Sweets for All of Our Sweets! Thanks to #EqualCanada

I've been going a bit Pinterest crazy lately, I get lost in the endless creativity I find there. Recently I pinned the coolest kid's Valentines idea and I ran with it (I'll show you, I promise). Most Valentine's Day gifts are full of sugar and unfortunately some of Chelsea's grandparents are diabetic.  Wanting to be fair, we ran off to Walmart to get supplies for both her Valentines and some Equal to bake some treats everyone can enjoy.

Before heading out, I made a list of what we needed, scanned the Walmart flyer one last time, and checked my handy-dandy coupon binder to see if I could save any extra money.

Chelsea and I had a Saturday evening out, leaving Daddy home in peace, something he doesn't get to enjoy often.  It was freezing outside again though, so luckily we got a super parking spot!

We headed straight to the Photo Centre to pick up the special photos we took to make our Valentines.  We went there first, or I would probably forget (I'm speaking from experience).

I got slightly side-tracked and went to price some juicers.  I really miss a carrot/apple/beet/ginger juice I used to get at a local smoothie shop that has since closed.   Not sure yet if I'll get one or not... I don't know if I have enough room in the kitchen for yet another gadget.

Off to grab the Equal.  I looked up and down the aisles in the food section and for the life of me could not find any.  I knew it had to be there, so we looked again and just as I was heading to the closest blue-vested associate I could find, out of the corner of my eye I spotted the Equal on the lower shelves in the same aisle as the vitamins in the pharmacy section... kind of odd.

I guess it is a sugar substitute, but I'm used to seeing it in the baking section in the other grocery stores I shop at.  Regardless, I found it and didn't have to ask for help after all (I'm stubborn like that).  I love that the new Equal Sucralose is in a canister container.  I have such horrible luck with the big zipper bags that are being used... I can never get them closed right and end up spilling it the next time when I grab it too quick.

I think we might bake some Valentines sugar cookies first and maybe Grandpa will get a sugar-free Apple Pie from the apple of his eye.

I love when I can use a coupon on an item which is already on Rollback!

Packed up and ready to go, making sure to bring my coupons home with me.

I even followed my list for the most part, except for when I spotted an excellent price on mini rice cakes, a snack we all enjoy.

Chelsea got her usual ride on Bob the Builder, and then we went home to make our Valentines...

Sweetest.  Idea.  Ever.

For more information about Equal, visit their website or connect with Equal Canada on Twitter or like Equal Canada on Facebook.  

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  #CBias, all opinions though, are my own - as always.

FFwD - Broth Braised Potatoes

This week's French Fridays with Dorie selection was her Broth Braised Potatoes.  In true Heather style, I left these to the very last minute... I made them Friday afternoon for dinner!

These potatoes smelled delicious while they were braising, all of the flavours filled our home. Although they had some time to sit after cooking and I had to reheat them a bit, they still didn't absorb much of the flavour.  I even reduced the cooking liquid and spooned it over them when they were done.  I had to use dried herbs as I was unable to get fresh last night at the market, this could be a bit of my problem.  I also used baby Yukon Gold potatoes, so I didn't cut them in half... this may have been an issue as well.

I've made roasted potatoes using a similar recipe and believe that I would have loved these ones prepared that way.  As I made them, using the dried herbs, I don't think I would bother making this potato recipe again because I don't think it added much, but I can't wait to roast them.

They were definitely broth-braised potatoes... nothing more, nothing less. 

We don't post Dorie's recipes on our blog posts, but we do encourage you to buy your own copy and cook your way through it with us.

January Daring Baker's Challenge - Back to Basics: Scones (AKA Biscuits)

Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

Soon after joining Daring Bakers, I knew that Audax was my baking hero.  Her His know-how is endless and she he is so lovely and helpful to all of us with her his tips, hints and delicious photos. When she he selected biscuits, I was thankful for a bit of a break, but understood that it was still a challenge.  I've been baking (or trying to bake) biscuits for as long as I have been allowed to use the stove by myself and not until the past few years could I make anything other than a hard flavourless rock.  Until you have the feel for them, biscuits can be tricky!

I love the basic and small recipe we were given to use.  It has endless variations, but is a perfect biscuit all by itself as written.  I had excellent results with this recipe all month long and hope that you will too.

