Special Cream of Mushroom Soup

Special Cream of Mushroom Soup
From The Best of Chef at Home
Definitely not a diet recipe, but certainly wonderful

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup/125ml) butter
2lb/1kg mushrooms (button, cremini, shitake…any combination of any of your favorites)
2-3 onions, peeled and chopped
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
½ bottle of hearty red wine
4 cups/1 liter chicken broth
1 cup/250 ml heavy cream (35%)
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (I used 2 sprigs of fresh thyme and “fished” out the sprigs before serving.
2 tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup water

Directions:
1. Heat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the butter, mushrooms and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly browned. The mushrooms will initially give of lots of moisture, preventing them from browning. Eventually, the moisture will evaporate, allowing the pot’s heat to rise to browning temperature (about 15 minutes or so).

2. Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking until the wine has reduced to about 1/3, concentrating the flavor. (about 15-20 minutes) Stir occasionally.

3. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream and fresh thyme. Stir and bring the soup to a simmer.

4. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add this mixture slowly to the simmering soup, stirring until it returns to a simmer and thickens slightly.

Serve immediately. It’s a perfect simple meal served with a salad of mixed greens tossed with olive oil & apple cider balsamic vinegar and Frozen Butter Biscuits. And forget about dieting, at least for this meal.

Frozen Butter Biscuits

Frozen Butter Biscuits
From The Best of Chef at Home

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes
Makes 10-12 biscuits

Ingredients:
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 sticks (1 cup/250ml) frozen butter
1 ½ cups milk
Sprinkle of coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Herb or spice of your choice (optional) This time I used 1 tsp dried thyme since I served it with Cream of Mushroom Soup, infused with fresh thyme

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

2. In a large bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, salt (and herbs or spices if you are using any) together.

3. Using a standard box grater (coarse side) or potato grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour and toss lightly with your hands until it’s thoroughly combined. Because the butter is frozen, it grates into tiny pieces that don’t bond with the flour. They stay separate and help make the biscuits light and fluffy.

4. Pour the milk into the flour mixture using the handle of a wooden spoon to form a dough mass. The spoon’s handle is gentler to the dough. Fold the dough over a few times with your hands until all the ingredients come together. If necessary add a few more spoonfuls of milk to help gather up any stray flour.

5. On a lightly floured cutting board, pat the dough into a flat, round shape (about 1½ - 2” high) and cut into wedges or any other shape you prefer. Place the pieces on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt & freshly ground pepper.

6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until they turn a golden brown.

Italian Sausage, Potato & Mushroom Roast

Italian Sausage, Potato & Mushroom Roast
Adapted from The Illustrated Quick Cook: Easy Entertaining, After-Work Recipes, Cheap Eats

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 5 minutes
Roasting time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1-2 tbsp olive oil
8 Italian sausages (I love sweet fennel ones made locally) – leave links whole but separate from one another
2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
1lb/500g small new potatoes (or fingerlings, or larger thin skinned potatoes , quartered)
8oz/225 g cremini mushrooms, (quarter large ones, leave smaller ones whole or halved)
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Red chili pepper flakes (optional – I like a little heat to balance the sweetness of the sausages)
1 heaping tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat to 400°F/200°C. Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a roasting pan large enough to hold everything in one layer.

2. Toss all the ingredients in the pan and roast until done, stirring occasionally. (about 30 minutes)

Serve with a salad and you won’t even break a sweat.

Pasta with Crab/Shrimp & Lemon

Pasta with Crab (or Shrimp) & Lemon
From The Illustrated Quick Cook: Easy Entertaining, After-Work Recipes, Cheap Eats

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, cut into quarters and then thinly sliced across
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced, or coarsely chopped
1 large lemon, grated zest and juice
7oz/200g fresh or canned crab meat…I didn’t have any on hand so I used shrimps…I always have those in the freezer, ready to defrost in less than 5 minutes)
Handful of fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, chopped
Chili oil or a pinch of red chili pepper flakes

12oz/350g linguine or whatever pasta you prefer…long & skinny seems best

Directions:

1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large Dutch oven.

