Making Cranberry Juice

Oct 9, 2009 By Cheri in Beverages, Cold, Fall, GF Sides, Gluten Free, Homemade, Thanksgiving 36 Comments Tags: benefits, cranberry, health, juice, thanksgiving

I am not one to usually make juice from scratch. For some reason in my mind it always seemed like a lot of work and I didn”t understand the reasoning behind it, when it is so readily available to purchase. But, after making homemade Cranberry Juice I have been converted. It is pure. It is tasty. And, you can control the ingredients. No more overly sweet fruit juice for me!

This juice is a cranberry lovers dream (just ask my mother). The tart flavour cleanses the palate and lends itself to avoiding becoming overly sweet. The ruby red color has an elegant translucent sparkle, which makes it perfect for entertaining. There are awesome health benefits too. Of the many, it helps in the fight against cancer, gives you better cholesterol, and helps you loose weight. It takes no work at all to make. You just let it do it”s thing and you get amazing juice as a result. A divine drink all around!

This is the last instalment in my countdown to Thanksgiving. For those of you who are celebrating, enjoy your time with family and friends! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Cranberry Juice

adapted from Tartelette

600g pckg. frozen cranberries, thawed (or fresh if you prefer)

6 cups water

1 cup sugar

Place the cranberries and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to med. heat and cover loosely. Simmer 10 min. until the cranberries have burst.

Strain through a colander lined with cheesecloth. Resist the urge to press on the fruit to extract more juices.

Pour the strained juice back into the sauce pan and add sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 min.

Let cool to room temperature before cooling the the fridge.

* I did not have cheesecloth at the time so I used a sturdy paper towel.. just don”t use too much as it soaks up the juices and you do not want any juice to go to waste. :)

** The amount of sugar needed may vary depending on your taste and the sweetness of the berries. If you think you may prefer it more tart start with 1/2 cup and work your way up.

*** A great way to make this juice stretch further is to serve it half and half with ginger-ale.

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Breadstick Twigs

Oct 7, 2009 By Cheri in Breads, Fall, Kids, Sides, Thanksgiving 13 Comments Tags: bread, breadsticks, thanksgiving

You know those people that you just know well enough that every time you run into them you have to strike up an awkward conversation? So, you try desperately to pretend that you have not noticed them because you are not in the mood for small talk? I think we all know at least one person like that. Well, today I ran into THAT person and realized that the feeling was mutual.

I was on my way to get into line at the bank machine when I noticed THIS person as he turned his face to look in the opposite direction. I quickly pushed passed and looked straight ahead so that it would seem like I had not noticed him. (How horrible is it that I am admitting this?) Then once I had secured my spot in line I saw him look at me out of the corner of my eye. I braised myself for the conversation that was sure to ensue (he is a very talkative and inquisitive man). But, to my surprise he slowly started backing up, practically tiptoeing as to not be noticed, until he was out of my eye-line. What! I am supposed to pretend I didn”t see you buddy, not the other way around! If I had been in a sitcom I would have huffed up asking him why he would feel the need to avoid me, when clearly it should be ME that should want to avoid HIM! But, this is real life, and in truth I was just glad that I didn”t have to talk with him and that we could now mutually avoid each other. Until the fatefull day when we have no choice but to make eye contact and strike up a conversation. (I promise I am not a snob, just a little shy.)

I very strongly considered calling these babies, Breadtwigs, but I couldn”t quite get over the cheesiness. Whatever you want to call them, they are a lot of fun to make and you can even get the kids involved in the shaping. They look quite elegant in the right setting and add such a nice touch of fall to the table.They are a crisp breadstick so don”t be expecting any pillowy softness. The biscuit-like flavour and firm crunch would be perfectly paired with a large bowl of soup. If you do not have a food processor I am sure they would turn out equally well being mixed by hand. Just cut in the butter as you would when making biscuits or pie crust. These are so easy to make, and so pretty to look at, that they are being put into my repertoire for when company comes over.

Breadstick Twigs

adapted from Martha Stewart

2 cups flour

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed

2/3 cup whole milk

Place flour, sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until mealy. Gradually add milk with machine running until dough is formed.

Divided the dough into 24 pieces (approx. 1 Tbsp. in size). Roll each piece into a log that is 1/2 inch wide. With kitchen scissors or a sharp knife make diagonal slices along both sides of the breadsticks, making sure to switch it up to give it that random twig feel. Gently stretch each twig to help separate the thorns. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for approx. 24 min. until a pale golden brown.

