Dad's favourite – done two ways

My dad used to love Flapper Pie, as he called it. Most people call it Banana Cream Pie, but it's so smooth and creamy-good, names don't matter!

My trouble is, I can never choose my favourite, because when my mom made it, she would often make a chocolate version that also had bananas. So you can see my dilemma.

So, in the ultimate banana pie throw down, I decided to make both. One for a visiting cousin, and one for a dinner party the next night.

I would normally make both the crust and the filling from store bought packages of pudding mix, and in my early years of cream pies, would even use instant pudding to avoid the stove work. Instant pudding has a chemical taste that I can't bear anymore, but given my Food Inc. and In Defense of Food commitment to eating real food with ingredients I can find in my pantry, I knew I had to make it from scratch. Well, almost... I was running out of time, so I did buy the crust. I know, I know... I feel bad about it and next time I promise myself I won't do it.

I've been relying so much on EatingWell.com, but decided it's time to mix it up a bit. So I went a searching and found Food.com, and this recipe for Old-fashioned Banana Cream Pie as the basis for my vanilla version. This isn't low fat, but for a cream pie, it's not crazy loaded with fat either. My belief is if you're making a cream pie, it needs to be creamy. Whole milk isn't a bad thing to cook with in my world. I just wouldn't drink it (not that I drink milk anyway) or even use it in my cereal or coffee.

I find store-bought pie crust dough is essentially a cardboard-tasting pie holder, but I was pressed for time, so I bought two graham cracker crusts. Normally I would use a traditional crust for vanilla, but the way to go for chocolate is graham cracker I think. I love the saltiness of the butter and the crumbly texture of the graham flour. It's wonderful against the rich flavour of chocolate.

I chose the recipe from Food.com because I wanted to avoid cornstarch. Probably not necessary, just my preference. It also seemed relatively straight-forward to make.

I was making two pies, so I knew I'd need two pots, but what to do for a second recipe that's chocolate? Well, I looked online for recipes and they were essentially the same, but with chocolate powder and baking chocolate, so I just followed the EatingWell addition to their Chocolate-Banana Dream Pie of 3 tbsp cocoa and an ounce of semi-sweet chocolate (EW's recipe called for bittersweet and Kahlua, but I didn't have either).

Rather than scald the milk (I wasn't exactly sure what that meant —heated to boiling?), I whisked the milk, sugar, flour and salt together in the pot before heating and then did slowly added the egg yolks; everything worked very well. I just made sure I whisked the mixture slowly and mostly constantly throughout. The recipe in this blog has been changed to reflect this.

Then when I did the second pie I added the chocolate in with the butter and vanilla. So far so good.

Since I had egg whites I decided to go ahead and make a meringue for the pies. It's so pretty, why not?! A word about meringues. Don't over-beat, or they get hard. The pie in front is my less beaten meringue (with soft moldable peaks) and the one behind is over-beaten (and looks more like something carved out of styrofoam). Still tastes the same, but not as attractive. Best to stop whipping when the egg whites and sugar form stiff but still shiny peaks. This recipe didn't say you needed to baked the meringue, but I changed it below.

We ate the vanilla pie last night and it was awesome! Because we had guests I felt awkward taking out the camera and snapping photos like I normally do before eating, but here's a pic of the leftovers, without meringue.

The meringue was a bit weepy (which I forgot happens unless you add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar to the egg whites) but not really an issue. The pie held up very well, except for a slice I gave to myself. The meringue didn't really hold onto the pie, but it all tasted pretty darn good!

The bananas are on the bottom. Mmmmm!

I don't know if I'd use meringue every time, my dad's Flapper Pie was topped with whipped cream, but it's definitely less rich with the meringue, and surprisingly not too sweet. The recipes called I looked at called for 1/2 cup of sugar, but I only used 1/4 cup.

