cranberry-pistachio biscotti

Any kind of travel originating from our house equals a cooking frenzy prior to take-off. Doesn't matter if take-off actually includes flight or only a road-trip, we travel like royalty. By that I mean we take our own 'plate' and 'linen' or at least our own food. The days of loving fast-food junk and gas-stop snacks are so far in the distant past as to be impossible to recall, and airport fare is only to be ingested to stave off imminent starvation - real starvation, not just the I'm-dying-of-hunger feeling that hits about 4 hours post-dining. So the day or two before we (or in this particular case David) leave I bust out the bowls and pans, make a terrible mess and a wonderful aroma, ending the day with a triumphant feeling of accomplishment and a bunch of travel-friendly eats.

When the destination is Japan our bags always include gifts for friends and colleagues there. Every trip we deliberate over what to take - the problem being that in our minds every cool thing that anyone could want comes from Japan so what could possibly be a welcome gift? And every trip we arrive at the same conclusion: everyone eats so .... something delicious. Here is where problem 2 raises its ugly head - what is delicious to one may not be delicious to another, especially (but not exclusively) when there are culture gaps. For example, the Japanese find many of our sweet treats cloyingly sweet and very unappealing while we North Americans need to train our palates to appreciate the subtleties of their very excellent deep dark chocolate. Then of course, it must travel well and arrive not only fresh but pretty, or at least not a melted mess or a pile of crumbs. Happily I have happened upon a few options that are now tried and true to the point of being eagerly anticipated by the recipients. One of the stops David makes every trip is the office he headed while we lived in Tokyo. The staff there have a particular fondness for this biscotti and have requested the recipe. This post is for the "office ladies" at COFI Japan.

This recipe is a long-time favourite at our house. I started making biscotti when I happened on the intriguing recipe in an adorable little cookbook of cookie recipes by Mary Engelbreit (1998). The first batch was a big hit and as the process is fast, super simple, and yields a nice amount for the work a household star was born. David loves these crunchy, dunkable cookies at least as much as the COFI staff. I have tried a few other options for the add-ins (most recently cacao nibs, dark chocolate, and tart dried cherries - a combination I thought most promising but David prefers the cranberry-pistachio duo). I was interested to find a recipe that promised to be the penultimate biscotti recipe published in Chatelaine magazine before Christmas 2013. That recipe was only grains away from the one I had been using but even so, I wondered if those grains would be the difference between .... I don't know what?! Naturally I tried the Chatelaine recipe and wouldn't you know it? those grains did make all the difference. I keep the sweet little M.E. cookbook but won't be looking back for the biscotti recipe. The only change I make to the Chatelaine recipe is to add a smidgeon of almond extract.

Although the recipe was published as a Christmas cookie, we have liberated it to whole-year status. The red and green of the cranberries and pistachio does make a lovely statement wholly in keeping with a Christmas theme but I ignore that element and celebrate the nutritional goodness of both add-ins as daily requirements. To be sure, these are not to be eaten for your health but mental health is important too, right?

Just have to say that although I don't love the actual trip, I do wish I was in Japan with David right now. 

cranberry-pistachio biscotti
(from Chatelaine magazine)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose white flour*
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup chopped pistachios
1 cup dried cranberries

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and heat your oven to 325 F. Stir the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until very creamy - about 5 minutes. Beat the eggs in 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in the flour mixture and then the pistachios and cranberries. The mixture will be a bit dry but should hold together. Gather the dough together and divide into two. Using your hands shape the portions into logs that are roughly 1" high x 2" wide on the parchment lined baking sheet. If the dough sticks to your hands (and makes you a bit crazy) you can dampen your hands with cold water - just don't use too much water, dampen is the key. The logs should be about 3 inches apart.

Bake until the tops are firm and golden - about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool until you can handle them (about 10 minutes). Using a serrated knife cut into diagonal slices about 1/2" thick. The next bit is a little like playing dominoes - stand the slices on their edges with space between them on the baking sheet. Return to the oven and continue baking for 20-30 minutes more.

