Christmas 2006

My Mom made a cornmeal topped Chili one night they were here. It was delicious, I can't wait to make it myself.

Christmas Day breakfast I made a Cranberry Brie Tart. It's pretty easy, although with all the chilling and baking you'll need about 90 minutes to get it together. Make sure that you have you wits about you when you make this tart. I found out on my test run of the recipe a couple of weeks before Christmas that you can't blind bake a tart shell without using parchment paper:
Yup, it's a bitch trying to scrape lentils off a tart shell that they have baked themselves into.


Tart with Cranberries, Brie and Tomato
serves 6-8

175 g flour
75 g butter
190 g cranberry sauce
small handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
225 g cherry tomatos, halved
300 g brie, thinly sliced
2 eggs
150 ml cream

In a food processor, whiz the flour and butter into crumbs. Add 1 to 2 tb cold water until the dough comes together. Lightly flour your counter and roll out dough to fit a 9" fluted tart tin. Chill for 20 minutes.

Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake blind for 10 minutes at 400'. Remove the beans and paper and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 350'. Spread the cranberry sauce over the bottom of the tart shell, then layer with the basil, brie and tomatos. Whisk together the eggs and cream, season with salt and pepper and pour carefully over the tart. Bake for 45 minutes until golden and set. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Scott's mom has an embroidery machine and embroidered me these napkins for Christmas. Aren't they cute?


My parents neighbours are Swedish. When my mom told them I was cooking a Swedish dinner she sent along these table runners:

And these flags to put on the tree:

She also told my mom "I hope you won't be too disappointed in the food dear; Swedish food isn't very good."!

Incidentally, a couple of weeks before Christmas I was talking to my mom and she asked what I needed her to bring for Christmas dinner. I realized that I had totally forgotten to tell them that we were having a Swedish dinner like my dad wanted. So I told her all about it. She seemed surprised and said that she didn't remember hearing my dad and I talk about it. Well, the next night I got a phone call from my dad, saying that he didn't remember talking about a Swedish Christmas with me!!!! I double checked with Scott who says that he does remember, but still! That took a bit of the wind out of my sails.

We made Glogg:

And here's the dinner table for Christmas dinner:

I went a little easier on the menu than what I had planned - I just didn't want to spend the whole day in the kitchen obsessing about everything. We had:
Meatballs, Salmon, Stuffed Cauliflower (the recipe came from Mary at The Sour Dough), Gravy, Lingonberry Jam, Steamed Baby Potatos, Buns, Cream Cheese, Capers, Peas, Red Cabbage Salad and Curry Sauce for the cauliflower. It was all delicious. (See the white serving dishes? I got them for Christmas!)

Especially the Cauliflower. Thanks again Mary!

My dad brought a piece of Fois Gras with him, and he and Scott cooked it up on Boxing Day. I did not partake as I have no interest in Fois Gras. The other 3 ate it. It was Scott's first time and he was very underwhelmed. He told me later that he probably wouldn't have it again.



I feel like all I've been doing for a month is drinking alcohol and eating everything under the sun. I need some lighter healthier food, stat!

Mars Crunchies

Another treat I made for Christmas gifts this year was Mars Crunchies. This is orignially from Feast by Nigella Lawson, but City Palate Magazine adapeted them in thier December issue. I was going to make both to test as CP said Nigellas needed some tweaking, but I ran out of time. Mars Crunchies from City Palate Magazine

3 Mars bars, chopped into small pieces
2 tb butter
3 cups Corn Flakes

Melt the Mars bars and butter together in a double boiler. When completely melted and smooth gently stir the corn flakes into the chocolate. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let cool.

Hot Chocolate Snowballs

A new (to me) treat I made to give away for Christmas this year was "Hot Chocolate Snowballs" and they couldn't have been simpler to make. I filled plastic candy bags (from Michaels) with hot chocolate mix for 2 drinks, some mini marshmallows and either some chocolate candies or crushed candy canes. A little note for serving instructions twisted onto the tie and voila! Cute little 'snowballs'.

Recipes on my to-make-list

I was searching through my blog the other night looking for a certain post, and I kept coming across things I had eaten that I wanted to try to make at home that once I had written about, I've since forgotten. Here 's what I've found this morning in my archives that I want to make in 2007.

