The Gouda Life

I woke a few weeks back to an email from a fellow food blogger, Barb from Profiteroles and Ponytails, informing me she had nominated/awarded me with the Versatile Blogger Award. What a lovely way to wake up. 

Barb’s take on food is refreshing, convivial and it’s tremendously obvious that she adores cooking (and baking, oh her baking!) home-cooked, soul-soothing meals for her husband and the ponytails (a nickname for her adorable daughters). Thank you, Barb, for sharing the love with me. It’s truly an honour. 

So in true Versatile Blogger spirit, I would also like to share the love (before I share some badass cookies with you!) and nominate a few folks I think are truly deserving of the award. 

 

A Heartful Mouthful; Kaitlin and I have become friends in the last little while and I’m so proud to call such an innovative, talented, well spoken woman my friend. She continually impresses and delights with her culinary prowess and kitchen expertise. Her blog is thoughtfully written, fun to read, and delicious to look at. 

It Ain’t Meat Babe; Jennifer’s blog houses such a superb collection of expertly written vegan recipes, but that aside, the stories she tells make you feel like you’ve been friends with her forever. She’s well spoken and an obviously passionate writer. I am so looking forward to reading more of anything and everything she writes. 

Pretty Plate; One look at Jennifer (yes, another Jennifer. Turns out they are a talented bunch) blog and you’ll see why I’m nominating her. Her blog is beautiful to look at, fun to read, and her recipes are delightfully inspired. 

In order to complete my portion of the Versatile Blogger award, I’m not to tell you 7 things about myself that you might not already know. This is a difficult task for me since I’m typically such an open book. But here is my stab at it… 

1. I have a hard time reading books. 
Books and I, we don’t always see eye to eye. Literally. I am easily distracted by shiny things and find myself reading the same sentence umpteen times before finally absorbing what I’ve actually read. It takes a REALLY good read to draw me in. 

2. I didn’t start cooking until I was about 2007/2008. 
I didn’t really grow up in a family that was mad about food. We did have dinner together as a family most night, but the food wasn’t really the spotlight of our meals (not that it wasn’t delicious! Don’t kill me Mom & Dad!), it was about family. And so, food’s entry into my life has been quick and dirty and passionate. 

3. I’m far too easy to please. 
I sometimes joke that I would make a terrible, complacent food-critic as I tend to just like everything. I can tell if something is under-seasoned, over-cooked, or just plain bad…but there is a pretty good chance I’ll happily eat it anyways. I just love food. In all it’s forms. I imagine this is a result of growing up with a father who, upon finding mold on food, would just cut it off and continue eating. Waste not, want not. Right? No? 

4. I’ve lived in Western Canada twice. 
Never for very long, as my dad pokes fun at me often about. I lived in Fernie, BC and Canmore, AB for about 4 months each time. It’s been an escape of mine when things get tough here at home in Ottawa. I haven’t run away in a long time, but if I were going to again, there is a good chance you could find me in the mountains. 

5. I drink a lot of tea. 
Usually before bed. I drink about 2-3 pots of tea to myself most days. I know full well, while drinking it, that I am going to end up paying for it at 3am, but I can’t help myself. The Toasted Walnut tea from David’s Tea is my most favourite and I am never without it for very long. 

6. I am painfully shy.
Despite my loud and chatty exterior, I am really very shy with new people. I tend to overcompensate for it by awkwardly talking non-stop. Going to new events and networking is something that shakes me right to the core. I’m working on it. 

7. I am a homebody through and through.
I enjoy going out at times and often feel disappointed in myself when I miss events and gatherings when I don’t, but I really just love being at home. Give me a bowl of pasta, a glass (bottle) of wine, and a good movie and I am at my happiest. Add my boyfriend and our 2 cats and dog, and I’m in heaven. Home is truly where my heart is. 

There! Done! 

And now… for the GREAT part. The part I’ve been thinking about all week. Double Chocolate Chili Cookies. You hear that? Let me say it louder. DOUBLE.CHOCOLATE.CHILI.COOKIES. For real. That just happened. 



I got this recipe from Elizabeth of Guilty Kitchen. I doubt there is much I have to tell you about since you and everyone you know already know her and her awe-inspiring blog. She consistently gives me something to work towards. Something to keep raising the bar for. Her photos, her writing, her recipes…they are everything I’d someday like to be. 

