Bacon Pancakes

Breakfast... is the hardest meal for me to eat. I was doing really well with eating breakfast for several months, but somehow I fell off the wagon recently. I think it's due to caring for my lil guy the minute I get up in the morning. By the time he's all taken care of, I get caught up with things I have to do for the day and before I know it, it's almost time for lunch and my lil guy's next feeding. But lately, I've had a hankering for breakfast food. Not the mundane oatmeal, cereal, muffin type of breakfast. I'm talking about those diner style breakfast that consist of sweet and savory flavors all on your plate. So in an effort to combine those breakfast cravings I've been having, I made these Bacon Pancakes. Yes... it's true. Everything is certainly better with bacon!...

Not too long ago, I remember reading online about bacon pancakes. They consisted of strips of cooked bacon with pancake batter poured over them. They cooked up and when finished, each pancake had a strip of bacon down the middle. It looked pretty intriguing but not as appetizing as I thought it could be. Taking the same idea of having bacon and pancake batter come together, I made a simple buttermilk pancake recipe, poured a little into my hot skillet and sprinkled crumbled cooked bacon over the top. Once it was flipped and cooked to perfection, I was left with a fluffy pancake speckled with bits of crunchy salty bacon. If you add some pure maple syrup and a pat of butter to these pancakes, it's quite a breakfast to start any day! The pancakes could also be made in advance and frozen. To prepare, just toast it in a toaster or pop it in a microwave for a few seconds until warmed through.

If bacon is not your thing (who doesn't love bacon?!), you can use the pancake recipe and substitute the bacon with crumbled breakfast sausage. Not into the whole meat and pancake combo? No worries! Throw in your favorite fruit like sliced strawberries, blueberries or even raspberries. Heck, you could even throw in chocolate chips and nuts!

Bacon Pancakes
recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated
makes 8 four inch pancakes

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
cooking spray
1/2 cup crumbled, cooked bacon

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; make a well in the center of this mixture and set aside.

In a 2 cup measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, eggs and melted butter. Pour this buttermilk mixture into the well of the dry ingredients. Gently stir until just combined. You'll want a slightly lumpy batter - don't over mix. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before cooking.

In a 12 inch non stick skillet over medium heat, apply a thin coating of cooking spray and allow the pan to get hot. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop up the rested batter and carefully pour the batter into the pan. You should be able to fit 4 pancakes in the skillet. Sprinkle some crumbled cooked bacon into the pancake tops. Cook until the top of the pancakes begin to bubble, the edges are set and the bottom is a nice golden brown. Flip the pancakes with a wide spatula and continue to cook until the second side if golden brown. Spray the pan as needed and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve pancakes with your preferred syrup and butter.

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Chicken Scampi

One of our favorite Italian inspired dishes here at home is a shrimp scampi. My husband recently suggested this dish and when I didn't have any shrimp on hand, I improvised and used chicken instead. Some folks may be familiar with Olive Garden restaurant's chicken scampi dish on their menu and this Chicken Scampi recipe is inspired by that. It has a nice punch of garlic, a butter and white wine sauce and a melange of colorful bell peppers and onions that make it a great meal perfect for a weeknight or even for guests!...

We can't get enough garlic in our house so any recipe calling for good amounts of it are welcomed in my kitchen! This recipe starts out with seasoning bite sized pieces of chicken breasts with garlic powder, salt and pepper. The chicken is browned in a skillet, which is then deglazed with white wine and lemon juice. The dish simmers a bit before adding the colorful bell pepper and onion slices. We've loved this dish tossed with angel hair pasta, just as they do at Olive Garden. However, another alternative is serving this over rice or even mashed potatoes.

Chicken Scampi
original Joelen recipe

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup white wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, minced + more for garnish
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded & sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded & sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded & sliced
1 medium red onion, sliced

In a skillet heat the butter and oil over medium high until the butter melts. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the chicken to the skillet along with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook chicken until lightly browned.

Once chicken is browned, deglaze the skillet by adding the white wine, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and fresh parsley; stirring to pick up any bits on the bottom of the skillet combine. Lower the heat and allow the chicken to simmer for 10 minutes. Add sliced peppers and onions and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes until peppers are tender.

Serve tossed with buttered pasta (such as angel hair), over rice or with potatoes and garnish with additional fresh parsley.

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The Autism Problem

The Toronto Star has offered a concise, to the point, editorial on The Autism Problem. The factual context leading into the editorial is the situation faced by Susan Fentie-Pearce mother of a 14 year old autistic  boy "who has become increasingly violent -- pinching, kicking, biting and pulling her hair out." Ms. Susan Fentie-Pearce claims that she sought help from her elected Member of Parliament who allegedly suggested that she should have her son charged with assault so that a judge could "order him moved to the front of the line." for placement in a group home. The Star avoided the he said-she said argument and focused on the need to for Ontario to deal with the Autism Problem and increase funding for group homes and autism treatment.

The need for autism specific group homes, with autism trained staff and  centers or  "villages" designed to provide a decent life for the most severely affected by autism exists in most Canadian provinces including here in New Brunswick.  It is not really a choice. We can either continue to dump the most severely affected by autism disorders in psychiatric hospitals and prisons or we can provide a range of decent autism specific residential facilities to accommodate their needs when their parents no longer can.

