I live in Toronto.  It's an ok place to live.  We have a good subway system.  We have lots of bike lanes.  We have wooded areas where you can run and walk and bike and picnic.  We have lots and lots of cultural stuff.  We have lots of areas in the city where you can get great stuff from other countries and lots of diversity in our population.  We have freedom, we have support systems for people who need it.  It's the place that we happily call home for now.  What we in Toronto don't do so well though is... snow.
I know.  I know!  We live in Canada and crap.  For some of you that might mean we live in igloos - just for the record I don't, neither do any of my friends or any one in this country that I've ever met... in my life.  We Canadians though should know what to do to deal with snow.  If you go out to Alberta or up to Quebec, hell, just about anywhere else in the province of Ontario even, they know what to do with snow.  Toronto... well, allow me to illustrate.  About 10 years ago we got a lot of snow in a 24 hour period and over the course of about 2 weeks we got about 80 cm.  That's a lot of snow, yeah, but our mayor called in the army to help us dig out.  The army for god's sake!  It's still a source of embarrassment for most Tdot residents and as far as the rest of the country is concerned we'll never live it down.


Most recently, ie. Today!, I'm home from work for the day, in the middle of the week.  The reason that I'm home is because all the schools have been closed.  They are not closed because we got a lot of snow, that we couldn't dig ourselves out, that we couldn't get to our cars, that we couldn't walk through... we closed our schools because we thought we were going to get a lot of snow... a whole 15 - 20 cm here in the city.  When we woke up this morning, thinking we were getting a lot of snow and closing our schools in anticipation, there was in reality about 8 cm on the ground.  So, here we go again being the brunt of jokes for the rest of the country... but really people, 8 cm!!!
Please don't misunderstand me and think that I'm complaining though because I got a day off work.  If living in a city that is the brunt of jokes for the rest of my country means that every time it snows, or even 'maybe will' snow, more than 10 cm that I get a day off work... well, then bring on the jokes!
Because this blog is called 'When I'm not at Work', here is what I did today instead of being at work...


Sausage Puffs aka Pigs in Blankets
made about 40 piggies

1 pkg ready made puff pastry (so sue me)
1 1/2 lbs sausage of your choice (I used mild italian), casings removed
1 small onion, diced
1 med/small carrot shredded
dash of nutmeg
1 egg
sesame seeds for topping


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicon liner.


In a bowl combine the sausage, onion and carrot with your hands until it's all squished together and stuck in your finger nails!  Add in the nutmeg (and maybe a dash of honey if you are feeling in the mood).  In a heated pot or caste iron frying pan, cook the pork mixture until the meat is cooked through.  Set aside.
Flatten the puff pastry on your counter and cut each piece (mine came in two pieces) lengthwise so that you have 4 rectangles.


In a small bowl, crack the egg and whisk it until the yolk is combined.  Keep nearby.
Have the sesame seeds ready.
Place a quarter of the meat mixture lengthwise on each of the 4 pieces of puff pastry.  Brush some of the egg on the pastry edges left by the meat.  Roll the pastry lengthwise, making sure that the edges are fairly secured by the egg.  Brush the top of each roll with more egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Cut each roll at about 1 1/2 inch lengths (unless you want 'em longer) and place on the cookie sheet.


Bake for about 20 minutes or until the puff pastry has puffed and is golden.
Cool for about 10 minutes before digging in...

I have a confession to make.
It's hard for me to admit this.  It's almost embarrassing.
But, here it is.... I don't eat most of the things that I bake.
Wow, that was like a weight lifted off of me.  It's true.  I don't have a much of a sweet tooth anymore.  It's diminished significantly with age and I've gotten much pickier about what I actually put in my mouth.  The thing that I enjoy is making the stuff, not eating it.  It took me a long while to figure that out.  It occurred to me a long time ago that quite often once I had prepared a big meal that when I finally sat down to eat it I wasn't particularly interested anymore.  I would just as well preferred to sit down to some toast and natural peanut butter with honey on top.  Simple is what I like to eat but I think it's fun to make all the other stuff.
Fortunately, I have kids and friends who are very happy to eat the stuff for me.  Usually I at least taste what I've made, I mean just once.  Sometimes, sadly, I don't.  So I rely on Kid #1 ('cause Kid #2 cannot articulate any detail or nuance around food yet... only lego) and friends like KT to do that work for me.  It's a hard sell as you can imagine.  Here's the thing though, I really do want to taste these, I mean look at them.


