Rustic Rhubarb Squares

We've got a monster rhubarb plant in our garden, which I love because not only do I not have to baby it in order for it to grow and come back every year, but the stalks are so incredibly versatile! I love it's tart, almost bitter bite in compote, pie, mincemeat, chutney, and even blondies - and when used in conjunction with the sweet, sticky fruits of Summer it's the perfect contrast of flavour and texture.  It's also a fairly nutritious thing to be getting in your diet - it's filled with the vitamins C and K, minerals potassium and calcium, fibre and a nifty little phytochemical called lindleyin which helps reduce hot flashes and regulate female hormones! The only downside to the nutrition in rhubarb is that the aforementioned calcium is bound up with oxalic acid. Luckily, cooking solves that problem - and I don't know about you but I'm not going out of my way to gnaw on a raw stalk anytime soon.

I've usually only used rhubarb in combination with other fruit, but was interested in trying out an application that let the vegetable (yup, it's a vegetable related to buckwheat!) speak for itself. As I paged through my copy of the Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book, I came across a recipe of theirs for Rhubarb Bars. Nothing fancy, no other fruit, just a simple shortbread crust, piled high with fresh rhubarb in a light egg-flour custard. I modified Judy Rosenberg's recipe by adding vanilla and whole wheat flour to the base, dried pineapple sage to the filling and showering the lot with a handful of rolled oats for contrast. I brought them to a potluck with the slight concern that they'd be too sour for the host's two young children, but they were the first two to grab a piece and dig right in with thumbs up! That said, these are sweet (they are dessert!) but not too sweet, and I think they'd probably be a fantastic addition to any Summer gathering.

Italian Salami Pasta Salad with Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette

It's a Civic Holiday here in most of Canada, which essentially means an excuse to give us all a long weekend in August because hey - we don't have a real holiday to give us the day off! We're spending our "extra day" finally finishing up the menial chores in the garden, basement, garage and kitchen, but I know a good amount of my fellow Canadians that are still living it up at the cottage, boat or at family gatherings and picnics. 

Yesterday, I shared one of the goodies we brought to my stepbrother's recent engagement party - Julia Child's Oeufs à la Diable. Since my mom is fairly well known in our family as being a wonderful cook (I know, I lucked out with a foodie for a mom), she was also asked to bring a pasta or potato salad to round out the already gratuitous spread - which included the aforementioned eggs, veal scaloppine, chicken in some sort of gooey cream sauce, bread, coleslaw, garden salad, antipasti, cocktail shrimp, steamed vegetables with olive oil and herbs, corn on the cob and a full dessert table featuring (amongst other things) gelato, cannoli and a three tiered cake. Plus a very well stocked bar (we're talking 2 cases of wine and 6 of beer in addition to the hard stuff). You'd think that they were serving a hundred (or two) people - in reality, only 75 were invited, and out of those a grand total of 41 came. Needless to say, we are now the grand recipients of a lot of leftovers! 

Thankfully, while the chicken and veal are a bit on the "rich and gloopy" side for everyday dinners (though my stepbrother took them for lunches all last week), we also got a full tray of veggies that my mom's been using for dinner and that I pureed into a soup for her lunches, as well as the leftovers of this pasta salad. I'm kind of proud of this one - its full of sauteed veggies, with relatively little pasta, and a touch of flavour packed black pepper hard salami that I had done a product demo for a few months back. It's also not a creamy salad - around here we're not huge fans of the mayo in general, so I whipped up a bright, lemony Parmesan vinaigrette that I adapted from Mountain Mama Cooks for the mixture instead. Not having any eggs, it was safe to keep out on the buffet with the rest of the bread and green salads, and it also lasts longer in the fridge as leftovers! With the meat, pasta and veggies, it's also a light meal in itself which is nice in the throes of Summer when you really want something cool for lunch.

While I never told my mom that the recipe wasn't from a cookbook but that I had written it (she has a "thing" about trusting my food around other people 0_o), she never asked - she just assumed one of the books I had for review was the source. Granted, mom has been incredibly generous with her palate, opinion, pantry and occasionally waistline when it comes to appeasing my foodie tendencies... but you'd think she'd be trusting my own recipes by now!

It's been a looooong time since I last participated in Ruth's blog event Presto Pasta Nights, but this salad was just so summery that I had to share. Be sure to check out her blog (she's host this week) on Friday for all the other noodley nosh!

#CookingForJulia with Oeufs à la Diable #SundaySupper

My stepbrother recently got engaged to a beautiful, incredibly wonderful girl. It's tradition in both my stepfamily and hers to have several large gatherings along the way - beginning with the engagement party, followed by the wedding shower, stagette and stag parties, rehearsal dinner and finally the wedding itself! All of these events are nothing short of huge, both in terms of attendance and amount of food and drink consumed! Luckily, the couple are not overly fancy individuals, and I'm sure that if they could get away with it they'd have skipped most of the preamble parties and just dealt with the wedding itself.