These keep very well. If they have a chance :)

* Gluten-free flour mix works very successfully here. Another option that I like is to use 1 cup of cornmeal and 1 1/4 cups flour or gluten-free flour mix. I have a particular love for the crunch of cornmeal.

almond cardamom cookies with chickpea flour

One of the local whole foods markets I frequent has recently really stepped up their game in the taste-test department. So much so that I find myself timing my stops there so I can be sure of tasting whatever is on offer that day. One has to think these things through carefully or one is apt to miss the boat - there is only a limited amount on any given day and I suspect that I am not the only one to notice. These taste tests are not your run-of-the-mill-Costco offering. They are home-made and designed to promote whole ingredients the store is selling. Having spoken to the woman who does the making I know she doesn't 'invent' the recipes, she just finds them, makes them, and samples them. She is kind enough to provide the recipes (a necessity if the shop wants to sell the ingredients I would think) and I have happily made several at home. Yesterday I was there again and the sample was so good that I ate one and then boldly, one more. No shame at all. Snagged a recipe printout, checked to make sure that I had everything I would need and made a batch of these cookies first thing this morning. Of that batch, five cookies remain and I doubt that they will last the day.

Eden, Isaac, Mark, and David were my primary testers. Nobody wanted to share and Eden was sad that she didn't have chickpea flour on hand because she wanted to make some then and there. 'Nuff said.

The cookies at the store were gluten-free but used refined sugar. I used coconut palm sugar instead, added a spice and a little almond extract to up the almond taste. Unfortunately, while the taste-testing woman shares her recipes she does not share the source so I cannot give credit where credit is due - and I really think some reasonable credit is due here. These are good cookies  - not just good for gluten-free. At least we all thought so.

almond cardamom cookies with chickpea flour

gluten-free, refined sugar-free

1 cup almond flour

1 cup chickpea flour

3/4 cup coconut palm sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

Cream together softened butter and coconut palm sugar. Add egg yolk and both extracts, beating until smooth and creamy. Add chickpea and almond flours, mixing until a soft dough forms - this will take a minute or two.

Roll into balls about 1" in diameter and flatten slightly. (I used a cookie stamp just for fun, even though the cookies were a lot smaller than the stamp I liked the look.) Bake at 300 F. for 12-18 minutes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cool for 2 or 3 minutes on the pan and continue cooling on a wire rack.

fresh berry birthday tarte

There is a long tradition of non-traditional birthday 'cakes' in our family. We like cake but some of us just aren't cake people. That is to say nobody turns a piece of cake away but when asked for a preference cake rarely wins the day. So when I asked David what he would like for his birthday cake this year I didn't even blink an eye when he suggested fresh strawberry pie. (Actually the strawberry pie came in second after a request for a rhubarb pie but the spring has been late in arriving and my rhubarb is not yet ready for harvesting.)

I was all set to make the regulation fresh strawberry pie but you know, sometimes you just have to follow the urge when it hits and change things up a bit. I put away the lard and rolling pin, pulled out the butter and made a yummy sugar-cookie crust instead of a pastry shell. Lined that with a schmear of cream cheese and topped it all off with a pretty mix of sweet-tart blueberries and fragrant strawberries. I have to say it was pretty good - just not a good bed for a bunch of birthday candles .... but David was only too happy to forgo that tradition as well :)

I went a little bit crazy with this dessert and threw caution to the winds - I used plain old white sugar and white flour (gasp!!) in the cookie crust and white sugar in the glaze for the berries. Call me irresponsible but I rationalized it with the thought that it was an exception not the rule. Nevertheless I wanted to include Eden in celebrating and enjoying the whole meal so for her portion (needing to be gluten-free and refined sugar free) I lined a pretty bowl with the cream cheese mixture, topped that with beautiful, clean berries, and topped the lot with a soft spoonful of whipped cream. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?!

fresh berry birthday tarte

For the crust:
10 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

In a medium bowl combine the melted butter, salt, vanilla, and sugar. Whisk the flour and baking powder together and add to the butter mixture, mixing just until well blended. It will be really soft but don't worry, just dump the lot into a 10" tarte pan and press it evenly across the bottom with your fingers. As the butter cools it firms up nicely. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is a beautiful warm gold. Don't underbake or it will taste doughy instead of being deliciously crisp. Cool completely on a wire rack before assembling the tarte.

