Whether you’re a fan of savory or sweet flavors, there’s no denying the universal appeal of fritters. Traditionally, fritters were fried until golden. But this recipe bakes them instead. This makes them healthier, with less fat and calories.
The humble classic fritter — a piece of fruit, vegetable or meat dipped in batter and fried in oil. Cousins to the fritter are the doughnut and the cruller — the former heavier in flour, the latter fattier. Fritters can be savory or sweet, spicy or mild. Every country has their own versions, including sweet (French beignets, Italian bigne and Greek loukoumades) and savory (Indian pakoras and Italian fritto misto) recipes.
Fritters have been a part of culinary traditions worldwide, evolving through the ages from simple fried doughs to the vast array of flavors and ingredients that are seen today.
Baking fruit fritters elevates the traditional fried fritter to a whole new level. Not being a fried food lover, I’m always looking for an alternative and baking seems to be a good fit.
Here in Canada, the apple fritter remains especially popular; Tim Hortons, a leading Canadian coffee and doughnut chain, reported that the apple fritter became their top-selling ‘doughnut’ in 2023. As autumn approaches, these seasonal fruit fritters are a tasty treat.
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Baked Seasonal Fruit Fritters
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Instructions
Fruit
In a small bowl, toss the finely diced rhubarb & apple with 2 Tbsp sugar & 1 tsp cinnamon. let sit for 10 minutes to draw out a little moisture & soften the rhubarb's sharp edge.
Fritters
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, white & brown sugar, baking powder, salt , cinnamon & cardamom.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter & vanilla.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined (do not overmix). Gently fold in the spiced rhubarb/apple chunks along with any juices left in the bowl.
Scoop heaping 1/4-cup portions of the batter onto prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between them.
Bake 15-18 minutes or until the tops are golden brown & a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Glaze
If you are using the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, milk (or apple cider) & vanilla in a small shallow bowl until smooth. Let fritters cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then dip the tops of the warm fritters into the glaze. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.
How about upside down cake turned into cookie form? What makes these peach upside-down cookies special is that they capture the essence of a summer peach. Soft & chewy with a bottom layer of soft peaches coated in brown sugar and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar.
The concept of upside-down ‘cakes’ dates back to the Middle Ages, when Europeans made some cakes by topping batter with fruit — usually apples or dried fruit — and cooking it over a fire (or baking it), then flipping it over for serving.
In 1925 the Hawaiian Pineapple Company sponsored a contest calling for (canned) pineapple recipes. They received a flood of 60,000 submissions of which an alleged 2,500 were for pineapple upside-down cake. No surprise then that the winning entry was—yes, a pineapple upside-down cake! The company built a major advertising campaign around the winning recipe and by the mid-1930s pineapple upside-down cake was probably the most popular home-baked cake in North America.
These ingenious inverted cakes were no doubt the precursor to the upside-down cookie idea. The ‘classic’ upside down cake is often thought to be made with pineapple. I think these cookies are a great way of enjoying whichever fruits are plentiful, fresh and in season.
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Peach Upside-Down Cookies
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tin with foil-lined muffin paper cups.
In each muffin cup, place 1/2 tsp brown sugar & 1 full slice of peach.
Cream butter & remaining sugars until fluffy. Add egg & vanilla. Mix well. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cornstarch & cinnamon. Gradually add to wet ingredients.
Divide dough into 12-14 portions & roll each into a ball. Place a cookie dough ball on top of each peach slice in the muffin cups..
Bake for 12–15 minutes. Cool 5 mins, then gently flip cookies out & remove paper cups. Serve peach side up warm, chilled or at room temperature. Store in airtight container.
Whether you pronounce them ‘s-con’ or ‘s-cone,’ these cakey morsels work well as both sweet and savory dishes. In its most basic form, a scone is a baked quick bread that is usually eaten for breakfast or tea. Since its earliest known origin, the scone has taken on many forms, all the way to what we know today in sophisticated sweet and savory gourmet versions.
The earliest scones were unleavened and typically made with oats and milk. They were often cooked on a griddle and served with butter, jam, honey, or clotted cream. Today, scones are made with all sorts of ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder etc.
