Recipe #16 - Apple Cranberry Crisp

How to prepare cranberries:

1 package fresh cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water

In a medium size saucepan bring 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil. Over medium heat, add cranberries and stir until the cranberries start to pop. Turn the heat down and cook for about 10 minutes. Cool and serve


To make Apple Cranberry Crisp

3 or 4 peeled and cored large apples (Golden delicious)
1 cup cranberry sauce
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup Ogilvie quick oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soft butter or becel
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

In an 8 in square pan, coat the bottom and sides with becel. Place apple slices on the bottom and cover with cranberry sauce. In a bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix with becel or butter to make a crumbly mixture. Cover the fruit and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm or cold.

This recipe is a variation taken from the Five Roses - A guide to good cooking. On page 93 you will find Cherry Oatmeal Crisp but one day I had leftover cranberries I wanted to use up, so I substituted and created this combination.

Cinnamon - did you know?

Using cinnamon in our everyday cooking is a healthy choice. By adding this simple condiment to our daily foods like yogurt, cereal, or coffee, we can improve our health on a daily basis. Making wise food choices can have long term effects on our health. For more information about cinnamon, visit the following website:

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/18-facts-about-cinnamon.html

My recipe choice for this week, will combine 3 favourites - apples, cranberries and cinnamon. We always have fresh cranberries at Christmas dinner but with all the trimmings there is usually a cup or so of leftover cranberries, so I make cranberry apple crisp.

Its a quick and simple way to serve an awesome and wholesome desert.

Recipe #15 Holiday Punch

Ingredients:

• 1 can frozen pineapple juice
• 1 can frozen orange juice
• 1 bottle cranberry cocktail (approx 1 litre sizel
• 1 bottles of ginger ale, 2 litre (diet, if you like)

• Add water or ginger ale as need to fill the bowl as there is a lot of concentrated juice in this one.

Making an ice ring

In a plastic ring pan, place slices of orange and lemon around the ring. Then add raspberries for colour. Fill with water and freeze. The ring will keep your punch perfectly chilled for about 3 hours.

This punch is a favourite at my office... for pot luck lunches at Christmas or anytime there is a reason to party. They absolutely love it!

Making healthy choices

Over the Christmas season, drinking cranberry juice is a very good choice. It tastes good and it's very healthy... see http://cranberryjuice.com/

According to the website, "dark chocolate and cranberry juice are two of the most studied types of food right now regarding health benefits."

I was especially interested in this website because I am a survivor of ovarian cancer and believe that diet plays a very important role in staying healthy.

Not only can we make healthy choices, we can form good eating habits for the rest of our lives. That's the key because honestly, humans are creatures of habit, we don't like change and love routines, so make a healthy food choice one of your priorities.......make a New Year's resolution to eat healthy!

Recipe #14 Baked Brie Appetizer

Filling:
1 small yellow onion
2 shallots
2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp butter or becel
1 tsp olive oil

Saute ingredients over medium heat until onions are transluscent.
Add 1/4 cup white wine and 1 tsp brandy
Increase heat and reduce liquid to dry
Let mixture cool completely - makes approximately 2 cups

Preheat overn to 450 degrees F

To prepare dough:
Use Tenderflake Puff Pastry dough (makes 2)
Roll dough to form a rectangle (approx 10 in x 15 in)

Spread 2 tsp dijon mustard
Spread 1 cup of filling
Spread 3 tbsp of cranberry sauce
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup toasted pecans
Cover with Sliced brie or camembert (1/2 of a small round)
Cover cheese with thin slices of pear
Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cut the edges of the pastry approximately 2 inches from outer edge making 1 inches short cuts forming a V pattern. Cover the edges with an egg wash (one egg mixed with 1/3 cup water) to help the dough stick. Gently cover the filling forming a braid with cut edges. Completely coat with egg wash.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm!

