Lentil Curry with Squash and Spinach

1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) each curry powder and grated gingerroot
1 tsp (5 mL) each ground cumin and fennel seeds
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) vegetable or chicken stock
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) green lentils
Half butternut squash (1 lb/500 g)
1 large potato
6 cups (1.5 L) fresh spinach

Preparation:

In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add flour, curry, ginger, cumin and fennel; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, water and lentils. Bring to boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and seed squash; cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. Set aside. Peel and cut potato into 3/4 inch (2 cm) cubes; add to pot. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add squash; cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until tender and liquid is thickened.

Thin and coarsely chop spinach; stir into pot until wilted.

Cherry Tomato Couscous Recipe

Keep your eyes peeled for whole wheat or barley couscous - either would work great here. You can easily make this vegan by leaving out the feta - maybe do some sort of harissa drizzle instead?

3 cups cooked couscous*
1/2 a basket of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 lemon, cut in half
1 lime, cut in half
about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup basil or cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Combine the couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Lori - squeezes the lemon and lime juice directly into the bowl, so start by giving a good squeeze of lemon and lime juice into the bowl, add the olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Toss well, taste, and adjust with more of the above until it tastes just right. Lori notes - this really needs a generous amount of salt, and the lemon and lime juices might need to be adjusted depending on how juicy the fruit is.

Add the basil and feta and toss gently until it is evenly dispersed.

Serves 4 - 6.


*To cook the couscous: Either follow the package instructions or bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil, stir in a scant 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt and 2 cups of couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Steam for 5 to 10 minutes and then use a fork to fluff up the couscous.

Herb-Crusted Snapper

Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 snapper fillets (6 to 8 ounces each)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup assorted fresh herbs, finely chopped
Best Couscous

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place 4 snapper fillets (6 to 8 ounces each), skin side down, on work surface; season with salt and pepper; spread each with 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard.

Place 1/2 cup finely chopped assorted fresh herbs on plate; balance strong herbs, such as dill and thyme, with milder ones, such as parsley. Press mustard-coated side of fillets in herbs to coat evenly.

Bake fish on baking sheet, skin side down, until opaque throughout, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with couscous.

Bat and Cobweb Cookies

Makes about 30
6 cups all-purpose flour (sifted, then measured), plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses
Royal Icing

Directions

Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together into a large bowl; set aside.

Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Beat in eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture.

Divide dough into three equal pieces, and flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Print out the bat and cobweb templates found here, and cut them out. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick.

Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Using templates and a paring knife, cut dough into shapes. Transfer shapes to baking sheets and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Bake until crisp but not darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Decorate with royal icing.


Royal Icing

Makes about 2 1/2 cups
2 large egg whites, or more to thin icing
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, or more to thicken icing
1 lemon, juiced
Directions

Beat the whites until stiff but not dry. Add sugar and lemon juice; beat for 1 minute more. If icing is too thick, add more egg whites; if it is too thin, add more sugar. The icing may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Original Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer
½ cup unsalted butter (European style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.

Second Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar

Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.

Third Layer
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter overlow heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

Korean BBQ Beef

For this recipe, you will need:
1 pounds sirloin, thinly sliced
5 scallions
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste

In a medium bowl add ginger and garlic paste, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil and mix everything together well.

Slice your beef stead into thin strips. Cut off the white part of the scallions and theen cut them vertically into thin strips, then chop them across into medium pieces. Into a medium bowl, add your beef and onions and mix them.

Then pour in the sauce and mix everything together so the beef is covered well. Cover the bowl and let everything marinate for at least 3 hours

The best way to make bulgogi is to grill them but if you don't have a grill you can pan fry them. Heat a tablespoon of oil on a medium heat, then add your marinated meat and fry it until it turns rich brown color. You can serve it with a side of kimchi.

Swiss Buttercream

Swiss Buttercream

For a wedding cake (or most of one, depending on the size)
2 cups of egg whites (approx. 12 large)
3 cups sugar
5 cups butter, softened (2 1/2 pounds, 10 sticks)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For a 9-inch cake (plus filling, or some to spare)
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
26 tablespoons butter, softened (3 sticks plus 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the tiniest amount, if you’re just practicing (or enough to cover and fill the 4-inch cake pictured)
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg white
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk egg whites and sugar together in a big metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk occasionally until you can’t feel the sugar granules when you rub the mixture between your fingers.

Transfer mixture into the mixer and whip until it turns white and about doubles in size. (Here’s a tip: when you transfer to the mixer, make sure you wipe the condensation off the bottom of the bowl so that no water gets into the egg whites. This can keep them from whipping up properly.)

Add the vanilla.

Finally, add the butter a stick at a time and whip, whip, whip

Note: Do not have a panic attack when this takes a while to come together (though I did every time). One super-large batch took 15 minutes, but it did and will come together. Patience, young Jedis.