Chocolate Truffles, Mini Butter Tarts with Cranberries and Walnuts, Shortbread with Crystallized Ginger

"Loving the holiday sweets!"

Hello followers!
Well, the countdown to Christmas is on and it's time to get swept up in that festive mood and get down to some delicious holiday baking! Cookies, squares, bars and cakes are just some of those good old holiday treats that get made but once a year. I must admit that I am not too keen on sweets, but during this time of year, I treat myself. Come on, how could anyone pass up piece of Grandma's shortbread? Or Mum's fruit cake topped with marzipan and royal icing? Here are some of my sweet Christmas recipes that I have developed over the last couple of years and I even came up with a new one for you all. Everyone likes chocolate truffles, right?! Ha! Once a year, everyone! Once a year!

Chocolate Truffles
(makes about 48)

300gr dark chocolate, about 70% cocoa solids, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup 35% whipping cream
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Put the cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl, set aside. Combine the chocolate and butter pieces into a medium sized bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat on high until it begins to boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and butter, allow to rest for about a minute. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Turn the chocolate mixture out into a shallow dish and place into the fridge until it is firm, about an hour. Using a melon baller or measuring spoon, scoop out heaping  teaspoons of chocolate. Working fast, quickly shape them into a ball, drop into a bowl of the cocoa and toss around with a spoon until fully coated. Refrigerate until serving. Make up to 3 weeks ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Variations:

Amaretto and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Stir 1/4 cup amaretto liquor into the chocolate mixture. Chill and shape as above, but coat in 1 cup chopped almonds instead of the cocoa.

Orange and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Stir 2 tbsp orange zest into the chocolate mixture. Chill and shape as above, but coat in 1/2 cup white sugar combined with 1 tbsp orange zest instead of the cocoa.

Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Stir 1/2 sea salt into the chocolate mixture. Chill and shape as above, but coat in 100gr grated dark chocolate instead of the cocoa powder. Sprinkle with a little extra sea salt to garnish.

Chili and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Stir 1/4 tsp Mexican chili powder into the chocolate mixture. Chill, shape and coat in cocoa powder as above. Sprinkle with a little extra chili powder to garnish.

The sauce can be made a few days ahead, refrigerated and simply heated up in a small saucepan or easily in the microwave.

Sticky Date Cake with Toffee Sauce
(makes 16 pieces)

1 ¼ cup dates, pitted
1 ¼ cup water
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup butter
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Toffee Sauce

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup 35% cream
½ cup butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 20cm x20cm baking tin (8 inch x 8 inch).

Place the dates in a medium sauce pan with the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few 2 to 3 minutes to soften the dates, remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Cream the butter and sugar with and electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time until fully incorporated (remember to scrape down the sides). Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and the dates. Pour the batter into the greased tin and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer that is pushed into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce by placing all of the sauce ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and stir until the sauce has come together and is slightly thickened. Serve the cake warmed  or at room temperature with the warm caramel sauce.

I decided to add ginger to my Grandma's shortbread recipe. Yum! They keep up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Shortbread with Crystallized Ginger
(makes one clay mold, plus a dozen cookies or about 4 dozen cookies)

1 cup + 2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt

Preheat  oven to 325 degrees.

With an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the rest of the ingredients and knead lightly until it comes together (the dough is a bit crumbly, but the butter will soften with the heat from your hands). Dust your clay mold with some icing sugar, then press the dough into the mold 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, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Place each on a large piece of waxed paper and roll into a log with your hands until about 5 cm thick. Wrap the log in the wax paper and place in the freezer for an hour. Remove from the freezer, sit for 5 mins, cut into slices 1cm thick, place on an ungreased tray and bake for 20 to 25 mins until lightly browned.

The quintessential Canadian sweet!

Make your butter tarts a day ahead and keep in an airtight container at room temperature. Also, if you are a cranberry lover, replace the dried cranberries with fresh.

Mini Butter Tarts with Cranberries and Walnuts

(makes 24 mini tarts)

350 gr pastry, homemade or store bought
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp cider vinegar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400.
Roll out pastry to 1/2 cm thick and cut out appropriate sized rounds, place them into lightly greased tart tins and refrigerate until the filling is done. In a bowl, vigorously whisk together the butter, brown sugar, egg and pinch of salt until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the tart tins out from the fridge, place several pieces of the walnuts and the cranberries into each shell. Pour the filling in until is it 3/4 full. Bake in the oven for about 10 to 12 mins until the pastry is browned and the filling is bubbling. Allow the tarts to cool in the tins before gently removing them.

