“Jimmy, please wait until we say our prayer,” said his dad.

“I don’t have to,” the boy replied.

“Of course you do,” his dad insisted. “We always say a prayer before eating at our house.”

“That’s our house,” Jimmy explained. “But this is grandma’s house, and she knows how to cook!”

At the Chocolate class I taught at Thyme to Cook in Guelph a couple weeks ago, one of the recipes I made was Chocolate Crepes with Cream Cheese Filling.

You could easily use another filling of your choice for these crepes: chopped fruit, caramelized bananas, ice cream, sherbet, frozen yogurt, pudding, or ????  What do you suggest?

Or, you could simply roll up the crepes and drizzle them with fruit syrup, maple syrup or chocolate sauce.

Chocolate crepes filled with chocolate ice cream and topped with strawberries and a sprinkle of icing sugar

Chocolate Crepes with Cream Cheese Filling

(Makes about 18 small crepes or 10 large crepes)

Crepes:
2 eggs
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp (45 mL) sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) cocoa
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
1-1/4 cups (300 mL) milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) melted butter
Vegetable oil
Filling:
1 pkg (250 g) regular or light plain or chocolate cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup (75 mL) sugar
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream (35 % M.F.), whipped
Grated chocolate or icing sugar
Chocolate sauce (optional)

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs. In another bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to beaten eggs, alternately with milk, beating until smooth. Stir in melted butter. Refrigerate batter for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 days.

When ready to cook crepes, remove batter from fridge. If batter has thickened, thin with the addition of a 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 mL) milk. Heat a non-stick frying pan or crepe pan on medium-high heat until a water droplet sizzles. Brush lightly with oil. Stir batter; pour 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 mL) into the pan, rotating panas batter is poured so batter covers the bottom of the pan evenly. Cook until bottom is slightly browned, about 45 seconds. Flip crepe over and cook for about 20 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, adding additional oil to pan between crepes if necessary.

To make filling: beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Spoon 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 mL) filling down the centre of each crepe or spread over crepe. Fold or roll up crepe. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and serve with chocolate sauce, if desired.

Tips:
* Use an 8″ (20 cm) frying pan to make small crepes and a 10″ (25 cm) pan to make larger ones.
* Crepes can be made ahead and frozen. Let thaw in fridge before separating and filling.

Heard an interesting conversation about local eating this morning on CBC Radio’s Q. The participants included host Jian Ghomeshi, London-based chef Peter Gordon and Toronto’s Jamie Kennedy of Toronto. They were debating whether the local food movement has created an aversion to foreign foods and ingredients.

Listen to the podcast, then check out comments from other listeners and add your own.

Personally I wouldn’t want to limit the food in my fridge or cupboards to just what’s available within 100 miles. I don’t see it as local vs global,  and having to choose one system over the other. However I do believe in eating seasonally and locally as much as possible. Why not support farmers and growers in my area, get to know the people who produce the food I eat, and benefit from the fresh flavour of foods grown close to home? And have the option to enjoy chocolate, bananas, mangoes, coconut, tea……

Most week days my husband, a hockey scout for the Kitchener Rangers, doesn’t get home until 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. Often he leaves for the evening before I got home from work, or we have a lightening speed supper together before he dashes off to a hockey arena somewhere to assess the on-ice talent.

Late night tea with Pain Au Chocolat.....and milk bones

But when he walks in the door later that evening, a little ritual ensues. I put the kettle on, ask him what kind of tea he wants, and the two of us sit down with our cups of tea and maybe a cookie or a piece of chocolate, and we talk over the day’s events or anything else on our minds. (Sorry, make that the three of us. Cocoa, our poodle, snuggles in beside us – after he’s enjoyed his own snack!)

While it’s a good thing to take a few minutes each day to spend together, by 11 p.m., the lights in the rest of the houses on our street have long since been turned off and most people have been in their beds and sound asleep for awhile.

Driving home the other day I heard a ‘sleep specialist’ talk about the importance of sleep. You don’t expect to get through the day on only half the food your body needs, she said. So why do people think they can exist on half the amount of sleep their bodies need. Good point, I thought guiltily.

And never mind all the sleep I’m missing out on! How about the effect of snacking at that late hour? Sure, sometimes there’s no snack, or maybe just a digestive cookie, but often it’s something a little more, uh, how to put this…..calorie-laden?

Recently I brought home a box of Caramilk Snack Cakes. Not something I typically buy, but I like Caramilk chocolate bars and I was curious to try these little cakes with my evening tea.

