Recipe: Mixed Berry Compote for Pancake Tuesday

Easy and yummy and perfect on pancakes...it's Mixed Berry Compote time!

What you'll need:

2 pints of strawberries

1 pint of blueberries

1/3 cup of water

2 tablespoons of raw sugar

1/2 lemon, juiced and zested

Splash of Beaujolais wine (optional)

Directions:

1.  Rough chop the strawberries and combine them, in a pot, with the water and sugar.  Cook on a moderately high heat until the water becomes syrupy (7 - 10 minutes)

2.  Add the blueberries and the wine (if desired), let cook down for another 7 - 10 minutes.

3.  Remove from heat and finish with the lemon juice and lemon zest.

4.  Taste.  If it's not sweet enough for you, consider adding a little more sugar.  I like to keep my compote on the slightly tart side, especially since the berries have so much natural sweetness.

5.  Serve with pancakes, waffles, ice cream or yogurt!

If you enjoy this, check out my recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Compote in the Spring!  Happy Pancake Tuesday!

Recipe: Michael's Classic Strawberry Shortcake

This is, without a doubt, my favourite Summer dessert.  Several years ago our friend Michael made this for us and I was hooked.  Michael is a ridiculously good cook.  He can also do this:

Yes, that's the Robeau on piano!  And yes, you should just go ahead and ignore my terrible camera work.  Thanks for asking.

When I asked Michael for the recipe he sent me these pics.  So I guess technically this isn't Michael's Strawberry Shortcake, it's Susan's.  Shout out to Susan.  Whoever she is!

(click to enlarge)

I'm including the original recipe here because there are several different methods that you can try including pin wheels.  I always do the drop biscuits because I'm a lazy baker.  Happily, my laziness doesn't effect the deliciousness of these things in the slightest.

What you'll need:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon (or orange) zest

1/2 cup of butter (or shortening)

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup butter

Directions:

1. Start heating oven to 450 degrees.  Into mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar; add lemon zest

2.  With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut butter into flour mixture until it is course, like corn meal.  Add egg and milk.  Mix.

3.  Drop dough in 3" mounds onto cookie sheet (that is greased or lined with parchment paper)

4.  Bake 12 - 15 minutes or until done.  You'll know when they're done because, oh, the smell!

I like to serve these split and still warm with fresh Ontario Strawberries that have been macerated in just a little bit of white sugar and then cover the whole mess with some whipped cream, scented with vanilla bean, but otherwise unsweetened.

If you want to get a little fancier, you can macerate the Strawberries in a good balsamic vinegar, black pepper and fresh mint or basil (more on that flavour combo here).

Verdict:  Make this! Server it at a BBQ!  In fact, make it tomorrow morning and have it while you're watching Breakfast at Wimbledon.  Because having Strawberries and Cream for breakfast while you watch athletes at the top of their profession is a noble tradition that should be continued at all costs.

 Thanks for this great recipe, Michael!

Recipe: Hershey's Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of the perks / downfalls of working in an office is the constant parade of treats making their way to your desk. Sometimes we get sent gift baskets brimming with treats, usually around the holidays or an opening night.  Yesterday we were sent one that was filled with chocolate.  Including a bag of chocolate chips.  Which, to be blunt, seemed pretty stupid to me.  I mean, those are meant for baking (and PMS desperation) not gift baskets.  It just seemed odd...until I realized that the gift basket was sent to us from the good people at Hershey's.  Ooops.  Sorry Hershey's.  You are NOT stupid.

The only logical thing to do was to take the chocolate chips home and bake cookies with them using the recipe printed on the bag.  We all have a chocolate chip cookie recipe in our arsenal, but I, for one, had never tried the one printed right there on the bag!

I am bringing said cookies to work tomorrow because, well, we never have enough treats, do we?  Maybe I can convince my coworkers to join me in a chorus of "Get Well Soon".

What you'll need:

3/4 cup butter or margarine
175 mL1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 package Hershey's CHIPITS® Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional) - I used pecans.

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2.  In large bowl, beat butter, sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until creamy.

3.  In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture. Stir in milk chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

4.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Verdict:

They're chocolate chip cookies.  Do you really need to know more?  Nom, nom, nom.

Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

Rhubarb and strawberries were both on sale at our neighbourhood green grocer this week and it's not like I'm going to make a pie or something ambitious like that...so...enter COMPOTE!  I basically put the same principles to work that I use when making cranberry sauce during the holidays.  Fruit + Liquid + Seasonings = Saucy, Syrupy Goodness!  This stuff would be great warm over pancakes, waffles or pound cake or cold over ice cream or stirred into plain or vanilla yoghurt.

What you'll need:

2 cups rhubarb, chopped
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cinnamon stick
pinch sea salt

Directions:

1. Put everything into a medium sized sauce pot and cook, stirring occasionally, over a medium - low heat for about 20 - 30 minutes (or until you've reached your desired consistency).

2.  Remove your cinnamon stick, refrigerate and store for up to five days.

Verdict:

It's almost stupid how easy this was.  I just stirred some into a bowl of vanilla yoghurt and it was crazy delicious.  I used really good Madagascar Vanilla and I think that, combined with the cinnamon stick were both really important elements in helping to provide a nice, rich background flavour.  This gets big bonus points for costing next to nothing and making my house smell amazing!  I'll definitely be doing this again, hopefully for brunch guests!