Basil Tomato Savoury Bread Pudding

This savoury bread pudding can be served as an alternative to potatoes or pasta.

The flavours of tomato, basil and Parmesan are wonderful together.

• 8 slices whole wheat or multi grain bread
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots thinly sliced or 1 leek, white part only, washed and thinly sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 12 ounces grape tomatoes cut in half
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup packed basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/3 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Egg Mixture

• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Butter an oval glass casserole dish (see picture) or a 9x13 inch glass baking pan.
2. Cut bread into cubes and place in dish.
3. In a skillet, heat oil and cook shallots or leeks and garlic for 3-5 minutes over medium heat stirring frequently.
4. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cook another 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove skillet from heat and add basil, tossing lightly.
7. Pour tomatoes and shallots over bread cubes in pan.
8. Add 1 cups of Parmesan cheese and toss mixture until ingredients are evenly distributed.
9. Make egg mixture.
10. Beat eggs in a large bowl.
11. Add milk and beat, adding salt and pepper.
12. Pour egg mixture over bread and tomatoes. Stir lightly to be sure all the bread is moistened.
13. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over the pudding.
14. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until pudding is puffed and golden.
15. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Tomato Bake

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I was telling my friend Barb about the abundance of tomatoes in my garden. She said I have a great sandwich recipe using fresh tomatoes. I don't really enjoy eating tomatoes but she told me to try this recipe, she said it was really good. And she is right, it is really good. It's a nice quick lunch especially if you have tomatoes ripening faster than you know what to do with. I need more recipes using tomatoes.

• 2 medium size tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 medium sweet green pepper, chopped
• Butter or olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 or 4 basil leaves, finely chopped

White Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices of toasted bread, I used rye bread

1. Cut tomatoes in half and place in pan, add water.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper and chopped peppers on the tomato halves.
3. Place dabs of butter or a dash of olive oil on top.
4. Bake uncovered in a 325º oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
5. While the tomatoes are baking prepare the sauce.
6. Melt butter in saucepan, whisk in flour until it's a smooth paste.
7. Add milk slowly stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Cook another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. Place each baked tomato half on a toasted slice of bread and pour the sauce over it.
9. Sprinkle chopped basil over top.
10. Serves: 2 Can be adapted to serve as many as you wish.
11. Note: you can add a few slices of hot peppers to the green peppers if you like a little heat.

Blueberry Muffins

A quick and simple recipe which, for posting, I reconfigured somewhat to allow for the heaping cups and teaspoons I tend to use. Hope you enjoy these as much as we have over the years.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 6 tablespoons oil
• 1 - 1/1/2 cups blueberries. (fresh or frozen)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400° F. 
2. Prepare 1 dozen muffin cups by greasing and flouring, or use paper liners.
3. In a bowl or 4 cup measuring cup, stir together dry ingredients. Set aside.
4. In mixing bowl, beat together egg, oil and buttermilk.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet, stirring gently until just mixed.
6. Stir in blueberries and scoop batter into muffin tins. Sprinkle lightly with sugar if desired.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes.

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Pizza Pockets

It is that time of year again, where school starts, and lunches are being packed. Sandwiches are easily taken but switch it up with this healthier version of Pizza Pockets.

Dough:

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 cups unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons instant dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (can use vegetable oil)
• 3 cups warm water
• 1 beaten egg, for egg wash

1. Combine the whole wheat flour, dry yeast, sugar, salt.
2. Add the warm water, and oil.
3. Stir well.
4. Add enough of the all purpose flour a little at a time to knead into a smooth and soft dough.
   You may not need all the of flour, or you may need a bit more, depending on the humidity.
5. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
6. Roll out the dough and cut into 6" circles.
7. Fill with desired amount of filling.
8. Moisten the edges of the dough and fold over to seal well.
9. Cover with a damp cloth.
10. Let rise for 30 minutes.
11. Prick the tops with a fork, brush with beaten egg.
12. Bake @ 400 about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped.
13. If you have any dough left over, just form them into buns, let rise 30 minutes and bake the same as the pizza pockets.

Filling:

• 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
• 4 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup low fat Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups low fat Mozzarella cheese
• 3 green onions chopped

1. Brown the ground chicken with the mushrooms, peppers and garlic
2. Add the tomato sauce, herbs, seasonings.
3. Simmer 10 minutes.
4. Cool slightly.
5. Add the green onions and the cheese.

Put desired amount of filling into the prepared circles. The yield for the pockets is determined by how much you put in. Also the filling can be very versatile, switch things up a little to your liking.

Grilled Corn Salad

The flavours of summer combine to make this salad a great side dish for a BBQ.  With sweet local corn and cherry tomatoes fresh from the garden...it's simple and delicious!

• 6 cobs of corn, grilled*
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped basil

1. Preheat the grill to medium.  Remove the outer layers of the corn husks and then soak the whole cob in water for about 30 minutes.  Peel back remaining husks and remove hair.  Brush the kernels with olive oil; then pull husks back over the ear.   Place the cobs on the grill and cook for about 15 minutes.  
2. Once the cobs have cooled, cut kernels off the cob.
3. Add tomatoes, onion and basil to corn.
4. Combine oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper; mix well.  
5. Stir the dressing into the corn salad and enjoy!

 *The grilled corn gives the salad a nice smoky flavour, but you can also use cobs cooked on the stove top.

Honey Almond Oatmeal Spelt Cookies

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Spelt flour is gaining popularity for its nutty texture and high protein content. It produces a tender cookie and pairs beautifully with oatmeal and almonds for a great cookie which is great for the freezer and lunch boxes.



• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup liquid honey
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups spelt flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups chopped natural almonds (skin on)
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Cream together the butter, sugars and honey.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and combine.
4. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and oatmeal in the order given.
5. Add the almonds and raisins.
6. Drop by spoonfuls on parchment lined cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with a fork (the dough will be sticky).
7. Bake until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets as the cookies will be quite soft until they cool.

Bread for the Journey

 I Am Standing on the Sea Shore

I am standing on the sea shore,

A ship sails in the morning breeze and starts for the ocean.
She is an object of beauty and I stand watching her
Till at last she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says:
“She is gone.”

Gone! Where?
Gone from my sight – that is all.
She is just as large in the masts, hull and spars as she was when I saw her
And just as able to bear her load of living freight to its destination.
The diminished size and total loss of sight is in me,
not in her.

And just at the moment when someone at my side says,
“She is gone”,
There are others who are watching her coming, and other voices take up a glad shout:
“There she comes”
– an that is dying.

Bishop Brent
1862 – 1926

Some of you may be facing the death of a loved one and I found this poem to be encouraging. I hope you do, too. Walking down the path of death with a loved one is difficult. Our God in His love gives us the comfort we need to make it through this difficult journey that is hard to understand on this side of our lives. Thankfully Jesus comforts us with these words;

John 14:1-4 ~ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

More words of comfort;

Psalm 48:14 ~For this God is our God forever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

Psalm 23: 4 ~ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 73:23-24 ~ Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

John 11:25-26 ~ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

May we all look to and cling to the Hope that will carry us through to the end.

Chocolate Wafer Log

Here's a quick chocolate lovers dessert for a warm sunny evening. Here's a recipe that is simple, delicious, and only takes a few minutes to assemble. Just in time for you to plan that last quick dessert for our long Labor Day Weekend. The chocolate lovers in your family will be coming back for more.

• 1 box of chocolate wafers/200 grams
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 pkg cream stabilizer
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Stack your cookies into piles.

1. Whip the cream till stiff, adding sugar, vanilla, and stabilizer. I always add "Whip It" by Dr. Oetker, cream stabilizer, to the whipping cream which prevents the cream from separating.
2. Spread each chocolate wafer with a teaspoon of whipped cream. (or be a bit more generous)
3. Stack in groups of six.
4. Place stacks end to end on plastic wrap to form a roll, pressing together lightly.
5. Wrap and refrigerate four hours.
   
6. Frost top and sides with remaining whipped topping just before serving.
7. Garnish with a few chocolate curls.
8. Cut into diagonal slices to serve.
9. Makes up to 10 servings.

Make yourself a fresh cup of coffee and enjoy a dessert on your patio.

Chilliwack Corn Chowder

It's the height of Corn season here in Chilliwack where we are famous for our corn.

'Super Sweet', 'Tuxedo', 'Peaches and Cream' or the old faithful 'Jubilee',

it's all sweet and delicious.

I've made this corn chowder for years and years and it's always a hit.

During corn season when we eat it fresh from the cob, I always cook a few more cobs than needed. I cut the kernels off the extra cobs, scrape the cobs with my big knife and put all that goodness into freezer bags for corn chowder later. Scraping the cobs gives you the extra starch that will add flavour and help to thicken the chowder.

• 2 good sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 5 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces or farmer sausage, crumbled
• 1 bay leaf
• handful of fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• seasoned pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• few drops Tabasco Sauce
• 3 cups corn kernels
• 1 small can creamed corn
• 2 cups milk or light cream or use half cream and half milk
• flour and more milk to thicken if desired.
• chopped fresh parsley
• cheddar cheese (to sprinkle as a garnish)

1. Place potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, bay leaf, parsley and salt in large pot or small dutch oven.
2. Add 5 cups water and bring to a boil. If using farmer sausage, chop or crumble the sausage into the water and vegetables.
3. Turn to simmer and let cook until potatoes and carrots are tender.
4. While that is cooking, fry bacon until crisp and drain.
5. When vegetables are done, add corn, Worcestershire and Tabasco and seasoned pepper.
6. Taste and add more seasonings if desired. Let cook 10 minutes more.
7. Add milk or cream and heat, stirring well.
8. You can thicken the soup at this point if desired. Mix 1 tablespoon flour with 1/2 cup milk and add to soup.
9. To serve, garnish with shredded Cheddar cheese and snipped parsley

Blackberry Beauty Custard Flan

This flan should only be made several hours before it will be served.
It takes 1 1/2 hours to bake and then it needs another hour to cool.
It's one of those eat the same day you bake it desserts.
Simple to make, elegant to serve.

Ingredients for Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Filling Ingredients:

• 3 egg yolks
• 2 cups full fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 1 egg white ( for coating the crust before adding berries and filling)
• 2 cups blackberries, plus more for garnish (if using frozen berries dust them with 1 tbsp of flour)
• whipping cream

Method for Crust:

1. Combine flour, sugar,  baking powder and zest. Cut in butter until fine crumbs form.
2. Stir in egg until mixture forms a dough.
3. Press into bottom and sides of 7"x11 flan pan with a removable bottom (or a 9" spring form pan.

Method for filling:

1. Mix together first 5 ingredients until just combined.
2. Froth the egg white with a fork and paint the bottom of the crust with it. 
3. Place the fresh or frozen blackberries over crust.
4. Pour the custard over the berries.
5. Bake in 325º oven for 1 1/2 hours. Cool.
6. Remove from pan. Slice and serve with whipped cream and more blackberries.