December 11, 2013

Happy Holidays!

I love this time of year - The twinkly lights, holiday songs, the celebration of winter and of course all the wonderful food that comes with Christmas!

I have been so busy with all my baking and preparations for the holidays, that I have had no time for anything else - not to mention undergoing some house renos and doing a home move at the end of the month. Hmmm, I don't think I thought that one through!

I did want to wish you and yours all the best for the holiday season... it's time for family, friends, old traditions and the creation of new ones. May 2014 be filled with love, family, friends, joy and good health!

Here's to SWEET CELEBRATIONS!

Until the New Year,

Rosie

November 07, 2013

Oh Pomegranate!

I have always been fascinated by pomegranates. It was their rich ruby colour that first intrigued me and then the juicy pop when eating them. They are delicious, nutritious and have many health benefits. But as I stumbled through trying to seed the fruit, I quickly became frustrated and basically gave up.

A few years ago while travelling in Istanbul, my love for the pomegranate was reignited. You could get fresh pomegranate juice from many street vendors. Delish! And when I returned home, pomegranates were in season and available everywhere. Determined to find a way to get the seeds out without much fuss, I tried quite a few methods - the under water method and the tedious knife manipulation, but the one that I found to be the quickest and easiest, was just to whack the seeds out with a wooden spoon!

Yup. Easy with minimal mess. Here's a video on the how to:

Enjoy!

Rosie

October 10, 2013

Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving is a big deal with the Coelho Clan. As a North American tradition, my parents embraced it's significance when they immigrated to Canada in 1964. Coming from a farm background, the celebration of the harvest and the bounty of food and the love of family and friends reminded them of home. In the last few years, my brother and sister-in-law have hosted the big meal and it has been my brother Ken who has taken over the reigns of making the most amazing meal ever. My Mom still makes her famous sausage stuffing (recipe still under lock and key) and I do a variety of baking as well as the cranberry sauce, but it is my brother who out does himself year after year with a most succulent bird and amazing giblet gravy ever (a tried and true brother's secret recipe).

I have gathered recipes that reflect some of our family favourites and I have also added some others that look really delicious. If you're looking for something new or need help with some classics, check out the links below.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

Gobble, gobble,
Rosie

Coelho approved!

Alton Brown’s Good Eats Turkey

I add a splash of Cointreau and orange zest to the basic recipe.

5 Different Cranberry Sauces from Cottage Life

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup from ilovemaple.ca

A Coelho Favourite

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon from Savory Life

Our family favourite is the recipe using goose fat.

Jamie Oliver’s Roasted Potatoes

Ina Garten’s Roasted Tomatoes

Perfect Mash Sweet Potatoes from Can You Stay for Dinner?

Chatelaine’s Nutty Green Beans

A Coelho staple.

CanadianLiving’s Roasted Root Vegetables

Morrocan Quinoa Salad from A Canadian Foodie

Our family isn't big on pumpkin pie, but I make one for David. It's his favourite.

MarthaStewart’s Pumpkin Pie

Joanne Yolles’ Plum Tart

Canadian Living’s Best Ever Apple Pie

Pure Pumpkin Cheesecake from Leite’s Culinaria

Dark Chocolate Espresso Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce from Portuguese Girl Cooks

July 12, 2013

Glazed Lemon - Poppy Seed Loaf

There's something about the taste of lemons that makes me think of fun in the sun - SUMMER! I often squirt some lemon in my ice cold water, or sip tangy sweet lemonade, but the one thing I love any time of year is a thick slice of homemade Glazed Lemon - Poppy Seed Loaf.

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

Enjoy it for breakfast, afternoon tea or a sweet snack while sitting on the dock at the cottage.

Anytime, really. The addition of lemon oil can really heighten the lemon flavour. Pure lemon oil can be found in most specialty food and baking supply shops or ordered online via Golda's Kitchen.

Ingredients

For the Loaf
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup of white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
3 drops of pure lemon oil (optional)
1 - 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon grated lemon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

For the Glaze
7 tablespoons icing sugar
4 tablespoons of lemon juice

Method

Loaf

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8x4" loaf pan and place a 7" strip of parchment paper width-wise, allowing the paper to be longer than side of the pan to assist in lifting the loaf once baked.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, grated lemon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, once at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla and lemon juice (as well as lemon oil). Mix well.
Alternatively add the buttermilk (in two parts) and flour mixture (in three parts), starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Spread batter into pan.
Bake for 1 hour. To test for doneness, insert a cake tester or bamboo skewer in the centre. If it comes out clean, it's ready.
Place pan on rack to cool.
After 20 minutes, turn out loaf onto rack and cool completely.

Glaze

Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together to form a spreadable glaze. Add more icing sugar or lemon juice to reach your desired consistency.
Take a pastry brush and spread the glaze over the top of the loaf. You can let it dribble down the sides if you wish.

Kitchen Notes

Store the loaf at room temperature for up to three days. Should you wish to freeze the loaf, wrap well in foil, place in freezer-appropriate plastic bag and freeze for up to 4 weeks.

June 21, 2013

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!

Welcome to the first day of summer! I love this time of year - kids finishing up school, preparations for camp, long hot sunny days, walking barefoot, t-shirts and shorts, swimming in the lake, cottage weekends and eating ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream!

One year, my Dad bought my Mom a gift - an ice cream maker. Funny thing is, I don't think my Mom ever used it, but my Dad sure did. He experimented with all sort of flavours and recipes. I think we had a new flavour of ice-cream almost ever day for months. And the best part was trying them all. My favourite was certainly strawberry ice cream made from freshly picked berries. Now I crave coconut ice cream and by far my all-time favourite is vanilla!

Whatever your favourite frozen treat, here are a few recipes to try...

HAPPY SWEET SUMMER!!
Rosie