Usually my christmas baking list consists of Cappuccino Flats and lemon squares with maybe a little something extra on the side just to add some variety.  This year however, I had a cookie exchange party to go to.  I decided to try some new recipes for that (and didn't want to share my cappuccino flats cookies!) and after it was all said and done I had waaaaayyyy too much baking goin' on.  I just couldn't bring myself to do the lemon bars because they are special to me and need to be appreciated fully on their own.

I don't know why but I love the whole lemon/sweet thing.  Maybe it's the colour, maybe the tartness or maybe even the lovely savouriness of the crust.  I don't know, I just love it.  I need to try making lemon curd and getting that into my repertoire.  (that's just an aside as I'm thinking with my fingers here)  So just a couple of days before Christmas I had these organic meyer lemons that I got from the food box and they were dying because I hadn't used them up.  I had to get moving so I went ahead and zested and juiced them and then froze the lot of it 'cause I just couldn't bring myself to make anything else sweet at the time.

Ok, sorry I did't realize at the time that I left the stupid stickers on the lemons!

This past weekend though we were more or less (and most lusciously) housebound thanks to no dance class, no piano lessons, 10 cm of snow and two really tired parents.  This left me with lots of time to get these lemon bars finally looked after.  Good thing too because a couple of days after that I came down with some sort of cussing stomach bug that had me off food for about 36 hours.  I'm really trying to stay positive (this year) so all I'm going to say is that there is always a silver lining and stomach bugs are a great short term weight loss strategy.  Done and Dusted.


For the record, I didn't have the appropriate amount of granulated sugar for the lemon crap so I substituted some muscovado sugar which admittedly isn't as sweet AND changed the colour a little.  So I feel somewhat cheated and I think that I need to make them again just so that I can be sure that I've 'done right' by the lemon bars... I'll keep ya posted.


Lemon Bars (adapted from Ina Garten's recipe)
makes about 36 squares

Crust:
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp salt

Filling:
1 cup fresh lemon juice
zest from all the lemons used to get the fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
2/3 cup flour

Icing sugar for dusting.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease an 9x13 inch baking dish with butter. (Truth be told I used a little less than the 9x13 by rolling up some aluminum foil but it was a bit of a stretch so I wouldn't exactly recommend it - just use a slightly smaller pan if you want to go 'less')
In a large bowl combine the butter, sugar, flour and salt.  Cut everything together until it forms a crumbly ball.  Place the dough in the greased pan and press down until it's covered the bottom of the pan and is packed and looks like a crust (!).  Bake for 15 - 20 min or until the crust is just browning at the edges.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

In a large bowl combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs, sugar and flour.  Whisk until everything is incorporated and the sugar has dissolved.  Pour into the slightly cooled pan with the crust in it.
Bake the whole thing for 30 - 35 min.  Until the lemon stuff looks 'set'.  Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 min.  Once the squares are cooled, dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.

It's white on white here in the T.  We woke this morning to a surprise dumping of snow - must have been a good 10 cm or so.  It's beautiful, and that's sayin' something for someone who would really rather be biking.  I like that it's one of those few times a year when:

a.  Cars drive slowly and actually smile at you when they see you shovelling.
b.  I don't have to worry about kid #1 or #2 falling down for any reason because they are so padded with crap and the snow is so deep that there's no risk of injury.
c.  A lot of the neighbours come outside all at once.  We all shovel and the kids all play and we all chat and it's... nice.
Like I said before, that's sayin' something for me.

So my Winter Wonderland inspired my White cooking day - Marshmallows first and now this:


I don't where this came from - could have been anywhere I suppose.  All I know is that this recipe has been in my recipe box... then folder... then binder... for years... and years.... AND I have made it... once.

