Cinnamon Raisin Muffins

September means it is time to get back into the school routine and one way I like to do that is by making lots and muffins so I can freeze them to take out during a busy week.
These muffins are a simple way to have a health breakfast when you are in a rush to leave in the morning.  You can make a batch on the weekend and then grab one as you are running out the door.  I love how moist they stay because of the apple in the recipe.  I would definitely say this recipe is worth a try, but only if you like raisins ;)

Cinnamon Raisin Muffins

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 apple, grated, skin on
• 1. Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C).
  2. Lightly spray muffin pan with vegetable oil.
  3. In large mixing bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients. Stir in raisins and set aside.
  4. In small mixing bowl, whisk together egg, brown sugar, milk, vegetable oil and grated apple.
  5. Pour liquid into dry ingredients, stirring only until moistened. Batter should be lumpy.
  6. Fill muffin pan cups 2/3 full. Bake 18 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

When I was at the farmer's market the other day there was a great deal on some cauliflower that was close to expiring so I decided to grab some to make some soup.  I enjoy making soups because the leftovers freeze well and make great lunches.
2 heads cauliflower
3 cloves garlic
2 shallots
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 cups heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Cut cauliflower into 1-inch flowerets (about 10 cups). In a large baking pan toss cauliflower, garlic, and shallots with oil to coat and roast in middle of oven about 30 minutes, or until golden.
3. In a 4-quart kettle simmer broth, water, roasted cauliflower mixture, and herbs 30 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender. 
4. Discard bay leaf and in a blender puree soup in batches until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a bowl. 
5. Return soup to kettle and stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste. Heat soup over moderate heat until just heated through.

The original recipe can be seen here.

White Wine Fava Beans

This year is the first year that I have grown fava beans and broad beans so I have looked around for some different recipes to try.  I was excited when I saw this one because I love the flavour of white wine in cooking.
Making this is a little time consuming because of shelling and skinning  the beans but in my opinion it is worth it because it tastes amazing.

White Wine Fava Beans

2 1/2 lb unshelled fava beans

salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Few lettuce leaves, cut into chifonade

1/2 cup dry white wine

salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Remove the beans from the pods.
2. Boil a pot of salted water, once the water is boiling add the beans in for 30 seconds only (if they are in longer the will be mushy once the dish is ready).  Drain and transfer into a bowl of cold water.
3. Slit the outer skin with your finger nail or a knife and pop out the beans.  Discard the outer skins.
4. Heat the oil in a covered skillet and sauté the onion over medium heat until it is tender.
5. Add the garlic, beans, and lettuce and cover.  Allow to cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add the wine, cover and cook until the beans are tender.  Season with salt and pepper then serve.

The original recipe can be viewed here.

White Chocolate Craisin Oat Bars

Today I was hungry and I was offered a store bought granola bar and it was a variety I used to enjoy.  As I ate it I realized that I preferred the ones I made, the Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.  I decided that when I got home I should make some more of my own granola bars so I can have some on hand in the future.  When I got home I realized I did not have any bananas ready for the recipe but I remembered the site I got the recipe from had another recipe so I decided to try it.  I also thought I might as well make a double batch because of how quickly the last one went.
This recipe was very easy to follow and quick to make.  I think granola bars are going to be another item that I much prefer home made to store bought.

White Chocolate Craisin Oat Bars

1/2 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup plain yogurt

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups oats

2 tbsp flax seeds

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup craisins

1. Beat together the wet ingredients and the sugar in a bowl.
2. Gradually alternate adding the flour and wheat germ.
3. Stir in the flax seed, oats, and then the white chocolate and craisins.
4. Pour the batter into a 9x13 inch pan (or two 9x13 inch pans for thinner bars).  Make sure the batter is spread evenly throughout the pan by patting it down with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
5. Cook the bars for 8-12 minutes at 375 F.  Take them out when the tops have browned slightly and if you press on it it should still spring back.  You don't want it to be too dry in the middle.
6. Let the bars cool in the pan for a bit before cutting them out and wrapping them individually.

These bars freeze great so if you make a double batch you can freeze some for later. 