Shortcakes look similar to scones but are softer and lighter. Whereas a scone has a shorter, more biscuity crumb, a shortcake is almost half cake and half scone. Shortcakes also have cream in the dough, to add a further layer of indulgence.
Today’s blog recipe for ‘nectarine sconecakes’ is the best of both worlds, part scone .. part shortcake!
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Nectarine 'Sconecakes"
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine nectarines, lemon juice & 2 tsp sugar. Let stand for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt & 1/4 cup sugar. Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut in butter until mixture forms small pieces.
Stir in heavy cream (reserving a small portion to brush on top), then fold in nectarine mixture. Turn dough onto the middle of the parchment lined baking sheet. Pat dough into an 8 1/2-inch round.
Brush with reserved heavy whipping cream then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden & tests done with a toothpick. Let cool on a wire rack. Slice into 12 wedges & serve.
Recipe Notes
• Alternately you can use a 2 ½-inch cookie cutter & cut out 8 rounds instead of making wedges.
One of the many aspects of Mexican food that has been essential for so many years is chicken. Chicken has played a massive role in both Mexico’s food and culture for centuries. Today, it is still one of the most popularly consumed forms of protein across the country and can be added into any dish perfectly.
Today’s blog recipe is juicy, flavorful Mexican-inspired chicken smothered in a creamy, rich cheese sauce and served over Mexican rice. To say Mexican rice is simply just rice is an understatement. Mexican rice comes from a flavorful history and is served a number of different ways. For example, in Northern Mexico, Mexican rice is typically prepared with chicken broth and flavored with tomato. In Southern Mexico, white rice is more common as a side to many dishes. Common ingredients in Mexican rice typically include spices like cumin, cilantro, parsley, and tomato sauce or salsa.
Mexican rice is prepared by browning long-grain rice in cooking oil, then flavoring it with onion, garlic, and tomato sauce, salsa, or paste. Typically, parsley and cilantro are added to enhance the flavor and color of the rice. Often, Mexican rice is seasoned with cumin, chili powder, and other spices. Traditionally, vegetables like carrot and corn are added into the rice to add another layer of texture.
Mexican rice is more than just a side dish; it’s a symbol of the rich culinary heritage of Mexico. From its origins as a humble fusion of Spanish and indigenous ingredients to the diverse regional variations that exist today, Mexican rice is a dish that continues to evolve while remaining rooted in tradition.
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Mexican Chicken & Rice w/ Cheese Sauce
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Instructions
Chicken
Mix together your seasonings & season both sides of the chicken breasts well. Heat a grill pan over medium to high heat & grill the chicken until done. Set aside.
Cheese Sauce
In a medium sized sauce pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour & cook until it begins to just bubble around the edges.
Add in the milk, slowly, whisking to combine as you go. Continue to whisk until mix as heated through. It needs to be hot enough to melt the cheese, but not boiling.
When the mix is hot, start whisking in cheese in small amounts at a time until all of the cheese has been mixed in. Once the cheese is melted, stir in the paprika & cayenne pepper. Season with salt if needed. Serve hot over the chicken.
Rice
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the rice, stir to coat in the oil & cook until slightly golden. Stir in the garlic, salt & cumin.
Add the tomato sauce & chicken broth. Turn the heat to medium high heat & bring the mix to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid & allow to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat, toss in freshly chopped cilantro, stir to combine.
Serve under Mexican chicken topped with cheese sauce.
CELEBRATING HERITAGE DAY!
In 1974, the first Monday of August was made an official provincial holiday to recognize and celebrate the varied cultural heritage of Albertans. Businesses can choose whether or not to recognize the day as a general holiday, which most do.
The Heritage Festival held in our city of Edmonton, Alberta Canada is a three-day event to sample delicious food, see creative performances and celebrate Canada’s multiculturalism. Thousands of visitors come to enjoy the tastes, smells and sounds of different nations around the world.
Even though many people will take in the day’s events and cultural food at the festival, some choose to pack a picnic lunch and take a drive somewhere just to relax.