It is not a question of whether tax payer dollars should be spent on early intervention, autism specific education, community centers to assist parents or adult residential facilities. Autistic persons need help across the life span.  If we do not address our minds, and dedicate adequate resources, as a society, to helping autistic youths and adults live in decent residential  facilities, if we simply throw them overboard in choppy waters of difficult economic times we are not humane.

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Triple Chocolate & Mint Brownies

One of my husband's complaints about me is that I'm crazy about cleaning. If I'm not in the kitchen cooking or baking and I'm not online blogging, he'll be the first to tell you that I'm somewhere around the house cleaning. I don't know - maybe it's just a habit I picked up from my mom. But what my husband doesn't understand about cleaning is that often times, it's like finding long lost treasures. For example, I was organizing and cleaning out my baking pantry the other day. In doing so, I stumbled across some mint baking chips I purchased awhile back. Thankfully, they weren't expired so I put them to good use by making these Triple Chocolate & Mint Brownies. See... if it weren't for me cleaning out my baking pantry, I wouldn't be able to enjoy these treats!...

So we all know that chocolate and mint make a fine pair in desserts and sweets. I find dark and bittersweet chocolate work best with mint since they balance each other's tart and sweet characteristics. Taking a classic brownie recipe from Cook's Illustrated, I added bittersweet chocolate chips to the batter before baking. After it baked, I topped it with a chocolate ganache before garnishing with more bittersweet chocolate and mint chips. If you need a chocolate fix with a bit of mint, this brownie recipe will hit the spot!

If you can't find mint baking chips, add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract + 1 tablespoon creme de menthe to your chocolate ganache.

Triple Chocolate & Mint Brownies
recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated

1 1/4 cups plain cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, diced
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
6 ounces mint baking chips
chocolate ganache (recipe follows)

Preheat your oven to 325. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder; set aside.

In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; don't let chocolate burn. When the chocolate is completely smooth, gradually whisk in the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Add the vanilla and then carefully fold in the flour mixture in three additions, folding with a rubber spatula until the batter is completely smooth and homogeneous. Add 1/2 of the bittersweet chocolate chips to the batter and stir just to combine.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread the batter to evenly fill the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. *Don't over bake!* Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

While brownies are still warm, spread the prepared ganache over the top of the brownies and then sprinkle with the remaining bittersweet chocolate chips and mint chips. Allow to cool to room temperature, which will also allow the chocolate ganache to set up. Cut the brownies into 2 inch squares and serve.

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup heavy cream
10 oz bittersweet chocolate chips

Bring cream to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Pour over bittersweet chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30 minutes.

If you can't find mint baking chips, add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract + 1 tablespoon creme de menthe to your chocolate ganache.

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OLD FASHIONED PEACH COBBLER

THE SWEET TASTE OF SUMMER


I posted a fruit cobbler not too long ago and made a promise to my readers that I would make – and post – my own favorite, reliable, best ever Peach Cobbler recipe before the end of peach season. Well, I never break a promise. Mostly. (And if I ever did admit to lying, and what girl would? then rest assured that a larger-than-life evil lie to harm anyone would never pass these lips, only the rare little white lie to protect the innocent…me). But when it comes to food I spit on the palm of my hand and cross my heart and do as I say. I am a nice person when it comes to food.

We arrived home from brilliantly sunny Florida a mere two weeks ago or so to the beginning of autumn here in France. Leaving the blistering heat behind, we were greeted by the hug of fog and the spatter of rain on our faces as we stepped off of the plane. Several days of gray skies and incessant rain pulled us back to the reality of home and we understood that summer was over and it was time to get back to work. Patience, patience and once we were settled in, the sunshine, that delicate fall sunshine lit up the fluffy white clouds floating lazily through the blue skies. Crunchy golden leaves litter the sidewalks and the air smells crisp and clear. Now summer plays tag with the fall, sunshine and rain dash in and out of the trees each trying to outdo the other as the days go from chilly and damp to warm and spectacular as each tries to claim this month of August as her own. September approaches and we try and grasp onto the last lazy days of summer even as we relish the cooling, glittery first days of autumn.


We drove out to the coast our first weekend back home so JP could take another dip in the ocean. He is still dreaming of Florida’s sweltering heat, feet sinking into scorching dunes, having to jump from foot to foot, keep moving to escape the burning sand, dashing down to the water’s edge towards the welcome lapping of the waves, the cool water swirling up around his ankles. He is imagining the Florida sun, squinting up into the piercing light as it burns into his eyes, stabs at his skin. Remembering, yes, but here in France late summer means the beginning of autumn, and it is already cooler as we step out of the car and shoulder our tote bag of towels and books. No straight line of white, sandy beaches going on and on as far as the eye can see. No, the French coast opens up here and there, offering tiny secluded coves of deep golden sand the color of graham crackers, the waves crashing up against jagged heaps of deep charcoal gray slate, tiny pools of water cradled in the craters in the rocks, shimmering in the hazy late morning light. A cool breeze kisses my skin as the sun warms my back and I settle down with my book as JP dons his swimsuit and gleefully wends his way down to the waves. I bury my nose in my book as JP heads off to take his swim. He comes back quickly, astonished at how chilly the water is! No Florida this! He brings me back treasures, an oyster shell, a plump, angry crab who skitters away the moment his body is placed back on the sand. We soon decide that it is time to head into Pornic and enjoy a seafood platter for lunch as we savor the last days of vacation and the fading summer.


