Family Bites

The One in Which I Quit My Job

It sounds like the title of a Friends episode, doesn't it?  The truth is though, I did quit my job.  A few weeks ago actually.  I haven't written about it, because putting it down here means it's happening, and while I know it is, it's still a little shocking that I actually did it.  

See, I've been really, really fortunate to have the best part-time job in the world.  I work five minutes from my home in an industry I obviously love (food) doing a job I really, really like (planning parties).  I have flexibility for my kids, and have been able to work more during the school year and less during spring break and the summer months when my kids are home.  It's ideal really, and it has been, except that I've also been really, really fortunate in that I've been given a lot of freelance work as well.  Freelance work that includes writing about food and parties, which I LOVE doing.  And while my job has been a perfect fit for a long time, working from home full time seems to be just a little better.  

I'm terribly nervous about this of course, and the decision wasn't made lightly.  But I'm also a little bit excited too.  I now get to write full time about food.  And parties.  Which I must admit, I like just a tiny bit more than writing about food.  I have so much knowledge and so many (SO MANY) ideas in my head, and I can't wait to share them. Maybe not here, but somewhere for sure. 

The photo above is my very favourite dinner. It's one filled with farm-fresh eggs, crispy potatoes, fresh vegetables, some fruit, assorted breads and creamy cheese. A hodgepodge made up of the very best of foods. It's easy to put together, make sense on the table, and pleases the important people involved.  Kind of like my new job in a way.  Here's to new beginnings.  

Roasted Peachy Chicken

Forgive the photos please.  Although they were taken with Instagram, which is quickly becoming my favourite way to capture any image, they were shot in haste as three hungry boys were at the table ready to dig into the roast chicken, leaving me with less than three seconds to take a photo.  You know how it is when you get boys and meat together at the table.  Well, maybe you don't, but if you have little guys at home I'm telling you know, be prepared for mass meat consumption.

I miss making roast chicken.  I don't know why we all but give up on it in the summer months, especially when it pairs so well with our warm-weather bounty.  Roast chicken is a perfect famly meal, but also one that's ideal for entertaining.  It's easy to assemble, cooks on it's own with little attention required and perfumes the house so it seems as though you've spent hours in the kitchen working away.  Oh, did I mention it's easy?

This particular chicken was slathered in a homemade peachy barbecue sauce and topped with fresh peach slices and thinly cut onion rings.  It baked for just under an hour, thanks to the spatchcocking, but you could leave it whole and cook it for just a little longer if you like.  Or use pieces of chicken like breasts, thighs and drumsticks. No one in my house was worried about how it was cooked and what part of the chicken I used, as they were only concerned with trying to lick as much of the sauce from their fingers as possible.  The sign of a very good sauce indeed.

We paired the whole thing with fresh green and yellow beans from the market. Rob bought five pounds for $5, which is proof that farmer's market purchasing isn't always more costly than supermarket shopping.  The were perfectly crunchy and when topped with sea salt and butter, made the perfect accompaniment to our first proper Sunday dinner in weeks.

Roasted Peachy Chicken

• 1/2 cup peach preserves
• 2 whole peaches, sliced
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Fresh ground pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

Allow to boil for just under a minute, stirring often.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for ten minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Puree the sauce with an immersion blender.

Wash the chicken well, and pat dry with a paper towel.  Season with salt and pepper and coat the chicken with half the sauce.  Allow to marinate for 20 minutes.

Roast chicken as per usual.  When cooked through, remove from oven and brush on the remaining sauce.

Serve immediately.

 

 

Rainbow Juice Jigglers

The internet's obsession with all things rainbow is far from over, and I'm not afraid to admit that I'm pretty happy about it. Colour is a good thing. It's fun and inviting and continues to impress the kids no matter how many times they've seen it before.

Speaking of kids, when I entertain I always try to have something special on hand, just for them. They don't need their own meal per se, just a little something that lets them know they were thought of. Kids love surprises, and when are pulled from the fridge they'll be tickled.

In an effort to make life easy, and somewhat healthy, and contrary to what you might expect, these were not made with Jello. Instead, it's white grape juice, thickened with gelatin and vibrantly tinted with a little fancy food colouring, the kind you would use for a pretty cake or to tint your icing. Slightly sweetened whipped cream and sprinkles round out the look, and minus the time it took the set, these are made in less than twenty minutes.

