New Year's Eve tasting menu options on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Tomorrow I will be presenting the following dishes for New Year's Eve treats, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with guest host, Laurie Hoogstraten.  I'll be on at 8:20AM as there will be a year end quiz after the 8:30 news.

This gorgeous beef tenderloin is available on Saturday morning at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market from 10-1PM at the Eagle's Club. One can use tenderloin, rib eye or strip loin for this dish from beef, bison, elk or veal.  Everything is locally produced from sustainable farms.  The micro greens are from Fresh Forage Farms where they grow amazing greens year round.

Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio (Beef from Manitoba Beef by Jim Lintott, available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

Recipe By: Karen
Serving Size: 10
Preparation Time: 0:20

8 ozs tenderloin frozen (or rib eye)
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 c preserves (I use Mostarda, fig jam, or raspberry)
1/3 c vinegar (shallot, raspberry, etc)
2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp truffle oil optional
1/4 tsp truffle salt optional


Mix last 7 ingredients together and set aside. Thinly slice semi-frozen meat.
You can use bison, elk or beef tenderloin. Arrange slices on a platter and
drizzle vinaigrette over meat. Garnish with fresh berries or green onions. 

I used Fresh Forage Mustard Micro greens and Parmesan  Reggiano curls.

Serve with baguette slices or water crackers.
Enjoy!


Seared Foie Gras with fig or pear compote

The Foie Gras comes from Brome Lake, Quebec.  It is a free range duck.  They are not penned and walk around freely.  They come to be fed.  The whole duck is used in different products.  They provide an excellent foie gras and is available at DeLuca's on Portage Ave. 

Prepare crostini or toasts and top with warm compote as recipe follows;

1/2 - 1 whole sliced pear or 2-3 sliced fresh figs Or Mostarda with figs
1/2 tsp butter
ground hazelnuts (optional)
deglaze with Frangelico or Disorrono

Cook pear or figs in pan and cook down with liquor.

Prepare foie gras slices by slightly seasoning with sea salt.  In a hot pan, sear foie gras on both sides until brown and deglaze with liquor.  Place on prepared toasts, top with a few grains of Fleur d�sel or good sea salt and serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Crispy Tortellini Bites

How are your holiday breaks going?  Are you eating a tremendous amount of food and frying things for a midday snack like us?  My sister dragged me to my first ever Soul Cycle experience today and I thought I was going to die.  My body was like, "LOL you crazy fool, you've had 17 pounds of beef, chocolate and vodka over the past week, HOPE YOU'RE HAVING FUN!"  Oh well, the new year is right around the corner and then we'll all hit the gym and eat nothing but kale and drink gallons of water, right?  Riiiiight.  In the meantime, let's keep frying things!

These crispy tortellini bites are AMAZE BALLS.  They are also very easy to make, although slightly time consuming because you have to work in batches.  However, SO worth it.  It's as simple as making tortellini according to the package, coating it in an egg, flour, panko mixture and lightly frying it them in oil.  Serve alongside marinara for dipping and sprinkle parsley on top for color!    

Recipe HERE.

Have the Happiest, Healthiest New Year's Eve - see ya in 2017 :)

Cigar Tuiles

I only have 17 things on my to-do list today... one of them being to bake ONE more Christmas cookie (which will never happen)... and I'm feeling frantic.  However, I wanted to share these Cigar Tuiles I made the other day because they are so impressive, not THAT difficult to make, and very delicious!  It's basically a cookie dough that you spread very thin on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roll into a cigar shape the second it comes out of the oven.  Then you dip it in chocolate and chopped nuts.  Obviously.  I used a recipe from a special Cookie edition of America's Test Kitchen that I can't find online, but you can find similar recipes here and here.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Glorious Whatever You Celebrate.  I wish you all peaceful weekends spent with the ones you hold dear!

Andes Mint Fudge

I love fudge, fudgy fudge fudge.  Fudge is my favorite, like smiling.  Smiling is my other favorite.  And if you're not watching the movie "Elf" as much as we are, then you probably have no idea what I'm talking about right now.  Anyway, I made this glorious fudge the other day that tastes exactly like a giant Andes Mint.  Chocolate fudge on the bottom, white chocolate fudge with peppermint extract in the middle and a dark chocolate topping that's sprinkled with mini chocolate chips and chopped up Andes Mints.  It should be it's own food group this time of year... Buddy would approve.

