by Everchanging Gardener
in Quiche
A classic Quiche Lorraine recipe with a slight twist — I use tarragon mustard instead of dijon and add red peppers. This recipe makes two pies, one of which I freeze for another day. This is not a low fat recipe but with homemade ingredients I think it’s worth it and way better than any store bought version.
Easy to make Quiche Lorraine.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pie crusts – baked
- 12 slices bacon
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 7-8 eggs (8 large, 7 extra large)
- 1 cup soy milk or regular milk
- 1/2 cup table cream
- 2 tablespoons tarragon (or dijon) mustard
- 2 tablespoons regular mustard
- 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prick pie crusts all over with fork. Bake pie crusts unfilled in 400F oven for 10 minutes. Check after 8 minutes and prick with fork if crust begins to rise. Alternatively you can line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Let cool on rack.
- Fry bacon until crispy, drain on paper towels, cool then cut or break into small pieces. Set aside.
- Drain fat from pan. Fry onion, red pepper, salt and pepper over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Grate Gruyere cheese so that you have about 2 cups loosely packed.
- In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and cream. Add onion mixture and bacon pieces.
- Mix tarragon and regular mustard. Brush mustard over bottom of pastry shells.
- Spread half of grated cheese in the bottom of each pie shell. Pour in egg mixture.
- Bake in 375F oven for 35 minutes until knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool on rack.
- If reheating, reheat at 350F for about 20 minutes. If frozen, thaw first, then reheat.
Yield: 2 pies
by Everchanging Gardener
in Soups
I’m always looking for creative ways to use winter vegetables in meals. While we love roasted root vegetables by mid-winter we are looking for a change. Add to that the fact that homemade soup is a weekly staple in our house in winter and you have the makings of Winter Vegetable Barley Soup. We loved the texture, especially the slight bite of the barley in an otherwise creamy soup. And as a side benefit, I was able to get my youngest to eat squash since he didn’t know it was in the recipe.
Carrots, sweet potatoes and squash add flavour and texture to winter barley soup
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6-7 cups diced winter vegetables roughly as follows
- one sweet potato, peeled & cubed
- 2-3 carrots, diced
- 2-3 cups butternut squash, diced
- 2/3 cup pearl barley
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 5 cups water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon each salt & pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Dice vegetables so they are about 1/2 inch in size. In total you need 6-7 cups but the mix can change slightly depending upon the size of your vegetables.
- Heat olive oil, add onion & garlic & heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes. The heat should be enough that the onions and garlic start to brown but be careful not to burn the garlic or it will taste bitter.
- When onions start to brown add chicken broth & water. Add vegetables, barley, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Gently simmer for 1 hour. Add more water if it is becoming too thick.
- When the vegetable are tender, if you like, partially smash some of the squash. This made for a slightly creamier texture to the soup.
Yield: 6-8 servings
We are fortunate to be able to pick kale in the winter that is growing in the garden under small greenhouse covers. In fact, overall kale tastes even better once it is exposed to a slight frost and it is very cold weather tolerant. While easy to grow, the hard part is getting my children to eat this healthy green vegetable but I think I found a way. Just add bacon to kale and even my twelve year old son had a couple of bites! Adjust the onions and bacon to your liking.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 onion, diced
- small bunch kale, tough stems removed
- 2-3 slices bacon, cut into pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- butter
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Parboil kale in large pot of salted water for 3-5 minutes (depending upon size of leaves) until still firm. Remove and drain. Chop into smaller pieces.
- Fry bacon until just before it turns crispy. Add diced onions and fry for another 3 minutes until onion starts to brown and bacon becomes more crispy.
- Add garlic, stirring often for another minute.
- Add kale, a small amount of olive oil and butter, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring often.
Winter is a time for root vegetables in our household and I am always looking for a new way to prepare them. Today I roasted parboiled carrots, parsnips and potatoes with browned sausage pieces. A twist on a classic country meal, it was easy to prepare, flavourful and hearty. Served with some fried kale & bread and it was a simple but delicious meal.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Italian pork or turkey sausages
- 4 large carrots, a mix of yellow and orange, diced
- 2 large parsnips, diced
- 3 medium potatoes, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 380F.
