Bring on the Sand!

Giving credit where credit is due, this recipe adaptation comes from the following idea:

http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/sand-n-sun-smoothie/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+jointhereboot%2FuoBr+%28Reboot+With+Joe%29

What I appreciate about the recipes found on this site is he offers many substitution ideas.

With that in mind, I thought I would change the recipe and make it more about the Sand then the Sun.  And I think it works as a more filling type of smoothie.  You dear reader, can in the end, tell me.  Try the recipe and then try what I am going to suggest.

Ingredients

1/2 of a cored Pineapple.

3 Cups of Coconut Milk.  So less liquid then the original recipe.

Equivalent of 2 handfuls of a Spring Salad Mix

2 Tablespoons or so of Peanut Butter

At least 1/2 cup of Hemp Hearts

1/2 to 3/4 cup of Raspberries or berries of choice.

Count out a 1 second squeeze of Lime Juice.  Mine is more than a splash!

Combine and blend for 45 seconds

Additional Notes:

Think I will add some Ginger next time.  Can't hurt!

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

When An Adventure Goes Well in the Midst of Delightful Company

Last week I returned to, in the words of some of the locals in my Dad's hometown of Alma, NB, the foreign country of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  To share in a wonderful evening of making and sharing a meal and meeting new people.

What was the meal?

I was tasked with making a new sauce to marinate and cook some salmon and boneless chicken thighs.  Note -- my preference is Chicken thighs.  Sorry all you white meat chicken lovers.  Give me the thighs.  Only went boneless because I wanted both items to cook at the same time.  In other circumstances, I would go with bone in thighs and trim the skin and fat.  Leaving a covering of skin with most of the fat scraped or cut away.

Further Note -- This Sauce could have been made with Herbs Provence or a Tuscan Herb mix with some Heat as a contrast to the Ginger.  I chose the Herbs Provence to start and plan to do another version with a Tuscan Herb mixture but only if the mixture has heat.


Raspberry - Herbs Provence with Ginger Sauce

Raspberries

Balsamic Vinegar

Grape seed Oil

Herbs Provence

Ground Ginger

Stevia for Sweetening Agent or also add Agave Syrup, Liquid Cane Sugar or Maple Syrup

Combine, blend  and let sit for at least one day and then taste and then adjust to get what you desire.  If you want more bite you in the mouth zing.  Add more ginger.  If you want just the herbs and ginger to make a claim that they are there but not too noticeable then add these ingredients slowly.  Took me a couple of days to adjust the taste and leave the herbs and ginger to be not too noticeable.

As a Finishing Touch after the meal is cooked and plated, I would add the following.  Orange Zest and/or Hot Pickled Eggplants.

That night I sliced a Turkish Jalapeno and the hot zesty zing of that was a Wonderful Complement to the meal and the sauce.  Mind you.  Others might disagree.  Bite the bullet and try it.  Maybe with a little less heat.

An Unexpected Surprise?  Was the afterglow of the ginger in your mouth as one savoured the meal.  I did not add too much ginger to make it noticeable in a taste test prior to cooking the meal.  What one noticed most in tasting before cooking was the vinegar and raspberry with the herbs and ginger making a claim that they were there.  But its effects were noticed after cooking in the after glow taste, as one enjoyed the meal.

Now I know none of the above gives you any help in deciding how much to add.  Sorry.  This recipe was a entirely an adventure and when I make it again I will try to figure out some measurements.  So enjoy the adventure.

And many thanks to Samuel and Rebekah for hosting a wonderful evening.  Look forward to another time.  Thinking a top sirloin or prime rib small roast done in a cast iron fry pan.  Covered with a lid and drenched in balsamic vinegar and herbs.  Slow simmered for 4 hours or so on the stove top.  You will make vows to not sop up the tasty reduction sauce/gravy as the roast cooks but before you know it the gravy will be gone and bread crumbs will be on your face.  And you will wonder; how did that happen?

But that is a tale for another day.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

A Tasty! Unexpected! Roasted Flax/Garlic Hamburger Surprise!

Yes.  Before anyone says.  I realize the title for this Blog Posting is a little chopped up.

But this was tasty and unexpected to be so tasty that I wanted to emphasize how unexpected and tasty it was.

This recipe made four large 4 ounce burgers.

I used Omega Crunch Shelled Flax Roasted Garlic to mix into the burger mixture with one egg and Clubhouse Garlic Plus.  And I topped my burger with Aurora Hot Pickled Eggplants.

