The Cook's Companion Chats

2010-11-02T03:56:00.000-11:00

I'm very honoured to be the cover story for the new magazine Balance My Life. Take a sneak peek at the cover and don't forget to get your copy starting Nov 6th!

http://www.balancemylife.ca/contactalias/balance-the-magazine.html

2010-11-02T03:53:00.000-11:00

Learn How To Turn Tweets, Fans & Followers into Growth, Sales & Success! Join me on Nov 9th at a BitNet breakfast where I'll explain how I've Turned Tweets, Fans & Followers into Growth, Sales & Success!
http://www.bitnet.ca/events/details/13

2010-06-07T12:08:00.000-11:00

Summer Seasoning

Read what Julia Aitken of The Toronto Star has to say about perfecting your cooking skills in beautiful cottage country - we're not all about burgers and dogs!

2010-06-07T12:02:00.000-11:00

Don't start your summer off with lighting your bbq on fire like I did one year (that's another blog post!) - get your BBQ ready to do the lion share of the cooking. Read my tips for a safe season at WonderMoms!

2010-06-07T11:56:00.003-11:00

Escape to the Islands with my review of Palm Bay Coolers at the always outstanding Balance My Life (and a few coolers now and then can do that!!).

2010-05-28T00:22:00.000-11:00

Nothing can replace teaching your children about a proper diet and exposing them to a wide variety of healthy fresh food but starting their day off right with all the essential vitamins and minerals that their growing bodies need can help ease the everyday concern about what goes into their bodies. My whole family (husband, 5 year old son and 9 year old son) take 2oz of Vemma and Vemma Next Children's each morning. The kids ask for it each morning and has become as much a part of their morning routine as brushing their teeth!

No preservatives, no artificial colours and no artificial flavours, all the essential vitamins and minerals along with antioxidant powerhouse mangosteen, aloe vera and organic green tea make it a winning formula for my family. And if that wasn't enough, for every case of Vemma Next that is sold, one case is donated to children in need in the country that it was purchased in - now that's dedication to children's health!

Contact me to find out more or visit http://www.nadinehughes.vemma.com/ to see the complete Vemma line.

2010-05-03T23:43:00.000-11:00

Last week I stumbled across a radio interview with Neil Pasricha, the author of the new book, "The Book of Awesome". The book is a result of his fantastic website, http://www.1000awesomethings.com/ , which he created at a low period in his life when he wanted to be reminded of the small things that made him smile. Things like,

The cool side of a pillow
Opening and sniffing a pack of tennis balls
The smell of rain on a hot sidewalk
Dancing when you're home alone
Popping bubble wrap
Laughing so hard you start crying
And 994 other awesome things

While I listened to Neil speak about what made him smile, I found myself nodding and smiling too. That great feeling was contagious as I pictured my favourite simple food things. I started to compile a list and was grinning the whole time. Go ahead and try thinking of your own awesome things, the sillier the better, and I dare you not to start smiling like the proverbial Cheshire cat! In the meantime, here are some of my awesome favourites:

The smell of fresh basil
The crusty top of melted cheese
The taste of the first ripe tomato in my garden
A frosty glass from the freezer
The granular icy part of a Lola
The cork popping on a champagne bottle
The way the bubbles from the above champagne feel on my tongue
Eating summer cherries and spitting the pits as far as I can
My first coffee of the day

Have an awesome day!

2010-04-16T01:19:00.000-11:00

FOOD STYLING
Date: Tuesday April 20th

Time: 7:00 pm
Location: The Cookbook Store
850 Yonge Street at Yorkville Avenue
Tickets: $20.00 Please call to register

Ever wonder how those glorious photos are styled in your favourite cookbooks? Want to be taken behind the scenes in a food stylist's day? Then let two of Toronto's most talented stylists show you tricks of their trade and tell their hilarious stories of working as a food stylist. Sandra Watson has worked on Food Network shows as well as with many renowned local and international authors. Ettie Shuken works with corporate clients as well as magazines. This dynamic duo brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from all facets of the food world for those looking to spruce up their food presentation skills or those just curious about the world of food styling.

Pre-registration is required. Please call the store to register. 416-920-2665

2010-04-08T02:40:00.004-11:00

Celebrate Earth Day's 40th anniversary with the Town of Oakville (and me)!

April 22, 2010

6-9 p.m. (my workshop starts at 7 p.m.)

Town Hall, South Atrium

1225 Trafalgar Road

There's no better way to celebrate Earth Day in Oakville than by learning how to live greener every day! There's something for everyone:

Workshop on cooking local food with Nadine Hughes of The Cook's Companion
Earth Day cake cutting with Mayor Rob Burton
Hands-on demos of energy-efficient technology and green gardening
Town hybrids, Smart Car and state-of-the-art street sweeper
... plus raffle prizes and free giveaways of great green products!

Child minding is available on site, so bring the whole family!

2010-03-30T06:56:00.000-11:00

Raisins are a nice way to add a serving of fruit to your diet. From breakfast to dinner, and everything in between, you can find recipes that include raisins. For example, this free Fruit & Sunshine Recipes book has some nice raisin recipes that you can incorporate into any meal plan. In my family raisins are added to cereal, pancakes, banana bread, couscous, carrot salad or alone as a snack. They're versatile and easy to pack on the go as well. I remember giving them to my toddler one by one ever so slowly on plane rides for the take off and descent to help him chew, swallow and keep his ears clear. Now there's a marketing angle for Sunshine!

Want more than the 17 recipes that are included in the above book? Sun-Maid has been sharing their raisin and dried fruit recipes with families since 1912, almost 100 years. In celebration, they have created a collection of 34 free recipe books that span (to date) from 1915 to 2007.

2010-03-29T00:23:00.000-11:00

Head over to Holiday with Matthew Mead to find out how you can win the opportunity to have your blog or online shop mentioned in the magazine. Holiday with Matthew Mead ( http://www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com/ ) is a "book-azine" celebrating and offering inspiration for the Christmas holiday season. To be released in October 2010, Holiday is offered via online orders only - in limited quantities - and will not be sold on newsstands. But, by simply following the BUY HOLIDAY MAGAZINE link below their banner, you can reserve your own copy of this beautiful magazine, with guaranteed delivery of the magazine straight to your mailbox! Holiday with Matthew Mead is144 pages of holiday inspiration with well-known and admired designers, bloggers and top-notch features, printed on beautiful paper and not drowning in ads!

Now, head on over for your chance to win!

2010-03-22T08:34:00.003-11:00

This should be a great evening. Please join me and Dare To Dream!

InsideHalton Article: Business Excellence Awards announce 40 nominations

2010-03-12T05:32:00.000-11:00

InsideHalton Article: Business Excellence Awards announce 40 nominations

Great to be amongst so many awesome entrepeneurs. Best of luck to everyone!

CTS Television: Online Video Player

2010-02-17T06:43:00.000-11:00

Check out my segment on yummy no back Chocolate desserts on Real Life. I'm the first segment after the intro (about the 3 min mark). Enjoy! CTS Television: Online Video Player

CTS Television: Online Video Player

2010-02-16T02:43:00.000-11:00

Great kids Valentine's Day crafts from The Groove Mamma.

CTS Television: Online Video Player

2010-02-16T02:26:00.000-11:00

The Groove Mamma is now on Facebook. Become a fan and get access to more yummy food photos and news.

2010-02-10T03:00:00.000-11:00

February has our thoughts turning to romance with the approach of Valentine’s Day. This year picture yourself romantically holding hands across a beautifully prepared meal while the flicker of candles light up your loved one’s smile. Can you see it? No? Could be the two kids crawling under the table and your exhaustion from preparing the meal alone blurring your vision!

For some, preparing a meal at home has all the romance of a crowded bus stop. But it doesn’t need to be if you take a different approach and look at it as a way to spend quality time with your loved one. One of you not a cook? Don’t worry, there are always simple things to do in the kitchen such as boiling water, setting the table or opening the wine!

To help create a romantic and fun atmosphere in the kitchen here are a few tips to help get you on your romantic journey.

• Banish the bright lights. Dim the switch, choose the under the counter lights or light candles to help with the relaxed mood.

• Prepare a special drink to enjoy together while cooking. My recipe for Sgroppino below is a perfect starter with fresh oysters. Give the non-cook the task of keeping these flowing!

• Play a collection of your favourite and most memorable songs to reminisce about together.

• Feed the kids early and rent their favourite movie for them to watch; it should buy you a few hours at least!

• Keep your menu simple and easy to prepare. Cooking together should be fun and enjoyable, now is not the time to try complicated recipes. Chicken Piccata and Creamy Brown Sugar Strawberries are simple yet delicious.

Sgroppino
Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 1 cup (250ml) of chilled Prosecco (or any sparkling wine)
• 2 tbsp chilled Vodka
• 1/3 cup frozen lemon sorbet (or gelato)
• ¼ tsp chopped fresh mint leaves

1. Pour the Prosecco and vodka into 2 champagne flutes dividing equally.
2. Spoon a scoop of the sorbet into each flute.
3. Top with fresh mint and serve immediately.

Freshly Shucked Oysters and Mignonette
Serves 2
Notes: If you don’t want to shuck the oysters, pick shucked ones up from your local seafood store on your way home and keep them on a plate of ice in the back of your fridge until ready to eat.

Ingredients:
• 12 freshly shucked oysters on the half shell
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 125ml (1/2 cup) red wine vinegar

1. For the Mignonette sauce, stir the shallot and vinegar together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Note: the sauce can be prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator to let the flavours infuse.)

2. Serve the oysters with the lemon wedges and the sauce for drizzling. Enjoy these casually in the kitchen with the Sgroppino while you are preparing the main meal.

Chicken Piccata
Serves 2
Notes: To butterfly a chicken breast, lay the breast on a cutting board. Using the edge of a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board, begin cutting down the length of the side of the breast. Carefully slice the breast in half widthwise almost to the other edge. Keep that edge intact and open the breast along the "fold."

Ingredients:
• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, butterflied and then cut in half
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 65ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice
• 125ml (½ cup) chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons capers (from jar), brine rinsed off
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate and dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes or until chicken is browned. Turn chicken over and cook for 3 minutes. Remove, transfer to plate, cover to keep warm.

3. Into the same pan, add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Season to taste. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

4. Serve with rice, roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables or green salad.

Creamy Brown Sugar Strawberries
Serves 2

Ingredients:
• 12 large strawberries, cleaned with stem still attached
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup brown sugar

1. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and vanilla.

2. To serve, using the stems as handles, dip the strawberries in the sour cream and then into the brown sugar. Enjoy!

2010-02-09T06:16:00.001-11:00

Tune in to CTStv Real Life with Sharon Caddy today (Feb 9) at 4:30pm EST to learn about fun Valentine crafts to do with the kids as well as some yummy no bake sweet treats for your sweetheart!

2010-02-08T06:16:00.000-11:00

For a great romantic and easy meal this Valentine's Day check out my Food & Wine Pairing Column at BalanceMyLife. Remember to check back each month for a new beverage and my top food pick to go with it! Tough job, but someone has to do it!

2010-01-29T03:42:00.000-11:00

My Free Recipe of the Week is now available and you're going to love this one! If you dothen be sure to sign up to receive these great free recipes each week at http://www.thecookscompanion.ca/

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I love the versatility of this coffee cake not only in when you can enjoy it but what you can add to it to make it your own! Throw in some raisins, dried cherries or chocolate chips to change up the flavour. Enjoy it with a scoop of ice cream for dessert or indulge in the afternoon with a cup of coffee. Pair it with sliced fresh fruit and call it breakfast! Any way you slice it (no pardon on this pun!) you'll love the flavour of Sourcream Coffee Cake. Enjoy!

2010-01-27T14:48:00.000-11:00

Upper Canada Cheese Company Wants YOU to Vote in the Guernsey Girl Cheese Recipe Challenge

Guernsey Girl is the proud new addition to the Upper Canada Cheese Company’s family of artisanal quality offerings made in Jordan Station, Ontario. Created by cheese maker Lauren Arsenault, this fresh cheese is loosely modeled on both a Cypriot style cheese and, more precisely, a Scandinavian Bread Cheese, which has a deliciously salty flavour and squeaky bite. The Upper Canada Cheese Company invites you and the general public to vote in the “Guernsey Girl Cheese Recipe Challenge.”

The “Guernsey Girl Cheese Recipe Challenge” asked fourteen of the area’s top toques to get cooking with our Girl! The result? Fourteen edible masterpieces created by the pros, from chefs to bread makers, in an application they best thought suited the cheese. Entries include: Lynn Crawford‘s Chicken Cutlet Milanese with Lynn’s Crunchy Vegetable Salad and Guernsey Girl Cheese, Lora Kirk’s Slow Braised Short Ribs and Guernsey Girl Cheese Poutine, Anthony Walsh’s Warm Salad of Winter Radishes and Legumes as well as baker Andrea Damon Gibson’s Guernsey Girl Goes Mediterranean. From starters to mains, desserts to apps – our participating chefs went the whole cow!

Upper Canada Cheese is asking the public to Vote for its TOP THREE choices to be eligible to win a coveted spot for a winner and guest at the Final Cook-Off where the voting public’s top three chefs will compete for our girl’s unwavering affections. Location and date to be determined – but don’t worry – our Girl never stands anyone up! Go here to have your say: http://www.uppercanadacheese.com/

A Bit About Our Girl:

As noted by Toronto-based cheese sommelier Julia Rogers (http://www.cheeseculture.ca/), Guernsey Girl holds its shape when fried or grilled, the surface caramelizes evenly and quickly, and the interior becomes wonderfully supple.

Julia Roger’s Tasting Notes:

· Guernsey Girl is a delicate shade of ivory, with a pale lemon undertone. (Its colour will vary with the seasons as the herd’s diet changes.)

· The surface has a slightly porous texture, while the interior is dense and completely smooth.
· Muted on the nose, but with aromatic interest on the palate, Guernsey Girl expresses savoury, herbaceous and mineral notes, and a subtle melted butter finish.
· Acidity is low. Salt is in balance, adding zest but not dominating the flavour profile.
· The curd is squeakily resilient, but not rubbery, and leaves the palate clean.

Like all of the Upper Canada Cheese Company cheeses, Guernsey Girl is made only from the pure rich milk of a single herd of Guernsey cows on the Comfort farm. This and every Upper Canada Cheese expresses the unique terroir of the heart of the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Region.

So get voting and please, let your friends and cheese-lovers in on the action. This is, after all, one very popular Girl!

For more information, to interview Upper Canada Cheese Company or any of our participating recipe challenge chefs, please contact:

Mary Luz Mejia of Sizzling Communications

Email: maryluz@sizzlingcommunications.com // Cel: 416.992.2644

2010-01-22T02:37:00.001-11:00

I was honoured to speak last night to a great group of people at the Canadian Club of Halton Peel. Topic of discussion was how I built my business by using Social Media as part of an integrated marketing plan. A testiment to the powers of Social Media and how we share information today - here is a photo taken by Sonny Jelinek, Chair of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, during my talk. He was tweeting as I was talking tweet!! Love it!

http://snap2twitter.com/SonnyJelinek/photos/319115

2010-01-07T02:42:00.000-11:00

Canadian Club of Halton Peel

Thursday, January 21, 2010
Oakville Conference Centre
2515 Wyecroft Road, Oakville, Ontario (QEW & Bronte Road) L6L 6P8
Registration/Cash Bar 6 pm Dinner 7 pm Students $15 Members $30 Non-Members/Guests $40

Nadine Hughes
Entrepreneur, Chef, Award-Winning Author & Television Personality
“Tweeting My Way to Success”

Nadine Hughes is a renaissance woman whose forté is making food fun again. Mother of two young boys, wife, serial entrepreneur, world traveler and food expert extraordinaire, Nadine is a woman who literally walks the talk. Nadine frequently appears as a television and radio guest discussing food, entertaining and how family fits into all of it. Nadine started her circuitous journey towards running her own food-related business after having successfully operated her first start-up, a third party logistics company in Australia, with her husband and business partner. After selling the company to Shell Petroleum in 2005 and moving back to Oakville, Nadine has taken all of the business savvy she acquired over the years and merged that with her passion – Food!