Makes: 24

* These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Almond Pear Tart

Oct 6, 2009 By Cheri in Fall, Fruit, Pastries, Sweets, Thanksgiving 12 Comments Tags: almonds, pastry, pear, tart, thanksgiving

I am pretty sure that I have not yet had the chance to meet all of my lovely readers, and you know what? I would love to meet you! So why not introduce yourself? And, for those of you that I have had the honour to “meet” already, I would love to know more about you. To get the ball rolling I will fill you in on some tidbits about me that you may not know:

A couple of years ago I was a live host of an hour long radio show for young teens. I also script wrote and directed a short mini-drama for each show called “The Adventures of Bob and Alfred.”

I used to volunteer at a hospital where I accidentally dropped a frog on an immobile elderly lady. I promise we were only trying to add a little excitement to her life, just not that much.

I also used to be the bus driver for said hospital and ended up lost in the woods with 5 old people, trying to find my way back to the hospital, while one of them got up every time I stopped because she wanted to go to the bathroom in the woods.

I am extremely stubborn and if you tell me that I can”t do something, I will just have to prove you wrong. This is how I blacked out just before the finish line in the 200 metre dash in my high school track-meet. But, I still came in third, gosh darn it!

Now it”s your turn. You don”t have to get quite so personal. But, I would love to know something about you. So, fill me in people!

Now about this tart. Let me tell you, it is delicious. Neither me or my husband have stopped thinking about it since I made it. And, he doesn”t even like pears! We managed to polish it off the day after it was made. There is so much wonderful flavour in this flaky pastry parcel. The sliced almonds add a lovely nuttiness, while the lemon zest adds a brightness that make it taste fresh and inviting. The crust itself is amazing, I may just use it for all of my freeform tarts. It”s easy to work with, flaky and buttery. Just perfect! I will be making this again soon, and this time I think I might try it with apples, for my loving husband (even though he gobbled it down just fine with pears). :)

Almond Pear Tart

adapted from TasteofHome

Pastry dough

Pear filling

1 Tbsp. butter

Egg wash (1 egg white + 1 tsp. water, whisked together)

1 Tbsp. sugar

Glaze

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Roll the pastry dough out to a 14 inch circle. Place on a large baking sheet.

Spoon the filling over the pastry leaving a 2 inch wide rim. Cut the butter into small cubes and sprinkle over the filling. Fold the edges of the pastry over the filling, pressing the pastry together, to seal.

Brush egg wash over the pastry and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown.

Pour glaze over the warm tart and sprinkle with almonds.

Serves: 8-10

Pastry Dough

1 1/3 cups flour

3 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

7 Tbsp. cold butter, cubed

2-3 Tbsp. cold water

Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add water 1 Tbsp. at a time until the dough sticks together to form a ball. (You may need more water depending on the humidity in your area. Just make sure it sticks together without being sticky to the touch.)

Pear Filling

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

1/4 cup flour

1.5 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 medium sized ripe pears, peeled and sliced

Toss together all ingredients until pears are well coated.

Glaze

1/4 cup icing sugar

1.5 tsp. milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix together until smooth. (Do this just before glazing so that it does not start to set)

*Note on toasting almonds: My preferred way to toast nuts is on the stove top in a frying pan. Just place over med. heat, stir occasionally and keep a close eye. As soon as you can smell the nutty flavour and see a bit of color they are done. You must keep a close eye because they can go from perfect to burnt pretty fast.

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Parmesan Ham Spirals

Oct 2, 2009 By Cheri in Appetizers, Fall, Thanksgiving 6 Comments Tags: Appetizers, ham, parmesan, puff pastry, spirals, thanksgiving

There is one sound that fills my heart with immediate joy the moment I hear it. That is, the pitter patter of my sons little feet. It is the warning bell that cuteness is on it’s way and I had better brace myself to not let it get the better of me. There is something so unbelievably cute about a little toddler that thinks they are the centre of the universe. There is no lack of confidence there. That seems to come when we are older and realize that even though we were told that we are the handsomest, smartest, cutest, most loved little person on the planet, not everyone shares that opinion. But, I am thoroughly enjoying listening to my son’s pitter pattering and thinking it is the cutest sound that anyone has ever heard. Waiting to see that little, big head come around the corner and that excited smile that lights up his face when he spots him Mom. I know that these moments are fleeting so I am trying to treasure and enjoy them while I can.

