Canadian Girls are so Pretty...

"Canadian girls are so pretty it's a relief now and then to see a plain one."
- Mark Twain

"It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw, not because she is Canada but because she's something sublime that you were born into, some great rugged power that you are a part of. "
- Emily Carr

Happy Canada Day everyone! I hope you spend it with good company, a cold brew, a BBQ and maybe even a bonfire. I hope today everyone takes a moment to be proud of their heritage and the beautiful, diverse, and contemporary country that we are so fortunate to call home.

Need some last minute Canada Day recipes? Find the best pork tenderloin here. The tastiest summer salad here and the quickest dessert to please a crowd here (made with ingredients you already have, try it with some ice cream!).

Enjoy!
-m

ps. find some pictures of what "my" Canada looks like below (all taken with my iPhone between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island).

Cheers To a New Year...

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right."

- Oprah Winfrey

With New Year's Day around the corner, resolutions have taken the place of sugar plums and are vigorously tap dancing their way through our heads. Workout wear has been moved to the front of stores and everyone is looking for a break from butter laden dishes and holiday overindulgence.

I have a feeling 2015 is going to be a big year for me. I will embark on a new adventure in the form of a new-to-me job (one that will take my career to new heights!). 2015 also means that I gain a new extended family and I will have the pleasure of watching four of my oldest and dearest friends walk down the isle. Like I said- a big year ! 

I hope that your holiday was warm, fuzzy and bubbly (and sweet like champagne). I also hope that 2015 allows you all to celebrate new beginnings and that you can enjoy making (and breaking) resolutions. 

To help you all kick-start your new year, I am including a super easy recipe that is sure to please at any gathering. My lovely friend Gina brought them to a party and I have now served them at least once to my family (with rave reviews!). The simple and flavourful ingredients combine together to make possibly, the perfect "finger food".

Happy New Year!!

-m

Fresh Basil and Apricot App

You will need....

-one small package of goat cheese (plain but you can use light!)

- 10 to 15 leaves of fresh basil 

- a package of dried apricots 

- raw almonds (enough to top each apricot ). 

Finely chop basil leaves and add to a small bowl with goat cheese. Mix well and set aside (this is extra good when allowed to set overnight for flavours to blend). Lay apricots out on a serving platter. Top with a small amount (maybe 1/2 a tsp.. see pictures) of goat cheese and then top with almond. Thaaah-dah! It is that easy and a totally amazing combination of flavours ! Enjoy ! 

I Am Sorry I Ruined Your Life..

"I am sorry I ruined your life and that I crammed eleven cookies into the VCR ."

-Buddy the Elf 

Christmas is 11 short days away. It was September and then I blinked and now it is December 14th. With just over a week left and several shifts standing between me and a Christmas break, I have practically no time to bake. 

Growing up, Christmas baking revolved around shortbread. Sure, my mom had many different sweets in her Christmas baking repertoire but to me, shortbread cookies were always the star. Maybe it's because they were only baked at Christmas. Maybe it's because she baked them early and froze them (they freeze remarkably well) or it could be because she had to bake another batch every single year because we ate them right out of the freezer (they are also remarkably delicious frozen). Maybe it's because we were allowed to help or it could be because were allowed to eat the browned edges once they were trimmed (one of the best tastes in the world, second to my nanny giving us a small piece of potato with butter and salt to "test" if they were cooked). It could be a culmination of all of the above but I still have lost no love for the simple, three ingredient cookie. In actuality, I have all the love for shortbread.

A quickie WIKI search tells me that shortbread has been around since the 12th century. Mary, Queen of Scots was a big fan, perfecting the simple combination of sugar, butter and flour by seasoning it with vanilla and caraway. As it is traditionally made with loads of butter (and butter is expensive), shortbread was generally a sweet reserved for the wealthy and for special occasions like Christmas and wedding celebrations. Over the years the cookie has remained popular and has evolved into many different varieties; some using powdered sugar, some iced, some whipped and all resulting in a very popular traditional cookie.

My favourite version is my mom's traditional Scottish shortbread. This is a dense, slightly crumbly, slightly chewy cookie that is sprinkled with sugar and baked on a sheet, later to be cut into fingers. Delicious, and time consuming. I would share the recipe but I would have to kill you (I kid. But no, I am still not sharing).

My second favourite would be a whipped shortbread cookie. Getting back to the first paragraph of this crazy cookie spiel, these are easy to make and they take little, to no time. In turn making them the perfect cookie for the time-crunching Christmas baker. You can get fancy and use a piping bag, or even fancier and use a cookie press but I prefer them as they are in their natural state. A basic, spoon dropped cookie with half of a red or green glacé cherry pushed into the middle. I am a lover of tradition, I can't help myself. The difference between whipped and regular short bread is the substitution of icing (or powdered) sugar for the traditional granulated sugar. They are also whipped within an inch of their life making the dough airy and light. This results in a sweet cookie that melts in your mouth. Only downside is they are crumbly, so handle them with care ! Some people add cornstarch as well. This makes them even more "melt-y"; there is a great debate as to what makes a better cookie. You can decide that for yourself!  All of you time stressed bakers can find my recipe below ! Happy baking and happy tradition making!