And what about the chocolate version, you ask? Well, as much as I hate to admit that chocolate doesn't always win hands down, the vanilla version was better with the bananas and the meringue. I found the chocolate version not quite chocolaty enough, and the banana flavour was overpowered by the chocolate. So much for a childhood favourite. In the future, when I make a chocolate pie (as I'm sure my creamy and chocolaty needs will once again dictate), I will probably look for a pie recipe that is specifically chocolate pie, and will likely top it off with whipped cream, rather than meringue. Oh, and I will definitely serve the pie the same day. The combination of the meringue weeping, and a full day of the pudding being on the crust, made it kind of disintegrate.

Serious disintegration, but still tasty!

Maybe next time I will follow one of the recipes I found (maybe the recipe at the bottom of this posting from Epicurious, but with or without chocolate crust?). I've also seen recipes with semi-sweet chocolate coating the crust. This will form a seal that I think will keep the crust crusty. A dollop of whipped cream (real cream that I whip myself, not Cool-Whip [I am a baker's daughter after all]) on top and I think I will once again be in love with chocolate cream pie!

Old-fashioned Banana Cream Pie

By Lennie on November 28, 2001

Photo by run for your life

116 Reviews

• 
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins min
• Serves: 8

About This Recipe

"Before cool whip and instant pudding, this is how a cream pie was made. If you leave out the bananas, you have vanilla cream pie. If you add 1 cup shredded coconut to milk as it's being heated, you have coconut cream pie."

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch pie shell, baked (or graham wafer crust, if preferred)
• 3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla(if making a chocolate pie, add 3 tbsp Dutch cocoa powder and 1 oz. fine baker's chocolate here)
• 3 bananas

Directions

1. Have baked 9-inch pie shell ready.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, flour and salt.
3. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened.
4. Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook for two minutes longer.
5. In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready; stir a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into hot mixture.
6. Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly.
7. Remove from heat and blend in the butter, vanilla and chocolate if using.
8. Let sit until lukewarm.
9. When ready to pour, slice bananas and scatter in pie shell; pour warm mixture over bananas.
10. If desired, make a meringue (you'll have 3 leftover egg whites) to top the pie, or just let the pie cool until serving. To make meringue, slowly add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar to the egg whites, beating until stiff, shiny peaks form. Spread the meringue over the filling, sealing to the edge of the crust. Make attractive peaks. Bake until the top is browned, about 15 minutes. Cool the pie in the fridge for about 2 hours before serving.

So there you have it, Banana Cream Pie two ways! Which is your favourite?

All in all, I have to be honest, except for assembling the ingredients, making the pie from scratch wasn't much more work, but it was definitely worth the end result and knowing I wasn't eating anything I couldn't pronounce! 

Enjoy your next food experience,

Kathy


Here's the recipe for Chocolate Cream Pie for next time:

Chocolate Cream PieGourmet | February 2004

This beautiful pie is great for entertaining, since the rich, creamy filling will be a surefire hit with anyone who likes chocolate pudding. Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings Active Time: 45 min Total Time: 8 hr (includes cooling and chilling) For crust 1 1/3 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (from about 26 cookies such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers) 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup sugar (not sure why you'd need to add extra sugar to an already sweetened cookie) For filling 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 large egg yolks 3 cups whole milk 5 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), melted 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla For topping 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream 1 tablespoon sugar Make crust: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together crumbs, butter, and sugar and press on bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate (1-quart capacity). Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes, and cool on a rack. Make filling: Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and yolks in a 3-quart heavy saucepan until combined well, then add milk in a stream, whisking. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 1 minute (filling will be thick). Force filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then whisk in chocolates, butter, and vanilla. Cover surface of filling with a buttered round of wax paper and cool completely, about 2 hours. Spoon filling into crust and chill pie, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Make topping: Just before serving, beat cream with sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks, then spoon on top of pie. Cooks' note: Pie (without topping) can be chilled up to 1 day.

Epicurious.com © Condé Nast Digital, Inc. All rights reserved.

