Oatmeal Freezer Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies are incredibly versatile! Part crispy cookie, part moist cake, the oatmeal cookie is made in a variety of ways: from thin and crispy, to moist and chewy, to even extra sweet or laced with salt. You can customize the classic combination by mixing in different ingredients so you get a completely different flavor than you would expect.

Oatmeal cookies came into North American kitchens by way of the Quaker Oats Company. The original oatmeal cookie recipe was mass distributed in 1908, printed on boxes of rolled oats. Billed as ‘oat cakes’ the recipe called for 3 cups of rolled oats along with butter, sugar, and flour. The oat cakes were an instant hit with homemakers. In 1943, the Quaker Oats company reformulated their recipe, this time using the term ‘oatmeal cookies’. The revised recipe utilized bacon drippings or shortening instead of butter and dried fruits for minimal sugar needs.

The oatmeal cookie recipe released by Quaker Oats has been re-branded twice, re-emerging on oatmeal packages as ‘Famous Oatmeal Cookies’, and as it is known today as ‘Quaker’s Best Oatmeal Cookies’. This oatmeal cookie recipe has earned the distinction of the longest printed recipe on any Quaker Oats products.

Here’s just a few add-ins to bump up the basic recipe if you choose to:

  • Dried fruit: Dates, Apricots, Cherries, Apples, Coconut
  • Nuts: Walnuts, Pecans, Cashews, Peanuts
  • Spices: Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg
  • Chocolate Chunks: White, Milk, Dark

This recipe gives you the option of freezing the dough and baking it later or using it right away. Rolling them in ground flax seed gives them an added bonus in flavor – as if oatmeal cookies could get any better!

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Oatmeal Freezer Cookies
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Servings
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Whisk both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cardamom in a medium bowl.
  2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter & both sugars on high speed until light & creamy. 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend & scraping down bowl between additions. Beat in vanilla.
  3. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add dry ingredients & mix just until combined. Fold in oatmeal & fruit.
  4. Divide dough between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Using paper as an aid, roll up each piece of dough into a 1 1/2-inch diameter log. Wrap in plastic; freeze for at least 4 hours up to 3 weeks.
  5. When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Unwrap dough & cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Roll edges of rounds in ground flax seed. Place 2-inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  6. Bake until edges are golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool. Store in an airtight container or freeze.
Recipe Notes
  • Any fruit, nuts or seeds should be chopped quite small so your cookies can be sliced frozen. 
  • Rolling the edges in ground flax seed gives them such a nice flavor.

Spiced Plum Bread Pudding

The customs of holidays and celebrations change as each era comes and goes, but through literature, we can look through history’s keyhole, and peek at what life was once like.

Plum Pudding, also called Christmas Pudding, was a Christmas tradition born in Medieval England when families would make their pudding four to five weeks before Christmas Day.  This traditional day for making a family’s Christmas Pudding was commonly called ‘Stir Up Sunday’, with each family member taking a turn stirring the pudding for good luck.  Sometimes trinkets were added to the pudding – coins (for wealth), wishbones (for luck), thimbles (for thriftiness), or anchors (for safe journeys).

But surprisingly enough, the Christmas staple ‘Plum Pudding’ doesn’t actually have plums in it – before the Victorian period, plain old raisins were commonly called ‘plums’.   Historically, the rich, heavy pudding is steamed for several hours the day it is made, stored in a cool place and moistened regularly with stout or brandy, and then steamed again for several hours on the day it is served.

The reason plum puddings were once so highly esteemed, is that, historically, raisins were special. When the English nicknamed raisins ‘plums they were affiliating the fruits with a sweet ‘candy’, which the English called ‘sugar plums’. Sugar plums were fancy and festive, and the English, historically, thought the same of raisins.

