It’s just like your grandma’s fresh-baked apple pie, only with a twist – instead of being baked as an entire pie, it’s baked as single-servings in canning jars! Now all your dinner party guests can have their individual servings. Screw a snap-lid and canning ring on it and you can easily store them in the fridge, take them to work for lunch, on a Sunday hike, or on a romantic picnic.

Ingredients:

• 8 X 250ml (half pint) glass canning jars
• 4 uncooked pie crusts
• 7 cups (15-20) apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg

Lay out the piecrusts on a clean, lightly floured surface. Use a jar to cut 8 circles. Insert one circle of dough into the base of each jar, pressing into place. Cut the remaining piecrusts into long strips, about 4” wide. Press the dough inside each jar so the inside is completely covered.

In a large bowl, toss the apple slices in the lemon juice.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients together. Pour the sugar mixture over the apples and toss until evenly coated.

Equally divide the apple filling into each of the jars, filling each jar about 2/3 full. Finish each “pie” with a crust – either another circle of piecrust, or make a lattice top. Pinch and fold the top piecrust inside the jar, below the top edge of the jar.

Even though canning jars are heat resistant, it’s best to place  the jars on a baking sheet inside a cold oven. Heat the oven to 375’F (190’c) and bake for 45-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Remove from oven and let the jars cool on a wire rack, away from drafts or cold.

Summer isn’t too far off – so experiment with other pie fillings like blueberries, strawberry-rhubarb, and cherries!

After taking a brief break over the winter season, Master chef, Marcel Kauer is ready to re-open the dining room at Hastings House Country House Hotel on Salt Spring Island this Friday, March 2, 2012. The opening will feature a traditional a la carte menu consisting of a three-course meal prepared by Kauer and his culinary team.

This year marks Chef Kauer’s 20^th year at Hastings House. He arrived in 1992 as a Sous Chef and over the years his high standards has kept the dining room listed as one of the top rated dining spots in Canada by the Zagat Guide.

Kauer grew up in a small Swiss Village that he says reminds him a little of Salt Spring Island. “There are similarities.  I noticed the land right away when I arrived here from Vancouver in 1992.  It’s the small, rural, country life that drew me in.  My wife and I have enjoyed living here ever since.”

Although the menu has seen a changes over the years, the one thing that has not changed in the quality of the food.

“When I first arrived as a Sous Chef 20 years ago, we had a fixed menu of fish or lamb,” Kauer explained. “In the last 4 to 5 years we have provided guests with more choices and presented an à la carte menu. We always base the menu on the freshest available ingredients, many of which come directly from our own estate garden.”

“As Chefs go, Marcel Kauer is recognized as a top notch professional,” said Hastings House General Manager, Kelly McAree. “We are really proud of his tenure at the hotel.  He is a humble person who shies away from the spotlight, but when guest chefs come here they are clearly happy to work with him in creating a memorable dining experience.”

In 2010 Hastings House started the guest chef program, “Chefs Across the Water”. The special dinner evenings have proven to be very popular and have added to Chef Kauer’s reputation and a world-class chef.

A modern and fun twist on serving Jell-O shots at your next party. Not only do they look impressive, but they are also easier to consume.

•  4 Naval Oranges
• 2 Packages Jell-O
• 2 Cups Vodka

Cut Naval oranges in half. Using a spoon, carefully hollow out the inside of the orange like a Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin so only the peel remains. It’s important not to make any holes in the orange peel when hollowing it out. Once the orange halves are hollowed, place open-side up into a muffin tray. Set aside.

Boil kettle with water. Mix two single packages of Jell-O with two cups of hot water. Stir well. Add two cups of vodka. Mix well.

Pour Jell-O mix into orange halves. Carefully transfer to refrigerator. Refrigerate for six hours.

When ready to serve, use a serrated knife and carefully cut orange halves into three wedges. Place on plate and serve.

In the winter there’s nothing like homemade soup to warm you up from the inside. Soup from scratch doesn’t have to take a long time to make either – it can be as fast as 20-30 minutes. Here’s a quick and easy recipe for making cream of broccoli soup from scratch.

