A NEW TRADITION

Nora Osbaldeston, Leslie S. and Abby Smith - blog followers!!

Big family gatherings over dinner on Christmas Eve, a long walk with the dogs after opening Christmas presents and brunch on Christmas day, a cross-country ski if the snow co-operates, friends dropping in for a visit, the boxing day road hockey game and of course food, food, food!! We were thrilled to introduce a new Christmas day tradition this year – reviewing the Gathering Around the Grill blog. We are willing to do anything for a laugh.

It has been so much fun to have all of the kids ( ??are they still kids when their ages range from 19-25??) home for the holidays. Teddy W.won the prize for the most grueling trip home. After thousands of flights were cancelled in Europe due to bad weather, Teddy persevered through 2 arduous days of waiting in line-up after line-up  to finally arrive home in K-W from Berlin. Now that is the hard way of getting into the good books with your mother (but so much appreciated!).

 All good things must come to an end of course; Teddy and Charlie W. have already left  for Europe and the UK and Ben S. is leaving tomorrow to visit Elaine’s family in the west.  So as we wind things down towards New Years, we are recommending that you continue to take the time to enjoy your families, as we are. 

Continuing with the theme of enjoying your family and friends, why not plan on hosting a small gathering for New Years?  Go out afterward for a midnight ski, or fireworks celebration. There is no better way to start the new year than with some fresh air and exercise. That is part of our tradition, and as is usual, we will be outside at midnight this New Years Eve with our friends Bev and Tim, enjoying some new outdoors adventure.

We can suggest this nice recipe for mini lamb burgers served in mini pitas with spicy chutney, that can be assembled early in the day and quickly grilled while your family and friends help assemble a simple cheese platter, some crudités and hummus, and maybe smoked salmon on pumpernickel.  This too can be made ahead, since pumpernickel is such a hearty bread. Spread the pumpernickel squares with cream cheese and lay a piece of smoked salmon over it. Top it with diced red onions, chopped fresh dill, and sprinkle with capers. Garnish the platter with thin lemon slices and you will have a simple, beautiful, not to mention healthful appetizer to add to your festive spread.

Grilled Mini Lamb Burgers with Spicy Mango Chutney

 1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tbsp cumin

1tsp cinnamon

¾ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp allspice

¼  tsp nutmeg

1 ½ tsp salt

2 lbs ground lamb

2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

½ cup dried currants

3 tbsp toasted pine nuts

½ cup (1 piece of bread)  fresh bread crumbs, soaked in water -1 minute –squeeze out moisture

1 egg, beaten

2 packages mini pita bread

1 bottle  Pataks Major Grey Chutney

Preheat barbecue on MEDIUM-HIGH for 10 minutes. Brush the grids with vegetable oil.  Reduce heat to MEDIUM.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions , until soft and translucent,  about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 2 minutes. Add cumin, cinnamon, ground coriander, nutmeg, allspice and salt and cook another minute. Cool.

Combine the ground lamb, onion mixture, mint, bread crumbs, currants, toasted pinenuts and egg.  Mix gently with hands until well blended. Form into small 1 ½ inch mini patties.  You should be able to make about 35 mini burgers from this mixture.

Grill 7-8 minutes, turning once.

Serve with mango chutney in mini pitas.

Happy New Year

Bake and Booze

Last Tuesday was the annual Walkers' Bake and Booze, a five-year tradition.  This is the night when the Walking Girls (Nancy, Bev, Terry, Barb, Deb, Lynn, Kris and Andrea) gather for festive cocktails, appetizers, and to bake Christmas cookies to share with each other and a local charity.  This year's tapas spread was particularly delectable, with cheeses, dumplings, meatballs, grilled beef satays with Chipotle Sauce, and more.  The evening was a great success:  only two boxes of cookies ended up on the floor.....say no more!  For the previous 2 years, we baked cookies to fill orders for our friend Lindsay's non-profit organization Eat to Feed Liberians, which provides nutritious lunches for students in a Liberian refugee camp in Ghana. This year we returned to the original model, sharing with a local shelter for teenagers, ROOF.