The following weekend, the glimmering light and nip in the air pull us out of our beds and in another direction towards something much more seasonal. We don our walking shoes, hook the leash around Marty’s neck and head out for a long meander through the vineyards, now lush and green at this time of year, our favorite Saturday morning haven. Marty dashes in and out of the vines, breathing in all of the smells of the great outdoors, alert to each and every bug, animal and plant sound and movement (although for some reason he completely misses the three stunning deer who we spy grazing on the leaves and grapes up atop the hill). Arms hugging our bodies to ward off the unexpected chill, we turn our faces up towards the sun and walk, deeper and deeper into the lovely landscape. We have always found this the perfect spot for talking, dreaming of our future, making crazy plans, testing each one as it rolls off of our tongue, laughing at the absurdities of life and the foibles of our fellow man. We clear our heads of the weeks’ worries, brush the stress of the daily grind off of our shoulders where the burden is the greatest, weighing us down, and we leave the vineyards, head back to the car just a tad more content, our step just a little lighter and ready to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

And the autumn chill in the air, the bright, crisp sunshine against azure skies has me dreaming of pumpkin. And pears. Mushrooms pepper my thoughts and sweet potatoes dance before my eyes. Yet as much as I adore all things autumn, I revel in the last of the summer fruit. The market stalls breath summer, peaches and nectarines are piled high, red and yellow, soft golden apricots and plums in yellows and greens, reds and purples, tumble from wooden crates across the faux grass decorating each stall. Cherries are long gone as are the sweetest of the strawberries and the occasional tiny cardboard box of raspberries shamelessly calls my name, luring me like a handful of rubies, but my heart truly belongs to the peaches. I love peaches and we are at the height of the season in France. Plump and ripe, juicy and sweet, sweeter than any peaches we’ve eaten in many a long year. When I was a kid, I preferred my peaches hard and crunchy like the best apple only sweeter, fruitier, the satisfying bite into the flesh a pleasure I could enjoy forever, eating one after another all day, all summer long. But now I find the greatest satisfaction in the ripest of the bunch, at the peak of sweetness. I buy them by the bagful, returning day after day for more. One luscious peach is the perfect ending to any meal, whether an elegant dish of lobster or scallops or a humble sandwich, a peach is the only dessert I need. JP places one, the ripest, on the center of his plate and, using our sharpest paring knife peels the skin off of the fruit and cubes the flesh, stabbing each tender chunk one at a time and slipping it onto his tongue. I, on the other hand, American that I am, carefully, gently wash my peach so as not to bruise the delicate fruit, and bite joyfully into the flesh, the juice running down my arm, dribbling over my chin, enjoying the entire childlike experience, savoring the flavor, the sweetness, the texture.


Let autumn come, stunningly bright, marvelously cold, her brilliant sun splashing across the white of the buildings and in through my windows, yet keep these tantalizing beauties for just a while longer, these lovely peaches of red and purple and gold, their velvety softness and sweet perfume luring me, beguiling me with the promise of eternal summer.


PEACH COBBLER
Old fashioned and just about perfect

4 generous cups (6 – 8 depending on the size) peeled, thickly sliced ripe peaches
½ cup* (100 g) + 3 Tbs (45 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (200 g) flour
1 Tbs baking powder
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup (75 g) sweet butter, chilled
1 egg lightly beaten
¼ cup (65 ml) milk


Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter a 2-quart (2-liter) glass or ceramic baking dish.

Arrange the peeled, thickly sliced peaches in the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with the ½ cup sugar, the lemon zest and juice, the vanilla and toss. Bake for 20 minutes until the peaches are tender, glazed and the juices are bubbling.

Before...

... after

While the peaches are baking, make the cobbler dough by sifting the flour, baking powder and salt together into a large mixing bowl and then tossing with 1 tablespoon of the remaining sugar. Feel free to stir in a dash of ground cinnamon if you like. Cube the butter and toss in the flour then rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal or damp sand. Whisk the egg into the milk then pour onto the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until well combined and has become a thick batter.


Remove the cooked peaches from the oven and, working quickly, drop the dough by very large even spoonfuls onto the peaches. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of the sugar evenly over the dough and return the dish to the oven to bake for 15 – 20 minutes until the dough is puffed up, firm and golden brown.


Serve warm – not hot hot as fresh-from-the-oven fruit juices may burn! – with freshly whipped, slightly sweetened cream or a scoop of your favorite ice cream.


Now, I must explain why I love this Peach Cobbler so, why it is our favorite. The fruit it perfectly sweetened, perfectly cooked. And don’t be afraid to toss a handful of raspberries or blackberries in with the peaches. Yum! But the cake part of the cobbler is tender, dense and just moist enough that it isn’t dry in the mouth (like other cobblers may be), the perfect texture, barely sweet like a simple drop biscuit or muffin, the ideal foil for the sweet, sweet fruit and perfect to sop up the juices with. Even after one or two days in the refrigerator, the “cobbles” are still tender and delicious, becoming neither hard nor dry in the cold. A fabulously easy, stunningly delicious Peach Cobbler.

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Το χάλι του Ελληνικού τουρισμού.