Recipe HERE.

Traditional Latkes with Caramel Applesauce

Hello friends!  How are we all doing on this Monday before the holiday weekend?  Has the panic set in yet?  Is your computer making fun of you for how much online shopping you're doing?  If your answers are yes, then we are friends.  If you finished your Christmas shopping in June, then please go away.  (Just kidding I love everyone you can stay)

It's full-on Christmas Vacation/Home Alone mode at our house, and this weekend would have gone viral had it been captured on video.  There was a snowstorm, a crying Santa visit and family galore.  All the things that make the holidays merry and insane at the same time!  My son is learning about Hanukkah at school and asked if we could make latkes, and this weekend felt like the perfect time to do it.  My mom and my sister-in-law took charge with this Martha Stewart recipe, and they came together perfectly.  Did I mention the caramel applesauce?  Served with that and a dollop of sour cream made these the hit of our chaotic weekend :)

Recipe for Traditional Latkes here.

Recipe for Caramel Applesauce here.

Best Wishes for Healthy Holidays!

Celebrating CBC's Host Terry MacLeod, and Change

This morning, I'll be presenting the following recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  As this is Terry's final weekend with CBC Radio, we are celebrating him as well as changes throughout the 24 years that he has been with us in Manitoba.  The beef dish represents the changes in attitudes toward food in that we are so passionate about global flavours and yet are more conscientious than ever as to where our food comes from and how it its produced.  The beef comes from Wildfire Farms.  The chocolate dish is a dish for Terry that I made because I heard that he enjoys Grand Marnier.  I wanted to find something very easy to prepare with it and this is a great season to represent this treat.

I'm at D. A. Niels today giving a tajine cooking demonstration and the beef dish will be one of the tajines, based on a Paula Wolfert recipe.

Grand Marnier Balls (Kugel)

3/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier
7 semi-sweet chocolate baking squares, melted
3 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
chocolate sprinkles
Put cream, butter and sugar into saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Add Grand Marnier, chocolate and crumbs. Mix well. Shape into 42 balls. Roll in chocolate sprinkles. Chill or freeze.

Moroccan Beef Tajine(can use lamb)

1 lb beef roast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes (I used apricots today)
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly saut� onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

Serve with flat breads, rice, couscous or bulgur.

 Today at D. A. Niels:
  

Marak (Tajine) of Eggplant, peppers and peas with preserved lemon
� cup olive oil

1 medium globe eggplant

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 tsp sugar

2 ripe or canned tomatoes, chopped (I�m using 2 tbs good tomato paste with tomatoes)

1 tbs Ras el Hanout

1 tsp sea salt

� tsp turmeric

2 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley

 � preserved lemon (see chef for details)

1. Heat oil in tajine over low heat.  Add vegetables and sugar and cover with lid or with parchment paper and the lid and cook gently for 10 minutes.  Raise heat slightly and add a splash of water. 

2. Add tomatoes and continue to cook, covered for a few minutes.

3. Add the parsley and lemon juice.  Garnish with the slivered lemon and olives (or cook in with tajine).  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Holiday Cookie Inspo

My life right now:

• A blazing fire and a sort-of-sometimes-but-not-really cuddly cat
• Three sets of mis-matched battery operated tree lights (including one that only blinks and won�t stay solid) bc my first Christmas with said cat, 10 years ago, she bit into the lights and electrocuted herself and I�ve used battery operated ones ever since. 
• Mariah Carey Christmas tunes 
• Teavana white chocolate peppermint tea 
• A (3rd) rewatch of How I Met Your Mother
• Trying to ignore political news because: anxiety
• Regretting every single time I go on Facebook because: political news/ anxiety, but doing it anyway
• A pot of chili (usually with turkey, black beans, and pinto or white beans� never kidney beans bc Evan hates them, and only squash additions when he�s not looking) bc it�s all I want to make this chilly-chili weather season
• My Favorite Murder podcast, all day everyday