Today, Nadine is the owner and creator of The Cook’s Companion (www.thecookscompanion.ca), through which she offers kitchen consultations and menu planning services. She also runs a hands-on cooking and entertaining school offering classes to adults and teens throughout Southern Ontario. A published writer and avid social media user, Nadine recently published her first E-book: “The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet: Easy Ways to Put the Fun Back into Entertaining” (www.thegroovemamma.com). In addition to The Cook’s Companion, Nadine created the internet based The Menu Companion, (www.themenucompanion.com) that markets and sells comprehensive menu planners focused on the planning and preparation of dinner parties.

Nadine has single-handedly built her successful brand by economically using today’s internet and social media marketing tools. Learn how one savvy woman’s journey to success happened one tweet at a time!

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Registration Form – January 21, 2010

Reserve places for ____ Students ($15) ____ Members ($30) ____ Non-members ($40)

Name(s) ______________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________

e-mail: (optional) _____________________________________________

Telephone __________________________ amount enclosed $ ____________

Reservations made by telephone or e-mail – non-members please provide Visa, M/C, Amex information
Cheques should be payable to The Canadian Club of Halton Peel

P.O. Box 52148, Oakville, Ontario L6J 2W7 Tel: (905) 827-6302
Email: bwylie@globalserve.net (Barry Wylie, President)
Memberships (12 months rolling): $30 Single; $55 Family; $75 Corporate

2010-01-06T02:43:00.001-11:00

Mad Men Martinis

We might have just come out of the holiday season but it's never too early to think about your next party!

When was the last time you had a cocktail party and by that I mean a true cocktail party in the Mad Men sense?

Read more of my "stirring" article at Balance My Life.

2009-12-16T12:04:00.002-11:00

Come join the fun on Twitter! For each new follower, I'll send you my 12 Days of Cookies recipe booklet for free! Just DM me your email when you start following and I'll send it to you asap. It's my gift for saying thanks for following! www.twitter.com/nadinehughes

2009-12-08T06:52:00.000-11:00

The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet

Easy Ways to Put the Fun Back into Entertaining

By Nadine Hughes - WINNER GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARDS

Food personality, cooking teacher, mom and serial home entertainer Nadine Hughes, author of the new E-Book: “The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet: Easy Ways to Put the Fun Back into Entertaining,” has recently won the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in the Best Entertaining Cookbook category for Canada. “With over 26 000 cookbooks being published around the world every year, it’s an honour and a joy to have been selected amongst so many entries,” says Hughes.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards was founded by Edward Cointreau in 1995 (originally titled The World Cookbook Awards). The awards are designed to honour those who “cook with words” and due to “The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet’s” impressive win, Hughes has a chance to compete in the Best in the World cookbook category in Paris in February, 2010. This is particularly impressive because Hughes’ book is an E-Book and not a traditional print offering.

Part of the cookbook’s massive appeal is that Hughes understands just how time-strapped many of us are, which is why she offers a host of elegant menus, recipes and tips designed to get the party started right. Flavour-packed, accessible recipes and tips that deliver are the book’s mainstay, as is Hughes’s “no-stress” cooking approach. This is a one-stop party-planning resource - from providing general tips on planning and hosting a party, to providing menu and recipe ideas. Hughes also provides many useful tips on getting organized in advance – including insights on preparing a room, setting a table as well as a detailed schedule for starting your preparations.

"What a thrill to be recognized by Gourmand! The Groove Mamma is an extension of me so to have my words and thoughts bestowed this award is a great inspiration for me to keep on doing what I do!" says an excited Nadine.

To learn more about “The Groove Mamma” or to interview Gourmand World Cookbook Award winning author Nadine Hughes, please contact Kimberly Plumley at Publicity Mavens at 250-390-9285 or via email at kim@publicitymavens.com.

2009-11-19T11:12:00.000-11:00

I've just completed my 12 Days of Cookies recipe booklet and it's yours FREE with every purchase of my eCookbook, "The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet - Easy Ways To Put The Fun Back Into Entertaining". $7.98 at http://www.groovemamma.com/

It's full of my favourite tried and trusted cookie recipes from my childhood to today! Recipes like my mother's Lemon Raspberry Butter Cookies and this year's favourite Chocolate Cranberry Biscotti.

It's my gift to you this holiday season. But don't delay - the offer is only good until the end of December!

2009-11-12T10:00:00.000-11:00

I satisfied my craving this week for a traditional meal of Prime Rib Roast with Gravy and Yorkshire Pudding!

Instead of a traditional muffin tin, I used my mini loaf pan and they collapsed just enough to create these wonderful little valleys in the top so the gravy could pool there perfectly! Heaven on earth!

And the hot roast beef sandwiches for dinner the next night were a dream!

To get the recipes sign up for my free Recipe of the Week at The Cook's Companion

2009-11-07T06:17:00.000-11:00

Need to find a "WOW" wine to bring to dinner tonight? Be one of the first to try this great new wine!

2008 BLIND RIVER SAUVIGNON BLANC (LCBO #141499) from New Zealand is being released in the Vintages section of the LCBO today.

As well as being called one of the '60 Best New Zealand Wines 2009', the 2008 BLIND RIVER SAUVIGNON BLANC has had stellar reviews in the press overseas where they have described it as "awesome", "intense", "finely textured"and "elegant" with "a mass of passionfruit and elderflower scents" and "zesty acidity and a lively zip".. Here in Canada , local wine writer Natalie MacLean rated it 91/100 and called it "Stunningly delicious Sauvignon Blanc with vibrant notes of fresh grass, lime, chives and green apple. Not too herbal. Refreshing and mercifully free of oak. A zesty aperitif or a companion to a wide range of dishes. Superb effort!" Toronto Star writer, Gordon Stimmell also rated it highly at 89/100.

Step out of the box and try something new today!
And once you try it - let me know what you think of it!

Below is the connection to the LCBO website which can tell you what locations in your area are carrying the wine. I know for sure that it is in stock at (1) Queens ' Quay, (2)Queen and Coxwell as well as (3) Yonge and Empress (Yonge north of Shepperd)

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=141499

2009-11-05T13:55:00.000-11:00

Cheddar Dill Puffs

Without a doubt, one of the most popular hors d'oeurves I have ever served people.

Trying to get ahead on a few holiday catering jobs I have so took the time to make 200 of these light, fluffy and savoury bites. They're perfect with a glass of wine, beer or champagne. And the best part....I bake them, freeze them and then pop them in the oven frozen whenever I need them! Hardest part...keeping my families hands away from them when they're cooling.

I"m having fun on FoodBuzz lately so visit me there to get the recipe!

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/1566181-cheddar-dill-puffs

2009-11-04T12:03:00.000-11:00

A visually stunning and equally delicious salad for the holidays!

Beet Carpaccio Salad with Goat's Cheese is simple to make, requires no cooking (who doesn't love that!) and is a great way to get your taste buds jumping at the beginning of a meal.

For everyone who tells me they don't like beets - this is the one that always wins them over!

BEET CARPACCIO WITH GOAT CHEESE & ARUGULA

Makes 4 servings

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Notes: This raw dish is all about the best ingredients you can find. A great goat cheese and a fruity, high-quality olive oil will result in flavour that is as stunning as the presentation. An elegant but simple starter to any meal.

Ingredients:
• 2 medium beets, peeled and stems trimmed to 2 inches

• 1 ½ tablespoons red-wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled

• 4 cups (packed) baby arugula (or other delicate green such as watercress)

• 1 large Belgian endive, thickly sliced crosswise

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Using stems as a handle, slice beets paper-thin with a sharp knife or slicer (wear protective gloves to avoid staining hands). Toss with vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then let stand 5-10 minutes or until the beets just start to wilt.

2. Divide beets among 4 large plates, overlapping slices slightly. Top with goat cheese.

3. Toss arugula and endive with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper to taste, then mound over goat cheese. Drizzle beets with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.

2009-11-02T11:56:00.000-11:00

et voila! Linquine with Pork Belly. Dinner is served in 10 minutes (not counting the 24 hours it took to prepare the pork belly!)

2009-11-02T11:23:00.002-11:00

All weekend my home smelled of decadent pork belly roasting in the oven! Experimenting for an upcoming catering event has my family "pigging" out on bacon! Tonight's last little bits will find their way into a simple linguine with pork belly. A few shallots sauteed in a pan, pork belly added, a splash of white wine and fresh linguine with lots of freshly ground black pepper will come together nicely. Might have to add a side salad of arugula to cut the richness but what the heck...it's better than eating all the left over Hallowe'en candy!

2009-10-27T12:24:00.001-11:00

Tonight's dinner was a mish mash of what was in the fridge and it was fantastic. Sometimes the best tasting dishes are those with the least thought!

Smokey Bacon & Potato Chowder
Serves 6
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped smokey bacon (or regular bacon)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups (1.5L) chicken or vegetable stock
2 pototaoes, peeled and diced
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium stockpot, cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy. Remove bacon from pot and place on absorbant towel.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from pot. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir contanstanly for 1 minute. Add chicken stock, potaotes and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
Remove thyme stalks and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To get more recipes like this visit my main site at http://www.thecookscompanion.ca/

2009-10-22T05:48:00.003-11:00

Save the Date!

Join me on Thursday November 26th at Housewarmings in Oakville at their Customer Appreciation Night. Between the hours of 6pm & 9pm see the latest in Holiday Decor and savour easy but elegant holiday hors d'oeurves from yours truly! Plus everything in the store will be on sale! It's a great chance to get a jump start on your holiday shopping, decorating and gain inspiration for the upcoming party season!

2009-10-19T01:36:00.003-11:00

Read the latest review for The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet at Stovetop Readings.

http://www.stovetopreadings.com/

2009-10-15T10:12:00.002-11:00

My free Recipe of the Week is now available at www.thecookscompanion.ca

Have you signed up yet to receive these easy, no fuss but delicious recipes?

This week's recipe is for Spicy Couscous with Salmon & Yoghurt - a quick and healthy meal that is equally at home during the week or for a special luncheon.

2009-10-14T08:48:00.002-11:00

Gorgeous Bloody Mary Soup Shots. Just one of the recipes in my eBook, "The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet - Easy Ways To Put The Fun Back Into Entertaining".

It's chock full of tips on how to plan a stress free party as well as a complete menu plan that will work perfectly for the upcoming holiday season.

Available for $7.98 at www.groovemamma.com

Keep on grooving!

2009-10-06T09:08:00.002-11:00

Talking Turkey!

What wine should you pair with your Canadian Thanksgiving Turkey? My choice for Roast Turkey with Gravy...Zinfandel or Chardonnay.

2009-10-06T09:02:00.003-11:00

Can't see the back of your pantry for old spice? Don't know what that green slime is lurking in the jar at the back of your fridge? Then check out this article I wrote for Changing Gears (http://www.changinggears.ca) and get your kitchen fighting fit!

http://www.changinggears.ca/articles/cooking/index.html

2009-09-17T09:30:00.001-11:00

Was just chatting with Sharman Yarnell on CJAD 800 Montreal on her show Showtime. Love talking about food and entertaining. Great plug for my eBook The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet. Get it today for $7.99 at www.groovemamma.com

2009-09-15T13:36:00.002-11:00

I am excited to be part of this great event. Who says shopping isn't good for your health?!

Please join me at the first ever Affair of the Heart shopping night at Sherway Gardens, to be held on Sunday, November 1, 2009.

Affair of the Heart is a fashionable evening in support of women’s heart health. From 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., more than 1,200 guests will have the unique opportunity to gain after-hours access to Sherway Gardens – just in time for the busy holiday season. While getting a jump start on your gift buying, you can sip on a glass of wine, snack on some heart-healthy appetizers and take advantage of exclusive retailer discounts, ranging from 15-40% off!

You will also have the opportunity to win a Grand Prize Draw for a $2,500 shopping spree with a personal shopper at Sherway Gardens. To qualify for a free ticket in the draw, you must make a purchase from at least three Sherway Gardens retailers (additional tickets may be purchased as desired).

Proceeds from the evening will be used to purchase life-saving equipment for the Cardiology Department at the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Tickets are only $75 each, but quantity is limited. More event details can be found at http://www.affairoftheheart.ca/.

I encourage you to buy a ticket for yourself, for your spouse or for both of you. And please send the link to your family and friends so you can turn the evening into a fun group activity!

You’ve got to shop anyway…so why not have a little fun while you’re doing it. Hope to see you there!

2009-09-14T13:46:00.000-11:00

As a great Australian saying goes, my two sons are like chalk and cheese. Completely different in likes, dislikes, tastes and habits. Differences are certainly what make the world interesting but sometimes it can be a bit challenging at meal times. My oldest son, who is 8, has a palette like a European; the more savoury and spicier the better. He’s the one diving into the appetizers meant for adults and wolfing down the wasabi peas. I recently overheard him asking his friends what their favourite foods are. Most came back with pizza, pasta and bread where as he shot back with sushi and sashimi and then proceeded to describe every minute detail of it such as seaweed, raw fish, eel and fish eggs! This description was met with gagging noises only boys can perfect but none more choke worthy than my 4 year old son. He falls into the European category too but only so long as it comes with a side of pasta and garlic bread.

My meal philosophy has always been that I will not be a short order cook and as a family we will share one meal, whether you chose to eat it or not is up to you. There may be some nights when the little one goes to bed a bit hungrier than the older one but he never fails to “suffer” through dinner the next night by washing everything down with a big glug of milk. Some parents might consider this cruel but I believe that our kids are born with a fairly flexible palette and it is us as adults who impose certain likes and dislikes on our kids from an early age. In my experience every time an adult tells a child they won’t like a certain food then invariably they don’t. Whereas if you don’t make a big deal of it, keep offering different types of flavours and textures and not get frustrated or give in to the meal demands of a 4 year old, they will eventually open up their minds and their mouths.

It doesn’t happen over night however. For the last few years I have been trying to convince my son that tomatoes are really a fruit and taste sweet. Considering tomatoes are one of my favourite summer foods, I need to get the rest of my family in line with this thinking too!! This year I decided to give my youngest more control over what goes on his plate by having him pick certain vegetables to grow in a container gardens. Cherry Tomatoes which are perfect for containers were a natural choice but we have had great success also with mini cucumbers, jalapeno peppers, baby celery and green bunching onions. All small enough to grow in a few pots on the deck and easy enough for the kids to maintain. They have had a ball watching the plants develop from buds to flowers to vegetables. And they seem to be enjoying the “fruits” of their labour. The other day I spied out of the corner of my eye my 4 year old picking a baby celery stalk out of the pot and munching away on it. Never mind he probably got a bit of dirt and grit in his teeth but he did it by his own doing and not my nagging.