Το χάλι του Ελληνικού Τουρισμού

Όταν άκουω από χείλη κλαδικών ειδημόνων και πολιτειακών επαϊόντων δικαιολογίες για την πτωτική συνεχή πορεία επί 3ετία του Ελληνικού τουρισμού σε έσοδα και διανυκτερεύσεις κυριολεκτικά αγριεύω. Μετά την καταστροφή της αγροτιάς, το φευγιό της μεταποίησης και της ναυτιλίας, την παύση των δημοσίων έργων έρχεται η άνευ όρων παράδοση στους τουριστικούς αντιπάλους Κροατία, Κύπρο και Τουρκία.
Ενώ τα εκατομμύρια των τουριστών ολοχρονικής γεμίζουν Ρωμη, Παρίσι, Φλωρεντία και Βενετία, και οι χώρες τουριστικού προορισμού αυξάνουν την πίτα του προιόντος τους καλλιεργώντας δεκαετίες σοβαρές προσπάθειες εδώ μόνοι μας δυσφημούμε τον τόπο μας και σκάβουμε τον οικονομικό μας λάκκο. Βρώμικη Αθήνα με λογής γκέτο στο κέντρο, ανίκανοι 20 χρόνια να χειριστούμε ναρκομανείς και αστέγους, έλλειψη πρασίνου, δρόμων, φτηνών ακτοπλοϊκών και τέλος τουαλετών, οι περαστικοί από την χώρα μας μένουν να δυσφημήσουν την επιλογή τους.
Η περίοδος των παχιών αγελάδων 2005-7 έμεινε ανεκμετάλλευτη και ποιοτικής κατρακύλας. Επιδοτούμενα αστέρια ξενοδοχείων και πολιτιστικός μαρασμός ήρθαν κερασάκια στη εύκολα συγκρινόμενη ακρίβεια μας την εποχή του διαδικτύου. Τα 13 δις έσοδα πέφτουν στα 11 με τις καλύτερες προβλέψεις. Ο Έλληνας τουρίστας λοιδορείται και κάποια επί μέρους δραστηριότητα των τουρ οπεράιτορ και των κρουαζιερόπλοιων επειδή έχουν πρόσβαση στα ΜΜΕ υπερεκτιμάται.
Εμείς βλέπουμε τις δυο μέρες κλείσιμο του λιμανιού από το ΠΑΜΕ και αδυνατούμε να συλλάβουμε ότι από 15-7 έως 17-8 τα εισιτήρια ήταν πυρόλυση για να εξελιχθούν τα άλλο διάστημα απλά σε φωτιά. Ζητούν οι ξενοδόχοι διαφήμιση, ενώ αυτοί που το έκαναν στοχευόμενα σε Ρόδο και Κω κέρδισαν. Ζητάμε τον καλό Γιαπωνέζο, Ολλανδό Αμερικανό και Γερμανό τουρίστα ενώ οι δυσφημιστικές εκστρατείες για την πορεία της οικονομίας μας δίνουν και παίρνουν και όταν δίνουμε λεφτά για διαφήμιση δεν τα πληρώνουμε έγκαιρα ξεσηκώνοντας του διεθνείς νταβαντήδες στυλ ABC, CNN, Fox, Quardian, Spiegel, BBC,et..
Όλα ανεξέλεγκτα στον από μηχανής θεό της τραγωδίας μας όταν βρωμούν τα πράγματα από τα κεφάλια και προίσταται του ελληνικού τουρισμού πότε η φοροδιαφεύγουσα υπουργός και πότε ο ιδιαίτερος του κύριου Τίποτα που συνελήφθη στην τηλεοπτική εκπομπή του Μάκη να μην γνωρίζει αν το κεντρικό κτίριο του ΕΟΤ που εγκαταβιούσε ήταν ιδιόκτητο ή με προβληματικό νοίκι.........
Μόνοι παρήγοροι συνοριοφύλακες οι απανταχού ομογενείς Ελληνες, άλλος από την τοπική του κοινότητα με πολιτιστικές εκδηλώσεις, άλλος με φούρνο, άλλοι με εστιατόρια ελληνικής κουζίνας άλλοι από το μετερίζι της παρέας προβάλλουν την χώρα της ζεστασιάς, του ιδρώτα, της θαλπωρής και του φιλόξενου χαμόγελου.

30/8/2010 ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ.

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Autism In The New Brunswick Provincial Election, September 27, 2010?

The New Brunswick provincial election is just underway with  Election Day set for September 27, 2010.    Unofficial campaigning has been under way for several months although the official campaign start date was earlier this week and resulted in several complaints that candidates had jumped the gun in erecting election signs.  (For those from outside New Brunswick, a few shots I took  of the New Brunswick legislature follow).  There are five parties contesting the election including the governing Liberals and official opposition Progressive Conservative Party who traditionally take turns forming the government and official opposition. They are joined by the New Democratic Party which has a strong political heritage elsewhere in Canada but not in New Brunswick, the relatively new Green Party and the brand spanking new People's Alliance of New Brunswick born out of the ashes of the NB Power political firestorm that threatened to derail the current Liberal government.