This year's cocktail was particularly boozy, but surely all those antioxidants in the pomegranate juice made up for it!


Pomegranate Martinis

1 part lime juice
2 parts pomegranate juice
1 part vodka
1/2 part Cointreau
Shake the above ingredients with ice, and pour over 1/2 of a martini glass of prosecco.  Enjoy!

Bev's Grilled Beef Satays with Chipotle Sauce were a big hit!  She threaded strips of beef tenderloin on bamboo skewers, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and grilled them quickly of MEDIUM heat for 2 minutes per side.   

Chipotle  Sauce

  This smokey, spicy mayo is wonderful with chicken, pork, fish or

  beef, or even as a dip for grilled vegetables.  Save leftovers for an

  outstanding sandwich spread.

                                1           cup  mayonnaise

                                2           cloves  garlic, minced

                                1           tablespoon  lemon juice

                                1           teaspoon  pureed chipotle peppers

                                1/2         teaspoon  ground cumin

                                  3         tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients, cover well, and store in refrigerator until ready

to use.  May be stored for up to 3 days.

As promised last week, we want to share with you some of the tips and tricks for cooking your Christmas turkey.  Refer to our Thanksgiving post for 2 ways to cook a turkey (smoked and on the barbecue).  Cooking in the great outdoors can present some challenges and variability, especially in the cold Canadian winter. Aside from delicious flavour, the biggest benefit to barbecuing your turkey is the oven space that is freed for preparing side dishes and desserts.

•  For your best result, start with a fresh, not frozen bird.  However, if your turkey is frozen,  it is very important that the turkey is completely thawed before cooking. Place it in the refrigerator 2 days ahead.  If still not completely thawed, place it in a sink full of cold water until it is.
• Try to position your barbecue out of the wind, bearing in mind you should not light it inside any building, including a garage or shed.
• Base the cooking time on an estimate of 15 minutes per pound of cooking time with the temperature around 350 F.
• Open the lid as infrequently as possible.  
• It is very important to always use a meat thermometer to determine when the turkey is fully cooked.  Insert the thermometer in the meaty part between the breast and the leg, avoiding contact with the bones.  Cook to an end point temperature of 177 F for breast meat or 180 F for dark. 
• Allow 20 -30 minutes resting time, covering your bird with aluminum foil and a kitchen towel.  Keep in mind that the internal temperature will continue to rise during this time, and the juices will be reabsorbed for maximum tenderness and juiciness(So we usually take the turkey out at 170 F, to allow for this final rise in temperature)

We have also been thinking about the post-feast leftovers, and would like to share our turkey soup recipe.

Turkey Soup

A delicious way to transform leftovers into a healthy and nutritious next meal.

For the Stock:

1 turkey carcass, including all skin and bones

1 large onion, skin on, quartered

2 large carrots, cut into large chunks

3 stalks celery, cut into large chunks

3 sprigs each, thyme and parsley

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons salt (preferably kosher)

5 peppercorns

-------------------------------------------------------------

For the Soup:

2 more carrots, diced

3 more stalks celery, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups cooked turkey, cut into chunks

For the stock, place the turkey carcass in a large stock pot and add cold water to cover all the bones by about an inch.  Add vegetables, herbs and spices, and place over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, skimming foam and stirring occasionally for 1 ½ hours.  Let cool slightly, then place a large cheesecloth-lined sieve over a dutch oven.  Strain the stock, then return to the stovetop, and cook over medium high heat until reduced by about 1/3.  Test-add salt to taste.  Reserve 2 cups of stock for another use if desired.

For the soup, add the diced vegetables, and simmer until tender, about ½ hour.  Add the cooked rice and turkey and stir occasionally until heated through. 

Finally, we wanted to share with you a great initiative that we were involved in this week. The Rotary Club of Kitchener-Conestoga partnered with the House of Friendship to raise funds to supply turkeys along with the Christmas hampers for families at need in Kitchener-Waterloo. A stunning $220,000 was raised and we were so lucky to be involved in helping to distribute some of the turkeys.

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season! 

'Tis the Season to get Distracted!

