Chasing Tomatoes

Whole Wheat Sunflower Baguettes

2012-01-24T13:38:00.000-08:00

Warm bread, straight from the oven, is a favorite in our house. Specialty breads are available at the store, but often they are about $4-5 a loaf and are never as good as homemade. This recipe is something that I used to make long ago, but then forgot about until recently. These are really difficult not to just slather with butter and devour seconds after you take them from the oven, but the bonus is that you get not one, but two baguettes with this recipe.

Today as the wind howled and the rain pounded the windows outside, and I lay in bed sick with a cold, I dreamed of these baguettes. Too sick to actually make them, I thought all was lost until I remembered the thick slice I had tucked into my lunch in anticipation of going to work.

All was not lost - I finally had my warm bread slathered with butter for lunch, and you can too!

Adapted from Canadian Living

2/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp flax seeds
2 tsp quick rise instant dry yeast
1 1/4 cup warm milk
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten

Toast 1/2 cup of the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden. Watch them carefully! Seeds go from perfect to burned in seconds. Set them aside to cool.

In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup of flour, the whole wheat flour, flax, and yeast. Set aside.

Using a small saucepan, warm the milk, brown sugar, oil, and salt until the milk is steaming. Set it aside to cool, but you want it to be around 110 F, or as warm as a baby bottle.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring. I have a stand mixer so I just let it go using the dough hook. Sometimes I have to stop it and with a wooden spoon, scrape down the sides to get the flour incorporated into the dough. Add the 1/2 cup of remaining flour if you need it, but the dough should be somewhat sticky. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough into a greased bowl, turning to coat, and cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise for about an hour and 15 minutes.

Punch down the dough, cut in half, and roll out out each piece to about a 16x4 inch rectangle. They make fairly skinny baguettes, so I usually make mine about 12x 5 inches. Starting at the side closest to you, roll up until you have a long roll, pinching the seams when you get to the end. Set each onto a baking sheet and cover with a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm place to rise, about 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 F.

Brush the risen baguettes with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with the remaining raw sunflower seeds. You have to press them onto the dough a little, as they will tend to fall off. When the oven is good and hot, put the baguettes in on the middle rack, and bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Keep an eye on them, the original recipe said to bake for 25 minutes but I didn't go near that long and they were definitely done early.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

These are best served the same day, or you can wrap one up in plastic film and then foil, and put in the freezer for another day. Being home made, they do go stale a little quicker than bread that you buy from the store.

Makes two baguettes

Salted Kraft Caramels

2012-01-16T23:03:00.000-08:00

Caramels are one of my favorite treats, and when dipped in chocolate and topped with sea salt, they are even better! While I've made caramel from scratch before (and have the scars to prove it), this makes the process really easy and kid friendly. Whip up a batch of these to share with teachers and friends for Valentine's Day! That is, if you can eat from either eating the bag of caramels (which I'm likely to do) or eat the chocolate dipped ones first.

Adapted from Kraft Canada

1 package of Kraft Caramels
5 squares of 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate, melted
1 Tbsp sea salt

Unwrap all the caramels and dip them gently into the chocolate, setting to dry on a waxed paper lined baking sheet. Kraft recommends that you use a toothpick to handle the caramels, but I used two forks. Sprinkle the caramels with salt while the chocolate is still wet.

Allow the caramels to set, putting them in the fridge to speed it up.

Makes about 32

Disclosure: Kraft sent me a bunch of products to write about 3 desserts with. These weren't one of the original desserts, but it turned out well and I added them to the mix. I highly recommend them!

salted caramels [Flickr]

2012-01-16T22:58:39-08:00

Scatteredmom posted a photo:

lemon peel2 [Flickr]

2012-01-15T12:38:34-08:00

Scatteredmom posted a photo:

Oreo Cookie Bark

2012-01-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I made this addictive snack for Christmas, never dreaming how utterly amazing it is. My guys are not into chocolate bar, and yet as I sat the pan to cool on top of the deep freeze in the garage, they couldn't help but break off bits as they walked by. One evening, I found my husband, lips covered in chocolate.

Yes. He'd been into the Oreo bark. It's addictive and downright scrumptious. Also really easy, as there's only 3 ingredients and you can easily get the kids to help you. Break up bits and divide into bags, then give to friends and family for Valentine's Day or Easter.

Adapted from Kraft Canada

15 Oreo cookies, cut into quarters
12 oz semi sweet chocolate
6 oz white chocolate

Melt the semi sweet chocolate in a microwave or on low heat in a saucepan. Remove from heat. Add the Oreo cookies and stir very gently. Turn out onto a foil lined cookie sheet and spread out with a knife-try to spread out the cookies so they aren't in a clump but instead a single layer. Make sure to keep it thin so it's easy to break when cooled.

Melt the white chocolate and drizzle on top, filling in the thin spots.

Allow to cool and harden.

Try not to eat the entire pan.

Variation.....broken pieces of candy cane would be delectable in this, or you could add Easter colored M&Ms, or for Valentine's day even some cinnamon hearts.

Oreo Truffles with Kraft Canada

2012-01-11T22:14:00.000-08:00

Back in December, I had signed up with Kraft to help out with Dessert1st, a really cool promotion with full intention to take it on and be fabulous! Life happened and somehow, my dessert1st posts didn't make it up. Better late than never, I made these truffles on the weekend and we have had a really hard time staying away from them! They are amazing! I think they would make a great Valentine's Day or even Easter treat as well. All you need to make them is cream cheese, Oreos, and some chocolate and some extra hands to help roll them into balls. The kids would find this a really fun activity, although you may want to have extra Oreos on hand to keep them from eating the truffle filling! These would make fantastic little Valentine or Easter treats for teachers, family, and friends.

Makes 42

Adapted from Kraft Canada

1 package (350 g) Oreos
one 8 oz package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
2 packages of Baker's Semi Sweet Chocolate

Crush up the Oreos. You could do this is a food processor, or put the cookies in a zip lock bag and let the kids crunch them up with a rolling pin. Set aside 1 tbsp of the crumbs. Stir in teh cream cheese until well blended. Again, I used a food processor so it was really easy. You could also use an electric mixer, if you wish. Cover the mixture and chill.

Roll the cream cheese mixture into 1 inch balls and chill for another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and gently dip each ball in the chocolate. Sprinkle some of the crumbs over top.

Let the truffles set for about an hour.

Variation:

For Valentine's day, try topping with pink/red sprinkles to make them festive, or heart shaped sprinkles. You could even press a cinnamon heart into the chocolate while they are wet.

For Easter: Top with pastel colored sprinkles while the chocolate is wet.

Disclosure: Kraft Canada sent me a box of products to make their Dessert1st recipes, a pretty plate, and a $25 Visa card to buy the remaining supplies I would need.

Ready for Valentine's Day! [Flickr]

2012-01-11T21:57:42-08:00

Scatteredmom posted a photo:

Oreo Truffles [Flickr]

2012-01-11T21:57:22-08:00

Scatteredmom posted a photo:

Perfect for Valentine's day!

