I am a little obsessed

I can't believe it's been just over five years since Dan passed away. Often it feels like a moment ago, but then I look at the children and how they have grown and realize just how far we have come.

The J Team

Which brings me to the Haggis and Herring.  Dan and I loved/love food. We had so many fun adventures trying out new recipes and it was frequently our weekend entertainment.  I really miss it.  Now, in fairness,  the cooking part was always Dan's turf.  I was in charge of baking and eating.  Truth be told I am about ten pounds lighter than when he was alive. Silver lining?

With Dan gone feeding the boys has fallen to me. And it's been quite the journey to get to a place where 80% of our meals aren't being prepared by someone else.

The impact of Dan's death has dealt repeated blows over there years,  one of the first was when I went to the grocery store for the first time.  I suddenly realized I hadn't been "in charge" of groceries for a long time and had zero clue what I was doing.  It was kind of hilarious. In his A type manner, Dan wrote a  comprehensive list before he shopped based on the meal plan for the week. I set out with my half working bereavement/pregnancy brain with only a vague idea of what I need, realized I had no idea where things were in the store because I hadn't been in years, resulting in me backtracking all over the store and finally arriving back home all kinds "stuff" none of which could be combined to make any kind of  normal meal. Thankfully Jeremy who was two at the time and is affectionately known as "the Garbage Can" would eat anything.

Five Years Later

Fast forward to today.  This past summer I finally able to fulfill our original plan for the house which was to remodel the kitchen. It was somewhat emotional to tear out the kitchen where Dan spent so much time creating his masterpieces but it was time and I was happy to see the end of the green cupboards. If you never got to see them, yes they were as bad as you are picturing!

I am thrilled with the end result.  Isn't she isn't she pretty? Almost too pretty to use...... kidding!

Needless to say, I am obsessed with my new kitchen and the library of manuals to work all my new appliances.

I have had a few adventures in the new kitchen and the boys are thrilled that we once again have a working oven that will produce cookies.


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Finding a butcher was the best thing I ever did! - In memory of my brother Dan

My brother would be so proud of me, I found a butcher!

In this day in age of a world of superstores that sell everything from t-shirts, tv's and and apples, you don't come across many butchers that work in the store.  Yes, they have a deli counter, where someone was trained to slice meat, but they aren't a butcher.  And if those super stores have a butcher, they are not at the counter, they are behind the scenes just butchering meat, not talking with customers.

These super stores have definitely put a strain on small business.  I know I am guilty for shopping a lot at Superstore and Costco because of the convenience and cost.  We certainly get great deals on some of our everyday items.

When I wrote one of my first tribute posts in memory of my brother Dan, I didn't know it yet, but I met my butcher Dave.  Dave is the owner of Ben's Meat & Deli.  I walked in looking for a tenderloin to make a gluten free beef wellington.  I couldn't find a cut anywhere.  Until I walked into Ben's Meat, and met Dave and his family.

I quickly learned a few things after that first visit

1. Dave really knows meat!
2. Dave really loves talking to his customers
3. Dave has what seems like his entire family working in the butcher shop
4. Dave is Dutch, and proud of it!
5. Dave has Celiac Disease, just like my wife, and has tonnes of extra gluten free goodies at his shop, which is great for me Gluten Free Edmonton blog.

Every time I go to Ben's Meats on a Saturday the place is jam packed and his family is working hard getting orders out.  But that doesn't stop Dave from walking with a customer around the shop talking about all the amazing stuff his carries, or some of the deals he has.  Or heck, even taking in suggestions from customers.  As I suggested he should sell his smoked brisket more often, and he has, and sells out pretty quickly when he does!

If Dan were still here today, I would have loved to take him to meet Dave, they would have got along just fine, and I'm sure talk food all day long!  Dave is full of great tips on food preparation.  One of which I just shared on Facebook about the best way to cut and warm up a brisket.

If you live in Edmonton, or ever visit, be sure to visit Dave at Ben's Meats!  You won't regret it.

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Dafina - Moroccan Shabbat Stew - For Dan

September 14, 2015 marked the 3rd anniversary of the passing of my brother Daniel.  Daniel loved his family and loved cooking for his family and friends.  That's why he started Haggis and the Herring.

Every year I have been posting one recipe to honour him.  

I was recently in Toronto for a family wedding.  My sister'n'law Brianne was getting married.  During one of the post wedding celebration meals, her husbands aunt made a Moroccan dish that I had not had in a long time.  Dafina is a Moroccan stew made on the Sabbath because the cooking is started before shabbat begins, and finishes after it ends, so your meal is ready to be eaten.

This is what it takes to make some Dafina

This was a staple dish my dads mother (Mama) made every Saturday for lunch.  The whole family, all the aunts and cousins would cram into my grandparents 2 bedroom apartment around a string of tables and just enjoy everyones company.

Lets get this thing boiling!

After Mama passed away my Auntie Debbie and Uncle Gerry took over hosting shabbat lunch, and my aunt took over the tradition of making Dafina for the family.  I asked my aunt for her recipe, because I wanted to try it out.  In true form, like someone that cooks from the heart, she gave me a rough cut of the recipe, with no measurements of spices or ingredients, just guided by love of the food.  You know when its right.

Ready to eat!

So in true family fashion, I made up Dafina and invited my mother'n'law and father'n'law over to share the meal.  I was so happy to be able to make this meal for family like my grandmother would.  Made me proud, because I don't tap into my Moroccan heritage all that much, especially when it comes to cooking.  I'm glad they enjoyed it too!