Thimbleberry Rosemary Syrup

Now as the salmon berry comes to an end, the thimbleberry season begins.  I must admit this year is the first year I have tried a thimble berry and I am sorry it took me so long to work up the courage to try them.  I actually prefer them to salmon berries and I am looking forward to experimenting with more recipes this summer while they are in season.
I tried this recipe first simply because it is just the beginning of the season and we do not have many bushes at the farm so I couldn't collect very many.  If you are going to be picking these berries to use in a recipe for the first time you should be aware that they do not keep very well so it is best to pick them the day you plan on using them.  As a heads up I should let you know that they will temporarily stain your fingers a bit too.
This syrup tastes wonderful and I look forward to using it in salad dressings and in marinades.

Thimbleberry Rosemary Syrup

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup water

1 cup thimble berries

1 lime, juiced

3 sprigs rosemary

1. In a small sauce pan bring the honey and water to a boil. Once it boils, add the berries and remove from the heat.
2. Add the lime juice and rosemary and let step for three to four hours (the longer you steep, the richer the flavour).
3. Strain.  If necessary push the berry mash against the strainer to release the liquid
4. Chill and serve.

***If you plan on canning this syrup, please follow safe canning guidelines.

*** I made this again last night but I didn't have enough thimble berries so I combined it with raspberries.  It tasted great!  I am sure it would be great with just raspberries as well.

Mushroom and Broccoli Crustless Quiche

Last week my husband and I ate out a couple times and we didn't get through all the produce that we usually do so today my task was to use it up before it went bad.  What I usually do when I am in this situation is type one of the ingredients I have to use in a search bar and start looking through the recipes it comes up with.  I was excited to find this recipe because it contained all of the ingredients I had to use up.
When making a recipe for the first time I try to be good and follow the recipe to the letter, today was one of the days where I had to make a minor substitution but I don't think it changed the overall flavour of the dish.  Where the recipe calls for bread crumbs, I used wheat germ simply because I didn't have any bread crumbs.  It worked well so if you are in the same predicament for this or another recipe give wheat germ a try as a substitution.
This is a great dish that you can freeze, I doubled the recipe and put one in the freezer to have on a busy night when I am not up for cooking.  If there are any leftovers and you do not feel like having them the next day you could also freeze portion sized servings to take for lunch.

1 tbsp butter

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1 cup grated cheese (old cheddar, swiss, mozzarella)

3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (or wheat germ)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 diced red pepper (optional)

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and mushrooms and sauté until the moisture has evaporated.
2. Add the garlic and broccoli and sauté until the broccoli is bright green (about 2 minutes).  Spoon the mixture into a lightly grease pie plate.
3. In a bowl whisk together the eggs and the milk.  Stir in the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, basil and cheese.
4. Pour over the mixture in the pie plate and gently stir to combine.  Sprinkle with the diced red pepper if you are using it and the parmesan cheese.
5. Bake at 400 F for 25-30 minutes and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Hoisin-Glazed Eggplant

When I saw this recipe I couldn't wait to make it.  I don't think I would have every thought to combine hoisin and eggplant on my own but once I saw it, I could imagine how well these flavours would combine!  I also liked that it was a simple, straight forward recipe that didn't take much prep work or time to cook.  Once they were done we were quick to enjoy them and there is a bit of a disagreement over who gets to have the leftovers tomorrow.
Next time I do this I think I may try it with some other vegetables, like zucchini, peppers and mushrooms.  I will try to remember to let you know how those turn out.

Hoisin-Glazed Eggplant

1/4 hoisin sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large eggplant (cut into 1inch slices lenghth wise)

1. Heat up the BBQ or a grill to medium heat.
2. Whisk together hoisin sauce and 1 tbsp oil.
3. Score the eggplant on both sides with a criss-cross pattern and brush with remaining oil.
4. Grill the eggplant until it is charred and tender on both sides (about 4-7 minutes a side).
5. Brush each side with hoisin mixture.  Grill each side again to form a glaze (1 minute).