The verdict? Well, I liked the oozing caramel centre but I wasn’t really crazy about the flavour of the chocolate sponge cakes or chocolate coating.

Then there are the chewy chocolate cookies Murray likes – Little Debbie Caramel Rings (cookie rings made with caramel and coconut) and Caramel Treats (cookies made with caramel and crisp rice). I like them too. Probably a little too much.

And how about my own baking? Tonight I made a super easy version of Pain Au Chocolat. (I’ll share the recipe in the next weeks. I’m teaching a Chocolate Class at Thyme to Cook in Guelph on March 24th and I don’t want to post the recipe until after the class.)

Murray should be home soon and then we’ll try them with a cup of tea. Or maybe we’ll just share one. And, just maybe, tonight we’ll drink our tea quickly, keep the conversation brief, and get to bed a little earlier than normal.

One can dream.

One can dream even more comfortably if one is in bed……

For Valentine’s Day – a basic chocolate cake with lots of variations (see below)….in case you’d rather have cupcakes, or a different size or shape of cake.

Chocolate Cake

(Makes 10 to 12 servings)

2 cups (500 mL) sugar
1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (175 mL) cocoa powder
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking powder
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking soda
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
2 eggs
1 cup (250 mL) milk
½ cup (125 mL) vegetable oil
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
1 cup (250 mL) boiling water
Chocolate Icing (recipe below)

Grease and flour two 9-inch (23 cm) round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. (The batter will be thin.) Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake in a preheated 350 F (180 C) oven until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in the centre of both cakes comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Icing.

To make Chocolate Icing: Melt ½ cup (125 mL) butter or margarine. Stir in 2/3 cup (150 mL) cocoa. Alternately add 3 cups (750 mL) icing sugar and 1/3 cup (75 mL) milk, beating with electric mixer on medium speed until spreading consistency. If necessary, add more milk. Stir in 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla.

Variations:
One-Pan Cake: Grease and flour a 13 x 9 x 2-inch (3.5 L) baking pan. Heat oven to 350 F (180 C). Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Icing.

Three Layer Cake: Grease and flour three 8-inch (20 cm) round baking pans. Heat oven to 350 F (180 C). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks. Let cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Icing.

Bundt Cake: Grease and flour a 12-cup (3 L) fluted tube pan. Heat oven to 350 F (180 C). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Let cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Icing.

Cupcakes: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches/6 cm in paper baking cups). Heat oven to 350 F (180 C). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks. Let cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Icing

Recipe Source: Hershey’s

Big games = big appetites!

Excelling at spectator sports is hard work! Armchair athletes can work up a hearty appetite cheering on their team. Chili, sub sandwiches, pizza, wings and nachos are fan favourites for noshing while coaching from the sidelines, analyzing plays and critiquing the refs’ calls.

Bring your A game and score a touchdown this Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 7th) by serving Pulled Pork on a Bun. Pork roast bathed in a rich barbecue-style sauce cooks lazily in the slow cooker freeing you up to catch all the antics on the big screen, from the singing of the National Anthem through to the final whistle.

Once the pork has cooked, the tender meat is easily shredded by pulling it apart with two forks (hence the name!). Serve it and the flavourful sauce piled high in warmed buns.

You’ll want to put the recipe for Pulled Pork in your play book.  It’s a crowd pleaser no matter which Bowl or Cup your armchair quarterbacks are watching!

Sports Speak! Want to sound like a sports commentator, coach, player or just a die-hard fan? Learn all the lingo by checking out this great list of sports cliches!

Pulled Pork on a Bun
Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) black pepper
1 cup (250 mL) chili sauce (e.g. Heinz)
1/4 cup (60 mL) packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) cider vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1 boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat (about 3 lb/1.5 kg)
6 to 8 Kaiser, onion or cheese buns, halved and warmed

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, until softened. Add chili powder and pepper; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Place trimmed pork in slow cooker insert and pour sauce over. Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours or on High for 6 hours, until pork comes apart readily.

Lift out pork and place on a cutting board; using two forks, pull the meat apart in shreds. Return meat to the sauce and keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve, spoon shredded pork and sauce into buns.

Recipe Source: Adapted from The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson, Robert Rose Inc., 2001

Tips:
* Add 3 to 6 minced cloves garlic, if desired. Cook along with onions.
* For a smoky flavour, add 1 tsp (5 mL) liquid smoke when you add the Worcestershire sauce.
* Accompany the Pulled Pork with any of the following: veggies and dip, pickles, potato chips, coleslaw, sweet potato fries, or potato fries.