This is how you can make this traditional meal (Roughly speaking of course since I guessed on some of the measurements):

Ingredients:

• Large piece of chuck steak (I used stewing beef)
• Potato and Yams/Sweet Potato peeled (Enough for at least one piece for each person of each kind)
• Eggs (Enough for at least one person)
• Large can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
• One large spanish onion
• 3-4 Cinnamon sticks (depending on how much you are making
• About 1 tbsp Garlic powder
• About 1 tbsp Paprika
• About 1 1bsp Tumeric
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season meat with garlic powder, paprika and tumeric and let sit with dry rub while you peel the potato and take skin off the onion.  If you don't think 1 tbsp of each is enough, just mess around and add more or less.  The meat shouldn't be drenched in it, just nicely seasoned.
2. In a large oven safe pot, layer the following:
• seasoned meat on the bottom
• Potato (both kinds)
• Onion
• Eggs (gently to not crack)
• Can of chickpeas drained
• Cinnamon sticks
3. Fill pot with water to cover ingredients in pot
4. Boil for 1 hour (In a traditional sense, you would do this before shabbat starts)
5. You can now either:
• Place in oven at 225 all night until morning and then place back on stove top and put on low until you are ready to eat or;
• Place in a slow cooker on low all night until you are ready to eat the next day

Serve with a baguette to dip and suck up all the sauce!

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For my brother Dan - My Beef Wellington Experience

Today mark's the second anniversary of my brother's sudden passing.  The only way I can think of continuing honouring him is to try and love cooking half as much as he did.  Last year in honour of his Haggis and Herring blog I made Haggis and Herring.  This year, I decided to take on a Beef Wellington.  But for those that don't know me, I write a gluten free living blog at www.glutenfreeedmonton.com, so the slight twist was to make this a gluten free recipe.

Dan, I miss you with all my heart!

The idea of a Beef Wellington all started with the release of Pillsbury's gluten free pastry dough.  The first thing that came to my head wasn't pie (because I'm not a baker), but Beef Wellington!  Why Beef Wellington?  Because Chef Gordon Ramsay has it as a staple on the Hell's Kitchen menu.  What a great challenge.  Try and make a Beef Wellington good enough that Gordon Ramsay won't be screaming at you telling you its RAW and throwing it down like it's garbage.

So task #1.  Find a recipe.  I opened up my Food Network App, search wellington, and spotted a recipe that looked good to me by Tyler Florence (recipe shared below).

Task #2, search out the ingredients.  The only unique ingredients was the tenderloin cut (filet mignon) and procuitto (yes the tenderloin was wrapped in yummyness).

Knowing that I needed to do this right and go to a butcher, I went to Ben's Meat for the tenderloin.  I knew the meat was going to be expensive for 3lbs, and $60 later I was about to work with the most expensive cut of meat I have ever worked with.  And to be honest, that was a good price for that meat.

task #4 tackle this bad boy of a recipe.  I spent the better part of a morning prepping the meat and the insides of the wellington.  I knew it wasn't going to be easy, so I even called in reinforcements when it came to working with the gluten free pastry.

So what was the end results?  A slight mess!  It actually tasted amazing, and the meat was perfect.  But there are two things I didn't do well that could have made this dish perfect.

As you can see the crust kind of fell apart

First thing, I didn't roll the tenderloin tight enough.  I found it a challenge to wrap the tenderloin with the prosciutto and mushroom stuffing really right with the seran wrap.  I knew it wasn't perfectly tight, but I thought it was pretty good.  If you try this recipe, make sure you wrap it really tight.  There should be no give so when you put the tenderloin in the fridge, it will do a better job at holding its shape before wrapping it with the pastry.

Second thing I messed up on, was cutting the vents in the pastry.  I could not have wrapped this damn thing, without the help of my pastry loving mother'n'law.  I just had no idea what I was doing.  We then cut the vents, but I think we needed to cut the vents deeper, or cut more of them.  This particular recipe had a mushroom stuffing and mushroom contains lots of water.  So, although the top stayed crispy (and damn that Pillsbury makes a good gluten free pastry crust), the bottom got really soggy because the moisture couldn't escape to well.

So here is the recipe:

The Ultimate Beef Wellington - From Tyler Florence

For the Duxelles:

• 3 pints (1 1/2 pounds) white  button mushrooms
• 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons  unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the Duxelles: Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.  Add butter and olive oil to a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

For the Beef:

• 1 (3-pound) center cut  beef tenderloin ( filet mignon), trimmed
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 thin slices prosciutto
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons  Dijon mustard
• Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
• 1 pound  puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
• 2 large  eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse  sea salt
• Minced  chives, for garnish
• Green Peppercorn Sauce, recipe follows
• Roasted  Fingerling Potatoes
• Warm Wilted Winter Greens, recipe follows

To prepare the beef: Tie the tenderloin in 4 places so it holds its cylindrical shape while cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - about 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (plastic needs to be about a foot and a half in length so you can wrap and tie the roast up in it) on top of your cutting board. Shingle the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire filet of beef. Using a rubber spatula cover evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. When the beef is seared, remove from heat, cut off twine and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic.  Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef - saving ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.



Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife - this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest before cutting into thick slices. Garnish with minced chives, and serve with Green Peppercorn Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, and Warm Wilted Winter Greens.



Green Peppercorn Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 sprigs fresh  thyme, leaves only
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 box  beef stock
• 2 cups  cream
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 1/2 cup green  peppercorns in  brine, drained, brine reserved

Add olive oil to pan after removing beef. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme; saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then, off heat, add brandy and flambe using a long kitchen match. After flame dies down, return to the heat, add stock and reduce by about half. Strain out solids, then add 2 cups cream and mustard. Reduce by half again, then shut off heat and add green peppercorns.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place a baking sheet inside to heat.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Fresh  Herbs and Garlic:

• 2 pints fingerling potatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh sage
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 cloves garlic, left unpeeled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus for  sheet pan
• Salt and pepper

Add potatoes, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic to a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove sheet pan from oven, lightly coat with olive oil, and pour potatoes onto pan. Place potatoes in oven and reduce heat to 425 degrees F. Roast for 20 minutes, or until crispy on outside and tender on inside. Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen
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Egipcios - Moroccan Shortbread Cookie with Dates

Growing up my brother Daniel and I went to my grandparents every Saturday for Shabbat lunch.  Mama (grandmother from my dads side) was an amazing baker, and had a lot of family recipes.  I am not sure how many of them got passed on to family.  I know my brother had a few of them that he shared but I couldn't find the Egipcios recipe on here.