Delicious!

Ingredients

1 pound to a pound and 1/4 of one grind burger.

--  Has a more coarse texture.  Now that I have used it there is a definite preference with this writer for it.

Handful of the Omega Crunch Shelled Flax Roasted Garlic.  My hand means a good amount.  Sorry.  I don't measure.

1 large egg

Clubhouse Garlic Plus

Combine and cook in pan.  The smell of the garlic flax as the hamburgers cook, is very enticing.  Make you want to come out into the kitchen and see what is cooking.

If you want to heat things up, top your burger with the Aurora Hot Pickled Eggplants.  Forgot to take a picture of burger topped with eggplants.  Might do so tomorrow.  Great taste!

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

A Journey With a Recipe

This post is to prove that I do own cookbooks and am sometimes inspired by a recipe in these books to create something that takes the recipe and changes it into something similar but different.  Based on the ingredients that I have on hand.  I have said it elsewhere and will say it again, good cooking comes from combining flavours and experimenting with what you have.

The recipe in question comes from the cookbook, Denise Austin, Eat Carbs: Lose Weight.  Talk about a current counter revolutionary statement regarding the state of cooking in today's culinary atmosphere.  There are good carbs and there are bad empty carbs.  I have always been for eating good carbs.  Maybe I will post someday the summary article on the whole gluten free discussion found in a recent Atlantic Monthly.  But I digress.

Here is the original recipe in question.  Which I have used as my base or point of departure for many of the Banana Bread recipes that I make.  If you are not feeling adventurous, this is a pretty good recipe to just stick with and be safe.


Banana Nut Bread

2 Cups whole-grain pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1  large egg

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)  Note-- if you have 3 bananas or even 4 you can use them.  Just add another egg for each banana if adding no extra flour.  Eggs makes for light and fluffy with extra bananas and extra flour with egg makes for some more density to the bread.  1 egg with 1/2 cup flour if you want to use the 4 bananas.

Just experiment.  Enjoy the adventure!

1/2 cup light vanilla yogurt.  Light or not.  Use the yogurt!

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat to 350 degrees.  Mix and bake for 45 to minutes.  I am not great stickler for mix wet and dry in separate bowls.  Just mix together.

This is the standard recipe that I use and the variations are only limited to the imagination.  Next time I make one with the cocoa powder and cranberries I will post a picture.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

Great Food Makes for Times of Great Fun ..... Really? It Can!

This past Tuesday, was a special EA Cafe, which also marked a birthday for me.  Each Cafe is a fun, must do time for me now and this past Tuesday was all the more special because of what people did.

Two of our new helpers came along to help us make Shepherds Pies for the Boys and Girls Club of Saint John.  The willingness of people to help is truly a blessed thing to witness and receive.  As I believe we are created in the image of God, I believe we are then created to be active, creating and giving.  When we act in these ways, we enrich ourselves and those who are blessed by these actions.

Good laughter, and discussion of birthdays past and approaching made the preparation work very light.

To top a Shepherds Pie I like to mix Garlic and Chopped Sundried Tomatoes into the mashed potato mixture.  Sorry people, but of course I use butter with the milk.  Many thanks to the East Saint Food Bank for supplying the big bag of Sundried Tomatoes for me to use in feeding people through the church activities.

Chicken thighs were on sale this week and they had slow cooked in a large portable oven with a timer for 8 hours.  With Costco Organic No-Salt Seasoning and Costco Dehydrated California Garlic.  Folks, a little preliminary work often can yield amazing results.

Thighs were deboned and the meat stirred into finely chopped onion, celery and shaved carrot.

This mixture was then cooked with tumeric, pepper and thyme.  275 -- 300 degrees to just heat things through and maintain crunchiness of vegetables.  Nice simple mixture of spices to not confuse the flavours.  One of our good cooks who helps at the Cafe when he is home from his job as a long haul trucker, prepared the mixture.

Croissants were sliced in half and the mixture spooned on.  With some mayo.

The good folk of the church had made several, many several, types of cupcakes to mark the birthday celebration.  And I had a dilemma.  I had to try at least one of each cupcake so I did not offend the cooks!  It was a tasty dilemma.

One youngster came in and left with one of each in a take home pack.  It was a pleasure to let him have a great day by being able to let him think he had acquired a great yummy treasure.

