Cookie Butter Truffles

These Cookie Butter Truffles are absurd.  Absurd!!  I mean, first of all, Cookie Butter.  That's all, just... Cookie Butter.  Nothing else needs to be said.  Who invented this magical jar of goodness, because that person deserves a country named after them.  Or we could just call the country Cookie Butter, and I want to move to there.  Sorry this post is really getting away from me.  Probably because I've been staying up until midnight all week wrapping presents and then my baby wakes up at 5:45 which would be ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IN THE COUNTRY OF COOKIE BUTTER.  

Make these.  They are simple, require few ingredients, yield a crap load, will last forever in your fridge or freezer and make great gifts.  Recipe here and more truffle ideas below.

More truffles...

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles

Nutella Truffles

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Truffles

Cookie Dough Truffles

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Blossoms

Good Morning!  What did you do this weekend?  I was flying solo so I gave my kids 11 baths (to kill time... they've never been so clean) and we made Christmas cookies!  I can't wait to share them with you this week.  What are your favorites to make?  I love to stick to my usuals as well as try out new recipes.  Believe it or not, I don't make these classic Peanut Butter Blossoms every year but I knew my kids would love to unwrap (and eat) the kisses (also killed a lot of time).  I followed this recipe with one variation: I browned the butter on the stove and let it cool in the fridge for a bit before mixing it in with everything.  If you're wondering why I did that, well, I happen to think browning butter makes everything better.  Especially when there's peanut butter involved!

So tell me... what else should I make this year?    

Spiced Apple Bourbon Sparklers

What are your favorite holiday cocktails? I love warm mulled wine and bourbon drinks. And I�m a big fan of champagne or sparkling wine during the holidays slash all year long. This year I whipped up a double batch of this eggnog, at my coworker�s insistence. It�s been aging for a few weeks, so we won�t know the outcome until we crack it open the week of Christmas. I�m pretty excited for it though! 

I�ve been mixing up these sparkling bourbon cocktails since Thanksgiving. Get started infusing your bourbon now�you�ll want it to soak up the flavors for at least a week before making a cocktail with it. I made a big jar of apple peel bourbon for Thanksgiving, and then instead of using ginger beer as the recipe suggested, I used Martinelli�s sparkling apple cider (which is a holiday must in my household. This isn�t sponsored. I seriously just love Martinelli�s.). Several batches in, I realized the best combo is a sparkling cider base, the spiced bourbon, and then a ginger beer float on the top. So Christmassy! The bourbon gets so mellow and flavorful, and the apple cider brings out the� apple-y-ness. Mostly for cuteness, but also for a hint of flavor, you should definitely garnish with a sprig of rosemary, pomegranate arils, and a cinnamon stick. These are seriously good and dangerously chuggable. 
FYI: In true holiday spirit, my computer just kept trying to autocorrect �chuggable� to �huggable.� 

Spiced Apple Bourbon Sparklers

Spiced apple peel bourbon (recipe below)
Martinelli�s sparkling apple cider
Ginger beer (non alcoholic)
Fresh rosemary
Pomegranate arils (seeds)
cinnamon sticks

Fill rocks glasses with ice. Add 1 shot of the spiced bourbon to each glass, then fill 3/4 full with sparkling cider. Top off with ginger beer. Garnish with a rosemary sprig, pomegranate arils, and a cinnamon stick. Feel free to adjust amounts based on your preference. 

Spiced Apple Peel Bourbon
Adapted from this recipe

Makes one large bottle/ jar 

2-3 large apples, peeled (use the apple for something else, use the peels here)
peel of 1 lemon or small orange
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 small chunk of peeled ginger
3 cardamom pods, smashed
One 750 milliliter bottle of bourbon (my first batch used rye, which was delish) 

Fill a large jar or bottle with the apple peels, and add the rest of the spices. Pour the bourbon over to completely cover. Let sit, sealed, for at least a week at room temperature (taste after a few days, and if the cinnamon or cloves seem strong, feel free to remove). After a week, strain, and keep the strained bourbon in a jar or bottle in the fridge. 

Upcoming January 2016 Workshops: Winter Salads and Breadmaking!

Burnaby Food First is pleased to announce TWO new workshops for 2016!



Start the New Year by attending one or two of our workshops!





Winter Salads!



Monday, January 11, 2016

6:30 pm to 8:15 pm



Brentwood Community Resource Centre (2055 Rosser Ave / Burnaby - map)



Join Meghan Cooke and learn to make some delicious and healthy winter salads that will start you off the New Year in a healthy and budget-friendly way!



Registration is required. Space is limited!



To register, please contact Meghan at (604) 209-2404 or by email.

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Bread and Pizza Dough Workshop!



Wednesday, January 13, 2016

6:30 pm to 8:15 pm



Brentwood Community Resource Centre (2055 Rosser Avenue / Burnaby - map) 



Join Annabell Choi in this hands-on workshop and learn how easy it is to make bread or a pizza dough. 



After this workshop, you will want to try making your own bread at home!



Registration is required. Space is limited!