Not to long ago, our cousin posted a picture of these cookies on Facebook.  So I absolutely asked for the recipe from my dads cousin. Rachel was my dads cousin than Dan always went to first when seeking out Moroccan family recipes.

Egipcios are cookies that are probably best described as a short bread cookie stuffed with dates.  The cookie is usually crumbly and not too sweet, but stuffed with a date mixture that adds just the right amount of sweetness.

Me, not being the baker, asked my mother'n'law if she could try to make these cookies for me.  Nancy is always up for a challenge in the kitchen, so she was quick to accept.  I just gave her an extra twist to my challenge because my wife has Celiac Disease, and I wanted this recipe to be gluten free so I could share the experience of one of my favourite childhood cookies with my wife.  This didn't phase Nancy and she went to work and didn't disappoint.  Within a week she had all the ingredients needed to make this happen.

Here is the family recipe, I hope you enjoy!  If you want to make it gluten free, just make sure the flour is a gluten free flour and that the baking powder is gluten free, because not all are.

EGIPCIOS

Ingredients:

Cookie Pastry:
½ PKG CRISCO
7 TBLP WATER
7 TBLP OIL
7 TBSP SUGAR
3 TSP BAKING POWDER
ABOUT 3 CUPS FLOUR
PARNOOSH DATES IN A CONTAINER PITTED

Date Mixture:
DATES USE ½ CONTAINER
IN FOOD PROCESSOR PUT IN DATES
½ TSP CLOVE
½ TSP NUTMEG
½ TSP CINAMON

Directions:

1. Mix date mixture well.  Adjust spice ration to taste.
2. Using oil on your palm, form sticks a bit shorter and thicker than the size of a crayon.
3. Mix the dough and form the dough into halves (not to long)
4. Take the dough and put the date in.  Put another dough around to close and form the egipcios
5. Set oven to 300 degrees and bake until bottoms are lightly browned.
6. Garnesh with confectionery sugar.
7. Any leftover date mixture can be frozen.

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Picky McPickerstein Black Bean Brownies

We are a family of foodies.   My  three year old happily eats any type of cuisine. I would even go as far to say he has a gourmand's palette, he recently rejected cheese whiz on a bagel in favour of some grilled salmon.  The nine month old is heading the same direction.  He refuses to eat all jarred baby food (as really he should - have you tasted that stuff?) and will only eat home made food. 

There is one exception to this house of gourmet children.

The nine year old.  He is the exact opposite, a Picky McPickerstein.  Herculean efforts have been made to try and get this child to deviate from his limited diet of plain pasta, cheese pizza, toast, and peas.  Okay, there are a few more items on the list but you get the idea.  To say it makes things challenging is an understatement. Not to mention the worry that he isn't getting enough nutrients. 

Various "hide the good stuff so they don't know they are eating it" recipes have been recommended, tried and ultimately failed to pass the picky eaters taste test. 

Until now....... 

He gobbles these up!  He actually just asked for the recipe so he could make them at school.  That's not going to happen - I need to keep the secret ingredient ...a secret.


Black Bean Brownies

1 19 fl oz  can of black beans (rinsed and drained)  
3 eggs
1/2 cup of cocoa
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Optional 

1/2 cup walnuts

I of course have to the leave the nuts out as Picky McPickerstein doesn't like nuts

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 inch x 8 inch pan
2. Toss everything but the walnuts (if including them) into a food processor and puree - the key is the make sure all the black beans are ground up
3. Mix in the walnuts if applicable
4. Pour the batter in to the pan and bake for 30 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean

Note: I like to toss a few more chocolate chips on top for decorative purposes and to keep up the guise this is a treat when really Picky McPickerstein is eating protein

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Not Your Usual Haggis Recipe

I'm going trying to write this blog Dan style with a good narrative for the recipe.

September 14th was a hard day.  It was Yom Kippur, day of fasting to feel hunger as a reminder to help others in need and to reflect upon the year that marked the end of the Jewish New Year.  It also marked the one year anniversary of my brother, Daniel's passing, so we had a lot more to reflect on.  I've been waiting for this day, I knew it was going to be hard, and it came by too quickly.  I wanted to do something special to commemorate Daniel, so I knew I was going to make haggis. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time already and I knew my brother would have loved it.

I decided to make the haggis on the 15th so I could focus on Yom Kippur and my reflection on the year.  All the memories of my brother, all the things I would have shared with him, and all the times that I miss him.  I woke up on September 15th ready to go.

I started the morning off by making my daughter and my wife a failed breakfast burrito that my wife saved by turning into a breakfast quesadilla.  What a sweetheart she is!  I over stuffed the burrito so it wouldn't fold.  So probably from all those times we watched the Food Network show "Chopped" together, shequickly thought "just slap another tortilla on top and call it a quesadilla".

I knew by 10am I wanted to get the haggis started.  I've written at my blog Gluten Free Edmonton in the past about a cookbook called "Make It Fast, Cook it Slow" by Stephanie O'Dea.  A gluten free slow cooker book that my wife Amanda and I love.  It happens to have a non-tradition haggis recipe that called for beef and lamb instead of the traditional heart, liver and lungs.  It was going to take 6-7 hours to cook.  Unfortunately I was behind schedule with my failed breakfast.  But that's okay, it meant I got to play with my daughter while Amanda saved breakfast.  

By 10:30, I got started,  and thankfully it was a pretty easy recipe.  Stephanie O'Dea describes haggis as a meatloaf.  She also describes it at the start as a blob.  Which it truly was.

I took out all the ingredients needed:

1/2 lbs beef

1/2 lbs lamb

1 chopped onion

1 cup certified gluten-free rolled oats (if you don't have Celiac Disease, you probably don't care about the certified gluten free part)

pinch of nutmeg, cloves (which I actually didn't have), and cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

1 large egg

cooking spray

1/2 cup gluten free chicken broth (once again, if you don't have Celiac Disease, you probably don't need to check the label for any additives).