It doesn't suck so I don't know why I haven't done more with this idea.  At my most favouritest pizza joint in the entire world - Amelio's (yes, all my Montrealers, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout) - they do this totally sick five cheese pizza that's mind blowing.  This isn't even close to that but I'm in Toronto, not Montreal ;-( and we're just gonna have to make do.  This is a variation as well because I've added in some cooked spinach


and some mushrooms and believe me, they do provide a much needed ccontrast to the cheese.  You could take this in another direction entirely by adding chicken or shrimp or something but I really wanted to keep this meat free.


Also, I think that this pizza is pretty.  I know that pizza is not something that would immediately strike anyone as 'pretty' but I guess that compared with the normal pizza 'look' this one is pretty to me.  Weird.
However, I would make this kind of thing and cut them down for mini's if I had guests - which I don't these days because the main floor of my house has basically turned into a lego receptacle.
Lastly, FYI:  For my taste, when it comes to re-heating pizza leftovers I have to do it in the oven.  The microwave just makes my crust gross and gooey and not pizza'ee' at all.  Blech.   Enjoy the pizza ;-)


Feta Ricotta Pizza... with spinach ;-)
serves 4 (or maybe 2)

pizza dough - you can find my post on that here or you can buy some at the store in dough form or prebaked (although that crap tastes like....) - for on large pizza (sometimes use a cookie sheet for this recipe.

1 bunch of spinach - cooked and sieved (push out as much of the water as you can)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup (maybe 1 1/4 or so) ricotta
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled (I didn't have any so I substituted parmesan)
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp oregano and basil
dash or two of nutmeg
1 tsp honey
1 1/2 - 2 cups mozzarella (depending on how drenched you like your pizza), shredded or sliced if you are using fresh mozzarella.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
Get the dough ready on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
Roll out the dough.  Roll it out a little larger than the pan you want to bake it on, it will shrink when you lift it onto the pan (my achilles heal!).  Place dough on pan over top of the cornmeal.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, the feta (or parmesan), salt, oregano, basil, nutmeg and honey.  Mix well.
Spread onto the pizza dough.  Sprinkle the cooked spinach on top of the ricotta mixture.  Sprinkle the mushrooms out over that.  Lastly, sprinkle the mozzarella on top.
Bake for about 12 minutes or until the pizza is bubbly in the middle and golden brown at the edges.
Remove from oven and let it rest for about 7 minutes.
Dig in... maybe throw some crushed hot peppers on the top.

Thank God it's Saturday.
I stayed in bed for a long time.
Kid #2 went voluntarily naked around the house for the entire morning.
I didn't even think about doing a run today.
I contemplated lots.  Whatever... I'm in a strange mood today and I won't lie to 'ya, it's kinda fun.
We woke up today to a hefty snowfall - thank God it's saturday and we can stay in - and all the kids toys are covered in the backyard.  I can still see the beaded gold string that somehow made it's way 18 feet up the tree.  It's just hanging there.  It's like a stupid play toy for squirrels and raccoons or something.  It looks weird but I know it's there b/c kid #1 left it outside and then wrapped it around the tree and then the wind or an animal or both gradually pulled it higher and higher.  It kind of feels like our little signature on the world out there.


During my contemplations I decided to make marshmallow's.  I've been wanting to make them ever since D bought me this for Xmas.   To be more precise, I've been wanting to make them for a long time.  however, without the help of something powered by an engine the whole endeavour sounded exhausting.  But now, with a reasonably powerful engine in my hand I thought 'let's give it a go'.


Let me say this up front.  This is cussing messy!  I was expecting it to be somewhat messy (recall, if you will, numerous experiences with melted marshmallow's during the rice crispy square making process) but this stuff was off the chain!  The most exciting part was when, near the end of the whisking adventure, the marshmallow mixture started crawling up the sides of the spinning bowl.  It just started to come out over the lip of the bowl when I stopped it.  Now I've got this sticky stuff all over my mixing engine - ugh!  I'm sure that a good 1/10th of the recipe stayed back on the sides of the bowl because I just couldn't get the damn stuff off.  What the cuss, it tasted good and the kids got a nice bowl treat to fight over - happy saturdays.  Other than that it was relatively easy.  Waiting for the sugar/syrup crap to get to 240 degrees F took longer than I expected but at least I didn't have to do anything.  You WILL need a candy thermometer and some kind of mixing machine


Homemade Marshmallow's (adapted from Ina Garten)

3 packets of unflavoured gelatine
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp kosher salt (regular will work too)
1 tbsp vanilla (good quality)
icing sugar for dusting, etc.