A quick perusal of the magazine shelves at a Kitchener grocery store tonight rewarded me with a newbie – The County Grapevine. This newcomer focuses on the food, wine, art and culture of Prince Edward County (PEC) in southern Ontario.

It seems I’m a little late getting to the party on this one; the issue I picked up is for Fall/Winter 2009/2010 (it’s a biannual publication). The magazine has been around for a while. How did I miss it??

So where exactly is Prince Edward County? PEC is an island at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. It is surrounded on the north and east by the Bay of Quinte, and is west of the St. Lawrence River. Its mild climate (by Canadian standards, that is!) has made it home to numerous vineyards and wineries.

What initially attracted me to The County Grapevine as I leafed through it in the store was the article Steeped in Tradition by tea expert Melody Wren. As a tea lover always looking for new places to enjoy a good cuppa’, I was interested to read her review of tea rooms in PEC.

Since bringing the magazine home, I’ve read and enjoyed a couple light-hearted pieces – “I was a teenage waitress” by comedian Deborah Kimmett and “Table Manners: The Lost Art of Dinner Parties” by sommelier Natalie MacLean.

I also noticed that food stylist and blogger Ruth Gangbar was credited for food styling in the magazine.

Tomorrow I’ll have to take some time to savour the food and wine articles!

The County Grapevine is available free in Prince Edward County and surrounding areas and can be purchased at Chapters, Indigo, Metro, and stores within the Loblaws chain.

I know there are lots of whacky food competitions out there: hot dog, chicken wing and pie eating contests, cheese rolling, pudding throwing, even jello wrestling. But wrestling in gravy (leftover gravy at that!) was a new concept for me. With the image of bodies flopping about in a pool of thickened meat drippings now in the back of my mind, it may be hard to look at the little lake of gravy I like to create on the top of a mountain of mashed potatoes the same way ever again.

You can read more about Joel Hicks, gravy wrestler, or if you’re really curious to see how its done – in case a food fight breaks out after a family Thanksgiving dinner some day – you can watch Joel Hicks gravy wrestling on YouTube.

Cranberry Cereal Crisps

If you didn’t OD on baking or eating sweets over the holidays, or you just like to keep your cookie jar full, here’s a great cookie recipe that can be made easily and is really tasty. And, it’s a good way to use up the last couple servings of crisp rice cereal (i.e. Rice Krispies) languishing in the bottom of the box.

The texture of these cookies is also really pleasing: melt-in-your-mouth tender, yet crisp – all at the same time!

This recipe makes a big batch (about 5 dozen), so to be fair to your waist, hips, thighs, and all those other body parts where excess weight tends to migrate, enjoy a few, then freeze the rest to eat over the next while!

Cranberry Cereal Crisps
(Makes about 60 cookies)

1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup (250 mL) vegetable oil
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
3-1/2 cups (875 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) large flake oats
2 cups (500 mL) crisp rice cereal
1 cup (250 mL) dried cranberries (or chopped dried apricots)

Beat butter, sugars and egg on medium speed of electric mixer until light and creamy. Stir in oil and vanilla.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture along with oats, mixing on low speed until well blended. Stir in cereal and cranberries or apricots.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls (about 20 mL), about 2 inches (5 cm) apart, onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

I like to use this handy cookie batter scoop. (It's the clear acrylic utensil with blue-bottomed scoop.) It allows you to easily measure out a specific quantity of batter.

When you push down on the silicone section in the middle of the scoop, the batter will plop out. The scoop works best with not too sticky batters such as this one.

The scoop was a gift so I'm not sure where you can pick one up, but check kitchen shops and stores that sell kitchen and bakeware.

Bake cookies in a preheated 325F (160C) oven until golden, 13 to 18 minutes. (Cookies should not appear completely set as they will continue to bake when you take them out of the oven. For best results, underbake rather than overbake them.)

Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Source: Robin Hood Home Baking by Robin Hood Multifoods Inc, Robert Rose Inc., 2004

How positively amazing is this!! A winter village scene – made out of 5,000 pounds of semisweet, milk and white chocolate – complete with mountains, a running chocolate waterfall, chocolate gondolas and two moving chocolate trains!

Hats, no, touques off to Executive Pastry Chef Ned Archibald and his staff at Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colorado for this incredible work!