Family Bites

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I got a little crazy the other night and decided to make homemade Easter candy for the boys this year. Part of it is to distract myself from the fact that they no longer believe in the Easter bunny - which forces me to accept that they are really and truly growing up - but also, how cool is it to receive a basket of handmade Easter chocolate? 

My plan is to make homemade peanut butter cups, Cadbury cream eggs and cookies. The latter is a little unconventional I suppose, but the top drawer of the antique hutch in my dining room is still filled with Christmas chocolates, so I'm pretty sure we don't need any more foil-wrapped candies this year. 

What I like best about these little bonbons is that they're healthy. For real. Just please don't tell the kids. This morning I attempted to make carrot cake pancakes for breakfast - they were good – but Jackson could not get past the fact that I was putting "dinner vegetables in his breakfast." If he knew that these five-ingredient bonbons were wholesome and good for him, he’d probably never forgive me.

Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cups

Adapted from Sprouted Kitchen and The Homemade Pantry

Makes 12 mini candy cups

• 16 oz. dark chocolate 
• 1/2 cup chilled natural crunchy peanut butter (see note below)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sea salt flakes, for topping

1. Break up the chocolate and melt it in a bowl sitting over a pot of simmering water. Stir to make sure it is perfectly smooth.

2. Spoon a teaspoon or so of the chocolate into the bottom of each liner and tilt and twist it around so the chocolate coats the bottom and side of the liner. Place the liners in a mini muffin tin to help them hold shape. 

3. Repeat with remaining liners and allow the chocolate to harden completely, about 25-40 minutes (you can speed up the process by putting them in the fridge). You will have leftover chocolate. Just leave it in the bowl and melt it again when you need it. 

4. Meanwhile, mix the crunchy peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth to make the filling. Scoop out a teaspoon or two of the peanut butter filling and gently roll it into a ball between your palms. Give it a press down and center it on top of the hardened chocolate. Repeat with the remaining filling.

5. Re-melt the remaining chocolate using the same method as above and add another teaspoon or two on top of each peanut butter ball to cover completely. You may need to add a little extra to get the chocolate to level above the bump of the filling.

6. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaked sea salt on each one and chill in the fridge to set. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature.

A note about the peanut butter:

I like to use natural peanut butter that's been in the fridge, as it's a little firmer than a new package that's at room temperature. 

Mexican Pulled Pork

Email subscribers – I owe you an apology. Last night, I was working on this week's "Food for Thought" post and accidentally published it instead of pressing save. As a result you received an email this morning filled with...nothing, but one sentence. Sorry for uselessly cluttering up your inbox. Here's the post I really wanted you to see. 

I have a new dinner philosophy that goes something like this: when in doubt make pulled pork. If you’re having friends over for a meal and you can’t decide what to serve, pulled pork is a great option. If you’re time-strapped for dinner and would love to have something ready when you walk in the door at the end of the day, pulled pork works well. If you’re looking for a meal that makes enough to feed your family, and yields leftovers for the next day, pulled pork is your answer. If you want to use less deli meat in the school lunches, pulled pork can be kept in the fridge for a week and makes a tasty filling for wraps, sandwiches, buns, tacos, and even tastes great on pizza. If you’re on a budget and want the most bang for your buck when it comes to buying protein, making pulled pork is definitely your answer, because even a good-quality piece of pork shoulder just isn’t that expensive. 

This is a new-to-me pulled pork recipe and it’s so easy I deemed it the best one to share. It comes together effortlessly; even Jackson can make it without supervision. In fact, he did put this dinner together, but would prefer I don't share photos of him doing so. Neither of the boys are very interested in seeing themselves on the blog anymore, which I have no choice but to respect. My point, though, is that if anyone in your house can stir, press, and pour, they can definitely put this meal together. 

Slow-Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork

Serves 8

Adapted from the Weelicious cookbook

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 3 ½ - 4 lb. pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed and removed
• 2 cups mild salsa
• ½ cup water

1. In a small bowl combine the cumin seeds, coriander, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and salt.

2. Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and smear ½ the spice mixture over the top side of the meat. Flip it over and rub the remaining spices into the other side.

3. Combine the salsa and water in a small bowl or glass measuring cup and pour it around the pork shoulder. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, or high for 6-7 hours, or until the meat easily pulls away from the bone.

4. Transfer the pork to a plate and discard the bone and any excess fat. Shred it into bite-size pieces and place it in a serving bowl. Add the liquid from the slow cooker and stir to combine.

Food for Thought: The Week In Review

Are you having a good weekend? We're coming to the end of March Break, and although it's been nice to hang out with the kids I'm looking forward to getting back into our routine. Here is a list of some of the things that caught my eye this week - I hope you enjoy the reads!