The story of "Special Cheese"

My cookbook would not be complete without telling the story of "Special cheese". When our daughters were young girls, they loved camembert and brie cheese. We always served it when we had company and on special occasions. In our house, we simply called it "Special cheese". At Christmas, the girls would be thrilled to bits to get a tin of "special cheese" in their stockings. They would put their names on their individual boxes and could eat it anytime they wanted. It truly was a "special treat". They never questioned and we never did tell them the true name of the cheese and it was only when they were teenagers they discovered the cheese was not really called "special cheese" but actually camembert and brie. Some children enjoyed oranges in their stockings, some children enjoyed brie and camembert.

Recipe #13 Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

4 1/2 cups (1.125 L) all-purpose flour
2 tsp(10 mL) baking soda
2 tsp (10 mL) each allspice, cinnamon and ground ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (500 mL) lightly packed brown sugar
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup (250 mL) fancy molasses
1/4 cup (50 mL) vegetable oil
1 cup (250 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar

1. In a medium bowl, using a fork, stir flour with baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, beat butter with brown sugar and 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar until well mixed, about 1 min. Beat in eggs one at a time, then molasses and oil. With electric mixer on low, gradually beat in flour mixture just until mixed. Scrape down side of bowl if necessary. Using a spoon, gently stir in chocolate chips. Divide dough into 4 portions. Form into round discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
2. When ready to bake, position oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with oil or line with parchment paper. Place remaining 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar in a bowl.
3. Remove one portion of dough from refrigerator. Pinch off about 1 tbsp (15 mL) and roll into a ball. Roll in sugar, then place on baking sheet. Continue with remaining dough, spacing balls at least 3 in. (7.5 cm) apart because they spread out while baking.
4. Bake on 2 racks in oven, switching sheets halfway through baking, until cookies begin to set around edges, 8 to 10 min. Remove baking sheets to a heatproof surface. Let cool on sheets about 5 min. Then remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. If making ahead, store in an airtight container in a cool place up to 5 days, or freeze up to 1 month.
First published in Chatelaine's 11/2007 issue. © Rogers Media Publishing Inc.
Preparation time 25 min

Anita Jones: graphic designer and mom of two, Waterloo, Ont., 2nd place, Holiday Cookie Contest. Anita Jones discovered this recipe, written in Polish and tucked away in a drawer, at the home of her mother, Monica. Monica had recently passed away, and Anita was pleased that she could translate the recipe on her own. ("Kitchen Polish is a lot easier than, say, political Polish," she laughs.) Today these outstanding spice cookies are her absolute favourite.

Nutrients per cookie
3 g fat
17 g carbohydrates
15 mg calcium
97 calories

Christmas Cookies for Santa.....

December has arrived and with it all the traditions of Christmas. Christmas carols, Christmas Cake, and of course Christmas Cookies.

I researched the origins of a few of these traditions. There are many websites featuring the history of Christmas traditions. Some even let you "Share your Christmas miracles, traditions and cookies"
http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20091203/NEWS06/91203022/1002/NEWS01/Share-your-Christmas-miracles--traditions-and-cookies

My favourite was Laura Legend’s tale of the Christmas cookies…
All around the world children practice the tradition of leaving Christmas cookies out for Santa Clause on Christmas Eve. As the myth goes, Santa gets hungry flying around all over the world delivering Christmas gifts to all the good boys and girls and he needs a snack.
http://www.christmaslore.com/christmas_cookies_for_santa.html

My recipe for this week is a favourite of Santa's in our house.

Recipe #12 Mom's Meat Pie

This recipe was passed down to us from Kern's Mom......

5 lbs Ground Pork (Lean)

1/2 lb Ground Beef

1 yellow onion (chopped)

pinch of salt, pepper & thyme

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp celery salt

1/8 tsp onion salt

Fill large pot with water just to cover the meat (approximately 4 cups) Simmer until liquid is half - should take about 2 to 2 1/2 hours (allow 1/2 hour to start)

Note: "Do not play with the meat while it is simmering, JUST LET IT SIMMER"

Use a pure lard pie crust recipe of your choice. (Tenderflake recipe is great)

Spoon mixture into a deep dish pie shell. In a small bowl combine egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water to make egg wash; brush edge of crust with wash, then carefully add top crust and seal edges. Make several slits in top crust; brush with remaining egg mixture.

