BullsEye Molasses Dreams

How does a person come up with a great cookie and an amusing name? Play darts on a Monday night of course. As I am sitting with one eye on the play and one eye on my Twitter stream (yes, I am that good at multi-tasking -  my eyes see all), I read about a Crosby's Sweet Dreams Cookie Contest. I use molasses in bread, cookies, "lassie buns" - most of which are recipes used by my family and handed down for years. I thought this might be a fantastic chance for me to develop my own cookie recipe and share it (but mostly eat... I mean test, the results).

What makes a stand out cookie in my mind? A salty, buttery, sweet balance that blends so well that it's like a flavour bomb ignited in your mouth.

Now you will notice that this recipe calls for beer. This is entirely optional and can easily be substituted with strong coffee. Either way, by the time you send the kids to school, you'll need either a strong beer or a strong coffee (depending on your preference). As I worked through the recipe in my head while playing darts I asked around about the addition of beer which was met with applause and enthusiasm... SOLD! The beer stays.

The flavours in the cookie (browned butter, molasses, pungent spices) needed a balance so I thought adding toffee chips would give it a complimentary sweet addition.

Now a sweet frosting? Really Lori? Why? I thought it would be fun to sandwich the cookies and then add a frosting bullseye to the top.  Am I wrong? I think not! Truth be told, this frosting isn't overtly sweet so I think it's the perfect addition. It was introduced to all in my Newfoundland Molasses Cake recipe, shared generously with me by my friend Sara Case Strickland.

To be perfectly honest... The cookie is completely enjoyable on its own without the icing. But I went for it!

Strap in, taste test away and have fun!

Cinn-ful Snickerdoodle Surprise Cookie

Last fall on a trip to Maine I patrolled all of the grocery stores to find things new and delicious. My focus quickly moved to baking chips... of every type.  I stumbled across a cinnamon flavoured one and promptly purchased a bag without a clue on what kind of recipe I could use them.

Wait... Snickerdoodles have cinnamon and sugar. After a good dig in my baking cupboard I found some white chocolate.

Let's see what happens next...

Things You Need (Otherwise Known as Ingredients and Supplies)

1/2 cup Butter, softened

1 Tbsp Canola Oil

1/2 cup White Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

3/4 tsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Corn Starch

3 Tbsp Vanilla Pudding mix

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 & 1/4 cup Flour, sifted

1 cup Cinnamon chips

1 cup White Chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate)

Cookie Sheets

Non-Stick Spray

Things You Do (Otherwise Known as Directions)

Cream Butter, Canola Oil, White and Brown Sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla and beat well.

Add cinnamon, corn starch, vanilla pudding, salt and baking soda. Mix in completely.

Slowly add the flour (1/2 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup) mixing after each. Do not beat too much, just until the flour is incorporated.

Add both types of chips.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Drop teaspoon or medium scoops of cookie dough on the baking pans.

Put in the oven for 8-10 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Remove from oven and let sit on pans for 2 minutes.

After the 2 minute mark, move to cookie racks to continue cooling.

These cookies have a fantastic cinnamon sugar taste and a nice chewy texture.

Enjoy,

Lori

Walking to the Camino to Walk the Camino (Say what?)

When I decided that walking the Camino was something I never knew I wanted to do (huh?) a number of thoughts swept over me. The logical Lori thought flights, accommodations, timing, gear, vacation requests and other practical tasks that needed to be addressed. But the other Lori did not know really what she was committing to. It evoked fear. The motivation to do a pilgrimage is, for many, deeply personal. I don't know that I have my motivation ironed out yet - I simply need this experience. So here I sit, preparing...


Planning for a journey such as the Camino de Santiago (or a portion of it) isn't only about flights and gear. There is a physical and mental preparation that cannot be denied or as a very experienced expedition-traveler put it:

The 6 P's - Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance

I laughed when he said it, but it really resonates for me. I have (for some months now) been preparing my body to walk 300 kilometres (kms). It's been rewarding and daunting, terrifying and empowering, complicated and simple. I have historically not be in great shape and carry some extra weight so asking my body to walk and walk and walk was like asking it to grow 6 inches vertically.

I started training approximately in September of 2013, about 12 months before my planned Camino - I will try and give you an overview of my plan of attack.

My Method

September 2013 - Getting used to walking 3 days a week. Not long distances, on average 3-5 kms.  Some days I would split it into a 2 km walk at lunch and then walk part of the way home after work.

October 2013 - Increasing my daily distance to 5-7 kms. Still at about 3 days a week. I did do 2 10+ kms walks to test the waters.

November 2013 - Up to 7-9 kms, 4 times a week. 1 - 10+ kms walk a week (usually home after work).

December 2013 - I tapered back on distances. Still 4 times a week. I would do a 4 km lunchtime walk most frequently. 2 - 10+ km walks.  It's cold, there was snow and sidewalks dodgy.

