns*)

Mix together tuna, 3/4 c. cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce & Tabasco sauce. Spread 1 1/2 T. of filling on each muffin. Sprinkle each with cheese and paprika. Broil about 3" from source of heat for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
From Grandma McDonald

*My husband Alan has mocked me over the years for calling hamburgers, hamburgs. I am wondering if this is a Canadian small-town word or strictly a Southern Ontario colloquialism?

Ribollita Soup

I had thought about making the Barefoot Contessa's Ribollita for a while. Then I heard a friend of mine say that not only did she make it, it turned out to be the best soup she had ever made. I quickly assembled all of the ingredients and made it as soon as I could. Since then, I have made it three times and it has become one of my all-time favourite soups. The recipe is in the "Barefoot Contessa At Home" cookbook. When this cookbook first came out, I was underwhelmed but since then, I have made several recipes from this book and as usual, Ina doesn't disappoint.

Ribollita is an Italian soup that was created to use up leftover vegetables and bread. I have never actually used bread in this soup but I am sure it would make an even more substantial meal. I think if I were to use bread in this soup, it would soak up all of the broth, and with all of the ingredients in this, there isn't a lot of broth to begin with. I have added a Parmesan cheese rind or two, when I have them. I buy a big chunk of Parmigiana Reggiano at Costco and I grate it up and freeze it in litre containers. The last one I did made almost 10 cups of grated Parmesan. Then I keep the hard rinds and put them in the freezer. I throw a couple into the pot when I am making spaghetti sauce and now I also use them in this soup.

Kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables you can get and I am always looking for interesting, tasty ways to prepare it. One of the reasons I love this soup is because of the kale. I found some really nice looking kale yesterday at the Clean Food Connection and brought it home, washed it, and then chopped it in the food processor. It is chopped quite fine and I can use this in many things without anyone really noticing. Sometimes I add it to the kid's smoothies in the morning and they have no idea, drinking it down like any other smoothie. I am no Jessica Seinfeld, but yes, I am a mean mother.

There are a few other things that I have learned since making this soup. I thought that 1/4 lb. of pancetta didn't seem like much so for one of the batches, I used a half pound. I think it was too much of a good thing and I preferred the pancetta to be more of a background ingredient. I have also substituted the fresh basil with frozen pesto from the summertime, and even left the basil out altogether. Whatever works for you will be fine. This soup definitely improves with age and I can't guarantee that your kids will like it, but most adults will more than likely be very happy to sit down to a meal of this. This soup tastes great with fresh cornbread, hot out of the oven. (see November 1, 2007)

Ribollita

1/2 lb. dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini
kosher salt
1/4 c. good olive oil, plus extra for serving
1/4 lb. large-diced pancetta or smoked bacon
2 c. chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 c. chopped carrots (3 carrots)
1 c. chopped celery (3 stalks)
3 T. minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 - 28oz. can Italian plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
6 c. chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 or 2 pieces of Parmigiana Reggiano rind, if you have any
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by at least 1 inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the fridge.
2. Drain the beans, place them in a large pot with 8 cups water, and bring them to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 T. of salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their puree, the kale, and basil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7-10 minutes.
4. Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough chicken stock to make 8 cups. Add to the soup, along with the cheese rinds if you have any, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
5. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and drizzled with olive oil. Don't eat the cheese rinds. Just leave them in the soup pot and they will continue to flavour the soup each time you reheat it.

Happy Happy New Year!

I have a feeling that 2008 is going to be a really good year for food. The letter below, from Bob at the Clean Food Connection, has started it off on the right foot.

Hi Moira,
I have great news for you. At the last minute the landlady offered us a lower rent for the next six months at our store in Mt. Albert to give us a chance to build the business here into a viable enterprise. And we have decided to take her up on that offer. As a result we will be staying here for at least 6 months and hopefully a lot longer than that if we can develop the local support we need to continue to operate a store here. Thank you very much for your touching story about our store. We very much appreciate the loyalty we have received from folks like you and it broke our hearts to have to close our store here. However, perhaps with continued support from you and others we can find new customers and keep our store in Mt. Albert open over the long haul. Any ideas or suggestions you might have in this regard would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime, to celebrate our staying here, we are having a Grand Re-Opening Sale this coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday at our Mt. Albert store only. 10% off everything in the store for these 3 days only ~ while stock and supplies last. Please spread the word to your friends and neighbours. Look forward to seeing you at the store soon. We will bring in your milk again next week - hope that's okay. Thanks again for caring so much about what we are trying to do here. Yours ~ Bob Burrows @ clean food

Was I ever thrilled to receive this email! We have been given a second chance to help the Clean Food Connection succeed and I am going to try my best to get the word out there.

We had a lovely Christmas with lots of great food. I soaked our farm fresh turkey in a brine for about 24 hours before I put it in the oven. Nigella Lawson was the inspiration for that. She claimed that by soaking the turkey in a brine of water, salt, sugar, onion, orange, and various spices, you would end up with the juiciest of turkeys. The turkey ended up being wonderfully juicy and I would definitely do it that way again. My brother-in-law, Jake, cut the turkey up into manageable pieces and then we roasted the turkey for a much shorter time. We had turkey stock on the stove for most of the afternoon and evening. You might find the absence of stuffing in the bird a travesty, but my Mom made her stuffing in the crock pot and it was still very good. (picture is of myself and my sister Lori)

We also enjoyed the Barefoot Contessa's Spinach Gratin and Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Apples, both recipes from her "Parties" cookbook. In the afternoon, we had fresh oysters, among other things, and the Barefoot Contessa's Mignonette from "Barefoot in Paris" was wonderful (a vinegar mixture with shallots, fresh dill and chives, etc., for spooning into your oyster shell just before devouring it). For Christmas dessert, Lori used up her stash of frozen passion fruit by making passion fruit curd from Nigella's "Feast" cookbook. I made meringue nests and then whipped up some organic cream. By that time, I don't think we had the energy, but I thought about sprinkling pomegranate seeds on top.

Soul & Oscar, or "the Hounds" as we affectionately call them, gave me a Japanese water stone for sharpening our knives. Included with the gift was a gadget which holds the knife in place at the right angle to ensure the best edge. We have yet to sharpen anything but I am one step closer to having beautiful knives once more. Their gift was purchased online from Lee Valley. Such thoughtful dogs!

In 2008, I have a few trips planned that will keep me hopping with lots of food adventures. In February, I am off to New York City for a weekend of feasting and fun with my cousin Beth. In April, it is back to Vancouver Island for the 2nd Bi-Annual Girl's Weekend. In May, our whole family is heading to Newport, Rhode Island for the wedding of my cousin, Beth. So you see, this year really is shaping up to be something of a hum-dinger in the way of food!

As for blog business, I have decided to start replying to comments on the blog. I am sorry that I haven't done this sooner, but a lot of times I would email whoever left the comment directly and continue the conversation that way. Please feel free to leave comments and chances are I will now respond to them!

There seems to have been an issue about locating past recipes quickly and without having to scroll through every single recipe to find the one you're looking for. I have changed the blog so that when you see the past months on the right-hand side of the page, click on the little arrow and it will display every recipe from that particular month. Much more convenient.

Most of all, I want to continue trying new recipes and revisiting old ones, pouring through my cookbook collection, and writing about food just as I am thinking about it in my head. Thank you for reading "The Good Egg Blog" and I look forward to sharing many more recipes and stories with you in the year ahead!