Ontario Two Potato Gratin, Roasted Ontario Squash with Sage and Brown Butter, Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Ontario Potatoes





"Pass the veggies!"

Hello followers, hope you all had a great weekend!

Before we know it Christmas will be here and the family will be gathered around the dinner table, ready for their holiday feast! The highlight of the meal is of course the succulent roasted turkey, but the feast would not be complete without a selection of wonderful side dishes. Here are three great ideas that will definitely liven your Christmas table. The best thing about these sides is that they all feature Ontario grown produce! Enjoy!
 



Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Ontario Potatoes
(serves 4 to 6)

1 kg (about 4 large) Yukon Gold Potatoes
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400.
Scrub and cube the potatoes. Place the pieces into a bowl, add the salt, pepper and oil. Toss to coat. Spread the potatoes evenly on a parchment lined tray and place in the oven for 15 mins. Remove tray, turn the potatoes over and place back in the oven for 15 to 20 mins more until golden and tender. Take the tray out, sprinkle the chopped garlic and rosemary over the potatoes and return them into the oven for another 5 mins until the garlic is cooked. Serve immediately.

Roasted Ontario Squash with Sage and Brown Butter
(serves 6 to 8)

8 cups of mixed squash (about 2 medium sized), I used butternut and acorn
1 medium red onion
4 sprigs of thyme
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp butter
8 to 10 sage leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 400.
Peel and seed the squash, cut into bite sized pieces. Peel the onion and cut it into similar sized pieces as the squash to ensure equal cooking time. In a large bowl toss together the vegetables and thyme sprigs with the oil, salt and pepper. Turn the bowl out onto a lightly greased sheet pan and spread the vegetables evenly. Roast for 25 to 30 mins until tender and lightly browned. Meanwhile make the brown butter...
In a small pot heat the butter on medium heat. The butter will splash a bit when it is fully melted, so gently swirl the pan to avoid this. When the butter begins to froth, cook it until the butter solids begin to brown (2 to 3 mins) then immediately remove the pot from the heat so the solids don't burn. Allow to cool for about 5 mins, add in the sage and set aside.
To serve, place the roasted veggies into a warmed serving bowl, spoon over the brown butter and top with a little extra ground pepper.

Ontario Two Potato Gratin
(serves 6 to 8)

3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed well
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped, plus extra for garnish
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped, plus extra for garnish
2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1 cup 35% cream

Preheat oven to 375.
Slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2cm thick medallions, place into a large bowl. Slice the Yukon Golds in the same fashion and place into a bowl of cold water to avoid them turning brown. Drain the Yukon Golds and pat them dry and add them into the large bowl with the sweet potatoes. Combine them with the oil, garlic, both herbs, sea salt and pepper. Thoroughly toss the potatoes to make sure each piece is coated with the ingredients.  In a large oven proof dish, line up the mixed potato slices into neat rows. Cover tightly with tin foil and place in the oven for 45 mins. Take out of oven, remove foil and evenly pour the cream over the potatoes. Place back into the oven, uncovered, and allow to bake for another 25 to 30 mins until the cream has thickened. Simply wipe away any splashes of baked cream off of the inside of dish with a damp cloth and serve immediately.

How's this for fresh Ontario produce! The sweet potatoes for my recipe were recently dug up from our 10 acres in Norfolk County, Ontario, by my Dad and nephew Evan! Good job, boys!

 

Cheese and Wine Melt, Layered Cheese Terrine, Brie en Crute

"Go ahead, indulge yourself!"

Good day my followers!
Well, I cannot believe it's December already and the holidays are just a few weeks away! So, to get you all ready for those fun Christmas parties that I'm sure are on your calendar, I have decided to feature three delicious appetizers. These recipes I developed and photographed for my 'Sideroads of Halton Hills' holiday articles, over the last three years. Only looking at these now have I realized that they all feature cheese! Ha! I guess I don't need to explain that I love cheese and it's especially during the holidays that I tend to indulge. Cheese is one of those ingredients that is just so versatile and with so many varieties, the possibilities are endless. That being said, please feel free to change things up a bit and use your favourite cheeses in today's recipes. Believe me, you can never go wrong! Vive le fromage!