We have so much in common the two of us. With Christmas arriving, we are both preparing for our 4 children to return for the holidays. They will be coming in from all over the world: Berlin Germany, Brighton England, New York, Montreal, Toronto, and they'll be bringing friends too!… We are so excited and have so much to do, so this weekend, with our husbands away on a ski trip, we decided to get busy. But, first things first – we had to sit down with a glass of wine and watch the Christmas episode of GLEE! 

There seems to be some consistency to this pattern.  Recently, we were having a conversation about how crazy busy we were, and the next thing we knew, we switched gears and spent the morning at the St. John's Pudding Factory  helping pack 2,700 pounds of Christmas pudding at the St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church in downtown Kitchener. Our good friend Bev invited us to join her and her sisters to fill the orders this year –they will raise ~$18,000, with proceeds supporting local charities including as Saint Monica House, Mary’s Place, ROOF and St. John’s Kitchen.  What a great group of women!



 

Just the other day, we were both battling the demands of sick dogs (now that gets in the way of things, but Pepper and Pluto are high on our lists of prioritites), when before we knew it, we were sitting at The Cake Tutor, with our friends Bev and Mary Ann. Three hours later, we had learned everything that we ever needed to know about cookie decorating, and we both left with 8 beautiful cookies. Goodness, what is going to happen next week at the annual Christmas Bake and Booze when we gather with our walking friends and each have to make 9 dozen cookies?  We will have to kick it up a notch.

Try your hand at decorating your own cut and bake cookies.  We love Grandma Harris' Sugar Cookie recipe:

3 ½ c flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 c shortening

1 ½ c sugar

2 well-beaten eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla

Beat sugar and shortening. Add eggs and vanilla.

Sift dry ingredients together. Stir into wet ingredients.

Do not chill dough. Roll out immediately.

Bake 400° 6 – 8 minutes.

The moral of this story is: life is too short to not be enjoying it! So, in light of the fact that we are encouraging everyone to enjoy the distractions of family and friends at this time of year, we are giving you this super easy recipe, as always, a real crowd pleaser.

                        Cedar Plank Salmon with Asian Ginger Marinade

                                                                                    1 6-pound  salmon fillet, skin-on

                                                                                         Asian Ginger Marinade:

1/4 cup white wine

1 orange, finely grated zest  and juice

1 tablespoon sesame oil                          

1 teaspoon, ginger - grated                

1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon asian chilli sauce 
salt and pepper -  to taste
1 untreated cedar plank                                                                                      

                                                                        

To begin with, soak an untreated piece of cedar in a container of water for at least an hour. You may need to place a weight on top to keep the wood immersed.

                                                                                       

Meanwhile, combine ingredients for marinade in a large, flat shallow glass dish and  marinate  the salmon fillets, skin-on, in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Preheat barbecue on HIGH for 10 minutes.

Pat dry plank and oil the upper side. Place plank directly on the grids and heat until plank begins to smoke. Place the salmon, skin side down in the middle of the plank and grill until just opaque at the thickest part. A 6 lb. fillet may take 30 minutes.

Next week, look for our recipe and tips on using your grill to roast your turkey! It is guaranteed to be one of the highlights of your Christmas dinner.

Grilled Wahoo with Rice 'n' Peas, a Bahamian Feast

Early December was a great time to slip away for some restorative sunshine before the thick of winter descended.  A week in the Bahamas was the perfect tonic! 

A major highlight of the trip was the abundance of fresh fish.  Our first taste of it was at a funny little beach bar called the Chat ‘n’ Chill where they grilled some thinly sliced Wahoo and served it with Peas 'n' Rice.

Later in the week the guys went out in the boat with hooks, lines and sinkers (no rods) and caught a rainbow of gorgeous fish. 

 

Our friend Franny marinated it in lime juice, tossed it in flour and seasoned salt and pan fried it quickly. 

This week, we want to share with you our version of Grilled Wahoo, and give you our ideas for side dishes - Peas ‘n’ Rice and a zesty Mango Salsa. Not to be left out – the Goombay Smash!