***If you don't have any store bought hoisin sauce try this recipe but do not add the oil in step 2.

Hoisin Sauce

I found a recipe that looked great today and I really wanted to try it, unfortunately I did not have any hoisin sauce on hand so I thought I would be out of luck.  Then I decided I might as well see if I could find a recipe to make my own hoisin sauce online and I was fortunate because not only did I find a recipe for homemade hoisin sauce I also happened to have all the ingredients I needed on hand in my pantry.
It was so easy to put together and had an amazing flavour I don't think I will buy the store bought variety anymore.  I really like that I had the ability to pick the amount of spice I wanted to put in.

Hoisin Sauce

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp molases or honey

2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1 garlic clove finely chopped

2 tsp sesame seed oil

1 tsp Chinese hot sauce (or to taste)

1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

1. Combine ingredients into a small bowl.
2. Whisk the ingredients until they are well blended.
   ***You may need to heat it up to really blend in the peanut butter.  I microwaved mine for a minute and then it blended really well.

You can view the original recipe here.

Leek Tarts

I didn't discover the versatility of leeks until the past few years.  Before I didn't really use them for anything but soups, but as I have explored cook books and tried out new recipes I have found many new ways to use them.  I still have a couple recipes that I am still waiting to try.  This year I didn't have much success growing them but I hope next year will be better so I will have a better supply to experiment with.
Last Christmas I was given a mini pie maker and I love how easy it is to use.  It only takes between 8 - 10 minutes for me to make four pies.  If I know I will like a recipe for the filling I am making I will often make a double or a triple batch so I can freeze the rest to enjoy for lunches or dinner on nights when I do not have time to make a healthy meal.
I came across this recipe through a google search and I found it very straight forward to prepare.  I will give the recipe so you can make it as a regular tart in the oven because I am sure that few people actually have a mini pie maker.
One time I made it with leeks and onions because I didn't have enough leeks around to satisfy the what I needed.  The onion substitute worked out great!

Leek Tart

5 medium leeks

2 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste

1/2 -3/4 cup half-and-half or cream

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 recipe tart crust

1/2-3/4 cup freshly shredded cheese - parmesan, gruyere or similar

1. Preheat oven to 375. Clean the leeks by removing the root end and dark green leaves, halve them lengthwise and cut them into thin slices.
2. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the leeks and sprinkle them with salt. Stir occasionally while cooking the leeks until they are very tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the cream (or half-and-half).  Reduce the heat to low and let it cook to blend the flavours and reduce the liquid for about 5 minutes.  Take it off the heat and stir in the pepper.  Taste it and add more seasonings if you wish.
4. Lay crust in a 9-inch round tart pan and spread the leek mixture so it forms and even layer.  Sprinkle it with the cheese.
5. Bake for 35 minutes or until it is golden and bubbly.
6. Let it sit for a while before cutting into it.  Serve it at your preferred temperature.

The original recipe can be seen here.

Double Chocolate Cookies

Wow! There is nothing like a soft cookie to hit the spot.  It is even better when they are this chocolatey.  This recipe is simple to make and it is not long until you can enjoy this yummy chocolatey goodness.  I would suggest making a double batch because they don't last long! Enjoy :)

Double Chocolate Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 2/3 cup  milk
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
• 1. Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C).
  2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a medium mixing bowl. Beat in egg, salt and vanilla.
  3. Combine flour, cocoa and baking powder in a separate mixing bowl.
  4. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition. When smooth, stir in white chocolate chips.
  5. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheet, and bake for 10 minutes.

Josta Berry Jam

A couple years ago I was looking through a local nursery at the end of a season and noticed a group of berry plants that were on clearance.   At the time I had never even heard of a josta berry before but the tag said that they were a cross between a goose berry and a black current.  I always love a good deal and I knew I wanted to put a bunch of different berries varieties in at the farm so I thought I might as well give them a try.  I am glad I did because I really enjoy the taste.  A unique thing about these berries is that you can start to eat them once they are a reddish colour and they taste more like a goose berry and by the time they are black they taste like a black current.  Last summer we ate them all before they even got to their full ripeness but this year we are trying to restrain ourselves a bit with a least a couple of the bushes.
Unfortunately, these wonderful berries are not commercially available because they are not suitable for machine picking.  If you want to try these berries you will have to get your own bush, find someone who has one, or if you are lucky you may be able to find them at a farmers market.
Josta berries make a great jam and jelly.  Like the current they have a high pectin content so it is just equal parts sugar and berries.  If you prefer a spread without skins and seeds I suggest you run it through a jelly bag.
If you would like more information about the josta berry click here.