For the filling:
5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 250 gm package of cream cheese
4 Tbsp honey

To make the glaze for the berries process 1 1/2 cups of the strawberries with the water in a blender until smooth. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan; stir in the strawberry mixture and cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened. Cook and stir for another minute. Remove form heat and let cool without stirring for 15 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese and honey together until light and smooth.

To assemble the tarte:
Spread the cream cheese/honey mixture evenly over the cookie crust.

Gently fold the remaining strawberries and 2 cups of the blueberries into the cooled glaze. Top the cream cheese layer with the berry mixture. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries over the top. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Top with softly whipped fresh heavy cream.

the banana bread that inspired the oatmeal

This is hardly seasonal but is there season for ripe bananas? It seems that I always overbuy bananas - why else the all-to-common bunch of darkening fruit in the fruit bowl? So it is either feast or famine here, we either have bananas or we don't. Of course you say, there is no other way, you can't 'kind of' have bananas but what I mean is that there are long stretches between bunches of darkening bananas. I don't ever eat bananas as they come but mash 'em up and add them to whatever and well, there is a long list of things that bananas make ever so much better - smoothies, banana muffins, banana pancakes, banana bread oatmeal, and what would banana bread be without bananas?

I have been making this banana bread for longer than I care to think about. It is the definition of banana bread in our house and is the recipe that Jonathon referred to when he came up with the amazing banana bread oatmeal.  I don't remember where I first found the recipe but I believe the credit goes to Mark Bittman. At any rate it is truly wonderful and truly easy. A good thing to have around for when you are sure someone is going to want to eat a banana or two for a snack and then they don't. It happens. Go figure.

The addition of coconut is genius. I have tried this subbing coconut oil for the butter - it's good but the butter is better so I recommend not messing with that.

coconut banana bread

(adapted from Mark Bittman)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sprouted whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup coconut palm sugar

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas - mashed

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Mix together dry ingredients. Cream the butter. Whisk the eggs and banana into the butter then stir the lot into the dry ingredients. Gently stir in vanilla and coconut.

Pour into greased 9x5" loaf pan. Bake at 350 F for 45-60 minutes - until nicely browned. Do not over-bake. Cool on rack 15 minutes before removing from pan.

This is practically irresistible straight from the oven, cooled and sliced, or toasted with a dab of jam. Just don't spread it with butter - please! It really is great all by itself.

salted caramel cinnamon brownies

free of: grains, refined sugars, dairy

The day after Valentine's Day is probably not the day that anyone is looking for yet more chocolate. Then again, is there such a day? 

I have an absolute 'thing' for caramel. Add a little sprinkle of salt and I have perilously close to zero control. So it was a touchy situation in our local natural foods store yesterday when I came across a taste test for these salted caramel brownies. I generally steer wide of the taste tests at this store - having learned from experience that most of what the venders there are trying to convince me is good is a far cry from what I consider edible - but I was hungry and it was salted caramel for goodness sake!!! I really just had to have a little taste... and then a few minutes later I had to take another pass down the same aisle for just one more. After that I couldn't get home fast enough to make a pan just for me. (I was good enough to share most of it - sometimes I amaze myself - but it was Valentine's Day.) 

I am sooooo glad that along with the taste test there was a printout of the recipe because I could never have guessed the recipe. Never. Ever. Not a single grain of refined sugar, smidge of butter, eggs, or flour. Honestly, nothing that isn't good for you. It was a near miss  - but I think it was fate that I went to the store, hungry, and walked down that aisle.