Steamed puddings, like Plum Pudding, evolved from boiled puddings. In the mid-1800s, boiled puddings became less popular in North America. This was partly because of improvements in cooking technology. As stoves replaced open-hearth fireplaces, puddings were steamed or baked instead of boiled in a bag. A typical pudding could take four hours or more to boil and during this time, the cook continuously topped up the water as it evaporated. Baking or steaming a pudding was much easier. Slowly, boiled and steamed puddings became less common and the creamy, custard-style pudding became the pudding of choice in North America known as bread pudding.

Bread pudding dates back to the early 11th and 12th centuries in Europe, where it was born out of necessity, transforming leftover, stale bread into a delightful food during times of limited resources.

Since then, the dish has developed into a modern delicacy, gracing the dessert menus of top restaurants and incorporating fresh, artisanal breads like brioche, with exquisite ingredients such as bourbon, gruyere cheese, and pecans, depending on whether the pudding is sweet or savory. 

In 2015, ‘The Taste of a Memory’, a memorabilia/cookbook I wrote as a tribute to my wonderful parents, was published. It contained a compilation of stories, articles, recipes and reflections that evoke an intimate memory, a special time period and fond emotion brought about by the aroma and taste of food. Writing them down not only put them in print but allowed me to take a mental journey back to a gentler time.

I’d like to share a recipe from that book with you today. This is not a traditional English plum pudding but rather a bread pudding that is made with plums. Christmas comfort food with an Asian twist! 

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Spiced Plum Bread Pudding
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Combine the diced plums with 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Let the plum mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes; the sugar will draw the juices out of the fruit & create a syrup.
  3. Put bread cubes on a baking sheet. Bake bread briefly, just to dry it out a little. Let cool.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the rest of the sugar, milk, half & half, salt, liqueur, 5 spice powder & cinnamon.
  5. Add the bread cubes, folding gently, so all the bread is coated with egg mixture, then add plum mixture with all the syrup that has accumulated and gently mix again.
  6. Allow mixture to sit at least 1/2 an hour, to let bread absorb the egg mixture & plum juices.
  7. Butter 10 ramekins (custard cups). Divide bread/fruit mixture between them & sprinkle with the coarse sugar if using.
  8. Bake for about 30 minutes or until center of the pudding wiggles slightly when you shake the cups & the top is golden brown.
  9. Remove from oven & cool. Serve at room temperature, with whipped cream if desired.
Recipe Notes
  • Alternately you could use a 9 x 13-inch pan instead of the individual ramekins.

Spiced Persimmon & Cranberry Linzer Torte

Originating from Linz, Austria, the Linzer torte is one of the oldest tortes in the world, found in an Austrian abbey in the early 1700s.

It is made with a buttery pastry dough with a significant amount of ground nuts, typically hazelnuts, but often with almonds or walnuts. With a lattice design on the top, it is traditionally filled with red currant jam; but raspberry, apricot and plum are quite popular too.

Linzer cookies employ the same recipe as the Linzer torte but instead the dough is cut into cookies and two of them form a sandwich around the preserves.  Moreover, the top cookie has a small cutout in its center (known as Linzer eyes), thus exposing the underlying jam and adding to the visual appeal. 

When Linzer torte was brought to North America in the 19th century, it became very popular. Today the Linzer cookie is still very commonly used in celebrating Christmas and other holidays as well.

There are countless versions of Linzer tortes around showcasing different nuts, different preserves, and so on such as tahini and sesame Linzer, beets Linzer, a lemon curd Linzer and a chestnut apple Linzer just to name a few.

With my passion for ‘recipe development’, I wanted to come up with a ‘Linzer torte’ that showcased persimmons and cranberries for Christmas. This is what developed!

