Make Ahead - Mushroom Crescents

Here is yet another great make-ahead recipe. The dough for this recipe is super easy - flour, cream cheese and butter, and I'm sure you can adapt the filling to suit your needs. When I can I try and take into account any food issues or dietary concerns of friends and family. While I admit that coming to our place as a vegan you should probably eat first (butter and cheese are key ingredients in most of my holiday recipes) I do what I can.

So for a friend who has a gluten intolerance I have begun experimenting with gluten free baking. I've tried different flours as well as cake and pie crust mixes. They have mostly turned out pretty good. For this recipe I used Kinnikinnik All Purpose Flour Blend. I like this stuff because it can be substituted cup for cup in place of regular flour. When I was working with the dough it did crumble a bit when folded, however since I've never made this recipe with traditional flour I'm not sure whether it was the recipe or the flour. Either way the crescents turned out great!

Mushroom Crescents (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 tsp each dried thyme and sage

- 1/2 tsp pepper

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped portobello mushrooms

- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped button mushrooms

- 1/3 cup white wine or water

Pastry

- 4 oz cream cheese, softened

- 1/3 cup butter, softened

- 1 cup flour

- 1 egg, beaten

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion, garlic, thyme, sage, pepper and salt, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add portobello and button mushrooms; fry, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Cook until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. (This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day).

Pastry: In large bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until fluffy. Stir in flour until dough begins to form; knead in bowl until smooth. Divide dough in half; flatten into 2 discs. Wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

On lightly floured surface, roll out each disc into 10-inch circle. With 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles, rerolling scraps.

Brush edges lightly with egg. Place 1 tsp of filling in centre of each; fold dough over filling, pinching edges to seal. Place, 1 inch apart on baking sheet. (At this point you can layer between waxed paper in airtight container and freeze for up to 3 weeks, bake from frozen).

Brush tops with egg and bake in centre of 400F oven until light golden, 12 - 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make Ahead - Phyllo Bundles

Puff Pastry isn't the only great shortcut for appetizers. Phyllo can be a cook's best friend. It's a little tougher than Puff Pastry to work with, but with a few quick steps you can make some great appetizers that can be frozen and baked in a very short time. When working with Phyllo, one thing I have learned is the importance of keeping the sheets from drying out. This can be done using a clean damp cloth, laying it over the pieces you are working on as well as the sheets you are going to use. Once you get the hang of it the possibilities are endless!

Phyllo Bundles with Goat Cheese and Cranberry

- 3 - 6 sheets of phyllo pastry, thawed

- 1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:

- 8 oz goat cheese

- 1/2 cup dried cranberries

- 2 tsp grated orange zest

- 2 tsp chopped fresh chives

Mix filling ingredients together and refrigerate until needed.

Working on a flat surface, generously brush a sheet of phyllo with butter. Top with second sheet and more butter, then third sheet and more butter. Cut phyllo into 16 - 20 squares. Place a dollop of filling in the centre of each square.

Pull up the edges, pinch together to create a bundle.

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. If refrigerating, cover with a damp clean cloth or plastic wrap. If freezing, cover with plastic wrap and seal. Once frozen store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Bake bundles in 400F oven for 8 minutes, or until golden, 10 minutes if frozen. Serve warm.

Make Ahead - Lamb Sausage Rolls

Here is another great make ahead recipe. Really anything with Puff Pastry is bound to be awesome. I've made my own, recipe found here and while it was super easy, I agree with a lot of cooks/chefs in that the store bought stuff is pretty damn good too! I usually use Tenderflake, but apparently Presidents Choice has one that is already rolled out into a 10 inch square. Maybe next time I'll try that!

Lamb Sausage Rolls (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 eggs

- 1/4 cup bread crumbs

- 1/4 cup minced onion

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

- 2 tsp crushed fennel seeds

- 1 tsp grated orange rind

- 1/2 tsp each salt and ground coriander

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1 lb ground lamb (or lean ground beef)

- 1 pkg puff pastry, thawed

- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

- 1 egg yolk

In large bowl mix eggs, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, fennel seeds, orange rind, salt, coriander and pepper. Mix in lamb and set aside.