Fruit Drizzled with Cream of Balsamic
Chop Salad a la Ruths Chris
Creole Calamari
White Bean and Chorizo Salad
Grilled Cheese and Mango Sandwich
Meatballs in Tomato and Green Olive Sauce
Tamarind and Cheese Naan Bread
Mincemeat Tarts
use Grains of Paradise, which I have read about in Cooking for Mr. Latte.
Veggie Burrito, Fish Taco, Shrimp Enchilada.
Pretty much everything in this post.

September October November December Movies

Transporter 2 eh
Bride and Prejudice Yes
Grosse Pointe Blank (R) Yes
16 Blocks small yes.
Elizabethtown No. Noooooooo. NO!
Capote Yes
Hedwig and the Angry Inch Yes
Vanity Fair No
Little Miss Sunshine Yes
When The Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts YES
An Unfinished Life No
Bewitched No
Hoodwinked Eh
Chicken Little Eh
Shopgirl Yes

Where the Truth Lies sadly, no.
Prime No.
Strictly Ballroom (R) Yes
Good Night and Good Luck Yes
Big Night (R) YES! If you haven't seen this, you should.
The Greatest Game Ever Played eh
Poseidon NO!
King Kong No. This movie is painfully looooong.
Undertow Yes.
Just Like Heaven No.
Out of Africa Yes.
Wolf Creek No. Damn Scott and his scary movies.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang(R) YES

Best In Show (R) YES!
Firewall No.
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie Yes. If you want to buy me a present? Buy me this movie. I LOVED IT.
Friends With Money No.
The Accidental Tourist Yes
Galaxy Quest Yes
Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest (R) Yes.
Ultraviolet NO.
Mystery Alaska Yes, plus it was fimled in Alberta.
Madagascar Yes.

Superman Returns Yes.
Cheaper By The Dozen 2 Nooooo.
Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest (R) Yes.
The Producers Yes.
Ever After Yes.
A Far Off Place Yes.
Shaun Of The Dead(R) YES.
Take The Lead Meh.

Cookbook Wish List

These are books I one day hope to own.......


Hairy Bikers Ride Again.
I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence.
The Silver Spoon.
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.
Jamie's Dinners.
Barefoot in Paris.
The Gourmet Cookbook.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
Joy of Cooking.
Vij's.
Mexican Everyday.
How It All Vegan.
The Garden of Vegan.
Chef at Home.
Mastering The Art of French Cooking Volume Two by Julia Child.

End of Year Meme/Thang

The totally wonderful Linda at All & Sundry posts an annual End of the Year Meme, and this year after also seeing it over at Morgan's I decided to take part too.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Went to Las Vegas! That might have been the highlight of my year.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
The past few years my resolutions have all been about losing weight and getting into better shape. I did make some excellent progress, but the resolution will be the same again this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin did, and Scott's sister had a baby mid-December.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
The U.S.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
More confidence in myself; the ability to not worry so much about things I can't control; World Peace; some new clothes.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Our 5th wedding anniversary, and the day that I flew to B.C. for a ceremoney that postumosly honored my Grandmother for her volunteer work.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Ummmmmmm, working at changing our eating habits - paying more attention to what we eat, eating more "whole" foods, more natural foods, less meat. Getting rid of all the junk.

9. What was your biggest failure?
My organizational skills really went in the pot this year. I need to work on changing that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
After 2+ years in this house, we finally got a fence in our backyard!!!!!!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Anyone who did a good deed for someone less fortunate.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
99% of polititians.

14. Where did most of your money go?
To the house. It's always about the house.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Well, the fence was pretty exciting. And Vegas.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Broken Boy Soldier by The Raconteurs. I love the whole cd, but I especially love the vocals on this one.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?
Happier.
Thinner.
About the same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent more time with my family. Reading.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sitting in front of the TV.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
My parents came to town for Christmas. Next year we will go to their house.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
I stayed in love.

22. How many one-night stands?
Dur. None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Big Love. Lost. The Office. The Amazing Race.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word. There are people I am less fond of.