These are not the most frugal brownies I have ever made but they are among the best. On the plus side there is enough of the caramel sauce to make two batches - which is probably good because one batch doesn't last long.

salted caramel brownies

(from baker bettie)

1 cup almond butter

1 1/4 cups maple syrup

3/4 cup solid (as in not melted) coconut oil

2 Tbsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 cups almond flour

To make the salted caramel sauce: combine the almond butter, maple syrup, coconut butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt in a food processor or blender and process on high for 2 minutes, scraping the sides from time to time. DO NOT skimp on the time here. At first it looks like almond butter and syrup mixing up but after a bit it gets thicker and stickier and looks and tastes just like salted caramel sauce - maybe even better.

In a separate bowl whisk together the almond flour and cocoa powder. Add 1 1/2 cups of the salted caramel sauce and stir until combined. Push the batter into a lightly oiled 8x8 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. As soon as it comes out of the oven drizzle a few tablespoons of the remaining caramel sauce over the brownies and sprinkle with a few pinches of good flaky sea salt (like Malden's). Let cool completely before cutting (possibly the most difficult part the whole process).

Thank you so much Baker Bettie :) - this is genius. Seriously.

I apologize for all the italics in this post but really, they were essential. This is italics worthy. When Eden had her share she spoke in italics too. Really. You should have been there.

coconut-pistachio biscotti

The other day I was asked to answer a short list of questions about myself. Among the list: what do you do when you have 30 minutes of free time? what did you like to do as a child? what did you get in trouble for as a child? The answer to all three of the questions? Read/reading.

I remember very clearly the painful process of learning to read. I didn't begin learning until I was in Grade One at school - six years old. I don't remember much of the in-school process, just stumbling through reading aloud from the Tip and Mitten readers we used (I loved those readers, lol!) The vivid memories I have are of the sessions with my much adored but not-terribly-patient father as he helped me get the basics under my belt. I remember trying hard to do something that felt huge and murky. I don't know what magic wand was waved or when or how but it must have happened because voila! one day, Comprehension. The clouds parted, it all made sense, and my life has never been the same. I love to read. Love, love, love to read. My taste ranges wide and my library is large. I have books in literally every room in the house - except the bathroom (where ironically many people do the only reading of their day. Ha!) I read magazines and cookbooks, novels and history, scripture, biographies, and coffee table books. There are books I have read many times over and books on my shelf that are 'aging' until just the right moment when they will beguile or enlighten.

Once I understood the magic of print on a page books became a constant friend - always there, full of new stories of other lives, places and times. I would read when I should have been practicing the piano, or cleaning my room, or doing homework or chores. I loved to read at night before turning out the light - and often read far too late and into the wee hours. I read and read and read - through school and university and into motherhood. I suspect each of my children has a strong memory of me with a book in hand because I always did. Books by then had become more than entertainment, they were tutors, mentors, resources, as well. 

Of course, I have not lost that love. Curling up in a cozy corner or favorite comfy chair with a good book is a quiet luxury that I hope I can always afford. A cup of herbal tea, a soft throw, and biscotti add layers of lovely luxury. Just thinking about it I unwind, mellow.

Biscotti I realize, draws a mixed reaction. There are lovers and haters. I am a lover - most of the time. Not a big fan of the stuff on the grocery store shelf but then when one compares homemade cookies to the stuff on the shelves at the local grocery market is that any wonder? If you haven't had or made biscotti at home I urge you to try it. Super simple and so very delicious it is well worth the time. This recipe is not only delicious but reasonably healthy. Biscotti has less fat and sugar than a regular cookie so that is a plus right off the bat. This recipe has the added blessings of tart dried cherries, pistachios, and coconut sugar, flour and oil. I love the crunch of the cornmeal combined with the buttery flavour of the nuts all offset against the wonderful tart cherries .... I have a hard time keeping my hand out of the tin - so I don't set it on the table next to my tea and book :)

(Try these after they come out of the oven from the first baking - yummm! Good either way.)

coconut-pistachio biscotti
(adapted from whole living magazine)

1/2 cup unbleached spelt flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
6 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup shelled pistachios

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together the flours, cornmeal, coconut, baking powder, and salt. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer mix the eggs, sugar, coconut oil, and lemon zest. Beat until well combined. Reduce mixer speed and ad the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Fold in cherries and pistachios.