So although the cherry tomatoes are still being enjoyed more by the raccoons and myself than the kids, they are at least involved in their food choices from picking out the types and varieties to how their appear on their plate.

It’s not too late to plant a few veggies in a small pot and get your kids involved – they might just surprise you!

Here’s a cool sandwich idea that satisfies the sushi lover and the non-sushi lover in my family and makes the most of our mini cucumbers we are growing.

Cucumber Rice Sandwiches
Preparation Time: 20 minutes + at least 2 hours refrigeration (up to 24 hours)
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Makes 32

Ingredients:
· 4 cups cooked warm sushi rice
· 2 ½ tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
· 1 teaspoon salt
· ½ cup cream cheese, room temperature
· ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
· 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. Line a square glass baking dish with plastic wrap. Toss warm rice with vinegar and salt in large bowl. Firmly press half into dish. Spread with ¼ cup cream cheese. Layer half the cucumber slices on top, overlapping. Repeat. Cover with plastic; top with a weighted baking dish. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Lift out; transfer to cutting board. Cut into small rectangles. Dip 1 short and 1 long side of each sandwich in sesame seeds. Serve within 4 hours.

2009-09-14T09:16:00.002-11:00

Just enjoyed chatting with Deb Bailey at Power Women's Magazine and Radio show on Blog Talk Radio in Arkansas. We were talking about the upcoming holidays for entertaining tips and so much more! Frightening thought that we are already thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas!! www.blogtalkradio/powerwomenmag.com

2009-08-10T09:34:00.004-11:00

Attention all tired parents! You can still entertain like you used to!

Mary Luz Mejia of Suite101.com recently interviewed me for my take on entertaining as a busy parent. Check out How Tired Parents Can Entertain

2009-07-22T08:41:00.002-11:00

Had a blast this morning appearing on CityTV Breakfast Television. Talked about my new eBook The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet and demonstrated some great cocktails and easy appetizer tips. Tough gig getting up at 5am but well worth it judging from the traffic coming through my websites. Thanks for the support everyone!

2009-07-02T14:22:00.003-11:00

Sitting in cottage country trying to figure out what I am going to buy for my friend who just had her 4th baby. NOT buying another cutsie cottage country craft!

Visiting www.marketmomsonline.com Love the fact that they support mostly women in small business! Who doesn't like to shop in the comforts of their own home, glass of wine in one hand, mouse in the other and credit card in full view! Yeah - you go Market Moms Online!

2009-06-24T00:05:00.001-11:00

If you haven't checked out Twitter yet what are you waiting for? Surprisingly I love it considering I am not a Facebook fan! www.twitter.com/nadinehughes

2009-06-19T00:53:00.003-11:00

Response has been tremendous to the soft launch of my new eBook, "The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet - Easy Ways To Put The Fun Back Into Entertaining."

Look for me on CTStv Real Life with Sharon Caddy on Monday June 23rd at 3pm talking about this great new book and demonstrating one of the recipes. Easy but delicious Tiramisu Affogato.

You can easily purchase the eBook for CAN$7.99 at www.groovemamma.com

No shipping or handling fees and it will be in your inbox within 24 hours!

Have a great day!

2009-06-17T05:45:00.003-11:00

Hey all you Groove Mammas!

I'm excited to announce that my new eBook "The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet - Easy Ways To Put The Fun Back Into Entertaining" is now available for CAN $7.99 at http://www.groovemamma.com/.

Come over to Groove Mamma and check it out. Don't forget to tell me how you got your groove back (or maybe you never lost it!). Would love to hear from you!

2009-06-15T05:53:00.002-11:00

Getting excited about the release of my new ebook. This is the week where I'll share with you my entertaining tips and recipes to put the fun back into your parties! Stress free, low preparation with the emphasis on YOU enjoying your own party.

2009-06-15T03:47:00.003-11:00

Had a great time at Lifewithkids.ca Step Into Summer event at Jonathon's of Oakville on June 4th. I had the pleasure of being their guest speaker and spoke to the ladies about simple tips to make their summer entertaining even easier this year. Mainstream put on a great fashion show and the food and bubbly were superb!

A few of the ladies looking Superbly Summerlicious!

2009-06-15T03:45:00.001-11:00

Noting beats the taste of a fresh home grown tomato but we still have a little while to go in Ontario before ours are at their best. In the meantime, I’ll keep my pantry stocked with cans of San Marzano tomatoes. Considered by many chefs to be the best sauce tomatoes in the world, San Marzano tomatoes have a much stronger, more sweeter and less acidic taste than other canned plum tomatoes. Look for labels with the San Marzano origin and you’ll be in for a treat. A little more expensive but definitely worth the taste.

2009-06-08T03:50:00.000-11:00

If you live in the Oakville/Burlington area, you might have seen the signs for Eco Chefs. Set to open in June, Eco Chefs retail stores provide ready to go meals that are made entirely from locally sourced natural food free from preservative chemicals. Menus will change frequently to reflect the seasons. I’ll be checking them out June 10th for a menu tasting but for more information check out their website at www.ecochefs.com

2009-06-03T03:43:00.000-11:00

As I write this I am sitting outside in my backyard enjoying my first coffee of the morning. It is one my favourite things to do in the summer but even more so in the month of June. I creep down the stairs past my kids rooms, successfully avoiding the creaky part of the landing, pour myself a cup of coffee, sit on the back deck and collect my thoughts for the day. Not as hot and muggy as the traditional months of summer, June mornings seem to bring together all the right elements for the perfect cup of coffee. The air smells fresh, the grass glistens from the overnight dew, the birds happily chirp away and my coffee tastes better than it ever does. It’s the same coffee mixture I brew 365 days a year but for those 30 days in June, it seems more aromatic, the cup more comfy in my hands and the sense of satisfaction I get from it far greater.

Where and how you eat your food plays an important role in the enjoyment you get out of it. Just like my June coffee mornings, a glass of red wine in front of a crackling fire on a winter night tastes better to me than a glass of white. My kids say that cookies taste the best when I’m swiping their hands away as they sneak them off the just baked tray rather than the cooled ones in the cupboard I have no problem with them having.

The summer will soon be upon us and I vow this year to try and make our meals tastier and more memorable. I’ll spread out the picnic blanket a little more even if it’s only on the living room floor on a rainy day and I’ll take the time to walk out the few steps to the deck to enjoy an afternoon snack even if I think I’m too busy for it.

Think about how your surroundings affect you and how they play a role in your meal times. Conjure up your favourite food memories and try to recreate some of those elements into your everyday. Maybe it’s setting the table with a red and white check table cloth that reminds you of a favourite bistro or as simple as eating a Popsicle on the front step like a kid again.

Growing up, Black Forest Cake was always the cake of choice for our family birthday celebrations. Every time I see or taste the classic flavours, cherry and chocolate, I feel like it’s a birthday celebration! Here is a take on the traditional cake by making it into ice cream brownies. Perfect for a summer treat, a fun birthday dessert or a great picnic addition if packed between ice packs. Enjoy.

Black Forest Ice Cream Sandwiches
Makes about 24 brownies, 12 sandwiches
Preparation Time 30 minutes + 4 hours freezing time
Baking Time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Brownies:
1 cup butter
125g (4 oz)unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
7.5ml (1 ½ tsp) vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Filling:
1.5L (6 cups)burgundy cherry ice cream
90g (3 oz) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup cherry jam

1. Preheat oven to 185C/350F.
2. Line a 17x11 inch jelly-roll pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Grease lightly.
3. In large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, mixing until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture, mixing until smooth. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
5. Bake in centre of oven for about 15 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire rack then remove from pan.
6. Soften ice cream slightly. Stir in chocolate and return to freezer until firm, about 1 hour.
7. Trim edges from brownie. Cut in half vertically to make two 10x8 inch rectangles. Spread bottom side of brownie with cherry jam. Spread ice cream evenly over 1 piece. Place second on top, bottom side down. Press lightly. Cut into 12 rectangles by making 3 vertical and 4 horizontal cuts evenly spaced. Wrap each sandwich individually tightly in wax paper or aluminum foil. Freeze until firm about 3 hours. Store in freezer.

2009-05-15T03:41:00.001-11:00

When I tell people what it is that I do for a living, the first question they ask is, “Where did you train as a chef?” When I reply that I am self-taught, the second question is almost always, “Did you learn from your mother?” Now if my mother happens to be there at the time, she laughs hysterically and crows, “She never picked up a pot in all her years at home.” I dryly thank my mom for her kind support and remind her that I never had the opportunity to cook or quite frankly the desire to considering I was being raised by one of the best home cooks I know.

Mom always cooked unbelievable meals for us each and every night. Even when she went back to work part time when my sister and I were old enough to be at home after school on our own, we were the lucky recipients of a fully balanced home cooked meal. So although I never helped out in the cooking (why spoil the broth with one too many cooks) I must admit my mother taught me a lot about life in a kitchen because that’s where we spent the majority of our time. My sister and I might not have been cooking but we were putting away groceries, washing vegetables, setting tables, doing the dishes and being the ever important “taster”. And it’s through my ability to taste a dish and determine what I like about it, what I don’t and how to recreate it with my own twist that has served me well over the years.

So this month as Mother’s Day arrives, I thank you mom for all the unofficial and perhaps subconscious lessons that you did teach me that have helped to craft the mom, wife, daughter and cook that I am today.

Salmon Fishcakes with Avocado and Tomato Chutney is one of my mom’s favourite recipes. The addition of smoked salmon to the fresh salmon makes these cakes moist and savoury. To keep the workload light this Mother’s Day, prepare these with store bought Tomato Chutney or if you’re lucky enough, raid your mom’s pantry for her home made one!

Salmon Fishcakes with Avocado & Tomato Chutney
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes + 30 minutes chill time
Cooking Time: 6 minutes
Special Equipment Required: plastic wrap, large non-stick frying pan

Ingredients:
1 bunch coriander
500g salmon fillet, skin removed, pin-boned
200g sliced smoked salmon
100g (1/3 cup) mayonnaise
25g (1/3 cup) fresh white breadcrumbs
2 avocados, cut into small cubes
½ red onion, finely diced
Lemon wedges, to squeeze
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
Tomato chutney and crème fraiche (or sour cream), to serve
1 vine-ripened tomato, seeds removed, finely chopped
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle

1. Wash coriander well. Roughly chop leaves; finely chop stems, then place in a bowl.
2. Thinly slice salmon fillet, then cut both fresh and smoked salmon into thin strips. Place in the bowl with the coriander, then add mayonnaise and breadcrumbs. Season with sea salt and black pepper and mix well. Using damp hands, shape into 4 thick patties. Tightly wrap each fishcake in plastic wrap, place on a plate and chill for 30 minutes so they hold their shape.
3. Meanwhile, toss avocado and onion in a bowl. Season and squeeze over a little lemon, then cover and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add fishcakes and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until golden but still pink in the centre.
5. Carefully remove from the pan and divide among 4 serving plates. Place a spoonful of avocado on each fishcake, then top with tomato chutney and crème fraiche. Scatter with a little fresh tomato, drizzle with the vinegar and extra oil, and serve with lemon wedges.

2009-04-11T08:04:00.002-11:00

Wine Align is changing how Ontario consumers are buying wine. For many of us, buying wines can be time consuming and frustrating as we attempt to find the right wine at the right price that is in stock at our local LCBO store. Now there’s a solution: WineAlign. This new service provides wine critic reviews of top-rated wines in stock at LCBO stores from a computer, Blackberry or iPhone. And it’s free to join. To learn more visit www.winealign.com.

2009-04-11T08:02:00.003-11:00

It takes a lot to overwhelm me. Like most mothers I seem to be able to multi-task such as making lunches, signing school notes, answering emails, find missing school ties, wiping noses and navigating Thomas tracks all at the same time and before 7am. But recently I spent a few weeks in the United States and grocery shopping of all things over-whelmed me there. Not the actual shopping but the pre-planning that had to go into it!

In the doom and gloom of the US economy, I was confronted with more sales, flyers, promotions and desperate retailers that I didn’t know where to start. Each newspaper came packed with flyers for every store within a one hundred mile radius it seemed. The sale format that I found most frustration was the “20 items for $10” type. A great savings no doubt but you had about 50 different items to weed through to make up your 20. I watched many shoppers navigate the aisles, flyer (and jaw) clenched in hand, furiously punching away on a calculator, checking and rechecking which qualifying items they had and which ones they were missing. The funny thing was I’m sure they didn’t actually need half of the 20 items in the first place so ended up spending more money in the end! Add a grumpy tired child into the mix and you have a recipe for disaster.

One of the biggest requests from my clients these days is how to save money on their grocery bill and I assure them that there is an easier way than the exhausting process I saw happening to consumers in the US.

Here are a few tips for saving your hard earned food dollars:

· Take the time to make a weekly mental note of what is currently in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Use this information to build a weekly meal plan for at least 4 nights of the week.

· Compile a shopping list based on your weekly meal plan. Don’t forget about breakfast and lunches which can often be forgotten. Without planning for these you might end up using expensive drive throughs.

· Stick to your shopping list. It is a grocery stores job to entice you to spend money in their stores. If you go without a plan you are more likely to impulse buy items that a) you don’t need and b) are more expensive than what you might have otherwise purchased.

· Know how a grocery store displays products. Higher profit items are attractively displayed on the front and ends aisles. They are also located at hip to eye level on the shelves. Often the less expensive brands and lower profits (which doesn’t always mean lesser quality) are placed on the bottom or top shelf where your eye does not travel.

· Try to avoid prepackaged, ready made foods. As a parent I know the convenience of meals that you shake out of a box but I guarantee you that what you are saving on time, you are losing on dollars and nutrition. These foods are generally more expensive and contain high amounts of sodium, fat and sugar. More importantly you can’t really stretch them. A large whole chicken however can be turned into 2 or 3 meals; roast chicken one night, quesadillas the next and stock or soup.

· Take a look at the amount you are cooking for your family. You are probably throwing away small amounts each night. If you don’t have a good supply of leftover recipes then adjust your cooking portions to reflect what your family actual consumes on a daily basis.

· Watch the cash register when you are checking out. I have found a lot of cashiers don’t know all the different produce and end up checking them through as a different and often more expensive ones.

Grocery shopping shouldn’t be an overwhelming and stressful experience. Arm yourself with a bit of knowledge and you too can be a savvy shopper.

2009-04-07T08:13:00.001-11:00

This week I popped out to Burlington to visit Sharon Caddy at CTStv’s Real Life to share with her my recipe for Chocolate Custard Eggs. A perfect treat for Easter that you can get the whole family involved with. While I was there I filmed another episode on great spring Side Dishes that would go with your Easter Ham, Turkey or Lamb. Check out http://www.reallifeoncts.com/ to find what channel it airs in your area and watch me at 3pm on Wed. April 8th & Thurs. April 9th prepare these recipes.

Also coming up this month I put my money where my mouth is and my wallet! After many tv segments where I’ve talked up setting your table from your local dollarstore, my producer, Beth at Real Life challenged me to walk into my local Dollarstore “blind” and film a segment on all the great finds not only for your table but for your kitchen too! So if you need to stretch your entertaining budget then check out Real Life weekdays at 3pm for great budget tips including my own for the kitchen and dining room.