Great Food made for times of great fun this past Tuesday.  I can only hope that as you journey in this life, you might have times to gather with others and using simple ingredients create wonderful meals.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

Some of the Products I Use

This shall be an ongoing updated list.  I want to list some of the products I use when creating.  I only hope the companies will appreciate the advertising as I have not obtained copyright permission to post the pictures of their products.  I want to post the pictures eventually as we are a visual culture.

Litehouse Organic Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette

-- this makes for a great sauce for cooking poultry.  I will share the recipe later.

Litehouse Lite Greek  Vinaigrette 

 Litehouse Sesame Ginger Dressing

Classico  Basil Pesto


Vanilla Yogurt -- what's your favourite?


Costco Organic No-Salt Seasoning -- cannot say enough good things about this mixture.  Don't have a membership but know someone who knows?  Ask, ask and ask again that they buy a bottle of this for you.

Something to Brush On or a Marinade

Conversations can often go in interesting unexpected ways.  But are we not to remain open to the surprise of the unexpected?

Dropped in on a couple and the talk got around to cooking.  The husband loves to cook and like me he does it without recipes and embraces the adventure of flavour combination.

While talking about different recipes I shared the following that had come to me in a panic when my parents were coming for a visit and I had promised my mother something special as a meal creation.  Got up that morninng and realized I hadn't made anything!

Cooking Note -- some of your best recipes can come about in a moment of panic.  Really.



Basil Pesto Brush On or Marinade

Pesto Basil.  I have never made one so I have purchased different brands.  Classico Basil is one I have used.

Oil -- olive or grapeseed oil.  I have yet to try this with coconut oil.

Pure unsweetened Cranberry juice.  Needs to be pure.

Garlic

Sweetener -- I use maple syrup.

Directions -- Combine equal parts of Oil and Juice.  Sweeten to your taste.  I like tartness to contrast with the Basil Pesto.  Garlic to taste.

Use as a brush on for Salmon, Chicken or Pork.  I use frozen Pacific Salmon.  If using this product you must pay careful attention so it does not dry out.  I have great results.  Sorry Atlantic Canada.

Or let items be marinaded for about 20 minutes.

Cook and enjoy!

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

A Ginger Date Delight Part 1

Good morning!  I hope it shall be a delightful day.  As one is able to rejoice in the good gifts of life of friends, family (or friends providing a family atmosphere of relating and caring) as we journey through a world that is both delightful and can be distressing.   A seeming paradox but one that I hope does not drive us away from life and living.

Before I get to the Ginger and Date Delight; has anyone seen a new commercial that profiles all the ways new appliances and gadgets can organize our lives so that there is little left for us to do other then issue a command?  No need to get up and let the dog out or in.  Or get up and start the coffee as you might then wander through the living space drinking in the beauty of the new day and rejoicing in being alive.  The commercial seems to reinforce don't worry about living an on the edge stressed out never getting enough sleep type of life.  Don't worry your appliances and gadgets will fill in.  Little effort required, your appliances and gadgets will fill in and do the work for you.

Where and how did we ever get to the place of thinking someone else, now appliances and gadgets will now do all the work for us?  That we shall not be active in living but just receive the dubious benefits of appliance and gadgets being active for us?

Now, before someone thinks I am out of touch and dislike modern life, the question is not what can modern life offer but what is modern life doing to us with what it offers?

Now to the taste of the day.


Ginger-Date Delight  Part 1

1 Avocado

1 Banana

Small handful of carrots

Small handful of spinach

1-2 TBSP of Almond Butter or Peanut Butter  Lacking these?  Just put in 8-10
almonds.

Ginger to taste.  Want it sharper?  Use more.  Nice taste contrast to the smooth richness of the avocado.

1/2 inch of pressed dates cut from a 1 kg block.

Orange juice or if you don't want the added sugar of the juice just add orange zest.  Remember that both the orange zest and the ginger will be sharp tastes in contrast to the smoothness of the other ingredients.

Coconut Milk -- adjust your liquid for how thick or thin you want the drink to be.

Additions -- when I try this one again I intend to replace the carrots with cucumber as one of my experiments with this creation.


Combine.

 Blending Note --  do not try and blend the dates completely so that you lose all the pieces.  My wife commented that it was a nice surprise to be drinking the product and then have small pieces of dates to chew on as you savoured the flavours of the drink.   By small I mean small.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

Make a Favourite This Way with a Litehouse Salad Today

Who here does Not love Chicken Noodle Soup?  Especially a Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup?  With lots of pepper?