Divide pastry in half and roll out each half into 10-inch square. Cut each into 3 equal strips. Brush each with mustard. Evenly spoon filling along centre of each strip (I think the butcher gave me more than 1 lb of lamb, it seemed like I had a lot of filling!).

Fold pastry over filling; pressing edge to seal.

Arrange rolls, seam side down, on pan lined with parchment paper. Cover and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. On board, cut each roll into 10 pieces; return to pan. At this point you can layer between waxed paper in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

In small bowl whisk egg yolk with 1 tbsp water; brush over rolls. Bake in 450F oven until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes, 25 minutes if frozen.

Make Ahead - Sesame Crackers

Some people might say that making your own crackers is showing off a little. And while I do agree to a certain extent, after having tried many different types of crackers, I've found a few that are actually really easy, and worth the extra work. These are great because they can be made and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week, leaving ample time to do all the other last minute preparations for whatever party you might be hosting. Or, just eat them once they're done, and see if they last a whole week!

Sesame Crackers

- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

- 1/2 cup rye flour

- 1 3/4 tsp salt, divided

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

- 1 cup sour cream

- 1 large egg yolk

- 1 cup toasted sesame seeds, divided

- 1 egg, beaten

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- Kosher salt for sprinkling

In a food processor or the bowl of a stand mixer, place the flours, 1 1/2 tsp of the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and black pepper. Pulse or stir. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the sour cream, egg yolk, and 3/4 cup sesame seeds and process or stir just until mixture comes together. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on a work surface until well mixed. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and form each into a log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each log into a 12-inch strip about 1/16 inch thick (roll the dough thinly enough so the crackers bake up nice and crisp). Transfer the crackers to parchment-lined baking sheets and poke all over with a fork.

In a small bowl, beat the egg, sugar, soy sauce and remaining 1/4 tsp of salt. Brush generously over crackers and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sesame seeds and kosher salt.

Bake in 375F oven until golden brown and crisp, 15 - 20 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

Make Ahead - Vegetable Samosas

It's that time of year again. Parties, and food and entertaining. One of the best pieces of advice I can give is to take some time and make anything you can ahead of time. Appetizers and hors d'oeuvres that can be made and frozen are great to have on hand. For planned celebrations, or spur of the moment guests who drop by to share in the spirit of the season. And in that spirit, I would like to share some of my favourite appetizers that can be prepared in advance. One of the most requested dishes from my kitchen is the Chicken and Brie in Puff Pastry. This next dish definitely takes some time to prepare, but the flavours are fabulous! Serve with a mango chutney.

Vegetable Samosas (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 cups diced peeled potatoes

- 1/2 cup diced carrots

- 3 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 tsp each fennel and cumin seeds

- 1 tsp brown or black mustard seeds

- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

- 1/2 tsp each coriander and fenugreek seeds

- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp grated gingerroot

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup frozen peas

- 3 tbsp lemon juice

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

DOUGH:

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 tsp cumin seeds (preferably black)

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

- 1/2 cup milk

DOUGH: In food processor or bowl, combine flour, cumin seeds and salt; pulse or cut in butter with pastry blender until in fine crumbs. Pulse or stir in milk until dough begins to form ball; press into disc. Wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

In saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes and carrots until tender, 10 minutes; drain. Meanwhile in skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry fennel, cumin and mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander and fenugreek seeds, and cayenne pepper just until cumin seeds begin to pop, 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, ginger and salt; fry until softened, 3 minutes. Stir in potato mixture, peas, lemon juice and coriander; let cool.

Cut dough into 12 pieces; form each into flat round. On floured surface, roll out each to 6-inch circle; cut in half. One piece at a time, moisten half of the cut edge with water. Form cone shape by overlapping cut edges by 1/4 inch; press together.

Fill with rounded 1 tbsp potato mixture. Moisten top inside edges of pastry; press to seal. Trim any jagged edges; crimp with fork.

