Rib Dry Rub and BBQ Sauce

Pork ribs

Friends of ours hold an annual rib cook off where we all compete for first place and bragging rights!  The dry rub and BBQ sauce that we came up with this year only got us 2nd place at the rib cook off, but 1st place at our family table.  They work perfectly for both pork and beef ribs - so if you are a lover of a traditional BBQ sauce flavour with your ribs, this is for you!!!

Beef ribs

RIB DRY RUB & BBQ SAUCE

Ingredients (Dry Rub)

3 tbsp Kosher salt

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp packed, dark brown sugar

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp hot paprika

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion salt

2 tsp ground mustard

1tsp black pepper

Ingredients (BBQ Sauce)

3 tsp oil

1 finely diced cooking onion

2 finely diced garlic cloves

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp blackstrap molasses

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 large racks of beef or pork ribs

BBQ sauce prior to pureeing

Pureed BBQ sauce - YUMMY!

• Pat ribs dry with paper towel.  Flip rack over so back side of the ribs is facing up.  Using a butter knife, gently ease the thin silverskin from the back of the bones.  Using a paper towel, grasp the silverskin and pull off of the bones and discard.  This will ensure your ribs are more tender and cook evenly.
• Combine all ingredients for the dry rub and rub the back, front and edges of the ribs thoroughly.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours (24 hours is recommended)
• Remove ribs from fridge and bring to room temperature. Tightly wrap ribs in foil and place in a 250F oven on a cookie sheet, for 2 to 3 hours (pork ribs), or 3 to 4 hours (beef ribs).
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil and saute the onions for the sauce over medium low heat until golden brown.  Add garlic and stirring constantly to prevent burning, saute for approximately 5 minutes longer.
• Add rest of ingredients, combine and simmer for 10 mins.  Let cool slightly and put into a blender.  Puree until smooth.
• After the ribs have cooked in the oven for the desired amount of time, open the foil and brush ribs all over with the BBQ sauce.
• Place on a BBQ grill over medium heat, or back into the oven.  As the sauce caramelizes, brush more on and remove from heat.  
• Let the rack rest for 10 mins before cutting into either one or two bone servings.  
• Serve with a side dish of the BBQ (in case anyone wants saucier ribs!!)
• ENJOY!

*I have found that stating the ribs in the oven and finishing on the grill provides not only the best flavour, but fall off the bone ribs!

Pumpkin Waffles with Apple Cider Syrup

My friend Anne sent me this recipe and brought all the ingredients over to my house...what could I do but oblige her after all that hard work?!  These waffles not only smell incredible but taste absolutely amazing!  A delicious taste of autumn!!!

PUMPKIN WAFFLES WITH APPLE CIDER SYRUP

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (I used gluten free all-purpose)

4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 cups milk (I used unsweetened original almond milk)

4 eggs, separated

1/4 cup butter, melted

Syrup:

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup apple cider

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp butter

• Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.  
• In a separate bowl, stir together the pumpkin, milk and egg yolks.  Whip the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form.
• Stir the flour mixture and 1/4 cup of melted into the the pumpkin mixture till combined.  Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter.
• Cook waffles according to manufacturer's instructions
• TO MAKE THE SYRUP:  stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a saucepan.  Stir in the apple cider and lemon juice.  Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until the syrup thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in the 2 tbsp of butter until melted.
• Serve the warm syrup over top of the waffles with a small pat of butter.  ENJOY!

Slow Cooker Overnight Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Greg leaves for work at 5am most mornings and with this cold weather, I wanted to have something nice and warm for him to eat before he leaves (but without having to get up and make a breakfast! LOL!)  I happened to see this recipe and it is a definite keeper!  I intend to experiment with a variety of ingredients such as toasted almonds and dried wild blueberries, or dried cherries and walnuts!!! The chewiness of the steel cut oats, along with the sweetness of the apples and the delicious aroma of cinnamon will undoubtedly make it a favourite in your home!