In mixer bowl combine the gelatine and cold water.  Set aside.


In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt.  Place over high heat and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F.


Slowly pour the mixture into the dissolved gelatine and whisk using some kind of mixer machinery for about 10 minutes, start at low speed and gradually increase to high speed.  (watch the sides of the bowl, MmmK?!)
Once this stuff looks really thick and is stickier than anything you'd ever want to touch under normal circumstances it's ready to pour into a pan.  Add in the vanilla and mix the stuff.  Get ready to pour.  I used a large pan but regretted it.  I would use an 8x8 square pan.  You could line it with parchment or just grease it with butter and heavily dust it all with icing sugar.  Either way, put icing sugar in the bottom.  Pour the mixture into the pan and dust on top with icing sugar as well.


Wait for many hours until the stuff is solid enough to cut.
Turn the marshmallow's out onto a large cutting board and carefully remove the parchment paper.


Oil or butter a long knife and try using that to slice the marshmallows, someone else has suggested using an oiled pizza cutter... whatever works people, this is tricky.  Keep in mind though that even if these things get stretched they tend to bounce right back.
Slice them into squares and toss them in more icing sugar so that they stay separated from each other.

I am totally fried.  I guess that sleeping in, only having one or maybe two items on my 'to do' list, eating great food and generally not doing anything before noon has kind of caught up with me.  THE hardest thing in the world has been getting up and seeing a 5 or a 6 as the first number on the clock.  I won't lie to you, I thought of calling in sick more than once.  My home studio is back in full force and by Wednesday I was a complete mess.  It was all I could do to get through the week in one piece.
I worked a lot.  I worked out a lot too.  I didn't cook.  Not a thing.  I had some soup in the freezer - Thank God! - and between that and some noodles it got us through.  I didn't even think about cooking.  I felt totally uninspired to cook but it wouldn't have mattered anyway.  I didn't have time to cook.
I've also been kinda tired of meat.  I didn't overdo it during the holidays so I can't really explain it but I'm just hankering veggies... there it is.


So, after coming home from work and really needing to eat (by now the soup is gone) but knowing that I didn't have time before I start job #2, I was overjoyed to find out that I had a last minute cancellation which meant I had an extra hour knocking around.  FOOD!


I can't believe that I haven't posted this recipe before because it really is one of my 'go-to' stir fry recipes.  Most of the time with this stir fry business it's really about Wanda throwing a bunch of veggies into a wok with a bunch of soya sauce and crap and something spicy and... Bob's Yer Uncle.  When it comes to the awesome peanut sauce thing I'm a little better.  My quantities will be totally whack but I'll get all the ingredients... mostly.  I got this recipe idea from my University friend Pam who was my accompanist for a long time (remember I'm a music person here people - classical singer by trade).  Pam was from Saskatchewan and she was Mennonite and totally into Harrowsmith (none of these things are necessarily connected - just so 'ya know).  I got this recipe from her Harrowsmith book (they really are gems) and it's a beautiful thing.


