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Sunday, 22 November 2015
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Master Cheese Cooking Class
This past weekend I had the opportunity to do an online cooking class with Christine Cushing and Chick Advisor. It was a Master Cheese Cooking Class, which is perfect for me because I am a firm believer that cheese makes anything better!
I wanted to share the recipes today because they are so simple, delicious, and impressive!
First up was Swiss Cheese Fondue. I tried to take picture as I went, but it was pretty fast paced trying to keep up with the live class, so I unfortunately only have a few! You can watch the recording from the class here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EKiYKXRirk
It's totally worth it to watch as you're cooking, as Christine offers a lot of tips and tricks along the way
Creamy Canadian Swiss Fondue
12 ounces grated Canadian Swiss or Raclette cheese
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine (175 ml)
Chopped fresh chives
12 mini new potatoes, boiled until tender and cut in half
4 thick slices crusty bread, cut into cubes
1 head broccoli florets, blanched for 2 minutes and drained
1/2 cup cornichons (125 ml)
In a medium bowl toss together the grated cheese and flour until well coated.
Meanwhile in a medium heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat bring white wine to a boil. Reduce to low heat and very gradually add the grated cheese mixture while stirring with wooden spoon. Make sure to melt all cheese before adding more to ensure a creamy smooth consistency.
Add more wine to adjust consistency of fondue if it's too thick.
Transfer immediately to fondue warmer and sprinkle with chives. Dip with potatoes, bread and broccoli or ingredients of your choice on skewers. Cornichons are to be eaten alongside, not dipped in fondue.
Next up was my very first souffle! I'm no stranger in the kitchen, but this was seriously intimidating to me. I didn't get as much height as Christine did, but it looked pretty good.
Canadian Aged Cheddar Souffle
4 Tbsp Butter, divided (45 ml)
Parmesan cheese, grated for baking dish
1/4 cup flour (50 ml)
2 cups milk (500 ml)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Canadian Aged Cheddar (125 ml)
Pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
Several sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
4 egg whites
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Brush large round baking dish, at least 3” deep, with one tablespoon butter and dust with grated parmesan to create rough surface for souffle to climb up sides of dish while baking.
In a medium saucepan, heat rest of butter until melted.
Add flour and cook over medium heat until just golden and smooth, stirring with wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
Add milk slowly while whisking until smooth. Return to heat and cook over medium heat until boiling and thickened, for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Add grated aged cheddar cheese, seasonings and herbs. Stir well to blend.
Whip egg whites in a clean bowl until light and fluffy. Continue to whip until stiff peaks hold, but are not grainy. Fold into cheese mixture and pour into large round baking dish at least 3” deep and fill only 2/3 full.
Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and puffed. Serve immediately.
Finally, we moved on to making ricotta gnudi, which is little gnocchi-like pasta. What I loved about the gnudi is that it can be frozen and used later, which is like hitting the meal jackpot for busy families.
Canadian Ricotta Gnudi with Parsley Butter
Ricotta Gnudi
2 eggs, lightly beaten
500 g Canadian Ricotta, drained
1-1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (250 -325ml)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Nutmeg Parsley Butter
2 Tbsp butter (25 ml)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley (80 ml)
¼ cup grated Canadian Parmesan cheese (50 ml)
Cracked black pepper
In a medium bowl combine the eggs and ricotta.
Sprinkle with flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until mixture holds together but is still sticky to touch.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently. Mixture must hold well together or they will fall apart during boiling. It will be slightly sticky. Shape with 2 spoons dipped in cold water. This will be softer than a traditional potato gnocchi.
At this point gnudi may be frozen in plastic, well-sealed bags, generously dusted in flour, or they must be boiled. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the gnudi and boil for 5-7 minutes or until dumplings just hold their texture and float to top. With a large slotted spoon or spider scoop out gnudi and add directly to parsley butter.
Parsley Butter: combine the butter and garlic in a large skillet and sauté for 1 minute until garlic is just golden. Remove from heat and add parsley. Add the cooked gnudi and sprinkle with grated cheese and cracked black pepper. Serve family style.
If you plan on making the gnudi, I would highly recommend watching the video while you make it. Pasta can be notoriously fussy to make it, and it was really helpful watching the demo.
I think what I love most about all these recipes is that they're quick and delicious. You could easily come home from work and whip up the souffle or pull out some frozen gnudi.
Let me know how the recipes turn out for you!
 |
| Chick Advisor sent me a cute little package with an adorable apron, recipe cards and cheese picks! |
I wanted to share the recipes today because they are so simple, delicious, and impressive!
First up was Swiss Cheese Fondue. I tried to take picture as I went, but it was pretty fast paced trying to keep up with the live class, so I unfortunately only have a few! You can watch the recording from the class here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EKiYKXRirk
It's totally worth it to watch as you're cooking, as Christine offers a lot of tips and tricks along the way
Creamy Canadian Swiss Fondue
12 ounces grated Canadian Swiss or Raclette cheese
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine (175 ml)
Chopped fresh chives
12 mini new potatoes, boiled until tender and cut in half
4 thick slices crusty bread, cut into cubes
1 head broccoli florets, blanched for 2 minutes and drained
1/2 cup cornichons (125 ml)
In a medium bowl toss together the grated cheese and flour until well coated.