SLOW COOKER OVERNIGHT APPLE CINNAMON OATMEAL

Ingredients:

2 apples peeled, cored and cut into 1/2" pieces

1 1/2 cups of non-fat milk (I use vanilla almond milk as we are dairy-free)

1 1/2 cups of water

1 cup steel cut oats

2 tbsp brown or coconut sugar

1 1/2 tbsp of butter cut into pieces (optional)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground chia or flax seed

1/4 tsp salt

• Coat the inside of the 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray or oil (trust me - this saves a TON of cleaning!!)  Add all ingredients and stir to combine.
• Place the lid on the slow cooker and turn it to low for 7 hours (overnight)  Resist the urge to lift the lid of the slow cooker as this adds an additional 30 minutes of cooking time to the recipe...trust me, the aroma will escape no matter what!
• Serve topped with nuts, raisins or maple syrup and ENJOY!!!        

Apple, Cheddar & Bacon Pie

All the ingredients you need!

The finished pie!

I grabbed one of the free magazines at the checkout of my local grocery store the other day.  When I opened it up I found this little gem and I was so intrigued (and had all the ingredients on hand) so decided to try it out on the family tonight for dessert!  The kids were so excited since we never usually have dessert during the week...and boy was it good!  Funnily enough, my son Devon didn't enjoy it (I supposed it is because he likes to separate his sweets and savouries?!)  The rest of us loved it!

APPLE, CHEDDAR & BACON PIE

Ingredients:

1 deep dish pie crust*

4 cups peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples

5 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup grated aged Canadian cheddar cheese*

1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 tsp of thyme (fresh or dried)

• Preheat oven to 350F and blind bake the pie crust until golden (or according to the package directions).  Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 325F.
• Toss apples with bacon, cheese, brown sugar and thyme.  Spread evenly in pie shell.  Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until apples are soft.
• Serve and ENJOY!   

*I used a regular pie crust simply to hold the filling in place while baking. If I were to make this again, I would either make my own wheat free crust or not even bother, and just bake the fillings in the pie dish.

*As we don't eat dairy, I used a cheddar goat's cheese which tasted just as lovely.

Mulled Wine

**Yet another recipe that has been lingering in my drafts file on this blog - I will try to get a photo when we make it for our Xmas Party 2012!!!**

This has been a staple at our annual Xmas Open House for the past 17 years and it is delicious!  It reminds me of being in the Christmas Markets in Munich and sipping on the Gluhwein while munching on a sausage.  Beware - this definitely is a hangover waiting to happen!!!  Let's just say that it warms the blood and the imagination (just ask our friend JP how he created the Micmac legends surrounding the mulled wine...! LOL!)

MULLED WINE

Ingredients:

1 lemon peel

1 orange peel

1 cinnamon stick

Pinch ground nutmeg

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 bottles of full bodied red wine

2 cups ruby port

1 cup brandy

• In a large pot add peels, spices and sugar to the wine.  Heat gently and simmer.  
• Add the port and brandy  and heat until liquid just begins to simmer, but do not allow to boil.
• ENJOY!

*If you need to stretch the mulled wine, add orange juice...but remember, that just waters down the alcohol!!  

Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemongrass

I wanted to add a bit of an exotic flavour to my regular chicken noodle soup as the kids absolutely love it, but my palette was growing weary of the same old recipe.  Everyone loved it (although Devon told me that I am not allowed to stop making plain old chicken noodle soup! LOL!)  This reminds me of a Thai or Vietnamese-style soup (or pho as it is called in Vietnam)!  Hope you enjoy the medley of flavours while getting the goodness of homemade chicken soup!!!

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH LEMONGRASS

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tbsp coconut or grapeseed oil

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied*

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings

2 stalks of lemongrass, trimmed, outer layers discarded, halved lengthwise and bruised with the back of a chef's knife

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (I use my rasp)

2 tsp packed light brown sugar (I used maple syrup)

5 1/2 cups homemade or low sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups stemmed and quartered shiitake mushrooms

9 oz fresh udon noodles (these are made of wheat so substitute rice noodles if necessary)

1 small Serrano chili pepper finely diced

8 large fresh basil leaves, torn (either Thai or Italian basil)

1 lime, half juiced and half cut into wedges

1 tbsp soy sauce (or gluten free Bragg's)

2 green onions, finely sliced

1 carrot, grated (for garnish)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)

• Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot, over medium high heat, until hot (the oil shimmers when ready).  Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper, and saute until both sides are evenly browned and almost entirely cooked through.  Transfer to a cutting board and allow to cool.
• Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pot with the shallots and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt.  Reduce heat to medium and saute until they start to become translucent (approx. 2 minutes).  Add the bruised lemongrass, ginger, and brown sugar and stir constantly until the ginger becomes fragrant and lemongrass sizzles (1 minute).  
• Add chicken broth and scrape up any browned pieces off of the bottom of the pot.  Bring to a boil and them reduce to simmer.  Add the mushrooms and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium-sized pot of water a boil and cook the noodles until al dente (still a little undercooked in the centre).  Drain and run under cool water to stop the cooking process.  Leave to drain well.
• Either finely sliver or shred the chicken breasts.  Add the chicken and noodles to the broth and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes.  Discard the lemongrass.  Stir in the chilies, basil, lime juice and soy sauce.
• Portion between 4 large warmed soup bowls.  Garnish each with shredded carrot, green onions, and cilantro.  Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing.
• ENJOY!

Dutch Apple Pie

This has to be one of my favourite apple pie recipes - it is super-easy and I have received LOADS of compliments on it (one of my friend's sons told his Grandmother that it was way better than hers! LOL!)  Since we have an abundance of apples on our snow apple tree this year (at least that's what variety I have been told they are!), I whipped up one of these ~ much to the family's delight!!!

DUTCH APPLE PIE

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
3/4 cup butter, melted
Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/4 cups cold water
3 cups diced peeled tart apples
1 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 350F
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats and butter.  Set aside 1 cup for crumble topping.  Press remaining crumb mixture into an ungreased 9" pie plate; set pie plate aside.
• For filling, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and water in a large saucepan until smooth.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until completely thickened.  Remove from the heat.
• Stir in apples and vanilla extract.  Pour into crust; top with reserved crumb mixture and Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
• ENJOY!!!

 

Rhubarb Sour Cream Pie

RHUBARB SOUR CREAM PIE

Ingredients:

1 - 9" unbaked pie crust (deep dish is preferable)

4 cups chopped fresh rhubarb

1 free-range egg

1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup each of all-purpose flour and brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

* Heat oven to 450F.
* Press pie crust into a 9" pie pan.
* Spread rhubarb in an even manner over the bottom of the crust.
* In a medium sized bowl, whisk egg, white sugar, sour cream and 1/3 cup flour until smooth. Pour over rhubarb.
* In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the pie.
* Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F.
* Continue to bake for 40 minutes, or until edges have puffed, and topping is golden.
* The centre might be still somewhat jiggly, but once it is cooled completely it is perfect to slice and serve!
* ENJOY!

Nutty Chicken Stir-Fry

I found this recipe in "Taste Of Home" magazine this month and the entire family LOVED it (especially India, which is great because it totally accommodates her dietary restrictions at the moment!!!)  Best of all?  It's a fast, easy meal that uses some of the left over bits and pieces of vegetables that might be hanging out in your crisper!!

NUTTY CHICKEN STIR-FRY

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped (I used leftover chicken that I simply shredded and reduced the cooking time as it was pre-cooked)

1 tbsp EVOO

1/2 cup chopped broccoli or cauliflower, or both!

1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced

1 finely chopped onion

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp brown sugar (or 1 tbsp agave syrup)

4 tsp cornstarch (or 4 tsp brown rice flour)

3/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (I used Bragg's as it contains no yeast or wheat)

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (or 1/4 cup roasted almond butter)

5 to 6 drops of hot pepper sauce

3 cups shredded cabbage

3/4 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped (or 3/4 cup chopped, unsalted pistachios)

Hot cooked basmati rice

• In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the chicken in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes over medium-high heat.  Add broccoli, peppers, and onions.  Cook 4 minutes longer.
• Add garlic and stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink inside and vegetables are crisp-tender.
• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and ginger; stir in the broth, soy sauce, peanut butter and pepper sauce until blended.  Pour over chicken mixture in wok.
• Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Add cabbage; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until crisp-tender.  Sprinkle with peanuts and serve over rice!