2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium low heat and cook the onions with a pinch of salt until they are soft NOT brown (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and lemon zest and stir just until fragrant…less than 1 minute.

3. Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until al dente (usually 7-8 minutes for dried, less for fresh). Drain and reserve ½ cup of cooking water. I didn’t need any this time, but sometimes you do to make the sauce a little more “velvety”. Better to have some sitting on the counter and spilled out later than not have some when you want it.

4. Add the crab/shrimp to the skillet along with the parsley (crab is already cooked, so it just needs to be heated up for a couple of minutes. The shrimp need to be cooked until they are opaque, turning to pink – about 3 minutes or so). Season with lots of pepper and add the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning. This is when you would add the chili oil or red pepper flakes if you want some heat.

5. Add the drained the pasta to the skillet. Toss, adjust seasonings and serve.

Chocolate Nut Brownies

Chocolate Nut Brownies
From The Illustrated Quick Cook: Easy Entertaining, After-Work Recipes, Cheap Eats

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 25 minutes
Bake time: 12-15 minutes ( I like mine chewy in the middle, so I go for 11 minutes)

Makes 2 dozen squares

Ingredients:
10oz/300 g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (actually I just cut the squares in 4)
1 ½ sticks (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts …whichever you prefer)

Directions:

1. Preheat to 400°F/200°C. Line the bottom of a 13”x9”x2” baking dish with parchment paper.


2. Melt the chocolate & butter: place a large bowl (I prefer metal, which is a great heat conductor and speeds up the melting process without burning the chocolate) set over a pot of simmering water. Note: DO NOT LET THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL SIT IN THE WATER. Melt the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently until there are no lumps. Remove the bowl from the pot and allow to cool (about 20 minutes)

3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder, and set aside.

4. Mix the sugar into the cooled chocolate mixture until all combined and then add the eggs, one at a time. Each egg should be incorporated fully before adding the next one.

5. Stir in the sifted flour cocoa mix until there is no visible flour remains. Fold in the nuts and scrape into the prepared pan, gently spreading the batter into the corners and smooth the top. This batter is very thick.

6. Bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes depending on how chewy or dry you like your brownies. In my world, they are still somewhat gooey in the center.

7. Cool the brownies on a wire rack completely before cutting them into squares.

Spicy Greens with Preserved Lemon Dressing

Spicy Salad Greens with Preserved Lemon Dressing
Dressing from Bonnie Stern Friday Night Dinners

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
Salad
Mixed greens, 1-2 cups per person I used a “spicy” greens mix from one of my favorite organic farmers at the Halifax farmers market mixed with baby romaine to “tame” the peppery-ness of the greens.
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup toasted almond slices
Dressing:
2 tbsp preserved lemon, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp sugar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Dressing
1. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and taste for seasoning.

2. Place all the greens and onion slices in a serving bowl, toss with the dressing and sprinkle with almonds just before serving.

Puree of Roasted Vegetable Soup

Roasted Beets, Carrots & Potato Soup

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes (add 30-90 minutes to roast the beets which can be roasted 1-2 days before)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
Roasted root vegetables…I had 1 large bunch of heirloom carrots, 1 bunch of large beets (making the soup very red), 4 large potatoes, 1 red onion that I had left over from the Roasted Veggie dish I made a couple of nights before.
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth (you might want more if you like a thinner soup)
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper to taste
Note: I actually wanted to make a hearty lentil soup but added way too many vegetables and so just added a can of rinsed and drained canneli beans for some protein.

Directions:
To roast veggies: preheat oven to 400°F/200°C
1. Scrub beets and toss with a little olive oil, salt & pepper

2. Roast until soft (depending on the size of the beets, anywhere from 30-90 minutes)

3. Once beets are cooked, allow them to cool enough to handle and peel

Soup:
1. In a Dutch oven over medium-low heat, toss the cooked veggies with a little olive oil and add the broth.

