Where has the time gone?

My apologies to any and all who read this blog - I did not intend to go so long between posts. Unfortunatley I have been super-busy these past three weeks and though I have still managed to spend time in the kitchen and host both a brunch and a dinner party (above is a pre-brunch glimpse of my kitchen) I have not had an opportunity to share my creations with those that read this blog. Now that life is calming down, however, I will be posting more frequently (at least twice weekly). . or so I hope.

Although I do not have time to share any new recipes with you today I thought I would share some photos of the products of my latest culinary edeavours.

Enjoy!

A box of love for each of my Valentines. From left to right: oatmeal, cherry chocolate chunk cookies, brownies, ginger chews, linzer cookies and peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies.

Chicken Chili and Northern Cornbread.

Multigrain Dinner Rolls.

Currant Scones.

Buttermilk Bicuits.

An UNWELCOME visitor. . .

Though I risk being thought of as a whiner, I can't help but complain, again, about the bone-chilling temperatures we have been experiencing in Toronto for the past while. I know that it's winter and as a Canadian I should expect the occasional cold spell, but to be honest I am becoming increasingly frustrated by the Siberian air mass that is lingering over eastern North America.
In attempt to gently encourage the cold front to return to a more Northern latitude, I have been celebrating summer in my kitchen all week. I have been wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops around my overheated apartment, listening to Spanish and Caribbean music, munching on various tropical fruits and veggies and yesterday I cooked up a hot and spicy Moroccan Chicken, Zucchini and Garbanzo Bean simmer. Sadly, however, like an unwelcome visitor that arrives unannounced and is difficult to move along, this Arctic air mass does not seem to be following my not-so-subtle hints. Sigh . . . though I do not like to be rude, my patience is wearing thin and I fear that if the mercury does not start rising within the next few days I may be forced to take more extreme, less lady-like, measures to encourage it to move north. In the meantime, however, I hope that you enjoy this dish. It is delicious and filling - perfect to share with both welcome and unwelcome guests!

Moroccan Chicken, Zucchini and Garbanzo Bean Simmer
This simmer is presently one of my favorite meals. I make it at least twice a month and it never fails to disappoint. My inspiration for this dish came from Food and Wine Magazine’s Quick From Scratch Chicken Cookbook. Though I have modified (perfected) the original recipe, it still remains true to it's African roots. I highly recommend preparing the simmer at least a day in advance and allowing the flavours to develop overnight in the fridge. When you are ready to serve the simmer, simply reheat it in a saucepan over medium-high heat while preparing the couscous.

3 tbsp olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shopped into 1/2” cubes
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
¼ - ½ tsp cayenne
½ tsp turmeric
2 ½ cups chicken broth*
1 ½ cups crushed tomatoes
2 cups chickpeas
3 zucchini, halved and cut into ¼ slices
1 tbsp parsley flakes
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt, pepper
hot, cooked couscous

In a large pot, heat oil over moderately high heat. Generously season chicken cubes with kosher salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces to the pot and cook, turning, until browned. Remove chicken from pot.
Reduce heat to moderately low. Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the broth, tomatoes and salt (if needed), scraping the bottom to dislodge any browned bits. Return the chicken to the pan and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the zucchini, chickpeas and parsley to the pan and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove cover and simmer gently until sauce is of the desired consistency. Stir in the lemon juice and serve over prepared couscous.

* If using home-made, sodium free, broth, add 1 tsp. kosher salt with the broth and tomatoes. Otherwise additional salt is not needed.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my 30th birthday! Hooray!
Although I did not have a chance to celebrate today (sadly my day was filled with appointments, class, errands and work, work, work!), I will be having a birthday dinner with my family on Sunday evening. Despite my busyness today, however, I did manage to prepare a batch of carrot ginger cupcakes with orange cream cheese icing, which I will share with some friends tomorrow.
This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook. It is among my favorite carrot cake recipes, second only to my mother's. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes with Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting

Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes
2/3 cup pecan halves
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups peeled, grated carrots (7 1/2 oz. in weight)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp grated, peeled fresh ginger

Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
250 g cream cheese, room temperature (1 box)
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 tsp grated, peeled fresh ginger
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Place cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffn pan. Toast the pecans in the oven and, when cool, chop finely.Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside. Mix the grated carrots with the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, oil and ginger in a large bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture, using a spatula, until combined. Fold in the pecans then divide the batter equally among the 12 muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
To prepare frosting, beat butter with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy. Add cream cheese to the butter and beat until combined and fluffy (approx. 2 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and beat for 5 minutes.
Spread frosting on the cupcakes and either eat or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Miss and hit

I love breakfast - it is, without a doubt, my favorite meal of the day. I am a fan of eggs, cooked on their own or with veggies,meats and/or cheeses, breads and preserves of all varieties, fresh fruit, baked goods, potatoes, salty meats, yogourts, cereals and most other breakfast-type foods. Most days I am famished when I awake and I am ALWAYS ready for a delicious and filling meal.
This morning, like any other, I woke up hungry for breakfast. I had baked some carrot apple flax muffins last night and I was anxious to try them. (The recipe for the muffin had come from the Allrecipes website - a source I have found to be unreliable in the past). Sadly, the muffin, despite it high ratings by close to 70 reviewers and it's seemingly solid ingredient list, was another dud. So, after forcing down the muffin, I tossed the remaining 11 and told myself, once again, that I was finished with Allrecipes.

After my muffin disappointment, I decided that it was best to stick to tried and true breakfast foods for the rest of the week. Having, temporarily, lost my appetite for quick breads, I opted to prepare a batch of my favorite granola. Should you decide to prepare it, I hope that you find this recipe as satisfying and reliable as I do.

Great Granola

My original inspiration for this recipe came from The Girl Can't Cook by Cinda Chavich. Though my recipe does not look much like Cinda's anymore, I credit her with helping me to create the PERFECT granola.
Those preparing this recipe should note my granola is quite sweet as I always mix it with plain, unsweetened yogourt, a touch of milk and chopped fresh fruit. If you prefer a less-sweet granola cut back on the brown sugar. This recipe makes ALOT of granola. Though you could half or quarter the recipe, I recommend making a full batch and freezing portions of it. It freezes wonderfully, defrosts quickly, and just may save you from going hungry some morning if you, too, are faced with a culinary disappointment.

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sliverved almonds
1 cup shelled, raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
zest of two oranges
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup sultana raisins
1 cup chopped, dried apricots

Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a large bowl combine the oats, wheat germ, coconut, pecans, almonds, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan heat the oil, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt to almost boiling over medium heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, then drizzle over the dry ingredients, mixing well. Spread the granola in a thin layer over two parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake, stirring often, for 30 minutes or until golden (watch the granola carefully so that it does not burn!). Once cooked, remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
Combine the dried friuts in a large bowl. Scrub, dry and zest the oranges, then toss the zest with the dried fruits. Mix the zest and dried fruits with the cooled granola.
This granola can be stored in a jar in a cool place for up to two weeks, or it can be frozen. If using from frozen, allow to defrost at room temperature for several hours before using.

Baby it's cold outside

Winter has finally arrived in Toronto and although the temperatures are in the normal range for this time of year, it somehow seems much colder than past years. Perhaps it is because November and December were such 'balmy' months and I had managed to convince myself that Jack Frost would let us be this year; or perhaps the cold winter winds just seem a little more hostile and vicious because I'm getting older (I'll be the big '30' on Feb. 1) - whatever the reasons I have had a perpetual chill running through my bones this past week.
Despite my unhappiness about the recent drop in the mercury, I was pleased to welcome the return of my cravings for hearty soups and stews. Since I am still recovering from my bout with pneumonia and my stomach isn't as tolerant as it was (living off bread, fruit, cheese and green tea for a couple of weeks has that effect) I felt it best to hold off preparing a heavy soup or stew, and instead make the light, but filling, chicken noodle soup. This lovely soup has defrosted me from the inside-out all week - I hope that you find it does the same for you!