2009-04-01T08:00:00.002-11:00

Spring officially arrived on March 20th and I couldn’t be happier. After months of snow, sleet and cold winds it’s invigorating to get that first whiff of spring air. There’s something delicious about that clean outdoorsy fragrance that has me throwing back the curtains, cracking the windows open and letting me sniff to my hearts content; that is until my nose feels numb from the still chilly air and I quickly withdraw back into the warmth of the kitchen. I only wish I could bottle that scent and spritz it around my home. A chemist, I’m not so I will have to make do with trying to bring spring into my kitchen in different ways. We force bulbs and seedlings inside so why can’t I force Spring as well?

My first plan of action is to showcase what I call Living Art. Bringing flowers and plants indoors is a great way to cheer up a space. Big pitchers full of arrangements of different types of flowers put nature’s palette on display and in spring I especially love the look of baby blue with hydrangeas and cornflowers. If flowers aren’t your thing then pick up little pots of fresh herbs and place them on your windowsill. Mint is an excellent choice at this time of year as the scent and flavour is synonymous with spring. I find that if herbs are on display instead of hidden away in the refrigerator then I am more likely to use them on a regular basis. Doing double duty by freshening up your recipes and providing a welcoming view while doing the more mundane tasks like washing dishes or peeling potatoes makes potted herbs a wonderful addition to your spring kitchen.

Next on the list is my pantry. Each spring I haul everything out, give the shelves a good wipe down with plain old vinegar and water and breathe in the crisp clean smell of this natural cleaner. More wintry type spices such as cumin, paprika and curry powder get regulated a little farther back on the shelf and tarragon, dill and basil find themselves taking centre stage. It’s also a great time to check the freshness of all my spices by making sure they still have a strong aroma and replacing those that have lost their impact. Keeping your spices in well sealed glass jars and containers instead of plastic bags and out of direct light are beneficial in prolonging their life span.

Finally I stock my refrigerator with the best that spring has to offer. Foods like asparagus, radishes, peas, mint and spring lamb awaken my taste buds and have me thinking and craving light, breezy spring and summer recipes. Banishing the pot roasts and potatoes also give me a new sense of energy to get out and go for a walk after dinner to enjoy the extra hour of light at the end of the day.

So between fresh flowers, herbs, spices and tastes my kitchen awakens to the sights and aromas of spring. It’s like a brand new kitchen without the $100,000 price tag! So bring some freshness and sunshine into your home this season by doing more than just opening the windows.

Here’s a recipe that will help bring the flavours of spring to your palette.

Barbecued Shrimps with Snow Peas and Mint Salt
Serves 4
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 minutes
Notes: Quick, bright and bursting with the fresh taste of mint, this recipe can be used as an appetizer or as a main meal when served with rice or a salad.

Ingredients:

· ½ cup fresh mint leaves
· 2 tablespoons sea salt flakes
· 1 kg medium green (raw) shrimps, peeled with tails intact
· 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
· 250g snow peas, trimmed
· Lemon wedges, to serve

1. To make the mint salt, place the mint and salt in the bowl of a small food processor and process until well combined. Set aside.
2. Heat a barbecue or heavy char-grill pan over high heat.
3. In two separate bowls, toss the shrimps with half of the oil and the snow peas with the remaining half of oil. Grill the shrimps and snow peas for 1-2 minutes per side or until cooked through and the snow peas are tender.
4. Serve the shrimps and snow peas together with the lemon wedges and mint salt as a condiment.

2009-03-02T07:55:00.005-11:00

Another cold snap in Southern Ontario has us thinking that spring will never come knocking at our door. It’s during this frustrating time that I crave the brightness of spring. So if mother nature won’t brighten things up outside, the least I can do is make the inside of my home reflect a brighter and bolder state of mind.

Now I’m not advocating spending money in these tough economic times on what some people would consider frivolous home adornments but I truly believe to get us out of the winter slump as Sheryl Crow might say…"a change would do you good!" And the dining room is the first place I’m going to look to. Such an important space shouldn't sit there year after year looking exactly the same with the same old boring china, glassware and linens. Consider changing things up this year with a new dinnerware set or perhaps a new table cloth or set of napkin rings. You'd be surprised how much a small change in scenery can do for a room and for your spirits!

To help get you thinking where you can make a change, here are some of the top dinnerware trends for 2009, according to experts at Cookware.com

Bright Colors, Bold Statements
Bright colors lift spirits. It's just a fact. That's why interior decorators recommend painting your space with warm colors - yellows, reds, and oranges. The same goes for 2009 dinnerware trends! Vibrant colors are in. Bright oranges, yellows, blues and greens, as well as dinnerware adorned with shimmery metallic accents, help to cheer up your tabletop and, in turn, your dinner guests. Mixing and matching dinnerware sets is also big right now - for instance a black dinner plate paired with a bright yellow side plate. Contrasting colors really pop. Wild vibrant patterns, prints and designs with Native American, African, and Eastern influences can also be seen on tables across the country.

Greener Dinnerware, Greener Environment
Eco-friendly this, eco-friendly that - everywhere you look, manufacturers of everything from rugs to refrigerators are going green. It was only a matter of time before dinnerware manufacturers went eco-friendly. Made from a variety of recycled products from glass to plastic as well as clays and wood - eco-friendly dinnerware is available in all price ranges and many styles and colors.

Shapely Shapes & Sizes
Gone are the days when dinner plates only came in either a round or oval shape. Walk into a fine dining restaurant and you're sure to find exquisitely presented meals served up on square and rectangular dinnerware. Today’s dinnerware trends are definitely leaning more modern than traditional. Don't get me wrong though, every home has room for a traditional bone white china dinnerware set. It's a good idea to at least consider adding splashes of color and creating interesting silhouettes with irregularly shaped dinnerware pieces. it just makes for a more interesting table setting.

Even if you consider yourself more traditionally-minded, a little dining room makeover could be just what you need to lift you out of the winter funk you might have found yourself in for the past few months. Just have fun with it!

2009-02-17T05:27:00.001-11:00

I am currently working on an exciting writing opportunity and need your help. I’m interested in hearing about your experiences with dinner parties, whether as hosts or as guests. The worst, the best, the weirdest, the raunchiest, the funniest – you name it. If you have a story to tell (or you know of someone who does), I’d appreciate hearing from you. If I use your story, full credit will be given to you or you can choose to remain anonymous. If you’d like more details don’t hesitate to contact me but in the meantime I look forward to hearing about your adventures in dining. Send me your story at thecookscompanion@sympatico.ca

2009-02-14T05:00:00.001-11:00

February is definitely the month of romance and love. But forget lingerie and roses, food has become synonymous with the perfect romantic moment. I for one am pretty happy about this seeing as roses make me sneeze and lace is too scratchy and itchy for my taste!
Everywhere you turn there are restaurants advertising their Valentine’s Day menus featuring foods that are often thought of as romance enhancers, like oysters, champagne and chocolate. Grocery store flyers are filled with specials designed to tantalize the senses through plump red strawberries and succulent seafood. They seem to be telling us that with the right food, you have a better shot at love. And it just might be true. When I think back to all the romantic or love filled moments in my life, the one thing that comes rushing back to me is what or where I was eating.

I may not be able to remember the name of my date who took me to my first “fancy” French restaurant (a bad handlebar mustache comes to mind though) but I can recall with clarity the juicy, garlicky escargots I had.

For my wedding (not to the handlebar mustache guy!) I was adamant that I didn’t want a sit down meal but food stations that featured a different chef and cuisine at each area. Didn’t give a hoot about the flowers or invitations but I was a Bridezilla when it came to the food!

When my husband I moved to Australia and were working together, it is the quaint local restaurant that we frequented every Friday night for the first few months and Fire Gully red wine that helped keep our romance strong in times when we could easily have come to blows; anyone who has worked with their partner will know what I mean!

Even when I feed my family, love is always at the forefront. Why else would I bother taking the extra time to make their favourite home made applesauce instead of opening a jar or spending 45 minutes stirring risotto on a busy Tuesday night but to see their faces light up with pleasure and to hear their little boy voices say, “Thanks mom, you’re the best cooker ever.”

So after 15 years of marriage, I’ll tell my husband to save his money on the French Maid’s outfit and flowers. Instead we’ll splurge on sweet crab legs with champagne dipping sauce and a chocolate soufflé. But hey, if he wants to throw in the odd diamond ring, who am I to spoil his fun!

2009-02-01T04:51:00.002-11:00

I was at the gym the other day puffing away on the ecliptic machine when tragedy struck….my ipod ran out of juice. It’s a tragedy to me because although I like to exercise there is always an ongoing battle in my mind about how long I’m going to keep at it. The music helps to tune out the angel/devil conversation going on in my head and feed my closet Jackson 5 habit at the same time. So with no distraction other than club muzak or Jerry Springer, I was forced to listen in on the neighbouring conversation between two women (shameful I know but I needed something to overshadow my demons!).

The one woman was commenting on how she feels she doesn’t need a dining room anymore let alone a kitchen table because she doesn’t have the time or the desire to do anymore “formal” dining. And if and when her family (I learned through my nosiness that she has 3 kids) sits down to a meal together it’s only ever at someone else’s house or a special occasion. Now don’t get me wrong; I understand that because cooking and entertaining is my business I can perhaps throw together a meal a bit easier and faster than others but to formally rule out family time around a table one night a week at the very least to me is robbing your whole family of a special time together. By sitting down together in the dining room, I learn more about my kids then spending the whole day with them. It’s a time when we don’t answer the phone, toys are banned from the table along with the adult “blackberry” ones and we spend 30 minutes actually enjoying our food instead of gulping it down. Plus the kids eat so much better when we all sit down together. Yes, there are times when milk is spilt on my good table and peas get ground into the rug but my children are learning important skills such as how to make conversation and improve their table manners.

Maybe this woman’s retreat from family dinner time is partially responsible for the atrocious table manners that so many adults seem to have these days. And for those of you who are mumbling, “Sure it’s easy for her to say.” It’s not easy for me. I still have two small children to raise, a household to run, a business to operate and numerous other responsibilities but I think it’s too important a time not to concentrate on. So important that when we moved into our new house last year I changed what was the formal living room to a formal dining room. It’s roomy, has a fireplace, sitting area and a table to seat 14. And best of all my family and friends are so comfortable in this room that we have spent more quality time here talking, laughing and sharing meals than ever before…no one ever wants to leave the table or go home!

But I’m also not spending hours in the kitchen to get this family time either because that would defeat the purpose. A roast chicken is the easiest and stress free meal you can put together for your family. It’s a one stop, one pan satisfaction meal that can be ready to put in the oven the minute you walk in the door or even prepared the day before and reheated closer to serving. Take time at least one day a week to sit down with your family with no distractions and enjoy a meal together around a table. And if for some reason you still don’t think you have time to cook then go out and purchase a rotisserie chicken but serve it on your best dishes and enjoy the time you have together. It goes by way too fast.

Here’s a roast chicken and vegetables recipe that will help you get started enjoying family time around the table. Chicken thighs are used to help shorten the roasting time and make preparation a little faster. Enjoy!

Roast Chicken with Vegetables
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Notes: This dish can be roasted the day before and kept covered in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350F oven until warm (roughly 20 minutes). The garlic in this dish will soften and become sweet adding a wonderful mellow flavour. Feel free to substitute vegetables of your liking such as sweet potatoes, squash, Brussels sprouts, turnips etc.

Ingredients
500g (small) red potatoes, unpeeled and each cut in half
2 large carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
12 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 medium chicken thighs, skin removed
1 medium red pepper, cut into 6 wedges
1 medium green pepper, cut into 6 wedges
125ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 425F. In large roasting pan, toss potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cover roasting pan; roast vegetables 20 minutes.

2. Remove pan from oven; uncover. Add chicken thighs and pepper wedges; toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Roast, uncovered, 20 minutes; stir vegetables and chicken to brown evenly.

3. Roast 10 minutes longer or until vegetables are golden and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.

4. Remove pan from oven and add 125ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock, stirring to loosen brown bits from the bottom of the roasting pan. Serve.

2009-01-21T13:01:00.001-11:00

Did your entertaining duties during the holidays leave you feeling stressed and tired? It doesn’t have to be like that next year or at any of your dinner parties. Read my top 5 tips for stress free entertaining that appeared in my good friend Kathy Buckworth’s article in December’s issue of Good Life Magazine.

2009-01-15T13:00:00.000-11:00

My favourite cheese this past Christmas was Rondoux Triple Crème. A Canadian product with a rich velvety texture. Buy it at your local grocers and experience true decadence!

2009-01-10T12:57:00.002-11:00

Everywhere you turn at this time of year people are talking about cutting back. Cutting back on spending, on eating out and cutting back on eating in general. Usually these thoughts are prompted by an overindulged holiday season and the need to answer that dreaded question, “So what’s your new year’s resolution?” Normally I don’t make resolutions because I find that if you haven’t got the will power to change something during the other 11 months of the year then chances are that in the depressing month of January, drastically changing something is not a positive experience!

This year however, after eating enough cheese through the holidays to make Wisconsin the richest state in the US, I turned to my husband on New Year’s day and proclaimed (as only a wife can)… “we’re cutting back on our eating.” Not a diet mind you but a change in portion size. I’m an advocate for eating what you want as long as it is in moderation. A nibble of dark chocolate late at night or a comforting meal of mac and cheese every once in a while is not going to kill you. It’s when the bowl is the size of the kitchen sink that the problems start. It seems like these days portion sizes have spun out of control and our ability to recognize a healthy size portion has been altered. Even our dinner plates have become larger to accommodate this upsize mentality.

There is a great article on http://www.epicurious.com/ about essential tools for portion control. I wasn’t so interested in the actual tools but more about getting a visual about what is considered a healthy portion size to help remind me how to keep our servings down to a healthy size.

So cheese, bread and pasta will still have a loving spot in my diet routine but now when I dish out our portions I will be thinking “hmm..is this the size of my computer mouse or a stack of cards?” View the slideshow and you’ll see what I mean.

Whether you have chosen to make a food resolution or not, give a thought to your dinner plate tonight and measure up a few household items to see how your portions “stack up”.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-21T13:06:00.003-11:00

It seems (at least in my household) that the bulk of the holiday planning is often left up to the female in the house. From planning, inviting, hosting, shopping, wrapping, mailing, cleaning, cooking, decorating to purchasing my in-laws presents (hello honey….what did you do before you met me?) I am exhausted before the 25th even hits. And this year with the economy weighing down on us as it is, I’m not looking forward to the added financial stresses.

But enough of the humbug! There are some tips that I have learned over the years to help make the holiday season as stress free as possible and no it doesn’t include copious amounts of rum and Egg Nog! A Holiday without planning is anything but a holiday in my books and to that point each year I plan, plan and then plan again but even earlier. Here are a few of my tips and a recipe to help get you through the holidays. And if these don’t work for you….hire a cleaning lady, chef, butler and personal shopper and you just might have the best holiday yet!

· Clean out your fridge, freezer and pantry now. It not only helps to provide the much needed space for all the dinners and baking you will no doubt be doing but it also helps you save money by knowing what you already have on hand so you don’t double purchase.

· Wash and iron the table clothes and napkins now. Or even better – send them out to the dry cleaner. If not, you’ll find yourself trying to strategically hide last year’s gravy spots with the candle holders.