It�s sounds like I�ve been really hunkering down, but I feel like I�ve barely been home lately, and I�m really craving some cozy couch time with a side of hot cocoa (wherein no one talks to me for a good 24 hours bc the introvert in me is maxed the F out and needs some quiet alone time to recharge). Three weekends ago was turkey day, two weekends ago we were down in my hometown visiting my ma and eating the most giant ribeyes ever at a neighboring town�s diviest ever dive-bar that serves huge amazing steaks + baked potatoes, and last weekend Evan and I were in SF meeting our squishy, precious, amazingly sweet, absolute doll of a new baby niece, Sydney Rose (we were also eating all the things, as one does in SF). Between those trips plus holiday parties plus work plus life plus fitness (just kidding, I haven�t worked out in like, 2 months� just adding that one in there, in the hopes it motivates me), I haven�t made one batch of holiday treats (actually, considering I haven�t worked out in 2 months, maybe the lack of Christmas cookies in my life is a good thing).

BUT! In all disregard for my hips and waistline and also a pic I just saw of myself right before my wedding/ right after my dad passed away when I was a good 20 lbs less than I am now, sigh/ugh... I do hope to get some cookie baking in this weekend. So, without further ado, here�s some holiday baking inspo:

From the Loves Food, Loves to Eat archives:

SLICE AND BAKE CHOCOLATE DIPPED ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD COOKIES: I posted these ON THIS DAY last year, and they were so buttery, herbaceous, and chocolatey. Not too sweet, great addition to a cookie exchange or tin of mixed treats!

SLICE AND BAKE SPICE COOKIES WITH CITRUS GLAZE AND SEA SALT: Slice and bake for life because I�m so lazy and it�s just too easy. I even slice and bake my chocolate chip cookies now� but anyway, these little pretties are spicy and chewy and citrusy and make them.

PEPPERMINT MOCHA ICEBOX COOKIES: OMG you guys� I didn�t even mean to do this as I was pulling together this list, but here�s another slice and bake.

From around the interwebz:

CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM VIA DESSERT FOR TWO: Christina says these drop cookie sandwiches are super easy.. they�re not slice n bake, but I�ll take it. They seriously look so good� but also what about a tahini buttercream filling!?

GINGERBREAD THUMBPRINTS VIA LOVE AND OLIVE OIL: My mom made peanut butter blossoms every Christmas when I was growing up (ie: PB thumbprint cookies with a Hershey�s Kiss)� but it turns out, my sister doesn�t like the PB + chocolate combo (which kills me), so these might be a perfect replacement!

HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH TOASTED MARSHMALLOWS VIA THE CANDID APPETITE: cozy, cozy, cozy. These just make me wish it would snow already, and make me wish I liked winter sports. 

VANILICE VIA LITTLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE: For starters, these little sandwich cookies are the cutest. And also, she keeps vanilla beans in her powdered sugar� genius. 

Unrelated... remember when I did this Home Alone Dinner + Movie post? lololuuulll. On my movie-watching to do list between now and Dec. 25: Home Alone and, because it's been awhile, Home Alone 2, Lost in NY, a full Wes Anderson marathon, and of course, Krampus, the Evil Christmas Elf. Happy wintertime holiday fun, friends! 

Come Cook with Us! - Dec 7

Come cook with us one last time in 2016

Join Chef Sherry Strong & learn to make festive vegetarian leftovers this month. 

Workshop is FREE, but registration is required. Children are welcome!

Doubletree Cookie Recipe

I am sitting here, swimming in holiday cards, literally drowning.  I started yesterday and was actually enjoying myself!  The girls were napping, my son was at the neighbor's, we had a fire going, football on the TV, Christmas music in the background... I was drinking beer.  It was all very enjoyable.  Now, however, I've been at it for hours while my daughter is coloring all over herself (I swear she started on paper) and HOW AM I ONLY THROUGH THE J'S??  Also - and I'm warning you this is disgusting (I am disgusting) - I was eating an arugula salad as I worked and then realized that a piece of lettuce ended up on an envelope after I licked it.  Ummm... now I'm wondering how many cards that I've already licked are going to come with leafy vegetables FROM MY MOUTH.  

Told you, so gross.

