Alex Bilodeau wins the gold for Canada in Men's Freestyle Skiing

2010 Winter Olympics –  what an awesome time for Canada! All eyes are on our country, and millions of people are gathering on their sofas, love seats and comfy spots, catching a glimpse of Canada’s best athletes.

Cheering on our local heroes, and all of the relaxing that goes along with it, can make one hungry, and yes, even thirsty. Why not whip up some Canadian themed munchies, such as Maple Bacon Puffs or Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus (not sure how Canadian this is but it is one of my favs).

Top it of by chilling out with a glass of wine from the West Coast. To learn more about the wines of British Columbia check out this link.

Maple Bacon Puffs

Two great Canadian ingredients are showcased in this recipe: Creamy brie from St. Damase, Quebec and pure Canadian maple syrup!

1 pkg. Presidents Choice Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed (I find this the easiest one to use)
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp white wine or sherry
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 small round of St. Damase Brie, cut into 24 chunks
½ cup of grated Swiss cheese

Thaw puff pastry following directions on pkg. Once thawed, unroll on floured surface and use a pizza cutter to cut pastry into equal squares (approximately 24). Place pastry squares in a greased mini muffin tin. Place brie chunk in each cup.

Sauté bacon, once done, remove & drain excess grease (keep some grease in pan to cook the onions). Add onions to pan and cook on medium high heat; add pepper, maple syrup and wine/sherry and sauté till onions are golden brown and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Combine bacon & onions, let cool slightly, then evenly distribute mixture to pastry cups, top with shredded Swiss cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 or until puffy and golden brown.

Yummmmmmy!

Procuitto Wrapped Asparagus

Name speaks for itself, clean and blanch asparagus (no more than 3 – 5 minutes). Cut thinly sliced proscuitto and wrap each stock of asparagus. Place on platter and cover with vinaigrette of choice.

Cheers,

Kerry

Spice (like paprika) adds flavour to dishes, so you can skip the butter and salt. (In theory.)

Wow, what an awesome break, almost two weeks off–perfect! Just enough time off to enjoy family and friends, and just enough time off to really be ready to send the kids back to school. There’s that routine thing rearing its head again. Thank goodness for routines.

With the new year, comes my least favorite tradition, the “New Years Resolution”. The pressure of coming up with something that is truly going to make a difference in your life? Come on, do we really have to do this? I’m just chicken because I know that I’m no good at keeping them–resolutions that is.

So here it goes, I want to try to cut back and make some simple changes to my eating habits. No, really, I mean it…. Easier said than done, I know. I think that the key here is not to overdue it. So many people make resolutions that they can’t even come close to keeping; me I’m going to start off small.

Things like less salt and butter (killing me just talking about it, I love my salt and butter. Food just tastes so much better with it!); incorporating fish into our diet a few times a week; and one more–eating breakfast. I never eat breakfast. I’m too busy making sure that my kids eat theirs and have a healthy lunch packed. By the time I’m done this, my breakfast plans are out the window, or more like out the door.

Sitting down to the table twice a day as a family is a good thing. It means that I am looking after myself as well as my boys! If anyone has some good quick breakfast recipes, please share, I really need some help in this department.

Good luck with your resolutions, and remember, keep them simple and don’t stress!

In keeping with my resolution, I thought that I would share a salmon recipe that I made recently.

Rubbed Salmon With Smoky Maple Glaze

Smoky Rub

• 3 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp of cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together and keep in airtight container or jar. Recipe makes a fair amount so you can keep and use in other recipes. (Awesome on ribs)

• 4 skinless salmon fillets
• Olive oil for brushing on fillets
• Smoky rub
• Maple syrup – just enough to drizzle over salmon

Rinse and pat salmon pieces dry with paper towel. Place salmon on a baking sheet lined with foil (makes for easier clean up). Brush salmon with olive oil and then rub with smoky rub to cover top of salmon and drizzle pieces with maple syrup. Bake in 350 oven for 25 – 35 minutes depending on the size of the salmon. Broil for an additional 5 – 7 min. to get the top brown & crispy.

Enjoy with wild rice and steamed veggies of choice.

Wine – if you prefer red wine, I would suggest a Pinot Noir as it is a lighter red. A nice buttery chardonnay would pair really well with the meaty fish.

Cheers,

Kerry

“Food is more than food. It is love, comfort, politics and a fundamental adhesive.” -Kathy Ullyott, Editor-in-chief, Homemakers Magazine

This quote says it all, and really makes me ponder how we as a society see mealtime. Do we truly understand and appreciate the importance of food and the many roles that it takes on in our daily lives? Yes, we all know that we need food to survive and that we have to feed our bodies, but what about feeding our minds, hearts and our souls?