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Stock
1.5 kg chicken (or thereabouts)
12 cups of water (approx.)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped (leave the papery skin on - this gives the broth a rich golden colour)
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
4 springs of fresh thyme
4 springs of fresh parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
15 peppercorns

Soup
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
reserved chicken broth
3 cups reserved diced chicken
1 1/2 cups egg noodles
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Place the chicken in a dutch oven and add enough water to cover the chicken (approx. 12 cups). Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off the foam (the foam imparts an unpleasant taste to the broth so it is essential to skim off as much as possible). Once the foam has been removed, add the remaining broth ingredients to the dutch oven and bring the water to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth lined sieve into a large bowl. Allow the broth to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and dice the meat. Reserve at least 3 cups of meat for the soup.
The following day, remove the broth and reserved chicken from the fridge and skim the layer of fat from the broth. Melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat and add the onions. Saute the onions until translucent, then add the carrots, celery and broth to the dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the broth to a boil. Boil the soup for 5 to 10 minutes then add the egg noodles. Cook the soup, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through. Add the reserved chicken and the parsley to the soup and heat through. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper, if desired, prior to serving.

Victory is mine!

After battling the (evil) army of Mycoplasma pneumoniae that invaded my lungs a week and a half ago, I am proud to report that I have finally started gaining ground on these nasty little bacteria. Though it has been a long and drawn out battle and there have been many injuries, (my running, apetite, sense of taste and good humour have all suffered), my secret weapon (clarithromycin) is knocking these guys out left, right and center and I am confident that by next week I will be back to my old self.

As a sign of the changing tide my body asked for REAL FOOD today (ie. something more substantial then bread, fruit, water, and green tea). Thrilled by the return of my appetite I hastily made my way into the kitchen and, after re-aqainting myself with my oven and stove, I whipped up a batch of Nigella Lawson's Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread. This recipe comes from FEAST, Nigella's most recent cookbook, and though it is not a 'normal' chili per se, what with the cardamom pods and cocoa powder, it is quite delicious, and satisfyingly filling (as well as relatively healthy). It is, for certain, a splendid celebratory meal and I can assure you that it will ready any warrior for their final leg of battle.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chili with Corn Bread Topping

The Chili
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups red bell peppers (about 2 large peppers), finely diced
2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 ½ cups red lentils
3 cups canned chopped tomatoes
3 ½ cups drained canned kidney beans
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

The Corn Bread
1 tsp salt
2 cups cornmeal
2 tbspflour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup coarsely grated old cheddar cheese

To prepare chili, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a deep, an oven- safe dutch oven with a lid. Add onions, garlic and bell peppers and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin and cardamom pods. Stir in lentils.Add chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, ketchup, tomato paste, cocoa and 3 cups water to the pot. Stir well. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thickened and the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Chili can be made ahead to this point and topping added later. (In that case, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, bringing to room temperature before proceeding.).
For corn bread topping, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine salt, cornmeal, flour, baking powder and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, honey and oil. Pour liquid ingredients into dry; stir until combined. Spread corn bread topping evenly over chili, and sprinkle cheese on topping. Bake until topping has risen and turned golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and let chili stand about 5 minutes. To serve, cut cornbread into squares and serve atop a heaping bowl of chili. Serves 8 generously.

A Sheepish hello. . .

