Jennifer

Bread & Butter Pickles

I love to grow cucumbers! The cucumber plant was one of the first plants I grew successfully on my own in my first garden. I think I only managed to grow two cucumbers that year, but it was still the most proud I have ever been over some stumpy cukes. This years harvest was great though. I was able to make 8 large jars of pickles, which is great news because we go through them quickly in my house.

I hate wasting, especially when I grow that something. Growing something for me means more than just planting some seeds in the ground. It’s about taking time, nurturing and caring for these living things. Listening to them for what they need and enjoying the fruits of my labour when I see a beautifully ripe cucumber hanging from the vine. It’s pretty amazing how many cucumbers you can get at the end of the season. In the spring time I will have more on growing cucumbers but right now I want to talk about pickling.

Pickling is a great way to keep your veggies through the winter months. I know around harvest time it can be a bit overwhelming dealing with all your veggies. I try and balance out my garden so I wont be pickling everything all at once.

Pickling can be time consuming and sometimes a lot of work but in my opinion, so worth the effort. And these bread and butter pickles are my favourite little addition to so many snacks.

Ingredients

lots of cucumbers
1 medium onion
1/2 cup salt
4 cups of vinegar
1 cup water
2 cup sugar
4 tbsp mustard seed
2 tsp celery seed
2 tsp tumeric

Instructions

The night before, cut the cucumbers into medallion slices. I like to cut the onions into slices. Mix the onions and cucumbers together in a large bowl and add salt. mix together and leave overnight (or at least 3 hours) This extracts the moisture from the cucumbers.
In a large pot, add vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seed, celery salt and tumeric. bring to a boil.
While the brine is heating up prepare the jars. In a stock pot boil water. Add jars and lids to disinfect.
Once the jars are ready, add cucumber and onions to the jars. Add brine until it covers the cucumbers. Clean the rim of the jars of any brine.
Seal the jars right away. once they are sealed you can add them back to the boiling water and allow any bubbles of air to escape. (10 mins)
Remove the jars from water carefully. Wait till the jars lids start popping. These pickles should be good for over a year.

Warming Winter Chili

Whats better on a cool winter day than a nice hot bowl chili. I am a big believer in comfort food and eating things seasonally. When winter arrives all I want to eat are soups, stews and chili’s. They are filling and keep you warm through the evening.

Ingredients

4 slices of bacon
600g ground beef
1 medium onion
1 red pepper
1/2 jalapeño (whole if you like it spicier)
2 cloves of garlic
28 oz can diced tomatoes
16 oz can of tomato sauce
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1-2 cups of water (I honestly just use the can of tomato sauce and add as much water as I think is necessary)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp chili powder
4 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
juice of 1 lime

Instructions

slice up the bacon. Heat large pot on high heat. Once pan is heated add bacon. allow bacon to cook (about 5 mins). Once bacon is cooked remove from pan.
If the bottom of the pan is dry add a little more olive oil. Add onions and peppers and allow to soften. once softened, add garlic. I like to add the garlic a little later so it doesn’t get burned. Allow to cook for a few more minutes. Until fragrant.
Add the can of tomatoes, the tomato sauce, black beans, corn and water to the mixture. Mix together. Add brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium low and allow to simmer for 1 to 2 hours.
Before you are ready to serve, add the lime juice to the chilli and stir in. Allow to simmer for another 5 mins. Its ready to serve!
Add a little cheese on top and you are ready to eat.

Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mum used to make these cookie every fall season. They were one of my families favourite treats. They aren’t your typical cookies though, they are almost like cake cookies or muffin tops. They puff up and are so moist and perfect.

