We've nearly survived January...just one week left to go!  February is a short month and well....hell once we are into March, it is just a hop, skip and a jump until April!  I shouldn't complain.  There hasn't been much snow, at least not yet anyway and it really hasn't been all that cold.  Still, I find myself longing for the brighter, warmer, longer days that Spring will bring.  Until then, I guess we are stuck with thick socks, cozy pajamas and comfort food to see us through the long dark days of winter.

An escape helps too!  Every January, we try and run off somewhere for a few days.  It helps me ease my way into the new year and chase away the winter blahs after the excitement of Christmas has come and gone.  Last week, we took off for a few days to Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake.  Just the two of us! 

We had a nice time wandering around, in and out of shops and a few pubs.  Acting like tourists is thirsty work!

All that walking meant we were so tired we had to have an afternoon nap each day too - LUXURY!  I really could get used to this.   

While everybody else opted to eat inside, there was us and one other couple that enjoyed dinner and the ambiance on the heated patio of Corks in Niagara on the Lake. 

With our little adventure over it is back to real life and home cooking...but it was much easier to accept with a bowl of the rice pudding I made the day we came home.  A perfect winter dessert, it is comforting in its simplicity.  My version has a kick of spiced rum - helps to warm your soul.

Spiced Rum Raisin Rice Pudding

3/4 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp spiced rum
3/4 cup white basmati rice
1/2 tsp salt
5 cups half-and-half, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 extra-large egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon, to garnish, optional

Place raisins in small bowl and add the spiced rum.  Gently stir to combine and set aside. 

Combine the rice and salt with 1 1/2 cups water in a heavy bottomed pot and bring to a boil.  Stir once, then continue to simmer on the lowest heat for 8 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed.  Next, stir in the sugar and 4 cups of the half and half. Bring to the boil once again.  Stirring often, simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes until the rice is very soft.  Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the beaten egg.

Next, stir in the remaining half and half, vanilla and the rum-soaked raisins, along with any rum that the raisins didn't absorb until well combined.  Transfer to a large bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.  The pudding can be enjoyed warm or chilled.  To serve, divide among your prettiest bowls and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon, if using.  Makes 8 servings, or 6 if you're feeling greedy.

Christmas has come and gone and a new year with a fresh start has begun.  Anything is possible!  Optimistic and hopeful for whatever life will bring this year.  That's what the start of another year means to me.  As I get older, I have begun to shy away from New Year's resolutions.  Better to try and make good choices each day rather than feel doomed to fail when I inevitably fall off the wagon.   

I have a list of self-improvement goals Dear Reader...getting organized, losing a bit of weight, and connecting better.  These are the things I plan on working on one day at a time.  With an occasional detour.  And that's ok.  It's about progress not perfection for me.

So before we embark on this new year, I owe you a recipe!  I am late to the gate with this post (another thing on my list of things to improve upon!)  You make have taken a sneak peek at it here.  This frittata/quiche like dish is perfect for a light lunch or your offering on a brunch buffet.  Add a side salad and a glass of wine and you have an impressive, stress free Easter brunch or a nice lunch for Mum on Mother's Day.  I think you're going to like this!

Potato Bacon & Leek Frittata

4 red-skinned potatoes (about one pound)
6 slices bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
1 cup leeks, washed thoroughly and thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 eggs
1 cup half and half cream
1/3 cup milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Grease a 9" pie plate or quiche dish and set aside. 

Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water until just tender, about ten minutes.  Drain and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, cut each potato into 1/2" slices and place in large bowl.  Set aside.

Next, cook bacon until beginning to crisp and drain on paper towel to remove excess grease.  Add leeks and thyme to pan and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes, until softened.  Add the leek mixture to the potatoes along with the crumbled goat cheese.  Next chop the bacon and parsley coarsely, reserving two tablespoons of each for garnish.  Add the bacon and parsley to the potato mixture and gently toss to combine.  Spread evenly into prepared dish and set aside.

In separate bowl, whisk the eggs, cream and milk together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over potato mixture.  Next, scatter reserved bacon and parsley over the top.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, until puffed and golden and the centre is just set. 

Makes 6 servings.

So the tree must come down and the decorations need packed away.  Until next time, friend.

I have another make ahead breakfast to share with you too Dear Reader...pop back later this week and I will have it up.  For a preview, visit my Instagram page here.

