Raisin Jumble Cookies ~ Li Kokii kaa Mamawinamihk avik lii Razeñ

 

These golden fruit morsels are a Métis recipe. Although the recipe calls for the cookies to be iced, I didn't as I found the cookies themselves are abundantly sweet and buttery because I used butter instead of shortening, as that's all I had in my pantry. Still with the minor substitutions these cookies are deliciously moreish and would be absolutely enjoyable iced too. 

 

 

Raisin Jumble Cookies ~ Li Kokii kaa Mamawinamihk avik lii Razeñ (Courtesy of Heather Andersen, Nora Zilkie, Sigrid Schaus and Dixie Palmer)  

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1 3/4 cups shortening 

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs, well beaten

2 3/4 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups dark or golden seedless raisins

1/2 cup candied cherries, chopped

For Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar), sifted

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoon cream

Instructions: 

• Cream together the shortening, sugar and flavourings [vanilla and almond extract] until fluffy. Beat in eggs.

• Sift flour with salt, baking powder and baking soda.

• Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternately with the sour cream.

• Stir in fruits [raisins and candied cherries].

• Drop dough in small mounds onto a lightly-greased baking sheet, with spacing about 2 inches apart.

• Bake in the oven at 375ºF (190ºC) for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

• Remove cookies to wire racks to cool.

For Frosting:

• Beat together until fluffy and smooth: sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 cup soft butter, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla and cream. 

Notes: Other dried fruit may be substituted for the candied cherries. I lined a baking sheet with baking parchment instead of lightly greasing it. 

Chickpea muffins

 

Snacking on one of these will keep you energized throughout the day and it's quite easy to grab one if not two on the go. They are vegan... no eggs, no butter, no dairy and are mighty fulfilling with a carroty cake taste.  

Chickpea Muffins

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makes 8 muffins

1 can (540 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons rolled oats

2 tablespoon shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease with coconut oil, or line the cups of a muffin tin with 8 muffin liners, so the muffins won't stick.

Add all the ingredients into a food processor and blend them all together until relatively smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle rolled oats on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until cooked all the way through. You can check by inserting a toothpick into the centre of each muffin, the toothpick should come out clean without any wet batter sticking to it, the muffins are then done. Remove from the oven and allow to slightly cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!    

Notes: you can add raisins or cranberries to the batter once it is all blended together, if you wish. Store in an airtight container. 

Litha ~ Midsummer ~ Summer Solstice ~ Apricot Cake

 

Litha ~ Midsummer ~ Summer Solstice, June 20th to June 25th, in the Northern Hemisphere, celebrates the beginning of summer and marks the longest day and the shortest night and although the sun reaches its peak, the power of the sun begins to wane and the days begin to grow shorter and the nights grow longer, it is a return to dark.

As we celebrate the Goddess, Mother Earth and the Sun King, God, think abundance, fertility, renewal and life, as the sun, flowers, plants and the earth are all in full bloom. Bonfires, feasting, singing, dancing and festivals are activities during this time as well as getting outdoors to connect with nature. 

Other celebrations around this time are: Golowan (Cornish) Gwyl Ifan Ganol Haf (Wales), Kupala Night/Ivan Kupala (Ukraine), National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada), Saint John's Feast Day/ Saint John's Eve (Christian - Canada, France, Portugal, Spain), St. John's Night, Sobotka or Noc Kupaly (Poland), Adonia (Greece), St. Hans Day (Norway and Denmark), Jānvi (Latvia), Uttarayana (India), World Humanist Day (June 21st), World Environment Day (June 5th), World Refugee Day (June 20th), Juneteenth (US, June 19th) and LGBTQ+Pride Month (June). 

Apricot Cake is a rich and sweet way to honour and celebrate Litha. The apricots are seasonal and represent the sun in the buttery crumb cake.

Happy Litha... Midsummer... Summer Solstice to all! 

Apricot Cake

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2 1/4 cups (280 g /10 oz) unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (165 g / 6 oz) butter, softened, room temperature

1 cup (200 g / 8 oz) caster sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 (398ml) tin apricot halves

Jam Glaze:

3/4 cup apricot jam

2 tablespoons boiling water 

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC/Gas Mark 4). Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch rectangle tin.

Open the tin of apricots halves and using a mesh sieve drain the apricots. Slice the halves into wedges. Set aside. 

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

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer on medium speed, combine the butter and caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on a medium speed until all the eggs are combined, making sure to scrap down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with each addition.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend on low speed, then beat until there are no more streaks of flour visible. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking tin and level the surface. Arrange the slices of apricots on top, however you wish. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.  

Remove the cake from the oven and allow the cake to stand for a few minutes. Mix the apricot jam with the boiling water in a bowl and stir until a runny glaze has formed. Spoon or brush the glaze over the top of the warm cake.    

Greek Chicken Marinade

 

Infused with garlic and oregano; this is an easy chicken tray bake that's juicy and tender and deliciously fresh and summery as the lemon that went into it. 