• 4 cups broccoli florets and stems, chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Cook broccoli in chicen stock until tender. Do not drain. Let cool for a bit and then puree in a blender or food processor. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, melt butter. Add onion and carrots and saute lightly. Do not brown. Add flour, salt, pepper and milk. Stir until mixture boils and thickens. Add broccoli mixture. Stir until hot again.

Carefully ladle into bowls and top with cheddar cheese.

This recipe should make 5 individual servings.

Celebrate autumn with a batch of homemade gingerbread cookies. Not only do they taste good; your home will smell wonderful!

Ingredients:

• 6 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
•  1 ½ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then the eggs and molasses. Add the flower mixture, combining on low speed. Divide the dough into thirds, wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Heat over to 350’c. On a floured surface, rol out the dough to 1/8” thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet and refrigerate until firm. Bake until crisp; approximately 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks. Decorate with sugar, sprinkles, icing, etc.

Grandma’s always make the best hot cocoa. Why? Because it was made from scratch. Believe it or not, it is pretty easy to make hot cocoa. With the cool rainy Autumn days upon us and long, cold winter nights just around the corner, here’s the recipe so you can stay warm and cozy:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 cups milk

In a large saucepan add cocoa, sugar and salt. Gradually stir in 4 cups of warm milk. Set over low heat at stir occasionally for 8-10 minutes. Add remaining 8 cups of milk and heat until scalding. Do not boil. Serve in mugs. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg or top with marshmallows. Makes 12 servings.

To make a single serving, use 1 tbsp cocoa, 1 tbsp sugar, pinch of salt, 1/3 cup water and 2/3 cup milk. Pour all ingredients into a sauce pant and heat slowly  until scalding.

Make it adult style by pouring cocoa into a mug and adding 1/2 oz Bailey’s and 1/2 oz Frangelico.

An easy and fragrant way to spice up carrots.

• 4 cups of bite-sized carrots
• ¾ cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup cranberries
• ½ teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 firm, ripe pear; peeled and sliced
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter

In a non-stick pan, combine carrots, orange juice, cranberries and ginger. Bring to boil and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pears, brown sugar and butter. Cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Making cranberry sauce from scratch is just as easy as using a can opener, but the results of making it yourself are far superior. Plus, using  fresh cranberries (or freshly frozen), means you know that there are no preservatives and you can control the sugar!

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups fresh cranberries

In a medium pot, bring water to full boil. Add sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Add cranberries. Bring to boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Cranberries will pop during the cooking process.

Stuffing is an essential part of any traditional roasted turkey or chicken dinner.

Make your own dry bread cubes by cutting 12- 14 slices fresh bread into ½ cubes (makes about 8 cups). Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake in an oven at 300’c for 10-15 minutes, or let them air dry for 8-10 hours.

• 1 ½ cups celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tablespoon of fresh sage
• ½ tsp poultry seasoning
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 12 cups dried bread cubes
• 1 cup chicken broth

In a large pan, cook celery and onion in butter until soft and tender. When it’s done, add in fresh snipped sage, poultry seasoning and pepper.

In a large bowl, mix bread cubes with celery / onion mix. Mix well. Drizzle chicken broth to moisten, tossing lightly until it is all combined.

Place the stuffing into a casserole dish and bake covered at 325’c for 30-45 minutes.

Tips:

• Do no stuff the poultry in advance; stuff it just before you put it into the oven.
• It takes about ¾ of a cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey / chicken
• Don’t pack in the stuffing, keep it loose; otherwise it will not reach a safe temperature by the time the poultry is done cooking. It needs to reach at least 165’c (use a meat thermometer).

Gone are the days of old ladies wearing big hats sitting in a parlor sipping tea with their pinkies in the air. “High Tea” was for the British working class, who had tea as their supper, which was a hearty meal of sandwiches and scones. In many regions of the world, tea is an honour of tradition.

Over time, the tradition of afternoon tea has evolved. Today’s afternoon tea can range from casual to formal. Afternoon tea may be hosted from early to late afternoon and is enjoyed by both men and women.

Afternoon tea is a great alternative if you want to host a party. It doesn’t have to be as sophisticated or elaborate as a formal dinner party. It is a nice way to spend an afternoon catching up with friends, celebrating a birthday, baby or bridal shower, anniversary or retirement party, or a graduation.

