October 2012 Daring Bakers' Challenge - Mille Feuille

Our October 2012 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Suz of Serenely Full. Suz challenged us to not only tackle buttery and flaky puff pastry, but then take it step further and create a sinfully delicious Mille Feuille dessert with it!

Life and blogging have been busy lately.  That, along with a bit of inherent laziness has kept me from completing the last few Daring Bakers' Challenges. When I logged on this month though and saw Mille Feuille, AKA Napoleons, I knew it was time to get back on the horse.   Traditionally, a Mille Feuille is three layers of puff pastry which are weighed down during baking, keeping the 'puff' to a bare minimum, sandwiched with layers of pastry cream, topped with a thin layer of royal icing marbled with a bit of chocolate.

The recipes Suz provided us with for both the puff pastry and the pastry cream were awesome. I've made pastry cream before, but enjoyed this recipe better.  As far as the puff pastry goes, I did NOT need to know that it was this easy. I expected a day of labour, like when we made croissants last September, but it was ready to use or freeze within about 2 hours, about 15 minutes of that actual hands on time.

Sadly, I didn't get any step by step photos of the pastry cream or the puff pastry and these recipes are so great I have to share them with you, so I'm going to give them separate posts over the coming month... having homemade, butter puff pastry ready in the freezer is going to be fantastic over the holidays.

Luckily we had a family dinner to attend last night, so the Mille Feuille had a good home and it didn't sit in the fridge tempting me... it was simply decadent.

I've said it before, if you enjoy baking you should become a Daring Baker, you don't even have to have a blog to do so, just a love for trying something new and daring.

Normally I end my posts with 'Enjoy' but since I haven't actually left any recipes, that would be a bit cruel. Instead, I'll leave you with a...

Have a great weekend!

Update On My FoodSaver Review

Last month, I shared my initial thoughts on the FoodSaver 3800 Series vacuum sealer that I was sent to review.  Well over a month has gone by and...

I love the FoodSaver so much it has earned a very coveted piece of real estate, on my countertop!  I love the design of this model, it stores the rolls of bags and is only a couple inches deep, so it's always there when I need it, but isn't really in the way at all.  

All of the meals I have frozen after sealing them with the FoodSaver have come out amazingly, without the slightest hint of 'freezer'... I am seriously impressed.  It also has become a cheese saver!  I love buying various cheeses to try but am notorious for not wrapping them up well only to find them a few weeks later as a hard mouldy chunk at the back of the fridge.  No longer.  Chips, pretzels, sleeves of ice cream cones, all of the things that would be left open to go stale if not used up right away are all getting sealed... I'm a bit obsessed with it.   I still haven't even tried the marinating container since the seasons are changing and we aren't grilling much, but I'm sure I'll love it too.  

So if you are like me and always questioned whether or not you would actually use a FoodSaver enough to justify the purchase, trust me, you will.

Disclosure:  I received a complimentary FoodSaver 3800 Series System to test/review.  Opinions, as always, are my own.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (or Cakies)

Oi!  I meant to have this post done and published last night, but I fell into a deep turkey coma. Oh well, all good things are worth the wait, even cookies.  I came up with this cookie in my pursuit to develop a recipe that still held a big amount of pumpkin, but wasn't so cake-ish. Well, I'm still working on that one... but in the meantime these are a yummy version with some hidden ingredients, perfect if you have some wee ones with texture issues.  Like most pumpkin cookies, these also taste best cold - right out of the fridge, just like their cousin pumpkin pie.

My Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen small cookies

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

1 cup pumpkin puree, your own or canned

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a food processor, pulse the rolled oats and walnuts until quite fine, like coarse crumbs.

Since it's already dirty, add in your flour, salt, baking powder and soda as well as the spices and give it a few pulses to combine.  

In a stand mixer, or by hand, beat together the pumpkin, sugars, oil, egg, applesauce and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix well, adding in the chocolate chips at the end.

Drop by rounded teaspoons (I used my small cookie scoop) onto a greased or lined cookie sheet (I realized this after the first pan... they didn't really 'stick' but they didn't slide off either, so on went the silicone mats.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 13-14 minutes (10 using convection). 

Allow to cool for 5 minutes on pan and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  When cool, place in an airtight container with parchment between the layers and store in the fridge for future snack attacks.

Enjoy!

Diary of a Submissive #BHBC

This month's BlogHer Book Club selection is Sophie Morgan's Diary of a Submissive.

