apple pie

Nothing like tasty apple pie filling to compliment the perfect pastry!

Filling (for a deep dish pie)

recipe and picture by confessions of a tart

1.5 lb Granny Smith apples (for tartness)
1.5 lb Golden Delicious apples (for sweetness)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar (to make it a little gooey - if you don't like that, use all granulated sugar)
3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of ground cloves
2 tbsp cold butter, cut into little pieces

Peel and core the apples andslice into 1/4 inch slices (I like my slices pretty thin so they become very tender and don't slide out). In a large bowl, toss with the sugars, spices, vanilla, lemon juice and flour. Turn to coat and let stand for 15 minutes, mixing several times to soften the apples. When you're ready to fill the pie, drain about half of the juices.

*see pastry recipe below for further baking directions

the perfect pastry

The day I stumbled across this recipe (by confessions of a tart) was the day I finally succeeded at making flaky pie pastry. 
Butter does make everything better...

Pastry

recipe and picture by confessions of a tart

* makes pastry for 1 double crust pie

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter, very cold 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 
1 teaspoons salt 
3 tablespoons ice water 
1 tablespoon cider vinegar* 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 
1-2 tablespoons turbinado sugar for topping

*adding cider vinegar helps relax the dough for the rolling

1. Take out the butter and cut each stick into 16 little cubes. Put them in the freezer for at least 5 minutes. 
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Take a glass, fill it with water and put some ice in there to make it extra cold. 
3. Take out and get ready your pastry cutter, rolling pin, a pastry scraper and a tablespoon for the ice water. 
4. Drop the butter pieces into the big bowl with the flour, and working quickly, cut the butter into the flour until there are large pieces and small pieces. The smallest pieces should be about the size of a pea and the largest the size of a pecan. 
5. Dribble about 3 tablespoons of ice water and 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar into the flour mixture and toss it gently with your fingers until the dough stays together when pinched (there will still be dry patches, that's ok). Add more water if you need to, in 1 tbsp increments. Do this quickly so the butter doesn't get a chance to melt. Pop the bowl into the freezer for 5 minutes and take a coffee break. 
6. Dump the contents of your bowl onto a large counter, flour your rolling pin and pass it back and forth over the barely-together dough. What this does is flatten out the butter and coat it with the flour so that you ensure flakiness and tenderness. Using a pastry scraper, turn over the mixture so you get to roll the butter that's on the bottom as well as what was on top. 
7. Gather the dough into a ball, divide in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

8. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, let it rest for 5-10 minutes to become pliable and roll out each piece between two sheets of plastic or parchment paper (I can't tell you how HUGE a fan I am of this method - no sticking, no mess, ahhh). After rolling, I like to put the crusts into the freezer for 2-3 minutes so that they are easier to transfer. Transfer one of the crusts to a buttered pie plate and prick it a few times with a fork.

9. Fill the pie with your chosen filling, dot with the two tablespoons of cold butter and cover with the second crust. Crimp the edges together. Cut a few steam vents and sprinkle with sugar. 
10. Bake on 425F for 30 minutes; then, slide a baking sheet under the pie pan to catch the juices, turn the heat down to 350F and bake for another 30-45 minutes until the crust has browned and the juices are bubbling (I found this method in Joy of Cooking and the combination of temperatures, as well as baking in the lower third of the oven, produces a perfectly baked, non-soggy crust).

*note: If crust is becoming too brown - cover with tinfoil for the last 10 -15 minutes of baking.

raincoast crisps

This recipe was given to me by my Aunt and became an immediate favourite for family and friends. The recipe successfully replicates the delicious raincoast crisps found in grocery stores.

Rosemary raisin pecan crisps

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped becans

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes. Add raisins, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseed and rosemary and stir just until blended. Pour batter into two 4x8 loaf pans that have been greased. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

(at this point you can freeze the loaves for another day or continue on making crackers)

The cooler the bread, the easier it is to slice really thin. Slice loaf as thin as you can and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Reduce heat to 300F

Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10-12 minutes.

The 2 loaves make about 8 dozen crackers.

some other options - substitute raisins, pecans and rosemary for:

dried cranberries and hazelnuts

kalamata olives, figs and pecans

dates, almonds and sprinkled with sea salt

cinnamon, raisins and pecans

roasted chicken with roast carrot and avocado salad

Sunday night dinner...