Directions:

This recipe called for a 4 quart slow cooker.  We love slow cooking, so we actually have a large one and a smaller one.  You make the loaf by mixing in all the ingredients except for the cooking spray and broth.  Mix everything up really well.  Spray the inside of the slow cooker stoneware with the cooking spray.  Be sure to spray all of the inside to ensure the loaf doesn't stick (this was something I never thought of doing).  Mold your meat mixture and place into the slow cooker.  Add 1/2 cup of broth (I actually added a cup, because I think I had more meat than the recipe called for).  Cook on low for 6-7 hours until the ends are browned and the top begins to brown.  And I agree with Stephanie when she said "Don't overcook", you don't want a dense, hard and dry loaf.  Take out of the slow cooker carefully and let it rest for 30 minutes before cutting.

Before starting the recipe Amanda texted Meredith asking "What do you actually eat haggis with".  Her response "tatties", which she then went on to explain is "a very UK description of potatoes".  So Amanda made up some yummy season roasted potatoes with Italian seasonings and steamed carrots with honey and thyme.  I of course added some herring in a dish on the side to complete the haggis and herring loop.

The candle is lit to commemorate Daniel - A Jewish tradition to remember those that have passed on.

The aroma the mixture gave off while making the haggis was wonderful.  I was really looking forward to trying this.  After putting everything into the slow cooker my daughter (14 months), Amanda and I all took off to run errands for the day.  When we came back to the house everything smelled so great.  I was really anxious to eat this meal.

When the time was up, Amanda carefully took out the loaf for me while I played more with my daughter (she loves Lego and Cars, go figure if you knew my brother and I).  My in laws came over to join us for this commemorative dinner.  I did enjoy the haggis.  I've written about meat loafs before on my blog, and they always seem to end up pretty dense and dry.  I think the oats really helped make the loaf more fluffy and edible. The sides Amanda put together went great with haggis.  The seasoned potatoes and the sweetness of the carrots really made this a nice meal.  And the herring on the table, although not cohesive, was just quite fitting. Everything allowed me to feel good about what we put together to remember my brother.  I can comfortably say, I look forward to making this every year.

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Chocolate Chili Cardamon Tart

Meredith was certainly inspired to contribute to the Haggis and the Herring during my visit to Toronto.  After making the Almond Pear Tahini Cake, from the "Saved by Cake, over 80 ways to bake yourself happy" recipe book by Marian Keyes, she decided to give it a go with a second recipe.  This time a tart from the same book.

What's the twist this time? Chili and cardamon!  I've heard of chili chocolate, but not with the cardamon spice typically used in Mediterranean cooking (One of my brothers favourite types of food).  This was my first time actually trying a chili chocolate and the recipe Meredith used did a great job at balancing the flavours of sweet and spice. Meredith also did a fantastic job at getting such a smooth texture out of the tart.  My wife Amanda has Celiac Disease, so before Meredith placed all the filling in a pie shell, she put some aside for Amanda in a shot glass as a second way of presenting this dessert (Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of that).

I wouldn't eat those chillis straight if I were you.

Here is the recipe from the recipe book:

Ingredients

For the Crust:
1 x 20 cm pre-baked shortcrust pastry case

For the filling:
1 red chili
9 cardamon pods
250ml double cream
50g sugar
250g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids broken into small pieces)
70g butter, cut into small cubes

Directions

1. Chop the chili finely and toss the seeds and grind the cardamom pods.
2. Put the cream, sugar, cardamom pods and chopped chili into a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer.  Stir and heat until the sugar has dissolved without burning.
3. Turn off heat and let sit to infuse the flavour for about an hour
4. Reheat the cream mixture until simmering, then put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and strain the warm cream on to it through a sieve, leaving the cardamom and chili behind.  The heat of the cream should melt the chocolate so stir until mixture is smooth.
5. Pour into the pastry case and let cool for a several hours.  The texture should settle to be smooth and fudge like.

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Pear, Almond and Tahini Cake

This is The Haggis and Herrings first food post since the passing of my brother Daniel who quite proudly ran this blog.  Meredith and I really never knew when we would post again about food... until now.  So here I am, mainly on behalf of Meredith the baker and me (Abisaac) the taster.

So why now?  Before Daniel passed away he pre ordered for Meredith's birthday the recipe book "Saved by Cake, over 80 ways to bake yourself happy" by Marian Keyes.  The book arrived after Daniel passed away, but before her birthday.  At the time, he ordered it knowing how much Meredith loves to bake.  After all Meredith's finger prints are all over this blog when it comes to baking.  Looking back the title of the recipe book was fitting to the situation that unfolded.  I'm not sure if Meredith looked at the book much before this weekend or not because I didn't ask, but when I tasted the cake and she told me why she baked this particular cake, I knew this was something to post.

I said "Tahini in a cake? Seriously? " She explained "This would have been the first cake Dan would have made me make and he would have said exactly that!". So she made it and shared it with others.  Without knowing what was in the cake, I really wouldn't have known tahini was in it.  I got the pear right away, although I thought it was apple (I guess I don't have the most refined palette).  The cake reminded me of a crumble cake because it was very moist inside.

I hope we can do more of this within time!  It certainly felt good to blog here!  Check out the recipe below.

So here is the recipe with a few adaptions by Meredith:

Ingredients:
240 g tahini
260g date syrup (Meredith used maple syrup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
220g flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
100g almonds, chopped roughly
150g pears, peeled and diced into 2cm cubes (Meredith used canned pears as a substitute listed in the recipe book)
250ml apple juice (if you used canned pears, just use the juice in the can)

Directions:
Grease 23 cm cake tin and line the base with baking paper.  Preheat oven to 325F

Give the tahini a quick stir while it's still in the jar.  This is because tahini usually separates itself when standing.  Pour into a mixing bowl and beat with syrup.  Add the baking soda and mix again.

