When I'm not at Work

Peanut Butter and BACON cookies... dedicated to Jesse.

I may be going out there a little too far for some of you... hell, I'm out there pretty far for myself! However, I must explain. Derek and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary at a wonderful spot here in Toronto called Trevor Kitchen and Bar. Our friend Jesse Vallins is the Chef de Cuisine and, despite all of our best efforts to be inconspicuous, He always discovers that we are there and treats us ridiculously well. We ended up getting multiple first courses and among our favourites was the heirloom tomato salad with bacon vinaigrette (BTW - Derek Never eats salad but he ate this one!) with a little breaded deep fried dill heaven and the BLT Consumme (Yes - you read that right) as for our other choices (Oh like the truffle and reggiano drizzled poutine! and my gorgeously rare lamb) we were also thrilled... Oh and the glass of sparkling Spanish helped the mood as well. Jesse really... you outdid yourself!

So inspired by the bacon craziness of late I decided to get on with making this recipe that I've been toying with for a while. I first saw the idea on Joy the Baker's website and did some tweaking of my own and came up with this little cookie. Part peanut butter cookie, part bacon breakfast and ALLLLL decadent! Delish! I may be out there but at least it tastes good to be here.

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies.

(Adapted from Joy the Baker)

Makes a boat load!

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter at room temp.

1 1/2 cups peanut butter (I used all natural crunchy - another great use for my chopstick collection)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 lg eggs

8 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and broken into small, crunchy pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degress F. Prepare a cookie pan with a silicon baking sheet or parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth and well combined. Add in the sugar and beat until fluffy - about 4 minutes or so. Add in the eggs and combine well.

Add the flour into the mixture and mix until well combined.

Sprinkle in the bacon pieces and mix well. Place tablespoons full on prepared baking sheet and press down with a fork. Bake for about 11 minutes.

How Far can I stretch? ... Sausage that is.

Ok, so I'm trying to be thrifty but I'm not really trying to be thrifty. I'm just experimenting really. Since we are all (well, most of us) trying to cut down on our meat intake just a little bit, I bought five hot italian sausages and I want to see how much I can do with them.

First on my list, Risotto. Since my lemon Risotto discovery on Valentine's Day I have made risotto part of my regular repertoire. It took me a long time to get onto it but now that I've kind of got it, I can't believe that it took me so long to catch the bug. Delicious just about any way... and there are tons of ways. I'm trying to think of something that would just not work if you threw it into risotto but I'm having trouble thinking of what that would be. Thoughts???

Also, the food box came today and with it arrived a huge bunch of huge asparagus and some yummy looking mushrooms - let's throw 'em in. I figure, the more crap in the risotto, the further it will go, right? (Also, in the food box was some yummy cheese and some super yummy Cocoa Camino chocolate... oh and some awesome Ace bakery multigrain bread! It was a great food box... SEE...

So, with 4 cups of heated chicken broth, 2 cups of risotto, 2 hot italian sausages and some veggies... here's what I did:

Risotto with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Sausage

(serves 4)

4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth, heated

2 cups of Arborio rice

5 large stalks of asparagus

1/2 a red onion, diced small

3 cups of mushrooms (I used button) sliced

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

2 hot italian sausage, sliced thin

1/3 cup of parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Once heated add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted add in the veggies and saute in the oil and butter until the onion is just clear (doesn't have to be limp though). Turn down the heat if necessary. Add in the arborio rice and coat with oil and butter (add a little more butter if you need to). Slowly begin to add ladle's full of heated broth, being careful not to add so much at one time that the mixture stops simmering. Continue stirring regularly and adding ladles of broth as needed.

Once the rice is done (takes about 15 - 20 minutes) remove from the heat and add the sausage, parmesan and cream. Check for taste.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake... or Sometimes 'unplanned' is ok

Sometimes my lack of planning sucks. I just can't seem to get on top of what I really want to do, to make, to eat... I'll surf indefinitely, pull out a cookbook (or 3) without getting inspired. Often, in the end, I'll just open the fridge and check out what's there and go with it... totally uninspired...You get the idea. Today, my lack of planning paid off. I really needed to use up some sour cream in the refrigerator before it went south. I just happened to stumble on a recipe from Lottie + Doof (whilst half-heartedly looking for a rhubarb recipe) that got my juices flowing. Usually in these situations I find myself banging my head on something hard because I've got all but one ingredient... but not this time.

Here's the thing though, if I hadn't been waffling about what I would make, if I had actually planned ahead, if I hadn't been lazily surfing the food-web... well... I never would have tried this recipe and that, my peeps, would have been some kind of tragic.

I don't know why exactly, but it's blowing my mind. I love the texture, the cake is soooo spongy and RIGHT. Perfect crumb, crunchy topping. Yes, definitely everything that you could ever wish for in a coffee cake.