Cheese and Wine Melt
(serves 6 to 8)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, white only, rinsed well and thinly sliced
1/3 cup dry Ontario white wine
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped, plus extra for garnish
250 gr deli style cream cheese, softened
113 gr goat cheese, softened
1 cup gruyere cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat oil in a small frying pan on medium and toss in the leeks with a pinch of sea salt. Stir until softened and begin to brown, about 5 mins. Pour in the wine and add in the scallions, garlic and thyme. Allow the liquid to reduce until there is about a tbsp of liquid left in the pan, another 3 to 4 mins. Set aside and allow to cool slightly. In a bowl mash together the softened cream cheese and goat cheese. Stir in the leek mixture along with half of the grated cheese. Transfer to a small ovenproof dish, sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top and some thyme leaves for garnish. Place in the oven for 20 to 25 mins. Serve immediately with a fresh sliced baguette, crostini , crackers or your fave cut up seasonal veggies.

Layered Cheese Terrine
(serves 6 to 8)

1/2 cup deli style cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 cup Old Cheddar cheese (or for some zing, substitute 1/2 cup with crumbled blue cheese!)
2 tbsp pecans, roasted and chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Line a 250ml container with plastic wrap, leaving enough to hang over to cover the top when done (I find a small deli tub works best). Set aside.
In a small bowl stir together the cream cheese, butter, scallion, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Set aside. In another small bowl combine the grated Cheddar with the pecans and parsley. Place one third of the grated cheese mixture in the bottom of the lined container. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture on top. Repeat the layering until done. Cover the top of the terrine with the over hanging plastic wrap, press down lightly to compact the ingredients and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours before serving. To serve, simply uncover the plastic wrap from the top of the terrine, flip upside down onto a platter and remover the plastic tub and rest of the wrap. Serve with fresh sliced baguette, crostini or crackers.

Brie en Crute
(serves 6 to 8)

200 gr puff pastry, thawed (I prefer the P.C. brand made with butter)
flour for dusting
350 gr wheel of brie cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the puff pastry into a 30cm by 30cm square, or simply unfold the pre rolled sheet. Cut off all of the corners a couple of cms from the edges. If you wish, use the scraps to make a decoration for the top of your brie en crute. Place the cheese in the centre of the pastry and brush around the outside edge of the pastry with the beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the brie and gather, so the cheese is completely covered. Turn the brie en crute over, seam side down, onto a parchment lined tray. Brush the entire surface with the egg wash. Place your decorative pieces of pastry on top and brush with more egg wash. Place the tray into the oven and bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 mins, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the brie en crute to rest for about 15 mins before serving with fresh sliced baguette, crostini or crackers.





Baked Cheese and Onion

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

Hello my followers! How are you all today?
First of all, I'd like to say thank you! Since I last looked at my blog count, it seems like I have had more than 20,000 views! How amazing is that?!
Today I am going to share with you my favourite meal that our Nanny would make for us as children. My Nanny was from England, so needless to say, most of the food we grew up on was English. I know, I know, English cuisine is not exactly seen as fancy or that adventuresome, but I love it! It is the ultimate comfort food! Hearty soups and stews, roasts, fish, pasties, pastries and good old sharp English cheeses. Yum! Crumbly Cheshire cheese always adorned our tossed salads and Old Cheddar was often paired up with onion to make sandwiches, pies, tarts and the recipe I am blogging about today. Cheddar cheese and onion baked under the broiler until hot and bubbly, accompanied with soft bread was my childhood favourite. Pure savoury deliciousness is what I am talking about!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Baked Cheese and Onion
(serves 1)

2/3 to 1 cup grated Old Cheddar cheese
several sliced onion rings
1 tsp butter
2 to 3 tbsp milk
fresh ground pepper

Preheat the broiler and move the rack to the middle of the oven.
On an ovenproof plate, spread out the grated cheese evenly. Place the sliced onion rings on top, dot with butter, pour over the milk and grind a little pepper.
Place the plate on a tray, put on the middle rack in the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and browned. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, place on a liner plate and serve with bread. Enjoy!

Oh boy, just the aroma from the oven while making this has flooded my mind with memories. I can just picture the family sitting around the kitchen table, Nanny to my right, getting ready to enjoy our baked cheese and onion. I haven't had this dish since I was a child and it is still as delicious as I remembered! Food does so much more than just fill our bellies and keep us nourished. It can comfort us in so many ways and bring back memories of wonderful and joyous times.
Bye for now my followers and I'll be back soon with another culinary adventure!

