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.