Toffee Crunch Pretzel Rods

Our dear friends, Megan and Matt, hosted a lovely baptism and reception for their handsome son, Will. For the reception, Megan asked if I could make some edible favors for her guests, which I was so happy to do. I'm a fan of chocolate covered pretzel rods and for the favors, I jazzed them up with some toffee bits to make Toffee Crunch Pretzel Rods. They were a hit and so simple to make...


Chocolate Covered Pretzel rods are probably the top selling edible favor I have with my clients. They can be made with an array of colored chocolate to match the party's theme colors and wrapping them up makes for a nice presentation too. Besides, who can resist the combination of sweet and salty, along with creamy and crunchy? For the Toffee Crunch Pretzel Rods, I used Ghirardelli candy making chocolate to coat the preztels and sprinkled on Heath Toffee Bits. The pretzel rods I used were the Snyder's brand, which I purchased from our local Walmart... but can be found at most supermarkets. For the packaging, I used Wilton's pretzel rod bags, which I purchased from Michael's craft stores.

Toffee Crunch Pretzel Rods
makes 50 pieces

2 packages thick pretzel rods
1 pound dark melting chocolate
1/2 cup Heath Toffee Bits
pretzel bags and ribbon for packaging


Place a sheet of parchment paper over a flat surface so that you have a place for your pretzels to dry.

Melt the chocolate per directions and place in a coffee mug. Place pretzel rod inside the coffee mug and with a spoon, pour chocolate over one end pretzel to cover about 2/3 of the rod. Place chocolate covered pretzel on the parchment paper to dry.

While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle toffee bits over the pretzel and allow to dry and harden. Package when pretzel is completely dry.

Although Megan only requested favors, I couldn't just stop there. I made some Mini Yellow and Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes and a batch of Cannoli Cupcakes to add to their dessert table as well.

Here are pictures of the baptism and reception - it was a wonderful blessing and great time with Megan and Matt's friends and family!

Read more »

Yellow & Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes

Now that I'm a mom, I've grown to love childrens' birthdays more and more. Over the weekend, my friend Andrea threw a wonderful birthday 2nd party for her handsome son, Evan, and asked me to make some cupcakes for the celebration. The party had a cute Mickey Mouse theme so I kept it simple by making buttery Yellow Sour Cream Cupcakes and Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes... with a secret ingredient to keeping them moist...


When it comes to kids, I've learned that they love the simple flavors when it comes to cupcakes. After consulting with my 9 year old nephew (a self-proclaimed kiddie cupcake connoisseur), he told me to make both yellow and chocolate cupcakes. And that I did.  However,I couldn't just whip up any regular old yellow and chocolate cupcakes though. Instead, I added some sour cream to each batter which really made the cupcakes moist without adding any additional flavor. For the frosting, I made a classic vanilla bean buttercream.

Yellow Sour Cream Cupcakes
recipe from Cupcakery

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Line cupcake pans or spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment or beaters, beat the eggs and sugar until they are thickened and lightened to a cream color. Beat for about 2 minutes on medium high speed. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl while your mixing. Blend in the oil and vanilla. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain.

Mix in the flour mixture alternating with the milk until it is incorporated and the batter is smooth. Spoon batter into cupcake cups. Bake 20 - 23 minutes or until the cupcakes are lightly brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack for 30 minutes before frosting.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes
recipe from Daydreamer Desserts

1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water


Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Line cupcake pans or spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.

In a double broiler melt the unsweetened and semisweet chocolate. Stir until chocolate has melted and is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until fluffy, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary. Reduce speed to low, and carefully pour in the melted chocolate just until combined. Add the eggs one at a time being careful not to over beat but making sure the eggs have blended into the batter.

On medium speed, add the vanilla and instant espresso beat until creamy for about a minute. Mix in the sour cream until it has been incorporated well and no visible white streaks remain.

On low speed, add half of the flour, mix until just incorporated, and mix in the water. Finally add in remaining flour and mix until it is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

Fill each liner with 1/3 cup of the batter. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until the tops feel firm and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack for 30 minutes before frosting.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (10 ounces)
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Using a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter and beat mixture at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds.

Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 20 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Pipe the filling into a pastry bag and frost the filled cupcakes as desired.

Read more »

Poaching 101: Poached Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Poaching is one cooking method I don't really do very often. Although, after learning more about this technique in class, I may have to play around with more poaching recipes in the future! I learned that poaching is a little more involved than I once thought. This technique can really make a wonderful chicken dish if done properly. To apply what we've learned about poaching and simmering, we prepared this recipe for Poached Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce...


Here are some notes on Poaching and Simmering:

The moist heat cooking methods most often used with poultry are poaching and simmering. Poaching is used to cook tender birds for short periods. Simmering is used to cook older, tougher birds for longer periods in order to tenderize them. Poaching and simmering are similar procedures, the principal differences being the temperature of the cooking liquid and the length of cooking time.

