Family Bites

Nigella Lawson's Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last weekend, I cleaned up my cookbook collection, a five foot by six foot shelving system that lines the wall on the south side of my dining room. As I was rearranging the books into colour-coordinated categories - something I do once or twice a year - I pulled a few books from the heap, ones that I haven't cooked from for a while, and vowed to make at least one recipe from each in the coming week, if only to remind myself why I've given it a place in my precious collection.

The first one I flipped through was Nigella Express: Good Food Fast. The title alone speaks to me right now, and feels fitting for the kind of food I feel I need to be cooking these days. Now that Rob's better, Matthew has come down with pneumonia, which is tragic for a twelve-month-old, and in an effort to cuddle and kiss him as much as he needs it, I'm just not able to log as many hours in the kitchen as I would like these days.

Naturally, I went for something sweet and comforting first, and happily the cookies do indeed live up to the title of the book. They are good - downright decadent, if you will - not to mention fast to make, which Ben and I did in the fifteen free minutes we had between the time when Matthew went to bed and he was heading out the door to hockey. They make a small batch - just 12 - which, with teenagers in the house, doesn't seem all that many, but they are so rich, laden with puddles of chocolate within, that one cookie seems to be more than enough per serving. 

Are you making any good cookies these days? I feel like I'm in a bit of a cookie rut and looking for new inspiration, so if you have a favourite recipe please feel free to share a link or cookbook that it comes from. My boys will thank you!

Nigella Lawson's Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 12

• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cane or granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Melt the 4oz of chocolate. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a bowl.

3. Cream the butter and two sugars using an electric or handheld mixer. Add the melted chocolate and mix together. 

4. Beat in the vanilla extract and egg. Mix in the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Scoop 1/4 cup mounds of dough onto  the prepared baking sheet (depending on the size of your pan you may need to do this in batches). Space the dough balls 2-3 inches apart and do not flatten them.

6. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cookie comes out semi-clean. Cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to harden as they cool. 

Cream Puff Christmas Trees & Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Baguette

This year I’ve decided that I’m not going to take charge of the dessert for dinner on Christmas day. I’ve made it every year for the past ten or so, and instead I’m assembling an assorted cookie platter to serve alongside something that one of my sisters-in-law will hopefully provide.

Don’t worry; I’m not slacking by any means. I make the turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. I also provide an appetizer and the cocktails, and dinner doesn’t even happen at my house, so you can imagine the work involved in transporting everything to another home. It’s a long story as to why our dinners happen this way, but suffice it to say it’s really the easiest for everyone involved, and doing it this way ensures the entire Scott clan can have Christmas dinner together.

When dessert was in my hands, the most popular one to date was a mock croquembouche I made for the kids three years ago. I say mock because there was no piping of choux paste in my kitchen that year, nor any spinning of sugar, and in place of both traditional ingredients I used store-bought frozen cream puffs topped with microwave melted chocolate (should I hand in my food writer card now?). Normally I would hang my head in shame over the shortcut I took to get that dessert on the table, but seeing how excited the kids were about what I had made forced me get over myself pretty quickly. And to be honest, I’ve never looked back when it comes to making cream puff Christmas trees.

Last month, I was approached by M&M Meats to develop two recipes for them for the holiday season. The catch, of course, was that I needed to use a minimum of one of their brand name products for each of the recipes, a task that was surprisingly simple. To start with, as soon as I found mini cream puffs on the menu I knew I would put together another Christmas tree using both of their available flavours. This time I dipped the tops into melted white chocolate and sprinkled them with gold sanding sugar, before stacking them with the chocolate hazelnut cream puffs into a tree-shaped structure supported by a glue made of basic white icing. The result was ridiculously festive, and one that my boys were pretty pleased with.

Spiced Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins

I’m going through a lot of muffins these days. They’re being packed into lunchboxes, eaten for an afterschool snack, and munched by the handful at 11:00 p.m. when a certain teenage boy comes home from hockey.

On average, they – the food-inhaling adolescents in our house – go through a dozen muffins in a day or so. I might have one for breakfast, or with my afternoon tea, and Rob usually sneaks one when he walks in the door after work, but other than that the boys take care of the whole batch themselves, a feat that still fascinates me.