25. What was the best book you read?
This is a hard one. I read a lot this year, but nothing that is really standing out. I did acquire many vegan/vegetarian cookbooks this year, and am enjoying them.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No idea. I think my biggest musical discovery is that I am now too old for popular music. Fergie? The Pussycat Dolls? That isn't music, people. The Raconteurs, I guess. I like the Arctic Monkeys too. And Snow Patrol.

27. What did you want and get?
A fence!

28. What did you want and not get?
My basement finished. We have been working on it for a looooong time.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Little Miss Sunshine.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went out for lunch, for Thai food. Scott took me out for dinner to one of those Mongolie-style restaurants where you make your own stir-fries. I turned 34 in September.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting along better with certain people in my life.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Slob. And somewhat embarassed about it.

33. What kept you sane?
Reading. And my ipod, bless it's teeny metal heart.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I tend to get a lot of mini crushes on musicians, because deep down inside, I know I am a musical goddess.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Politicians going back on thier promises.

36. Who did you miss?
My Grandmother.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Well, I've "met" many excellent bloggers this year, and that makes me very happy.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
Know when to not do-it-yourself. Would have saved us some time and headaches on our basement.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Maybe it’s up with the stars
Maybe it’s under the sea
Maybe it’s not very far
Maybe this is how it’s supposed to be.

If you decide to take part in this yourself, drop me a line (iliketocookATshawDOTca) and let me know! I'd love to read it.

Happy New Years to you and yours. Be safe.

Weekend Cookbook Challenge 12 - Stew

This months Weekend Cookbook Challenge - number 12 by the way! - is being hosted by Shaun of the California blog Winter Skies, Kitchen Aglow, and I could not be happier. Shaun has a lovely site and he cooks some delicious food. Shaun chose STEW as the theme and it is perfect timing - we got a huge dump of snow today. It is feeling very wintry right now.

A couple of years ago I received Company's Coming Stews, Chilies and Chowders for Christmas. I'd never even opened it until Shaun emailed me with the theme! But when I did, I had a hard time deciding what to make. I settled on an oriental type stew, for something different.

This was pretty good - I had it done in about 45 minutes and it was a nice change from the standard meat-and-potato stews that we usually cook. It also uses Chinese cabbage, which I love, and made enough for 7 servings, which means (the way Scott eats) we'll get at least a couple of meals out of it.

Chinese Style Stew
adapted from Company's Coming edition of Stews, Chilies and Chowders

1 lb steak, cut into thin strips
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 tb tamari
1 tb sherry
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tb brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp hot chili sauce (like Sriracha)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz cellophane noodles
Boiling water (to cover the noodles for soaking)
3 cups chopped Chinese cabbage
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 onion, sliced into rings
2 tb water
1 tb cornstarch

In a large pot over medium high heat, stir together the orange juice, water, tamari, sherry, bouillon cube, sugar, ginger, chili sauce and garlic. Stir in the beef strips and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove cover and raise heat back to medium high. Add the cabbage, pepper strips and onion to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes. In a large heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the noodles and let stand until the noodles are softened (3 or 4 minutes). Drain and add to the stew. Stir well. Mix together the water and cornstarch, pour into the stew and simmer until thickened.

You have until January 5 to email Shaun a link to your WCC post for this month's round up! Check the WCC site for all the details, or email Shaun at kitchenaglow AT yahoo DOT com.

Merry Merry

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens


I wish for you and your loved ones a season of peace, joy and hope.

Have a wonderful holiday. Thanks for being out there.




Brandy Eggnog
1 drink

1 oz brandy
6 oz eggnog
freshly grated nutmeg

Mix the brandy and eggnog together, and grate some nutmeg on top. Serve cold.

Review: Crepes, Waffles and Pancakes!

Breakfast food is some of my favorite food. That's not to say that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day; I love to have breakfast-type foods for lunch and dinner too. But I always seem to cook the same things over and over; not a lot of different sorts of breakfast foods to be had. So while I was excited to be offered the chance to review Crepes, Waffles and Pancakes! by Kathryn Hawkins, I wondered how much variety there could possibly be in the book.

Tex Mex Style Chicken Waffles (Sizzling) pg 53.

Well, I was proven wrong. Very wrong. Kathryn's book is loaded with easy, fun and most importantly, delicious recipes for meals any time of day.

