White Asparagus & Cranberry Salad

This is a colorful salad perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of raw white asparagus (sliced on the diagonal)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
3 TBS Olive Oil
1 TBS white balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar
salt & pepper

You can use your favorite light dressing, but I like the white balsamic because it has a bit of sweetness to it.  You can use the flavored balsamic dressings like apricot, or lemon for a variation.

Wash the asparagus and snap the tough ends off (about 2").  Slice the asparagus on the diagonal.
Toss the ingredients together and serve.
It will keep in the fridge for a day or two.

Santa Hat Brownies

Santa Hat Brownies
Yields 12-16 brownies

Ingredients:
1 pan of your favorite brownies*, cooled and cut into desired size and shape
*See the recipe on this blog. You can use a round cookie cutter.

12-16 small strawberries, cleaned and hulled
vanilla-mascarpone buttercream (recipe below)

Vanilla-Mascarpone Buttercream

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2-1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Method:
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and mascarpone cheese until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add vanilla extract and salt.  Add 2-1/2 cups of sugar, half a cup at a time and continue beating until smooth.  Add more sugar, if needed to reach desired consistency and sweetness.

To assemble, pipe a ring of vanilla buttercream on top of each brownie.  Cut off the base of a strawberry so it is flat and place it upside down on each brownie, pushing slightly to secure in place.  Top the tip of the strawberry with a dot of buttercream to finish the santa hat.

Adapted from this recipe found on Erica’s Sweet Tooth

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 3 Boneless chicken breasts - chopped into ½” cubes 
• ½ “ Fresh ginger root - peeled and minced 
• 2 green onions - sliced finely 
• ½ can water chestnuts - chopped finely (optional) 
• ½ red pepper chopped into fine dice 
• 3 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce* 
• pinch of salt 
• 2 cloves of garlic minced 
• 2 Tablespoons oil (peanut or canola)

Preparation

1. Heat your pan or wok on medium-high.  
2. Then add the 2 Tablespoons of oil. 
3. Saute garlic, ginger, green onions, red pepper in oil 2 minutes. 
4. Add chicken and cook till done - 5-7 minutes. 
5. Add water chestnuts and mix well. 
6. Add Hoisin last and toss through chicken till warmed.  Hoisin has sugar in it, so it will burn easily -so just toss it through and remove from heat. 
7. Put chicken in a serving bowl. 
8. Use Boston lettuce - separate leaves and spoon 1-2 tablespoons of chicken into the leaf.

Roll up and serve.

Tips

• Hoisin is found in the Asian section of the supermarket. 
• To make chopping the chicken easier, freeze for 10 minutes.

Chicken Satays

Ingredients 

2 - 3 packages of tenderloins or 4 chicken breasts cut into strips

3 cloves of garlic - crushed

1 tablespoon of curry powder

1 tablespoon of ground coriander seed  (powder)

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup coconut milk (canned) 

fresh coriander for garnish 

small wooden skewers  (Soaked in water for about an hour)

Directions 

Crush the garlic.  Mix the garlic, coriander seed, salt, curry powder.  Add the coconut milk & mix.

Marinate the chicken pieces for 3 hours in the fridge.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers. 

Line a grilling pan with foil, spray with pam and place the satay on the pan.  Cover the ends of the skewers with a piece of foil.  

Set the oven on broil - and broil 6" to 8" from the heat till cooked through.  About 7-9 minutes.  Keep checking. 

Serve with Satay peanut sauce you can buy.  Stonewall Kitchen has a nice Roasted Garlic Peanut Sauce.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander, or add a sprig to the serving dish. 

Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

2/3 cup (150 mL) unsalted butter 
2/3 cup (150 mL) packed brown sugar 
2 eggs 
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) old-fashioned rolled oats 
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all purpose flour 
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda 
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt 
1 pkg (6 oz / 142 g) dried cranberries 
2/3 cup (150 mL) white or semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). 

Using electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix well. 

Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the dries cranberries and chocolate chips. 

Drop by rounded tablespoons (15 mL measures) onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press each one down slightly.  Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

Makes 2 dozen large cookies. 

Cranberry Pecan Tassies

It's Cranberry season in Muskoka in Northern Ontario! These lovely berries are tart and crisp and great in desserts or to make Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving. These mini tarts are so delicious - they won't last long.  Easy to make as you press the dough into the tart pans.  Look for the tart pans that have sides that slant, or mini muffin tins. You could also make regular size tarts, but the little ones look so nice at Thanksgiving. 

Dough:

Blend 3 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)

Stir in 1 cup of flour.  Chill about one hour.