Our Nanny

Edith May Evans died peacefully in her sleep on October 28 2012. She will always be our wonderful Nanny and today I would like to share some of my favourite memories and stories she told me over the years.
Nanny was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England. She had loving parents and three older sisters. As a young girl, the Second World War began. Nanny was taken out of school, away from her family and best friend Barbara Oakley and sent off to the Welsh countryside for protection. When Great Aunt Frank (short for Frances) went to visit her youngest sister, she was upset to find her absolutely miserable. So, she decided to pack Nanny up and take her home again. During the War, all of Nanny's sisters lived at home. Great Aunt Frank and Great Aunt Kate husbands were off fighting and Great Aunt Hilary wasn't married yet. My Great Nanny was glad to have all of her girls home and made it clear that if they were going to go, they would all go together!
Many nights the sirens would go off  during the blitz and the family would head down to the air raid shelter, but Great Aunt Hilary would refuse. One night as everyone was huddled in the shelter, they could hear banging on the door from the outside. "Oh, here's your Hilary," one of the men said as he opened the door. She was in a frantic state and said that their house had a bomb in it! Well, it actually turned out to be a nose cone that crashed right through the roof and got stuck in the bedroom floor! That scared Great Aunt Hilary so much that she never refused to go to the air raid shelter again. That story always made Nan smile, even though their house eventually did end up getting bombed, along with many other houses in the neighbourhood. Nanny's grade school also got bombed and she would always smile about that one as well.
Nanny had a fine time throughout the war years. Her and her three sisters all got war time jobs. Aunt Frank and Aunt Kate made propellers, Aunt Hilary worked at the cleaners, cleaning soldier's uniforms. Nanny got recruited to work in a parachute manufacturing company in Chester. Unfortunately Nanny's only way of getting there would be on her bike and Great Nanny didn't think it safe, so Nan got sent to a nearby flour mill instead. Nanny always said she didn't mind at all because she would have been way too stressed thinking if she had made the parachutes properly! Yikes! At first Nan had a tough time at the mill. She was too small to carry the 50 lb flour sacks on her back. Nan said the big strong girls from Liverpool would have a laugh at her, but told her she didn't have to carry the flour anymore. Nan ended up having a great time at the mill and said that all of the girls would sing and laugh all day long. While at her job at the cleaners, Aunt Hilary met some American soldiers. That year at Christmas, the two of them came to Nanny's house in a jeep filled with rations of food and sweets. It was the most food they had seen in years and spent a wonderful Christmas all together!



Nanny and her best friend Barbara were photographed by a professional and worried their Mothers wouldn't approve. Luckily, both of their Mums loved the photos. Beautiful!

 

Over the war years Nanny would go to many, many dances in the evenings with her older sisters and met many soldiers from England and the United States. She loved dancing so much and as we all say, Nanny danced her way through the war! A few years later with a lot of training, she won a Silver and Bronze at a ballroom dancing competition! One of  her awards was for a tango, danced to a song named 'Jealousy.'
One of Nanny's favourite things to talk about was her childhood dog Bobby. Bobby was a sheep dog and an extremely smart one at that! My Great Nanny would make a list and put it in an envelope along with money. She would give it to Bobby and tell him to go up the road to the butcher's. A while later, he would come back with the order and change. The funny thing is, is that most of the time the bag was filled with black pudding for his own dinner but Bobby never ate it before he brought it home! During the war, Great Nanny was told that Bobby would make a fantastic war dog since he was so smart and should be sent off.  "No way!" Great Nanny would say. "Not our Bobby!" Phew!
A few years later, Nanny was at a dance with her friends when she met a handsome young man. Not recognising his navy blue uniform, she asked him if he was from the Salvation Army. The young man was quite offended and corrected Nan by telling her that he was indeed a Royal Marine Commando. Oops! Well, he forgave my naive Nan and luckily so, for that handsome man in uniform ended up being the love of Nanny's life, Wally Evans!

Our handsome Grand Dad, Walter Evans.