In a separate bowl, combine the sieved flour, cinnamon, almonds and diced pears.  Add a third of the flour nut mix to the tahini and mix.  Add half the pear juice and mix.

Add another third of the flour and the other half of the juice.  Finish with the remaining flour and mix until combined.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 45 minutes.  After 30 minutes drop the over temp to 325F and cover the cake loosely with tinfoil for the final 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  The recipe book doesn't recommend any toppings, but we decorated it with some extra almonds.

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New at the Haggis and Herring

Please welcome J3

Jonathan Morgan Saraga

Born Dec 29

Everyone is great now that Mom is over the shock of having three sons!!!  I was seriously thinking girl.  My apologies to Jonathan for calling him Stella for the last 9 months.

 J1 is thrilled to have another brother.  J2 had no idea what to make of things but kept pointing at him saying "baby" so that seems fine.

Thank you all for all the love and support!

M and the J's


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Rickard's Cardigan Beer-braised Ribs

NOTE: This post was scheduled by Daniel Saraga of Haggis and Herring before he suddenly passed away.  We have decided to ensure his scheduled posts continue.  Daniel's wife Meredith posted her eulogy to him.  Please read more about our wonderful Daniel.

When I was at the Rickard's Cardigan launch, Brewmaster Matthews was telling me about beer-braised ribs that his wife had made. Although I wasn't able to get my hands on the recipe, I still wanted to give it a try myself.

My main problem was that I've never made ribs before. Ever. Mostly because I've been a little intimidated by ribs culture. It's very competitive and very secretive. I worked myself up to buying some ribs - so I was committed. Now to find a recipe.

I realized that finding the right recipe for me was going to be a big challenge. Many recipes took hours and hours. Some used slow cookers. I didn't have time for that - this meal was being made on a weekday. I eventually found one - beer braised ribs at Serious Eats. That recipe gave me a method that I could work with, as well as a set of ingredients that I could adapt.

It smelled great when it was in the oven and the ribs tasted great. They were tender, but not fall-off-the-bone soft. The cayenne added a nice kick as well, and the garam masala complemented the spices in the beer.

Rickard's Cardigan Beer-braised Ribs

1 rack pork ribs, membrane removed and split into three separate parts
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp garam masala
2 or 3 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp cayenne
5 cloves garlic, crushed with the flat edge of a knife
1 bottle Rickard's Cardigan
1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 300-degrees and season ribs with salt and pepper.
2. In a Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high and sear ribs on both sides once piece at a time and set aside.
3. Add garam masala, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, garlic, beer, and stir.
4. Add back ribs, bring to a boil and cover. Transfer to oven and let cook for 75 minutes - until meat is tender.
5. Transfer meat to a foil-lined pan and preheat broiler. You can add additional salt and pepper if you prefer. Broil on both sides until brown and crisp (1-2 minutes).
6. Skim cooking liquid of fat, strain using a sieve and bring to a boil. Mix the flour and water together and add to liquid. Stir until thickened and pour on top of ribs.

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Swiss Chard and Cheddar Soup

NOTE: This post was scheduled by Daniel Saraga of Haggis and Herring before he suddenly passed away.  We have decided to ensure his scheduled posts continue.  Daniel's wife Meredith posted her eulogy.  Please read more about our wonderful Daniel.

September cooled down right away, just the way I like it. I dislike hot-and-sticky August. Cool nights, warm soup, some hearty bread and a beer. That's my idea of a September dinner.

Earlier that week, I read Chaya's Swiss Chard Soup recipe and it inspired me. I knew I had to make my own version. You can read Chaya's post if you'd like to learn more about Swiss chard.

Well, I've made my first soup of the season, and according to Meredith, I've set the bar high. The cheese in the soup really complimented the beer. We nearly finished the entire pot ourselves - with barely enough left over for lunch the following day.

Swiss Chard and Cheddar Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 carrots, chopped
4 cups chopped Swiss chard, cleaned and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
3-4 cups vegetable broth
1 can mixed chickpeas and kidney beans, drained
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded old Cheddar cheese

1. Heat oil in a deep pot on medium and fry onions for 3-5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and carrots and continue fry for another 3-5 minutes.
3. Add Swiss chard and stir for 2-4 minutes, until wilted.
4. Add broth, beans, thyme, salt, oregano, and pepper, stir, cover and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce to medium and let simmer, covered for 30-40 minutes.
6. Remove 1 cup of vegetables into a separate container and and using an immersion blender, puree.
7. Add pureed vegetables back to pot, stir in cheese, and serve.

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Vermouth Chicken

NOTE: This post was scheduled by Daniel Saraga of Haggis and Herring before he suddenly passed away.  We have decided to ensure his scheduled posts continue.  Daniel's wife Meredith posted her eulogy.  Please read more about our wonderful Daniel.

I guess my friends and I are at that age when our parents are starting to get older and are moving out of houses they've occupied for 30+ years and into smaller places – apartments, condos or otherwise. You can imagine the fun of emptying a lifetime of accumulated stuff from basements. I'm not looking forward to helping out with that task when the time comes.

Our good friend, Dr. Karen, has been on such a mission for the last few weeks. Back in July, she uncovered a case of Vermouth which her father apparently "bought for next to nothing - practically free!" What on Earth was she going to do with it? Why, call up her friends and ask them what they'd do with a bottle, of course!

I immediately said "I'd cook with it," and started to look up what exactly Vermouth was, aside from one of the ingredients in a Martini.

To my surprise, I learned that Vermouth is actually a fortified wine, so it doesn't last long once opened. It really needs to be kept in the fridge once the seal is broken, and tossed after six months.

Now put up your hand if you or your parents have a half-empty bottle of Vermouth sitting in your liquor cabinet that's at least 14 years old. You should throw that out.