Bake in the lower 1/3 of the oven at 400F until golden brown (about 20 minutes to 30 minutes)

A little French Canadian History

The most famous French Canadian dish is 'tourtière',(pronounced: tour-tee-air) a hearty meat pie made with ground veal, pork, onions, and spices. Originally, 'tourtière' was made with pigeon. (The French word for pigeon is tourteau, hence the name of the dish.) As these birds were scarce in Canada, the pie came to be made with veal and pork.
http://www.terriau.org/cuisine/tour1.htm

This tourtiere recipe originated in Quebec and is frequently enjoyed in the winter months, particularly during the holidays. There are no absolute rules for making this meat pie. Recipes for meat pie vary with the use of potato, spices and amounts of pork, veal and beef. It is all about personal choice but the Christmas tradition does not change - that will remain alive for generations!
The pastry itself is even up to individual interpretation; classic pastry dough is the most widely-known version, but some cooks swear by a seasoned mashed potato topping. Any way you make it, this French Canadian meat pie is a delicious way to warm up on a cold evening.

http://frenchfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/tourtiere.htm

Huguette Davis says that "This meat pie is the most famous French Canadian dish". It is traditionally served after Holy Mass on Christmas Eve. The preferred baking dish is a deep porcelain or terra cotta tart pan. The pork should be fairly fatty. (The potato will absorb the excess fat.) Cooked 'tourtière' freezes well. (To reheat, put the frozen pie in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. This recipe serves 6 to 8.

Recipe# 11 Fresh Seafood Linguine

20-30 Little Neck Clams
1 lb Rock Cod
1 lb Pacific Ocean Shrimp - appoximately 20- 30 per lb

l lb Fresh linguine

1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup fresh cream or half & half
1 cup Vegetable broth (or you can make your own stock)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely diced shallots
1/4 cup fine diced celery
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
1/2 cup choppped fresh parsley

To Make the Stock: In a heavy bottom saute pan, combine shells from the shrimp, shallots, celery and olive oil. Saute until shallots are translucent. Add 1/2cup white wine and 1/2 cup water and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until liquid is reduced in half. Remove the shrimp shells with a slotted spoon or strain the broth through a strainer pressing the shells and vegtables with the back of a spoon..

In a separate covered saucepan, use 1/4 cup of the liquid to steam the clams open. Remove the clams from the shell and set aside. Strain the broth through cheesecloth to remove any sand and add the clam juice back to the original stock.

Steaming and simmering the seafood:
You can now add 1/2 cup of heavy cream or half & half to your broth. Boil the broth and cream on high until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. This could take a few minutes so be patient.

Once the sauce is thick enough lower the heat to a simmer and then add the fish and raw shrimp. Simmer for a about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the clams and simmer for about 2 minutes longer.


In a separate pot, cook fresh linguine for a about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and add to the seafood mixture. Add the freshly grated Parmesan to help thicken and coat the sauce.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately

Additional notes:
Mussels, scallops, squid or other types of fish may be added or substituted for the seafood above. This particular recipe was made using the fresh ingredients from the ocean while spending time at the Pacific Shores resort in Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island.

Seafood Specialities from the West Coast!

In September 2007 we visited Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island. It was amazing to be down by the sea harvesting clams while the tide was out. Clams look like rocks and if you don't know what to look for, you could miss out completely. In less than 10 minutes, we had our limit of 75 clams each- thanks to our very good friends - Robin & Yvonne from Iron Bridge, Ontario. Their love of the sea and fresh seafood only added to the enjoyment of this day.

Earlier in the day, Robin and Kern were out on the ocean fishing for rock cod and checking their shrimp traps. What a wonderful catch! Now it was time to cook up a special dinner with our fresh clams, rock cod and Pacific shrimp.