You would be hard pressed not to find recipes in here that aren't of interest to someone. All aspects of pancakes waffles and crepes are covered in this book. In addition to the standard pancakes and waffles that are perfect for breakfast and brunch, there are some downright fancy dishes, savory dishes, desserts, snacks and lots of relishes and sauces to go along.

Deep Pan Bacon and Apple Pancakes (Salty sweet) pg 36.

My very favorite thing about the book is this: in every recipe, under the title is a one or two word description of the dish. I totally love that, and it became the tool I used to try out recipes in the book. Some examples: The Deep Fried Mincemeat Pancake Pockets? Christmassy. The Cornmeal and Paprika Griddle Cakes? Smoky. Spiced Chickpea Pancakes with Eggplant and Coconut Curry? Inspirational. Just a clever idea and a welcome addition to the book.

Chickpea and Sweet Corn Cheese Cakes (Cheesy) pg 145.

The first section of the book is divided into 4 parts - an Introduction, with some interesting information on crepes, waffles and pancakes; Important Ingredients, which covers some of the different sorts of flours and liquids and seasonings used in the book; Equipment - the sorts of pans and appliances that will come in handy; and The Perfect Batter which covers basic batters for pancakes, crepes and waffles as well as storing tips and serving suggestions. All of these are informative and well thought out.

French Galettes (Continental) pg 89.

The rest of the book is divided into 6 chapters: Breakfast and Brunch, Main Meals, Specialty, Desserts, Snacks, and Accompaniments. All recipes are clear in their instructions and are easy to follow. There truly is something for everyone here - many recipes are vegetarian, or have suggestions to make them so. There are some Gluten-free recipes as well, and suggestions on alternatives to milk that can be used for those who are lactose intolerant.

The only roadblock for me were some of the different types of flour. I did have some difficulty in that, but for most recipes another type of flour could be substituted. When I was trying out recipes I could not find Buckwheat flour, Chickpea flour or Teff. I simply substituted what I could find and none of the recipes suffered. If you have access to well stock food stores or an online supplier, you will be in heaven.

Crepes, Waffles and Pancakes! by Kathryn Hawkins.
Published by Good Books.


Lemon Meringue Waffles (Tangy) pg 123.
From Crepes, Waffles and Pancakes! by Kathryn Hawkins

Serves 6.

1/2 quantity Basic Waffle Batter (recipe follows)
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
6 tb greek or whole milk yogurt
6 tb lemon curd
6 small meringues, lightly crushed
mint leaves to garnish

Prepare the half quantity of waffle batter, adding the lemon rind to the batter. Cook the waffles and keep them warm until you are ready to serve.

To serve, gently swirl the yogurt and lemon curd together and spoon on top of the waffles. Sprinkle with crushed meringues and decorate with mint leaves.

Basic Waffle Batter

makes 12 waffles

2 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tb extra fine sugar (optional)
1 egg, separated
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 stick (30g) unsalted butter, melted

Prepare and preheat the waffle iron or waffle machine as directed. Combine the flour with the baking soda, salt and sugar, if using, in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg yolk and milk and gradually work into the flour using a whisk. Beat gently until smooth. Carefully stir in the melted butter.

In a grease free bowl, whisk the egg white until stiff and carefully fold into the batter using a large metal spoon.

Pour over enough batter, to ensure that the moulded surface of the lower plates are covered sufficiently (about 3 tb). Close lid and cook until the waffles are done. Remove to a plate, keep warm, and continue making waffles with the rest of the batter.

I is for...

I is for Indian Food.
Who: Indian Food.
What: The cuisine of India, which is heavily influenced by the use of herbs and spices, and a greater use of vegetables than many other cuisines.
When: Britain has close ties with Indian food dating back to the mid 1800's when India was part of "British India".
Where: The customs and climates in the different regions of India impact the type of foods eaten in different parts of the country. Some areas are strictly vegetarian, while others include fish or meat in their diets. The Northen part of India uses more dairy (ghee, yogurt, paneer) and the Southern areas are heavier users of rice and coconut.
Why: Indian food is full of spices that have health benefits - cumin and ginger aid digestion, and tumeric has anti-inflammatory properties. Indian food also uses lots of good-for-you foods like lentils, chick peas, rice, spinach (saag) and cauliflower (aloo gobi).