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Spiced Persimmon & Cranberry Linzer Torte
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Ingredients
Spiced Cranberries
Cheesecake Filling
Servings
Ingredients
Spiced Cranberries
Cheesecake Filling
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Instructions
Crust
  1. In a bowl, sift together flour & salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar & vanilla until light & fluffy. Beat in as much flour mixture as possible. Mix in the rest & gently knead till dough comes together. Form into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Cranberries
  1. In a saucepan, combine whole berry sauce, raspberries, sugar, orange zest & cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens & is bubbly. Remove from heat & allow to cool. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
Persimmons
  1. Place the melted butter in a large bowl & stir in the honey & spices. Stir well, then add persimmon slices. Toss to coat each slice well.
Cheesecake Filling
  1. Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth then add sugar & blend well. Add eggs & vanilla, beat until smooth.
Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll out 2/3 of pastry into a 10-inch circle. Place in an 8-inch springform pan. From the remaining 1/3 of the pastry cut a 5-inch circle. In the center of this circle cut a 3-inch circle (this should resemble a Linzer cookie). If you wish you can cut out a few 'stars' for decorations. Lay pastry ring & stars on parchment paper & place on a baking sheet. Blind bake pastry in the springform pan for 8 minutes or until barely set. Bake the ring & stars until golden.
  3. Remove springform pan from oven & pour cream cheese mixture over warm crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly golden & cheesecake tests done. Set aside to cool.
Assembly
  1. When cheesecake has cooled, place the slices of persimmon, overlapping each other to form 2 circles around the outer edge. Spoon spiced cranberries in the middle of the persimmons.
  2. Sprinkle baked pastry ring & stars with powdered sugar & place on top of cranberries. Press down slightly. Your torte should resemble a large Linzer cookie when finished.
Recipe Notes
  • You will have extra cranberry sauce which can be easily used over the holiday season I found. Brion & I liked them so much we added extra to our slices of torte.

Mincemeat Filled Cookies

December is just around the corner and when I was growing up, that was officially ‘baking season’ for my mom. Many of the ingredients for the special things she would bake at this time of year were just too expensive to have on hand all the time. While we were at school, over the weeks prior to Christmas, she would bake many different kinds of cookies and squares. When we would arrive home in the late afternoon, there was no trace of what she had baked. Every cookie tin and various other containers were being filled with these glorious goodies. It all became part of the mystery and suspense of the season.

Like many traditions, the origin of the Christmas baking ‘bonanza’ comes from medieval times. Winter solstice rituals were conducted long before Christmas became the huge commercial holiday it is today. Celebrations revolved around food. By the Middle Ages, the Christmas holiday had overtaken solstice rituals and the pastry world was experiencing some big changes. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper as well as dried exotic fruits were becoming available. Expensive delicacies like sugar, lard and butter all became treasured ingredients that could only be afforded on this most important holiday.

Unlike pies and cakes, cookies could easily be shared and given to friends and neighbors. Our modern-day Christmas cookies are baked for similar reasons. They’re given as hostess gifts in festive tins, used on giant dessert trays and of course they make for wonderful family baking traditions.

I realize ‘mincemeat’ doesn’t appeal to everyone’s pallet. These days the ‘all-fruit’ varieties have made it much more appealing. Since Brion and I both enjoy the all-fruit mincemeat, I thought I’d do a Christmas version. Pairing the flavors of anise, apple, mincemeat and lemon was really nice.