Recipe #10 Bavarian Apple Cheesecake

Crust:
½ cup margarine or butter 125 ml
1/3 cup white sugar 75 ml
¼ tsp vanilla 1 ml
1 cup all purpose flour 250 ml

Filling:
2 pkgs (250 gm each) Philadelphia Brand
cream cheese, softened
½ cup white sugar 125 ml
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla 5 ml

Topping:
1/3 cup white sugar 75 ml
½ tsp cinnamon 2 ml
4 cups peeled sliced apples l L (I use Golden Delicious or Macintosh)
¼ cup sliced almonds 50 ml (I use blanched and sliced almonds)

Crust: Combine butter, sugar and vanilla. Blend in flour. Spread dough on bottom and 1 in (1.5 cm) up sides of a 9in (23cm) spring-form pan. (Crust can be made in food processor) I just make it with a fork.

Filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Spread evenly over crust.

Topping: Combine sugar and cinnamon. Toss apples in sugar mixture. Place over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with almonds.

Bake at 450 F (230 C) for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300 F (150 C) and continue baking 1 hour longer or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Chill 3 hours before serving.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

The apple of our eye!

Our grandbabies are the apple of our eye! Both these precious girls have melted our hearts and continue to open our eyes to the simple things in life. Apples have been the fruit of choice to "keep the doctor away" and continue to be a healthy snack choice. Our grandbabies love apples and recently enjoyed visiting an apple orchard. What a simple pleasure for a family outing in the fall - have you visited one yet?

Recipe #9 Slow Roasting a Prime Rib of Beef

Ordering and preparing the roast

In order to serve an incredible tasting roast beef, you need to find a butcher who specializes in aging quality beef. From the butcher, you will need to order about a 1/2 pound of beef per person. A 3 - 4 lb prime rib rib roast will feed about 6 adults. Kern usually lets the butcher know at least a week ahead of time before he wants to cook the roast.

The night before you intend to cook the beef, prepare a mixture of chopped fresh thyme, garlic and rosemary (approximately 1/2 cup). Begin by rubbing the roast with olive oil and then with the herb and garlic mixture. Cover in saran wrap and refridgerate overnight.

The next day, let the roast come to room temperature - should take approximately 2 hours. Sprinkle the roast with coarse sea salt (approx 1 tsp). Sear the roast in a heavy bottom pan lightly coated in olive oil. This step will seal in the flavour and prevent shrinkage.

Transfer the roast to a shallow broiler pan, rib side down. The ribs make a good roasting rack. Add some shallots to the bottom of the pan and then place the uncovered roast onto the lower rack of a pre-heated 200 F degree oven for approximately 4 hours (about 1 hour per lb). When we had our cottage up North we sometimes cooked the prime rib in our wood cookstove. If you have access to one, use it - the food in a wood fired cookstove is the absolute best!

Check the internal temperature during the last hour and baste with the drippings from the bottom of the pan.

To check the internal temperature of the beef, use an instant registering thermometer inserted into the middle of the roast (keep the end of the thermometer away from the bone) For medium (pink throughout) Kern will take the roast out of the oven when the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F (60 C). For medium rare you can take the roast out when the temperature reaches 125 to 130 F (51 to 54 C).

This is very important! Once the internal temperature has reached the desired temperature let the roast rest in a warm location (top or beside the stove) for about 30 minutes tented in tin foil. Resting the beef will allow the the juices to redistribute. Your perfect prime rib roast is now ready to slice like butter and the taste is incredible!

Where's the Beef?

The music of Elton John is an all time favourite in our home. If you ever get a chance to see him “live”, don’t miss out – we have enjoyed 3 live concerts! I decided to research Elton’s favourite foods and found the following quote “I'd enjoy having a plate of sandwiches for supper, sometimes!” explained Elton. “I like roast lamb, roast beef, that sort of things”. http://en.allexperts.com/q/John-Elton-493/foods.htm#b

Searching for excellent cuts of beef means searching for the right butcher and I think Kern found him in the Waterloo region – hats off to Rob! at Bradys Meats, on Phillip Street in Waterloo, Ontario.

Having found the perfect butcher, my Canadian Cook is ready to slow cook a prime rib roast of beef that might even please Elton. Kern listens to Elton's Greatest Hits while cooking up a storm for us.