Bake in 425F oven for 15 minutes. To make ahead, bake, let cool and freeze in airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Reheat in 350F oven for 10 - 20 minutes.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Asparagus

This is one of those great show-off dishes. It really doesn't take long to prepare and is great served with a quick side of sauteed vegetables or even just a simple spinach salad. This recipe comes from The Best of Bridge, and is a staple for Cavanagh entertaining. I have served with hollandaise sauce on the side, but on it's own the dish is just as tasty.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Asparagus

- 4 whole chicken breasts, halved, boned & pounded

- 24 medium asparagus spears, lightly blanched

- 1/4 cup butter, melted

- 1/4 cup dijon mustard

- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

- 1/4 cup white wine

- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

- 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Prepare chicken and asparagus. Combine butter, mustard, garlic and wine. Dip chicken breasts in this mixture to coat them.

Place 3 or 4 asparagus spears on each breast and roll, securing with 1 or 2 toothpicks. Mix bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley together and roll the breasts in this mixture.

Bake 30 minutes at 350F oven.

Rosemary Cashews

This recipe is courtesy of Barefoot Contessa, and is a great way to spice up cashews for a quick and easy pre-dinner snack. They only take 5 minutes to make, and are best served warm so wait until your guests have arrived before putting the cashews in the oven. The recipe below serves 8. I halved it as there were only 4 of us.

Rosemary Cashews

- 1 lb cashews

- 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

- 2 tsp light brown sugar

- 1 tbsp kosher salt

- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Spread cashews on a pan. Toast in 350 F oven until warm, 5 minutes.

In large bowl combine remaining ingredients and add warm nuts. Toss thoroughly and serve warm. So tasty!

Sunday Night Dinner - Roasted Squash Soup with Apple and Brie

I made this soup to serve as a first course for dinner on Saturday night. While it takes a couple of hours from start to finish to make, it is a great soup and we had enough left for Sunday Night Dinner as well as lunches for work this week. The original recipe from Best of Bridge calls for chicken stock. I used vegetable stock I'd made and frozen a couple of weeks ago. Chicken stock is definitely saltier, and any stock you buy at the grocery store has more salt than homemade. I found I definitely had to season with more salt than I expected, but still great flavours!

Roasted Squash Soup with Apple and Brie

- 1 large butternut squash

- 1 carrot

- 1 medium onion

- 1 leek, white portion only

- 2 tbsp butter

- 8 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)

- 1 apple, peeled & chopped

- 1 bay leaf

- 1 tsp sugar

- salt and pepper to taste

- 8 oz. brie cheese

- snipped chives

Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place cut-side down on pan and bake at 350 F until tender, about 45 minutes.

Chop carrot, onion and leek into 1" pieces and place in large pot. Gently saute with butter, being careful not to brown. Add cooked squash to vegetables. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add apple, bay leaf and sugar. Simmer, uncovered for 40 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and puree soup in batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve slice off rind of brie and cut brie into 1/2" pieces. Place cheese in bottom of bowl and fill with hot soup. Garnish with chives.

Sweet Chili Chicken

This is a great recipe for a weeknight dinner. Instead of ordering take out, put some rice on when you get home, get prepping and you have a great Thai-style dinner ready in under 30 minutes. This recipe is courtesy of Canadian Living's October issue.

Sweet Chili Chicken

- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut in bite-size pieces

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 peppers (red, green, yellow or orange) cut in bite-size pieces

- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

- 1/2 cup Thai-style sweet chili sauce

- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

- 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Sprinkle chicken with salt. In large skillet, heat oil over high heat; stir-fry chicken until starting to brown and juices run clear when chicken is pierced, about 6 - 10 minutes.

Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion and peppers and stir-fry for 3 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water to prevent sticking to pan if necessary.

Mix chili sauce with vinegar; add to pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until reduced and vegetables are tender-crisp. Sprinkle with onions and serve over rice.

