Food Photo of the Day ~ Halloween Hearts

Halloween is a few days away and creating spooky and scary treats is a must. These heart shaped cookies were a snap to make plus I really wanted to use my copper heart shaped cookie cutter. Make whatever sugar cookie recipe you prefer, cutting the dough into heart shapes; when ready icing with different colours such as violet, black, and red then further decorate making ribs, stitches and bone motifs. It takes a steady hand however imperfections are fine besides it adds to the appeal. Make a more runnier icing to re-create the look of blood splatters and droplets. 

Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the Halloween festivities! - JD

   

Chinese 5 Spice Chicken Tray Bake

Short on ingredients and prepared the night before; this chicken tray bake is an easy one. An overnight marinade that is oven roasted with carrots is a delicious healthy meal which is great served with a super green salad or brown rice. 

Chinese 5 Spice Chicken Tray Bake

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6 large skinless, boneless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 - 2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice

1 onion, peeled and quartered 

3 - 4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped, add these when chicken is ready to go in the oven.

chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

In a medium bowl whisk together the oil, garlic, rice vinegar, brown sugar, 5-spice and salt.  Place the chicken pieces and onion slices into a large resealable plastic bag and pour the sauce over top; seal the bag and coat chicken with the sauce. Chill for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line baking tray with baking parchment paper. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and arrange the pieces on the prepared baking tray. 

Take the prepared carrots and place on the baking tray with the chicken and onions. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and slightly browned, about 30 to 50 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and let stand a few minutes. Sprinkle or as I like to call it dress with the chopped parsley or cilantro. 

Notes: I had double the amount of chicken thighs with bone and skin therefore I doubled the recipe although I did cut back on the amount of oil because of this. You may also try adding a selection of chopped veggies as well.   

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. - JD

Food Photo of the Day ~ Mug Cakes

I knew this would be the weekend that we would further our mug cake baking skills. Tempting having a cake in a matter of minutes and the kidlets could not resist. My son's mug cake was the classic cocoa with his added touch... marshmallows. Rich chocolate flavour with mountains of gooey marshmallows. 

My daughter's, Nutella, made with almond butter for a fluffy cake. Nutty with a hint of chocolate. A simple yet filling treat!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! - JD 

Mug Cakes *Chocolate*

We have all heard of mug cakes and probably have tried to recreate one in a moment of late night noshing or as a sweet tooth pacifier. The very thought of a mug cake ushers an autumnal... wintery feel. They appear easy, as long as you have a few pantry ingredients plus a mug and a microwave. Most of the recipes consist of chocolate. 

This cookbook offers 4 different types of mug cakes... chocolate basics, two-flavours, melt-in-the-middle and swirls. Regardless, all seem quick and easy. In a matter of seconds or a few minutes you have a sweet treat in a lovely mug. What more can be said about mug cake because basically it is cake! just cooked in a microwave rather than an oven. 

Mug cakes are for anyone and everyone and microwave cooking may be a bit unpredictable so having a trial and error attitude is best. Breaking away from the traditional chocolate mug cake, I wanted to share the recipe for  a White Chocolate & Raspberry mug cake with Matcha Green Tea. 

White Chocolate & Raspberry Mug Cake with Matcha Green Tea

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for 1 mug - 5 minutes (prep + cook) - 800 watts

Ingredients:

1 slice of butter 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick (30g/1oz)

6 squares of white chocolate (30g/1oz)

1 egg

2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

5 tablespoons s plain all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon matcha green tea 

Middle & Decoration:

5 fresh raspberries

In a mug: 

melt the butter with the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds (800 watts).  

Beat the mixture until smooth, then allow it to cool slightly. One by one, whisk in the egg, sugar, flour, baking powder and green tea.

Push 4 raspberries into the middle of the mixture. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds (800 watts).

Decorate with 1 raspberry. Allow to cool for 1 minute before eating. 

Although I still prefer to bake an oven cake, here was our attempt at the classic cocoa mug cake. No bad... quite spongy and chocolatey. I anticipate creating more of these in our future.    

