recipe: kerry joy's pumpkin loaf

I can’t believe that my little boy is about to start pre-school!  Time really does fly when you’re having fun.  I’m sure that John will love his new school.  He’s excited to learn to speak French, and is also looking forward to the upcoming baking classes and science experiments.

Another first for John (and for me) will be a packed lunch, as his wonderful current daycare provides hot lunches.  I’m racking my brain to come up with delicious and healthy meals, snacks and treats that travel well and don’t require heating.

Fortunately, John is a really good eater.  He likes a wide variety of foods – but prefers to eat them separately, as opposed to being blended together in something like a casserole or stew.  I’m guessing that his lunches will consist of some chopped cold meat or cheese, crackers or bread, a few options of fresh fruit and vegetables and of course, some sort of treat.

John loves this moist pumpkin loaf, which is a recipe that was given to me by David’s cousin Kerry from Thunder Bay.  She made a couple loaves this summer when we were over for a play date, and they quickly vanished!

Kerry Joy’s Pumpkin Loaf

makes three loaves

ingredients

§         5 (five) cups all-purpose flour

§         4½ (four-and-a-half) cups sugar

§         1 (one) tablespoon baking soda

§         1½ (one-and-a-half) teaspoons nutmeg

§         1 (one) tablespoon cinnamon

§         2¼ (two-and-a-quarter) teaspoons salt

§         6 (six) eggs

§         1½ (one-and-a-half) cups Crisco shortening

§         3 (three) cups of pumpkin

method

1.      Preheat oven to 375 F.

2.      In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt).

3.      In a separate bowl, using a stand mixer or hand-held beaters, blend eggs, shortening, and pumpkin together.

4.      Gently add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir to combine (do not over-mix).

5.      Pour batter into 3 (three) greased (or parchment-lined) loaf pans and bake for 1 (one) to 1½ (one-and-a-half) hours (note:  time will vary depending on your oven).

Recipe: Tina Robert's Green Beans

I was recently interviewed on 570 AM radio’s “The Food Show” hosted by local food correspondent Andrew Coppolino.  Andrew remarked that we are now into the height of summer – and the height of the harvest – which is always exciting for food aficionados.   I couldn’t agree more.

So much is in season these days:  tomatoes, peaches, green beans, blueberries, corn, eggplant, peppers… the list goes on and on.  Speaking of which, I’m lucky enough to live about two minutes away from Herrle’s Farm Market– a summer institution, if you ask me.  

I remember driving out there with my Dad when I was little, when they still sold the corn from their garage.  Those trips seemed to take forever – partially due to my age, and also because for the most part, residential Waterloo hadn’t yet expanded as far as Ira Needles Blvd.

My good friend and fellow “foodie” Tina Roberts recently shared her amazing bean salad recipe with me.  In June, I added an extra virgin olive oil, specialty oil and balsamic vinegar tasting bar to the shop and Tina has been “playing around” with some of these new oils, including our delicious roasted-almond oil.  If you don’t have almond oil, you can substitute a different nut oil, such as walnut, or use sesame oil instead.

Keep having fun in the kitchen, Tina!

Tina Robert’s Green bean salad with toasted almond vinaigrette & soy-glazed almonds

ingredients for almonds

§         1/4 (one-quarter) cup slivered almonds

§         1 (one) tablespoon soy sauce

method for almonds

1.      Heat almonds in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat until lightly toasted; about 5 minutes.

2.      Turn heat to medium high, add soy sauce and stir continually until almonds are coated and soy has evaporated; remove from heat and let cool.

ingredients for green beans

§         1 (one) pound green beans, trimmed, cut in half, and steamed until tender but still crisp (about 5 minutes)

§         2 (two) green onions, minced

§         1/4 (one-quarter) cup minced fresh cilantro

method for green beans

1.  Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

ingredients for vinaigrette

§         2 (two) tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

§         1 (one) teaspoon soy sauce

§         1/4 (one-quarter) teaspoon Dijon mustard

§         1 (one) clove garlic, pressed

§         fresh ground black pepper & kosher salt to taste

§         1 (one) tablespoon roasted almond oil

method for vinaigrette

1.  Whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until combined; whisk in oil.

2.  Toss vinaigrette with bean mixture and stir in almonds.

a dessert fit for a prime minister recipe: death by chocolate pate with raspberry splash

Sure, working in the food industry can be challenging (I’m asked this all the time) but let me assure you that there are also some advantages. One perk is called the “Fancy Food Show” – North America’s largest specialty food & beverage convention which showcases over 180,000 food products sampled by over 2,000 vendors.

