From Bean Pot to Grand Madam Crock Pot

She was a hot little number back in 1971. Every now and again she re-emerges, dancing to a new tune, sporting techie gadgets, hot knobs, thrifty time-saving options and fashionable colours. Somehow, she never ceases to dazzle cooks who like a bit of slow-heat in the kitchen.
Forty-one years ago at the National Housewares Show in Chicago, Madame Crock Pot strutted her stuff for about $25.00 USD per unit. Everyone wanted to plug her in and take her out for a test drive. Being a savvy, slow-to-warm gal, she gained a reputation for being reserved and for her ability to tame and tenderize even the toughest and cheapest meats on the butcher’s block with her slow, simmering heat. Quite the opposite of a fiery, bra-burning gal, she and her sisters slowly cooked thousands of tasty dinners during the day while the Family CEOs (Mums) busted out of their domestic doldrums to pursue invigorating careers. What could be simpler than placing chopped veggies, a cheap cut of meat and some liquid into a Crock Pot and choosing  High or Low to get the job done? At the peak of her success, the company that conceived Madam Crock Pot received letters claiming she salvaged marriages, meals, and even inspired some enthusiastic customers to wax poetic about her virtues.

Madame CP posted sales of $2 million in her first year, then steamed things up a notch to $10 million one year later, then doubled her wares to $23 million in year three, totaled $57 million in year four and topped out at $93 million in 1975. She inspired buying frenzies and sellouts weren’t uncommon. Legend has it that one retailer had to cancel its advertising of a planned major promotion after its employees completely bought her out prior to the store's opening.

Quite simply, the 41 year-old, Madame Crock Pot transformed the way families cooked dinner in the 1970’s. She came to the rescue of many women who were entering the workforce in droves. I would even speculate that many women at the time probably didn’t want to upset the sacred family dinner hour or draw attention to the housework that might not be getting done while they were out at work. It goes without saying and should come as no surprise that a smart female home economist at Rival Industries pretty much invented Madam Crock Pot. Word has it, she experimented with a bean cooker called a Bean Pot and created an entire recipe book of delicious, gourmet dishes—with and without beans. The cooker's exterior was redesigned to give it a snazzy look, and the bean cooker was formally renamed the Crock Pot. Since then,  Madame Crock Pot has answered many families’ dinner dilemmas and I do believe Madame CP could have been the ’71 musical muse inspirations for James Taylor’s, You’ve Got a Friend, Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Gordon Lightfoot’s, If You Could Read My Mind, or Three Dog Night’s, Joy to the World. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time some creative folk went goo-goo eyed over a home appliance! (For more about waxing poetic on a favourite home appliance, search “breadmaker” on my blog.)

In keeping with the Madam Crock Pot’s unorthodox reputation, I have chosen to post recipes that are a little out of the ordinary and beyond the meat n’ potatoes, stews and pot roasts. I hope you enjoy them!

Baked Apples with Cider Sauce

For a 4 to 5 quart slow-cooker

6 to 8 apples (Choose a firm apple-type like Northern Spy, MacIntosh, Spartan, etc) (No need to peel!)

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup raisins (or try another dried fruit like cranberries etc)

3/4 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp numeg

¼ tsp cloves

½ cup apple cider

2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

2 tsp cornstarch

Core each apple almost to the base but leave the bottom intact. Slice off about ¾ inch wide strip of peel around the top of each apple.  If necessary, trim the base of each apple to make it flat on the bottom and to stay level and upright in the slow cooker.

In a small bowl combine: sugar, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Pack this mixture into the hollowed-out core of each apple. Place apples in slow cooker. Whisk together cider and butter and pour over apples.

Cover and cook on LOW for about 3 to 4 hours, basting several times. The apples are done when they are wrinkly and very tender.  Transfer apples to a shallow baking-serving dish and keep warm.

Whisk together 2 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp very cold water. (or, place cornstarch and water in a small jar with a lid. Place lid on jar and shake together until mixed.) Whisk this mixture into liquid in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Drizzle over apples and serve.