Josta Berry Jam

equal parts josta berries and sugar

    (if you have 4 cups josta berries uses 4 cups of sugar)

1. Gently was the berries.
2. In a heavy bottomed pot heat the berries until they reach the boiling point.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and add the sugar,  gently stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
4. Return the mixture to the heat, bring it up to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Stir frequently as it continues to boil until it reaches the setting point.
5. Skim off any foam and ladle into serialized jars.  Leave 1/4 inch of headspace.  Seal with warm liquids and process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil for 250 mL jars and 15 minutes for 500 mL jars.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

After looking over my different blog post you might get the impression that I like making jam and that is because I do and I think it is great to keep around to enjoy the flavours when the fruit is out of season.  In the summer while I am in the middle of my jamming madness there are often little bits of left over jam that wasn't enough to jar or the foam I have scraped off before canning.  I hate to waste perfectly good jam so I try to find creative ways to use the leftovers.
This year I decided to make some jam thumbprint cookies.  These cookies were a favourite in my family throughout my childhood and I had a craving for one the other day when I saw them at the market.  Like most baking I find that homemade cookies taste so much better.  So after searching through my cookbooks I found a recipe.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies 

Option 1 (Traditional)

2/3 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

2 slightly beaten egg whites

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/3-1/2 cup of the jam of your choice

1. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
2. Add the sugar and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla.
4. Beat in as much flour as you can and then stir in the remaining flour.  
5. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour.
6. Grease the cookie sheet and preheat the oven to 373 F.
7. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll the balls in egg whites, then in walnuts.  Place them 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet.  Press you thumb into the centre of each ball.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
9. Just before serving fill the centres with jam just before serving.

Option 2 (My family's preference)

As kids we always preferred these cookies to be made with a sugar cookie recipe and the jam to be put in before the baking.  I definitely suggest trying it this way at least once.

Raspberry Jam

Out of all the fancy jams that I have made and tried, I still think a simple raspberry jam is one of my favourites.  Raspberries always make me think of my childhood backyard in the summer.  We always had a raspberry patch and were to we could go outside and have some raspberries for dessert.

I enjoy making raspberry jam because it is so simple to make because of the high pectin that naturally occurs in raspberries.  When making raspberry jam I use a simple one to one ratio of raspberries and sugar.  This means I can adjust the size of the batch to the amount of raspberries I have available to me. I find this handy because I try to avoid buying berries to make jam so I only have to use what I pick out at the farm.

Raspberry Jam

equal parts raspberries and sugar

    (if you have 4 cups raspberries uses 4 cups of sugar)

1. Gently was the berries.
2. In a heavy bottomed pot heat the berries until they reach the boiling point.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and add the sugar,  gently stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
4. Return the mixture to the heat, bring it up to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Stir frequently as it continues to boil until it reaches the setting point.
5. Skim off any foam and ladle into serialized jars.  Leave 1/4 inch of headspace.  Seal with warm liquids and process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil for 250 mL jars and 15 minutes for 500 mL jars.

Spinach Bake

This recipe is one that I learned from my mother years ago and it is one she first made out of necessity but then started to make it regularly.  It all started when she was trying to prepare a spinach quiche for a potluck she was going to.  She had prepared the filling but when she went to grab the crust from the basement it was not there.  Instead of going to the store to grab another crust she decide to just put it in a dish and bake it as is.
The great thing about this recipe is that there are so many things that you can add or leave out depending on what you like and what you have available.  This dish freezes really well so I will often make a lot more than I plan on using and freeze the rest either as individual slices or in smaller dishes to use later.
I will give you the basic recipe and then at the bottom list some things I have added in the past.  The basic recipe does not call for many eggs but if you would like it to be more like a quiche just add more eggs.