I also read that Vermouth can be used as a substitute for red wine in savoury dishes, and quickly found a recipe for Vermouth chicken. Not being satisfied with the original recipe, I rewrote it and adjusted many ingredients, including upping the amount of sauce (both literally and figuratively) and adding olives – you could just smell that it was begging for olives, seriously.

We served the chicken with baked potatoes, however, I think we'll serve it with rice next time.

Dr. Karen made her own, mostly following this recipe,
using less onion, putting the olives on top
afterwards, and serving it on top of spatzele,
a German pasta.

Vermouth Chicken

2 tbsp olive oil
1 kilo chicken legs
1 red onion, sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt (if tomatoes are unsalted)
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1 cup dry Vermouth
1 can diced tomatoes
250g mushrooms
1/4 cup olives, sliced
1 small can (150ml) tomato paste

1. Heat olive oil on medium in a deep pan and brown chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add onions, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and saute for 5-8 minutes.
3. Add the Vermouth and quickly scrape any remains of chicken from the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
5. Add back chicken, reduce to medium, cover and let simmer for 25 minutes, turning chicken after 10 minutes.
6. Stir in tomato paste, add olives and reduce to medium-low. Cover and let simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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Daniel Saraga - the Herring at the Haggis and Herring

It is with a broken heart that I write this.

My beloved Daniel passed away suddenly on Friday night, surrounded by his family.  In true Daniel style he had just finished barbecuing dinner for everyone.

I wanted to share the eulogy that gave at his service yesterday.  There is a hole in my heart.

I have to apologies to Daniel for the COMPLETE lack of editing. I know it's an insult to post something so lacking in proper editing on your blog - but I am so tired and I need to this.


My Darling Daniel.   That’s how I addressed all my cards to him and he called me his one and only.  And I know that’s true - he lived it and proved it everyday.

I needed to speak today because I need all of you to understand what the world has lost.  What his parents and brother have lost, what his children have lost and what I have lost.  A few people thought speaking today might be too much for me - to that Dan says “have you met my wife?”  

Daniel was the single greatest person I have ever met.   I loved him and I hope he knows and understands that. We had a lifetime planned but only got six years.  Luckily for me I have my children for that lifetime. 

Daniel was a son, father, brother, cousin, nephew, son-in-law, brother-in-law, grandson, friend and my husband

I fell in love when Dan on our 3rd date.  That day he showed a strength of character that is rarely seen.  The third  time we were supposed to go out I tried to cancel because my brother Jeremy’s cat was dying in Burlington and I needed to go and be there.  Dan immediately told me he would drive me.  I protested that it would be an odd situation because of the cat and that my mother has no idea he existed.  He said it would be fine so I accepted.  He drove out there, watched as I held my cat, brought flowers for my mom, and then when we had finished dinner he realised Raffi had died.  He immediately consoled me and took me out for a walk.This sound small but showed a tremendous amount of compassion for a person he barely knew who was devastated over the death of their cat.  That is who Daniel was. I knew immediately that I would be able to count on him no matter what - through what ever happened.  And I was right. That is what makes this especially hard.

The greatest gifts he gave me are our three children and he was an amazing father.  They made his face light up.  And you all know that thousand watt smile of his.  

Jacob- You are so like him in many ways. I see his generosity and compassion in you. The very first time I meet a your Dad he showed me a picture of you and you should have seen him face when he showed it me.  He was was so proud of you.  Learning how to ride a bike this summer, reading Harry Potter with you was the highlight of his life for over a year, putting the duck away, your hats and the special sense of humour you shared.  For example. Labeling ice cream in the freezer “Babba’s Soup” so I wouldn’t know you two had bought it.

Jeremy- Your dad often would just spontaneously say - you are so darn cute. He delighted in watching you eat.  He actually often used to entertain people by feeding you various food and telling them to watch.  And entertaining it was. Not may under twos enjoy calamari, fish, jerk chicken, curry, haggis and herring etc the list goes on.  There is no doubt you inherited your dad passion for food and I can’t wait until you start cooking food for me.



J3- the one that Daddy only met through ultra sound pictures, my growing bump and the kicks that he finally got to feel on thurs night.  I know your daddy’s spirit will be with me everyday of your life.

I wanted to mention some highlights from Daniel life to show what an extraordinary individual he was.

1. Music - you can’t talk about Dan without talking about music. He loved music.I was amazed when I discovered what a talented musician Dan was.  He could play almost any song by ear on his clarinet. When he found out how impressed I was by that talent he said “should have done that on the first date- that would have been it.” 

2. Family- Family was everything to Dan. This included blood and non-blood related individuals, Dan bestowed the title family to many people. There was no differentiation between his side and my side. It was  a collective. He supported me through the passing of my grandparents. He called his Mother every morning. So his brother learned from him and called her every night.   His children were his greatest delight.  He would do anything for family.  

3.Travel.  Before we met Dan hadn’t had the opportunity to travel much.  I soon changed that and the bug firmly took hold.  We went on a cruise, then Aruba, Israel, Alaska, England, Calgary, Edmonton and the Dominican.  We had so many more trips planned.

4. Food.  The Haggis and the Herring. His blog.  Well not just his blog but our house.  We call ourselves the Haggis and the Herring - a nod to our heritages.  The night we went into labour with Jeremy we actually had haggis and herring for dinner. Certainly not your typical combination but at first glance neither were Dan and I.

I need to mention some imperfections - lest you all believe he was too perfect- or rather things that we had “discussions” about as my grandparents would say . His idiosyncrasy made much of how he was.  The pacing- something he and his brother share and something which Amanda and I hope I children DON’T inherit, he could be a dog with a bone at times worrying at something that long ago should have been dropped, his refusal to wear anything but jeans- we had a battle every single time a dress up event approached. My solution was to schedule a meeting with him in his calendar in advance to discuss his wardrobe.  He refused to understand that I wasn’t disorganised I just wasn’t his style of organized. 