- Slice sausages into large meatball sized chunks. In a small amount of olive oil, brown sausage until outside is crispy but not yet cooked. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, parboil carrots, parsnips and potatoes for about 10 minutes.
- Drain vegetables and set aside.
- In large bowl, mix 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir in vegetables until coated. Add sauteed sausages and mix.
- Pour vegetable and sausage mixture into oven-proof casserole pan.
- Roast for 20 – 30 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown.
I was looking to create a menu to entertain some friends for dinner to celebrate the end of the harvest season and the wonderful produce from our vegetable garden. The end result was this Harvest Menu that incorporated not only items from our own garden (carrots, beets, onions, garlic and potatoes) but some local apples and pears as well. Plus with a little poetic license I figured including a little of the grape into our menu wouldn’t hurt either.
Appetizers:
Caramelized onion, mushroom and goat cheese spread on baguette
Tomato Scape Canapes
Garlic Jelly and Cream Cheese on crackers
Served with Ice Wine Martinis
To Start:
Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup
followed by
Arugula with Ice Wine Vinaigrette
Served with 2005 Chateau Haut-Bergeron Sauternes: a Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle blend
Main Course:
Roasted carrots with garlic
Beet and Goat Cheese Salad made with roasted red and yellow beets
Grilled Lamb Loins
Served with 2009 Sebastien & Jean-Charles Villard Tanagra Syrah from Chile
Dessert:
Spiced Apple Crumb Pie or Pumpkin Pie with ice cream (since some in my family do not like apple pie I made both)
Aperitif: 2007 Pelee Island Vidal Icewine, VQA Pelee Island
Spiced Apple Crumb Pie
A crumb topping makes a delicious change for this spicy apple pie. The cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are quite noticeable in this recipe. If you do not really love cinnamon, I would recommend reducing the spices by up to one half.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup unbleached flour
- 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
- single pie crust for bottom
- 5-7 large, tart, firm apples (I used cortland), peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 6 cups)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- To make crumb topping, in small bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add butter and cut in with pastry knife until mixture is crumbly. Chill until ready to use.
- Place pie crust in bottom of glass pie plate. Flute edges for a finished look.
- To make filling, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in small bowl.
- In larger bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add spice mix and toss to coat apples evenly.
- Pour into lined pie plate. Top with crumb topping. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Bake pie until crust is golden, 50-60 minutes.
- Serve at room temperature or rewarm in 350F oven for 10-15 minutes.
by Everchanging Gardener
in Salads
Another part of my Harvest Menu, I used some of the Magnotta Vidal Ice Wine in this Ice Wine Vinaigrette. It is pleasantly not too sweet, and a perfect match with bitter baby arugula.
Arugula with Ice Wine Vinaigrette
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons ice wine
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon grainy dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- granny smith apple
- pear
- arugula salad
DIRECTIONS
- Blend icewine with the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until well combined.
- Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the oil, until mixture is emulsified. The mix of the two oils is to make the oil slightly lighter in flavour. You can use a light olive oil instead.
- Just before serving, pour dressing over arugula and toss. Slice granny smith and pear into thin slices. Add to salad and toss.
by Everchanging Gardener
in Drinks
A classic vodka martini with just a hint of sweetness. We enjoyed these as part of our Harvest Menu and used Magnotta 2008 Vidal Icewine. It is best served very cold.
1 oz vidal icewine
2 oz vodka
Frozen grapes
Freeze grapes ahead of time for a minimum of 4 hours. Place vodka in freezer during the same period to chill thoroughly. Chill ice wine in fridge.
Mix icewine with vodka. Pour into glass and garnish with a frozen grape.
Garlic Jelly and Cream Cheese Canapes
Made with our home made Garlic Jelly these are a one bite treat.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 parts cream cheese
- 1 part garlic jelly
- crackers
DIRECTIONS
- In food processor or small blender, mix cream cheese with garlic jelly until well combined.
- Place in a plastic squeeze bottle with fairly large opening in top (about 1/4 inch).
- Refrigerate for at least one hour until slightly firmer.
- Arrange crackers on serving tray. Squeeze spread onto crackers in a circular pattern. Place tray back in fridge until ready to serve.
- Serve slightly chilled.