I’ve tried boycotting the muffins, presenting hummus and fruit and other non-baked goods instead, and while those offerings do eventually get eaten, they’re usually met with the same amount of enthusiasm as the kids display when the Wi-Fi’s down. So now, instead of trying to beat them, I’m joining them and enabling their muffin-munching addiction, but there’s a catch: the muffins have to do something good for their body, not just their taste buds.

For a few months now, there’s been batches of chocolate chia oatmeal muffins and whole-grain banana bread muffins, but now that fall is in full swing I’m adding pumpkin muffins to the rotation. I developed this recipe a few years ago for SavvyMom and more than 1,ooo people have liked, shared, pinned and commented on the recipe. In other words, it’s seems as though it’s worth knowing about. Made with whole-wheat flour, oats, cooked quinoa, and Greek yogurt, there’s plenty of fibre, protein and healthy fats packed into these baked bundles. Naturally, there’s also sugar, but not too much, so they err on the side of being not too sweet.

I don’t actually cook quinoa specifically for this recipe, but rather I intentionally make extra and store the leftovers in the fridge or freezer so I have it available when the mood – or need - to make muffins strikes. I do the same with the pumpkin as well, measuring it into ¾ cup portions and freezing it in small ziptop baggies.

If your hungry kids are looking for a baked snack I highly recommend giving these a go. Maybe just don’t mention the quinoa, though. For some reason that word immediately puts up red flags, so we can just keep that part of the recipe a secret between you and me.

Spiced Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

• ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup canola, olive, or (melted) coconut oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¾ cup pumpkin purée
• ½ cup cooked quinoa

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a bowl, combine the flours, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, honey, egg, yogurt, oil, and vanilla.

4. Stir in the pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients and the quinoa; mix until just combined.

5. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin tin filling the cups ⅔ full. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the centre is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Note: Muffins can be made in advance and stored in the freezer. To thaw, remove from the freeze and place in the fridge overnight. Warm in the microwave for 30 seconds prior to serving.

Skillet S'mores Dip

I can't take full credit for this make-your-children-happy treat, as versions of it have been floating around the web for a while. What I will claim, though, is that it can turn a gloomy Tuesday afternoon into something special in less than ten minutes, because that's how long it takes to put this seasonally inspired skillet sweet together. 

There really isn't a recipe to follow: just pour two cups of chocolate chips into a 9-inch skillet and top with 17 or 18 marshmallows that have been sliced in half. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 10 minutes (watch the chocolate - if it overcooks it's likely to seize) and serve with graham cracker sticks for dipping. 

I’ve yet to let a year pass without sharing a s’mores-based dessert here or over at SavvyMom (2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010) so consider this the 2015 contribution to the list. 

Crunchy Apple and Pear Crisp

Last week I suffered from a serious bout of insomnia, and when coupled with the typical 37-week pregnant nesting phase, the result was a whole lot of cooking being done by the time breakfast landed on the dining room table.

I started around 6am and made a double batch of curried split pea soup with veggies and ham, a classic banana bread, homemade hot chocolate mix for the cold week to come, oatmeal and carrot muffins, and a crunchy apple and pear crisp. Not shown was the large pot of rice I made to store in the fridge for quick breakfasts and easy lunches (my boys’ favourite morning food is a stir-fry of rice and eggs topped with a few splashes of soy and hot sauces) or the kale slaw that I made for that day’s meals. Admittedly, it might have been a little over the top, but I had the energy and the ingredients, and the house was quiet so I made the most of the morning.

The nice thing is that the kids had snacks for most of the week, and the soup served us one full meal plus a few lunches for Rob and I. The hot chocolate mix is still going strong, but the rice disappeared by the third day – it never lasts long around here. The crisp was saved for me. I’m not ashamed to admit that with the exception of one serving, I devoured the entire pan over the course of the week. The wheels come off a little in the last week or so of pregnancy, and I figure there was enough fruit, oats and nuts in the baking dish to qualify the dish as a decent breakfast, snack, and even dinner, because goodness knows, what I’ve been cooking for everyone else hasn’t really been appealing to me lately. 