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Mincemeat Filled Cookies
Instructions
Mincemeat
  1. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Over a medium-low heat bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low & continue to simmer, stirring often, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat & cool until ready to use.
Cookies
  1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese & butter until fluffy & smooth; 1-2 minutes. Add sugar; beat another 1-2 minutes then add eggs & anise extract & continue beating 1 more minute.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, anise seed & salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture & stir just until incorporated. Do NOT over mix. Divide dough in half.
  3. Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll each half of the dough to a 1/8"-1/4" thickness. Remove top sheet & using a 2 1/2" (6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Using the top sheet of parchment, lay rounds about 2" apart. Slide a plastic cutting board under parchment paper & transfer to freezer for about 30 minutes. (I found this made it much easier to continue the procedure).
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  5. Remove cookies from freezer. Spoon about a teaspoon of COLD mincemeat filling onto center of each circle. Wet edges a bit with water or beaten egg. Fold cookies in half & using a fork, press edges to seal. (If your mincemeat filling is well chilled, I found it didn't run out of the cookies while being baked).
  6. Bake cookies for 10-11 minutes. Cookies should be light in color, not browned & just starting to brown on bottom. * Length of baking time may vary from oven to oven. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
  1. In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients & beat to a drizzle consistency. When cookies are cooled, drizzle with glaze.
Recipe Notes
  • SPICE COMBO
  • 2 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • Combine well & store in a spice bottle.
  • PREPARED MINCEMEAT FILLING
  • 700 ml 5-fruit mincemeat (suet-free)
  • 1 1/2 cups apple, cored & finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Combine mincemeat filling ingredients & refrigerate until needed.

Cheesy Kale & Mushroom Strata

In the beginning, there was kale. From it arose the others, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collard greens, mustard, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnips and Bok choy.

Kale is an ancient vegetable that has been enjoyed by humans for centuries. It is thought to have originated in Asia Minor and was brought to Europe by traders and travelers. Kale was a popular crop in medieval times and was often grown in monastery gardens.

In the 18th century, kale became even more popular after it was introduced to North America. There are several different types of kale, each with its own unique flavor and texture. Curly kale is the most common type, and it has a slightly bitter taste. Tuscan kale is a bit sweeter and more tender than curly kale, while Russian kale is the most robust and flavorful of all the varieties.

Kale holds its texture well when cooked, and it can be steamed, stir-fried, roasted, or eaten raw. You can blend it into smoothies, roast it to make kale chips, wilt it into soup, mash it with potatoes or turn it into pesto. You may want to remove the middle rib by hand or with kitchen shears because it can be tough, fibrous and taste bitter.

North Americans know kale well, along with being eaten it is often used to adorn the self-service salad bars across the land, displacing other green adornments because of its resistance to wilting. 

Brion & I enjoyed this cheesy kale and mushroom strata with some roasted sausage.

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Cheesy Kale & Mushroom Strata
Instructions
  1. The day before, prepare the strata so it can refrigerate over night. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Tear the bread into 1 1/2-inch pieces and spread them out over a large baking sheet. Bake the bread chunks in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring once half-way through, to partially dry the bread.
  2. Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms, then add them to a large skillet with the butter, minced garlic, some salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until they release all their moisture and begin to brown (about 5-7 minutes).
  3. Remove the cooked mushrooms from the skillet and add the kale & leeks along with a couple tablespoons of water (this helps the kale wilt). Sauté the leeks & kale with some salt & pepper (2-3 minutes).
  4. Coat the inside of a 12 cup (10 x 10-inch) casserole dish with butter or non-stick spray. Layer half of the dry bread chunks in the bottom of the dish, then top with half of the mushrooms, half of the kale, and half of the Gruyere. Wiggle the ingredients down between the bread chunks a bit, then repeat all the layers a second time.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon and 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the prepared strata, making sure to drizzle over every surface of the strata, rather than just pouring in one spot. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover the strata and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
  6. The next day, allow the strata to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the casserole for 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F. and the top is deeply golden brown.
  7. Let the strata rest for 10 minutes, then slice into six pieces and serve!

Pumpkin Streuseltaler

Nothing tastes more like fall than fresh baked pumpkin goods. I love just about anything with pumpkin in it. It definitely wasn’t always that way but it’s amazing how your taste buds change as time passes.

My original thoughts were to make some German pumpkin plachinda. It was one of those wonderful things my mother used to make that got pushed into the back of my memory.

It seems most recipes you find on the internet make plachinda as individual pastry turnovers with a pumpkin filling. I think I recall my mother making it in a rectangle casserole dish with the pastry on the bottom and up the sides and the filling showing.

