At the end of a long day in the great outdoors, nothing is better than putting your feet up and enjoying a thick slice of this chocolate-studded quick bread with a good cup of coffee.
It is hard to believe that this entire meal for 6 can be prepared in under an hour. The ingredients in this main course and side dishes are completely Canadian (including the Canola oil), but just like our country's unique cultural mosaic -- they have been flavoured with exotic spices and other wonderful additions which highlight Canada's tolerance and respect for people of other lands. The lamb was reared in Ontario and the eggplant can be grown in almost any Canadian garden. I sometimes serve the lamb with chick pea fries and chuckle when I remind my Indian in-laws that Canada and Australia are now growing garbanzo beans, too.
Arrange bean sprouts, basil, chilies and limes on a platter with small bowls of hot sauce and fish sauce to serve with this aromatic soup. Then diners can garnish and season their bowlfuls according to taste.
One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns. Save a penny and make hot cross buns for everyone who loves the heavenly spice fragrance of this traditional currant-studded Easter treat.
Here's a simple canapé chock-full of mellow roasted garlic flavour - an earthy yet sophisticated match for drinks. You can also garnish with chopped fresh chives, parsely, oregano or basil for a bit of colour.
Heat Rating: Medium Toasting whole spices before grinding them greatly enhances their flavour, but watch them carefully to prevent overtoasting, which makes them bitter. You can keep this mixture in an airtight jar and use it in any recipe that calls for curry powder, or present it to an adventurous cook as a gift. Avert your face when toasting the cayenne because it will sting your eyes.
From Homemakers Magazine's food editor Andrew Chase, this was one of his father's favourite soups, reflecting his Baltic-Jewish background. Beet juice can be hard to wash off, so lightly oil your hands (or wear gloves). A food processor with grating attachment makes grating easy.
This winning dessert from the Blomidon Inn in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley celebrates one of the region's chief products: apples. Wedges are served with whipped cream and toasted sliced almonds. (From "Fruit Divine" in the November 2005 issue of Canadian Living Magazine.)
Grilling chops is quicker and easier than manoeuvring the entire rack on the grill. Adding reserved cooking liquid and olive oil to the smashed potatoes gives them a creamy texture without adding cream or butter.