Recipe #8 Rouladen

Preparing the ingredients

1 Tbsp Dry Mustard - add a few drops of water until you have a smooth paste (You can add 1 tsp of prepared mustard to this mixture)
Let stand 15 minutes
Dill Pickles cut lengthwise into 6 sections
Green Onions cut in half
4 – 6 slices bacon
Cut bacon slices in half (allow ½ slice per rollup) Blanch bacon by adding boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and place bacon slices on paper towels.
1 cup each of chopped carrots,onion & celery
3 tbsp of sour cream
900 ml of beef broth

Preheat Oven 425 degrees F

4 – 6 slices of Top Round Steak cut 1/8 in – ¼ in thick.
Cut each slice of steak into 2 equal parts, butter each slice with the mustard mixture.
To the steak, add 1 piece of dill pickle, green onion and bacon.
Roll up steak and tie each end using butcher string.
After rollup have been made, brown a few at time in hot olive oil (use a cast iron or heavy skillet. When the rollups are browned, place them in a roasting pan.
In the same heavy skillet melt 1 Tbsp butter and sauté onions, carrots and celery. Then add mixture to roast pan with rollups.
Sprinkle 2 – 3 Tbsp flour on top of the rollups and place uncovered in roasting pan in 425 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes to brown flour
Stir once halfway through browning. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Add beef broth just high enough to cover rollups and cook for 1 to 1 ½ hrs covered.
If possible, use a large piece of pork rind to add body and to keep the rollups from drying out.

Prepare a Beurre Manie – In a bowl, mix 1 Tbsp of Butter with 2 Tbsp of flour and make a smooth paste.
Take roast pan out of the oven and remove the rollups to a side plate. Then remove 1 cup of liquid and place in a large measuring cup or bowl. Slowly add 3 tbsp of sour cream to the liquid until well blended. Stir this mixture back into roast pan.
Place roasting pan on top of the stove on high heat. Beat in Beurre Manie a little at a time until liquid is thickened. Add rollups to gravy and return to oven for another ½ hour. Let cool after cooking and refrigerate overnight.

From the garden to the table

The process of making dill pickles can be fun and exciting. Baby cucumbers, garlic, and dill weed are essential ingredients in making a great dill pickle. When our girls were little, we filled our bathtub with ice and let the cucumbers soak before making the dill pickles. It was a cool experience for a 6 year old to watch as we filled the bathtub with floating cucumbers instead of floating ducks. It was a labour of love because it took most of the weekend to complete the process. A jar of homemade garlic dill pickles made cherished gifts for friends and family.

Dill pickles are a key ingredient to the recipe this week - Rouladen. This recipe is how Kern prepares and serves this delicious and nutritious meal to family and friends.

Recipe #7 Chili Kabobs with Plums

Prep 15 minutes, Broil: 8 minutes
Makes 4 main dish servings

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
½ tsp salt
1 pork tenderloin (12 ounces) cut into 1 ½ inch rounds
8 small blue plums, pitted and cut in half - quarters if you use larger plums

4 -10 in all metal skewers
3 tablespoons apple jelly, melted in the Microwave about 1 minute

The taste of these Kabobs comes from adding the spice to the pork at the last possible moment and then cooking them over high heat - this seals in the juices and creates a contrast between the spicy outside and sweet taste inside. Basting the pork and plums with apple jelly at the end of the cooking only adds to the contrasting flavors.

Preheat BBQ or broiler. In a plastic bag add the first 5 ingredients. Pat pork dry with paper towels and toss them with the spice mixture to coat evenly
Thread pork and plums alternately on skewers. Place skewers on rack in broiling pan or on the top rack of the BBQ
Broil Kabobs approximately 7 minutes, turning once. Wait for about 5 minutes and then brush kabobs with half of the apple jelly, turn kabobs and brush with remaining apple jelly. Broil kabobs 20 seconds longer on each side, or until pork is browned and cooked through. Be careful not to over cook them.

Serve over a bed of steamed white rice and enjoy!

For those who collect cook books, this recipe is taken from page 244 of "The Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cookbook".

Surprises are the Spice of Life!

Last November, we were all anxiously awaiting the arrival of Evan. But much to our delight and shock, Julia Faith blessed us with her arrival. She was an unexpected surpise and what a bundle of joy. Our granddaughter is full of sugar and spice and all things nice.