Guess what's not gross??  These cookies!!!  It's cookie season!  You can and should eat a new cookie every day, in fact.  It's a holiday rule that I made up just now.  I saw these as I was perusing the internet and while they may look like just another chocolate chip cookie, they might be one of the best I've ever had!  It's a copycat recipe for a cookie that the Doubletree hotels serve, which I wasn't familiar with, but now I want to rush there to see if they are in fact this good.  Two things I found interesting about this cookie: the addition of lemon juice and cinnamon (a tiny amount of both), and pulsing the oatmeal in a food processor until it's super fine.  I guess that's actually three things, but leave me alone.  For whatever reasons, I have a feeling that's why they are wonderful!  Make them!  

You can find the recipe HERE.

Update: I'm at the K's.

Fair Trade Gift and entertaining on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, I presented some easy to prepare dishes that are also cruelty-free.  Now that the holidays are approaching, people love to serve shrimp.  If you buy certain wild caught shrimp from Argentina, Mexico, Texas, New Brunswick and Alaska, for example, you can be certain that slavery ships were not used to get the shrimp to your table.  The chocolate as well, is certified Fair Trade, which also means, for example, that child labour was not used to produce the chocolate.  Fair Trade Chocolate and other Fair Trade ingredients can be purchased at Ten Thousand Villages and through Fair Trade Manitoba.

Shrimp and other seafood are available at Gimli Fish.

Shrimp with dips (Korean)

1 bag wild caught peeled shrimp (now available at Gimli Fish) (or buy pre-cooked)

Blanch shrimp in boiling water until fully cooked and then cool immediately in an ice bath. Drain completely.

OR

Saut� shrimp in a drizzle of sesame oil until pink. Season with salt and white pepper. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with the following dipping sauces:

Korean dipping sauce
1 tablespoon kochu jiang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbs white vinegar
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 scallion, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with fried tofu, on salads, seafood, etc.

Wasabi Sour Cream Dipping Sauce
Sour cream
wasabi paste, to taste
pinch sugar

Mix all ingredients and increase wasabi for desired results. 
Fantastic with shrimp and other seafood but also wonderful with roast beef.

Ooey Gooey Brownies
1/2 cup butter
3 oz dark Fair trade Chocolate*
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unbleached white flour

*Callebaut Chocolate available at DeLuca's Grocery Store in Winnipeg or look for the Fair Trade label.  www.fairtrademanitoba.ca  Camino Chocolate can be found at Ten Thousand Villages.

Preheat oven to 350�F
Butter an 8-9 inch square baking pan or bread pan.
In a heavy large pot, melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring occasionally. Prepare remaining ingredients separately. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. When the butter and chocolate have melted, remove from heat. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and stir until well incorporated. Add the beaten eggs and stir quickly to prevent the eggs from cooking. Stir in flour and mix until smooth.

Pour into pan and bake for up to 20 minutes. Enjoy hot or cold. Optional to add up to 1/4 cup of your favourite chopped nuts.

Delicious, Nutritious Holiday Giving

Join Burnaby Food First Tomorrow, Sun. Dec. 4

Free Workshop, Children Welcome

TODAY tonight: Pork Chile Verde

Look at me!  Look at me!  I'm blogging!  I'm blogging!  It seems like every year, I take an unintended hiatus over Thanksgiving.  We usually travel to Los Angeles, and it's hard to keep up with cooking and posting recipes, even though it seems ALL I'm doing is eating, eating and eating.  But now I'm back... just in time for the most wonderful time of the year (minus waking up every morning and realizing I forgot to move that damn elf... ugh, that smirk).

I can't wait to flood this site with holiday baking but for now, let's talk about delicious comfort food.  On the Today Show yesterday, Padma Lakshmi made a chile that the crew raved and raved about.  Savannah even sent me a text, urging me to make it (and you don't ignore a woman who is 9 months pregnant).  It begins with this verde sauce consisting of tomatillos, avocados, jalape�os, cilantro and tons of yummy spices.  By the way, you should absolutely double this sauce and save some because it's ridiculous.  Then ground pork, onions and cannellini beans are added to a pot along with the sauce, stock, oh, and did I mention tequila?  The depth of flavors are intense, and yet it's also something I think your kids would enjoy (especially if you de-seed the jalape�os like I did).  

You can find the recipe HERE.

Have a great weekend!