Tomatoes with Pesto Vinaigrette

I don't know about you but I am tired of all the heavy, comforting dishes of the long winter months. Living in Canada the winter may even be longer than most of you can even imagine (in some provinces). I long for fresh summer flavours, warm sunshine and pots of fresh basil on my patio.

When I was at the market the other day I was lucky enough to have the very helpful sales associate direct me towards huge bags of basil...pesto size bags!!!! She recommended not putting it in the refrigerator, and, do you know, that that huge bag of basil stayed fresh for 2 weeks sitting on my counter top... at room temperature... in its zip lock bag. In the fridge it would have turned brown and wilted in a matter of days. Basil is my favorite herb so I have always found this to be the case. I have been enjoying fresh basil and reminders of warmer weather to come for weeks now. It doesn't take much to make me happy!!!

What also makes me happy is the response we have had for the Bloggeraid Cookbook. As you have already heard Val of More Than Burnt Toast and Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen and BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famineare publishing a cookbook !!!There are no "head chefs" in this project. This is a collaboration of food bloggers and non "foodies" alike who have united to create awareness for world hunger. The group of talented bloggers committed to this project is growing by the minute!!!What better way to join together and "break bread" over some virtual wine and YOUR tasty dishes submitted to the cookbook!!! This project is HUGE but there is still room for YOUR recipe!!!

We all know that 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the cookbook on Amazon will be directed to a specific program of the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations front line agency. The needs are great and we have their full approval!!!!!

You don't need to be a member of BloggerAid to submit a recipe. You just need a willingness to share your love of food around the world and want to be involved in raising awareness for the millions who cannot help themselves. There is no cost to you. No monthly fees. Just a sense of satisfaction that comes from participating in this exciting project and seeing your name and recipe in print.

Don't post your recipe...the cookbook will be the round-up where your recipe will be published. Once the cookbook has been published you can post or publish your recipe wherever you like...it will always be yours and you will always receive full credit.

What if my photo skills are not up to cookbook standards? I have seen all that you have to offer when I visit your blogs every day, but, if you like one of our team will recreate your recipe and photograph it for you. Submit a photo anyway because we are our own worse critics aren't we? Don't let that stop you!!!

Email your recipe in a plain text Word document along with a photo of your dish to bloggeraid(AT)gmail(DOT)com by February 12th the deadline for receiving recipes. Let's get the word out!!!!!

I am submitting this reminder of summer for the cookbook. This "Heirloom Tomatoes and Pesto Vinaigrette" is the perfect salad to remind us of warmer, sunfilled days. For now I will close my eyes and dream of warm summer nights and sunshine induced stupor...lying on our local beaches...reading my favourite novel.....

JOIN US.... BECAUSE YOU CAN

Tiny Easy Sticky "Burns"

Thank goodness for easy peasy!!!!!!Melissa of Made by Melissa has chosen Easy Sticky Buns as part of our continued saga of being part of the illustrious group the Barefoot Bloggers .This time the recipe came from "Back to Basics" which is an excellent book I have added to my collection. A recipe is chosen and the BB's blog about our results on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month.

My burning skills were top notch with this weeks challenge. I do really love you though Ina!!! My fault entirely!!!

Ina says "We used to make really delicious sticky buns at Barefoot Contessa, but they took two days to make because the yeast dough needed to rise overnight in the refrigerator. I was dying to find a way to make them easier, so I decided to try baking them with Pepperidge Farm puff pastry dough, instead. OMG are they good … and they’re really easy to make! Light, flaky dough filled with brown sugar, toasted pecans, and sweet raisins — my friends go crazy when I make these."

I think my first mistake was attempting to prepare pastries at 3:00 AM. I had procrastinated for many reasons. Maybe my dog ate my recipe (if I had a dog of course), or maybe I couldn't find any raisins due to their exportation from Guam. Who knows...and.... of course this needed to be posted today!!!!!!

My second problem is that I live in Canada where they DO NOT SELL PUFF PASTRY IN SHEETS, that I have ever seen anyway. That is as foreign to me as a "stick" of butter. Puff pastry comes in blocks...Eh!!! Two blocks weigh in at 397 grams!!! Since I have never seen a "sheet" of puff pastry I just didn't know how large the sheet needed to be. Apparently 2 sheets are 17.3 ounces in weight. How many inches is that I say!!!!And of course since this is Canada and the metric system prevails how many grams make up what length of sheet...wink...wink..? Of course I know you can't combine weight and measurement. Of course if I had any experience with making sticky buns...... I would have known. Sheesh!!

So my "Easy Sticky Buns" now became "Tiny Easy Sticky Burns".

Despite my mishaps, and their diminutive nature, these Easy Sticky Buns were really quite delicious. If I had given myself more time I would have tried the recipe again, now knowing what I know, and that I should have used both blocks of puff pastry to get larger sized buns to be the equivalent of 17.3 ounces of dough. By now you don't care I know!!!! Just know that they were delicous even slightly burnt!!!

The Barefoot Bloggers have now made 63,645 Friday dinners for Jeffrey.

**Easy Sticky Buns**

12 T (1- 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup for Canadians) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the Filling:

2 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins

***********************
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.

Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.

Paul Bunyan Meatballs

I am told that meatballs and pizza are really a product of American ingenuity. A big hug and kiss to all the Italians who made it their home and gave us these two daily staples!!! "Go big or go home" as they always say. No small little "polpettes" here just huge Paul Bunyan size meat-a-balls the size of your fist.

These meatballs even have a secret ingredient that makes them lighter and less dense than any of their counterparts. Baking powder...yes ...baking powder. The leavening agent in baking powder adds a lightness to the final product since these are baked and not fried. I had first heard about this on a cooking show on the Food Network. I did find this recipe to be deliciously moist, but three things that may have contributed were the fact that the meatballs are baked in the oven AND I did not overwork the meat mixture, which is always crutial AND just their sheer size. Who knows...but I consider this recipe to be a success.

Before I move on to the recipe I would like to thank Honey B of The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch who has bestowed me with the Triple Award!! Thanks HoneyB! I spent many a summer in her neck of the woods although she is in the States and I am in Canada.

The rules for recipients are:

- Put the logo on your blog or post.

- Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

- Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

- Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

- Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

As always there are so many deserving bloggers out there, but if I have to choose just 10 here we go......

1. Giz & Psychgrad of Equal Opportunity Kitchen

2. Ivy of Kopiaste

3. Deeba of Passionate About Baking

4. Nuria of Spanish Recipes

5. Jeanne of Cooksister

6. Belinda of Cooking in a Southern Kitchen

7. Helene of La Cuisne d' Helene

8. Paula of It's All Gouda

9. Sandie of Inn Cuisine

10. Bunny Bunny's Warm Oven

I am also sending this dish over to Meeta from What's for lunch honey? and her Monthly Mingle. Many dishes came to my mind for her Healthy Family meals, but Spaghetti and Meatballs are a family favourite!!! The hostess for this month's event is Michelle from What's Cooking Blog.

**Grand Meatballs with Tomato-Basil Sauce**

1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 pound ground chuck
1/4 pound mild/sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
6 Tbs Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 Tbs Italian parsley, finely chopped

1/2 - 1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

A splash of white wine
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

***********************************
In a large bowl combine the bread crumbs, egg, ground beef, Italian sausage, Parmesan cheese, parsley, baking powder, olive oil, garlic, wine, lemon zest, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Knead well to incorporate all the ingredients.