Food is always prepared in advance of guests arriving. It can be served buffet style or served by passing plates at the table. Whether the occasion is casual or formal, the table should always be set with the best china, silver and linens.

To make a perfect pot of tea, pour cold water into a kettle and let it come to a hard boil. While the kettle is boiling, pour hot water into your teapot. When the kettle is comes to the hard boil, dump the hot water from the teapot, put in your fresh tea, and add the freshly boiled water. Cover and let steep for four minutes. When it’s done steeping, remove the tea and discard. Always keep an extra kettle of hot water to weaken strong tea, or to quickly make another fresh pot.

Here are some useful tips to help you plan and host your next afternoon English tea party:

• Choose the date of the tea party. Formal tea parties should have invitations mailed. For casual parties, include  a tea bag in the invitation, or send the invitation by email.
• Purchase tea supplies in advance. Have several teapots to make and serve a variety of teas.
• For casual mid-afternoon tea, prepare lighter snacks and small bites. If the tea party replaces a meal, serve a larger variety and heartier food. Traditional English tea has both savory and sweet fare served including scones, biscuits and tea sandwiches. Traditional tea sandwiches include:
  • Egg salad
  • Cucumber and cream cheese or cucumber and mint
  • Chicken salad
  • Smoked salmon
  • Tuna salad with capers
  • Asparagus and Prosciutto
  • Chicken Pate
  • Traditional English teas served include Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Darjeeling. Queen Elizabeth prefers Darjeeling, also known as the “Champagne” of teas. Loose-leaf tea is superior to bagged tea.
  • Serve milk, cream, sugar, lemon, and honey so each guest can enjoy their tea just the way they like.

Tea sandwich tip:

Use thinly sliced and good quality bread. A thin coating of butter keeps the bread from getting soggy. Trim the crust from the sandwich and cut into small pieces, typically no larger than two-bite size.

Hosting a toga party conjures up images of college guys having a kegger, running around in bed sheets. Throw away those trashy memories of days gone by and host a fun, adult party by celebrating the ancient festival of the grape harvest. Yes, there will be the traditional Greek and Roman revelry. It’s called a Bacchanalian Bash!

Invite friends over for an evening of Greek and Roman inspired food, wine and ambiance they’ll be sure to enjoy. It’s easy to do and the results are impressive.

For décor, use columns, urns, grapes, topiary and fig trees, and vines. These are easily rented from supply stores like Greenscape Design and Décor in Vancouver. Try to find artwork that is Roman or Greek inspired.

Rather than serving beer from a keg, serve guests red and white wine – after all, it is a grape harvest festival. Serve white wine chilled and red wine decanted, near room temperature. Have lots of wine glasses, a few bottle stoppers and a wine opener available.

Easy to serve appetizers include 6-year aged cheddar cheese with an assortment of water crackers, green and red grapes, dried figs, sliced apples, ancient grain bread, olives and almonds.

If you and your friends do not have access to a suitable toga outfit, it is cheaper to go to a fabric store and buy a few yards of white fabric; plus it’s easier to drape. Traditional togas have a white robe with a red sash. Purple sashes are the royal colour typically reserved for the Togaboy. Costumes are easily accessorized with leather cuffs, a green laurel and gold jewelry.

Set the mood by playing traditional Greek and Roman music in the background, turn down the lights and enjoy the evening over a few (or many) glasses of wine.

What kid (or adult for that matter), doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies? With school coming back in session soon, here’s a great soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup room temperature unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pur vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chip cookies

Many farms, markets and gardens are bursting with fresh local peppers. While they are perfect for fresh cooking, salads and snacks, it’s also a perfect opportunity to do some quick preserving by freezing them for use later on.

When produce is in season it is cheaper than in the off-season when it has to be imported from other countries or grown in a local hot house. During the summer months it’s easy to head to a local farmers market or farm to purchase the fresh harvest and easily prepare to have some extra local goods to enjoy in the fall and winter season. It’s good and saves money!