Shape into 2 dozen 1 inch balls.  Place in ungreased mini muffin pan - (shallow about 1 3/4" wide).  Press dough evenly against the bottom and sides.

Filling:

Beat together:

1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar (or reduce to 2/3 cup)

1 tbsp butter, soft or melted

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tsp grated orange rind

Stir in :

2 Tbsp chopped pecans

1/3 cup finely chopped cranberries  (frozen, fresh or dried)

Spoon filling into pastry lined cups.  About 1 Tbsp of filling per tart

Bake at 325F for about 20 mins till filling is set and crust is light brown.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool.

Makes 24 mini tarts or 12 regular tarts 

(You can use your own butter tart recipe and use this filling).

Thai Chicken Noodle Salad

Serves 6-8 
(Recipe can be halved)

Ingredients 

1 package of Chinese egg noodles - 200-300g

  or pad Thai rice noodles of preferable (follow cooking directions)

6 sliced green onions 
1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro) about 1/4 cup chopped
1 package of fresh bean sprouts (optional)
2 grated carrots 
1/2 red pepper chopped or sliced
4 boneless chicken breasts * or 200g of prepared tofu


Dressing

(Shake in a jar till combined)

4 TBS soy sauce 
4 TBS peanut oil or sunflower oil
2 TBS sesame oil
2 TBS lime or lemon juice (fresh)
2 TBS sweet chili sauce

Cook the chicken either by poaching with a bit of ginger & garlic, or bake it gently (about 20 minutes at 350F).  Do not overcook or chicken will be dry.   
Cool the chicken and then slice it thinly across the breast.

Follow this link for the perfect poached chicken breasts - super easy! This is the best method to cook 

the chicken and you will discover many other ways to use poached chicken in recipes. 

Poached Chicken Breasts

Directions: 

Cook the egg noodles about 4 minutes or until done.  Run under cold water to rinse.  Then cut the noodles randomly with scissors.

If you are using the bean sprouts, make sure they are fresh and rinse and dry them prior to use. 

Combine the noodles, onion, coriander, sprouts, carrots, red pepper & chicken.  Then add the dressing and toss.  The salad can be done the day before serving, or at least a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Variation: Add steamed asparagus, steamed green beans,  or snow peas and substitute shrimp for the chicken.  For a vegan option, use tofu which has been fried and cooled, or pre made ready to serve tofu.

Use grilled chicken, and baby romaine or iceberg lettuce instead of the egg noodles. 

Blueberry Orange Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter (175 ml)
1 1/2 cups white sugar (375 ml)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Finely chopped peel of 2 oranges
2 cups all-purpose flour (500 ml)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (7 ml)
3/4 cup milk (175 ml)
1 1/2 cups blueberries (wild, fresh preferably)  (375 ml) *
2 Tbs all-purpose flour

* If you are using frozen wild blueberries, rinse them to get the ice crystals off, and then dry in paper towels.

Glaze

3 Tbs frozen orange juice concentrate (50 ml)
1 cup sifted icing sugar (250 ml)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C)

1.  Grease a 10-inch (25 cm) tube pan and dust with flour.

2.  Cream the butter until light and fluffy; slowly beat in the sugar with an electric mixer (or you can use a sugar substitute) until blended.

3.  Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla and orange peel. Peel the orange rind using a potato peeler, and avoid getting any of the white part of the peel. Then finely chop the peel with a knife.

4.  Sift 2 cups of flour and baking powder together; add to batter alternatively with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or spatula. Mix only until blended.  Do not overmix.

5.  Toss the blueberries with the 2 tablespoons of flour and gently fold into the batter.
 Spoon into the prepared pan. And spread out evenly with a spatula.

6.  Bake at 350F (180C) for 50-55 minutes or until the center of the cake is firm. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out to cool on a rack.

For the glaze, mix the sugar with the orange juice concentrate and add more liquid if needed. While the cake is still warm, drizzle the icing over the top. The glaze is optional. You can also just dust the top of the cake with sifted icing sugar (powdered sugar).

Henry's Sauerkraut

This recipe is from my friend Nadine. Her husband makes this sauerkraut and we tried it at Christmas with perogies. It was delicious. Probably the bacon!

Ingredients 

1 Jar of Sauerkraut (drained)
2 medium Onions, chopped
8 or more slices of bacon (chopped)
1/2 tbs of brown sugar

Directions

Henry says:  Don't skimp on the onions. Don't skimp on the bacon.
Fry the bacon slowly in the pot.
Remove the bacon and save.
Fry the onions in the pot, in the bacon grease. Use low-medium heat to caramelize them.
You can put some water in half way through to keep them moist and avoid burning.
Put the sauerkraut, and bacon into the pot. Add the pinch of sugar. Stir well.
Cover and put in the oven to keep warm Add some water if it gets a bit dry.