Instead of NYC where this show usually takes place, this July it was held in Washington, D.C. To get there, my husband and I made the 9+ drive down on our own. So, no “Bob the Builder”, “Little People” or “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” dvds were viewed en route. The show is great opportunity for brokers, buyers and retailers like me to sample new and interesting food products to sell in our stores.

In addition to hundreds of delicious samples and a few amazing dinners out, I had the opportunity to meet several food “celebrities”. Iron Chef Cat Cora was at the show, introducing her new line of private label products. I had the opportunity to meet David of “David’s Chocolate Signatures”, Dufflet Rosenburg of Dufflets, a.k.a the “Queen of Cake” as well as Lesley Stowe, owner of Lesley Stowe Fine Foods in Vancouver.

Many of my customers will recognize the name Lesley Stowe, because we sell a ton of her signature raincoast crisp crackers at the store. Lesley had a catering business and much-loved gourmet food shop in Vancouver for many years.

In 2006 she decided to close the doors to the retail store and focus solely on the raincoast crisps. She wrote a cookbook a few years back, filled with tried and true recipes from her shop and catering business. One of my favourites is the “death by chocolate pate with raspberry splash”. I phoned Lesley after the food show and asked if she would allow me to share the recipe with my readers, and she graciously agreed.

I learned that this recipe was a LSFF signature dessert for years – they even sold it to high end restaurants that didn’t have their own pastry chef’s, such as Bishop’s. Death by Chocolate even had the honour of being Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s favourite dessert, as he often ordered more than one piece when he was at Bishop’s!

Death by Chocolate Pate with Raspberry Splash (serves 16)

ingredients for pate

• 15 (fifteen) ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate
  (Valrhona or Callebaut work well)
• 1 (one) cup heavy cream
• 4 (four) tablespoons butter
• 4 (four) egg yolks
• ½ (one-half) cup icing sugar
• 6 (six) tablespoons Cointreau or Grand Marnier
• cocoa powder for dusting, as required

ingredients for raspberry splash

• 10 (ten) ounces frozen raspberries
• 3 (three) tablespoons berry sugar
• 1 (one) teaspoon fresh lemon juice

directions for raspberry splash

• In a food processor, purée the raspberries, berry sugar and lemon juice. Pass the sauce through a sieve to remove the seeds.

directions for pate

• Line a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in the top of a double boiler; add the cream and butter. Melt over medium heat, stirring until completely smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute, continuing to stir.
• Whisk in the eggs yolks. Sift the icing sugar into the chocolate mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in the Cointreau until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours to set or overnight.
• Unmould the cake, removing paper. Dust the top with cocoa powder. Drizzle a large spoonful of Raspberry Splash on each plate. Using a hot, wet knife, slice cake and place on plates.

Recipe: Yukiko’s Warm Chickpea Salad

I love the summer evenings where you can sit outside, well into the night, without a sweater.  Too often it gets chilly once the sun goes down, so when it stays hot all night, I want to take advantage of it.

I recently met up with my friend Lisa, an old roommate from my days at the University of Guelph.  We were both in the Hotel & Food Administration Program and she is most definitely still a “foodie”.  We met up on the patio at the Hometown Eatery (formerly Yukiko’s) and shared lots of laughs and memories over a glass of wine and their delicious warm chickpea salad.

I actually have the recipe for this incredible salad, because my friend Tina had managed to obtain the recipe from Judy (the chef/owner of Yukiko’s) for a birthday cookbook that she wrote a couple of years ago.  I emailed Judy last week, to see if she would allow me to share this recipe with all of you – and she graciously agreed.  In fact, Judy wrote “I am more than happy to share this recipe.  If anyone has the motivation & enthusiasm to cook/bake, I try to support them in their culinary adventure any way I can”.  Thanks Judy.

I’m sure you will love this salad – it’s healthy, delicious and full of flavour.  I will admit that I add a little more feta cheese than the recipe calls for though!