Bahamian Peas ‘n’ Rice 

(serves 8 generously)

2 strips bacon, cut into 1” pieces

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 red pepper , chopped

1 small hot red pepper, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tomato, seeded and diced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

2 cups long grain rice

1  15-ounce can pigeon peas, drained

¼ cup tomato paste

1 can coconut milk + enough water to make 3 cups

1 teaspoon salt

Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add bacon.  Cook until bacon is crisp, then remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add onions, celery and both kinds of peppers, and sauté until the vegetables are softened.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add diced tomato and thyme and stir in rice until coated with the oil.  Add the pigeon peas, tomato paste, coconut milk + water, and salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and cook 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grilled Wahoo

8 thinly sliced Wahoo steaks

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 ½  tablespoons smoked paprika

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Lime wedges for garnish

Combine marinade ingredients in a large glass dish and add Wahoo steaks.  Cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat barbecue on MEDIUM-HIGH for 10 minutes, and clean grids thoroughly with a grill brush before generously coating them with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.  Reduce heat to MEDIUM and place the fish on the barbecue.  Grill quickly, about 2 ½ minutes per side.  If the Wahoo steaks are thicker, increase the cooking time accordingly.

Mango Salsa

2 ripe mangos, diced

4 scallions, white and green parts chopped finely

1 small hot red pepper

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of one lime

1 tablespoon honey

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for an hour to combine flavours.

To top off the whole meal, serve it up with some Goombay Smash!

Serves 1

1 ounce Meyer’s or spiced rum

1 ounce coconut rum

½ ounce triple sec

Pineapple juice

Wedge of lime

Mix together the rums, triple sec and pineapple juice and pour it over a glass of crushed ice with a wedge of lime.  Sublime!

PIZZA AND FOOTBALL

We are so much about gathering with our family and friends, and it seems that there are no shortages of opportunities for getting together.  That great Canadian football tradition, the Grey Cup was being played this weekend, which means that the Schumacher’s barn was filled with football fans.  The “barn” is a great informal gathering spot for large celebrations. Traditional fare for celebrating football in our part of the world includes chili and pizza and most of us have our own recipes for making chili the day ahead.  This week we share with you our recipe and tips for Grilled Pizza. It may surprise you to learn that pizza cooked on the grill is soo-o-o simple, quick and delicious that you will never use your oven again. We love the ease of getting the dough ready, assembling the toppings ahead of time, heating up the pizza stone on the grill and enjoying the game until half time.  When you are ready to eat, slide the pizza onto the pizza stone, and 10 minutes later, you have a thin, crisp, gooey crowd-pleaser!!

Some tips for making stress-free pizza:

1.       Buy the frozen dough at the supermarket or bakery. Let it thaw and then rest for 2 hours before using.

2.       Caramelize onions and roast red peppers and mushrooms in the morning.

3.       Grate your cheeses and store in a plastic bag until ready to assemble pizza.

4.       Have your pancetta sliced very thinly at the deli, so that you do not have to pre-cook it.

5.       Use pesto instead of tomato sauce on the pizza – it is an easy substitution and makes the dish seem like you’ve put in a lot of extra effort to make it special.

6.       Pre-heat the pizza stone in the barbecue set at MEDIUM-HIGH for at least ½ hour before grilling.

7.       Use a wooden pizza paddle sprinkled liberally with corn meal to slide the raw pizza onto the pizza stone.  This ensures a smooth transfer, without spilling your toppings all over the barbecue.

Grilled Pizza with Pesto , Caramelized Onions, Roasted Red Peppers and Pancetta

1 frozen pizza dough, thawed

2 large onions, roughly chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

1 roasted red pepper, sliced

½ cup mushrooms, grilled

3 tbsp pesto sauce

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

8 very thin slices pancetta

                        coarse salt

To caramelize onions: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and add onions and thyme.  Cook on medium/low for 30--40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden brown. 

Roast red peppers and grill mushrooms in advance.

Preheat pizza stone by placing in cold barbecue and set to MEDIUM-HIGH, allowing it to heat up for at least 10 minutes. 

