Cinnamon Pastry Pinwheels

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Kellie

I’m not really sure what people call these little bite-sized pastries, but I remember having them at a friend’s house several years ago.  She made a large batch of them for a party, and if I recall correctly, they hardly had time to cool completely before they were devoured by the crowd.  This is also a great way to make use of the trimmed pieces of raw pie crust that might otherwise be tossed into the trash.  I made these with the leftover trimmings of pastry dough from last weekend’s Tarte au Sirop D’érable.

To make these sweetly spiced morsels, simply brush small pieces of uncooked pie crust with butter, then sprinkle with a small amount of sugar and cinnamon.  Roll the dough into bite sized pinwheels, and bake at 400 for about 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

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Tarte au Sirop d’ Érable

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Kellie

Tarte au Sirop d’ Érable (English translation: Maple Syrup Pie) is by far one of the foods that must be had while visiting the province of Quebec.  Each time I have visited Quebec City, I have made it a point to have one meal at Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens.  Their table d’hote option at lunch time is reasonably priced (about half the price of an average dinner on their menu) and includes soup, main entree of choice, a dessert of choice, a glass of house wine or beer, and coffee or tea.  In addition to enjoying an authentic French Canadian meal, visiting Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens is like traveling back in time as it is a beautiful old historic building.

Another dining establishment that we make sure to AT LEAST visit for their maple sugar pie is Le Cochon Dingue (English translation: The Crazy Pig).  The name, in English, is a bit of a turnoff, but the food is delicious.  There are a few locations in Quebec, but the one in the Petit Champlain district is the one we have visited.  My favorite dish there was the Mussels Trio which consisted of three silver dishes full of mussels, each with its own flavorful sauce and a side of fries with homemade mayonaise.  The maple sugar pie at Le Cochon Dingue is quite different from the one at Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens, but it is amazing in its own way.

It has now been about two years since my last visit to Quebec, and I am seriously craving Tarte au Sirop d’ Érable, so I’ve decided to attempt making my own at home.  I was excited to find a recipe at epicurious.com that was recommended by a person who also enjoyed the Tarte au Sirop d’ Érable at Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens.  The same recipe also turned up at iBackpackCanada so I’ve decided to give it a try!

I was happy with the general appearance of this pie, though some of the filling leaked around the edges of the crust, causing it to stick to the pie plate.  Next time I will leave a higher edge on the pie crust to prevent this issue.

We were very happy with the taste results–very similar to the pie we had at Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens; thin and very sweet with crisp top and gooey, mapley insides…  Served with homemade rum raisin ice cream.  Coffee or tea (unsweetened) is highly recommended with this rich dessert.

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Vegetarian Kale Soup

Posted on February 15, 2010 by Kellie

This Valentine’s Day, instead of fighting the crowds at the local restaurants, we opted for a stop at Whole Foods to pick up ingredients for dinner in.  We didn’t have a plan, or a list, but instead looked for ingredients that would be healthful and interesting.  The first item I picked up was a bunch of kale.  This is a green vegetable that I was introduced to a couple of summers ago when we had a share in a local CSA program with Summit Springs Farm in Poland, Maine.  We like it roasted, as well as in soups.  Paired with roasted garlic & olive bread, this soup made a nice starter for our special dinner in.

Kale Soup Recipe

1 tbs. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

1 bunch of kale, leaves chopped

2 c. vegetable broth

2 c. water (approximately)

1 can of white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (optional)

1/2 tsp. Cavender’s Greek Seasoning

Saute garlic and onion over medium-high heat until onion is transparent, then add kale.  Saute about 2 minutes, then add broth.  Add water (2 c. or enough to cover the kale) and Greek Seasoning and simmer about 15 minutes.  Add the beans, and simmer another 10-20 minutes.  Season to taste with more Greek Seasoning, black pepper, or hot sauce.

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Bean Salad

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Kellie

Last week I stumbled upon this recipe for bean salad on a blog that seems to specialize in vegan foods and healthful eating.  I modified the recipe only by serving it on a bed of baby spinach, and garnishing with cucumber slices and fresh lemon.

I made a double batch so that I could toss some the bean salad with some whole wheat pasta to make pasta salad for a Super Bowl party.  I highly recommend this bean salad recipe!

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Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Kellie

Alfredo sauce is one thing that I don’t often make due to the amount of butter and heavy cream involved.  Having made homemade ice cream this past weekend, I had a small amount of heavy cream leftover, so I had an excuse to make a small batch.

Recipe for Homemade Alfredo Sauce

(serves 2)

2 tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan

pinch of nutmeg

black pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan.  Add garlic and cook over med-low heat about 3 minutes.  Add heavy cream and stir with whisk.  Add the parmesan a little at a time, stirring often with the wire whisk.  When all parmesan is melted and sauce has thickened, season with nutmeg and black pepper.  Toss with pasta and serve topped with grated parmesan and crushed red pepper.

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Deviled Egg Salad

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Kellie

We had half a dozen eggs that needed to be used, so I boiled them with the intention of making deviled eggs.  Then I didn’t feel like being fancy about it, and opted for egg salad seasoned with some of the ingredients used in deviled eggs.