Sensitive, compassionate, always ready to help. He lifted me up.  He believed in me and us and life when I couldn’t. When we lost our two babies, when we celebrated Jacobs milestones and Jeremy arrival and the hundreds of thousand little moments that we celebrated. and he was my rock.  That final Friday - his very favorite special night- we did get one great last moment- maybe half an hour before he died, where he told me he loved me and  that everything was going to be ok.  

I would like to read from our Ketubah- because this is really truly how we lived and sums up all I am trying to say about Dan.

"Today I love you completely, as I did yesterday and as I will tomorrow. I will be there for you when you need me most.” We will always try to be understanding and forgiving, sensitive to each other's needs and feelings. We will be there for each other in times of need as in times of celebration. We will share in each other's hopes and dreams and support each other to achievements great and small and through all of life's setbacks. May our hearts be united forever in faith and hope. Let our home be built on understanding and loving-kindness. May our home be rich with wisdom and reverence. May we always keep these words in our hearts as a symbol of our eternal commitment to each other: I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.

Anee L'Dohdee V'Dohdee Lee




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Ultimate Bacon Sarnie (Sandwich)

At the end of August, I read an article about an ongoing debate on the ultimate bacon sarnie (sandwich) in The Register, a UK-based technology magazine. The author, Lester Haines, welcomed readers to email in their photos by Friday, September 14, so here it is.

To prepare, Meredith and I had a deep discussion about how we'd make our ultimate bacon sarnie:

Bread: bread can be a contentious issue. Clearly, a proper English sarnie would be built upon slices of hand-sliced white bread. Well, we had just finished our loaf and chose a different avenue. Instead, we opted to get some Gryfe's bagels - one of the best bagels you can get that's not baked in Montreal.

Bacon: our initial thoughts would be to Canadianize the sarnie a bit further by using pemeal bacon. That thought lasted until we realized that we already had some traditional slices in the freezer from a local butcher.

Sauce: there was no debate here. It must be brown sauce, and it must be HP's brown sauce in particular.

Eggs: yes, our sarnie has an egg. We hope it's not interpreted as an Aussie move, we just thought it would go really well with everything, and it sure did.

Cheese: this is where things fell off the rails, sorta. We trotted off to the nearest grocer with high hopes to get some old Cheddar. We didn't want to buy the generic 1/2 kilo block of tasteless cheddar - we wanted something nice from the deli. There was only one problem: the Cheddar was made in Normandy. Say what? Yes, Normandy, France. We're hoping to be forgiven for that particular indiscretion. We're keeping the bagel, but we're hoping for proper English Cheddar for our next go.

Verdict: this is the ultimate bacon sarnie. The bagel wasn't overpoweringly dense and allowed you to taste the rest of the sandwich. The brown sauce complimented both the bacon and the egg, and the cheese, despite surrendering as soon as it touched the egg, added just the right flavour.

Ultimate Bacon Sarnie

2 bagels
1 tbsp butter
6 rashers (slices) bacon
2 eggs
2 slices old cheddar cheese
1-2 tbsp brown sauce (i.e., HP sauce)

1. Slice bagels in half and butter both sides. Set the slices on plates.
2. In a non-stick or cast-iron pan, fry the bacon and set aside.
3. Wipe out the pan and and fry eggs, over easy.
4. Before removing eggs from pan, place slices of cheese on top of the eggs and remove the pan from the heat.
5. Assemble each sandwich as follows:
   bottom bagel slice
   brown sauce
   3 rashers bacon
   egg (with melted cheese on top)
   bagel top slice.

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Secret Recipe Club: Felafel

It's time for the September edition of Secret Recipe Club, where a group of dedicated food bloggers try out each others recipes. This month, I was assigned Corina of Searching for Spice. Corina blogs to keep a record of the new things she tries. I immediately decided to try out her felafel recipe, just because I've been itching to make felafel for a very long time.

I've only made felafel once before, and it was a big mess (but tasted excellent). I modeled it after felafel I ate in the Old City of Jerusalem, where the felafel was served in a very large flatbread called lavash (the resulting wrap was about a foot long), and served with a varaiety of salads (hummus, baba ghannouj, beets, Moroccan carrots) and french fries. It was (and continues to be) the best felafel sandwich I've ever had.

This round of felafel wasn't going to be quite as elaborate. In addition to me substituting 1 tbsp dried parsley for the fresh parsley (or cilantro), we weren't going to make the different salads or serve it in that particular bread, but we were going to serve it in a tortilla wrap with lettuce, vegetables, dressing and fries. It got great reviews at the table and we'll definitely be making it again!

Felafel

1 can chickpeas, drained
2 tsp pureed garlic
1/4 cup parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1-2 tbsp water (optional)
1/2 cup flour (for rolling)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (for frying)

1. Place chickpeas, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, chili powder, flour, onion and water in a food processor and puree on high.
   Note: you may need to stop the mixer a few times to scrape the sides with a spatula until it really gets going into a workable paste. If you're really having trouble, add a tablespoon of water and keep going (you don't want the mixture to be too loose).
2. Roll into 1-1/2 inch balls, roll balls in flour, flatten slightly on top and set aside for 30 minutes on a sheet of floured waxed paper.
3. Heat oil on medium-high to high and fry felafels for 3 minutes on each side, turning gently with a spatula. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb some of the oil, and serve.

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Rickard's Cardigan: Get it While it Lasts

Earlier this week, my friends at MolsonCoors invited me to the launch of their first seasonal beer: Rickard's Cardigan. Meredith was unable to attend (and was quite upset about it), so I was accompanied by my close friend Kristian instead. After our first sip, we were both sold.

Cardigan was developed by Brewmaster Gary Matthews who drew inspiration from what fall means to him – preparing for the upcoming holidays. Cardigan has hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and brown sugar, so it does just that. Memories of preparing for Thanksgiving (and Rosh Hashanah) immediately came to mind and the beer pairs well with seasonal foods like turkey, ribs and other sweeter dishes. It's a great tasting beer.