Tinkering makes for tasty

Hubby and I are trying to use up some of the food acquired over the past few months that is in our freezer. I had a flatbread in there (but since I know how to make my own Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough I won't have to buy it anymore) and so I decided to make something for dinner with it.

I started with the recipe for EatingWell.com's Fennel and Chicken Flatbread, but like some of the comments, I thought the recipe sounded a bit on the dull side taste-wise. So I started to tinker. But before I start telling you what I did, I need to set the scene, so to speak.

We have been having lovely less humid and cooler weather the past week or two, but yesterday (probably because it rained overnight) it was humid. Then another absolutely torrential downpour, and what may have been decent heat became ridiculous. So, no way I was going to turn on the oven to 500˚F (literally not a snowball's chance in hell). 

So, given this was going to be a barbecue event, and I wasn't using pitas as the recipe called for, this recipe is quite a departure from what it was originally. In fact, I've changed the name to Grilled Asian Fennel and Chicken Flatbread. I also used mozzarella cheese (with my new outlook on food, I chose a cheese from the closest province to New Brunswick I could find at a grocery chain, Quebec). Previous recipes where I've used Provolone cheese, I honestly couldn't tell the difference. 

I felt this recipe needed some depth (as did another commenter) and somehow the fennel and red pepper made me think Asian-inspired and sweeter, so I used a plum sauce from President's Choice that is spicy. I also used the rest of the Tarragon Butter for Grilling from the other night's mahi-mahi (but next time I'd just put a bit of garlic in instead). 

Verdict: I may be onto something here! This was really tasty! Fennel has a lovely licorice flavour that goes well with the spicy and sweet sauce. We ate the whole flatbread (and had extra chicken and fennel mixture for the next day's lunch), which was probably 1/3 less in size to the four 6.5 inch pitas the recipe calls for. 

This dish had a nice combination of Asian spiciness, but it didn't overwhelm the taste of the fennel or peppers, and neither was it overwhelmed by cheese.

All in all, this is a great meal. The recipe below is modified to approximate what I did and what I would do next time.

Grilled Asian Fennel and Chicken Flatbread

Modified from the EatingWell.com recipe found at: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/fennel_chicken_flatbread.html

4 servings | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bulb fennel, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, very thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/3 cup spicy plum sauce, or other sweet and spicy Asian sauce
• 1 recipe Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, prepared (or a pre-made whole wheat pizza dough)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Heat barbecue to 350°F.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fennel, garlic and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
3. Add plum sauce and heat through. 
4. Roll out prepared pizza dough on a piece of parchment paper and transfer dough and parchment dough side up onto a rimless baking sheet. Turn dough parchment side up onto barbecue and allow to cook for one minute before removing parchment paper. After approximately 3 minutes or until grill marks being to appear, flip over the pizza crust.
5. Working quickly over the grill, top the crust with the chicken and vegetable mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Barbecue until the cheese melts and golden grill marks begin to appear on the bottom, 3 minutes or less. Remove immediately and serve warm.

Savour the flavour of an Asian summer!
Kathy

My universe just tipped

I'm not ready to blog about this in an informed way because I'm still processing, but I wanted to share with you that I may well have reach my own personal tipping point when it comes to the foods I eat.

A few weeks ago I watched Oprah and she had a group of people on who were talking about the hidden story behind Agro-America. I'm not American, but I'm reasonably sure that the same practices go on here in Canada and it scares me.

The documentary the show profiled was called Food Inc. There is an Official Food Inc. website you can link to as well.

I am gob-smacked about what we North Americans are doing to ourselves. I would encourage you to rent the video, take it out from your local library, or buy it.

Please let me know what you think, if you do. Because this is a topic that I'm keenly interested in, I also plan to get the book that goes with the documentary, and am reading Michael Pollan's book In Defense of Food (Pollan is one of the contributors to the documentary and was also on the Oprah show.).

Please watch, read, and digest this material with me. I will post again about this I'm sure. Hubby is rolling his eyes at me about this, but he hasn't watched it. I will ask him to watch it with me and see if his axis is tilted as mine was.