** REGISTRATION IS CLOSED!** Workshop is full! 



If you need to cancel your registration, please do so as early as possible.

Contact Meghan at (604) 209-2404 or by email.

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Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a
volunteer?

Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on
board! For more information, send us an email.

CBC radio today - Gluten-Free Latkes!

I lost my voice but should be on the mend in a couple of days.  I had planned on presenting these dishes on CBC Radio's Weekend Morning Show.  The Wild Rice Flour is available at Gimli Fish and is a great, local product for Gluten-Free options.

The final photo of the purple potato latkes was not possible as they were inhaled before the camera was brought out.

Enjoy!

Update:  I featured these on yesterday's CBC Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod along with the Ginger Apple Sauce and Sliced grilled beef on Focaccia Crostini with Wasabi Sour Cream. 

The apple sauce is very simple to prepare. 

2 Granny Smith Apples, cored and diced
1 large knob of fresh ginger, grated
1 tbs sugar
splash of Mirin, Vermouth or apple juice

Cook all ingredients together in a small saucepan until soft, stirring regularly.  When the apples are soft, mash or pur�e.

The Wasabi Sour Cream is also very simple to prepare.

Sour Cream
Wasabi paste
pinch sugar

Combine all ingredients, to taste.  Use with shrimp, beef, vegetables, etc.

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Latkes!

4-6 purple potatoes, grated
1 bunch green onions, roughly chopped
1 inch ginger, grated
1/2 cup Wild Rice Flour
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbs sesame seeds
1 tbs salt (potatoes and the Wild Rice flour can dull the seasonings)

Mix all ingredients together and adjust seasonings as needed.  Let mixture set for 30 minutes, so as to allow the Wild Rice Flour to absorb the moisture.  In a hot pan, drizzle olive and sesame oil and fill pan with a 2 cm thickness of the potato mixture.  Cook until crispy on one side on medium heat.  Flip and cook until crisp and done.  These can be prepared in advance.

Serve with sour cream, ginger Granny Smith apple sauce, soy or your favourite hot sauce.  Can also be served with Chermoula.

Enjoy!

Chermoula with Eggplant

3-5 large cloves garlic
� tsp cayenne
1 heaping tbs cumin
pinch saffron
� bunch parsley
1 whole bunch cilantro
juice of one lemon
2 tbs vinegar
1 generous tbs olive oil
salt, to taste

1 Eggplant, sliced, then grilled or saut�ed.  Important to note, eggplant takes time to cook.  Do not undercook it or you may experience an unpleasant reaction, such as a burning on the tongue or an upset stomach.

Blend all of the first ingredients in a food processor and place in glass bowl. Set some chermoula aside for extra at the table.   Place cooked eggplant slices back in a saut� pan and cook with the Chermoula.  When cooked through, serve immediately.  

Can also use Chermoula with saut�ed carrots or marinate or in grilling fish.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts Grilled Cheese

Guess what?!  I cloned myself!  (See previous post if you're confused.)  Yeah, I cloned myself, and my second self just made me lunch!  The best lunch EVER!  Well, okay, that didn't really happen, but I was able to time naps perfectly today, which left me with a few hours to make a REAL lunch and hopefully shower (I have a holiday party tonight so if I don't fit the shower in now it will have to be later with ALL of my kids hanging in the bathroom around an iPad).

Anyway, about the sandwich.  You know those bags of pre-shredded Brussels Sprouts?  I think they're genius, and almost always have one in my fridge (especially this time of year).  So for the sandwich... heat a tablespoon of butter or olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat and saut� two tablespoons of chopped onion and three tablespoons of shredded sprouts.  Season with salt and pepper, and cook until they're all brown and caramelized.  Remove, and place a piece of your favorite bread in the skillet (I of course put more butter on the bread).  Add a piece of white cheddar, then the sprouts and onions, then another piece of cheddar and top with bread (more butter).  Grill like you would a grilled cheese!  Voila!  It's really, really good.     

Spiced Squash Pancakes

Does anyone else feel like they need to clone themselves right about now?  I need at least two more of me to get stuff done in these next two weeks.  Three would probably be best.  One to watch the kids, one to get the gift shopping done and one to bake all of the things I want to bake.  As for the real me?  I would just sleep for two entire weeks and wake up Christmas morning feeling all magical and refreshed.  I'm going to write this screenplay.  It's going to be called "Psycho Holiday Mom" and it's going to win an Oscar.  And this person will play me (for reals, click on that link and watch that video if you haven't already seen it... "we can't let people know WE SIT!").

Alas, there is just one of me and I'm trying my best to pop the stress when it starts to bubble, to keep things in perspective, to maintain the magic of the holidays (wine helps).  Lately, I've been looking up festive recipes online and while these aren't latkes, they are a fun variation of the crispy, veggie pancake.  I found this recipe and it's spaghetti squash mixed with all sorts of yummy spices, formed into a fritter of sorts.  Topped with greek yogurt and chives... I ate four for dinner.  

So tell me... how are you handling all of this hustle and bustle?  TIPS?!