Shortbread

"Christmas cookies and happy hearts, this is how the holiday starts." Unknown

Hello followers, isn't today's quote super cheesy and fun?! Christmas is almost here!

Well, last week homemade butter was on the menu. As soon as I made it and realized how close to the holidays we were, I only had one thought... Shortbread. I mustn't be the only who thinks this way, for my cousin has Sheri requested a shortbread recipe! Ha! Never making shortbread before, I decided to make it a family affair and ask my Grandparents. My Grandma's recipe is easy and straightforward and yes, it's got a lot of butter in it! The history of shortbread goes back about a thousand years in Scotland. There are different shapes that are traditional: a molded round that is cut into triangles ('petticoat tails'), small round biscuits or fingers (rectangles). Today I am making 'petticoat tails,' a treat enjoyed by Queen Mary I. Originally the molds were made of wood and had notches carved into the edges to represent the sun, but today, the unglazed clay molds are most popular. I bought one recently with a thistle pattern and have been eager to use it! Let's get started!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:


(makes one clay mold, plus a dozen cookies or about 4 dozen cookies)

1 cup + 2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

.preheat the oven to 325 degrees
.with an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat or cream the butter and sugar until fluffy
.add in the rest of the ingredients and knead lightly until it comes together (it's a bit crumbly, but the butter will soften with the heat from your hands)
.either: dust your clay mold with some icing sugar, then press the dough into the mold until it is full and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until it is evenly browned. Allow to cool for 10 mins, turn upside down onto a cutting board and tap the mold to release the shortbread. Cut into wedges while it's still warm.
or...
Roll out the dough to 1 cm or 2 cm thick, cut into fingers or any other shape, prick with a fork, place on an ungreased tray and bake for 20 to 30 mins, until the shortbread is lightly browned.
or...
Divide the dough into 4 pcs, place each on a large pc of wax paper and roll into a log with your hands until about 5 cm thick. Wrap in the wax paper and place in the freezer for an hour. Remove from the freezer, sit for 5 mins, cut into 1 to 2cm slices, place on an ungreased tray and bake for 20 to 30 mins until lightly browned, enjoy!

Once the shortbread cookies are cooled, put into an airtight container and they will be ready to go for Christmas! Don't you just love this time of year? The snow, the food, the family get togethers! I hope that you all spend the holidays with the people you love and as for the loved ones we are missing, we will have them in our hearts. 2010 has had it's ups and downs and I hope that 2011 will be a good one for us all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Till then my followers, when I will be back with more exciting culinary adventures!

Homemade Butter

"Butter makes the world go 'round!" Me

Hiya my loyal followers!
As promised, I am back this week with an adventure that could rival any of our culinary adventures thus far. Homemade butter! Yum! I absolutely adore butter and I'm so happy that my sweetie Kevin does as well. As a special treat last spring, I decided to make butter for Kev and see if he could taste any difference between mine and store bought. I got down to business and did a bit of research. I remembered making butter in grade 2 as a class project, but hadn't made it since then and to tell you the truth, my memory isn't that great. Well, it turned out to be so simple and so, so tasty, that every now and then, I make us some! Butter is made by agitating cream enough that it separates. Basically, the fatty bit is the butter and the liquid is the butter milk. I can understand how butter must have been discovered all those thousands of years ago... A person would fill a vessel with goat or sheep's milk and go for a long walk or horseback ride. By the time their travelling was done, the milk would have been shaken around enough to separate and the butter would be ready. Eaten by the poorest of farmers, the ancient Greeks saw butter as food fit for barbarians. Not until northern Europeans began making butter with cow's milk, did it become accepted and enjoyed across Europe. And, may I say, I am so happy it caught on! Today I will do something a bit different with my blog and show the step by step method for making butter. All I am using is a jar with a good fitting lid, but don't worry, I will also have instructions for an electric mixer!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Homemade Butter
(makes about 1/3 cup)

1 cup 35% cream (I prefer organic...), at room temperature
1/8 to 1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)

.pour the cream into a jar with a good, tight fitting lid
.shake for about 5 to 7 mins until there is a lot of sloshing going on, this means the butter has separated from the butter milk (or place the cream into a bowl and use you electric mixer for about 5 mins)
.dump the butter and butter milk into a fine mesh sieve sitting over a bowl, put the strained butter milk aside in a container to drink or keep for cooking
.rinse the lump of butter under very cold water in a bowl, break it up with your hands or a spoon until the butter milk is all out and the water is clear
.place the butter onto a bowl and squish any excess water out with a spoon (I dab any water droplets with a paper towel), stir in the salt
.place the butter into a container with a lid or a small bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, it will stay fresh for about a week, enjoy!