-m

Whipped Shortbread Cookies 

Preheat oven to 300.

You will need..

-one pound of butter 

-3 cups of all purpose flour

-one cup of icing sugar 

-**optional 1/2 cup of cornstarch

-sprinkle of salt

-teaspoon of good vanilla

-**optional red and green glacé cherries (or maraschino, just dry 'em off)

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and add sugar and continue to cream until pale and fluffy. If you are using cornstarch, mix cornstarch into flour. Add flour (or flour cornstarch mix) to bowl along with vanilla and sprinkle of salt. Whip on high for ten minutes with a hand mixer or the paddle attachment to your stand mixer. It will not look like much at first but as it whips it will become light and airy! Drop with teaspoon onto an un-greased cookie sheet and top with half of a cherry. You can also pipe the cookies onto the sheet or use a cookie press. Your call- dropping is fast! Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bottoms are just very slightly browned at the edges. Enjoy with milk, coffee or tea- whatever your vice is. I am told Santa really enjoys these, as do coworkers, neighbours and party attendees. 

Hot Cross Buns...

"One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns"- Elementary school students screeching recorders in music class nation wide.

Happy Easter everyone! I don't know what it is like where you live today, Halifax is 12 degrees, sunny and warm. I have my sheets out on the line and I have already had coffee on my deck twice today! I dare say, it might be spring (just don't tell Mother Nature in case she takes it back!).

Growing up, Easter meant church, jelly beans, skipping ropes, bubbles and chalk. It meant it was time to dust off the old bikes and see if our soccer cleats still fit. It also meant hide and seek outside (in the dark as we got older) and there was always an appearance of hot cross buns.

When I came back from Mexico, my sister had been staying at my house and she had left a package of hot cross buns on the counter. I thought "Aw that is so nice", I should have known better, they were only left behind (and not devoured) because they were awful, flavourless lumps of dough. Gag. Those bad buns inspired me to try my hand at my own. Now this is a feat for me because every time I use active yeast, my baking turns out a little flat. I scoured the Internet and settled on a recipe that seemed simple enough that had lots of extra currants and frosting (cause we all know that is what makes a hot cross bun!).  I will admit, I had to make the dough twice....I didn't use enough yeast (maybe I should learn to read carefully when reading recipes). In the end they were the very best hot cross buns I have ever had and I highly recommend everyone tries them out! Recipe can be found here!

Have a wonderful day all!
-m

Once Women Hit Forty...

"Once women hit forty, they only have four taste buds left: one for vodka, one for wine, one for cheese and one for chocolate."- Gina Barreca

A few weeks back I had a really bright idea. I thought I could invite a few of my lovely co-workers over and we could do blind taste testing of a variety of wines. The plan had been to each bring a bottle, we would cover the label and each sip on a glass, one at a time discussing the merits and highlights of each while enjoying the company. I figured it would be an entertaining evening that could have the potential to introduce us all to a couple new go-to wines. Sounds fantastic right?

Boy, was I wrong. What was soon to ensue did have a lot of enjoyable company and lots of entertainment but the wine tasting? Well that idea disappeared as soon at the first cork was popped. The merits were long forgotten, the body of the wine was ignored and our wine glasses were just replenished with whatever was open. We ate good food, enjoyed good wine (I think!) and had a wonderful time. After all of the wine was gone, each of us crawled into bed at my place buzzing from a lovely evening with friends and ignoring the fact that we all had to be to work for 7:30 for a full day of education. I wouldn't have traded it for the world, it turned out better than anticipated!

For the evening of "wine tasting" (a verrrrry loose term in this instance) I decided I was going to bake a brie. I used to do this a lot and I had forgotten about how delicious it really is. The thing about baking brie is you can make it your own- filling options are endless. You could use pepper jelly or a really nice raspberry jam on top. Cinnamon and sugar is always simple and delicious, you can even toss on any fruit you have kicking around in your fridge. There is no wrong choice and it ALWAYS turns out tasty- it's brie baked in pastry, how could it not?! It is also extremely simple and takes under five minutes to prep which is probably why I was on such a kick a few years ago. Instructions can be found below! Happy wine drinking (and tasting if you decide to take your time) all!
-m

Baked Brie (with cranberries and pecans)

You will need:

• A sheet of puff pastry or phylo (I prefer puff and both can be picked up in the frozen section at the grocery store for under $3)
• A medium wheel of brie (14-16 oz.)
• A handful of pecans (chopped a little)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon
• One egg
• Sliced apples and /or crackers for serving

About 20 minutes before you plan on whipping up your baked brie, remove one sheet of puff pastry from the freezer (there are usually two sheets packaged separately) and allow to thaw on your counter.  Once thawed, unroll onto lightly floured surface and place brie directly in the middle of the square of pastry. I scrape the rind off the top of the brie myself but that is optional. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and pile on the top of the brie. Top that with a mixture of cranberries and pecans. Once your brie is piled high with toppings, bring the corners of the pastry up to the centre of the brie and fold up the sides gently pressing edges of pastry together. Beat egg and use small amount as a wash over the top of your little package; this will help it to brown up! Place on non-stick pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for a minimum of five minutes (if not, it will pour out like lava and be really hard to eat when you cut it!). Serve with a apple slices and crackers!

