Simple Vegetable Broth

This recipe was used to create the stock needed for both the soups we created at my Soup Making class at Tecumseh Community School, and will make between 16 and 24 cups of stock depending on how long you simmer it.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium onions, quartered (keep the skins on as they will colour the stock.)
• 3 carrots, peeled, broken in several pieces
• 3 stalks celery, broken in several pieces
• 6 dehydrated mushrooms
• 1 sprig thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled (More if you like)
• 6-8 peppercorns
• 1-2 tsp of salt, to taste
• 2 to 3 quarts of water

Helpful Hint: making vegetable stock is a great way to clean out your vegetable crisper. Most vegetables can be used to make broth with the exception of crusiferous veggies like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, which will overpower the broth.

Directions:

1. Place the fresh vegetables into a large heavy pot and cover with cold water by about two inches.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and skim off the impurities that rise to the top - this should take about five minutes.
3. Add the remaining water, herbs, dried mushrooms and peppercorns, partially cover and maintain at a very slow simmer for five hours. If the water level gets too low, add boiling water to the pot, skimming as necessary.
4. Taste the stock. Add salt if necessary and desired. If the flavours in the stock are not strong enough, leave it partially covered for an hour or two longer, reducing the liquid.
5. Strain the vegetables from the pot and let cool to room temperature.

Helpful Hint: For a more robust stock, roast the vegetables first in a lightly oiled roasting pan, stirring occasionally to ensure the vegetables don't burn. After transferring the vegetables from the roasting pan to the stock pot, don't forget to deglaze the pan. There's a lot of flavour in there that would taste fabulous in your stock.

Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup with Beef

This basic soup can be made with any combination of fresh or frozen vegetables, and tastes lovely with shredded chicken in place of beef. It’s a perfect soup to change with the seasons, so look for fresh seasonal vegetables to reinvent this soup several times a year. The recipe as shown below, which was used during my Soup Making class at Tecumseh Community School, will make between 12 and 16 cups of soup depending on the type of vegetables used and how long you choose to simmer it - enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 lb of beef, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 2 cups chopped onions or thinly sliced leeks (whites only)
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 5 cups of vegetable broth
• 3 cups of water
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 6 cups mixed winter root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, turnip, squash, parsnips, zucchini, etc.
• 1 cup of frozen peas and 1 cup of frozen corn

Directions:

1. Add 1 Tbsp of oil to a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the beef a few pieces at a time, browning each side before removing it to a small bowl. Repeat until all the beef is browned, then add ½ cup of vegetable stock to the frying pan to deglaze it – be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly to get up any bits of remaining beef. Add the resulting liquid to the bowl with the browned beef.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions or leeks, celery, and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes or until onions are translucent, and then add the browned beef and deglazing liquid.
3. Add broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes.
4. Add root vegetables to the pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add frozen peas and corn, and cook for an additional 10 minutes to heat through before serving. To thicken your soup, continue to simmer for several hours – as the potatoes break down and the broth cooks off your soup will thicken into an almost stew-like consistency.

Curried Squash and Coconut Soup

This lovely, creamy soup is the perfect starter to an elegant meal, and could also be featured as the main course accompanied by freshly baked bread and a light salad. The recipe as shown below will make between 8 and 10 cups of soup depending on the size of the squash used. Please note that this soup is quite similar to an earlier recipe that used roasted hubbard squash, but tweeked to allow you to make it with just the stove top. This was the exact recipe we used at my Soup Making class at Tecumseh Community School - enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 head of garlic
• 1 large squash, peeled and cut into roughly 1” - 2” chunks
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped finely or pureed in a food processor
• 2 Tbsp plus a drizzle of olive oil
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 3 cups of vegetable broth
• 2 cup of apple juice
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 2 ½ tsp curry powder
• ¼ tsp freshly grated ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Cut the top ¼” from the head of garlic, exposing the cloves within. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil, and roast for 45 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the chunks of squash, and boil from 10 -15 minutes or until tender. When cooked, drain the water and remove cooked squash to a large mixing bowl. Add butter and mash until smooth and creamy.
3. Using gentle pressure from the bottom of the head of garlic, squeeze the roasted cloves out of the head into the bowl with the squash. Mix roughly with a large spoon and set aside.
4. In a large pot, add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and gently caramelize onions over medium heat (about 7 minutes). Whisk in vegetable broth, apple juice and coconut milk and as the liquids begin a rolling boil, add the cinnamon, curry powder and ginger.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gradually add the squash mixture, stirring and/or whisking until fully incorporated.
6. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes to allow flavours to combine and deepen.