Poached or simmered poultry should be moist, tender and delicately flavored. Although the poultry is cooked in water, overcooking will cause it to become dry and tough. During cooking, some of the poultry's flavor is transferred to the cookin liquid, which can be used to make a sauce for the finished product.

Selecting Poultry to Poach or Simmer

Young birds are best suited for poaching; boneless chicken breast pieces are the most commonly used parts. Older, tougher birds are usually simmered. Duck and geese are rarely poached or simmered because of their high fat content.

Seasoning Poultry to Be Poached or Simmered

When poaching poultry, it is especially important to use a well-seasoned and highly flavored liquid in order to infuse as much flavor as possible into the item being cooked. Either strong stock with a sachet or a mixture of stock or water and white wine with abouquet garni or onion piquet produces good results. The poultry should be completed covered with liquid so that it cooks evenly. However, if too much liquid is used and it isn't strongly flavored, flavors may be leached out of the poultry, resulting in a bland finished product.

Poultry is often simmered in water instead of stock. A sachet and a generous mirepoix should be added to help flavor it. Typically, simmering birds results in a strong broth that may be used to complete the recipe or reserved for other uses.

Cooking Temperatures

For best results, poultry should be poached at low temperatures, between 160 and 175 degrees. Cooking poultry to the proper doneness at these temperatures produces a product that is moist and tender. Simmering is done at slightly higher temperatures, between 185 and the boiling point. When simmering, do not allow the liquid to boil, as this may result in a dry, tough and stringy finished product.

Determining Doneness

Poached poultry, whether whole or boneless, is cooked just until done. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh or thicker part of the bird should read 164. Any juices that run from the bird should be clear or show only a trace of pink. Simmered poultry is usually cooked for longer periods to allow the moist heat to tenderize the meat.

Accompaniments to Poached or Simmered Poultry

Poached or simmered poultry can be served hot or cold. The meat from these birds can be served cold in salads, served hot in casseroles or used in any dish that calls for cooked poultry.

Poached items are typically served with a flavored mayonnaise or a sauce made from the reduced poaching liquid, such as a sauce supreme. Poultry is also often poached as a means of producing a low calorie dish. If so, a vegetable coulis makes a good sauce, or the poultry can be served with a portion of its cooking liquid and a vegetable garnish.

Simmered poultry to be served cold will be moister and more flavorful if it is cooled in its cooking liquid. To do so, remove the pot containing teh bird and the cooking liquid from the heat when the bird is still slightly undercooked. Cool the meat and broth in a water bath. Once cooled, remove the meat and wipe off any congealed broth before proceeding with the recipe.

Procedure for Poaching or Simmering Poultry

• Cut or truss the item to be cooked as directed in the recipe.
• Prepare the cooking liquid and bring it to a simmer. Submerge teh poultry in the cooking liquid, or arrage the items to be poached in an appropriate pan and add the poaching liquid to the pan.
• Poach or simmer the item to teh desired doneness in the oven or on the stove top. Maintain the proper cooking temperature throughout the process.
• Remove the poultry and hold it for service in a portion of the cooking liquid or, using an ice bath, cool the item in its cooking liquid.
• The cooking liquid may be used to prepare an accompanying sauce or reserved for use in other dishes.

Poached Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce

4 whole chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2-3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine
1 pint chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
fresh tarragon springs for garnish

Trim any rib meat and fat from the breasts. Cut the breasts into two pieces, removing the strip of cartilage that joins the halves. Select a pan that will just hold the breasts when they are placed close together. Rub the pan with half of the butter. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and arrange them in the buttered pan, presentation side up. Add the wine, stock, bay leaf, thyme and dried tarragon.

Cut and butter a piece of parchment paper and cover the chicken breasts. Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce the temperature to poach the chicken.

Make a blond roux with 1 ounce of butter and flour; set aside to cool. When the breasts are done, remove them from the liquid. Thicken the liquid with the roux. Add the cream. Simmer and reduce to the desired consistency.

Strain the sauce through cheesecloth and adjust the seasonings.

Serve each half breast napped with approximately 2 fluid ounces of sauce, garnish each portion with a spring of fresh tarragon.

Read more »

Braising 101: Coq au Vin

We're getting into some more in depth techniques in class and I'll be highlighting the recipes we've made to demonstrate techniques we've learned. This week we learned more about braising and stewing poultry. One dish that applies techniques we've learned about is Coq au Vin. It's a classic French dish in which chicken is braised in wine...


Here are some notes on braising:

Braised or stewed poultry should be moist and fork tender. The poultry is always served with teh liquid in which it was cooked. Ducks and geese are braised or stewed in much the same way as red meats. Coq au vin is an example of braised or stewed chicken dish.