You can WIN a $1450 All Clad Cookware Set From Yummy Mummy!

2012-01-10T22:16:00.000-08:00

Being the Food Editor over at Yummy Mummy Club means that I get the scoop on some really awesome things that are happening over there, and right now a contest is going on that will knock your socks off.

Seriously. Totally off!

Three people are going to have the chance to win an All Clad Cookware set, worth $1450 from VH sauces. Goodness, if I wasn't the Food Editor I'd totally be entering to win one myself, that is one AMAZING prize! What do you have to do?

Oh baby. Aren't they pretty?

1. Spice up a recipe using one of VH's sauces. It's not hard, and you have a lot to choose from, with everything from Chinese to Indian and Thai. Go wild! Take a regular recipe and see if you can spice it up. Need ideas? Here's a few to get you started. (oh YUM, honey garlic ribs!) Think you can't be creative in the kitchen? No worries, I wrote a how-to article with some great ideas over here. Check out the Hub where you can find all sorts of ideas for how to spice up your comfort food.

2. Take a photo of the food. I know, it's hard right now with the light being low but don't worry, it doesn't have to be magazine worthy. Snap a picture!

3. Submit the picture and the recipe to Yummy Mummy Club.

You have until January 31, 2012, which isn't a long time so GET COOKING! (check out the rules here)

Karen's Lamb Pasta Sauce

2012-01-08T23:16:00.000-08:00

When Kevin was about seven, we lived on Vancouver Island. One summer day we went to the Filberg Park in Comox, BC where inside the park they run a small petting zoo that we often visited. There were all sorts of animals, including a tiny pot bellied pig that followed us everywhere but refused to be touched, and cute little lambs running around. As Kevin absentmindedly stroked their wool, he asked,

"What are we having for dinner tonight?"

I didn't know what to say. Do I let him know that lamb would be on his plate? Or should I kill that fantasy (pun intended) that meat just magically appears in little styrofoam containers in the supermarket? I hesitated but eventually met his gaze.

"Um, it's lamb. Pasta with lamb sauce."

Kevin's hand stopped mid stroke, and his blue eyes widened. He looked down at the wooly little lamb standing beside him, then back at me. I'd like to say I was a sympathetic mother but on that day, I didn't offer words of consolation.

I bleated. Loudly.

Needless to say, it's a good thing that my son loves his meat and isn't deterred by the fact that we eat the flesh of cute animals, because he went home that night and ate a huge bowl of lamb pasta sauce, afterwards declaring that lambs were cute AND tasty. The other night, about nine years later he wolfed down another bowl of pasta and lamb sauce, again smacking his lips and reminiscing about the time that I horrified him about what he was eating. Where did I get the recipe for this one, he wanted to know. The truth is there was no recipe, just a vague idea of what I wanted to eat as I wandered through the grocery store. I had a craving for some type of rich, meaty sauce topped with feta cheese, and then went home and created it.

I think what made this one different than another sauce I make is that the lamb I used was not the typical frozen kind in a tube,straight from New Zealand that I usually find at the store, but instead fresh lamb patties, with their edges rolled in chopped fresh mint. I may not have even bought them but they were a full $3/lb cheaper than the frozen meat, so they went into the cart. After tasting the difference, I'm not sure I can buy the frozen meat again.

1 lb lamb (fresh is best, but frozen and thawed will do)
1-2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped fine
1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded, cored, and chopped
6 mushrooms, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 can of italian plum tomatoes (I like cortina brand, the juice is nice and thick)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup red wine

In a large pan with a little olive oil, saute the onions and garlic over medium low heat until softened and translucent. Stir in the rosemary and continue to saute a few minutes longer. Push the onions and garlic to the side of the pan, then crumble in the lamb, breaking apart with a spoon and turning the heat up to medium.

Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the chunks of meat until cooked through and no longer pink. Add the mushrooms, red pepper, mint, fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste. Continue to stir and cook until the vegetables soften and the pan becomes somewhat dry (juices from the meat will be absorbed by the vegetables). Stir in the wine and tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon. Using the can from the tomatoes, fill it about 1/3 full with water, and pour it into the pan. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, and brown sugar. This will look very watery, but the liquid will evaporate and you will be left with a delicious, meaty sauce. Be patient!

Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and let simmer for about an hour and a half, until it's thickened, stirring now and then.

Serve with pasta and feta cheese.

Makes about 6 servings.

Oreo Cookie Bark 3 [Flickr]

2012-01-08T21:34:07-08:00

Scatteredmom posted a photo:

We CAN'T STOP EATING this.

Why You Shouldn't Copy and Paste Recipes to Your Blog

2012-01-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

Food blogs are a lot of work. More work than other blogs; you don't just sit down and write a post when you blog about food. No, you are researching food trends, scouting out new recipes, then planning, shopping, and cooking the food. You work on plating it, taking photographs, then downloading and tweaking the photos. Sometimes I have to shoot things twice if the first batch don't turn out, which is pretty common this time of year when the light is bad. Often my weekends are full of shopping, cooking, and taking photos so that I have content both for this blog and Yummy Mummy Club.

Afterwards, I sit down and write the recipe, and post. Often I'm up very late at my laptop, typing well into the wee hours. In total, each recipe on this site represents hours of work.

Many people are unsure about copyright laws and how they pertain to food blogs, and since I've had a number of people come and help themselves to my work here, I'm going to explain what readers are allowed, and not allowed to do with my work on Chasing Tomatoes.

You are allowed to:

-try the recipes in your kitchen (in fact, I hope you do!)
-post the recipe on your blog if YOU write the instructions in your own words and use your own photos.
-link to my site.
-print the recipes for your own personal use. It's hard to cook in a kitchen via laptop!

Many of the recipes on my site are adapted from elsewhere. This is because lists of ingredients can NOT be copyrighted. Help yourself! Make the recipe, re-blog it elsewhere. I don't expect you to write "adapted from Chasing Tomatoes" if the recipe is something that I sourced from elsewhere and changed very little. It would be nice of you to mention me, but I expect that you'll credit the original source, which is who I've credited. However, there are recipes that I have come up with on my own, and with those it would be nice to be credited.

But read on to the ONE thing that stops you from straight copy/paste even if you include a link back.

You are NOT ALLOWED TO:

-use my photos without my written permission
-copy and paste entire posts or recipes without my written permission

Here's where it gets trickier. While you CAN use the ingredient lists, you can NOT just take the written instructions. Those words are absolutely mine and protected by copyright. Don't be lazy, write your own! The photos are also protected by copyright, and belong to me. I do NOT want them used anywhere without my written permission. Ask! If you are doing a post where you feature other's work, just let me know what you are doing, include a link back to the recipe, and many times, I will say yes.

Do not take posts, then leave a comment telling me "Thanks for sharing. I reposted this on my blog with a link back to you." I have had this happen a bunch of times in the last year. Asking after you've already take the post is still stealing.Then, it becomes awkward because I need to write you and convince you to take it down. Even if you have no malicious intent, it feels like my work is being held hostage and the likelihood of me ever giving you permission to use ANY of my work ever again is nil.