Something this cute and squidgy needs to be eaten... although one hasn't quite made it into my mouth yet.

I really have wanted to make these cookies for an age but was really afraid to try the dulce de leche stuff which was dumb.  Why was it dumb??? A)  Because the dulce de leche was so ridiculously easy and B) Because these cookies are off the chain worth it.  I can't believe that cookies with no egg, no milk, not very much sugar (except the sweetened condensed milk in the middle - forgot about that for a second ;-) and very few ingredients could bake up so light and airy.  The texture is almost like a puff pastry... and then you've got this caramel stuff in the middle that's all oozy and sweet and beyond wonderful...  So, if you took my advice and threw a can or two of sweetened condensed milk into a simmering bath for a few hours and now you've got some of the stuff searching for a raison d'etre then Baby... this is your thing!


Dulce de Leche Cookies adapted from 'Martha Stewart's Cookies'
makes about 2 1/2 doz

2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 cup icing sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into large chunks
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicon liner.
In a bowl, combine the flour and icing sugar.  Add in the chunks of room temperature butter.

My new pastry cutter!

Cut in the butter until it forms a crumbly texture.  Add in the water slowly, mixing continuously, until it forms a ball kind of shape.


Form the batter into to flat disc shapes and refrigerate for about an hour.
Roll each disc out on a lightly floured surface until it gets to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Using a round shape (I used something about 2 inches or so across) cut the cookies out and place on the cookie sheet.  Save unused dough, reform and cut out more... etc.
Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating in the middle of the baking time.
Remove from oven and cool the cookies completely on a cooling rack.


Place about 1 lg tsp of dulce de leche on the bottom of a disc and place a second disc on top until you've finished it all.
If you are not eating them all in one day (!) then store the cookies unfilled and fill as needed.  The cookies will last longer unfilled.

This has got to be one of the most unappetizing pictures that I've ever posted.

Why this post is happening:
I've really wanted to try this for a long time.
I've seen so many other bloggers doing this.  (therefore I can too)
Who doesn't like dulce de leche?
I really wanted to make the cookies that you are going to see in the next post.

The first time I came across 'dulce de leche' it was a 'Haagen dazs' flavour.  It looked like caramel on the package and I was going to be alone for the weekend.  So, it came home with me and kept me company while D was away and kept me hittin' the pavement hard when he came back... worth every step though ;-)

Dulce de leche is like caramel and you can buy it in specialty shops and pay whatever for it.  However, after much deliberation and desperation to make some cookies that are soon to come, I decided that it was worth trying to make it on my own.

Having never attempted it before I can now tell you that it was stupidly easy.  I didn't have any problems with the can both in the cooking and in the opening.  The result looked pretty damn much like the same crap they sell you in the 'special' shops and tasted as good as any I've ever experienced.  In short... do it.

This is what the can looked like after 3 1/2 hrs in a water bath

Stupid easy 'Dulce de leche'
makes as many cans as you want...

1 (or so) cans of Sweetened condensed milk
1 big pot with lid
water

Remove wrapper from can.
Place can in pot.
Cover can with water.
Bring to boil, cover and let it simmer for about  3 1/2 - 4 hours.  Cool completely, removing from the water whenever you can lift it out without burning yourself ('cause i used my hands).  Wait 'til it cools and then open her up....

I love my kids.  I love 'em a lot.  But here's the thing:  I really have trouble with all the stuff that I'm supposed to 'like' doing as a parent.  Take, for example, the whole birthday party thing.  Going to a movie with 15 kids or going to the pool and then doing pizza and cake and all that crap - with 20 kids or booking some big party thing... oh god!  I can't deal with it.  All of a sudden I've got parents to feed and kids to entertain for 2 hours and, I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, hot dogs, chips and a pencil and ruler to take home just isn't cutting it with kids anymore...
However, I'm not entirely sure anymore because we've kind of given up on the big party circuit.  We still get invited to them and Kid #1 and #2 do go to them (gladly).  We just don't throw them.  We throw a bbq in the summer for Kid #2 because his birthday is on July 4th.  Perfect outdoor BBQ time of year.  We invite friends and family and make a deal out of the dinner part of it.  Kids can play outside and enjoy themselves.  There is birthday cake but no games or the obligatory stuff.  It's fun because my friends are there and we are enjoying ourselves.