Selecting Poultry to Braise or Stew

Braising and stewing, being slow, moist cooking processes, are often thought of as a means to tenderize tough meats. Although they can be used to tenderize older, tougher birds, these cooking meathos are more often selected as a means of adding moisture and flavor to poultry that is inherently tender, such as young ducks and chickens. Typically, the birds are disjointed and cooked bone-in, just until done, so that they retain their juiciness.

Seasoning Poultry to be Braised or Stewed

Braised or stewed items obtain much of their flavor from the cooking liquid and other ingredients added during the cooking process. The main item and the cooking liquid should be well seasoned. If other seasonings such as an onion, sachet, bouquet garni or dried herbs and spices are required, they should be added at the beginning of the cooking process rather than the end. This allows the flavors to blend and penetrate the larger pieces of poultry. If the poultry is dredged in flour before browning, seasonings may be added directly to the flour. As with all dishes using combination cooking methods, the finished dish should have the flavor of the poultry in the sauce and the moisture and flavor of the sauce in the poultry.

Cooking Temperatures

Some recipes, such as coq au vin, require the main item to be thoroughly browned during the initial stages, where as some other recipes do not. In either case, after the liquid is added, it is important to maintain a slow simmer rather than a rapid boil. This can be done on the stove top or in the oven. Low temperatures control the cooking and produce a tender, juice finished product.

Determining Doneness

Tenderness is teh key to determining doneness. It can be determined by inserting a kitchen fork into the poultry. There should be little resistance and teh poulgrt should freely fall off the fork. The pieces should retain their shape, however; if they fall apart, they are overdone. Small boneless pieces can be tested by cutting into them with a fork.

Accompaniments to Braised and Stewed Poultry

All braises and stews are cooked in a liquid that results in a sauce or broth sefved as part of the finished dish. Rice, pasta, and boiled potatoes are natural accompaniments to almost any braised or stewed dish, as are boiled vegetables.

Procedure for Braising or Stewing Poultry

• Sear the main item in butter or oil, developing color as desired.
• Add vegetables and other ingredients as called for in teh recipe and sauté
• Add flour or roux if if used.
• Add the appropriate liquid.
• Cover and simmer on the stove top or in the oven until done.
• Add seasonings and garnishes at the appropriate times during the cooking process.
• Finish the dish by adding cream or a liason to the sauce or by adjusting the consistency. Adjust the seasonings.
• Serve a portion of the poultry with the sauce and appropriate garnish.

Coq au Vin

2-3 pounds frying chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
flour as needed for dredging
salt & pepper to taste
4 tablespoons clarified butter
1/4 cup brandy
Bouquet Garni:
- 1 4 inch carrot stick
- 1 4 inch leek, split & cleaned
- 1 spring fresh thyme
- bay leaf
6 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed
3 cups red wine
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup bacon lardons
18 pearl onions
10 white button mushrooms, quarted
Beurre manié as needed *

*A beurre manié is a dough, consisting of equal parts of soft butter and flour, used to thicken soups and sauces. By kneading the flour and butter together, the flour particles are coated in butter. When the beurre manié is whisked into a hot or warm liquid, the butter melts, releasing the flour particles without creating lumps.

Mise en place

Cut each chicken into eight pieces and dredge in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.

Heat the clarified butter in as 12 inch braiser; brown the chicken in two or three batches.

Add the brandy and ignite. When the flame dies, add the bouquet garni, garlic wine and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is tender, approximately 40 minutes.

In a separate pan, sauté the bacon until the fat begins to render. Add teh onions and sauté until they begin to brown. Cook the bacon and onions covered, over low heat, until the onions are tender. Add the mushrooms and cooking them until tender.

Remove the chicken from the pan and adjust the sauce's consistency with the beurre manié. Strain the sauce through a china cap and adjust the seasonings.

Spoon the bacon, onions and mushrooms onto a serving platter, place the chicken over them and ladle the sauce over the finished dish.

Read more »

Cannoli Cupcakes

Just shy of a year ago, I took a long weekend trip with girlfriends to Boston. There, I fell in love with the North End neighborhood which highlighted Italian cuisine and culture. I thought about that trip the other day and that's when I was inspired to make an Italian inspired dessert. While on my trip, I indulged in so many sweets but one that is synonymous with Italian cuisine is the famous cannoli. I wasn't feeling quite that ambitious to make authentic cannoli so instead, I made Cannoli Cupcakes!

If you've never had a cannoli, I highly recommend you try one the next time you have the opportunity. These crispy, pastry tubes are filled with a sweet ricotta cheese mixture kissed with a little Marsala wine that often also includes citrus peels, chocolate chips, chopped pistachios and even a maraschino cherry to put them over the top. In applying the flavors of a cannoli into a cupcake, I was fortunate enough to come across Sugarcrafter's blog where she made a recipe for cannoli cupcakes.