Is that the kind of blogger you want to be?

The first time this happened, a reader took an entire post and photo. When I protested and tried to explain copyright, they said that they just "borrowed it" to "make things easier for their readers". Copying posts is not borrowing. It doesn't make things better for their readers, it makes things easier for the blogger who is too lazy to come up with their own work. When I continued to protest, they removed the photo but kept the written recipe which is, in fact, mine. They altered it slightly, probably so that I'd leave them alone. In place of the photo they left a blurb which made me sound mean because I wouldn't let them use it. If they had just asked first, I would have. I even offered to guest post and write the beginning of the post to better suit their blog and allow them to leave it. I wanted to be nice, really.

The second time, a reader took a post and when I emailed to explain copyright, they removed it and then began asking me for blogging advice on how to increase their traffic. SERIOUSLY? Perhaps one should start with not using other people's work. If you want advice about how to get traffic just email me, but don't take my words.

Someone else didn't leave a comment, but instead copied a post and added it to Food.com. Yes, she did leave a link. But those are MY words, not hers and she didn't ask me.

Another has left a comment saying they have re-posted one of my recipes on their blog with a link back, but no such link is to be found.

The bottom line is this:

Just because things are on the Internet doesn't mean they are free for the taking. I will not be grateful that you have chosen to feature my work on your site, no matter how famous you are or how much traffic your site gets. It doesn't matter if you add a link back and tell me after the fact, taking other people's work is stealing, plain and simple.

Besides, I'm sure that you have a ton of fantastic ideas that I could never come up with. You are fantastic and creative on your own, and the last thing you need to do is sell yourself short by copying someone else's work. I will freely offer advice and support to people who are trying to establish themselves in the blogging world, but I won't give you my work. That is personal. It's the food shared around the table by my family, it's hours spent tweaking photos and words until they are just right, it's recipes perfected so that my readers will enjoy them at home. It's a piece of ME.

Don't steal it.

Sundried Tomato and Feta Hand Pies

2012-01-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

At first I wasn't sure about the lentils and olives, but they are mighty tasty!

These flaky little pockets stuffed with tasty feta, sundried tomatoes, olives, and lentils make a great snack or appetizer. I admit, at first I wasn't sure about the filling but in the pie it totally works. You could even tuck them into a lunch box for the kids! Don’t let pastry scare you off-I’m still learning how to work with pastry and found them surprisingly easy. The thing is, they are so good that you will have a very hard time not scarfing them down before they hit the lunch box!

Adapted from Spill the Beans

2 ½ cups flour

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

¾ cup cold butter

5 tbsp ice water, plus more as required

Filling:

¼ cup dry green lentils (or ¾ cup canned lentils, drained and rinsed)

¼ cup kalamata olives (about 8-10), chopped finely

¼ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped finely

¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled finely

1 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped finely

freshly cracked pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp water

In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt with a fork. Using the coarse side of a grater, grate the butter into the bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the water tablespoon by tablespoon, stirring with a fork until it begins to clump together, adding as little water as you have to.

Turn the dough out onto the counter and bring it together into two disks. Handle the dough as little as possible. Too much handling makes pastry tough, and you don’t want the warmth of your hands to melt the butter in your dough either. Cover the disks with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Make the filling:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.

In a small saucepan, cook the lentils in 1 ¼ cups of water with the lid on for about 30 minutes. Take them off the heat and allow to cool. In a bowl, combine the olives, sundried tomatoes, lentils, feta, parsley, and pepper.

Roll the dough out on a floured counter to less that 1/8^th of an inch thick. Cut into 4 inch round circles-fill each with a scant 1 tbsp of filling, then crimp closed with a fork. Re-roll the scraps of pastry only once before re-cutting out. Place the filled pockets 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg and cut three tiny slits in the top before baking for about 10-14 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

If you have leftovers, these are easily re-heated. Just pop them into a 350 F oven for a few minutes until hot, and serve.

Makes 12-15 pies

After taking this photo I ate FOUR. Yes, four.

Sugared Cranberries

2012-01-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but after Christmas and Thanksgiving I always have cranberries left over. Maybe it's because when I make turkey I never use the whole bag and stash the rest in my fridge, or I buy more than I need and days later find them sitting in the crisper forlornly. Honestly, I was never much of a cranberry fan, whether it was in the sauce that you make to top your turkey or in muffins.

You see, I have a sweet tooth and I find them a bit sour. Until, of course, a friend of mine gifted me with some of these sugared cranberries last Christmas. They sat on the counter in a bowl and unable to resist their bright red, yet sparkly exterior, I nibbled at them one by one (okay, possibly it was more like handfuls) until they were gone. This year, I couldn't resist making some more and even bought extra cranberries!

Adapted from 101 cookbooks

2 cups fresh cranberries, picked over
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

In a saucepan over medium heat, make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar melts and the mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. This is important-if you add the cranberries when it's still hot, they will burst.

Combine the simple syrup and cranberries in a jar/bowl/glass measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to chill until the next day. I have been known to forget about these and leave them 2 days, which didn't make a differences, really.

Drain the cranberries. If you want to make more, you can actually save the simple syrup and use it again. In a large bowl, toss the berries with sugar, spoonful by spoonful. You don't want the sugar to clump up from the moisture, but rather coat the berries well. When they seem sufficiently sugared, spread on a parchment or waxed paper lined baking sheet and let them dry for about two hours. You can, if you wish, toss them with sugar again to take care of any missed spots, but I don't really bother. Let them dry well.

Makes 2 cups

I store these on the counter in an airtight container. They will last a few days, and then will start to become soft so it's best that you eat them fairly soon after making-as IF you'll be able to resist!

Asian Style Turkey Salad

2011-12-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

Some time ago, I found some videos of a Jamie Oliver Christmas special on You Tube and found this great one where he makes a fantastic salad using leftover turkey. Inspired to make my own, I found the recipe on his site and served it for Christmas Eve.

Since I didn't have any leftover turkey meat, instead I poached some chicken thighs in a little water with peppercorns, a bay leaf, some fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage, along with a slice of lemon peel. The meat worked very well and the salad was absolutely amazing. What a great way to use up leftovers!

Adapted from Jamie Oliver.com

2 large handfuls of brown turkey meat
1 large handful of unsalted cashews
1 handful of dried cranberries
2 tsp 5 spice powder
a bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked off
bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked off
4 large handfuls of mixed greens-I used arugula, and green leaf lettuce, but you can also use spinach and watercress
1 tbsp honey
1fresh chile, seeded and chopped (optional)

Dressing:

juice of a clementine
juice of a lime
1 pomegranate, halved
1/2 red onion, grated
extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, grated

In a dry pan over medium heat, combine the turkey meat, cashews, dried cranberries, and 5 spice powder, give it a good stir and then allow it to brown and crisp up while you assemble the other ingredients.