Coconut Macaroons

When living in Toronto, we used to sign up for cooking classes with Bonnie Stern's cooking School downtown. It always a fun night out with your girlfriends. In this recipe,  you can drizzle melted chocolate on the macaroons (dark semi-sweet), for a finishing touch.
Ingredients
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups unsweetened dried large flaked coconut
Directions
Place egg whites, vanilla and salt in a large stainless steel bowl. Stir in sugar and then coconut. 2. Set bowl in a skillet of gently simmering water and stir for 5 to 7 minutes with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until hot to the touch. Let batter rest 30 minutes at room temperature. 3. Mound about 2 tbsp of coconut mixture for each cookie on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 350F oven about 5 minutes until just barely starting to brown at the tips of the coconut. Reduce oven temperature to 325F, rotate pans and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer until cookies are different shades of cream, gold and brown. Cool on racks.

Almond Pistachio Cherry Bark

Use the best chocolate you can find for this recipe. 

Ingredients 

1 lb. bittersweet Callebaut Chocolate (chopped into pieces) 

1/2 cup roasted unsalted almonds

1/4 cup unsalted pistachio nuts

1/4 cup dried cherries

Directions 

1.  Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in a bowl over simmering water. 

2.  If you don't have roasted almonds, buy raw almonds and bake them in a 350F oven for about 10-15 minutes till they're lightly toasted.  Cool them before adding to the chocolate. Add the nuts/fruit and mix well.

3.  Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap or parchment paper.  Spread the chocolate mixture out to a thin bark.  Spread the nuts and fruit equally so it's about 1/4" thick. 

4.  Put in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to cool.

5.  Remove plastic and break the bark into pieces.  Store at room temp. 

You can use cashews, orange peel, raisins or other dried fruit to make different kinds. 

The chocolate is available at Whole Foods or Wild Oats or kitchen specialty shops.  Bittersweet is preferable, but semi-sweet works as well.

Tuna Fish Spaghetti

You see this tuna sauce in Italy. We had it growing up as my Italian grandmother would make it for us. It's lighter than a meat sauce and served with a thin spaghettini pasta.

Ingredients

1 jar of your favorite sauce (Hunt’s, RAO, Marinara) 

2 cans of Chunk or solid tuna in oil*

1 Tbsp olive oil 

¼ cup of chopped carrots

¼ cup of chopped onion 

¼ cup of chopped celery 

¼ cup pitted black olives (optional) 

3 whole cloves 

¼ cup chopped Italian Parsley 

1 package of dried or fresh spaghettini pasta. 

Directions

Fry the onions, celery and carrots in the olive oil till lightly browned.  Add the tomato sauce and heat through.  Add the cloves, olives and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tuna and heat through. Stir gently. You want to leave large pieces of the tuna in the sauce and if you stir it too much, the tuna will flake.

Add the fresh parsley and serve over spaghettini pasta cooked al-dente. 

Add capers as a garnish. 

* Look for the Italian brand Unico or Pastene tuna. There is also another brand called TONNINO which is sold in glass 6.7 oz jars. It is excellent and I prefer this tuna to canned tuna. 

Rugalahs (Cinnamon Crescents)

This recipe is from a 1980's cooking class with Bonnie Stern in Toronto.
Check - www.bonniestern.com for some excellent recipes. 

I’ve made these crescents every Christmas, and they are an excellent hostess gift if you can part with them! They’ll stay fresh in a cookie tin for a few days.

Pastry

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

4 oz cream cheese, cold and cut into pieces 

1/2 cup of seedless raspberry jam (to brush on the pastry)

Filling 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts) 

1 Tbsp cinnamon 

1 Tbsp cocoa 

1 tsp finely rated orange peel 

Glaze 

1 egg 

2 Tbsp cream  

2 Tbsp coarse white sugar to sprinkle on top 

1. Put the butter, flour, and cream cheese in a food processor and process until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in half and shape into two balls. Refrigerate until ready to use. If you don’t have a food processor, in a medium bowl, cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender. Add the cheese and blend until crumbly. Knead the dough a few times, then divide in half and refrigerate. (about an hour).
2. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon, cocoa and orange peel. 
3. Preheat the oven to 350F. 
4. Roll out each ball of dough into a circle, about 12” in diameter. Spread each one with a thin layer of jam (1/4 cup per circle). Sprinkle the filling over the jam and pat it down. 
5. Cut the dough into 12 wedges like a pizza. Roll each wedge up tightly from the wide edge. 
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the crescents on the sheet (12 per sheet) and curve them slightly.Combine the egg and cream by mixing them with a fork.  Brush the cookies with the glaze and then sprinkle with sugar. 
7. Bake about 20-25 minutes until golden. I find 22 is just about right.  Let cool slightly on the baking sheet and then remove to a rack to cool completely. 