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. Any time I have a snack craving, its always for something salty. Olives, cheese, nuts, anything but cookies, cake and chocolate. My man on the other hand, has the biggest sweet tooth. I am happy I get to bake for someone. I love all the recipes my mum used to make me but it makes be even more happy that I get to pass along those recipes for someone else to enjoy.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup pumpkin pie filling*
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp almond milk (regular milk is fine)
1 cup chocolate chips

*If you are using plain pumpkin puree you will need to add:

1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
dash of salt

** one large can of pumpkin pie filling will make 2 batches.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon.
spoon out cookies onto cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 mins

Why Everyone Should Drink Bone Broth

I have been thinking a lot lately about what we waste. I think most of us don’t really think about how much we waste or throw away. I know I am guilty of buying things at the grocery store and throwing it out 2 weeks later not having used it. It’s so easy to just forget to utilize what we have. I have been pushing myself to waste less, use the ingredients I have and make use of the scraps. I have been making bone broths for years now, not knowing how amazing they actually are. I made them before because it always makes the most delicious soup bases but now I know the incredible health benefits it offers. Not only is it incredibly good for you, it utilizes scraps and helps you waste less.

Let me explain. When I am preparing dinner I always save my scraps from whatever I am using and I place it in ziploc bag and put it in the freezer. This includes onion and garlic skins, carrot tops, potato skins, broccoli stems. All these things have tons of nutrients and flavour still in them and don’t need to go in the waste bin. (I haven’t started my composting yet.) I also like to buy whole chickens. If you know how to disassemble a chicken it’s way more cost effective to buy whole versus packaged chicken breast or legs. After cooking the chicken I immediately start my bone broth. It’s super simple. Place the bones in a stock pot, add the scraps, then I usually add more onion, garlic, carrot, and celery to the broth. I also love adding fresh herbs from my garden. Rosemary, thyme, dill, and a few whole peppercorns. With bone broth you have to let it boil for more than 8 hours. (I usually boil it for 24 hours.) That’s the difference between a stock and a bone broth. Bone broth has had time to produce gelatin from collagen-rich joints and also release a small amount of minerals from the bones.

Collagen

Collagen is basically human glue, it’s the substance that holds us all together. Boosting our collagen will aid in joint pain, leaky gut and most importantly skin elasticity.

Minerals

The minerals and amino acids the bone both creates can help detox your liver and digestive system and also aid in cellular detoxification. (with regular consumption) With the bone broth detoxing you, your body will have less issues with acne, dermatitis, and eczema.

Nutrients

Have I mentioned how nutrient dense this stuff is yet? Let me tell you, bone broth has over 19 easy-to-absorb amino acids that helps boost skin renewal and balance hormones that cause acne. It’s honestly such a simple and tasty way to balance out your system.

When drinking your bone broth I always find its better to cut it with an acid, a little salt, and some herbs. The flavour of the bone broth can often be quite rich. Here is a link to Kale and Carmels Bone Broth Recipes, both are delish, but when I am in a hurry in the morning I like to keep it simple.

Daily Bone Broth:

1 cup bone broth
Lime juice
Cilantro
Salt and Pepper

The full recipe for the bone broth from the beginning is:

Ingredients

1 chicken carcass
veggie scraps (whetever you have)
2 onions quartered
3 whole garlic cloves
1 celery roughly chopped
1 carrot roughly chopped
Bunch of thyme
Bunch of rosemary
Bunch of dill
10 whole peppercorns
Water (cover ingredients in pot)

Instructions

Bring to a boil
Lower heat to a simmer on low. Simmer for over 8 hours, I usually simmer mine for 24 hrs.
Strain out all scraps.
Pour bone broth into containers. It can last up to a week in the fridge, but can be frozen for a few months.

Bourbon Cherry Pie with Buttermilk Crust

A few weeks ago I made the most delish cherry pie I have ever eaten. I mean, it was unreal how good it was. I wasn’t prepared for it to be so tasty. My parents were visiting from out of town so we had them over for a BBQ. Like I said, I didn’t know this recipe was going to turn out so well and my parents were over as it was coming out of the oven so I was not able to get great pictures of it. But I think its still worthy of sharing.