· Take the time to make a few freezer friendly meals that you can pull out at a moment’s notice to serve the family on those hectic shopping days. Soups, stews and casseroles are ideal.

· Make one or two finger foods that can go into the freezer and be popped straight into the oven when people drop by unexpected. Check out the Hors D’oeurves section on the recipes page of my website http://www.thecookscompanion.ca/ for a great Cheddar Dill Puff recipe that is perfect for this.

· Give the gift of home made goodness by making jams, chutneys or flavoured vinegars to give as gifts and hostess gifts this year. An hour in the kitchen now will save you time and money when you need to get your hands on a gift quickly. To get you started here is a recipe for Pear, Date & Cinnamon Chutney that is quick, easy and delicious.

Happy Holiday Season to you all!

Pear, Date & Cinnamon Chutney
Makes about 1 kilogram (2 lbs)
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Notes: Served with a smear of blue cheese on a cracker or baguette slice, this chutney is a wining combination of savoury and sweet. The chutney is ready to be eaten immediately, and will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening and use within 2-3 months.

Ingredients:

· 500ml (2 cups) cider vinegar
· 1 kilogram (2.2 1bs) ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped
· 450g (1 lb) pitted dates, chopped
· 2 red delicious apples, peeled, cored, chopped
· 18-20 shallots, sliced thinly (or 2 medium red onions, sliced thinly)
· 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
· 2 cinnamon sticks

1. Place 250ml (1 cup) of vinegar in a big pot with all the ingredients. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium low heat stirring, until sugar dissolves. Cook for 25-30 minutes until fruit is tender.
2. Add remaining vinegar and cook for 30-40 minutes or until chutney is thickened and liquid is almost evaporated. Transfer to sterilized jars. Cool. (The chutney is ready to be eaten immediately, and will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening and use within 2-3 months.)

Tips for Sterilizing Jars:
· You will need to sterilize your jars or the chutney will go moldy. Wash them thoroughly in warm, clean, soapy water. Drain upside down on a kitchen paper towel and then place on a baking tray in a preheat oven at 140C/285F for 15 minutes. Turn the oven to its lowest setting and keep jars inside while you make the chutney.

Tips for Storing:
· Using a ladle, transfer the chutney to sterilized jars while still hot.
· Cut circles of baking paper (parchment paper) to fit inside tops of jars, then place on the surface of the cooled chutney and seal with lids.
· Label and date jars and store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

2008-11-13T08:35:00.004-11:00

Just in time for the holidays! The Cook’s Companion Gift Baskets

I have put together a collection of exceptional gifts that reflect the hottest trends in the culinary world. Flavoured olive oils and vinegars, imported finishing salts, specialty crackers and spreads and so much more. These unique gifts will give that special someone an offering of sophistication, exquisite quality and ultimate indulgence.

Each gift basket is personally chosen and assembled by me, giving you the assurance that this is the perfect gift for a friend, family member, client or employee. Each gift is beautifully wrapped in a unique carrier such as ice buckets, wine holders, bread baskets and more making it a 2-in-1 gift. I’ll also include a gift card written with your personalized message.

To help in your holiday shopping, The Cook’s Companion Gift Certificates are now available for purchase online and come in a variety of denominations. The lucky recipient can choose to redeem their gift on any one of our services: cooking classes, gift baskets, menu planners and more.

So visit the new Gift Baskets & Certificates page of http://nhughes.homestead.com/GiftBasketsandCertificates.html to shop today.

I’ve taken the stress out of the kitchen for you before now let me take the stress out of holiday shopping!

2008-11-13T08:26:00.004-11:00

This month, CTStv’s Real Life with Sharon Caddy paid me a visit to talk about great holiday gifts from the kitchen, holiday brunch ideas and a quick one pot meal that you can serve to your family on those hectic winter weeknights. So tune into Real Life weekdays at 3pm but especially Nov.17th & 20th and Dec 3rd (Ontario Bell ExpressVu channel 651 and Starchoice channel 355) to catch these segments and more.

And just like his mother, who never shy's away from the spotlight, my son Declan worked his way into the act by joining me to talk about some of our favourite holiday memories. He tells me he’s available to sign autographs!

2008-11-13T08:25:00.000-11:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for me on the WNetwork. Unfortunately I didn’t make the semi-finals but in only the way this wacky world works, I got an offer the same day to audition for a show to be pitched to the Food Network. I will certainly keep you posted as to the progress with this venture!

2008-11-10T08:31:00.001-11:00

I always feel sorry for the month of November. Sandwiched between two holiday packed months it sits on it’s own with really no reason to celebrate. October and December bring the merriment of pumpkins, turkeys and champagne but November only brings gusty winds, shorter days and lower temperatures.

So never one to pass up an opportunity to create a reason to celebrate I suggest we declare November the nurturing month. 30 days to nurture all those relationships that your busy life has you putting on the back burner. Before the December party circuit hits you fully in the face, call up that friend or family member that you’ve wanted to spend some quality time with but never seem to find the time. Whether you put the coffee on or open a bottle of wine together make the effort to reconnect, unwind and share some time talking instead of making party chit chat.

Here’s a recipe that bridges the tea and wine gap…Warm Spiced Wine. It’s the perfect accompaniment to good friends and great conversation. November just might become my favourite month of the year!

Warm Spiced Wine
Makes approximately 6 cups
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Notes: You can make the wine up to 4 hours prior to serving it. Gently reheat on the stove top just before serving.

Ingredients:

· 1.5L (6 cups) dry red wine
· 225g (1 cup) white sugar
· 3 whole dried dessert figs
· 1 granny smith apple, quartered
· 1 orange, quartered
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 1 vanilla bean, split
· 3 whole cloves
· 2 tablespoons brandy

Combine wine, sugar, figs, apple, orange, cinnamon, vanilla and cloves in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly.

Remove from heat. Stir in brandy and cover. Set aside for 10 minutes to develop the flavours.
Strain through a sieve into a serving bowl. Ladle into glasses and serve.

*Recipe adapted from Australian Good Taste – April 2004

2008-10-28T01:22:00.002-11:00

A big thank you to everyone who voted for me to become the W Network's newest Food & Nutrition expert. The voting has closed and the finalists will be announced the first week of November. You can check back here as well as www.wnetwork.com to find out if I have been selected. I'll also post the results on www.thecookscompanion.ca and www.themenucompanion.com.

Everyone's comments were so supportive and once again I can't thank you enough for taking the time to view my video submission and comment on it.

Fingers crossed....

2008-10-14T04:11:00.001-11:00

The W Network (http://www.wnetwork.com/) is looking for a food and nutrition expert to appear on their own television show. I have thrown my hat into the ring and sent in a video explaining why I think I should be their next food and nutrition expert. To help choose the finalists starting Monday October 13th and ending October 26th, website users are invited to comment on and rate the eligible experts’ submitted videos. The panel of judges will take into account these comments and ratings.

If in the past you have enjoyed one on my cooking classes, read with interest my monthly column and blog or have watched me on television and think I would be an ideal candidate then please lend your support by visiting http://www.wnetwork.com/ and click through to their Expert Section to comment and rate my video. If you think any of your friends or family would be interested in voting please forward on this email.

I appreciate everyone’s support and look forward to providing you with more great tips and recipes as W Network’s new food and nutrition expert.

2008-10-10T08:33:00.002-11:00

Last Sunday morning at the cottage, I was warming my hands up with a cup of coffee when I noticed out of the corner my eye, a dark shape moving around in the backyard. I figured it was our local bear making his morning pilgrimage to the breakfast buffet – the neighbour’s compost pile. But when I wiped the sleep from my eyes I realized it wasn’t Smokey but 2 wild turkeys strutting their stuff. Now personally if it was coming up to the time of year when I was fêted and admired the world over and then roasted in the oven, I wouldn’t be doing the two step in front of the very audience that wanted to smother me in cranberry sauce!

None the less, the kids squealed with delight at the turkeys who quickly took off into the bush but not before they left their calling card in the form of a few feathers. So a good day for all last Sunday; the kids got something cool to take to Show & Tell, I was inspired to find this great recipe for Dried Fig & Pork Stuffing and the turkeys…
Well they lived to strut another day, just!

Dried Fig and Pork Stuffing
Makes enough stuffing for a 4kg turkey

Preparation Time: 10 minutes + standing
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Notes: This stuffing can be made a day ahead; refrigerate, covered, separately from the turkey. Fill the turkey close to cooking. Once cooked and carved ay remaining turkey should have the stuffing removed from both cavities; both turkey and the stuffing should be covered, separately and refrigerated as soon as possible after being served.

Ingredients:

½ cup dried figs, chopped coarsely
½ cup pitted prunes, chopped coarsely
¾ cup (180ml) port
50g butter
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250g breakfast sausage, casings removed
250g ground pork
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (pulse day old sandwich bread in a food processor until fine crumbs)
½ cup roasted pistachios (optional)
1 egg, beaten lightly
½ cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (Italian parsley)

Combine fruit and port in small bowl; cover, stand 3 hours or overnight. Drain fruit over small bowl; reserve both fruit and port, separately.

Melt butter in large frying pan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add ground pork and sausage meat, cook, stirring, until browned; transfer to large bowl.

Add reserved port to same pan; cook, stirring, until port reduces by half. Add port to meat mixture with remaining ingredients; stir until well combined.

2008-09-22T06:48:00.002-11:00

I have always found food and wine trends fascinating. In my business I find new products, flavours and ideas well before they hit mainstream so it’s always interesting to see how on the mark my personal favourites become.

Those who know me personally, know that Sparkling Wine has been my drink of choice for years. It’s so often reserved for special occasions but never in my house. When you consider that you can purchase a really good quality Prosecco or Cava (Italian and Spanish sparkling wines) for around $13, price isn’t a factor as most people spend on average $15 a bottle for wine. Sparkling wine is also a very versatile drink to pair with many different types of food. As a general rule the more a wine makes your mouth pucker, the better it is to match with foods and the crisp bubbles of a sparkling wine do just that! Plus I love the taste and it always makes me feel special even on a Tuesday night!

The other drink I have always been fond of is Tequila. Now most people raise their eyebrows when I tell them this as they see Tequila as a harsh, throw it back shot. But a small sipping glass of gold tequila can be a wonderfully rich, smooth and enjoyable experience. So I had to chuckle when this summer seasons LCBO Food & Drink magazine had an article on “Tequila Comes of Age” praising the merits of “sipping tequilas”. These are refined 100% agave spirits that are viewed in the same manner as single-malt Scotch. Tequila is now enjoying a soaring popularity and a sophisticated new image.

If you haven’t tried Tequila in a while, invite a few friends over and sample some of the newer brands on the market. Just make sure to serve some Tequila inspired dishes to help keep the party on an even keel!

2008-09-01T06:45:00.003-11:00

The Memory Keeper’s Collection

It is often said that sounds, smells and tastes can bring us back to a long forgotten memory in an instant. The aroma of bacon and onions frying transcends my father back to his grandmother’s kitchen early on a Sunday morning; the ping of a flag pole line instantly has my husband recalling days of sleeping aboard the family sailboat as a small boy and every time I taste wild mushrooms I subconsciously find myself traipsing through a damp forest with my family searching for these woodsy delights.

So too do sensations and memories play an important role for Martin Malivoire when he speaks of his love of wine. Martin, owner of Malivoire Wine Company with his partner Moira Saganski, has been an passionate collector of wines for the past few decades. Through his work as a film and television special effects supervisor and now winery owner, Martin has had the pleasure of traveling to all corners of the world and in doing so has made it a habit to seek out small, unknown areas for wine. “I’d much rather travel to a small unrecognized wine region and immerse myself in the local food, wine and culture. It’s a great way to truly get to know a town, make some wonderful new friends and along the way uncover a few gems of wine, “explains Martin. “I’d find something I like; most often a house wine made down the road, and buy a half dozen cases to bring home with me.” And it’s a good thing for us he has.

As the lead donor to the 2008 Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital’s Fine Wine Auction held on September 18th, Martin has donated over $200,000 worth of wine from his personal collection to be auctioned off in support of the Surgical Department of the Oakville hospital. Exciting wines such as a 1988 Penfolds Grange, South Australia, a 2001 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa California and 4 bottles of 1989 Chateau Petrus, each valued at $8,500. And although a bottle of Petrus may not make it onto everyone’s shopping list, there are wines to suit a variety tastes and budgets up for auction.

With such a vast collection, I asked Martin what it was that motivated him to acquire a specific wine. The answer was never about the cost of a bottle; whether it be $20 or $500; but about the story of the surroundings and the meal that was paired with the particular wine. He recalls for me a trip years ago to Roufach, France when after a damp, cold day of hiking, he and his traveling partner settled down in front of a crackling fireplace in a small bistro. He describes to me the many cyclists pedaling furiously past the window, a steaming dish of wild boar stew placed in front of him and a beautiful glass of ’88 Chateau Nouvelle Petrus (made down the road of course) that accompanied it. If it wasn’t for the 30 degree temperature in July, I too felt like I was snuggling back into the bistro chair rejuvenating myself with the fire and wine.

But for Martin, wine is not just for enjoying and collecting; it’s also his livelihood. Malivoire Wine Company, based in Beamsville, Ontario, released its first wine in 1997 to great reception and has continued to steadily increase not only the volume but the variety of wine it produces. New releases this summer include a 2006 Courtney Gamay and a 2007 Gewürztraminer. In addition to bidding on the over 450 bottles of wine, the OTMH Wine Auction attendees will be able to sample 3 of Malivoire Wine Company’s more popular wines on the night of the 18th; 2006 Ladybug Rose, 2006 Chardonnay and the 2006 Gamay. The wines will be paired with a selection of hors d’oeuvres and Martin will be on hand to share with you not only his wine but the stories that go with them.

With such wonderful memories, it’s hard for Martin to part with a selection of his cellar but in doing so he not only supports a wonderful cause in the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital but he also makes room for future wine adventures that will no doubt create new and lasting memories. To purchase your tickets to the OTMH Fine Wine Auction, showcasing a spectacular private collection, Malivoire wines and the man himself, visit http://www.otmhfinewineauction.com/ or contact Amanda Moore at 905-845-2571 ext. 6247.

Here’s a wonderful recipe courtesy of Malivoire Wine Company and Gamelle Restaurant in Toronto. Paired with the 2007 Malivoire Gewurztraminer it makes a delicious first course or light dinner. Enjoy!

Braised Onion and Brie Galette
Recipe provided by Chef Sean Moore of Gamelle restaurant in Toronto
Tips: For a quicker version, use ready to roll puff pastry or fresh pizza dough in place of making your own dough.
Beverage Pairing: 2007 Malivoire Wine Co. Gewurztraminer

For the Dough:
· 2 cups all purpose flour
· 1/2 lb unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 4-6 tbsp cold water

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter and salt by rubbing them together with the tips of your fingers. When the butter and flour is the consistency of pea-sized pieces, turn the mixture onto a clean surface. Form a well in the middle of the flour-butter mixture and pour the water into it. Using the tips of the fingers of one hand, gradually work the flour into the water using a circular motion. Knead the resulting dough into a flat ball, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

For the Filling:

· 1 fennel bulb, trimmed of stems and root, sliced thinly
· 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled and sliced thinly
· 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
· 100 mL Malivoire's Ver Jus (or substitute dry white wine)
· 1 tablespoon butter
· salt and pepper to taste

Place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the sliced fennel and onion. Stir to coat the vegetables with butter. Add the fresh thyme and cover the pot with a lid. Turn the heat down low and allow the onion and fennel to cook and soften for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning. Remove the lid and add the ver jus. Allow the mixture to cook further, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the consistency of a thin marmalade. Season to taste and remove from heat. Allow to cool completely.

