Posts filed under ‘Making’
A new garden begins
It’s been a very busy month of moving cities. People keep asking, “are you starting to settle in?” and finally I feel that the answer is yes. The ability to plant a little container garden on our new patio has done wonders in that regard. (more…)
Simple tools for the kitchen
I own great knives. When they first arrived, as a gift, I thought they were too much. Why did I, a mere home cook chopping away in my kitchen a few nights a week, deserve these perfect, light-as-a-feather Japanese knives? They seemed like art objects at the time and sometimes still do. Nonetheless, I had them, they were mine, bestowed on me by one much wiser than myself.
These knives are a joy. I love using them. I was reflecting on that recently as I slowly sliced several pounds of potatoes into paper-thin rounds for scalloped potatoes one night. It wasn’t a chore; it was a delight. The slow, repetitive movement was like meditating, and all the while I felt such pleasure and gratitude at that simple thing of being able to glide through a dozen potatoes and effortlessly create perfectly thin slices every time. No mandolins or gadgets for me, thank you.
When I read food magazines or cookbooks, chefs and people who are passionate about food always say, “buy the best knives you can afford.” They are right. I’d actually take one step further and say that if you really like to cook, then buy the most beautiful knives you can even if you can’t afford them. I think most of us waste money on things that are worth a lot less. I’d much rather be rich in the kitchen and broke as I walk past the queue at Starbucks.
New waffle iron!
This is a picture of today’s delicious breakfast made with my brand new waffle iron, a holiday gift from my parents. The day began with a beautiful walk outside with the dog this morning. Afterwards, I spent two minutes stirring up batter (from a mix), made fruit salad with raspberries and peaches I’d tucked away in our freezer when they were in season, and tried out this latest addition to my kitchen. Easy, quick and tasty, and a perfect choice of breakfast to go along with movie watching on our last day of holidays.
Tomato Basil Sauce (taste of summer)
This summer I spent a whole day chopping up a 25lb box of tomatoes and cooking them into a tomato basil sauce that could be stored away for winter. Well, winter is here. No doubt about that. It’s snowy and cold here in Calgary, and it was frosty even in Vancouver, where we spent the Christmas week.
So, freshly home from our trip and with not much food in the fridge, it was time to bring out a jar of that heavenly sauce for a simple pasta meal. I added a small tin of tomato paste to it along with about 2 cups of fresh spinach, some finely chopped almonds, grated asiago and hot chili flakes and served it over brown rice pasta for a delicious, simple supper that tasted just like summer. Vegetarian and gluten free, of course.
The recipe for the sauce is below. I highly recommend devoting a day next summer to finding a big box of tomatoes and making it. It was a beautiful way to spend a day, and the experience of pulling out a jar of your own tomato sauce in winter time is about a million times better than opening up a jar of Prego. (more…)
Shortbread cookies
Shortbread cookies are a favourite in my family, and I think for everyone’s family. It’s especially true at this time of year as we celebrate the holiday season by making and indulging in all manner of yummy treats.
The recipe I use is my grandmothers’, as is the pretty china plate you see in the photo above. It’s as simple as recipes get. I’ve changed it slightly to fit with my tastes using all organic ingredients and substituting whole wheat pastry flour for the normal all-purpose flour. All-purpose gluten-free flour can also be substituted here. These are delicious with a steaming cup of tea.
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups of wholewheat pastry flour
Mix together ingredients in a mixer or by hand until they form a smooth dough. Roll into 1-inch balls and flatten with a glass or cookie press. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden in a 325F oven. Makes about 24 cookies.