So far I have been unable to locate any mention by any of the parties of autism issues or commitments.  It is still very, very early, and perhaps we will hear something about autism services from the parties. I do not make these comments in a negative way.  Both former Conservative Premier Bernard Lord and current Liberal Premier Shawn Graham have made very substantial improvements to autism services for pre-schoolers and students.  Several Ministers from both of these governments have demonstrated sincere and conscientious commitment to helping autistic children and I single out in particular former Conservative Tony Huntjens and Liberal Kelly Lamrock.  

In New Brunswick autism has been dealt with in a very bi-partisan manner and I am genuinely proud of our political leaders in dealing with autism issues;  all the more so since I traveled to Ontario as part of the Medicare for Autism team led by Jean Lewis and David Marley from British Columbia.  In  Toronto where I used to work and in Oakville, next door to my son Conor's birthplace in Burlington Ontario,  I met Ontario autism advocates like Barry Hudson, Norrah Whitney,  Stefan Marinoiu and Jennifer O'Brien all of whom have been fighting hard against the bureaucratic stonewalling and  denial of autism services and treatment of  Ontario Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty's government. 

Although I am proud of what New Brunswick governments have done for provision of autism services for pre-schoolers and students with autism disorders over the past 10 years I can not say the same about services for autistic adults. New Brunswick has long been in serious need of an autism specific residential care and treatment system for adults with autism. I have been part of several presentations that have been made in writing and in meetings at which concerns were pressed.  In particular the need for better regulated group homes with autism trained personnel and more attention to recreational and dietary needs has been expressed. Further it is clear that a center or village capable of serving the most severely affected by autism is needed in place of the psychiatric hospital in Campbellton.

I have met the professionals who operate the Campbellton hospital. They impressed me as dedicated and caring people who are doing the best they can to deal with a challenging situation and a questionable mandate of returning severely affected autistic adults to the community based group homes around the province. It is imperative that an autism specific facility be located in Fredericton, with its central location, and its proximity to the autism expertise available at UNB, UNB-CEL, the Stan Cassidy Center and the Board Certified Behavior Analysts that the Department of Education has brought in to replace the UNB-CEL as the primary training resource for teacher assistants working with autistic children. It makes no sense to locate an autism specific facility away from Fredericton and the autism expertise that has been built here over the past decade.  Fredericton also offers natural environments which could provide invaluable recreational opportunities for autistic adults including the incredible trails, O'Dell Park and Killarney Lake.

Whatever the next government decides to do with respect to provision of modernized autism residential care and treatment for adults the current situation will not suffice. At the start of this political campaign nothing has been said about such autism services. Hopefully that will change before September 27, 2010.

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Texas Big Hairs Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Tarts

This week's Project Pastry Queen (PPQ) challenge are the Texas Big Hairs Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Tarts, chosen by me, here at What's Cookin, Chicago!. I chose this recipe because working with meringues is something I don't do often and this looked like a great recipe involving chocolate and hazelnuts. Besides, the title and presentation of these tarts are just too fun to pass up!...

When it comes to baking, cookies, cakes, brownies and bars are usually in my repertoire... not so much pastries. So when it was my turn to decide the Project Pastry Queen baking challenge this week, I wanted to step outside of my usual baking choices. These Texas Big Hairs Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Tarts start out with a simple tart dough made with toasted hazelnuts, butter, powdered sugar, flour and Frangelico liqueur. If you ask me, anything with a little liqueur has to be good, right?!

After making the tart crust, it's filled with a rich and silky chocolate ganache. What's special about this ganache is that it's made with a vanilla bean, not the usual vanilla extract. If you can't get a vanilla bean, a great substitution is vanilla paste, which I used for the recipe. The ganache is placed into each tart crust and allowed to set. When I made these tarts, I added a few chopped hazelnuts into the tart crust before covering with the chocolate ganache for extra hazelnut flavor and texture.

Lastly, the meringue part of this recipe is the key to the tart's beautiful presentation. Egg whites and sugar are whisked over low heat and then whisked more in a stand mixer until stiff and shiny. The proper texture of the whisked meringues is key in order for the 'Texas Big Hairs' to really form properly. It's a little messy to work with since it's encouraged to use your fingertips to create the beautiful meringue peaks, but it's also a lot of fun and worth it!

Texas Big Hairs Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Tarts
recipe from The Pastry Queen: Rebecca Rather

Crust:
1/3 cup hazelnuts
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature + more for greasing pans
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons Frangelico liqueur
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup all purpose flour

Ganache:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Meringue:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar


To make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With your fingers, butter four 4 3/8-inch, 1-cup capacity tartlet pans, using about 1 generous tablespoon softened unsalted butter total.

Arrange the hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast them in the oven for 7-9 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic. (Alternatively, you can place them in a dry nonstick skillet and toast the hazelnuts on the stovetop.) Immediately gather the nuts in a kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove the skins. Chop the nuts and set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix iin the Frangelico liqueur and salt. Gradually add the flour and combine on low speed until just incorporated. Add the hazelnuts and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, divide into 4 equal portions, and press into the prepared pans, making sure the dough comes up to the top edge of the pans.

Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes on racks. (Don't worry fi the tart bottoms look wrinkly.) At this point, the crusts can be cooled and stored in airtight containers for up to 2 days.


To make the ganache:
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the cream, butter, salt and vanilla bean. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and take out the vanilla beak halves. Using a paring knife, scrape out the vanilla pad's tiny black beans and add them to the cream mixture. Put the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Spoon the ganache into the tart shells, dividing it evenly among them. Refrigerate the tarts at least 30 minutes, r until the ganache is set.