Wet your hands and form 8 big meatballs. Lay the meatballs out on a waxed paper covered tray and chill for at least 1 hour. Put the meatballs in a pan or roasting tray and cover with aluminum foil. Cook in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 375 F. Remove the tin foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve the big meatballs with an easy, warm tomato-basil sauce.

**Pomodoro e Basilico (Tomato and Basil Sauce)**

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lbs. fresh, ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (or use 3 cups of canned, whole tomatoes, with their juice, coarsely chopped)
salt

A splash of white wine
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn by hand into small 1/2 inch pieces
pinch of red pepper flakes

*************************
Put all but 1 tablespoon of olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over a medium-high heat and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle, but doesn't brown. Add the tomatoes and cook over a medium-high heat until the tomatoes have reduced and separated from the oil. This will be about 15 minutes depending upon your skillet size. Season with salt.

While the sauce is cooking bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and drop in the pasta all at once, stirring until the pasta is submerged. If you have a smaller pot, you can use less than 4 quarts of water, but you must constantly stir the pasta for one minute.
When the sauce has reduced, add the torn basil leaves and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat.

When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain and toss with the sauce in the skillet, adding the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.

Serve the big meatballs with warm tomato-basil sauce. One big meatball per person can be served over spaghetti for a delicious and hearty pasta dish. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Share the Love

Here it is almost February already. The month where we begin to shed our winter coats and feel the sense of renewal that comes with Spring !!!

It is also the season of love where St. Valentine spreads his message across the world with chocolate and just a sense of well being. All is well with the world in the month of February where all of life has promise. For some this is not the case.

As you have already heard Val of More Than Burnt Toast and Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen and BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famineare publishing a cookbook !!!

Who will be published in this cookbook to help raise awareness to feed the hungry?

YOU!!!!

We hope that our excitement is contagious and that you will submit your favourite recipe to help make a difference for even one person in this world. We have had quite a few submissions already from some wonderful bloggers and non -foodie bloggers alike. They all know that 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the cookbook on Amazon will be directed to a specific program of the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations front line agency. The needs are great and we have their full approval!!!!! We have been looking into a specific program to concentrate our efforts...stay tuned to BloggerAid for more news as it comes in. The proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will be handled through a third party fundraising team such as First Giving so that we will always be able to tell you exactly how much has been raised.

We'd love to have you share the "FOODIE LOVE" with one of your best original recipes.

You don't need to be a member of BloggerAid to submit a recipe. You just need a willingness to share your love of food around the world and want to be involved in raising awareness for the millions who cannot help themselves. There is no cost to you. No monthly fees. Just a sense of satisfaction that comes from participating in this exciting project and seeing your name and recipe in print.

Don't post your recipe...the cookbook will be the round-up where your recipe will be published. Once the cookbook has been published you can post or publish your recipe wherever you like...it will always be yours and you will always receive full credit.

What if my photo skills are not up to cookbook standards? I have seen all that you have to offer when I visit your blogs every day, but, if you like one of our team will recreate your recipe and photograph it for you. Submit a photo anyway because we are our own worse critics aren't we? Don't let that stop you!!!

Email your recipe in a plain text Word document along with a photo of your dish to bloggeraid(AT)gmail(DOT)com by February 12th the deadline for receiving recipes. Let's get the word out!!!!!

We need your help to make this fundraising and professional cookbook a success here and around the world. You can contribute in many ways, by submitting a recipe, volunteering your time to test , edit or proofread recipes or simply by purchasing the cookbook in November. Perhaps most important of all is to help to spread the word throughout the blogosphere about alleviating world hunger. Eventually we will be translating the cookbook into many languages to appeal to "foodies" across the globe. We have big, BIGGER and BIGGEST plans which will all be revealed once everything is finalized. You're all invited to take part!!!!!!

JOIN US......BECAUSE YOU CAN......

When I was a Kid......We had Chicken Stew & Fudge

When the temperature drops our thoughts turn to

delicious and vibrant tasting foods. We dream of sundrenched gardens and bountiful fresh fruits and veggies. In the middle of a Canadian winter these really are just a memory so comforting and reminiscent of care free childhood. When I was a kid my mom served chicken stew to sooth our chilled bones. It doesn't matter that her version of my childhood favourite came from a can. It was actually very tasty and if I can find this particular brand I still enjoy a hearty helping of comforting stew during the long cold wintry nights. It reminds me of chicken pot pie without the "pie".

Since the canned version is hard to find I had to come up with my own version of this childhood favourite. No wonder this take on the get- well classic chicken soup would be a favourite of mine. It has plenty of hearty pieces of chicken, a rich homemade broth with lots of bright veggies. You can add a touch of heat with hot sauce at the end to eradicate any lasting chills. Make it ahead of time and just reheat it. Curl up with a warm blanket and a good book and enjoy!!!It's flavours may even improve the next day. I served it with cornbread laced with roasted red peppers and cheese.

My version is a combination of recipes inspired by Ina Garten and David Lieberman. I make this simple and quick homemade chicken stock and add layers of flavour from there.

Another comforting food I remember as a child was homemade fudge. Mom would make maple fudge with toasted walnuts and then hide it from us "whippersnappers" or it would be inhaled and a past memory in a matter of minutes. Recently I was the lucky winner of some fudge from Jeanne over at Cooksister . Jeanne and I share a passion for food as well as a "hunger" to make the world a better place. Her roots and her heart are in South Africa but she lives in England where she champions many causes to raise awareness for those who are less fortunate. On a recent trip to Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, she brought home some Black Butter Fudge from La Mare Vineyards which I was lucky enough to win from her site.

Jersey Black butter is made with apples, cider, liquorice and spices and boiled and stirred for many hours over an open flame to create a rich, thick, black and sticky consistency. It is normally eaten on bread or toast but the winery incorporated it into their fudge to create a unique flavour that just screams Jersey.!! Thank you very much Jeanne for allowing me to be able to try this wonderful treat. It was a treat worth waiting for!!!!!! I still have a few pieces left because I wanted to savor the flavour as long as possible. So..in the meantime I will comfort myself with my version of chicken stew.

**Val's Chicken Stew**

Stock

4 small onions, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
6 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin removed
Handful thyme sprigs
Kosher salt

1 tsp peppercorns

Chicken Stew

2 chicken bouillon cubes

A pinch of saffron threads

12 T butter

2 cups chopped yellow onions, approximately 2 onions

3/4 cup flour

2 cups medium-diced carrots , approximately 4 carrots

1-1/2 lbs red bliss potatoes, washed and quartered

2 cups frozen peas

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Hot pepper sauce to taste (optional)

**********************

For stock : In a large pot, combine onions, garlic, carrots, chicken and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Add about 6 cups cold water to cover. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim and discard any scum that may come to the top. Simmer until the meat of the chicken falls off the bone with almost no pressure from a fork, about 1 to 1- 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Use 2 forks to separate the meat from the bone. Discard bones. You will have about 4 - 6 cups of chicken. Strain liquid through a sieve. Discard vegetables.

For Stew: In a small bowl combine 1 cup of water with saffron threads and 2 bouillon cubes. Infuse for approximately 10 minutes. In a large saucepan, bring to boil 4 cups of the prepared chicken stock. Add potatoes and cook approximately 5 minutes. Add medium diced carrots and 1 cup of saffron infused water and cook another 10 minutes. Cook until carrots and potatoes are tender but still firm. Add frozen peas and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the sliced onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken/saffron/vegetable mixture to pot. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thickened. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, and parsley. Mix well. Heat everything through. Remove from heat and add hot sauce if desired.

