The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

Okay. So I’m exaggerating just a bit. The Daring Bakers aren’t actually physically going to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver but we’re definitely going in spirit with the January 2010 Daring Baker’s challenge.

Lauren, who is one of the sweetest girls, decided to put her Canadian pride on display by choosing a very “Canadian” treat for the DB challenge. As a proud Canadian myself, I cannot wait until February 12th when the world’s focus will shift to Vancouver.

While I don’t know what will happen over the two weeks of competition, I have no doubt that the world will see what good, caring and friendly people Canadians are. And I also have no doubt that we will have our fill of drama, joy, thrills, tears, beautiful moments and reminders of why sport, amateur sport in particular, is such a worthy pursuit.

With all the compelling stories that the Olympics promise, I was so happy that this first challenge for 2010 was relatively straightforward.

The best part of the challenge was learning to make graham crackers. Nanaimo Bars use graham cracker crumbs in the recipe for the base of the bars. Lauren very creatively challenged us to make our own graham crackers, and not just regular graham crackers, but gluten-free graham crackers at that. She also generously provided some links to recipes for regular graham crackers for those who didn’t want to try the gluten-free version.

I was surprised at how easy it was to make graham crackers. Considering how much I love to eat them out of hand and how regularly I use graham crackers in baking, I can’t thank Lauren enough for thinking of this part of the challenge.

As for the Nanaimo Bars, if you’ve never seen one or tried one, you should definitely attempt them. They’re an easy bar cookie to make (if you use store-bought graham crumbs there’s actually no baking involved) and I have yet to meet anyone that doesn’t like them.

I made basic Nanaimo Bars (no variation) as I’d never tried them before so I wanted to make the original. When I served the bars, I cut them into very small squares because they are quite sweet.

I want to thank Lauren for her efforts in hosting the challenge and for making all Daring Kitchen members honourary Canadians just in time for Vancouver 2010!

Ciao!

For the challenge recipe, click here.

Click here to visit The Daring Bakers’ blogroll.

If you’re interested in following the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, visit the official site here.

For the first time in Magazine Mondays history, I got nothin’ for ya! The cupcakes pictured above are actually a variation on a recipe that I presented in an older MM post.

It’s been pretty busy since the new year and I haven’t had a lot of time to hit that magazine pile.

Happily, though, I’ve had so many entries for MM that I didn’t want to skip a week. All those people who’ve won a victory in the war against out-of-control magazine stacks deserve their moment in the sun. Here are all the MM champs:

Nova of Raining Potatoes made Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake Swirl Brownies from the January 2009 issue of Bon Appétit.

Tina from Life in the Slow Lane at Squirrel Head Manor made French Chicken from Cook’s Illustrated.

Poppyseed of Poppyseeds and Tiger Lilies made Italian Pasta and Bean Soup from the Winter 2008 special issue of Cook’s Illustrated (Soups and Stews).

Nicole from Sweet Tooth made Cream Cheese Cookies from a 2005 holiday issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Sarah of A Taste of Savoie from Smoked Mackerel Rillettes from Homes and Gardens.

Dawn of Doable and Delicious made Peppered Beef Stroganoff from the January 2008 issue of Bon Appétit.

Have a fabulous week, everyone!

Ciao!

Ever since the announcement in October 2009 that Gourmet magazine would cease publication, I’ve read countless tributes to the magazine and to the people who contributed to making it a favourite for those who love food and wine.

I don’t know how many times I read the word impeccable in those tributes. Ruth Reichl … impeccable. The magazine … impeccable. The recipes … impeccable.

I couldn’t agree more.

And I can’t tell you how pleased I was that a copy of Gourmet Today: More than 1000 All-New Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen became mine right around the time the announcement of Gourmet’s demise was made.

By the (impeccable) Ruth Reichl, this book represents all that I loved about Gourmet. Beautiful recipes spanning the exotic to the comforting, it’s detailed and polished without even a the slightest hint of being impractical.

Gourmet walked that fine line between beautiful, sometimes lofty dishes and recipes that you can actually make at home.

The cookbook follows the same formula.

Be forewarned. With over 1,000 recipes this baby will take up some precious space on your cookbook shelf. And there are no pictures. That has certainly never stopped me from loving a cookbook but I know that for many, that’s a determining factor in whether or not to buy a cookbook.

If you’re wavering, consider this: the book covers every single menu item imagineable. Like the ubiquitous little back dress, this book will take you everywhere. You can go from drinks and cocktails to a dessert party with complete ease.

I have very happily sacrificed some lesser cookbooks on my shelf to make room for this treasure.

In one word: impeccable.

Ciao!

Masala Chai (pictured above). Recipe at Gourmet.com.

Note: It took me a very long time to decide what recipes to try from this book. I tried a few including a delicious Buttermilk Coffee Cake (pp. 669-70), but the one I loved the most was the Masala Chai. I was introduced to this delightful milk drink many years ago by a friend. Making it at home for the first time was lovely, both for the end result and for the process. I loved the way the kitchen smelled when I ground all those lovely spices that form part of the recipe.

In October, Mama Cream Puff and I bought a bushel of the most beautiful Jonagold apples we’d seen in a long time. Locally grown, their gorgeous colour was enough to tempt us, nevermind how delicious they were!

For the first month or so we ate so many out of hand that I didn’t give much thought to baking with the apples. We’re down to the final apples and while they’re still delicious, they’re not quite as firm and crisp as they were in the fall.