French Toast with Caramelized Bananas & Pecans

Although I am not a huge fan of French toast, my family definitely is and we had our friends Dave, Siobhan, and their kids staying over for Thanksgiving...so I chose this recipe from Canadian Living because it looked delicious and would feed a crowd at breakfast ~ we paired it with bacon and sausages and it was fantastic!!!

FRENCH TOAST WITH CARAMELIZED BANANAS & PECANS

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped pecans

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups 5% cream or milk

 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 loaf of egg bread

2 tbsp butter

Bananas:

2 tbsp butter

6 firm peeled bananas, halved crosswise and lengthwise

1 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• On a baking sheet, toast pecans in 325F oven for approx. 6 mins.  Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.  Cut egg bread into 3/4" thick slices; dip into egg mixture until soaked.
• In a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat and cook the slices, in batches and adding more butter as needed, until golden, approx. 3 minutes.  Transfer to 2 rimmed cookie sheets.  Bake in the oven at 350F until puffed and heated through, approx. 8 mins. Place in a large 9" x 13" casserole dish, and set aside.
• Caramelized Bananas:  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt half of the butter over medium high heat.  Fry half of the bananas, turning once, until golden and tender, approx. 3 mins.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining bananas.
• In the same skillet, bring maple syrup and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer for 2 mins.  Stir in bananas; simmer for 1 minute.
• Spoon over the French toast and sprinkle with the pecans.
• ENJOY!!

Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

For my Dad's birthday on August 17th, I wanted to create a cake that would be memorable...and boy, was a giant cupcake just the ticket!!! I bought the cake pan from Zehr's and used a recipe from Anna Olson's "Sugar" cookbook. It was absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Ingredients

Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup golden brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup water

4 oz (125g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 tsp espresso powder

1 3/4 cups cake & pastry flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

Icing:

4oz (125g) cream cheese, room temperature

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour 2 - 9" cake pans (or in my case, one giant cupcake pan!), shaking out excess flour. cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• In a small saucepan stir water, chocolate and espresso powder over low heat until melted. Allow to cool slightly before beating into the butter mixture.
• Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and stir into batter alternately with sour cream. Divide evenly between the two pans and bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the centre of the cake, comes out clean. Allow to cool 15 mins. in the pans, then turn cakes out onto a plate to cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese until smooth, then stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Ice both the centre and top & sides of the cake.
• ENJOY!!!!

Honey Garlic Sauce

Greg had smoked a brisket and wanted a sweeter sauce for it since he rubbed it in peppercorns prior to smoking. I found this recipe on food.com and it is a definite keeper!! No more commercially purchased sauces for us - this was easy and uses ingredients that you generally have on hand.

HONEY GARLIC SAUCE

(makes 2 cups)

Ingredients

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 pinch red pepper flakes (I ended up adding more)

2 tbsp oil

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup honey

3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

2 tbsp white wine or white balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

• Whisk together broth and cornstarch until smooth. Add honey, soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar. Whisk vigorously until combined.


• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and chili flakes and saute until the garlic is golden brown (approx. 2 mins). Whisk in cornstarch mixture and simmer until thickened (approx. 3 to 4 minutes).


• ENJOY!

Chicken with Apricots, Olives and Capers!!

Last week I had my Aunt, Uncle and second cousins visit from the UK. As I haven't seen them in 13 years, I wanted to create a meal that I didn't need to tend to, so that I could have a proper visit with them...this meal definitely fits the bill! It's full of flavour, economical for larger groups, and so easy to prepare you'll undoubtedly add it to your weekly repetoire!!

CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS, OLIVES AND CAPERS

Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/4 cup minced garlic

1/4 cup chicken broth (homemade is best, but low sodium is fine too)

1 tbsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp olives

2 tbsp capers with some of the brine they're packed in

3 bay leaves

3 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup dried apricots

• In a large freezer bag, combine the first 9 ingredients. Ensure all ingredients are well combined and the chicken fully coated in the marinade. Seal and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.


• Heat oven to 350F and arrange all ingredients from freezer bag into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and pour wine around chicken pieces.


• Bake uncovered for one hour, basting often to ensure chicken doesn't dry out.


• After cooking, remove bay leaves and serve!

In order to allow your family or guests to decide how much they want, I like to remove the chicken breasts from the cooking liquid, slice into 1/4" thick slices and then plate with the olives and apricots and a some of the liquid drizzled over top!