To make the meringue:
Set a large, perfectly clean metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. (I used the bowl of my stand mixer.) Pour in the egg whits and sugar. (Note: if there is a trace of fat in the bowl, the eggs won't reach their proper volume.) Heat the egg whites and sugar while whisking constantly until the sugar melts and there are no visible grains in the meringue. Take a little meringue mixture and rub it between your fingers to make sure all the sugar grains have melted and dissolved. Remove the meringue from over the simmering water and ship it with a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on low speed for 5 minutes; then increase the speed to high and whisk for 5 more minutes, until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler. Pile the meringue on top of the cooled tarts, being sure to seal each tart by spreading teh meringue to the edge of the pan. Style the meringe with your fingers by plucking at it to tease the meringue into jagged spikes. (For those who don't like the hands on approach, shape the meringue with the back of a spoon.)

Broil the tarts until the meringue turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Watch the tarts carefully, as they can turn from browned to burned in a matter of seconds. (If you are using a kitchen torch, hold it 2-3 inches away from the meringue until it is browned all over.) The tarts should be served the day they are assembled.

It was a lot of fun selecting and preparing this week's PPQ baking challenge. Hopefully others who tried this recipe enjoyed it as much as we did. Be sure to take a peek at fellow PPQer's to see how their recipe came out!

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No-bake Nut Butter Energy Bars

So this was my first attempt at homemade granola bars and I wasn’t even really sure what I was going for.  I guess now I know a little bit more clearly what I want and what I don’t want.  These are good.  I mean really, really good but I would almost hesitate to even call them granola bars.  Maybe I would call them peanut butter and oatmeal bars?

I think next time I would toast the oatmeal with the nuts in the oven for a bit.  Maybe use some crisped rice and less sugar?  Hard to really tell which way I am going to go but I bet the kiddos will love this first try anyway!

No-bake Nut Butter Energy Bars (adapted from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange blossom honey (or agave nectar)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1-1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
3 cups oatmeal
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
1/2 dried cherries (briefly rehydrated in hot water), chopped (can use any dried fruit you like)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 unsalted sunflower seeds

Directions:

Warm the honey, butter, olive oil, and peanut butter in a saucepan until ingredients are soft enough to combine easily when mixed.  remove from heat.

Add oatmeal and protein powder and mix well  Then, add dried fruits, almonds and seeds.  Mix well.

Press into 9-inch square pan.  Let cool in fridge and cut into squares.

***These are good.  Really, really good but not very diet friendly!  Based on cutting the 9-inch pan into little squares and ending up with about 29 of them it is still 4 WW points.  I think you can eliminate the olive oil and butter and that would help but still didn’t decrease the overall points.  The peanut butter just is too much.  Maybe use less peanut butter and add some whole wheat flour?  Need to play around with this a bit…

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Chicken Pot Pie Penne

Fall is just around the corner and I've been anxious to cook up some fall favorites. Even though it's still a little too early for all the comforting fall dishes, I came up with a little fall teaser recipe. This Chicken Pot Pie Penne combines the deliciousness of a classic chicken pot pie with pasta for a nice casserole any time of year. Get a taste of fall now!...

With the end of August practically here, I'm ready for fall to come! Chicken Pot Pie is a comfort food in our house, especially when the fall weather comes around. Just thinking about tender pieces of chicken breast floating around in a silky sauce with mushrooms, peas and carrots, all covered in a buttery and flaky crust makes me even more anxious. Since I can't speed up time, I figured I could take all the delicious parts of a chicken pot pie and incorporate them into a meal somehow. Pasta is always a great ingredient to build flavors upon and as a result, this Chicken Pot Pie Penne came about. By preparing a simple chicken pot pie filling on the stovetop and combining it with whole wheat penne pasta, I had myself a delicious taste of fall that I can enjoy any time of year!

Chicken Pot Pie Penne
original Joelen recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup half & half or heavy cream
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded into bite sized pieces
1 cup frozen peas & carrots mix
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1-2 cups whole wheat dry penne pasta (or any penne pasta will do)
water for boiling pasta

Cook the pasta according to package directions. When done, place hot penne pasta in a large bowl and set aside.

Melt the better (or oil if using) in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook onion, garlic and mushrooms in the skillet until golden brown.

Sprinkle in the flour over the mushroom mixture in the skillet and stir. Cook for a few seconds to rid the floury smell then add the broth, half & half (or heavy cream) to the skillet. Deglaze the skillet, scraping up any bits of fond at the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered until the liquid is slightly thickened.

Add the chicken, frozen peas and carrots mix, lemon juice, and thyme to the skillet. Cook until heated through and season with salt & pepper to taste. Place the hot penne pasta into the skillet and toss to combine.  Add the cooked penne pasta and toss to coat pasta. Serve hot.

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The Joy of Conor and the Natural Beauty of Fredericton on a Perfect August Morning

Today was an absolutely perfect August morning. Mom, Dad and Conor headed out early with the moon still in the sky to get some groceries. We walked the North Riverfront Trail in Fredericton, part of the New Brunswick Trails system, and enjoyed Conor's company and Fredericton's natural beauty along the way. There was no autism on our minds, just the joy of each moment with Conor,   as we made our way along the trail.  Conor  occasionally hit a quicker stride jumping in the air as he went. At our Superstore grocery destination Conor pitched in to help with the shopping and helped carry the groceries  home. A perfect August morning. 