To Finish:

· 200 grams Brie cheese, cut into small pieces
· 1 small bunch fresh Arugula
· A handful of toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)
· 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
· 2 beaten egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Roll the pastry dough into a 10-inch circle. Move the dough onto a pizza pan or baking sheet. Spoon the onion-fennel filling into the center of the pastry and spread out evenly over the pastry, leaving 1 inch of uncovered pastry around the edge. Sprinkle the brie over the filling. Working around the outside of the galette, fold the uncovered 1 inch of pastry dough over the first inch of filling until you have a rough tart with a large exposed section of filling in the middle. Brush the pastry edges with the egg yolk. Bake for 30 minutes until pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.
Toss the fresh arugula with olive oil, pumpkin/sunflower seeds and a little salt. Arrange in the center of the galette. To serve, slice into wedges, and plate with some arugula on the side. Enjoy!

Malivoire Wine Company
3920 King Street West
Beamsville, ONT L0R 1B0
905-563-9253 http://www.malivoirewineco.com/

Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Fine Wine Auction
Thursday September 18, 2008
http://www.otmhfinewineauction.com/ 905-845-2571 ext.6247

2008-07-18T06:43:00.001-11:00

Hurry Up and Slow Down

I always look forward to the month of July and not just because of the glorious weather. After the craziness of the school year I take my two boys and head north to the cottage. Here there are no set schedules, no soccer games/hockey games/play dates to drag the kids off to, no stores to whip out to, no movies we “have” to go and see and no “important” errands. Instead there is a sense of calm and relaxation. And instead of me constantly chanting to the kids, “Hurry up, hurry up. We’re going to be late”, I find myself taking the time to actually enjoy my children. Jumping off the dock, looking for frogs and island hopping are daily rituals. So our family meals have to reflect this unhurried and relaxed pace. Meals are usually always cooked on the BBQ and almost never require a lot of preparation. Here’s an easy and fun meal that is perfect for those long, lazy days of summer. Marinate the chicken ahead of time and give your family the task of husking the corn so everyone gets to enjoy the most of the day without being in the kitchen. So come on…hurry up and slow down!

Chicken & Chorizo Skewers
Serves 6
Ingredients:
· 8 (about 600g) chicken thigh fillets, cut into medium sized pieces
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 2 garlic cloves, crushed
· 2 teaspoons ground oregano
· 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
· 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
· 2 teaspoons brown sugar
· 4 chorizo sausages, thinly sliced diagonally
· Crusty rolls, split, to serve
· Spicy Barbecued Corn on The Cob (see recipe below)

Combine chicken, oil, garlic, oregano, paprika, lemon juice and sugar in a bowl. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to marinate or overnight.

Evenly thread the chicken, alternating with chorizo, among the skewers. Note: If using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them in water for 15 minutes prior to using. This will ensure they don’t burn on the BBQ.

Heat a barbecue on medium high heat. Add the skewers and cook, turning, for 6-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and place in the fridge to chill. Serve with rolls, corn and a green salad.

Spicy Barbecued Corn on the Cob
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
· 6 cobs of fresh corn, husks and silks removed
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· Salt
· Pepper
· Chili powder
· 2 limes, quartered

1. Preheat a BBQ to medium high heat.

2. Brush the corn with the oil and BBQ turning frequently for 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

3. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, chili powder to taste. Squeeze fresh lime or each cob. Enjoy!

2008-06-22T06:41:00.000-11:00

Buttermilk Rhubarb Coffee Cake

The spring harvest season in Ontario has taken a slight beating this year with our long and cold winter that lasted well into April and even May in some parts. Because of this the traditional time for strawberry picking (June and July) will no doubt be pushed back. Most pick your own farms for berries (www.foodland.on.gov.ca) are not showing signs of readiness so far this season.

But just because the summer season fruits are behind schedule there are still many early harvest crops that are ready for you to enjoy now. Rhubarb is a perfect example. With it’s rosy colour and tart flavour, rhubarb is a perfect addition to so many dishes. Slow roasted with a splash of vanilla and sugar is a quick and easy dessert. And although it’s often paired with strawberries in pies, jams and puddings, rhubarb was classified as a vegetable up until the late forties. Sautéed with butter and deglazing the pan with wine makes for a wonderful accompaniment to roast duck or pork. But I’m one of those people who like my fruits at the end of my meal so when I have an abundance of rhubarb I turn to this wonderful recipe for Buttermilk Rhubarb Coffee Cake. When baked, the rhubarb releases enough moisture to add a delicious syrupy consistency that is sopped up by the coffee cake giving it a richness and moistness that is irresistible.

So put your thoughts of Strawberry Margaritas aside for a few weeks and enjoy the local flavour Rhubarb while it’s at its peak.

Buttermilk Rhubarb Coffee Cake
· 1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb(in 1/4 -inch pieces)
· 3 tablespoons sugar
· Nonstick spray for the pan
· ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
· 2/3 cup sugar
· 2 large eggs
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/8 teaspoon (large pinch) baking soda
· ½ cup buttermilk
Topping:
· 2 tablespoons brown sugar
· ½ teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the chopped rhubarb in a bowl, and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Let stand while preparing the batter.

2. Spray an 8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.

3. Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl. Using beaters, add the sugar, and cream together until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the vanilla.

4. In a second bowl, stir together the dry ingredients until blended.

5. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir thoroughly, but minimally, until combined. Don't overmix.

6. Fold in the rhubarb, and transfer the batter to the pan. The batter will be somewhat stiff, and might seem to resist being spread into the pan.

7. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle on top of the batter.

8. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

2008-05-22T06:38:00.000-11:00

What’s Your BBQ Personality?

I listened to a conversation this morning that my husband and a few male friends of ours were having. They were talking about the best methods to BBQ, whether to poke the sausages before you put them on, how hot the BBQ should be and what tools are the best for flipping. It was all done in a very manly “hey look at my flame” sort of tone. These guys literally started to morph into cavemen in front of my eyes. I had a good giggle to myself because I know for a fact that my husband doesn’t do any of the barbecuing in our house because he has what I call “a Slasher” BBQ personality. He insists on slashing into the meat on the grill to check it’s doneness about 20 times which infuriates me to no end because all he accomplishes is letting all those precious juices run out. He’s been banned from the BBQ after one too many dry steaks.

So I got to thinking what type of BBQ personality I was. I used to be “The Wanderer”. I had a tendency to multi-task while I had the BBQ going. You know the type…put something on the grill, walk away to do 18 other things like fix the rest of dinner, read school notes, check emails, break up a few squabbles and fold the laundry. Then smell the smoke and rush out with tongs in hand! Nothing a little spicy salsa couldn’t cover up but I have learned that it will save me time (and money with one too many burnt out BBQs) in the long run by paying attention to the task at hand.

Here are a few different BBQ personalities I have come across and some tips on getting your household griller in fine BBQ form.

The Poker: Keeps poking and stabbing holes in the meat to let some of the fat out. Similar to The Slasher but does it much more frequently! All this results in is the loss of juices that will keep your meat moist and tender. Use long handled tongs to turn food instead of a fork. Note: The Poker also usually likes to flatten out those big thick burgers, letting all those juices out and leaving you with a tough hockey puck to put between your bun.

The Flipper: The Flipper insists on turning the meat every 28 seconds resulting in leaving half the meat stuck on the grill. Let the meat get a good sear first before turning – only once. The meat will naturally “unlock” itself from the grill after a few minutes allowing all those flavours to be sealed in and keeping the meat from sticking to the grill.

The Baster: This person should have been a painter. Back and forth, back and forth with the basting brush they go. The Baster’s meat usually ends up with a sticky, burnt outside and an undercooked or incredibly dry inside, never mind the singed eyebrows from the constant flare-ups! Better to baste your food the last 10 minutes of grilling to reduce chance of burning. Remember not to baste the food with the marinade that the raw meat or poultry was sitting in to reduce any chance of food borne bacteria.

The Fast & Furious: Probably the most dangerous of the lot, this person lights the BBQ to high and immediately slaps the food on. Then they leave the lid open, flipping, poking and prodding at a furious pace! Far better to let the grill heat up to high, sear your meat, then turn the temperature down to avoid burning the outside and undercooking the inside. Keep the lid closed to keep an even temperature and help to reduce unnecessary extended cooking time.

2008-04-22T13:06:00.002-11:00

How “No” Led to Sizzling Success: The Cook’s Companion

Written by Bonnie Staring
Saturday, 01 September 2007

Hearing a big fat “no” was just what Nadine Hughes needed in order to discover how to launch her company anyway—and for a lot less money.
Nadine Hughes knew that when she and her family returned to Canada after living in Australia for five years, she didn’t want to continue her career in marketing, stuck behind a desk and working endless hours for someone else. “I wanted to be home for the kids, and for myself,” she admits. But Hughes struggled to determine what it was that she could do.

“It’s no big deal.”
At the time, she was reconnecting with old friends and meeting new neighbours by hosting fabulous parties that soon started earning her a reputation for being an exceptional hostess. “People were asking me who I used for catering and when I told them I did it myself, they’d be surprised,” says Hughes. “And I’d say ‘it’s no big deal’ instead of appreciating the value of that skill.”

Repeated compliments and requests for her “secret” got her thinking. Something that she was able to do naturally was a foreign concept to others. There was an entertaining epidemic that was affecting women (and men): many felt useless in the kitchen and even phobic when it came to preparing company-worthy meals or appetizers. Many, she discovered, felt that great food resulted from lengthy recipes that only trained chefs could master. And those who were able to produce desirable results spent so much time in the kitchen they never had a chance to visit properly with their guests.

The simmering of an idea.
That’s what triggered the idea for Hughes to create The Cook`s Companion: cooking and entertaining workshops. Not to be confused with standard cooking classes, her workshops focus on food preparation that’s quick, easy and delicious. She soon obtained estimates for renovating the family home (a 150-year-old barn) to include a large kitchen/classroom and approached her municipal office to obtain the permits necessary to operate the business.

“They turned me down flat,” says Hughes. “Even though I knew for a fact that some of my neighbours were running businesses out of their homes, the city told me that it was illegal to do so.” No permit meant no business—and the new entrepreneur felt ready to give up.
“I was so fixated on running my business out of my home that I didn’t see any other option,” says Hughes. All her plans stemmed from that crucial step and without it, she was lost.
What if?Then one of her friends made an outrageous suggestion: what if Hughes could use one of the local restaurants on the nights they were closed? Several of the upscale restaurants in her city closed on Sundays and Mondays, which meant a kitchen and “classroom” area—with tables and chairs no less—might be available to rent.
“Suddenly my need to spend thousands of dollars renovating my home disappeared,” says Hughes. After approaching two restaurants—both agreed. Her start-up costs went from over $20,000 to just under a grand for an initial fee for the spaces, food, classroom materials and flyers.

Holding classes within an established restaurant also gave her business an immediate legitimacy. “You can’t buy that,” says Hughes. She also benefitted from a captive audience, as most of her initial classes were attended by regular diners. Along with a rental fee, the restaurants receive exposure with each workshop, as well as mention promotional materials for The Cook’s Companion.

You can take it with you.
For Hughes, another huge benefit is being able to keep her business portable. “Summer means spending time at the cottage, and I can take The Cook`s Companion with me wherever I go,” she says with a laugh, as she plans on going for a swim once our interview is complete. This entrepreneur has expanded her roster to include workshops on BBQ basics and cottage entertaining—something she might not have come up with had she been based out of her home.

But don’t let her cost-effective beginnings fool you: this business has her working harder than any 9–5 job. “It’s taught me to be flexible...and creative,” admits Hughes. One method that has worked very well for her is bartering, as it forces her to place a value on her time and energy. “You have to make sure your time is well spent, whether networking, seeking ways to expand your business or generating word of mouth.”

All in all, it’s turned out to be a true recipe for success.

2008-04-22T13:03:00.002-11:00

Preserved Lemons—are a tradition in Moroccan and Middle Eastern recipes. They are lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. They are quite simple to make but take about 3 weeks before the lemons are ready to use. You can also find pre-made ones in specialty grocery stores. I personally like Maggie Beers preserved lemons and I have included a link to her site to give you more ideas on how to use these golden slices!

2008-04-22T13:00:00.002-11:00

Dulce de Leche is a milk based syrup with Spanish origins. This decadent sauce is prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to create a product similar in taste to caramel. It’s a long process to reach this caramel consistency and although I’ve always loved the taste I’ve been too lazy to recreate it at home. So when I saw that President’s Choice came out with their version of Dulce de leche (caramel crème spread) I quickly snapped it up. It’s excellent as a spread on bread or toast, a filling for crepes, topping for waffles, fruit or ice cream.

2008-04-01T12:55:00.000-11:00

Sometimes the best plans are the ones that you don’t actually plan! Right now my family and I are supposed to be in Arizona enjoying a few days of sunshine while visiting the in-laws. But after pulling out the passports the day before we were set to leave, I was surprised to find my oldest son’s passport expired. With a long Easter weekend ahead of us and no government office open, chances of renewal in time for our flight was non-existent. So we postponed the flights and found ourselves with 4 days of no plans (and no fresh food) until the office opened on Tuesday morning.

I decided to do the “loaves and fishes” route from my pantry and refrigerator because it was still Easter after all and I wanted to give my family a nice meal. It’s amazing the meal you can pull together if you have a well stocked pantry. Plus, there is something truly cathartic about cleaning out the cupboard and I found myself with the time to do it. Once I started I couldn’t stop! Even though I had a pretty good idea what was in there I was still amazed at a few items I had forgotten about.

So here is a list of items that helped me pull together our “smorgasbord” Easter that was met with rave reviews from everyone in the family. We ate from big platters of a mixture of different cultures, textures, tastes and colours. It’s a great way to eat every once in a while and even though our original plans of an Easter BBQ in Arizona didn’t turn out, this meal will certainly be remembered by all as something for everyone.

· Haloumi Cheese – A semi-hard cheese that originated in Cypress, this cheese keeps for up to one year in your refrigerator, can be frozen, grilled, sautéed or eaten as is! A truly versatile cheese. I grilled thick slices in a hot pan, squeezed some lemon over them and served it with the hot bread.
· Frozen Bread – Heated them up in the oven from frozen, sliced them thickly and felt like I had just baked bread! I love the Ace Bakery brand as well as President Choice Naan Bread.
· Canned Escargot – I sautéed garlic in butter and tossed the escargot in for a few minutes, hit them with some sea salt, black pepper and a splash of sparkling wine. My husband thought he had died and gone to heaven!
· Canned or Fresh Whole Mushrooms – I had a few fresh ones that were on the edge but it didn’t matter once I sautéed them whole in some butter and garlic. Similar to the escargot, I added sea salt, black pepper and a splash of sparkling wine. Using the hot bread to soak up all the yummy juices was my favourite part of this dish!
· Canned Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Hearts - Drained and roughly chopped these canned vegetables make a great salad with a drizzle of lemon flavoured olive oil and black pepper.
· Frozen Smoked Salmon – De-thaws quickly which leaves me just the right amount of time to prepare all the other ingredients. I drizzled the salmon with lemon juice (even from the bottle!!), sprinkled some dried dill and popped a few capers on top. For some reason this is always my 6 year old’s favourite dish.
· Sparkling Wine – Even though it’s my drink of choice, it always makes any occasion feel extra special. Plus it matches all these different flavours the best!