Spices can turn an ordinary dinner into a culinary experience. Cumin, chilli and cayenne pepper can transform plums and sweet pork tenderloin into succulent morsels. To heighten the flavours, add some apple jelly for that extra little punch. Blue, black or red plums are available almost year round.

Recipe #6 Kern's BBQ Chicken Wings

We usually buy 2 packages of wings from Zehr's or one large package from Costco. We like the the large package for obvious reasons. Split or disjoin the wings into 3 pieces - We usually freeze the tips and use them to make a broth. Put the wings in a stainless bowl and spice them with the following:

• 2 tablespoons each of Club House Seasoning Salt and Cajun Spice
• add some Chili Flakes if you like them hot.
• mix the wings until you have a good even coating and let the wings marinate over night
• Note: You can adjust the spice for your own taste

Preparing the wings for the BBQ

• about 1 hour before cooking - whip 3 egg whites in a bowl along with the juice of a 1/2 lemon
• whip in 1/3 cup cornstarch - the mixture should look like whip cream
• fold the whipped egg whites and cornstarch into the wings and mix until the wings are evenly coated
• put the wings in a colander and let them drip off the excess - about 1/2 hr
  

Cooking

• fire-up the BBQ - I usually heat it up and clean the grills then I sometimes put a light coat of olive oil on the grates
• reduce the heat to the lowest setting on your BBQ
• put the wings on - they stick to the grill like gum to hair - your kids can relate to this
• cover the BBQ and check back in about 15 minutes - time them
• the wings will start to cook and when they are right they will release from the grill,
  don't rush them because you will have a big mess
• If they are cooking too fast open up the lid or raise the grates
• When both sides of the wings get a crust on the coating they are fine to turn as often as you want
• the total cooking time is around 1 hour
• have a few tasters - cooks privilege - but try not to eat them all..
  

Serving the hungry crowd

• place the wings on a large platter and watch out for the stampede
• your wings are going to be the hit at any party

Bon Appetit and Have Fun!

Wake up boys - Dinners Ready!

Our son-in-laws Michael & Andrew really enjoy the sumptuous menu of dinners offered at our house. The challenge has been for Kern to cook up exciting, tasty recipes for his boys. In the past, Kern was always out numbered in our house 3 to 1, but since the our girls got married, the votes have evened out 3 to 3. As a result, the girls often get vetoed on "what to have for dinner". The boys choices include chicken wings, ribs, flank steak - to name a few. Kern lives up to the challenge savouring every moment!

Recipe #5 Best Pumpkin Cheese Cake!

Pumpkin Cheese Cake with Almond Toffee Topping

Crust:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, almonds and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture onto bottom and one inch up side of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Cool slightly.

Filling:
2 (250 g) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 (14 oz) can puree PUMPKIN
2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 whole eggs and 1 egg white, reserve yolk

In a large mixer bow, beat cream cheese. Beat in sugar. Gradually blend in pumpkin, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla. Beat in whole eggs and egg white, one at a time until mixture is smooth. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 F for 60to 65 minutes or until centre feels slightly firm to the touch. Turn oven off and let cheesecake stand in warm oven for 30 minutes.

Almond Toffee Topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk, reserved from filling
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds

In a heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar and egg yolk. Gradually stir in evaporated milk and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly and thickened about 7 minutes. Stir in almonds. Pour over top of cheesecake and chill.


We would like to thank our sister in law, Renee Pageau of Port Elgin for introducing us to this fabulous dessert. We absolutely love it when she brings it to our family celebrations.

Ode to the Pumpkin!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! As pictured above, you are never too young or too old to enjoy a seasonal celebration. Our granddaughter Keira was just 8 weeks old when she made her first visit to the pumpkin patch.

The pumpkin is an icon symbolizing our love of the Fall Harvest in Canada. This colourful vegetable is the main ingredient in desserts enjoyed during the Thanksgiving weekend. Our recipe is taken from a small cookbook purchased at the annual "Pumpkinfest" celebration. If you love fall and pumpkins, then visit http://www.pumpkinfest.org/ for information on the best celebration of the pumpkin in Ontario.