Aud's Basic Biscuits (as I made them)
Makes 6

140g all-purpose flour (just go buy one if you don't have one... my baking has improved so much since I started weighing ingredients... especially for cakes)
2 tsp baking powder
30g salted butter, cold and grated (on unsalted with a pinch of salt)
1/2 cup 2% milk

Sift together the flour and baking powder twice (this adds lift to the biscuits).  Add in the grated butter and using your fingers, mix to cover all of the butter with flour.  Add the milk all at once and bring together to just form a dough.  Empty on to lightly floured board and knead lightly 4 to 5 times, bringing the dough together into a round disc shape.  Flatten the disc to about 1 inch thick and cut with a sharp knife into 6 pie-shaped wedges.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet, sprinkle the tops with flour and bake in a preheated 475 degree oven for 10 minutes.

These are best fresh out of the oven with butter (and jam!), great when cooled, but I'm sorry, as usual, I have no idea how they taste the next day *burp*.

Enjoy!

Edited to correct my somewhat sexist assumption that Audex was a gal...oops! *blush*

Wordless Wednesday - How it All Began

In November 2006, I made peppers on grilled polenta on
rainbow chard, snapped a few shots and
have since been hooked.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I have not made nearly enough soup so far this winter.  I have however, made this soup twice and might make it again later in the week.  Hubby had been asking for a really cheesy and really thick broccoli soup and he tells me I hit the nail on the head (yay!).

Broccoli soups that I have made in the past have all been of the uber-healthy variety.  One in particular was heavy on fresh ginger and made with unsweetened soy milk... not quite what he was looking for.  Normally I am not a huge fan of the creamy soups, but this one is lighter tasting by using evaporated milk instead of the usual half and half.  Notice I said lighter 'tasting', it still has a ton of cheese!

My Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Serves 6

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted, I've now done both)

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 can fat-free (or any fat level) evaporated milk (370mL)

3 cups chicken broth (lately I've been using Swanson Organic... it's great!)

4 (generous) cups broccoli

1 carrot, shredded

2 cups old cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

In a microwavable bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, measure the broccoli and shredded carrot.  Add about 3 tbsp of water and microwave on high for about 3 minutes, until it is 95% cooked.  Drain off any water and set aside.  In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter and olive oil and cook onions over medium heat until they are translucent.  Add in the flour, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper and whisk until all of the flour is coated.  Allow the flour to cook, moving it around for about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and broth and continue to cook and whisk over medium heat until the mixture is thickened... this can take upwards of 10 minutes depending on your stove.  Add in broccoli and carrots and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and, using immersion blender, blend soup until it is mostly puréed except for the odd bit of broccoli, or totally smooth if that's how you like it.  Whisk in both cheeses until melted and smooth.  Place back on low heat and season with additional salt and pepper if required.

Enjoy!

FFWD - Quatre-Quarts

Hooray!  This is my first French Fridays with Dorie post and I am incredibly excited to share.

I finally got off of my tookus a couple of weeks ago and ordered my own copy of Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table.  It arrived last Friday, and I signed up for FFWD as soon as I got back in the house.  I promptly made a cup of coffee, curled up in my favourite chair and fell in love within minutes.  Enough about my semi-creepy cookbook obsession though, on to this week's selection...Quatre-Quarts.

Truthfully, even though I know some French, I had no idea what Quatre-Quarts was.  I was so pleased to find out it is simply a pound cake.  The name translates to English as 'four quarters', and that's exactly what it is as the flour, butter, sugar and eggs are equal in mass.

Dories instructions (as always) were so easy to follow and made perfect sense.  My cake turned out perfectly as written, and I chose to use the vanilla flavouring option.  Even my (somewhat particular) father said that this one was a keeper, and our two and a half year old daughter thought it was the best thing ever on a Wednesday afternoon (and ran away with the piece in the photograph above less than a minute after I shot it).  

I had made a batch of Meyer Lemon Curd last weekend (again, using Dorie's recipe from this same cookbook) and I have to say a spoonful of that on a wedge of this, along with a cup of hot tea is pretty much as good as it gets.

I can't wait to get started on next week's selection!

We don't post Dorie's recipes on our blog posts, but we do encourage you to buy your own copy and cook your way through it with us.