The recipe called for a 9x13 pan which was just too much for me (although after tasting this sucker, I'm not so sure!) so, I halved it with great success. I will give you the full version here though.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

adapted from Lottie + Doof (from 'Baked')

Crumb Topping

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2.3 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup toasted pecans (I used walnuts - unfortunately too late I found pecans in the freezer)

5 tbsp cold butter to cut into above

Swirl

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp dark cocoa powder (although I omitted this entirely)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cake

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 up butter at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 cups sour cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan.

For Topping:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it's the texture of coarse sand. What I did was leave the walnuts chunky and just mix everything well, cutting the butter in until it was incorporated evenly. Refrigerate until needed

For the swirl:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

For the Cake:

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Add in the sour cream and the vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until well incorporated but be careful not to over mix (especially if you are using an electric or stand mixer).

Put approximately half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread fairly evenly. Sprinkle the sugar swirl over the cake batter in the pan and cover with the remaining batter (try to get the batter spread out as evenly as possible). Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan. Bake for about an hour (although I would check after about 50 minutes just in case) or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for about 30 then cut and serve.

Finally... Pork Stew... and a new Pute!

Ahhhhhh.

I am writing my post from my wireless keyboard that is not attached (!) to my new imac. This is crazy. I've never had my own computer before, at least not my own NEW computer - what a thing. My imac is smokin'. Wireless mouse, wireless keyboard, it's fast, I'll now be able to skype using live camera... the list goes on. Ok, I'd love to give you all the specs but I don't actually remember what they are, nor do I care. It's fierce and I'm ecstatic! (and broke)

Speaking of fierce, this pork stew is da bomb! It's been quite a week for me. I'm still not fully recovered from my chaperoning stint and had to fly right back into a busy week of work. Didn't have time to properly get groceries and have been wingin' it like mad. (I definitely need some Yoga in my life this weekend).

So, pork tenderloin was in the freezer and it was time to get creative. I've adapted this recipe from Canadian Living magazine. The original called for Lamb which I didn't have. I did have Lima beans but I think that in a pinch white kidney or even navy beans would work. I also added some of my beloved smoked paprika as well. I love how adaptable this recipe is though, you could use beef chuck, lamb, pork even goat would work well. The stew will also take some different spice combinations and become a completely different dish. The result though is always comforting and satisfying.

Lima Bean and Lamb (Pork Tenderloin in this case) Stew

adapted from Canadian Living

(serves a bus but is easily halved)

3 lbs boneless leg of lamb

1 onion, chopped

1 rib of celery, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed

3 cups of something leafy and green (spinach, chard - you get the picture) cut small and thin

1/2 tsp each salt, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and ginger

1/4 tsp each turmeric, cinnamon, ground cardamom

dash of pepper

pinch of saffron, cayenne, ground cloves

1 cup of bean liquid or broth

1 can whole or diced tomatoes

2 strip of lemon rind (optional)

3 cups Lima beans (about 2 cans)

fresh parsley (I also used fresh chives and fresh oregano - from the garden!!!)

Cut the meat into 1 - 1.5 inch cubes. Heat a large Dutch oven and add some oil once heated. Saute the onion, celery and garlic until the onion is transparent. Add in the meat and brown with the veggies. Once browned add the beans and mix well.

Add in the spices and mix well. Once mixed add the tomato and bean liquid. Add in the fresh herbs and throw in the lemon rind and let the mixture simmer for at least half an hour.

Serve over couscous or rice (ok, I know that I should use brown here people but I'm having some issues with the fam not liking the brown rice!!!)

Cream sauce in a daze

I am in a serious fog right now. I haven't yet recuperated my sleep from the chaperoning extravaganza that was last week. I didn't make it into work today because I needed to 'rest'. So, at home I'm faced with the dilemma of needing to get a lot of things done that I have no energy for. Still, I must soldier through it. I must cook - we need to eat.

I have vegetables, LOTS of vegetables. I'm complete flyin' by the seat of my pants and my brain is in fuzz mode. I start chopping, I start slicing some cherry tomatoes, I throw them into the oven drizzled with olive oil and fleur de sel. I rummage through the fridge and find something, anything. What ends up happening...

Tomatoes get roasted...

Veggies get cooked...

Milk gets added along with a smidgen of cream cheese and parmesan cheese...

1 small onion, chopped

3 cups of chunky sliced mushrooms

1 small zucchini, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, minced/crushed

3 cups of greens (chard, spinach, etc)

2 cups of roasted cherry tomatoes

(halve the tomatoes, coat with olive oil, place on baking sheet, sprinkle with course salt, roast for 25 min)

1 small bunch of chives (it is spring! They're in the garden)

1/4 cream cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

4 cups milk (you could also use a mixture of wine and milk or cream)

salt

parsley

basil (fresh would be great)

Heat a large pan, add some olive oil (about 2 tbsp or so).

