Espresso-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Christmas is coming...really, it's almost here.

We haven't yet begun decorating or planning but here is one thing I am doing.

I am am making these cookies.

Here's the deal, you can make the batter, seal it in a ziplock bag (all rolled out and ready), freeze it and then cut off as many lovely little squares as you need to bake.

I have a serious weakness for shortbread.

I grew up eating my Dad's shortbread. His recipe originally came from a Scottish lady that used to live next door.

Perfect rounds of his shortbread was and is always in little tins around my Mum and Dad's house at Christmas time.

This recipe is rich and espresso-y with the occasional melt of chocolate.

They're perfect! They get RAVE reviews!

And since this bag is going in the freezer to be baked at a later date, you'll have to stay posted to see it finished product...or jump over to Smitten Kitchen to see how they turn out.

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

(Discovered at Smittenkitchen.com)

Makes 42 cookies

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 tablespoon boiling water

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool.

2. Working with a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth.

Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.

3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

One Fall Night

Jimmy and I went out a few eves ago, spur of the moment, and it was one of those nights so sweet you just could not have planned it.

We saw a movie at one of those retro-rejuve theatres, got a massive pop and popcorn, watched a cool movie and then had some really good seafood pasta and Cab-Sauv at the Italian restaurant next door.

It was one of those prefect fall nights...

You know those nights where the cool is just verging on chilly, but not quite.

One of those nights when tucking into a sweater on the restaurant's front booth by the open window feels so right.

Conversation is so good and so easy.

The seafood tastes better than you remember it could and you resent feeling full.

Just one of those nights you wish you could plan but couldn't and just happily receive every now and then.

Curried Noodles and Veg

Isn't it interesting how the change in season tends to generate excitement.

It does that to me.

I love our seasons.

It seems to prompt a change in so many areas.

I feel more creative, more artistic, more clear headed and, like so many others, eager to cook from the bounty of this new season.

A few weeks ago, while browsing Whole Foods, I came across Arvinda's Artisan Curry Powder.

Since we are coming into fall and fall is a perfect time to start making curries again I bought the All Star curry blend and started anticipating.

This stuff is good, really good.

My friend Shaida would probably laugh at the noname curry powder that usually finds its way into my spice cupboard.

Another friend recently gave me a recipe to mix up a curry blend of my own. I still want to try that one.

So, the garden is loaded with carrots, basil and kale--they're going in a curry.

Moosewood LowFat Faves gave me all the incentive I needed for a vegetable loaded curry swirled into some nutty soba noodles.

The result was a beautifully fragrant vegetarian noodle dish with tons of ginger and spice.

We squeezed tons of lime juice on top and stirred in some basil at the end, passed around the pepper at the table and everyone loved it.

Little Jib scarfed down two bowls of it. He needed plenty of water to handle the heat but he's no sissy around a spicy curry.

Curried Noodles and Veg

1/2 lb soba noodles

Dried Spices

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 dashes cayenne (or to taste)

Sauce

2 tablespoons dry sherry, I used rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon honey or agave

Vegetables

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1-2 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup peeled and julienned carrot

1 cup sliced red bell peppers (or combination of colors) or 1 cup yellow bell pepper

4 cups thinly sliced kale

salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons julienned basil

1-2 limes

Cook Noodles and keep warm.

Mix together the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and coriander in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the sherry, soy sauce, water, and sugar and set aside.

In a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet, combine the garlic, ginger, and oil and

saute on medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the carrots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the bell peppers and continue to cook, stirring, for about another 4 minutes.

Add the kale and dried spice mixture and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.

Pour in the sauce mixture, cover, and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the kale is tender.

Stir in noodles then season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve with lime wedges and your choice of basil, cilantro, or scallions.

Jib says, "Don't wimp out on the cayenne, it's worth the sweat"

Summertime Peach Tarts

In the summer, I like to cook simple, quick meals that don't involve a lot of oven-on time. That said, I seem to make a lot more desserts.

Summer's wild blueberries, raspberry bushes discovered walks, PYO strawberry farms, Ontario peaches and plums make it impossible to resist making dessert.

Early summer is berry season. We generally get carried away when we pick strawberries and come home with about 4 more baskets of berries than we needed.

There are plenty of ways to solve an over-abundance of strawberries:

Strawberry shorcake cookies.

Strawberries with cinnamon dumplings.

Strawberry milkshakes.

Jam.

But now it's peach time. Few things taste quite so quintessentially summertime as peach pie.

These peach tarts are perfect.

A bright yellow dough of cornflour, cornmeal, butter and egg yolks is rustically formed around a sloppy, sweet mix of ripe peaches and cinnamon.

Eat this one alone or with some whipped cream on top.

PS- Now would be a perfect time to make Oven Roasted Peach-Tomato Pasta... Just incase you needed dinner inspiration.

Rustic Peach Tarts

(adapted from Good to the Grain cookbook)

1 Cup corn flour

1 Cup All purpose flour

1/2 Cup fine cornmeal

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon Kosher or coarse salt

1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 egg yolks

6 Peaches, peeled and sliced

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbps flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Whisk the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment,

add the butter and turn the mixture speed to low

and mix to break up the butter. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the butter is as coarse as cornmeal.