Toss the mint, coriander, and greens together in a bowl. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the clementine and lime juices. Holding one of the pomegranate halves over the bowl, give it a squeeze to get some juice out. Make sure to hold your hand under the half so that none of the seeds will fall into your dressing. Stir in the grated onion, then some olive oil. This is where you get to judge where you like it best-I preferred about half of the juice and half oil, but Jamie recommended more than that. I say maybe you should just try it and if you want more oil, add some. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, then get your grated ginger and squeeze it over top so the juice drips into the bowl as well. Give it a good whisk.

Toss the greens with some of the dressing, adding a little more oil, soy, or lime juice if you wish.

Give the meat a good stir, and then add the honey, moving it all around in the pan to get it coated and crispy. Put some of the greens on each plate, then top with the hot meat. Top with some pomegranate seeds from the reserved half and serve immediately with the leftover dressing so that people can add more if they like.

Serves 4.

Domino Potatoes

2011-12-29T21:05:00.000-08:00

I love potatoes. Crispy, fried, baked, mashed, they are a perfect comfort food, if you ask me. For Christmas day I was making a fantastic pepper steak and was reminded of a dinner I had a few months ago in Vancouver where there were these amazing thinly sliced potatoes. I wasn't exactly sure how they did it, but then I remembered this recipe I saw in an issue of Bon Appetit, and decided to try it. At first, I wasn't sure how I was going to get the potatoes sliced thinly enough because I don't have a mandolin, but then I remembered that my ancient little Cuisinart food processor had a slicer blade, and I was good to go.

You really want these potatoes sliced thinly, so if you don't have a food processor it could be a challenge. They bake up all crispy and browned on the bottom, fragrant with bay leaf, and topped with simple cracked pepper and a good salt, they are SO delicious. I even had to make another pan the next day because there just wasn't enough.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes
about 24 fresh or dried bay leaves
freshly cracked pepper and salt

Grease a cast iron pan or 13x9 inch baking dish with 2 Tbsp butter and pre-heat oven to 425 F. I actually used a glass dish and it was fine, so you could go that route too.

Peel the potatoes and using either a mandolin or food processor, thinly slice the potatoes to about 1/8th of an inch thick.Place the potatoes in the pan, fanning them like a deck of cards and lining them up in a row as you go. Once you've filled the pan, tuck bay leaves here and there in among the potatoes, drizzle them with 4 tbsp melted butter, then sprinkle with a good bit of salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Bake for about 30-45 minutes, until the bottom and edges are browned and crispy.

Makes about 8 servings.

Bacon Maple Pecan Roasted Chickpeas

2011-12-27T20:10:00.000-08:00

Beans for breakfast? You bet. This recipe caught my eye when I flipped through Spilling the Beans, and I quickly resolved to make it Christmas morning. Served with buttery croissants, oranges, and hot cups of coffee, it was delicious. I also made some a light dinner with a salad a few days later when I discovered the leftovers in the fridge. Sweet, salty, and so delicious, this recipe makes a decadent snack.

I chose to double the original recipe because I'm a little greedy.

Adapted from Spilling the Beans

One 19 oz can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 handfuls of broken pecans

Pre-heat oven to 325 F

On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, roast the chick peas and bacon for 30 minutes, or until bacon starts to brown a bit. Increase the oven temperature to 400 F. Add the pecans and stir, then put the pan back into the oven for about 5 minutes more. Drizzle the maple syrup over all, stirring. Don't worry if it looks like a lot, it will be tasty. Trust me!

Put the pan back in the oven and let the maple syrup bubble and glaze the bacon, pecans, and chick peas, which should take about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir, and let cool a little before you serve.

Makes about 3 cups

Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peel

2011-12-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

For the longest time, I thought that I didn't like the taste of chocolate and orange. What I eventually realized is that it's not that I don't like that particular flavor combination, but rather that I don't like cheap or artificial chocolate and orange. These home made bites are amazing-so much better than anything you can buy, and make a delicious Christmas gift. We even liked the candied orange peel without the chocolate!

The recipe is very easy, uses few ingredients, but it does require a little time and patience.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

4 navel oranges

Simple Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

16 oz of dark chocolate for coating

Cut one end off the orange so it would sit flat if you set it down on a counter. Then score the peel top to bottom, so that you can peel it off in about 4 sections.

Thinly slice (but not super thin) the peel into strips. Do this to all four and set aside the oranges. You can eat them for a snack or something, because you don't need them anymore. It's only the peel you need to worry about.

In a pot of boiling water, blanch the orange peels for a couple of minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, rinse, and then blanch them again. This removes all the bitterness from them.

In a different pot, bring the one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a simmer, stirring until the sugar melts. Add you blanched orange peels, turn the heat to low, and put a lid on. Let them simmer away for about an hour, checking on them every so often to turn down/up the heat if you need to.

After an hour, remove the peels from the syrup and set them on a wire cooling rack in a single layer. I put a piece of parchment paper underneath, as the syrup dripping off of the peels is sticky and then I had less clean up. Set them aside and let them dry. I let mine dry all night, and they were perfect in the morning.

Melt 16 oz dark chocolate in a double boiler set over hot, but not boiling, water until smooth. With a waxed paper lined cookie sheet nearby, dip the peels in the chocolate one by one. This is a messy process, and a little time consuming, but worth it. Set the dipped peels on the lined cookie sheet to dry until they are set.

I'm not sure how to describe how these turn out once they've sat and the chocolate has hardened up. The peel, which you'd think would stay chewy, actually goes kind of soft in the center. These taste just like the chocolate oranges that you smack to break apart, only they are SO MUCH BETTER.

Makes about 2 cups

How to Make a Gingerbread House-with a Pattern and Video!

2011-12-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

My first attempt at from scratch gingerbread house making resulted in me throwing the house across my kitchen in frustration and vowing that kits were the way to go. As a result, I bought kits for 9 years and declared I would never build one from scratch again because they were just IMPOSSIBLE. Only crazy people built them from scratch.

Thing is, when you work in schools you can't get away from gingerbread in December. Enterprising teachers love to ~~torture~~ provide their kids with a wonderful experience, and often ask the staff/parents to help. A few years ago I ~~was forced kicking and screaming~~ volunteered to help teach some of the kids in my charge how to make these cute little houses. Fortunately, the brilliant woman that I work with gave me some invaluable tips and taught me that gingerbread really isn't that scary. Since then, I've made these houses with total success.

Pay very close attention to the tips in bold print. They make the difference between a successful house and one that flies across your kitchen. Trust me on this one. And before you even start, please remember that building these things is not a one day affair. I'd recommend doing it in stages-dough and baking, then a day or so later constructing, and even a day after that decorating. These things take time to make and you just can't rush it.

These houses are small-which for a novice like me, or small children, is perfect!)

First up, you need to make the dough.

Mini Gingerbread House (makes one small house and some cookies...if doubled, makes three small houses and a few small cookies)

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves or allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp water

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

2. In another bowl with an electric mixer, cream the margarine and the brown sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, molasses, and water and continue to beat until smooth.