A delicious winter meal inspired by Jamie Oliver

the menu:

- roasted carrot and avocado salad

- lemon roasted chicken and potatoes

Roast carrot and avocado salad with orange and lemon dressing

* adapted from Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

12 medium carrots (buy with leafy tops)

2 tsp cumin

freshly ground sea salt and pepper

2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

extra virgin olive oils

white wine vinegar

1 orange, halved

1 lemon, halved

3 ripe avocados

2 tblsp honey (melted)

2 tsp dijon mustard

ciabatta or flat bread

2 handfuls of salad greens

1/3 cup sour cream

6 tbsp almond slices (roasted)

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Fill a pot with water, add 2 tsp sea salt and bring to a boil
• Add carrots to boiling water for 10 minutes (or until they are nearly cooked)
• While the carrots are boiling - combine the cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, garlic. Add enough olive oil to generously cover the paste, and 1 tblsp of vinegar. Stir together
• Drain carrots and put in roasting pan. Pour above mixture over the steaming hot carrots -coating the carrots well.
• place the orange and lemon halves cut side down in the roasting pan with the carrots. These will roast along with the carrots, and their juices will be used as the basis of the dressing.
• Place in preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes (or until golden).
• While the carrots are roasting, halve and peel avocados. Cut them into wedges and lace in a big bow.
• Remove the carrots from the oven and add them to avocados.
• using tongs squeeze the roasted orange and lemon juice into a bowl and add 2 - 3 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar, honey, and dijon mustard.
• pour the dressing over the carrots and avocados
• Toast bread and then tear into little pieces - add to the dressed carrot and avocado. Mix together.
• Toss in the salad greens.
• divide salad between individual plates. Spoon over a nice dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle over toasted almonds and serve.

Lemon and rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes

*adapted from Jamie Oliver

1 whole chicken

extra virgin olive oil

2 whole lemon

1/4 cup butter (room temp. - soft)

3 cups small potatoes

1 tbsp rosemary

1/2 cup of chopped slices of meat (pancetta, garlic salami or bacon)

12 cloves of garlic, peeled

freshly ground sea salt and pepper

Rub the chicken inside and out with a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Do this in the morning if possible, then cover the chicken and leave in the fridge until you're ready to start cooking it. By doing this, you'll make the meat really tasty when cooked.

Preheat your oven to 375ºF.

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Cut the potatoes into golf-ball-sized pieces, put them into the water with 1 whole lemon and 8 garlic cloves, cook for 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and allow to steam dry for 1 minute (this will give you crispier potatoes), then remove the lemon and garlic. Toss the potatoes in the pan while still hot so their outsides get chuffled up and fluffy – this will make them lovely and crispy when they roast. While the lemon is still hot, carefully stab it about 10 times. Put the lemon and the garlic cloves aside.

Take the chicken out of the fridge, pat it with kitchen paper and rub it all over with olive oil.

Peel the rind off the uncooked lemon and chop it into fine bits. Combine lemon rind, 4 remaining garlic cloves, butter, rosemary, chopped meat slices, and salt / pepper. Put mixture aside.

With the chicken cavity facing you, peel the skin of the chicken away from the flesh without tearing it. You should feel a pocket form between the skin and flesh.

Using your hands, pick up some of the butter mixture and stuff it into the pocket you just created. Repeat on the other side of the chicken. Rub the rest of the mixture all over the chicken, inside and outside. If you have any remainder mix, place it in the cavity of the chicken.

Push the garlic cloves, the whole cooked lemon and the peeled lemon into the cavity, then put the chicken into a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a plate. Some fat should have cooked out of it into the roasting tray, so toss the potatoes into this with 1 tbsp of rosemary leaves. Shake the tray around, then make a gap in the centre of the potatoes and put the chicken back in.

Cook for a further 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are nice and golden. (You can tell the chicken is cooked when the thigh meat pulls easily away from the bone and the juices run clear.)

Remove the lemon and garlic from inside the chicken and discard. Carve the chicken at the table.

Shortbread

Shortbread and eggnog...

What a great way to get into the Christmas spirit!

This delicious recipe requires lengthly kneading.

A skill that I have yet to master - fortunately J has.

Shortbread

*recipe shared by Patrick

1 lb salted butter

1 cup sugar

41/2 cup flour

1/4 - 1/2 tsp flour

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Combine flour, salt and sugar in bowl.
• Cut butter into 1 cm cubes and add to dry ingredients.
• Mix with hands - crumbling butter with fingers.
• Once you are butter is completely mixed in divide crumbly dough in half.
• Take one half of dough and knead for 5 - 10 minutes until dough becomes silky smooth.
• Role dough out with rolling pin immediately after kneading (add flour if it sticks).
• Role dough until it's 3/4 of an inch thick and completely smooth on top.
• Cut into rectangles. Put rectangles on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• bake for 15 minutes. Do not over cook!