Marie-Hélène's Apple Cake for the Ultimate Brunch

Marie-Hélène's Apple Cake

 

Hello dear friends. I hope you are having a safe and happy Hallowe'en. Today I have brought you  a very special dessert that has been making its rounds in the blogosphere. I first heard about this cake from my mom and dad about a month ago after they had watched an episode of a national news show Canada AM. It was something that appealed to them being not too sweet and not too filling. In fact, the texture is more fruity than cakey. I was intrigued by the fact that there seemed to be more fruit per ratio than most cakes that have ever graced the More Than Burnt Toast kitchen; and it was certainly a change from my cream cheese laden specialties. You know me I can't resist an experiment and I assured my parents I would let them know how it turned out. So I made it last Sunday knowing it would be perfect for brunch.

 

Shepherds Pie with Spaghetti Squash Topping

 

Shepherd's Pie with Spaghetti Squash Topping

You've heard spaghetti squash is a great substitute for pasta, and you have one sitting on your counter. Now what do you do with it? Spaghetti squash, also known as "calabash squash" or "vegetable spaghetti", is really quite unique because when cooked the flesh looks like thin translucent strands of thin spaghetti. It has a mild, delicate flavour somewhat like that of yellow summer squash and a watery texture.The flavour of spaghetti squash is similar to other winter squashes but its texture reflects its name. I thought perhaps we could rename it "angel hair pasta squash" or "spaghettini squash" which would more accurately describe the strands, which are not as fat as cooked spaghetti noodles. This texture is the squash’s greatest asset, and the best recipes, I think, play upon it.

Blogger Dinner at Poppy and Rediscovering Beechers Mac and Cheese in Seattle

Beechers Mac and Cheese (photo courtesy of Beechers)

Well the weekend is over, and how much fun one girl can have is up for debate. On the weekend I headed to Seattle with a bus group that my friend Lynn organises... with 41 other women. As the years pass it is like a family reunion where you meet up with some special ladies to swap stories about grand kids, children and life in general. A lot of these ladies are near and dear to my heart. What is exceptional about this tour is that you can pretty much do your own thing. There is the group who come to gamble at the casinos, get their nails done and trip the light fantastic, those die hard 'shoppies' and then those like me who want to experience a glimpse of Seattle.

Shrimp and Spaghetti (Squash) Fra Diavolo

Shrimp and Spaghetti (Squash) Fra Diavolo

More Than Burnt Toast will be missing in action over the weekend. I am not exactly lost because I know where I am. I will be in Seattle with 45 women who will be shopping till they drop in this stunning coastal city. Now, while they are shopping to their hearts content I will be headed to Pike Place Market to do my own thing. Although I like to look around I know from experience that one day of shopping will hold my attention but then I am off to explore!!!!. I have happily arranged to meet 7 other local Seattle area bloggers for  dinner at a local restaurant. Talk about the excitement building. I have been looking forward to this for a while!!!

In the meantime a girl needs to eat!!! So, to get my energy up for a power shopping weekend I am offering you a healthy version of one of my favourite dishes. I have had a spaghetti squash languishing on my kitchen counter for a while waiting for its moment to shine. Named for the crisp spaghetti-like strands of their cooked flesh, these football-size squash are more about texture than flavour. Something I just loved as a kid with a little butter and pepper. Once cooked, they make an unexpected ingredient in shredded vegetable salads or a great stand-in for spaghetti. Their mild flavour pairs well with just about any dressing or sauce. I usually toss cooked spaghetti squash with my favorite marinara sauce or pesto, or sauté the strands with brown butter and fresh herbs.

Olive Oil Pumpkin Cake with Toasted Pine Nuts for the Pumpkin Challenge

Olive Oil Pumpkin Cake with Toasted Pine Nuts

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that I have been creating personal challenges based on a theme to infuse new life into my cooking adventures. Even every day food should be an adventure either with new ideas, or experimenting with a new cuisine. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market for our favourite comfort foods.With these personally imposed challenges my own culinary skills have been rejuvenated and back on track and I am once again inspired. This is the perfect time of year to pump up our kitchens into high gear!

This week, with Hallowe'en right around the corner, I bring you the pumpkin challenge.

Last week I made some delicious pumpkin scones with caramel butter and then a delicious Black Bean Pumpkin Soup. Canned pumpkin always seems to come in huge cans so with leftover pumpkin what is a girl to do? Well that is the easy part since I have a myriad of tried-and-true recipes just waiting in the wings. Let's call this my "pumpkin challenge" and see what I come up with to use up the leftovers.

Happy Thanksgiving with Spiced Baked Apples with Maple Caramel Sauce

Spiced Baked Apples with Maple Caramel Sauce

To continue my celebration of wine for the Okanagan Wine Festival and now our Canadian Thanksgiving I will continue to take you on a little journey of cooking with wine in celebration of the harvest and my newly discovered passion for cuisine du terroir. Each day this week I have made wine the star of my dishes or at the very least cooked with glass in hand. Today I am starting with dessert!