The benefits of batch cooking are well documented, and I certainly don’t think you need to be pregnant to benefit from them. If you have the time this weekend, make a little extra food for the week to come. Your weeknight-dinner-and-lunch-making-self will thank you. So will your family, because if they’re anything like mine they eat the fridge down in a day or two, and this will keep you from making extra trips to the store during the week. It’s way too cold to be doing that. 

Crunchy Apple and Pear Crisp

Crisps and cobblers seem to be very popular in the fall, but I actually think they're perfect for late winter, when you're craving something fruity and good quality grocery store options are few and far between. This no-fuss recipe comes together quickly and is made with everyday fridge and pantry ingredients you likely have hanging around your house already.

For the filling:

• 4-5 apples and/or pears (assorted varieties), peel, cored and cut into ½-inch thick slices
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt

For the topping:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup cane or brown sugar
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Place the sliced fruit in a medium mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and salt and gently toss with a large spoon to combine.

3. Tip the filling into an ungreased 2-quart (or similar size) baking dish and set aside.

4. To make the topping, stir together the flour, oats, sugar, nuts, cinnamon, salt and butter in a separate mixing bowl. Spoon the topping evenly over the filling.

5. Bake until the fruit is bubbly and the topping is golden brown, 25-35 minutes.

6. Serve warm with ice cream if desired (but it’s highly recommended) 

Brown Eggs and Jam Jars (One-Bowl Carrot-Spice Muffins)

Rob accompanied me to our local Chapters store on Sunday morning so I could pick up some birthday gifts for my niece. The roads were slick with snow and slush, and given my current condition he thought it best if I didn’t venture out alone. Of course, I could have managed just fine on my own, but his thoughtfulness was too sweet to overlook so I happily allowed him to chauffeur my beach ball-sized belly and I around that morning.

When we walked into the bookstore we immediately bolted to the cookbook section, a new routine we put into practice back in November when my book was released. We like to take stock of how many copies are still in the store, and if the book has been placed on the shelf or if it’s sitting propped up on display somewhere (I know, so lame!). Happily, this week the book was out on a large wooden shelf beside popular names like Ina Garten, Gabrielle Hamilton, and Jamie Oliver, but what thrilled me even more was to see it resting two rows over from a stunning new publication, Brown Egg and Jam Jars, written by one of my oldest food writing friends, Aimée Wimbush-Bourque, of the popular blog Simple Bites. 

It’s no secret that I absolutely adore cookbooks, but when I come across ones that are written by people I personally know (and like!), it’s such a treat to finally flip through the pages of their passion project and see the months of hard work come to life. Aimée’s book was certainly worth the wait, and her captivating stories are accompanied by many must-make recipes and flawless food photography, making this a book that will spend just as much time on my coffee table as it will on the kitchen counter.

Divided by the season, Brown Eggs and Jam Jars is a love letter to Aimée’s family-focused urban homesteading lifestyle. The book features a variety of seasonal events her family celebrates over the course of a year, each of which is accompanied by her simple yet seductive recipes, nostalgic family memories, and tips and advice for building your own homestead, while keeping kids at the centre of it all. 

I’ve been reading and cooking my way through the pages of this top-notch family-friendly recipe collection, and my boys have quickly decided that the one-bowl carrot-spice oatmeal muffins are a new favourite snack to have hanging around the house when they come in the door after school.  They’re made with wholesome and hearty ingredients, and are perfect for pairing with a glass of milk or mug of hot cocoa on a dark and damp winter day.

Aimée has generously agreed to let me share her muffin recipe with you, and is also offering one reader a chance to win a copy of her fabulous new book, courtesy of her publisher, Penguin Random House Canada. How lucky for all of us!

To enter: simply leave a comment telling me what cookbook you’re currently cooking from.

Additional entry #1: feel free to follow me over on Instagram. I’m @jannisescott1!

Additional entry #2: Like Family Bites on Facebook.