Serves 4 - 6

Goat Cheese & Potato Pizza

I have added a feature to my blog called "Pizza of the Week". I originally thought I would produce a different pizza every Sunday, but this may be a little ambitious on my part. So whenever I have the urge I will be showering you with my pizza ideas.

I LOVE pizza, as do many of you, but can easily get the regular Garden, Pepperoni and Hawaiian at our local but exceptional pizzeria.

I have been intrigued by pizza with potato lately so thought I would offer you this weeks suggestion of potato, rosemary and goats cheese. This is a hearty pizza, the double carb hit of dough and potato works really well. I absolutely loved this combination. Could it be because I am really just a Potato HO at heart.

My inner Ho always thinks of the Potato Ho-Down Wednesday event whenever I prepare potatoes. Bellini Vallium and the rest of the Ho's are back!!!!!! This event is held the third Wednesday of every month. Two of our talented fellow potato Ho's Cathy of Noble Pig and Krysta over at Evil Chef Mom are our illustrious founders. Every Wednesday we will all be posting those scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, fries, curries, poutine......if potato is in the name I will be definitely be there!!!!!!!!

I got in touch with my inner Ho and slapped out this pizza recipe. The potatoes are sliced very thinly on a mandolin and soaked in a cold water bath for about an hour to remove some of the starch that could make the potatoes gooey. Now I know that cheesy and gooey are words used to describe pizza, but believe me you don't want your potatoes to have that adjective. Another alternative would be to arrange them in a circular pattern on a baking sheet and bake at 400F for about 5 - 10 minutes. They will cook more on top of the pizza once they are placed there. If your potatoes are sliced very thinly with the mandolin this step is not necessary.

Next week I continue my potato pizza experimentation with a different variation. This dish was inspired by a recipe over at BBC.

What pizza combinations would you try?

**Goat Cheese & Potato Pizza**

3 - 4 small waxy potatoes, thinly sliced (skin on if you like)
1 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 garlic clove , crushed
2 sprigs rosemary needles, chopped
your favourite pizza dough
150-200g goat's cheese log, sliced
half a red onion , thinly sliced

*****************************
Heat the oven 400 F.

Slice the potatoes very thinly using a mandolin. Soak them in very cold water for about 1 hour to remove some of the starch). They are almost the thickness of a potato chip so that they will bake quickly on top of the pizza. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic and rosemary.

Roll the pizza dough into a pizza round or rectangle to fit a lightly oiled non-stick baking sheet. Arrange potato slices decoratively leaving a small border for a pizza crust. Scatter the goat's cheese and onion over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Leave your creation for 10 minutes for the dough to rise up a little , then bake for about 10-15 minutes until the base is crisp and golden and cooked through.

Spicy Baby Caesar Salad with Crisp Parmesan Chips

Foodbuzz is proud to be the only online community with content created by food bloggers and rated by foodies, offering over 20,000 pieces of new food and dining content weekly. Members can vote for their favorite pieces of content (recipes, photos, blog posts, videos, restaurant reviews) by “buzzing” them up to the top of the daily menu of submissions. In addition it is the home of the inaugural 24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs event—which aims to showcase 24 Featured Publisher blog posts around the globe in a 24-hour period. This is a monthly event that kicked off in September of last year. The event captures the quality and unique local perspective of food bloggers and shares them with the world. The event illustrates exactly what the future of food publishing is all about—"real food, experienced by real people, shared real-time.”

One of the sponsors of Foodbuzz is Earthbound Farms . They have some delicious recipes to offer including this one for Caesar Salad. This uses a slightly spicier, eggless dressing version of this classic topped with crispy Parmesan "chips". I also threw in some bacon for good measure.

**Spicy Baby Caesar Salad with Crisp Parmesan Chips**
by Chef Ted Walter, Passionfish Restaurant, Pacific Grove, CA

Parmesan Chips:

1 cup Parmesan cheese-grated

Croutons:


2 cups sourdough bread-cubed
1/4 cup butter
2 T garlic-minced

Eggless Spicy Caesar Dressing:

2 T garlic ( I used 1/2 - 2 cloves garlic)
4 anchovies
3 T capers
1 tsp black pepper
1 T dry mustard
1/4 cup sour cream
3 T lemon juice
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Tabasco to taste
A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Salad:

Red or green baby romaine (3 baby heads per person), washed thoroughly, especially inside. (from Earthbound Farms)

*************************************************
Parmesan Chips:

Grease a cookie sheet. Lay Parmesan in thin 3" circles. Bake 5 minutes in 350 F oven. The Parmesan will crisp up as it cools.

Croutons:

Toss the bread in melted butter and garlic; toast in oven until golden.

Eggless Spicy Caesar Dressing:

Blend all dressing ingredients in a food processor. Season to taste. Toss romaine with dressing. Spread sourdough croutons over the lettuce, and place the Parmesan chips on top. Add more anchovies if desired.

Comforting Chicken Cordon Bleu with Wine Sauce

There's a compelling reason for the pint of premium ice cream in the freezer, the supply of candy bars in the office desk drawer, or the collection of pasta in the pantry. These are all examples of comfort food, those "must have" foods which provide a sense of nostalgia or self-satisfaction in each of us.

"Comfort food" is typically inexpensive, uncomplicated, readily available and easy to prepare. Many people turn to "comfort food" for familiarity, emotional security, or to reward themselves for a job well done. The reasons a dish becomes a comfort food to you personally are diverse and known only to you, but, often include a flash back to childhood and simpler times. As an adult we eat comfort food for a sense of continuity which supplies a welcome respite from the stresses outside our own little world.

Did you know that the term "comfort food" was even added to the Webster's Dictionary in 1972?
1) Certain foods that people associate with their formative years, or with "home"; frequently simple home-cooked style food, and often the staple of diners and other informal restaurants.

2) Food that one eats to feel comfort or alleviate stress rather than to receive nutrition.

"Comfort food" is not designed to be especially healthy or politically correct but that is not necessarily always the case. For you maybe comfort is in a slice of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, or a heaping plate of macaroni and cheese, or a welcoming slice of chocolate cake? Nothing terribly unhealthy there...right...right....Insert picture of Val nodding her head. Maybe it's something less familiar to others but that your family has prepared and eaten around the table for generations?

One thing is certain..... Comfort food is personal!!!!!

WHAT'S YOURS?

One past time that I find comforting is reading. A little while back I won a novel from Glamah at Coco Cooks . Reading has taken a backburner to our Social Network BloggerAid and our fundraising cookbook but I finally finished the novel this weekend. The book is called The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn. It is essentially a true story of a woman in her early 30's who loses her job in the corporate world and leaves the comfort and security to follow her dream to attend the famed Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. She overcomes adversity even with the language barrier and ultimately realizes her own strength during her time there as she accomplishes her goals. She receives her diploma despite being told that she is "wasting her time". Read Coco's review of the book here.

In this novel you get two for one with a recipe at the end of each chapter. Each is one of the many recipes from the over 300 dishes she masters at The Cordon Bleu. Head on over to the Kathleen Flinn Website and get instructions for Book Club dinners, etc.