 

You will be surprised by how easy it is to make butter! It gets a bit tough to shake the cream through the whipped stage and into the separated product, but it is well worth it. Homemade butter has a lighter and sweeter flavour than store bought. As usual, I hope you try out my recipe and let me know how it goes. Next week I will be back with a festive recipe, since the holidays are right around the corner. Hint: it's made with butter! Ha! Bye for now...

Whole Wheat Bread

"If thous tastes a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens." Robert Browning

Good day, my fine followers!
Well, before we get to this week's recipe, I have some updating to do! First of all, the 'Cottage Life' show last weekend was great! Jane Rodmell and I did four cooking demonstrations and I must say, we did a very good job! Our morning demos were for a one skillet brunch of potato and sausage hash topped with eggs and the afternoon demos were for chocolate, orange and walnut phyllo bundles. All in all, it was a fun time as always and the bonus was that Jane and I had our photo in the program! Ha! Also, the winter edition of 'Sideroads of Halton Hills' magazine came out on Tuesday! Yippy! As you can see below, my recipes were a layered cheese terrine, roasted squash with brown butter and sage and butter tarts with cranberries and walnuts (if you click on the photo, it will enlarge and the recipes are easily read! Thank you again Michelle for the great scanning job!). Well, onto today's subject matter: bread. A little while ago, my friend Dana requested a recipe for bread. Something 'wholesome' she said. No problem! Bread is not hard to make, but it does take a bit of elbow grease and some time. Bread, in one form or another, has been around just about forever. Modern bread making was first practised by the ancient Egyptians about three thousand years ago. Next, the Greeks continued to hone the methods and ingredients, until leavened bread was being made and sold across Europe, followed by the rest of the world. Often referred to as the 'staff of life,' bread has been eaten out of necessity, used in religious ceremony and most recently, celebrated as an artisan craft. Consumed at any or all meals, bread is extremely versatile and can be treated in a countless number of preparations. For Dana's bread, I have decided to use a simple country recipe. Made with ingredients you would find on the farm, I have added some rolled oats and seeds to make it a little more 'wholesome.' I hope you like it, Dana!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Whole Wheat Bread
(makes 2 large loaves (tin size 11cm x 21cm or 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches))

2 3/4 cups milk, warmed
1/4 cup honey
1 package of dry active yeast
5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp sea salt
2 large eggs, room temperature (1 for the bread, 1 for the egg wash)
3 tbsp butter, softened
about 1 cup unbleached flour (for kneading)
3/4 cup rolled oats and mixed seeds: I used pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), sunflower, poppy, sesame and flax seeds (1/2 cup of this goes in the bread, 1/4 is for the top of the bread)

.in a large bowl combine the milk and honey, stir with a wooden spoon until dissolved, sprinkle in yeast, stir to dissolve and set aside for about 5 to 10 minutes until frothy
.add in 3 1/2 cups of flour and stir vigorously for 1 minute, cover with plastic and set aside in a warm place for 30 mins (I like to use a clean, recycled plastic bag for this recipe...)
.next, stir the salt, 1 egg another cup of flour into the sponge
.stir in half the butter with a half cup of flour until the lumps are out (this is when a little elbow grease is needed!), add the remaining butter and the last half cup of flour and stir again until lump free (if I can do it, so can you!!), then finally stir in 1/2 cup of the rolled oats and mixed seeds
.turn the sticky dough out onto a flour covered surface and knead for about 10 mins, adding flour as you go so it won't stick to the counter or your hands, shape into a a nice rounded ball (a.k.a. blob)
.wash out your large bowl, lightly oil it and place the kneaded dough ball inside, cover with plastic and put in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about an hour), meanwhile lightly butter two loaf pans
.punch down the leavened dough, turn out onto a floured surface, knead for a few minutes, mould into loaf shapes and place into your prepared loaf tins, cover with plastic set aside in a warm place until doubled in size again (about another hour)
.turn your oven to 375 degrees and beat the remaining egg in a small bowl or cup
.brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle over the remaining 1/4 cup of rolled oats and mixed seeds (you could make slash marks across the top of your bread if you like)
.bake 40 to 45 mins until nicely browned
.remove the bread from the tins (when tapped on the bottom a hollow sound will be heard) and cool on a rack before slicing, enjoy!