2. Using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables right in the pot. If you find the soup too thick, add a little more broth. Simmer until ready to serve. Taste for seasoning.

Roasted Root Veggies

Roasted Root Veggies

Printable Recipe

Serves... This is one of those recipes without actual measurements. Just figure 1-2 cups per person

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total Cooking time: 45-60 minutes

Ingredients:
Young carrots (or at least cut on the diagonal and no more than the width of your thumb), scrubbed, but no need to peel, just cut into large chunks
Beets, (I like them small, the size of a golf ball…they are so sweet. But if you can only find large ones, just quarter them.) the option to peel before or after roasting. Whichever method you choose, I suggest wearing rubber gloves, unless of course, you like stained hands.
Red onions, cut in wedges (again, I prefer small onions and just quarter them length-wise)
Cremini mushrooms just quartered or cut in half if they are small
Thin skinned potatoes, if they’re small, cut them in half, if they are large, cut them in chunks.
4 or more large garlic cloves, not peeled but the top end snipped off for easy removal once cooked
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle – be generous!
1 tsp – 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped (depending on how many vegetables you’re making)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy cleanups).

2. Toss the vegetables with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and place them on the baking sheet in one layer. Bake until tender…start checking at 30 minutes when you toss them.

3. Once vegetables are soft, and they will all cook at slightly different paces even if you try to get them all the same size…remove them to a metal bowl and cover with foil to keep warm while the rest of the vegetables roast. This is when I prefer to peel the beets, but if I’m having a large dinner party with lots of dishes to organize, well, it’s just easier to peel before roasting.

Remember to remove the garlic skin and mash the garlic, and then toss with the cooked vegetables. Taste for seasoning and serve. Perfect with roasted meats, chicken or hearty fish dishes.

Holiday Raisin Challah

Artisan Round Challah with Raisins
Adapted from 200 Fast and Easy Artisan Breads

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Rest time: minimum…2 hours on the counter or up to 3 days in a lidded but not air tight container in the fridge.
Shaping and second rising: 40 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes (since I did it in a spring form pan to retain its round shape, it took at least 20 minutes longer)

Makes 2 large loaves

Ingredients:
6 ½ cups unbleached bread flour
2 tbsp instant or bread machine yeast
1 ½ tbsp salt
2 ¾ cups hot water (yes I know they say hot water kills the yeast, but this is to melt the honey so it actually ends up tepid)
1 cup liquid honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

More bread flour for dusting and shaping
½ - ¾ cup sultana raisins (optional)
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water)

Directions:
To mix & store the dough: I just used a 5 liter/5 quart bowl with a lid and a wooden spoon. No kneading required.

1. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level off before adding to the mixing bowl.

2. Add the yeast and salt to the flour and stir with a whisk.

3. In a large glass measuring cup (I like to use a 4 cup one so I can stir easily without spilling any), combine the hot water, honey and oil. Mix until the honey has all melted and then beat in the eggs.

4. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour using a wooden spoon and stir just until it’s all moistened. Beat 40 times with the spoon, scraping the bottom and sides until the dough forms a lumpy, sticky mass. (Trust me, this does not look like your usual bread mixture, but it’s not supposed to).

5. Cover with plastic wrap, or in my case, I just used the lid, and allow it to rest at room temperature in a draft free place until the dough rises about 2 inches from the top of the bowl and has a sponge-like appearance – about 2 hours. You can bake the bread from this state) or let it “rest” in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking.

Baking the bread:
Note: this very delicious, brioche like bread will not stand up to the usual shaping. The first time I made it (without reading the book’s intro), it ended up really looking more like a foccacia. This time I used a 8” spring form cake pan, which worked well, but required longer baking time.

To shape the loaves and prepare for second rising:
1. Dust the surface of the dough with bread flour, (even keeping it in the fridge, it will still be incredibly sticky) and divide in half. (makes one loaf)

2. I did find this step difficult, because the dough was so sticky….the book says to lightly dust your hands, rolling pin and your work area with flour and work as quickly as you can, not to over work the dough. I seemed to need a lot of flour to keep the bread from sticking to everything.

3. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, dusting with flour when necessary.

If you are adding raisins, sprinkle over the rectangle and roll jelly roll style into a long rope and then form a coil. Tuck in the loose end under the loaf and transfer to the lightly oiled spring form pan.

4. Allow the dough to rest and rise, for 40 minutes, and, although it will still not look very impressive, it will continue to rise in the oven.

Baking:
5. 30 minutes before baking time, place a baking stone (I use my pizza stone) in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Place an empty tin broiler or cake pan on the lowest rack in the oven.

6. Just before baking, brush the challah with the egg wash.

7. Slide the pan(s) (I usually make two at the same time) onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the empty pan under the bread and quickly close the door.

8. Bake for at least 45 minutes. The loaf should be dark golden brown and the best tip of the cookbook….get an instant read thermometer and insert in center of loaf. It will register 190°F/90°C when done. Using the spring form pan meant longer cooking, so I had to place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the bread for the last 10 minutes or so, to keep it from going from golden brown to black!

8. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before trying to remove the spring form sides. Allow to become completely cool before slicing

Leftovers are great toasted with a slather of honey or a perfect French Toast (if using raisins, eliminate the thyme).

Velvet Squash & Carrot Soup with Curried Matzo Balls

Velvet Squash & Carrot Soup with Curried Matzo Balls
Adapted from 1,000 Jewish Recipes

Printable Recipe

Curried Matzo Balls
Prep time: 10 minutes
Fridge time: 20 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes

Velvet Squash & Carrot Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients: Curried Matzo Balls
¼ cup Italian/flat leaf parsley leaves, packed & finely chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tsp vegetable oil
½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup matzo meal (I used whole grain and it made them very “meaty” in texture and flavor)
2 tbsp water

Soup:
1-2 tbsp olive oil
4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well & thinly sliced across
1 ¼ lb/650g butternut squash, peeled, seeded and then diced small
½ lb carrots, diced
5 ¼ cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf

Directions
Matzo balls:
1. In a bowl, combine the beaten eggs, oil, curry powder & salt. Lightly beat until blended. Add matzo meal and beat, mixing thoroughly. Add the water and chopped parsley, combine and cover the bowl. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. With wet hands, take 1 tsp of the mixture and form into a small ball, rolling in your hands. (this recipe will make about 16 mini matzo balls). Set the balls on a plate and once they are all formed, gently drop them into the water. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

You can keep them in their hot cooking liquid until it’s time to serve the soup or, if like me you are not serving the day you make the soup….use a slotted spoon to take the matzo balls out of their cooking water and store in a zip lock baggie in the fridge until you are ready to use.

Soup:
1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add leeks, salt & pepper and cook over medium low for about 10 minutes or until tender. Add the squash, carrots and 4 cups of broth with salt & pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

2. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

3. Blend the vegetables – I use an immersion blender…much easier to clean than a blender, plus no mess and even consistency. If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth.

To serve, place 4 mini curried matzo balls in a bowl and add the soup.

Salmon In Leek & Olive Sauce

Salmon in Leek & Olive Sauce
Adapted from Healthy Cooking for the Jewish Home

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well & thinly sliced across
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 small carrot, finely diced
4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup fish stock or vegetable broth
1 (28oz/454ml) tin of tomatoes, diced with juice (or equivalent roasted tomatoes)
1 bay leaf
1 large sprig fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
4 salmon fillets
½ cup pitted brined olives (I like black Moroccan preserved in oil), drain well & chop

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add leeks, salt & pepper and cook over medium low for about 10 minutes or until tender. Transfer leeks to a bowl, cover and set aside.
.
2. Heat another tbsp of olive oil in the same pan, still at medium low heat. Add garlic and carrots and cook over low heat for 3 minutes without letting the vegetables brown.

3. Add half the broth, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme and more salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.

4. Add the fish pieces over the sauce, cover and cook over low heat for 4 minutes per side or until salmon becomes opaque. Using a slotted spoon, remove fish from pan and set aside. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig. Stir ¼ leeks back into sauce.