Recipe favourites are showing up

I still try a new recipe at least a couple of times a week, but some of my recipes are showing up again and again in my meals.

That's okay, that's what favourites are all about. Last night I made Arugula and Watermelon Salad (for the gazillionth time). It's so refreshing and has the perfect salt to sweet to spicy ratio. This time I used my own garden fresh mesclun mix. So simple, yet so good!

How could you not want to make this?

I also made mahi-mahi tuna steaks again, but this time instead of marinating them in a Piri-Piri sauce, I used a simple Tarragon Butter, took the lazy way out and used the PC Foreman Grill. What?! It was raining!

Who would have thought something so simple could be so perfectly tasty?!

This tarragon butter is different than the one I made for baguettes, it has garlic, which the tuna loved. And so did I.

Tarragon Butter for Grilling
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 to 3 tbsp fresh tarragon
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste (I think the tuna needed a bit of salt, but it's up to you)

I have one of those chop/chop or slap-chop thingys and that's how I mince my garlic. I've never met a garlic press I thought was worth cleaning, and when you use lots of garlic in your cooking this is amazingly fast. I just rinse it and put it away for next time. This time I added the tarragon into it. It's a great gadget!

Anyway, I just put some on each side of the tuna steak and set it on the PC Foreman for about 8 minutes. Instant goodness. I have enough left for at least another meal. I wonder how it would taste on grilled baguettes... hmmm... or mmmm...!

Summer is coming to an end, but I'm so happy to be living somewhere where the barbecueing can go on for at least another couple of months.

Happy harvest time everyone!

Kathy

I felt as though I was in Italy

My best friend of more than 30 years is going to Italy (Tuscany!) next month to celebrate a major birthday. It is my dream trip too, but not something I can't afford to do at this point in my life, so all I can be is happy for her and wistful for myself.

But, tonight I think I was in Italy, if only for an hour or so. I made the freshest tasting pasta ever tonight. It is, of course, from the EatingWell.com site, and has the unfortunate title of Raw Tomato Sauce. Raw is such an ugly word. It offers nothing for the mind to envision. This pasta is not raw, it's fresh. The name does not bring to mind visions of outdoor bistros in a town square in Tuscany or the beyond stunning flavours that my mouth is still remembering almost two hours later.

Look at this and tell me you don't want it!

This is A Taste of Tuscany, not Raw Tomato Sauce!

Actually, this dish is quite similar to something my sister makes each time I come to visit. She knows how much I love it. I'm not a fan of mozarella, nor did I have any. Like my sister, I would have used feta, but was out of it as well. In the end, I sprinkled it with my favourite pasta cheese, Romano. I followed the recipe quite closely, but used fresh from the garden herbs (basil and oregano instead of dried (what the?!) and grape tomatoes instead of plum, and two cloves of garlic instead of one (remember my rule of doubling the garlic in most recipes [or using half again as much at least]). The hit of garlic, the sweentess of tomatoes and the tang of the kalamata olives made my belly so happy. This is a dish worthy of Eat, Pray, Love.

With a glass of wine — belissimo!

I don't know what else to say but use fresh tomatoes now that they're in season, fresh herbs, lots of pepper, and whatever cheese works for you. You may need to add more salt if you don't use Romano or feta. It could be a bit bland otherwise, and I think you need it to accent the sweet tomatoes. 

Then, sit out on your desk, close your eyes, listen to the birds singing, feel the sun warming your arms, imagine the raucous sounds of Italian voices arguing over the vintage of the wine, take a sip and enjoy your first taste of Tuscany...

Godere, mangiare!