It would be nearly impossible to discuss this book without mentioning the whole Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon.   I was really looking forward to Fifty Shades but when I started reading it I was really disappointed, I could only get half way through the second book before I cut my losses and said 'laters baby' to the series.  I could go on and on and on about the reasons Fifty failed me, but it's Diary of a Submissive we are talking about, right?

Diary of a Submissive filled the void 'the other books' left gaping.   Sophie Morgan is a pseudonym  because this is a true story... a memoir of a 'normal' albeit kinky girl and her realization that she enjoys 'normal' albeit kinky men.

I recommend that anyone who loved Fifty read this book to get a grasp on reality and am confident that readers like me, who were let down by Mr. Grey will enjoy this book.  Of course, if you aren't interested at all in graphic sexuality... you might not want to read either.

Interested in following along?  Join our conversation...

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Tracing Dinner

Years ago, if you lived in Nova Scotia and you went to buy some fish, chances were you knew who caught it.  In today's global market, sadly not so much.  I was pleased to find out that Sobeys has partnered with thisfish.info to bring back a touch of that familiarity, using today's technology.

Learn more about how Sobeys let Chelsea & I trace our dinner and then even thank the person involved on my latest Sobeys Love Food Blog Post...

Disclosure: I am a member of the Sobeys Food Lovers program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation. The opinions in this post are my own.

Bucatini with Mushrooms

My husband and I are doing really well at getting back our healthy habits.  It amazes me how much better food tastes when you actually are a bit hungry and don't eat to the point of being stuffed.  It's not like I didn't know this before, my love of cooking and new foods started while I was losing weight six years ago.  None of us are perfect though, and good habits easily go astray.  Without sounding like an episode of Oprah, we have quite a bit of work ahead to get back to our sexy selves, but we are on the right track and love scouring the pages of Cooking Light looking for creative and delicious dinner ideas.

I'll let my new chalkboard introduce tonight's dinner...

Bucatini with Mushrooms

Adapted from Cooking Light

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms, well rinsed (I used a combo of porcini and other mushrooms that I got at Costco for ridiculously cheap)

2/3 cup boiling water

8 oz uncooked bucatini

1 tbsp canola oil

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz package mini bella (cremini) mushrooms, roughly chopped

1/2 tsp salt

2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 1 oz finely grated and the other oz crumbled

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp truffle oil 

Gather all of your ingredients and place the well rinsed dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour 2/3 cup boiling water over them.  Allow the mushrooms to soften for 30 minutes.

While the dried mushrooms are soaking, get your other chopping out of the way (and if you are like me, remember you forgot to take out the cheese when gathering everything... I don't think I ever take a prep photo that shows all of the ingredients).

Cook the bucatini as per the maker's instructions, mine took 11 minutes in well salted (1 tbsp) water.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the canola oil in a large skillet and then add the chopped fresh mushrooms, onions and garlic and sautée for five minutes, or until well softened.  While they are cooking, strain the rehydrated mushrooms, using a mesh sieve or cheesecloth, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid, and roughly chop them.  Once the veggies are sautéed, add in the chopped porcinis and 1/2 tsp salt.  Continue cooking for another minute or so until most of the liquid has evaporated (cranking the heat if necessary). 

Strain the bucatini, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and add it to the skillet, along with the finely grated Parmesan, chopped sage, black pepper, heavy cream and reserved mushroom liquid and pasta water. 

Toss to coat and then drizzle with truffle oil, lightly toss again.  Divide equally into 4 portions and top with the  remaining crumbled Parmesan cheese. 

You may have noticed something different in my photos in this post.  I got new appliances... weee!  

After years of working with bargain basement appliances and Frankenwashers, I finally upgraded. I'm loving all of them so far and am really impressed with the convection features in my new range.  I also got a bit crafty and painted the end of one of my cabinets with chalkboard paint... now I jot my grocery list on it as the week goes by, then take a pic of it with my phone when I head out to shop.  Next up, new countertops.

Enjoy!

Super Duper Squash with Streusel

This is one of those recipes.  One that takes a vegetable that is beautiful just the way it is and turns it into something even more delicious if not a wee bit naughty.   Squash is one of my all-time favourite foods, especially the Buttercup variety, the drier the better... mmm, mmm, mmm! It is a bit of a PITA to prepare, but doing it in the microwave makes it a bit less painful in my opinion.  

The oatmeal streusel topping is what takes this squash over the top.  A bit of the soft, sweet, buttery squash along with a crunchy bit of spiced topping is just awesome.  I took this side dish to Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's this year and it was a big hit!  I'll be making it again at Christmas for sure... or maybe just once before if I can't wait that long.