Prepare pizza dough by gently kneading and stretching thawed dough into desired shape and placing on a wooden pizza board or rimless baking tray, which has been liberally dusted with corn meal .

Spread pesto evenly over surface of dough and arrange caramelized onion, roasted red pepper slices and mushrooms over sauce. Evenly sprinkle grated cheeses  and lay pancetta slices on top.

Using a quick movement , slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone, reduce heat to MEDIUM and close the grill lid. Cook for 10 minutes, or until dough is crispy. Check half way through cooking to ensure that pizza crust does not burn.

Checking in with the Kids in Montreal

November seemed like the perfect time to visit 3 of our children who are studying in Montreal:  Andy S, who is at Concordia and Reid W and Samantha W, who are at McGill.  We brought Kris’ son, Luke and Andrea’s husband, Ted along for the party!  

Montreal has amazing energy and has so much to offer in terms of food, culture and fresh air destinations, that one weekend is not enough time.  As always, we did our best to cram in as much as possible! Montreal is a great walking city and provides a lot of variety for our daily power walks.  We walked up Mount Royal and down to the Old Port:  both walks take about an hour from the main hotel district around the universities. 

  

Andy's room-mate suggested that we take in the Otto Dix exhibit at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal. It was both thought-provoking and fabulous.  He was a German artist with a scandalous reputation whose work spanned both Great Wars.  

 On a lighter note, we found some great restaurants and bars around the city. Check out the links to Le Taj, Koko,  and The Burgundy Lion. Watching the Habs soundly defeat the Leafs at a bar in downtown Montreal proved to be quite the experience!

 

We were both ready to do a little mothering and were happy to stock the kids respective kitchens with groceries and a little something from home:  Beef Bourguignon which they can heat slowly while they hit the books for exams.  Although it is not grilled, it is a delicious winter dish of comfort.

Happiness is a full refrigerator!

Beef Bourguignon (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

Serves 6

Adapted From The Barefoot Contessa in Paris

The secret to the success of this dish is to not crowd the beef in the pan when you are at the browning stage.  Get the oil good and hot, and allow the meat to turn a rich brown colour as that will give the dish its maximum flavour.

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 oz bacon, diced

2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1 inch chunks

2 yellow onions, sliced

2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)

1/2 cup cognac, or good brandy

1 bottle good dry red wine, such as Burgundy

2 to 2 1/2 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

3 tablespoons corn starch mixed with a small amount of cold water.

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven.  Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.  In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3-5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned.  Set aside.

Toss the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper into the fat in the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.  Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with any juices that have accumulated on the plate.  Add the wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat.  Add the tomato paste and thyme.  Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.  Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

In a medium pan, sauté the mushrooms in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned, and then add to the stew.  Bring the stew to a boil, then lower the heat and add the corn starch and water mixture, stirring until slightly thickened. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, adding more corn starch and water if necessary until desired consistency is reached. Simmer 15 minutes over low heat.  Season to taste.Serve with garlic bread and a light salad.

 

                                                                 HOME SWEET HOME

We are always on the look- out for memorable recipes that use ingredients already in the pantry, and this one is a real winner. Simple boneless chicken breasts literally shine in this dish. The lemon, hot red chili peppers, garlic and brown sugar work together to make this juicy and delicious.  We made sure that our kids’ pantries were stocked with all the basics to make this quick and simple meal on their barbecues.

This dish was inspired by a trip to New York City last fall to visit Kris’ other son, Ben. We stayed at the Greenwich Hotel in TriBeCa and had dinner there at Andrew Carmellini’s wonderful restaurant Locanda Verde.

Fire-Roasted Lemon Chicken with Roasted Garlic Marinade

We always feast first with our eyes, so the perfect grill marks are an important part of our grilling technique. Instructions are given below.

1 head garlic, roasted*

¼ cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup canola oil

2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

½ tsp hot red chili pepper flakes

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 tbsp brown sugar

8 boneless chicken breasts

1 lemon thinly sliced

Combine, garlic, rice vinegar, olive oil, canola oil, oregano, rosemary, red chili pepper flakes, salt, pepper and brown sugar. Pour over chicken pieces and top with lemon slices. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade, season with more salt and pepper.