Roasted Garlic Bulbs

For a 4 to 6 quart slow-cooker

6 plump garlic bulbs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried basil, or oregano, or Italian seasoning

NOTE: you will need a large piece of foil—large enough to create a loosely sealed packet to wrap around the garlic and easily fit into the slow-cooker.

Remove just the papery outer layer from each garlic bulb. Cut the tops off the bulbs to just expose the tips.

Arrange the garlic, with the hairy, root side down (cut-tops facing up) in a single layer on a large foil sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle basil on top.

Pull foil up and around the garlic loosely and fold the edges to seal the packet. Place the packet, flat in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for about 2 hours. Bulbs are one when they smell fragrant, are tender to a fork and appear golden brown.

These roasted garlic bulbs can be mashed and frozen in small quantities for later use in soups, salads, pasta sauces, or as toppings for pasta, bruschetta or baguettes…the list is endless!

Caramelized Onions

For a 5 to 6 quart slow-cooker

These onions make a gorgeous addition to almost any meat dish and a wonderful topping for pizza, burgers, meatloaf or a veggie loaf. 

12 cups thinly sliced Spanish onion (about 4 large onions or 3 lbs)

¼ cup butter cut into ½ inch cubes

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

Place onions in slow cooker. Top with butter, sugar, vinegar and salt. Mix just to combine.

Cover and cook on high about 6-7 hours, stirring about every one to two hours, until golden but onions are still moist-not BAKED.

Store in the fridge for 1-2 days or you may even freeze them for use later on.

Pearly Onions with Dried Cranberries

8 cups pearl onions (about four 284 g packages)

1 cup dried cranberries

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp grated orange rind (or dried lemon rind will do)

1 bay leaf (tie a 15 inch length string to the stem)

 ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 garlic clove, diced finely

1 tbsp cornstarch

In a Pyrex or oven-proof dish, place onions and cover with boiling water. (This will help to skin them!) Let stand for 1 minute and then drain and peel…this may take a little while to do!

In the slow cooker, combine onions, 1 cup of water, raisins, oil, vinegar, tomato paste, orange rind, bay leaf (Tip: tie a 15-inch length of string to the Bayleaf’s short stem then dangle the string out of the edge of the slow cooker so you can pull the leaf out later), salt pepper and garlic.

Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours until onions are tender. Pull on string and DISCARD Bay Leaf!

Move onions to one side of the slow cooker. In a small bowl whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water (or place these two ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake together until combined). Whisk this mixture into the liquid in the slow cooker. Stir very gently to combine. Cover and cook on high until sauce is shiny and onions are coated.

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup with Coconut Milk

For a 5 to 6 quart slow-cooker

Serves 4-6 as a main course or 8-10 as a starter.

2 cups red lentils

1tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black peppercorns

a few drops hot pepper sauce (to taste)

1 28 oz can tomatoes, including juice

2 large carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 14 oz can coconut milk

optional:

thin slices or lemon

finely chopped cilantro

In a colander, rinse lentils thoroughly under cold water. Set aside. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until soft. Add garlic, turmeric, cumin seeds, salt, peppercorns and a few drops hot pepper sauce. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil, breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in carrots, lentils, lemon juice and broth.

Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours until carrots are tender and mixture is bubbling. Stir in coconut milk and cook on HIGH for 20-30 minutes, until heated through. When serving, garnish each serving with lemon slices and cilantro, if using.

Squash Soup (with Shrimp or Scallops, name your fancy!)

For a 5 to 6 quart slow-cooker

1 stalk lemongrass

(prepare a small sachet 3-inch square of cheesecloth and 12-inchstring to contain the chopped lemongrass in the slow cooker)

4 cups cubed butternut squash (half of a medium sized squash) Tips: to speed up the production, buy chopped squash sold in a plastic clamshell container from Costco in the produce section, or buy frozen chopped squash!)

2 cups chicken broth (use two-three chicken bouillon cubes + 2 cups boiling water)

1 tbsp red curry paste

6 thin slices of peeled gingerroot (place in the cheesecloth sachet with the lemongrass)

1 ½ tsp fish sauce

¼ tsp brown sugar

1 lb large raw shrimp or scallops (Tip: To be sure the shrimp or scallops are thoroughly cooked I prefer to cook the shrimp or scallops in a frypan, then add to the slowcooker mixture. Alternately, you could buy cooked shrimp or scallops and add.