Mango Lassi
A traditional Lassi is made with yogurt, water, salt and spices. Here's my delicious Mango version.

2 small or 1 large drink

1 1/2 cups plain low fat yogurt
1/2 cup mango nectar
pinch of salt
2 tsp (or more) sugar
big pinch ground cardamom (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a blender or use an immersion blender.


This is a total must try recipe - Curry Spiced Avocado Butter from the excellent Naughty Curry. This is completely to-die-for; rich and creamy and so flavorful. You can and will slather this on everything.
I under-estimated the power of the butter and only put out a small amount.
It was gone in less than 5 minutes.


We served some plain steamed cauliflower, but it ended up being tossed with the avocado butter.
Damn that stuff was good.



Indian Style Potato Cutlets

makes 6

1 large potato (10-12 oz) peeled and grated
2 tb cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 tb grated fresh ginger
1/2 hot pepper seeded and minced

oil for frying

In a bowl mix together the potato, cornstarch, salt, ginger and hot pepper.
Heat 1/2" of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Form the potatos into 6 small patties and fry in the oil until brown and crisp on both sides. Drain briefly on paper towel and serve hot.


Roti
recipe from Are You Really Going To Eat That? by Robb Walsh

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup clarified butter
1 cup warm water

Put the dry ingredients into the bowl of a mixer. Add 1 1/2 tb of the clarified butter and blend with a dough hook until well mixed. Add the water a little at a time until a soft dough forms. Continue kneading with the dough hook for 30 seconds.
Divide the dough into 10 balls. Roll the balls of dough into circles 5-6" in diameter. Heat a pan over medium heat. Brush the pan with butter and cook the roti on both sides.

What a feast! We also had some store bought pakoras, dal, and some sort of bean dish. It was all delicious, and it all went very well with the avocado butter.

For Indian recipes check out:

Naughty Curry
Cook's Hideout
Hooked On Heat

Previous Alphabet Posts:
A is for Artichoke
B is for Beet
C is for Carrot
D is for Dogs
E is for Egg
F is for Fondue
G is for Garlic
H is for Hamburger

Menu For Hope III

$10.00 is not a lot.

A couple of coffees at Starbucks.
Two magazines.
A ticket to a movie.
10 items at the dollar store.
Anything on Miss Doxie's 2006 Ten Dollar or Less Gift Guide.
19.6 Canadian $0.51 stamps.
6.289 medium Slurpees.
or 2/3's of this totally excellent Wonder Woman Wristlet!

OR you could buy a raffle ticket (or two, or five) for Menu for Hope III, the ongoing online raffle raising money for the UN Food Programme. Pim and co have so far raised more than $14,000 so far this week, and we need your help (and money!).
So please buy a ticket (or two, or five), maybe for, oh....CA08 or CA09? Those are good prizes...


CA09 - a copy of The Best of City Palate, an apron made just for you, a bag of Bernard Callebaut chocolates AND 5 not yet published recipes from my family's favorites.

CA08 - An AUTOGRAPHED copy of Dorie Greenspans newest book.

So please, won't you show me (and the World Food Programme) some love? Go here to donate now.

Blog Party XVII: Lights, Camera, Action!

This month's Blog Party over at Dispensing Happiness is all about the glamour. Stephanie's gone Hollywood, and she's taking us with her.

This month I've brought to the party:

Blinis with "caviar"


Deep Fried Pineapple


and a lovely glass of wine.


Blinis and caviar has always sounded like such an elegant dish to me, but I've never had any interest in trying caviar. Then it hit me - just fake it!

Blinis with "Caviar".
1 large (8oz) red or white skinned potato
1 tb flour
1 tb sour cream
1 egg
salt

toppings:

sour cream
finely diced tomato (the "caviar")
finely diced red onion

Boil the potato until tender. Cool slightly and peel. Mash the potato in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, sour cream and egg. Season with salt.

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Pour in about 1 tsp of oil and drop small spoonfuls of the batter into the pan. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Keep the blinis warm while you use up the rest of the batter.

To serve, place a small spoonful of sour cream on each blini. Top with some diced tomatos and onion, and serve. Squeeze lemon on top if desired. Serve straight away.