Meanwhile in a medium heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat bring white wine to a boil. Reduce to low heat and very gradually add the grated cheese mixture while stirring with wooden spoon. Make sure to melt all cheese before adding more to ensure a creamy smooth consistency.
Add more wine to adjust consistency of fondue if it's too thick.
Transfer immediately to fondue warmer and sprinkle with chives. Dip with potatoes, bread and broccoli or ingredients of your choice on skewers. Cornichons are to be eaten alongside, not dipped in fondue.
 |
| My completed fondue - it may not be pretty, but it was delicious! |
Next up was my very first souffle! I'm no stranger in the kitchen, but this was seriously intimidating to me. I didn't get as much height as Christine did, but it looked pretty good.
Canadian Aged Cheddar Souffle
4 Tbsp Butter, divided (45 ml)
Parmesan cheese, grated for baking dish
1/4 cup flour (50 ml)
2 cups milk (500 ml)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Canadian Aged Cheddar (125 ml)
Pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
Several sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
4 egg whites
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Brush large round baking dish, at least 3” deep, with one tablespoon butter and dust with grated parmesan to create rough surface for souffle to climb up sides of dish while baking.
In a medium saucepan, heat rest of butter until melted.
Add flour and cook over medium heat until just golden and smooth, stirring with wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
Add milk slowly while whisking until smooth. Return to heat and cook over medium heat until boiling and thickened, for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Add grated aged cheddar cheese, seasonings and herbs. Stir well to blend.
Whip egg whites in a clean bowl until light and fluffy. Continue to whip until stiff peaks hold, but are not grainy. Fold into cheese mixture and pour into large round baking dish at least 3” deep and fill only 2/3 full.
Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and puffed. Serve immediately.
 |
| My oven-ready souffle! |
Finally, we moved on to making ricotta gnudi, which is little gnocchi-like pasta. What I loved about the gnudi is that it can be frozen and used later, which is like hitting the meal jackpot for busy families.
Canadian Ricotta Gnudi with Parsley Butter
Ricotta Gnudi
2 eggs, lightly beaten
500 g Canadian Ricotta, drained
1-1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (250 -325ml)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Nutmeg Parsley Butter
2 Tbsp butter (25 ml)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley (80 ml)
¼ cup grated Canadian Parmesan cheese (50 ml)
Cracked black pepper
In a medium bowl combine the eggs and ricotta.
Sprinkle with flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until mixture holds together but is still sticky to touch.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently. Mixture must hold well together or they will fall apart during boiling. It will be slightly sticky. Shape with 2 spoons dipped in cold water. This will be softer than a traditional potato gnocchi.
At this point gnudi may be frozen in plastic, well-sealed bags, generously dusted in flour, or they must be boiled. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the gnudi and boil for 5-7 minutes or until dumplings just hold their texture and float to top. With a large slotted spoon or spider scoop out gnudi and add directly to parsley butter.
Parsley Butter: combine the butter and garlic in a large skillet and sauté for 1 minute until garlic is just golden. Remove from heat and add parsley. Add the cooked gnudi and sprinkle with grated cheese and cracked black pepper. Serve family style.
If you plan on making the gnudi, I would highly recommend watching the video while you make it. Pasta can be notoriously fussy to make it, and it was really helpful watching the demo.
I think what I love most about all these recipes is that they're quick and delicious. You could easily come home from work and whip up the souffle or pull out some frozen gnudi.
Let me know how the recipes turn out for you!
Thursday, 5 November 2015
Baby wearing
One thing that really surprised me when I had Andrew was just how much I loved baby wearing. (if you're not familiar with the term, it refers to baby carriers). When I first heard about baby wearing, it became clear that the benefits of baby wearing were plentiful. But there was still a part of me that thought baby-wearing was for crunchy, Birkenstock-wearing tree-hugger types. Boy was I wrong.
When I registered for baby items when I was pregnant with Andrew, I registered for a Baby Bjorn without really thinking about it or researching into different carriers. If you are even the tiniest bit interested in baby wearing, I urge you to research - look around online, talk to other mommas, join baby wearing groups online (Durham Region Baby Wearing Group was a huge help for me). It pays to be educated. Not to be all preachy, but there are serious health risks for bebe if you choose a carrier that is not ergonomically correct (such as the Baby Bjorn that I unwittingly chose). On baby wearing forums you may hear these affectionately called "crotch danglers." Not only are these not so awesome for baby, but it makes a huge difference for you too - in my experience, when carriers are better for baby, they are better for momma. Meaning that you can wear your little one with no pain or discomfort.