A rainbow themed birthday party is also something fun to consider. Serve these cocktail-style as a welcome "drink", and adorn your table with other colourful goodies like veggies, fruits, a colourful candy bar, not to mention a tiered rainbow doughnut cake. 

Rainbow Juice Jigglers

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

• 4 cups white grapes juice
• 3 pacakges (1.8 g) gelatin
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar
• Assorted sprinkles
• Food colouring

1. Place one cup of the grape juice in a small bowl and cover with the gelatin. Allow to set for five minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the other three cups of grape juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the warm juice to the gelatin mixture, and stir to combine, ensuring the gelatin is completely dissolved.

3. Allow the mixture to cool for 3-4 minutes, then divide it evenly between your glasses. Add a drop of two of food colouring to each glass and mix well.

4. Transfer the glasses to the fridge and allow to set, approx. 1-2 hours.

5. Place the whipping cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and add the icing sugar. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer the mixture to a zip top bag or (piping bag fitted with a tip), cut the bottom and pipe a dollop of whipped cream onto the top of each juice jiggler. 

6. Cover with sprinkles and place in the fridge until you're ready to serve. 

Mashed Limeade (In Really Cute Sippy Cups)

For most of the summer I've been thinking about these homemade sippy cups.  Aren't they just perfect?  I love how something so simple turned mason jars into cute party cups for kids.  I've been wanting to do it myself, but just couldn't commit to re-fashioning all those lids with spray paint and holes.  I would have to have space just for those cups, or new lids for the jars.

Instead I decided to make a paper lid for my jars.  One that is interchangeable and can be customized for whatever event you may be hosting.  Using spray adhesive, I attached pretty paper to parchment paper for a little stabilizing and waterproofing, and then I traced the mason jar lid around the paper and cut a piece to place inside the rim.  Using a hole punch, I made a slot for the straw to slip through.

     

Once the drinks are finished, the fancy tops can be recycled and my party cups go back to being good old mason jars. Now, the drink you see inside is just a lovely as the vessel it's sipped from.  

     

I have a favourite antique market, which we try to frequent once a month over the course of the summer and early Fall.  Last weekend, I happened to pick-up 10 back issue of Cooks Illustrated for $2.  A great bargain, if you ask me.  On the car ride home, my nose was buried in the pages as I learned all about the proper way to make lemonade.

Did you know, the taste of this beverage is so much better if you mash the citrus, as opposed to juicing it.  And you don't need to make a simple syrup in order for the sugar to dissolve?  Brilliant, really.

The idea is that you thinly slice the lemons (or limes!), add the sugar and place everything in pot.  For 3-4 minutes, crush the mixture with a potato masher.  This will release the oils and flavour from the skin, as well as the insides.  The sugar will dissolve in the process, and you'll find yourself left with a syrupy substance.

Strain the entire thing through a fine mesh sieve, and add cold water and a few berries, if you desire.  It couldn't be easier and the taste is one that's much more pure than when I've made this drink following the traditional method of making it.

Mashed Limeade (makes 2 glasses)

• 3 limes, outsides washed and scrubbed
• 3-5 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 cups cold water

Once the limes have been washed well, trim off the ends and slice thinly.

Place the limes in a pot and cover with the sugar (how much you use depends on how sweet you like your drink)

Using a potato masher, crush the mixture repeatedly for 3-4 minutes, or until a thick syrup rests at the bottom of the pot.

Strain the mixture in a fine mesh sieve set over a glass measuring cup, or bowl, using the back of a spoon to press down on the solids in order to get all of the liquid.

Chill the syrup, add the cold water and shake well.

Divide between two glasses and garnish with fresh berries and a slice of lime.

Picnic Parties

 

When the Savvy Mom team and I came up with a picnic theme for this month's birthday party, I was thrilled.  What a great way to host the easiest of birthday parties, in a setting that every child enjoys - the outdoors.

The thing about picnic parties is that they don't require much work and the natural green elements of your backyard or park provide a colourful backdrop for a few simple decorations.  I like to embellish my parties with things I already have on hand, so bicycles, ribbons and tissue paper pom poms work great.

 

 
 
When it comes to the food, sandwiches are always a great option as are salads.  And since it's usually to hot to offer ice cream or popsicles, what about serving fruit salad in a waffle cone with a dollop of whipped cream.   Don't forget about the drinks - a lemonade bar is the perfect way for guests to customize their beverages.