More recently I also won a novel from J. Danger of This Dangerous Life called Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore. It is another true story about the lives of 3 very different people and how their lives intertwined. I have yet to read this book but will let you know. It comes highly recommended!!!!

From the first book The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry I chose to prepare this Chicken Cordon Bleu. The Paris based cooking school has nothing to do with this dish and Kathleen did not even prepare it in any of her classes. The specific origins of the dish remain a mystery, but the original (with veal) is a likely cousin to Germany's schnitzel family and may have originated in Austria. I found it appealing. What did I find so comforting about this dish? Well.. sauce for one. It reminds me of my early days of creating chicken dishes with wine sauce...plus...anything in a breaded coating is comforting to me!!!!

One word of caution....when taking photos make sure the vacuum is put away......wink...wink....

**Chicken Cordon Bleu with Wine Sauce**

4 chicken breasts, about 6 ounces (170 grams) each
coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp Dijon mustard4 slices (2 - 3 ounces) Swiss cheese, preferably Gruyere
4 slices (about 2 ounces) very thinly slices prosciutto or ham
1 cup (1bout 100 grams) flour
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1 cup (about 100 g) seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine
1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock
1 T butter
1 T flour
1 cup (250 mL) cold milk or cream
salt, freshly ground pepper to tasted
1 T grated Gruyere cheese (optional)

**************************

Preheat oven to 350 F/175 C. Butterfly each chicken breast, using a sharp knife to carefully cut into one side until it opens like a book. Season the interior with salt and pepper and coat with 1 tsp mustard. Top with a slice of cheese, then a slice of prosciutto or ham. Close and secure with string or toothpicks, or wrap them in caul fat. (My trick to hold them together is to use dried spaghetti in place of toothpicks; it basically disappears during cooking). Dredge this chicken preparation in flour, then dip it in the beaten egg, and then finally roll it in breadcrumbs. Repeat for the other breasts. bake in a dish lined with parchment paper or foil for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the parcels are firm to the touch and juices running from the chicken are clear and no longer pink, and a meat thermometer reaches 180F/80C.

Heat the wine in a saucepan over high heat and reduce by half. Add the stock, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. keep warm until ready to add to the sauce below. (Don't skip this step your sauce will break)

In another saucepan, make a roux by melting the butter over medium heat until bubbly. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk for 8 - 10 minutes, until it smells like popcorn. Add the cold milk and whisk in completely. Whisk in the wine-stock mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Adjust consistency by adding more stock if sauce is too thick. If desired, add in the grated cheese. Remove the string from the chicken. Top with the sauce.

Serves 4

Olive Garden Caprese Flat Bread

I can't recall where I ever came across this recipe. It is very similar in taste to the "Betta Bruschetta that L'il Burnt Toast and I love so much. Garlicky, cheesy and delectable. If you can find Campari tomatoes in your grocers this time of the year they "almost" rank up there with any of the summer tomatoes freshly picked from the vine. These shiny red tomatoes are aromatic, deliciously sweet and juicy.

Camparis are deep red and larger than a cherry tomato, but smaller and rounder than a plum tomato. The popularity of the campari took off in North America in 2002, following a brief appearance on the television mafia drama "The Sopranos".

According to Wikipedia the campari was originally from Europe and introduced in North America in 1997 by the Mastronardi Produce company, based in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. Paul Mastronardi, a fourth-generation employee at the company, experimented with about 60 varieties of seeds before settling on the campari."

The campari focuses on big flavour and not size. One of their major producers is here in British Columbia which means we have juicy tomatoes all year round. According to Marie of Proud Italian Cook "they are sold in clusters still on the vine to ensure freshness, grown in a greenhouse herbicide free, always unblemished, sweet, and delicious." Try her Roasted Campari Tomatoes. One of those things you would never regret!!

This is one instance where "size doesn't matter"..... "Good things come in small packages"...I am quitting while I am ahead!!

I did alter the recipe a little by using dough from our local neighbourhood pizzeria. They even baked it for me in their pizza oven and then brushed it with the garlic infused oil they put on the crust. I took my cooked dough rectangle home and carried on from there. Also I am a "tomatoes after" kind of a gal so added the tomatoes to my flat bread concoction in the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking.

Olive Garden is an Italian chain restaurant across North America for those of you who haven't ventured there.

Just enjoy!!!!!!!

**Olive Garden's Caprese Flat Bread**

8 Roma or plum tomatoes, diced (I used Campari's which are delicious in the winter)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
10 medium fresh basil leaves, stemmed and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
7 T extra virgin olive oil, divided
11 oz container of refrigerated thin crust pizza dough ( You can use frozen pizza dough/I used pizza dough from our neighbourhood pizzeria)

1 garlic clove
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp garlic powder (no garlic powder in these cupboards)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 grated/shaved Parmesan cheese

*********************
Preheat oven to 350°F

Dice tomatoes into small pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add chopped garlic, salt, pepper, 1/2 of the chopped basil (about 1/4 cup), and 4 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.

Set aside and allow the mixture to marinate for 10 minutes.

Flatten pizza dough into a rectangle making sure you take the dough to the edge of the pan.

Drizzle the dough with extra virgin olive oil and brush it over the surface.

Bake the dough in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, about 2 minutes. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub, cut side down, on to the surface of the bread. The warmth of the bread will help extract the garlic flavor. Allow the bread to cool completely, about 10 additional minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

Combine mayonnaise and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Evenly spread onto the surface of the bread. Top with shredded mozzarella to evenly cover the surface.

Drain the Caprese mixture, (because the salt will have extracted water from the tomatoes), and spread it evenly over the bread. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Return to the oven for 5-7 more minutes until golden, crisp and bubbly.

Garnish with the remaining chopped basil and serve immediately.

You might also be interested in:

Marinate Caprese on a Stick
Golden Bruschetta with Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella & Pesto
Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta Cheese & Fresh Tomatoes
Goat Cheese & Tomato Tart

Tandoori Chicken with Mashed Chickpeas

I am sure that you are all aware of how generous our fellow food bloggers are. Not only are they generous with their support, heartfelt actions and encouraging comments, but, sometimes there are bonuses involved as well. I have been the recipient of not 1 but 5 books. Just before Christmas I won Rachel Ray's latest venture the Big Orange Book. This book was generously contributed by one of the Canadian Food Network blogs Bazarre .

In my almost 2 years of blogging I have come across many interesting bloggers. One of these would be Cynthia at Diary of a Glad Housewife . Cynthia blogs, cooks and shares her life from Utah in the States. The name "Utah" is derived from the "Ute Indian" language, meaning "people of the mountains". We are both members of the talented group the Barefoot Bloggers which is how we "met". We both received the same cookbook for Christmas, so, decided to collaborate and post a recipe from the book on the same day. Rachael’s Big Orange Book is the ultimate resource for busy cooks. Need kitchen inspiration? It’s all here and it’s all new--and bigger than ever! No matter what you think of RR she does have some good recipes for home cooked and comforting meals. So here Cynthia and I find ourselves cooking Rachel Ray instead of the Barefoot Contessa.

It was hard to choose just one recipe from the book. Previously this week I prepared this dish. This is what I came up with to serve my family this time around. It was easy and quick to prepare in RR style. It did have that Tandoori flavour which usually requires overnight marinating in the yogurt sauce for juicy and tender chicken. This dish would benefit from tenderizing the chicken overnight but it didn't lack in flavour.