3. Beat half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended, and then stir in the remaining flour mixture. If the dough is really sticky, stir in a bit more flour until a little more manageable but be careful, you don't want it dry. The dough should be soft and easy to work with, but not so sticky it's all over the place.

4. Turn out onto a counter and knead 2 or 3 times for it to all come together. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in the fridge for about 2 hours. (or overnight...you can even freeze it at this point if you want and just thaw it before you roll and bake)

Now, just to make things easier for you, I've made a video about rolling and cutting! You can go to my dropbox to grab my gingerbread house pattern. Trace it onto another piece of paper after you have printed it out and cut out the pieces. Now watch the video for tips on rolling and shaping your gingerbread:

Baking the pieces.....

Pre heat oven to 350 F

The baking time varies on the size of the pieces, but I guessed about 8-10 minutes. More for larger, a bit less for smaller. You will need to watch them closely. You want them to be golden and set in the middle when you touch them, and not squishy.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before you peel off the parchment paper.

Constructing the House

*Only do this part when the pieces have completely cooled and hardened up. Better yet, do it the day after you've baked them.

Get a piece of sturdy cardboard and cover it with foil. This will be your base.

Make some icing. Using the right icing is important. In my first, and totally unsuccessful, gingerbread attempt I just mixed icing sugar and water. It doesn't work. Royal icing really is the best. It's like glue and dries really hard. If you are worried about the use of raw eggs like in traditional recipes, this recipe works well....

Royal icing:

1 1/2 Tbsps meringue powder
1/6 cup water
1 1/4 cups of icing sugar

Whisk the meringue powder and the water together until foamy. Gradually add the icing sugar and continue to stir until thick. You may add some more icing sugar if it's too runny, and if it becomes to dry, a touch of lemon juice will loosen it up. You don't want to make too much icing, or it will just go hard. You can't really save it for later use.

No icing bag? No problem. Use a zip lock bag instead. Make sure to get the air out and seal the top after the icing is in it, and snip a tiny hole in one corner. These work really well for kids, who tend to squish bags in the middle and have icing squirting out the top.

***Tomorrow I'll add a video to show you how to do this****

First, put a line of icing on the base for the front of the house. Stick the gingerbread piece on and hold it. Count to 10, sing your ABCs, whatever. Continuing to hold the front, put a line of icing along the side piece that will attach to the front and on the base where the side piece will sit. Place the gingerbread piece in place. Again-hold it for a few minutes....repeat with other side and the back of the house-all the while holding, waiting, and taking your time.

When you have the sides, front, and back all together and standing, allow them to then dry for about 1/2 hour. More if they were stubborn.

For the roof, you want to put a layer of icing along the seams of the front/back and sides where the roof will sit. Place the roof pieces on gently and hold. Put more icing right along the roof line. Hold. Your icing should, theoretically, dry fairly fast and cause the pieces to stick together quite nicely.

Let the whole thing sit for at least an hour. More, if it was stubborn. Resist temptation to eat all the candy.

If you really have issues with this part, and have no plans to actually eat the gingerbread, I have known people who have literally used a hot glue gun to construct their house. No joke. If you choose to do so, I certainly won't tell. However, the Royal icing does work so I don't think you'll have to resort to that.

Decorating!

This is the easy part. If you got the house to stick together, you're home free. Make the icing (one batch is enough to decorate one house, double for two) and have a great time sticking on the candy-well, mostly-the kids usually just eat them. For three houses and 3 gingerbread trees we used:

-fuzzy peach slices-1 pkg (50 g?)
-Swedish berries-1 pkg (50 g?)
-M&M minis-1 tube
-dragees (those silver ball things for cookies)
-sprinkles
-mini candy canes-6
-smarties (Canadian candy-like plain M&Ms)-lots...we love smarties!
-skittles (1 large-ish package...100g?)
-jelly beans (Easter leftovers)

Gingerbread houses are a particularly great way to use up leftover Halloween candy. You don't need to buy a lot of candy for these houses because they are small. I hit the bulk section and bought tiny amounts, then just got some bags from the candy selection by the check out at the grocery store.

Total cost for 3 houses...$5 for the candy, and $1.25 for the meringue powder.

Tasty Five: The Best Christmas Cookies and a Food Revolution Party!

2011-12-11T22:33:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite parts of Christmas is the cookies. Iced, cut out, topped with cherries or sprinkles, you can't deny that they bring us right back to our childhoods. The only problem I have right now is that I bake, and then Kevin eats them all before Christmas. I need to do some stealth baking and hide them! This week I've searched the Internet to come up with five that I would love to make, and think you will love them too.

1. Gingerbread Faces and Snowman Heads from Bakerella

Whether you are a baker or not, these adorable cookies will inspire you to try something new. Bakerella gives you a fantastic step by step tutorial on how to decorate them, too!

Photo copyright Crepes of Wrath

2. Brownies with Pretzels and Toffee Bits from Crepes of Wrath

These have been on my 'must bake' list for a long time, but somehow I've never gotten to them. The idea of a little salt, caramel, and chocolate sound truly delectable and every single one of Sydney's recipes that I've tried have been amazing, so I recommend you try them. Then report back to me, of course!

Photo copyright Southern Fairytale

3. Dark Chocolate Cookies with a Candy Cane Swirl by Southern Fairytale

Are you a fan of mint and chocolate? The little candy cane swirl from a mint Hershey's kiss sits in the center of these cookies.

4. Triple Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies by Bon Appetit

Healthy Oatmeal cookies are made a little more gourmet when filled with chocolate and cranberries, then drizzled with icing. These would make a wonderful snack after a day of sledding, with a cup of hot chocolate.

5. Orange Cardamam Cookies by Gourmet Magazine

Spicy, citrusy cookies put a twist on the usual butter cookie cut outs. Ice them and give away to friends or hang on your tree for an edible ornament.

Now that you have made the cookies, check out this great article over at Martha Stewart for cookie packaging ideas. Packaged up beautifully, homemade treats make a wonderful gift.

Have baking questions that you need answered? Join me as I host a Food Revolution Party on Twitter Tuesday, December 13 at 4 pm PST/7pm EST. Come chat as we talk about baking, how to make it a bit healthier, best kinds of treats to give, and your biggest baking disasters. (mine involves a gingerbread house)

Happy Baking!

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Glazed Shortbread

2011-12-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

Shortbread is Kevin's favourite cookie-topped with candied cherries, coloured sugar, or dipped in chocolate ganache, the only limitations are your own imagination. I dipped them and then sprinkled crushed candy cane on them! The dip is fairly thick, and if you wish to use just plain melted chocolate you can go that route too. Or, just leave them as is and enjoy!

Adapted from Mrs. Fields Cookie Book

1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
1 cup icing (confectioners) sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 cups flour

Chocolate Ganache

1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp corn syrup

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Slowly blend in the icing sugar, and then add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and continue to blend until smooth. Add the flour and beat on low until well combined.

Dump the mixture out onto the counter and using your hands, bring together into a ball. Divide the ball in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill for about 2 hours.