Cranberry Shortbread

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) butter, softened
• 1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar
• 2 1/4 cups (550 mL) all purpose flour
• 1 pkg (170 g) Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries, chopped*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in flour, a little at a time. Stir in Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries.
3. Form dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls. Place 1 dozen at a time on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from sheets; cool slightly and sprinkle with icing sugar. Or use the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar to flatten balls to rounds about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Cool.

Carrot Marmalade

A completed batch of carrot marmalade along with some plum jam sit cooling and setting in my "outdoor kitchen" (AKA the barbecue!)

This carrot marmalade makes a great alternative to traditional marmalade, gives you a little bit more veggie in your diet, and is a creative way to use local produce.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (500 g) Ontario Carrots (about 6), peeled
• 2 oranges, seeded and quartered
• 1 lemon, seeded and quartered
• 3 cups (750 mL) granulated sugar
• 2 cups (500 mL) orange juice

Directions:

1. Finely dice, shred or julienne carrots using a food processor, grater or knife; transfer to bowl.
2. Chop oranges and lemon in a food processor,; add to carrots.
3. Stir in sugar and orange juice; cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Transfer to heavy saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, until thickened and carrots and peel are tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
5. Spoon into sterilized canning jars; store in refrigerator for up to one month, or process in boiling water bath 5 minutes for longer storage.

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Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggs
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of sugar
• 5 tablespoons of butter, softened plus 1/3 cup of butter, melted
• 5 tablespoons of shortening
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Separately: 1/4 cup of sugar blended with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Grease a muffin pan or fill each cup with a paper liner.
2. Cream together the 5 tablespoons of butter, the shortening and the sugar. Beat in the eggs, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking powder. Stir in the flour and milk alternately until mixture is just combined.
3. Fill muffin cups to the top (batter will be very thick and sticky).
4. Bake at 350F oven for about twenty minutes, then allow to cool for a few minutes.
5. When cool enough to handle, either dip each muffin in the melted butter of use a pastry brush to apply butter to the top of each muffin.
6. If dipped, roll each muffin in the cinnamon sugar blend - if a pastry brush is used then sprinkle cinnamon sugar over entire tray of muffins.
7. Serve with tea and home made jam... yummy!

Crock Pot Italian Meatloaf

This meatloaf recipe comes from the Canadian Living Slow Cooker Collection, and is one of the moistest meatloafs around. The trick is moistening the bread crumbs with milk, which add liquid to the meat loaf and keeps it juicy throughout the long cooking process.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 3/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 lb. ground veal or beef
• 1 lb. ground pork

Topping

• 3/4 cup shredded provolone cheese
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line bottom and side of slow cooker with heavy-duty or double thickness foil; set aside. In bowl, stir bread crumbs with milk; let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry onions, garlic and oregano, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes.
3. In large bowl, whisk eggs. Add sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, bread crumb mixture and onion mixture. Combine with wooden spoon. Mix in veal and pork, using hands if necessary. Place in centre of prepared slow cooker; shape into loaf.
4. Cover; cook on low until thermometer registers 170°F (75°C), 6 to 8 hours.

Topping

1. Sprinkle loaf with cheese; sprinkle parsley and sun-dried tomatoes down centre. Cover; cook on high until cheese is melted, 5 minutes. Using foil as handles, life out of slow cooker. Let stand on cutting board for 5 minutes, letting fat drain off onto foil. Transfer to cutting board and slice.