Zucchini Gratin

This dish is a great way to use up some zucchini.  If it is a larger zucchini I would recommend seeding it and cutting it into quarters before slicing it for the dish.
The gratin taste marvellous and it is even a dish zucchini skeptics can enjoy.  It is very simple to prepare and one that you can prep in advance and cook later.  The dish is filling enough to serve as a main but would also work as a side for a roast.
I am sure you would be alright to substitute swiss cheese for Gruyere.

Zucchini Gratin

6 tbsp butter

3 large onions, sliced

4 small zucchinis, sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp flour

1 cup milk

3/4 cup bread crumbs

3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

1. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan (large enough for the zucchini and onions to all go in, a wok will work if you don't have a big enough one) and cook the onions until they are soft and translucent.  You do not want them to brown.
2. Add the zucchini and cook it covered for 10 minutes.
3. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Whisk the flour into the hot milk and pour over the mixture.  Cook over low heat until the remaining liquid is more like a sauce.
5. Pour the mixture into a 8 x 10 inch baking dish.
6. Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle it on top of the zucchini mixture.
7. Cut the 1 tbsp of butter into small pieces and dot it on top of the crumble top.
8. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until the it is bubbly and browned.

Buttermilk Waffles

Homemade waffles are a weekend guilty pleasure around my house.  Store bought frozen waffles have their place for something quick on a weekday morning but homemade are far superior.  I have been known to make extra waffles on the weekend to freeze to use during the week.
I love having a relaxing morning where I can make some waffles and not be in a rush to get out of the house.  I hope you get a chance soon to enjoy a slow peaceful morning enjoying these wonderful treats.

Buttermilk Waffles

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk or sour milk

1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

1. In a medium bow stur together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs slightly; stir in the milk, oil and vanilla.  
3. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture.  Stir until just moist (it should still be slightly lumpy).
4. Pour enough batter onto your waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer's directions.

Grant Loaves

I have a pretty good collection of cook books and I enjoy going through each of them.  There are some that I have had for years with a bunch of post-it flags on pages with recipes I would like to try.  The other day, when one of my sisters was over she pulled out one I had not looked at in a very long time.  Once she left I decided to thumb through the recipes I had flag to see if they still peaked my interest.  I came across this recipe and thought it would go very nice with a butternut squash soup I was planning on having for dinner.

This recipe dates was created by the baker Doris Grant during the second world war and first published in the 1940's.  It is a great bread recipe because it doesn't require any kneading and can be put together rather quickly.

Grant Loaves

12 cups whole-wheat bread flour

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp rapid-rise dried yeast

1 tbsp molasses sugar

1. Grease three loaf pans and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
3. Sprinkle the dried yeast over 1 2/3 cups luke warm water.  After a couple of minutes, stir in the sugar and let it sit for 10 minutes.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour.  Pour in the yeast mixture and add an additional 3 3/4 cups of water.  Stir to form a slippery dough.  Mix for about 1 minute, working the dry ingredients form the sides into the middle.
5. Divide the dough among the prepared pans.  Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 400.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until the loaves are crisp and sound hollow when tapped on the base.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today I caved into a sweet craving and ended up making some chocolate chip cookies.  Chocolate chip cookies have always been a comfort food for me.  My mom has mastered making chocolate cookies but she made them so much when we were growing up she doesn't like making them any more.  Growing up they were a staple at my house and I remember coming home from school and heating a couple up in the microwave so I could have warm chocolate chip cookies to go with a nice cold glass of milk.
When I was away at university there was a restaurant called the Cheesecake Cafe and they made these really yummy cheesecake chocolate chip cookies.  Since I had some cream cheese in my fridge I thought I would try to make some cheesecake chocolate chip cookies.  I found a cream cheese chocolate chip cookie recipe and I thought it would be a good place to start.
The recipe was very easy and I was able to make them with very little effort.  This recipe does really well in a stand mixer.  The cookies turned out soft and moist.  I am hoping that I can use all my will power to make them last for at least a little while.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 white sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips (there is no harm in adding extra)

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Cream together the cream cheese, butter and the sugars.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
4. Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add the chocolate chips.
6. Drop them onto a cookie sheet.  The drops should be about the size of a large gum ball. 
7. Bake between 10 -14 minutes or until they are lightly browned around the edges.

Coconut Sorbetto

For as long as I can remember I have always loved the taste of coconut and I am always looking for ways to incorporate it into my meals.  This is a easy sorbetto to make and it has a wonderful taste.  Since it uses coconut milk instead of dairy milk it is one of the few sorbettos that is dairy free.  It is a nice way to finish off a good meal and pairs well with a mango sorbetto.

Coconut Sorbetto

14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk (not light)

1 1/4 cups water

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup sweetened shredded dried coconut

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, water and the sugar.  Whisk the mixture to dissolve the sugar.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 4 minutes.
3. Pour into a bowl and allow enough time for it to completely cool before placing it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
4. Stir the shredded coconut into the mixture.
5. Pour into the container of an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions.

Bocconcini and Tomato Salad

Every summer we grow tomatoes in our backyard.  I love the flavour home grown tomatoes have and I love the smell of the tomato plants on my hands when I pick them.  Throughout the summer this salad is a staple in our house because it is so easy to make and it is a great way to use up the fresh tomatoes.

Bocconcini and Tomato Salad

4-5 tomatoes

3 bocconcini cheese balls

fresh basil, chopped

oregano

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

1. Slice the tomatoes and the cheese. Arranging alternating between cheese and tomato on a serving plate.
2. Top the tomato and cheese arrangement with basil and oregano.
3. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad.

Apple Sage Sauce

In the past I have gotten a Sage and Apple Stuffing mix and one evening when having some ravioli I decided to use it with some butter on the pasta.  Normally I like to use a pesto on ravioli but the stuff I was planning to use turned out to be mouldy.  The stuffing mix really complemented the flavours of the ravioli.
This year our sage plants have done very well and so I decided I would try to make my own sauce to use with pasta.  This was a simple sauce that did not take very long to make and would complement many dishes.

Apple Sage Sauce

2 apples, cored and chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

butter, as needed

sugar, as needed

1. Fry the apple and onion in butter until the onion is translucent.
2. Add a little water, enough so half of the apple is covered. Simmer to soften the apple for about 15 minutes.
3. Add the sage and mix well.
4. Continue to heat as necessary to remove excess water.  Serve immediately.