Photo A Day

I've decided that I'm finished with snow pictures.  Except for these, because they teach a lesson.  Remote control helicopters are bound to land on the roof when used outdoors.  Especially in winter, when climbing up on a ladder becomes hazardous.  I love that my kids are always learning new things.

From now on, until I can get outside and take pictures of something green, I'll be looking around the house for things to focus my camera on.

Like a rare shot of the sun shining through the window.

Or the mess I make of my kitchen.  It's been a hot spot of activity lately.

I made one of my best batches of chili ever...plus corn bread.

And this creamy vegetable rice, just like those instant rice packages but better, and minus all the processed, packaged, instant ingredients.  I was inspired by this recipe.  

A cookie jar that is as old as our oldest child, filled...

...with my attempts at healthifying treats.  Some good results, some not so good.

Hubby brought home a 22lb bag of flour.  He saw that I was on a mission.

And someone was so distracted they left half a bagel sitting in the toaster.  All day.

Tweet

Nanaimo Bars, and Some Canada Love

I  came across this bit of Canadian humour, and it made me think of all the things I love about this country, which invariably led me to thinking about food.  Canadian food, like Poutine and all things maple syrup.  And Nanaimo Bars.

created by Kirstin Hallett

So.  It would seem that I live in the centre of the whole freaking universe.  Be that as it may, I have an abiding love for all things west coast, having spent 5 years living in Victoria, BC.   Last year I shared a recipe for my favourite cheesecake, from my favourite Victoria restaurant.  It is truly the best cheesecake I've ever eaten.  Just like these Nanaimo Bars are among the best bars I've ever had.  They've always been one of my favourite sweet treats, and coincidentally also come from Vancouver Island.  Nanaimo, obviously.

If you've never had a Nanaimo Bar, you don't know what you're missing.  A cocoa-coconut-crumb crust, a creamy custard centre, finished with a smooth semi-sweet chocolate layer.

These are no-bake bars, but they require some refrigeration time.  The exact origin of Nanaimo Bars isn't known, although the earliest print copies of the recipe date back to the 1950's in various Nanaimo area publications.

Give these a try, I think you'll love them.  And if you ever find yourself in Nanaimo, you can tour the Nanaimo Bar Trail.

Nanaimo Tourism

Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer

½ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup sugar

5 tbsp cocoa

1 egg beaten

1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs

½ cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup finely shredded coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Slowly add egg and whisk constantly to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in graham crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.

Second Layer

½ cup unsalted butter

2 tbsp plus 2 tsp cream or milk

2 tbsp vanilla custard powder (or vanilla pudding powder)
2 cups icing sugar

Cream together butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Spread over bottom layer and refrigerate until firm.

Third Layer

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 ounce each)

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat in a double boiler. Cool slightly but allow to remain liquid. Pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator until set.  Cut into squares.

Amazing bars, and an amazing city in a beautiful part of the country!

Source: Tourism Nanaimo

Linked up here:

    

Thank you for featuring me!

            

Tweet

Photo A Day, More or Less

It's happening.  The days are getting shorter and the nights cooler.  I've spotted telltale red leaves on the top of our maple tree.  As much as I'd like to hold on to summer, it's slowly losing ground to September and soon enough I'll be chasing after the colours of autumn with my camera.

But for today, just a little more summer.

Boys doing planks in the stifling heat, and the beginning of our new fence.

A walk along the Burlington Pier.

Big kids learning their way around the kitchen, making sure their younger siblings don't starve while the grown-ups are at work.

Game nights.

Back to school shopping.

 And our last official soccer night of the season.

Summertime.

Tweet

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

These Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars are amazing.  They are incredibly lemony, with  lemon in the shortbread crust, lemon in the cheesecake layer, and lemon in the blueberry mixture.  Perfectly tart, sweet and creamy, with a wonderful burst of blueberries.

A dear friend arrived bright and early on a Saturday morning with fresh lemons, blueberries, and coffee... and we got to work.

Lemons were zested.

Blueberry's were cooked.

The kids got in on the action.

And discovered that drinking lemon juice is not at all like drinking lemonade.

 We drank coffee, dirtied dishes, washed them and dirtied them again.  We talked about hockey, school, soccer, the weather... and how much we'd miss a mutual friend who would soon be leaving us with her upcoming move to the US.  We sampled the cooling blueberry sauce and decided it would be great on ice-cream or pancakes or waffles... and sampled it again just to be sure.  We plopped it onto the creamy cheesecake layer and let loose our inner artists to create decorative swirls.

 Kids wandered in and out of the kitchen while we waited on the oven.  It was a long 40 minutes.

But oh so worth it.  Lemon heaven.

We didn't wait for them to cool.

Seriously, you need to make these.

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Crust

1 1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping tbsp lemon zest

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

Filling

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp lemon zest

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 - 250g blocks cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp vanilla 

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment.

Combine 1 tbsp lemon zest with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers to infuse the sugar with lemon.  Beat butter with the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl on medium speed until creamy.  Beat in flour and salt until combined.  Press dough into bottom of prepared pan and bake until edges are golden, 25 - 30 minutes.

Combine blueberries with brown sugar, 2 tbsp lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until berries are just soft, 5 - 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Combine 1 tbsp lemon zest with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers to infuse the sugar with lemon.  Strain the sugar to remove the zest.  Beat cream cheese with the lemon infused sugar and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. 

Scrape cream cheese mixture onto warm crust and smooth top.  Dollop blueberry mixture randomly over top of cream cheese layer.  Gently pull a knife tip through the top to create swirls.

Bake in centre of oven until filling is set, about 40 min.  Cool.  Enjoy.

 

Thank you for featuring me!

            

Tweet