2 tbsp fresh basil for garnish

Smash the lemongrass with the top of a knife blade along the stalk to bruise it, then cut it into 1 inch lengths with scissors or a knife. Place the lemongrass in the 3-inch sachet of cheesecloth. Add 6 slices of gingerroot to sachet, then tie up like a pouch with string and leave a long piece to dangle outside of the slow cooker.

In slow cooker, combine squash, coconut milk, chicken broth, curry paste, fish sauce and brown sugar.

Add sachet of lemongrass and gingerroot and push down to bottom of liquid to soak into the mixture. Cover the slow cooker and cook the soup on LOW for about 4-6 hours.

Meanwhile cook shrimp or scallops and refrigerate.

Soup is done when squash is very tender. Pull on string and remove sachet of lemongrass and gingerroot. Using an Immersion stick blender, blend the soup in the slow cooker to smooth out any chunks of squash.

Stir in shrimp or scallops into soup mixture. Stir in, or garnish with 2 tbsp fresh basil.

 

Blue Plate Chili

Serves 4-6

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb lean ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black peppercorns

1 28 oz can tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

½ cup condensed beef broth, undiluted

1 19 oz can red kidney beans drained and rinsed

1 green bell pepper

In a non-stick fry pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add beef and cook, breaking up with wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to slow cooker bowl.

Reduce fry pan heat to medium. Add onion and celery and cooking, stirring often. Add garlic, chili powder, caraway seeds, salt and peppercorns and cook for one minute. Stir in tomatoes and beef broth and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add beans and transfer to slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.. Add green pepper, increase heat to high and cook for 20 minutes, until tender.

Hot Chocolate

For a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker

12 one-ounce squares of pure Semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (Tip: Most 225g pkgs contain 8 squares, so you will need boxes and have 4 squares left over to create chocolate shavings!)

7 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla

Place chocolate and milk in the slowcooker. Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 hours until steaming hot. Use an immersion blender or whisk to blend the mixture until it is frothy. Stir in vanilla. Serve in mugs, top with shipped cream if you like and add a few chocolate shavings for decoration. Move over Bombshell Barista. If it’s just the two of you, add a drop or two of Baileys to steamify the romance!

Pear Crisp with Dark Rum or Amaretto Liqueur

For a 4 to 6 quart slow-cooker

8 ripe pears

½ cup raisins (if using rum) or dried cranberries (if using Amaretto)

¼ cup sugar

2 tbsp white sugar

¼ cup dark rum (if using raisins) or ¼ cup amaretto liqueur

1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies or crushed almond cookies (Italian style Amaretto cookies work well)

½ cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup cold butter cut into small ½ inch cubes

Peel, halve and core pears. Cut into even slices about ½ inch thick. In a big bowl, combine pears, raisins or dried cranberries, white sugar and rum or Amaretto liqueur.

In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients: crushed cookies, flour, brown sugar and white sugar. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture looks likes small peas.  Sprinkle over the pear mixture in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours until fruit is tender.

NOTE: This recipe can be baked in the oven using an ovenproof baking dish large enough to hold the fruit to about a 1-inch depth. Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden.

Chocolate Mud Cake

Serves 8 (3 quart cooker is ideal)

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp butter

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips

1 cup white sugar, divided

½ cup cocoa, divided

1 tbsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp salt

1/3 cup fat free milk

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 ½ cups hot water

Vanilla ice cream

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large microwave able bowl, melt butter and chocolate and microwave. Mix well. Whisk in 2/3 cup white sugar, 3 tbsp of cocoa, vanilla, salt, milk and egg yolk. Add flour mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into slow cooker. Spread evenly. Whisk together remaining sugars, remaining cocoa, and hot water until sugar is dissolved. Pour over batter in slow cooker. Do not stir.  Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours. The cake will be very moist and floating on a layer of molten when done. You’ll know it’s done when nearly all the cake is set and its edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. Turn off slow cooker and remove lid. DO NOT let the lid’s condensation drip on the cake! Let cool 25 minutes before spooning into individual bowls and topping with ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Rosemary: Olympic Marathon Herb!

