HAPPY NEW YEAR

The Schumacher household grew this Christmas, with our new puppy, Baldur arriving just before midnight.

 What a busy time of year! Not much time to cook or blog right now!! Take it easy on yourself this week! It is time to relax and regroup in the next couple of days before the New Year. If you are like us, you probably still have a few parties ahead of you.  Whether you are staying in, or going to someones home for New Years Eve, you very likely still have some food preparation to do!  We have a recommendation that worked really well this festive season in our house - cook in bulk!
 Knowing that we had a new puppy arriving Christmas Day, we decided to simplify our food preparation for our family gatherings. During the day of Christmas Eve, we smoked 3 large sides of salmon and used that in multiple menus over the next few days. First, we included it on the buffet table for our large Christmas Eve family gathering. The next day, we used one to make a traditional smoked salmon appetizer of smoked salmon, red onion, capers and dill on pumpernickel for Christmas Day. Finally, we used the third piece to prepare this Smoked Salmon Dip, to bring as a hostess gift to a Boxing Day party that we were invited to. We simply cut up some tart red apples to serve with it.
 

Smoked Salmon Dip with Apple Slices

1 lb   boneless smoked salmon ( approx 1 1/2 cups of smoked salmon)
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 tbsp prepared horseradish
1 tbsp minced red onion
1 tbsp minced celery
1 tbsp minced parsley
1 tbsp mince dill
1/2 tsp tabasco sauce
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 red empire apples
1 pkg pumpernickel squares

Combine smoked salmon, cream cheese, greek yogurt, horseradish, minced red onion, celery, dill, parsley and tabasco sauce in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon, until smooth, but there should still be chunks of smoked salmon in the mixture. Add lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste.

Kris got what she wanted for Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!

Fresh and Healthy

We had been planning a little retreat to work on some recipes, knitting and Christmas projects, and on Thursday we packed up the car to head to Ellicottville. Toward the end of a blizzardy six-hour drive , we stopped at the grocery store with absolutely nothing planned. We just grabbed a few things that looked fresh and healthy.  When it came time to make dinner we started grouping ingredients into piles and this is menu that came together:

Grouper with Citrus Tarragon Glaze

Kale Salad with Dried Cherries and Cashews

Kasha with Hen of the Woods mushrooms

Grouper with Citrus Tarragon Glaze

Grouper filets, about 1” thick

For the Marinade/Glaze

Juice of ½ pink grapefruit

Juice and zest of 2 clementines

Juice and zest of ½ lime

Zest of one orange

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

1 ½ teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon tarragon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon infused olive oil

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a shallow glass dish and marinate the fish for 15 minutes at room temperature.  Meanwhile, preheat the barbecue on MEDIUM-HIGH for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to MEDIUM-LOW and brush the grids thoroughly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.  Place the fish on the grill, and pour the marinade into a shallow saucepan.   Cook the fish for a total of 10 minutes, turning every 2 ½ minutes for perfect grill marks.  Meanwhile, bring the reserved marinade to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until very syrupy, about 10 minutes.  Whisk in a tablespoon of butter.  Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

Kasha with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms

We just had to try this unusual mushroom variety that was described as “dense with intense mushroom flavour”.

1 cup toasted kasha

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup finely chopped onion

1 cup chopped Hen of the Woods mushrooms

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

I clove garlic, minced

2 cups chicken stock

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan set over MEDIUM-LOW heat.   Sauté the peppers, onions, and mushrooms until very soft.  Stir in the thyme and garlic, and then the kasha.  Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to LOW, cover tightly and simmer for 10 minutes.  Turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.  

Kale Salad with Cashews and Dried Cherries

5 cups kale, finely chopped

4 green onions, finely chopped

1 orange, zest for the salad and juice for the dressing

½ cup cashews, chopped

½ cup dried cherries, chopped

For the dressing:

¼ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

¼ cup lemon flavoured olive oil

1 tsp srirachi or sweet chile sauce

½ tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the kale by washing and drying it in a salad spinner. Cut off the tough spines, and chop the kale very finely. Toss into a large salad bowl. Chop the green onions and zest the orange. Add to the kale in the salad bowl. Toss with dressing half an hour before serving. Garnish with cashews and dried cherries.

To prepare the dressing, combine orange juice, lemon-flavoured olive oil, srirachi sauce, salt and ground pepper in a mason jar and shake.

Thanks to Mother Nature, we were able to use up a lot of energy snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the deep snow. Once we recovered from the activity, we decided that we deserved to satisfy our sweet-tooths.  We got a little got carried away with experimenting with some white and bittersweet chocolate, but the results were fantastic. We came up with 3 awesome snacks: Gingerbread Popcorn with Cashews and White Chocolate, Peppermint Bark and Bittersweet Chocolate Bark with Dried Cherries and Toasted Almonds.  No surprise that we are smiling!!!







Festive Peppermint Bark

500 grams good quality white chocolate(we use Callebault)

200 grams bittersweet chocolate(60-70% cocoa solids)

6 tbsp heavy cream(35%)

¾ tsp peppermint extract

1 large red and white candy cane, crushed

Set 2 double boilers or saucepans with metal bowls sitting upon them on the stove top, each containing 1 ½ cups of water in the lower unit. There are a few tips that you need to know when melting chocolate. First, just bring the water in the lower saucepan to a gentle simmer, so that the chocolate melts slowly. You do not want it to get too hot. Secondly, be sure that the top unit sits closely on the lower unit, so that steam does not escape. You do not want any water to get mixed into the chocolate, as this could cause it to seize, or turn grainy.

