Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake

My dear, sweet, loving husband was born on June 22nd.  That is today, in fact!  Happy Birthday Carson!!!  (He won't read this.)  Anyway.  If you are unfamiliar with June 22nd (weird thing to say), it is the day after the first day of summer.  It is often the last day of school for many.  And, AND, it happens to be VERY close to Father's Day.  One year, the two dates were actually one day apart.  Why am I writing things that are obvious?  Because I'm trying to justify my lack of enthusiasm for baking two cakes for two great occasions in such a short (busy) period of time.  

  That's why this year, I tried to combine things that I know Carson loves (mainly ice cream and the chocolate/peanut butter combo) in a dessert that was very easy to pull off.  Enter this ice cream cake: a mouth-watering crowd pleaser that anyone can throw together, and I mean ANYONE (especially if you have kids willing to unwrap all the peanut butter cups in exchange for one or two or five).   

It begins with an Oreo crust... yes, I said that.  One whole package of Oreos, crushed together, combined with melted butter and pressed into a cake pan.  Then, the ice cream.  Best part?  You can choose your favorite flavor, brand, make your own, etc.  I decided to layer my cake with a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup and a Vanilla Bean (this brand).  There is hot fudge and crushed peanut butter cups in between the two layers, more hot fudge on the top, and MORE crushed cups on top of that.  All that's really time consuming is letting your layers melt in between, but I think at the end of the day... we all have patience for that.  After all, ice cream cake is worth the wait.  As would my husband's birthday be if he could move it just... you know... a weeeee bit further away from Father's Day.   

Full cake recipe here.  (But again, modify it to your liking!)

Chicken Marsala

Oh, June.  June... you are a nutty, nutty month.  You are living la vida loca, and yes, I am still living in 1999.  I am also still living in a world where June means summer... not recitals, teacher gifts, preschool graduations and camp registrations because, oh right, I'm a mom now and not a teenager living at the turn of the century listening to Ricky Martin.  It's just that when I was a kid June used to symbolize the beginning of summer, and now it feels like the end of so much.  Perhaps that's because I'm an emotional wreck about my kids growing up and my daughter starting elementary school next year with her big bro.  Time is speeding by, and this time of year is making me nostalgic for simpler times... when a new Backstreet Boys song was all I really cared about.  

Maybe I'm feeling this way because my mom has been staying with us for a few weeks and the other night she cooked dinner.  This always causes me to feel a bit like a teenager.  (By the way, does anyone else have a child that says "a bit" all of the time because Peppa Pig is everywhere??)  As much as I love to cook, there is nothing better than someone taking over every once in awhile.  That particular night, she made us a Chicken Marsala which was delicious!  It felt like comfort food but tasted light and refreshing - like something you could eat again and again. 

She followed this recipe :)

Stay tuned later this week for an epic ice cream cake!           

Easy BBQ Feast for Father's Day! On CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Yesterday I had the joy of presenting some new ideas that I'm developing for the market, in time to enjoy for Father's Day, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.

The lovely beef striploin came from Wildfire Farms and the pizza dough is available on market days at Old Church Bakery.  Easy and delicious!  The rub is a Baharat (spice blend) that I've added ground pumpkin seeds and smoked paprika to to make a Manitoba version of Duq'qah, an Egyptian spice and ground nut blend for meats and flatbreads.  I'll be bringing this to market very soon.

For the flatbread, 1 bag pizza dough from Old Church Bakery, divide into 2-4 pieces and, with a bowl of water to wet the fingers, pull and spread onto a silpat or parchment papers.  Spread a spoonful of the Duq'qah onto each flatbread, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake in a 450�F oven or on a hot grill until done, 4-7 minutes, depending on oven or grill. 

For the steaks, in order to get a crust, lightly coat each steak with Dijon mustard and then coat with the Duq'qah.  Season with a slight amount of salt.  Prior to grilling, drizzle olive oil on each steak.  Grill to preferred doneness, I recommend rare, but...  Let the meat rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. 

I topped these flat breads and steak slices with a bit of onion jam, but garnish as you like.