While the picture you see below is not the finished product that I am talking about today.  I post it to encourage you to dream about this tasty creation.

Ginger-Sesame Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe is very simple.  It involves you making your favourite version of a Chicken Noodle Soup.

Then, you add Litehouse Sesame Ginger Dressing to your soup pot.  If making soup for two with another meal for another day.  Pour in 1/3 to 1/2 of a bottle.  Or to taste.   So pour slowly and taste.

Stir in and let simmer for 10 minutes and reduce to low or shut off and enjoy.

You can also add some garlic.  

In case someone is interested.  When I make a Chicken Noodle Soup I use the following 

ingredients:

Knorrs Chicken Homestyle Stock if no homemade stock on hand.

Seasoning:  Costco Organic No Salt Seasoning or Clubhouse Garlic Plus or a Basil, Thyme and Oregano combination.

Garlic  and Salt.  If using the Knorrs I would add no salt.

Chicken  and Noodles

Onions, Carrots, Celery  

And if I have them, a few chopped dehydrated mushrooms to enhance flavour.

Parsley or if going for the Asian flavour twist add some chopped cilantro.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

A Cafe and Some Christmas Gifts

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014 saw the observance of Christmas amongst those Christians who follow the Orthodox tradition.

To incorporate observance of this date on the Christian Church calendar, I took some foods that are served at an Orthodox Christmas meal, and combined them to take a couple of tasty soups.  Altered but still reflecting the foods you would find at an Orthodox Christmas family gathering.

This first Cafe of 2014, saw some wonderful things happen.  One of our regular Cafe folk told me how the quiet witness and love of the people of Edith Avenue, had persuaded them to stop an addiction that was causing great harm.

Other Cafe regulars are now bringing family members and others to the Cafe.  We are grateful for how the atmosphere of warm welcome is drawing people to consider the wonderful grace and love of God and how God invites us all into fellowship with Him.

Everyone enjoyed the soup and the warm fellowship of being together again.  Seek in 2014 to build the relationships that will nuture and give you a deeper sense of being alive and sharing in life.  Christmas is about God announcing He has come amongst us to show us how to find Life by being the Light we need to find life.

As your journey unfolds.  Take some time and have a tasty soup.  Ham or Hamburg Style.  So gifts were given and received.  The gift of people telling us that our love was making a difference.  And there coming and sharing in life with us is a great gift that we are honoured to receive.



Ham or Hamburg Herb Provencal Mushroom Soup
 with Vegetables and Shredded Artichokes

Since each pot of soup that I made was enough to feed about 40 people for each pot it is almost impossible to reduce it down.

However what you can do is see the list of ingredients and try to make the soup for yourself.

Directions:

Mushroom Soup

Stock -- I used potato water which I often keep, freeze and use in soups.

Quantity  is -- 1/2 and 1/2

Himaylan  pink Salt.  Salt, Garlic and Herbs Provencal to taste.

Sauteed Beef and Onions in Garlic and Herbs Provencal -- Onions should be cooked till turning brown and crisping up.  So do both separately.

Chopped Potatoes, Carrots and Celery, Fresh Mushrooms

6-8 Dehydrated Mushrooms to enhance flavour for each large pot.  You would need probably just 2 if making a small pot.

The dehydrated mushroom I use were purchased from Costco.

Shredded Marinated Artichokes.  If doing this soup for two, I would use no more then 2-3 marinated pieces.  You do not want to overpower the soup with the marinated flavour.  Be very careful there.  Add the artichoke, taste and maybe use less.

Note -- I found the Marinated Artichokes at Costco.  Supplied to our Church Cafe through the Food Bank, because many of the Cafe clientele utilize the services of the Food Bank.

The picture above is of the Ham Mushroom and Vegetable Soup.  I would sprinkle some gouda cheese into the Ham Soup variety.   

Also pictured is a simple idea of pitas stuffed with cheese.  Just warm in an oven until cheese starts to melt.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

Carrots and Coconut Do Make A Breakfast Drink

Created this drink for breakfast yesterday as Cindy and I continue our experiment in breakfast drink creations.  Maybe this is also an any time of the day creation?

Ingredients

1 Piece of a Toblerone Bar shredded and set aside to top the drink.  Make it good quality chocolate whatever you are using.  Lindt is another good choice or one of the fair trade products.