Spinach, Tomato and Bocconcini Pasta Toss

This is another great recipe from Canadian Living, from the August 2011 issue. It's quick, fresh and has a lot of great flavours.

Spinach, Tomato and Bocconcini Pasta Toss

- 5 cups fusili pasta

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 onion, thinly sliced

- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

- 2 cups cherry tomatoes

- 1/4 tsp each salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes

- 4 cups baby spinach

- 1 cup cubed bocconcini cheese (if you can find them the pearls are great)

In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid and return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes; cook until tomatoes start to split, about 5 minutes.

Add to pasta along with spinach, cheese and half of the reserved cooking liquid. Cook, stirring and adding more liquid as needed until spinach is wilted and cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes.

Turkey with Some Tears

This was our first Thanksgiving in our new place. The last holiday, Easter, was the weekend we moved in, so we didn't have quite enough time to get ready to entertain. When we decided to host the dinner, we made a guest list. When we counted, we had invited over 30 people. Now, we know that's a lot but we also knew that some friends were going out of town and others had prior engagements.

I found a great menu in the October issue of Canadian Living. It was called Turkey Without the Tears. Perfect, the by-line was 'Want a no-stress Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings? Here are time-tested restaurant strategies that save time - and sanity'. The menu was for 10 people, and I thought we were going to end up with 12 or 14, so it would be perfect. Turkey, stuffing, carrots, brussel sprouts & green beans, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie. It was great!

So I did what I always do when I'm planning a party. I make a plan, a grocery list and I get to work. We sent out the invitation using a very cheesy pic of a trip to a pumpkin patch last fall.

As we were planning everything, making list after list, the RSVP's started to roll in. And roll in they did. With the numbers rising every day the panic started to set in. What if we didn't have enough food? Where was everyone going to sit? I'd already ordered the turkey, and what if we didn't have enough dessert? And so came the turkey tears - an unprecedented pre-party meltdown. Brent listened, offered suggestions and tried to calm me down. I was excited about celebrating with all of our friends but I started wondering if I was making a big mistake.

So we made a few adjustments. As well as the turkey, we grabbed a turkey breast to cook before putting the large bird in the oven. We decided to double the mashed potatoes and carrots, and I decided to make a second dessert. And when people started asking if they could bring anything, we stopped politely declining. So we had a couple of salads, candied yams and lots of wine!

Wednesday we went grocery shopping and made the cranberry sauce. Thursday I made the carrot cake and gluten free pie dough. Friday we picked up the turkey, brined it, made the potatoes, blanched the brussel sprouts and green beans, cleaned and cut the carrots, prepped the stuffing, made the pumpkin pie, iced and decorated the carrot cake, made the whipped cream, cleaned and set-up the living room and bar. By the time we went to bed we'd gone through a bottle of wine and it was 2am! When I got home from my sewing class Saturday morning, Brent had cleaned the bathrooms and all we really had left to do was put the turkey in and let it cook.

After all was said and done there were about 20 people here, and we had enough food and wine for everyone. Not a lot of leftovers, but it was a great night with a fantastic crew of friends and family. The menu from Canadian Living was great, and there are definitely some dishes I would make again! While there were a few tears during the planning process, it was well worth it.

Meal Planning

One of the worst problems we have with food is waste. No matter how hard we try we end up buying food and not using it. And try as hard as we might, there are always those nights after work when without a solid plan we end up eating out. I don't mind the occasional sushi or pizza evening, but that can get expensive.

Recently I've been trying really hard to use what we have in our fridge, freezer and cupboards, while making dinner and lunches as many days a week as I can. One thing I've started trying is to make a meal plan for the week with the ingredients we have on hand and then only buying at the grocery store what we need to fill it out.

The first step for me is to outline what my week looks like, including any concerts, events, plans with friends etc. This way I know exactly what nights we'll be eating at home, when we'll have leftovers, and when we need to think about making a separate lunch.