18 days left Dear Reader...that's all the time we have left to get the gifts bought, wrapped, placed under the tree, dropped off, or sent to some far off destination.  Are you sweating yet?  Our tree is still to go up and cookies need baking.  Am I freaking out?  Not quite.  I have a plan.  And lists.  It's going to be ok.  It's all in the planning Dear Reader.  Armed with my lists, I am ready to conquer December and all the chaos is brings.  This is how I do it:

I plan our tree decorating day.   It's a busy day so an assembly only appetizer is perfect after a day of Christmas shopping.  I put together platters of assorted cheeses, fruit, nuts, crackers, breads and chutney.  A festive punch or easy cocktails and we are all set to get our holiday cheer on.  Next Saturday is the day!

I have my baking list.  It comes together over an evening of browsing through my collection of recipes.  I love this part of the planning process.  I flip through Canadian Living Magazine's holiday issues (I have every issue going back to 1996!)  This year included a very uncomfortable ten minutes when I could not find the 2010 issue...but thankfully I found it stuck inside another issue.  I poke through a large box of recipes clipped over the years from various newspapers and magazines.  I flip through Christmas cookbooks.  There is usually Christmas music on and a glass of wine (or two!) involved in this.  By the end of all this browsing, I have 20 or 30 recipes set aside.  Now the hard part...decisions, decisions!  This is when I drag my husband into it.  I ask him what he thinks of each selection (and sometimes even listen to what he says!) eventually I weed the pile down to a more reasonable 10 or 12 choices. Although there are old stand bys on the list, I like to change it up every year and add some new treats.  Next, I write a shopping list for all the ingredients I will need.  Every year I spend one very long day in the kitchen mixing, stirring and baking all these goodies to be parceled up in festive tins, arranged on fancy trays or packed carefully in shipping boxes to be shared with those nearest and dearest to me and mine.  Next Sunday is the day!

I have just one menu left to plan and then I am officially ready.  Not bad for December 6th, if I do say so myself.  Today, like most Sundays, I spent time reading as well as cooking.  I love ginger anything, but especially ginger cake. Although my home doesn't look ready for Christmas yet, it did smell like Christmas today.  This cake came together quickly, with just a bit of elbow grease.  No mixer needed so an easy clean up too.  My favourite kind of baking!  This cake is moist, but the edges are crispy-chewy and the crystallized ginger takes it up a notch with an extra kick of flavour.  You need to add this recipe to your Christmas baking repertoire.  It's a welcome change from gingerbread men and truly...it's just too good not to!

Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Cream

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup boiling water

8 oz mascarpone cheese
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square metal baking pan and set aside.

Whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt in  medium bowl to blend well.  Next whisk in crystallized ginger and set aside. Next, whisk the vegetable oil, molasses, and brown sugar in large bowl until blended. Next, whisk in the egg and lemon zest. In three additions, whisk in the dry ingredients, then the boiling water until well combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake about 30 minutes, or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto decorative plate.  (The cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely; cover and store at room temperature.)

While the cake cools, prepare cream topping.  Whisk the mascarpone, honey and lemon juice in bowl until smooth and set aside until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, cut cake into squares and dollop each piece with cream topping.

Makes 9 squares (or 6 if you are feeling greedy!)

The past few days have been crazy at my house...between new windows being installed and replacing the dryer that just up and died, all I have to say is thank goodness for lazy Sundays! There are no chores to be done today as I gave the new dryer a workout yesterday.   Soon enough, the madness of Christmas will be here bringing with it the shopping and baking and unreasonable expectations we all seem to put upon ourselves.  Plenty of time to stress about that later! 

Sunday is a day to regroup, recharge and refuel.  A couple pots of coffee and scrambled eggs to start the day with and sharing the Sunday paper leads to watching a few shows on the Food Network (because sadly there are only a few decent, actual cooking shows left on that network) and then back to reading.  Time to catch up on what I missed through the busy work week.  Husband has the Eastern Final on tv and I have been mindlessly surfing Pinterest and Instagram guilt-free.  Bliss! 

Something nice to nibble on is mandatory on a lazy Sunday.  In keeping with the easygoing order of the day it cannot be labour intensive.  It's a rule.  My rule.  Even better if it pairs nicely with a glass of wine.  It will make easing into Monday mode much easier.  Trust me. 

