Plum Jam...those with diabetes should avert their eyes

Plum jam is significantly easier to make than strawberry jam, and for my money, it's tastier. It's basically plums, pectin, and absolutely massive amounts of sugar.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of diced plums (pits removed but do not peel them). I used yellow plums.
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 57 gram box of CERTO (the pectin)
• 8 flippin' cups of granulated sugar

Methods:

Wash the plums and cut out the pits. Then roughly chop the plums.  They basically dissolve during the cooking process so this can really be a rough chop. Place them in a large pot. Add the box of CERTO and 1/2 cup of water and bring the mixture to a boil, simmer 5 minutes. Add the sugar and bring to a rolling boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir for 5 minutes to avoid all the fruit floating to the top of your jars. Pour into warm sterilized jars up to 1/4 inch from the rim. Cover with sterilized lids and rims and wait for the pop that indicates a vacuum seal. Bob's your uncle.

Double Chocolate Coffee Cake by Rose Reisman

I see a lot of recipes on Instagram. Usually, I save them on my phone where they reside in perpetuity. However, this chocolate coffee cake recipe posted on Instagram by Canadian icon Rose Reisman looked pretty good and I was having guests, so I decided to try it out. As per many coffee cake recipes, it contains sour cream and cinnamon. The consensus was, this cake is a an Instagram winner.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream or yogurt
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping:

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon 
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Methods:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together the sugars, oil, eggs and sour cream. Then mix in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips.

Poured the batter into an oiled 9 inch springform pan. Mix together the topping ingredients, then spread evenly over the top of the batter. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes. 

If you happen to use a smaller tin, make sure that you bake the cake as long as it takes to have a toothpick inserted into the cake come out clean. 

Very Expensive Strawberry Jam

Not sure how much fresh strawberries cost in your neck of the woods, but where I live, they are outrageously expensive. However, one must make strawberry jam. This year, I made it without adding pectin. The mashed fruit to sugar ratio was 1:1. I added a single large lemon's worth of juice as per recommendations for making strawberry jam without CERTO. Then boil, boil, boil.

I might return to using CERTO next year.

Crumb Cookies from the Globe and Mail food columnist Julie Van Rosendaal

My friend Janice and I frequently discuss recipes that are published in the paper.The Globe has gone through a number of food columnists, some posting recipes we loved, while others we loathed.(I seem to recall one recipe that required bee pollen as an ingredient.) 

At any rate, Janice decided to try the recipe in this weekend's paper and I have to say that these Crumb Cookies look great.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup jam or other preserves
• 2 oz chopped white chocolate (This was optional and Janice didn't use it)

Toast Crumb:

• 1 thick slice soudough (Janice used an Italian bun)
• butter
• jam
• 1-2 tbsp brown sugar 

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla for about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and salt until smooth.

Press walnut-sized pieces of dough into an ungreased muffin tin, making an indent in the middle. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of jam into each cookie.

To make the crumb, toast the bread, let it cool and thickly spread with butter and jam. Pulse in a food processor until you have sticky crumbs.Then sprinkle the crumbs along the edge of each cookie. Add a chunk of white chocolate to each cookie if you really want to. Personally, I think its overkill.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from the tin with a thin knife and let cool on a rack. Makes a dozen cookies.

Lemon Risotto

 

This is a somewhat revised version of a recipe for lemon risotto provided by Patricia Wells in her cookbook Trattoria. I served it, topped with slices of roasted chicken, to rave reviews. The photo does not do justice to the dish but I forgot to take a picture when the risotto was hot and steamily creamy. (Apparently a problem I have with photographing risotto. Interesting, given the whole point of risotto is its creaminess).

Ingredients:

• 5 cups of chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 cups of Italian Arborio rice
• sea salt to taste
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
• zest of one lemon
• 2 shallots minced or 1 small white onion minced

Methods:
In a large saucepan, heat the stock and keep it simmering as you prepare the risotto. 

In a large heavy-bottomed pan, combine the shallots/onion, 2 tablespoons of the butter, the oil and salt over a moderate heat and cook the shallots until they are translucent (about 3 minutes). Do not let the shallots (or onions) brown. 

Add the rice and sir until the rice is well-coated with the fat and glistening (1-2 minutes). Add a ladleful of the stock and stir until it is absorbed; continue this process until all of the stock has been added. During this process, the heat should be kept at a gentle simmer. 

After about 17 minutes the process should be complete and the risotto, creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Parmesan, lemon juice, zest and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Serve immediately in warmed shallow bowls.

Editorial note: Apparently, there are 3 rules for making the perfect risotto: add the stock in small portions, do not add additional stock until the previous liquid has been absorbed, and stir, stir, stir. Oh, and also, you have to use the right rice for risotto, Arborio in this case. It's available at any grocery store.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Who doesn't like banana bread? People who don't like bananas I guess. It's a pretty ubiquitous quick bread, available in most coffee and tea shops. I took this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction website, but I'm baking at a cottage with a few limitations...no mixer, other than myself, and an oven with which I am unfamiliar. So, it is what it is.

I have included here for your viewing pleasure a link to an iconic banana interview from 2013 with Muneori Kawasaki, a Blue Jays infielder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdGai72Tt8Y

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs (mine were absolutely mammoth, with double yolks)
• 1.5 cups of mashed bananas
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

Combine the flour. baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. In a second bowl combine the butter, sugar, eggs, bananas, yogurt and vanilla. Like I said, I didn't have an electric mixer, so I just used a spatula to mix the dry ingredients with the wet. Finally, fold the chocolate chips into the mixed batter.