Next step is for me to write down what we have on hand in four different categories: Protein, Dry Goods, Vegetables and Cheese (cause I love cheese). Looking at this list I try and create a menu for the week, using up as much of what we have that's fresh. Anything else I need, we do a quick run to the grocery store, and that's when we pick up any staples. These items are refreshed as needed from the list on the fridge.

I try and do this every Saturday or Sunday morning and so far so good. Let's see how long I can keep it up!

Easy Alfredo Sauce

This is a great way to use up whipping cream you may have bought because you decided to make waffles for breakfast, and what are waffles without fresh whipping cream?

For this night we used up a zucchini, frozen chicken breast and spaghetti we had on hand. All I had to do was pick up a bottle of wine on the way home from work.

Alfredo Sauce

- 1 cup whipping cream

- 1/4 cup butter

- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

- salt and pepper

- pinch fresh nutmeg

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to directions, until tender but firm. Drain well and return to pot.

Meanwhile in saucepan, bring cream and butter just to boil. Reduce heat and stir in Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add to pasta. At this time you can throw in some chicken and sauteed veggies, or shrimp, or fresh peas, anything you'd like. Toss to coat.

Favourite Mac and Cheese

Not to sound like a cliche, but macaroni and cheese can be very personal. How one prepares Kraft Dinner is so different from person to person. I remember having friends who used all butter, so it would be creamier, or more milk to create a thinner sauce. I even remember eating it once when someone was kind enough to make it for me, and when I was eating it there was barely any flavour.Turns out this person only uses half the flavour package! And don't even get started on hotdogs or ketchup.

I remember teaching a friend to make KD in highschool and because it was her first time making it herself we measured everything out according to the package, and it was so good! Because basically the flavour packet + the milk + the butter is a formula to make the sauce. Cooking is really all about science. Once you make your own formula or recipe for the sauce, you can play with variations (peas or no peas?).

Now, I haven't eaten KD in years, although I sometimes still crave it a little. Once you've started making your own Macaroni and Cheese though, the KD stuff just doesn't measure up.

This recipe is pretty simple, and easy to adapt for your own tastes.

Macaroni and Cheese (with Bacon!)

- 2 3/4 + 1/2 cup shredded old Cheddar cheese

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1/3 cup flour

- 3 cups milk

- 2 tsp Dijon mustard

- salt and pepper

- 2 green onions, chopped

- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

- 2 cups macaroni

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until tender but firm, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 3 cups milk and cook, whisking, until sauce is thickened. This usually takes me 10-12 minutes, but sauce will sometimes thicken in as little as 8 minutes.

Add mustard and salt and pepper. Stir in 2 & 3/4 cups of the shredded Cheddar, just until melted. Pour over macaroni.

Stir green onions and bacon into mixture until combined.

Spread in 8-inch square glass baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheddar on top. Bake, uncovered, in 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Sunday Night Dinner - Lentil Soup and Mom's Cheese Biscuits

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A really great meal can be found in a good soup. Add a salad one day, sandwhich or a wrap another, and you have a few days of lunches and dinners. The best way to have soup though, is with cheese biscuits. I remember loving the biscuits at Red Lobster. They were so good you would go for the lunch special (unlimited soup and garden salad) because you also got cheese biscuits. Unlimited! We may have left with a few in our purses...

As good as those may have been, hands down nothing beats my mom's cheese biscuits. I remember making these for the first time, that was when I learned about cutting butter into a dough recipe. I have no idea where my mom got this recipe from, and I should really have it written down in more than one place, because it's awesome!!!

Mommy Cavanagh's Cheese Biscuits

- 2 cups flour

- 4 tsp baking powder

- 3/4 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

- 1 cup water

- 1 1/2 cups grated old cheddar cheese

Mix together dry ingredients in bowl. Using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly. Add water and cheese and stir just to moisten.

Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto a greased baking sheet.

Bake in 425 F oven for 15 minutes, checking at 10 minutes. These will disappear quickly as soon as they cool.

Sweet Summer Dessert

I love berries. All types anytime - blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries. When they are in season they are awesome. And the best thing is you can freeze them and they are still great year round.