A friend of mine had given me a giant bowl of cherries from her yard. She had way too many and wanted someone to use them up. I thought, what a great excuse to practice my pie crust. The first time I made pie crust it completely fell apart and did not work at all. I think it was because I worked the dough too much with my hands and melted the butter. Lesson learned. This time went a lot better. The crust was a perfect consistency when rolling out. The only thing I might change is trying to bake the crust a bit first before adding the cherry filling. When I pulled the pie out of the oven it looked perfect and brown on the top but it wasn’t fully cooked on the bottom, as a found out once I had sliced into it. I’ll try a different method when I make my apple pie next.

**sidenote**

Bourbon is a new love of mine. I’m a fan of whiskeys and other spirits but this was the first time I had experimented with bourbon in my cooking. Now I’ve been sipping it after a long day as my night cap. Just add a cube of ice and I’m in heaven.

Pitting the cherries was probably the most tedious part of this recipe. It’s a good thing I have a handsome helper. My man is the best cherry pitter around!

Crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour, (1,020 g) plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/3 cup cold buttermilk, (78 ml) plus more if needed

Filling:

6 cups pitted cherries (fresh or frozen and not defrosted; (1,120 g)
3⁄4 cup (150 g) white sugar
1⁄4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄8 tsp fine sea salt
1⁄4 cup (60 ml) bourbon whiskey

Instructions:

Make the crust –

1. Place the flour, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles small peas. Do not over work with your hands. You don’t want the butter to melt too much.

2. Pour in the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon, drizzling in more 1 tbsp of buttermilk at a time, until the dough just comes together (a few dry spots are ok). Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead until no dry spots remain, about 1 minute.

3. Divide the dough in half. Shape each piece into a circular disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. At this point you can place the dough in the fridge for up to one week or use as directed in your recipe.

Make the pie –

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, preheat to 425ºF (220ºC). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

2. To make the filling, in a large bowl whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt to combine. Add the cherries and bourbon to a large saucepan on medium heat, toss in sugar mixture and stir until combined, simmer for about 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens around the cherries. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before filling your pie crust.

3. Spoon the fruit and juices into the chilled crust, smoothing it flat. You can do a weave on top like I did. Cut pieces of different thickness, braid smaller pieces together and weave them into the pattern. I cut out little cherries with the left over dough and created a nice decoration on the side. Brush the rounds with the cream or milk and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

4. Place the pie on the lined baking sheet. Bake at 425ºF (220ºC) for 15 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 375ºF (190ºC) and continue baking until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling thickly, 35–50 more minutes.

Thai Squash + Sweet Potato Soup

Soup always feels like a fall or winter sort of meal. It warms the whole house as it stews on the stovetop. As an Edmontonian the spring time isn’t always filled with sunshine and flowers. It’s mostly cool with a usual chance of a snowstorm. So as May was nearing I felt it was important to get a hot soup on the menu.

Soups are amazing because you can create different kinds just by adding whats in the fridge. Jeremie and I had a mishap earlier in the week with some vegetarian enchiladas. The recipe called for squash, sweet potato and other ingredients but as we took our first bite we were troubled to find it was made from inferno chili powder. It was too hot for us. I like to think I can handle some heat but I couldn’t manage to finish the enchiladas. Good news was I have a friend who came by and devoured them for me. He is a spice machine. Long story short… I had squash and sweet potato left over in the fridge. I thought the flavours would pair well with a thai palette. Mostly because I love Thai food.

This recipe is super easy to make and doesn’t take too long. Thats what I love about soup, they are complex with tons of favour but are so simple to make.

Coconut Rice:

1 can full fat coconut milk
1 cup of water
1 cup of Jasmine Rice

Soup:

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 inch of ginger, grated
2 carrots, diced
1 cup butternut squash, cubed
1 cup sweet potato, cubed
3 1/2 cups of chicken or veggie stock
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp red Thai curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tsp basil (dried) or 1/4 cup fresh basil

Garnish with peanuts, avocado, and cilantro

Instructions:

Wash rice! washing the rice is an important step that should never be skipped. It removes the starchy-ness of the rice and cooks and tastes better. Add coconut milk, water and rice to a medium saucepan, set stove top to medium high heat, cover and allow to come to a boil. Once the rice has boiled I usually like to turn down the temperature as to not burn the bottom or overflow the pot. You can leave this bubbling away for about 20 minutes.
In a large soup pot add coconut oil and allow it to melt. Add onions, garlic, ginger and carrots to the oil and allow to soften. Try not to burn the garlic.
Add the sweet potatoes, squash and chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil. reduce heat and allow to simmer until tender. about 15 mins
I have a handheld immersion blender so I used that to blend the soup but if you don’t have one of those you can use a blender or food processor. Blend until soup is smooth.
Add coconut milk, peanut butter, curry paste, fish sauce, and lime juice to soup and blend together. Let this simmer for another 5 minutes. Add cilantro and basil and stir.
Laddle the soup into bowls, scoop a bit of rice on top, add a few slices of avacado, and garnish with a few crushed peanuts and fresh cilantro.

French Crepes with prosciutto, aged gouda and avocado

Easter weekend is fast approaching and if you need something easy and delicious you’re going to love these crepes. Crepes are incredibly versatile, you can go for a savoury crepe like this one or use this same recipe to try out a sweet version. I like to lay out on the table lots of different meats, cheeses and mustards as well as berries, whipped cream,Nutella and other sweet treats so that everyone can layer up as many different kinds of crepes as they want. My boyfriend and I love to make these crepes on a slow Sunday morning. He is the King of Crepes, he makes them perfect every time. I’m usually Queen of toppings, coming up with delicious combinations and almost always making way too much whipped cream. This recipe is one of my favourite savoury crepe creations, but you can try out your own versions with whatever you have in your fridge.

Recipe:

10 minutes | makes 8 crepes

Crepe:

3 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt

Toppings:

Avocado
Prosciutto
Aged gouda – I like this cheese because of it’s sharp but you can use whatever cheese you prefer
Mustard – I use my home-made Curry Mustard but you can use any dijon (recipe coming soon)
Chipotle Mayo – you can use store bought but I used 2 tbsp mayo and a little chipotle sauce from a can a chipotle peppers I had in the fridge.
Micro-greens – I like to add the micro greens because they add a really nice peppery flavour and they are also packed with nutrients. They are super easy to grow. All you have to do is plant some seeds, let it grow and when they are ready to eat just trim them off with some scissors. If you don’t have any micro-greens you can always substitute for arugula or sprouts.

Instructions:

Using a blender, blend together flour, sugar, salt and milk. Add one egg at a time and blend until smooth.
Meanwhile heat your pan on high. Be sure to use a flat bottom pan, if you don’t have a crepe pan you can use a regular frying pan.
Make sure your pan is hot, spray a little bit of cooking spray, ladle batter onto the pan and swirl it around the bottom covering with a thin layer. You need to move fast or you will end up with an un-even crepe.
Wait until the edges turn brown. That’s when its ready to flip. Flip and cook for a few minutes more.
Layer on your toppings to your liking.
THAT’S IT. I know, super easy.

Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls are one of my biggest guilty pleasures. The combination of cinnamon, butter and cream cheese just makes my mouth water. These cinnamon rolls are not my original recipe, its a recipe from Half Baked Harvest Cookbook, one of my all time favourite cookbooks. These rolls have some funkiness to them from letting the dough sit over night. This eggy brioche dough is buttery and has sweetness to them that make them irresistible . Super delish. It’s a bit of work to let the dough rise and wait for certain steps but when you bake these up in the morning its a perfect sweet treat with a cup of coffee for your slow morning.