Nanny and Grand Dad loved to sing and both had beautiful voices. They would often be found gazing into each other's eyes singing. How romantic! The years of singing continued while three daughters were born and the family packed up and moved to Canada in 1957 to start a new life. West Hamilton eventually became their new home. Most of Nanny and Grand Dad's new friends were from Scotland, so the tradition of singing continued.
In April of 1976 my Grand Dad died. Unfortunately I was only a baby and didn't get to know him. A little while later, Nanny and Mum's youngest sister moved in with me and my parents. Aunt Julie got married and left about a year later, but my Dad built an addition onto our house and Nanny stayed with us for 11 years. How special for my two brother's and I to have grown up with our Nanny!
Living with Nanny was wonderful and she was like a second mother to us. She and my Mum loved to bake and when using pastry, us kids always got to make our own jam pies with the leftovers. Nan and Mum loved to pack up a meal and turn it into a picnic. Whether it was simply out in the backyard, at Dundas Driving Park, The Toronto Zoo or Niagara Falls, those picnics were always so much fun! Sunday night dinner was often roast beef with all of the fixings, followed by roast beef and gravy sandwiches on Mondays, served with Nanny's homemade chips (fries). Yum, yum, yum! Nanny wouldn't use salad dressing, instead she would simply crumble sharp Cheshire cheese on her greens, a practise I still use today. Lemon juice and sugar were sprinkled on Nanny's pancakes instead of maple syrup and I must admit, I prefer it as well. I love traditional English fare and I have my Nanny to thank for that!
Nan also helped us kids not to be afraid of thunderstorms. Whenever one would come, Nanny would take us out on the porch to watch the magic happen! You see, the splashes of rain that hit the road and sidewalks aren't really rain at all, they are actually dancing rain fairies who only come out when it pours down hard. How lovely is that!
While living with us, Nanny slowly got over the loss of her husband and started a new life. She eventually left our house and got her own apartment. She met her good friend Mary and began to dance again. Even though Nanny had moved out, we all remained so close. Mum and her sisters visited all of the time and as I got older, I would go to Nanny's apartment to visit on my own. Once a week I would go for lunch. During this time we watched many films. 'Now, Voyager' starring Bette Davis and the dashing Paul Henreid was one of our faves.We also loved Dark Victory, Harry Potter, Moonstruck and Dracula. We listened to music, especially to Italian opera which Nan loved so much, The Three Tenors being her favourites. We would also talk about books. Nanny was an avid reader and read about 5 or more books a week! The history of England would always my subject of choice and Nanny knew it all! Nan would often scold me for not reading more and would encourage me by sending me home with a book to read. Ha!
Many years past and Nanny found her latest apartment in Shalom Village, Hamilton. It was painted the same yellow as her old apartment and was filled her furniture, photos, paintings and books. Our family visits continued and my Mum, Aunt Barb and Aunt Julie made sure that their Mother had a visitor every evening of the week. I would spend most of my Monday evenings with Mum and Nanny, chatting and listening to a lot of the stories I have shared with you today. Instead of reading her own books, we would take turns to read aloud to Nanny every night. And believe it or not, she would still tell me off for not reading more and recommended books for me to read! That's my Nan!
This past weekend, we had a gathering to celebrate Nanny's life. We enjoyed delicious food, told stories, looked at photos and listened to Nanny and Grand Dad's favourite songs and them singing together on recordings we cherish. We sang! We danced! We celebrated! We celebrated Nanny's life and it was truly wonderful!
Even though someone is gone, as long as their stories and memories are told, they will live on forever. I never knew my Grand Dad and yet I feel as if I do through all of the stories I have heard about him throughout my life. It will be the same with my Nanny in our family with each new child that comes into it. We all hold our Nanny dear and we will all remember her in our own way. For me, so many things remind me of Nan, especially whenever there is a thunderstorm and the rain fairies are out dancing.
Goodbye our dearest Nanny. Although the visits are over, we can still see your sweet face in our minds, those beautiful blue eyes, hear your lovely singing voice and feel your arms around us forever. I love you, Nanny.

Nanny and Grand Dad

Mum, Nanny, Great Aunt Hilary and Great Aunt Kate

 

Mum, Nanny, Aunt Julie and Aunt Barb

 

Mary, Aunt Barb, Aunt Julie and Nanny

Mini Ontario Apple and Pear Pastries

"In the entire circle of the year there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October..." Alexander Smith

Hiya my followers! What a lovely autumn day!
Here in our neck of the woods, we're enjoying some of those fall days that make you want to get outside and do something! You know, perhaps go to a farmer's market, buy some locally grown apples, pick out a Halloween pumpkin... Well, my sweetie Kevin and I did all of the latter yesterday, right here in Georgetown at 'Allison's Farm Market!' How fun!
So, since I now have a bag of Ontario grown McIntosh apples in our apartment, I figured I should make something with them for my blog today! A quick inventory lets me know we also have some pears, dried cherries, orange juice and puff pastry. Let's see what I can do!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Mini Ontario Apple and Pear Pastries
(makes 18)