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Red Cabbage

Red cabbage is an easy side dish that has all the right elements... sweet, sour, and crunch. As the cold weather gets more frequent I tend to make this dish more often as it goes with just about anything; and the prep may put some muscle in your arm. There is a fair bit of chopping. With a sprinkle of chia seeds this has a more up to date appeal plus added fibre. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend, we did. It seems like week has been a fast one that has one going in many directions. - JD  

Dictionary of Cuisine

Alexandre Dumas was known for such literally classics as The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo however he was a connoisseur of good food. His book Dictionary of Cuisine: A literary & practical guide to the pleasures of the table, proves just that. One of Dumas' contemporaries stated "Assuredly it is a great accomplishment to be a novelist, but it is no mediocre glory to be a cook. Novelist or cook, Dumas is a master, and the two vocations appear to go hand in hand, or, rather, to be joined in one." 

This book reads as a dictionary of culinary terms from A to Z. With suggested matter of fact  "recipes" thrown in for good measure; they appear simplified and off the cuff. Just a bit of this and just a bit of that. No set recipes. However after reading this book it does give you an indication... or inspiration to use ingredients to create a flavourful dish. This is a helpful guide for the home cook and chef. It is one part history, one part information, and one part passion. It just about covers every culinary item or ingredient imaginable. Certainly a light read for the adventurous cook and the home chef. Brief detailing of history, culinary culture, descriptions, definitions, and anecdotal diversions. 

Here is an interesting recipe from the book...

Kirsch Omelet

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Beat 6 eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt, 3 tablespoonfuls of sugar and 1 of kirsch. Make an omelette of this. Roll. Set on a long platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Make whatever pattern your fancy dictates on the omelet with a hot poker. Heat 1/4 glass of kirsch, mix with 3 tablespoonfuls of apricot jam, and pour into around the omelet. 

Notes: Under this recipe a Rum Omelet was suggested by substituting the kirsch for rum. 

Here is a recipe for macaroni...


Macaroni Home Style
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Boil for 3/4 hour in salted water with 1 onion with a clove stuck in it and a piece of butter. Drain well. Put into a pan with butter, equal quantities of grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheese, a little nutmeg and coarse pepper, and a few tablespoonfuls of cream. Stir and sauté. 

Notes: boil macaroni for 3/4 hour?... I think it would be mushy. Could be a typo however that is how it is written in the book. I would say until tender. 



"Man does not live on what he eats but on what he digests." (an unmarked quote from the book; one can assume Dumas said it himself.) The snow is falling here in E-town. Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Huevos Rancheros

This is one of our favourite weekend brunch meals. Packed with loads of goodness and healthy layers it is hard to resist. Instead of using tortillas, I used toasted English muffins and placed a heavy dollop of guacamole over each muffin slice, over that a wafer of old cheddar cheese, a plump fresh tomato slice placed over that, a rounded spoonful of spicy salsa; all topped with a poached egg and chopped green onions. This breakfast... or brunch will keep you going for the rest of the day. It may also be served with a few slices of bacon or fruit on the side however I quite enjoy it as is! 

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. - JD  

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

Trying to keep things simple this holiday long weekend. I already had forgone the turkey so I thought I wouldn't stray from the traditional dessert however I have. Do not let the long ingredients list discourage you; it is simple, festive and satisfying. Using the Bran Buds cereal in the crust adds a touch of fibre and the cheesecake itself was smooth, spicy with a lovely pumpkin flavour. Traditional with a twist.

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

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Crust:

1/2 cup (125ml) All Bran Buds cereal

3/4 cup (175ml) finely chopped pecans

2 tablespoons (30ml) caster sugar

2 tablespoon (30ml) all purpose flour

2 tablespoons (30ml) butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

2 packages (250grams each) of light cream cheese, softened

1 cup (250ml) caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon (15ml) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons (10ml) cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon (2ml) ginger

1/2 teaspoon (2ml) nutmeg

1 can (398ml or 14oz) pumpkin

2 tablespoons (30ml) amber rum or 2 teaspoons rum extract, optional

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC) 

In a medium bowl, mix together the cereal, pecans, sugar and four. Stir in the melted butter until mixture is crumbly. Press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and part way up the sides of a 23cm (9inch) springform pan.