Grill chicken:  Preheat barbecue on HIGH.  Brush grids with vegetable oil and reduce to MEDIUM. Place chicken and lemon slices on the grill at a 45° angle and cook 3 minutes. Turn the chicken over, grilling  for 3 minutes on the same 45° angle. Turn the breast over again and grill for 3 minutes on the opposite 45° angle. Finally, turn the breast over and grill on the same 45° angle for 3 minutes.

*To roast garlic: Cut off top ¼ and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Wrap in foil, keeping the top open and roast in barbecue on MEDIUM for 45 minutes, until soft and gooey. Cool and squeeze out garlic.

Fall Peppers

You can never get too much of a good thing.  This week, we were reminded of how good it feels to be complimented on our cooking.

On Saturday, we went to the Kitchener Farmer’s Market to buy half a bushel of red peppers and on Sunday, we roasted  them.  Monday, we prepared 300 mini lemony chicken burgers and 2 litres of roasted red pepper sauce.   Tuesday at 6, the doors of New Hamburg Home Hardware opened, and over  the next 2 ½ hours, we were told 300 times how delicious our chicken burgers were!

Thanks to Larry and Christine Taylor of the New Hamburg Home Hardware Store, and to Andrew Rome of Onward Manufacturing Company for inviting us back to showcase our recipes and our cookbook , Gathering Around the Grill, at this annual Ladies’ Night event. 

Roasted Red Peppers

The fall is the best time of year to prepare a large quantity of roasted red peppers to store in your freezer for sauces, soups, or just to have on hand to add to pasta or braised dishes. 

Wash peppers and place on the grill whole. Grill over MEDIUM heat until skin is charred all over. Once cooked, place peppers in a paper bag to steam skin loose. When peppers are cool enough to handle, peel and remove skins and discard the stems and seeds.

Lemony Chicken Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This recipe is for 8 traditional burgers, but you can also make mini “sliders” and serve them on mini pitas for an appetizer as we did for our event.

  2              pounds ground chicken

  1              pound frozen spinach, drained and chopped

  6              green onions, chopped

  2              eggs, lightly beaten

  6              tablespoons parmesan cheese

  4              teaspoons lemon zest

  2              cloves garlic -- minced

  1              teaspoon paprika

    salt & pepper,  to taste

  8               crusty buns                                    

                               

In a large mixing bowl, lightly mix ground chicken, spinach, green onion, egg, garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, paprika, salt & pepper. Form into 8 patties and chill for 30 minutes.

To grill burgers: Preheat barbecue on HIGH, and oil the grids generously to prevent sticking. Place the patties on the grill, and reduce heat to MEDIUM. Place patties on the barbecue, and sear 3 minutes per side, taking care not to press down the patties.

 Reduce heat to LOW and continue cooking for another 3 minutes per side until juicy but cooked through.

Lightly toast the buns during the last 2 minutes of cooking time.

Serve on toasted sesame seed buns, topped with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

                   Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is a flavourful and versatile condiment and can be used as a veggie dip, sandwich spread,  or as sauce for fish, chicken or beef.  It is also delicious with eggs or macaroni and cheese. 

  2    large roasted red peppers

  8    green onions, chopped

  2    cloves garlic, minced

  4    tablespoons olive oil

  4    teaspoons Dijon mustard

  2    teaspoons honey

  1 ½ teaspoons fresh basil -- chopped

  salt and freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

Sauté green onions and garlic very gently in olive oil. Add to food processor with remaining ingredients and process until well blended.

Hallowe'en

What a terrific fall week this has been!  Hallowe’en came and went with a bang, leaving us with a couple of extra pumpkins for inspiration for an easy and comforting fall dinner.  If you have never made risotto before, do not be intimidated. It is a quick and elegant dish – we will give you the secrets to ensure a perfect risotto.  This technique works for every risotto dish. Once you have mastered it, start substituting mushrooms, fresh peas, leeks, asparagus –whatever is in season.  It will become a staple in your recipe box – topped with grilled veggies, chicken, or shrimp.  