These cookies are the Johnny Depp of cookies. They are dark, rugged, and deliciously bad. You want to hoard them all to yourself in a dark room and have your way with them. A few times. And then again in an hour. 

….

Oh no. I think I’ve stopped talking about cookies. I’m sorry. I digress. Make these. As soon as you can. They are spicy, but not enough to make you break a sweat. Just enough. Dark, cocoa-y, gooey and a touch salty from the salted caramel dark chocolate I used in them, they are the perfect companion to a BIG, cold glass of milk. 

Double Chocolate Chili Cookies
adapted from Guilty Kitchen

I used a Mexican chili powder that I got at a natural food store and Camino cocoa powder in the cookies. Use what you like best, but try to use the best quality products you can afford. 

1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, \t room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
7 oz dark chocolate, cut into small chunks
Pre-heat oven to 375. 

Sift the first 6 ingredients into a medium bowl. 



In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and  cream until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each is mixed. 

Add half the dry ingredients and mix on lowest speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix again until fully incorporated.

Stir in the chocolate chunks using a sturdy spoon, the batter is quite thick.



At this point you can do one of three things;
1. place the dough in the fridge for 12-24 hours. This helps produce a thicker, chewier cookie.
2. Place batter in the freezer for 1 hour. This isn’t as effective as the fridge method, but it’s what I did and I was happy with the results. 
3. Bake right away. The cookies might be a little on the flat side, but I’m sure they’ll still be delicious.

When you’re ready to bake, roll the dough into golf-ball sized portions and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15-17 minutes being very careful not to burn, because they will. Quickly.

Let cool for 10-15 minutes, pour a big glass of milk or tea, and enjoy!  

I decided I didn’t need them all, so decided I would gift a few. Not because I’m nice, but mostly because I’m looking out for my own ass. Literally. 

Can you believe we’re less than a week away from Christmas? Can someone tell me how on earth this happened? 2012 is less than two weeks away, too. Doesn’t it seem like we were just welcoming 2011 a month or two ago? 

I’m really not sure when November left us, but here we are, panicked and anxious, counting down the days until Santa squeezes his plump little body down your chimneys and crams a few billions cookies and 38495438932859023 liters of milk down his gob. How that guy avoids lactose-intolerance and heart-disease is totally beyond me. I do, however, agree with his present-giving policies. 



I haven’t been as on-the-ball as previous years so my offerings to Santa this year come thanks to Monsieur Félix and Mr. Norton cookies! When they offered to send me some samples to test out, I can’t tell you how relieved I was. Not only did it mean getting to eat cookies, it meant some of my Christmas baking would be done FOR ME. How awesome is that? It’s really awesome. 

I’m pretty sure I had the Styrofoam cooler in my hands and ripped open before the delivery guy even had a chance to say ‘sign here, please’. It was an exciting day, which might not say all that much about my social life, but I’m comfortable with who I am, cookie-obsessed and all. 



Now, I certainly wouldn’t call myself a cookie-connoisseur. Probably something more along the lines of “Will eat any cookie, any day” style. I’m not picky. I don’t like cookies ‘this way’ or ‘that way’. I just like them. Period. Most, if not all, of them. And Felix and Norton make great cookies. I’ve been lucky enough to try them at the Old Port in Montreal, where they sell from their Mobile Bakery, but when I found out they were selling pre-portioned frozen cookie dough, I was floored to say the least. Could it really be true that I could have one of their gooey, bursting-with-Belgium-chocolate, crisp around the edge cookies any time of the day (or..ahem…night)? There really is a Santa! And he must have gotten my wish-list. 



Felix & Norton are bringing the happiness of fresh cookies into your homes, to make at your will. Sure, it’s a little dangerous to have them at the ready 24/7, but we all need to practice self-control at some point, right? Right. I think.