I decided to do some ‘recipe development’ and try making some German streuseltaler and top it with a sweet pumpkin (plachinda) filling.

Streuseltaler was inspired by the round shape of the taler, a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in the currency called dollar.

Taler is a German word for coin, so the name of the dessert literally translates to streusel coin. Basically, a free form tart made with a yeast dough topped with a huge amount of streusel, sometimes filled with custard and often with a sugar glaze.

A traditional German streusel (streusel meaning something ‘strewn or scattered’ in German) bakes up into shortbread balls. It makes a crunchy, cookie-like top but is soft on the bottom where it meets the bread or fruit compote.

Streusel was first popularized in Germany. In its simplest form, it consists of flour, sugar and butter but gets even better with the addition of oatmeal, cinnamon and nuts …. just my opinion of course!

In the history of cooking, one could find recipes that have constantly changed and could be seen as a connecting link between modern times and our past. I guess this is my contribution to the evolution of plachinda.

For all of you who love pumpkin, here’s a treat you don’t want to miss!

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Pumpkin Streuseltaler
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Course dessert
Cuisine German
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Pumpkin Dough
Pumpkin Filling
Glaze
Course dessert
Cuisine German
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Pumpkin Dough
Pumpkin Filling
Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Dough
  1. In a small bowl, add yeast, lukewarm water & 1 tsp sugar. Allow to sit about 10 minutes until frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, combine yeast mixture, butter, salt, cinnamon, eggs & pumpkin puree. Mix well. Add flour, one cup at a time, until well combined. Knead dough for about 8-10 minutes or until smooth & soft. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel & allow to rise for about 1 hour or until double in size.
Filling
  1. In a small dish, combine the filling ingredients, set aside.
Streusel Topping
  1. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon & salt. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Assembly & Baking
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface & divide into 12 pieces. Form each piece into a ball & allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.
  2. Space out the balls on parchment lined baking sheet. With fingertips or the back of a Tbsp., press out center of each ball to about 4-inch diameter. Add about a Tbsp of pumpkin filling to each dough piece & spread leaving a border around the outside.
  3. Divide streusel topping evenly between the pastries. Allow to rise for about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  5. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. In the meantime, you can prepare the glaze.
Glaze
  1. In a small dish, whisk powdered sugar & lemon juice to a thick glaze. When streuseltaler are cooled, drizzle with glaze.
Recipe Notes
  • The picture at the bottom of the recipe is MY version of my mother's plachinda. I had posted it on a blog in October 2016. She used to serve this wonderful pastry when she made a white bean soup. At the time I thought it was an odd combination but it works! Another one of those 'taste of a memory' kind of comfort foods.

Plum Yeast Cakes (Kuchens)

I know it sounds quite ordinary, but we are not just talking about just any plum cake. Variations of the German specialty, ‘zwetschgenkuchen’, exist where some versions are made with a shortbread pastry verses a yeast dough, some have streusel – some do not – some are round, others are rectangular. One thing for sure is that they all use the plump, sweet, juicy European plums also known as Italian Prune Plums or Empress Plums. This variety is ideal for cooking not only because of their texture but also because their flavor becomes more complex through cooking.

Fruit and yeast-based cakes are a German hallmark with this cake being a perfect example. It’s not overly sweet, has a touch of tartness to it, a small hint of cinnamon and that tender yeast dough.

Italian prune plums are available in Canada in late summer to early fall. When I was growing up and my mother used these ‘little gems’ in her canning and baking, I thought it was because they were available at the time. I had no idea that they played such a special part in German baking until I was an adult.

Prune plums are native to the Mediterranean coastal regions of Italy, and though they are named after their country of origin, they are not a favorite there. Instead, because of the German affinity for plums, they feature in many German desserts.

When ripe, prune plums are wonderfully sweet with a rich complex flavor. The flesh has a greenish-amber color that turns a deep shade of fuchsia when cooked. The single pit at the center separates easily and almost fall out on their own.