Spinach Bake

2 packages chopped frozen spinach (thawed and squeeze out as much excess water as you can)

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 eggs

3/4 and 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tbsp dill

1 can tomato paste (optional)

1. In a frying pan with a bit of olive oil, sauté the onion until it is soft. (Sometimes I will caramelize them).
2. Add the garlic, dill and spinach to the pan. Stir to combine and take off the heat.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs.  Add the spinach mix as well as the 3/4 cup of feta. Blend these together until they are thoroughly combined.
4. Grease a casserole dish and spread the mixture out evenly.  Bake at 375 F for about 40 minutes.  Take it out of the often and spread the tomato paste on top and sprinkle with the remaining feta cheese.  Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

*** In the past I have added things like peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and celery.  I am sure it would taste great with other additions to.

Strawberry Kiwi Jam

I love strawberries, the are one of my favourite fruits and I try to think of many ways to enjoy this fruit throughout the year.  Unfortunately we only have one deep freezer to store a years worth of berries in and we like most berries so I have to find other ways to preserve this fruit to enjoy throughout the year. One way I like to do this is by making different jams and I feel that variety is the spice of life so I like to try different recipes.  I have used a few recipes that combine with other fruit because I have not had a big harvest of strawberries yet this year so I haven't had enough to make a batch of plain strawberry jam.  I was happy to find this recipe because I love the strawberry and kiwi combination.

Strawberry Kiwi Jam

2 cups crushed strawberries

2 cups finely chopped kiwifruit (about 6)

1 package powdered pectin

3 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1. In a large, deep, heavy bottomed pot, combine the strawberries and kiwis.  Stir in the pectin until it has dissolved.  Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
2. Add the sugar and return to a full boil while stirring constantly to help dissolve the sugar.  Boil hard for on minute.
3. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam.  Stir for five to eight minutes to prevent floating fruit.
4. Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of rim; wipe rims.  Apply prepared lids an rings tighten to the rings until just fingertip-tight.
5. Process the jars in a boiling water canner for ten minutes.  Transfer the jars to a towel lined surface and let rest at room temperature until they have set.  Check the seals and refrigerate any unsealed jars for up to three weeks.

Sage and Garlic Fava Beans

I was excited when I walked down to the garden at the farm today there were a bunch of fava beans ready for to harvest.  It feels like it has taken a very long time for anything to mature in the garden this year because we had a very long and wet spring.  I also had a recipe in mind to use them in.  On the hour long drive home I couldn't help but think how amazing they were going to taste for dinner.  When I got home I went straight to my cookbook cabinet and began searching for the recipe.  I was so disappointed when I could not find the recipe I was looking for and I did not have the ingredients I needed for the other recipes I came across.  Feeling a little defeated I turned to google to help me out and I found a bunch of great looking recipes.  I finally decided on this one but I have saved a couple others to use in the near future.
I should mention that if you are a garlic lover like I am, this is not the recipe to be adding extra in because it will overpower the subtle flavours of the sage and beans.

Sage and Garlic Fava Beans

3 lb Fava beans
3 tb Olive oil
3 tb Butter
2 Cloves garlic; minced
Salt/pepper
1 tb Chopped fresh sage

1. Steam the fava beans until they are tender and then remove the outer skin.
2. Heat the oil and the butter in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and sage and stir over medium heat until the garlic is tender. 
3. Add the beans and stir to coat them in the butter mixture.  Season with salt and pepper before serving them hot.

Click here to see the original recipe.

Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Over the years I have been becoming more and more conscious about what I put into my body.  Instead of just putting items into my cart at the grocery store I am now looking into the nutritional value of the items I buy.  In my opinion, the problem with most store bought granola bars that are reasonably priced is all the extras that are in them, they are not very filling and nutritionally speaking they don't give you a lot of bang for you buck.
This conclusion caused me to start looking for recipes for home made granola bars and this is one of the first recipes I came across and I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand, including a banana that was desperately hoping not to end up in the freezer.  I found it a very easy recipe to prepare and it did not take long to put together.  It is easy enough to make when you have half an hour to spare and want to do something productive but not too complicated.

Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

1/2 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup mashed banana

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups oats

3 cups rice crispy cereal

3 tbsp flax seeds

3 tbsp sunflower seeds

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)

1. Beat together the eggs, yogurt, mashed banana, vanilla and sugar in a bowl.

2. Add the flour, baking soda and wheat germ in small bits at a time, while mixing.

3. Stir in the flax seed, sunflower seeds, oats, rice crispy cereal, chocolate chips and walnuts.

4. Pour the batter into a foil lined 10x10 pan.  (If you would like thinner bars use a larger pan)

5. Bake at 375 F for 8-12 minutes or long enough for the top to turn golden brown but still be moist.

6. Let the bars cool in the pan for about ten minutes before cutting them into your desired size.

The original recipe can be seen here.

Wheat Germ Salmon Berry Muffins

The salmon berry season is coming to an end so this will likely be my last salmon very post for the year.  I am glad I decided to try to experiment with these berries this year instead of just eating a few as I walked by the bushes at the farm.  I look forward to experimenting more with them next year and I have learned in my hunt for recipes that these berries actually freeze pretty well.  

This is another recipe that I adapted from a raspberry recipe and I have posted a link to the original recipe below.  I am sure this recipe would work great with a number of different berries and I look forward to using it again soon.

Wheat Germ Salmon Berry Muffins

1 3/4 cup flour

1/3 cup wheat germ

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind (optional but I highly recommend)

1/2 tsp salt

1 medium egg

1 cup milk

1/4 vegetable oil

1 cup fresh or frozen salmon berries

1. In a large bowl, using a whisk or a fork, combine the flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, lemon rind and the salt.
2. In another bowl, using a disk, lightly beat the egg, and then whisk in the milk, and the oil. 
3. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
4. Carefully fold in the raspberries, being careful not to break them up too much.
5. Spoon the batter into a muffin tin, about 3/4s full.
6. Bake at 400 F for 15-18 minutes, or until when inserted, a toothpick comes out clean.

To view the original recipe click here.

Energy Bars (FruNuS Bars)

For a while now I have been looking for a recipe to try for making your own energy bars.  My husband is a competitive rower and he will often eat an energy bar after practice or between races.  We also spend a lot of time working out at my dad's farm and it is nice to have something healthy to munch on to give you a little extra pep instead of snacking on something that is convenient such as a bag of chips. Anyway I can across this great blog called Road to the Farm and I found this recipe for energy bars.  I must admit I did a slight modifications to the recipe posted because of what I had in my kitchen.  I am really happy with the final product and I am sure I will be making them again soon.

FruNuS Bars 

(FRUit NUt Seed)

15 dried dates

1 cup dried berries (I used a dried cherry and berry mix)

1/2 cup water

1 cup almonds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 flax seed

pinch of salt

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup coconut

1. In a food processor pulse the salt, almonds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds until they are coarsely chopped.  Place these in a bowl to use for later.
2. Combine the water, dried dates and berries and process on pulse until a thick paste is formed.  If your processor is struggling add a little extra water.  
3. Slowly start adding the first mixture to the second while processing.
4. Once the ingredients are combined put them into a bowl and mix in the sesame seeds and the coconut.
5. Place the mixture between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out to your desired thickness.  I did it to about 3/4 of and inch.  Then slice them into bars.  Wrap these bars in parchment paper or plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.

Baked Salmon Berry Custard

Almost without fail, when ever I hear the word custard I think of the Beatles song I am the Walrus.  The lyrics don't make custard sound appetizing but I have think custards are great none the less.
This is another recipe that I adapted from a raspberry recipe I found on Martha Stewart's website and I think it would work great for just about any fruit that you have on hand.  I found it quick and easy to through together and I think it would be a great one to make when entertaining because it can be served either hot or cold.  If you want to serve it hot, you can have everything ready in the blender before people arrive and set your oven to preheat mid way through dinner.  As you start to clear dinner, turn on the blender and spread the berries in the pan, pour in the custard and in a half hour you have dessert!