 

 

 

 

  

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Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ham & cheese is a favorite sandwich filling, which many kids are enjoying these days at the start of the new school season. It happens to be my favorite too and the best ham & cheese sandwich I've ever had was on the streets of Paris. Nothing beats slightly salty jambon (ham), along with smooth, buttery emmenthaler cheese tucked into a warm, toasty baguette that has been kissed with a touch of Dijon mustard and European butter. Heaven. Well, imagine the same components of this French ham and cheese sandwich paired with a juicy chicken breast. That, my friends, is what's best known as Chicken Cordon Bleu. It can be time consuming to prepare a traditional Chicken Cordon Bleu, but this simplified Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu is one that's quick to make and just as delicious...

Chicken Cordon Bleu may seem like a fancy dish since traditionally, it consists of ham and Swiss cheese stuffed into a chicken breast, which is then coated and baked. Preparing it can be time consuming and messy. But this recipe avoids all that. Instead of stuffing these ingredients in the chicken breast, they are laid on top and baked. Boneless, skinless chicken breast is seasoned and browned before placing in a baking dish. Each chicken breast is brushed with Dijon mustard before slices of ham and Swiss cheese (preferably Gruyere or Emmenthaler) is laid on top. For that crunchy coating, crushed butter crackers are sprinkled over the adorned chicken. To finish off the dish, a creamy white wine and tarragon cream sauce is made and everything bakes up to perfection. I served this over a bed of baby spinach and portobello wild rice pilaf.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
recipe from America's Test Kitchen

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
fresh tarragon
8 slices deli ham
1 cup shredded or thinly sliced Gruyere, Emmenthaler or deli Swiss cheese
16 butter crackers (Ritz), crushed coarsely


Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and heat over to 475 degees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt & pepper to your tastes. Heat oil in a large skillet (such as a cast iron one) over medium high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a 13x9 baking dish.

Add cream, wine, 2 teaspoons of mustard, and tarragon to the now empty skillet. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper to your tastes and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, spread the remaining mustard over each browned chicken breast, lay 2 slice of ham on top and mound over each breast 1/4 cup of shredded cheese or a few slices of cheese. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the cheese, pressing to adhere. Pour the pan sauce around the chicken without disturbing the crumbs. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken registers to 160 degrees, about 15 minutes.

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Dark Chocolate and Bacon (yes, bacon) Cupcakes

I have so many things that I have made and kept meaning to post.  You know like the perfect popsicle, or salad and then you get distracted by a play date by the pool, or a trip to the beach, or a lengthy vacation?  Well that’s exactly how my summer went. 

So better late then never here are some cupcakes that I made for Tony’s birthday by special request.  I won’t even tell you when his birthday was but I will tell you that he loved these things!  For me it was really the novelty of it and I really didn’t like the smokiness with the chocolate but truth be told I am not a huge smoky flavor lover.  Really none of that mattered anyway.  It was his birthday and these are what he wanted…

Dark Chocolate and Bacon Cupcakes (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 12 slices bacon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cold, strong, brewed coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, buttermilk and oil. Stir just until blended. Mix in 3/4 of the bacon, reserving the rest for garnish. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting and sprinkle reserved bacon crumbles on top. Dust with additional cocoa powder.

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PEACH MELBA MY WAY

Brown Butter Pound Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramelized Peaches & Chocolate Almond Ganache

My dad bought us an ice cream maker when I was in grade school. I have only vague memories of us sitting on the driveway in front of the house, churning ice cream. I don’t remember much about the ice cream itself; there may have been vanilla and peach, maybe strawberry. But I do remember the chocolate ice cream that came out of that maker. The flavor haunts me to this day, and, like a Pavlovian reflex, just pulling up the memory makes my mouth water. Maybe it was the rock salt that we had to pack around the central canister, but the chocolate ice cream, light and icy, had a salty undertone that I simply loved! I had always been a kid intrigued by unusual flavors and flavor combinations, eating peanut butter and bologna sandwiches, for example, so the hint of salt in the chocolate ice cream was the best thing that I’ve ever tasted!


JP and I went to Florida for six months after Clem was born and stayed with my mom. A bumpy ride it was; newly marrieds with new baby staying with family is rarely a very pretty sight, but we made some wonderful culinary discoveries – Paul Prudhomme and Cajun cuisine, for one – and brought back some wonderful kitchen tools. We had splurged, as poor as we were, on a small Donvier ice cream maker. We absolutely fell in love with this baby! The small silver canister sits in the freezer until you are ready to make your ice cream. Then pop the canister into the plastic container, screw on the lid and churn. By hand. We loved having dinner guests over, serving them a spicy Shrimp Creole or spicy breaded veal cutlet à la Prudhomme then whipping out our small hand-crank ice cream maker filled with coffee or chocolate cream and watching jaws drop or curiosity splash across astonished faces. We would all take turns gleefully grinding the handle, passing the Donvier around the table until the ice cream was ready to serve. On top of homemade cake, of course, in chocolate or lemon or a good old fashioned quatre-quarts.