2008-03-07T09:12:00.003-11:00

New taped segments are available for viewing on Real Life with Sharon Caddy. Catch up on a decadent Raspberry & Fig Gratin as well as upcoming Easter segments where I show you how to decorate your Spring Table and show you a simple but spectacular recipe for Grilled Asparagus & Haloumi Salad that is a perfect way to start off your Easter meal. Simply go to the Real Life website and click on the Multimedia/Video Gallery.

2008-03-07T09:10:00.000-11:00

Traditionally March heralds the end of winter and the start of spring. And even though the amount of snow here in Toronto does not seem to be letting up I know that eventually we will come out from under this blanket of white. I can’t wait for that first sniff of spring air, the early flowers to poke their heads out of the still cold ground and of course for all the wonderful tastes and flavours that herald the start of spring.

I find myself at this time of year craving fresh-tasting dishes which remind me that summer is just around the corner. Meals like warm salads, grilled fish and light springy vegetables such as asparagus are great stopgaps between hearty winter dishes and lighter summer meals.
Take a look around your local grocery store and see what is new and fresh to rev up your cooking and your spirits. You’ll do your body and mind a favour by tricking them into thinking spring is here just that little bit earlier. Because it is coming isn’t it? Isn’t it?

And for those of you not fortunate enough to be heading off for a sunnier location during March Break check out my most recent column “In Like A Lion and Out Like A Lamb”. I share with you two recipes that I call “snacktivities” that will have you spending time in the kitchen with your kids reinforcing good eating habits as well as the importance of them gaining confidence and independence in the kitchen. And it also helps to eat up time during this long break!!! To read the column check out my entry below or any of these websites and while you’re there see what else they have to offer you during March Break.

www.kiddingaroundtoronto.com www.lifewithkids.ca www.torontoparentsguide.com www.workingmoms.ca www.oakvillemoms.com www.cityparent.com

So keep shoveling, it will end and we’ll soon be sipping margaritas by the pool and complaining about the heat. Happy Spring and Happy Easter to you all. Bon Appétit.

2008-03-03T09:04:00.000-11:00

In like a lion and out like a lamb. This old saying might have been referring to the rapid weather change in March but in my house I think it’s more like the mood of my children. With March break hurtling towards us, my 7 year old is hopping around like crazy with anticipation of 19 (yes I did say 19!!) glorious school free days. I on the other hand am hopping around trying to figure out just what the heck I am going to do with him for all those hours.

Like all extended school breaks the first few days will be filled with excitement and noise (this is where the roar of the lion comes in) but then it will soon peter off to the whine of the lamb, “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do.” In my house this is the time to pull out all the stops; arts and crafts, library visits, dress up time and of course Kitchen Creations. My two boys and I will head into the kitchen and make “snacktivities”. We get creative and playful with our food and for once don’t worry about the mess we make. Snacktivities eat up lots of time, reinforces good eating habits and also continues their appreciation of making their own meals.
Here are a couple of favourites of my sons that you can try with your little lions. Enjoy!

Apple Saturn Biscuit Circles
Serves 4+
Special Equipment Needed: Rolling pin, 3 inch round cookie cutter, melon ball scoop
Ingredients:

* Baking mix, such as Bisquick
* 1 apple, peeled (you can substitute pears as well)
* Butter, optional

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare biscuit batter according to the package directions.
2. Roll out the biscuit dough with a rolling pin to about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Cut the biscuits with a 3 inch round cookie cutter (or use rim of glass) and then cut out a smaller 1 inch circle inside the 3 inch round so it resembles a doughnut shape.
4. Put the “doughnut” biscuits on a baking sheet.
5. Using a melon baller, scoop into the apple and turn to scoop out apple balls. Place an apple ball in the hole of each biscuit.
6. Bake the apple biscuits according to package directions, usually about 8 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve with butter if desired.

*Recipe adapted from “Cooking Art”- MaryAnn F.Kohl and Jean Potter

Sailboat Eggs
Makes 8 sailboats
Special Equipment Needed: Toothpicks for masts, scissors, and paper for sails
Ingredients:

* 4 hard-boiled eggs
* 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
* 1 teaspoon mustard
* 1 cup diced green peppers (or red, or yellow)
* Carrot sticks
* Celery sticks
* Chopped pickles
* Lettuce leaves

1. Peel the hard-boiled eggs and discard shells.
2. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise.
3. Remove the yolks and place them in a bowl with the mayonnaise and mustard and mash together.
4. Spoon the mixture back into the egg white sections.
5. Decorate the egg sections with the celery sticks, carrot sticks and chopped pickles.
7. Cut paper into small sail shapes and attaché to the toothpicks with glue or tape. Decorate eggs with sails.
8. Place the lettuce on a serving plate and put the eggs on top like ships floating in the sea.

*Recipe adapted from “Cooking Art”- MaryAnn F.Kohl and Jean Potter

2008-02-29T09:17:00.001-11:00

You might have noticed this month that our logo has changed. Since I first started The Cook’s Companion in April 2005 so many wonderful new avenues have opened up for the business. I’ve branched out into food writing, TV presenting, private classes and kitchen coaching just to name a few. I’m very excited about this new look as I think it better reflects what The Cook’s Companion is all about—bringing you new and fun ideas on food and entertaining but in a non-intimidating and hopefully amusing style! I’d love to hear what you think about this new look so drop me a line if you get a chance.

The logo is not the only thing new around here. Launching in February is my newest service—The Menu Companion. We all love to enjoy a great meal with friends and family but preparing for a special evening can take a huge amount of time—not just the cooking, but the planning and the preparation. This is where The Menu Companion can help.

Choose from a wide selection of dinner party menus that will offer you and your guests a delicious and visually stunning meal with a minimum amount of time and effort on your part. The entire menu is mapped out and timed for you from the organized shopping list to the identically scaled recipes to the pre-planning that is required. It’s simple and easy to use. I know you’ll love this service so much that I’ll let you try it for free before you buy. Check out the website today at http://www.themenucompanion.com/ and your next dinner party is only a few clicks away!

So between switching all of our marketing materials over to our new look, creating and tasting lots of wonderful new recipes for The Menu Companion and still keeping up with cooking classes, life has been a bit crazy in my kitchen but I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

I hope you are spending your time doing the things you love to do and if you aren’t then take some time this weekend and invite some friends over to share a glass of wine and something decadent to eat! Come Monday morning you’ll feel better for it!

2008-02-19T09:14:00.000-11:00

Coming up on March 3rd, Meena Agarwal will join me as special guest chef for our Indian 1o1 class. I’m looking forward to this class as it’s always fun to share the kitchen with someone who has as much passion about food as Meena does. Her extremely popular blog Hooked on Heat showcases mouth watering recipes and great information about her favourite Indian and Malaysian dishes.

Recently I caught up with Meena to ask her a few questions about her background, her love of cooking and if she’d share her favourite recipe with us. Here’s part of our conversation. Click here for the entire interview.

NH: You have such an eclectic background with your mom being Malaysian, your dad being an Indian and you growing up in the Middle East. How do you think this has influenced your cooking style?

MA: The food I cook regularly for my daily meals are often a blend of my favourite dishes from almost every part of the world that I’ve had the good fortune to visit. Most times, it’s only a memory of a dish I ate somewhere that gets me experimenting. I love how mixing different flavours can create a wonderful concoction for your palate.

NH: What do you think the biggest misconception about Indian food is?

MA: Of the few complaints I get on Indian cooking, the one that stands most prominent is the myth that Indian cooking is just too hard. Try as I might, somehow, I can’t convince people enough on just how simple and quick and not to mention, healthy, Indian food can be. Now before you roll your eyes at me and say, “Yeah sure, easy for you, you’re Indian!” just hear me out. True, I was born in an Indian household with a Mom who cooks the most delicious Indian food I know. But truth be told, and as much as I would like to believe, I wasn’t born with Indian culinary instincts in me. Like any of you not familiar with the South-Asian cuisine, I too started off without much knowledge.

NH: Like my husband, you joke that your hubby is your guinea pig. Do you think they know how good they have it??!!

MA: Oh, I definitely hope so! Or maybe we leave them to fend for themselves, and ask them what they think!

2008-02-14T01:00:00.003-11:00

I’m sure we’ve all seen the commercials, a pouting but sultry woman flipping her gorgeous, shiny, long hair over her shoulder, breathlessly telling us she’s worth it. Of course we’re worth clean, shiny hair without any tell tale skunk lines. I’d also like to think I’m worth a tad bit more than that. I’d like to think I was worth a hot bubble bath every night. Perhaps a warming glass of Merlot and a chance to read my book for 10 minutes without being interrupted. Or the opportunity to curl up in front of the tv and watch some brainless show without feeling guilty for it! But I think I’m dreaming on all those accounts; not the worthy part of it just finding the time to do it!

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching I thought if I can’t manage all of the above (particularly the no skunk line with my schedule) then perhaps I’ll treat myself to a sweet treat. But what to make I thought? So when I came across this Nice and Easy Raspberry Toffee Ice-Cream Cake I knew I was worthy of it! It’s a no bake, easy to assemble treat that has all my favourite dessert flavours; tangy raspberry, smooth vanilla and the decadence of white chocolate. The striped colours of bright red and white are perfect for Valentine’s Day so even though I’ll tell my family I made it for them, I might just cut the recipe in half and hide my own special sized treat…because you guessed it; I’m worth it! Now I have to work on balancing the cake plate, wine glass and book while I step into the tub!
Whatever size you make, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this delicious cake because you’re worth it too!

Nice & Easy Raspberry Toffee Ice-Cream Cake
Serves 12
Preparation Time: 10 minutes + refrigeration time
Cooking time: 0 minutes (don't you love this number!!)

Ingredients:

1 litre good quality vanilla ice-cream
1 litre good quality raspberry sorbet or gelato
1 litre good quality English toffee ice-cream
250g fresh raspberries
Good quality white chocolate for garnish
Line a deep 19cm square cake pan with two pieces of plastic wrap so base is covered twice and wrap extends 5cm over all four sides.
Soften vanilla ice-cream slightly. Spoon into prepared pan, pressing into an even layer with the back of a spoon. Freeze for about 1 hour or until firm. Tip: Spray the back of your spoon with non-stick cooking spray and your spoon will easily slide over the ice-cream.
Spoon sorbet onto vanilla ice-cream layer with back of a spoon. Freeze about 1 hour or until firm.
Soften toffee ice-cream slightly. Spoon onto sorbet, pressing into even layer with back of a spoon. Cover, freeze about 6 hours or overnight.
To serve, invert pan onto serving platter and carefully remove plastic wrap. Spoon fresh raspberries on top and garnish with shavings of white chocolate.

*Recipe adapted from the Australian Women’s Weekly

2008-01-08T13:14:00.000-11:00

As Canadians, most of us are fortunate enough to enjoy three meals a day. Where, how and when we eat them is often the differing factor. When you consider that 15 million Canadians spend one-half of their waking hours at work, chances are we eat at least one of those meals per day at work and depending upon our schedule it can be up to 3 meals per day. So it stands to reason that our eating habits are greatly influenced by the workplace and the people we eat with.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, over half of Canadians carry excess weight and two-thirds of these are considered to be at a health risk. Obesity increases the risk of coronary heart disease, osteoarthritis and various cancers. It also increase the risk of back injuries which are a significant cost to the work industry as 35% of all Worker’s Compensation claims are related to back injuries.

Currently there has been a big focus on changing individual behaviour towards eating but little towards institutional changes. By establishing a healthy workplace environment, employers demonstrate a commitment to their employee’s health. In turn employers stand to gain an increase in productivity and morale, an enhanced ability to cope with stress, lower health care costs and reduced absenteeism

Snacks and meals in the workplace play an important role. In most cases, they are often used as a means to relieve current work pressures, opportunities to take breaks and as a social aspect of work. However the meals and snacks provided during meetings or work sponsored events, cafeterias and vending machines are often high in fat and sugar such as cookies, pastries and fried foods which can lead to sluggishness and contribute to an unhealthy weight gain.
Although it is important for employers to provide healthy eating options it is also beneficial for them to encourage a healthy lifestyle among their employees that can be followed through at home and become part of their family’s life. By providing opportunities for employees to learn and understand the basics of nutrition, food label reading, fat, cholesterol and salt intakes and fitness options, employers stand a greater success of having the employee take it on as a personal priority instead of it being viewed solely as a corporate priority.

Implementing a healthy eating campaign, which could include healthy food options and fitness programs, can work for workplaces of all different sizes and budgets. There are several food solutions that can be looked at and put into practice with minimal effort and expense.
Companies can look to form partnerships with local healthy vendors which would allow employees to benefit from programs such as loyalty food plans, employee health specials of the day and healthy food discounts.

Workplaces that currently provide a cafeteria can also employ meal or food vouchers and healthy eating discounts. A subsidy to meals in workplace cafeterias can also often cut down on time spent outside of the building.

Cafeteria workers should also be well versed in Canada’s Food Guide To Healthy Eating in order to properly prepare food and answer questions from employees.

Consider the environment for eating by providing comfortable, safe and clean conditions for employees to take their breaks and mealtimes instead of a quick and often unhealthy meal grabbed at a desk.

Ensure work schedules provide adequate time for eating.

Meeting organizers can ensure that snacks and meals provided mirror healthy eating options such as fresh fruit, juices, water, low fat muffins and bagels.

For those workplaces without a cafeteria or canteen, providing refrigerators, microwaves and hot plates are essential for making it convenient for employees to bring their meals from home.

Making on-site programs such as Weight Watchers available at work.

Have employees create and stock a garden that produces fruit and vegetables for employee’s use.

Put into action lunch time fitness options such as intramural sports, running and walking groups, nutrition lunch and learn seminars and cooking demonstrations.

Provide pre-ordered healthy meals to go for employees to take home for dinner promoting healthy eating habits after work hours.

Make available weekly meal planners with shopping lists and the opportunity to online grocery shop (with delivery to central workplace location) to promote healthy food choices.

Remember that like all new initiatives before embarking on a workplace health program, employers must know who their audience is, have an understanding of what motivates them, provide a wide variety of options and be realistic with their goals. Not all employees will want to adopt a new lifestyle program however by making it part of the company culture across all levels, most employees will pick out what is important to them and incorporate it into their daily lives. Most people want to inherently be healthy, it is a matter of gaining the insight and education into how to achieve this. By facilitating this education, the employer can play an important role.

It is socially important and economically viable as well as a profitable business practice for employers to responsibly ensure that workers have access to nutritious, safe and affordable food, an adequate meal break and decent conditions for eating. Each healthy individual contributes to achieving a healthy corporate philosophy.

Healthy Snacks for the Workplace
It’s good for the mind, body and soul to work mini snack breaks into your work day but don’t just mindlessly eat. This can cause quick and unhealthy over eating without our minds even registering what we have eaten leaving us unsatisfied. Put aside your work for a few minutes, take the time to enjoy what you are eating and you will find yourself revved up and ready to go again.

