Dear Reader.  Please meet my new best friend.  (I'm sorry KT but you've been sidelined.
I feel that it will only be brief however.  If you'll take me back that is.)


This is my new best friend, my new 'I'm-going-to-stand-over-this-eating-it-forkful-by-forkful-until-it's-half-gone-and-I-feel-guilty' dish.  You know that kind of dish.  The one that keeps you at the table even after eating to continue picking away at it until there is ridiculously little of it left and the only reason that you stop picking is because you were hoping that there would be leftovers for a few days... No this totally didn't happen or anything.  This dish knocked my socks off, and a couple of other articles of clothing too.  I mean Holy @*%! who would believe that these ingredients could taste this good.


As I recuperate myself I have to tell you that D wasn't nearly as overwhelmed as I was.  In fact, he was quite underwhelmed with it.  So, it just goes to show you that everyone's taste is different and you might not like it.  I don't often get attached to food in this way but when D told me that it wasn't completely changing his life I found myself getting angry at him and defensive for my BFF!

Sometimes, I like to think that I could go totally whole hog (no pun intended) and be totally vegan but when I eat something like this I just can't imagine it.  Either that or I totally (albeit briefly) forget that the word 'vegan' even exists.
Yeah, so my new best friend and I had some time together yesterday after school (I'm hungry when I come home you know).  Oh yeah, and today after school too.  I'm thinking about not sending any tomorrow with Kid #1 for lunch so that I can sneak in another day with my new BFF.  We really love each other.


Chard, Broccoli and Cannollini Bake
inspired by 'Great Greens' cookbook
serves 6

2 tbsp oil (olive or whatever)
1 bunch of chard cut into thin slices
1 bunch broccoli cut into florets
1 small fennel bulb cut into thin slices
1 rib celery cut into small pieces
1 small onion sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can Cannellini beans (with liquid as long as it's not excessive)
2 organic bouillion cubes (I used low sodium vegetable)
1 tbsp Worcestershire
2 tsp each parsley, oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp smoked paprika
4 dashes nutmeg
a couple of dashes of pepper sauce (optional)
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (plus a little extra if it gets too thick)
1 cup cheddar, shredded
parmesan for topping

Get a large baking dish ready.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat a large pot or dutch oven and add the oil, onion, broccoli, fennel, celery and chard.  Cook it all together for about 7 minutes or so.  Keep the heat lowish so that nothing burns.
Add in the garlic and swish around for a minute or two.
Add in the Cannellini beans, the bouillion cubes and the Worcestershire.  Let that cook together for just a few minutes.
Add in the herbs, salt, sugar, smoked paprika, nutmeg and pepper sauce.  Mix well.
Add in the flour and mix well.
Pour in the milk, slowly - mixing the whole time.  You might need a little extra if it thickens too quickly. Once the consistency is right then add in the cheddar (save a little for the top).  Once the cheese is melted, transfer everything to a baking dish.  Top with a little of the cheddar and some parmesan.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until everything is bubbly and golden...
serve however you like...

Fact:  Sometimes it's easy to trick kids.  Sometimes it's not.
Fact: The first thing that I want to do when I come home from work is change out of the work clothes, jewelry and all, and put on the grubby, comfy stuff.
Fact:  This is the first time that I've ever cooked Rutabaga.  It wasn't terrible.
Fact:  Right now I'm trying to write this post with a 4 yr old talking a blue streak beside me.  It's not easy.

I'm trying not to think about it.  'Just put your head down and get the work done' is what I'm telling myself.  That's right my peeps, next week is March Break.   Seriously, when did that happen.  Middle of March... and a week off.  Like I said, I'm trying not to think about it.  I don't know exactly what we are going to do yet but I know that it will involve cooking, baking, running, yoga and doing fun stuff with kids.  Like I said, I'm trying not to think about it yet.


So, yeah, I made this thing with Rutabaga.  I actually rocked.  Rutabaga is another one of those weird, knobbly veg things that a lot of people have just forgotten about.  It's not nasty.  It has a distinctive but friendly scent when cooking.
Every week in my food box comes some recipe suggestions for the veggies that are included in the box.  This one came with the rutabaga box.  I've adapted it a bit by adding sweet potato and more garlic and onion than originally called for.  It's really a very straight forward kind of scalloped potato.  Came off beautifully and went really well with the roasted chicken and roasted (in the same pan of course) carrot and parsnips (I know.  Parsnip and rutabaga in the same meal... )


Let's recap Fact #1.  Kid #1 and Kid #2 definitely got tricked with this one.  What's cool is that they didn't figure out that it wasn't all potato and subsequently there were no undue complaints and everybody was happy. Yeah.  The end.