1 large pear -- cored

1 Avocado

2 small or 1 large apple -- cored

1 Handful of mini carrots

Orange Juice-- about 2 inches poured in the bottom of blender.  

And zest of 1/2 a large orange.  Mine was a navel to give you an idea of the size.

1/2 an inch of cranberry juice -- when poured in blender it is about 1/2 inch.  Real technical and precise are we not?

250 ml of  Coconut Milk  -- I used an original unsweetened coconut milk

250 ml of  Vanilla yogurt

1 handful of almonds and cashews.  My hand is large.  Make about 6-8 almonds and cashews each.

Cinnamon -- probably a teaspoon




Directions:

Combine in a blender and top with the shredded chocolate as you see in the picture.

Note --  Makes enough for two days of breakfast drinks for two.  So bear that in mind and adjust the ingredients accordingly.  And the drink tasted great!  The next day.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

Not Mine But Want to Pass this On!

I love making banana breads.  Have yet to make this one but I love the healthy twist to this one.  I would possibly add an organic cane sugar for the honey or use the honey.  And I love using applesauce in place of oil in recipes that I do.

I will also try a coconut flour variation with an additional egg as I find this allows the finished product to rise better when using this flour.  And I love the taste of coconut flour with bananas.  Then if you add some unsweetened dark chocolate oh does it get good!  Also cranberries!  But I digress.

So, that should tell you I will try this recipe.  This is from a person named Mary Stone and she has a site for you the reader to link to if you desire.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 mashed overripe bananas



Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. 

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. 

In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. 

Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. 
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. 

Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. 

Happy Eating!

Grace and Peace

Would You Add a Salad Dressing To This?

So; would you?  I love a good salad dressing and most of the time that love has nothing to do with a salad.

Tonight's creation features some nice sliced sirloin pork resting on top as the picture shows above.  Nesting on a bed of green, yellow beans and carrots with black beans and sundried tomatoes.

Note to the Vegetarian readers amongst you regardless of where you fall on that spectrum.

In place of the sliced pork, I could easily have done this with just Black Beans and Cashews.  Or Black Beans and Tofu.  I would let the Tofu marinate in the Salad Dressing for a few minutes while getting the rest of the ingredients together.  Cooking Note -- I like to drain the liquid from the black beans.  Reduce the salt.

What was the salad dressing?  One of the Litehouse Family of Products.  I love using their salad dressings as marinades and adding to soups.  I will share an Asian Chicken Noodle Soup recipe at a later date.

Litehouse Lite Greek Vinaigrette Pork and Vegetables

Litehouse Lite Greek Vinaigrette

12-16 strips of sliced pork.  Note -- If for 2 people use the 12 strips or maybe 10.

1 Onion chopped 

Half a can of Black Beans.  Whole can if going the Vegetarian Route or add 2-3 handfuls of cashews and keep it at half a can of the beans.

Frozen Vegetable Medley of Green, Yellow Beans and Carrots

Sundried Tomatoes.  Two handfuls should do it.  I have big hands.  You will have to adjust as you see fit.

Instructions

Spray or oil a cast iron or other fry pan.  This dish is prepared in one pan.  Have pan at about a medium heat.  I am using a 10 inch pan and the end result has the mixture filling the pan as you see below..

Place pork in the pan and pour dressing in to almost cover the meat.  Let it cook until half done or less and add onion and frozen vegetables.  You will note from the picture the onions don't cook much and I like that crunchy taste.  You might not.  Add onions earlier before the frozen vegetables if you want.

Add more dressing and cook turning and blending vegetables and meat together.  Add black beans and sundried tomatoes after a few minutes of turning.

You want the pork to be just done so it is still moist.  Take about 20-25 minutes once you start cooking as your adding the frozen vegetables, slows down the process and adds more liquid to the dish..  You can turn the heat down some and ignore the dish for a few minutes if you need to be busy with something else.  The wonderful aroma of the Litehouse Lite Greek Vinaigrette will draw you back to check on what's cooking.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace

The Best Mud You Will Ever Eat! Some Knitters and Others think So.

Hello on a rain filled Monday from the city of Saint John.

As this blog develops, I hope to have others share articles and recipes.  Today, I share a recipe that someone I have met and correspond with through Facebook, posted to her account and then I have taken the step to share it here.  Thanks to Marie-Claude Plourde, for putting me on to some of the best mud you will ever eat!