Tofu in Peanut Sauce (adapted slightly from Harrowsmith)

1/2 cup veg stock
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp (or more) crushed hot red pepper
2 tbsp honey
5 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
4 tbsp oil (sesame if possible)
3 tbsp fresh ground ginger
4 cloves garlic, crushed
6 cups (at least) of veggies - assortment of onion, carrot, pepper, broccoli, zucchini... you get the idea
1 lb (about 1 pkg) of firm tofu, cut into smallish chunks

Heat wok over medium heat.   Add in the oil and throw in the veggies (remember the 'throw in' part) and let them cook for a while - 6 or 7 minutes let's say.  Throw in the garlic, ginger and tofu.
In another bowl combine the veg stock, peanut butter, hot red pepper, honey, soy sauce and red wine vinegar.  Whisk together until everything is mixed well.  Pour onto the veggies and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.  Check the tastes and adjust (the heat ;-) if necessary.
This gives you time to get the rice or noodles ready...

Oh boy.  I've kinda done it to myself.
We got invited to an open house.  This is a good thing.
I want to make Monkey Bread but we absolutely can't eat it all.  I decide to make Monkey Bread to take to the open house.  This is a good thing.
I've never made Monkey Bread before.  This is not necessarily a good thing.
However, making something I've never made before hasn't exactly ever stopped me from posting anything here.  I'm a 'dive-in-now-possibly-regret-it-later... or-not!' kind of person.  So...forwards I go.
Truth be told, I should be off to the party now.  But, I was baking.  And, it's complete misery outside.


And, I was in the middle of a 2 1/2 hour Bollywood flick that was amazing... And... I just am not moving anywhere fast.
I discovered that Monkey bread has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan.  Lesson learned.  In future I will a.  Cover the bottom of the tube pan with parchment b. not use a tube pan but maybe a springform pan instead.  So having learned the lesson I found myself having to decided how to make the monkey bread look appealing even though half of it was still stuck in the pan and I had to fish it out with a fork.

Gotta say - if we're just talkin 'bout taste here, I prefer it without the glaze... just like this.

Ah!  Icing anyone?!
So... thanks to Smitten Kitchen, we have glaze my peeps.  If in doubt, blob it all up in something that looks like it might have come out of a tube pan and then pour something on top of it to totally cover up the ramshackle-ness.  TIDY!
Also, not that this is necessarily relevant at all because it's not going to be an issue.  I wouldn't make it ahead of time.  This really should be eaten the day of (I'm chuckling even as I'm writing this).  It's just not the same the next day.
Lesson here:
If you can't eat the whole thing yourself in one day then invite friends over or take it to them... Jus' sayin'


Monkey Bread adapted from Smitten Kitchen and my bread book
serves a good few - think at least 8

1/3 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1 tsp sugar
1 pkg. active dry yeast
3 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 cup scalded milk (cooled to 110 degrees F)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Glaze:
3 oz (or about half a pkg) of cream cheese at room temp.
3 tbsp icing sugar
2 - 3 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

In a bowl combine the flour and salt.
In another dish or bowl combine the warm water, sugar and yeast.  Set aside and let it stand for 10 min. until it expands and gets all foamy and yeasty.
In another bowl combine the scalded milk, butter and sugar.  Let the butter melt in the milk.
Form a well with the flour.  Pour in the milk mixture and the yeast mixture once it's all done and foamy.


Combine well and then turn out onto a lightly flour surface.  Knead for about 5 - 6 min. or until it forms a ball and looks nice and smooth.
Place the dough ball in a bowl that's been oiled or buttered.  Cover with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm, non-drafty place for about 1 hr.  The dough should double in size.

While the dough is rising place 1/4 cup of melted butter in a small bowl and in another bowl mix together 1 cup of light brown or muscovado sugar and  about 2 tsp of cinnamon. Set aside.

Meanwhile, butter a tube pan or a baking dish for the Monkey Bread to bake in... set aside.

Punch the dough down and form the dough into little balls about the size of golf balls.
Dip each ball into the melted butter and then into the sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Place each ball gently into the prepared pan.  Don't stuff them in - they need room to expand.


