Christmas 2015

Christmas Eve was our traditional English fry-up. Poached eggs, lean sausages, bacon, baked beans, mushrooms, tomato, onions, spinach and arugula and a Scotch bap. Plenty of brown sauce and a crisp white wine. 

Christmas Day dinner was mini beef Wellington's with seasoned oven roasted vegetables; potatoes, carrots and parsnips and a full bodied red wine. 

Boxing Day, we hosted a party at our house with close friends. A selection of cheese with biscuits and crackers, red wine salami, an array of dried fruit, olives, wasabi peas, olive spread with dill and onion bread, that was lightly toasted, Fortnum's Smackerels, green goddess dip with multigrain corn chips, a selection of my own baking and chocolate ginger thins... which are like those after dinner mint thins... After 8:00's however instead are filled with a lovely syrupy ginger filling. Non-alcoholic beverages and wine were on hand.  

All guests left with a homemade pumpkin loaf and an assortment of my holiday baking.

It was a lovely Christmas, shared with those near and dear ones, and I hope yours was too. - JD 

Roasted Chocolate Coated Chickpeas

A few weeks ago we managed to go to an annual craft fair here in E-town. We usually go to pick up some holiday treats and such. While we were cruising the aisles and multitude of vendors; tucked at the back was a modest Three Farmers booth. If you recall I did a post months ago regarding the Three Farmers Camelina oil. I picked up another one of their oils, roasted garlic and chili, and tried a sample of their chocolate coated chickpeas. They were quite good and I do recommend you try these. A different snack that offers 3 grams of protein and 3 grams of fibre, with 10% iron, and are gluten free!  

To find out more about Three Farmers click *here*

Hope everyone is surviving the Christmas rush. I am finishing the last little bits of baking. - JD

Champagne Vinegar

Yes, champagne vinegar. With it being such a small bottle we tend to enjoy and use this only on steamed or roasted asparagus and brussels sprouts. Mixed with a bit of oil it would make for a lovely salad dressing. Great to cook and marinate with too. Although, it would be extravagant to mix this vinegar with some olive oil to dip bread into. I found this at Winners however I am keeping my eyes open elsewhere to see if I may find something similar. To find out more about Sparrow Lane click *here* 

It is a bit more chilly today. So staying warm today and throughout the weekend is a must. - JD 

Grazing

I thought I would post about this cookbook before we get into the throws of the Holiday spirit and the blissful overindulgences. Christmas, or any holiday, for that matter bring together family, friends, and food. Snack food during this time is just as important as the main meal. You do not want to border on too little or overwhelm with too much. Balanced choices that can maintain energy levels, blood sugar, and hunger are key. So that the company and conversation keeps them preoccupied rather than the food... the food should keep them satisfied.

Nowadays we all lead busier more complex lives and snack food... fast food is more readily available and that comes at a cost to our health, wallets and waistline. This cookbook has plenty of healthy snacks and finger foods for kids and adults. Whether you plan ahead or in dire need of something quick these recipes will help you through those busy periods  like the Holidays. Like Peanut Butter Power Bars, Breakfast Bean Cookies, Smoked Salmon Devilled Eggs, Fig and Olive Tapenade, Savoury Parmesan Biscotti and Spiced Tomato Apple Cake. Everything from savoury to sweet... crackers, granola, spreads, skewers, samosas, brownies and cupcakes. There is even a section called quickies so if you are really pressed for time you can whip something together quite easily.         

I wanted to share the Green Goddess Dip recipe as this is not a typical dip you would serve. It is different and I thought it would be a lovely accompaniment to the holidays. It is green and therefore very festive looking. 

Green Goddess Dip

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Makes about 2 cups

1/4 cup white wine or white balsamic vinegar

1/2 - 1 cup chopped fresh parsley (stems removes)

3 green onions, chopped 

small bunch of fresh chives, chopped 

1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon anchovy paste (optional)

1 - 2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 freshly ground black pepper 

1 cup low fat mayonnaise

Purée the vinegar, parsley, green onions, chives, anchovy paste (if you like), garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor until smooth; blend in the mayonnaise. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  

* You can add a mashed ripe avocado to the mixture before adding the mayonnaise.  

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Candy Cane Bark

This was my daughter's creation, Candy Cane Bark. With only a few simple ingredients we created this sweet treat to share. Solid milk chocolate topped with white chocolate and crushed candy canes for some minty goodness. My son wasn't going to miss this opportunity and helped by keeping an eye on the chocolate as it melted and by placing a handful of crushed candy canes on top. They definitely had fun and enjoyed sampling once the everything had set.  

Hope everyone had a good weekend! - JD  

Almond Hazelnut Biscotti

There are a few different recipes for biscotti. Some ask for butter while others ask for vegetable oil. The ones I prefer are made with vegetable oil; I find them less fussy and quick to make. Traditional biscotti uses an anise extract for flavour however one can play around with the ingredients to suit ones culinary desire. Creating flavours to suit any occasion or season. Biscotti is lovely at Christmas however it may be enjoyed all year round. 

Biscotti

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1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup caster sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla 

2 teaspoons almond extract

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup of chopped nuts (almonds or hazelnuts)

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC) Grease and baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract until well blended.