Sometimes I Believe

 "Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast"- Lewis Carroll

This week my lovely friend Katie (she really is the sweetest) held a baby shower for a co-worker of ours who is expecting her second little bundle! It was a brunch at her house and it was lovely. I always prefer showers at peoples homes, far more relaxed than a restaurant and it always allows people to mingle and socialize. Not to mention, foolish games can be played without drawing a crowd of on-lookers.

Wikipedia tells me brunch originated in Britain in the 1800's but didn't really become popular in North America until the 1930's. Brunch now has international love and is often associated with special occasions such as holiday's and weddings. This wonderful marriage of breakfast and lunch has become a staple in the food service industry on weekends.

It is possibly my favourite meal. Brunch means you can sleep in, eat breakfast food and have a nice long chat. Coffee, mimosa's and ceasers also all go hand in hand with a mid morning graze. It really doesn't get much better than that! In NYC we went to a tipsy brunch; all you can drink mimosas or craft beer...sigh...but that is another story!

For this brunch I made one of my mother's go-to's; something I have never made before and I am told it was a success. Baked french toast that becomes elevated to decadent with apples and caramel sauce. It was simple to make and all of the prep work is done the evening before! Win-win people! I served it with a little icing sugar and Nova Scotian maple syrup! Yum! I am looking forward to making it again and am very much looking forward to meeting Arla's new baby when she is born! Recipe below, happy brunching all!
-m

Baked French Toast (elevated !)

You will need:

• 1c. brown sugar
• 2 tbs of corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 5 lg eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of butter (plus one tbs!)
• 3 lg granny smith apples
• 1 loaf of french bread
• 1.5 c of milk
• syrup and icing sugar for serving (plus one big hot cup of coffee!)

Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside. In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup of butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat until combined and syrupy. Pour into bottom of pan and spread. Set aside. Peel and slice apples then saute' with tbs of butter until soft and juices stop. Remove from heat and toss apples with cinnamon then arrange over top of caramel sauce. Slice bread to 3/4 inch slices and squish into pan on top of apples, one slice tight next to the other (think squished jigsaw...). In a mixing bowl combine eggs, milk and whisk into a frenzy. Pour over bread then cover pan and allow to set overnight in the fridge. In the am, preheat oven to 350. Bake for around forty minutes, until golden brown, caramel is melted and bread it delightfully puffed! Dust with icing sugar and serve with maple syrup!

 

All You Need Is Love...

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.."- Charles M Schulz

Tomorrow is love day. The day that chocolates, roses and jewelry all go up in price. Tulips that a week before are seven dollars double to fifteen and don't even get me started on a dozen roses.... "Hallmark" holidays have restaurateur's busting their butts to bring ambiance and romance to countless couples. Do I love valentines day? No... I don't think you should need a day to tell someone you love them or care about them. That said, it is always nice to send everyone you love a little reminder every once and while..so why not on valentines day and any other day!

This year I made valentines. I went to Target and bought blank cards on the cheap (eight for a dollar). I also picked up a couple of sheets of bright printed card stock and some sticky-foam conversation hearts. Card stock cost just under two dollars and the conversation hearts were also a dollar (for dozens) at Target. I stuck them all together, addressed them and sent them to my friends and family. Lets face it, nothing beats snail mail! Each card cost 37 cents; with a stamp, less than a dollar total. That is a pretty cheap way to tell someone you are thinking of them! Cheaper than buying a card and much cheaper than a dozen roses. Probably even cheaper than a short long distance call! Equally as effective.

Tomorrow we are also holding a bake sale at work in support of our education fund. Working in a pediatric or neonatal intensive care unit lends itself to all kinds of learning opportunities. Many hands on as well as conferences, lectures and education days. It is always important to stay up to date on current practices and current research. Doing so lets us provide the best care we can while improving both long and short term outcomes. Win- win right? Some of these conferences are pricey and our education fund helps foot the bill, allowing us to attend things we may not have been able to afford otherwise.

Anticipating the bake sale tomorrow, I decided to make whoopie pies. Yes..whoopie pies. Innocent little cookies made from layers of soft cake and butter cream. I had never heard of them until a couple of years ago. My research tells me they originate from the New England area and much like funnel cakes they are just starting to become popular in Eastern Canada. Well...I cursed and I swore almost the entire time making these bad boys. I love to bake but these little f#*kers were no fun at all. Because they are made of cake batter, they spread significantly when baking. That let me bake seven at a time..which makes three and a half cookies (because they are sandwiches). Time consuming is an understatement. Then came the butter cream icing...sandwiching and packaging. Needless to say I could have baked and frosted approximately three entire cakes in the time it took me to whip up these little sandwiches from hell. I hope they sell and I hope I never see a whoopie pie for a long time! Happy baking all, may the force be with you!
-m