Once all the balls are done and in the pan then cover again with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm, draft-less place for about 1 hr or until doubled in size.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the bread for about 30 min or so (maybe a few minutes longer... maybe).  Leave for about 5 min and then turn out of the pan (otherwise it will stick)
While it's cooling, make the glaze.
In a bowl combine the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Gradually add in the milk and vanilla until it's a consistency to pour over the bread - not too thin though otherwise it will pour right off ;-)
Once the bread has cooled sufficiently then you can pour the glaze over top.  Try to control yourself during this time and take it to wherever you are going without eating any along the way.

This is me actually eating a piece of bread - pic taken by Kid #1

If you happen to be particularly brilliant and have decided that sharing is dumb then, by all means, let yourself go...

In Trinidad 'New Years' isn't quite celebrated as such.  Instead 'Ol' Years' is celebrated instead.
I like this idea.
I like the celebrating of what's been done, what's gone by, what we've survived (in essence ;-).
Truth be told, I've never gone in much for celebrating New/Old Years in any significant way.  My church background meant that when I was young I celebrated by going to a church service, testimonies were given and then all the young people would stay up all night... eating, listening to music, playing sports and generally having fun away from their parents.  Admittedly, since those days, it's pretty much been at home, quiet with a bottle of champagne (Veuve, of course!).
That was until the year 2000.  Yes, the very last day of the year 2000.  At 10 in the morning, after too many hours, my beautiful Kid #1 was born.  She was born at home in the middle of a snow storm.  Friends unwittingly drove down in that same snowstorm to celebrate with us.  We had a houseful of friends and a new baby.  It's been 10 years.  My baby is in gr. 5.  She is still, and always, the youngest in her class.  She is bright, beautiful and talented.  She drives me to near insanity and yet she makes me so proud.  I love her to bits.
Now every Ol' Years is also her birthday celebration.  And we Celebrate:



She gets to choose her cake and her favourite meal each year.  This year she has chosen... not a cake but a pie.  A complete change for her but totally her choice.

So, for this Ol' Years and for my Beautiful Kid #1's birthday, I give her Caramel Truffle Pie.


Remember all that's gone under the bridge this year.  All that you've gained, all that you've lost.  The ways that you have loved, the many ways you've grown.  All the love you've been given along the way.  Celebrate, Breathe deeply, be Thankful and look ahead.


Caramel Truffle Pie (adapted from Good Housekeeping)

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup + 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Caramel:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup cream or evaporated milk

Truffle:
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup cream
3 tbsp butter

To Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pie plate add the graham crackers and the melted butter.


Combine until the graham crackers can form a ball, stick together - you get the idea.  Press into the base and onto the sides of the pie place.  Bake for 8 - 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool.  Turn OFF the oven

Caramel:
Heat the sugar in a high sided, heavy bottomed pan over med/low heat.  Once it begins to turn golden stir it regularly.  Once it's liquified and golden brown then add in the butter, turn the heat down to LOW. Once the butter is mixed in well add in the cream or evap milk.  Mix well.  Let it simmer for a few minutes on low heat.  Should look like caramel.  Might still be a bit runny.  You could simmer it a few more minutes.  Take off the heat and pour into the cooled graham cracker crust.  Be sure not to eat anything left in the pan - we all know that caramel tastes awful!  Let the caramel cool for about 20 minutes before adding the chocolate on top

Truffle:
Place a stainless steel/heat proof bowl over gently simmering water.  Don't let the water touch the bowl.  Add in the chocolate chips, butter and cream to the bowl and begin to melt together.  Once completely melted, remove from the heat.  Whisk it well for a few minutes to add in some air.  Pour on top of cooled   caramel.

Refrigerate the whole thing overnight or at least for a few hours until set.  Remove from the fridge a half hour before serving.  Serve with whipped cream on the side (or on the top) and a birthday candle or two.