December 31st is birthday time for Kid #2.  Not so BBQ friendly here in Toronto.  So after a couple of large birthday parties in the middle of winter we gave up.  Now all she wants is for a few friends to come over, they eat, they watch a movie, they sleep-over, they don't do much sleeping during the 'sleep-over', they eat again (maybe some homemade pancakes) and toddle off home.  Beautiful.  I can watch my own movie on the computer while they watch theirs.  I can put them to 'sleep' in the basement where they can giggle to their hearts content and I won't hear them.  Most of the partying is happening while I'm sleeping... can't ask for anything better.  If only there were such a perfect solution for taking your kid to the park or playgroup - ugh!


Here is the cake that I made for the 'sleep-over'.
It's from Nigella.  This cake uses custard powder which, before using it in this recipe, I had never seen or used before.  The can of custard powder is kinda cute:


I like this cake because it's cakey.  It's not too dense or wet on the inside.  It's nice, dry and spongy (hence the 'sponge' in the title, right?).
I like this cake because it looks appropriately fancy but not like it came from a bakery.  I like it when something looks homemade... especially when it is.  I like when a cake looks really good but wasn't really hard to make at all.
I also like that stuff drips over the sides because dripping chocolate is awesome.  And I like it when kids around a table look at this cake and get really excited when they see it.  I like baking something that garners a 'I can't wait to eat that' from somebody.  If you like these things too then try making this cake.


Birthday Sponge Cake (adapted from Nigella Lawson's 'Feast')

Cake:
200 g (1 3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tbsp Birds Custard Powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking sod
dash of salt
4 eggs
225 g (1 2/3 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
200 g (1 1/4 cup) sugar
2 - 3 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease and flour two smaller sized (20 cm) cake tins and set aside.
Combine the flour, custard powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.  Mix to combine and set aside.
In another bowl beat together the eggs and butter until it's well incorporated.  Add the flour mixture to the butter and eggs and mix well.  Add in the milk 1 tbsp at a time until it forms a pourable consistency.
Divide the batter between the two cake tins and bake for about 22 min. or until a tester comes out clean.
Cool for a few minutes in the tins before removing to a cooling rack.  Cool completely.



Buttercream filling:
125 g icing sugar
4 tsp Birds Custard Powder
75 g unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp boiling water

Whisk together the icing sugar and the custard powder.  Add the butter and mix until incorporating.  Add in the hot water just until the consistency is right for spreading over the cake.


Chocolate Icing:
175 g dark chocolate (or a mix of dark and milk - which is what I did)
1/4 cup cream

Over a pot of simmering water melt the chocolate and 1/8th of a cup of the cream together in a heatproof bowl.  The chocolate may seize a little bit once it's melted.  Remove from heat and add in the rest of the cream.  Mix gently until it becomes glossy in consistency.  Cool slightly if needed and pour over cake.

What a mouthful!  OK that was a stupid bad pun...

Potato Celeriac Mash... sounds so pretentious too.  So unlike me... I think... well, there's some food for thought.
Lately, we've been doing our best to limit our meat intake and are doing well with it I think.  There are entire weeks that can go by without us downing some kinda meat for our main meal.  That makes me proud.  Truth be told I'm a veggie deep down but let's keep it a secret for now.  I don't think that D, kid #1 or kid #2 would be terribly happy if I announced that we were becoming a 100% veggie household.


So that will be my own little pipe dream for now.  However, I can seem to talk the carnivores in my house off the ledge when we have long stints without big hunks of anything red (or pink).  I will gladly acknowledge that they've done very well...
So, with some stewing beef from Cumbrae's needing to be saved from freezer death, I decided that it was time to make some beef stew.  It's hearty, stick to your bones kind of winter fare.  The only thing that would have made this meal better would have been fresh bread.  I would love to have obliged but for God's sake, it's a weeknight people!  I just haven't mastered enough space in my brain to execute bread making along with all the other crap that goes on during my work day.
Bread crisis averted though.  I got some celeriac in the food box this week.  I know... CELERIAC.  Trust me, a year ago I didn't know what it was either.  I ended up though, making some potato and celeriac mash (think cheesy mashed potato's)


and it was just as good as fresh bread and more nutritious at the end of the day.  It feels posh too.  I had visions of the restaurant order I would place using '... celeriac and heirloom potato mash'.  You know, it just sounds right, rolls off the tongue kinda.  Plus, it's super good for you and it's beautifully seasonal.  As a side bonus, I got through my food box veggies a little more quickly too.  I love that feeling.  The food box comes in and I'm already cooking through it 2 hrs later.  As little waste as possible.  Great!