5. If the sauce is not thick enough, raise the heat and cook uncovered until you like the consistency. Add the olives and simmer 1 minute.

Tastes wonderful hot or at room temperature. Spoon sauce over and around the fish. You can either sprinkle the remaining leeks over the fish or add it to the sauce.

Tilapia in Tomato Saffron Sauce

Tilapia in Tomato Saffron Sauce
Adapted from Healthy Cooking for the Jewish Home

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, seeded and cut in strips (I found some incredibly sweet peppers called Ancient Sweets. They are longer than most red bell peppers and taste better than candy – greenhouse grown somewhere in Canada)
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup tomato sauce, I used my own slow roasted tomatoes – awesome choice if I do say so myself
¼ tsp saffron threads
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp smoked paprika (Spanish pimento de la Vera)
½ - 1 tsp dried oregano
4 tilapia fillets
Salt & coarsely ground black pepper to taste
½ cup cilantro or flat leaf parsley, chopped
Cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large deep sauté pan. Add the onion and red pepper and cook over medium low for about 7 minutes or until almost tender. Remove mixture from the pan and set aside.
.
2. Heat another tbsp of olive oil in the same pan, still at medium low heat. Add half the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until you get the aroma. Add the tomato sauce, saffron, turmeric, paprika & and oregano. Bring to a simmer and place the tilapia fillets on top of the sauce in a single layer & season with salt & pepper (if your pan isn’t big enough to hold the fillets in a single layer, do as many as will fit, cook for 3 minutes per side and remove cooked fish and add the rest to the pan.

3. Once all the fish is cooked, remove fish and keep warm.

4. To the same pan add the remaining garlic to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Return the onion mixture to the pan and cook for a minute or two until heated through. Remove from heat and add cilantro or parsley. Taste for seasoning. Add cayenne pepper if you like a little heat.

5. Return tilapia to the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

Ruth’s Note: since I’m planning this as a second course for our Rosh Hashanah dinner for 12, I’ll be trying it in a moderate oven instead of on top of the stove - 350°F/175°C

Last Minute Pancetta, Olives & Roasted Tomato Pasta

Last Minute Pancetta, Olive, Roasted Tomato Pasta

Printable Recipe

Prep time & cooking time: 15 minutes (time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta)

Serves 2

Ingredients:
10-12 slices of pancetta, roughly chopped
½ cup roasted tomatoes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ cup brined Moroccan black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Pinch or 2 red chili pepper flakes
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Drizzle of olive oil
2 cups penne or other short pasta (I used oreccheti this time)
Lots of freshly grated Parmesiano – Reggiano cheese

Directions
1. Cook the pasta as per package directions.

2. Cook the pancetta over medium high heat in a non-stick skillet until almost crispy.

3. Add 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet and lower the heat to medium. Add garlic, tomatoes, olives, and red pepper flakes. Toss just until heated through.

4. Drain the pasta (saving ½ cup of pasta water in case your pasta is too dry) and place in a large serving bowl. Add the sauce along with the parsley. Toss and add the freshly grated cheese. Taste for seasoning and drizzle a little more olive oil.

Serve with a simple salad.

Honey Cookies

Honey Cookies
From The Jewish Princess Feasts & Festivals

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes (or until golden)

Makes: about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 extra large egg ( I used 2 large eggs instead)
¼ cup clear honey
1 ¾ cup self rising flour
¾ tsp lavender buds (Optional - Ruth’s note: this is my addition, but it really does add quite an interesting flavor)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C and line baking sheets with parchment paper

2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until pale.

3. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg(s)

4. Add the egg and honey to the creamed butter and beat until smooth.

5. Add the flour and beat with a mixer until the mixture forms a sticky dough.

6. If you are adding the lavender, gently do so now.

4. Place teaspoonfuls of dough on a prepared baking sheet (I use a mini ice cream scoop for consistency). Leave space between the cookies as they will spread. ake until lightly golden (about 10 minutes)

5. Let them cool on the baking sheet before lifting off the paper. These are soft cookies, so you don’t want them getting all wonky before they cool.