Her recipe involved adding Marsala wine, orange zest and chocolate to the cake batter and frosting these cupcakes with a cannoli filling. I adapted her recipe where I omitted the chocolate from the batter and instead of using the cannoli filling as frosting, I filled the center of each cupcake with it. As for the frosting, I made a traditional vanilla buttercream and garnished with pistachios. So if you can't get to a cannoli fast enough, these cannoli cupcakes are the next best thing! Mangia!

Cannoli Cupcakes
recipe adapted from Sugarcrafter

Cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon Marsala wine
1 cup milk
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two muffin pans with cupcake wrappers; set aside.

Combine all of the dry cake ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a different, larger bowl, mix together the butter, eggs, vanilla, Marsala wine, and milk. Add in the ricotta cheese, orange zest, and powdered sugar to the wet ingredients and then add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.

Pour the batter into cupcake liners, 24 in total. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin pans to a cooling rack. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the cannoli filling.

Cannoli filling:

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon zest of one orange

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, chopped fine

To make the cannoli filling, stir together the ricotta cheese and confectioners' sugar using a spoon. Fold in the orange zest and chopped chocolate.

When the cupcakes are cool, cut out the middles of each cupcake and using a pastry bag, pipe the cannoli filling into each cupcake, about 1 heaping tablespoon. After all the cupcakes have been filled, make the buttercream frosting.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (10 ounces)
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 cup pistachios, chopped for garnish

In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Using a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter and beat mixture at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds.

Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 20 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Pipe the filling into a pastry bag and frost the filled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with chopped pistachios.

* If not serving right away, store chilled since the filling involves ricotta cheese. These cupcakes will hold at room temp for up to 4 hours safely.

Read more »

Alward Transition Team Member Gordon Porter's Policies Harmed & Discriminated Against NB Children With Autism

"You people should be thankful for what you have"

The preceding statement was made by David Alward transition team member  Gordon Porter an Order of Canada recipient, former chair of the NB Human Rights Commission and godfather of New Brunswick's extremist "everyone must be educated in  the mainstream classroom" model of inclusive education, speaking to Autism Society New Brunswick representatives Dawn Bowie, a registered nurse, and mother of a son with autism and me, Harold Doherty a lawyer and father of a son with autism during the Wayne MacKay inclusive education review several years ago.  Mr. Porter was visibly angry with me, and with autism rep Dawn Bowie during a session of the review where we tried to inform him, and others present, that parental experience and research did not support his vision that all children benefit from mainstream classroom inclusion as a place of instruction.  He was upset that we were questioning the  extreme inclusive education model that he introduced in New Brunswick schools decades earlier and he dismissed anything we had to say.  He was contemptuous of our experience, our knowledge and any contribution we had to make. He did not want to hear that his extreme everyone in the mainstream classroom model is not appropriate for all autistic children. Dr. Goron Porter dismissed our contributions with the words "you people should be thankful for what you have".

We tried to tell Gordon Porter, and others during the MacKay  review,  about different ways of learning and different methods of teaching autistic children than those employed in the mainstream classroom. We tried to tell him that autism is a spectrum disorder, that some children with autism will in fact thrive in the mainstream classroom, others can benefit from the mainstream classroom for parts of their day and that for others the mainstream classroom is not appropriate at all and can even cause harm.  Gordon Porter .... and  Jody Carr's wife Krista Carr  ... who was present during the review as  a disability representative did not want to hear what we had to  say.

I tried to tell Gordon Porter, Krista Carr, and other mainstream classroom extremists, about my son's experience with the mainstream classroom for his first year of school when he would come home every day with self inflicted bite marks on his hands and wrists, that the biting occurred as a result of Conor being ovewhelmed by the mainstream classroom environment by the instruction he did not understand. I tried to tell them that the biting was reduced dramatically, almost entirely, when Conor was removed to a separate so called segregated area of the school for his instruction joining other students in common areas when appropriate for  Conor

 Mr. Porter introduced in New Brunswick's education system  an extreme version of inclusive education which insists that ALL children must receive their education in the mainstream classroom with their chronological peers.  It is based on the philosophical belief that all children regardless of ability or disability benefit from placement in the mainstream classroom.  It is NOT an evidence based approach to educating children with autism disorders.  The Gordon Porter Everyone in the Mainstream Classroom model of inclusive education does not work pure and simple. It has nothing to do with the realities of a child's abilities or challenges.  It is simply the faith of one man, Gordon Porter, and his cult like following which includes Jody Carr, Krista Carrr and Jack Carr. 

Gordon Porter's extremist mainstream classroom vision of inclusive education does not recognize the specific challenges faced by some children with disabilities, including some children with autism disorders. When Gordon Porter began, decades ago,  imposing his vision on NB schools autism was not known to the world at large.  While autism was known by some researchers as far back as Kanner in 1943 and was mentioned in the DSM II it was not identified in the DSM, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by psychiatrists in North America, until the DSM III in 1980 well after the Gordon Porter Era had begun in NB.   