Tomato Scape Canapes
A simple yet tasty appetizer with a delightful use of
garlic scape pesto. We make these when out of season using frozen pesto (frozen without the cheese). Have everything ready to assemble at the last minute. Assembling early will result in a soggy cracker.
INGREDIENTS
- cherry tomatoes, ends removed and sliced in half to form circles
- parmesan cheese
- garlic scape pesto base (before adding any cheese)
- crackers
DIRECTIONS
- Cut tomatoes into small slices about one hour ahead of time and set aside to drain out some of the juices.
- Slice parmesan very thin (I used a mandolin) and cut into size to fit cracker.
- Place one piece parmesan on top of each cracker. This can be done early and set aside until just before ready to serve.
- Just before serving, place tomato piece on top of each canape, top with small amount of scape pesto.
- Serve at room temperature.
by Everchanging Gardener
in Pasta
A meat lovers sauce with a slight kick from the italian sausage, this Bolognese style pasta sauce is great on a cold winter day.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 125 grams (about 4 ounces) pancetta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound mild italian sausage meat (I used Johnsonville)
- 2-3 carrots, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4-5 cups tomatoes, lightly pureed in juice
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, basil
INGREDIENTS
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in dutch oven or large heavy pot. Add pancetta and cook until slightly crispy, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and sausage. Cook, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat but some is necessary for flavour.
- Add carrots, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes until tender.
- Add red wine. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Cook about 10 minutes or until wine has reduced by about one half.
- Add tomatoes, cream or milk, salt, pepper and basil. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally until much of liquid has reduced and colour is deep red.
- Serve over spaghetti or penne with parmesan cheese as a garnish.
We have been making fresh cut french fries since growing our potatoes three years ago. While we love fries I hate the cleanup. Oil splattered all over the stove which seems to take days to completely clean. I often debated about purchasing a deep fryer but every time I went to look at one I talked myself out of it. Why? I hate single purpose cooking equipment and since we don’t deep fry anything else that is what a deep fryer would be — an expensive, cupboard hogging french fry maker. The solution? An electric skillet.
Earlier this week I picked up a 12in x 16in Hamilton Beach electric skillet. I figured the larger surface area would be better for making french fries and I could use the skillet more often. The advantages of having an electric skillet to me were
- Better control of temperature for certain recipes like french fries;
- Backup skillet when my stove goes or when we have company;
- I could use it outdoors to keep the smell of say fish out of the house when entertaining;
- It’s larger surface area would be great for cooking large batches of pancakes, bacon or whatever or for larger one pot meals.
Cooking french fries in an electric skillet gave better fries and the cleanup was way easier.
Well today we made fries in our new electric skillet, cooking twice cooked french fries, and I’d have to say everyone thought they were the best ever! And an added bonus? The cleanup was way easier than with a dutch oven on the stove.
The garden season is winding down and I already miss walking out to the vegetable garden and picking some fresh summer produce for supper. A look through the grocery store today revealed poor, mostly old produce — definitely not what we are used to. Luckily for us we have a lot of root vegetables still to be picked so we had fresh carrots, parsnips and potatoes in butter and garlic for supper. So I’m wondering, can you live off nothing but root vegetables all winter?
“A cinnamon-crunch streusel on the inside makes every bite tasty. I think next time I will try switching the oil for melted butter to give it a bit of a richer flavour.”
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup cooking oil
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease loaf pan.
- In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup of the sugar, the nuts and cinnamon; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a fork; stir in milk and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture all at once. Stir until moistened (batter will be lumpy).
- Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon mixture. Repeat with remaining batter and cinnamon mixture. Draw a wide rubber scraper through the batter and up in a circular motion to marble.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the enter comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.
Yield: 1 loaf
by Everchanging Gardener
in Pudding
“A creamy stove top rice pudding I remember fondly as a kid, raisins and all!”
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups rice, cooked
- 1 quart milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 teaspoons butter
- 1 cup raisins
DIRECTIONS
- Cook rice and set aside.
- Melt butter in pan. Add raisins and coat in butter.
- Mix in 1 cup of milk, sugar and egg. Beat until well combined.
- Add rice and the remaining milk
- Scald (do not boil) and shut off heat. Let cool on top of burner.
Yield: about 8 cups
