Family Bites

Happy Belated New Year!

Happy Belated New Year!

I’ve been thinking about this blog post for weeks. How do I pop back into the space after such a long absence? What do I want to say besides “hi?” Is anyone around? Do people even read blogs anymore? Are they relevant or interesting? Is everyone spending their time on social media instead? What do I want to write about? Do I still want to share recipes? Talk about books? Write about parenting and kids? All of the above? You can see why it’s been hard to know where to start.

Last year literally kicked our butts. There is no other eloquent way to write that. It started off one way, ended in another, and in between were roughly nine or ten long, challenging months. From the conversations I’ve had in person to things I’ve read online, I don't think too many of us were sad to say sayonara to 2017. I’m hoping this year turns out a bit differently.

Speaking of last year, as you know I completely immersed myself in my work, writing a 65,000-word cookbook. Curiously, this year I feel the call to scale back. Rest and regroup. Decide what comes next. It’s a big year for this family, with the first of our young chickens preparing to flee the coop, and I honestly feel completely consumed by my kids and their needs right now. Not in a draining way, but in a there-is-nothing-else-I-want-to-do kind of way. I crave spending as much time with them as possible, probably bordering on needy if you were to ask them, and I find myself constantly wondering if I’ve taught them enough, read to them enough, laughed with them enough, and most importantly hugged them enough. Also, I need to learn how to make a quilt.

We enrolled Ben in t-ball for the first time when he was four-years-old, and I decided then and there that I would save every team t-shirt and sweat-stained jersey that ever stretched across his small shoulders. I would harbor them in a plastic storage bin at the back of my closet, and when he applied to university my plan was to turn each one into a block of fabric used to fashion a quilt that he could take to school with him. The bins have doubled in size since then and the university applications have been submitted. I think it’s time to get to work.

As for the other kids, Jackson, who was just seven years old when I started this blog, will be old enough to get a driver’s license next week. Matthew is five short weeks away from turning three. Rob and I are truly challenged with raising our kids and taking care of our parents these days, as I’m sure so many of you are, and oh my goodness why is this stage of life not talked about more?

I’m not exactly sure what’s next for me, but one thing I’m certain about is that I want to read and write. And cook, of course, but lately I’ve been feeling uninspired in that department, so I’m simply rolling with it until I feel the creative juices begin to flow again. For the time being, I’m reading. I’m on my third book of the year and hoping to read no less than a one a week in 2018.

Now, it’s your turn. I’ve missed your comments and emails, and I’m curious how things are going for you? Now that we are two weeks into January are you keeping up with your resolutions and plans? Are you cooking anything amazing? Reading anything worth talking about? How are your kids? I hope to hear from you.

P.S. Based on your lovely responses early last year, I’m relaunching my newsletter! Look for that at the end of this month.

Apple Spice Pancakes

Matthew has turned into a bit of a pancake monster. He asks to make them three or four mornings a week, usually with Rob, who’s on parenting duty in the wee hours of the morning (yes, we still have a VERY early riser) while I work at my desk between 5 and 7 am. We approach this morning work arrangement with the same amount of enthusiasm the residents of Hawkins, IL tackle the upside down (that’s for you, Stranger Things fans!), but it works for all of us right now.

The difference between Rob and I and our pancake-making methods is that I follow a recipe, whereas he freewheels it every single time, adding a little of this and that to the mixing bowl without really measuring or taking note of ratios or quantities. I can’t say I think the result is always desirable, but guess what? The kids freaking love his pancakes! It might have something to do with the fact that he often adds cocoa powder and/or leftover chocolate chips to the bowl, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that some sort of candy-like substance has appeared as well. I, however, prefer my pancakes unembellished, or studded with something fruity like blueberries, bananas and even apple.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze

This was supposed to be a blog post about molasses oatmeal rye rolls, but instead you're getting a recipe for a pumpkin spice bundt cake with maple glaze. It couldn't be easier to make, is just as suitable on a holiday dessert table as it is served for weekend tea, and is both classic and completely comforting. I dare say we’ve never needed comfort food more than we have in the past four weeks, and at a time that’s filled with plenty of challenging days, the silver lining is that this is the right season for such meals.

Rob’s dad has been in the ICU for 31 days, and while he’s made several steps forward in the right direction, there have also been a few setbacks that left us wondering what the next day would bring. We honestly weren't sure which direction things were going to go, and while we've tried to keep some sense of normalcy at home for the past month for the kids, with daily trips to the hospital and the heavy hearts we were carrying, it’s certainly hasn't been easy.

I put a system in place over the past few weeks to make getting meals on the table a little easier. I relied on my slow cooker a lot. I picked a recipe that would yield enough food for dinner as well as the next day’s lunches – ideally something that will feed about 10 -  and used that to keep us nourished throughout the week. On Fridays – three of the past four have been real doozies, the kind that bring urgent phone calls from the hospital – we crashed on the sofa at 9pm with a bottle of red wine, a bag of chips and some store-bought guacamole. Fortunately, the boys are often out with friends this night so we don’t need to worry about feeding them and Matthew is generally happy with scrambled eggs, toast and a smoothie.