Also, I serve this dish with either my couscous recipe (June 2009 ) or the Greek lemon roasted potatoes ( May 2009) as both are fantastic side dishes to this meal and equally as easy to prepare!

Apple Cranberry Crumble

My sweet tooth was aching for something the other day so I went to my binder of recipes and found this super-easy and super delicious dessert. It uses items that I had in my freezer and pantry and took only minutes to put together...my friend Michelle's family loved it!

APPLE CRANBERRY CRUMBLE

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped peeled apples (I used golden delicious)

2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed

3/4 cups sugar

1 cup old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

• In a greased 8" square baking dish, combine apples and cranberries; sprinkle with sugar. In another bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour and butter; sprinkle over cranberry mixture. Top with pecans if desired.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 55-60 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. Serve warm (although it's delicious at room temperature too!)
  

Glazed Peanut Butter Bars

I spied these in a magazine and thought they would be an easy after school treat for India and Devon (not to mention an after work treat for Greg!) These chewy and sweet bars are absolutely delicious and I bet you can't just eat one!!

GLAZED PEANUT BUTTER BARS

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp water

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1 /2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

GLAZE:

1 1 /4 cups milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, water and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats baking soda and salt,; gradually add to the creamed mixture.


• Spread into a greased 15"x10"x1" baking pan. Bake at 325F for 18-22 mins. or until lightly browned.


• For glaze, in a microwave safe bowl, melt chips and peanut butter; stir until smooth. Pour over warm bars; spreading evenly. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.


• ENJOY!!!!

Peanut Butter Oat Cookies

I wanted to make a yummy and somewhat nutritious after-school snack for my friend Michelle's and my children on Friday. I didn't have much time and didn't want to run out to the store to buy ingredients so I dove into my huge collection of recipes and found this gem! I hope you enjoy them as much as we all did!

PEANUT BUTTER OAT COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup natural peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup wheat bran

3/4 cup quick cooking oats

2 tsp baking soda

• Preheat oven to 350F
• In a medium sized bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars together with a hand mixer, until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Combine the remaining ingredients; stir into the creamed mixture and mix well.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper (or if non-stick, make sure the pan is ungreased).
• Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool for 3 minutes on the pan until removing to wire racks.
• ENJOY!!

*low fat or thinnner brands of peanut butter do not work well with this recipe*

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

We often receive pork roasts in our CSA baskets and I think this is our favourite way to enjoy them! This is an easy recipe but take note of the amount of cooking and marinating time ~ it's got to be slow roasted and although you can marinate it for as little as one hour, I find that 24 hours really ensures the flavour gets into the meat! I cannot take credit for the sandwich in the photo ~ Greg made this batch of pulled pork using my favourite recipe!

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup whole-grain mustard

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Kosher (or coarse) salt

2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 pork roast (preferably a butt roast), approx 5lbs

2 cups water

1/2 cup port

8 to 10 dashes of hot pepper sauce

• Using a mortar and pestle or a fork, mash together garlic, mustard, sugar, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper, to form a paste.
• Spread paste evenly over entire pork roast and refrigerate in a roasting pan (or a Ziploc freezer bag) for at least 1 hr, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300F. Add water to the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover the roast in the pan with foil.
• Cook, basting hourly, flipping halfway through, until pork is tender and can easily be pulled apart using a fork (approx. 6 hours)
• Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Using two forks, shred pork and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Pour drippings into a pan and heat to medium high heat. Add the port and hot pepper sauce. Simmer until the consistency of BBQ sauce. Pour over the pork and stir thoroughly.
• Place the pork on a fresh sandwich bun and enjoy!

Apple, Onion & Ale Relish

As I logged in today to the blog I realized that it has been almost a month since my last post?! "What have I been doing with myself?", I asked. And then it hit me - I have been preserving like a woman crazed (if my pantry is anything to go by!)

I have been making Zucchini Relish, Tomato & Rhubarb Chutney, Strawberry Jam (by the truckload!), Sweet Watermelon Rind Pickles, Caramelized Vidalia Onions, Dill Pickles (both icicles and slices), Spicy & Sweet Mango Salsa, Salsa Verde, Apple, Onion & Ale Relish, Peppery Strawberry Salsa, and the favourite by far - Dilled Green & Yellow Beans!