*** I took this picture before putting it under the broiler, it turned a nice golden brown before serving :)

Baked Salmon Berry Custard

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 3/4 cup whole milk

• 3 large eggs

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 cups salmon berries
• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In oven, melt butter in a 9-inch pie plate, about 6 minutes.
  2. In a blender, combine milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla. Add melted butter and blend mixture until smooth, 30 seconds.
  3. Distribute berries evenly in pie plate and pour batter over top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and bake until slightly puffed and just set in middle, 20 to 25 minutes. Heat broiler and broil until top is deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.

To see the original recipe click here.

French Baguette

After making yeast bread a couple of times I am feeling more confident on trying recipes with yeast so I decided to try another recipe.  Tonight I had my grandmother over for dinner and she loves the different preserves that I make and so I thought I would try making a baguette instead of buying one to serve with the relish and chutneys.
I came across this recipe online and thought it looked easy enough so I went for it.  It is a very straight forward recipe and it doesn't require many ingredients.  The process is a little long and drawn out but if
you are going to be at home anyways I think it is worth the effort.

French Bread Baguette

4 cups Flour
1 tbsp. Dry Active Yeast
1-2 tsp. Salt
2 cups Warm Water
Oil for bowl

1. In a bowl, mix together the flour and the salt.
2. In another bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and half of the flour/salt mixture. Using your hands, mix until it forms a dough. Then, cover with a dish cloth and let sit at room temperature for 3 hours. It should triple in size.
3. Gently incorporate the rest of the flour/salt, using your hands.
4. Place on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. It should be supple and elastic when you stop kneading.
5. Lightly oil a bowl. Place dough in bowl. Cover with a dish towel. Let sit for 1 hour. It should double in size.
6. Preheat oven to 450°F. Knead again. Then cut dough into 3 parts and form each part into a long baguette. Place on a baking sheet. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.
7. Place a bowl of water in the oven. Bake baguettes for about 25 minutes (maybe less). Remove the bowl of water after 15 minutes of baking.

Preparation Time: about 25 minutes
Cooking Time: about 25 minutes
Resting Time: about 4 hours, 30 minutes 

Clementine Cake

These days more and more people are discovering they have a gluten sensitivity and when entertaining it is nice to be able to accommodate those who have these issues.  I have not done a lot of gluten free baking and I don't usually like the texture of the stuff you can purchase at the grocery stores.  I like this recipe because it doesn't really call for anything out of the ordinary and I already have the majority of the ingredients for the recipe in my kitchen on a regular basis.
This recipe calls for poudre douce which is a medieval spice blend that can be hard to come across already combined.  At the bottom of the recipe I have written out one way to make this blend.  I love this blend and use it in many recipes.
I know clementine oranges are not really in season right now but if you can get your hands on some this is a very refreshing gluten free dessert that has always been a huge hit whenever I have made it.

Clementine Cake

• 4 - 5 unpeeled clementines
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp (280 ml) sugar
• 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) ground almonds
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) poudre douce
• 2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
• 1. Place unpeeled clementines in a pot and cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 – 1 1/2 hours. Drain and cool.
  2. Cut each clementine in half and remove seeds.
  3. Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C).
  4. In a food processor or by hand, finely chop clementines, peel on. Set aside.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add sugar, almonds, poudre douce and baking powder. Mix well, then add clementines.
  6. Pour mixture into a greased spring-form pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (Cover the cake with foil after 40 minutes to prevent top from burning.)
  7. Remove from oven and leave to cool in pan on cooling rack.

• Poudre Douce 
• 3 tablespoons ginger
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon clove (ground)
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Combine these together and store extra for future use.

• 
  

Strawberry Onion Jam with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary

I have only been jamming for about a year now but I am really enjoying it.  Last year I tried making a Balsamic Strawberry and Black Pepper Jam and it turned out wonderfully (I've lent the recipe book to a friend but I will post it once I get it back).  I saw this recipe and thought it was definitely worth a try.  One thing to remember with this type of jam is that the flavour really enhances in a couple of months, it is good fresh but if you are able to wait a bit you will taste a completely different wonderful jam.