On Saturdays, we plan for pizza. If I’m around during the day I make it, thankful for the distracting task of lining rimmed sheet pans with rolled balls of homemade or bakery-bought dough, ensuring there’s enough to feed anyone who’s been at the hospital that afternoon. If I’m also at the hospital, we grab a few pizzas on the way home.

We’ve made a point to be home on Sundays and have been cooking a big meal with and for the boys. Pasta with Bolognese, salad and bread; aromatic curies; beef stroganoff and homemade rolls. And while we've tried to commit to eating healthier in the weeks leading up to Christmas, there's also been cake. Specifically this simple bundt cake that first appeared at Thanksgiving for the pie-haters in the crowd, and is now a staple fall dessert in our house.

I know half the world seems to have their holiday decorations in place already, but we're a little behind on life these days, so I'm still eating like it's fall. We’re not sure what the next few days, weeks or months will bring, but keeping everyone well fed remains top of mind, especially those incredible ICU nurses. Matthew and I have big plans to bake a few batches of cookies this week in attempt to say thank you for taking care of Poppa.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze

Serves 10 to 12

For cake:

• 2 1/2 cups cane or granulated sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cups pumpkin purée

For glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 

 

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven 350°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and oil until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. In a second bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cinnamon; add to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, and beating well after each addition.

4. Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

5. While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze by beat glaze ingredients with a whisk until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or maple syrup, if necessary, for desired consistency. 

6. Remove cake from oven and cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Remove pan and cool completely. Place cooled cake on a serving platter or cake stand and spoon glaze over top, letting it drip down sides. Let glaze set at least 15 minutes before serving.

Beef, Bean and Pumpkin Chili

If you recall, we are Halloween enthusiasts, and it’s a bit of a gut punch to know that my main costume conspirators are too old to collaborate on outfits anymore. When I started writing this blog, we were in the thick of the dress up days, and while I do know they’ll come around again with Matthew, I miss the chaos the comes with getting the older boys ready for candy collecting.

On Saturday night I did help Ben DIY a last-minute look for a Halloween party -  the kind that was more likely to serve beer than Mr. Big bars - and I grabbed a box of our favourite fun size treats for our near-nightly episodes of Stranger Things this week, proving to myself that Halloween is still fun these days despite being different. Of course, I haven’t forgot about the fire-breathing, taco-eating dragon that lives here. He’s venturing out tonight with two older brothers and a girlfriend in tow, and while I expect that we’ll be wandering the streets for no more than 20 minutes, it’s exciting in its own way, too.

The one thing that hasn’t changed about our Halloweens is the big pot of beef, bean and pumpkin chili that we devour before the candy collecting commences. Part of me has always hoped the meat and beans would fill up the kids enough that they don’t feel like consuming too many Mars bars (no such luck), while the other part makes this strictly for the adults in need of enough sustenance to enjoy another year of trick or treating. I almost always make this a day in advance, a cooking technique that should really be applied to all chilis, and while it reheats and the kids chill out, I prep a bunch of toppings to make it a meal everyone gets excited about.

Obviously, this recipe shouldn’t be strictly reserved for Halloween night. I make it all fall long, especially when I bake with pumpkin and end up with cup or so of leftover purée. I’ve even been known to make a batch on Sunday – it’s a super quick-cooking chili – and portion it into lidded containers for a week’s worth of high school lunches. A classic chili with a twist should be a staple in everyone’s regular recipe repertoire.

Beef, Bean and Pumpkin Chili

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cans (540 mL each) red kidney beans
• 1 can (796 mL) crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 cup pumpkin pureé
• 1 cup beef stock, beer or water

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring often and using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the onions; cook for an additional 2 minutes.

2. Sprinkle with chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the beans, tomatoes, pumpkin and beef stock and bring to a low boil, stirring often.

3. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check seasonings and adjust, if desired. Serve hot.

A New Way to Cook Spaghetti Squash

I didn’t grow up eating squash, and I’m not sure I knew a lot of people who did. We certainly had turnip on the table for almost every holiday meal, but I can’t recall a single time someone cooked squash. Is that strange? Was it an 80s thing? A regional thing? A family thing?

Today, I cook far more squash than turnip simply because I’m convinced I don’t like it, but that’s probably because it wasn’t peppered with much flavour when we consumed it as kids (side note: if you have a great turnip recipe, can you send it to me?). Squash is a different story though, and in my home, I add it to frittatas and salads, serve it as soup, puree it into mac and cheese and even use it in quesadillas.