I am posting a seafood stromboli today that should work well with that idea.
Heritage Festival in our city of Edmonton, Alberta Canada is one of the world’s largest multicultural events, taking place every August. It features over 70 pavilions representing almost 100 countries set up in William Hawrelak Park. All ethnic minorities of Canada come together to exchange experiences, entertainment, cultures and to celebrate Canada’s diversity. Thousands of visitors come to enjoy the tastes, smells and sounds of different nations around the world.
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Everything Bagel Seafood Stromboli
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Ingredients
Everything Bagel Seasoning
Ingredients
Everything Bagel Seasoning
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Instructions
Seasoning
Mix everything bagel seasoning ingredients together & set aside.
Seafood Filling
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, mushrooms & seasonings in the oil. When onions are slightly softened, stir in shrimp & scallops. Let simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add alfredo sauce & cheese, stirring until cheese is melted. Let simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes Taste & add salt & pepper if necessary. Remove from heat & let cool for 10 minutes or until ready to use.
Dough
In large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast into water & let sit until frothy. In a separate bowl, combine flour, Italian seasoning & salt.
Stir oil into yeast mixture. Add flour & with a fork, combine into a shaggy dough. When dough is completely combined, turn dough out onto a work surface & knead dough for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Assembly/Bake
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Remove risen dough from bowl, turn onto a large piece of parchment paper. Roll dough out to about a 12" X 14" rectangle. With a straight edge, make parallel horizontal cuts in the dough at 1" intervals down both sides. Your strips should be cut in 4" from outer edge on both sides, leaving a 1" border at the top and bottom.
Leaving the pastry on the parchment, move it to an 11 3/4 x 4-inch ribbed semi-circle bread pan. The strips will now be hanging down the sides of the pan. Gently press the pastry to conform to the shape of the pan making sure your pastry comes all the way to the top of the pan at the ends.
Place filling in the pastry. Starting with the top right-hand strip of dough, fold it over the filling. Cross the top left-hand strip over the filling. Continue alternating strips to create a braided effect.
Make sure both ends are sealed well then brush the top of stromboli with egg wash & sprinkle with bagel seasoning.
Bake 45 minutes until golden brown.
Recipe Notes
• For this seafood stromboli I used a European ribbed semi-circle bread/cake pan. The size is bigger than a 9 x5-inch loaf pan so it is quite easy to fit dough/filling into it. If a ribbed pan is not available just go with the contemporary style of rolling the stromboli.
• Brush a simple egg wash over the exposed edges of the dough to help ensure the stromboli seals well & doesn’t burst open as it bakes. To fold, tuck the short sides towards the center, then fold the long side with the thinner border towards the side with the wider border. Aim to fold the stromboli twice, creating 3 layers.
• Once assembled, carefully transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with egg wash for a golden finish, then place in the oven. Be sure to rest the baked stromboli a few minutes before slicing & serving!
Most people think of any creamy soup when they hear the word bisque, but it really refers to seafood soup. It originated in France in the region of Brittany, which is known for its seafood. The word ‘bisque’ comes from the Bay of Biscay —a gulf that lies off Europe’s west coast, bordering between France and Spain.
Authentic recipes for bisque actually ground the shells of the crustacean into a fine paste, using that to thicken the soup. Nowadays, it is more common to use flour or rice as a thickener. Although a bisque and a chowder are both cream-based soups and most often feature seafood, it is their consistency that defines them and makes them quite different from each other. Whereas a bisque is smooth, a chowder is chunky, chock full of hearty pieces of ingredients such as potato and clams or corn. We also see bacon as an important ingredient in a chowder when it would not be featured in a bisque.
The first reference to bisque as a soup dates back to the 17th century. It was originally a fisherman’s dish designed to extract the most flavor from whatever seafood ingredients were readily available. So, while today bisque is often considered a ‘fancy’ soup, its humble origins lie in practicality and resourcefulness.
Today’s bisque recipe is a simplified procedure using prepared broth but still gives you the depth of taste and the sumptuous, creamy consistency that makes it a wonderful choice on a cool day.