Pre-heat 325 F. On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut out with cookie cutters. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart and bake for about 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Chocolate dip:

In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it begins to boil, then remove from the heat. Set aside and stir in the chocolate chips and corn syrup. Allow to sit for a moment before stirring until smooth, trying not to create any bubbles. Dip each cookie in the chocolate one by one, setting them on a tray covered in waxed or parchment paper until the dry. Chill the cookies in the fridge until the chocolate is set.

Makes about 4 dozen

Butterfinger Truffles

2011-12-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

One thing that I love about Christmas is all the different treats to make to either grace your dessert tray or give as gifts. These truffles are very easy, and if you love Butterfingers, just the right treat for you! You can double the batch to make enough to give to friends, family, and give away to guests at an open house, or just make it as is and have some for your own Christmas goodie tray. Either way, make sure to use really good quality cocoa and chocolate in these for the very best flavour!

Adapted from Bon Appetit

5 oz semi-sweet chocolate (no more than about 61% cacao), chopped
1 1/2 tsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cups chopped Butterfinger candy bars (about 4 oz, or around 2 bars)
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts

In a saucepan over medium low heat, warm the cream until it is boiling. Measure out the butter and semi sweet chocolate in a bowl and pour the cream over top. Allow it to sit before stirring until smooth to remove any lump. Add the chopped Butterfingers and stir.

Chill the mixture in the fridge for about 2 hours, or until it's hardened up. Scoop out 3/4 inch balls and roll between your palms into a ball, then roll in the cocoa powder to coat, then garnish with chopped peanuts or peanut halves. Chill.

Store the truffles in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Makes about 40

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chick Peas and Feta

2011-12-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

Last week the groceries were getting low and looking for something new and different to try, I pulled this dish together from the latest issue of Bon Appetit. Eggs are often comfort food in our house, and poached on top of a delicious chunky tomato sauce with pita bread to dip alongside, it makes a wonderful dinner. If you need a smaller serving, do what we did-make the sauce and divide in half to freeze for another day, then continue the recipe with the reserved half. What a way to make dinner for two even easier!

Adapted from Bon Appetit

1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
one 15 oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
one 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices reserved
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta
8 large eggs
1 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
warm pita bread or naan

Pre-heat the oven to 425 F

In a large oven proof skillet, heat a little oil and saute the onion, garlic, and jalapeno over medium high heat until softened. Stir in the cumin, paprika, and chick peas, cooking for about 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and their juices, correct for seasonings, adding salt and pepper if you feel the sauce needs it. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Sprinkle feta evenly over the sauce, then crack the eggs one at a time over top, making sure to space them apart. Put the skillet in the oven and bake until the whites are just set but the yolks are kind of runny (about 5-8 minutes) . Sprinkle with the parsley and coriander just before serving, and have pita on the side to dip into the sauce.

Makes 4-6 servings

Roasted Tomato Soup

2011-11-28T22:57:00.000-08:00

When I was a teenager with braces on my teeth, every six weeks or so my Mom and I would drive the hour or so up to Williams Lake and get my braces tightened. Usually, the new wires would make my teeth so sore that there was little I could comfortably eat, so often I settled for canned tomato soup.

Years later, I still don't like tomato soup all that much. Now that I'm an adult I can make my own tomato soup, but I have often still found it to be pretty devoid of flavor, watery, and not something I'd normally choose.

Recently, I got my hands on a copy of Julie's new cookbook Spilling the Beans, and in it was this recipe. What makes it different? Not only are you using tomatoes in three different ways (paste, roasted, sundried), you making the soup thick by adding lentils and steel cut oats. Oats? In soup? Trust me on this one, it's really delicious, filling, and freezes well.

A word on the tomatoes: make sure they are the best you can buy. I swear by Italian brands of tomatoes such as Italissima because they have little, if any, added salt, and the juice isn't just a watery mixture but instead, a thick tomato juice. Also, steel cut oats are also known as pin head oats, if you are having difficulty finding them.

Adapted from Spilling the Beans

2 cans (28 oz each) whole tomatoes
Olive oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 onions, chopped
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 Tbsp finely chopped sun dried tomatoes (oil packed)
1 cup dry red lentils
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/3 cup steel cut oats

Pre heat your oven to 425 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil.

Open the cans of tomatoes and drain them well, reserving the juice. Taking the whole tomatoes, give them a little squeeze to slice them open and let the juice drain out of them as well. Then take the whole tomatoes and place them on the baking sheet in a single layer, spreading them out so they have room to roast. Drizzle olive oil on them and then sprinkle with the brown sugar, some salt and pepper.

Place the pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. The pan will become blackened in places, but don't worry-it's really great for your tomatoes, and with all that tin foil you'll have easy clean up. Add the garlic cloves and roast for another 10-20 minutes, until the garlic cloves are soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a big soup pot, saute your chopped onion in oil until it's soft and translucent. Add in the tomato paste, reserved tomato juice, stock, sundried tomatoes, herbs, and lentils. Using a spoon or fork, smash up the roasted tomatoes and garlic into smaller pieces before adding them to the pot as well. Bring to a simmer for about 15 min before adding the oats, and simmer for about 10-15 min more until everything is tender and cooked through.

Makes 8 servings

Pasta Shells and Cheese with Leeks and Bacon

2011-11-27T19:26:00.000-08:00

Photo by Cookbookman

Growing up, I loved macaroni and cheese from a box. It was the only kind of macaroni and cheese I knew, although a friend of mine had a mom who would make it from scratch. Recently, I had some leftover leeks in the crisper and Kevin asked if I'd make this dish so on a cold, rainy evening, I complied. It's far from low in fat and calories, so you'd want to make this on a rare occasion-but it is probably the very best macaroni and cheese I've ever made. You can up the servings somewhat if you add a little more milk to the sauce or cook up a little more pasta. Generally, I like lots of sauce on the pasta, as it tends to soak it up when you bake it. The bacon and leek add amazing flavor to this, and while you don't need a large serving, it will definitely satisfy any salty/cheesy pasta craving you've been having.

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 leek, washed and sliced finely
3 cups dry small pasta shells
pepper, to taste

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.

Fry up the bacon until crispy. Remove from the pan to a paper towel lined plate and then drain off all but about 1 tbsp of the fat. Add the chopped leeks and saute them until they are lightly browned and tender. Set aside.

In a medium sized pot over medium low heat, melt butter. Stir in the flour and continue to stir for a few minutes while it blends in, bubbling. Watch carefully-you don't want it to burn! Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly as you go, making sure to blend it well so you don't have any lumps. Heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring, until it thickens up. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese.

In a large bowl, mix together the bacon, leeks, cooked pasta, and sauce. Don't worry if it seems like a lot of sauce-the pasta will soak some up. If you want to make it extra cheesy, add another handful of just grated cheese. Scrape into a buttered 3 L casserole dish, top with a little extra cheese (I know, I'm awful aren't I? and bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes, until warmed through and bubbly.

Serves 4, approximately.