Dr. Gordon Porter knows nothing at all about autism disorders or the various challenges faced by many autistic children in a school environment.  During the MacKay Inclusive education review he did not want to learn either.  He did not want me or Dawn Bowie to speak about autism because we were also pointing out that his sacred cow, his extremist vision of inclusive mainstream classroom education did not work for those who were in dire need of assistance. Dr. Gordon Porter who has received awards from around the world did not want to hear evidence from people, Dawn Bowie and Harold Doherty, who knew much better than he, that his vision has actually harmed some autistic children, some of whom are sent home after his model fails them. So the very distinguished Dr. Gordon Porter, like his disciples Krista Carr, Jody Carr and Jack Carr, simply dismissed us and told us that "you people" should be thankful for what you have.

David Alward's Conservative platform in the recent election campaign was written be a committee chaired by Gordon Porter disciple Jody Carr who will be named as a cabinet minister, probably in Education or Social Development, in the Alward government.  Mr. Alward's embrace of Gordon Porter and his extreme inclusion model of mainstream classroom inclusion for all is a very ominous but clear sign that dark days are ahead for the children with autism who have made made much progress recently in NB schools.

Following is a comment I wrote on this blog 3 years ago about Gordon Porter and the discriminatory aspects of his extremist, non-accommodating vision of inclusive education:  

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

New Brunswick Human Rights Commission Guidelines Discriminate Against Autistic Students

The New Brunswick Human Rights Commision has adopted new guidelines to accommodating students with a disability in New Brunswick schools - New Brunswick Human Rights Commission, Guideline on Accommodating Students with a Disability. Unfortunately for some New Brunswick students with Autism Disorder the guidelines themselves fail to accommodate their disability and in doing so discriminate against some students with profound Autism Disorder. The guidelines fail to accommodate by creating a "norm" or presumption in favor of mainstream classroom placement even though, for some autistic students, the mainstream classroom in not an appropriate place of learning, can be overwhelming to environmentally sensitive autistic children and can be result in dangerous, self injurious behavior.


When the NB Human Rights Commission says that mainstream classroom placement is the norm education officials will quite understandably feel that it is necessary to place all children in the classroom. Essentially this "norm" will push students into the classroom who should be in a different, quieter, less busy location within the school in order for them to learn, and to not be overwhelmed. For those school districts who do not want to spend the money from their budget to accommodate more individualized instruction necessary for some autistic students placing them in the classroom without individualized instruction by autism specific trained Teacher Aides will be a cheap solution, as it has been in the past. And the presumption or norm created by the HRC will assist them in justifying their decision.


New Brunswick schools have, over the past 30 years, been dominated by an extreme inclusion model which saw all children dumped in the mainstream classroom without proper support and without regard for the individual conditions of some children with disabilities such as some severely autistic children. The result has been disruption in the classroom, failure to learn by some children, and in some cases, including my profoundly autistic son, dangerously self injurious behavior. Fortunately, over the past several years, the rigid ideological approach of the classroom inclusion for all philosophy has given way in some instances to an evidence based approach which requires examination of what actually works for each child. Educate the child in the way he or she learns best, in the environment in which he or she learns best. An evidence based approach is consistent with human rights policies by requiring an examination of the disability issues presented by the individual student. This evidence based approach was promised by the Province of New Brunswick Inter-Departmental Committee that examined autism services in New Brunswick between 1999 and 2001.


The IDC Report issued in November 2001, disclosed the already known fact that there were at that time very few autism specific services available in New Brunswick. The most significant accomplishment of the IDC Report was that it recommended an evidence based approach to provision of autism services. The three departments that sat on the IDC were Health, Family Services and .... Education. In fact, since that time there have been some to an evidence based approach being adopted in some New Brunswick schools.


My own son, profoundly autistic, was removed from the mainstream classroom, at our request, after he repeatedly came home from school with self inflicted bite marks on his hands and wrists. He was overwhelmed by the classroom. To the full credit of school, district, and Department officials they looked at the evidence and agreed to place Conor in a separate room for his instruction for most of the day. The education officials accommodated my son's disability by looking at his actual condition and educating him in an environment suitable for him in light of the realities of his autism disorder.