Yukiko’s Warm Chickpea Salad

makes 2 generous servings

ingredients

§         2 (two) cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

§         2 (two) tablespoons olive oil

§         2 (two) tablespoons white wine vinegar

§         1 (one) tablespoon minced garlic

§         2-3 (two to three) mint leaves, chopped

§         1/3 (one-third) cup thinly sliced sundried tomatoes

§         hot pepper flakes or thinly sliced pickled hot peppers, to taste

§         1 (one) teaspoon olive oil

§         a splash of white wine (a couple of tablespoons)

§         2 (two) cups baby spinach

§         ½ (one-half) cup crumbled feta cheese

§         3 (three) tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

§         1 (one) green onion, finely chopped

§         10 (ten) kalamata olives

§         salt and pepper to taste

method

1.      Combine the chickpeas, 2 (two) tablespoons of oil, vinegar, garlic, mint, sundried tomatoes and hot pepper flakes or peppers in a glass or ceramic dish.  Let sit for about 10 (ten) minutes while you assemble and chop the remaining ingredients.

2.      Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

3.      Add the chickpea mixture and cook for a minute or two until the liquid evaporates.  Add the white wine and spinach leaves and stir until the spinach just begins to wilt.  Remove from the heat and add remaining ingredients.

Serve warm with foccacia bread, a glass of wine and a cherished friend.

Recipe: Marinated Flank Steak

Is it just me or is June a ridiculously busy month for everyone?  I wasn’t so overwhelmed that didn’t cook at home at all, just nothing that I would classify as “gourmet”.  Rather, I stuck to simple, straightforward, easy-to-prepare meals.  So, I thought I’d share with you some of my more recent “go-to” meals when time and/or creativity are lacking. 

1.      Grilled sausages, roasted broccoli and fingerling smashed potatoes.  Simply grill the sausages, baste with bbq sauce and serve with Dijon mustard for dipping, if desired.  Cut a crown of  broccoli into small florets, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast in a 425 F oven for about 15-20 minutes or until crisp tender and the tips are slightly browned.  For the potatoes, wash baby red or white potatoes (leave skin on), throw into a pot filled with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Once you can pierce the potatoes easily with a fork, drain them into a colander and then throw them back into the pot.  Mash them (leave the skins on) and add a tablespoon or two of butter, about a 1/3 cup of milk, a heaping tablespoon of horseradish and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Lately I’ve been adding add a bit of garlic olive oil instead of the milk.

2.      Baked sweet potatoes with chickpeas and roasted vegetables.  Microwave or bake sweet potatoes and top with chickpeas or another bean of your choice, and lots of roasted veggies (recent concoctions included sautéed garlic scapes, broccoli and zucchini).  Top with a large dollop of hummus or guacamole or a little bit of both.  I have to admit, this is not a “David dinner” (because there is no meat, of course).  Actually, I find that David (and I would guess most men in general) are happiest when they’re presented with a mix of meat, starch and veggies.  So while I eat a lot of vegetarian fare, I still cook meat for David on most nights.

3.      Marinated Flank Steak with baked potatoes and roasted vegetables.  When I cook something vegetarian like the preceding recipe, I make extra of the veggies and potatoes and then add some meat to prepare a dinner for David.  Below is an easy and delicious flank steak marinade that my family has been making for years.

marinated flank steak

ingredients

§         3 (three) pounds flank steak

§         ¾ (three-quarters) cup oil

§         ¼ (one-quarter) cup soya sauce

§         ¼ (one-quarter) cup brown sugar

§         2 (two) tablespoons vinegar

§         1 (one) clove garlic, minced

§         a handful of chopped green onions

§         1½ (one-and-a-half) teaspoons ginger

method

1.      Mix marinade ingredients together.  Score the steak, then marinate in a ziplock bag for 24-48 hours.

2.      Grill.

Recipe: Calamari

Last Sunday, my husband David and I attended a birthday celebration in honour of my remarkable Uncle (also named David).  His wife, my Aunt Susan, planned the surprise celebration, which was quite honestly the best birthday party we’ve ever been to.  