Wanda's Beef Stew
serves 6 - 8

2 lb of stewing beef, cut into bite sized pieces
2 small or 1 med onion cut into chunks
2 lg or 3 med carrots cut into chunks
2 lg ribs of celery sliced thick
7 or 8 brussel sprouts cut in half (I had these on hand and they needed to be used)
2 med potatoes cut into chunks
15 (or so) button mushrooms halved
4 lg cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 - 3/4 cup red wine
2 beef bouillion cubes (low salt)
3 - 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup water reserved
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup ketchup
3 tsp salt
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp marjoram
dash of cinnamon and cumin (just a dash)
4 tbsp muscovado sugar or honey
pepper sauce (to taste ;-)

In a large dutch oven heat some oil until over medium'ish' heat.  Add in the stewing beef and swish around until the pieces are looking well browned (let's say about 7 min).  Add in the onion, carrot, celery, brussel sprouts, potatoes and mushrooms.  Swish all this stuff around for another 7 - 10 min.  If the heat is too high then turn things down to med/low.
Add in the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.


Add in the red wine, and Worcestershire and Soy sauce.  Swish everything around to get all the sticky bits off the bottom of the pan.  Add in the bouillion cubes and let them disintegrate in the liquid.  Add in the salt, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, cinnamon and cumin.  Let that simmer gently.
In a small bowl mix together the flour and the water until it forms a kind of paste and doesn't have any lumps in it.
Add the flour mixture and the ketchup to the stew.  Add in the sugar or honey and any pepper sauce.  Check the tastes and adjust as necessary.  Let the stew simmer on low heat for about 45 min.
Serve on a bed of potato and celeriac mash or with homemade bread (but I hate you if you do that)


Potato and Celeriac Mash
serves 6

6 med potatoes cut into large chunks
2 sm - med celeriac, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/4 - 1/3 cup of butter
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk or cream
3/4 cup shredded cheese
salt to taste

In a large pot, cover the potatoes and celeriac chunks with water and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 12 - 15 min. or until the celeriac seems soft and mashable.
Remove from heat and drain the water (you could use this water in the stew if you're super organised).  Add the butter and mash the whole mixture - you could use a potato masher or a ricer, either will work well.
Add in the milk until it gets to the consistency that you are looking for.  Add in the cheese and mix it in until it melts.  Add the salt to taste.

I was really running with a theme last weekend.  I made marshmellow's, white pizza and then this... more white.
Maybe it's the winter thing.  Truth be told, it's all kinda getting me down.  I know that some friends in Montreal are begging for snow and I'd be happy to oblige.  I really would.  January is the hardest month for me, if only because it's the longest.
Maybe it's the Ham that D cured and roasted - that came out a little too salty (live and learn - we're gonna change the formula next year  - try Nigella's cooking it in coca cola thing) and now we're looking for things to do with it that don't involve eating big hunks of salty ham tout seul.


Maybe it's that anything covered with creamy cheese sauce is appetizing anytime all the time.  I guess when it's white and cheesy you just can't go wrong.  Even better if it's just a little gooey and just a little runny and with just a hint of nutmeg and pepper sauce.
Or Maybe I'm just feeling all weird and 'just-getting-over-the-stomach-flu-ee'.  I think that what I really need to do is go for a good long run.  Feel the wind through my hair (let's clarify that I really meant wind and not blustering cold air), the pacing of my breath and my shoes hitting the pavement.  Maybe I'll just wait until tomorrow when it's not -19 C though....

Either way... this white stuff is celebrating the middle of January, the leftover new year's ham, making it to Valentine's Day and a long weekend.  'Cause Damn... we really need something to celebrate right now.