As I experience the stages of Olympic withdrawal, I will look upon my Rosemary plant admiringly and seek motivation from her performance as an outstanding Olympian Herb and Iron-Maiden Marathon Woman to sustain and inspire me until 2016. Although she starts out slowly, I know I can count on her to pace her progress through the dog-days of summer—through drought or downpours—to cross the finish line in full glory and flourishing abundance! She’s well known for being a fickle fuss-pot and rather difficult to nurture from seed but once established and rooted she’ll find her own groove—outlasting and surpassing her herb mates in the garden. Young Rosemary will pine for a lot of water—but when she’s full grown she can easily tolerate a few dry spells without wilting. On the whole, Rosemary delights in full sun and grows well independently in containers with good drainage. Like any athlete, Rosemary loves a spa date—the more the better—and enjoys having her aromatic leaves and stems clipped and preened to complement any entrée or baked dish.

Don’t let Rosemary’s tender evergreen perennial pedigree fool you though. Like most Olympic athletes, she cross trains and excels in fending off cancer and neurological disorders in humans. She sports a healthy dose source of flavonoid luteolin, which some researchers believe stops or reduces the growth of cancerous tumors. In addition, Rosemary contains carnosol, a polyphenol that may protect the brain from free radical damage that causes strokes and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.

And does she workout during the winter? Yes, absolutely… you can over-winter Rosemary in your house—just be sure to place her in the sunniest place you can find in your home. Be sure to check her soil’s moisture level regularly and water her frequently to keep the soil moist but not soggy. A little misting now and then will help her too.

Above all, I adore the sophisticated and elegant flavour fresh rosemary can bring to entrees, vegetable dishes and baked goods. Here are a few of my favourite Rosemary recipes. Enjoy!

My date with Dalton Rosemary Cookies

I go to great lengths to take advantage of the cheaper electricity rates between 7 pm and 7 am in Ontario. This is why I call these “My date with Dalton” cookies. (Dalton McGuinty being the Premier of Ontario.) I make them at night after 7 pm when the cheaper rates go into effect, then  freeze them, then slice and bake them at 6:15 am before 7am, when the electricity rates go back up!

They are easy to whip up in a food processor or use your own brute strength to mix it up yourself.. Get your motors running…

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

¾ cup white sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ½ cups white all-purpose flour

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (chop finely with scissors)

1 tsp coarse salt

Roll logs in:

1 egg white-beaten

½ cup white sugar

In a food processor, mix together butter and sugar on low speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla then pulse on low speed until mixed in. Add Rosemary and salt and mix on low speed until combined and mixed.

Remove dough from machine and divide in half. Place one of the two  pieces on parchment paper or wax paper on counter or cutting board and roll into a 12 inch log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Smooth out log and wrap in parchment paper or wax paper or saran and place in freezer. Repeat with second piece of dough. Freeze until quite firm. 1 hr or overnight.

Heat oven to 375F. Remove logs from freezer. They should be firm but fairly easy to slice with a sharp knife. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Brush with egg white and roll in white sugar. Cut into ¼ inch slices and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place about ½ inch apart. Oven racks should be in the middle of the oven. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 18 to 22 minutes. Cool on a rack. Store in the fridge or freeze. Excellent with sliced Cantaloupe and vanilla frozen yogurt!

Rosemary Oil

Place two or three sprigs of Rosemary in about 1/3 c of Olive oil. Use with Balsamic Vinegar for

dipping fresh bread at your next dinner party.

Rosemary Oven-Roasted Mini-Potatoes

Wash and scrub about 10-12 red mini-potatoes. Slice potatoes in half and steam for 8-9 minutes to tenderize. Note: they should still be quite firm. Drain and place in 9x13 baking dish.

Mix 2 tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, and 1 tsp coarse salt. Brush over potatoes and mix well.

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until browned, stirring halfway through. These can be barbequed in a metal basket pan (with holes) on the BBQ.

Rosemary-Tangerine Carrots

Add 1 tbsp chopped fresh Rosemary and ¼ cup Tangerine juice to cooked carrots and toss over medium heat in saucepan until coated. Serve immediately.