The event was held at “Pasquale’s Trattoria”, a fantastic Italian restaurant located in dowtown Oakville.  About fifty of Uncle David’s closest friends and relatives came out to celebrate this milestone birthday.  The evening was filled with fun, food, laughter and tender moments, as there were roughly a dozen touching speeches in addition to a hilarious Las Vegas-style singer!  It was such a pleasure to be introduced to and chat with so many of the people in Uncle David’s life that I had heard about over the years, but had never met.

Now – to the food – it was an amazing spread, to say the least!  Brace yourself – it was a lengthy menu… We started with bruschetta as well as fresh bread with olive oil & balsamic vinegar.  Next they brought out platters of antipasto – think cured meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables and olives.  After that?  My fav – bowls stuffed with fried calamari with marinara dipping sauce and steamed mussels.  

Following the seafood (by this point, I was getting worried because I was already full, while my husband was completely in his element, just getting warmed up…) they brought out perfectly cooked penne pasta with a light rose sauce topped with freshly grated parmesan.  Then, we had our choice of entrees:  veal marsala, chicken picatta or roasted salmon.  Finally, we ended the meal with a delicious layered cake.  It was so pretty that there was a crowd of people taking pictures of it, myself included.

The evening was remarkable and will certainly be one that I’ll always remember – and not just because of the food!  Happy Birthday Uncle David.

Simple Fried Squid

recipe adapted from Fine Cooking magazine

ingredients

§         2½ (two-and-a-half) lbs. squid, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch-wide rings

§         ½ (one-half) cup all-purpose flour

§         sunflower oil, for deep-frying (you’ll need a few cups)

§         lemon wedges, for garnish and serving

§         salt and freshly ground black pepper

§         Italian marinara sauce for dipping (or use your favourite seafood sauce)

method

1.      Lightly season the squid rings with salt and coat them in the flour, shaking off any excess.

2.      Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or pan to 350–375°F or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds.

3.      Add the squid rings, in batches, and cook until golden brown.

4.      Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well and keep warm while cooking the remaining batches.

5.      Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6.      Serve the squid garnished with the lemon wedges and marinara sauce for dipping.

Recipe: Donut Muffins

David, John and I just got back from a wonderful long-weekend getaway to Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio.  We’d visited for the first time last summer and had such a great time that we decided to return for the Victoria Day weekend.

John loved this visit even more than last year, as he was older and accordingly, more interested in all of the fun activities for kids.  Truth be told, David and I were looking forward to the burgers at Eddie’s Grill and the old-fashioned donuts at Madsen’s almost as much as we were looking forward to spending time away from the hustle and bustle of our regular routine, with Johnny all to ourselves.  

Madsen’s Donuts is an institution in Geneva-on-the-Lake.  They’ve been in business since 1938 and still make donuts the old-fashioned way.  This no-frills-yet-charming space has an open kitchen, so you can watch the donuts being made right before your eyes.  

After witnessing the line-ups at Madsen’s (as well as for apple fritters at the recent Mennonite Relief Sale in New Hamburg) I’m positive that there are many other donut-lovers in Waterloo Region as well.  This is a fun recipe because it’s a muffin, but it tastes like an old-fashioned donut (I think the magic is in the nutmeg…).  It’s a tasty way to get your donut fix with a lot less mess and effort!

Donut Muffins - adapted from Fine Cooking magazine - yields 24 medium sized muffins

ingredients for the muffins:

§         ¾ lb. (three-quarters of a pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature

§         1¾ (one-and-three-quarters) cups sugar

§         4 (four) eggs

§         6 (six) cups all-purpose flour

§         1 (one) tablespoon plus 2 (two) teaspoons baking powder

§         ½ (one-half) teaspoon baking soda

§         2 (two) teaspoons salt

§         1 (one) teaspoon ground nutmeg

§         1 2/3 (one-and-two-thirds) cups milk, any kind (skim, 1 % or 2 %)

§         1/4 (one-quarter) cup buttermilk

§         1 (one) teaspoon pure vanilla extract

ingredients for the topping:

§         ¾ (three-quarter) cups butter, melted, use more if required

§         1 (one) cup granulated sugar

§         1 (one) tablespoon ground cinnamon, more if you choose

§         ¼ (one-quarter) teaspoon nutmeg, more if you choose

method for the muffins:

1.       Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.       In a stand mixer or a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just mixed in. Scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula.