I love pineapple, but I wanted to do something different with it. So I fried it! I used a tempura batter I bought in Chinatown and stirred in some brown sugar and hot chile flakes. The result was really nice. Hot, crispy, sweet and spicy.

Our wine was from one of our favorite wineries in BC - Mission Hill. Besides having a completely breathtaking property, their wines are terrific. My favorite is the Riesling. If it's available in your area, you should try it.

Stephanie, thanks. I can't wait to see all the fabulous food at the party!

Menu for Hope III - Raffle Prizes

I'm sure most of you are familiar with Menu for Hope - the wonderful fund raiser that was started a couple of years ago by Pim of Chez Pim. For the last two years Pim and tons of bloggers have raised money for very worthy causes with the Menu for Hope raffle. Last year, $17,000.00 was raised for Unicef! This year is the third year, and I am very pleased to be a part of it. All money raised this year is going to The United Nations World Food Programme, a very worth cause. I have two prizes up for the raffle:

ITEM 1:The first raffle item is called "Culinary Calgary to go" and contains a copy of The Best of City Palate - a collection of food essays, information, handy tips and of course some really wonderful recipes. This is paired with a bag of Bernard Callebaut Bittersweet Chocolate Drops - Bernard Callebaut makes some of the finest chocolate in the world, and has won the prestigious Grand Prix International Artisan Chocolatier award. Also included is a (hopefully) cute homemade apron AND 5 of my family's favorite recipes that so far I have not published on my blog INCLUDING my recipe for the best carrot cake in the world. I promise you would not be disappointed with any of these yummy dishes.
This is raffle prize number CA09.


ITEM 2:
My second raffle item is called "Bring Dorie Home With You" and will be familiar to all of you who read about or took part in the spotlight on Dorie Greenspan's book. The prize is a copy of Baking: From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan, and is autographed by Dorie especially for Menu for Hope! So if you missed out on the Spotlight, or if you took part but would love to give a copy to someone you love, this is the prize for you!
This is raffle prize number CA08.

So please, please, please, if you can purchase some tickets, ($10US each), go to the donation page here - Firstgiving - Menu for Hope III and make your donation. You can purchase raffle tickets for more than one item at a time - you can see the instructions and helpful hints here.

Thank you so much to Pim from Chez Pim and Jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict for asking me to take part as well as organizing this whole thing.

Go here to see a list of prizes, including mine.

Cheers!

H is for...

H is for Hamburger.
Who: The Hamburger.
What: A Hamburger is a patty of meat (beef, pork, chicken or other) or vegetables that is fried or grilled and served on a bun, usually with condiments like ketchup and mustard and lettuce. Adding cheese turns it into a Cheeseburger.
Where: While ground meat patties have been around since the 1200's, the modern hamburger was created in the late 1800's or early 1900's in the US. Many towns claim to be the home of the first hamburger, but it may have been first served at the 1904 St Louis Fair.
When: Hamburgers really hit the mainstream in the 1950's when fast food restaurants started popping up everywhere.
Why: Burgers don't have that much value nutrition-wise. You can make them healthier by using lean meats, no oil, and no cheese or mayo. But what's the fun in that?

Standard Burger toppings in North America would include ketchup, mustard, relish, mayonnaise, lettuce tomatos and onions. Some like to add barbecue sauce or hot sauce, hot peppers, bacon, avocado, salsa, even a fried egg.
Australians add canned beets, fried eggs and pineapple rings to theirs. In England, HP Sauce is a standard condiment.

Speaking of nutrition, at Hardee's, a popular chain in the US, their 1/3 Lb Thickburger has 850 calories and 57 grams of fat. Their Monster Thickburger has 1410 calories and 107 grams of fat. In-N-Out Burger's Double Double has 670 calories and 41 grams of fat. A Big Mac from McDonald's has 540 calories and 29 grams of fat. I know, I'm such a party pooper.


Big Mouth Mexican Burgers
These are just guidelines, not an actual recipe. Make your burger mixture as you normally would, but instead of salt and pepper and what ever other spices you would add, use taco seasoning and add some shredded cheese- cheddar, mozza or a jack cheese. Form the patties and cook as usual. Instead of the usual ketchup and mayo, use guacamole and salsa (i made a black bean, corn and tomato salsa) instead.
Muy Bueno!