Some of my favourite flavours include balsamic vinegar, cheese and fruit.  Add some nice bread and I'm in heaven.  Today's afternoon nibble included all of the above.  Crostini topped with Parmesan cheese, pears and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.  Sweet and savoury all at the same time.  In 15 minutes flat.  Checks all the lazy Sunday boxes, Dear Reader.  I think you need this in your life.

Parmesan Pear Crostini with Balsamic Drizzle

2 pears, finely diced
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2  to 3/4 cup white wine
1/2 Baguette, sliced thinly
Balsamic glaze
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat broiler setting on your oven. Wash pears and finely dice, leaving skins on.  Heat the olive oil in skillet over medium heat and add pears.  Sauté until slightly golden, about 5 minutes.  Season with pepper and transfer to small bowl. Set aside. 

Next, thinly slice the baguette and arrange on a baking sheet.  Drizzle each slice with olive oil and place under the broiler to toast.  Keep an eye on them so they don't burn!  Remove from oven when golden and set aside.

Meanwhile, over medium heat add the Parmesan cheese to the skillet.  Slowly pour in the white wine (I used an Ontario Reisling) and stir until combined.  Continue to stir until warmed through until it reaches a spreadable consistency, similar to ricotta cheese.  Remove from heat.

Arrange toasted crostini on a nice plate or platter.  One by one, spread each one with the Parmesan wine mixture.  Next, top each one with the diced pears.  Finally, with your best artistic flair, drizzle each crostini with balsamic glaze.  Enjoy with a glass of wine and your favourite person.  Makes 10 crostini.

So as lazy as today has been I must admit that I am not in total denial.  Christmas is coming!!! I'm starting to think about what I will be baking and making.  Mulled wine, cookies and hand made ornaments are on my mind.  I would love to know what you're making....leave me a comment Dear Reader! 

The clocks went back an hour today, a sure sign that Fall is upon us and Winter isn't far behind.  Three cheers for that extra hour of sleep!  Dark mornings and early nights are here for a while Dear Reader.  Time to dust off the cross stitch project, the knitting and the stack of books that have been piling up while the sun shone.  Bring out the candles too!  Leaves are falling from the trees, leaving behind a colourful blanket of orange, gold and brown.  Summer was fun, but for me, it's all about the Fall. I love this time of year and the flavours it brings with it.  I'm preparing to hunker down for the long cold winter so it's not weird that I am craving rutabaga is it?   If you are anything like me, your body feels the change coming and and starts to crave stews, soups and earthy root vegetables.  

I love Autumn's overcast skies and the shadow it casts over the house.  The homebody in me gets to let her introverted self exist in her natural state with no judgement.  It's getting colder - perfect excuse to stay home and have a proper Sunday dinner.  An afternoon spent in the kitchen, in yoga pants, hair in a ponytail, puttering about in slippers and peeling potatoes for dinner is heaven to me.  Today was a day just like that.

Our dinner is nearly ready, but it is the dessert that I am excited about today.  Yesterday, I bought a raisin Challah loaf with the idea that I was going to turn it into bread pudding as a perfect foil for the beat up McIntosh apples that have been lurking in the fridge.  Bread pudding is an easy dessert to make.  Cubed bread and an eggy custard baked to puffy perfection.  Add some warm créme anglaise over the top and it is some serious comfort food.  The spiced rum probably has something to do with that too!

Apple Maple Bread Pudding

For the custard:
6 large eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup 
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp spiced rum
1 1-pound Challah bread cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (6 1/2 to 7 cups)

For the apples:
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/2 LB McIntosh apples, peeled, quartered and sliced
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar

Prepare the custard:
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together. Add the milk, whipping cream, and spiced rum and whisk until well blended. Next, add the bread cubes and press to submerge into the  custard. Let soak at least 30 minutes, occasionally gently stirring and pressing on bread cubes to submerge and soak up the custard mixture.

Prepare the apples:
Preheat to 350°F. Next, butter a 13 x 9 inch pan. Melt the butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple slices and sauté until golden and beginning to soften, stirring, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and brown sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens to syrup, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Next, mix half of the apple slices into bread-custard mixture and transfer to prepared pan.  Scatter remaining apple slices atop bread pudding. Spoon any remaining syrup from skillet over apple slices. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills during baking.