Muesli Breakfast Cookies

Muesli Breakfast Cookies
From The Jewish Princess Feasts & Festivals

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes (or until golden)

Makes: about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
2/3 cup chopped pitted dates
2/3 cup chopped dried figs
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 heaped cup rolled oats
2/3 cup self rising flour
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup sugar
1½ tbsp olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C and line baking sheets with parchment paper

2. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat with a mixer until the mixture comes together to make a dough.

3. Moisten your hands with water and roll the dough into small balls (about 1 tsp)

4. Place the balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown (about 20-25 minutes depending on the size of the balls)

5. Let them cool on the baking sheet before serving.

Slow Roasted Farm Fresh Tomatoes

Slow Roasted Farm Fresh Tomatoes
Adapted from Chef Michael Smith Foodtv show Chef At Home

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Roasting time: 45minutes or until soft and start to wrinkle

Makes ? (depends on the amount of tomatoes you cut up)

Ingredients:
Tomatoes, cut in wedges (preferably fresh from the farm and ripe) – enough to fill a rimmed baking sheet)
olive oil (enough to drizzle over the tomatoes)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C

2. In a large bowl place the tomato wedges and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. Spread the wedges evenly on a lined, rimmed baking sheet, and roast for at least 45 minutes or until soft and starting to caramelize . Toss about halfway through the roasting.

So many things to do with these sweet roasted beauties….coarsely dice and use in sauces instead of canned tomatoes, puree and make into a pizza or pasta sauce.

BBQ Brisket

BBQ Brisket
From Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories – Recipes that Warm the Heart

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
First stage roasting: 3-4 hours
Marinate: 24 hours
Final roasting time: 1 hour
Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
5-7 lb/2.5-3kg beef brisket
1 tsp garlic powder (one of the very few times I use it)
2 tbsp powdered mustard
1 tsp paprika
Pepper
Sauce:
1 (14 oz/500ml) bottle ketchup
2 tsp mustard powder
¾ cup water
⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 cup diced celery ( or 1 tbsp celery seeds)
½ cup gravy from brisket

Directions
1. Season brisket with garlic powder, paprika, mustard and pepper. Sear brisket on both sides(*see note below).

2. Roast brisket, fat side up, covered. Do not add water to roasting pan. Roast at 325°F/170°C until tender (usually 30 minutes per pound).

3. Meanwhile, combine ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan, cover and simmer 1 hour. If there is not enough gravy around the brisket, add beef bouillon or magi liquid and water to make up the difference.

4. Let the brisket cool for 30 minutes or so. Trim of excess fat. (You might want to refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up the tender brisket before slicing to make it easier.) Then slice across the grain.

5. Marinate in sauce, refrigerated overnight. For best results try to find a container that will hold the sliced meat in one layer so that the sauce gets to all the meat.

Second Stage roasting:
1. Let the meat come to room temperature (about 1 hour) before roasting. Bake at 325°F/170°C covered for ¾ -1 hour.

Note: *Searing brisket: This creates a seal on the meat as it cooks in the oven. Meat stays juicier This process caramelizes the sugars present in meat, sealing the juices in and allowing the meat to remain juicy during cooking. There are a few pre-cooking tips that will help make the most of your sear:

Remove the meat from the refrigerator and set it out until it reaches room temperature (15 minutes or so) before cooking with it. The removal from cold will allow the meat to relax, allowing the meat's natural moisture to reabsorb into the muscle, rather than staying trapped between the meat's fibers;

Make sure the pan that will be used for searing is hot, hot, hot! If the pan is not hot enough when the meat is added, the meat will stick and tear when turned. Allow the meat to release all by itself before turning....it will, I promise, just be patient.

