Out of Old Ontario Kitchens ~ Lindy Mechefske

 

I have some Canadian cookbooks and only a few that are regional... or provincial per se. Adding this book to my collection is heartwarming. It's the paperback version and meant to look like a worn cookery scrap book. You know the kind, old tried and true family recipes stuffed between pages, handwritten or typed. It has a memento or old scrapbook feel to it with snippets of history and stories woven throughout. It also talks about the early settlers, early female food writers and First Nations and Indigenous Peoples, along with multicultural influences.   

The recipes in this cookbook are handed down from people within the communities as heirlooms and some recipes are archived from the provinces food history and culture. Multiple women who had an impact or were influential not only in Ontario but within the culinary history of Canada are mentioned in this book, such as, Emily Pauline Johnson Tekahionwake (poet & crackerjack cook), Dora Fairfield (who at 26yrs old wrote a 311 page cookbook, Dora's Cook Book), Nellie Letitia (Mooney) McClung (food writer, MLA for Edmonton), Flora (McCrea) Eaton or Lady Eaton (nurse and heiress and director of the T. Eaton Company), Winnie Collver (awarded the Excellence in Food and Cookery prize, 1930), Hariot Georgina Rowan Hamilton also known as Lady Dufferin (Governor General of Canada from 1872 to 1878), Isabella Lucy Bird Bishop (travel writer, global explorer, photographer and naturalist), Mary (Allen Clark) Moore (Canadian food columnist), Shirley Jack (beanery queen in the Canadian National Railway's Rainy River station, waitress and also famous for her legendary butter tart) and of course Mrs. Beeton and Queen Victoria get a honourable mention amongst many other predominant and well known women, families and men that helped shape and create either the culinary culture and or history of Ontario and Canada. Many of the recipes collected for this cookbook are familiar... bannock, corn bread, Irish soda bread, scones, Scotch broth, Mulligatawny, Tourtière, apple cake, ginger bread, Canada's War Cake and oatmeal date squares just to name a few.  

Most of the book focuses on the 1800's and early 1900's and recipes are included from historic sources, while others are from private collections and seem to come to an end around the 1950's and or 1960's due to the changes in homestead life, farming, the introduction of supermarkets and prepared foods. 

 

I'm sharing a simple yet charming recipe, that I look forward to making, from Ruth Marian (White) Redmond (Bachelor of Arts Degree and teaching diploma, Bachelor of Library Science Degree, and in the 70's was the chief buyer and cook for Meals on Wheels in Kingston, Ontario). It is noted that "despite this recipe being called a soufflé, the egg whites are not beaten separately, making this more like a savoury carrot pudding than a soufflé." 

Carrot Soufflé

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2 cups cooked carrots, puréed

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup liquid honey

1 1/4 cups rich milk or thin cream

3 tbsp cornstarch

3 eggs, well-beaten

4 tbsp melted butter

Stir into puréed carrots the salt, honey, and milk with cornstarch disolved in it. Then add the well-beaten eggs and last, the melted butter. Pour into a buttered casserole dish and bake 45 minutes at 400ºF. (Done when table knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.) Serves 6 - 8 

Notes: Tbsp = Tablespoon and tsp = teaspoon 

Baked Oatmeal Coffee Cake

 

Whether you enjoy this rustic baked oatmeal treat for breakfast or brunch, I'll let you decide. It's straightforward and practically effortless, apart from a bit of mixing. Still this scrumptious dense cake does not disappoint and can be devoured on the go or sitting quietly amongst the mornings hustle and bustle. 

Baked Oatmeal Coffee Cake 

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2 cups (200 g) rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

2 tablespoons ground flax or wheat bran

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups 2% milk or almond milk or whole milk

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin purée

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumble topping:

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1/2 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons cold butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Icing:

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1/2 cup icing sugar

2 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). 

Grease an 8 x 8 inch square tin or a 9 x 9 inch square tin. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ground flax and salt and stir together.

Pour in the milk, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir together. The mixture will be very loose and damp, not to worry. Carefully pour the oaty flotsam mixture into the prepared square tin. 

Make the crumble topping, see the recipe above. Place the rolled oats, sugar and cinnamon into a food processor or blender, and pulsing until finely ground. Add the cold butter and pulse a few times until the butter is incorporated and blended into small chunks.

Sprinkle the crumble topping over the oat mixture and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the centre is set. 

Once the coffee cake has cooled a bit, prepare the icing and drizzle over the top. Slice and serve with or without fresh fruit. 

Notes: I did line the bottom of the tin with baking parchment however it's probably unnecessary to do so because the mixture is loose and damp. 

