Family Bites

Maple Cornbread

The hockey calendar is looking a little light for this coming weekend, so I'm declaring a day of family fun. My plan is to drag bring the family North to a sugar bush for a little maple-syrup-season entertainment.  Rob and the boys are slightly less-than-enthused about this idea, but I feel that, as good Canadians, we need to get out there and harvest a little sap.  

I'm also trying to get them all to agree to a day of snowshoeing , but I'm not getting very far on that front either. It might very well be because we have no snow, but I'm convinced that a short drive will have us walking in a winter wonderland in no time. In reality, I think Rob and Ben, my sports and activity enthusiasts, fear they may fall asleep on the snowy landscape from the slow pace of the activity.  They like to move, those boys of mine, and any activity that doesn't see them chasing pucks or pigskin is often declared as boring. 

In any event, Jackson and I have paid our dues on the weekend hockey front, so off to the bush we go. I plan to bring back jugs of our local liquid gold, which I'll douse over warm cornbread served hot from the oven.  That will be enough to convince them to go, I'm sure of it.

Maple Cornbread

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 1/3 cups whole-wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cornmeal (I like Bob's Red Mill)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 375. Place the butter in the bottom of a cast-iron skillet, and set it in the oven while it's heating.  Once the butter has melted, remove the pan and set it aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornmeal in a medium mixing bowl.

Mix together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, and melted butter and stir with a fork until blended. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Pour it back into the cast iron skillet and bake it for 20 minutes.

Remove the cornbread from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.  Serve with a drizzle of pure maple syrup, if desired.

Party Savvy: Hollywood Edition

The timing of the latest edition of Party Savvy couldn't be more serendipitous, wouldn't you agree? After all, it is the weekend to celebrate all that is gold in the movie making business, so why not base an entire birthday party around the same theme? Better yet, use a few of these ideas to throw a smashing Oscar party tomorrow night while you watch the Academy Awards with your family.

The Bag of Popcorn Birthday Cake or Tuxedo Strawberries are easy ways to jazz up your festivities. If you're looking for more savoury fare, I know my boys love the Hollywood Hotdogs and Red Carpet Roll-ups. Served with a classic Shirley Temple mocktail, of course.

As an aside, this was definitely one of my favourite parties to work on to date. Each idea is easy to execute, and something a busy mom could likely put together with just a little time, which is the whole point of these parties. Naturally, if you head on over to Savvy Mom you can get all of the details, recipes, and how-tos.

 

Pancake Hors d'Oeuvres

I missed the boat on Pancake Tuesday yesterday. We typically do partake, but this year I had a roast beef just begging to be, well, roasted, so I cooked that instead. We also just embarked on a pancakepalooza this past Sunday with the cousins, leaving us well padded with flapjacks and maple syrup for more than a few days.

But speaking of breakfast, I've been busy planning a country-style breakfast party over on my Pinterest page. I have no idea when I'm hosting this party, but I feel it will likely be sometime in the spring. Maybe I'll do it for Ben's birthday. Brunch entertaining is so effortless compared to dinner soirees, and it works for the entire family regardless of age, seeing that most of us are awake at 10am.

Regardless of when I host this party, these little pancake hors d’oeuvres will certainly make an appearance. About 1 inch in diameter, these golden discs are stacked three-cakes tall, and lightly brushed with a just a touch of syrup. They can be topped with any number of things: bananas, berries, orange segments, mint, whipped cream, nuts, or whatever tickles your fancy or can be found in your fridge. Once skewered, most of the toppings stay together easily, and the little appetizers can be passed around a party, or set out buffet-style for the taking. 

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Banana, Ginger and Dark Chocolate Muffins

The get-out-the-door-and-go-to-school battle was in full force this morning, and I've been rendered mentally exhausted by my 10 year old who can be anything but easy when the wrong mood strikes him.

In lieu of this morning tears, I'm going to leave you with these simple and comforting muffins, and not many words, as I plan for the peace treaty I'll need to put forth to Jackson upon his return at 3:30pm.  

Wish me luck!

Banana, Ginger and Dark Chocolate Muffins

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup canola/olive oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 6 bananas
• 100g chopped dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ginger in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Whisk together the sugar, yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla.  Add the to dry ingredients and stir, just to combine.

Puree the bananas and add them to muffin mixture along with the chopped chocolate.  Fold everything together, taking care not to over-mix the batter.

Lightly grease the muffin tins and fill 3/4 of the way with the batter.  Baked the muffins for 18 minutes and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Make 20 regular size muffins.

 

 

Italian Meatballs, Two Ways

You know how us parents can sometimes dream about what our children's futures might look like?  Here's my fantasy.