It’s the “fundamental adhesive” part that is so vitally important and is most likely ignored. Are you really taking the time to sit down, RELAX and enjoy your meal? Are you connecting with your loved ones and friends, really listening to what they have to say? Or are you more concerned about what’s next–the dishes, the laundry, the game on TV, or just another hour or two of work on the computer or at the office?

I think that we get so wrapped up in the long list of “to do’s” that we forget what food and the whole meal experience is meant to accomplish.

Refuel, Rejuvenate & Reconnect

Well, that’s exactly what I have planned for this weekend: an informal get together that focus’s on family and friends and of course, awesome FOOD, and our unconditional love for it.

 Fall’s harvest makes planning a gathering delightfully easy! We’re hoping for nice weather so that we can enjoy one of our last meals outside (that’s what blankets are for), and the kids will even take part by cooking bread on a stick over a roaring fall fire! I’m getting all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

Whatever your weekend has in store, make sure that your experiences are memorable ones and take the time to savor and truly enjoy your meals. Fall in love with mealtime all over again!

Menu ~ A Fall Gathering!

Salad of Fall Greens with Pecans, Apples & Brie

Pan Fried Pickerel – caught and prepared by my Dad–it’s his famous recipe!

Baked Beans

Beer Braised Beef – recipe from this month’s Canadian Living.

Roasted Rosemary Potato Wedges

Caramelized Onion Cheddar Cheese ~ http://www.empirecheese.ca.

Fire Roasted Corn on the Cob

Bread on a stick

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate (it also happens to be Paul’s Birthday–that’s my significant other–and he likes nothing better for dessert than the indulgence of anything chocolate!)

Beer Braised Beef – makes 4 servings (double the recipe for a large crowd)

• 2lb bottom blade boneless pot roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2” cubes
• 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp each packed brown sugar & cider vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups dark or amber beer
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch dried thyme
• 1 slice light rye bread
• 1tbsp grainy or Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley Sprinkle beef with salt & pepper.

In Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over med – high heat, brown beef, in batches. Remove to bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the broth to pan, scraping up brown bits, add to bowl. Add remaining oil to pan; cook onions over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in sugar and vinegar until sugar is melted. Add remaining stock, beer, bay leaves, thyme and 1 cup of water, scraping up brown bits. Return beef mixture to pan and bring to a boil. Cut off bread crust, spread bread with mustard; float, mustard side down, on stew. Reduce heat to low, cover and summer for 1 1/4 hours. Break up bread, stirring into sauce. Simmer, covered until thickened and beef is tender, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves, stir in parsley.

Serve with bread & cheese – Yum! Serve with dark or amber beer.

My wine pick for this menu is Red Guitar, a remarkable wine from the Navarra region of Northern Spain.

Red Guitar, 2005, Tempranillo Garnacha

Wow! Summer is finally here, and I couldn’t be happier! I was starting to wonder what happened to the good ol’ dog days of summer from when I was a kid? I guess as I age so do the weather trends. It may not be the kind of summer that I remember, but hey, I’ll take it.

One of my favorite things to do on a hot summer day? Chill on the deck, sip on a cold summer cocktail and nibble on some yummy apps that are made from fresh, local ingredients. I am a true wine lover, but I have to admit that my drink of choice when it’s super hot out, is an ice cold (and I mean put in the freezer for an extra 15 min cold) beer! In saying that, I certainly am not opposed to a chilled glass of Rosé.

Rosé wine: Not just for amateurs any more. A light & refreshing summer wine for any occasion.

Most Rosé’s are not the sweet, fizzy stuff you drank when you were young and looking for a cheap, easy wine. It’s classy and wonderfully versatile, whether your mood requires a lighter, fruity wine or a heavier one with some structure.

Tip: To chill your summer bottles in just 20 minutes, fill bucket two-thirds full with equal parts cold water and ice. Submerge bottle up to neck; speed it up a bit more by tossing in a handful of rock salt.

Here’s a quick and easy summer app recipe to go along with the Rosé.

Blueberry Brie on the Barbie

• One large round of Brie
• 2 Cups of local fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup of orange juice
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• 2 tsp of brown sugar
• Lemon rind grated
• Freshly ground black pepper

Place last 7 ingredients in a tin foil plate and place on BBQ on Medium heat, till bubbly and berries are reduced. Approximately 15 min – 20 min. Keep warm on upper rack and grill the Brie round. Once Brie is warmed through, place on platter and drizzle with blueberry sauce. Serve with artisan breads and crackers. Voila!