Here are some examples of healthy snacks that you can keep at your desk handy when you need that pick me up.
· Trail mix and/or dried fruits and nuts
· Breakfast cereal (choose a higher-fiber, lower-sugar type)
· Single serve cans of higher-fiber, lower-fat, and lower-sodium soup (microwavable)
· Instant oatmeal packets (look for less-sugar options)
· Tuna salad kit (includes a small can of water-packed tuna, and crackers)
· Higher-fiber, lower-fat crackers
· Natural-style peanut butter with crackers, bagels, and/or fruit
· Packets of low-calorie hot chocolate

2008-01-08T13:08:00.000-11:00

Instead of resolutions I usually just make little promises to myself throughout the year as I see fit. For instance somewhere in the middle of 2007 I decided that I needed to stop being such a procrastinator in certain areas of my life. I pushed myself not to put off those little tasks that can add up quickly and then stress me out even quicker. So I made the call for any home repairs when they happened, I tackled my writing assignments well before they were due and I picked up the clutter when I saw it instead of stepping over it (and over it and over it!). I must say I did a pretty good job of sticking to it and I feel great about it. So maybe I am happy to make resolutions but just not only on January 1st. Seeing as it’s January 7th I should be safe to try a few.

Here are a few of my foodie promises to myself.

· Explore a different culture’s cuisine. African flavours and spices are first on the list.
· Open those bottles of wine I have been saving for a special occasion. Isn’t a Tuesday enough of a celebration?

· Continue to push my kids’ palettes with new tastes and textures. My 6 year old asked me if we were still on that “sophisticated palette kick” - um yes... that would be called eating in our house!

· Stop procrastinating and stock the freezer with batch meals for those crazy week nights—cabbage rolls, stews, soups, lamb shanks etc.

· Take my own advice and clean out my kitchen cupboards. I’m tired of moving the blender, the food processor and 3 coffee makers (don’t ask) just to get to the hand mixer.

I’ll let you know how the list goes! Happy New Year and Bon Appétit

2008-01-04T13:12:00.000-11:00

It’s the New Year again and it seems like we just popped the last bubbly and threw confetti into the air. If your 2007 health resolutions went the way of your confetti then perhaps it’s time to set more realistic guidelines for a healthier eating plan. Just like any new skill, eating healthier takes planning and practice. Making one or two simple changes to your diet successfully will give you the confidence and boost you need to keep adding healthier changes. To help get you started in 2008 here are a few easy to include tips that you can start introducing into your daily eating routines.

1. Plan your menus for the week (this will take some practice and time in the early weeks) and shop only once per week. This will help keep you away from the impulse packaged foods aisle and give you all the ingredients you need at your fingertips to create quick and healthy weekday meals.

2. Reduce the salt but bump up the flavour in your cooking by cutting back on the salt and increase the amount and types of spices, herbs and flavourings. By including fresh or dried herbs and flavours like garlic, chilli and ginger into your meals you won’t feel the need to add as much sodium in your recipes. Take the salt shaker off your table too!

3. When baking substitute half the suggested white flour with whole wheat flour. You may need to add one or two more tablespoons of liquid as the mixture will be slightly drier with whole wheat flour but you’ll increase your protein and retain essential natural nutrients that you don’t get in white flour.

4. Add canned beans to your stews, soups, casseroles and salads. Packed full of fiber and protein, drained, canned beans such as chick peas, kidney beans and black beans are easy to use and keep on hand.

5. Help cut the fat in your diet by switching your family to low fat or skim milk products. These contain the same amount of protein, B vitamins and calcium but with less fat. If you cook or bake with cheese, choose a strong tasting cheese like mature cheddar or blue cheese and you won’t have to use as much.

Here’s a recipe that you can include in your weekly meal plans. Ginger Chicken With Rice Noodles is high in protein, low in fat, contains ingredients that keep well in your pantry and refrigerator and can be prepared in advance. Simply reheat the baked chicken and poaching liquid when ready to serve and place over hot rice noodles or rice of your choice. Feel free to decrease or increase the chillies to suit your family’s tastes. My kids like the “funny see through” noodles and have increased their tolerance to chillies the more they have been exposed to them! Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Ginger Chicken with Rice Noodles
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
250ml (1 cup) low sodium chicken broth
60g (1 inch piece) ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced into matchstick size pieces
4 green onions, sliced thinly
1 green chilli, deseeded and sliced thinly
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon sugar
225g rice noodles
For the Sauce:
1 teaspoon fish sauce
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
60g (½ cup) sugar peas, sliced thinly
Coriander leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place chicken breasts and broth in a large shallow saucepan. Add enough cold water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove chicken and place on plate to cool, keeping liquid in pan.

Continue to simmer the poaching liquid until the stock is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and keep warm.

Meanwhile cut each chicken breast into 4 slices. Arrange side by side on a large piece of foil. Divide the ginger, onions and green chillies among the chicken slices.

In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, lemon juice and sugar; stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour over chicken slices. Fold foil over and around the chicken to make a parcel. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

While chicken is baking, pour boiling water over noodles until covered in a heatproof bowl and soak for 15 minutes.

To serve, divide the noodles amongst 4 large, deep soup plates. Unwrap the chicken and arrange the pieces and accumulated juices equally over the noodles. Spoon the poaching liquid over the chicken and garnish with coriander if desired.

2008-01-02T09:19:00.000-11:00

I’ve never been one for resolutions and especially at New Year’s; too much fun going on at this time of year to burden myself with unrealistic expectations. Besides resolutions are often about cutting back in your life and I’ve always felt that life is too short to deprive yourself of all the good stuff; like champagne, rich gooey cheeses and butterscotch sauce - everything in moderation I say!

Instead of resolutions I usually just make little promises to myself throughout the year as I see fit. For instance somewhere in the middle of 2007 I decided that I needed to stop being such a procrastinator in certain areas of my life. I pushed myself not to put off those little tasks that can add up quickly and then stress me out even quicker. So I made the call for any home repairs when they happened, I tackled my writing assignments well before they were due and I picked up the clutter when I saw it instead of stepping over it (and over it and over it!). I must say I did a pretty good job of sticking to it and I feel great about it. So maybe I am happy to make resolutions but just not only on January 1st. Seeing as it’s January 7th I should be safe to try a few.

Here are a few of my foodie promises to myself.

· Explore a different culture’s cuisine. African flavours and spices are first on the list.

· Open those bottles of wine I have been saving for a special occasion. Isn’t a Tuesday enough of a celebration?

· Continue to push my kids’ palettes with new tastes and textures. My 6 year old asked me if we were still on that “sophisticated palette kick” - um yes... that would be called eating in our house!

· Stop procrastinating and stock the freezer with batch meals for those crazy week nights—cabbage rolls, stews, soups, lamb shanks etc.

· Take my own advice and clean out my kitchen cupboards. I’m tired of moving the blender, the food processor and 3 coffee makers (don’t ask) just to get to the hand mixer.

I’ll let you know how the list goes! Happy New Year and Bon Appétit.

2007-12-24T13:09:00.000-11:00

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house, this creature was stirring….and chopping and mixing and stuffing! Yes, it’s that time of year again to gather everyone around the table for what seems like a never ending procession of food. If I’m not cooking for my classes then I’m in my own kitchen trying to meet the demands of cookie exchanges, class treats, baked gifts and stocking up the freezer with nibbles for those impromptu invites for a glass of Christmas cheer (now those I don’t mind prepping for!). To help make all of this shopping and chopping go smoothly there are a few kitchen tools that I couldn’t live without. Well okay I could but you’d have one grumpy cook in the kitchen and we all know that’s never a good thing! So to help fill your Christmas wish list and hopefully your stocking, here are a few of my favourite things!

1. A good sharp knife—it doesn’t have to be the most expensive knife, just the sharpest. In fact I purchase used Chef’s knives at Nella Cutlery for around $20 each and make sure I get them professionally sharpened every 6 months or so.

2. Microplane—Before these became popular I used to buy wood rasps in hardware stores. They are fast and easy to use for grating anything from lemons to butter to chocolate.

3. Industrial Grade Large Cutting Boards—in at least 4 different colours. I reduce the chance of cross contamination and multi-task without constantly cleaning and drying the same board.

4. Cast Iron Grill Pan—when I’m too lazy to fire up the BBQ, the grill pan makes an ideal indoor substitute and gives me those perfect grill marks every time.

5. Someone to clean up after me. Indispensable. Thanks honey!

Hope your holiday meals are stress free, full of laughter and delicious too! Happy Holidays to you and your family. Bon Appétit.

2007-12-10T07:26:00.001-11:00

Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

These little gems are a garnish for sparkling wine. The little flower sits in the bottom of your glass, all the bubbles stream off and slowly open up the flower. At the end of the drink you can eat the flower which has a delicious raspberry and rhubarb flavour. I picked up a huge jar of these in Australia and if you want to sample them you’ll just have to book a cooking class!

2007-12-10T07:23:00.001-11:00

1. A good sharp knife—it doesn’t have to be the most expensive knife, just the sharpest. In fact I purchase used Chef’s knives at Nella Cutlery for around $20 each and make sure I get them professionally sharpened every 6 months or so.

2. Microplane—Before these became popular I used to buy wood rasps in hardware stores. They are fast and easy to use for grating anything from lemons to butter to chocolate.

3. Industrial Grade Large Cutting Boards—in at least 4 different colours. I reduce the chance of cross contamination and multi-task without constant

ly cleaning and drying the same board.

4. Cast Iron Grill Pan—when I’m too lazy to fire up the BBQ, the grill pan makes an ideal indoor substitute and gives me those perfect grill marks every time.

5. Someone to clean up after me. Indispensable. Thanks honey!

Hope your holiday meals are stress free, full of laughter and delicious too! Happy Holidays to you and your family. Bon Appétit.

2007-12-10T07:18:00.000-11:00

“Christmas is for kids. Christmas is for kids. Christmas is for kids.”

This is the mantra that I will silently be chanting over and over again this holiday season as I curb the urge to decorate the house straight out of a Dickens novel. In year’s past I’d spend hours hand tying bows (colour coordinated to my place mats), readjusting the pine branches so they sat just right (even on the trees outside!!), made sure each wrapped present matched the one sitting next to it and of course decorating the Christmas tree so that it was evenly balanced with light, colour and texture! Last year as I hung precariously off the kitchen bar stool trying to reach one of the silver bows that wouldn’t bend at an exact 45 degree angle, my husband snidely commented to me that perhaps our children might like to have a go at adding a few decorations. I rose my eyebrows and asked my 5 year old if he would like to add a decoration to my (ooops, our) Silver Bells themed tree. “Really?” he asked in astonishment. “Sure”, I said. “After all it is the family tree.” And with that he pulled out the Transformer Santa Claus puppet that he made at school and stuck it right smack dab in the middle of the tree blocking the hand blown glass ornament I had picked up in New York one year. As I reached over to start to re-position it, I heard dear hubby clear his throat and start to hum “Peace on earth, good will to men”. I withdrew my hand, ruffled my son’s hair and told him that now the tree was complete with good old Optimus Prime Santa and silently suppressed a cringe.

This year I’m letting the kids do the tree decorating (my husband tells me it’s good therapy for me!) and to help keep me out of the way, I’ll be in the kitchen. We’re having a Tree Trimming Party with all the works so while I’m whipping up fragrant Mini Tourtière Tarts, the family tree will be made over into a Bob The Builder/ Transformer/Spiderman evergreen extravaganza! The boys are excited, my husband can’t stop chuckling every time he thinks of it and I am secretly contemplating decorating the master bedroom with every single bow and ball I own just to get even!
Whether you’re having a tree trimming party or just looking for a holiday inspired meal, try these open faced Mini Tourtière Tarts. The spices will have your home smelling like Christmas even if your tree might not look like it! Enjoy and Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Mini Tourtière Tarts
Makes 20 tartsPreparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Notes: Tourtière is a French Canadian meat pie that is traditionally served on Christmas Eve so these little open faced appetizer size tarts are easy to make thanks to frozen mini tart shells. Serve them with your choice of side vegetable or salad and you have a satisfying and aromatic meal that will get you into the holiday spirit.

Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons water
450g ground pork
2 teaspoons parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sour cream
20 frozen mini tart shells

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine onion, water, pork, and seasonings. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until pork is cooked through and onion is soft. Drain any excess fat.

3. Combine egg and sour cream together. Stir into the meat mixture.

4. Arrange tart shells on a baking sheet. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture into each tart shell.

5. Bake at for 8 minutes at 425F, reduce oven heat to 350 degrees, and bake for about another 14 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Serve immediately.

2007-11-10T06:59:00.000-11:00

November is the month for me that I sit back and take a deep breath and enjoy the ability to do so. Heading into one of our busiest times of the year, November is a time to keep things simple and fuss free before the headiness of December rushes at us. That’s why I always like to invite a few friends over at this time of year so I can truly enjoy their company without having the sometimes stressful commotion of a big holiday gathering. For a relaxed simple and welcoming evening I often throw a stew party. Stews are ideal to do in advance (most stews freeze well and hold in the refrigerator for up to 3 days), are often inexpensive to make yet substantial enough to tame the biggest of appetites. Sometimes I prepare 3 different stews for my guests to choose from, some crusty bread and a glass of wine or specialty beer. Even easier, ask a few of your guests to bring a pot of their favourite stew to make it a stew tasting party. Make it informal by serving the stew in deep bowls or big cappuccino mugs. Throw a few big pillows and warm blankets on the couch and floor and allow your guests to curl up in front of the fire and enjoy a relaxed meal winter picnic style! Here’s one of my favourite stew recipes to start you off. Enjoy!

Moroccan Vegetable Stew With Couscous
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Note: This stew has a delicious aroma that will welcome your guests the minute they walk through the door. Don’t be put off by the amount of ingredients, this is a great opportunity to clear out your pantry and use up some of your spices.

Ingredients:

1 onion*, cut into wedges
2 carrots*, peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
3 zucchini, cut into 1 inch rounds
1 small butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 slender (Japanese) eggplants, cut into 1 inch rounds
3 cloves garlic*, peeled and left whole
¼ teaspoon chilli powder*
½ teaspoon cinnamon *
2 teaspoons ground cumin*
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ cup (65ml) extra virgin olive oil*
1 x 425g tin crushed tomatoes*
1 tablespoon honey*
½ cup (125ml) vegetable stock*
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 250g package of couscous* – prepared according to direction on pack

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400F.

2. Place onions, vegetables and garlic in a shallow roasting pan. Mix together spices and toss through vegetable mixture with olive oil. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes or until soft.

3. Transfer vegetables to a medium sized saucepan. Add crushed tomatoes, honey and stock and cook a further 10 minutes. Stir through coriander. Serve with couscous.

*Denotes recommended pantry item.

2007-10-02T00:27:00.000-11:00

Join me in supporting Empty Bowls on Sunday October 21st from 1pm—4pm at Appleby College, Oakville Ontario. I’ll be there with 60 litres of home made soup for you to taste!

Share in the spirit of Thanksgiving and help raise both funds and awareness of homelessness in the Oakville community. Empty Bowls guests choose a unique pottery bowl, handcrafted by artisans and taste delicious soups prepared by top chefs from local restaurants. They then take home their bowl as a keepsake. Your minimum $50 donation goes directly to Home Suite Hope, providing ongoing solutions to local homelessness. For tickets: www.appleby.on.ca/community/EmptyBowls.aspx