**Tandoori Chicken with Mashed Chickpeas & Pepper & Onion Salad**
by Rachel Ray

1 cup Greek yogurt
2 inches grated ginger root
4 cloves garlic, grated, divided
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons plus some for drizzling extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut across in 1/2
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans chick peas, drained
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup tahini paste
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced or 1/2-inch dice
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced or 1/2-inch dice
Hot banana pepper rings, drained and chopped plus 2 tablespoons juice
Handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 lime, juiced, plus 1 lime, for garnish
4 pita breads

**************************
Preheat oven to 500 to 550 degrees F, as high as it goes. Cover a baking sheet with foil and set a baking rack on top if you have one - not necessary but use it if ya got it.

Place yogurt in shallow dish and combine with ginger, 3 cloves grated garlic, chili powder, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cardamom, cumin and 2 tablespoons oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and coat in sauce. Arrange on baking sheet and roast 20 to 25 minutes until juices run clear.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 clove grated garlic. Pulse chop the chick peas in food processor then add to garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Mash with chicken stock and tahini and reduce heat to low.

Combine red onion, bell peppers, chopped hot peppers, to taste, 2 tablespoons hot pepper pickle juice, cilantro leaves, lime juice. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Wedge the remaining lime, reserve. Warm and crisp pitas in hot oven last few minutes chicken is roasting. Serve chicken with lime wedges to squeeze over top. Serve mashed chick peas alongside. Top the chicken with pepper salad. Cut pitas in half and pass at table.

A Culinary Tour Around the World - Poland

Before I head out on my journey to find the best pierogies and Golabki in Krakow I need to meet up with Joan of Foodalogue. I had promised to meet her in Portugal...but plans change and I met the handsome and debonair Casimir on the train in Norway. So, here I am continuing on my virtual tour in Poland to meet up with the group. Joan is helping to promote hunger awareness through her event A Culinary Tour Around the World. Joan will be travelling virtually wherever her imagination takes us for the next little while through food, sights, and cultural diversity. Why not join Joan and reach outside your comfort zone? How about meeting her in any one of her itinerary stops and presenting your interpretation of the cuisine from that destination to your readers? Who wouldn't enjoy taking a journey around the world even if it is from the comfort of your favourite armchair??

This week join Joan in Poland!!!!!

Of course I dumped Casimir in Krakow (he was too fond of his bottle of Polish vodka) and decided to spend a week with Malgorzata Rose ("Sarna" to her friends) the founder of Poland Culinary Vacations. Poland Culinary Vacations grew out of her love and passion for travel and everything Polish, including fine Polish cuisine, eventually blossoming into a first-class culinary travel company. She shares her philosophy,

"Travel helps us to better understand and appreciate other people, ultimately leading to a more peaceful world. Nothing is more intimate, or more effective at breaking down cultural barriers, than cooking and sharing meals together."

For these 7 days I will be cooking traditional recipes in Polish homes with local women with hands on cooking lessons as well as demonstration type cooking classes, visiting neighborhood markets and Polish food festivals . This way I will have the opportunity to sample rare delicacies from local artisan producers and family farms such as breads, cheeses, preserves, sausages, wild game dishes, beer, honey wines, and world-renowned vodkas. Of course I will also be able to visit many of Poland's famous cultural sites and learn all I can about the history, traditions and identity of the Polish people. During my virtual vacation I will be staying in elegant and comfortable accommodations in the beautiful 16th-century Zamek na Skale castle in the Polish countryside and at Tumski hotel in the city of Wroclaw in Poland's Lower Silesia region. We will see if my itinerary permits me to have an extended stay in Wroclaw to further explore this lovely city, dubbed "the Venice of Poland".

With Poland Culinary Vacations, I'll travel in the company of a small group of English-speaking, food-loving people from all over the world. And, thanks to their slow-vacation approach, I'll have time to truly get to know my companions and feed my soul as well as my stomach. As always I think immersing yourself in a culture and making immediate friends on a cooking vacation is the best way to go if you have no family or friend connections in a specific country. The people of Poland enjoy a relaxed lifestyle, focused on the pleasures of family, friends, and fantastic meals, especially in small towns and villages. They take time to socialize with newcomers and are especially welcoming to travelers who truly want to learn about the land and people they are visiting.

A word of warning!!!! If you want to try traditional Polish cuisine, stop counting your calories!!!! Typical meals are very hearty and often contain a lot of meat. Just sampling them is enough to discover that they are really delicious and worth putting on a few ounces. The most recommended dishes I have tried on my virtual journey are bigos, kotlet schabowy, pierogies, halushki and golabki.

One dish that I tried on my virtual journey was Nalesniki or Polish crepes. These are a favourite during Lent. They are a thin pancake rolled or folded around a sweet or savory filling which can be lightly browned or baked. As with most dishes there are probably as many variations of this dish as there are cooks in Poland. This recipe comes from About.com. They have provided both a sweet and a savoury version.

Joan has linked her virtual journey with our Social Network BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famineto help promote world hunger and raise awareness for the World Food Programme .

I hope you have enjoyed my virtual tour with Joan to Poland. In honour of the trip I served my savoury version of this dish with some fruit on the side.

I will be hanging out in Poland for a little while with my new found friends. Joan...meet up with you in Portugal in February. I hope you enjoy your stays in Germany and France!!!!!

**Nalesniki (Polish Crepes)**

Makes about 12

Savory Nalesniki Crepes:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 large eggs
2 T butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt

Sweet Nalesniki Crepes:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water`
2 large eggs
2 Y butter, melted
1 1/2 T sugar`
Pinch salt

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In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes so the liquid can be absorbed by the flour.

Using a 2-ounce ladle, portion out batter into a nonstick pan that has been coated with butter. Rotate pan and swirl batter until it covers the entire bottom of pan. Cook until lightly brown or spotted brown on the underside.

Remove to waxed paper or parchment paper and repeat with remaining batter and butter separating nalesniki with waxed paper or parchment. (Can be frozen up to 1 month).

Savory White Cheese Filling:

1 lb. (about two cups) dry cottage cheese (Farmer's cheese) or ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk (optional)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
½ cup chives or finely minced new onions
salt – to taste
white pepper – to taste.

Sweet White Cheese Filling:

Same as for Savory White Cheese Filling except omit chives, salt and pepper and substitute:

5 T sugar
1 tsp melted butter or margarine and
1 T vanilla
one extra egg yolk for added richness.

***********************************************************
Break-up cheese in a hand grinder, large-pore sieve, or food processor. Do not puree! In a medium bowl combine sieved cheese, eggs with chives, salt and white pepper; or sugar, melted butter or margarine and vanilla.

***A small amount of cleaned and fresh fruit like berries, tropical fruit, or apples can be added to the cheese mixture and sugar adjusted to taste. One variation is to make a small amount of sauce from the fruit and spoon it over the browned or baked cheese-filled Nalesniki.

**Method**

Filling and Folding Nalesniki

Place Nalesniki seam down in frying or baking pan as you fill and fold them.

Here are the four traditional ways of filling and folding Nalesniki:

Long Roll: Evenly spread about 1 tablespoon of filling over one-half of pancake leaving bare about one–half inch from the edge; roll from the filled side until you have a long tube.