Whole Wheat Bread with Flax & Bran

Two posts in one day... I'm a (well caffeinated) machine!  I figured I had better get this recipe written up because I made this bread a couple of weeks ago now and realized earlier today that I lost my recipe (I have scraps of paper all over my bakers rack with scribbled recipes on them). Thankfully, I found the recipe, but I'm not tempting fate by procrastinating any longer.

I don't know why I would put off sharing this one anyway... it turned out to be an excellent recipe and it makes for super peanut butter and honey sandwiches.

My Whole Wheat Bread with Flax & Bran

Makes 1 Loaf

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1 pkg active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups whole wheat bread flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup all natural bran

1/4 flax seeds, coarsely ground (don't turn it into powder, but try to break them up)

Extra olive oil or egg white for brushing on top

A few extra flax seeds

In stand mixer fitted with dough hook (or by hand for you hard-core breadies) mix water, yeast and honey.  Allow to rest about 5 minutes or until the yeast starts to bubble.  Add in oil and salt.  On lowest speed, add in the whole wheat bread flour, bran, flax and half of the all-purpose flour.  Add the last half cup slowly because you might not need it all (or you might need a wee bit extra).  It should be a fairly moist, elastic dough, but it should not be sticking excessively to the bottom or sides of the bowl after being kneaded for 5-7 minutes.  Remove the dough from bowl, oil the bowl lightly, pat the dough into a ball and let it rest covered in the oiled bowl for an hour (or until it is almost doubled).  Once it has risen, gently deflate the dough on a lightly floured board and knead into a loaf shaped log.  Place dough into a greased 9x5" bread pan, cover and let rise again for another hour.  Brush with oil or beaten egg white and sprinkle with flax seeds if you want (a lot of the flax seeds on top end up falling off, but they do look nice).  Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 10 minutes, reduce to 375 and continue baking for another 30 minutes.  To help develop a good crust, I now always spray some water into the oven right before I pop the pans in to make some steam (it also doubles as my kitten discipline bottle, I am Queen of Multi-purposing!).

Enjoy!

P.S.  If you don't yet eat PB&H, you must try it!

Slow Cooker Sloppy Lentils

During the years that I was vegetarian, one of my main make-ahead meals was Sloppy Lentils.  I loved that I could make a double batch in my large slow cooker, freeze it in individual portions and pop it in my lunch bag to take to work.  I'm not longer vegetarian, but I still prefer these to regular Sloppy Joes!  I'd normally serve them on buns, like good ol' Joes, but they are great on buttered toast points, mashed potatoes or brown rice.

My Sloppy Lentils

Inspired by Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

Serves 6

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/4 cup (1 stalk) celery, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 cup dried green lentils, rinsed

2 1/2 cups water

1 24oz bottle of strained tomatoes (or equivalent of canned crushed)

2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

1 tbsp prepared mustard

2 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

In a frying pan, heat oil and sauté onion, peppers, celery and garlic until softened.  Stir in chili powder and cook for another minute or two.  Add to 3 1/2 qt slow cooker (or double amounts and cook in larger slow cooker), along with all of the other ingredients.  Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4, or a combo of both... whatever works with your schedule!

Enjoy!

Caramelized Onion & Poppy Seed Buns

Earlier this morning, I took a pound of lean ground beef out of the freezer for dinner but had no idea what I was going to do with it.  When lunchtime rolled around and I still hadn't had any inspiration, I decided to just grill up some burgers with it and call it a day.  Then, the inspiration struck... I needed to make some homemade buns!

I decided to take one of my countless bread recipes, play with it a bit by adding some onion powder, caramelized onions and then top them with some poppy seeds.  I love that these are savoury but a bit on the sweet side as well.  If you'd like them less sweet, I'm sure cutting the honey in half (2 tbsp) would be fine.

My Caramelized Onion & Poppy Seed Buns

Makes 8

1 cup lukewarm water

1 tbsp dry active yeast

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

pinch of sea salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1 tbsp poppy seeds 

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook (or large mixing bowl if making by hand) combine water, honey and yeast.  Allow yeast to dissolve and start to bubble, this takes about 5 minutes.  In the meantime, measure out your other ingredients.  Once the yeast is bubbly, add in the salt, olive oil, onion powder and 2 cups of the flour.  Knead on lowest speed until all of the flour is incorporated.  Add remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time, only adding 1 tbsp or so more if the dough is still sticking to the bowl.  Allow to continue kneading, turning it up one more speed for another 5 minutes or so.  You'll end up with a smooth, elastic and somewhat sticky dough.  Form dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, cover it and put it somewhere warm (ish) to rise until doubled... an hour or so.  

