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!

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

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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

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....

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.

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.