Transfer dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using wet hands pat dough into a log about 14" long by 4" wide. Bake until firm and golden, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Transfer the log to a cutting board and using a serrated knife cut diagonally into 1/2" slices. Arrange the slices standing upright on the parchment-lined sheet and bake for an additional 15-18 minutes or until they are golden around the edges and crisp through. Cool completely.


Full disclosure: I used to pay/bribe my kids to play with my hair while I read in the evening after a long day or on summer afternoons when it was just too hot to do anything else. I hope their memories of those times are as golden as mine - me with a book and all my little ones busy around me. Some with toys, some with a book of their own. Sometimes I read aloud to them. unwind.......

carrot almond torte

This is a recipe for a lazy afternoon - or the day that you want to make a mess in the kitchen - whichever comes first. I hope you do choose one or the other because in spite of the reality that this is not a quick, slap-it-together-and-throw-it-in-the-oven kind of thing it is really not at all difficult just messy and step-py ... more than one bowl, two appliances, three spatulas, etc. It is not this carrot cake in all its rich deliciousness. It is a wonderful, clean, simple-flavoured torte that deserves to be enjoyed for just what it is. Made of egg whites, almonds, and carrots with a hint of cinnamon and sweetened with coconut palm sugar it is not only not bad for you but actively good. So make a mess in your kitchen, eat your torte, and feel good about yourself - even in mid-January (when we are all still quite committed to our good intentions!)

It is also a gluten free, refined sugar free cake and it is not a brick! My personal holy grail of gluten free/refined sugar free baking and I have sipped from it. Hallelujah!! If you wanted to use regular refined sugar the substitution is straight across one for one but you will cheat yourself. Just sayin' Of course, sometimes that just doesn't matter :)

We had a scoop of superb vanilla ice cream with our torte after Sunday dinner - good. But when we finished the last slice of cake the next day we ate it naked and it was ever-so-much better. It really does shine when it has the spotlight all to itself.

The recipe as written uses whole almonds ground in a food processor; if you wanted to hurry the process up and lose one appliance-use I would recommend using almond meal or flour (7.5 oz weighed on your kitchen scale).

carrot almond torte
(adapted from Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts by Alice Medrich)

1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) unblanched, whole almonds
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
2 cups (8 oz) lightly packed, finely grated, carrots
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Butter the sides and bottom of an 8-inch springform pan and preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

Pulse the almonds with 2 Tbsp of the sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. You will want to watch the process quite closely as there is a fine line between finely ground almonds and almond butter. Set aside.

Stack several paper towels on the counter. Squeeze the grated carrots a handful at a time. (save the juice and have a mid-baking-project sip - or throw it out) You want to extract as much of the juice as possible so squeeze hard. Put the squeezed carrots on the paper towels, gather the edges of the towels together and squeeze again. Set aside.

Put the egg yolks, salt, cinnamon, almond extract, and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the mixture until thick and lighter in color. (the palm sugar does not dissolve as quickly or completely at this point as refined sugar but don't worry) Sprinkle the grated, squeezed carrots into the bowl but don't mix them in yet.

Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a separate large bowl until they are white and hold a soft shape. Sprinkle in the last 2 Tbsp of sugar and beat at high speed until the egg whites are stiff but not dry. Scrape about a quarter of the egg whites into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture and carrots and fold together using a rubber spatula. Scrape the remaining egg whites into the bowl, pour the ground almonds over them and gently fold everything together. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden and the torte springs back when you press it gently. Cool completely on a wire rack.