Raw Tomato Sauce

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/raw_tomato_sauce.html
From EatingWell:  August/September 2006In this raw sauce, tomatoes marinate in their own juices along with some fresh herbs, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and red-wine vinegar. Diced fresh mozzarella absorbs the delicious flavors of the whole melange. Toss with hot or room-temperature pasta.
4 servings | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 cup diced fresh part-skim mozzarella
• 2 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Combine tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, vinegar, oil and garlic. Add basil, marjoram, salt and pepper. Let stand to allow tomatoes to release their juices, about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 141 Calories; 10 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 2 mg Cholesterol; 8 g Carbohydrates; 6 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 386 mg Sodium; 412 mg Potassium
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 2 fat
Nutrition Note: What you get: Vitamins A & C, potassium, fiber.

Summer in a bowl and how I mastered roasted Greek potatoes

I've said it before and I'll say it again — vine-ripened tomatoes are the only way to go! If I lived in California, I'd eat them year-round from my garden, but since I live in a country that has 6 months of cold weather, I enjoy them while I can. Maybe that's what makes them so special...

According to farmers, this year was the perfect year for gardens — the perfect amount of sun, the perfect amount of rain, the perfect temperature. When you have the trifecta of gardening going for you, your crops are bound to be spectacular, and mine are no different. Everything from my herbs to my tomatoes (and hopefully soon, my long sweet red peppers) have been nothing short of spectacular!

I've never grown grape tomatoes before, but I will definitely do it again. I find home grown tomatoes have a denser, crunchier texture. You get some serious resistance from the tomato before it bursts in your mouth, in a sweet/tangy flavour that is unsurpassed by anything I've ever bought in the store, or even a farmer's market. Grape tomatoes are especially crunchy. We won't cook with these beauties. Instead we'll savour every one of them by eating them just as they are.

I thought I had written about my Greek-style roasted potatoes before, but must have missed it in my summer catch-up post.

Have you ever been to a Greek restaurant and had lemon roasted potatoes? They are soooo good that I could easily eat a meal of only potatoes! I've tried various recipes over the years (when I lived in Yellowknife there was no Greek restaurant) and finally found one that is close enough to make again and again. The recipe for these potatoes originally came from House and Home Magazine I think, but I've changed the recipe over time to make it mine own.

I know it's a lot of potatoes, but they are soooo good!

I've been slipping on my vow to make only real food and buying pre-seasoned meats. Honestly, I've made better chicken souvlaki skewers when I've made the marinade myself. Because I already had lemon in the potatoes, I just used a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper on the long sweet red peppers (which have become a barbecue season staple for us).

The original recipe for these potatoes calls for putting them into a rather complicated foil wrapper, but even when I used heavy duty foil it usually leaked. So I now use a foil roasting pan and it works beautifully.

A couple of nights after our first meal, hubby grilled salmon (again pre-seasoned and disappointing) along with some balsamic, olive oil and salt and pepper asparagus and yellow zucchini. I've never tried yellow zuchhini before, but they were good — sweeter it seemed than green zuchhini, and pretty next to the salmon.

Oh how I loved grilled vegetables!

We also had some tzatziki that was nice on the salmon. The asparagus and zucchini were so perfectly done, with a good crunch. The sugar in the balsamic vinegar carmelizes so you don't have to cook them as long. I reheated the potatoes in a hot frying pan.

Another great meal!

Lemony Roasted Greek Potatoes

Adapted from House and Home recipe

These awesome potatoes taste great with just about any grilled meat,
but my favourites are souvlaki-style marinated.

4 servings

1/2 cup            fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

1/4 cup            olive oil

1/4 cup            water

6                     cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp             fresh Greek oregano, chopped (or 1-1/2 tsp dried)

1 tsp               salt

1/2 tsp            freshly ground pepper

2 lbs              potatoes (peeled or not, as preferred)

1                   onion, thinly sliced

In large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, water, oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.

Slice potatoes lengthwise into thick wedges (if using baby potatoes, cut into halves so they soak up juice). Toss with lemon juice mixture and onions.

Pour ingredients into a 9x12” foil pan (or a comparable glass pan if oven grilling). Top and seal with aluminum foil. Place pan on grill heated to no higher than 350ºF and roast for one hour. Potatoes must be very tender and most of the liquid absorbed.