Recipe #4 - French Onion Soup

Over the past week the weather has turned cold reminding us that Fall has arrived. This picture is a reminder that somewhere in the world it is warm and sunny. It was taken on our culinary experience in the Caribbean when the girls enjoyed "French Onion Soup".

This full bodied soup is rich in goodness that will warm your heart and soul. The recipe is based on Julia Child's "Onion Soup", page 43 in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Kern has altered the recipe to suit our tastes. As a bonus, the soup freezes well - unthaw in the fridge and enjoy later on a cold winter's night. Just add the cheese and Paris toasts. Bon Appetit!

French Onion Soup

2 ½ lbs of diced yellow onions

6 shallots

3 Tb butter or buttery taste becel

1 Tb olive oil

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar (helps the onions brown)

8 cups boiling broth (3 x 900 ml containers of Knorr Swiss Simply Beef Broth)

½ tsp Worchester sauce (optional)

½ cup Dry white French Wine

3 Tb Cognac or Brandy

3 Tb flour
Paris toasts

¼ cup Gruyere cheese per bowl

Cook the diced onions over medium heat with the butter and oil in a covered heavy bottomed 4 quart saucepan for about 15 minutes. Remove cover, raise heat to moderate, and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even, deep golden brown. You need to be careful that you don’t burn the onions during the last 10 minutes. When the onions have browned, sprinkle the flour and stir for 3 minutes.

Add boiling broth to the onion mixture, making sure you stir and scrape the bottom of the saucepan. The flour will help thicken the soup. Simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes, skimming occasionally. Correct seasoning. The onions should be in suspension.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Add cognac or brandy to the soup and pour into French onion soup bowls, add Paris toasts and grated Gruyere cheese. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven. Then set for a minute or two under a preheated broiler to brown top lightly. Serve immediately.

Our first Caribbean Cruise - a cultural and culinary experience!

In 1997, we decided to cruise the Caribbean over the Christmas break - both girls were still in school at the time. It was a fantastic vacation and we could not get over the extravaganza of wonderful food served on the ship. We sampled everything from succulent prime rib to tantalizing flaming desserts. We especially loved the presentation and formality of it all. One night, the girls noticed "French onion soup" on the menu and they had only ever tasted the one their Dad made. So, it was an opportunity to see if these chefs could compare. They rated the chef's with an "8"; still not as good as Dad's but pretty close. We still chuckle about that moment to this day!

Recipe #3 Chocolate-zucchini Cake

The garden in Tavistock produced a wonderful harvest and one of the bountiful fruits was zucchini. The Summer Romanesco zucchini was planted from seed (ordered from Delta, British Columbia). The picture above is one of many zucchini flowers from our garden. The flowers make a delicious appetizer when dipped in a light batter and deep fried. Although the zucchini plant has many uses, our favourite has been this amazing brownie like treat. After a long search, we favoured this recipe from "The Bon Appetit Cookbook", page 522.

Chocolate-zucchini cake

2 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter (I use becel margerine)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use sunflower oil)

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini

1 cup semi sweet dark chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour 13x9x2 in baking pan. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Beat sugar, butter, and oil in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Mix in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each. Mix in grated zucchini. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over batter.

Bake cake until tester comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Enjoy!

Our youngest daughter - Andrea Pauline

Andrea keeps cooking alive in her kitchen by creating beautiful cakes. Her creativity is endless as your will see when you visit her website: http://www.mamaliciouscakes.com

Each cake is personalized for the special person of the day allowing Andrea to unveil her hidden talents. Like her father, she has no formal training but loves to celebrate food with family and friends! We hope you enjoy too!

Recipe #2 - Fresh Basil Pesto

We live near the Farmer's market in St. Jacobs, so getting a bushel of tomatoes, red peppers or fresh basil is simple. We also purchase our olive oil at the market from a vendor who personally selects his oil in Greece. This year we have used Ariagold and Ionian - both excellent oils. This vendor travels to Greece each year and orders specific types of olive oils direct from the growers. Using a good quality olive oil will make the difference in dishes like Basil pesto or Oven roasted tomatoes and red peppers and will enchance your pasta dishes. Just toss your favourite fresh pasta dish with the pesto or tomatoes, add chicken or shrimp if you like. This is a recipe from a cooking class taken in Florence, Italy - November 2005.