Bake bread pudding until puffed and apples are deep brown, about 1 hour 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Spoon pudding into bowls and drizzle with additional maple syrup if desired.   Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8

It's the last weekend of August Dear Reader and I am just back from a much needed vacation.  It was just my husband and I for a whole week!  I love my kids but must admit it was lovely to spend time together as a couple - not Mum and Dad.   We lived off the bbq as the cottage didn't have a stove.  I will admit this made me a bit anxious at first.  As a food blogger I feel like I have an umbilical cord to my stove, you understand, right?   I soon discovered how freeing it actually was to not have a stove and we certainly didn't starve! This city girl began to look forward to the morning visits from a crane and the afternoon visit from a family of swans.  It was relaxing to just sit with a cup of coffee and take in the beauty all around me.  A week away sitting on a patio overlooking a lake does wonders for one's soul.  Even for a girl who is terrified of bees!

Cooking for two was a bit of an eye-opener.  Clearly, I am going to have to master portion control when my sons do actually move out.  We made the meals together which was oddly romantic...making foil packets of potatoes and vegetables to accompany steaks or pork chops.  I embraced the simplicity!  Most meals had a side order of Scrabble on the go....

My husband and I have been together a long time...A week away with just each other for company most of the time might have been a challenge.  When life's distractions are miles away and the blackberry is at home on top of the fridge, it is much easier to decompress.  We both enjoyed the quiet time reading, playing Scrabble and just being together.  Whew!  No need to panic when our boys eventually move out!

Mid-week we went into Bloomfield for lunch at Agrarian.  Last Fall we discovered this restaurant during our escape to the Waring House.  I am still thinking about the winter vegetable velouté that I had that day.  This time, we shared roasted red pepper, tomato and fennel soup, a grilled cheese with caramelized onions and fries.  I will be thinking about that soup now for a long time too.  I enjoyed a Negroni too!

Next, we headed to Kingston ( yes, Kingston Dear Reader.  Again.)  But this time we went to Fort Henry for the Sunset Ceremony. We took a ferry...and shared an ice cream while we waited for it to depart.

The next day it rained.  And rained.  And rained some more. 

The next day the sun was back and we went for a walk and came across this tree with a really gnarly trunk.

It was really hot and humid the week we were away.  Fortunately, the cottage had central air (but no stove, go figure!)  I christened the cottage "the igloo" as my husband had the a/c jacked the entire time we were there.  40 degrees outside and -40 inside.  He was a happy man!  Sitting out on the patio required something cold and refreshing to sip on.  I came up with this....don't worry if you don't like grapefruit - the Moscato wine sweetens it up!

Citrus Sangria

1 750ml bottle of Moscato wine
3/4 cup lemon vodka
1/4 cup Triple Sec (or other orange liqueur)
3/4 cup grapefruit juice
Lemon-lime pop, such as 7Up or Sprite
1 Orange, sliced and quartered

Mix the wine, vodka, Triple Sec and grapefruit juice in jug.  Add sliced oranges and stir.  When ready to serve, pour into wine glass, add ice and top up with lemon-lime pop.  Garnish with orange slice.  Makes 6 servings.  Be careful!  This goes down way too easy! 

Last summer my husband Adrian went golfing for the first time.  It was a work thing and he really didn't have a choice but to go.  Most of his co-workers play fairly regularly so he was at a definite disadvantage.  A few days before the outing, we headed over to the golf range with a set of borrowed clubs.  For years he had coached and played soccer, in fact, he ran a youth soccer club for many years while our own boys were growing up and playing.  Golf had never held any interest for him.  Well, now here we are a few years (ok...more than a few) older and wiser.  Things have changed.  There was a time when the Golf channel was met with scorn in my home and now Dear Reader, my tv is never off of it.  Every weekend, he and our oldest son Brian head off to the golf course for nine holes. 

Just like that, I have become a golf widow. 