But that's not about to happen! The moms are running the show these days, which means that all the assorted customs are being adhered to. Last weekend the engagement party went off with full pomp and circumstance, culminating in a partially catered, partially potlucked feast that spread over the entire afternoon and evening. I was supposed to attend, and like the Toronto Festival of Beer I was looking forward to the party, but unfortunately I hurt myself during the week at the gym and wasn't in the best of shape for travelling or socializing and I didn't want to be a downer on such a happy occasion. Instead, I contributed to the festivities as much as I could by helping my Mom make some of the dishes she was bringing, including her version of Julia Child's devlied eggs.

Since this week's #SundaySupper event is in honour of Julia Child's 100th birthday, our group is using the hashtag #CookingForJulia and sharing our favourite Julia dishes. While deviled eggs are certainly not a favourite of mine, no matter whose recipe it is (I hate the smell and taste of hardboiled eggs!), my stepbrother loves them, and my mom is a fan of pretty much anything Julia Child since I gave her a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Christmas two years ago. It was only natural that we break out this classic for an elegant party - even though the attendees were Italian, Greek and Macedonian for the most part (and none of them were French!).

Regardless of your nationality, it's hard to argue with a well made hors d'ouvre - and the Oeufs à la Diable are certainly that. I liked how unique Julia's recipe was, using a mixture of butter (of course!) and mayonnaise in the filling. Mom usually takes it a bit further in her preparation by using even less mayo in favour of a touch of olive oil and a hint of lemon zest, then I added my flair by piping the filling into the saved whites and finishing the lot with a sprinkling of paprika. For garnish, I carved some radishes to go into the tray for a change of colour and texture. I'm no veggie carver, but I liked how they looked and the platter was well received regardless!

Here is our list of fabulous Julia Child cooks... Bon Appetit!

#CookForJulia Breakfast

• Râpée Morvandelle by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Croissants by Cookistry
• Cheese and Bacon Quiche by Tora’s Real Food

#CookForJulia Lunch

• Tuna Salad Nicoise by Magnolia Days
• Blood Orange, Walnut, and Rocket Salad by Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking
• Croque Monsieur by Webicurean
• Spinach and Cream Cheese Pancakes by Happy Baking Days 
• Julia’s Chicken Salad by My Trials in the Kitchen 
• Pissaladière Niçoise (Onion Tart with Anchovies and Black Olives) by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Provencal Tomato Quiche by Are you hungry?
• Quiche Lorraine by Spoon and Saucer
• Potato and Onion Soup (Potage Parmentier) by Shockingly Delicious

#CookForJulia Dinner

• Bouillabaisse by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Boeuf Bourguignon by Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Orecchiette Con Broccoli Di Rape and Sausages by Doggie at the Dinner Table 
• Boeuf Bourguignon by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Veal Stew with Onions and Mushrooms with Baked Cucumbers and Boiled Potatoes (Blanquette de veau a l’ancienne with concombres au buerre) by Kimchi Mom
• Salmon en Papillote by Girlichef
• Poached salmon with cucumber sauce by Katherine Martinelli
• Lobster Souffle and Deviled Chicken by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Roasted Chicken with Julia’s Mustard Marinade by The Meltaways
• Wild Mushroom and Herb Stuffed Chicken by Mama Mommy Mom
• Puree of White Beans with Garlic and Herbs (Brandade á la Soissonaise) by Avocado Pesto
• Poulet au Porto by Family Foodie

#CookForJulia Sides

• Hollondaise over Blanched Asparagus by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Scalloped Potatoes with Milk, Cheese, and Garlic (Gratin Dauphinois) by Home Cooking Memories
• Ratatouille by Basic N Delicious 
• French-style country pate by There and Back Again
• White Bean Dip with Homemade Tortilla Chips by Momma’s Meals
• Oeufs à la Diable by What Smells So Good?
• Soubise by The Weekend Gourmet
• Ratatouille by Cupcakes and Kale Chips

#CookForJulia Desserts

• Cream Cheese and Lemon Flan by Juanita’s Cocina
• Strawberry Sherbert in Cooky Cups by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Creme Brulee by Wine Everyday
• Mousseline Au Chocolat by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Peach Tarte Tatin by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cinnamon Toast Flan by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Dark Chocolate Crepes by Family Spice
• Crepes Fines Sucrees by Mangoes and Chutney
• Pommes Rosemarie: Apples Rosie by The Daily Dish Recipes
• Espresso Soufflé by Chocolate Moosey
• Best Ever Brownies by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Orange-Almond Jelly Roll Cake by Mrs. Mama Hen
• Orange Spongecake Cupcakes by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Orange Mousse with Greek Yogurt by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Frozen Chocolate Mousse by Big Bear’s Wife

#CookForJulia Wine Pairings:

• Relishing Food and Wine; Thanks to Julia Child! by ENOFYLZ

Chocolate Fest!