The boys are away at University (preferably the same one so they can keep tabs take care of each other) and I envision them standing in the kitchen of their rented run-down duplex that is in the shoddy part of town known as student housing.  Their housemates have all gone out to McDonald's for dinner, and rather than waste their hard earned money on cheap and gross food, they are cooking a steak and serving it with their Dad's mashed potatoes and a side of asparagus. They can afford steak because they've learned how to shop the sales and stock a freezer, and they love asparagus because they know how good it can taste when roasted with some quality olive oil and kosher salt, or bundled and baked in a piece of bacon. 

 

They also know that good food is essential when drinking good beer (hey, I'm no fool - I went to University, too) and when friends come over to watch football or make and edit movies, my boys make a batch of their favourite meatballs to serve with a big pot of spaghetti and sauce. These aren't just any meatballs, of course. The recipe they use is the same one that I cooked from throughout their childhood.  The one I clipped from the Wednesday edition of The New York Times in the fall of 2004. The one I serve with or without sauce; the same one that is chock full of the freshest ingredients, and hand rolled into a rustic formation.  This is what they will cook for their friends in lieu of frozen pizza and potato chips. 

A girl can dream, can't she?

Italian Meatballs (adapted from The New York Times)

• 2 pounds of fresh ground beef
• 1 cup panko or Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 grinds fresh black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil. Mix well. Take a portion of the meat and roll it between palms to form a ball shape that is loose and not compressed.  Repeat with the remaining meat, making each meatball about 2" in diameter.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs - don't crowd the pan -  in batches and brown well on bottoms before turning. Continue cooking until browned all over. Remove the meatballs to a plate until each batch is finished cooking. Let cool slight and serve as needed.

Italian-Style Turkey Meatballs

• 2 pounds of fresh ground turkey
• 1 cup panko or Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated asiago
• 1/2 apple, core removed and grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 grinds fresh black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil. Mix well. Take a portion of the meat and roll it between palms to form a ball shape that is loose and not compressed.  Repeat with the remaining meat, making each meatball about 2" in diameter.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs - don't crowd the pan -  in batches and brown well on bottoms before turning. Continue cooking until browned all over. Remove the meatballs to a plate until each batch is finished cooking. Let cool slight and serve as needed.

Potato and Shrimp Chowder

Last week I was consumed with the idea of making a chowder. If I had to guess, I would say the word was mentioned on Downton Abbey at some point, leaving an impression in my mind so strong it almost bordered on obsessive. For days, all I could think about was the pot of bubbling milky soup I wanted to make as soon as I handed in a batch of writing assignments and a party project.

That day was last Friday, and when the boys came home from school in the afternoon I was greeted with cries of "What smells so good?" Unfortunately, for one of them, the smell was far superior to the taste, but the other lapped it up with such enthusiasm I almost thought the dog might be eating at the table. Rob and I agreed with him, although I'd like to think we were a little more refined in our consumption.

If I had a pot big enough, I would triple this recipe and make enough for us to eat for several days on end (sorry, Jackson).  I also wouldn't hesitate to serve this to guests with a loaf of crusty bread and a simple green salad. It's comfort food at it's finest, and should be shared with your favourite people.  Even if they think it tastes like dirty socks.

Shrimp and Potato Chowder

This recipe is adapted from one of my other favourite soups, my Corn and Cheddar Chowder.

• 1.5 lbs new potatoes, diced and unpeeled
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 5 strips of bacon
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 3 celery stalks, trimmed and diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 cup of frozen corn
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 10 grinds fresh ground pepper

 

Clean the potatoes and cut into a large dice.  Place them in a soup pot and cover with the water, dill and salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Place the bacon in a skillet set over medium heat and cook until crispy.  Remove to a paper-towel lined plate, and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Add the onion, red pepper, celery, carrots, and shrimp, and cook until the vegetables are softened. Crumble the bacon.

Once the vegetables have cooked add them to the potatoes.  Also add the bacon, corn, milk, and cream. Bring to a boil and allow to bubble for 7-8 minutes.  Add the chili powder and black pepper and stir well.  Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Check the seasonings, and serve warm.

 

A Valentine's Day Meal

Despite my passion for all things chocolate, it's nice to know that it isn't the only tasty thing cupid can bring to our family table tomorrow. Other than the treats I like to package up for the boys, I try to keep our day simple by staying away from the sweet shops and adding a few heart-inspired items to an otherwise regular weekday meal.

What I like about this kind of idea is that it works just as well for dinner as it does for breakfast. I'd likely add a few strips of baked bacon, some crispy pan-fried potatoes, and a soft baguette if I was serving this later in the day. But for breakfast, it works perfectly well as it is.

I made the frittata in my little heart-shaped bundt pan.  If you don't have one, a muffin tin will work just as well.  Place a paper liner inside each muffin cup and wedge a marble between the liner and the pan.  This will force a heart shape which you can fill with with your egg mixture, or batter if you prefer to serve up something sweet.