While red, yellow, orange and green peppers are now all fresh and in prime picking season, it’s easy to put some away in your freezer. Here’s how:

1. Wash all the peppers and dry with a paper towel.
2. Cut the top off and slice into quarters, removing the seeds and white pith.
3. Slice the quarters into spears using a knife or slice them using a food processor with the slicer blade.
4. Place into ziplock freezer bag, squeeze out all the air and lay flat on a cookie sheet.
5. Label the ziplock bags with the ingredients and the date.
6. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 8 hours, allowing the peppers to freeze solid.
7. Stack in the freezer and use within six months.

Frozen peppers are perfect for using in chili, stirfry and casseroles. Let the peppers thaw before cooking.

Raspberries are in full-swing in British Columbia and now is the best time to take advantage of the great summer harvest by preserving them into tasty jam. Here’s a great recipe that comes from Bernardin. The key to making jam is not to double batch the recipe – it never works and your jam won’t turn out.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mashed raspberries
• 1 package of Bernardin liquid pectin
• 6 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ tbsp butter

Sterilize 6, 250ml jars. Place snap lids into hot water (not boiling). Keep jars and lids hot until ready to use.

Using a deep, stainless steel pot, stir together raspberries, sugar and butter. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Add liquid pectin. Return to full boil, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Pour the hot jam into the prepared jars, leaving a ¼” head room from the top of the jar. Wipe off the jar rim and remove any food residue. Place the hot lid onto the jar and screw on a jar ring, finger tight.

Place in a hot water bath canner. Bring canner to full rolling boil. Boil filled jars for 10 minutes (adjust accordingly to your altitude).

When the processing is complete, turn off the stove and remove the canner lid. Wait five minutes and then remove the jars, placing them on a towel away from drafts. Let the jars sit for 24 hours.

Remove the rings and wash jars and rings in hot, soapy water. Rinse and dry jars. For easy removal of rings and to dress up your jars, place a piece of fabric over the jar and then screw the ring back onto the jar.

Store jars in a cool, dry and dark location. Don’t forget to label the jars, including the date canned.

For best quality, use within one year.

In 2008-9, with the economy in a downward spiral, people were looking for new ways to save money and do whatever they could to prepare for an unstable future. During the economy crash when money was tight and while bountiful crops were being harvested, people began to look back at traditions of times past.

People remember times when parents and grandparents learned the skillful art of home preservation. This included canning, dehydrating, freezing and curing. It was at this that a new trend began to emerge called, the Canvolution.

Today, the art continues. Home preservation is affordable, provides healthy eating choices and is seen by many as an amazing feat. This is because in today’s modern society, it is easy to go to a store and buy a jar of jam for a few dollars. But when someone hands you a jar of homemade jam, it becomes something special. It’s made from fresh ingredients and with tender care.

Home preserves are a thoughtful gift that are cherished by many who do not have the skills or knowledge into preparing the delicious treats. It’s especially impressive to share home preserves during the cold winter season – a jar of peaches for instance tastes much better on a January night when you know that the peach was picked fresh from the tree on a hot summer afternoon in late August.

Preserving at home is not difficult or take a lot of skill. Dehydrating is as simple as washing the fruit or vegetable, slicing (if required) and laying out onto dehydrator racks. Similar with canning – prepare the fruit or vegetables, put in sterilized jars and boil in hot water. Pretty simple stuff that yields amazing results and reactions from those who have never tried it themselves.

With the fruit and vegetables now in coming into season, now is the time to get active and try your hand at home preserving. Keep watching for tips, recipes and advice on home preserving. It’s easy, fun, and rewarding!

Theme parties are a great way to get a group of friends together. With a few key items and attention to detail, you can turn a modern room into a disco inferno! Here are some tips to hosting a successful 70’s retro disco party.

The cheapest way to get a costume is to break into your parents, grand parents, aunt and uncles closets and attics – they are more than likely to have a few retro / vintage pieces that would work great. If that’s not an option, head to your local thrift store – there are always good finds if you look close. Alternatively, vintage shops have wide selections of authentic clothing, however, you’ll pay a higher price.

Having the right snacks on hand will help set the mood. Borrow retro dishware from friends or buy is from second hand stores –people will certainly notice the detail here. Here are some great examples of traditional 70’s party food to serve:

• Celery with cheese whiz
• Devilled eggs
• Triscuits with sausage, marble cheese and a olives
• Ritz cracker and cheese whiz
• Pickles – yum yum’s, gherkins, and sweet onions
• Jelly fruit salad

For décor, it’s easy to change the mood of the room by using fabrics. Look for brown, gold, orange, purple and lime green – fall colour palettes with contrasting bright colours work best. Use them to cover couches, tables and other furniture. Changing a lampshade is another easy way to take a room back in time. Don’t forget the disco ball!