1. Place a heavy stainless steel sauté pan or seasoned cast iron skillet on high heat on top of stove. When pan is hot, add 1 tbsp olive oil, (not Extra Virgin as it burns quickly at high heat), peanut, vegetable or grape seed oil which also has a high smoke point, and then quickly add meat (in small batches if you are making stew). If you put too much meat in at one time, it will just turn grey and “stew”, losing the ability to caramelize or form a crust to seal in the precious juices. This process sizzles, so be careful.

2. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes (or as long as it takes for the meat to easily "unstick" itself from the pan) and, using tongs or spatula, flip to other side. If you’re using a regular pan (not non-stick), the meat is ready to turn when it stops sticking to the bottom. Watch for coloration to take place, it will happen fairly quickly. When one side of the meat is seared, turn it to allow a fresh side of meat the opportunity to brown. Searing calls for constant attention because it takes place so quickly. If attention is averted, it is easy to burn the meat. The result will be a nice crisp caramelized surface and juicy meat on the inside. Keep in mind that the inner core of the seared meat is most likely raw and will need to be cooked further.

The Cooking Primer section of Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories has many great cooking tips.

Serving ideas: BBQ Brisket tastes great with latkes or kugel

Chicken or Fish with Provencal Paste

Provencal Paste/Rub/Sauce
Adapted from 300 Big and Bold Barbecue and Grilling Recipes

Note: we first had it slathered over and marinated boneless chicken thighs, grilled over the BBQ and it was delicious. Next I tried it with salmon fillets roasted at 375F/190C and felt it was too rich and oily when we ate it hot, but it was awesome cold. Perhaps it would work better using an indoor grilling pan or Griddler.

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Grill time: depends on fish, chicken or meat

Keeps: 3-4 days in the fridge
Makes ½ cup

Ingredients:
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp dried herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp dried culinary lavender buds
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Mix them all together in a bowl.

2. Transfer to an air tight container and place in the fridge for up to 3 days.

3. Slather on fish, chicken, lamb or pork

4. You can marinate in the fridge for up to 2 hours, or you could just grill it to perfection.

Sauteed Asian-style Baby Eggplants

Sautéed Asian-style Baby Eggplants
From Ted Hutton at the Halifax Market

Printable Recipe

Serves 3-4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total Cooking time: 4-6 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pint (small basket from the market) baby eggplants, sliced length-wise with the tops removed
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
1” piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
pinch or 2 of red chili pepper flakes (optional )
Splash of Chinese rice wine ( I used Shaoxing)
Splash of rice vinegar
Splash of soy sauce

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1. In a non stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Sauté the eggplant, cut side down until it starts to turn golden. (about 2-3 minutes)

2. Add the garlic & ginger and cook for another minute or until you get a whiff of the aroma. Splash a little of the rice wine, rice vinegar and soy sauce, toss and let most of the sauce evaporate (2-3 minutes, max)

3. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve

Lemon Roasted New Potatoes

Lemon Roasted New Potatoes
From New Vegetarian

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Par-boiling time: 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the potatos)
Roasting time: 20-30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2lb/1kg baby new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
¼ cup olive oil
2 lemons, grated zest of both and juice of one
1 tsp sugar
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C

2. In the meantime, parboil the potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes or until a fork or knife tip makes it almost to the center of the potato before meeting resistance.

3. In a bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice & zest, sugar, salt & pepper. Add the drained potatoes and toss to coat well.

4. Roast in an ovenproof pan with all the juices, turning and basting several times until the potatoes are golden and tender.

Lamb & Mint Burgers

Lamb & Mint Burgers
From: Grill It!

Printable Recipes

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
grill time: 8-10 minutes
Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients:
lb/450 g ground lamb (or whatever ground meat you favor)
½ cup fresh mint, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small-medium onion, finely chopped
½ cup panko breadcrumbs or 2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil to brush on the burgers
4 hamburger buns

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients except for the buns. Shape into 4 patties.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat, baste the burgers with just enough oil to keep the meat from sticking. Add the patties and turn once or twice for 10 minutes or so. Or if you’re really lucky…grill on a BBQ or use a Griddler and set to “sear”