Beltane ~ May Day ~ Honey Almond Strawberry Cake

 

Beltane/Beltaine ~ May Day is a Celtic festival celebrated on May 1st, May Day, with some celebrations beginning on the night of April 30th, May Eve, in the Northern Hemisphere. Beltane is a fire festival and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the sun and the Celtic Sun God, Bel (Beltane, Belen or Belenos), who is associated with healing, light and fire. Beltane is honoured around the world in numerous ways by various groups or individuals including non-wiccans.

Lighting bonfires wasn't the only way to celebrate, visiting wells, feasting and making May bushes were considered other activities. The maypole is a familiar image of May Day and Beltane, and tying colourful ribbons to trees and branches is another popular activity. Beltane and May Day mark the peak of Spring and signifies the beginning of Summer... think renewal, growth and abundance. It also stands as the midway point between spring equinox and summer solstice. Daylight continues to lengthen and strengthen as we move towards Summer and there is a return of vitality to both the earth and sun. In folklore, the May King, the Green Man, also known as Jack in the Green, and the May Queen, Flora Goddess of Spring, represent the spirit of Spring, symbolizing the union of earth and sky and the cycle of life. 

Other celebrated festivals or holidays during this month are: St. Georges's Day (April 20th/23rd, moveable), Earth Day (April 22nd), Anzac Day (April 25th ), May Day (English/British, May 1st), Calan Mai (Welsh), Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night, German), Roodmas (Scottish) and Cétshamhain (Irish), International Workers Day (Global, May 1st), Yom HaShoah (Judaism), Lag BaOmer/Lag B'Omer/Lag LaOmer (Jewish), Shavuot/Shavuos or known as the Feast of Weeks, Jewish & Samaritan, (usually in May but sometimes in June), Vesak/Buddha Day (Buddhist in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Tibet and Mongolia), Star Wars Day (May 4th), Cinco de Mayo (Mexican, May 5th), Matariki/Maori New Year (Maori & New Zealanders, late May, sometimes June or July) and Yom HaZikaron, Israel's Remembrance Day (Israelis, late April or early to mid May, based on lyar, Hebrew calendar).

Happy Beltane and May Day to those who celebrate!

Honey Almond Strawberry Cake

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1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup lavender honey, or any flavoured honey 

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yoghurt

Slices of strawberries, fresh or frozen

sliced almonds

extra honey, from drizzling 

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and lightly flour a 9 - inch round cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper. 

In a medium bowl, combine and whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, honey and almond extract until well combined, it should be slightly thickened and pale yellow. Using a handheld mixer, beat in the eggs, one at a time, on low-medium.

Add the flour mixture to the oil honey egg mixture and beat on low until almost combined, then add the sour cream and mix until just combine. Do not over beat. 

Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared baking tin. Using an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and then arrange the slices of strawberries, however you wish. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Checking at 30 minutes for readiness and if noticing the top is browning too quickly before the cake is set, gently place a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the top of the cake and continue baking until done. Please note: dark pans distribute and absorb heat more thoroughly therefore baking and cooking food quicker than light coloured pans. 

When the cake is done and set, remove from oven and drizzle honey over the top and allow cake to cool for about 10 minutes in the baking tin. Gently run a knife around between the edges of the cake, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.   

Notes: if using frozen sliced strawberries gently defrost before using. 

 

Cheesy Baked Gnocchi

 

Pillowy and tender gnocchi blanketed in a vivid savoury tomato sauce covered with dollops of creamy ricotta is absolutely gorgeous and inviting and using skillet gnocchi makes this recipe a breeze. With a cozy bake such as this; it's easy to add chopped zucchini or spinach while sautéing the gnocchi in the skillet. A comforting low effort dish that makes a voluptuous scrumptious meal.    

Cheesy Baked Gnocchi 

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Serves 6 

4 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil, divided 

1 package (700 g) Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi - Family Sized

2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning 

20 frozen Italian style chicken or beef meatballs

2 x 680 ml herb tomato or pasta sauce

1 1/2 cups (350 ml/500g) ricotta cheese

2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

4 tablespoons (60 ml) chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper, to taste

Heat 2 tablespoon (30 ml) olive oil in a large skillet or fry pan over medium heat. Add the Skillet Gnocchi and the Italian seasoning and sauté for 5 minutes or until gnocchi is golden brown and slightly crisp. Transfer gnocchi to a bowl.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining oil and the meatballs, cook, turning meatballs occasionally for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. If using larger sized meatballs, they will need more time to brown so adjust the cooking time accordingly. 

Stir in the pasta sauce and bring to a simmer; cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until meatballs are cooked. Again, if using larger sized meatballs they will need more time to cook so do adjust the cooking time accordingly. 

Meanwhile preheat oven to broil. 

In a medium bowl stir ricotta cheese with 1 cup (250 ml)  mozzarella cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Once the meatballs are heated and cooked in the sauce, remove the skillet from heat and spoon mixture into a 9 x 13 inch oven proof baking dish. Evenly spread the meatballs and nestle the gnocchi into the saucy tomato meatball mixture. Dollop the ricotta cheese mixture over the saucy meatball gnocchi mixture and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.   