Chocolate is one of those divine foods that is unlike anything else in the universe. I have yet to find someone who isn't allergic to cacao and thoroughly detests it - not being an overly polarizing ingredient, there is a place on the "like / love" spectrum for everyone. I'm a "more bitter"-bittersweet or salty-bittersweet fan myself, opting for 70%+ plain or smooth cocoa-nut paste concoctions. My sister also likes "dark" chocolate, but closer to the 55-60% end of the line. Mom is good with pretty much anything chocolate, with bonus points if it has "stuff" in it like dried fruit, flavouring or nuts (her favourite bar is Cadbury Fruit and Nut Dark), and dad - well, like I've mentioned before, if you add peanut butter and / or bananas to it it's almost guaranteed to be a shoo-in.

Bittersweet Espresso Chips

So I figured it was long past due for me to combine a bunch of my "non-recipe recipes" for the random cocoa-laced creations that have emerged from my kitchen over the past few months. Most of them were created simply out of the need to use up the last of some chocolatey goodness after making a recipe calling for almost all of what I bought at Bulk Barn, while two also use some leftover cookies from making fudge. Then, being on a roll as I was, I made my own version of a bittersweet, slightly spicy hot cocoa mix that when mixed with unsweetened almond milk is like drinking a molten Taza disc (in the best way possible).

And now, without further ado, enjoy the Malted Milk Chocolate Chips, Butterscotch-Peanut Chocolate Chips, Bittersweet Espresso Chips, Chocolate Peanut Butter Shards, Peanutty - Chocolate Cups with a Crunchy Centre, Chocolate Drenched Cookie Sandwiches and Cacao - Chile Mix! Don't feel bad about indulging either - chocolate is good for you, remember?? Plus, if you make all these recipes, you'll burn off the calories you'll consume eating them... right?? The door to cocoa nirvana is open, and I've saved you a seat for the ride.

Chocolate Drenched Cookie Sandwiches

Healthy Hermit Bars

Have you ever tasted a hermit cookie? You probably have, even if you didn't call it that. Chock full of dried fruit (usually raisins) and nuts, around here they're more commonly called Lassy Mogs. Lots of other names for essentially the same thing abound too: "Molasses Spice Cookies with Raisins", "Spice and Raisin Cookies" and even simply "Molasses Raisin Cookies" all describe the soft, spicy cookies sweetened (for the most part) with molasses and Demerara sugar.

Hermits have a history, too - said to date back to the late 1800's, New England sailors would find these packed for them on their journeys by their (clearly understanding!) wives because they traveled so well. Likely, the heavy spices could cover up any "edging on rancid" nut taste from extended storage, not to mention the economical and widely available molasses and tree nuts (usually walnuts, butternuts and hickory nuts) were a natural inclusion in many recipes. While probably not considered by these sailor wives, the bittersweet flavour from the molasses and raisins was probably enhanced greatly by the sea air they would be exposed to on the water - especially since salt was still a bit of a high-priced item on the store shelves.

Now, I love myself a good hermit cookie, but I am admittedly one of the laziest-slash-easily exhausted people that I know. I realize that cookies are fast, (usually) cheap, portable and easy to divide, but they can have the added hassle of extra utensils, chilling and the seemingly always-present worry around here that the end product will be too soft or crunchy, or spread all over the place because something wasn't quite right. I'm working on getting over my cookie anal-ness, but I will almost always choose to make a bar version if it's available. And luckily, with hermits, there is!

Since the batch was going to come with my mom on a work trip out East, bars made the most sense. Bars in a foil pan could avoid breakage, mess and eventual waste, and with the disposable pan Mom wouldn't have to worry about carting that back too. I "amped up" the healthy factor of these (already relatively nutritious) cookie-bars by using 100% whole grain flour, Omega rich flaxseed, almonds and walnuts, and magnesium rich molasses and Demerara sugar. To make them "workplace friendly" (plus its what my old hermit recipe called for) a shot of good strong coffee made it in too. I emptied my baker spice cabinet and went to town - concocting a rich, delectable, and dare I say - nutritious - coffee break treat.

While these aren't gluten free, they are vegan, and I'm going to pass the recipe along to the Vegan OR Gluten-Free Recipe Swap. This event is being hosted by My Vegan Gluten Free Life, Confessions of an Overworked Mom and This Flourishing Life and runs for the month of August.