The inviting smell of the warm, freshly baked cookies is enough to send me over the edge. I brought out 2 of of each flavour (Milk Chocolate Chunk, Ménage-à-trois, & Ebony & Ivory) for Mr. GL and I to sample last week and as we bit into the Ménage-à-trois variety, we were both whisked away into a euphoric state by the melty, buttery, warm cookies packed with white, milk and dark chocolate chunks. They were a little on the thin side, but personally, I’m a pretty big fan of a thin lacy cookie that’s soft through the middle. Each variety was perfect in it’s own right. The Ebony & Ivory was extra rich and satisfying, boasting a dark chocolate cookie filled with white chocolate chunks, and the Milk Chocolate Chunk was just as you’d imagine it to be, the quintessential chocolate-chip cookie. If, like me, the idea of having cookies at the ready any time of day appeals to you, Monsieur Felix and Mr. Norton cookie dough is available in the freezer section of select Foodland and Sobeys in Ontario and IGA on the Quebec side. They’re awesome for last-minute cookie-cravings when you don’t have time to plan, or anytime you want a tasty little treat. 



Because I’m hoping Santa will be extra generous when he visits my apartment, I thought it wise to be extra generous to him in return. Not only will I be leaving him a plate of Felix and Norton Cookies, I’ll also be jazzing up some eggnog for him to wash the delicious cookies down with. 

Those that know me well, know that I’m not much for Eggnog. It’s just one of those things I can’t get into, despite so badly wanting to love it. But rather than write it off completely, I thought I would dress it up a touch in hopes that I might fall madly in love as I’ve always hoped.

Mission accomplished! Success! HUZZAH, I say! If I knew all I needed was a little bourbon and melted Swiss dark chocolate, I would have been doing this ages ago. No longer will I stand on the sidelines of holiday parties, left-out and ashamed, as everyone chugs back their boozy eggnog. NO LONGER, I SAY! 

 

Chocolate Bourbon Eggnog and M. Felix & Mr. Norton Cookies
adapted from a recipe given to me by Claire, the wine blogger from foodiePrints 

Granted, I boozed the eggnog up just a little too much, but I’ve adjusted the amounts so that Santa doesn’t get a DUI after visiting your house. We wouldn’t want that. 

3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup granulate sugar
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup Bourbon
1 tbsp dark rum
Cayenne, nutmeg, cinnamon, for garnish (optional)

In a blender or with a hand-mixer, beat the eggs on high for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat again for 3-5 minutes, until very pale yellow. 



Pour the cream, chocolate, cocoa powder, bourbon and rum into a large saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Do not let it boil. Whisk often until chocolate is melted and mixed in with the cream. 



Pour the egg mixture into a large bowl and whisking constantly, add 1 tbsp at a time of the warm cream mixture to temper the eggs. If you add it all at ones, you’ll make a big bowl of boozy scrambled eggs. BLECH! Once you’ve added 4-5 tbsp of the warm cream, you can pour the rest in slowly while whisking. 



Ladle into mugs and top with a pinch of cayenne pepper nutmeg and cinnamon. 

And don’t forget to leave Santa some of your tasty Felix and Norton Cookies! 

Disclaimer: Felix and Norton did not compensate me beyond providing the cookie dough. The reviews and opinions are mine and mine alone. 

We know each other, you and I, don’t we? You could probably even call us ‘friends’ by now, right? I share my deepest darkest secrets with you and in return, you listen, hungrily & wide-eyed, while I do. I think we’ve built up a fair amount of trust in our time together, haven’t we? I thought you might feel the same. And I’m so glad. 



You may recall I’ve told you, not once, twice or even thrice… but many times, that I am just not a sweets-person. Salty, crunchy, savoury, cheesy…. those are my homies. And to them, I will always be true. Through thick and thin[-cut bacon].



but. 

On occasion, rare occasion, I try something that restores my faith in the land of all things sugar. And in the case of these Biscotti, the ones I’m eating right this second [… and ate this morning for breakfast, and last night for a snack, and one fresh out of the oven] have roused my one lowly sweet-tooth from a useless mundane existence. If I do have a sweet-treat, it’s one or two of something I’ve made to share that I just can’t serve without taste-testing. Mr. GL usually reaps the benefit of those batches. But this time, with these sparkly, cinnamon-sugar dusted Italian cookies, I find myself shooting gluttonous, devouring glances his way every time he reaches for that bag. I consider them mine. ALL mine. And God help anyone who stands between me and them.