During the MacKay Review of Inclusive Education Autism Society NB presented a position paper for educating autistic students which called for an evidence based approach. Teaching children how and where they learn best in light of their actual condition. As one of the autism representatives I spoke on numerous occasions about the need for an evidence based approach for autistic students. For some autistic students the mainstream classroom is the appropriate learning environment. For others, including my son, it is not. This evidence based approach is supported by research including Mesibov and Shea (1996):


The concept of full inclusion is that students with special needs can and should be educated in the same settings as their normally developing peers with appropriate support services, rather than being placed in special education classrooms or schools. According to advocates the benefits of full inclusion are increased expectations by teachers, behavioral modeling of normally developing peers, more learning, and greater selfesteem. Although the notion of full inclusion has appeal, especially for parents concerned about their children's rights, there is very little empirical evidence for this approach, especially as it relates to children with autism. This manuscript addresses the literature on full inclusion and its applicability for students with autism. Although the goals and values underlying full inclusion are laudable, neither the research literature nor thoughtful analysis of the nature of autism supports elimination of smaller, highly structured learning environments for some students with autism.


This information was present throughout the Mackay Inclusion review process. In one session I attempted, along with ASNB Education Rep Dawn Bowie, to speak specifically about autism issues and the need for an evidence based approach by which autistic students are educated in a location, whether it be in the mainstream classroom or elsewhere, according to the realities of their individual conditions. My comments were met dismissively by a New Maryland school official who asserted that we were not there to talk about autism. They were also met with angry opposition by New Brunswick Human Rights Commission Chair Gordon Porter who was present and who told me and Mrs. Bowie that "you people should be thankful for what you have ". Mr. Porter then proceeded to talk about how bad it was in the Special Education system in New Brunswick many years ago and how the inclusion model was a very substantial improvement.


Given Mr. Porter's prominent role in putting the inclusion model in place in New Brunswick, and given his strong personal views, it is not surprising that the Human Rights Commission which he chairs has issued Guidelines which create a presumption in favor of classroom inclusion for all students. It is also not surprising in that the New Brunswick Association for Community Living was tasked by the Department of Education with holding professional development days for New Brunswick teachers to explain the recommendations of the MacKay Inclusion Review. The NBACL is a fierce advocate for the total inclusion model. The NBACL has paid staff who persistently lobby for the full inclusion model. An example are the awards they hand out to teachers in New Brunswick who best demonstrate inclusion practices in New Brunswick schools. The NBACL, in hosting the inclusion professional development days for teachers asked Gordon Porter to be the keynote speaker at the event. A request by ASNB to speak at the event, to speak with the teachers about autism, and the need for an evidence based approach, was rejected by the NBACL.


Mr. Porter and NBACL are both strongly committed to the full inclusion model and that commitment to a philosophy of classroom inclusion for all is reflected in the norm espoused by the new Human Rights Commission guidelines. The promotion of that norm by the Human Rights Commission will put even more pressure on teachers and school officials to put all students in the classroom. The promotion of that norm is contrary to the evidence based approach promised for autistic persons in the IDC Report and it is contrary to the duty to accommodate the individual differences of students with disabilities, particularly some students with profound autism disorder.


It was precisely that failure to accommodate individuals with disabilities that led Yude Henteleff QC to describe the full inclusion model as discriminatory in a paper he presented to the Canadian Assocation for Community Living in 2004. Mr. Henteleff has represented individuals with a variety of different disabilities including autism, deaf and hard of hearing,
aspergers, Tourette's syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, developmental
disability, physical disability and the learning disabled. He has been the legal counsel for the Association of Parents of Children with Autism in Manitoba and has been associated with the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada. In The Fully Inclusive Classroom Is Only One Of The Right Ways To Meet The Best Interests Of The Special Needs Child Mr. Henteleff argued that the full inclusion approach is in itself discriminatory by failing to accommodate individual disability based differences. At page 2 he states:


It should be abundantly clear, having in mind the foregoing statistics, that for children
who suffer from emotional, mental, behavioural, cognitive, sensory, physical, expressive
language, visual and auditory difficulties (and often a combination of some of the foregoing), it is simply not possible to meet their diverse needs in one environment. One shoe simply cannot fit all.


Indeed, total inclusion is a discriminatory concept because it limits the environmental choices, which groups of children and youth with differing difficulties have the right to make in their best interests.


I am completely dedicated to the public school system. I believe it is an integral part of
whom and what we are as Canadians living in a democratic society. That means a place where all children are welcomed - regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, colour, religion, physical or mental condition. In other words, the public school system is a place where the social contract guaranteed by the Charter and Human Rights Codes is fulfilled. That social contract is that every individual is entitled to equality and to be free from discrimination.

However, schools being a welcoming place regardless of gender, ethnicity, colour, religion, physical or mental condition, namely inclusivity, is far different from what is described as "full inclusion" in the general classroom. Full inclusion falls far short of guaranteeing equality.

Mr. Porter, the Commission, and the NBACL which all advocate for full inclusion will argue that establishing a norm does not mean that all children must be kept in the classroom at all times and that their disabilities are accommodated. Their argument fails to take into account the pressure this will put on parents and educators to place children in the classroom first and to ask questions later, contrary to an evidence based approach and contrary to an accommodation of the child's real needs. Some parents, will not have a professional background to rely upon when dealing with the education system. Many are talked down to by educators. When told that the classroom is the right option for their child they not be inclined, or able, to challenge that position. With the Human Rights Commission creating a presumptive norm in favor of the classroom inclusion option there will be no realistic choice for the parents to consider in deciding how, and where, their child, severely autistic or otherwise should be educated.