January, February, March 2014 - See December. I also had some issues with my feet and saw a podiatrist.  Orthotics are on order.  One long walk of 15 kms.

April 2014 - Here's where the feet hit the street.  I have 6 months left. Back to walking lunchtime and after work (on average 7-11 kms), 3 times a week plus a long walk on Sunday of 20+ kms.  PS. I am also training to walk the Bluenose 1/2 Marathon.

I expect that May - August will be much of the same. Mid August I will try and taper the distance to 15-20 kms on long walk day. Maybe do more consecutive days of walk and up it to 4 days a week to ensure I am ready to walk day after day after day.

I also want to walk in the heat, cool of the morning and cool of the evening to ensure I can walk comfortably during the differences in temperature, light, precipitation.... Anything I may encounter on the Camino.

I am NOT a trainer and do not play one on TV. I am figuring out what my body can do - that's really what you need to do, listen to what your body can do.

Here's my thoughts on Camino prep...

• It is your Camino. If your body says - "10 kms is what I can do", then you adjust your schedule in Spain to accommodate that. Instead of X days, it would be X + 50%?  Don't worry about others schedules, you are the one who is doing the work so EMBRACE the fact that you are doing it!
• Listen to your body. If you hurt and it sticks around for a couple of days, go get yourself checked. Get a massage, go to a podiatrist, take up yoga or whatever (remember - not a trainer or a doctor)!
• Love the walking - explore the outdoors.  Chances are there's likely fantastic trails you didn't know existed in your community.  Here is one that was unknown to me and fabulous! Bay to Bay Trail from Lunenburg to Mahone Bay.
• GET GOOD FOOTWEAR and BREAK IT IN! It's in all caps for a reason. I will likely have a couple hundred kms on my boots before I hit Spain. I want them to be like silk on my feet - silky slippers treading over rocks.  Taking a beating but my feet will feel divine.

 

Here is another thing I am wondering....

Scenario
It's day 5 on the Camino and my body is aching, I've pulled off my boots knowing that in 12 hours I will be putting them on again to do the same thing. How will my mind react? My spirit? My will to continue?

I don't know the answer - I don't expect I will until that point comes.  But my body will be as ready as I can make it, and it won't fail me.

Buen Camino,
Lori

Newfoundland Dressing (As Seen in Turkey Dinner or on Fries, Dressing and Gravy)

Fries, Dressing and Gravy has become synonymous with Newfoundland in recent years.  Or Jiggs Dinner. Or Turkey Dinner. Or Chicken Dinner. The common factor here is the Dressing.

I've heard people refer to it as stuffing as it is stuffed into the bird of choice but I only know it as dressing. No potato, no sausage, no nuts or seeds or anything complicated.

What you need to have is Mt. Scio Savoury. If you come at me with Summer Savoury, Sage or any type of foolishness I will have to ban you... You can kiss as many codfish, puffins arses you want, you'll still be known as the person who wanted to add Sage.

This recipe works both as stuffed into the bird and as standalone.  Standalone you say? Then is it Stovetop?

Listen, that kind of talk will get you banned as well.

Here is my version of dressing, it is moist, flavourful and if put on french fries with gravy on top you will weep in joy. I typically make it when I am roasting a chicken, turkey or something else that requires the oven to be on for an extended period of time.

Today I'm baking cookies, roasting vegetables and other nonsense - the key is a warm oven for hours.

Things you Need (Otherwise Known as Ingredients and Supplies)

1 Medium Onion, Diced

1/4 cup Butter

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Mt. Scio Savoury
Pinch of Pepper

1/4-1/3 cup Chicken Stock (not everyone uses stock but I find it becomes too dry without it). You could use vegetable stock if you prefer - I am not sure of the taste difference.

4-5 Cups of Bread Crumbs

Heavy bottomed mixing bowl or pot with lid
Skillet

Things you Do (Otherwise Known as Directions)

In a medium skillet, melt butter.

Add onions and saute on medium-low for 5 minutes.

Take breadcrumbs and put in a sturdy metal bowl.

Add onion mixture, pepper and Mt. Scio and mix very well.

Add chicken broth and make sure everything is combined. Not soupy but moist.

Cover with tin foil, then a tea towel and place over (or near) the oven vent and leave it for hours. I typically give it a stir every hour. The onions are cooked but the mixture needs heat and time to get the flavours to meld.

It usually takes 3 or 4 hours (depending on the amount and size of bowl). You'll notice the colour change to a golden colour  (check the two close up pictures) and the smell will be more glorious. I also notice that the savoury changes from green to dark brown, almost black in colour. If it looks to be getting dry, add a tablespoon of stock, remove from heat but keep it covered, it doesn't have to be piping hot especially if gravy is also on the menu.