Short Roll: Evenly spread about 1 tablespoon of filling, leaving the outer one inch bare, over the entire pancake. Fold over two unspread edges from opposite sides of the pancake; roll one of the remaining two unspread edges toward the center; then roll up tightly from the unfolded end until you have a small fat tube.

Handkerchief Fold: Evenly spread about 1 tablespoon of filling over one-half of pancake, leaving bare about one-half inch from the edge; fold empty half over filled half; then fold once again bringing the two points together. Not particularly well suited for jams or runny fillings.

Envelope or Book Fold (Ksiazeczka): Evenly spread about 1 tablespoon of filling over the center of pancake leaving bare about one–half inch from the edge; fold about one-third of pancake over filling; then fold over the opposite one-third; fold ends in, forming a small packet.

**Cooking Nalesniki**

Method 1

Melt a small amount of unsalted butter or margarine in a frying pan. Sauté Nalesniki, seam-side down, over medium heat about 3 minutes on each side. Place on a warm plate or serving platter. Garnish with fresh diced and sweetened fruit, or a warm cooked fruit sauce. Serve with sour cream.

Method 2

Preheat oven 350° to 375°. Place Nalesniki, seam side down, in well buttered baking dish, in layers if necessary; drench with melted unsalted butter or dot with cold unsalted butter. Bake for about 30 minutes or until heated through with top layer attractively browned. Serve with sweetened diced berries or fruit or warm fruit sauce; sour cream on the side.

(Happy Travels and Bon Appetit!!!)

Basil Cream Sauce Pasta with Chicken

When visiting the market the other day I found myself the lucky recipient of a huge bag of basil . Outside of the summer months this is a very rare occurrence so I decided to go with the big tastes of summer and make a basil pesto. You can prepare your own pesto as I did or use frozen or jarred pesto for that blast of summer.

I had come across this recipe from a cookbook I won (I will be mentioning this later in the week) and decided that with a few twists it would work perfectly for Presto Pasta Nights . Ruth at Once Upon a Feast has been organizing Presto Pasta nights every Friday for over 2 years now. I rarely prepare pasta these days, even though I love it unconditionally. My friend Ivy of Kopiaste is hosting this week. Therefore, I wanted to make something special!!!

**Basil Cream Sauce with Chicken & Pasta**

adapted from a recipe from Rachel Ray

1 lb spaghettini
2 T butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 - 3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound cooked chicken breast, julienned
1/4 pound sliced prosciutto, julienned (optional)
1 cup frozen tiny green peas (I used asparagus)
2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup basil (I used the recipe below)
A handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
A handful of fresh basil, chopped
*************************
Bring a big pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water, add the spaghettini, and cook to al dente.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Make a roux, whisking together the melted butter and flour for 1 minute, then add the wine and cook down for 1 minute. Add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another couple of minutes to thicken. Stir the chicken and prosciutto into the wine sauce. Add the peas and lemon zest, combine, then add pesto to taste. Heat through.

To serve, toss the sauce with the drained spaghetti. Garnish with the chopped herbs.

Serves 4

**Val's Pesto**

125 mL (1/2 cup)each packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup packed parsley
2 - 4 whole peeled garlic cloves
30 mL (2 T) pine nuts
60 mL (1/4 cup)sun-dried tomatoes, drained and ¼ cup julienned
coarse black pepper to taste
3 mL (1/2 tsp) salt
60 mL (1/4 cup)extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional but droolworthy)
*********
Combine all remaining ingredients except Parmesan in food processor or whiz with immersion blender and process until well combined. Recipe makes about 10 tbsp (150 mL) of pesto. Use desired amount to toss with the pasta in this recipe. Cover and refrigerate the remainder for up to 3 days for another use..

My Kitchen My World - Cuba

We have received another few centimeters of snow, the roads to Vancouver through the mountains have only just reopened and we are experiencing "the inversion factor" with no sunshine for days. Is it any wonder that I am dreaming of warm ocean breezes, sun dappled beaches and a long cool drink by the pool? Today I am being whisked away to Cuba with another week of travel with My Kitchen My World . This illustrious group of bloggers is now moderated by the lovely Lauren of I'll Eat You. The group chooses a country every Sunday and we put our best foot forward in an effort to prepare a dish that represents that country.

Today we escape to CUBA!!!!!

Bring on the mojitos!!!!! Cuba is the land of rum, cigars and communism. The best thing about travelling to Cuba for me is that it remains an uncluttered and "real" paradise. You will find no McDonalds commercialism here and you can still buy souvenirs for under $10. Cuba has survived more than 40 years of US sanctions intended to topple the government of Fidel Castro. It also defied predictions that it would not survive the collapse of its one-time supporter, the Soviet Union. It's people are survivors and the country offers its own brand of flavour and beauty.

Cuba is a spectacular country, with beautiful and very warm loving people. Most tourists will go to the all inclusive resort areas such as Varadero, Jardines del Rey (Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo) or Holguin. My best advice to you as always is to travel around the country, stay in a Casa Particular, where you will be a guest in a Cuban family's home. Have dinner in the Paladares, small private restaurants, and talk to the Cuban people, mingle with the locals and see how they live. Brush up on your Spanish!!!!

Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures. Very little is deep-fried and there are no heavy or creamy sauces. Most Cuban cooking relies on a few basic spices, such as garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay laurel leaves.

So what do I personally think of when Cuba comes to mind (besides bringing home my allotment of cigars and hitching a ride in a 1950's car with smoke pouring out the back end)?

The Cubano!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I enjoyed this description. " A Cuban Sandwich, sometimes called a cubano, is a Latin variation on a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. This undeniably delicious sandwich is grilled and made with ham, pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and Cuban bread. The essential ingredient is the roasted pork. When assembled, the sandwich is lightly toasted in a sandwich press called a plancha, which is only somewhat similar to a panini press but without grooved surfaces. A traditional Cuban sandwich is never made with a panini grill. The plancha both heats and compresses the sandwich, which remains in the press until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted. It is usually cut into diagonal halves before serving."

Nothing will whisk me away to Cuba and snorkeling in untouched quays like a Cuban sandwich and a long tall mojito!!!! Serve both with some yam fritters to get the full effect of your virtual holiday.

**Cuban Sandwiches**

4 hoagie rolls (oreferably Cuban rolls if you can find them)
2 T yellow mustard
1/4 pound baked ham, thinly sliced
1/4 pound roast pork, thinly sliced
1/4 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced
10 thin dill pickle slices, approximately 2 whole pickles
1 T unsalted butter, room temperature

*************************
Slice the bread horizontally in half, leaving 1 edge intact. Lay the bread open and spread each side with the mustard. Divide the ingredients evenly among the slices of roll. Start with the ham followed by the pork, cheese, and dill pickles. Bring the tops and bottoms together.

Heat your panini maker or sandwich press. Butter each side of the press. Place the sandwiches inside, press down and grill until the cheese is melted and the bread is flat and browned, approximately 10 minutes. If you don't have a sandwich press, you can heat 6 fireplace bricks wrapped in foil, in a 500 degrees F oven for 1 hour and then press the sandwich between them for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

**Yam Fritters**

1/2 kilogram malanga or yam

1 egg

1 clove of garlic

1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vinegar

Oil enough for deep frying

**************
Grate the malanga or yam and blend with the rest of the ingredients.

Take the batter by tablespoonfuls and deep fry in hot oil.