 

Grilled Pumpkin Risotto

Serves 4

When pumpkin season has passed and it is no longer available, substitute butternut squash.

1 pie pumpkin, seeded and cut into 1” thick wedges.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, bruised

Pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 shallots, minced

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup white wine

3 ½ cups chicken stock

¾ cup parmesan reggiano

Preheat barbecue on MEDIUM-HIGH for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place olive oil, garlic, rosemary and salt and pepper in a glass dish, and heat in the microwave on high for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and sizzling.  Place the pumpkin wedges in the dish and brush the oil mixture over both sides to coat.

Reduce barbecue temperature to MEDIUM and place the pumpkin on the top rack.  Turn every 5 minutes until softened, 20-30 minutes.  Place on cutting board until cool enough to handle, then remove skin and chop into  ¾ “ pieces.  Measure 1 ½ cups for the risotto, and set aside.  (The remaining pumpkin can be used for soup, or to be tossed into pasta or grainy salads).

Place the chicken stock in a small saucepan and set over low heat on the back burner.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add shallots.  Saute on medium-low until translucent, then add the rice and stir until coated, adding more butter if necessary.  Pour in the wine and continue to cook, stirring until absorbed.  Add hot chicken stock one ladle at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed before each addition.  After adding about 2 ½ cups of stock, add  the prepared pumpkin.  Continue to cook, adding the stock and tasting periodically to test for al dente texture.  Add a few more tablespoons of stock so that the rice is quite creamy. Add the parmesan cheese.  Stir just until melted and serve immediately on it’s own or with grilled chicken or shrimp and a steamed green vegetable.

Here is a Simple Recipe for: Grilled shrimp

1 pound raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Juice of ½ a lemon

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pinch hot red pepper flakes

Combine all marinade ingredients.  Pour over shrimp and toss.  Marinate for no more than 15 minutes.

Preheat barbecue on MEDIUM.  Brush or spray the cooking grids with vegetable oil.  Grill shrimp approximately 2-3 minutes per side, turning with tongs until opaque and firm.

As you must know, Halloween and UNICEF go hand-in-hand.  The lives of millions of children around the world are saved by the fundraising efforts of Canadian children.  Our support  provides them with food, clean water, disease prevention measures and education!!  In the past 5 years, Canadian children have raised over $10 million for Schools in Africa!! As usual, we were there to organize the Kitchener-Waterloo campaign. We would like to give a big shout out to all of the families in K-W who participated this year .

Thanksgiving Two Ways

We  each hosted large (Canadian) Thanksgiving dinners for a crowd .  We both love having our   mothers, brothers and sisters, kids,  their friends, nieces and nephews etc, etc for dinner . It is our favourite kind of chaos!!  As always, they come with a variety of special diet requirements! Fortunately, barbecuing is a great way to cook for people with sensitivities, because generally the simpler the better.  For both families, the traditional turkey took centre stage.  Kris barbecued hers on a rotisserie, while Andrea’s slow-cooked on the smoker.  Both were moist and delicious and would be perfect for any fall or winter celebration.

Kris: I  took charge of thanksgiving  dinner, except for the traditional stuffing which is my mother, Jackie’s department.  Mom carefully tore the bread for the stuffing the evening before to allow it to stale, but unfortunately her overnight guest, my dog Pepper could not resist temptation.  Pepper leapt on the counter and cleaned out the bowl under the cover of darkness.  Talk about chaos!

                      Rotisserie Turkey with Jackie's Traditional Stuffing

The constant turning of the turkey while rotisserie cooking allows it to self baste with its natural juices, ensuring that it is exceptionally moist. Do not be daunted by the lengthy instructions for using the rotisserie – once you have done it, you can use this technique for other great crowd pleasing meals, including prime rib and pork loin. The other thing that we insist on choosing for thanksgiving is a fresh, never frozen turkey – you will notice how much juicier and more tender it is.