Alternate Method:  Stuff it in the bird of your choice where the sun doesn't shine (poor thing) and close with whatever method you typically use.
or
Put in foil wrap and put in with whatever you are roasting for about 25-35 minutes. I would recommend adding the stock if using this method.

Continuing on with the oven top method...

Add to your Sunday dinner plate, your fries or even a turkey sandwich!

Cheers all,
Lori

The Kitchen Sink Candy Cookie

When using the Google machine tonight I stumbled across the backforsecondsblog.com and fell in love with everything! But one recipe caught my eye, the softest chocolate cookie ever. I have literally tried 50+ recipes in my... 29 and a bit years (what??) and none have ever reached my chewy soft cookie goal... Until now. Thank you to Stephanie for doing the heavy lifting on this beautiful concoction.

Follow along, try it out and see if you agree. 

I have adjusted the recipe some.  Mostly in the candies, chocolate chips I used. I think this base could be used for almost any chipit, chocolate candy combo - with nuts, adding cocoa. You name it!

M&M's, Reeses Pieces, Mints, the lists of candy are endless.

When these cool, the centres will sink some. You'll worry that they are undercooked a little. Fear not, young Jedi... This is perfectly normal and in fact quite the delicious morsel!

THINGS YOU'LL NEED (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES)

1 cup butter, softened

2 Tbsps Canola oil

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

1&3/4 cups white flour

2 Tbsps cornstarch

1&1/2 tsp baking soda 

1&1/2 cups white flour

1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup mini m&m's

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter flavoured chips

Mixing Bowls
Non Stick Spray or Baking Mats
Cooling Racks

THINGS YOU'LL DO (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS DIRECTIONS)

Cream together butter, canola oil, white and brown sugars until nice and light.

Add eggs, vanilla and salt. Ensure it is incorporated completely. 

Add cornstarch, baking soda and first amount of flour and mix well. 

Add second amount of flour and mix until just combined. 

Add candy and chips (in whatever variety you've chosen) and mix in by hand.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

At 1 hour mark, preheat oven to 350F. 

On a greased cookie sheet take a heaping teaspoon. HEAPING! And drop onto sheet. In my case I took a medium scoop and dropped onto sheet followed by adding a tier using a small scoop on top.  Press down slightly to make a seal... Kinda.

Scoops I used

Bake in a 350F oven for 7-9 minutes. Edges should be just golden and centre soft. 

Remove from oven. Leave on pan for 2 minutes and then move cookies to rack to cool completely. 

Store in airtight container.  (SNORT - If they last that long)

Right out of the oven

So Chewy and Soft Hours later

Makes about 36 cookies. 

These are great when rewarmed in microwave for 10-15 seconds. 

Cheers,

Lori

Chao Ga - Vietnamese Chicken, Lemongrass and Rice Soup

This is me... Expanding my food cooking boarders. I've been to Vietnam and it's one of the most fantastic places I've ever seen. I especially enjoyed the food, vegetable rolls, fish, bread-oh god the bread!

This recipe came from Kelly S, a Nova Scotian who has moved to Australia. She is a chef by trade and her mom raved about this soup so I begged for the recipe.  I kept to the spirit of her directions with minimal changes.  

When I used the Google machine I discovered the Vietnamese name for this dish is Chao Ga and is a soup typically used as we would use Chicken Noodle soup - a staple that we turn to when we need to feel better. 

Things you Need (Otherwise known as Ingredients and Supplies)

2 Litres of Chicken Stock

3 cloves Garlic, unpeeled and crushed

10 cm (4") piece of Ginger, sliced

1 bunch green onions, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

6-8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (trim excessive fat and skin)

3 Thai Chilies, seeded and minced* (if you like very hot soup - add more Chilies)

2 Large Lemongrass stems, bruised

You can use a mallet, motar or knife to bruise the lemongrass.

Left  - Unbruised, Right - Smooshed

2 TBSP Fish Sauce

1/2-1 Cup Jasmine Rice (If you want a less thick soup I suggest 1/2 cup)

Water

Large Handful Cilantro

2 Limes, cut in wedges

3 Thai Chilies, seeded and sliced

1/3 Cup Rice Vinegar

* Use gloves - Full stop. You will thank me for this advice if you have contact lenses. 

Things You'll Do (Otherwise Known as Directions)

In a large pot bring to a boil the stock, garlic, green onion, garlic and ginger.

Reduce and let simmer for 30 minutes. 

Add Chicken thighs and simmer for 1 hour. 

Turn off stove and let cool. 

Strain the stock into a clean pan. Keep the thighs but discard the rest. You should have at least 2 litres of stock. Skim visible fat off the top. Add about another 500ml to the stock and stir. 

Just before I skimmed off much of the grease

Note: I highly recommend that you put the stock aside to cool completely and them skim off the fat.  Chicken thighs are very fatty and this is the easiest way to get rid of the excess. I would even argue that doing these steps the day before makes the best sense.