While the dough is rising, slice and cook your onion in a non-stick skillet with 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil.  Cook them over a med/low heat, covering them to keep them from drying out.  When they are browning well, sprinkle with the sugar and a pinch of salt.  Cover and allow to continue cooking.  When they are caramelized, remove the onions to a sheet of paper towel to dry and cool.

Once the dough has risen, gently deflate and move dough to a lightly floured board.  Gently knead in the caramelized onions by hand and pat dough into a large circle.  Then cut it like a pie into 8 equal sections.  Form each section into a ball, pinching the bottoms to seal.  Place well apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Brush with the beaten egg white and then cover and put back to raise for another 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Once the oven is ready, uncover the buns and brush them again with the egg white and then sprinkle with the poppy seeds.  Bake for 28-30 minutes. When putting the buns in the oven, I spray some water in first so get a moist baking environment going.

Mmm... nothing beats local grass fed beef and some Dill & Chive Havarti from Fox Hill on a bun made from scratch.  

Enjoy!

BHBC - Why Women Need Fat

When I joined the BlogHer Publishing Network, I also decided to opt in to the BlogHer Book Club.  I find reading a relaxing way to end the day, and enjoy non-fiction just as much if not more than fiction (and cookbooks more than anything).  The first book I received to read since joining is Why Women Need Fat, by William D. Lassek, M.D. and Steven J. C. Gaulin, PH.D.

Over the past decade, I have learned a lot about nutrition and have arrived at some conclusions and come up with some theories of my own regarding why we as a society are getting heavier and heavier, the more we try so hard to weigh less.  This book jived with many of the ideas I had been bouncing around and gave me a lot more insight into the 'why' by explaining the reasons women's bodies are shaped the way they are.

I love that this book is NOT a diet plan.  You won't find any trendy fasting water recipes, magic fibre cookies or calorie counts.  What you will find is some assistance choosing the (good fat) foods that will help our bodies get back to their natural balance and weight, along with oodles of both history and current studies that back their claims.  I think this book is an enlightening and refreshing health read for anyone, whether you want to lose 5, 10 or 100 pounds... or none at all.  Reading Why Women Need Fat has really got me back on track and back to reading every label.

To find out more about this book, join our discussion...

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club.  The opinions expressed are, as always, my own.

Red Wine Braised Beef & Mushrooms

I've mentioned it a couple of times already I'm sure, but our family has resolved to start buying our meats from local farmers.  We really want to know where our food is coming from and support the local economy.  I will now add another very important reason to our list of reasons... the taste!  Holy cow (no pun intended initially, but it is pretty punny), this was so incredibly good. When I took this out of the oven, I tried a little bite of the beef to test it for doneness and I was sent back to some memory or place... I'm not sure what or where exactly... but it was a great wave of nostalgia.  This is what beef should taste like.

This recipe is pretty much a standard beef bourguignon, with a few personal touches so that it suited our tastes and used what we had on hand.  We ate it on top of a pillow of mashed potatoes and with fresh warm biscuits.  It was the ultimate in comfort food.

My Red Wine Braised Beef & Mushrooms

Serves 3-4

1 lb Boneless Stewing Beef (really try to get some local, grass-fed, 'happy' beef)

1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery rib, diced

1 tsp dry thyme

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I love the Swanson Organic tetra-paks we are able to get at Costco now)

2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms

In a Dutch oven (I used a 3.5 qt, you won't need a large one unless you are doubling or tripling), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Pat the beef dry and when the oil is hot, place the beef in the pan, not crowding the pieces, and allow it to brown well, approximately 4-5 minutes on each side.  Add in the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, salt, pepper and thyme and stir, cooking the vegetables for a couple of minutes.  Scatter the flour over the beef and veg and stir in, letting the flour cook for a minute or so.  Stir in the red wine and broth, cover and place in a preheated 325 degree oven.  Braise for one hour, remove from oven and stir in the mushrooms.  Cover and put back in oven for another hour.  I like making it enough ahead that it can rest and hour or two and then heat it back up in a moderate oven before serving...