Add flavour to pork roasts and poultry

Tuck a few sprigs of fresh Rosemary into a pork roast or chicken. Alternatively, skewer a few sprigs on top.  

Foccacio (using breadmaker and oven) Makes two medium focaccias or one large focaccia

1 1/3 cups water

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp white sugar

3 1/3 cups Flour

2 1/4 tsp Breadmaker yeast

Measure these ingredients into the breadpan. Select the dough cycle and press Start. 

When dough is ready, preheat oven to 350F. 

Lightly grease two pizza pans or baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Remove dough from pan and let rest 5-10 min under a tea towel.

Cornmeal for sprinkling on pizza pans.

2 or 3 Minced garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary or 1 tbsp fresh Rosemary

1 1/2 tsp Coarse salt

3 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp grated Parmesan

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into two rounds to about ½ “ thickness. Lightly grease pans and sprinkle with a little cornmeal. Place dough on pans. Cover with heavy tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with garlic, rosemary, and coarse salt and then lightly press into dough. With your fingertips, poke shallow indentations all over the top of the rounds. Pour the olive oil over the top, letting it pool in the indentations. Sprinkle Parmesan on top. 

Bake bread about 20-25 min or until lightly browned. (I put an oven liner or foil on the oven’s lower rack (under this pan) while this is baking to prevent the olive oil from spilling over and burning.)

Loving U Berry, Berry Much!

Fresh, warmed, streamed over ice cream or beneath a sweet blanket of pastry, who can resist a bowl of plump, ripe berries? Whether they are the main event, complementing a light salad, encased in pastry or the stand-alone perfect finale to a grand meal, you can never ever go wrong by inviting a berry to your lively event.  Dare I say, if the berry could have a zodiac sign it would undoubtedly be Gemini or Virgo…well known for their adaptability, deft communication abilities, fine sense of humour, neat appearance, dread of conflict and …ooops you discovered my sign and I have sadly projected my presence upon a little, defenseless berry!

Nevertheless, invite one of these berry recipes to your next meal and you will not be disappointed. With one of these berry dishes on the menu, I guarantee your next intimate dinner for two or multi-person soiree will be a smash! Let the gala begin…

Gooseberry Sauce for Salmon Fishcakes

The recipe for Salmon fishcakes is below OR you could purchase fishcakes ready-made and top them with this exquisite sauce:

·       225g Gooseberries

·       2 tbsp butter, softened

·       1 to 2 tbsp sugar to taste

·       Pinch ground ginger-purely optional!

Trim berries and put in a pan with a little cold water. Cook over low heat until the fruit is softened like a fine pulp. Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in butter and sugar to taste.  Add the ginger and transfer to small serving bowl.

Salmon fishcakes:

·       1 lb salmon fillets, skinned

·       1 lb potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed

·       2 tbsp parsley-chopped

·       Grated of 1 lemon

·       2 tbsp cream

·       1 tbsp flour

·       1 gee, beaten

·       2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs

·       4 tbsp vegetable oil

·       Salt and pepper

Put the fish in a large pan and cover with water-just enough to cover. Bring to a boil over med heat, then reduce and let simmer gently, covered for 5 min or until cooked

Remove from heat using a slotted spoon, life the fish onto a plate. When it has cooed, flake the fish roughly into bite-sized pieces, removing bones as you proceed.

Mix the mashed potatoes with the fish, parsley, lemon rind and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into six round fishcakes.

Put the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls. Dust the fishcakes with flour, then dip in the beaten egg and coat in breadcrumbs. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, the cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for AT LEAST 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a fry pan over med heat. Pan fry the fishcakes for five minutes on each side (turn them gently with a spatula). Remove from fry pan and allow to drain on paper towels.

Serve fishcakes with Gooseberry sauce!

Chicken with Bramble Sauce

·       4 boneless Chicken Breast

·       4 tbsp white wine, cider or fruit beer

·       2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

·       ¼ tsp nutmeg

·       Pepper

·       Fresh rosemary sprigs to garnish

Bramble Sauce:

·       200g blackberries plus a few extra to dress up the dish!