A few weekends ago I had the opportunity to revisit the Naramata Bench with Jennifer Cockrall-King when I attended the Food and Wine Writers Workshop. You can read all about our first day of adventure here. The second day started out with several workshops at the Wine Country Visitor Centre in Penticton. The first session was with Dianne Jacob a California-based writing coach, editor, and author of Will Write for Food. She took us through writing with the senses and other food writing fundamentals. You will also find Dianne on line at her blog of the same name. Lunch was courtesy of the Bench Market followed by a seminar by Liane Faulder, a food columnist at the Edmonton Journal and on CBC Radio Active. With some entertaining stories and anecdotes she spoke on how "Writing Can Change Your Life." It was a pleasure to spend the weekend with both of these ladies.

Honey Chicken with Butternut Squash with Dried Cranberry and Pecan Rice Dressing

Honey Chicken with Butternut Squash

To all my Canadian friends I hope you have survived Thanksgiving with your belt buckles intact and retained the warm glow that comes from being thankful for all that we have...family, friends and a table groaning with awe inspiring dishes.

But what if you have fewer guests and you want to go hiking instead of spending all day in the kitchen? Well, the answer is here. Of course you can have this dish anytime since it is quick to prepare and bursting with fall flavours from the earthy taste of butternut squash and sage to the sweet tones of honey crusted chicken. Top it with crispy shallots and a side of wild rice and other aromatic rice with autumnal flavours and the sweet tang of apple and you have Thanksgiving on the "fly."

No crispy shallots in the photo since I  didn't take the time to stage them for the photo... which was done in a hurry of course since hiking was in the cards...and what is that ghostly figure on the plate.....spooky......just a play of light...or is it?

Celebrating Wine with the Ultimate Comfort Food

Comforting Macaroni and Cheese

Thank you for joining me once again for this week of cooking with wine to celebrate the Okanagan Wine Festival which celebrates the wine harvest until October 10th. Each day I am trying to incorporate a little wine into my cooking or at the very least linger over my kitchen stove with a glass in hand "Galloping Gourmet style". Do you remember Graham Kerr, my childhood idol, who rallied us around the television long before The Food Network? The series was known for its lighthearted humour, tomfoolery and the copious use of clarified butter, cream and fat. Graham also liberally featured wine, serving it with most meals, slurping it down while cooking, using it in his dishes, and waxing poetic about its virtues. All I have to say to that is we have both come a long way and moved over to a health conscious lifestyle!

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club Goes Vegetarian

We are so glad you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where 5 ladies in two neighbouring countries get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. We are now in our second year and continue to share a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. The idea is simple because of our common interest in cooking and healthy cuisine. We love to share these ideas with you each and every month through our Virtual Supper Club. This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!! This month our theme was chosen by Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch.

If you are thinking of making the switch to a vegetarian life-style for its health benefits, you’ll be pleased to find that there is a wonderful additional benefit to vegetarian eating. It’s a delicious and fun way to explore new foods. A vegetarian meal can be as familiar as spaghetti with marinara sauce, as comforting as a bowl of rich, potato soup, or as exotic as grilled polenta with portobello mushrooms. A vegetarian menu is a powerful and pleasing way to achieve good health.

Coronation Grape Foccacia a New Seasonal Specialty

Coronation Grape Foccacia

As foodies we gather our inspiration from many different sources. Perhaps a new cookbook or magazine, a cooking show, a stunning meal at a restaurant or dinner at a friends home sends the imaginary wheels within our mind turning. Wherever our ideas come from recipes creep into our heart and soul and ultimately make it to the table for the ones we love. I often have ideas lurking in the back of my mind and sometimes a real winner surfaces.

 The idea for this particular bread came from several sources. When first arriving at our earth shattering cuisine du terroir dinner on God's Mountain  placed on the table were stunning savoury Coronation grape fougasse. These were a tease for what was to come as well as dispelling any hunger pangs we might be experiencing since eating at noon. Secondly I have been wanting to recreate a recipe from David Rocco called Schiacciata.  It's a traditional bread seen all over Italy in September and October in celebration of the grape harvest. Tuscans make this not-too-sweet dessert or snack of bread dough and grapes, said to be of Etruscan origin sprinkled with sugar. I wanted the sweetness of the grapes but wanted to lean more heavily on the savoury side with the addition of garlic and rosemary. Therefore my Coronation Grape Foccacia was born which would keep my foot in both the sweet and the savoury camps.

Chevre with Herbs, Olive Oil, and Lemon Zest for LiveSTRONG With A Taste of Yellow 2010 - Heart Series

October 2nd has been announced as LiveSTRONG Day 2010. Once again Barbara of Winos and Foodies is spearheading LiveSTRONG With A Taste of Yellow her event which supports and raises awareness for cancer issues worldwide. This is an event with an important message.

This year Barbara would like us to post a yellow food with a heart photo on our blog on Saturday. She will link us all up in what will hopefully be the largest support for the event since its conception in 2007. I see it as a way for all food and wine bloggers to share their stories, the happy and the sad, the struggles and the triumphs. I don't think there is anyone among us who has not been touched by cancer in some way, whether it be a friend or a family member, a co-worker or a neighbour. Raising awareness for cancer research as well as early detection to help save lives is something to shout out to the rooftops about today and always.