When I started my blog two months ago I planned to keep up and post regularly. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, midterm exams hit with final papers, formal lab reports, bell-ringer exams and tutorial tests close on their heels. Needless to say all of my blogging good intentions (and my social life) went out the window and I retreated from 'life' for a couple of months. Today, however, I am re-emerging into the world of the living. Although I still have a few exams to go (which, in all honesty, I should be studying for right now) I decided to give myself a break and (finally!) update my blog.
To all of those who don't know me I should let you know that I am a BIG fan of Christmas. Growing up my mother always made the season very special for me and my siblings - reading Christmas stories to us, taking us to see Santa and to watch Christmas films, making an event of trimming the tree and decorating the house, and letting us help (hinder) her with her Christmas cooking and baking. She taught us about the true spirit of the season and, through her actions, we learned the importance of giving of oneself and of letting all those in our lives know how much they are valued.
In past years I have expressed my thankfulness for friendships at Christmas time by purchasing gifts. Though I hoped that the gifts given were useful, my greatest desire was that they (the gifts) express to the receiver how much I cared for and valued their presence in my life. Although I recognized that my desire for such a 'perfect' gift for each of my friends was rather unrealistic, I refused to give in and I would spend days and weeks scouring the malls and surfing the net. Needless to say gift shopping became a very difficult, time consuming and arduous task and, sadly, I was rarely satisfied with the gifts that I gave. Then a couple of years ago, at the height of my frustration, a friend suggested that I replace gift-shopping with gift-making. Her words were a revelation for me - instead of becoming anxious and stressed about finding the perfect gift for each of my friends I grew excited about the jars of jams, jellies and preserves and the baskets and tins of breads, biscuits, bars, cookies, cakes, candies and tarts I could give. Suddenly I fully understood what my mother had been teaching me - that giving of oneself, whether it be through music, food, stories, handcrafted items, or time spent together, is the most cherished and valuable gift that can given or received.
Yesterday I began my gift baking for the Christmas 2006 season. Though most of these tarts were tucked away in the freezer following their emergence from the oven, I did munch on a 'sample' today. They are quite delicious and I can almost guarantee that any of your friends or family would be grateful for such a gift from your kitchen.
Stay tuned over the coming weeks for more gifts from my kitchen. . .

Butter Tarts
The pastry recipe is from Crisco Brand shortening. I know that many of you epicures will be cringing at the lack of unsalted butter in my pastry, but I find butter based pastry too heavy and not nearly flakey enough. For those who simply cannot bear to prepare a vegetable shortening based parstry then use your preferred recipe, ensuring that you have sufficient dough to make two dozen tart shells (a double crust pastry recipe should be sufficient). Finally to those who normally use lard in their pastry DO NOT replace the vegetable shortening with lard. Lard and vegetable shortening have different levels of hydration and are not interchangeable in pastry recipes.
The Butter Tart filling recipe has been developed by me after years of testing. Though I will likely still tweak the recipes a bit more in the coming years, it is approaching my idea of what a butter tart SHOULD be. I hope that you enjoy it.

Pastry
2 cups All-purpose flour
¾ tsp salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
2 tbsp ice cold water
1 tbsp vinegar

In a large bowl whisk together the flour and the salt. Cut in the shortening by gently rubbing the flour/salt mixture with the shortening between your fingertips. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, water and vinegar. Make a well in the center of the flour shortening mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Gently toss the flour and liquid mixture together until a shaggy dough is formed. Dump the contents of the bowl onto a clean surface and gently knead the until a ball is formed (knead no more then ten times). Divide the ball in two and re-shape each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.

Filling
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
2 eggs
½ tsp vinegar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp. salt
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
⅓ cup fresh sunmaid raisins
⅓ cup chopped walnuts

Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and salt.
Pre-heat an oven to 350°F and set aside two X 12 muffin cup tins, or a 12-muffin cup tin and a 24 mini muffin cup tin. Remove pastry from fridge and roll out the dough in such a way as to maximize the number of tart shells that can be cut from it. Cut pastry using a circular cookie cutter, approximately ⅓ “ larger in diameter then the muffin cup. Line the muffin cups with the pastry ensuring that the pastry does not break (you DO NOT want the tart filling to leak into the muffin tin. . .it makes for a very unpleasant clean-up). Re-roll the scraps and re-cut until you have used up all of your pastry. I tend to go a little thick on the pastry, for fear of leaks, so I get 18 regular sized tart shells from my pastry recipe. You should, however, be able to get 24 shells from a double pie crust recipe.
Evenly distribute the raisins and walnuts between the tart shells. Pour the liquid filling over the raisins and walnuts ensuring that tart shells are no more then ⅔ full (the filling bubbles up in the oven and if it flows out of the tart shell into the muffin cup then you will not be able to remove the tarts from the pan). Bake the prepared tarts, rotating part way through baking, in the preheated oven for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the pastry has a golden hue. Cool the tarts completely before removing from the muffin cups. Store the tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to two months.
Enjoy!