I oiled and floured a loaf pan to try to make it less stickable, then spooned in the batter and hoped for the best. The cake baked for 65 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick or knife blade to ensure the batter is fully baked.

Hot Pickle and Cheese Cracker Dip

Although I'm not exactly sure, I believe this recipe was ripped out of an issue of Bon Appetit magazine. Don't quote me on that. I'm at a cottage and easy recipes are a requirement for dinner parties. This one was a snap to make. I used cheddar goldfish rather than Cheez-It crackers on top, because that's what I had in the cupboard. And to be honest, I followed the recipe only vaguely. 

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 oz. cream chees
• 4 oz. sour cream ( I used a thick plain yogurt)
• 1 cup dill relish
• 1 oz. Parmesan finely grated
• 1/4 cup chopped dill
• 1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• kosher salt to taste
• 1 and 1/2 cups cheesy crackers ( I used cheddar goldfish)

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a small skillet over low heat and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 minutes (but do not brown), then place the mixture in a medium sized bowl. 

Stir in all of the remaining ingredients except for the crackers. Place the mixture in a 1 quart baking dish and smooth the surface. Smash the cheese crackers and scatter them over the top of the dip.

The recipe says to bake until warmed through, about 10 minutes. I've made this dip twice now and it has taken significantly longer than 10 minutes to warm, so use your best judgement on how long to keep it in the oven.

Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake

My friend Julie made this delicious moist coffee cake using rhubarb from her garden. Nothing says an Ontario summer is on its way like something made with fresh rhubarb.

Ingredients: 

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
•  1teaspoon baking soda 
•  1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
•  ⅔ cup vegetable oil 
•  1 large egg 
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 cup milk 
•  1 ½ cups rhubarb, chopped 
•  ½ cup sliced almonds 

 Streusel Topping: 

•  ⅓ cup white sugar 
•  1 tablespoon butter, melted
•  ¼ cup sliced almonds 

Methods: 

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

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.  

Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Beat the brown sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add the flour mixture and milk, alternately, and combine. Stir in the rhubarb and 1/2 cup almonds until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. 

To make the struesel, mix the white sugar and melted butter together with a fork in a small bowl, then stir in 1/4 cup almonds and sprinkle over the batter. 

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Original recipe from www.allrecipes.com

Orzo with Spinach and Feta from the New York Times

 

My friend Julie made this one-pan wonder. It's delicious, filling, and looks like spring on a plate. I suspect that you could up the 'spring' factor further by adding a handful or two of chopped asparagus as you stir in the stock.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups of baby spinach leaves, chopped coarsely
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill, or parsley or cilantro

Methods:

Heat a 10-inch skillet and melt the butter. Stir in about 3/4 of the scallions, saving the remainder for garnish. Add the garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the spinach has wilted .

Stir in the stock and bring to a simmer. Then stir in the orzo, lemon zest and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cover and simmer over medium low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed.  This will take 10 to 14 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Finally, stir in the cheese, peas and dill, cover the pan and cook for another minute. Sprinkle with more cheese and the reserved scallions to serve.

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Cornbread ...it's not Johnny Cake apparently

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Middle

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So, this recipe was taken from the back of a package of Bob's Red Mill cornmeal. I've always called cornbread Johnny Cake but the internet tells me I am incorrect in doing so. I was, however, not wrong in placing a pat of butter and a splash of Ontario maple syrup on the warm out-of-the-oven cornbread. Tomorrow, I'm planning on serving it to a friend with butter and jam.

I've taken a photo of my mixing bowl which I was inspired to purchase after binge-watching on Instagram a young women in Paris bake truly wonderful things in her tiny kitchen. She uses blue and white decorated antique bowls to mix up her extraordinary bakes.  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of medium grind cornmeal
• 1 1/3 cup buttermilk (I used yogurt cut with water)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted butter, cooled

Methods:

Combine the cornmeal and buttermilk in a large bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. 

Heat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan.

Mix together the dry ingredients and add to the cornmeal mixture along with the eggs and butter. Mix until thoroughly combined and then spread in the pan and pop into the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Green Onion Pancakes AKA Cong You Bing...very interesting.

This recipe was presented by Julie Van Rosendaal in a recent 'How We Eat' column in  Toronto's Globe and Mail. Apparently these green onion pancakes were popularized by restaurateur Siu To of Edmonton, who is credited with introducing cong you bing (a scallion pancake) to the city in 1979. Not sure when and how these are meant to be eaten. I believe they are supposed to be snack-like.They are definitely best when warm. Actually, I think they might be good served with my sister's yellow pea dip.

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp butter or shortening
• 2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 bunch of green onions roughly chopped
• salt to taste

Methods:

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Add the water and stir until the dough comes together. Knead for an indefinite period of time. The dough apparently is supposed to feel like your cheek. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Melt the butter or shortening and combine it with the canola/vegetable oil and sesame oil in a small bowl.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll out each piece as thin as you can get it. (I did not roll them sufficiently thinly). Brush the dough with the butter and oil mixture and sprinkle with a handful of chopped scallions.

Starting with a long side, roll the dough up then make a coil as you might a cinnamon roll.

Set the 4 coils aside to rest for about 20 minutes. 

Next, place each coil between 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll them out as thinly as you like. Heat a skillet over medium high heat with a drizzle of oil and cook one pancake at a time, covering the skillet with a lid for the first 2-3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium low and flip the pancake, cooking it uncovered for another 1-2 minutes.

This is what my coil of cong you bing looked like prior to flattening.