Rutabaga, Potato and Sweet Potato Gratin
adapted from Deborah Madison 'Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone'
serves 6

1 lb (about 4 med) potato sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 lb rutabaga, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 small/med sweet potato, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (I mixed milk and cream)
1 small onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic (1 clove cut in half, save one half and crush the rest of the garlic)
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cup grated cheddar
salt to taste
Parmesan to taste
Crumble topping (optional) to taste

Steam the potato, rutabaga and sweet potato for about 7 min. or until they are softening nicely.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Warm the milk in a saucepan.
Rub a large baking dish with the half of garlic clove that was saved and then rub the dish with butter.
Heat the butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan.  Once melted and a little bubbly, add in the flour.  Whisk together until it's well mixed.  Slowly add in the warmed milk, mixing well as you go along.  Once the milk is completely added then add in the onion, crushed garlic, bay leaf and thyme.  Heat over med/low heat and whisk frequently.  Once the mixture begins to thicken add in the nutmeg and a little salt.  (Just for the record I threw in a splash of Worcestershire here too).  Add in the cheddar and stir until melted.
To Assemble:
Line the bottom of the baking dish with an assortment of the steamed veg.


Sprinkle with a little parmesan and then a thin layer of the milk/cheese mixture.  Continue layering until everything is used up.
Sprinkle the top with a little more parmesan and a handful or so of crumble topping (optional).
Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown on top.

I just got an invite (my first ever!) to a 'Sweet Treat Linky Party' by Lisa at Sweet As Sugar Cookies.  This is very cool for me.  I'm totally stoked, my first blogvite... how cool.  Check out Lisa's stuff, there is a lot there.  And... Thanks for the invite Lisa.

Also, I had a fab time last night with my BFF KT and Kid #1 (KT was gracious enough to include Kid #1 in our girlie movie night just this once but I gotta tell 'ya, it just wasn't the same for me.  I cannot compartmentalize parent/BFF very well and let's face I'm not chumming with my 10 yr old just yet - Thanks a million though KT, you're a doll.).  KT and her dude had this mondo tub of Kraft peanut butter  and I just kinda tripped out over it.  I don't buy kraft any more and when I taste it now it's just like candy.      Awesome.  KT ended up melting the peanut butter together with some corn syrup and then pouring in some crispy cereal.  Peanut butter treats, red wine (not for kid #1 though), Sushi and Salt... great movie night.  Great weekend!

On to the cookies.  These were going to be Chocolate cookies with white chocolate chunks.  Sounds good doesn't it?  Yeah... then I found these....


Gross.  Please take note of mold in various places.  Gross.
These were definitely in need of some immediate attention.

The thought of Banana Bread or Muffins just wasn't making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  So, I found this recipe in Martha's Cookie Book (Yeah, I guess we're on a first name basis by now) and got a little excited at the thought of trying something new.  I like the thrill of the unknown.
So, I cut out the molding, gross parts of the bananas and mashed up the rest.


I didn't have quite enough dark chocolate so I substituted with a little bit of milk chocolate.  Not that anyone in my house will care.  These cookies are cakey and nicely sweet.  It's like a banana bread cookie... that's what I'm going to call them now.


Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies  (Banana Bread Cookies)
adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies
makes about 3 doz.

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (could half and half with whole wheat)
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp.
1/2 sugar
1/2 brown sugar (I only had dark but light is fine too)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mashed banana (I used about 2/3 cup)
1 cup old fashioned oats, whizzed to a crumb
8 oz dark chocolate cut into chunks
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  Mix and set aside.
In another bowl combine the butter and both sugars.  Whisk or beat until light and fluffy.  Add in the egg and the vanilla and continue to whisk until well mixed.  Add in the banana and mix.
Add the flour to the banana mixture and stir until combined.
Add in the oatmeal that's been whizzed and stir until combined.
Add in the chocolate and the nuts and stir just until mixed.
Refridgerate for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Prepare a cookie sheet with a liner or parchment.
Drop the dough in tablespoons onto the cookie sheet.  Leave a little space for them to expand.
Bake for about 12 minutes.
Cool just a little on the cookie sheet and then remove to a cooling rack.

I can't tell you exactly when it started but I'm definitely feeling more inspired.

I ran a total of 34 km this week... yes.  And it wasn't freezing.  Double Yes.

I am exactly one week from hauling out my bike and getting ready to hit the roads again.  Big Sigh. YES.

I read this awesome inspiring post from Luisa and followed the trail through some of her links... yes.

I don't purchase much these days - thank you, paying down credit card debt and gettin 'er done - but I couldn't resist this and feel totally inspired every time I drink out of it... yes.