And please note -- the recipe is not healthy as you read below.  But...... it is good!  As I recall a French pastry chef saying one time, when you make a cheesecake with butter, it means you do not eat the whole cake!. Savour and enjoy some.  Savour and enjoy some.

Savour and enjoy some......  Sounds like a life lesson.  To stop, slow down and take time to enjoy what you are actually experiencing and not just be a tourist at all these stops in your life.  There is a Word that says to place our hope on God who richly provides us all things for our enjoyment.  See I Timothy 6:19.

And I am thankful!  To have found this good thing to enjoy. 

This mud cake and to provide it to others for their enjoyment.  Can I hear an Amen?  Try this recipe and you will be thankful and saying Amen, which can be translated as let it be true.  And it is true that this is some of the Best Mud you will ever eat!

I first served this cake to a group of knitters my wife was teaching.  I made it as a surprise and adapted the recipe you see below.  I will provide my changes.  Make this and suggest some of your own?

Kladdkaka Chocolate-Mud-Cake

Recipe very very freely adapted from this one:http://swedeandsourkitchen.com/2012/11/05/kladdkaka-chocolate-mud-cake/. This is NOT a healthy recipe. But it is vegan and accidentally gluten free. ;)

1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine  -- I used Butter.
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup quinoa flour (fine) -- Quinoa flour is Expensive so I used a regular cake flour.
1 cup cane sugar -- I have used 3/4 cup and put in some stevia.
1/4 cup corn syrup (or other syrup: agave, maple, rice, etc., but corn syrup is thicker)
5 tbsp cocoa -- Essential you use an unsweetend cocoa powder if you are able to.
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp chocolate essence (optional, or a few drops of almond extract)
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 pinch of cloves
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch of salt

Notes -- I have added some Baking powder and baking soda to allow it to rise some so my version is not a true mud cake.  So that will alter your cooking time.  So pay attention to the cooking process.  As the instructions say below, you want it a little undercooked as the goal is "mud cake".

-- I will probably put some zested orange in the next edition but I am undecided to mix it all in or place some on top after cooking as a decoration?  Any suggestions?

-- I like using smaller pans so it allows you to make smaller finished products and then you can give some away and not face the temptation of all that butter and chocolate!

I have used coconut flour and that will result in more of a dense mud condition to the finished product.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat together with a spoon: the margarine, applesauce and corn syrup; then add all other ingredients and mix well.
3. Pour into a greased 9-inch springform, greased and floured.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes depending on the consistency you want. It is a cake that should remain a little bit "undercooked" so it will be sticky. That's kinda the goal: *mud* cake.
5. 

Popeye Says Eats Your Spinach! Again?

Its a Breakfast Drink Again!

Tried to find an image of Popeye not subject to copyright but could not.  Many people would probably just say Popeye who?  So, enough said.

Onward to the spinach and the tasty treat from this morning.

1 Avocado

2 Small Apples and a Small Pear

Orange Juice about 125 ml

250 ml  of vanilla yogurt

Coconut Milk to complete liquid

Cinnamon

Orange Zest as a taste contrast to the smooth richness of the avocado and cuts out on adding more orange juice and thus more sugar.

Spinach Leaves  -- 2 handfuls.

Combine.  I tried using our new blender and did not blend things well enough and got spinach between my teeth!

Have not tried it yet but I think a sprinkle of shredded dark chocolate after pouring might be a nice idea.

Happy Eating!

Watching Hockey and Thought of This? Nice of me eh?

Watching what is a Saturday Night tradition in millions of Canadian households, Hockey Night in Canada on the CBC.  The other night I had seen parts of the movie about hockey legend Gordie Howe, while working on other things.  And one part of the movie showed the players enjoying their pre game meal of steaks on the BBQ.  Including I think if I saw correctly, the big thick cut of fat that used to be on the T- Bones when people did not seem to care about how fat their steaks were.

And to think one used to eat that half inch of barbecued fat that the steak came with.  Hmmmm .... or I feel my arteries hardening?

So; where am I going with all of this?  All of this made me think of the primitive BBQ steak meal we had at the house here two summers ago. Yes, the steak is right on the coals.

And how also we should stay open to following where are minds may take us as we string together seemingly unconnected experiences but in the end we create something interesting to be shared and experienced.  And that counts for far more then just food.

Again, this is not my picture, but just to torment or tantalize you the reader, how about a picture of one of the best ways ever!  And I mean ever!  To have a steak from the barbecue.

