The flavor of Chinese five-spice is cozy, comforting, and tastes just like fall! While it’s commonly associated with savory dishes, it can also add an interesting twist to sweet and fruity flavors. The warm and aromatic notes of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise work well with the delicate flavor of pears complementing their natural sweetness.
Chinese Five Spice Powder has been used in Chinese cooking for centuries. Although its origins are somewhat mysterious, it seems to have roots in traditional Chinese medicine. The belief was that this mixture would foster internal harmony by uniting the five main flavors traditionally employed in Chinese cuisine: sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, and salty. By achieving this balance of flavors, aligned with the five main elements (earth, fire, water, metal, and wood), tradition held that one could achieve balance in mind and body.
This flavorful blend of spices typically includes star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel seeds and while five spice powder won’t magically cure ailments, it can certainly elevate lackluster dishes.
Chinese five spice as been a favorite of mine for many years. I like it in both sweet and savory dishes but today I thought it would make these ordinary little fall muffins into something special – and it does!
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Chinese 5 Spice Pear & Applesauce Muffins
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin cups with 8 jumbo papers or 12 regular size papers.
Using an electric mixer, cream together butter & sugar then add applesauce, eggs & vanilla & mix until smooth.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt & 5-spice powder.
Add flour mixture to wet mixture, folding in only until barely combined then add diced pear & gently fold into mixture.
Scoop the batter evenly into prepared muffin tin. Divide topping between muffins & gently spread over top using a fork. Bake 25-30 minutes & a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.
Oktoberfest is an annual festival which began in Munich. It actually begins in September, ending on the first Sunday in October.
The festival originated on October 12, 1810, in celebration of the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Louis I, to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.
Of course, as with any celebration, there are many foods associated with the occasion, ‘spätzle’ being one of them. The first name that comes to the mind when one thinks of pasta is Italy, however, the Germans too love pastas. Spätzle is a cross between pasta, an egg noodle and a dumpling, a kind of ‘German mac & cheese,’. It originates from the Baden-Württemberg region of southwest Germany and is a common dish at any beer hall or beer tent during Oktoberfest.
Celebrating Oktoberfest doesn’t have to be all about the German beer. So I thought, why not take the spätzle idea one step further and make it into lasagna?! Classic German staples come together in this lasagna to make a very unique version of the classic dish.
There are six main ingredients in this recipe. The first is spätzle. The second is onion. By caramelizing the diced pieces you turn it into little velvety pieces of heaven that add incredible depth and sweetness to the dish. Third is Bratwurst, a fresh link sausage characterized by its many different spices and seasonings. Fourth is sauerkraut, bratwurst’s classic sidekick. Fifth is bacon and the crowning touch and grand finale is the Emmentaler cheese.
Compared to traditional pasta dough, spätzle is softer and quite moist. The dough is quite basic, made from flour, eggs, water and salt. Although these little ‘dumplings’ can be eaten with almost anything, I thought they added something real special to this German lasagna.
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Oktoberfest German Spätzle Lasagna
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Instructions
Spätzle
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with salt & make a well in the center. Add eggs to the well & whisk the flour into the eggs. Gradually whisk in the water until a very thick batter forms. Cover with a damp cloth & allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place spätzle dough maker above the pot with the water. Load with dough & slide back & forth or press to squeeze the dough through & form the spätzle noodles.
Once the spätzle begins to float to the surface, scoop with a large, slotted spoon & transfer to a colander placed inside a bowl for the drained water to collect. Continue the process until all of the dough is used.
Caramelized Onions
Heat oil in saucepan, add onion & sprinkle with salt. Cook & stir about 15 minutes or until moisture is evaporated & onion is soft. Reduce heat, sprinkle with cider vinegar. Cook & stir until golden. Stir in brown sugar; cook & stir until caramel brown in color. Set it aside.
Sauce
In the saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, bouillon, garlic powder & salt until smooth. Gradually stir in milk & broth. Bring to a boil; cook & stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat to a bowl & set aside.