Kristian noted that "there is no shortage of seasonal beers on the market – winter ales and summer lagers (typically involving some sort of citrus accompaniment) come to mind. The beauty of Cardigan is that the taste really does conjure up all that is synonymous with autumn."

The packaging is clearly a nod to the Argyll sweater-wearing, Instagram-snapping hipster and I think it's a great move.

Argyll sweater-wearing,
Instagram-snapping hipster
 waiting for his beer

Not only does the packaging really catch your attention, it points out that a large beer company can jump out of the mainstream with a micro-brew-style product.

Of course, if Rickard's is looking to take things up a notch and pick up a spokesperson, this particular hipster has a secret identity:

Turning the focus back to the event, Brewmaster Matthews gave us a generous portion of his time to discuss Cardigan, beer in general and other topics, including fresh-water scuba diving and cooking.

Matthews took his undergrad in Environmental Sciences at Trent University (my alma mater) back in the 1980s. The transition into brewing came about when he started a job as a lab assistant at Molson. He continued in various different jobs until he was offered a position as a brewer. He even put off his honeymoon to attend brewing school - that's dedication!

Matthews is currently working on his next project: Rickard's seasonal brew for this upcoming winter. I'm really looking forward to trying it.

Back to the beer and food! Some of the food served at the event was actually made using Rickard's Cardigan. This included pulled-pork sliders with a Cardigan-based barbecue sauce and chicken skewers with a Cardigan glaze. Matthews even told me about a beer-braised ribs recipe his wife has made on a few occasions.

I'm hoping to get my hands on at least one or two of those recipes shortly. Hopefully I'll have time to make one before we run out. Which leads me to something very important:

Hoarding Alert!

Rickard's Cardigan is a small run for a big brewery like MolsonCoors. They estimate that it should be available at The Beer Store until around Remembrance Day, however, if it sells out faster, stocks won't be replenished and you'll likely need to wait at least until next year.

Pick up a case while you can.

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White Bread

Meredith wanted to make bread for some friends who were coming over for dinner one evening, and she had all day to make it. It was pouring outside and Jeremy was feeling a bit under the weather as well.

For Christmas, Meredith's mother gave her a copy of the Five Roses cookbook, knowing it's the same book that her grandmother used (an earlier version, at least). In my opinion, the recipe for white bread is quite a task. There's lots of punching and kneading, and even more waiting. I guess that's why I don't bake.

The bread itself turned out great. We used it with our dinner that evening and shared some with the neighbours (who's going eat four loaves?!)

White Bread (makes 4 loaves)

1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
2 cups milk (we used 3.5%)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp vegetable shortening
2 tbsp salt
2 cups water
10-12 cups flour

1. In a small bowl, dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1/2 cup water. Sprinkle yeast on top and let stand for 30 minutes, then stir.
2. In a saucepan, scald the milk, add 1/4 cup sugar, 2 shortening and salt. Stir until the shortening melts and add 2 cups water. Make sure milk mixture is lukewarm.
3. Add yeast to milk mixture and using a standing mixer, mix in 6 cups flour until smooth.
4. Gradually add the remaining 5 or six cups until the mixture no longer sticks to the board or mixing paddle.
5. Remove dough from mixer and knead by hand for 8-10 minutes.
6. Grease a bowl with shortening and place the dough inside, turning it around so it's also covered in shortening. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm room (approximately 80 or 85-degrees Fahrenheit) for about an hour, until it doubles in size.
7. Punch the dough down and let it rise again for about 45 minutes.
8. Punch the dough down again and divide into four equal parts.
9. Cover the portions and let them rest for 10 minutes.
10. Shape into loaves and place in four 8.5" x 4.5" x 2.5" bread pans, cover, and let rise again for 1 hour.
11. Preheat oven to 400-degrees and bake loaves for 30-40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Mostly from the Five Roses Cookbook

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Cucumber Dill Dressing

During cucumber season in July, everything cucumber was on sale. I made some batches of my microwave sweet pickles and tried to look for something new as well.

Meredith wanted me to change the salad dressing up for a bit - getting bored with some of my standards), and Judee's Cucumber Dill Dressing recipe was perfect timing. I didn't stumble across Judee's recipe by accident - I follow her blog through my news reader so I get her most recent updates, along with my other favourite food bloggers, including Food Floozie, Hungry Jenny, Gluten Free Edmonton, Maroc Mama and many others.

Anyway, Judee's recipes are always great - never too complicated, and this was no exception. A simple combination of ingredients for an excellent flavour. I ended up using dried dill instead of fresh, and I added a little salt and pepper (optional in her recipe). This dressing was perfect for a small lunch salad - with lots of leftover dressing for the next couple of days.

Cucumber Dill Dressing

1/4 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
5-7 fresh mint leaves
1 tsp (generous), dried dill
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 cup Greek yoghurt
pinch salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients using an immersion blender.

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Strawberry Muffins

Well, strawberry season has come and gone again, and Meredith was very busy making all sorts of stuff. There were several evenings where dessert was strawberries and cream, and there was, of course, pie.

Meredith took the little guy strawberry picking as well, and he had quite a good time. You can see him surveying the area during coffee break here.

...and sampling the haul. I think he was weighed on his way out at the register (just kidding, he only ate two or three, and promptly wiped his hands on his shirt :-)



The day after the excursion, I read an email with a recipe and was told to get ready to take a photo when I got home. To my delight, I arrived home to some yummy strawberry muffins Meredith had made using whole wheat flour. It's mostly based on a recipe she read earlier that week.

Strawberry Muffins

2 eggs
1/2 cup mango apple sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup fresh sliced strawberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees and line a 12-muffin tin with paper inserts.
2. Using a stand mixer, whisk together the eggs, apple sauce, oil, sugar, vanilla and bananas.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon and slowly add to the banana mixture.
4. Stir in the strawberries by hand and spoon batter into muffin cups.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the top.
6. let muffins cool on a wire rack.

recipe inspired by allrecipes.com.

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