Ginger Snaps

The ginger in these is noticeable. I think they are wonderful, with a snap and a crunch, but not too crispy. I used to make them before going on a long trip - I think they helped keep the motion sickness to a minimum.

These cookies are from an old recipe book - The Mennonite Treasury of Recipes. My mom has a copy, and I got one when I married 30 plus years ago. I don't use the recipes very often, but there are some old standbys, such as this one, submitted by Mrs. Mary Enns from Ste. Elizabeth, Manitoba. Mrs. Mary Enns, you make good cookies.

2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses

sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and molasses. Sift in dry ingredients, blend well. Form small balls and roll in sugar. Bake 2 inches apart in 350 degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes. Cool on rack. They will flatten during baking. Makes 4 dozen or so, depending on the size.

Oven Yam Fries

I've made these yam fries several times this fall. They are wonderful with almost everything - chicken, fish, even hot dogs! And they are very easy to make. Mix a little minced chipotle pepper with some mayonnaise and/or sour cream and you've got a dip with a bit of fire that complements the sweetness of the yams perfectly.

Oven Yam Fries

Yams - however many you think you'll eat - for the two of us I do two medium-sized yams, or one humongous one
olive oil
salt

Peel the yams. If you rinse them after peeling, dry them off well. Cut them into sticks about 1/2 inch square. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle them liberally with olive oil. I would say I use about 2 Tablespoons for a panfull. With your hands, toss the yam sticks and the oil together until well coated. Don't be stingy with the oil. Salt them to taste.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, then remove from oven and turn with a metal lifter. This is when you will know if you used enough oil or not. They shouldn't stick to the pan. Return to the oven for 15 minutes more, or until tender and beginning to caramelize around the edges.

Serve hot.

Thyme Creamed Tomatoes

Oh, these were good. Definitely a keeper recipe. We are still using tomatoes from our summer garden. I've had a huge platter on my kitchen countertop since August. Today I put the remainders in a small bowl. Sigh. I do love homegrown tomatoes.

Back to this dish. It's creamy, sweet, savory and rich but not cloying. I served it with a roasted chicken, lemon spinach couscous and steamed broccoli. Ashley said it was like eating candy. There wasn't a scrap left at the end of the meal.

I found the recipe in French Taste, a cookbook by Laura Calder, one of Canada's Food Television stars. The book is from the library, but it might have to go onto my Christmas list because there are so many recipes I want to try.

Thyme Creamed Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped (optional)
4 medium tomatoes, halved horizontally (I had smaller ones and just cut up enough of them to fill my pan)
a generous handful of chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used less, probably 1/4 cup)

Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Saute the onion, if using. Add the tomatoes, cut side down. Poke them a few times with a knife to prevent the skins from bursting. Cook 10 minutes. Flip, scatter with the thyme and cook 5-10 minutes more on the other side, until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the cream, and reduce to a thick sauce around the tomatoes, about 5 minutes. It will brown a bit and swirl together with the tomato juice. Serve.

I cooked mine longer and at a medium to low temperature. The onions caramelized, the cream turned a lovely shade of brown, and the tomatoes slumped in the creamy bath. Definitely delicious!

Bavarian Apple Tart

This is one of my favorite desserts. It's easy to make and tastes like it came from a bake shop. I tinkered with the original recipe yesterday and here's what I came up with. It's creamy, sweet, tart, crunchy and buttery all at once. I like it plain, but some I know, prefer it with a little whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Bavarian Apple Tart

Crust:

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

Place all ingredients into food processor and pulse until crumbs start to cling together. Press into a 9 inch tart shell with a removable bottom. (Or use a 9 inch springform pan.)

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Combine all filling ingredients in food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Pour into lined tart pan.

Apple Layer:

Apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices - you will need enough to lay in a single layer on the filling. I would guess 3-4 medium sized apples

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons butter

Melt the butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and toss gently to coat with the butter. Let cook 3-4 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Add sugar and stir gently, being careful not to break the apples. Cook for another 5 minutes or so. Apples should be just starting to soften - you don't want them to break apart.

With a thin spatula or a fork, gently arrange the apples in a single layer over the cream cheese mixture around the outside of the tart. Fill in the center with another circle of apples.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Then add the following topping and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the apples are tender and the filling set. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers (if any) in the fridge.

Topping:

1/2 - 1 cup chopped almonds

2 Tablespoons melted butter

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pumpkin Squares

These pumpkin squares have become a tradition around our house. Their moist spiciness is perfect with a cup of tea on a cool afternoon or evening. The recipe makes a large pan full and they freeze well. Sometimes I add grated orange rind and orange juice to the icing which adds another level of flavor.

Pumpkin Squares

4 large eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 16-oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup white all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
2 tsps Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan. In large mixing bowl beat together eggs, sugar and oil. Gradually add the pumpkin, beating until smooth. Add the flours, baking powder, spice, and baking soda. Stir until smooth (there may be a few small lumps). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

When cool, cover with a layer of vanilla butter icing (soft butter, icing sugar, vanilla and some milk) then chop a few sweetened dried cranberries and sprinkle them on top. Enjoy with a cup of hot Earl Grey tea.

Ginger Chicken Soup

I wanted to make some chicken soup, but also wanted something a bit different than the usual, and very good, traditional flavour. So I thought about what I had in the fridge, and what I felt like, and ginger came to mind. A bit of red curry paste paired with the ginger made for a soup that was comforting and spicy and oh, so warming. I've made it again and like it even more.

1 T vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
2 T minced fresh ginger
2 leeks, sliced (white part and a bit of the green)
1 can coconut milk
4 cups chicken broth (homemade, or low-sodium)
1 sweet red pepper, diced
5 baby bok choy, sliced (white and green parts)
2 carrots, diced
1-2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
2 T fish sauce
1 T brown sugar
1-2 T lime juice
2 T fresh basil

Heat the oil in a large soup pot and add the red curry paste. Stir until fragrant and the oil is colored. Add the ginger and stir for about 1 minute. Add the leeks and continue stirring just until barely softening. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, sweet red pepper, and carrots and bring to a boil. Simmer gently until the carrots are almost tender, 15 - 20 minutes. Add the chicken and the bok choy. Simmer another 5 - 10 minutes.

Stir in the fish sauce, the brown sugar, the lime juice and the fresh basil. Taste the soup. There should be a nice balance of sweet, salty, and sour. Adjust the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar if needed.

Enjoy the fragrance and the taste - both are wonderful!

This is a very forgiving recipe - if you don't have leeks, use onions. No bok choy? Try kale or spinach. 

Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Prunes

This represents a perfect fall dish to me - earthy apple and rosemary flavours, tender meat and a hint of sweetness in the prunes. Served with roasted potatoes, baked tomato halves and steamed broccoli.

Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Prunes

1 T olive oil
1 pork tenderloin
salt and pepper to taste
2 apples, quartered, cored and cut into wedges
1/4 - 1/2 cup dried prunes, quartered
2 Tablespoons grainy mustard
1 cup white wine (or apple juice)
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper. Brown in the oil on all sides. Whisk the wine with the mustard to blend, then add to skillet along with the apples and prunes. Lay the fresh rosemary sprig on top. Simmer, covered, 20-30 minutes or until tenderloin is tender. The apples will have cooked down somewhat and all will be wonderfully fragrant.

Slice the tenderloin and serve with the apples and prunes. Garnish with another sprig of rosemary, if desired.