For my next party, I'm going to make some of these mason jar sippy cups.  Aren't they brilliant?

 

 

Popsicles Three Ways: Strawberry Cream, Vanilla Lime and Hot Chocolate

I took to Twitter yesterday morning, and declared that I had no plans for the day but to stock my freezer full of Popsicles, and that's exactly what I did. Three colourful varieties were pumped out in record time, providing a frozen treat for everyone since my kids aren't equipped with the same flavour preferences.  Of course. 

The last of the market strawberries were whizzed into icy pink submission with a pinch or two of sugar, some lemon juice and a splash of cream.  The translucent popsicles are a vanilla lime concoction reminiscent of popular beach-side beverages, and the chocolate brown ones are our favourite winter drink in frozen form.

I used my trusty Zoku to whip these up while the kids were at day camp, but any popsicle mold will do.  In fact, any cup, paper or otherwise, will yield great popsicles as well. 

Strawberries and Cream Popsicles

• 2 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and chopped
• 2-4 tablespoons sugar (use as little or as much as you like)
• juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 cup cream

Place the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth.  

Transfer the mixture into a glass measuring cup, or vessel with a spout,  and add the cream, swirling slightly.

Pour into popsicles molds and freeze as per container directions.

Vanilla Lime Popsicles

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cups lime juice
• 3-6 cups cold water

Combine the water, sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan set over high heat, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium, and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Remove the syrup from the stove and allow to cool completely.

Add the lime juice, and stir.  Add the cold water, two cups at a time, until the mixture reaches the desired sweetness.

Pour into popsicle molds, and freeze as per container directions

Hot Chocolate Popsicles 

Recipe can be found here

Skillet Cornbread with Strawberries and Mint

See these strawberries?  They're not from Ontario. They are from California, where I imagine it must be a nice place to be these days with an abundance of local produce spilling off the stands at any of the local farmer's market.  

But here in Ontario our "these-would-be-nice-days-if-it-was-November" rainy skies combined with the "when-did-we- move-to-Texas" heat have ensured that we haven't seen local berries yet.  In fact, the stores just started stocking Ontario asparagus last week, which makes me feel like I did when I lived in Europe, and I had to wait six months for the hottest movie to make it's away across the pond so I could finally see it.

I'm not going to let the same thing happen with my berries.  So I'm buying them in all their shipped-from-faraway-places glory and loving every bite.  I do realize that in your eyes this might make me akin to a pirating DVD downloader, but what I can say? If they aren't making them here then I can't buy them, and I can only eat apples for so many months.

My imported berries have made their way into salads, pitas stuffed with beef (um, thanks, Ben), morning smoothies and now they've found their way into a seasonal favourite: skillet cornbread.  In a moment of craziness I grabbed some mint from my nearby garden and added it in prior to baking.  Seems now like it wasn't such a bad idea after all, and I take comfort in knowing that something in the dish was locally grown.  I think. 

Skillet Cornbread with Strawberries and Mint

I love traditional cornbread in all it's white floury and sugar laden goodness, but this recipe is a little different.  The all-purpose flour is replace with whole wheat and the sugar is swapped out for a little honey instead.  Feel free to replace the mint with basil, or any other fresh herb of your liking, and definitely consider adding a large dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream to the top of your slice.

• 1 cup medium grain cornmeal
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons mint, chopped (about 12 leaves)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup diced strawberries

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Heat a 10″ cast-iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes.

Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and mint in a large bowl to blend.  

In a separate bowl combine the milk, honey and egg.

Remove the skillet from the oven and add the butter.  Swirl around the pan until melted.  Pour all the butter into the egg mixture.  

Add the egg mixture to the cornmeal mixture.  Add the strawberries.  Do not over mix - the batter will be wet and runny.

Pour the batter into the skillet.  Bake until the edges are browned and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Cool in skillet for 10 minutes.  Serve directly from the pan.

 

 

 

 

Let's Do Brunch: The Fruit

Are you ready for round two of Let's Do Brunch?  In case you need a refresher, here's the post from last week where I gush about my new found fondness for all things brunch.  What an excellent way to entertain with ease this spring!

Last week we covered quiches, which I think are an almost-essential brunch food.  This week I'm talking about another must-have item. Fruit.  

Now, please keep in mind that preparing fruit for a brunch doesn't have to equate to fruit salad. There are so many other interesting, and easier, ways to serve this morning food up to your guests.