A Culinary Tour Around the World - Norway

Joan of Foodalogue, is helping to promote hunger awareness through a new event, A Culinary Tour Around the World. Joan will be travelling virtually wherever her imagination takes us for the next little while through food, sights, and cultural diversity. Why not join Joan and reach outside your comfort zone? How about meeting her in any one of her itinerary stops and presenting your interpretation of the cuisine from that destination to your readers? Who wouldn't enjoy taking a journey around the world even if it is from the comfort of your favourite armchair??

Joans first stop on your culinary adventure is Norway!!!!

Mitt navn er Val (My name is Val)

Snakker du engelsk? (Do you speak English?)
Beklager, jeg snakker ikke norsk!!!! (I'm sorry I don't speak Norwegian!!!!)

Finding yourself in another country can sometimes be a little intimidating if you don't have your friends or relatives to guide you and see you through. Joan and I have each other on this virtual trip so no worries. Of course many Norwegians speak English so we won't feel like a fish out of water when we ask for our hearty plate of Lutefish.

To ease myself into the culture and foods of Norway I am going to spend a fun filled week at one of its fine hotels immersing myself in the culture and making new friends. My choice would be to attend Food & Wine courses at Fossheim Turisthotell . Imagine a whole week full of aroma, flavour, and making new friends where the entire experience leaves a lasting impression. I will spend the week learning all about food and food culture then relax in the evening with a delicious meal and a glass of wine with my new found friends. Since it is the middle of a fine Norwegian winter now would be a perfect time to go for some skiing and snowshoeing. Chefs, Kristoffer Hovland and Ståle Johansen, have many years experience and are proud of their profession, so , it goes without being said that I will learn a lot of valuable skills with the added bonus of sampling many tasty dishes. Of course I will have had to learn to cook in decilitres and my math skills and recipe conversion skills will be challenged to the max!!! I didn't realize there was yet another form of measurement available for recipes until I started doing my research. Who knew!!! Thank goodness for copious amounts of wine and a warming mug of Glogg!!!! Only kidding...perhaps!!!! My new friend Svein will gladly arrange wine courses and wine tasting sessions for me as well!!! Fossheim has also organised tailor made courses and activities where I will meet many of the locals and make instant friends in my group as well. Since this is a virtual tour from my living room I am spending my time immersed in the culture through my imagination and yours. Immersion in my opinion is the best way to travel and get to know a country by connecting with it's people.

Norway's coast line is 2650 kilometers long, which makes it quite natural that the local cuisine would be based on both wild and farm-raised fish and seafood. Norwegian food is typically quite simple and plain. In its traditional form it is largely based on the raw materials readily available in a country dominated by mountains, wilderness and the sea where the climate largely limits what other food they can produce themselves. The slow ripening process of everything that grows during the light Nordic summer imparts an extraordinary aroma to berries, fruits and vegetables, and the animals that graze on the succulent green grass provide meat with a distinctive full flavour. My reindeer steak with cranberries took on a flavour of its own accompanied by the jamgeitost (goat cheese) and fiskeboller (fish balls). For breakfast I had
Rumgraut, a sour-cream porridge covered with melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. When they are in season you can try amber-colored muiter (cloudberries), which I have tried in Newfoundland or loganberries.

Preserved fish, meats and produce play an important role in the Norwegian diet as a result of a desperate need to store food for the long and unproductive winter months. This has resulted in various combinations of smoking, drying, pickling and salting of fish and has resulted in some unique flavours! In Norway smoked salmon is cheaper than salami!!!! Smoked salmon is served in many different ways, as it's found throughout the world. For instance you could serve it with scrambled eggs, sandwiches, dill or mustard sauce. But other varieties of preserved fish require a stronger stomach!!!!! One of the most famous is the Lutefisk, a national speciality, particularly eaten at Christmas. Its production involves drying, treating with lye, salting, and boiling or baking, and results in a unique texture and flavour. It is an "acquired taste" but dishes don't come much more unique than this!!!

Norway is a modern, urbanized nation with a booming petroleum and technology industry. Modern Norwegian cuisine, although still strongly influenced by its traditional background, now bears the marks of globalization and urban restaurants sport the same selection you would expect to find anywhere in the world.

Joan has linked her virtual journey with our Social Network BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine. To use Joan's own words, "Over the past year or so, many of us have had to cut back on our discretionary spending but, to the best of my knowledge, we all still have food on the table. Millions of people do not. I am attaching this event to BloggerAid to help promote the effort to fight world famine. We begin with awareness. And, hopefully, awareness will lead to a call-to-action. Where possible, the event will include a glimpse of the culture and economy of the destination as well as a national dish and recipe. Hopefully, the 'trip' into a culture we may never know will motivate readers to participate in the fight against hunger via BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine or the World Food Programme and other worthy organizations."

I hope you have enjoyed my virtual tour with Joan to Norway. In honour of the trip I served this simple salmon dish at home with a Potato Galette ( which may be more French than Norwegian)but it looks pretty on the plate don't you think.

I will be hanging out in Norway with Svein for the next little while Joan..meet up with you in Portugal in February. I hope you enjoy your stays in Poland , Germany and France!!!!!

**Salmon Roll with Butter Sauce & Potato Galette**
(Serves 4 for a first course)

450 g boned, skinned salmon
4 large or 8 small white or green asparagus
1 bunch parsley
1 lemon
salt
ground white pepper

Butter sauce

200 g butter
1 shallot
1/2 dl (1/4 cup) cream
1 dl (1/4 cup) dry white wine
[ Norwegian conversion table]

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Cook the asparagus, and allow it to cool. Cut the salmon fillet into 4 large, thin slices 10-12 cm in diameter. The slicing is a bit tricky, but give it a try. If it doesn't work, you can easily patch smaller slices together. Lay a slice of salmon flat on the kitchen counter. Place 1 or 2 stalks of the cooled asparagus in the centre of the slice. Season with salt and white pepper and roll the salmon around the asparagus. Cook the rolls on a rack in a steamer for 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare Sauce: Mince the shallot and cook in white wine until the liquid is reduced to one tablespoon. Add cream and bring to the boil. Cut butter into small cubes and add little by little while stirring continuously. Use low heat and keep the sauce just under boiling point while adding the butter.

The sauce may separate if it boils, so keep an eye on the heat!

The sauce may be prepared ahead of time and reheated over boiling water. The shallot may be removed by straining before serving, or kept in the sauce.

Recipe from Norsk mat uten grenser, Universitetsforlaget

*Potato Galette*

1 large potato, peeled, sliced thinly
2 teaspoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely

********

In a 4-inch skillet overlap potato slices making 3 layers, saute in butter until tender. Add salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon rosemary. Repeat this process with the remaining potatoes. (You can also bake the potatoes in a 4-inch creme brulee ramekin for about 15 minutes. I sliced the potatoes on my new Christmas present - a mandolin - so they were very thin, so cooking times may change)

NOTE: Potato galette may be made ahead of time and reheated before serving.

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

This is my first recipe of 2009 with the illustrious group the Barefoot Bloggers . I will continue to roll up my shirt sleeves by cooking up these pancakes as my first tribute of the year to one of my idols the Barefoot Contessa and all the other wonderful members of this close knit group. Here's to you ladies/gents. We're cooks and bakers with a love for all things Ina. We test and retest Ina Garten's recipes as a whole, and then blog about our results on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month. Not only is this our first challenge of the year but an excellent way to start any morning!!!! This recipe was chosen by Karen of Something Sweet by Karen .