One-Bowl Carrot-Spice Oatmeal Muffins

The beauty of this recipe is its versatility, as it can happily accommodate almost any substitutions you like, and believe me, with the picky eaters around my table, I’ve tried quite a few variations. Oatmeal is one of the constants in the recipe and provides, in my opinion, necessary texture. Other than that, try grated zucchini in place of the carrot. Leave out the cranberries and toss in raisins or chocolate chips in their place. Go nuts with chopped pecans, walnuts or sunflower seeds; you’ll only further add to the flavor and great texture of this popular snack. The oats need to soak in the milk for 1 hour, so take that into consideration before getting started.

Makes 12 medium or 24 mini muffins

• 1 cup (250 mL) milk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) white vinegar
• 1 cup (250 mL) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) raw cane sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (280 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) freshly ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) grated carrots
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) dried cranberries 

1. Combine milk, vinegar and oats in a large bowl and let stand for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a twelve-cup muffin pan or 24-cup mini muffin pan with cupcake papers.

3. Crack the egg into the oat mixture; add sugar and beat with a whisk to combine. Whisk in melted butter.

4. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into the bowl. Gently fold into batter, taking care not to overmix.

5. Sprinkle grated carrot and cranberries into the bowl and combine muffin batter gently but thoroughly. Use a large ice cream scoop or 1/3-cup (75 mL) measuring cup to scoop batter into muffin tins.

6. Bake until light brown and tops spring back when gently touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool in pans for a few minutes, then transfer muffins to a rack to cool completely.

Storage: These muffins will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Published with permission from the cookbook Brown Eggs and Jam Jars by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque

Update: Winner has been notified via email. Thanks to all who entered!

Cinnamon Palmiers

One of the smartest things Rob and I did when our boys were born was to quickly establish a solo night out once a week for each of us. He had a tendency to take every Thursday night, as that’s when his friends would meet up at a driving range, followed by chicken wings and beer at a nearby pub. I took whatever night worked best for me, or the friends I was meeting up with for dinner and/or a movie, but we had an unspoken rule that neither of us went out alone on a Friday or Saturday night, as those nights were reserved for us.

We did this for years – probably seven or eight – until the boys reached an age where homework and hockey, and all other types of extra-curricular activities, took precedence and our free time during the week was truly at a premium. Our friends were busy with their work and families too, so it worked out well for everyone, but we still encouraged each other to get out alone when possible, even if it was just for a run, a pedicure, or a peruse through the bookstore. 

I don’t know that we’ll repeat the practice of solo nights out when our baby arrives. The older boys keep our calendar pretty full so I imagine we won’t have the luxury of the same free time that we had all of those years ago. It’s okay though  - we’ve learned that we do need some time away from the house on our own (it’s makes us better parents and partners) and as long as we plan for it, we can almost always make it work, even if there’s a baby in the house.

The boys would say that while they don’t require any kind of solo time, they’re definitely in need of homemade cookies as often as possible, and truth be told I sometimes find it challenging to keep up with the demand given how voracious their appetites are. My new secret is to keep a few rolls of puff pastry in the freezer, making palmiers – those classic French pastry-cookie combos - a possibility whenever the requirement strikes. These three-ingredient cookies are easy enough for the kids to make on their own, as evidenced by the picture above, and tasty enough that even their mom will sneak a few from the stash to accompany her afternoon hot chocolate/magazine reading break from time to time. 

Cinnamon Palmiers

These are perfect for serving alongside a small pot of chocolate pudding, something we've been doing regularly for Sunday supper, or for dipping into mugs of hot cocoa after school.

• 1/3 cup granulated or cane sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. Scatter half the sugar over a flat work surface (counter, table, cutting board) and press the puff pastry sheet onto the sugar.

Spread the remaining sugar evenly over the top of the puff pastry and, using a rolling pin, shape it into a 10" x 13" rectangle, pressing the sugar into the pastry as you go. 

Starting at the short end of the rectangle, fold one end over halfway to the middle of the pastry. Fold the other side over the same way, and then fold each side in half again so the folded edges come together in the middle. Fold once more so the folded halves are stacked on top of each other. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes. 