I took some ownership at work and 'brought it'.. so to speak.  Yes.

I had an epiphany regarding chocolate and it not 'owning' me anymore.  Subsequently, haven't had chocolate now for a total of 3 days.  That feels good.  I never had that much chocolate and it had to be dark and preferably with bits of sea salt.  Now I've decided that I can take it or leave it and I feel free... and lighter.  YES.

My chocolate epiphany has extended to a deliberate decreasing of sugar as well... yes *sigh*

I did however, get inspired when I took Kid #1 to the bakery that we frequent after her dance class - 'Dough' on the Danforth, people really... check it out.  Quaint, beautiful, great service, lovely baking. - to pick up this Date Square.  I have cut it into 6 pieces (and already eaten one of the pieces ;-) and it's still too much.  I hope that it lasts well because I think this will be my new treat food for the next 3 or 4 days.
It is a thing of beauty though... isn't it?


p.s.  I don't do enough with dates and used to have this awesome recipe for Date Spice Cake  - I think that I lifted it from the Philidelphia Symphony Cookbook many years ago when I was cooking for the couple in their eighties during my University years - I loved the recipe and have lost it.  If anyone knows of it please send me a comment and we'll exchange info.  I'm up for great ideas though.

I know that there is a word for how I'm feeling right now... I know it.
I just can't think of what that word might be just now.  It's because my brain is a complete fuzz.  I think it's the time of year, the brainwashing after too many years of bad tv, too much staring at a computer screen trying to think of something cool to say so that everyone will like me and read my stupid blog... or something.  Whatever the reason, I can't think of the word and my brain fuzz isn't going anywhere so I'm just going to babble away here mindlessly.


I really like lemon but my problem with most lemon recipes (I'm almost sure that I've mentioned this before but the fuzz is removing any clarity about it) is that they are just not lemony enough.  I like the tart stuff.  The tart that almost makes you pucker stuff.  I've stopped buying lemon loaf at cafe's (well I've actually stopped purchasing anything edible at cafe's but that's another story) because they just taste like pound cake - not a bad thing at all... if you want pound cake.  If I'm buying lemon loaf then it goes without saying that I don't want pound cake though... right?
So, truth be told, this recipe - that I made up on the fly and put together way too quickly so that I could give my kids something other than the apples that they're totally sick of this week - is not lemony enough for me.  Or for kid #1, so she has informed me.  So if you want to up the lemon stuff then go for it... and let me know what the results are.


I grabbed the recipe from a Canadian Living recipe for Poppy Seed, Sour Cream Lemon cakes and it adapted well.  I suggest mixing the blueberries in the flour before adding it all in just so that the blueberries don't drop to the bottom of the muffins while baking.   I think that the strategy worked.
To add to the fuzzy, mindless babble... I'm looking into co-founding (or at least being a very supportive member of) a community kitchen.  More details to come.  Also, I finally watched 'Food Inc.'.  Very glad that I did, it surprised me and yet didn't totally gross me out the way that I thought it would.  Also, very much affirmed the choices we've been making as a family over the past year.  
Mindless drivel over... make these, they taste good, you might really like them, you might be really glad that you read this silly post.


Lemon Blueberry Muffins (adapted from Canadian Living)... with Streusel (from Ottolenghi)

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp grated lemon zest (I used two lemons)
4 eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice (from the lemons)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare muffin tin with liners (about 12)
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.
In another bowl cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy.  Add in the lemon zest and cream some more.  Add in the eggs and whisk together until frothy.  Add in the lemon juice and the sour cream.  Mix well.
Add the blueberries to the bowl of flour and stir them in just enough to get them all coated with flour.
Add the flour/blueberry mixture to the egg/butter mixture.  Mix gently just until everything is mixed well (otherwise the blueberries mix start to break open and you want to keep them whole as much as possible).

Scoop into twelve prepared muffin tins and sprinkle generously with the streusel (recipe below).
Bake for about 25 - 28 minutes depending.  The muffins should be golden.


Remove from oven and cool in the tins for about 7 min.  Remove from tin and continue cooling until ready to eat.

Streusel 
Combine 3 parts all purpose flour (3/4 cup eg.)
               1 parts sugar (1/4 cup eg.)
       and  2 parts cold butter in cubes (1/2 cup eg.)

Crumb together (I used a pastry cutter or two forks will work too) until it's the consistency of breadcrumbs.  Use immediately or store in the freezer.

This is the second part of my squash adventure:
I had a big honkin' squash... butternut squash to be exact.
I consider myself a squash newbie.
It's not really my favourite thing ever but I gotta learn to deal with it because this squash is seriously huge and there isn't room in the house for it and the kids!