Making bread form scratch without a bread machine is a labour of love, but a job that will leave one feeling very proud of oneself! With bread that tastes this good and costs so little to make, why go back to store bought?! Of course, any of the seeds I used can be substituted with your favourites. Nuts could also be used. Or, of course, they could all be left out! It's up to you, my crafty followers! This is the perfect time of year to make bread, just the smell alone that will be left wafting your your home is reason enough to make it! I hope this 'wholesome' bread is what you were expecting Dana, I promise it's delicious! Now, make sure to store your loaves in a sealed plastic bags to keep it fresh. Freezing the bread is also fine. Now followers, you better have some bread handy next week, for I will be making bread's best friend... Come on, you know who it is! That's right, butter. Yummy, homemade butter. It's gonna be a good one! Bye for now!

Here are the links to the 'Cottage Life' magazine recipes that Jane and I demonstrated :
http://www.cottagelife.com/index.php?ci_id=41443&la_id=1
http://cottagefeast.cottagelife.com/2010/11/19/chocolate-orange-bundles-recipe/

"As busie as a Bee." John Lyly

Hello followers! Isn't it so cold out these days? Brrrr!

Well, it's that time of year... Autumn is in  full swing and winter is on it's way. I can't believe how quickly Christmas is approaching! Crazy! At this time of year, I always find myself quite busy. So, for today's blog, I will catch you all up to speed. I hope you don't mind! Now, let's see my followers, where shall I start? How bout 'Sideroads' magazine? I am happy to announce that I submitted my Christmas themed recipes and photos for the winter edition of 'Sideroads of Halton Hills' magazine (my deadline was October 29th). John the editor liked 'em, so I hope they are a success! Just like last time, I will attach the article to my blog as soon as it is released for you all to see. Next up: an artisan show. Two weekends ago I worked a Christmas show that my friend Penny was putting on. At first, it was to showcase the silver jewelry that her talented niece Jade makes, but Penny then decided to ask if several of us crafty people could also sell our wares. I decided to make dog biscuits (beef, cheese and chicken), risotto kits (porcini mushroom and herb) and cookie kits (mixed fruit and rolled oats and chocolate and cherry). I showed up at Penny's beautiful country home with hopes that people would like my goods and possibly make some sales. Well, I am happy to say that I sold 30 units. How fun! Since then I have been thinking of selling the kits on etsy.com. Well, that is of course, if I can find the time to do it! Hmm, what else have I been up to? Oh yes, 'the land!'

Last Sunday, me and me sweetie, my parents and Saffy ventured on out to Norfolk County to close up for the winter. Our 10 acres was waiting for us. A chilly breeze, bare trees and a garden filled with the skeletal remains of the bountiful garden of summer gone by. My Mum treated us with bacon and eggs for lunch and then our afternoon of tasks began. My Dad and Kev got the John Deere on the trailer for the trip back to Hamilton for winter storage, I got down to work in the garden and my Mum tidied up the good ol' R.V.. Even after several bouts of frost, we still had some yummy produce to harvest! The last of the Brussels sprouts had to picked (they remind me of a creature one would find on Dr.Who!) and potatoes had to be dug. I love digging up potatoes! It is like a treasure hunt in the garden and especially exciting for a girl like me who's favourite movie has always been 'The Goonies' (happy 25th, by the way!)! My Mum and I were happy that some of our heartier herbs survived and with Saffy's help, we picked some sage and thyme to dry for winter use. What a great day! I'm sad to think the next time we will be up at the land is in early spring. But you never know, maybe Kev and I will sneak up there in the winter time to visit!