Chasing Tomatoes' Best Cookbooks of 2011

2011-11-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

One of the most common questions I'm asked is where I find my recipes. Whether it's from books, the internet, friends, or just from my own head, I'm always on the prowl for something delicious. Before I began food blogging, I didn't really own that many cookbooks, but now it's become somewhat of an obsession. When I walk into a book store the first thing I do is head straight to the food section, where I pour over the various titles and run my hands over the ones I want.

What fits my criteria of a great cookbook? As I have begun to read them a lot more than I ever have in my life, I've noticed a few things; firstly, some books are almost novels, packed full of all sorts of information and few photos of the food. Others have stunning photos and beautiful art, which make me want to run to my kitchen and immediately begin cooking. Some have such complicated things I'm not sure I'd ever use it except for special occasions, and others have become my go-to book for every day. What makes one my favorite? Firstly, I am a sucker for great photos. If a cookbook doesn't have any pictures, I find myself far less apt to buy it. Beyond the artwork, I love ones that are a good read-but not too much. There is a fine line between information, tips, tricks, and books that present more like a novel. I am more interested in the food, so often I admit I'll skip reading and dive straight into cooking. Thirdly, I love books to have clear, easy to read instructions and last, the food has to be something that my family loves and we will crave again.

What have been my favorite books this year? Read on and find out!

Best For Families:

Whining and Dining, Emma Waverman and Eshun Mott

If you are struggling with finding what to feed your kids or are a new parent, this book is for you. Full of all kinds of tips, tricks, and useful information, this book is a really good read for parents just trying to get the little people of the house to eat something besides plain pasta and bread. I also love it because I've had the pleasure of meeting Emma, who I love to spend time with whenever I'm in Toronto. She knows the BEST places to eat.

Every recipe I have tried has been delicious, and my family has loved them. Not only would I make them again, I could see the recipes being a solid part of my family repertoire.

Brownies

Spinach Pie

Best Local:

Fresh, John Bishop

Last year I had the opportunity to meet John Bishop while he gave a talk to some Vancouver School Board food service staff. Wow, was he ever inspiring. I loved his discussion on genetically modified food, and how he showed the staff how easy and delicious meals from scratch could be. The cookbook as a lot of things that I likely never would have tried on my own, but after meeting John I was intrigued.

What a reward. Simple, clean flavors, local ingredients, with incredible results. I love this book so much that I have a goal to try every single recipe in it, because each one that has graced our plates has been delectable.

Sunflower Chicken Burgers with Wasabi Mayonnaise and Beet Ketchup

Vegetable Curry

Best Healthy Eating:

Spilling the Beans, by Julie Van Rosendaal and Sue Duncan

Close to the newest of my cookbook collection, I am really excited about trying more of the recipes in this book. With stunning photography and easy to read directions, this book is great for when I want to create something on a weeknight for my family. Beans are not boring in this book, and I love all the twists on recipes that make them so interesting I can't wait to try them.

Roasted Tomato Soup (coming soon!)

Guinness Baked Beans (coming soon!)

Braised Chicken and Beans

Best Desserts:

The Perfect Scoop, David Lebovitz

I'm not sure how my obsession with home made ice cream started. I think it was partly Jamie Oliver's fault for showing me what was IN commercially made ice cream on season two of Food Revolution, and then John Bishop for actually making us some when I met him, and Katie for lending me her machine to experiment with. At any rate, I found myself scoring an ice cream machine of my own. While in Portland on my way home from Blogher, I picked up a copy of this book as a souvenier of our travels.

Oh my LORD. If you buy one book about home made ice cream, this is the one. I love every single thing I have made and it has given me ammunition to force my teenager to clean his room. (read: yes, I bribe him with home made ice cream).

Chocolate Coffee Brownie Sundaes

Chocolate Ice Cream

Best Vegetarian:

Rebar, by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz

Vegetarian food is the one kind of cuisine that I can make and generally everyone in the house will eat, which is always reassuring. This book is for the serious cook-few pictures, some recipes are involved and include other recipes from different chapters, but the results have always been amazing. I love the salads-especially the unique dressings, and all the tips and hints. I don't always have the time to cook some of the recipes from this book, but I really can't wait to try more-because so far, it's all been good!

Raspberry Oat Bars

Santa Fe Pasta Salad

Best Baking:

Good to the Grain, by Kim Boyce

If I were to be completely honest, I'd let you know that I don't actually own this book, but it is on my Christmas wishlist. Even so, I have friends who own this and I have tasted many of the recipes, which are delicious! If you are like me and want to try your hand at baking with whole grains, I think this is the book for you. Now I just need to get my own copy.

Figgy Buckwheat Scones

Most Martha-Inducing:

Bite by Bite, Peter Callahan

Back in the days when I hand cut dozens of snowflakes to hang from our ceiling for Kevin's fourth birthday, I would've dove right into this book. Stunning photos and ideas for parties that would delight any entertainer, this book has me marveling at the amazing things people can do with food. If I had to choose a book with kick ass appetizers and ideas, this one would be it.

Rice Krispie Yogurt Bites

Apple Cider Cups

Newest That I'm Aching To Try:

Home Cooking With Jean-Georges, Jean-Georges Vongerichten

This book is so new to my collection that I haven't even tried a recipe yet, but I can barely make myself to wait until my next shopping trip to pick up ingredients. A gorgeous hard cover, there are drool inducing photos, and enough recipes to challenge a seasoned cook, but some also simple enough for an adventurous beginning cook. Fresh, healthy ingredients and lots of tips make this a great book to have if you want to play in the kitchen.

What are your favorite cookbooks? Do you have some tried and true?

Chocolate Pecan Maple Butter Tarts

2011-11-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas just isn't complete without butter tarts in my house, and while we tend to be butter tart purists, this recipe caught my eye immediately. Delightfully gooey, pecans and dark chocolate are drenched in a custardy maple filling. Tucked onto a Christmas cookie tray or served warm with scoops of ice cream, they are to DIE for.

You could make your own tart pastry, but I prefer to skip that step and buy my tart shells so that they can be made in a snap. Also, make sure to use the best chocolate you can find, and do not substitute margarine for the butter. You need the butter to achieve the best results.

I couldn't help but eat one after I broke it open for you to see the inside.

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup (No. 1 medium grade)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped pecan halves, chopped
3/4 cup high quality bittersweet chocolate (such as Lindt 70%, Camino, Green and Blacks, or even Baker's bittersweet chocolate squares), chopped or 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
About 20 tart shells

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F

In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, eggs, cider vinegar, and salt. Set aside. Divide the chopped nuts and chocolate evenly between the tart shells, then fill with the filling.

Bake until the pastry is set and the filling is golden, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, being careful because the filling is very hot. Let them cool and then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or freeze for a few weeks.

Makes about 20 tarts

Lime Sugar Cookies

2011-11-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

When I first saw these cookies, I wasn't sure about the idea of pumpkin seeds in a sugar cookie with lime. It seemed like a strange combination, but trust me on this-it works! The lime is a really unusual, but refreshing flavor with the sugar cookies, and I quite enjoy them. Bake them really small (you'll have to shorten up the baking time) and tuck them into a cute box for a twist on the usual Christmas cookies.