This was a signal to me that it was time to bake with the apples. We’ve enjoyed quite a few of them baked simply with a bit of butter and cinnamon, but last week I had the urge for apple pie and remembered a recipe that I’d bookmared in an old copy of Cook’s Illustrated. It’s from a special issue published in the fall of 2007. The recipe is for Free-Form Apple Tartlets (you can find the recipe on the Cook’s Illustrated site, unfortunately, you have to pay for it).

The crust for the tartlets was made with butter and cream cheese which makes for a tender pastry. But to be honest, while the tartlets were very good when they first came out of the oven, I found that the tartlet dough softened quickly and lost that lovely flakiness that all-butter doughs or butter and shortening doughs are better at maintaining.

The filling, on the other hand, was delicious. The magazine recipe called for Granny Smith apples but I put our Jonagolds to good use instead.

I think it just proves that delicious apples make delicious pie filling. End of story. While I wasn’t thrilled with the end result, the tartlets were still pretty good. Next time, though, I’ll use my usual pie crust dough.

This is my entry for Magazine Mondays and I’m happy to say I have quite a few other bloggers who joined me this week in keeping that magazine pile in order! Here’s who joined me:

Dawn from Doable and Delicious made Sauteed Mushrooms with Lemon Cream from Bon Appétit.

Bonita of Bon Eats made Broccoli Bisque from Food & Drink.

Janie of Panini Girl made a Lemon Crostata from Gourmet.

Tina of Life in the Slow Lane at Squirrel Head Manor made Beef Stew from Cook’s Illustrated.

Rebecca from A North London Kitchen made Marmalade and Ginger Cream Sandwich Cookies from Sainsbury’s.

Sarah of A Taste of Savoie made Churros and Hot Chocolate from Homes and Gardens.

Jeanna of Whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast made Hearty Chipotle Chicken Soup from Taste of Home and Healthy Cooking.

Poppyseed of Poppyseeds and Tiger Lilies made Porcini and Spinach Risotto from Olive.

Tia from Buttercream Barbie made Zuccini Bread from Canadian Living and Multi-Grain Bread with Sesame, Flax and Poppyseeds from Bon Appétit.

Have a fabulous week, everyone!

Ciao!

Apple Filling for Tartlets or Pie

Note: This makes enough filling for 6 tartlets or one 9-inch pie.

6 Jonagold apples, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch slices.
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pie crust of your choice

Combine the sliced apples, the lemon juice, the sugar and the cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Let sit while you roll out your pie crust. Bake pie (or tartlets) according to crust directions.

Enjoy!

I would have to say that pizza is in my top three favourite foods. Rare is the time when I have uttered, much less thought, the words “Don’t really feel like pizza right now.”

And it’s unlikely that you’ll be hearing me say that anytime soon. In fact, probably never.

I don’t know if it’s a beautifully blistered, thin crust, the tangy sweetness of simple tomato sauce, the creamy texture of mozzarella or the beauty of a basil leaf laid gently atop a just-cooked pie, but pizza is a thing of beauty to me. (In case you’re wondering, in Toronto, as far as I’m concerned, this is the only place to go for really really really good and worthy pizza.)

I think what I like most about pizza, though, is that you can make excellent pizza at home rather easily and for very little money.

Prior to Christmas, I treated myself to a copy of Jim Lahey’s stunning cookbook My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method.

Over the weekend, I delved into the pizza section and made the Pizza Patate (Potato Pizza). I had intended to save the pizza for a write-up about the book (will definitely still do one) but then I realized that there was an on-line source for the recipe, albeit a slightly different version.

You can find the recipe here but just note that it’s not the exact same recipe as the one found in his book.

This is a slightly unusual entry for me for Magazine Mondays as it’s technically not a recipe I found in a magazine, but hey, I’m the creator of MM so I get to do what I want!

I hope this will be a bigger and better year for Magazine Mondays. I have a lot of plans for the “non-event” and hopefully I can see them through. Mostly I hope to stick to one of my resolutions for 2010 which is to purchase fewer magazines and instead focus on cooking from the ones I already own.

Here’s hoping!

And here’s who joined me for the first edition of MM for 2010:

Tia of Buttercream Barbie made an Apricot Orange Coffee Cake from Cook’s Country and Hawaiian & Mushroom Pizza.

Janie of Panini Girl made Mediterranean Rice-Stuffed Escarole from Gourmet.

Tamy of 3 Sides of Crazy made Sour Cream Dutch Apple Pie.

Poppyseed of Poppyseed and Tiger Lilies made Hazelnut and Currant Baked Apples with Sticky Marsala Sauce from Issue 38 of Donna Hay.

Chaya of Sweet and Savory Says it All made Honey Ginger Chicken with Peppers from Food Everyday.

Have a fabulous week, everyone!

Ciao!

I’m back from a great trip to NYC. I had five jam-packed days there that amounted to a great start to 2010.

I loved so many things about New York.

I loved this bakery and this bakery.

I loved meeting Katie.

I loved having dinner here. In fact, I’m pretty sure I want to live in that restaurant forever and ever eating Karen DeMasco’s Maple Budino. Forever and ever.

I loved the Guggenheim. I loved Manet.

I loved brunch.

I loved Madison Avenue.

I loved watching my mom love Tiffany & Co.

I did not love the subway. Sorry.

I loved the cab drivers. Seriously. I did.

I loved the Coconut Cream Pie I had here.

Did I mention I loved Karen DeMasco’s Maple Budino?

I loved NYC.

It’s a bit belated, but I’m wishing all of you much health and happiness in this new year. I’m looking forward to lots of developments here at Cream Puffs in Venice as well. Lots of growth. Lots of moving forward. Lots of getting better. Lots of baking.

Buona fine e buon principio! (Happy ending and happy beginning!)

Ciao!