Okay, time to discuss what I have going on this weekend: the 'Fall Cottage Life Show.' Held just out of town, at the International Centre, it's a unique show for anyone who has a cottage or for anyone who is planning to build one. Within the show, there is the 'Cottage Kitchen' and that's where I've been doing cooking demonstrations with cookbook author Jane Rodmell for the last four years. 'Cottage Life' magazine is a Canadian publication and Jane is a food contributor. I test Jane's many recipes for the magazine and am her assistant with the spring and fall shows. It's a great time and I absolutely love being in front of a crowd! Don't worry followers, I won't spoil the fun and tell you what Jane and I are demonstrating, because I know I will see you all in the crowd! Now, if that isn't busy enough, let me also mention the corporate Christmas baskets I've been hired to make... Never mind, enough already! This bee won't babble on any longer. Now is the time of year in which comfort foods reign. Don't you just love those warm and cozy evenings in? What makes them even better is good food! I have been thinking about some great recipe ideas and I hope I don't disappoint. Stay bundled up my followers and find your way back next week to see where our
culinary adventure will take us next! Bye!

 

"One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure." William Feather

Hello my followers, it's been a while, hasn't it? I feel the need to explain why... To tell you the truth, my heart hasn't been into blogging as of late. You see, my sweetie Kevin recently lost his Mother. As of today, one month has past. So, with Kevin's permission, I am dedicating my blog today to Sandy Patey.

Sandy had been ill for a while and after a long and hard fight, she finally succumbed to her cancer on October 17th. I am here to share a bit about a wonderful woman who, unfortunately, I only got to meet a year and a half ago. The Sandy that I got to know was a strong, adventurous woman who had a great sense of humour. I suppose you would have to have a great sense of humour to raise four boys. That's right, I said four boys! My Kevin is third in line and I must admit that all of his brothers, Chris, Geoff and Rob are all just as sweet as my sweetie. Sandy did a great job! Sandy loved to sing. She was a member of the Georgetown Choral Society for over 30 years, during which time she sang for thousands of people throughout Europe and North America. Most recently her music kept us company at the hospital, in which we played her choral favourites 24 hrs a day, knowing that Sandy could hear every song. Kevin's Mum and Dad loved to travel and it became a passion! Moving the family to England when Kev was only a boy, Ron and Sandy caught the travel bug and dragged the boys across Europe! As soon as the kids flew away from the nest, Kev's parents began to travel the world. And not just those typical places you would consider, but everywhere from Peru to Namibia, from Bali to China and just about everywhere else in between! If any of us get to see half of the places Sandy and Ron got to visit, we'd be lucky! Sandy even managed to travel across New Zealand earlier this year with Ron and participated in such activities as white water rafting, scuba diving, climbing a glacier and going up in a glider airplane (a life long dream that came true for her!). This is the Sandy that I knew. The strong mother who loved life and was fearless. I miss her very much and really wish that I got to know her better. But, instead of looking back and thinking of all those 'what ifs...' I have decided to cherish the time that we got to spend together. I think you will like the photos we have included, I'm pretty sure that they represent Sandy's spirit. We miss you so much Mum...

Kevin and Sarah

p.s., if you are interested to seeing more photos of Kevin's parent's travels around the world, go to their website at:

http://pateycanada.com/index.html

  

Creamy Asian Marinade, Sauce or Dip

"Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger, but a heart as soft as tofu." Chinese proverb

Howdy followers, how are you? Wasn't the weather lovely for the Thanksgiving weekend? I hope all of you had the chance to get out there and enjoy some warm, fresh air with your friends and family!
So, in my last blog I posted my article that is featured in the current 'Sideroads of Halton Hills' magazine. How exciting! If you enlarge the photo, you can read the recipes clearly (and as always, if you have any questions, just ask!). The spiced pumpkin custards would have been perfect for Thanksgiving, but can be enjoyed anytime this time of year! My next deadline for the winter edition is October 29th. I have been brainstorming like a mad woman and have come up with a couple of good ideas (I hope!). I will keep you all informed as my deadline approaches! Now, onto today's blog... My childhood friend Jane contacted me and made a request for a recipe. Due to dietary restrictions, she has basically become a vegetarian. Luckily for her, it turns out that Jane loves tofu! First made in ancient China during the Han Dynasty over two thousand years ago, tofu is made from soy bean curds. High in protein and iron, it's a great meat alternative. Also, with it's mild flavour, tofu can be marinated in any style and prepared in just about any fashion. Since Jane likes to cook and enjoys experimenting with new flavours, I decided to make her an Asian marinade, which can also be used in many ways...