I just thought people needed to see some pictures of summer and a tasty way to have a meal.  On these cold nights of the year.  Enjoy the pictures and may you hang onto hope as the weather is cold but keep a hold of this view.  The days are getting longer and soon you could get to try this.

And to prove I am not that mean as this post might suggest.  I will give some ideas as we get closer to summer about how to prepare a tasty marinade to make sure this adventure in primitive BBQ is worth the trip to the coals.

Happy Eating  Eventually on this One!

A Quick Breakfast Drink That Tastes Good!

Honestly it does!

Cindy and I are adventuring in making breakfast drinks.  For the health and nutrition benefits and hopefully some taste along the way!  This one is quite tasty and as I indicate below there are a couple of options I am going to try next time and let people know how it worked.

Try this on for size:

-- 1 Banana

-- 1 Anjou Pear

-- 2 Handfuls of Spinach

-- Coconut Milk -- about 1 cup

-- Orange Juice - twice around the blender, for a taste contrast.

-- Cinnamon -- adjust for taste

-- Option -- have not tried yet would be an apple, ground almonds  and unsweetened cocoa powder.

Happy Eating!

From a Banana Bread to a Chocolate Cranberry Heaven

Now .... did that title get your attention?  Hope so.

This recipe sprang to mind while doing some baking and preparation work for the weekly Cafe we run every Tuesday at Edith Avenue Baptist in Saint John, New Brunswick ( see Where the Name Comes From for the full story of the Cafe).

I love doing banana bread because it is a great way to use up stuff.  For example,  yogurt past its best before date.  As an aside, while doing volunteer work at the Saint John East Food Bank during the summer of 2011, I was in conversation with several clients about doing cooking with extra food so it does not spoil.

Told them of buying too much strawberry yogurt and needing a way to use it.  What goes good with bananas but strawberries so I substituted the yogurt for the milk component of the recipe and made a tasty banana bread.  I asked the clients to consider how they could stretch their food dollars by working together to creatively use food resources.

So back to the trip to Chocolate Cranberry Heaven.  Making this banana bread I discovered the pantry was lacking sufficient chocolate chips.  So I substituted cocoa powder for the chips.  And because the cranberries were sweetened and the cocoa was not, a nice balance was obtained in the bread being not too sweet.  So Note -- if going to try this and I will post a recipe, use an unsweetened cocoa powder.

One of the tastiest banana breads I have ever made soon came forth out of the oven.  I left one at the house and took the other to the Cafe the next day at the church.  Talk about a bread doing a disappearing act!  I was busy with other matters and when I returned to the Cafe, one of the workers said did you get a piece of that bread?  It was some good!  I chuckled and replied, what?  You thought I would bring all of it over to the Cafe today?  I left some home today.

It is an enjoyable day when people can be delighted by a new creation.  Or maybe someone else has made this, probably.  But it was a new creation to those at the Cafe.  And isn't that when we are at our best?  When we are creating?  According to classical theism as defined by St. Thomas of Aquinas,

However, St. Thomas also explains that God shares his perfections with his creatures by inviting them to participate in his causality, which in the world manifests itself in his governance of his creation:

But since things which are governed should be brought to perfection by government, this government will be so much the better in the degree the things governed are brought to perfection. Now it is a greater perfection for a thing to be good in itself and also the cause of goodness in others, than only to be good in itself. Therefore God so governs things that He makes some of them to be causes of others in government; as a master, who not only imparts knowledge to his pupils, but gives also the faculty of teaching others. (Summa theologiae, I.103.6)

To put it another way, according to St. Thomas, it is a greater perfection, and therefore, more fitting, for God to share his causality with his creatures, making them authentic causes that can cause by their own natures, than for God to remain the sole cause acting within creation.

From -- http://biologos.org/blog/st-thomas-aquinas-and-the-fittingness-of-evolutionary-creation-part-1

If our purpose s found in sharing in the creative power of God while God remains the sole cause of creation; then does that not help to explain the sheer pleasure we get from creating something and bring pleasure to others by our act of creating?

That day at the Cafe, I got a glimpse again of the pleasure one can bring to others by creating and sharing that which one creates with others.  Even food.  Yes even food.  Go forth and create and help to realize your potential and reason you were created.

Now the recipe or the route by which you might travel to get to that Chocolate Cranberry Heaven shall be shared later I promise.

Grace and Peace

Reflections on a Turkey Past and Future Part 2

For the past 20+ some years, my wife Cindy would never know what the turkey might taste like because I loved creating new cooking sauces and basting concoctions for the annual Christmas feast.