In the saucepan, cook bacon (not too crisp); remove to a cutting board to coarsely chop. Add bratwurst sausage meat (which has been removed from casings) to saucepan & scramble fry until cooked. Drain on paper towel. Add chopped bacon, bratwurst & caramelized onions to your prepared sauce.
Cotage Cheese & Other Ingredients
In a small bowl, beat eggs; add cottage cheese & pepper. Set aside. Drain sauerkraut & rinse. Squeeze dry. Grate cheese
Assembly
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Spread 1 cup sauce mixture over bottom of pan. Layer with 1/3 of the spätzle noodles, 1/3 of sauce mixture, 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 of the sauerkraut & 3/4 cup grated cheese. Repeat layers (spätzle, sauce, cottage cheese, sauerkraut, spätzle, sauce). Save grated cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking.
Cover & bake for 50-60 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining GRATED CHEESE; bake 5 minutes longer until cheese is melted. Allow to stand 15 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Notes
- If you do not have a spätzle dough maker, just drop spoonsful of dough into the boiling water to form spätzle noodles. Dip your spoon into water to prevent it from sticking on the spoon.
HONORING LORETTA’S MEMORY!
Today, July 25, my sister Loretta would have been 82. Over the years I have shared many experiences on the blog that I had enjoyed with Loretta. She was an avid follower of the blog and always encouraged me to keep writing. In February of 2023, Loretta’s time on this earth ended. Loretta was a beautiful melody in the rhythm of my life. Her passing has left such an empty place in my heart.
The phrase ‘too much of a good thing’ is certainly not true when it comes to the many memories we shared. I will always give anything to recollect and relive the memories we created together.
She was a constant in my life during her lifetime. Loretta was so much more than just a sister to me. Only her love, kindness, and the memories we shared can bridge the gap between the departure of her passing.
Loretta was a very kind, gentle soul. She was a sister, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, friend and professional health care worker as well as many other things she did with such love and compassion.
I wanted to make something special on the blog to honor her memory. This blackberry chicken seems fitting since she loved berries.
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Blackberry Chicken
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Instructions
In a small bowl, mash 2 Tbsp berries. Add 1/4 cup broth, brown sugar, vinegar, oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon paprika & cumin.
Place chicken in an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray; pour broth mixture over the top. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, pepper & remaining paprika.
Bake, uncovered, at 375 F. for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through, basting occasionally with pan juices. Remove chicken and keep warm.
Skim fat from pan drippings. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch & remaining broth until smooth. Gradually stir in drippings. Bring to a boil; cook & stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with chicken; sprinkle with remaining blackberries. Mashed potatoes or pasta with some roasted veggies round out this meal nicely.
Black sesame seed cookies are enjoyed for their unique combination of nutty, earthy flavor and visually appealing dark color. They offer a different flavor profile than white sesame cookies, with a richer, more pronounced taste that can be balanced with sweetness. Additionally, the black sesame seeds contribute to a subtle crunch and visual appeal.
Black sesame seeds are a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine used in sweet and savory dishes. In traditional Chinese and Japanese cooking, these seeds are often ground into a paste and used as a filling for pastries and dumplings. They are also sprinkled on rice dishes, noodles, and vegetables for flavor and crunch.
Black sesame seeds hold significant positive symbolism in many cultures, particularly in Asian traditions and Hinduism. They are often associated with longevity, good health, prosperity, and spiritual purity.
The ‘Open Sesame’ phrase that originated from the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves from One Thousand and One Nights, where the words ‘open sesame’ were used to open a cave containing treasure. The phrase refers to the sesame seed pods feature of splitting open to reveal its contents, symbolizing the unlocking of treasures and knowledge.
Today, I had originally started out to bake some quick little flaxseed cookies but when I realized I was out of flaxseed but had some black sesame seeds on hand, they became one of those ‘the same only different’ type cookies. Brion & I were pleasantly surprised at how nice they tasted.
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Black Sesame Seed Cookies
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Instructions
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In bowl, beat together butter with brown & white sugars until light; beat in egg & vanilla.
In separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, black sesame seeds & baking soda; stir into butter mixture until soft dough forms.
