Nov 1, 2016
This easy, make-ahead recipe is full of flavour and colour for holiday entertaining.
Cook time: 5-10 minutes • Prep Time: 10 minutes • Chill Time: 4 hrs to overnight
Serves: 10
INGREDIENTS
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 cup dried cranberries, divided
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley, divided
1 cup walnuts, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Coarsely chop walnuts. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet in a single, even layer; toast in a 375°F pre-heated oven for 5-10 minutes, or just until lightly browned. Note: check frequently after 5 minutes because they can burn quickly. Remove from oven and let walnuts cool completely.
2. Stir together the cream cheese and shredded cheddar until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup dried cranberries, green onion and 1/8th cup chopped parsley. Form the cheese mixture into 10 ball shapes.
3. Add the remaining 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/8th cup chopped parsley to the baking sheet with the walnuts. Mix with hands to distribute ingredients evenly over baking sheet. Roll the cheese balls over the walnuts and cranberries to completely coat the outside of the balls.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and store overnight, or at least 4 hours, to allow the flavors to meld.
Nov 1, 2016
John Barritt and Son, Bermuda’s foremost beverage producer is bringing on the joyful festivities this winter with Barritt’s Stone Ginger Beer. We’ve extolled the virtues of this traditional Bermudian drink before; it’s refreshing and spicy, and wonderful in the kitchen! Google “cooking with ginger beer” and you’ll be amazed by the diversity and wow factor of the recipes.
As our good friend, Bruce Barritt says, “Bubbly, tasty, full of spice, refreshing and exciting. When it hits your taste buds, mate, full flavour is igniting.”
Ginger Beer & Orange Marmalade Glazed Pork Loin
INGREDIENTS
Shallowly score pork fat diagonally in a criss-cross pattern.
One 3 to 4-pound boneless pork loin roast
1 large onion, sliced
Whole cloves
1 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup ginger beer
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons five spice powder
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
DIRECTIONS
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Layer the onion slices in the bottom of a shallow baking pan. Place the pork loin roast, fat-side up, on top of the sliced onion. Lightly score fat diagonally in a criss-cross pattern. Insert whole cloves along diagonal intersecting points.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the marmalade, ginger beer, rice vinegar, soy sauce, five spice, ginger, Tabasco sauce, and minced garlic. Pour three-quarters of the marinade over the pork roast. Use the remaining marinade to baste the roast half way through cooking time.
3. Cook for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, or when an internal temperature of 145°-160° F is reached when using a meat thermometer. Remove from oven, and let roast rest for 5 minutes before carving. Drizzle with pan juices, if desired.
Oct 24, 2016
When it comes to Halloween cocktails you can’t beat the vibrant, blood-red colour of a classic Bloody Mary. Add ghost-shaped toasts and you have the perfect garnish for the festivities. Delicious served with or sans alcohol.
Time: 10 minutes • Makes: 1-2 servings
INGREDIENTS
Juice of half of a large lemon
4 dashes of Tabasco sauce, or more to taste
2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of fine sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
12 oz cold tomato juice
1 shot of Vodka (or omit for virgin Mary)
Celery stalk leaves
2 slices White or Whole Wheat Bread, lightly toasted
Black Peppercorns
DIRECTIONS
1. In a pitcher, add lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt and ground black pepper. Mix until well combined. Pour in the tomato juice and Vodka. Stir until well combined. Taste, and adjust any of the seasonings if necessary.
2. Using a 4-inch ghost-shaped cookie cutter, cut ghosts from toasted bread slices. Use peppercorns for ghost’s eyes.
3. Pour Bloody Mary mix into 2 glasses. Add one ghost toast to each glass. Garnish with celery leaf stalk and a few more peppercorns. Serve immediately.
Oct 24, 2016
Easy to carve oranges filled with fresh fruit are hardly scary, but they’re just too darn cute, and nutritious, to pass up for a simple, yet creative, Halloween breakfast the kiddos will love.
You’ll need a sharp paring knife for carving (or an X-Acto knife), oranges, and fruit of your choice for filling.
Start by cutting the top off the orange using a zig zag pattern for a more decorative look. Discard top. Over a bowl, remove insides of orange. You can use the removed orange segments for mixing with other fruit for filling.
Carve a face into the orange freehand or by using a stencil.
Fill with fruit; garnish with a few ghoulish touches, such as plastic spiders as shown here, and serve.
Oct 12, 2016
These savoury muffins, studded with chunks of pumpkin and feta cheese, are a wonderful accompaniment to soup or stews.
Prep time: 25 mins • Cook time: 20 mins • Total time: 45 mins
Makes: 12 Muffins
INGREDIENTS
3 cups cubed pumpkin (or butternut squash), cut into small cubes
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup pepita or sunflower seeds
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup feta cheese, diced
2 cups spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease a 12-hole muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil and set aside.
2. Place the cubed squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, olive oil, and mustard. Stir in the pepita or sunflower seeds, Parmesan, feta, and roasted pumpkin cubes, then gently fold in the spinach and parsley. Add the flour mixture and gently fold just until the batter comes together; do not overmix.
5. Spoon the mixture into greased muffin pan; filling to about three-quarters full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean . Let cool for 2 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely on wire rack.
Oct 5, 2016
A delicious veggie burger full of protein, whole grain fiber, and great taste! Makes: 6 servings.
Prep Time: 15 min • Cook Time: 30 min • Total Time: 45 min
Millet is a gluten-free grain with a mild flavour that pairs well with other foods. Millet is commonly used for pilaf or breakfast cereals, or added to bread, soups or stews.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup millet
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp finely grated ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 handful baby spinach, chopped
juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup chickpeas, roughly chopped
2 eggs
1 tbsp olive oil, or more, for frying
DIRECTIONS
- Add the millet to a saucepan over a medium heat and toast for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the millet starts to turn golden. Add water and salt and stir well and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Set aside and allow the millet to cool completely.
- In a skillet, over medium-low heat, and add the olive oil, onion, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Saute until the onion is softened and the spices fragrant. Add the grated ginger, garlic and spinach. Cook just until spinach is slightly wilted. Set aside to cool.
- Combine the millet, onion and spice mix, parsley, lemon juice, grated lemon rind, soy sauce, chickpeas and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the eggs and mix well. Form the mixture into burgers. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil and cook the burgers on 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden.
- Serve on burger buns, or use in a tortilla wrap.