Now Dear Reader, I have a patient husband.  You've been to various markets and small towns with me since we met here in the cupboard.  On this day we were working our way to Brighton to visit our niece and her family when we stopped at our fourth yard sale of the day.  Now, what was different about this yard sale Dear Reader was he beat me out of the car!  Normally, when we are off on dander, he patiently hangs around, playing with his phone and taking pictures for me.  When I caught up with him, the reason was obvious.  As far as the eye could see were golf clubs and golf bags and golf balls and my husband was happily chatting away with the elderly gentleman who was so enthusiastic about golf, (clearly!) and told us it was a great couples game and that I should play too.  Before I knew it, I was outfitted with a set of leftie clubs, a putter and a bag for the grand total of $45!  He definitely didn't want me sitting at home waiting for my husband.  I am quite content with my well-loved clubs...the boys on the other hand have since went on to buy pretty fancy clubs with exotic names like Vapors and Cobras.  I have know idea what they are but they are excited with their new toys and play with them every chance they get.

Since the season began, those two have not missed a weekend.  They are up and out early.  Really early.  Too early for me.  I get up to an alarm Monday to Friday...I begrudge doing it on the weekend.  I have been a few times, but honestly, I am quite content to go occasionally.  Besides, I enjoy what I call introvert time.  It is a chance to read, blog and be still in peace.

So off they would go every weekend for a few hours.  And then they would arrive home absolutely ravenous!  I decided to pack a breakfast picnic of sorts for them.  A thermos of coffee and something to nibble as they try to make par.  It would have to be easy to transport and easy to eat on the go.  Breakfast sandwiches have been done to death so I started playing with biscuit recipes.  How about a biscuit that incorporates bacon and cheese into the mix?  Uh...yes please!  I topped them with a smear of good Dijon mustard and black forest ham and voila! Good to go.  Wrapped individually in wax paper and stashed in the cooler pocket of the golf bag.  Brownie points for Mum!

Bacon, Cheddar & Chive Biscuits
Makes 12

6 slices bacon
3 3/4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus additional melted butter for brushing
2 1/2 cups (packed) grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 3/4 cups buttermilk


Preheat to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown. Transfer the bacon to paper towel lined plate to drain and cool slightly.   Chop coarsely once cool enough to handle.

Next, in the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Pulse for 5 seconds. Add the butter cube and blend until coarse meal forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer the flour mixture to large bowl. Next, add the cheddar cheese, chives, and chopped bacon and toss together to blend. Gradually add the buttermilk, stirring to moisten evenly.  The batter will be sticky.

Lightly flour your hands, and drop about 1/2 cup batter for each biscuit onto the parchment lined baking sheet, spacing batter mounds about 2 inches apart.

Bake biscuits until golden, about 18 to 20 minutes and tester inserted into center comes out clean.  While the biscuits are still warm,  brush each biscuit lightly with the melted butter. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve biscuits with a smear of good quality mustard and shaved ham.  Or, if desired, a smear of butter and a cup of tea.  Enjoy!

I think these would be perfect for an afternoon tea on a pretty cake stand.  They are the perfect size and would lend themselves to a variety of fillings.  The possibilities are endless!

Bye for now!
xx

It's been so hot this weekend in Toronto Dear Reader.  Too hot for yard work.  Too hot for anything too strenuous.  It has been the perfect weekend to catch up on some reading and sip sangria under the umbrella on the patio.  Not that I need an excuse - I am quite happy to do that anytime. 

The stack of library books on the coffee table has reached critical mass.  I don't notice when this happens, but my husband sure does.  At the moment I have a stack of 12 books, a couple of magazines and a notebook.  Funny how I find comfort in that kind of clutter (and only that kind!) but it drives him crazy!  I have an ereader and a digital magazine subscription on my tablet, but they will never replace the feel of a book or magazine in my hands.  Hence the mountain of books overtaking the ottoman/coffee table.  Maybe my husband is afraid that there will be no room for his feet?  It could happen...guilty as charged. 

These are a few of the books I have had my nose in lately....Can't wait for the temperature to drop so I can bear turning the oven on.  There are quite a few recipes that I am itching to try.  As for "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" I have yet to crack the cover on it...but I figure it will give my husband hope! 

Sangria and summertime go hand in hand.  Last summer I shared this recipe for it with you.   A few weeks ago I came up with a new recipe for the engagement dinner party I threw for my niece and her fiancé.  It is a nice alternative to traditional sangria recipes which are made with a Spanish Rioja.  This one is made with white zinfandel wine, which is like a rosé in colour.  Perfect for those who aren't fussy on red wine!