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Creamy Asian Marinade, Sauce or Dip
(makes about 1 cup)

1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste) or peanut butter
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1 lime, juiced
1 garlic clove, fine chop
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, fine chop
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 to 3 tbsp water
*sambal olek or chili flakes, optional
1 package (350 g) extra firm tofu

.whisk all ingredients together in a bowl
.cut the tofu your fave way, add enough marinade to coat the tofu pcs
.put into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight
.prepare the tofu in your fave manner (I prefer to pan fry in a hot pan with a little sunflower oil. Do not crowd the pan, fry in batches if you have to, to ensure even browning.), enjoy!

Depending on how thick you want this marinade, adjust the amount of water added. Tofu is like a sponge and will soak up any flavour, the trick is to give it enough time. This recipe can also be used as a sauce for a stir fry or a dipping sauce for any Asian treat (i.e. satays, spring rolls or my 'Rice Paper Rolls' found on my 'Recipes' page, yum!). If made with the tahini, this recipe is a great nut free alternative for anyone with allergies! Super easy to make with ingredients that can be found in any grocery store, make it and find out how versatile this recipe can be! And finally... Jane, I hope you like it!

Old Canadian Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

"Food... has the ability to comfort." Norman Kolpas

 

Mac and Cheese photographer: Harry Gils, Prop Stylist: Dana Gils, Food Stylist: me!

Howdy, my trusty followers! I hope you've all had a great week!
Well, I have so many culinary adventures going on, I don't know where to start! Okay, I've got it... Dog biscuits! Ha! That's right, dog bikkies! This week I made several dozen and packaged them up for my friend's new dog grooming business. Mel and Jen's open house was last night and they were giving out my bikkies as presents to their guests. I fed some to my dogs and they seemed to like them, so hopefully I will be supplying the new business with my homemade bikkies. Fingers crossed! The adventure continues tomorrow when I will be in Toronto recipe testing for Jane Rodmell and Cottage Life magazine. Last week we came up with 5 great salad ideas for next summer's issue and Jane sent them into the editor, but now a final testing must be done. When it comes to recipes, Jane sure is a perfectionist! She has the great reputation that her recipes always work, so needless to say, all testing is extremely thorough. No worries though followers, I've been testing Jane's recipes for the last few years and I don't think I've let her down yet! My third culinary adventure is about the food in the picture above that was so lovingly prepared, styled and photographed by me and my friends... Macaroni and cheese! I am making mac and cheese for lunch this weekend for my sweetie and his work mates. Talk about comfort food! My Mum always makes us her famous mac and cheese the day after we host a party (she always offers an amazing cheese platter!). The next day, all the leftover cheese finds it's way into the pot of white sauce. Yum! Unfortunately I haven't hosted any parties lately, so my mac and cheese is mainly old Cheddar. As a bit of a coincidence, this recipe happens to be based upon one that I tested for Jane for her latest cookbook, 'All the Best Recipes.' But come on my followers, you should know me better by now... I have changed it slightly and added my own special ingredient! Tee hee!!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Macaroni and Cheese
(makes 1 large)

3 cups dried macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, fine chop
1 clove garlic, fine chop
1/3 cup flour
1 litre 5% cream
2 cups grated old Cheddar cheese, orange or white
1/2 container (125 ml), Imperial Cheese
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
* pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

.preheat the oven to 350 degrees
.cook the pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to personal doneness, drain and rinse with cold water, set aside, meanwhile...
.in a large pot, heat the butter on medium low heat, add the onions and slowly cook until softened, about 5 minutes or so
.stir in the garlic, fry for 1 min more, season with a pinch of salt and pep
.whisk in the flour and fry for about 30 seconds, whisk in half of the cream and allow to heat up and thicken, whisk in half of the remaining cream, again allow to heat and thicken, whisk in the rest of the liquid, heat and thicken, turn off heat
.stir in the grated old Cheddar cheese and Imperial cheese, a pinch of cayenne and taste for seasoning, adjust if needed
.lightly grease a fave oven proof dish, add in the cooked macaroni and pour in the sauce, give it a good stir
.place in the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 mins, until lightly browned and bubbling (test by placing a knife in the middle and feeling if it is hot), enjoy!