Ham, Cauliflower and Chard Casserole
serves 4 - 6

3 cups of cooked ham, diced
4 cups cauliflower, cut into large florets
1 med/sm bunch of chard, stems removed and sliced thin
1 med onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup +1 tbsp flour
3 3/4 cup milk, warm
3 cups (about) med/sharp cheddar
2 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
2 dashes of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Have a large 9x13 inch baking dish ready.
Heat a large pot and add in a couple of tbsp of oil.


Add the veggies and saute for about 10 min on medium to low heat.  Add in the diced ham and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed sauce pan, melt the butter.  Add in the flour and stir together until it's well mixed and bubbling just a little bit.  Slowly, stirring the whole time, add in the warm milk.  Stir with a whisk until the sauce begins to thicken.  Once thickened, add in the cheddar, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mustard, salt and nutmeg.  Stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
Place the veggies and ham into the baking dish.  Cover with the cheese sauce.  Sprinkle with parmesan or crushed bread crumbs if you want (that would be nice!).  Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and just turned golden on the top.
Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with Rice, potato... I don't know... whatever... have it all by itself.

Things have changed.  I used to have the best job - I still have the best job actually but part of what made it the best job has changed.  I used to get to see my BFF (to coin my daughter's term) KT almost everyday at work.  She worked in the same place I did... until December 31st that is.  We used to get in a little giggle or a little bitch session for a couple of minutes or so pretty much everyday.  If I ran out of tokens for the subway (or I rode my bike to work and by the end of the day it's raining... let's say) we had a little stash that we shared so neither one of us would be stuck.  Often I would come in to work to find some little treat or 'give-away' on my desk... my BFF was just thinking of me.  If I made something that I knew she would love then I would bring it in and leave it on her desk - just enough to get her and her Big G through a couple of days.  It also provided me with some much needed adult taste testing.
Well, she left for early retirement (she's in her later thirties after all!) on December 31st.  I had some trouble saying goodbye because I'm not really saying 'goodbye' AND because I hate goodbye's.  Like, I mean HATE.  So, now that we are in the middle of January I am trying to adapt to all of those wonderful things mentioned above missing from my everyday work experience.  It's been two KT-less weeks at work and there is a big hole, I won't lie to you.  I've been trying to keep myself beyond busy whilst at work.  That seems to help.


She does live nearby though so we have been able to console ourselves with being able to meet for a quick coffee break or a lunch a couple of times a week.  We also meet up regularly for a little girls night or, as was the case this weekend, a girls shop.  In this case it really was 'girls' because we brought along kid #1 for some retail exposure.  Kid #1 seems to love fashion almost as much as KT and the two of them decided that Kid #1 needed to do a shop with the 'less adventurous' Mom/BFF in the background.  It made it much more fun for me (kid #1 and I didn't fight... not even once!) and we even got a middle of the afternoon 'snack' (snack for Kid #1, drinks for Wanda and KT).  A fantastic time was had by all and we are going to repeat it.  I also happened to mention that I would be making these little puppies today

Blue dots bought on our shopping excursion p.s.

and KT has generously accepted my request to taste test them for me.  We'll be meeting up to share the cupcakes and I'll be sneaking in a little friend time...
So, I still feel kinda sorry for myself - really happy for my now early retired BFF.  My desk is rather bleak and empty and I'm giggling to myself now at work but at least we can still share everything else... and I'll let you know what her feedback is on the Cupcakes.


Spice Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
from The New York Times Thanksgiving thing
makes about 10 cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs

Icing
1 pkg (4 oz) Cream cheese
2 tbsp unsalted butter
dash of salt
3 cups (or so) icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 oz melted white chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare a cupcake tin with 10 - 12 liners (just in case)
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt.  Set aside.
In another bowl mix together the molasses and milk.  Set aside.
In a third bowl beat the butter until light and fluffy.  Add in the sugar and continue to beat together until well mixed.  Add in the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.  Alternate adding the milk/molasses mixture and the flour, mixing well after each addition.  Begin and end with the flour.  Place a heaping spoonful of the batter into each muffin cup, filling to about 3/4 full.


Bake for about 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Cool completely before icing.

Icing
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, butter and dash of salt until they are well mixed and creamy.  Add in the icing sugar until well incorporated.  Add in the vanilla and the melted chocolate.  Mix well.  Ice the cupcakes once they are completely cooled.  Maybe add a little blue ball on the top - or a silver one, or gold or purple or whatever...