If roasting in the oven, set to 350ºF and roast for one hour.

Let stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a serving dish.

Bon Appetit!

The wonder of homemade ice cream

I bought an ice cream maker earlier this year and it has amazed me at every turn. I've made everything from sorbets and frozen yogurts to low-fat and gourmet full fat ice creams. It's seriously impressive when you blithely announce you made homemade ice cream for dessert. I've yet to have anyone turn it down — or be unmoved by its fresh and creamy taste.

I've wanted to make strawberry ice cream since I got the machine, and finally did the other day. I must admit I was a bit unsure when I saw the EatingWell.com recipe for Strawberry Sherbet. It called for buttermilk and I wasn't sure how it would taste, but it turned out to be the perfect ingredient.

I used frozen strawberries because I find when using low or no fat milk the coldness of the fruit helps the ice cream set better. I'm not sure why the recipe asked to use sieve for the strawberries, I didn't bother, I just  used a stick blender to purée the strawberries (I left some bigger bits) after letting them macerate with the sugar for 10 minutes and added them all at once. It worked perfectly well I thought. When the weather is hot and your ingredients are melting, time is of the essence.

I used the remaining frozen strawberries and some tea biscuits to make strawberry shortcakes — using the strawberry sherbet in place of the whipped cream.

As you can see, I drizzled a bit of chocolate sauce on top as well.

This sherbet was quite amazing, and I must say the best ice cream I've made yet. The tang of the buttermilk is wonderful. So often I've found the strawberry ice cream I've bought in the store is too sweet, with little taste of the fruit. This tasted like strawberries and cream. A wonderful dessert whether served in a cone (my personal favourite) or dolled up in the form of strawberry shortcake.

Strawberry Sherbet

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/strawberry_sherbet.html
From EatingWell:  May/June 2009Buttermilk gives this sherbet tanginess and complements the fresh sweet strawberries. If you prefer a sweeter result, add a touch more sugar.
8 servings, 1/2 cup each | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes (including chilling time)

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries , (about 10 ounces), divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 cups nonfat or low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Combine 1 cup berries and sugar in a small bowl and let sit, stirring occasionally until the sugar has begun to dissolve, about 10 minutes. Transfer the berry mixture to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
2. Meanwhile, combine buttermilk, half-and-half, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Press the strawberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl. Stir, cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
3. Whisk the sherbet mixture and pour into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. During the last 5 minutes of freezing, add the remaining 1 cup chopped berries. If necessary, place the sherbet in the freezer to firm up before serving. (If the sherbet becomes very hard in the freezer, soften it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before scooping.)

Nutrition

Per serving : 112 Calories; 2 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 7 mg Cholesterol; 21 g Carbohydrates; 4 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 94 mg Sodium; 86 mg Potassium
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1/2 fruit, 1 carbohydrate (other), 1/2 low-fat milk

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2 up to 1 day ahead. Freeze sherbet in an airtight container for up to 4 days. | Equipment: Ice cream maker

My recommendation: buy an ice cream maker and experiment, try things you wouldn't normally try and get to know what ice cream should really taste like. You won't want to go back.

Kathy

Kathy vs. the Yeast

I've wanted to make pizza on the barbecue since I first heard it was possible, but having to use yeast has always made me hesitant. It just didn't feel right to buy pre-made crust, and I can't customize it with herbs from my garden if I don't make it myself, so it is a thing I must master.

I don't know what it is about yeast and me. I'm a baker's daughter, I should be able to handle it, right?! Isn't this kind of thing genetic? Yet, no matter how many times I try, I always fear the yeast. But, I vowed not to be cowed by the prospect of trying to raise bread from the dead. (Okay, sorry, I had to, I'm stopping now.)