Strawberry Onion Jam with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary

5 cups thinly sliced sweet onions (about 2 large onions)

1/3 cup water

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)

2 1/2 cups finely chopped or mashed strawberries

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 package powder pectin

4 cups granulated sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot, combine the onions and water.  On medium to low heat simmer covered for about 10 minutes or until very soft.
2. Stir in garlic and rosemary; cook covered for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in strawberries and vinegar.
3. Stir in pectin until dissolved.  Bring to full boil over high heat, stirring often.
4. Stir in sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Return to a full boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.  Boil hard for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.  Stir for 5 to 8 minutes to prevent floating fruit.
6. Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of rim; wipe rims.  Apply prepared lids and rings; tighten rings just until fingertip-tight.
7. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.  Transfer jars to a towel lined surface and let rest at room temperature until set.  Check seals; refrigerate any unsealed jars for up to 3 weeks.

*** Makes about five 8-ounce jars

Salmon Berry Muffins

I love muffins.  They are easy to make and great to grab on your way out the door.  In the summer when there are a lot of fresh berries available I try to make a lot of muffins so I can freeze them for the winter.  Normally only about half the batch actually makes it to the freezer.  Right now there are a lot of salmon berries available at my dad's farm so I decide I might as well try to make some muffins out of them.  I tried looking for salmon berry muffin recipes online but I didn't come across anything so I decided to modify a raspberry muffin recipe and hoped for the best.  They turned out great and I am looking forward to when the raspberries are ready because I am sure it will taste wonderful with them too!

Salmon Berry Muffins

Topping (optional)

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp butter

Muffins

2 c flour

1 c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 1/4 cup yogurt

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 1/3 cup salmon berries

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. If you are going to use the topping, mix together the flour, sugar and lemon zest.  Then add the butter and blend it with a fork until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
3. In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  
4. In another small bowl combine the lemon zest, egg, vegetable oil, and yogurt.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
6. Add the berries and gently stir trying not to break up the berries too much.
7. Spoon into muffin tins and then sprinkle the topping on.
8. Bake for about 22 minutes or until when you insert a toothpick it comes out clean.

Salmon Berry Jam

My dad has a farm that I go to regularly and my husband and I have taken over some land to have a vegetable garden.  This year has been slow and wet and so far we haven't had much of a chance to harvest much besides strawberries.  However, at the farm there is an abundant supply of salmonberries. These berries are nice and refreshing but you can only eat so many at a time.  I hate seeing perfectly good food go to waste so yesterday I decided to pick a bucket full to take home and try to find some way to make use of them.  Last year I started to make my own jams and I love how wonderful the flavour is and I prefer it to store bought jams.  I decided I might as well try to make some jam out of the berries and it turned out very well.  The ratio for this jam is 3 parts berries to 2 parts sugar.  I am hoping there will still be some berries next time I go out because I would like to make more of this one!
 

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

There is nothing like home made pancakes to start a Saturday off right, however plain pancakes can get a little boring so I thought I would try to find a recipe with a twist to it. I found this recipe a couple of years ago and these pancakes are a little healthier than regular ones and they are very filling.  The little extra effort making the batter is worth it in my books.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) old-fashioned or quick oats
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) water
• 4 tsp (20 ml) brown sugar
• 4 tsp (20 ml) vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) whole-wheat flour
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
• 1 pinch baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) low-fat milk
• 8 tsp (40 ml) low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Combine oats and water in a large, microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for approximately 3 minutes, or until oats are creamy and tender. Stir in sugar and oil. Set aside to cool.
2. In another large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, Baking Powder, baking soda, salt and Cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Add milk, yogurt, banana and egg to the cooled oat mixture and stir until blended.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix with swift strokes using a wooden spoon until just combined. Batter will be slightly lumpy.
5. Heat an frying pan over medium heat.
6. When hot, pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) pancake batter (per pancake) into pan. Cook until pancakes are covered with bubbles and edges are slightly browned.
7. Flip and cook other side until underside is golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter.
8. Serve immediately, drizzled with maple syrup, if desired.