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I like pie, especially pumpkin pie.  My mom used to say, "You can eat it for  breakfast. It has eggs, milk and vegetables in it.  It's good for you."  I agree.  In fact, I recently baked a couple of pumpkin pies for two friends.  One said it was the best he'd ever eaten.  The other said, I'm having it for breakfast. I rest my case.

Here's the recipe that's been in my family for years.  Lots of spice, not too sweet.  That's how I roll. (Thinly veiled pastry reference there.)

Serve it room, temperature or chilled.  I like it on the cold side with sweetened, vanilla flavored whipped cream.

Pastry

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold shortening

2 tbls cold butter cut into cubes 

1/4 cup ice cold water

1 tsp lemon juice

Meathod 

Put all but liquids in food processor. Pulse unit you get a crumble texture with bits the size of peas.

Add the liquid and process until dough comes together in a ball.

Pat into a disc and chill for at least an hour.

Roll out and carefully place in 9" pie pan.  Do not stretch it into place. For a crispier crust, don't roll it too thin. 

Filling

1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin* 

1/2 tsp salt

1 can, fat free evaporated milk

3 eggs

2/3 cups brown sugar packed

2 tbls granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

Meathod

Beat all ingredients together until blended. Pour into an unbaked, pastry-lined pie pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 45-55 minutes. The pie is done when a knife, inserted an inch from the edge, comes out clean.  

*unsweetened, unspiced.  PS. The pumpkin used for pie isn't the same kind you carve at Halloween

I love to eat out, but I don't do it as often as you might think.

a) It's expensive b) It's healthier to eat at home...that is until now.  

I recently attended the launch of Fairmont Hotels' Lifestyle Cuisine Plus menu at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. They 'd set up food stations around one of the ballrooms but rather than the high-fat, high protein show pieces one usually encounters at hotel or restaurant events -- here were vegetables , lean chicken and grains , oh my! Low-fat, high fiber can be good. It often isn’t, but these guys got it right.  

Executive Chef Robert le Crumb explained they're just responding to guests' needs. I'm not a vegetarian, nor do I have medical dietary restrictions but I'm health conscious, like a lot of people. I can't tell you how many times I've studied a room service menu over and over searching for an item that was under 800 calories -- and the straight out of the fridge iceberg lettuce side salad doesn't count. I sure could have used this menu when I lived out of a hotel in Toronto for two and a half weeks last summer, co-hosting Canada AM.  

The Lifestyle Cuisine Plus menu includes items that are gluten-free, raw, macrobiotic, vegan, heart-healthy "DASH" diet, and for diabetics. Inspired by chefs from Fairmont properties from around the world, I tried the Thai Quinoa & Grilled Vegetable Skewer, Bengal Curry Chicken, Brown Rice and Daikon Nori Roll and Zuchinni Spaghetti Noodles. For dessert, I sampled the The Chocolate Ganache Flan. Pretty decadent for tofu. Mains are $20-$30, with appetizers and desserts, $11-$14.  

The chefs use recipe analysis software to help customize entrees and menus to fit with guests’ requests for caloric and nutritional requirements. Guests can enjoy these flavors in their own homes too, by visiting everyonesanoriginal.com, for original recipes menus. I plan to enjoy them next time I'm at a Fairmont Hotel.

  

Despite a deep, abiding love for cookies, I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I'm more about texture. With that in mind, these Old Fashioned Sour Cream cookies are wonderful, homey, slightly less guilty pleasures; soft pillows the flavour of vanilla and nutmeg.   

 

 

The recipe is from my absolutely favorite cook book: Betty Crocker's Cooky Book, first published in 1963. I inherited a first edition from my mom. When I was a kid, I'd pour over the pictures which looked old-fashioned even then. The recipes and photography are right out of "Mad Men." One recipe dates back to the 1880's.   

 

 

Fearing my old copy would eventually fall apart from over-use, a few years ago I bought a new edition and one for a friend. If you can find one -- buy one, or three. I guarantee you'll love it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old-Fashion Sour Cream Cookies

1/2 cup shortening or butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 2/3 cups all purpous flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup sour cream

 

Pre-heat over to 425 degrees.

Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and vanilla in electric mixer.

Blend dry ingredients; add to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream.

Divide dough; roll out to 1/4" thick on well-floured surface.  Cut with 3" cutter; place on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sugar (optional)

Bake 8-10 min., or until very slightly golden.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

 

 

 

 

 

A few years ago, when I was hosting what was then CTV's national, weekend, morning show, "Good Morning Canada," I invited Raphael Gonzalez to do a cooking segment on the show. At the time, he was the executive chef at the Four Season's Hotel Vancouver.

 

Raphael has Cuban roots and likes to add a little kick to everything he makes. A man after my own heart! This is based on his recipe.  I fell in love with it and have been making it for years. I hope you try it. Even if you choose to skip the jalapeño -- you'll love the mellow, richness the vanilla adds.  I like it on the tart side, but you can add more sugar if you prefer it sweeter.  It takes about 5 minutes to make and you'll never eat canned cranberry sauce again.  

 

Fresh Cranberry Sauce with jalapeno and vanilla

 

1  12-oz package fresh or frozen cranberries

 

zest of half an orange juice of one orange

 

3 tbls sugar (6 if you like it sweet)

 

1/2 of a 2" sized jalapeño, seeded  and finely chopped.

 

seeds of one fresh vanilla bean or two vanilla been husks, or 1 tsp real vanilla extract

 

 

Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook on medium to high heat until most of the cranberries have popped. Store in a container in the fridge for several weeks. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

 

 

Every Christmas, my mother, Emily made fabulous shortbread cookies. This year I blended her recipe with another to create what I think is an even better one. She passed away four and a half years ago, but it's still her gentle technique that guides me at the counter. Continuing  her baking traditions is my way of honoring her.

 

 

Coleen's Shortbread Cookies

 

 

3/4 cup + 1 tbls room temperature, salted butter

 

1/3 cup berry sugar

 

1 1/2 cups 00 pastry flour*

 

1 fresh vanilla bean

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Put flour in a bowl and mix in seeds from vanilla bean pod.

In an electric mixer, beat butter on high speed until fluffy and light yellow.

Add sugar slowly until fluffy. Remove bowl from mixer and mix in flour by hand. Work the dough as little as possible.

 

Roll out to 1 cm thick. Cut with simple shaped cookie cutter or into bars with a knife. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and prick with a fork. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Do not let brown. Dust with sugar and place on racks to cool.

 

*You can use all purpose flour, but the "00" cake and pastry flour is finer. The Gourmet Warehouse carries an Italian brand I use.

 

Tip: Buy a high quality, heavy cooking sheet and your cookies will never burn from the bottom.

 

I like to tweak traditional holiday meals.  Customs are great, but they can get boring after ten or twenty years. ;)  Chef Ned Bell (TV's "Cook Like a Chef" and CTV's "It's Only Food") and The BC Tree Fruit Growers have put together this tasty dinner menu, complete with recipes.  Thought I'd share them with you.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.   

 

SOUP

 

Ambrosia Apple and pumpkin soup with cinnamon honey whipped cream

2 lbs peeled and seeded and 1 inch cubed pumpkin (butternut squash works well also)

1 lb peeled, cored and chopped Ambrosia apples

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

1 onion, diced 3 cloves garlic chopped

1 cup white wine

2 litres chicken stock (vegetable stock can be substituted)

1 stick butter

1 cup whipping cream

Salt and pepper

 

In a large pot over medium heat melt butter with onions and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin and the carrots. Cook for a further 10 minutes. These first 2 steps are very important to building flavour by slowly cooking and caramelizing the onions, the garlic, the carrots and the pumpkin. After the pumpkin has started to break down around the edges of the cubes you can add the Ambrosia apples, the white wine and then the stock. Cook for 20 minutes. Add the cream. Cook for 5 minutes. Purée in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. To garnish, mix together equal parts cinnamon flavoured honey and sour cream. Serve the soup in a bowl individually or family style in a big soup pot or tureen. Put a bowl of the cinnamon honey cream alongside for your guests to help themselves. Make sure there is some crusty sourdough or a warm corn bread around!