Add lemongrass, chilies, fish sauce and rice. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for approximately 30 minutes. Rice should be very tender and almost dissolving into the soup. 

While the stock is simmering, discard the skin and bones from the thighs and shred the meat. 

Stir in the chicken in the last 5 minutes to warm through. Season with salt if you feel it is needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with Cilantro and a wedge of lime. 

Take the rice vinegar and the other 3 sliced chilies and mix in a small bowl. This can be shared at the table and drizzled on top of the soup. 

Single serving of the vinegar, chili garnish

Serves 4-6.

The soup is extremely flavourful and fresh tasting! Just delicious, nourishing and simple...

Cheers,
Lori

Softest Bread Ever - Like a Pillow for your Deli and Cheese

I've been on a real bread kick lately. White bread, wheat bread, bread with flax, bread with nuts and seeds.  Soooo much toast!  This is not a family recipe passed down to me but rather a gem I found (and modified) from the web. Again, like the white bread recipe I posted recently this bread is super easy to make. It takes time but is not difficult.  It is surprisingly inexpensive to make and a much better price point than the mass produced bread at the grocery store.

If the bread isn't a complete success your first time out do not worry, you will have tasty toast or bread crumbs.  Keep at it and you'll have beautiful loaves in no time.

This bread requires two rises, each at about 1 hour.

Mixing Time - 20 minutes
Rising Time - 1 3/4 - 2 hours
Baking time - 30 minutes

THINGS YOU'LL NEED (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES)

2 ½ cups Hot Water (105-110 F)	1/3 Cup Honey
1 ½ TBSP Active Quick Rise Yeast	2 ½ tsp Salt
1 Cup White Flour, sifted*	2 TBSP Lemon Juice
1 Cup Wheat Flour, sifted*	2 Cups White Flour, sifted*
1/3 Cup Canola or Vegetable Oil	2 Cups Wheat Flour, sifted*

*Sifting - you do not have to sift the flour but I always do. I find it makes a difference to the texture of the bread.

Mixing Bowl with Paddle and Dough Hook, OR

Really strong hands and arms

Bread pans

Non Stick spray

Butter/Margarine for top of bread after baking

THINGS YOU'LL DO (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS DIRECTIONS)

Mix Hot Water, Yeast, 1 cup of White and 1 Cup of Wheat flour together.  Let sit for 15 minutes creating what we'll call a sponge.

Mix

Sponge

Then add the oil, honey, lemon juice and salt. Mix together until completely combined.  Add the 2 cups of each flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing it completely before adding next cup.  You should see the dough clean from the sides of the bowl. 

Once that happens, switch to the dough hook.  Mix on low for 7 minutes (or knead 10-12 minutes if by hand). Dough will look smooth and elastic. If the dough sticks to the sides, add flour a TBSP at a time, making sure to mix between additions - you don't want it to be too dry. If you see that flour is not incorporated, add a small drizzle of warm water until all flour is mixed.  Not too much so the dough isn't too wet.

Start of knead with dough hook

End of knead

I like to let the dough rise twice. Once in the bowl and once in the pan.  Each at about 1 hour. 

Oil your hands for easier handling of the dough

Oil the inside of the bowl for rising

Form dough into a ball

Spray the wax paper with non stick spray

Note on Warmth and Dough Rising: Set it in a warm spot. I most often heat the oven to 170F, set a tea towel on the oven vent, place the bowl over it and leave it for 20 mins. Turn off oven, let sit for 20 mins. Turn oven on 170F for 20 mins. (For a total of an hour). 

After 1 hour rise

Once the bread has risen an hour, punch it down and then make dough rolls that will make a triple bun bread loaf.

Punch it down

Reform into a ball

I use a sharp knife and cut off about 150 grams (I use a food scale) of dough.  Then I form it into a elongated ball.

 Place them in greased bread pans.

 I like a triple bun but if you want a single bun or double bun simply cut off the appropriate size of dough (double bun ~ 200 grams, single bun ~ 320 grams - This is very approximate depending on pan size)

Set back in the warm spot and let rise again about an hour.

After 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Put loaves in the oven and bake for 30 minutes total.  I turn the loaves at the 15 minute mark. (if you bake buns, bake for 20 minutes).

Remove from oven. Take out of the pans and butter the tops immediately.

My loaves are never aesthetically beautiful or even - doesn't impact taste though! 

Let bread cool about 1 hour before cutting.

It is so soft and delicious.

IMPORTANT: You can make this 100% whole wheat if you wish.  I have added flax seeds too. I have not made 100% white flour though.

I had to have toast - I love it so.  But this bread is a standout when making sandwiches.  Imaging the softest sandwich bread - this is softer.

Eat and Enjoy!

Lori