These are one of my favourite appetizers. They are easy to make ahead, only take five ingredients, and taste absolutely delicious. They are a crowd pleaser with their simple flavours and buttery packaging. I have made these many times and gotten rave reviews. They are perfect for any holiday gathering. Like say, Thanksgiving? :)

To inspire anyone that might be in an appetizer rut, what appetizers do you like to serve at Thanksgiving?

Parmesan Ham Spirals

adapted from Kraft

1/2 pkg. puff pastry, thawed (from a 397g pack) (or 1/6 of this recipe)
egg wash (1 egg yolk + 1 Tbsp. water)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. cayenne
170g deli ham (approx. 11 slices)

Roll pastry out to a 14×10 inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise, so that you have two sheets 14×5 inches. Brush egg wash over both halves.
Sprinkle 3 Tbsp. parmesan and cayenne over one pastry sheet. Layer ham evenly on top, leaving a little bit of a border on all sides.
Place other pastry sheet, egg side down over top of ham. Seal edges by pressing down with rolling pin. Brush top with egg wash.
Roll up starting at a long side to form a 14 inch log. Press down to seal seam.
Cut log into 24 (1/2 inch) pieces. Place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with more egg wash and sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. cheese.
Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 12 -14 min. until golden brown.

Makes: 24 appetizers

* These are great served warm or at room temperature.

** You can make these ahead and store them in the freezer. Either wrap them up as the log and freeze. Then to serve defrost in the fridge, slice and proceed with the recipe. Or you can slice them, place them on a lined baking sheet until frozen and store them in a plastic bag. This way you can bake them from frozen making sure to egg wash and sprinkle them with parmesan before baking.

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Roasted Mashed Potatoes

Sep 30, 2009 By Cheri in Fall, GF Sides, Gluten Free, Sides, Thanksgiving 13 Comments Tags: basil, garlic, mashed, onion, potatoes, roasted, thanksgiving

I have a confession to make. I am not so great with potatoes. Don”t get me wrong, I love potatoes. In fact, they are one of my favourite vegetables. But, my husband does not appreciate their texture or lack of flavour so making potatoes is a little foreign to me.

When I saw some Roasted Mashed Potatoes on Hot Garlic I knew I had to give them a try. Mashed potatoes that are loaded with flavour and no fuss? Count me in! You know what my husband said after digging in? “These are pretty good for mashed potatoes.” Score! I probably still won”t be making them very often because I enjoy cooking for other people rather then myself, and pretty good just doesn”t cut it for me. But, as a potato fan I have to say, these had an excellent roasted garlicky flavour.

This is the beginning of my countdown to Thanksgiving. I am a Canadian living in Norway so I won”t be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family and friends, which makes me a little sad. So, I thought it would be fun to spread out our Thanksgiving meal over the next couple of weeks so that James and I can enjoy the food without a ton of leftovers. Plus, I was hoping to help inspire you if your Thanksgiving Meal Planning Well was running dry. :)

Anybody have any great potato tips they would like to share?

Roasted Mashed Potatoes

I served these potatoes with Basil & Prosciutto Chicken Cordon Bleu, so I added a tsp of dried basil to the mix. Feel free to use whatever herb will compliment your dish.

1/2 onion

3 cloves garlic

6 potatoes

1 tsp. basil (or other herb), optional

salt and pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp. butter

2 -4 Tbsp. cream (or milk)

Peel and chop onion into large chunks. Peel garlic, leave whole. Chop potatoes into quarters or smaller, depending on the size.

Lightly grease a baking pan with olive oil. Place onions, garlic, and potatoes inside and drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle on basil, salt and pepper.

Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 50 min-1 hour, until potatoes are tender.

Place in a food processor, mixer, or bowl and mash. Add butter and cream to preference and beat until smooth. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serves: 3

*My mom”s rule of thumb was always 2 regular sized potatoes, per person, when mashing.

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Oslo Food Festival

Sep 29, 2009 By Cheri in Life 5 Comments Tags: festival, food, oslo

This Saturday I had the privilege of attending the Oslo Food Festival called MATSTREIF. My husband watched our son for the afternoon and I took off on my own to explore all that is food. I had to go through the market a couple of times before I was brave enough to shove my way through to snap some pictures. It was unbelievably crowded and I am a little shy. :) They had different programs running throughout the day which I am hoping to be able to take in next year, once I know Norwegian a little better. They also had tons of stuff for kids to do and take part in. It was a ton of fun and I am already excited for next year. Here are some pics from the day.