The full inclusion model limits choice as Mr. Henteleff points out. The persistent efforts by the NBACL and its inclusion lobbyists to promote the full inclusion model has in practice limited choice for some parents and their autistic children who might be better served in a quieter environment outside the mainstream classroom. Mr. Porter, who has been a significant part of that push for full inclusion, and who is now the Chair of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission, has presided over Commission guidelines which will reinforce the presumption of full classroom inclusion - to the detriment of some autistic children.

Read more »

LEMON CHARLOTTE with A TASTE OF YELLOW

Lemon Mascarpone & Fromage Blanc Mousse in Lemon Sponge Cake


Those of us who write food blogs spend our days dealing with the light hearted and the festive, the pretty to look at and the delightful to eat, yet sometimes when we turn off the laptop and rejoin our friends and family we have to deal with the less than cheery, the sad and even the terrible. Sickness, death, we are all touched by it yet we rarely see it in the food blogosphere. We shield ourselves and our readers from the pain and the reality, we use our food blogs to paint a colorful picture of good food, good friends and loving family celebrations. No one really expects to visit a food blog and be faced by something so personal, so awful as illness. Yet we have all been touched by tragedy, faced illness and loss. These past five years or so, my husband, sons and I have faced more than our fair share. As anyone who knows me well, I am not a person to hide the turbulence, the raw emotions that grow dark inside of me. Life is a Feast and not everything that is served up is tasty and satisfying.

I am not the only food blogger who has taken the risk to write about our own or a loved one’s illness or death. For those if us who dare, who break the barriers of the expected, our blogs become a personal diary, a place where we actually feel safe to open ourselves up and share our innermost secrets with our readers who we have come to think of as friends. I find writing about sadness and fear, illness and death therapeutic, comforting, allowing me to think about it, talk about it, look at it straight on rather than pussyfooting around it or burying it deep down inside. Writing about it allows us to work through the thoughts, the fears and we end up walking through the dark tunnel and somehow coming out the other end to a brighter place; we find strength and courage in the sharing, and the words become part of the healing process.

Mark Rothko

I stumbled upon Barbara’s blog Winos and Foodies over a year ago and there is no other word to describe Barbara better than lovely. Her soft words and beautiful images inspire and make us smile, her mouthwatering food and recipes make us keep coming back for more. And her honesty and courage in her own personal battle against cancer have touched so many of us and helped us get through our own personal tragedies. After Barbara was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, she felt inspired by famed cyclist and multiple winner of Le Tour de France Lance Armstrong’s own struggle with cancer. She explains “For many of us diagnosed with cancer, Lance has become a hero in our own fight to overcome the disease.” What, you are wondering, does this have to do with food? October 2 is LiveSTRONG Day; in conjunction with Armstrong’s LiveSTRONG Foundation, some 1,500 events will be staged worldwide by both individuals and organizations, their part in the fight against cancer, a way to call the public’s attention to the cancer issues and increase awareness of the need for research and global solutions. One of these events is A Taste of Yellow, a food blogging event created and hosted each year by Barbara on her own blog, her way of supporting the Foundation. And A Taste of Yellow gives the food blogger the opportunity to participate in this worthy cause by doing what he or she does best: cook and bake!

Perhaps you have a cancer story to share.
Or you might like to honour a family member or friend touched by cancer by dedicating your heart to them.
-Barbara of Winos and Foodies

Food bloggers around the world were invited to prepare a dish or drink that contains a yellow food, the color of the LiveSTRONG bracelet and post their yellow dish today, October 2, LiveSTRONG Day. This year, the fourth year of A Taste of Yellow, Barbara decided to add her own personal twist to the event by asking everyone to incorporate hearts into their food either by creating a dish in a heart shape or decorating the dish with hearts. So take a stroll around your favorite food blogs this week and you will see an outburst of yellow love! Barbara will be posting a round up of all the Taste of Yellow entries next week. This will surely be an event to remember.


This is my second year participating in Barbara’s A Taste of Yellow event and I have created something very special: a Lemon Charlotte ringed in lemon yellow hearts. The beautiful Lemon Sponge Cake, light as air yet dense with lemon flavor, is baked in jellyroll pans allowing me to cut out the shapes I need to line ring molds as a base for this ethereal Charlotte. The shining star of my Charlotte is an incredibly light mousse cheesecake made of mascarpone and 0% fat fromage blanc (like a creamy smooth quark or sour cream), the perfect balance of sweetness and sharp, tangy, lively lemon. Chilled, this dessert only gets better everyday: we have been nibbling slices of it for 4 or 5 days now and it has only gotten better: the sponge remains perfect while the flavors meld together, still tangy and bright yet somehow mellower, smoother. A very special dessert to surprise and please while being so easy to make. And as it only gets better, this Lemon Charlotte is the perfect make-ahead dessert.