Now, I don't mean to bash Baby Bjorn at all - apparently they do have some revamped carriers that are great, I just personally haven't tried them - I am by no means a baby wearing expert.
What I love the most about baby-wearing is always having my babies close to me. Being able to get stuff done while snuggling and kissing the top of their heads...doesn't get much better than that!
After I realized how much I enjoyed 'wearing' Andrew, I upgraded to a pocket sling from Seven Slings - it was a definite upgrade but still not the comfiest for me. It worked for the remainder of my baby wearing days with A - as an energetic, crazy boy, he was born to run wild.
When I was pregnant again, I knew that I would be relying on baby wearing as a way to keep my new baby close while keeping up with an active 3-year old. So my research began - I spent hours on the internet learning all the lingo (I could not figure out for the longest time what SSC was - for the newbies like me, it means soft structured carrier. You're welcome!) and brand names surrounding baby wearing. I picked the brains of the wonderful ladies on the Durham Region Baby Wearing Group on Facebook. Seriously, these women are wonderfully helpful and full of knowledge. If you live in Durham Region and are interested in baby wearing, join the group, you won't regret it! They even have meet-ups to offer support and give newbies a chance to try different carriers. If you live outside the area, look around online for groups in your region, as I am sure they are there! Finally, after months of reading and asking questions, I came to a conclusion. I wanted to get a soft-structured carrier. And I wanted it to be a Tula. I loved the look and the feel of wraps, but I seriously do not trust the safety of my baby to how well I twist and knot a wrap. I have serious admiration for 'wrappers.' I get baby wearing envy when I see their photos posted all over Facebook!
Now, the downfall - Tulas do not come cheap. Even used, they will still run you close to $200. But I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a beautiful brand new Tula!
When I registered for baby items when I was pregnant with Andrew, I registered for a Baby Bjorn without really thinking about it or researching into different carriers. If you are even the tiniest bit interested in baby wearing, I urge you to research - look around online, talk to other mommas, join baby wearing groups online (Durham Region Baby Wearing Group was a huge help for me). It pays to be educated. Not to be all preachy, but there are serious health risks for bebe if you choose a carrier that is not ergonomically correct (such as the Baby Bjorn that I unwittingly chose). On baby wearing forums you may hear these affectionately called "crotch danglers." Not only are these not so awesome for baby, but it makes a huge difference for you too - in my experience, when carriers are better for baby, they are better for momma. Meaning that you can wear your little one with no pain or discomfort.
 |
| My love for baby wearing started with the Original Baby Bjorn |
Now, I don't mean to bash Baby Bjorn at all - apparently they do have some revamped carriers that are great, I just personally haven't tried them - I am by no means a baby wearing expert.
What I love the most about baby-wearing is always having my babies close to me. Being able to get stuff done while snuggling and kissing the top of their heads...doesn't get much better than that!
After I realized how much I enjoyed 'wearing' Andrew, I upgraded to a pocket sling from Seven Slings - it was a definite upgrade but still not the comfiest for me. It worked for the remainder of my baby wearing days with A - as an energetic, crazy boy, he was born to run wild.
 |
| Eventually I moved to a pocket sling |
Now, the downfall - Tulas do not come cheap. Even used, they will still run you close to $200. But I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a beautiful brand new Tula!
One of the main reasons I chose a Tula was for the weight limit - it can go from newborn all the way up to 40lbs - talk about getting bang for your buck! As you can see in the photo, A was 2.5yrs and I carried him comfortably at 4 months pregnant! (Note: Tula also has a toddler-sized version that gives them a little more support through the legs). I also love that as baby gets older, you can switch to a back carry, like a piggy back without all the work!
I also have to give a shout out to a local business, Take a Walk on the Green Side, where I ordered my Tula. Take a Walk on the Green Side focuses on providing greener alternatives for your home, with a heavy focus on products for babies. They had competitive pricing, and fabulous customer service. The owner, Amy, always responds to messages quickly, and ships items promptly. I can't say enough good things about them! If you are interested in a Tula (or green alternatives for your household), please check them out: http://takeawalkonthegreenside.com/
Right after L was born, I decided that I wanted something to baby wear that was quicker than my Tula (and also because buying carriers is slightly addictive - I now understand why some women have entire stashes!). I didn't really feel comfortable having a newborn in the Tula (just me being crazy!), and so I went back to asking questions, and reading on the Facebook group. I quickly decided that I wanted a ring sling, and I received a beautiful ring sling from Say It Ain't Sew, a local business. The ring sling is as beautiful as it is functional! Sorry for the crappy Iphone shot - I can't believe I haven't gotten a better shot of it! Check out everything that Say it Ain't Sew has to offer here: https://www.facebook.com/shopsayitaintsew/
I find now that Lily is four months old, I reach for the ring sling and Tula equally, depending on what I'm doing. I have developed a serious love for babywearing, although I'm still a newbie. Maybe one of these days, I'll get up the nerve to try wrapping!
What's your favourite carrier? Do you have multiple carriers in your collection or do you stay true to one?
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