Which brings me to this month’s Daring Baker challenge. Now, this month has been more than hectic here in Crazy Junction. After a lazy month in Florida, we have been having a hard time catching up and getting back into the swing of things. I had only posted twice on my blog and once on Huffington Post during those four weeks away so the fingers were itching to clatter across the keyboard, yet the brain seems to still be on vacation or shrunken dramatically from the Florida heat and hours upon hours of mindless TV. I have so many pages open on my computer screen, bits and pieces of stories, thoughts and ideas waiting to be filled in as I root around in the closets and drawers looking high and low for my blogging mojo. And August is a slow month at the office so JP takes just a tad longer with me at lunch and is home earlier in the evening, dashing from room to room, teasing me to follow him, making me laugh with his silly jokes, imitations and antics. “Come away from the computer,” he booms as his expression goes from smirk to iron eye. So his playtime becomes mine and two or five more posts get sidelined again. But August is such a wonderful time; the apartment is comfortable, the peaches and plums are out in abundance at the market, our favorite pizzeria is open for business and the streets are practically empty. Heaven!

For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa of 17 and Baking was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make Brown Butter Pound Cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop. The challenge comprised many parts and many options. I made the Brown Butter Pound Cake, a recipe from Gourmet, and Vanilla Ice Cream, a recipe adopted from David’s book. I used my own recipe for Chocolate Ganache using Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate with Grilled Almonds and a splash of Amaretto. Since we are at the height of peach season and since I love them so and because I felt that this dessert needed something fruity to offset the vanilla cake and ice cream and offer a wonderful contrast to the dark chocolate drizzle, I caramelized peaches and raspberries in a dot of butter, a dusting of brown sugar and yet another splash of Amaretto. And I came up with an elegant, layered treat, smooth and creamy, cool and fruity. I also created my take on the Peach Melba: chunks of the Brown Butter Cake topped with a smooth, creamy scoop of perfect vanilla ice cream, topped with the caramelized peaches and raspberries then drizzled with the chocolate ganache and finished off with slivered almonds. Divine! Sweet and creamy, wonderfully fruity and all brought together in the loving embrace of a smooth, warm chocolate sauce.


I will also be sending my Peach Melba to Elissa for Sugar High Fridays, of course!

What does Comfort Food mean to you? My latest article on Huffington Post Food analyzes the whys and the hows. And offers you the recipe of one comfort food that I turn to in times of trouble and woe.

PEACH MELBA MY WAY – or -

BROWN BUTTER CAKE & VANILLA ICE CREAM TOPPED WITH CARAMELIZED PEACHES & RASPBERRIES & CHOCOLATE ALMOND GANACHE

Vanilla Ice Cream
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
A pinch of salt
3/4 cup (165 g) sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise OR 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
2 cups (500 ml) heavy (approx 35% butterfat) cream
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan until the liquid steams. Scrape out the seeds of the vanilla bean with a paring knife and add to the milk, along with the bean pod. Cover, remove from heat, and let infuse for an hour. (If you do not have a vanilla bean, simply heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan until the liquid steams, then let cool to room temperature.)

Set up an ice bath by placing a 2-quart (2 litre) bowl inside a large bowl partially filled with water and ice. Put a strainer on top of the smaller bowl and pour in the cream. (I did not have an ice bath)

In another bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks together. Reheat the milk in the medium saucepan until warmed, and then gradually pour ¼ cup warmed milk into the yolks, constantly whisking to keep the eggs from scrambling. Once the yolks are warmed, scrape the yolk and milk mixture back into the saucepan of warmed milk and cook over low heat. Stir constantly and scrape the bottom with a spatula until the mixture thickens into a custard which thinly coats the back of the spatula.

Strain the custard into the heavy cream and stir the mixture until cooled. Add the vanilla extract (1 tsp if you are using a vanilla bean; 3 teaspoons if you are not using a vanilla bean) and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

Once the mixture was cool enough, I poured it into a large plastic container and placed it in the freezer overnight.

Brown Butter Pound Cake
19 Tbs (275 g) unsalted (sweet) butter
2 cups (200 g) sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup (75 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C and put a rack in the center. Butter, line with parchment and flour a 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) square pan or an equivalent round pan.

Place the butter in a 10-inch (25cm) skillet over medium heat. Brown the butter until the milk solids are a dark chocolate brown and the butter smells nutty. (Don’t take your eyes off the butter in case it burns.) The butter will sizzle loudly for quite some time and it will begin turning brown when the sizzling stops. Pour into a shallow bowl and chill in the freezer until just congealed, 15-30 minutes.

Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat the brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined and then the vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture to the batter, blending on low speed until just combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula and rap the pan on the counter. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 - 30 minutes.

Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge and invert right side up onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

2.6 oz (75 g) good quality dark chocolate (I used Lindt Excellence semi-sweet with Grilled Almonds)
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
2 tsps (10 g) unsalted butter
1 Tbs Amaretto

Coarsely chop the chocolate and place in a small heatproof bowl. Bring the butter and cream just to the boil to scald in a small saucepan. Pour the hot liquid over the chocolate and gently stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is combined and smooth. Continue to give the ganache an occasional, hearty stir with the spatula as it cools to room temperature and thickens a bit. You do not want this too warm or the ice cream will melt to quickly and you want it just thick enough that it stays on top of your dessert and doesn’t simply run off and puddle on the plate, bringing fruit and ice cream with it!

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