My problem is that the yeast never seems to double in size when I add it to the warm water and sugar. I even called my mother-in-law, who makes the best bread ever, to ask if I should start again. She said it would probably be all right, as long as there was at least some change. So, I added it to the flour mixture and kneaded the dough for 10 minutes. Kneading is hard work and using whole wheat flour makes it even tougher. I used bread machine whole wheat because that was the closest I could find to whole wheat the recipe called for (strangely enough) and the guy at my favourite Bulk Barn store said bread machine flour has more gluten, which bread needs (or kneads as the pun may be).

Then I made two balls, oiled them (next time I won't spray it with Pam Olive Oil, I'll use the real stuff), covered them, and stuck the tray in the oven with the light on for an hour. Nothing. Another half-hour. At least I could see a bit of a difference. Since it was only for hubby and me, we decided to press on.

We made two kinds of pizza from EatingWell.com, Grilled Pizza with Pesto, Tomatoes and Feta,  and a traditional pepperoni pizza, but with a few moderations.

I prepared all the toppings ahead as instructed because it really is that fast to make. Instead of coating a baking sheet with cornmeal, I used a sheet of parchment, placing the dough side right on the grill, and waiting a minute before removing the parchment. Worked like a charm (that little gem came from the Weber BBQ book I wrote about recently).

On the pepperoni, we used tomato pesto for the base, and fontina cheese instead of mozza (not sure if it made any difference, but it was good). A regular pizza sauce might have been better because you could add more for a good contrast to the pepperoni without adding a lot of extra calories.

Hubby made this one and we both thought there was too much pepperoni. The taste of the tomato pesto and cheese is a bit lost with all the meat. Note for next time — more is not always better (except when it comes to garlic).

I made the pesto and tomato pizza. I knew this one would be the winner hands down — how could it not be when I used vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh-picked basil? I also rinsed off the feta so it wasn't too salty.

This pizza is brilliant! The evening wasn't too hot so I could enjoy a glass of red wine (a favourite for me with gourmet pizza). The sweetness of the tomatoes set off against the saltiness of the feta and then the somewhat licorice-like bite of the basil — mmmmmagnifico!

And what about that pesky crust? It's another recipe from EatingWell called Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough. I've never made whole wheat crust, but it is indeed easy — and tasty. I think in the end what didn't work is that I was gauging the temperature with my finger. I thought 100ºF (which is what it says on the yeast packet) would be slightly warmer than my finger because our body temperature is 98.6ºF, right? Yes, our CORE body temperature is that, but after I'd put the dough on to rise I realized I had an instant-read meat thermometer, so I gave it a whirl. Turns out 105ºF is a lot warmer than I thought and that was likely the culprit. Next time I will use this thermometer, because yes, I will be doing this again!

Godere! Mangiare!

Kathy

Easy Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/easy_whole_wheat_pizza_dough.html
From EatingWell:  July/August 2008This homemade, yeasted whole-wheat pizza dough requires only one rising, not two, so it's quicker to make than you might suspect. Although bread flour provides more gluten to help the dough maintain its elasticity when shaped and baked, we tested the recipe with all-purpose flour and had good results. This sturdy dough was developed for grilled pizzas, but it can be used in any pizza recipe calling for 1 pound of pizza dough.
4-6 servings (1 pound pizza dough) | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, (105-115°F)
• 1 package active dry yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup bread flour, or all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
• 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

Preparation

1. Stir water, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl; let stand until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in whole-wheat flour, bread flour (or all-purpose flour) and cornmeal until the dough begins to come together.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, mix the dough in a food processor. Process until it forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.)
3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. (To make individual pizzas, see Variation.) Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Individual variation: The dough can be turned into 4 or 6 personal-size pizzas. After kneading, divide the dough into 4 or 6 equal balls. Brush with oil and place 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Roll each portion into a 6-to-8-inch circle.