Summer Sangria

1 750-ml bottle of chilled white Zinfandel ( I used E & J Gallo White Zinfandel, a Californian wine)
1/2 cup peach schnapps 
2 tbsp Cointreau or Triple Sec
2 tbsp sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 lemon, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 peach, sliced into wedges
1 10-ounce bottle of chilled club soda
Ice cubes

Mix all of the ingredients except the club soda in your nicest pitcher.  Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill and allow the flavors to get to know one another and marry.  When ready to serve, mix in club soda. Fill wineglasses with ice cubes. Pour sangria over ice and serve.

Makes 6 servings.  
I suggest you double the recipe!

What books are cluttering up your coffee table and night stand Dear Reader?  Leave me a comment and let me know what you're reading - and enjoying!  I'm always looking for a good book.  Maybe we can start a book club!  The stack is shrinking Dear Reader, but only because I bought a few of them.  Now they have a home in my office.  But I need to shop for another bookcase.  I might have a problem...maybe my husband is right?

Hello July! You're nearly half over...how did that happen?  If you are like me Dear Reader, it has been a blur of farmer's markets, bbq's and sunshine.  I love this time of year...gardens have come come back to life - beautiful colours basking in the warm sunshine soaking up every last drop until the sun finally sets.  The longer days allowing for longer lounging on the patio in the evening with a glass of wine and a game of Scrabble. 

On Saturday mornings, my husband and I set out on a dander.  A  stop for coffee to start the day off right and then off we go to some small town's market and a wander along its main street, hand in hand. Saturday lunch out on a sunny patio makes the day perfect. The farmer's markets are starting to burst with the beautiful bounty that we have all been chomping at the bit waiting for.  It inspires me and lures me into the kitchen to play, despite the hot, humid temperatures.  Summer weekends are just the best.  

I've told you before about the carnivores I live with...a husband and two grown sons.  A hungry lot - all the time!  Sometimes I need to be creatively sneaky when cooking for this bunch, otherwise it would be meat and potatoes every single day, summer bounty or not!  Seriously.  So how does one get around this?  Well last weekend it was Cornish Pasties with a simple salad of greens and heirloom tomatoes, that's how.  What's not to like about what is essentially a hand-pie of meat and potatoes with a few vegetables thrown in?   It was a hit with the brood - my husband said it was the finest pastry I had ever made and Iain, my youngest son, asked if I could use the same pastry and make panzerotti.  Well! Kudos to Mum...bait and switch success.  I was glad that I had made a double batch...lunch leftovers!

I know pastry is a bad word with some of you.  It makes me say bad words sometimes too.  But not this one.  I promise.  It was so beautiful to work with, even in the humidity.  I made it on Saturday morning and left it to be rolled out until Sunday afternoon.  It needs at least three hours in the fridge before you roll it out, so it does require a bit of planning ahead, but it is well worth it.  You can play with the seasonings Dear Reader.  This is a pretty simple combination, but I think a bit of garlic and thyme would be a nice addition too.

Cornish Pasties

Pastry
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
½ cup unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup cold water
1 egg, beaten

Filling
1 lb top sirloin, cut into ½ inch cubes
1½ cups potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
½ cup turnip, peeled and ½ inch cubes
½ cup carrot, peeled and cut into½ inch cubes
1 cup onion, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
4 tsp unsalted butter

In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Have one cup of very cold water ready.  Add the shortening and butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small, pea-size pieces.  With the processor running, add the water to mixture until the dough begins to pull together.  (Alternatively, if making the dough by hand, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in the shortening and butter with two knives or pastry cutter.  Add the cold water and knead until combined.)

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is uniform. Cut into 4 equal pieces and wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, stir together beef, potato, turnip, carrot, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.

Roll out dough 1 piece at a time. Roll on a floured surface to a circle about 10 inches wide. (I used a dinner plate as a guide)  They are man-sized!

Brush some beaten egg around the edges of half the circle. (This will help to seal the dough)

Place a quarter of the meat mixture in the middle of the circle of dough, top with 1 tsp butter and lift half of the circle up and over the meat. Close the pasty and seal the edges with a fork or by crimping the edges with your fingers. Make sure that the pasty is sealed well. Using a knife, poke three small slits into the pasty to allow steam to escape.

Place pasty on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat process for the 3 remaining pasties. Brush pasties with beaten egg.  This will give them a nice, glossy finish.

Bake pasties in oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 pasties

I'll be posting more recipes this week...drop by soon!