Drop by level tablespoonfuls, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on ungreased rimless baking sheets. Bake in top & bottom thirds of oven, rotating & switching pans halfway through, until golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool on pan on rack for 2 minutes.
Transfer cookies to rack; let cool.
Pairing beets with chocolate might seem unusual at first glance, but it works beautifully in a cake. It gives an extra bit of complexity to something that’s already amazing. The beets add earthiness and make the cake dense and moist.
This idea is particularly associated with wartime rationing, when sugar and flour were scarce. While historically a frugal option, chocolate beet cake has become more of a novelty or trend in recent years, with modern bakers experimenting with the flavor profile and incorporating it into more elaborate recipes.
It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly who ‘first’ paired saskatoons with beet cake, as such recipes are often developed over time and evolve through various culinary traditions.
Saskatoon berries, or serviceberries, are a staple ingredient in Canadian baking, particularly in pies, cakes, and jams. They are known for their sweet and nutty flavor. Given the historical context, it’s likely that the pairing of saskatoon berries with chocolate beet cake emerged organically in regions where both ingredients were readily available and used in baking. Bakers in these areas may have naturally incorporated saskatoon berries into their beet cake recipes, either as a topping, filling, or as part of the batter.
These little Bundt cakes with their saskatoon berry topping make a very special summertime dessert when those precious berries arrive.
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Chocolate Beet Bundt Cakes w/ Saskatoon Berry Sauce
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Instructions
Beet Puree
Remove beet stems & peel. Rinse beets & chop into small cubes. Place beets in a small saucepan & add water. Cook for about 10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from heat & allow to cool. Once cool, puree beets with a small amount of the cooking water in a blender or food processor.
Cake
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In a large bowl, place first 6 liquid ingredients & combine well. Add remaining ingredients & mix well.
Scoop into 8 mini Bundt pans (or large cupcake pan), filling about 3/4 full. You can butter the pans or use silicon cups.
For mini Bundt cakes bake only about 9 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick.
Remove from oven & allow to cool slightly.
Saskatoon Berry Sauce
In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar & salt. Add water & saskatoons. Stir while cooking until 'clear' & bubbling. Add margarine & lemon juice, stir then remove from heat.
Serving
Place individual little Bundt cakes on dessert plates. Top with whipped topping & saskatoon berry sauce. Serve.
Blackberries, with their juicy and sweet-tart flavor, have a fascinating history that spans thousands of years. The history of blackberries is a tapestry woven with ancient uses, cultural symbolism, and artistic inspiration. These delectable berries have captivated people across different cultures and have been cherished for their taste and medicinal properties. From their medicinal properties in traditional medicine to their role in folklore and literature, blackberries have left an indelible mark on human history.
Blackberries have held symbolic meaning in various cultures throughout history. In some European folklore, blackberries were associated with protection against evil spirits and were often used in rituals and ceremonies. They were also believed to bring good fortune and prosperity to those who consumed them.
In Celtic mythology, blackberries were associated with the changing seasons. It was believed that the blackberries gained their rich color when the fairies and spirits of the ‘otherworld’ would bless them during the summer months. Eating blackberries after a certain date, often referred to as ‘Old Michaelmas Day, also called Devil Spits Day’, was considered bad luck, as it was believed that the devil had claimed them according to old British folklore.
Their journey across continents and their ability to adapt to different environments speak to their resilience and popularity.
Brion & I became aware of these wonderful berries several years ago. Now, every chance I get I try to incorporate them into something I’m making whether its sweet or savory. Today they are front and center in these cookies adding loads of flavor.
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Blackberry Cookies
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the old-fashioned rolled oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt. Set dry mixture aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugars until the mixture is light & fluffy.
Add egg & vanilla to the wet mixture & beat until well combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a cookie dough forms.
Scoop cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space between each cookie.
Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb or the back of a spoon. Fill each indentation with 3-4 blackberries. If they are large cut them in half.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
I’ve always felt that grapes are an under-utilized baking ingredient. When it comes to grapes, we think automatically of wine. But not every bunch is destined for the next great vintage. Grapes act like any other berry (which is what they are) in baking applications, unleashing their depth of flavor as well as lending their color and beauty.