• Where to sit at a dinner party.

• This is my new favourite book.

• 16 TED talks that will make you smarter about food. 

• I have a feeling these eggs are going to find their way into my children's Easter baskets this year. 

• The shelf life of food? This is fantastic. 

• Sweet Paul's spring issue was just released - I'll definitely be purusing the pages Sunday morning while drinking my morning tea.  

• It's time to spring clean the kitchen!

• These burgers are on my meal plan this week. 

• Do you want to make this pecan salty caramel tart as much as I do?

• Understanding gluten. 

• From the archives: Orzo with kale, corn and sausage. 

 

(dinner party link via Cup of Jo, 

How-to-Make-Your-Children-Happy Pie

Last month’s Gatherings post included a sneak peak of this chocolate pudding pie, a dessert that’s quickly become my children’s favourite. Made with a classic pudding filling – it contains no eggs, heavy cream or any of the other fancied-up ingredients making their way into recipes for this old-timey treat these day – a tender yet crisp pie crust, and a hearty dollop of whipped cream, this sweet treat needs to find a way into your homemade dessert arsenal. Soon.

If making homemade versions of the separate elements seems a little daunting, you can use a store-bought component if you like. I definitely recommend putting together the pudding and cream from scratch; both take only ten minutes to assemble - probably even less, actually - and the taste alone is worth your time investment. 

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Serves 8-10

• 9” pie pastry, store-bought or made from your favourite recipe
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup good-quality cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup whipping cream (35%)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Extra cocoa powder, for dusting

1. Prepare the pie pastry as per the recipe or package instructions, and allow to cool completely once baked.

2. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and whisk until well combined.

3. Add the milk and vanilla and stir until the dry ingredients have dissolved. Set the pot over medium heat and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon, about 10-15 minutes.

4. Pour the pudding into the pie shell and cool for 2 minutes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill until completely cold, about 3 hours.

5. Just before serving, beat the whipping cream and sugar until it forms soft peaks. Spoon the whipped cream over the pie and dust the top with cocoa powder.

Food for Thought: The Week In Review

Happy spring break! Are the kids home from school this week, or have they already had their time off? I'm working at putting together a list of fun activities and projects to keep us all entertained for the next seven days, and while I do that, I thought I would leave you with some interesting articles that my caught eye this week. Have a great day!

• I'm so thankful that "spork" has never been a part of my diet. These vintage ads are hilarious!

• Planning a party? Or just a menu? This flavour mix-and-match chart can help. 

• How adorable are these bunny ear cookies? I love them!

• They say sugar is toxic - do you agree?

• I'm pretty happy with my pudding recipe, but I'm itching to give Heidi's version a try. Also, I need to find a copy of that cookbook!

• How to make gluten-free homemade pasta.

• 11 surprising uses for eggshells!

How to Throw a Baby Shower

I remember my baby shower as if it happened yesterday. I actually had one for each boy, and they're imprinted in my memory as two very special days with some of my favourite friends and family. The food was plentiful, the gifts adorable, and the company was practically perfect. 

Last month, I put together a baby shower for SavvyMom. A simple gender-neutral event designed with vibrant colours, stripes and polka-dots, complete with an easy menu created for the time-strapped host. Straightforward yet impressive, I challenged myself to only use the supplies that could easily be sourced from stores like Michaels, Dollarama, and Ikea, shops that are accessible to most of us. Sweet candy served in champagne flutes was the perfect marriage of table decor and party snack, and they've been one of the more popular aspects of the shower so far.

As for the menu, this shrimp crostini is about as easy it gets. Whipped Boursin cheese smeared over toasted baguette slices and topped with a pan-fried shrimp that can be made in advance. If that doesn't tickle your fancy, how about a savouy baked brie? The popular cheey dish is usually served with a brown sugar and nut combination, or topped with a sweet jam or chutney, but here I went with lemon zest - it matched the colour scheme of the party - garlic, and herbs. 

Is it okay to say that I really love the take-home favours? I picked up a few yellow tealight candle holders at Michaels for $1.50, and filled them with a little of the extra candy. Wrapped in cello and tied with ribbon, they really are an adorable way to thank the guests for coming. 

For the rest of the details on the party, and the complete list of recipe, visit SavvyMom.

White Minestrone Soup with Roast Chicken

It’s not very often that I come across a recipe for minestrone soup that doesn’t involve the use of tomatoes. In case I haven’t mentioned it before, they are, by far, my least favourite food. Just the mere thought of them gives me a case of the heebie-jeebies, and sadly they aren’t a huge part of my cooking repertoire, although I certainly try to incorporate them when I think I can handle it, especially for Rob’s sake since he happens to love them.