Add the heavy cream and egg yolks and mix until combined. The dough will look crumbly but when pinched between your fingers, it will come together.

Divide dough roughly into 8 pieces. Roll out into 5 inch thinnish slabs on a lighly floured board.

In a med bowl, combine peaches, honey, cinnamon and flour.

Add about 1/3 C peaches to the centre of each slab.

Fold the edge of the dough toward the peaches and up, to create a ruffled edge; continue around the perimeter, letting the ruffles be their bad irregular selves. Slide a bench scraper or spatula under the tart and transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough.

Freeze the tarts on their tray for at least 1 hour to firm them up before baking.

Bake the tarts: Preheat over to 375°F. Bake tarts, still frozen,

for about 35 minutes or until the edges of the tarts are brown and the peach is bubbling and thick.

Serve warm or at room temperature. The tarts keep in an airtight container.

Cheese Party and Bruch

We hosted a cheese tasting brunch.

Here are the recipes and a few pictures of the very memorable and delicious morning.

Crostini

Jamie Oliver

Mixed Herb Crostini

Get any mixture of soft herbs like fennel tops, green or purple basil, parsley, mint, chervil,

thyme leaves, or sorrel and roughly chop them.

Take six cherry tomatoes and halve them, then rub one of the halves into each of your hot crostini.

Grate some pecorino or Parmesan over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over your chopped herbs.

Mixed nuts (Ina Garten)

1 pound roasted unsalted cashews

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175°C).

2. Spread the cashews out on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven until warm, about 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt, and butter.

Thoroughly toss the warm cashews with the spiced butter and serve warm.

Mini Quiche (Canadian Living)

24 Frozen mini tart shells, (in foil cups) thawed

4 eggs

1-1/4 cups milk

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

8 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 green onions, sliced

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 cup chopped mushroom

Filling: Place tart shells on rimmed baking sheet; divide bacon, green onions and cheese among shells.

In bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper; pour into tart shells.

Bake in bottom third of 375°F oven until pastry is golden and filling is just set,

25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

(Make-ahead: Let cool. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in 400°F/200°C oven for about 4 minutes.)

Black Bean and Lentil Salad with Curry Viniagrette

When I opened the front door this morning, it was like a wall of heat hit me in the face.

To me heat means salad and smoothies for lunch and dinner.

This salad is really easy to make if you have a few cans of beans in your pantry.

I used two cans of black beans and one of green lentils but you could surely use almost any sturdy bean.

Feel free to use any vegetable you have. Grated carrot, thinly sliced celery, green peppers, chives or cucumber would be great in there.

The vinaigrette is a bright combination of ginger, lemon and curry.

I like to serve this as a side to sausage, cheese and crackers or boiled eggs.

A perfect meal for a day when you don't want to heat up the house by using the oven.

Black Bean and Lentil Salad with Curry Viniagrette

(101cookbooks.com)

3 cups cooked beans (I used 2 cans Black beans)

1 cup cooked black or green lentils

1 cup cooked brown rice (optional)

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into crescents (optional)

1 cup vegetables, chopped or grated (I used a combination of zucchini, carrot and tomato)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon of fine-grain sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1-2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (from 1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled)

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

In a large bowl toss the beans, black lentils, red onion, and vegetables.

In a bowl or jar whisk together this garlic, salt, the curry powder, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Whisk well, taste, and add adjust flavors/salt if needed.

Pour about half of the dressing over the beans and give it all a toss.

Add more dressing a bit at a time until it is to your liking.

Serves about 4 - 6 as a side.

Southwest Bean Burgers

I love burgers.

Going out for burgers is a pretty cheap date.

Going out for burgers is my idea of a good time.

Perhaps I should qualify that, going out for good burgers is my idea of a good time. (Not as cheap but way more...ummm...good.)

I'm pretty lucky, though, because the best burgers I've ever had are always free.

The combination of my mum's perfect burgers and my dad's crazy barbecue skills are a match to be reckoned with.

These aren't those burgers but they're really good anyway.

These are made with friendly and yet exciting things like corn tortilla chips, chilies and black beans.

You're excited already right...?

Make these, bake them and top them with any toppings you would put on a beef burger.

I like mine with salsa, cheddar cheese, hot peppers and sour cream.

Southwest Bean Burgers

(moosewood)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash of ground black pepper

1 cup finely chopped mushrooms

1 cup grated carrots

1 fresh chile, minced or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup orange juice

1 cup ground corn tortilla chips

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Warm the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.

Stir in the chives, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper and cook until the onions soften, a couple of minutes.

Add the mushrooms, carrots, chiles, and orange juice, lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook,

stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.

While the vegetables cook, combine the ground tortilla chips, beans,

and egg in a large bowl and mash well with a potato masher, or pulse in a food processor

and then transfer to a bowl. When the vegetables are tender, drain, and stir into the bean mixture.

Form the burger mixture into six patties (a heaping 1/2 cup per burger) and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 25 minutes, until firm and lighted crusted.