This was at least as good the second day. But there wasn't much :)

fruit cake

I do realize that fruitcake is a bit of a joke. It seems to be somewhere on most people's list of dislikes - sadly usually quite high up the list. I may be putting myself up for more than a little ridicule but I hold my head up and proudly say ... I like it. I even like it a lot. That was not always the case, I hated it when I was a child. It was none of the things that qualified anything as a treat nor was it any of the things that qualified as legitimate food. It was just ..... not good. So I avoided it (easy enough to do) and that was that. Then  one day I was visiting a new friend and she offered me a piece of fruitcake -  made from a recipe that was a family favorite. It was one of those awkward situations; I didn't know her well and I certainly did not want to offend her in any way but I really didn't want to even nibble the fruitcake. I could have declined but she was so eager that I try it that I would have felt small if I hadn't. Gracious manners won out and my life was changed in a tiny way. I joined the small (by comparison) number of fruitcake fans. I may not be the head of the fan club but I am a card-carrying member for sure. I remember that December afternoon in Kobe eating my Australian friend's family favorite fruitcake every year when I pull out the recipe for what is now our family favourite fruitcake. I have lost track of the friend but send out a little thankful thought to her as the aroma of the baking cake fills the house.

My mom loves fruitcake and David claims it is his favorite Christmas treat. I like this fruitcake because it is many of the things that make a treat - buttery, tender, toasty, a little bit sweet but not too, filled with wonderful dried fruits and nuts. Light not dark. Fresh with a bit of lemon. Perfect with a cup of tea or a glass of eggnog. Might be you would like it too.

Like everything else this is as good as what you put in it. So use the best butter you can. It really is worth it. Same goes for the dried fruits and almonds. I dislike candied pineapple so you won't find it in my fruitcake. I like the pretty shades of brown in the raisins, almonds and ginger with the bright red cherries. I think it is pretty - in a soft and modest way.

fruitcake

(from a lost friend's recipe file)

1 cup unsalted butter

2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup sultana raisins

1/2 cup dark raisins

1/2 cup mixed peel

1/2 cup crystalized ginger, chopped

2/3 cup glace cherries

1/2 cup glace fruit mix

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups flour

Prepare a round 8" baking pan by cutting a parchment circle to fit the bottom of the pan and buttering the sides of the pan. Set aside.

Cream butter, lemon zest, and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in fruits and almonds, then flour. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 300 degrees F for 3 hours. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

apple dumplings

My dad loved apple desserts and my mom enjoyed making them for him. The rest of us were grateful for that arrangement for obvious reasons. A few years ago my mom gave me the recipe card that my dad had written out for her with the recipe for apple dumplings. I treasure this card (and keep it on the bulletin board in my kitchen) because it so reminds me of him - his unique handwriting, the small joke, and of course the apple dumplings. The joke was on me when I made these dumplings the other day because in the course of shredding the apples I remodelled my thumb quite significantly and had the dickens of a time keeping my own red blood out of the filling! (I know, gross but true - maybe some day I will learn that rushing in the kitchen while trying to do three things at once is not terribly wise.) One of the things that I love about the recipe on the card is the abbreviated method - this is a simple dessert but not quite that intuitive! Old recipes are often written like though, with the assumption that all one needs is a reminder of what ingredients are required and everything is a go.

In the original recipe a whole peeled apple is wrapped in each square of dough, my mom's version uses grated or shredded apples liberally laced with cinnamon. We love it that way and I follow the family tradition. I know that the apples in the photo look like they have been sitting out far too long but really, under all the cinnamon they are wearing they are still fresh. My aunt once told my mom that if it isn't brown (re the cinnamon) it isn't Merrill. I added a little oil of cinnamon to the sauce and omitted the blood but other than that this is the recipe my dad copied for my mom. The red food coloring is optional but pretty.

After the encounter with a sharp blade I finished the apple shredding with my much-loved Kitchenaid food processor. I recommend using a food processor if you have one but if you don't, grate carefully. Digits are precious and I prefer mine as integers.

apple dumplings
(from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook circa 1955)

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 drops oil of cinnamon
2 drops red food coloring
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup milk

filling:
5 medium apples, cored and shredded
1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar (or to taste)


Mix the sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, oil of cinnamon, and red food coloring in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add butter. Set aside.