If you prefer, grate an additional cup or so of cheese and sprinkle it on top of the macaroni before baking. Just like my Mum, use mixed cheeses if you like (a little Stilton in the mac and cheese takes it to a whole new level of yum!!). Or, sprinkle on some chopped, cooked bacon, sliced scallions or parsley. Also, a simple bread crumb topping can be made by adding a little melted butter, Parmesan cheese and salt to some fresh bread you have pulsed through the food processor or blender. Now, I have one final culinary adventure to mention... Remember I told you about the magazine I was going to be in? Well, it came out this week! 'Sideroads of Halton Hills' is a quarterly publication in which I am now the resident Chef! Yippy! For those of you who do not live in the area, my sister in law Michelle scanned the article and I have attached it below. Don't worry followers, I will be talking about it more in depth in my blog next week! Till then, my fave followers!!
 

 

Chicken Pot Pie

"There is nothing better on a cold... day than a... pot pie." Craig Claiborne.

Hello followers, happy autumn to you all!
Sorry I didn't post my blog last week... Now that I am back at work Mon to Fri, I have found it hard to dedicate the time to blogging. But, I have gotten used to my new schedule and I am ready to continue with new found zest and zeal! So followers, would you like to hear about an interesting culinary adventure that came my way last week? My old boss, Jane Rodmell, got in touch with me and offered a great challenge... Recipe testing! My fave thing to do! A couple of years ago I tested over 200 recipes for Jane's latest cookbook 'All the Best Recipes.' I was in heaven!! This time I tested recipes for a Canadian magazine called 'Cottage Life,' in which Jane is a contributor. It's hard work, but it's work that I love to do! So, we had an over the phone brainstorming session and came up with 5 salads for next summer's publication (the editors sure do plan ahead, eh?!). We split up the work and I had three salads to test. Trust me when I say they turned out great, because unfortunately I can't tell you what they are. Sorry! You'll just have to pick up next summer's 'Cottage Life' magazine to find out! Now, not only did I have the testing to tackle, but I also had another culinary adventure... Lunch lady!! Remember I told you that I was Kevin's work's lunch lady? No? Well, I make a hearty meal for my sweetie and his work mates each Saturday. It's fun to think up ideas for the boys and I am especially excited now that the seasons have changed! Oh, autumn... I find it sad that summer is officially gone but with fall here, we all know what that means: good food! Don't you just love all of those warm and cozy dishes that one can only enjoy when there is a chill in the air? One of those treats is chicken pot pie and that's what I chose to make for the boys!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Chicken Pot Pie
(makes 1 large or 6 minis)

500 gr or 1 Lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts and or thighs (I use both!)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white only, chopped
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
5 to 6 mushrooms, sliced
2 thyme sprigs
1/2 frozen green peas
handful fresh parsley, chopped
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
puff pastry (I use President's Choice butter puff pastry...)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Sauce:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
500 ml milk or light cream
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.preheat oven to 350
.toss the chicken in a bit of olive oil, salt and pep and spread out on a tray and roast, about 15 mins for breast and 25 mins for thighs
.remove when done, pour off the juices and reserve, set aside the chicken in the fridge, meanwhile...
.in a large skillet, heat oil on medium heat, add in all the the veggies and herbs, season with salt and pep and cover with a lid
.stir occasionally until the veg are soft, about 20 mins, stir in the peas and parsley, set aside, meanwhile...
.in a medium pot, melt the butter on medium low heat, whisk in the flour and fry for about 30 seconds
.whisk in half the milk, allow to heat up and thicken, then whisk in half of remaining, again allow to heat up and thicken, then whisk in the rest of the milk, season with salt and pep and stir in the reserved roasted chicken juices, set aside
.bring the chicken out of the fridge and chop into bite size pcs
.place the chicken and cooled veggies (remove the thyme sprigs), into a pie dish or suitable casserole, stir in cream sauce, adjust seasoning
.place puff pastry on top, trim the edges if necessary, allowing the pastry slightly to hang over the edges and brush with the top with the lightly beaten egg
.bake in a 350 oven for about 25 to 30 mins until pastry is golden brown, enjoy!