When I tell you they are perfect, warm spiced and crumbly, speckled throughout with toasted pecans and crisp around the edges with a layer of baked-on cinnamon sugar… I need you to trust me. They are simply magnificent. Not too sweet, making them easy to, unconvincingly, pass off as a breakfast food, but sweet enough to satisfy that evening craving for just a little treat. Dunked into coffee, or as I’ve become accustomed, in my earl grey, they barrel past my old standby and have quickly become my most favourite sweet-treat. It should also be said that they taste just like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, which I became very closely acquainted with as a child. Trust me, friends. Just trust me. You will want these on Christmas morning while you sip your coffee and baileys. 



Cinnamon-Sugar & Toasted-Pecan Biscotti
adapted from Joy the Baker

Biscotti
2 cups All Purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 egg white
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4-1/3 cups toasted pecans, roughly chopped

Cinnamon-Sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325. And cover two baking sheets in parchment paper. Arrange oven racks to top and bottom third of the oven.

In a medium sized bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside. 



In you stand mixer or a bowl with hand-mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a spatula. Add 1 whole egg and the extra egg yolk and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl again. Add the vanilla and 1/2 the dry mix. Stir briefly and add the rest of the dry ingredients and the pecans. Scrape the bowl and give it one more quick mix. 





Pour half the dough onto each baking sheet and form into logs (2-2 1/2” wide) pressing down a touch.

Combine the cinnamon and sugar for the topping. 

Brush the logs with remaining egg whites and sprinkle,GENEROUSLY with cinnamon-sugar. Put one sheet in the upper-third of the oven and one in the lower. Bake for 20 minutes and then switch the pans. Bake for another 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. 







Remove from oven and let cool until you’re able to handle the logs. Once cool use a serrated knife to carefully slice 1/2” thick slices from the log. Place Biscotti cut side down on baking sheet and sprinkle again, very generously, with cinnamon-sugar. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown all over. Cool and then cram as many into your greedy little gob as you possible can. 

One final word to the wise; you’ll hide these from everyone in your house if you know what’s good for you. 

Oh where to begin!

The Christmas season is in full swing and I’m completely wrapped (pun intended) up in it. Dinner parties, trying to see those who are home for holidays (before the actual holidays begin), lots of shows [shameless plug: Four Calling Birds: A Holiday Special- this Friday at the Elmdale! Come!] and a never ending list of things to do.

I haven’t been making much in the way of dinner to share with you, unfortunately. We’ve both just been so busy and usually just grab something quick. And we’ve maybe eaten a good 10 pizzas in the last little bit. Not the healthiest choice by any means, but um, it’s cold and I need the extra spare cheese-tire around my mid section? Yeah. That’s exactly why.

One of my To-Dos was to make some really pretty homemade gifts I came across on Bakerella and Sunset. They’re both quite similar in terms of steps, but one makes a delicious chocolate-chip walnut quick bread, and the other makes pretty cookies with chocolate chips, oats and M&Ms. They look beautiful when they are done, and really don’t cost that much if you have some baking staples on hand.

My girlfriend Kelly and I decided to knock this off the list this past Saturday. We bravely made our way to the grocery store and Bulk Barn, where we waited in line for what seemed like forever. Have I mentioned how much I hate line ups and stressed out shoppers? Because I do. A lot a lot.
Luckily for us, eggnog was on sale. And what’s eggnog without a little rum? And for that matter, what’s Christmas gift making without a little rum? Rum-nog on, friends. Rum-nog on!  



These sweet little jars make a perfect gift for grandparents, neighbours, landlords, or as a tasty host(ess) gift! I haven’t had a chance to get labels or finishing touches on them yet, but use your imagination and I’m sure you’ll come up with something beautiful!

Quick Bread in a Bottle
recipe from Sunset

Feel free to substitute whatever you like best for the chocolate chips and walnuts.

In a large 1-quart mason jar or vintage milk bottle, add in layers:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2-1 cup chocolate chips

Wet Ingredients
(these can be written on a label and placed on the jar)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup melted butter

Instructions
(also for the label)

1. In a large bowl, mix the contents of this bottle.
2. Add wet ingredients and stir until everything is moist (batter will be lumpy)
3. Scrape into a buttered and floured 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and bake in a 350° oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. 

And the slightly more colourful…

Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar
recipe from Bakerella

Again, layer all ingredients in 1-quart jar or milk bottle

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms (we did 1/2 C of Reece’s pieces, and a 1/2C m&ms - look for christmas coloured ones!)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 – 1/2 cup chopped pecans


Wet Ingredients
(these can be written on a label and placed on the jar)
1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 cup butter (melted slightly in the microwave)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions
(write on label, too!)