I took a picture of these Big Macs and then deleted it! Argh!
Homemade Big Mac
adapted from Fast Food Fix
makes 2 burgers

10 oz extra lean ground beef
salt and pepper
4 hamburger buns
2 tb finely chopped onion
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 or 4 slices processed cheese
pickle rounds
Big Mac Sauce

Big Mac Sauce
1/3 cup low fat mayo
2 tsp dill pickle relish
2 tsp ketchup
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp yellow mustard
2 tb finely chopped red onion
Blend all sauce ingredients together and chill until ready to use.

Season the beef with salt and pepper. Form into 4 4" patties. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Split all 4 buns in half. You will need 3 bun pieces for each burger - one top and two bottoms. If you wish, you can use 3 buns, one with 2 tops and a bottom and one with 1 top and a bottom. It's up to you. Toast all the bun pieces in the pan until golden. Set aside. Cook the burger patties until done.
To assemble the burgers:
Spread the Big Mac Sauce on all the buns. Put one bottom bun on the plate and top with one patty. Put a piece of cheese on the patty and top with pickles. Place the second bun bottom on top and the next patty. If you are using two pieces of cheese per burger, put the second piece of cheese on the patty. Top with shredded lettuce and the burger bun top.
Serve.



We won't speak of calories and fat right now. Here is my Fatburger Combo with Rootbeer from Fatburger. Oh, the things I do for you!

Previous Alphabet Posts:
A is for Artichoke
B is for Beet
C is for Carrot
D is for Dogs
E is for Egg
F is for Fondue
G is for Garlic

Black Bean Couscous Cakes

Here's a link I've been meaning to share with you for a couple of months. I discovered this blog Vegan Taste Test at the end of August. Shortly after that Brook went on hiatus which is really too bad! She's got some great stuff on there.
Her last recipe post is for Black Bean Couscous Cakes. These are absolutely delicious! You should all go check these out, you'll love them.

I made them again on the weekend, but when I went to fry the patties I realized I had forgot to add the binder (corn flakes) and the patties started to fall apart when I tried to flip them. So I did what Brook did when that happened to her; I just broke up the patties and fried it like hash. I think I liked them even better that way. I sprinkled in a bit of cumin and topped each serving with some sour cream mixed with lime juice and pepper. (I also used kidney beans instead of black beans; they are both equally yummy.)
It's hard to make something like this look good, but it tastes good.

Brook, I hope you come back soon. In the meantime, I think I'll have another couscous cake.

Edited to add - The next night I mixed the leftover hash with salsa, heated it up and voila! Taco filling was born. Oh, couscous and beans, is there nothing you can't do?

Roasted Squash

This is a totally amazing recipe I came across at The Pearl Onion. Kristin found the recipe in one of her Gourmet magazines. We have been eating more squash the past few years and I was excited to see a recipe that was more than just mashing the squash with butter and nutmeg.
This squash is roasted and drizzled with a hot pepper and lime vinaigrette. And it is SO GOOD.
Click here for the recipe.

PS -
Does anyone know what kind of squash this is? In the stores here they never label them and the only ones I know by sight are spaghetti and acorn.

Weekend Cookbook Challenge 11 - La Round Up

Pita Chips from Ruth at Once Upon A Feast.

Hey all, the round up for WCC 11 is here.

Thanks again to all of you who took part, hope to see you at the next one.

Speaking of #12, Shaun from Winter Skies, Kitchen Aglow will be hosting. Send him your links by January 5 at kitchenaglowATyahooDOTcom.

Next month's theme is STEW, perfect for the cooler weather!

Cheers,
Sara

G is for...

G is for Garlic.
Who: Garlic.
What: A vegetable closely related to the onion, shallot and leek. Garlic is most likely descended from species Allium Longicuspis, which grows wild in South West Asia. Garlic has been used throughout all of recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
When: Garlic is available in markets year round. If you want to grow your own, plant in fall or early winter to harvest in spring/summer.
Where: There are more than 600 sub-varieties of Garlic grown and sold around the world. It pretty much depends where you live for what you'll get.
Why: Garlic is good for you. Besides fighting off those pesky vampires, garlic contains Vitamin B and Allicin. It may also help to fight off colds, reduce cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.

