Universities across Canada have a special exchange program to accommodate English students who wish to become more fluent in French and French students who wish to do the same in English.  Daughter #1 spent a summer of at Universite Laval in Quebec City a couple of years ago.  Sister #3 has hosted two of these students in her home-Emilie last year and this summer Gabrielle.  We celebrated Gabrielle’s last weekend of the program with a pitch in supper last Saturday night at the cottage.  “Pitch in” meaning that everyone took on a dish or a course:

Sister #3 and I shared the appetizer course:  Mushrooms Neptune and Mussels whith bread to sop up the mussel juice.

D broiled the strip loins and shrimp kebabs

and Sister #2 made an artichoke & zucchini salad, a brown & wild rice pilaf,

sauteed mushrooms & feta and local asparagus. 

The guest of honour made the dessert course-a special treat of sugar pie!

Quebecois recipes must be handed down by verbal tradition because Gabby had never written this one out.  I noticed the same thing when I’ve asked the “Frenchman’s” Mom for a favourite recipe and when his sister-Vanessa stayed with us this Christmas.  She had made us crepes and when I requested that recipe she told me that you started with one egg per person and that you added milk, flour and sugar according to look and feel. 

But without further adieu…Tarte Au Sucre

Combine 3/4 c brown sugar with 1/2 c milk, 1 beaten egg, 3 heaping T flour & 2 t spoons melted butter.  Pour into a prepared pie shell and bake at 375 degrees until set.  Topped with ice cream or whipped cream as we choose to. 

Happy Belated Saint John Baptiste Day.  I love that Canada is such a mosaic and people and cultures and food traditions!

Kath’s quote: “Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture.”-Mark Kurlansky

It was B’s birthday this past weekend and I am so appreciative when D volunteers to make the cake.  I am not a baker, as I have admitted in this space before.  D on the otherhand gets a “kick” (his words) out of spending an entire Saturday night on one baking project.  I think that this special gift for our gang, harks back to the days when his Mom used to baked her kids their own pie for their birthday.  They would not have to share it with their siblings and I recall D saying that he kept his under his bed.

The Birthday Girl and her Fella

Pecan Crust

1 1/2 c flour

3 T sugar

3/4 c butter or hard margarine cut up

3/4 finely chopped pecans

Caramel Layer

3 T light cream

32 carmels-unwrapped (this was my only task)

1 c toasted chopped pecans

Cheese Layer

3 x 250 gr blocks of cream cheese, softened

1 c brown sugar

2 T flour

3 eggs

1 c cottage cheese, zapped in a blender

1 1/2 t vanilla

Ganache

1 c whipping cream

7x 1 oz. squares of chocolate baking squares

toasted chopped pecans (enough for garnish)

Crust: Combine flour & sugar.  Cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Add pecans. Stir. Press into bottom of 1″ up side of greased 10″ springform pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until edges start to turn brown.  Let stand in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Caramel Layer: Heat & stir cream and caramels in small saucepan on low heat until caramels are melted.  Pour over crust,.  Spread evenly. Sprinkle pecans over top.

Cheese Layer: Beat cream cheese & brown sugar in large bowl until smooth.  Add flour. Beat.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.  Add cottage cheese & vanilla. Beat on low until just combined.  Pour over pecans.  Spread evenly.  Bake in 360 degree oven for about 1 hour until centre is almost set.  Run knife around inside edge of pan to allow cheesecake to settle evenly.  Let stand in pan on wire rack set in a baking sheet with sides until cooled comepletely.  Remove ring of the pan.

Chocolate Glaze:

Heat whipping cream in heavy saucepan on medium low until bubbles start to form around edge.  Do not boil.  Remove from heat.  Add chocolate.  Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Makes about 1 1/4 c of glaze.  Let stand for 5 mins.  Pour over cheesecakem allowing glaze to drip down side in smooth, even coating.

Sprinkle pecans over top.  Chill for at least 1 hr.  Cuts into a least 16 wedges. 

Note: If you do not serve immediately, refridgerate but remove in time for caramels to soften before serving.

Kath’s quote: “….I can dream away a half-hour on the immortal flavor of those thick cheese cakes we used to have on a Saturday night.”-Mary Antin

Do you ever get the craving to make something from your childhood that still retains that “old-fashioned taste”?  Such was the case when I found a huge bag of walnuts in my freezer.  This recipe is very similar to one that my Mom use to make.  They come out really hearty tasting and chewy-yum.

1 c flour
1/2 c butter 
2 eggs 
1-1/4 c brown sugar 
1 t baking powder
1 c walnuts, chopped
1 c shredded coconut 
1 t vanilla

We have a very little house but our family has always known that what we have, we are more than willing to share with everyone’s friends.  For almost a year now we have really enjoyed getting to know the boyfriend of our youngest daughter.  He is a big burly French Canadian with huge green eyes and a gentle disposition.  And perhaps best of all-he can cook! 

He makes a fabulous omelette (almost as good as our Son’s) and has proven to be a great baker.  Perhaps I am easily impressed because I am such a lousy one.  We are especially pleased when guests feel comfortable enough in our home that they will ask to make something for us and have the run of the kitchen.  When his sister stayed with us this Christmas she made us French crepes.

Last night he baked this eggless Mexican Chocolate Cake!

makes one 8 inch round cake (he used a bundt pan)

 1 1/2 cup of flour

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chili powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of cold water

1/4 cup of canola oil

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a cake pan, set aside.

In a large bowl,whisk all dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix well until batter is fully combined. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan and finish cooling it in a wire rack.

It called for a chocolate glaze but we all decided that a cold custard would be a delicious accompaniment.  The chill from the custard nicely offset the pepperiness. 

Kath’s quote:  “As with most fine things, chocolate has its season. There is a simple memory aid that you can use to determine whether it is the correct time to order chocolate dishes: any month whose name contains the letter A, E, or U is the proper time for chocolate.”-Sandra Boynton

mi casa su casa