All of this to say, you can imagine my delight when I came across a recipe for a white minestrone with roasted chicken soup over on the Campbell’s website. Not only was this a stew-like concoction tomato free, but it also made use of the already-cooked chicken tucked inside my fridge (side note: I never cook just enough chicken for one meal. If I’m going to go to the effort to turn on the stove I double up on my protein and store the leftovers in the fridge for a different dinner on another day).  Classic comfort food at it’s best, which, if you live anywhere near me, you know we are in need of in order to combat the wet and dreary weather of late.

Enhanced with a little crispy bacon and tender orzo, I suspected this family-friendly dish would be a hit with the kids; and I was right. As you can see in the photo below, I didn’t even get the table fully set before they started digging in. Such is the case these days with growing pre-teen boys. I ladle out the soup before setting the table so it can cool a little, and by the time I gather them up it’s the right temperature for eating. In this case, they were hovering close by and when the bowls hit the table so did they.

The original recipe called for turnip, which isn’t a favourite flavour in our house, so I swapped it out for some of the butternut squash I had hanging around. I used dried sage instead of fresh, because that’s what was available, but the soup is so forgiving it truly didn’t seen to matter. In fact, I think the overall recipe is easily adaptable. If gluten poses a challenge to someone in your home, white beans would make an excellent replacement for the pasta, and if your kids aren’t crazy about mushrooms they can be omitted without issue.

It’s very rare that I head to a corporate-run website for recipe inspiration, but in this case I’m so glad I did. Otherwise, I’d be resigned to skipping out on minestrone soup forever, thanks to those pesky tomatoes.

White Minestrone Soup with Roast Chicken

Serves 6-8

• 1 tablespoon olive/canola oil
• 2 strips bacon, diced
• 1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, finely diced
• 1 cup button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 medium potato, diced
• 1 cup diced butternut squash
• 2 small carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 boxes Campbell’s low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups chopped/shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup cooked orzo
• Optional: grated Parmesan cheese

1. Warm the oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat and sauté the bacon for 4 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Add the leek and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until soft.

2. Add the mushroom, sage, rosemary, and oregano, and cook for 2 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the herbs are fragrant. Add the potato, squash, and carrots, and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until slightly golden in colour.

3. Add the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and, using a hand/immersion blender, pulse the soup three or four times to slightly thicken it. Stir in the cooked chicken and baby spinach and bring to a simmer.

4. Place a spoonful or two of pasta in each bowl and ladle the hot soup over the top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 

Campbell’s generously sponsored this post, but the opinions and images are my own. For more quick and easy meals kids will love, visit CookwithCampbells.ca.

 

 

Food for Thought: The Week In Review

While I'm busy planning posts for the month of March, I wanted to share a few articles that caught my eye this week.

Happy weekend reading!

• 8 small cooking habits that make a big difference. So much truth to this...

• Old-timey mustards are hoping for condiment domination.

• Jenny's book was nominated for an award. It was one of my favourites from last year so I'm not surprised.

• A year of popcorn recipes? Sign me up. Especially when this month's involves the use of bacon.  

• I could handle these for breakfast!

• What 200 calories looks like.

• Sushi cupcakes? The kids would love them!

• The evolution of mom dancing! Not food related, but pretty darn funny!

P.S. The pizza you see above was a HUGE hit with everyone in my house. Stay tuned for the recipe - coming to SavvyMom later this month!

 

 

 

Gatherings: An Impromptu Get-Together

I don't have any memories of my parents entertaining when I was kid. There were the usual family holidays that required a gathering for extended relations, but other than that I can confidently say that I didn't grow up surrounded by frequent parties and gaggles of dinner guests. 

However, there were less formal affairs; like friends and neighbours popping by for coffee while out for an evening stroll. Are people doing things like that anymore? Do last-minute get-togethers happen these days, or are our lives so busy that even casual gatherings are pre-planned and scheduled? 

Julie and I decided to tackle the idea of an impromptu dinner with friends for this month's Gatherings (click here for a refresher) post. The kind you have when you wake up on Saturday morning and decided to call friends to see if they're free to come by for dinner and board games. It's the perfect way to pass the time during the cold weather months, especially in February and March, when winter's charm is fading away and the idea of spending another weekend evening indoors in nearly too much to handle. It’s also fun for the kids – trust me. 

My go-to food for practically every meal is soup, and what could be better than a pot of bubbling potage accompanied by a DIY grilled cheese station when a last minute dinner is organized? The meal doesn't have to be fancy to be fun, and I rather think guests are relieved when they see something familiar and easy on the table. The menu – if you can call it that - is all about comfort food, and I can promise you it was a hit.