 

Blood Orange, Pomegranate and Banana Smoothie

• Juice of 1 blood orange
• 1/4 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
• 1 teaspoon agave or honey
• 1/3 cup of ice

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and mix until combined.

2. Serve immediately.  Fun straw optional.

Give a Little Love

We're not that big on Valentine's Day. Rob and I try to have a date-night at home every week, and have been doing so for many, many years, which means that February 14th isn't that significant to our relationship.

Having said that, it's often been a day where we've done a few fun things with and for the boys. I always buy them a new book, something sweet if possible, and I like to add a little extra love to their breakfast plate with heart-shaped pancakes or red smoothies. And of course we've made all manner of Valentine's Day cards for the classroom exchanges, which Jackson is boycotting this year, for reasons to0 many to list here, but all of them his own.

Despite our lack of celebration for this holiday (is it really a holiday?), I've never been short on ideas for craft and baking projects. I recently put together a few things for iVillage Canada that I thought you might like to see.

The little bags above are my idea for boy-friendly treat packaging. For a day made up of pink and hearts aplenty, it can be a challenge to create something masculine. The how-to can be found here. 

I also made some bakery-style mini cupcakes and cocoa snap cookie sandwiches perfect for a classroom parties or post-dinner dessert.

Happy Love Day!

 

 

 

Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce

When people say that being a mother is the hardest job in the world, I always assumed they meant it was physically challenging; washing clothes, cleaning rooms, cleaning kids, cooking meals, shopping, trips to the park, carpooling, packing lunches, and so on. After more than a decade in this profession I know now that it's the mental aspect of parenting that is the most taxing, not the manual.

Yesterday was a testament to this. Five minutes after the school day started, I was at the local coffee shop waiting for a friend. For the first time ever, the high-back plush chairs were vacant (you know the ones I mean), and I curled up with a cup of warm vanilla spice tea. Then my phone rang. It seems that in that short time between school drop off and total relaxation, Ben, had managed to have an accident on the playground. One that saw his mouth collide with the hard skull of another boy, rendering his front adult teeth bloody and loose.  Not the phone call I wanted to get.

Thankfully, the school is only two minutes away, and the dentist just another three.  And in less than an hour we were home with his teeth glued and splinted, and fingers crossed for a perfect recovery. Food will be a challenge for Ben this week.  It needs to be soft and tender, and require little chewing.  Like soup and yogurt, and vanilla ice cream topped with a little homemade caramel sauce. Because if a fleur de sel infused dessert isn't good for the emotional nerves, than I don't know what is.

Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel

Stir together the sugar, corn syrup and water in a small saucepan.  Set it over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Allow it to boil until it's amber in colour, swishing the mixture around the pan every minute or so.

Remove the sauce from the heat, and add the heavy cream.  It will bubble and steam so add the liquid carefully. Once the cream has been incorporated, add the butter and fleur de sel.  Stir until the butter is melted.  Transfer to a glass jar and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Stove-Top Dijon and Tarragon Potatoes

Part of our stove wasn't working last week, and while I waited for the repair man to come I was suddenly overwhelmed by a lack of inspiration for what to cook for our meals without that little hot box in my kitchen. It never occurred to me to use the crock pot, barbecue or panini maker, all of which would have rendered excellent dinner options.

So, in an effort to be innovative I made these almost-like-roasted new potatoes on the stove top to accompany the eggs that Ben was making for dinner. He's on dinner duty Thursday nights now, and because of the lack of oven our menu plan for the week was waylaid, so he settled for eggs.

These potatoes are quite delightful when cooked in a Dutch oven set over low heat. The butter and Dijon add a depth of flavour to the spuds, and while I used a dried tarragon here (because I love it so), rosemary or thyme would be a wonderful replacement.  

Once the potatoes were made, I realized that I could have left the instructions for Ben to take care of them on his own for they were that easy. Next time, though. And soon I'll share the details about the new kids-cooking-dinner plan we've got going on. It's working out great.

Oh, and don't forget to make more potatoes than you'll need. They make for excellent leftovers, especially when turned into a hash.

Stove-Top Dijon and Tarragon Potatoes (adapted from The Barefoot Contessa)

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1-2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
• 2-3 pounds new potatoes, washed and scrubbed
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 10 grinds of fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon

Place the butter in a Dutch oven and set it over medium heat.  Warm until the butter is completely melted. Add in the Dijon and stir to combine.  Place the potatoes in the pot, add the salt and pepper, and stir to coat them with the butter mixture.  

Put the lid on the pot and leave the potatoes to cook over heat for 30-40 minutes.  Shake the pot every 10-15 minutes to ensure the potatoes don't stick to the bottom.

Remove the potatoes from the heat and allow to them to rest in the covered pot for 5 minutes.  Pierce a potato with the end of knife and if it slides through without resistance they are cooked.

Add the tarragon and toss everything together to distribute the herb evenly.  Serve warm.