In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and nuts. Stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. You will need to use your hands for this bit... Divide the dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as the baking tray. Place each roll onto the prepared baking sheet and press down to about a 1/2 inch thickness.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Allow the baked rolls to rest on the baking tray until cool enough to handle. When cool enough transfer to a large cutting board and slice crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Do this for each roll.

Place the slices cut side up back onto the prepared baking tray and bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Slice should be lightly toasted to a lovely golden colour. 

Notes: You can change the flavour by adding different extracts and essences. Also chopped dried fruit works well; as does freshly grated zest from a lemon, orange, or a lime. Although I prefer my biscotti plain you can dress it up by drizzling a good quality chocolate over top.

Hope everyone is had a good week. Enjoy your weekend everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Candy Cane Shortbread

I like to make all sorts of different flavours of shortbread and this one I came up with on a whim. I had some candy canes that were broken and decided to add them to the shortbread dough and then I add a few drops of red food colouring to the butter and some mint flavouring, to the butter before mixing into the dry ingredients. When they were baking the buttery mint smell filled the kitchen; although my son said that the cookies themselves didn't taste too minty. Which is great because one can have a heavy hand when adding additional flavour. They were decorated with an icing swirl to mimic a peppermint candy. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Still plenty more baking to do. - JD  

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes

The classic starch... the potato. Which offers a variety of vitamins and minerals, the two highest vitamins are C and vitamin B6. When we do Sunday Roast most often one of the sides are some form of potatoes. Everyone has their favourites and everyone raves about my oven roasted potatoes. This time, I decided to do pan fried potatoes instead. They are very similar to their oven roasted counterparts. I call these easy pan fried potatoes because they are just that... easy and utilizing the stove top range is a fast way to create a tasty dish. 

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes

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1 x bag of mini potatoes

some oil, to spray the pan with

some herbs and seasonings

salt and pepper to taste

First, wash and cut the mini potatoes in half. Place the cut potatoes into a large pot and cover them with cool water. Place on a burner according to size of pot. Boil on high until the potatoes are semi soft. A fork should be able to pierce into the potato but not go all the way through. You still want a bit of firmness. 

Once they are done, drain and set aside. Take a large frying pan and spray the inside bottom of the pan with the oil. You can use whatever oil you like, I used an Extra Light Olive Oil, if you do not have a spray oil then pour some oil into the pan and spread with your fingers, wiping your hands clean afterwards. Place the fry pan on the according size burner and turn the heat to medium high. Add the potatoes to the frying pan and then add the herbs or seasonings and salt and pepper. Toss to coat; stirring occasionally to make sure the potatoes are not sticking. Fry for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly golden and the light side of the potato starts to crisp up.  

Friday is here... the weekend is hours away. Plenty of football and baking to keep me going. - JD

Leftovers #24 ~ Meatloaf with Spinach

I do enjoy eating my spinach raw however I also keep some of those frozen blocks of  chopped spinach on hand. They are ready to use and save time. It depends on what I am making and how much spinach I need; this time I had some leftovers so I decided to add the remainder to the meatloaf I made for dinner on Sunday, as part of our Sunday roast meal. It was a very welcoming change that added a bit of colour to this ordinary classic dish while adding some vitamins and minerals. You can tell from the photo that the food was straight out of the oven, off the stove and on to the plate as there appears to be a foggy steamy haze lurking about. Perhaps it is the steam of meatloaf's past.

Nice golden brown top, moist and an excellent way to add more veggies and nutrients to a meal. 

It is Wednesday and the holiday baking continues... - JD 

Thumbprint Cookies

As delicate and fussy as these cookies look they are simple to create. If you want an easy  delicious cookie to whip up and share over the holiday season than this is the biscuit to make. I remember helping my mum make these cookies during the holidays. This recipe does not require an assembly line and more than 2 people could over complicate a rather straightforward recipe. The ones picture here are a nut free version I made. Same recipe, I just omitted rolling them around in the walnuts. I have seen another version that replaces the nuts with flaked coconut, you may do that if you wish, however I decided not to. Another great thing about this recipe is that no two cookies are alike, they may look similar, therefore they are not meant to be perfectly formed... like manufactured cookies. That is part of the charm about these lovely morsels.   

Thumbprint Cookies

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1/2 cup soft butter

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon British mixed spice

1 egg white, slightly beaten

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts 

Pre heat oven to 350º

In a medium bowl blend the flour, salt and British mixed spice together. Set aside.

In another bowl, preferably a large bowl, blend the butter, brown sugar, egg yolk and vanilla thoroughly. Stir in the flour mixture, blending everything and creating a nice dough.

Roll about 1 teaspoon of the dough into balls. Dip into the slightly beaten egg white. Then roll into the crushed walnuts. Place about 1 inch apart on a baking tray press thumb gently into the centres. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool. Fill the indents with preferred jam or a minced meat filling.

Notes: You may omit the British mixed spice form the recipe. Another way to create the "thumbprint" impression is by using a finger or the tip of a wooden spoon handle. I filled half the cookies with raspberry jam and the other half were filled with a vegetarian minced meat filling. Since I made a nut free version I did a fine dusting of icing sugar over the top, once the cookies were completely cooled; to give a more decorative appeal. Cracks will appear. Form them as best you can however no need to fret and fuss over their shape.

  

This is what they looked like before I dusted icing sugar over the top. A bit plain and in need of a little something. 

Hope everyone had a good weekend. - JD