Broil in the oven for 4 to 6 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with extra fresh basil or Arrabbiata seasoning and a crusty Italian bread to soak up the extra tomato sauce. 

Notes: Alternately you can add the cooked sautéed gnocchi, when the meatballs are finished cooking in the sauce, you just have to ensure you have a skillet large enough to hold and stir everything together before spooning into the oven proof baking dish and continuing on with the recipe.   

Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake

 

With just the right amount of zing and tartness, lemon poppyseed pound cake is the most scrumptious cake you can make. As unsurprising as that statement may be, it is buttery, moist and abundantly dense in texture with a slight nutty crunch due to the poppyseeds and a simple hint of sweetness with the drizzled glaze icing that balances every slice.  

Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake

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2 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup butter, softened

5 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract 

lemon juice of 1 lemon

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup poppyseeds

zest of 1 lemon

1 cup of milk

Lemon Glaze

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1 cup icing sugar

1 - 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a bowl whisk together the icing sugar and lemon juice until a runny pourable glaze has formed. 

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and lightly flour a 12 cup bundt cake pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, poppy seeds and lemon zest. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla with a handheld mixer on low speed for 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl constantly. Add the lemon juice and beat on high speed for 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. 

Beat the flour mixture into the buttery sugar mixture and alternate with milk on low speed, beating until just smooth after each addition. Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan. Making sure the batter is spread evenly and level the best you can. 

Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. Sprinkle with icing sugar or drizzle with a lemony glaze, see recipe above. 

Notes: This recipe can be baked in 2 loaf pans 9 x 5 x 3 inches, for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.  

Baked Rigatoni

 

Like baked ziti, baked rigatoni is a comforting classic and one that is not complicated to make. The quick homemade tomato sauce with ricotta cheese is quite tasty and goes well with the zucchini and mushrooms, and with a generous blanket of bubbly mozzarella cheese it pairs perfectly, adding the most cheesiest tomato flavour you can devour in a dish.   

Doesn't really mater how you plate it, does it. It's delicious and comforting, and sometimes that's all you need. 

Baked Rigatoni

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serves 6 to 8 

1 x 454 g box Rigatoni pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large onion, chopped

2 -3 medium zucchini, chopped

1 pint (227 g) sliced mushrooms, rinsed and patted dry

1 can (796 ml) low salt diced tomatoes

1 can (796 ml) low salt crushed tomatoes

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon pepper

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

slices of fresh tomato, optional

Arrabbiata Pasta Seasoning 

Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

In a large stock pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni until it is almost completely tender but still has a bit of chew to it. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Heat a sauté pan with the oil to medium heat, then add the garlic and onion and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the zucchini and mushrooms a cook for another 5 minutes until tender. Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes, letting it all come together and reduce a bit then turn off the heat.

Stir the ricotta cheese into the sauce until it blends well, then fold in the pasta and mix well to coat everything. Spoon half of the pasta and sauce mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, then sprinkle with some of the mozzarella cheese. Add the rest of the pasta and sauce and top with the remainder of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with slices of fresh tomatoes, if using. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbly. Serve hot and sprinkle with Arrabbiata Pasta Seasoning and parmesan cheese.  

Notes: You can make the sauce a meaty one by adding 1 pound of minced beef when sautéing the onions, sautéing together for 5 to 7 minutes or until the beef has browned, then add the chopped vegetables and continue with the rest of the recipe. You can also top or serve with fresh basil leaves.   

Tomato and Lentil Bake

 

Tomatoes and lentils, it doesn't get any simpler than that. I have enjoyed this recipe as a scrumptious hot dip and satisfyingly spooned over hot buttered toast, reminiscent of beans on toast; however you can also have it as an alternative topping for meatless nachos and is excellent tucked into a bun for a tasty meatless sloppy joe. The point is, this recipe is a starting point and can be adapted according to your taste and which spices or legumes you wish to use, it can be made into something delicious whether that's dinner, lunch or a snack.  

Lentil Tomato Bake

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1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 pint (551ml) grape tomatoes 

1 x 398 ml tin low salt diced tomatoes

1 x 540 ml tin green lentils, rinsed and drained

1 - 2 tablespoon herb seasoning of your choice

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

Add the olive oil to a 9 x 13 inch rectangle baking dish, then add the crushed garlic and grape tomatoes to the baking dish and toss to coat. Place in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes. 

Once nicely roasted, remove from the oven and carefully squash the tomatoes with a fork. Add the drained lentils and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine. Then add a herb seasoning mix, I used Italian Seasoning and a bit of Arrabbiata Mix, and a dash of salt and pepper to taste, stir together once more and then pop back into the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.