Greek Chicken Marinade

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Serves 4

8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin in

1 1/2 cups plain Greek yoghurt

the juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

6 -8 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of salt

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together except the chicken.

Add the chicken to the bowl and coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. I find marinating overnight is best.  

The next day, preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC/180ºC Fan/Gas Mark 6). Line a baking tray with baking parchment and place the marinaded chicken thighs on the prepared tray. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Reserve the remaining marinade. 

Carefully remove from the oven and brush each piece of chicken with the remaining reserved marinade and place back in the oven for a further 15 minutes or until golden crisp. For a more crispier chicken place under the broil, on high, for a few minutes after the 15 minutes is up. 

Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving.   

Honey Shortbread

 

Not only do I make these for World Bee Day, I do make these during the summer months as well. With a sprinkling of dreamy lavender sugar these buttery golden biscuits are ideal for balmy sunny days. 

Honey Shortbread

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225g (8 0z) / 1 cup butter, softened

80 ml (3 fl. oz) / 1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

225g (8 oz) / 1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

110g (4 oz) / 1 cup finely chopped almonds

lavender sugar to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 300ºF (150ºC or Gas Mark 2) and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2. Beat together the butter, honey and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour almonds mixture and mix well.

3. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to about 10 mm (1/2 inch) thickness, to fit the shape of your baking sheet. Transfer to the baking tray, you may have to reshape the dough, and mark into slices with a knife. Alternatively, after kneading the dough, place on the lined baking tray, shape to fit the baking tray and mark into slices with a knife. 

4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack, and while still warm sprinkle generously with lavender sugar, allow to cool completely.  

   

Lemonade Scones

You may have seen this recipe floating around on the internet and even made these yourself and I must admit I had quizzical reservations; usually when I make scones the recipe is more traditionally set with a list of ingredients however I was intrigued so of course I just had to try them. These dense three ingredients scones are the fluffiest most mouth-watering scones you will ever make. 

Lemonade  Scones ( 3 Ingredient Scones)

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4 cups self-raising flour

300ml or 1 cup cream (whipping cream in Canada)

300ml or 1 cup lemonade (fizzy, such as Sprite in Canada)

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Grease a square baking dish with butter and the line bottom and sides with baking parchment. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix the flour, cream and lemonade with a wooden spoon until just combined. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently flatten the dough to about 2cm thickness. Shape the dough into a square, no large than the dish you are using, and cut into 9 square pieces. Place the cut pieces into the prepared baking dish, brush the tops with cream and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. When done remove from oven and drizzle with melted butter, if you wish. Serve warm with either clotted cream or butter and jam or lemon curd.

Notes: Other ingredients or substitutions are: milk for the cream. Club soda, fizzy carbonated flavoured water, mineral water or ginger beer for the lemonade. Using these substitutes may effect the texture and taste. You may also add grated lemon rind or orange rind as well as raisins or fresh cranberries to the dough.   

 

The Food Almanac: Recipes and Stories For A Year At The Table Volume 2

After much success of the first volume, Miranda York offers a second helping of The Food Almanac - Recipes and Stories For A Year At The Table, Volume 2, with the same amount of collaboration and food enjoyment. New contributors and new recipes fill the pages and months as it still retains much of the same focus on seasonal ingredients, monthly menus, spotlighting ingredients, food history as well as poetry, stories, culinary reading lists and culinary memories. 

As much as I liked the first volume I have throughly enjoyed the second volume and there is enough insightful information and new recipes to carry you throughout the year. It's eclectic, diverse and delightful with charming illustrations. A book to always come back and dive into. 

Since June is here, I thought I would share a fresh recipe selected for this month.

"The vibrant soup is just as great enjoyed curled up on the sofa as served at a dinner party. If you have pea shoots to hand, use them to adorn each bowl. Buttered, toasted naan or bread is a must." 

Spiced Pea Soup by Nik Sharma

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Serves 4

60g (2 1/4 oz) ghee or unsalted butter

1 large white or yellow onion, diced 

1 large carrot, trimmed, peeled and diced

1 celery stick, diced

1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder or 1/4 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

300g (10 oz) fresh or frozen peas (no need to thaw)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Fine sea salt

1 teaspoon nigella seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Pea shoots, to garnish (optional) 

Heat half the ghee in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the carrot and celery and sauté until tender and the vegetables are just starting to brown. Stir in the ginger, garlic, garam masala and chilli powder and cook until just fragrant. Add the peas along with 840ml (28 fl oz) water, and bring to the boil. Cook until the peas are tender, then remove from the heat. Blitz in a blender until velvety smooth, then return the soup to the pan. Keep it simmering over low heat. Stir in the black pepper and season with salt.

Heat the remaining ghee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the nigella and cumin seeds to the hot fat; they will sizzle and turn fragrant. Remove from the heat and drizzle over the pea soup. Serve warm, garnished with fresh pea shoots alongside buttered slices of naan.