Bake for about 7 minutes or until crust is lightly brown. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 300ºF (150ºC)

Now on to the filling...

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until very smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition just until blended in. Mix in flour and spices. Stir in pumpkin and rum. Pour into baked crust. 

Bake for about 1 and 1/2 hours. Done when almost set when jiggled. Turn oven off. With door slightly open, cool cheesecake in oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven; let cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate several hours or over night before serving. Remove outer ring and slice. Serve with whipped creme and sprinkle with a little nutmeg or a drizzle of caramel, if desired.

Notes: I lined the bottom of the springform pan with baking parchment paper. I gave the crust and extra 2 to 3 minutes. Ovens vary so you may find this too. After 1 hour, I checked to see if it had set or not and go from there, if it needed the other 1/2 hour like the recipe stated or not. I found that the cheesecake needed another 10 minutes, for my liking. Ovens vary so checking after the 1 hour mark was optimal. 

Our Thanksgiving meal was roast pork with a sweet paprika compote, seasoned mashed potatoes and pan-fried herb vegetables (carrots, parsnips, and cauliflower) with a touch of maple syrup!  

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! - JD

Growing Herbs for the Kitchen

I thought this was a special little book and it does read more like a reference text. It offers help to those wanting to try their hand at growing herbs in the garden or for those wanting a lovely herb window box.

Notable herbs are listed in alphabetical order. The usual herb suspects are there although some notorious ones as Borage, Catnep, Lemon Balm, Lovage, and Sweet Cicley make an appearance. A herb is dedicated to each page with a point form explanation detailing such as the botanical name, botanical family, life span, appearance, flavour, soil, position, propagation, germination, quality to grow, plant, culture and finally pots... whether the herb may be potted or window boxed. It really is a quick guide. The opposite page has a sketch of the featured herb. 

Unfortunately, there are no recipes however at the back of the book there is Climatic Information; telling how much cold, as in temperature, each herb can or will withstand. After that there is a table called Flavour Makes the Dish. The herbs are listed with a suggested food list. Which it also states not to use too many herbs together in one dish and a point to note... "One - half a teaspoon of dried herb is roughly equal to two teaspoons of the fresh chopped, and a quarter teaspoon of the powdered herb."

It is great if you have chosen your dishes for a meal and want to make each dish a savoury one. Choosing will help find what herb compliments best. Considering the book was published in 1972 a few things have changed involving the world of herbs and infused cooking... cross-over cooking, one might say, is one of them which means somethings in the culinary world are not written in stone. 

Since it is Thanksgiving weekend I am sure a central feast will be cooked in many kitchens across Canada. Here are this books herb suggestions for...

Turkey: Chervil, Garlic, Oregano, Parsley, Shallots, Sweet Marjoram, and Tarragon
  
Ham: Savoury

Vegetables: (in general): Basil, Chervil, Chives, Garlic, and Lemon

Potatoes: Chives, Chervil, Dill, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley, Sweet Cicely, and Thyme

Carrots (and other root vegetables): Chervil, Chives, Dill, Marjoram, Parsley, Sweet Cicely, and Thyme

Squash: Basil, Bay, Chervil, Dill, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Savoury, Tarragon, and Thyme 

Peas: Basil, Chervil, Dill, Marjoram, Mint, Rosemary, Savoury, and Thyme


Looking forward to the long weekend. Have a great weekend everyone! - JD

Food Photo of the Day ~ Vindaloo

Leftover pan fried potatoes became part of this spicy vindaloo dinner. Make your favourite vindaloo sauce or opt for a low sodium ready made sauce, if you are pressed for time. Once the meat has been cooked thoroughly, and veggies are ever so tender, and the sauce is bubbling add the leftover potatoes; giving a gentle stir and allowing the potatoes to heat through. No need for additional carbs like rice as the meat, veggies, and potatoes are a well rounded all in one meal.

Hope everyone had a great weekend, we did! - JD