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Use the back of a large spoon to work it all together. You may even need to use your hands to get everything incorporated.

Then roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, place on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

—

Stick on some labels, cover the lids with some pretty material, tie some ribbon around and give to someone you love! It will brighten their day, I’m sure of it!

T-Minus 24 hours until I’m out of the city for FOUR WHOLE DAYS. Do you even know how long it’s been since I left home for that long? Because I sure don’t. Between my schedule, Allan’s schedule, the dog, the two cats, trying to see family, friends… it doesn’t make it incredibly easy to be gone for too long. But this weekend is our one getaway for the whole summer and I, for one, plan to take extreme advantage of it. We’ve got enough food to feed an army and enough booze to keep the Jersey Shore kids quenched. Not to mention a blow up boat with a steering wheel AND a horn (Allan tells me I’m probably too big for it, but so long as I can fit one leg in the boat I figure I won’t drown. And I can still toot the horn.)

I haven’t posted for a little bit with all the craziness of the business, so I didn’t feel right leaving on vacation without giving you a little something to sink your teeth into. And what better than a no-bake dessert that comes together quickly and tastes decadent as anything.

I’ve been playing with icebox cakes for a while but this one definitely took the… cake (haw haw haw!). It’s so versatile, light (tasting, that is. Though it’s not EXTREMELY fat-packed if you compare to typical cakes) and fresh! And as mentioned before, it’s so quick to make that it can be a last minute dinner party life-saver. Use whatever fruit is in season (specifically bananas, peaches, blueberries, raspberries etc etc! And try mixing a few different ones!) and you’ve got a winner. When I made my first few icebox cakes, I used the suggested graham crackers. I ran into a little troouble finding them last minute at a few places (not grocery stores. I happened to have a Shoppers and a Zellers nearby) but I could always find Arrowroot cookies. I will never go back to graham…unless homemade. Maybe.

Strawberry Ice Box Cake w/ Chocolate Ganache

2 pints fresh strawberries (set aside 4 whole berries for garnish)
1 1/2 + 1/2 Cup Whipping Cream, seperated
1 tbsp pure maple syrup (optional)
2 Sleeves Arrowroot cookies
1/2 Cup dark chocolate, rough chopped

(that’s it! can you believe it?!)

Put 1 1/2 Cups of whipping cream in the bowl of your stand mixer (if you don’t have a standing mixer, put the cream in a bowl and use a hand mixer or a whisk…. my mixer makes me lazy. I have no excuses.) and whip until you have stiff peaks. If using, add maple syrup to sweeten the whipped cream ever-so-slighty. Set aside. Cut the tops off the strawberries and slice into thin pieces.

In your dish (I used a long, skinny oval dish but you’re free to also use a square gratin-dish or whatever else you have on hand) spread a thin layer of whipped cream to cover the bottom. Add a layer of arrow root cookies, a layer of strawberries and another layer of whipped cream. Repeat until you’ve used almost everything and finish the top layer with whipped cream. Garnish with whole strawberries. Cover and put in the fridge for 4 hours so the cookies can soften a bit (I know I said this was an easy dessert….but this 4 hours of not being able to eat it is really hard. I’m sorry!)

An hour or two before you’re ready to serve dessert, put your chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Bring your 1/2C of leftover whipping cream just to a boil and remove from heat. Pour over chocolate and let it sit for a minute or so. Starting from the middle of the bowl make little circles and gradually combine the cream and chocolate until smooth. Let sit at room temperature for an hour to set. When you’re ready to eat, drizzle the tops of the cake with ganache (not pictured).

Alright. That’s it. Did it change your life forever? I thought so. Don’t say I never did anything for you.

Now back to packing (read: eating cake and drinking wine).

I’ll try to think of you all while I’m leg deep in my childrens boat with a 6-pack tied to the side of it, bobbing around Beaver Lake (giggity?).

Have a great (and safe!) long weekend, ya’ll! Eat something for me!

—-

(edit: 08/02/2010)
In case you were hoping for a visual - below is the boat that I did not fit in. UNTIL I cut the kid leg holes out and used it as a donut floatie. WIN!

(photo taken by my talented sister Laura!)