Adapted from Rebar

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
zest of 1 lime
1 large egg
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Pre-heat oven to 350 F

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vegetable oil, and lime zest until fluffy. Add the egg and lime juice, continuing to beat until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin seeds. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine on low speed until it comes together in a dough.

Drop the dough in heaping tablespoon scoops onto the pan, shaping with your fingers into a roundish cookie shape. Sprinkle the top with sugar and bake about 8-12 minutes. I found when I made this recipe they needed more like 15 minutes, but it will depend on your oven. They are done when the tops are just firm and the edges are slightly browned. Remove cookies to a rack and let them cool completely.

Store in an airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days, or package up and freeze for a few weeks.

Makes 1 dozen

Tasty Five: 15 Slowcooker Recipes, Chocolate Popcorn, Roasted Tomato Soup and...Bacon?

2011-11-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

The first storm of the season has hit the coast this weekend, knocking out power to people all over the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, and in Vancouver as well. We're lucky that we rarely lose power anymore-one winter we lost it 5 times! Now that winter is obviously upon us, I'm thinking more about food for the Christmas holidays, since I like to plan ahead. This week I found a fantastic treat you can give teachers or your neighbors, tips for baking, a delicious side dish, Kevin's favorite quick meal, and a bunch of great slow cooker recipes. Don't miss the amazing roasted tomato soup, either! We're having it on a busy night this week with some grilled cheese and a salad.

What are YOU up to?

1. Baking Tips from David Lebovitz and Canadian Living

Do you rarely bake, and now that the holidays are looming you are staring at you cupboard, wondering what is good and what you need to re-stock? Stop by David Lebovitz and read how to tell if your baking powder is still good. Looking for more tips to perfect your bars and cookies for the holidays? Canadian Living has an article of tips to help you get your Christmas baking game on.

2. Chocolate Popcorn from Simply Scratch

Speaking of baking, I'm sure many of you are now looking around for great things to make as gifts from your kitchen. As I've been reading fellow food bloggers, I came across this AMAZING recipe for chocolate popcorn from Simply Scratch. I can just imagine the squeals of delight from people when presented with a nice jar of the stuff, tied up with a pretty ribbon. Crunchy popcorn, salty peanuts, and chocolate? Oh my goodness, I'm SO IN.

photo credit: cookbookman17

3. Did someone say BACON?

While we're also on the topic of indulgent treats (why not, the holidays are coming, right?) let's have something with bacon because, as Kevin says, bacon is food of the Gods. I'm not really a huge fan of bacon, but when I have a craving for something salty and greasy, not much compares, does it? I'm not sure if I'd call potatoes tossed with warm bacon, onions, and a dressing a salad, because it could likely be a tasty side dish. Either way, head over to Steamy Kitchen for a look at this warm bacon potato salad

4. The Teen recommends: Korean Marinated Beef

This recipe is so quick and easy, Kev makes it when we have a stray steak in the freezer. Serve it with some coconut rice and veggies for a great meal!

5. Even Easier: 15 Slowcooker Recipes from Canadian Family

This time of year there's little better than coming home to dinner simmering away in the slow cooker. Everything from pumpkin cheesecake to cola braised pulled pork carnitas and butter chicken are in this slideshow, which looks so amazing I pinned to my 'recipes to try' board on Pinterest

From my kitchen....

This tomato soup recipe is deliciously thick and filling, combining red lentils and steel cut oats to add some great texture. Make sure to buy the best quality canned tomatoes you can buy-I like Italissima.

Adapted from Spilling the Beans

2 cans (28 oz each) whole tomatoes

Olive oil

1 Tbsp brown sugar

6 garlic cloves, peeled

2 onions, chopped

8 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 Tbsp finely chopped sun dried tomatoes (oil packed)

1 cup dry red lentils

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1/3 cup steel cut oats

Pre heat your oven to 425 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil.

Open the cans of tomatoes and drain them well, reserving the juice. Taking the whole tomatoes, give them a little squeeze to slice them open and let the juice drain out of them as well. Then take the whole tomatoes and place them on the baking sheet in a single layer, spreading them out so they have room to roast. Drizzle olive oil on them and then sprinkle with the brown sugar, some salt and pepper.

Place the pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. The pan will become blackened in places, but don't worry-it's really great for your tomatoes, and with all that tin foil you'll have easy clean up. Add the garlic cloves and roast for another 10-20 minutes, until the garlic cloves are soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a big soup pot, saute your chopped onion in oil until it's soft and translucent. Add in the tomato paste, reserved tomato juice, stock, sundried tomatoes, herbs, and lentils. Using a spoon or fork, smash up the roasted tomatoes and garlic into smaller pieces before adding them to the pot as well. Bring to a simmer for about 15 min before adding the oats, and simmer for about 10-15 min more until everything is tender and cooked through.

Makes 8 servings

Braised Chicken Thighs and Beans

2011-11-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

While I was at Blissdom Canada, I had the luck of meeting Julie from Dinner with Julie. (go check out her blog, it's fabulous!) Soon after, a copy of her cookbook Spilling the Beans arrived in my mailbox, and I've been happily trying a bunch of recipes ever since. We eat a lot of beans and grains in our house, as it's one of the very few things that everyone in my house will eat!

I highly recommend this book-not only is it beautiful to look at, the food that I've tried so far has been really delicious. My family loved this recipe, and so did I! We did leave out the fried capers for the topping, although they are in my picture. I didn't mind them so much but nobody else wanted them. If you'd like to try them, let me know and I can include them below. I think the recipe would be just as good without them.

Adapted From Spilling the Beans

2 slices bacon, diced
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed (although recipe calls for bone-in thighs, and you could use them because they are cheaper, boneless would save you time)
1 large onion, sliced
1 large red pepper, sliced thinly
3 garlic cloves, minced
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
4 cups cooked white beans (or two 19 oz cans, drained and rinsed)
salt and pepper to taste

Using a large pot, fry up the bacon until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. In the same pan, fry up the chicken thighs until they are browned on both sides. Remove them to plate. Still using the same pan (because all that stuff on the bottom is GOLD and lots of flavor!), fry up the onions and red pepper over med low-medium heat, scraping up all that goodness from the bottom of the pan. When the onions are soft, add the garlic and cook just a little longer, about a minute.

Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, beans, some salt and pepper to taste, then the bacon and nestle the pieces of chicken in. Bring to a simmer and then turn down the heat, cover, and let it cook away for about 30 minutes. Make sure to check it now and then, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning.

If you used bone in chicken thighs, when the stew is done and the thighs are cooked through, you then transfer them out of the stew to a plate, allow them to cool so that you can handle them, and pull all the meat off. Add the meat back to the stew and stir. If you aren't using bone-in thighs, still pull them out of the stew and shred, but you should have it easier.

Serve the stew over rice or noodles. I think it would also be great served up in a bowl with hunks of crusty bread and slices of cheese! Top with fresh shredded basil, if desired.

Serves 6-8