LEMON CHARLOTTE
Lemon Sponge Cake filled with Lemon Mascarpone Mousse


LEMON SPONGE CAKE
This fabulous Lemon Sponge gets added to my Sponge Cake repertoire hot on the heels of my Chocolate Sponge and my Vanilla Sponge. For the Charlotte, I’ve baked this in two jelly roll pans but this is perfect baked in a 10”-tube pan and served on its own. It is wonderfully light, fluffy and lemony!

6 eggs, separated
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cup (250 g) sugar, divided
Juice of 1 lemon (about ¼ cup / 62 ml) + water to make ½ cup (125 ml) total liquid
1 ¼ cups (160 g) flour

Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C). Lightly butter 2 jellyroll (15 x 10 x 1-inch) pans/baking sheets, line with parchment paper and lightly butter the parchment. * Set aside.

Separate the eggs. Put the whites in a very clean bowl, preferably plastic or metal, add a drop or two of lemon juice and a few grains of salt (which help to stabilize the whites) and set aside.

Place the yolks and 1 cup (200 g) of the sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until thick and creamy, pale and doubled in volume. Add the vanilla and the lemon zest and beat to combine.

With the mixer on low speed, beat the flour into the batter in three additions alternating with the lemon juice/water in two. Give the final mixture one good spin to make sure it is thick and blended.

With very clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy and starting to turn opaque. Continue beating while gradually adding the remaining ¼ cup (50 g) sugar until you have stiff peaks.

Using a spatula, gently fold in about a third of the whites into the cake batter to lighten it. Then gently fold in the rest of the whites in two additions until all the whites are folded in and it is well blended (no chunks of whites remaining).

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared jellyroll pans/baking sheets and gently spread until smooth and even. Bake each cake for about 15 minutes until the cake is golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and slide the parchment off of the hot pan and onto a table or work surface and allow to cool completely while you prepare the Lemon Mousse Cheesecake.

* Alternately, the batter can also be poured into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and baked for 55 – 60 minutes until risen, golden brown and completely set (test by pressing on the top of the cake near the center tube; it should feel rather like a marshmallow, not foamy).

LEMON MASCARPONE & FROMAGE BLANC MOUSSE CHEESECAKE
Simple to put together, light, ethereal yet sassy with tart, tangy, bright lemon flavor with just the perfect balance of sweetness. This only gets better! Keep chilled for up to 5 days.

1 cup (250 g) fromage frais or fromage blanc 0% fat
1 cup (250 g) mascarpone
2 large egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp (6 g) powdered gelatin
2 lemons, juiced and zested
¼ cup (50 g) sugar

Begin by placing the gelatin with the juice of 2 lemons into small saucepan and allowing the gelatin to soften for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, slowly heat the lemon juice over low heat, stirring with a whisk, until the liquid gets hot and the gelatin melts/dissolves and completely disappears – do not let the liquid boil. This takes 3 – 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk or beat the fromage frais and the mascarpone together with the lemon zest, the sugar and the vanilla. Whisk in the lemon juice with the gelatin.

Using very clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold a third of the whites into the lemon/mascarpone mixture. Fold half of the remaining whites into the lemon mixture then the rest of the whites until all of the whites are folded in and no lumps remain. It should be smooth and very light and fluffy.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator until set just enough so it can be spooned into lined molds without running or oozing through the gaps. You can use the mousse immediately to fill dessert glasses, ramekins or other closed molds.

Once chilled and beginning to set without being too firm you can prepare your Charlottes: using your ring molds – any size: I used single, individual serving-sized molds, molds for two and molds to serve 4 and this recipe should fill one 8-inch dish or ring – cut out circles of cake to use as a base. Place each mold either on dessert plates or on a parchment lined baking sheet, which will fit in your refrigerator. Cut out pieces of cake to line the sides of your Charlotte – I used my heart-shaped cookie cutter, but you can cut out strips which then line the mold in one piece or any shape you like. Use them to line the sides of the mold sitting on top of the base cake. Fill the cake-lined mold with the Lemon Mousse Cheesecake filling all the way to the top. Once the molds are all filled, simply cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Or two.


By the next day the mousse/cheesecake is set and smooth and creamy but I found that after a further day in the fridge the flavor had become crisper, a deep lemon flavor with just the perfect balance of sweetness and the texture was one step closer to the perfect cheesecake texture albeit much lighter and creamier than a classic cheesecake. Perfect! Dust the top of the Charlotte with cocoa powder for an elegant finish.

Read more »