Shred the apples and mix with the cinnamon and sugar.

Sift the dry ingredients together; cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk all at once, stirring just until moistened. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a large rectangle - about 1/4" thick. Cut the dough into 5-inch squares.
(I got 11 'squares' - some of them weren't exactly straight on the sides but that doesn't really matter in the end and I prefer not to work the dough too much by re-rolling it.) Place  about 1/4 cup of apple filling on each square. Bring corners to center and pinch edges together.

Place 1 inch apart in ungreased 9x11" baking pan. Pour syrup over the dumplings. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 35 minutes. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

blueberry cornmeal muffins

gluten-free

While I remain chained to my sewing machine David and Thomas are having fun with Deacon, Aubrie, Jane, and Theo in Waterton. A stop at Uncle Dean's to ride the horses and then on to eat, sleep, and play in the mountains. Throwing rocks in the lake (endlessly entertaining), bike-riding, hiking, picnics, swimming. 

A weekend in Waterton needed some yummy 'vittles' to keep the troops happy. Since neither of the men wanted to be in the kitchen much (who would when Waterton is on the other side of the door?!) and it was a good idea for the food to be easily grabbed and absolutely portable (four kids between the ages of 2 and 8) I made a batch of muffins for them to take along. The qualifiers also included  gluten-free, major kid-appeal, and at least semi-healthy. I had a big box of perfect fresh blueberries in the fridge so that factored into the choice as well. Usually I class blueberry muffins in the cake category as far as nutrition goes and to be honest these are not terribly far off that mark but they are made with a gluten-free whole grain mix, no refined sugars, and coconut oil. And of course, blueberries! So although these are not loaded like my favourite (or these) muffins they are a pretty good compromise. Plus they have the obvious advantage of appealing to people who really have no appreciation for the virtues of hempseed hearts, flax, and dates.


These came out of the oven and went straight into the food bag (aside from the one that I wolfed on the spot) so I have no reports yet from my small taste-testers but the one muffin I ate was pretty yummy and I wish I had been a little more selfish.


If you don't have buttermilk just sour fresh milk by adding a bit of vinegar or lemon juice. You can also use any other oil of your choice but I like the health advantages as well as the taste of the coconut oil - butter is always a yummy choice. I used coconut palm sugar because it is an unrefined sugar - if you wanted to use regular sugar instead 3/4 cup would be the amount. Or 1/2 cup of honey and decrease the milk to 1 1/8 cups. And finally, although I haven't tried it yet I am confident that you could substitute regular flour for the gluten-free blend cup for cup with good results.


gluten-free blueberry cornmeal muffins


2 cups (275 gm) whole grain gluten-free flour mix ( or your favourite commercial blend)
 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp (75 gm) cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (180 gm) coconut palm sugar
1 1/3 cups buttermilk 
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with parchment cupcake papers or grease thoroughly.


Whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted coconut oil. Add to the dry ingredients and stir just until all the flour is mixed in.  Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Fill the muffin cups evenly and bake until the muffins are nicely golden and the top springs back when touched - about 25-30 minutes.

honey graham wafers

Graham wafers and I go way back. They have been a long-time favourite comfort snack. A dependable, familiar, slightly sweet crunch that was perfect with a glass of milk after school, before bed, or (later) mid-afternoon when the kids napped. Cinnamon and sugar-dusted or naked, I just really, really like them. They pretend to be nothing more than they are - no glamour or decadence, just simple goodness. Like the best people.

I have been on a quest (if that is not too grand a term) to make a wonderful home-made honey graham wafer. I have tested no fewer than five versions and taste-tested said versions with whoever was near and some who are dear. I made a gluten-free version ( a top contender even among those who don't avoid gluten), tried Smitten Kitchen's adaptation of Heidi Swanson's (101 Cookbooks) version of Nancy Silverton's recipe, and referred to Martha Stewart and Alton Brown. Some were too sweet. Too much vanilla. One try too salty. Another too dry. I tried a mash-up of the recipes, made a few minor changes to accommodate my personal likes and ended up with something we all think is pretty hard to stop eating. My tummy was certainly tight a few times during the process.