1                      20-pound  fresh turkey

                     For the Stuffing: 
1                          loaf whole grain bread

3/4          pound  garlic sausage -- cooked and crumbled

1/3          cup butter

2             cups  onion -- chopped

1             cups  celery -- chopped

1/2          cup  fresh parsley – chopped

3 tbsp     fresh sage, chopped

3 tbsp     fresh rosemary, chopped

 

Stuffing: Crumble bread, or cut it into small squares and set aside on a large baking sheet to stale overnight.

Heat the butter in a large sauté pan and add the onion and celery, stirring until translucent. Add the crumbled bread, sausages and fresh herbs.

Mix to combine.

Rinse and pat dry the turkey Lightly stuff the cavity of the turkey and truss the bird, being sure to

tuck the wings underneath.  Place the remaining stuffing in a covered casserole dish and place on upper rack of barbecue for the last 25-30 minutes of cooking.

Prepare barbecue for rotisserie: Remove cooking grids and warming racks from barbecue. Place a drip pan below the grids and fill halfway with hot water and wine or cranberry juice as desired.  Preheat the barbecue on HIGH, then reduce temperature to MEDIUM LOW.

Place the turkey on the spit rod, as follows-Slide one of the skewer forks onto the rod and tighten it securely. Insert the spit rod lengthwise into the centre of the roast securing it in place with the remaining fork. Tighten the fork securely.

Test that the turkey is evenly balanced on the spit, as follows-Loosen the spit balance. Lay the rod over the sink, allowing the heavier side of the roast to rotate to the bottom. Adjust the balance to the highest point to counterbalance the weight, and tighten the rod handle. Insert the spit rod into the rotisserie motor and turn rotisserie motor on. Check to see if the turkey turns smoothly while cooking and adjust the balance as necessary.

Cook with the lid closed. As a general rule, count on 15 minutes per pound, but be sure to use a

meat thermometer to determine doneness, testing after about 3 hours. Turkey is finished when temperature of breast meat reaches 177 °F/77° C.

Winds and weather can affect the cooking time so factor sub-zero temperatures into your calculations!   Continue to monitor the level of the liquid in the drip pan and never let it completely dry. When necessary, pour in more hot water, being sure to wear an oven mitt to avoid steam burns. 

Andrea:  I learned to delegate a lot of the dinner this year, because I was at a horse show in Lexington Kentucky with my cousin, and arrived back only a day before the 20 guests were due to arrive.  My good friend and sister-in-law-once-removed, Bev, sourced the bird from a local organic supplier, and started off following what she thought was the recipe we had agreed upon.  After completing the first section Bev realized she had skipped ahead a couple of pages, flipped back and continued with the original recipe, creating a masterful new version! 

Here is Bev’s recipe for Dry-brined smoked turkey:

1 20-pound fresh organic turkey

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

3 medium cloves garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil. 

1/2-3/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt (a flaky mild salt)

Two-four days before cooking, pound the coriander and fennel seeds in a mortar with a pestle until it is a coarse powder.  Add the fresh herbs and crush until bruised to release flavours.  Add the garlic, salt and pepper and pound until a paste is formed.  Add the olive oil and mix well.

Rinse the turkey inside and out, and pat it dry, massaging the turkey all over to loosen the skin slightly.    Slide your hands between the meat and the skin to separate them, taking care not to tear the skin.  Rub the herb and spice paste under the skin, reaching as far around the bird as possible. 

Sprinkle the remaining salt inside the cavity and over the skin.

Place the turkey inside a large plastic bag and then another plastic bag.  Place it in a roasting pan, in the fridge, and turn it a couple of times a day when you think of it.

One day before cooking, remove wrapping from the turkey and let it air dry in the refrigerator.

The morning of the dinner, light the coals of the smoker and keep the temperature on LOW (between 250  and 300 F), using the vents to control the temp.  Place a drip pan over the coals and fill it with water, wine and a sprig each of thyme, sage and rosemary.  Place the turkey on the grids, close up the smoker and let it do its thing all day long, checking occasionally to see if the charcoal needs to be replenished.  Be sure to use a meat thermometer positioned in the dark meat but away from the bone to test the doneness of the meat.