Father's Day Waffles with Cardamom-Vanilla Strawberry Rhubarb Compote & Whipped Coconut Cream

My dad occasionally visits me in my dreams. In the beginning, I had these dreams much more frequently. They�re so vivid and real, he�s so vivid and real, that in the rawness of fresh grief, they were devastating to wake from. My dad has been gone almost three years (this August) and while I still wake tearful, with the scar of loss newly opened once more, his dream visits have started to feel like something else. Like a gift. Like an extra, stolen moment of time I get to spend with my dad, however fleeting. 

Earlier this week, just before I woke, I dreamt that we were in the kitchen, talking. He was bebopping around, stirring this and tasting that, as he was wont to do, and we just chatted, about nothing significant. He was there, his face, his personality, his voice. He was real and alive. And then I woke up. I hadn�t had one of these visits in a while, and my morning got off to a rough and fuzzy start, as I tried to go to back to sleep, to will him to return, with tears on my cheeks. But he didn�t return, and I eventually embraced his gift for what it was, got up and took a cup of coffee and the cat outside to the patio. And there, I noticed a tiny bit of green popping out of the dirt for the first time�one of the irises my mom dug up from my childhood home had finally started to grow� I had almost given up hope! Those irises were my dad�s favorite flowers. An absolute gift indeed. 

A month ago, I suggested a revolution: waffle brunches for Father�s Day! So here I am, carrying the torch. My dad would have loved nothing more than waffles and a big bouquet of freshly cut flowers on his special day. These waffles are pretty simple and straightforward, with the addition of whipped egg whites which make them a bit lighter and more airy. I think there are two kinds of waffle people: the ones who like a big, tall Belgian waffle with large deep holes and crisp exterior, and the ones who like a thin, light, slightly crisp on the outside but mostly chewy waffle, with lots of tiny holes. I�m the latter, and so are these waffles. If you�re in waffle camp #1, feel free to sub in your favorite waffle recipe as the base. Regardless, we�re topping them with a rhubarb and strawberry compote, flavored with cardamom and vanilla, and a big dollop of coconut whipped cream, because we�re either sharing these with dads or, for any number of reasons, eating our feelings on Father�s Day, and either option calls for a big dollop of whipped cream. 

Father's Day waffles 
with strawberry rhubarb compote & whipped coconut cream 

Waffle recipe adapted from here. Makes 4-6 waffles (I have this waffle iron).
Notes: the coconut milk needs to chill overnight before whipping the cream, so be sure to get a head start. 

1 cup all purpose flour 1.5 T sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup almond milk 2 large eggs, separated 4 T melted butter (unsalted) To serve: Maple syrup or honey Strawberry Rhubarb Compote (below) Whipped coconut cream (below) finely chopped pistachios

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolks. Pour wet ingredients into dry, and gently stir, don�t over mix. Add butter, and gently stir to combine, again, don�t over mix�it�s ok if there are a few lumps. In a separate, clean bowl, with an electric mixer, beat egg whites until peaks form, and very gently fold into batter. Let rest while waffle iron heats up. Cook waffles according to waffle iron instructions. To serve, top with a drizzle of syrup or honey, a big spoonful of the compote and coconut cream, and a sprinkle of pistachios.

whipped coconut cream 

Notes: the unopened can of coconut milk needs to chill overnight so the cream fully separates from the liquid, so be sure to get a head start. 

1 can full fat coconut milk 1 T powdered/confectioners sugar

Place can, unopened, in fridge overnight. When ready to make, open can, and drain the liquid + scoop out the solid cream, being careful not to mix with the liquid. Add the solid cream to a bowl or stand mixer, and beat on high until light peaks form. Add sugar, and beat until combined.

strawberry rhubarb compote with cardamom and vanilla 

Fills 2 pint jars 

4 cups sliced/chopped rhubarb (about 5 big stalks) 1 cup sliced strawberries Scant 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla (I used vanilla paste) 4 cardamom pods�shell and lightly  grind the inner parts (with mortar  and pestle) Pinch salt Juice from 1 baby lemon (or 1/2 regular sized lemon)

Add all ingredients to a pot over medium heat. Stir to combine, and let cook until everything starts to soften and break down, about 5 minutes. Cover, and lower heat to simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until you have a loose jammy consistency. Use right away warm, or remove from heat, cool to room temp, put in jars, and store in refrigerator.