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the plastic wrap and cut the pastry rolls into 1/2" thick pieces (about 24 per roll) and place them face up on the baking sheets spacing them 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until caramelized and brown on the bottom, then flip with a spatula and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until caramelized on the other side. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

Optional: Melt 4oz dark chocolate in the microwave or on the stove top using the double-broiler method. Dip half the palmier into the melted chocolate, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to set. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Christmas Trees

The days and week are beginning to blend together, which can only mean that December has officially arrived, right? I’m sure you’re feeling the same way I am right now; outfitted with a to-do list that’s ten things too long, working at a pace that just isn’t doable for most days, and juggling a calendar that’s chock-a-block full of a mix of both fun and obligation.

I’m finishing up the last of my big work assignments before the holidays, but I’m also helping out at the catering company more than usual for the next three weeks, so really I’m just trading one type of work for another. I have thank you cards and gifts to deliver, books to ship out to B.C, and a brand new baby niece to visit, because my sister just had her third little girl (yes, we’ve been pregnant at the same time, which has been fun). 

But somehow in the midst of it all, I woke up on Sunday morning determined to decorate a homemade cake with Christmas trees. We had a lot of little kids join us for Family Supper Sunday this week, and I knew a festive-looking cake was in order, and what could be more seasonal than to find one on the table covered in edible Christmas trees? I had some coloured candy melts hanging out on the counter, leftover from last week’s work project, so I melted them down, and piped misshapen trees onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Jackson informed that they looked okay, but he thought they could use some decorations, so we rustled up a package of silver dragees and scattered them over the chocolate before it hardened.

The cake I whipped up was a one-bowl chocolate kind and the filling and frosting came from the fabulous new baking book What to Bake & How to Bake It by Jane Hornby. Packed with reliable recipes and more than 500 step-by-step photos, I can’t stop looking at this book; it’s wonderful.

On the weekend, Rob told me that I am often my own worst enemy, and at a time when I have no free time to speak of, this is what I make in the morning for our dinner’s dessert. But sometimes a new project actually helps me relax, so I don’t regret it in the slightest. I just wish the cake had been bigger so there were some leftovers to enjoy throughout the week. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Christmas Trees

For the cake:

• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

For the filling and frosting:

• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 7oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 7 oz. Nutella
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the trees and decorations:

• 1 cup dark green candy melts
• 1 cup light green candy melts
• 1 cup white chocolate candy melts
• Silver dragees
• Icing sugar, for dusting

1. To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans and set aside. 

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed with a handheld or electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water and pour batter (which will be thin) into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a cool rack. Cool completely before icing.

4. To make the filling: Heat 1 1/4 cups of the cream in a pot until it begins to bubble around the edges. Take off the heat and add the chocolate, Nutella, and vanilla to the saucepan. Let it melt until smooth, then set aside until it has cooled. Stir well. 

5. Pour the rest of the cream into a bowl and add about 1/2 cup of the chocolate ganache , whisking until very thick but not stiff (the consistency of whipped cream).

6. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake board and cover it with a generous heaping of the hazelnut cream mixture, spreading it out to within one-inch of the sides of the cake. Don't use too much filling - if you look carefully you can see mine is kind of oozing out the side of the cake. Top with the second layer, pressing down gently, then spread the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour.

7. To make the trees: melt the chocolates (use a different bowl for each colour) in the microwave, in 20-second intervals, or in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth and glossy. Allow to cool until it's barely warm, then transfer it to zip top baggie.

8. Cut the corner into a small hole and pipe freeform trees onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. These do not need to be perfect - and clearly mine weren't - nor do they need to be the same size. In fact, make some taller than others in order to create some visual interest. Regardless of the size, ensure there is a long tree trunk at the bottom of each tree, as this is what you'll insert into the cake. Decorate the trees with the silver dragees and allow the chocolate to harden completely. 

9. Remove the cake from the fridge and dust the top with powdered sugar. Insert the trees into the surface of the cake, and serve.

How to Make Homemade Fruit and Nut Crisps

When Julie and I set out to write our book, we never once discussed including a recipe for homemade fruit and nut crisps (brand name Raincoast/Lesley Stowe Crackers). Seems sort of silly since she’s the one who cracked the code on how to make them at home in the first place.

Since she did so all those years ago, variations on the recipe have appeared on popular blogs, cooking websites, and even in books. For good reason too, because it’s really something worth knowing how to make, especially as we enter the holiday season.