Makes 24  

Chocolate & Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened (4 oz) 

3/4 cup pure organic cane sugar, or white sugar 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

1 egg at room temperature 

1/4 tsp vanilla 

1 cup flour 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

3/4 tsp cinnamon 

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats 

1/4 cup dried cherries 

1/4 semi sweet chocolate chips 

1/4 cup chopped pecans 

You can omit the pecans, and add more cherries/chips.

You can use a sugar substitute like Z-sweet for the white sugar.

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 375F. 

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. 

Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to the butter mixture alternating with the oats until fully incorporated. Use a wooden spoon. 

Mix in the cherries, chocolate chips and nuts till combined. 

Line a baking pan with parchment paper.  Using a small scoop or spoon, make a round ball from the dough and flatten them slightly. Bake 12-14 minutes till light brown on the edges and light brown on top. Do not overbake.  Let cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. 

Makes 15-16 cookies 

Apple Rhubarb Crumble

Peach, Blueberry & Raspberry Crumble

This recipe can be made with apples, or a combination of berry fruit as shown above. 

6 Servings

Ingredients

• 3 Granny smith apples 
• 4 Stalks of fresh rhubarb 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice 

Topping

• 1/3 cup flour (white or wholewheat) 
• 1/3 cup brown sugar  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter,chilled 
• 1/3 cup rolled oats 
• 1/2 cup blanched, sliced almonds 

Preparation

1. Peel and slice the apples into 1/4" slices.  Trim the end of the rhubarb and chop the stalks into 1/2" pieces.  You should have about 1 1/2 cups of rhubarb. 
2. Toss the apples and rhubarb in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice.  Add the sugar and cinnamon and mix. 
3. For the topping:  Mix the flour, brown sugar and salt in a food processor, or mix by hand.  
4. Add the chilled butter (which has been chopped into 1/2" pieces) and pulse 6 times until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Or mix using a fork or pastry cutter till the butter is incorporated.  
5. Add the oats and mix well.  Add the sliced almonds. 
6. Put the apples and rhubarb mixture in an 8x8 baking dish which as been sprayed with Pam, or buttered lightly.  Cover evenly with the topping. 
7. Bake in 375F oven for about 1/2 hour till the apples are tender.  Cool 20 minutes; serve warm or at room temperature. 

Tips

• After the crumble is cooled, cover it loosely with tinfoil.  Plastic wrap will make the topping soft. 
• If you can't find rhubarb, or its out of season try 1/2 cup of cranberries (fresh or frozen). 
• For an elegant presentation, bake the crumble in individual souffle dishes (6-8) and dust with icing sugar before serving. 

Snickers

These remind me of 'Eatmore' chocolate bars in Canada. 

Ingredients

1⁄2 cup sunflower seeds
1⁄2 cup sesame seeds
1⁄2 cup honey (or less), or agave nectar, molasses 
1⁄2 cup nut or seed butter (almond works well)
1⁄2 cup carob or cocoa powder
1⁄4 cup ground flax seeds
1⁄4 cup unsweetened coconut

Method

Combine ingredients in bowl of food processor. Blend until smooth.
Form into small balls (if mixture is too soft refrigerate for half an hour).
You could also roll each snicker into carob or coconut.
Keep refrigerated.

If you are making these for small children, grind the seeds first in a coffee grinder.
If you don't have a food processor, melt honey and almond butter together and add the other ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon.

Blueberry Streusel Cake

3/4 cup or less white fruit sugar (or fine sugar)

1/4 cup shortening or unsalted butter (room temp)

1 egg

1 tsp almond extract

3/4 cup milk

Blend:

1 1/2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Top with:

2 cups blueberries

2 Tbs or less white sugar

pinch of cinnamon

Streusel:

1/3 cup ground almonds

1/4 cup butter

1/8 cup sugar or less

Using a mixer on medium speed, cream the sugar, shortening, egg and vanilla till light and fluffy.

Using a wooden spoon, add the milk alternately with dry ingredients. Add a bit more milk if batter seems dry.

Spread 2/3 of batter in an 8x8 pan, lined with parchment paper, or lightly greased. Sprinkle with blueberries, sugar and cinnamon

Dot remaining batter on top. Add streusel topping.

Bake at 350F about 30-40 min. Test by inserting a toothpick - it should come out dry, with no wet batter on it.

Peaches and raspberries can be used for a variation.