Mozzarella Panzanella

When is a celebrity going to name their kid Panzanella?  It's about time, right?  There is a human being named Reality Winner living amongst us, after all.  We could call her 'Zanella' for short.  Or him, I'm not trying to assume Panza would be a girl.    

What am I saying.  I'm so tired I don't even use question marks when I'm supposed to anymore.  I type nonsense about children being named after bread salads.  I blog once every 17 days (but don't worry, almost every day I have that moment when I'm not sure if I put on deodorant).

Let's be serious, though, and less gross, and talk about how underrated bread salads are.  A leafy green usually takes the spotlight when it comes to salads but in this case a crusty, crunchy bread is paired with sweet, juicy tomatoes, crunchy peppers and onions and a tangy, garlicky dressing.  I added loads of creamy mozzarella and some diced avocado to mine, because I win at life.  I followed Her Highness Ina's recipe, however this is a really versatile salad that's easy to throw together with a number of things in your fridge.  You can use store-boght croutons or toast up a nice sliced bread or baguette you happen to have on hand.  My favorite part of this particular recipe are the salty capers and the fresh basil - it's really the perfect summer dish or future name for your child.         

Recipe HERE.

Burnaby Self-Guided Farm Tours

With Tourism Burnaby and support from the City of Burnaby, we have developed and released a
self-guided map listing participating farms and nurseries that are
opened to the public within Burnaby�s Big Bend area.

Did you know that Burnaby has some of the most productive farm land in the region?



Did you know that there are a number of active farms, and related businesses, in South Burnaby that you can visit?



At last count, 43 farms were in operation in Burnaby, growing everything from cranberries to zucchini!



Take the whole family along on this self-guided tour of some of the agriculture sights of Burnaby�s Big Bend.



Visit Burnaby�s �country in the city� to shop for fresh local produce,
tour impressive greenhouses, meet some farm animals, and try some tasty
treats - all close to home! 

Participating Burnaby farms/nursery

• GardenWorks at Mandeville


• Sun Tsai Sang Farm


• Wing Wong�s Nursery


• Hop on Farms


• Burnaby and Region Allotment Gardens


• Leong�s Nursery


• It�s About Thyme Nursery


• Common Ground Community Farm

About Big Bend Community



It is a mixed-use community with various land uses such as parks, open
spaces, agricultural, residential and industrial. Big Bend is bounded by
Marine Drive (to the North) and located within Boundary Road to Fenwick
Street. The Fraser River runs south of the area.



Agriculture is a very important activity in the Big Bend area. It is a
significant producer of field vegetable production, in the Greater
Vancouver Regional District, following Surrey and Delta.  

Spring Produce on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Tomorrow, I will be presenting these dishes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.  The produce is local and in season now, for the best flavours.  You can also enjoy fresh local produce all season with a share in a Community Shared Agriculture, or CSA, such as from Almost Urban Vegetables, also at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.


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Sorrel Chive Pesto
1 cup roughly chopped chives (Available at Almost Urban Vegetables at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)
1 cup roughly chopped sorrel leaves (Available at Almost Urban Vegetables at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup grated parmesan reggiano or padano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 + cup good olive oil
pinch salt, to taste

Grind up all ingredients to a paste.  Enjoy as a pesto, as an ingredient, as a sandwich spread, etc.  In pasta, try with chopped tomatoes to bring out the sweetness of the chives.  The lemony flavour of the sorrel makes it a great match for chicken, fish, and seafood.

Enjoy!

Rhubarb Apple Pear Chutney

4 cups chopped rhubarb (Available at Almost Urban Vegetables at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)
1-2 apples, cored and chopped

1-2 pears, cored and chopped

2 cups sugar (if you are looking for more diabetes friendly sweetener, try Stevia or Jaggery or Gur).

2 (+) tbs Ras el Hanout (Karenfood product at the St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)

1-2 tbs vinegar

pinch salt

(Optional:  � cup water to get the cooking started)

Cook all ingredients in a large pot until all ingredients are soft and the liquid has started to cook off. 

Enjoy as a condiment, on a cheese board or in a grilled cheese sandwich, in tarts, etc.