My Super Duper Squash with Streusel

2 medium buttercup squash (Butternut or Acorn could work too... probably others as well)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg (freshly ground if you can)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt (only if using unsalted butter)

Topping

2/3 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, melted

Pinch of salt (only if using unsalted butter)

Carefully pierce the squash deeply all over and put into the microwave for 10 minutes (on high... I do everything on high in the microwave)

Once the squash are cool enough for you to handle, cut them in half and carefully spoon out the seed and the stringy stuff.

Spoon the flesh out of the skin (some will be fully cooked, some will not, it all depends on your squash and your microwave) and put it into a microwavable bowl.

Once you have scraped out all of the squash, put it back into the microwave for another five minutes.

When the squash comes out this time, it should be done (if there are little bits that could use a bit more time, that's okay, it still has to bake.  Mash in the butter, milk, OJ, brown sugar, nutmeg and black pepper.

Smooth the mashed squash into a large, lightly oiled casserole dish (I caught you checking out my vintage Pyrex).  Now it's time to make the streusel topping... easy breezy.  Just mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl, pour the melted butter over the top and mix it together with a fork.  When scattering the topping over the squash, I like to push bits of it firmly together with my thumb and fingers to have some bigger 'crunch clusters', you can kind of see what I mean in the photo below.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  This travels and reheats well, can't speak to freezing... it's never lasted that long.

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday - #momstaysinthepicture

The Mom Stays in the Picture

Spare an Ice Pack?

I am so thankful for many things following this long Thanksgiving weekend... friends, family, pets, great neighbours and antacids to name but a few.

Right now though, I am thankful to EVERYONE who voted for my Shucking Great Brunch during the Sobeys Brunch Smackdown.  Extra rounds were fought and in the end it had to go to the judges for a decision...

It's a DRAW!

Andrea's (@missfish) It's All About The Bacon Brunch and my East Coast Style Shucking Great Brunch went the distance.  One thing is clear... our readers LOVE bacon, and it shows!

Now that the championship is over and we are all icing and soaking our weary muscles (mmm.... mussels), please go and share some love to ALL of the contenders, there are six really great brunch ideas there for the making.

Since it's a draw, we are splitting our winnings... so not only do I have a $60 Sobeys Gift Card for two of my favourite causes, Feed NS and Spay Day HRM, but also ten $25 Sobeys Gift Cards to giveaway to some of you.

In the spirit of giving thanks, here's what I'm going to do...

I'm going to give five Mmm... is for Mommy readers the chance to win two $25 Sobeys Gift Cards, one to keep and one to give to their favourite cause (both within Canada).

To enter, leave a comment letting me know who you would donate your extra $25 Sobeys Gift Card to and why.  Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you should you win :)  I will select five winners on October 28th, 2012 using Random.org.

Congrats to winners, comment #s 23, 8, 27, 21 and 4!  I'll be in touch :)

Thank you all again so much!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Sobeys Food Lovers program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation. The opinions in this post, as always, are my own.

Roasted Haddock with Tomatoes & Olives

As part of our families getting back into routine and healthy habits, I am including fish in more of our meals.  Living on the East Coast of Canada, Haddock is readily available and affordable.  This is a recipe slightly modified from one I found on Cooking Light.  This was a refreshing change from the traditional lemon dill seasoning I normally use on baked fish.

Roasted Haddock with Tomatoes & Olives

Adapted from Cooking Light

3 Haddock fillets, fresh

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup sliced, pitted Kalamata olives

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

3 cloves minced garlic

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Crumbled Feta when serving (if desired)

Lay Haddock fillets on a rimmed parchment or silicone mat-lined baking tray.  In a bowl, combine, tomatoes, olives, parsley, oregano, garlic and black pepper.  Spoon this mixture around the fish (not over).  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.  When serving the fish, spoon the 'sauce' over it.

We loved this and Chelsea even took a nibble of the fish... yay!  I served the fish with some steamed basmati rice and fresh veggies.  Be prepared for many more healthy weeknight meals to come... hubby and I are 'hardcore' again.  I decided this weekend that what I want for Christmas this year more than anything else is to fit into my clothes again!  I've had a spiralling weight gain this year that I can blame on nothing more than too little exercise and too many seconds and snacks.  While it's going to take longer than Christmas to get back in the shape I need to be in... it's a great start (and I will be able to wear the clothes in my closet again!) 

Enjoy!