Nutrition

Per pound : 970 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 200 g Carbohydrates; 36 g Protein; 22 g Fiber; 1152 mg Sodium; 782 mg Potassium

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Or tightly wrap the unrisen dough in oiled plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Let refrigerated (or previously frozen) dough stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

Grilled Pizza with Pesto, Tomatoes and Feta

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/grilled_pizza_with_pesto_tomatoes_feta.html
From EatingWell:  Summer 2002Dazzle your guests, and keep the kitchen cool, by baking pizza on the backyard grill. For convenience, this recipe uses prepared pizza dough, found in most supermarkets, and pesto from a jar.
4 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound prepared pizza dough, preferably whole-wheat
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto
• 4 ripe plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn

Preparation

1. Heat grill to medium-high.
2. Meanwhile, place dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch round crust, about 1/4 inch thick. Place crusts on a floured baking sheet. Carry crusts and toppings out to the grill.
3. Lay crusts on grill (they won’t stay perfectly round). Cover grill and cook until crusts are lightly puffed and undersides are lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
4. Using tongs, flip crusts. Immediately spread pesto over crusts. Top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with feta and pepper. Cover grill and cook until the undersides are lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving : 430 Calories; 18 g Fat; 7 g Sat; 9 g Mono; 27 mg Cholesterol; 49 g Carbohydrates; 17 g Protein; 4 g Fiber; 749 mg Sodium; 262 mg Potassium
3 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 fat

Organic vs. Non-Organic

According to EatingWell.com, there are 12 foods you should buy organic and 15 you don't need to bother about.

You should buy these 12 fruits and veggies because they are more likely to be contaminated with pesticides:

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Imported Grapes

Did you notice that these are all foods that you don't typically peel?

Here is the list that you don't need to bother buying organic because they are the least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues:

1. Onion
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon

So, typically you'd peel these, right? 

But the question remains: why do Americans call corn and peas, sweet? Would you buy them any other way?

Mmmm Mmmm Ribs!

I have often called hubby the King of Ribs. He got his formal training years ago when he worked at St. Hubert, which is Quebec's biggest chicken restaurant chain (to me very similar to Swiss Chalet, but that would be heresy to any self-respecting lover of St. Hubert's BBQ chicken). As one of the cooks, he barbecued chicken and ribs by the hundreds each day. His method involved pre-cooking (more steaming) the pre-rubbed meat prior to putting on the BBQ. It results in very tender meat, but I suspect it was more about quantity. If all you have to so is throw some pre-cooked meat on the grill and slap on some sauce, it's a great way for mass ribbing.

Well, Weber has changed all of that. For his birthday, I bought hubby "Weber's Way to Grill: the Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling" by Jamie Purviance. It's an amazing book and we'd highly recommend it for those who enjoy barbecuing and like to mix it up a little. There is everything from the typical meats and fish to pizza and desserts. You can do it all on a BBQ!

I am amazingly queasy about any kind of fat on my meat, so I would highly recommend using back ribs, which are more expensive, but MUCH leaner.

This recipe involves pre-marinating, and then sloooooowww cooking for about 4 or 5 hours on indirect heat of the BBQ. I'm way too lazy to re-type this recipe, but for your convenience, I did find it on the Weber website. It even has a video about "The Texas Crutch" method, which means cooking for 2 hours, then brushing with sauce and wrapping each rack individually in tin foil so they steam and get super tender. I'm here to tell you that it works.

These ribs were tender, juicy, super garlicky and the soy and ginger was really nice. I served them with garlic and cheese mashed potatoes (boil garlic cloves with the potatoes, mash and prepare how you like, then add sharp cheddar and chives) and yellow beans we'd bought from the farmer's market that weekend. Oh, and no I didn't eat all of this (this is actually only a half-rack). I ate this baby for two days.

Although these were truly delicious, I'm afraid when it comes to ribs I'm a traditional tomato-based BBQ sauce kinda gal. I don't eat ribs often enough to want to try other kinds. There are other recipes on the website, but for the total picture and the ins and outs of barbecuing, go for the book. It will have you salivating, I guarantee it.

Happy summer!
Kathy