There are endless possibilities for the use of grapes beyond wine in both sweet and savory. I probably have more recipe ideas for them than I’ll ever get around to making but …
Today, I just wanted to make a simple crisp for our dessert. The beauty of crisps is that you can make them all year long, using any fruit that is in season. We are lucky enough to have nice tasting grapes available at our grocery stores all season long. Crisps are perfect because they are super easy to assemble, and they are hard to ruin.
For the record, there’s not a huge difference between crisps and crumbles. Some say that a crisp has oats while a crumble does not. Another theory suggests that crumbles are the English version of crisps. For me, the two terms have always been interchangeable so no need to overcomplicate things, just enjoy!
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Individual Grape Crisps
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 4 ramekins with cooking spray & set aside.
Grapes
In a bowl, toss the grapes with sugar, ginger & cinnamon. Divide evenly between the 4 ramekins.
Topping
In another bowl, combine the melted butter, flour, oats, brown sugar, pecans & salt. Mix until a crumbly mixture forms.
Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of each ramekin.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops begin to brown.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping if desired.
Tourtiere is a traditional French-Canadian meal enjoyed by many people throughout Canada. There is no one correct filling; the meat depends on what is regionally available. In coastal areas, fish such as salmon is commonly used, whereas pork, beef and game are often included inland. The name derives from the vessel in which it was originally cooked, a tourtiere.
No matter what the meats used, or the presence or absence of potato, bold seasoning is the rule for all varieties. The four original spices used in the classic tourtiere are cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Like so many of these recipes that have been ‘handed down’ over generations, each family alters it to suit their taste.
While the smell and flavor are unique, they aren’t difficult to like. The flavors are ultimately simple and comforting and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand often.
This version of tourtiere replaces mashed potatoes with apples as well as using apple juice in the filling. It presents an interesting twist on the classic version.
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Pork & Apple Tourtiere Galette w/ Cranberry Chutney
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Instructions
Pastry
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & salt. Cut in butter until it resembles small peas. In a 1/2 cup measure, place 1 tsp vinegar & fill it nearly to the top with ICE water. Pour the mixture all at once over the flour mixture, mixing quickly, until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl. This should only take a couple of minutes; DO NOT OVER MIX PASTRY. Wrap in plastic wrap & place in fridge until ready to roll out.
Chutney
Place all chutney ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer & cook on low heat until cranberries pop & fruit is soft, about 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasonings, or sweetness to your taste. Remove from heat & allow to cool for a few minutes. Place chutney in a food processor & pulse a couple of times to make a sauce-like consistency. Remove from processor & allow to cool. Store in a jar in the fridge until ready to serve with tourtiere.
Tourtiere
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In a saucepan, heat oil & brown pork, onion, garlic & spices for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour & mix well. Stir in the apple juice, mustard, salt & pepper.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Place the dough in a 10-inch pie plate & add the pork mixture. About 3/4-inch from outside edge place a ring of apple slices. Fold excess pastry in toward center.
Brush the dough with egg wash then bake for 40 minutes or until the tourtiere is golden brown.
Recipe Notes
- You may find you have a bit of extra pastry. Just wrap it well & freeze it for another time.
The Tim Hortons Fruit Explosion Muffin is a super tasty treat that combines the goodness of a moist vanilla cake muffin with bursts of fruity flavor. While the exact creation date isn’t widely documented, these muffins have become a beloved staple at Tim Hortons. Founded in 1964, Tim Hortons is an iconic Canadian restaurant known for its quality coffee, freshly baked goods, great fast-food and hockey roots. Great tasting coffee (the ‘double double’) is at the core of their identity.
If you’re a fan of Tim Hortons’ Fruit Explosion Muffins, you’ll love these homemade versions. Another reason to try a copycat version is the calorie count. From what I understand, the Tim Hortons version comes in at 360 calories per muffin whereas this recipe trims it down to a ‘healthy’ 166 calories for the medium size and 331 for large ones.