I used to snatch up boxes of those popular store-bought crackers to add a little something extra special to my cheese platter, but at almost $9 per package, it was a high price to pay for not a lot of servings. This homemade version yields nearly 8 dozen crackers (less, if you don’t cut them as thinly as instructed) and is made from things you likely already have hanging around in the cupboard, maybe with the exception of the dried fruit and/or nuts and seeds.

So, how do you serve these twice-baked beauties? Anyway you like, really! They pair perfectly with a creamy brie, work well with something strong and pungent like a favourite blue, and are the ideal vehicle for a smearable cheese, like Boursin or goat. They’re sturdy enough to use as the base of any hors d’oeuvres and pack enough of a flavour punch that they can be munched on their own.

As usual, my very favourite thing about making these homemade crackers is that most of the work can be done in advance. You mix and bake the loaves, then freeze them until you need the crackers. In fact, you can make them now and tuck a few different variations in your freezer until the holidays, when you’ll simple need to remove the frozen loaves, slice the crackers and bake them just before serving. That’s my preferred way of preparing them, but you can also bake them off a few days in advance, if you like. 

How do you feel about homemade crackers? Is it something you’d make? Do you love them for entertaining as much as I do?

Looking for more holiday how-tos? Check out the series here:

How to Fill a Bread Basket

 

Homemade Fruit and Nut Crisps

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey, warmed
• 1/2 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Add-In Option 1:

• 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Add-In Option 2:

• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Add-In Option 3:

• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350° F and grease two 8" x 4" loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking soda and salt. Add the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes. Add the pumpkin/sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed, rosemary, and desired add-ins (choose from one of the options) and stir just until blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown in colour and springy to the touch. Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

The bread is easiest to slice when it's had the chance to cool completely. Transfer cooled loaves to a freezer-safe container and freeze solid, several hours or over night. If you're planning to freeze the loaves for longer than a day - they can be stored for up to 3 months - wrap them in foil before freezing. 

When ready to bake the crisps, preheat the oven to 300°F.

Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves as thin as possible - 1/8" if possible - and place the slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake them for about 15 minutes, flip them over, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until crisp and deep golden brown. The edges should be curled slightly, and don't fret if they're still soft in the centre as the crackers will crisp significantly as they cool. Store in an airtight container or serve immediately. 

Makes about 8 dozen crackers.

From Dinner with Julie

Caramel Apple Cups

I’m so glad it’s November. October was one of heck of a busy month, and while November is shaping up to be the same from a work perspective, I relish the coming days of just putting my head down and getting it all done. October came with a lot of running around. I clocked too many kilometers in my van, and spent a lot of time out and away from the house. This month I’ll be lucky if I get to leave it, as I’m finishing up some big work projects that require me to stay stationed at my desk, but it’s a good month for that, don’t you think? 

No matter how busy this month gets, the one thing that won’t be scratched from the calendar is family supper Sundays. It’s a highlight of my week, for sure, and yesterday we had half of our extended family here for a quick and easy dinner of Ina’s chicken stew topped with my sweet potato biscuits, and a salad made with crisp romaine hearts, tart apple slices, and crunchy pumpkin seeds. We capped the meal off with my sister’s caramel apple cups, the perfect four-bite finish to a seasonal supper, if there ever was one. 

As soon as she arrived with these in hand, I went all paparazzi on her and snapped a few photos so I could share them today. They are a cinch to make, and please the palates of both adults and children alike. Although they do appear diminutive, they are sweet and satisfying, and when topped with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream, they end up as a perfectly sized portion for everyone.

How's November looking for you? Is it a busy or quiet month where you are?

Beth's Caramel Apple Cups

• 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 4 cups peeled, cored and finely chopped apples 
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 ¼ tablespoons flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• Caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)

Preheat oven to 350°F, and lightly grease a regular muffin tin.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and powdered sugar with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Distribute the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups, pressing along the bottom and sides to make a “cup.” Bake for 5 minutes and cool completely.

Mix the apples, sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until apples are slightly softened

Divide the apples evenly between the graham cracker cups. Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes (or until all the melted butter has been absorbed); let cool completely.

Use a knife to loosen the apple cups from pan (they should pop right out). Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve warm, if possible.