3.       In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.  Stir the milk, buttermilk and vanilla together in another separate bowl or dish.

4.       With a wooden spoon, mix a quarter of the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture.  Then mix in a third of the milk mixture.  Continue mixing in the remaining dry and wet ingredients alternately, ending with the dry.

5.       Mix until well combined but do not over mix, as this will result in tough muffins.

6.       Use greased paper liners or grease and flour two standard-size muffin tins.  Scoop enough batter into each tin so that the top of the batter is even with the rim of the cup.

7.       Bake the muffins until firm to the touch, about 27-35 minutes.

method for the topping:

1.       Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl.

2.       Dunk the top of each muffin into the melted butter (or use a pastry brush) and then dip them into the bowl of cinnamon sugar, to coat the muffin top completely.

Additional Notes:  If you like the taste of powdered donuts, you can also top the muffins with icing sugar, or add finely chopped apple to the batter, for a muffin that tastes more like an apple fritter.

Recipe: Bombay Chicken Wontons

Last week I was invited to participate in a fundraiser put on by Gowlings (the law firm) for Saint Monica House.  The theme of the event was “Sensational Summer Entertaining.” At the event, a handful of female chefs were asked to demonstrate and provide a recipe for an easy-yet-sensational hors d’oeuvre.

The hard part for me was choosing just one hors d’oeuvre to feature.  Initially, I had decided that an asparagus, caramelized onion and fontina tarte tartin would be perfect, given the timing (yeah! asparagus season is finally here!).  But I changed my mind, mainly because I was worried that this recipe would be too time-consuming for many of the guests to bother to replicate at home.

In the end, I decided on our Bombay chicken salad on wontons.  This recipe is one of my favourites from our catering menu.  It’s easy to prepare and it’s quite versatile.  In addition to serving the salad on the wonton crisps, you can stuff a little bit of the salad onto the base of an endive leaf, for an attractive, low-carb appetizer.  Of course, the salad makes a great sandwich filling – try it on multigrain bread or raisin walnut.  You can also use it to make gourmet quesadillas (just add your favourite cheese).  Lastly, try the chicken salad on mixed greens for a hearty lunch or light dinner.  

This recipe yields enough for 72 bite-sized appetizers, or about 2½ (two-and-a-half) cups of chicken salad filling.

ingredients for Bombay chicken salad

§         1 (one) pound (16 oz.) chicken breast, cooked and finely chopped or diced into very small pieces

§         1 1/3 (one-and-one-third) cups small diced sweet red bell peppers

§         ½ (one-half) cup green onions, minced

§         2/3 (two-thirds) cup dried currants (or substitute raisins and/or dried cranberries, if desired)

§         1/2 - 2/3 (one-half to two-thirds) cup mayonnaise

§         1 (one) tablespoon Patak curry paste, or more to taste

§         2 (two) teaspoons curry powder, or more to taste

§         ¼ (one-quarter) cup chopped cilantro

§         salt and pepper, to taste

§         additional sprigs of cilantro to garnish wontons, if desired

ingredients for wonton crisps

§         18 (eighteen) wonton wrappers, cut into 4 squares
(note: you can find wonton wrappers in the produce department of any grocery store)

§         vegetable oil, for shallow frying

§         salt, to taste

method for bombay chicken salad:

§         In a medium size bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, curry powder and curry paste. Stir until smooth and combined.

§         Add in the cooked chicken, bell peppers, green onions, currants and cilantro.

§         Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.

§         Set aside in the fridge.

method for wonton crisps:

§         Cut each wonton wrapper in half to make 2 rectangles, then cut each rectangle in half to make 4 squares (in total).

§         Heat 1½ (one-and-one-half) inches vegetable oil in a 4-5 (four to five) quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until your thermometer registers 360° F.

§         Using tongs, gently lay 8 (eight) squares on oil (do not drop in, or they will lose their shape) and fry, turning over once, until just golden, 15 to 30 seconds in total.

§         Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt.

§         Fry remaining squares in the same manner.

to assemble:

§         Place about 1½ (one-and-one-half) teaspoons of Bombay chicken salad on top of each wonton crisp.

§         Top with a sprig of fresh cilantro to garnish (or, use chicken salad in other suggested recipe ideas listed above).