So, I got to work.  I started with the soup.  That was tasty and satisfying... I liked it!!
Then I got ahold of this idea from epicurious to make bean and squash chili.  I liked that idea.  I didn't exactly have the right ingredients but what are you gonna do?  You just kinda roll with it, right?  So, I made not so black bean stew instead.  I have added a couple of spices in the recipe that I didn't have (mostly chili powder) and I also listed what I used.  So, use your discretion here and taste as you go along.
I love that this didn't just use up the roasted squash


(Ok, so I peeled and chopped up the whole squash into nice big chunks and then tossed it in some oil, threw it all on a baking sheet, sprinkled some sea salt and roasted it for 30 min at 400 degrees F - I highly recommend it) but it also incorporated beans.  I'm really trying to work more beans into our diets.  All things considered, this recipe worked really well.  I adapted the idea pretty heavily but the concept works.  I would not have thought of this combination on my own, that's for sure.  I did cut the chunks of roasted squash up a little smaller than they were originally.  You could add some kinda of meat here if you wanted but to be honest, I didn't miss it at all.  In fact, the meat might fight a little too much with the strong tastes already present... your call though.  Give it a whirl if you have a squash that needs a home and let me know how you liked it.  So out of one squash I got two meals and some leftovers... not bad at all.
This ends my squash adventure.


Black Bean and Squash Stew/Chili adapted from epicurious.com

1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 lg onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
2 lg garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chard or spinach, diced
2 cups button mushrooms, quartered
3 cups butternut squash, cut into chunks and roasted
1 lg can diced tomoto
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp marjoram
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp thyme
1 dash cinnamon
1 bouillion cube (I used vegetable)
dash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)

In a large, heavy bottomed pot heat some kind of oil (2 tbsp or so) and saute the onion and celery together.  Let that continue for about 5 minutes, until the onion begins to get transparent.   Add in the garlic and chard.  Cool together for about 4 minutes, until the chard begins to wilt.  Add in the mushrooms and the beans.  Mix together.
Add in the squash and tomato and mix together.  Allow that to simmer together for just a few minutes.  Add in the salt, sugar, cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, paprika, marjoram, thyme, cinnamon, bouillion cube and Worcestershire Sauce (if you wish).
Check tastes and adjust salt if necessary.  Serve alone or with:
Rice
grated cheese
sour cream
warm tortillas.... etc.  

My Squash Adventure:
Last week I got this mondo butternut squash in the food box.  This seems to pose a problem for me.  What to do with a mondo butternut squash?  I am not someone who adores squash.  It wasn't a regular for me growing up and I'm a little lost with squash of any kind.  I'm learning though.  This is precisely why I love the foodbox.  Although I can ultimately pick and choose what I would like, it's really fun giving myself the challenge of something like this.  I try to regularly choose something that I wouldn't normally choose but that is also seasonal and local, even during the winter.
A word about butternut squash:
It's high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Manganese and Fiber.
It's a little easier to prepare than pumpkin.
It is low in calories but still very filling because of the fiber.

So, armed with my nutritional information and motivated to get this huge thing out of my kitchen, I have embarked on a butternut squash marathon.


I have split the squash into two (albeit still substantial) pieces and will document my squash adventure here on this blog.

The first half of the squash went into soup.  In an ideal world I would have added red pepper... which I don't have.  It was important for me to roast the squash first.  So, I peeled the squash and then tossed it all in some oil, plopped it all on a baking sheet, sprinkled it with some salt and roasted the squash for 30 min. at 400 degrees F.  Another beautiful layer of flavour... haha, that sounds funny.   Caramelize some onions, add in some celery and potato, pour in some broth and whiz the crap up once it's soft... and Bob's yur Uncle!


Half the squash down, next half to go....  My Squash Adventure will continue


Squash Soup
serves 6

4 cups butternut squash, cubed and roasted
1 large onion
1 rib celery
2 med potatoes, diced
4 cups stock (I used vegetable stock)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1/2 cup cream or sour cream

In a large, heavy bottomed pot caramelize the onions.  Cook them slowly in butter over med/low heat until they turn golden brown.  Add in the celery and the potato and allow the potato to brown just a bit in the pot.  Total cooking time here, maybe 12 minutes.
Add in the squash and cook together for another 3 minutes.
Add in the stock, salt, thyme and marjoram.  Simmer together over low heat for about 15 minutes or until all the veggies are nice and soft.
Using a blender, whizz up the soup in two batches.  Pour back into the pot and add in the cream or sour cream.
Check the tastes and adjust as necessary (I needed a little heat in mine for example).