2 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp orange juice
1 package butter puff pastry, I prefer President's Choice brand (it comes pre-rolled)
1 to 2 tbsp flour
1 egg, beaten
Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the chopped fruit, dried cherries, sugar and orange juice into a bowl and toss together until the sugar is dissolved. Unroll both sheets of puff pastry and using a glass with a circumference of about 8cm, cut out 9 circles of pastry out of each sheet, totalling 18. Place the circles onto a lightly floured surface and transfer the parchment paper from under the pastry onto a large sheet pan or two smaller sheet pans to accommodate all of the pastries. Arrange the circles onto the tray, so they are not touching. Place a heaping tbsp of the apple and pear filling onto the centre of each circle. Brush the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg. Place the tray into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 mins, until the pastry is browned. Allow to cool slightly, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve. Enjoy!

Having the pre-rolled puff pastry in the freezer is so handy! Wouldn't a batch of these mini tarts be perfect for a last minute dinner party offering? Now, as always, please feel free to switch up the recipe to suit your own tastes. Use all apples if you like, substitute the dried cherries with cranberries, add a touch of  cinnamon, toss in some nuts, etc!
So, make sure you also get outside and enjoy these lovely autumn days, okay followers?! Blogger's orders! Ha! Till next time!

Chunky Ontario Autumn Vegetable Soup



"Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living." Louis P. De Gouy

Hiya my fab followers!
Well, I woke up this morning feeling a tad under the weather and I now have a hankering for a hot bowl of homemade soup. Luckily for me, it looks like I don't even have to leave the house to shop for any ingredients. And thank goodness, since it looks rather dreary outside! Last week my sweetie Kevin came home with two giant squash that were harvested out of one of his co worker's gardens. One is a butternut, but I have no idea what the other one is! Do any of you know? So, along with the squash, I've got a few carrots, sweet potatoes, onions and some celery. All locally grown, of course! I'm happy to see that most of our herbs have survived the first couple of frosts, so I'll be tossing some of them into the pot as well! Okay, I better get started cooking. Mmmm, can't wait to taste it!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Chunky Ontario Autumn Vegetable Soup
(serves 6 to 8)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 butternut squash (small in size), chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs
2 sage leaves
2 parsley stalks, 1 in the pot, 1 reserved
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Water or vegetable stock

In a large pot with a lid, heat the oil on medium heat and add all of the vegetables and herbs, stir in a generous pinch of salt and a grind of pepper. Cover with the lid and allow to cook for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally, making sure to scrape up any dark bits on the bottom of the pot. Pour in enough cold water, or stock, until the vegetables are covered by about a couple of cms. Replace the lid and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove lid, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about another 20 mins, until all the veggies are soft. Chop the reserved parsley and toss in the pot and if you like, use a potato masher and give the pot a few good mashes. Remove the stalks and leaves, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, serve with buttered bread and sharp cheese. Enjoy!

There you go! A delicious soup, perfect for a day like today! Please feel free to use whatever autumn veggies you have around. Turnip, cabbage, parsnips or Brussels sprouts would all be delicious additions!
Now, at the bottom of today's blog I have included a couple of pictures from our recent trip to Cuba. 43 of us managed to get down there for the marriage of my brother Jordan and his wonderful Jennifer. The wedding went off without a hitch and a fantastic time was had by all! Congratulations again!
Also, I would like to say hello to my great aunt Marge and to my great uncle Ed! It was so lovely to have dinner together and get to spend some time with you both!



Kitchen Tip Number Three: Butchering a Butternut

Butternut squashes can be a bit intimidating! They are generally large in size and have a very tough skin. Trying to tackle one without a game plan can be a stressful experience, but with my step by step instructions, you might find it a bit easier. But, before we begin, make sure your knife is sharp and that your cutting board is secure!

1. Cut the squash into smaller pieces, so it is more manageable to handle.

2. Cut the tough skin off one piece at a time, then continue to cut into your desired shapes and sizes.

 

 

 

3. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

4. Turn the scooped out piece upside down and cut in half. Cut off the skin around the edges. You can hold the piece like a handle for a better grip.

 

5. Flip the piece of squash on it's side to remove the last of the skin and the core end.

 

  

 

6. Cut into your desired shapes and sizes.

 

7. Not too shabby!