Ingredients for Fresh Basil Pesto

4 cups of Fresh Basil - remove stems & use just the leaves

1 cup of pine nuts

4 gloves of garlic (chopped)

1 -1/ 2 cups Olive Oil

1 cup aged Pecorino (finely grated)

1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

Chop basil with a sharp knife and then put in a blender. Add pine nuts, chopped garlic and 1 cup of olive oil. Pulse it and then add cheese and remaining olive oil. Blend until just smooth. I keep the pesto in canning jars and cover the top with a little olive oil. Use a small spatula to avoid air pockets. Jars can be refridgerated for a few days but or freeze if you want to enjoy it on a cold winter day.

P.S. We were very fortunate this year to grow our own basil. Our good friends, Todd & Brenda from Tavistock shared their garden plot with us. We all loved cooking with the freshest ingredients. Watch over the next few weeks for recipes featuring garden produce.

Meet our daughter - Kristel Jacqueline

Last week, we saw how Julia Child in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" influenced Kern. This week, Kristel shows us how new chefs of the day like Ina Garten and Giada keep cooking alive. But still using the freshest ingredients are necessary to produce top notch results. Kristel will call home and ask Dad for instructions on "how to make" a particular dish - like "flank steak" or "salmon steak" or "what spices did you use"? But the answer is often the same - make sure you use fresh and not frozen and you will be pleased with your results. Even Ina Garten and Giada will agree with that, so have fun and cook up a storm. The new chefs of the day put a refreshing bite on cooking but using fresh ingredients remains the standard.

Recipe #1 Scalloped Potatoes

This is one of the first recipes Kern made from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and has become an all time favourite at our house anytime of year. Its not a recipe you can just write out and hand over, it takes more time to give instructions than to actually prepare the dish. And yes, the dish is key in making these scalloped potatoes. You need a dish no more than 2 inches deep. We searched for many years to find the right dish and we now have 2 because once we found the perfect dish, we ended the search. The dish we use is an 8" x 10" x 2" heavy botttom Dansk casserole dish. You can find the original recipe on Page 523 in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" but this is Kern's variation. He uses becel because I insist.

6 cups of sliced boiling potatoes
1 glove of garlic
1/2 cup Becel
1 tsp salt (he likes to use sea salt)
Pepper to taste
1 cup grated Monteray Jack Cheese & old Cheddar
1 cup boiling milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Peel potatoes and slice them 1/8 inch thick. Place in a basin of cold water. Drain when ready to use.
Rub the baking dish with the cut garlic. Smear with dish with 1 tbsp of becel. Drain the potatoes and dry them in a towel. Spread 1/2 in the bottom of the dish. Divide over them 1/2 salt, pepper, cheese and becel. Arrange the remaining potatoes over the first layer, and season them. Spread the rest of the cheese & becel to cover.
Bring the milk to a boil on the stove top and pour over the potatoe mixture. Set the baking dish over the stove top and when the milk has simmered, move dish into a preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, milk has been absorbed, and the top is nicely browned.

My Canadian Cook

Today is Grandparents day. It seemed an appropriate day to start my first blog project. Over the next year, I will post one recipe per week on this blog. And yes, I was inspired by Julie in the recent movie Julie and Julia. The difference will be that these recipes will be a collection of our favourites cooked by my husband Kern - he has a passion for cooking. We have been married for almost 35 years and over that time Kern has been the cook in our home - my family and I have been the lucky recipient of many, many wonderful meals. Kern has no formal training in cooking but enjoys cooking with the freshest of ingredients. Our cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" was a wedding gift and over the years has weathered its use so well, it needs to be rebound. As well as providing a recipe each week, there will always be a short story to go with the recipe and in this way, you will get to know a Canadian family and how cooking became an important part of our life.