The Hungarian hot paprika is a must–far more interesting than regular paprika, and worth a try for adding color and flavor to salads and casseroles.

Recipe for Deviled Egg Salad

6 eggs, hard boiled and mashed

2 tbsp. mayo

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

1/8 (or more if preferred) tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp (or more if preferred) Hungarian hot paprika

1/8 (or more if preferred) dry mustard

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all dressing ingredients, then combine with mashed eggs.

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Cider

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Kellie

One of my favorite places to visit in Quebec is the Isle d’Orleans, located just a short drive from downtown Quebec City.  There are many sights to see from farmland, to old homes, art galleries, maple sugar shacks, wineries, and cideries…  When we visited in July, there were strawberries galore!

One of my favorite cideries along the loop is Domaine Steinbach.  Not only do they have some of the best ice cider (far different from the cider available here at home) but they also have a vast array of other specialty foods including homemade jams, vinegars, pickles, and mustards.

Nearly two years ago, we made our first batch of cider (shown at lower right below) at home, using locally produced, preservative-free sweet cider from Wallingford’s Fruit House, which is now affiliated with Ricker Hill Orchards.  We used a recipe from Mother Earth News and followed the directions for a sparkling cider with 1 pound of light brown sugar, and the use of Champagne yeast and yeast nutrient.  The yeast nutrient was recommended to us by the owner of The Hop Shop.

This past fall, we made another batch (shown at upper left above).  This time the sweet cider was purchased at Greenwood Orchards in Turner, Maine.  We also adjusted the recipe to use dark brown sugar, and doubled the sugar to 2 lbs.  In addition, we added 8 cinnamon sticks, and a variety of mulling spices to the cider while heating it.  This batch still needs more aging time to clear; we hope that by next autumn it will be just right…

While our ciders do not, in any way, measure up to the ciders we sampled in Quebec, there is something satisfying about making our own.  It’s also fun to be able to share these with family and friends, and they make great gifts.

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Maine Shrimp

Posted on February 7, 2010 by Kellie

After several failed attempts, I’ve finally gotten my hands on some Maine shrimp.  At $1.25/lb, they are very affordable, though you have to be willing to tear their little heads off and peel the remaining shells from their delicate bodies.  After the gruesome dissection, you will find about two pounds of sweet, tender, delicious Maine shrimp.

These shrimp are so different from the larger varieties that are easily found year round at the grocery store.  They also have an interesting pink color while still raw, while most shrimp only turns pink after cooking.

According to this article in the New York Times the shrimp season is going to last longer than usual this year.  When I read this article several weeks ago, I thought I’d have no trouble getting my shrimp fix…

So after finally acquiring these shrimp, we decided to make a scampi with one pound.  The other pound will be enjoyed with cocktail sauce sometime in the next couple of days.

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Curried Lentils

Posted on February 6, 2010 by Kellie

This hearty vegan dish is high in protein, fiber, and flavor.  Its appearance isn’t beautiful, but the flavor is a pleasing mix of spicy, sweet, tangy, and savory.  My first attempt at curried lentils was with a recipe I found at AllRecipes.com.  This time around I used some of the ingredients and techniques from that recipe, but changed a number of ingredients and measurements to create a smaller batch with a little more zing, using more convenient pantry ingredients.

Curried Lentils

(Serves 4)

2 tbsp. Smart Balance oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained

3/4 c. water

14 oz. can of light coconut milk

1 tbsp. molasses

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. coriander seeds, crushed well with a mortar and pestle

1 c. lentils (I use the larger greenish ones)

1 tbsp. Gourmet Garden Cilantro Herb Blend

1.  Cook the garlic and onion about 5 minutes over medium heat.

2.  Stir in tomatoes, water, coconut milk, molasses,  crushed coriander seeds, cinnamon, and curry powder.  Simmer 5-10 minutes.

3.  Stir in the lentils and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the lentils have reached desired consistency, about 20 minutes.

4.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in 1 tbsp. of the cilantro herb blend (or 1/4 c. chopped, if using fresh cilantro).

Serve over rice or quinoa.

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Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate Cookies

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Kellie

A friend of a friend brought the most amazing peanut butter cookies to a holiday gathering, and ever since having one of those cookies I have been meaning to ask for her recipe.  Today I was reminded of this when I stumbled upon “the chocolate peanutbutter gallery” while looking for a whole different recipe!

There are so many recipes for peanut butter cookies, it was hard to choose one.  One recipe I found called for 1 c. of peanutbutter, 1 c. of white sugar, and 1 egg.  Others had far more ingredients and almost sounded too complicated to be good…  I found a recipe that sounded simple enough, and modified it only by using whole wheat flour instead of regular flour, dark brown sugar in place of regular brown sugar, and I also threw in a splash of vanilla extract.  The topping is a chopped Hersheys Special Dark bar that has been in my cupboard for far too long, though I’m told chocolate doesn’t go bad, so I figured this would be a good way to use it up…

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