Right now in BC we're lucky to be enjoying the late fall harvest, with apples and peaches that are so sweet you wonder how you can eat any other kind of fruit. What a perfect time to take some of those fresh Okanagan peaches, and add some frozen blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and fresh blackberries. Let's toss the fruit in a bit of flour, some brown sugar and cinnamon. Place it all in a glass dish. Now the best part. Mix together more flour, brown sugar and melted butter now. Why not add in a little more cinnamon? Awesome. Mix that until it's crumbly and just kind of put it over the top of the fruit.

Into the oven - 350 F for 45-60 minutes. Spoon that out, with a little ice cream. There you go. Isn't that just the best?

Berry Crumble (all measurements are approximations)

- 2 Peaches, diced

- 1 cup frozen Blueberries

- 1 cup frozen raspberries

- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries

- 1/2 cup fresh blackberries

- 1/3 or 1/2 cup flour

- 1 tbsp cinnamon

- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Topping

- 1 cup flour

- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1/3 cup butter, melted

Toss berries with flour, cinnamon and brown sugar. Place in oven proof glass dish. Mix remaining flour, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Drizzle butter overtop and stir until crumbly. Place on top of berries. Bake. Enjoy with ice cream.

*Pictures from this blog are from this dessert at Basswood Lake, for my sister's birthday. We had awesome Ontario fruit, including Blackberries my other sister and I picked behind the cottage that day.

Sunday Night Dinner - Skillet Chicken Cobbler

We're now a couple of days into Fall, and the start of the rainier season in Vancouver. Now I'm not sure what my feeling will be in March and April, but in the Fall I sometimes absolutely love when it rains, when it really pours. This morning waking up and hearing what sounded like a monsoon outside (to my sleepy head anyways), was so relaxing.

With the rain also comes the wet socks, chilly weather and comfort food. Oh the comfort food. Tonight I decided to try a new recipe from the October issue of Canadian Living. Awesome selection of recipes in the Sizzling Skillets article, and this is the first one we've tried.

Skillet Chicken Cobbler

- 1 tbsp each vegetable oil and unsalted butter

- 1 onion, chopped

- 8 oz button mushrooms, quartered

- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in bite-size pieces

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- salt and pepper

- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

- 2 ribs celery, chopped

- 2 carrots, thinly sliced

- 1 bay leaf

- 1/2 tsp thyme

- 1 cup frozen peas

Topping:

- 1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

- 1/2 cup buttermilk

In 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat; cook onion and mushrooms, stirring often, until mushrooms are lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add chicken, garlic, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until chicken is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in floor, cook 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil, stirring. Stir in celery, carrots, bay leaf and thyme; reduce heat, cover and simmer until thickened and vegetables are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minute. Stir in peas, discard bay leaf, remove from heat and set aside.

TOPPING: In bowl, whisk together flour, baking power and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly. Drizzle in buttermilk, stirring just until soft sticky dough forms. Turn out onto floured surface; knead 6 times or just until smooth.

Roll out into 6-inch square; brush with 2 tsp buttermilk. Cut into 6 biscuits and arrange over chicken mixture. Bake in 375 F oven until top is golden and filling is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Freezing Corn

It's that time of year when the weather starts to turn, and I start to think about all those months without fresh produce. It makes me a little sad,but then I remember that I can easily preserve the summer by freezing! I have frozen bags of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and rhubarb in the freezer. And recently I also decided to freeze me some corn.

Freezing corn is super easy, and it's always great to have on hand to add to stews, chili's, shepherd's pie and other wintery dinners.

Step 1 - Shuck and clean corn.

Step 2 - Place corn in a large pot of boiling water. Boil for a short time (1-2 minutes).

Step 3 - Transfer to ice water to cool and stop the cooking.

Step 4 - Remove niblets from cob.

Step 5 - Dry on paper towels.

Step 6 - Place in large freezer bags, and freeze.

It's a pretty easy process, and now you can enjoy your corn year round!