Recipe

Makes 12 – 15 Rolls

Dough:

1/4 cup warm water
1 tbsp instant yeast
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (or whole milk, I used buttermilk because thats what I had)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for greasing
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Filling:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 vanilla bean, split legthwise and seeds scraped out (optional)

Frosting:

6 tbsp unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
milk or water as needed

Instructions:

MAKE THE DOUGH. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the warm milk, eggs, melted butter, and salt and mix on medium speed until combined. gradually add flour and mix until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If dough still feels sticky add a little more flour.
turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. kneed it into a smooth ball. Grease the mixer bowl lightly with butter and return the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
MAKE THE FILLING. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean seeds and mix well.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour again. turn out the dough, punch it down, and roll it into a rectangle about 10 x 16 inches. Position the dough with a long side closest to you. Spread the 1/2 cup of softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the filling and lightly push it into the butter. Starting with the side closest to you, pull the edge up and over the filling and carefully roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight. Pinch the edge to seal.
Slide dental floss (make sure its not flavoured) or a thin piece of string under the log and wrap it across and around the roll. Keeping one end in each hand, tighten the floss so it starts to cut through the roll, making 12 – 15 rolls, each 3/4 to 1 inch wide.
Place the rolls cut-side up in generously greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
If time allows, once the rolls have doubled in size, place them in the fridge overnight or for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, let the rolls sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. (This allows the dough to develop more flavour, but if you are short on time, you can skip this step and continue on with the recipe.)
Preheat the oven to 350F
Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown,
MAKE THE FROSTING. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the butter is lightly browned and smells toasted. Immediately remove from heat and let cool.
in a medium bowl, beat together the cooled browned butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until smooth. if the frosting is too thick for your liking, add a tablespoon of milk or water to thin it.
Spread the frosting over the warm rolls. ENJOY!

Tropical Overnight Oats

I have never been a morning person. I usually like to take my mornings slow with a coffee followed by some yoga and then once I have decided I am awake I like to make myself breakfast. These slow mornings are rarities for me though, pretty much exclusive to weekends. During the week I have to be up early and out the door by 7:30 a.m. and I never like waking up to get my breakfast organized. That’s why these overnight oats are a serious life saver. I put all the ingredients together in the evening and in the morning both my boyfriend and I have a quick easy breakfast we can take as we are heading out the door. Its super easy and delicious.

Recipe:

Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 10 Mins

3/4 cup Rolled Oats
1 tbsp Chia Seeds
2 tbsp Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Mango (diced)
1/4 cup Pineapple (diced)
2 tbsp Coconut Flakes
1 cup Coconut milk (I like the boxed kind the best)

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, add rolled oats, chia seeds, maple syrup, fruit, coconut flakes, and coconut milk together. Mix well.
separate the mixture into 2 mason jars or containers of your choosing. Once they are evenly separated I like to push down the oats at the top so they are covered by the liquid. Add some extra chunks of mango and sprinkle on some coconut flakes. Cover with lid. Place oats in fridge to soak overnight.
In the morning your oats will be ready to eat.

Top 5 Canadian Heirloom Seed Companies

Its February, so you know what that means? Time to plan your garden and buy your seeds. Buying the best quality seeds is important because you want to make sure you know where your seeds are coming from and how they will grow. Getting to know your seed companies is a good place to start. The better the seeds, the better the harvest and the more seeds you will have for next year.

1. West Coast Seeds

West Coast Seeds is my number one seed shop. They provide a wealth of veggies, fruit, herbs and flower seeds, all untreated, organic, non GMO. Their website is easy to use and filled with tons of pictures from the veggie that is grown. It also has tons of helpful tips for gardeners. It’s really a great resource for beginners or advanced gardeners.

2. Heritage Harvest Seed

At Heritage Harvest Seed, all their seeds are open pollinated, non-hybrid, non GMO, untreated, natural seeds. They have a very humble catolog but their seeds are top quality and have some rare options, which is always fun.

3. Stokes Seeds

Stokes is an heirloom seed company based out of Ontario. They have a great selection of seeds and provide a catalog to make ordering easier.

4. Salt Spring Seeds

A small seed company run out of Salt Spring Island, which specializes in heritage and heirloom open-pollinated and non-GMO seed varieties of vegetables and plants. Salt Spring Island is one of my favourite spots on the west coast. The people there are always full of love. Guaranteed to give you a great product.

5. Hope Seed

Hope Seeds is a small seed company run out of Nova Scotia. They grow what the sell. This means they prioritize selling seeds to those who grow their own food, and food for others in their communities.