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Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque
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Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery & carrot until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic & cook for an additional minute.
Stir in tomato paste, paprika, Old Bay seasoning & season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stirring until well combined. Cook for another minute.
Gradually add broth, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer to a standard blender in batches.
Mix in the heavy cream & simmer for 10 more minutes, until slightly thickened.
Add crab meat & shrimp. Simmer for 5 minutes or until seafood is heated through, keeping the heat low to avoid curdling the cream.
Adjust seasoning with salt & black pepper if needed.
Serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs.
Cherries are one of the quintessential fruits of summer. Sour cherries have a unique tartness, giving them an added dimension of cherry flavor wherever you use them. And, unlike their sweet counterparts, they come in a variety of different shades. Sour cherries hold their authentic cherry flavor throughout a high heat cooking process, making them the ideal choice for baked goods or jams.
Pies, crumbles and crisps are the perfect canvas for fresh sour cherries—the buttery pastry and/or oat topping helps cut the fruit’s pungent acidity.
Sour cherries have less sugar than sweet cherries and that’s a good thing because their high acidity brings a bright, vivid flavor while their sugars will concentrate as you cook them. Once cooked, they’ll taste sweeter. When you bake with sweet cherries, the sugar is so high without acidity to balance it out, so the flavor is one-note, and sometimes too sweet.
The bright, vivid flavor of sour cherries complements many other flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, and cinnamon.
This sour cherry crisp is an easy way to let this fleeting seasonal ingredient shine.
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Sour Cherry Crisp
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Instructions
Filling
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In a saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, juice & cornstarch. Make sure the cornstarch is well dispersed. Place saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until bubbly & thickened. Pour the cherry filling into a greased 8 X 8-inch baking dish.
Topping
In a bowl, combine oats, flour & brown sugar. Using a fork, mix in the softened butter until crumbly.
Assembly
Sprinkle the oat topping over the cherries & bake 30 minutes or until topping is a golden color.
Serve at room temperature with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream if you wish.
A calzone is a savory Italian turnover. It traditionally consists of a cheesy filling in a leavened dough and is served with marinara sauce on the side. The calzone originated in Naples in the 18th century.
The best results come when the filling is not too moist because it can make the dough soggy. Like with a stir-fry, it is also better to have a filling where the ingredients are broken down into bite-size pieces, so the filling is easy to eat.
There is nothing better this time of year than fresh corn and tomatoes. This easy corn, tomato & bacon calzone is the perfect way to celebrate fresh summer produce! Don’t overload the filling with ingredients; make your point with a mixture of a few simple flavors then load it with cheese!
Eating vegetables during their seasons really gives you the best flavors.
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Summer Calzones w/ Corn, Tomatoes & Bacon
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Ingredients
Filling
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ears corn, husked & kernels cut from cobs
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 large mushrooms, sliced & sauteed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt & pepper to taste
- 125 gm ricotta cheese
- 150 gm (about 1 1/2 cups) monterey jack cheese, grated
- Cornmeal for sprinkling, optional
- Marinara sauce, for serving
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ears corn, husked & kernels cut from cobs
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 large mushrooms, sliced & sauteed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt & pepper to taste
- 125 gm ricotta cheese
- 150 gm (about 1 1/2 cups) monterey jack cheese, grated
- Cornmeal for sprinkling, optional
- Marinara sauce, for serving
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Instructions
Dough
In a large bowl, place lukewarm water, honey & yeast; allow to stand for a few minutes until frothy. In another bowl, flour & salt.
When yeast is ready, add the 2 Tbsp of oil. Add flour, mixing with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Turn onto a work surface & knead dough for about 5-8 minutes, until smooth & elastic. Place dough ball in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & let rise in a warm place until doubled in size while you prepare filling.
Filling
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan & set aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
To the bacon drippings, add the mushrooms, shallot & garlic. Sauté over medium heat for a few minutes then add the corn, red pepper flakes & a pinch of salt & pepper.