I wanted to highlight the prune plum in another blog before this deliciously sweet fruit closes the summer season. This recipe makes individual kuchens (kuchen translates to ‘cake’ in German) as opposed to one large cake.

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Plum Yeast Cakes (Kuchens)
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Course dessert
Cuisine German
Servings
Course dessert
Cuisine German
Servings
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Dough
  1. In a small container, warm milk to lukewarm, stir in yeast & a pinch of sugar. Allow to sit until frothy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Combine the flour, remaining sugar and the salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to combine.
  3. Separate 1 of the eggs & set aside the white for the egg wash. Whisk the egg yolk & remaining whole egg into the yeast mixture. Add the yeast mixture to the flour, then mix on low speed to make a smooth, thick dough.
  4. Increase the speed to medium & add the butter. Once the butter has been added, beat on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook & knead the dough until it forms a smooth, springy ball on the hook, 4 to 5 minutes (add a little more flour, if needed, if the dough doesn't form a ball).
  5. Grease a large bowl & turn the dough in the bowl to coat. Cover & allow rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 - 2 hours.
Custard
  1. In a large saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg & yolk. Whisk it together & heat over medium heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
  2. Remove from the heat, add the butter & extract; stir until combined. Transfer to a clean bowl. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap. Let cool at room temperature.
Assembly/Baking
  1. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Cut the dough in half, then cut each half into 6 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, form the dough into balls by folding the dough under itself and pinching to seal underneath.
  2. Set the ball, smooth-side up, on a floured surface, and turn in your hand to form a tight round shape. Cover loosely with plastic wrap & allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  4. Once the buns have risen, gently press down on each to make indentations that will make space for the custard. Fill the indentations with the custard. Top with the plums wedges.
  5. Brush the buns with the reserved egg white mixed with a splash of water & sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon & a bit of sea salt.
  6. Bake until the buns are risen & golden & the custard is set, 25 - 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Recipe Notes
  • If you wish, instead of making 'pan buns' use 2 baking sheets so they bake individually. Same taste - different look!

Tomato Zucchini Strata

CELEBRATING LABOR DAY!

It’s hard to believe Labor Day weekend is here already! In our part of the world, it signals the last of those coveted summer days. Celebrated in Canada as a national statuary holiday weekend. Labor Day weekend gives us an opportunity to enjoy family & friends before summer is officially over.

Part of Canada’s appeal is its four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall. We are entering the season of the fall harvest and the leaves on the trees begin their transformation to stunning shades of orange, red and yellow.

When I was giving thought to food for this day, a nice seasonal vegetable strata came to mind. For most families there’s ‘places to be and things to see’ on this day so why not start it with a breakfast dish that can be prepared the day before and baked in the morning.

Unlike quiche and frittata, strata originated in North America. The first known recipe, the cheese strata, dates back to 1902 and contains bread, white sauce and cheese.

A strata is usually a savory egg-bread casserole that’s baked in the oven or microwaved. Strata’s can be made with a variety of fillings including meats, cheese, vegetables or fruits. Usually, the bread and fillings are layered in a casserole dish with the egg mixture poured over top.  The dish can be prepared the night before (or at least 2 hours before cooking) to allow time for the bread to soak up some of the egg mixture. What you’re left with is a fluffy, bread-pudding-like meal that’s completely customizable using your favorite ingredients.

Hopefully this strata will be a good choice for your family on this holiday.

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Tomato Zucchini Strata
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Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings
Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings
Votes: 1
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Instructions
  1. In an extra-large skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add tomatoes & zucchini. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until tomatoes begin to lose their firm round shape; remove from heat.
  2. Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with half of the zucchini mixture & half of the cheese. Repeat layers with remaining bread cubes, zucchini mixture & cheese.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, parsley, basil, chives, garlic salt & pepper. Carefully pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture in dish. Using the back of a spoon, gently press down on layers. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 325 F.
  5. Remove casserole from fridge. Bake for 60 minutes or until puffed, golden & set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Scallop & Zucchini Quiche

While there’s still time to enjoy summer, it’s definitely prime time for eating some satisfying summer squash.