This is probably the first day of the winter break (ie.  my time off) that I have not gone out of the house.  We all slept in this morning.  It seems that a series of late nights and lots of family visits, presents, food, skating, events, etc. has left us all exhausted.  Even kid #2, at 4 years of age, slept in until 9 a.m. this morning.  That's sayin' something.
So far this holiday, and I'm quite proud of myself for this, I have been keeping up with running and yoga faithfully.  This morning was no exception.  It was yoga day so instead of doing a morning session it ended up being a 'brunch' session.  No problem.  Not like I had anything else to do today.  Beautiful.
We completely unplugged.  It's awesome.  I highly recommend.
Down side:
We still have to eat.  After making all kinds of crazy cookies, scalloped potatoes, roasted veggies for the various christmas dinners AND having people over to eat... well, we're cleaned out.  Nothing.  Nada.
Once again, I'm proud of myself here.  We did not order in.  I made this...


Let's just say that leftover turkey from my Mom's turkey dinner and some frozen cooked chicken that I gleaned off of chicken that had been used for chicken broth came in really handy.  Some veggies, a little pastry and *shizaam*  it appeared.  Well, almost.
Look, if you decide that your leftover turkey needs to be stewed and tucked under some pastry I wouldn't blame you one bit if you opted to purchase some ready made puff pastry and use that.  Let's just  be honest here:
a.  I was wearing yoga gear and hadn't showered.
b.  I was too damn lazy to go buy some even had I been perfectly clean.
Also, I used some broth that I made a couple of weeks ago (I save my chicken carcasses and use them for broth - please be impressed.  Thank You) but by no means is it necessary.  Store bought broth or chicken bouillion cubes dissolved in water would do just fine.  Make sure that you do some good tasting along the way just in case the flavours aren't quite strong enough though.


So, if you are looking for something kinda homey and comfort foodish.  If you are a little sick of turkey sandwiches.  If you aren't looking at each other before a meal saying: 'If I eat turkey one more time, I'm gonna...'  Well then, maybe you could give this a whirl.  Otherwise... pick up the phone... you know the number.


Turkey and Chicken Pot Pie
serves 4 - 6

4 cups turkey/chicken, cooked and cut into smallish pieces
4 cups bouillion or stock
1/4 cup milk or cream
1/4 cup flour
1 med onion, diced
2 med potato, diced
2 med carrot, diced
2 med parsnips, diced
2 cups green beans (or frozen peas if it works better for you), cut into 2 inch pieces
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp thyme
dash pepper sauce
dash nutmeg
salt to taste

crust:

1 cup unbleached, all purpose flour
1/4 cup cold butter, diced into cubes
dash salt
4 tbsp cold water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a large pot and with some oil, saute the onion, potato, carrot, parsnip and green beans. Saute over medium heat until the veggies (especially the carrot and parsnip) are softened a bit.  Lower the heat and add in the garlic and swish around for a few minutes.  Add in the turkey or chicken and swish that around for a few minutes.  Things should look pretty colourful at this point.


Throw in the Worcestershire, Soy Sauce, sugar, thyme, pepper sauce, nutmeg and salt.  Let that mix with everything for a minute and then add in the bouillion.  Stir well and let it come to a low simmer.
In a small bowl, mix together the milk and flour until it forms a thick paste.  If you need extra flour, don't hesitate to throw a little extra in there.  Once the paste is smooth and the pot is gently simmering, add in the paste to the pot and mix well.  Allow the whole thing to simmer gently for about 5 minutes or until it all thickens slightly.  Set aside.
Crust:
In a large bowl place the flour, salt and the cubed butter.  Using a pastry cutter or a fork (that's all it got!) combine the two together until it's a coarse crumb.   Add the cold water a tbsp at a time mixing well until the dough can form a ball.
Roll out onto a lightly floured surface.  (You only have to roll it out enough to cover the baking dish that you are going to use.  I used a round dish so if you are using a larger baking dish you might want to double the recipe.)

Place the turkey mixture into a baking dish (I used a 9 inch round) and cover with the rolled out pastry - tucking the edges up the sides of the dish.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until the crust looks golden and crunchy.  Like the top of a pie... right???
Remove from oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before serving.