Now, for my photo, I baked an individual pot pie in a 4 oz ramekin. How cute!! Use the same instructions, but just fill 5 or 6 ramekins with the mixture and top with cut out puff pastry rounds. Bake at 350 for about 15 to 20 mins. Perfect for lunch with greens or soup, or a super yummy appetizer at a dinner party! Wouldn't that be fun?! Have a great weekend and I will be back next week with another great autumn dish, that's super delish! Ha!!

Ontario Vegetable Ratatoutille

"Ratatouille doesn't sound delicious. It sounds like "rat" and "patootie." Rat-patootie, which does not sound delicious." Linguini, from the movie 'Ratatouille'

 

Ha ha! What a quote!
Well, hello my fave followers! How are all of you this fine Friday morn?! Wow, it feels like I've been gone forever!
I've been thinking all week about what recipe I would make today... On a visit up to our 10 acres in Norfolk County this past Monday, I picked a bushel full of veggies. The usual suspects made their way in there: eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, along with some summer squash (the white, U.F.O. shaped things!). So lovely! It dawned on me yesterday that a big ol' ratatouille would be the best way to celebrate all the flavours! For those of you who are not familiar, ratatouille is a vegetable stew, traditional to Provence, France; located beside Italy and along the Mediterranean coast. Oh Provence... I haven't been there yet, but I would love to go! I get romantic visions of olive groves, orchards and vineyards. Kev and I would spend hours wondering through outdoor markets, nibbling on the local treat of socca bread, looking at the day's catch, fruits and vegetables and sampling freshly pressed olive oils. Kev and I would then saunter into a cafe to enjoy a slice of pissaladiere. We would stay for dinner and I would have a bowl of bouillabaise served with a dollop of rouille, while Kev with enjoy a daube Provencale. We would drink copious amounts of locally made wine, then switch to pastis and enjoy sipping our liquor late into the night... Sorry bout that, back to reality! Now, there are two methods to make the stew, the quick way and the long way. I'm opting out for the quick way, of course! Instead of salting, draining and cooking the vegetables separately, we are gonna skip some steps and are gonna cook em' all together. The key is the order in which we introduce each ingredient, to make sure we do not overcook. Julia Child would certainly be scolding me, along with a whole host of French Chefs, but come on! I swear, I know what I'm doing! And I promise, my ratatouille will be delicious! Oh, here's a tip: have everything cut up and ready to go before you start cooking. It's much easier this way.

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Vegetable Ratatoutille
(serves 4 to 6)

2 to 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced or chopped
1 to 2 green and or red peppers, sliced or medium cube
1 eggplant, medium cube
2 zucchini or summer squash, medium cube
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 or 6 tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or a 28oz tin of chopped tomatoes, drained)
handful of fresh herbs, chopped (can be parsley, basil, marjoram or oregano, or a combo)
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

*season the veggies as you go with a little salt and pep, it will bring out all of the flavours!

.in a large skillet on medium high heat, add the olive oil
.when the oil is hot, toss in the onions and peppers, saute (stir frequently), for 5 mins
.add in the eggplant, saute another 5 mins
.toss in the zucchini, saute 2 to 3 minutes more
.stir in the garlic, tomatoes and herbs, add a dash more salt and pep
.now at this point, you can either turn the heat down to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook (20 to 30 mins), or you can transfer the stew into a casserole, cover with a lid or foil and finish cooking in a 350 oven for about 30 to 40 minutes
.it is done when the vegetables are tender, adjust the seasoning, bon appetit!