Kebobs

This is my favourite way to make fruit for the kids.  Add a few marshmallows to your skewers, and they instantly elevate the offering to something extra special.  

Individual Servings

Simple fruits take centre stage when they're served in individual glasses.  Feel free to turn these into a elegant parfaits by adding a layer of yogurt to the bottom, middle and top of the glass.  Or garnish your edibles with a sprig of mint and a drizzle of honey.  Depending on the fruits being used, these can easily be prepared the night before your big event, making your brunch morning that much easier.

One Fruit Only

Another ridiculously easy way to serve fruit for a brunch is to offer only one variety, in a large quantity. Think large wooden bowls overflowing with red and green grapes or small glass bowls spilling with wild blueberries or fresh strawberries.  As long as the fruit is fresh, ripe and vibrant it will stand alone just fine. But be sure to offer a lot of it, otherwise it will appear skimpy.

Fruit Platter

If you go this route, be sure to cut the fruit into bite size pieces.  Layer it on a large square or rectangular platter, placing like items with like items.  Try using four to six different varieties, and consider making the presentation fun by using theme fruits (think only berries, or only citrus) or by creating a rainbow of colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.

 

Frozen Banana Bites

My three boys have been living in the woods for the past few days.  And it's been above 33 degrees Celsius since the day they left.  I'm expecting that by the time they return tonight they will be looking for the coolest of treats and coldest of beverages I could possibly provide.  Enter the frozen banana bite.

I remember seeing something fun created with frozen bananas in an old issue of Bon Appetit.  I pulled my copies out last night and found exactly what I was looking for.  Bite-sized pieces of banana, dipped in sweet, dark chocolate, coated with an assortment of fun toppings and popped in the freezer until each piece is completely frozen.  Easy and oh. so. good.

When you bite into these little gems the texture of the frozen banana perfectly mimics that of a popsicle, albeit a more substantial one.  In addition to be tasty this is incredible adaptable.  Feel free to use milk or white chocolate and  roll them in whatever you have on hand: nuts, toffee bits, dried fruits, toasted coconut, cookie crumbs or nothing at all.  Whatever you prefer.  

If you're planning a soiree, serve these on a tray a la an hors d'oeuvres for a fun finish to a party meal.  And if you're trying to offer some creative summer-vacation-boredom-busters for your kiddies, this is a great activity for your little chefs.  With nothing more than three or four ingredients, a few bowls and a baking sheet these could be made almost completely unsupervised.

I'm armed and ready for the return of my lads.  I'm certain they'll be pleased with their welcome home treat.

Frozen Banana Bites, adapted from Bon Appetit

• 2 bananas, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive or canola oil
• 1 tbsp. milk
• Assorted toppings

Stir chocolate, oil and milk in a small saucepan, set over medium hight heat, until melted and smooth.  Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a fork dip each piece of banana into the chocolate to cover completely.  Dip each chocolate-covered piece into one of the toppings and roll around to coat well.

Transfer to baking sheet and repeat with remaining pieces.  Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until frozen solid.

Strawberry, Balsamic and Goat Cheese Toasts

 

I shared a small glimpse of these delicacies a few weeks back when I offered  my thoughts on bruschetta bars. I've been meaning to write about them since and now that strawberry season is here in all it's juicy glory, the time seemed right to share what I'm making for me these days.  

Yes, I do confess that sometimes I'm inclined to make foods just for me.  I hope that doesn't sound too selfish, but honestly food like this is not going to be eaten by my boys. To begin with, there's the fact that Ben thinks goat cheese tastes more like his unpleasantly aromatic running shoes than actual cheese, and there's also the small issue whereby neither of my boys enjoy or appreciate fresh, sweet berries (I could write pages about how this pains me).   So, instead of hassling them to try these toasts I refrain and enjoy them alone. In peace. And I don't have to share.

Do you have something you make for you, and you alone?  

Strawberry, Balsamic  and Goat Cheese Toasts

• 2 slices bread, toasts
• 1/4 cup goat cheese
• 6 strawberries, sliced and dices
• 3-4 fresh basil leaves
• Balsamic vinegar
• Fresh ground pepper

Toast your bread in a toaster, on the grill or until the broiler in your oven.  Top each slice with equal amount of goat cheese.  Top the goat cheese with the diced strawberries and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with a good dose of fresh ground pepper and enjoy.