Zucchini, also known as courgetti, belongs to the same family as pumpkin. The most widely known version is green, though golden varieties exist too, which are yellow or orange.

While zucchini is treated as a vegetable in the culinary sphere, it’s technically the fruit of the zucchini flower (which can also be consumed).

Scallops are buttery, delicious, and easily likeable. This special kind of seafood has won our hearts in the casual and fine dining setting. We continue to ask ourselves how we can enhance the flavor of this seafood treat even more. Since scallops are briny and sweet with a relatively subtle flavor profile, they’ll complement everything from crunchy sweet corn to zippy citrus salads and summer or winter squash.

They’re one of the more sustainably sourced seafood because they are typically harvested from places, they are endemic to. This means that scallops don’t feed off other marine life unnaturally and they’re not placed in areas foreign to them.

I think you will find this scallop and zucchini quiche is nice served as a hot or cold summer entrée.

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Scallop & Zucchini Quiche
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Cornmeal Pastry
Servings
Ingredients
Cornmeal Pastry
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a small bowl, combine sour cream & ice water; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar & salt. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, cut in butter until mixture resembles both coarse crumbs & small peas. Sprinkle the cold sour cream mixture over dough, 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing with a fork to evenly distribute it.
  2. After you have added all the sour cream mixture, dough should be moist enough to stick together when pressed; if not add additional cold water, 1 tsp at a time. DO NOT overwork dough. Press dough into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Filling
  1. In a saucepan, fry bacon until cooked but not real crisp. Remove bacon & place on paper towel to drain. In the same saucepan, sauté onions, zucchini mushrooms & garlic in remaining bacon drippings until tender but not over cooked. Add scallops during the last few minutes of sautéing. Remove from pan & combine with bacon; cool slightly.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Grate cheese. Whisk together eggs, milk, Old Bay seasoning, salt & pepper. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
  4. Roll out pastry to fit a 9-inche quiche pan. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with uncooked beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven, remove the beans (or rice) & paper. Sprinkle half of the grated cheddar on the quiche shell. Place filling mixture on top; form a ring of tomato halves around the outside edge. Sprinkle with remaining cheese then pour milk mixture over the quiche.
  5. Sprinkle half of the grated cheddar on the quiche shell. Place filling mixture on top; form a ring of tomato halves around the outside edge. Sprinkle with remaining cheese then pour milk mixture over the quiche.
  6. Bake for about 45 minutes or until set.

Chocolate Rhubarb Brownies

While I’ll never grow tired of the classic pairing of strawberries and rhubarb, I love rhubarb too much to let it simply be a sidekick to those sweet berries. Not only can it hold its own, but it also begs to be matched up with many other flavors that give it new life.

Eating seasonally doesn’t have to be difficult when it tastes so delicious. Finding inventive ways to incorporate locally grown, seasonal fruits and vegetables into breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes is actually a very easy task.

When making desserts, chocolate and rhubarb bring very different flavors to the table. The result makes a perfect balance. High-cacao chocolate is rich, subtly sweet, and creamy. Fresh rhubarb, meanwhile, is tart and comes into its own when offset by a dash of sweetness.

Celebrate rhubarb season with a stellar dessert like fudgy rhubarb brownies.

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Chocolate Rhubarb Brownies
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Servings
Ingredients
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk sugar, butter, eggs & vanilla.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & sea salt.
  4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients & mix until they are just incorporated. Add the rhubarb, chocolate chips & nuts. Mix only until they are combined. The batter will be quite thick. Pour batter into baking pan & spread it out so that it is even.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. DO NOT OVERBAKE.
  6. Remove brownies from the oven & allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Slice into squares.