Using a large knife, cut the bittersweet and white chocolate chunks into smaller pieces for easy melting. Place the chocolate pieces into the top of the separate double boilers until the chocolates are melted and smooth. Turn off the heat under the water boilers, and let the chocolate sit until you are ready for them.

The peppermint bark is made of 3 layers of chocolate, and each layer must chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before proceeding to the next layer.  Prepare 2 flat baking sheets by turning them upside down and covering them with foil. Pour 2/3 of the slightly cooled, but still runny white chocolate onto the foil lined baking sheet, and spread it by tilting the baking sheet back and forth until the white chocolate covers a rectangular  area of approximately 12” x 8”. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the bittersweet chocolate from the double boiler and stir in the heavy cream and peppermint extract until smooth and silky. Allow it to cool for 5 -8 minutes. Working very quickly, spread this chocolate mixture over the chilled layers of white chocolate, using an icing spatula. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy and return to the refrigerator for another 20 minutes.

For the final layer, slowly drizzle the remaining melted white chocolate over the chilled chocolate, using a tablespoon or rubber spatula. Return to the refrigerator and chill for another 20-25 minutes. Cut or break the peppermint bark into bite size pieces and enjoy. We store it in the refrigerator in paper lined tins. A tin of these makes a great hostess gift.

Ninth Annual Bake and Booze

All the walkers minus Lynn gathered at Kris’ house for our traditional Bake and Booze event where we share some festive cocktails while baking our favourite cookies to divie up.  Aside from the great fun and laughs we have together it is nice to have a tin of Christmas treats at the ready for when family members start drifting home for the holidays.  Bev fueled the fun with her Whoopie Machine White Sangria which is much more potent than it seems, and Barb and Terry provided some nibbles.  Once all the cookies were prepared and cooling we sat down to a light meal of soup, two spinach salads and some yummy cheese biscuits.  I remembered the next day that I was supposed to make skewers of something or other for the grill but that detail fell off my radar in the busyness of the season. 

Our beautiful and gracious hostess!

 Barb’s Ham and Gruyere Pinwheels

1 package (397grams) frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg

FILLING:

1/2 cup  mango chutney, strained

115 grams thinly sliced Black Forest ham

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

On floured surface, roll out half of the pastry into 12 inch square.

FILLING: Leaving 1/2 inch  border, spread half of the mango  chutney over pastry square. Arrange half of the ham in a single layer over top; top with half of the cheese.

Whisk egg with 1 tbsp water; brush lightly over border. Roll up firmly into cylinder; pinch seam to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry, filling , and egg mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Using serrated knife, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange on  baking sheets. Bake at 425 degrees  until golden, about 15 minutes.

Makes about 30 pieces.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 can coconut milk

Juice of ½ lime

Salt, to taste

For the Spice Mixture:

3 tablespoons coriander

2 tablespoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed

1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon fenugreek seed

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground clove

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Garnish:

Chopped fresh cilantro

Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven or barbecue to 400°F.  Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, and place them cut side down on a baking sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes, until very soft, remove from heat and let cool.

While the squash is baking, combine all the spice ingredients in a spice mill or grind with a mortar and pestle. (you will not use the entire mixture in the soup but it can be stored in an air tight container for several months).

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot and add the onions and peppers.  Cook until very tender, stirring occasionally.  Add the apples, ginger and garlic, stir for a minute until very fragrant, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture over top.  Mix thoroughly, then pour in the stock.  Peel the skin from the squash and place all the flesh in the pot.  Simmer until the apples are very tender, then let cool slightly before pureeing in batches in a blender.  Return the soup to the pot and stir in the coconut milk and lime juice.  Season with salt to taste, and add more of the spice mixture if desired.  Heat gently before spooning into warm bowls or mugs.  Garnish with cilantro and coconut flakes. 

Grandma Harris’s sugar cookies

Bev and her daughter Nora co-produced these beauties!

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

royal icing to decorate, if desired

Beat sugar and shortening. Add eggs and vanilla.

Sift dry ingredients together. Stir into wet ingredients.

Do not chill dough. Roll out immediately and cut with your favourite shapes. 

Bake 400° 6 – 8 minutes.   Let cool well before decorating.

Nancy took a lot of grief for her bottled dressing, but it was delicious!

Savoury Ched­dar Cheese-Rosemary Biscuits

....adapted from Ruby Watcho Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

(makes 12 biscuits)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp gran­u­lated sugar
1 tbsp bak­ing pow­der
¹⁄₂ tsp bak­ing soda
¹⁄₂ tsp pep­per

½ tsp cayenne pepper
¹⁄₂ tsp salt
6 tbsp cold but­ter, cut in pieces
1 ¹⁄₄ cups grated old ched­dar cheese
1 cup but­ter­milk(or 7/8 cup milk + 2 tbsp white vinegar)
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
Coarse salt for sprinkling

Pre­heat oven to 400°F.
Com­bine first7 ingre­di­ents in a food proces­sor and blend. Add chunks of butter and pulse until mix­ture resem­bles coarse crumbs. Add grated cheese and pulse until com­bined. Add but­ter­milk, and puls­e until the mix­ture clumps to form a ball.
Trans­fer the dough to a lightly floured sur­face. Sprinkle chopped rosemary on top and knead lightly, then shape dough into a large ball. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 min­utes.
On a lightly floured sur­face, roll dough into 3/4-inch thick­ness, then cut into 3-inch bis­cuits, using a round cookie cutter, or glass jar. Gather scraps to form additional biscuits.

 Place on ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet.

 Brush with egg mix­ture and sprin­kle with coarse salt.
Bake in the oven for 20 min­utes or until golden brown and flaky. Serve warm.