 

SALAD

 

Waldorf salad with Royal Gala apples, butter lettuce, endive, celery hearts, vanilla bean and apple cider vinaigrette, Poplar Grove blue cheese and toasted hazelnuts

 

1 lb peeled, cored and chopped Royal Gala apples

2 heads butter lettuce, washed and picked

4 heads Belgian endive, halved and sliced

The heart of 1 head of celery, sliced and the leaves stemmed

2 tbsp blue cheese per person (Goat’s cheese can be substituted)

½ cup toasted, peeled and crushed hazelnuts

½ cup picked Italian parsley

 

Arrange all the lettuces on individual plates or a platter for family style. Toss the apples, celery leaves, celery hearts, Italian parsley, blue cheese and hazelnuts with the apple cider vinaigrette. Place on top of the lettuce and serve.

 

For the Vinaigrette:

 

3 cups canola oil

1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar 

1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

Bring up to a boil, remove bean and cool)

¼ cup Dijon mustard (grainy mustard is a great substitute)

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

 

Combine everything together with a hand blender or bar blender

 

MAIN

 

Turkey Breast stuffed with Ambrosia apples and cheddar Cranberry and almond pesto Roasted Yams Braised red cabbage with Red Delicious apples

 

Turkey Breast stuffed with Ambrosia apples and cheddar

 

2-3 lb fresh boneless turkey breast

2 cups grated Granny Smith apples

2 cups grated cheddar

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Salt and cracked black pepper

½ stick butter

 

Method: Split the turkey to create a ‘pocket’ for the stuffing. Season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a small pot or microwave. Mix together the apples, the cheese and the butter. Spread into the pocket of the turkey. Lay the rosemary on top. Roll the turkey breast up in tin foil and tie 3 times with butchers twine. Roast in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the tin foil; turn up the oven to 450 degrees and roast for an additional 15 minutes to brown/caramelize the outside of the turkey. Let cool and rest.

 

Cranberry Almond Pesto

 

2 cups frozen cranberries (or fresh if available)

2 cups dried cranberries

1 cup cranberry juice

2 cups slivered almonds, toasted

½ cup brown sugar

 

Bring to a boil in a medium sized pot, the fresh/frozen and dried cranberries with the cranberry juice. Simmer for 10 minutes and then puree in a bar blender with the slivered almonds. Cool and put into a covered jar or container.

 

Roasted yams

 

2 lbs peeled and cubed yams

Tossed in olive oil, salt and cracked pepper and brown sugar, then roast in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

 

Braised red cabbage

 

2 heads red cabbage, quartered and then shaved or sliced.

2 Red Delicious apples, cored and grated.

1 litre apple cider or juice

1 cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

Salt and cracked black pepper

½ stick of butter

 

Combine all ingredients except the butter and cook over medium heat in a large pot with a lid for an hour or until the liquid is dry. The cabbage will be deep and dark in color and flavour. When the liquid is dry add ½ stick butter and serve immediately.

 

DESSERT

 

‘Sweet and Sticky’ Granny Smith Apple Tarte Tatin

 

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered

1 stick of butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry

 

Mix the quartered apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter and the vanilla extract. Line the apples in an assembled circle (in a particular pan?) - double them up. (Think of how the apples will look when the tart is flipped upside down - the more apples the better!) Place the puff pastry on top of the apples, pinch the edges and prick the top. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour until golden brown. Serve with crème fraiche, vanilla ice cream or vanilla yogurt!

 

 

These recipes were developed by Chef Ned Bell of television's Cook Like a Chef and CTV's It's Just Food.  Ned is a strong supporter of B.C. Tree Fruits and its extended family of 800 Okanagan growers. Bell was born in the Okanagan Valley and is co-owner and Corporate Chef of the Kelowna lakeside favourite, Cabana Bar and Grille. Bell is also putting his stamp on Vancouver cuisine in his new role as Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage at the soon-to-reopen historic Waldorf Hotel in East Vancouver.