Saute the onion, mushrooms and zucchini until soft. Add the garlic and saute a couple of minutes. Add the greens and chive and saute until wilted. Add the cheeses until melted in and then add the milk. Add all the seasonings and check for taste.

Serve with some pasta (I used green fettucine).

Pray that at some point you'll remember what it felt like to think clearly.

Apple Bread

I'm wiped out! I can't imagine how I could feel more tired than I do right now... BUT... I did it. I survived a bus of 45 boys (gr. 8 and gr. 10) traveling for up to 6 hrs at a time, music blaring, chaperoning 9 of those boys through 4 cities and 4 concerts (they all sing in a boys choir), 2 Masses, buffet restaurants, barfing kids on the bus and greuling schedules (I said at one point late in the tour that if I woke up to the time on the clock starting with a 5 one more time...!!!). I am home again... with just two kids, two jobs and one husband and boy is it amazing.

I took today off to revive and I would say that I'm about half way there. However, everybody needs to eat... and snack too. After a week of fast food (ok, subway was the lowest I could go, beyond that it was starvation by choice), buffets (in the U.S I learned that buffet means something quite different than in Canada) and eating while on the run, I am soooooo ready to relax with some good meals and comforting snacks.

I LOVE THIS BREAD!!!

This bread never fails. It tastes fantastic, the texture is exactly what you want from a quick bread (not too dry, not too wet) and it lasts well. I found this recipe in the 'More With Less' cookbook. It is simple and easy. What I have started doing is, if I know that I'm not going to get through my apples before they go bad, chopping the apples up and putting them in the freezer, bagged in the right portion and ready to go. Just make sure (if you use frozen) that you drain them before putting them into the bread batter.

This bread is going to help me recuperate from my first St Michael's tour For Sure!!!

Dutch Apple Bread

(More with Less)

Makes 1 loaf (I used a smallish loaf pan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

Add and beat well:

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Combine separately:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Add dry ingredients alternately with:

1/3 cup sour milk or orange juice

(I used just under 1/3 cup O.J. and didn't have milk so I put in 1 tbsp of sour cream as well)

Fold in:

1 cup chopped apples (not delicious though)

1/3 cup of toasted walnuts (I skipped this though)

Bake in a greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan for about 50 minutes (might need 55 min. but check at 50)

Caramel Apple Cake... an experiement

When you read this I will be away - the wonders of technology! I can still publish a blog post when I am away!!! I'm not sure exactly where I will be but I won't be here - I'll probably be wishing that I were here though. However, right now - I am here, at home. Enjoying my last day of peace for a week. Baking away and getting things ready for my fam. They will be here and I will be gone.

I decided to try this cake from one of our revered Canadian institutions - Canadian Living Magazine. I've read reviews of these kinds of recipes and it seems that they can go either way. Sometimes the caramel gets a little sketchy and it can leave you with a top that is too crunchy and hard. I think keeping an eye on the baking time helps that a little. If you can get it right, it's a very tasty little treat. I'll tell you though, it's certainly no 'thing of beauty' in my opinion.

As usual, I didn't have all the ingredients that the recipe called for. I only had two apples and a pear. The apples were quite small and I think, in the end, more apples (or pears because honestly they were a nice addition!) would have helped the presentation a bit. I also didn't have any lemon in the house and I didn't notice the absence at all.

The title sounded a lot more exciting than the humble little cake looks when you are done with it. Like I said though, it is tasty. I whipped up some cream as well to serve on the side, although some vanilla or caramel ice cream would be just a welcome.

Caramel apple upside-down Cake

(adapted from Canadian Living)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

4 lg apples

1/4 cup unsalted butter

Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup gran. sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup milk

In heavy saucepan stir granulated sugar with 1/4 cup of water over medium heat until dissolved. Bring to a boil and continue to boil vigorously for 6 - 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes dark amber (Just a note here: I boiled mine for more like 12 minutes and when

it started to change colours, it changed very quickly. Be ready to take it off the heat quickly and get it into the pan. Also, it will smell a bit burnt - you are literally burning the sugar after all!). Add the lemon juice (which I didn't have) and Pour into 9 inch round metal cake pan (I would also put some parchment on the very bottom - cut in a circle of the same size - just to make it easier to take it out of the pan).

Pell, core and slice apples into medium thickness slices. In a skills, melt butter over medium heat and cook apples until tender and golden. Arrange the apples in the caramel mixture.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

In another bowl beat butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until they are well mixed. Add in the vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour and milk alternately in about 3 batches - beginning and ending with the flour - to the butter mixture. Spread over the apples.

Bake for about 40 minutes (check after about 35 minutes just to be safe). Once finished, invert onto cake plate but wait for about 5 minutes to remove the pan (I used a springform which made this a little easier).