Now, if you feel your stew is too juicy, simply remove the lid and cook for another 5 mins or so to allow the juices to simmer off. This dish can definitely be made the day before. I love ratatouille! I will be serving mine for dinner tonight with a roast chicken (use my recipe found on my 'Recipes' page, just skip the roast veggies!), and a crusty loaf. I like to drizzle a little extra olive oil on the ratatouille before eating, it adds lovely flavour and a little more to sop up with your bread! You could also top with some cheese to make a great vegetarian main course! Yum! I've also served this stew over pasta with some grated Parmesan. The weather is a bit cooler these days and perfect for ratatouille. And let me tell yah, it fills your house with the most delicious aroma! Alrighty followers, bye for now and I'll be back next week!

Ontario Grilled Vegetable Couscous Salad with a Tomato, Basil and Balsamic Dressing

"There is nothing that is comparable to it, as satisfactory or as thrilling, as gathering the vegetables one has grown." Alice B. Toklas

Good morning my fave followers!
Wow, the last day of 'Salad Week' is upon us. You know, I had a hard time coming up with today's salad. I was looking at my basket full of veggies from our garden (including our fabulous summer squash, pictured above!) and wondered which vegetable I should highlight. Well, then I had another thought... Why not use them all?! Okay! So, I came up with today's salad: grilled vegetable couscous salad with a tomato, basil and balsamic dressing. It's a celebration of summer vegetables, that are all grown locally, here in the fertile land of Ontario. Please stop and think about where we live for a minute. We are in the middle of farmland that produces fruits and veggies, wheat and grains, nuts and berries. We all live close by to dairy and meat farms that make fantastic products. We even have the terroir to support an internationally recognized wine making community. How lucky are we, to be surrounded by all these bountiful riches?! And what is the best way to celebrate? Well, by simply taking these gifts and creating wonderful food to share with friends and family. I hope you like today's salad...

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Grilled Vegetable Couscous Salad with a Tomato, Basil and Balsamic Dressing
(makes about 4 cups)

2 cups cooked couscous (2/3 cup dried)
2 cups grilled veggies (I used summer squash, bell peppers, eggplant, scallions and red onion)
fresh basil, torn, for garnish

Tomato, Basil and Balsamic Dressing:
(makes about 1 cup)

1 medium tomato, rough chopped
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp or 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.prepare couscous, following package instructions, set aside to cool
.make dressing by putting all ingredients in a blender or processor for about 30 seconds
.mix couscous and veggies together, add enough dressing to combine (there should be some leftover), adjust seasoning
.serve on a platter, in a bowl or on individual plates, garnish with torn basil, enjoy!

With every bite, you will be enjoying the summer harvest! Try serving this salad on a bed of greens, top with your favourite cheese or throw in some olives. Instead of fresh tomatoes in the dressing, use a few sun dried. Heck, you could even warm this salad up as eat it hot. The possibilities are endless! Now, today's blog is not over, I've got more to say...

 Here's a quote for yah to read:
"...I'm taking this spring and summer off to: spend time with my family and friends, work on challenging projects, cook a lot of wonderful meals, learn more about food and to work on my parent's farm. This is where today's blog starts..."
Anyone remember that one? You're right, it's from my first blog, written on May 5th. Now, four months, over 3600 views and 99 blogs later, here we are. Hmm, did I end up achieving what I listed up above? Yep, and some! I can't believe that I did it! I really can't! I am honestly surprised that I kept my blog going and that I enjoyed every minute of it. I challenged myself and as it turns out, some people out there think I'm a pretty good writer! Who knew?! I was asked to write an article for the Stratford Chef School alumni newsletter and I might have got the gig of the Chef contributor for the seasonal 'Sideroads of Halton Hills' magazine. Wow! But don't worry my followers, I am going to continue with my blog! I will now write a weekly blog, instead of writing daily. I figure that this will allow me to spend a bit more time and energy on just one recipe a week. I will announce my blogs on Facebook when they are being posted and for you who are not on Facebook, you will just have to check in everyday and be surprised! And alas, it is time for me put aside the life of a freelancer and get back to work. Oh well, no worries! This experience has been so rewarding and I am so proud of myself for taking a chance. It has been a dream come true and I am so happy that you were all here to share it with me! Thank you so much.
Well, till next week sometime, my loyal followers... :)