The combination of sweet and tart flavors from the fruit creates a wonderful balance with the natural sweetness of the berries complementing the muffin base. Sour cream is a secret ingredient that makes these muffins extra moist. They’re soft, cakey, tender and in the center, have a little fruity surprise of blueberry jam.
The options for making this treat are endless—swap out the berries or try different fruit fillings. Whether for breakfast or a snack, these muffins are a burst of fruity goodness! Another bonus is that these muffins freeze beautifully, making them convenient for busy mornings.
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Fruit Explosion Muffin
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 3 muffin pans with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine sour cream, oil, applesauce, eggs & vanilla with a whisk. Stir in sugars until combined completely. Add flours, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. Stir just until combined then fold in berries.
Spoon 1 Tbsp of batter into the bottom of each liner, spreading it cover the bottom completely. Top with 2 tsp of jam & cover with remaining batter (about one heaping tablespoon per muffin cup), covering the jam as best as you can.
Bake for 23-25 minutes or until golden brown, toothpick comes out clean & batter around berries appears set. Cool to room temperature & serve.
May be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
Recipe Notes
• This amount of batter will make 18 regular size muffins or 9 large.
Decorated trees, lights, candles, poinsettias, holly, special baked goods– there are some things that just define Christmas. When I was growing up, Christmas baking was such a major event my mother undertook. Although she put many hours of work into her baking, I think she really enjoyed it. Many of the ingredients for the special things she would bake at this time of the year were just too expensive to have on hand all the time. Somehow, she would work her magic and make that grocery money stretch to include these things. During my childhood fruit mincemeat was a pie or tart that we looked forward to having. Today, it seems – not so much.
As with many traditional recipes, especially the ones we make and enjoy around big holidays or life events, mincemeat pies are steeped with tradition and customs. Mincemeat would often be made on ‘stir-up’ Sunday along with the Christmas pudding, the last Sunday before Advent. Stirring the mincemeat was quite an event, and English tradition dictates that it should only be stirred clockwise. Stirring the mincemeat anti-clockwise would lead to bad luck and poor fortune in the coming 12 months. To spread the joy, it was tradition in England that each member of the family gave the mixture a stir, while making a wish. And if you wanted to be ensured good health and happiness in the upcoming year, you should eat one mince pie every day for the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Eve until the 5th of January.
Today’s modern mincemeat is a boozy, sweet, fruit filling for tarts and pies as well as a variety of other desserts. While mincemeat often plays a supporting role to the apple pie here in North America, the English mincemeat pie is only a two-bite size.
Both Brion & I still enjoy the taste of mincemeat. It just wouldn’t seem like Christmas if we didn’t have some version of it.
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Mincemeat Tart
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Instructions
Pastry
In a medium bowl, cream butter with sugar, salt & vanilla; add the egg yolk. In a small bowl, whisk together flour & baking powder; add to creamed mixture. Blend well. Press into a 13 3/4" x 4 3/8" (35 x 11 cm) tart pan. Cover with plastic wrap set aside in freezer or refrigerator until needed.
Filling
In a large baking dish, combine all the ingredients except the alcohol, stirring well to make sure they're evenly distributed. Cover with a tea towel & leave overnight for the flavors to marinate together.
Preheat the oven to 230 F.
Remove towel & cover the pot with foil & place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven & stir mincemeat mixture well. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. The stirring is essential to distribute the fruit as the mixture cools.
Once cooled, stir the mincemeat again, add the alcohol & stir one more time. Spoon into pastry shell & level out gently.
Crumble Topping
Beat butter, brown sugar & salt in a bowl with mixer on high speed until light & fluffy. Blend in flour & oatmeal just until crumbly. Crumble streusel mixture over filling.
Bake on bottom rack for 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown & filling begins to bubble. If topping is getting brown too fast, cover with foil. Cool completely on wire rack.
Recipe Notes
- SPICE COMBO
- 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- This amount will be enough for 2 recipes of mincemeat filling in case you want to make a dozen tarts as well!