·       1 tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

·       2 tbsp red currant jelly

With a sharp knife, cut the chicken into one inch pieces and place in a bowl. Sprinkle the wine and rosemary overtop and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated for a least one hour. Drain the chicken and reserve the marinade.

Thread the chicken pieces onto long metal skewers and cook on the BBQ for 4 minutes on each side until cooked.

To make the sauce:

Place the reserved marinade in a pan with the blackberries and cook over low heat until the fruit is softened. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press the mixture through a strainer into a bowl to form a puree. Return this blackberry puree to the pan, then add the vinegar and red currant jelly and bring to a boil. Boil uncovered until the sauce is reduced by about one-third.

Spoon about one-third of sauce onto each plate and place chicken skewers on top. Sprinkle with nutmeg, then garnish with rosemary springs and blackberries.

Excellent served with a fresh green salad.

Strawberry Soup

·       2 lb or 200g fresh strawberries

·       ¾ cup cranberry juice

·       ¾ cup dry white wine or apple juice

·       ¾ cup sour cream or yogurt

Wash and hull strawberries. Reserve 1 ¾ cups. Put the rest of the berries in a large pan with the cranberry juice and cook over medium heat until the fruit is softened.

Let cool, then transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add the wine, process briefly and combine, then pour into a pitcher. Cover with plastic and chill in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, slice the reserved berries. Pour soup into six bowls and place the sliced berried on top. Top with sour cream or yogurt and mint sprigs and serve immediately.

Assorted Berry Salad with Citrus Dressing:

·       6 cups assorted greens of your choice

·       ½ cup Goat or Feta cheese crumbled

·       ½ cup Pecan or Walnuts

·       1 red pepper, thinly sliced

·       1 cup blueberries or raspberries washed

·       1 cup washed and sliced strawberries

Citrus Vinaigrette

·       1 tsp minced orange zest

·       ¼ cup orange juice

·       2 tbsp white wine vinegar

·       ¼ c light oil

Whirl ingredients together in a small food processor or whisk together with a small whisk.

Wash greens and place in a large bowl. Mix in pepper and berries. Toss with Vinaigrette. Sprinkle cheese and nuts over top.

Raspberries and Cabbage Pork Complement (cooked in the slow cooker):

For a 3 to 6 quart slow cooker:

·       1 large head green or red shredded cabbage, this will yield about 12 cups

·       2 onions thinly sliced

·       ½ cup dried cranberries

·       2 cups fresh raspberries or one 300g frozen-and thawed- berries

·       ¾ cup raspberry vinegar

·       ¼ cup melted butter

·       ½ cup white granulated sugar

·       1 tsp salt

Place cabbage, onions, cranberries and raspberries in the slow cooker pot. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, butter, sugar and salt. Pour over cabbage and toss. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours until cabbage is tender.

Blueberry Pie with Ginger Crust

·       1-1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (in a food processor grind up about 35 cookies or 1/2 a bag of PC English Gingersnaps)

·       2 tbsp granulated sugar

·       1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

·       2-1/2 tbsp cornstarch

·       2 tbsp cold water

·       1/2 cup granulated sugar

·       4 cups (1 L) blueberries

·       1 tbsp lemon juice

Crust: In small bowl, combine cookie crumbs with sugar; stir in butter until moistened. Press evenly onto bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for 8 minutes. Cool on rack

Filling:
In medium saucepan, mix cornstarch with water. Add sugar and 1-1/2 cups blueberries; bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until very thick and clear. Remove from heat; stir in remaining blueberries and lemon juice. Mix well and pour into pie crust. Refrigerate until set (about 3 hours). Serve with Maple Whipped Cream.

Maple Whipped Cream:
Beat 1/2 cup whipping cream or Cool Whip with 2 tbsp Ontario Maple Syrup until stiff. Store in refrigerator.

Mixed Berry Smoothie

In a blender, blend together

·       2-3 scoops frozen low fat banana-strawberry yogurt

·       ¾ cup mixed frozen berries

·       1 banana and

·       ½ cup milk

Serve in a tall glass or a plastic mug, to go!