Here's how I did it:

Soup:

• This can be made up to two days in advance, but since we're talking about a last-minute gathering, I would make this as soon as you have your plans in place.
• It takes less than twenty minutes to prep a pot of soup and the rest of the work is done on the stove while you busy yourself with something else.
• I like to make a puréed soup for this sort of dinner party; it can be served in coffee mugs, which makes for easier eating (no spoons!) and less dishes (hurray!). 
• I made a simple butternut squash soup, replacing the curry with sage and the apple juice with cream, just because I had the ingredients on hand. Creamy tomato soup would be great here, too.

Sandwiches:

This is the dinner showstopper; a DIY grilled cheese station of assorted breads, cheeses, condiments, meats, fresh fruits, and veggies.

• The easiest way to do this is to make open-faced toasted sandwiches on a baking sheet. You can make two trays at a time, ensuring you don’t spend your evening standing by the stove flipping bread.
• Cheese melts best when grated so I would take the time to do that.
• If you meat needs to be cooked, do so in advance of your guests arriving.
• Pre-slice and pre-toast the bread and platter up an assortment of toppings, making sure to have some kid-friendly ingredients in the mix (like bacon, pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese).
• Ask guests to assemble their sandwiches and when they are in the oven prepare the soup for serving.
• Pass out mugs of soup alongside plates of grilled cheesy sandwiches and everyone will be happy!

The Dessert: 

• Chocolate pudding pie. Swoon. This retro, comforting, and classic dessert is popular with both the kids and the adults. I'll be sharing the recipe in an upcoming post as it deserves its own space here on the blog. It's that good. My alternate title for this decadence is how-to-make-your-children-happy pie, and it should belong in the back-pocket recipe files of mothers everywhere. 
• Other things I might think about serving with this menu is chocolate cake, a platter of oversized chocolate chip cookies, and maybe even something store-bought from the bakery. It doesn't always have to be homemade - it just has to be good!

For this kind of event, keeping everything else for your gathering simple really is the best idea. I like to use the IKEA Tekla dishtowels for cloth napkins. They are generous in size and cover the lap, ensuring no crumbs find their way onto the clothes of your guests. Some fresh flowers, tealights and music are the only other things need to complete the look of this soirée. 

This month, Julie, made Luisa's meatballs for her impromtu gathering. I love the idea of plunking a large pot of rich red tomato sauce in the middle of the table alongside crusty baguettes for dipping and glasses of wine for drinking. I can't imagine anyone - kids included - who wouldn't come over for a last-minute dinner when something so tantalizing is on offer.  

Nigellissima! (and a book giveaway)

For someone who grew up doing the most ordinary things, I feel awfully lucky - and grateful - that my life now consists of some more extraordinary adventures. Take last Monday, for example. Instead of hanging out at home working, walking the dog, or doing the laundry - my usual morning tasks - I was headed downtown with Mardi to meet Nigella Lawson. Did you read that sentence? Let me write it again: I met Nigella Lawson. 

There are plenty of popular celebrity chefs in the world, and while I love Nigella's recipes and her approach to cooking, it's her words that have me most captivated. In fact - and now you'll know just how big of a dork I really am - I used to keep a notebook on the counter in the kitchen, and when I read an inspiring bit of Nigella's prose I would jot it down into the pages for future inspiration. Now, I can confidently say that she speaks with the same charm, and it was such a treat to hear her share some of her cooking wisdom.

The event took place at the new Chatelaine test kitchen, a stunning space nestled in the centre of the magazine's office, which includes four ovens,15 stovetop burners and two high-powered silent dishwashers. To say I had kitchen envy would be a tiny bit of an understatement.

Nigella was there to promote her newest cookbook, Nigellissima (published by Knopf Canada, a division of Random House of Canada), a collection of easy Italian-inspired recipes. 

I received an advance copy of the book a few weeks ago and have worked my way voraciously through the pages. I tackled the meatzza - a flat, round meatball topped with traditional pizza toppings - twice, a recipe Nigella herself declares as numero uno in the book, and the Italian breakfast banana bread, a damp loaf peppered with espresso powder and smeared with Nutella. I've also made the parmesan shortbread, a classic homemade cracker perfect for both the school lunchbox and to serve as a party appetizer. 

 

The kind folks at Random House Canada have generously offered a copy of Nigellisima for one lucky Family Bites reader. The giveaway will end on Friday March 1st at midnight, and the book will be shipped next week. Here's how to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me which (if any) celebrity chefs or food writers you admire. 

2. Like Family Bites on Facebook.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, because Rob definitely was, she's far more beautiful in person than she appears on television. 

Update: Congratulations to Kathryn! You've been contacted via email.