Why would one bother to make this simple wafer at home when they are so readily available instore? Because they are simply so much better. Better in more than taste - although that is a considerable motivation. Better in quality of ingredients (my apologies to Nabisco and manufacturers of no-name brands), better nutritionally, and better fun. These wafers have real, whole ingredients and smell amazing in the oven. They are so, so yummy naked but spread a little left-over cream cheese icing on and make a cookie sandwich and bliss out. Or how about some homemade nutella. Or better yet, some homemade nutella and a roasted marshmallow. Or the ultimate ... a roasted homemade marshmallow squished between two honey graham wafers that have been spread with a smear of homemade nutella....sigh. Or yeah, just plain and simple. With milk.

honey graham wafers

(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 cup graham flour*

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup sprouted whole wheat flour

1/3 cup organic muscovado sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground chia seed

7 Tbsp (100 gm) cold, unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces

1/3 cup honey

4-5 Tbsp milk of your choice (I used coconut milk)

1 1/2 tsp good quality pure vanilla extract

In a food processor bowl combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ground chia seed. Pulse to mix. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture is like a coarse meal.

Whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla. (Start with 4 Tbsp milk, mix that in and add more milk if the dough is too dry.) With the food processor running pour the mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough just comes together. It will be quite soft. Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. 

All the recipes I looked at advised refrigerating the dough for 30 minutes to an hour before rolling out. I tried that two times and both times was dissatisfied with the process and result. Actually, the only part of making these wafers that was not purely fun and easy was rolling them out. The dough is really very moist and soft and regardless of the method employed in rolling (flouring the surfaces, using two sheets of parchment paper, chilling the dough) I was ready to scream and or pull my hair out. Fortunately for my hair and sanity, I tried - out of simple desperation - using ziplock bags. Genius (she modestly says). Simply this - cut the zipper part off two large size ziplock bags and cut down the side 'seam', effectively opening the bags up. Lay one bag down, put about 1/3 of the dough on that and top with the other opened bag. Go to town with your rolling pin. When the rolled out dough is 1/8" thick peel back the top bag, replace that with a sheet of parchment paper and flip the parchment paper, dough, and ziplock sandwich onto a baking tray. Peel back the ziplock bag. Cut the dough into squares with a pastry (or pizza) cutter - I didn't get too fussed about perfectly even squares and kind of liked the very homemade result. Prick dough-squares with a fork in rows.  Bake at 350 degrees F for  20-25 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking tray to harden further.

Watch your wafers the last few minutes. You want them to be firm and toasty-golden. As you can see from the photo, the last batch I baked (the little tiny ones for little tiny hands) got a bit too brown. They are still good but not as good - I do that more often that I would like to admit when baking the last tray of a batch of cookies. Repeat the process until you have used all your dough. If you want to dust them with cinnamon and sugar, do it before baking, after rolling and cutting.

*Final note: Graham Flour - you can buy graham flour (Bob's Red Mill has some) or you can effectively make your own by mixing white flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ in the ratio found in whole wheat. One cup of graham flour can be made by combining 

84 gm white flour

15 gm wheat bran

2.5 gm wheat germ

gluten-free honey grahams
(adapted from Gluten-free Girl)


70 gm sorghum flour
70 gm quinoa flour
70 gm tapioca flour
70 gm sweet rice flour
2 Tbsp organic muscovado sugar
3 Tbsp whole grain gluten-free flour mix
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
7 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-sized pieces
1/4 cup honey
4 Tbsp milk of your choice
1/2 tsp vanilla


Follow the same method as above. (I pricked X's on the gluten-free wafers to distinguish them easily from wheat flour wafers.) Now everyone can have s'mores at the next campfire or stove-top roasting session.