Cook for a few minutes then add the halved cherry tomatoes & basil. Cook, stirring frequently, for a couple minutes. You want the tomatoes to just warm through, not to completely break down. Stir in the crisped bacon & remove the pan from the heat so the mixture can cool to room temperature.
Assembly/Baking
On a lightly greased work surface, divide the risen dough into 8 even balls. Roll each ball into an OVAL shape, about 7 x 6-inch size. Divide filling into 8 portions.
On each oval, spoon a couple tablespoons of the ricotta in a straight line on the middle of the dough. Next, spoon a couple tablespoons of the corn-tomato filling on top of the ricotta. Finally, add about 2-3 tablespoons of grated Monterey Jack cheese.
Keep one side free & cut the other side of the dough into thin strips using a knife. Fold the uncut side over the filling first, then continue rolling over the cut side.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper & place the ‘calzones’ on it, curving them into a C shape. (Place the side with the ‘strips’ curving to the outside). Brush calzones lightly with egg wash, sprinkle with cornmeal if you wish. Cover with plastic wrap & allow to rise for about 20 minutes.
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Bake for 25 minutes or until the dough is golden and crisp and the filling is gooey. Allow to cool slightly before serving with warmed marinara sauce.
July is such a wonderful month. The weather’s warm, there’s still plenty of summer left, and the produce is literally amazing.
Midsummer means the farmer’s markets are brimming with great fruit & veggies. With such a colorful bounty of goods, we can settle into our summer cooking routines with tasty meals hot or cold.
But, even in summer, we sometimes crave ‘comfort food’ such as a savory hand pie. The humble hand pie goes by many different names: call it a pasty, a turnover, an empanada, or whatever you like, who doesn’t love a little portable personal-sized savory pie?
These hand pies, with their tender, flaky, herbed crust perfectly envelop the creamy chicken and summer veggies. A flavorful meal that can be served as the main course for a warm-weather picnic or for a hand-held, backyard meal with the addition of a nice fresh salad at home.
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Summer Chicken/Veg Hand Pies w/ Herbed Crust
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Instructions
Herbed Crust
Add the flour, sugar, basil, oregano & salt to a food processor; pulse just until combined. In a small bowl, whisk mix together the egg, vinegar & water. Add the cold butter pieces into the food processor; pulse until small coarse crumbs remain. Sprinkle the water/egg mixture over the flour & pulse again until the dough comes together.
Remove the dough with your hands & wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Prepare filling during this time.
Filling
Heat a Dutch oven or pot over medium high heat; add the olive oil & butter. Season the chicken with the salt & pepper then add it to the pot. Cook until the chicken is golden & browned, then remove it with a spoon & place it in a bowl.
Add the 3 tablespoons of butter to the pot with the onion. Sprinkle in a bit more salt & pepper. Stir, then cook the onions until slightly soft, about 4 - 5 minutes. Add the potatoes & stir, cooking for another 5 minutes; stirring often. Sprinkle the flour over the onions & potatoes; stir gently to create somewhat of a roux with the vegetables. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Slowly stream the chicken stock into the pot while stirring – it will thicken. Stir in the squash, green beans, corn and chicken. Stir in the cream. Taste the mixture and season with salt & pepper if needed.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Remove pastry from refrigerator & place on a baking sheet or board. Invert a 5-inch bowl over top to create your outline of each hand pie. Press down to cut out.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place rounds of pastry on the parchment & brush around the outer edge of each pastry circle.
Distribute the filling in the center of each pastry circle (don't fill to the edge; leave some space). You want enough filling in there, but not too much that you can't close/seal over.
Fold over each pastry circle (so each is a half-moon shape), pressing the outer edges with a fork to seal. You can gently press over top (with your hand) to spread out the filling inside.
Brush the hand pies with some of the remaining egg wash. Cut 3 slits in top of each pastry circle. Place them in the fridge for about 10 minutes so the pastry gets a little cold again.
Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until they're golden brown and crispy on the outside & heated through. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving. Nothing says they can't be served with a little gravy (if desired)!
Recipe Notes
- You may get anywhere from 6-8 hand pies depending how thick your dough is rolled.