Finally, set the tone by playing era specific music playing the in the background. Bee Gee’s,  Dr Hook, Village People, Gloria Gaynor, Sister Sledge, and Kenny Rogers are just a few of the artists to ensure you have loaded into your retro iTunes playlist.

Serve classic cocktails including Tom Collins, Greyhounds, fruit punch and Pink Lady’s!

Processed granola bars are handy, but they are packed with preservatives and often have a high amount of sugars and fats. For healthy, active people, finding healthy alternatives is key. This homemade energy bar recipe from the BMO Vancouver Marathon will fill the hunger void and will fuel your body your your next athletic activity.

Filling:

• 1-Cup Dates
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• ½ Cup Water

Crumb Mixture:

• 1-Cup Flour
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1-Cup Butter
• 1-Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Cups Rolled Oats

Directions:

Add dates, water and 1 tbsp of brown sugar to pot and cook gently until soft.

Mix flour, salt and soda.

Cut in butter, followed by sugar and oats.

Spread half the crumb mixture in an 8X8” pan.

Cover with date filling.

Pat remaining crumb mixture on top.

Bake at 325 ° F for 35-40 Minutes

The tenth and final installment of 10 simple ways you can change and improve your diet to lead a healthier lifestyle. The tips and information from this series comes from Choices Markets Dietician, Desiree Nielsen.

This week’s tip: Cook Something New

We are becoming a nation of take out dialers and instant food assemblers. But if you can boil water, you can make yourself a simple, healthy meal in less time than it takes to stand in line for pizza. As an added bonus, you will save money and may even trim your waistline!

The average restaurant or quick service meal contains more salt, fat and calories than the same food made at home. This week, try one new recipe…that’s all there is to it! If you enjoy doing it, make it a weekly event!

5 Resources for Quick and Easy Recipes

1. Free and at your fingertips, www.eatingwell.com offers thousands of healthy recipes. Stuck for time? Search for their 5-ingredient or 30-minute meals.
2. A Local Table, the Choices Markets Cookbook, has plenty of “make it tonight” recipes – some of which can also be found at www.choicesmarket.com
3. The new Dietitians of Canada cookbook contains plenty of healthy, easy to prepare recipes along with cooking lessons for the novice chef.
4. Looking for more quick and easy recipes? Try www.canadianliving.com
5. Fitness magazines are another great source for health focused, simple to use recipes. Men’s Health, for example, always features “guys meals made easy”!

Many martinis and some cocktails call for a sugar or salt rim. To get professional results, you need to get a glass rimmer – similar to what’s used by most bars, pubs and restaurants. Once you have one, it will become just as valuable as a good martini shaker.

A glass rimmer is a bar accessory used to apply salt or sugar to the rim of a glass. It usually consists of one or more shallow discs. One of the disks will have a sponge used to moisten the rim of the glass. The other discs can be filled with either the rimming salt or sugar. Glass rimmers are usually compact and can be slid open and closed. They can be purchased at quality kitchen accessory stores.

The ninth installment of 10 simple ways you can change and improve your diet to lead a healthier lifestyle. The tips and information from this series comes from Choices Markets Dietician, Desiree Nielsen.

This week’s tip: Swap your Bread for Sprouted Grain

Switching to sprouted grain bread and tortillas is one of the easiest ways to boost your fibre intake and help control blood sugars.

Many people are familiar with 100% whole grain breads, but all are not created equal! Some 100% whole grain breads aren’t much better for you than their white counterparts.

When you see the term “sprouted grain”, it means that the wheat was not ground into a fine flour before making the bread; instead, the grains are sprouted and crushed.

The main advantage of this technique is an average of 5 grams of fibre and 5 grams of protein per slice, versus 1.5 – 2 grams of fibre in most whole grain breads.

Have a sandwich for lunch every day? You just more than doubled your fibre intake simply by swapping your bread! Sprouted grain breads are more filling, will produce a slower rise in blood sugar and help you control your weight.