I didn't have any sour cream handy without heading to the grocers , so , opted to use plain yogurt instead. The addition of the vanilla was a different twist in pancakes, at least for me, but it blended very well with the sweetness of the bananas.

The Barefoot Bloggers have made 56,769 Friday dinners for Jeffrey!!!!

**Banana Sour Cream Pancakes**

1 -1/2 cups flour
3 T sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 -1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 extra-large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest
Unsalted butter
2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
Pure maple syrup

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Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Criss Cross Potatoes - A Blast from the Past

When I was in my late teens I left home and moved to a very small town outside of my hometown. As with any young woman I loved living on my own. In those days I even enjoyed my nemesis housecleaning and loved to iron and do the dishes. How naive is that!!! My mom never really taught her little birds how to cook so I remember inviting my sister and her boyfriend of the day for dinner. I served up storebought meat pies, canned carrots and yes...canned potatoes. I also remember saying how delicious it was. Well....."you've come a long way baby" as the saying goes!!!!

I can cook every day meals with the best of them and am still continually trying new things. There are some things however that just scream comfort and even give me a glimpse back to less stressful and carefree times. One such recipe, if it can be called that, is outlined here. The best thing about these potatoes is that they can be cooked up in half the time as a regular baked potato. The reason for soaking them is on the same principal as radish roses so that they will fan out and it brings the lowly potato out of the closet and into "elegant".

This is not much of a recipe but it is fun! The third Wednesday of every month has been designated Potato Ho-Down Wednesday....this does not mean that I am limited to eating potatoes only on Wednesdays either!!!! The Ho's are back!!!!! Two of our talented fellow potato Ho's Cathy of Noble Pig and Krysta over at Evil Chef Mom are our illustrious founders. Every Wednesday we will all be posting those scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, fries, curries, poutine......if potato is in the name I will be definitely be there in 2009 too!!!!!!!!

I got in touch with my inner Ho and slapped out this recipe. I am sending this easy peasy recipe over to them!!! Just as the Phoenix rose out of the ashes Bellini Vallium rises again!!!

**Criss Cross Potatoes**

4 medium baking potatoes
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp black pepper

********************
Peel and cut each potato crosswise at 1/4" intervals to within 1/2" of the bottom of potato.
Cut lengthwise (in the opposite direction) in the same manner, creating the crisscross pattern.
Be sure not to cut all the way to the bottom.

Place potatoes in ice water for 30 minutes. Dry potatoes and place in a baking pan. Brush with melted butter. Mix spices together and sprinkle on top of potatoes.

Bake at 400°, turning and basting every 15 minutes for 45 minutes or until tender.

Criss-Cross Potatoes1 large Baking Potato1 tbsp Butter, meltedSaltPaprikaScrub potato; cut in half lengthwise. Make diagonal slashes, about 1/8inchdeep in cut surface of potato forming crisscross pattern. Brush cutsurfaceswith butter; season with salt. Place in small shallow pan or on a piece offoil. Bake in hot oven (400) for 40 minutes. Sprinkle potato with paprika.Bake 10 minutes more or till done.

We Turn Another Page

Start submitting your recipes!!

Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen and myself Val of More Than Burnt Toast unveiled our ambitious project for our Social Network BloggerAid-Changing the Face Of Famine to launch our cookbook. Food is our medium and taking a role in alleviating world famine is our mission. Our wish is that you will share our excitement and help make a difference to our world by joining us on this journey.

We have announced our largest fundraiser to date ever!!!! With the help of Gloria Chadwick from Cookbook Cuisine , a member of BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine , we will be publishing a cookbook with 100% of the profit from sales being directed to our chosen agency. The funds we raise will be directed to specific programs of the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations front line agency. The needs are great and choosing a specific effort is currently being negotiated.

Who will contribute to this cookbook?
YOU!!!!

The cookbook is targeted for sale on Amazon by November/December 2009. There is a great deal of work involved in delivering this project and we will rely on you to help in any way you can. We will keep you informed every step of the way on BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine!!!!

Rules to follow:

1) Submit ONLY ONE recipe in the format given. You will find the Recipe Style Format to be used on the forum page of Bloggeraid-Changing the Face of Famine. You MUST use this format to make it easier for us to edit and itemize each recipe for the cookbook. Send your submission to bloggeraid AT gmail DOT com with your e-mail. Send your submission to bloggeraid AT gmail DOT com with your e-mail subject being one of the categories below. Please include your URL to your recipe, a photo of your dish, your email and your country of origin. (Only your Name, Blog Title and country will appear in the cookbook)

Choose one category:

Beverages
Breakfast and Brunch
Appetizers & Hors d’oeuvres
Main Dishes
Vegetarian Dishes
Salads & Dressings
Soups & Stews
Sides
Candy & Cookies
Cakes & Pies
Desserts
Jam & Preserves

2) It's also very important to write your recipe as a plain text Word document, with no codes or formatting and to submit your recipe as an attachment to our e-mail address bloggeraid AT gmail DOT com. (The person who will typeset the recipes will thank you from the bottom of his/her heart for this). One little wayward code can throw the whole thing out of whack.

3) It MUST be an ORIGINAL recipe to avoid any copyright issues. The cookbook will have an international flair so represent your country if you so wish. We are a group of bloggers from almost every country of the world!!!!

4) In one or two months you agree to receive a recipe chosen randomly to TASTE TEST for the cookbook. We will of course take in mind any allergy and vegetarian issues. To taste test a recipe would mean to verify that all measurements and instructions are accurate and that the recipe works without glitches.

5) This is critical!!!!! Do NOT post your recipe on your blog. We want people to have an incentive to purchase the cookbook. You may post a photo of your dish to create interest for your own blog as well as writing a description of what you have prepared, or why you have prepared it, anything like an introduction to your recipe but without revealing the ingredients. Your photo must be clear and in living colour!!!!The deadline for submitting recipes is the 12th February, 2009.

6) Please mention this event with a link back to this post on your site as well as a link to Bloggeraid-Changing the Face Of Famine so more people will be aware of what we are trying to accomplish.

7) You don't have to be a member of Bloggeraid-CFF to submit a recipe.

8) By submitting a recipe, you give BloggerAid-CFF permission to publish your enclosed recipe for its cookbook project understanding the proceeds of the cookbook will support the programs of the WFP. You further understand that no royalties will be awarded to me for my recipe submission. You also understand that all recipes and photos submitted will be considered but may not be published in the cookbook and you undertake that you will not publish the recipe anywhere else (blog, forum, social network, magazine, newspaper etc., before the publication of the cookbook.

All submitted recipes become the temporary property of BloggerAid-CFF and will not be returned.

*All photographs submitted will be considered but may not be included in the BloggerAid-CFF cookbook due to page limits.

To recap:

- Choose a category.
- Choose ONE original recipe and type in plain text of a Word document following the recipe format found on the BloggerAid-CFF forum.
- Post on your blog a photo of your dish, a description of your dish but not the actual recipe.
- Send us the post URL, your recipe in Word, photo of your dish, your country and name as you want it to appear.
- agree to waiver

Submit your recipes and let's get this party started!!!!

Our vision is a world which provides for and protects the welfare and human dignity of all of its people. A world in which all children can grow, learn and flourish, developing into healthy, active, caring members of society.

BECAUSE WE CAN HELP!!