Then a few years ago I began to focus on using several key ingredients and have spent the last few years refining this particular way of roasting the Christmas turkey.

I want to share the ingredients and if it seems like a tasty adventure to embark upon do so and let me know how the adventure turns out.  Send me any questions while you are creating and maybe we can share back and forth.

Note -- I will bring this post back into play come November of this year as we prepare for our annual Christmas journeys in the holidays.

Life should be about trying new things and sharing the joy of the adventure.  This turkey is now becoming a favourite of mine and next time I write I will try to remember to tell you about the reduction sauce I made to baste this turkey in and how the butter rub creates an amazing gravy.



Basic Ingredients

Turkey

10 thin slices of Prosciutto Ham

Herbed Butter

Dehydrated Mushrooms

Whole Garlic Cloves if you have them.  Marinated or not.  Enough to place 4 or 5 rows 4-5 wide in roaster pan and turkey will rest on the cloves.  The aroma is wonderful and you can eat them with the meal.

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees or 365 if oven cooks hot.



Instructions

 Cindy and I used a 12-14 lb fresh turkey this year and shared Christmas dinner with two valued friends.

That amount of Prosciutto Ham, will just cover a 12-14 pound turkey (if paying about $7 for this is too much, try to find a good bacon that should cost less).

For the Herbed Butter,  I have used Costco's Organic No Salt Seasoning and  Clubhouse Garlic Plus as my seasoning for the butter.  Plus more garlic to taste.  As my cooking class students have come to know I believe that there can never be enough garlic.  Note of warning or sadness depending on how you receive the news, the Herbed Butter doesn't really work with margarine.  Sorry.  :)

Prepare the herbed butter if you can at least 2 days in advance.  Note -- I intend to try a butter with fresh herbs mixed into it for our next Christmas turkey.

 I used a combination of dehydrated mushrooms purchased from Costco.

Carefully lift skin and rub butter over as much of the meat as you can reach.  Wear thin gloves.  Less mess!
Place the dehydrated mushroom under the skin also.  So the number of mushrooms used varies.  Rub inside the cavity and place mushrooms there also.

With the size turkey we used that meant about 12 mushrooms which vary in size because of the combination of mushrooms used in the mix.  So the number of mushrooms used varies.

Note-- it is best if you can do this the night before but all is not lost if you do this the morning of.

Place Prosciutto Ham over turkey.  I do not tie the turkey or place a dressing in the cavity as I put the Prosciutto Ham pieces in the cavity halfway through the roasting time so that the product as easily chopped and makes a tasty side addition to the meal.

Place garlic cloves 4 or 5 rows at 4-5 wide in roaster pan and turkey will rest on the cloves.  The aroma is wonderful and you can eat them with the meal.

Place turkey in roasting pan and cover and place in Oven for 25 minutes at the preheated temperature.

After that time, turn temperature down to 300 degrees or as high as 325 degrees depending on how over cooks.

Baste the turkey at least 3 times after the initial 25 minutes.  Remove cover and allow skin to get crisp.

After removing turkey from oven.  Let rest for 15 minutes at least before trying to carve.

I did not take a picture of this recent creation but if you want the skin to be crisp, the turkey should look something like this.

Happy Eating!

Reflections On a Turkey Past and Future Part 1

Hello:

It seems fitting that the holidays should bring me to the place of starting this blog adventure that was suggested to me about 14 months ago now, by my oldest neice's (Rebekah Streeter), then boyfriend (Samuel Rad), now fiance, at the wedding of her brother, Matthew,  in Halifax.

At the rehearsal party afterwards, the night before, I was telling Sam about some of my Christmas cooking and other adventures through the Cafe and the Cooking Classes.  If I recall correctly, he wanted to book some spots at the Christmas table!  Know Sam, that you are always welcome at our table.

Then somewhere in all the wonderful conversation (thanks again Sam and hope we can resume it all again sometime), he asked about whether I had thought of creating a blog.  I believe I said it had been thought about and he encouraged me to do so.

Now I am beginning the adventure!  Thanks Sam.  And for encouraging me in this allow me to remind any reader who might live in the fair province of Nova Scotia that Sam can be reached through www.nichehomesinc.com

Blessings as the Holidays end and life unfolds in 2014

And I will get to a very delicious and yummy way to cook a turkey in the next post.  Enough for now.