Enjoy, and buy local!

Olive Oil Challah? Holla!

I've had French Toast on the brain lately.  To make killer French Toast, you need a good bread... a Challah (Egg Bread) or Brioche is best.  Since I'm trying to lighten the Christmas bloat, I figured a delicious butter-filled Brioche might push me over the edge, so Challah it is.

Challah is traditionally a Jewish braided bread that is eaten on the Sabbath and on holidays.  I am not Jewish, but I am a huge fan of this loaf!  While I can work on my 6-rope braiding technique, I can surely say that this less traditional version of egg bread recipe is pretty awesome.

My Olive Oil Challah

Inspired by this recipe and post on Smitten Kitchen

Makes One Large Braided Loaf

1 pkg dry active yeast

1 cup less 2 tbsp warm water

1/4 cup honey

2 large eggs

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 cups all-purpose flour

Extra olive oil for bowls and finished loaf

1 egg for brushing on loaf prior to baking

1 tbsp poppyseed

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook (or large bowl if kneading my hand), combine yeast, water and honey.  Allow to sit approximately 5 minutes, or until yeast begins to bubble up.  With mixer running on low, add in eggs, olive oil and salt.  Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time and then allow to knead for about 7 more minutes, until you have a very smooth, soft and elastic dough.  

Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl and let rise, covered for an hour to an hour and a half, or until the dough has almost doubled.  Gently deflate the dough, cover and let rise again for half an hour.  Deflate and then divide the dough into 6 equal portions (or 3 if you want to use a standard braid).  Roll the dough out into 6 (or 3) ropes about a foot long.  Lay the ropes on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Squeeze the top end of the ropes together and braid, squeezing the end pieces together and tucking the ends under on both ends*.  Brush with beaten egg.  Cover with a very large bowl or with a tea towel and let rise for another hour. Brush again with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppyseed.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, if your loaf is shorter and wider like mine.  If your loaf is longer and thinner, keep an eye on it starting at the 30 minute mark.  When the Challah comes out of the oven, very lightly brush it with some additional olive oil to give it an even nicer shine.

Allow to cool completely before slicing and make sure to have enough left to get stale-ish for your French Toast... Enjoy!

*I am not even going to try to explain the braiding technique as I still didn't get it right after the first two steps after a number of attempts.  There are a ton of instructional videos on YouTube and I recommend viewing them if you need some tips... that's what I'm sure going to do.

Wordless Wednesday - Snowflake-Topped Mincemeat Pie

Buttermilk Ranch Biscuits

I was finally back in the kitchen today, it felt so gooooood.  With help from the wee one and her wee cousin I made a loaf of bread, a pot of turkey soup (bye bye birdie) and a batch of these scrumptious Buttermilk Ranch Biscuits.

We're resolved to eating locally much more this year, so while I was at the Halifax Seaport Market last Saturday, I picked up some local meats, cheese and also some fresh herbs from the folks at River View Herbs.  I love dill and when I was thinking of baking some biscuits and thought of buttermilk and dill together, one word came to mind... ranch!  So along with the dill I added some minced red onion, garlic and shredded cheddar.   These were the perfect savoury biscuit to have along side a hot bowl of turkey soup!

My Buttermilk Ranch Biscuits
Makes 9 Adapted from my own Kick-Ass Tea Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp white sugar
1/3 cup shredded old cheddar cheese
1/4 cup fresh dill (not chopped, but plucked off the stem)
2 tbsp minced red onion
1/2 tsp dry garlic (I was out of fresh, but would have used 1 minced clove)
1/2 cup cold, salted butter, cubed
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp of cream for brushing tops

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cheese, dill, onion and garlic.  Add in cubed butter and cut in with a pastry cutter until roughly cut in, leaving lots of pea-sized bits of butter remaining.  Add in beaten egg and buttermilk and quickly combine with a fork or wooden spoon.  Before it has fully come together as a dough, empty on to floured working surface and knead a few times to just bring the dough together and pat it lightly into a square about 8" in diameter.

With a large knife, cut the square into 9 biscuits (2 cuts across, 2 down) and place onto a parchment or Sil-pat lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or so between biscuits.  Brush tops with cream and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 17 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are getting a slight colour to them.

Enjoy!