Real garlic-heads can go to the Gilroy Garlic Festival held every summer in Gilroy California. The next festival is July 27, 28 and 29 2007.

Next time you're in San Francisco or LA, check out The Stinking Rose Restaurant. I've always wanted to visit Antonio's Garlic Clove here in Calgary.

Roasted Garlic
Roasting garlic really transforms the sharp fiery bud into something smooth and mellow. Spread it on pieces of baguette for a fast appetizer, fold it into mashed potatos, or try adding it to soup before pureeing.Cut just the bare top off a whole head of garlic to expose the tops of the cloves. Place on a piece of foil and drizzle well with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and wrap in the foil. Bake at 350' for 1 hour. Unwrap carefully, let cool until it's easy to handle, and squeeze out all that goodness.



Tomato Bruschetta Pasta
1 head roasted garlic
1 small red onion diced
4 large tomatos, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tb anchovy paste or olive paste
1 tb dijon mustard
2 big pinches of dried basil or small handful fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tb fresh lemon juice
big handful of kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
16 oz dried pasta
6 oz cheese, like feta or goat cheese

In a large bowl squeeze out the garlic pulp. Add the tomatos thru olives. Toss together and let sit at least 2 hours, overnight is better. If you refrigerate the sauce while it is sitting, bring it to room temperature before you cook the pasta.
Cook pasta, drain and toss with the sauce. Crumble in the cheese and serve.
Makes 4-6 servings.


Garlic and Shrimp...is there a better match in the food world?

Sweetie Shrimp
for 2 people or 1 really hungry one.

14 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 garlic cloves minced

Toss all ingredients together and let sit for 20 minutes. Heat a grill pan and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Cook over medium high heat for 2 or 3 minutes each side, until just cooked through.
Serve immediately.


Broiled Lemon and Garlic Shrimp
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tb olive oil
10 garlic cloves, chopped
pepper
salt, if desired
1 lemon

Toss the shrimp with the oil and garlic, and let sit for 30 minutes. Preheat broiler and cover broiler tray with foil for easier cleanup. Broil shrimp, turning after 3 minutes, until pink. Move shrimp to a bowl, toss with pepper and salt if desired, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over. Toss again and serve.

Previous Alphabet Posts:
A is for Artichoke
B is for Beet
C is for Carrot
D is for Dogs
E is for Egg
F is for Fondue

Weekend Cookbook Challenge #11 - Party Food

Since we're all heading into the holiday season, Party Food seemed a good choice for this challenge. It seems like all we do now is go to parties, lunches and dinners and eat wayyyy too much food. Not that that's a bad thing.

We had some of our neighbor's over for dinner so I decided to throw caution to the wind and make a new appetizer that I could blog about for WCC. I normally don't like to cook something new when we have company, but I figured it would be OK as the recipe seemed pretty straightforward.
I used my cookbook called The Girls Who Dish! which is written by some wonderful Vancouver female chefs.
I chose the Confit and Cambozola because it sounded good and wasn't very high maintenance. Just chuck it in the oven and leave it. What could be better? This was pretty good, although I wonder if maybe my garlic was getting old - it didn't soften very much. But it infused the tomatos and the "broth" with lots of garlic flavor, so I guess that's ok. This could be made for 10 people just as easily as it could be made for 4, and that's good party food.



Confit and Cambozola
By Mary Mackay from the book The Girls Who Dish!

serves 4

4 ripe tomatos, core removed
20 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tsp finely chopped fresh basil
4 tb olive oil
salt to taste
2 oz cambozola cheese sliced into 4 pieces
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375'. Slice about 1/8" (.3cm) off the tops of the tomatos. Place the tomatos cut side up in 4 ramekins. The tomatos should fit snugly (I baked my 4 together in a baking dish). Press 5 garlic cloves into each tomato and sprinkle 1 tsp of basil over top. Drizzle each with 1 tb olive oil and season with salt. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack for 75 to 90 minutes. To check for doneness, pierce a garlic clove with the tip of a paring knife; the garlic should be soft. Remove from the oven and top each with a slice of cheese. Top each with pepper.

Don't forget to send me your post for the Weekend Cookbook Challenge! Email me by Ddecember 3.