So thankfully I haven't been exactly slacking! As I am sweating profusely over my steaming canner I hold fast to the vision of friends and family enjoying these summer flavours in the middle of a long and cold winter.

Yesterday I made the Apple,Onion & Ale Relish that I mentioned earlier, and it is so simple and delicious slathered over a crispbread topped with aged cheddar, I just felt I had to share the recipe! The malt and hops from the ale really add depth to this sweet and savoury relish. It comes from my new favourite book "The Complete Book of Pickling" by Jennifer MacKenzie. I picked it up at Costco for $14.99 and it has been an invaluable resource for unique recipes.

APPLE, ONION & ALE RELISH

Ingredients

4 cups finely chopped onions

2 tbsp pickling salt

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup cider vinegar

2 cups finely chopped peeled tart soft apples (McIntosh or Granny Smith)

1 cup dark ale (I used "Chimay" a Trappist Monk's ale)

4 cups finely chopped peeled tart cooking apples (McIntosh or Granny Smith)

6 - 250mL jars

• In a large non-reactive bowl, combine onions and salt. Cover and let stand at a cool room temperature for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare the canner, jars and lids.
• In a colander lined with cheesecloth, working in batches, drain and rinse onions well. Drain again and squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside in colander to continue draining.
• In a large pot, combine brown sugar, mustard seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg and vinegar. Brint to a boil over medium heat, stirring often until sugar is dissolved.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add drained onions, soft apples and ale; return to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often for about 10 minutes, or until apples start ot break down and mixture is slightly thickened.
• Stir in cooking apples and return to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often to prevent sticking, for about 2 minutes, or until cooking apples just start to soften but don't break down.
• Ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2" (1cm) headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjsut headspace as necessary by adding hot relish. Wipe rim and place hot lid disc on jar. Screw band down until fingertip tight.
• Place jars in canner and return to boil. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and remove canner lid. Let jars stand in water for 5 minutes. Transfer jars to a towel-lined surface, and allow to stand for 24 hours. Reprocess any jars that the lids did not seal properly on to.
• Store in a dark and cool cupboard until you are ready to enjoy!!!

A Great Way To Use Zucchini!!!

One of the CSA members from "Cooper's Farm" sent in this recipe as it is her favourite way to use zucchini - and after friends and family taste testing them, I think they're our favourite too!!

(And you know they have to be easy for a non-baker like me to make these!!!)

ZUCCHINI BROWNIES

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 - 3 cups shredded zucchini

1 egg

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Combine flours, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the shredded zucchini
• In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, sugars, yogurt, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the zucchini mixture.
• Spread evenly in a greased 9" x 13" pan (these are lighter than regular brownies and rise more like a cake so a bigger pan is necessary).
• Sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips (and you can sprinkle nuts on top too if you choose to add these)
• Bake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre, comes out clean.
• ENJOY!!

Rhubarb-A-Rama!!!

There is nothing, for me, that signifies springtime more than the annual arrival of the rhubarb crop!!! After making a couple of pies (rhubarb meringue pie, and a sour cream and rhubarb pie), I turned me thoughts to my newfound obsession of preserving. I scoured my recipe collection and found a few I had torn out of a "Canadian Living" in the thoughts of one day tackling the scary job of canning....well that day has arrived! I decided to create a chutney that can be enjoyed in the height of wintertime either on a baked brie, or just alongside a ploughman's lunch. Although I have the jars in my cupboard, I have yet to crack the seal on one - but I tasted it just prior to canning and I believe it will quickly become a family fave!!

RHUBARB TOMATO CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped rhubarb

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 cups chopped, seeded and peeled tomatoes

1 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce

1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

• In a large, shallow Dutch oven, combine rhubarb, sugar, tomatoes, vinegar, raisins, mustard seeds, ginger, garlic, salt and hot pepper sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 4 cups. Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Ladle into hot 1 cup (250 mL) canning jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Cover with prepared lids; screw on bands fingertip tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 mins.
• Makes 4 cups (1L)
• Enjoy on top of a baked brie, with robust cheeses or meats, or on a sandwich!