My go-to for years was butternut squash, but I started branching out and admit I’ve really grown to love spaghetti squash for its pasta-like consistency and versatility.

Do you know to how to cook spaghetti squash?

I totally thought I did, until I came across a new method that was completely game changing. I can’t remember where I first heard or read about it, but just to be clear, this mind-blowing method is not my own discovery but I’m very happy to tell you about it.

Traditionally, to cook spaghetti squash, halve the vegetable lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 45 to 50 minutes. You can still cook your squash this way, and it will turn out, but there really is a better way. Here’s how I currently cook my spaghetti squash:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Trim the ends from the squash and cut widthwise into 1-inch thick rings. Remove the seeds. 

3. Place the squash pieces on a cooling rack set over a rimmed sheet pan and sprinkle both sides generously with salt (don’t worry, it will be wiped off before cooking).

4. Let the squash sit for 15 minutes. Wipe off the salt and any water that has accumulated on the sheet pan. Return the squash pieces to the cooling rack and roast for 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.

5. Peel or cut the skin away, and use a fork to separate the strands into long “noodles.”

So, why the change in cooking method? Halving the squash lenthiwise yields short strands, but cutting it widthwise into rings creates spaghetti length strands instead. In addition, the salting draws out the moisture and leaves the squash crisp instead of mushy. I really dig it, and so do my teenagers. 

Here are a few more cooking tips:

• Spaghetti squash can be difficult to cut into. If you have a microwave, you can cook it for 2 minutes before slicing into it to make it easier to cut.

• Look for squash that’s short and plump instead of long and thin.

• The 30-minute cooking time is just a starting point, depending on the size of your squash. Feel free to add an extra 5 to 10 minutes, if you don’t think it’s cooked completely.

• To remove the seeds, run a sharp knife around them and they’ll just fall off.

Happy October

The last of the Thanksgiving leftovers have been transformed into dinner for tonight, and so begins what I like to think of as my favourite three months of the year. How we’ve casually reached the fourth quarter of 2017 is completely beyond me, but let’s just say I’m so happy to be here.

Speaking of happy, that’s how I feel about finally, finally, finally having the chance to pop in to say hello. Hi, friends! How’ve you’ve been?

To say the last three months have been intense would be a slight understatement, but instead of burdening you with the boring details, I’ll give you a quick synopsis of what life’s been like since July:

• I spent the summer buried in a book manuscript. It’s my least favourite season of the year so I didn’t mind being locked away in my office/bedroom for long hours at a time, but trying to do with three kids at home was quite a bit harder than I anticipated. Also, I should probably know better than to set myself up with a due date that coincided with the first day of school, so let’s just say the last two weeks of August were a little stressful for all in the Scott household.
• Ben and Jackson started grades 10 and 12 last month. For those whose kids aren’t quite as far along in school, this means university is a hot topic of conversation in our house and we’re spending a lot of weekend in the coming month taking tours of the schools Ben’s interested in attending next year.
• My Matthew began nursery school last month, something he’s still struggling to get used to. He goes two mornings a week for two and half hours each time, and while he finds our separation very sad (as in heavying sobs for a solid hour before I even drop him off) he no longer bursts into tears when I pick him up, so I feel we’re making progress. He also assures me he “had much fun at school” so I continue to feel confident that this is best for him and me.
• We’ve literally eaten nothing but one pot meals for the past four months, with hardly any barbecue making an appearance on our table this year, so I’m excited to finally have some time to cook some new food after spending most of this year testing new recipes for you to try in a year and a half (ha!).
• I have four photo shoots left for the cookbook and then all the pictures will be submitted. After that it’s the first round of edits to finalize before Christmas. Add to that my regular work and the fall continues to look busy, but much more manageable than the summer. There’s probably even time for some blogging, and a return to a special monthly newsletter I’ve been dreaming up.
• I've ditched the store-bought almond milk and have been making a few litres each week for our smoothies. You can find my basic method for doing so in the comments here. I don't think I'll ever go back to the bottle kind now that I know how easy it is to make my own.

Most importantly, I want to say thanks for sticking around during my hiatus. I think you’ll like what I have in store for the coming months, and I can’t wait to get cooking with you, and for you, again.

Calling All Recipe Testers!

We've been eating really well the past few months, as the five of us - and our Sunday supper crew - eat our way through the many recipes I've been testing for my new book. My manuscript deadline is just 8 weeks away (!!!) and now it's time to get some of these recipes into the hands of home cooks to see what YOU think of them.

With my first book, I mostly relied on family and friends with varying degrees of cooking experience to take the recipes for a test run, but this time I'd like to open it up to you as well, if you're interested. I'm looking for anywhere from 1 to 3 recipes to be tested by August 10th, which could be terrible timing for some of you who are busy with summer activities, but hopefully for a few of you it's the perfect time to test drive a new breakfast, soup, sheet pan, dessert or skillet recipe for your family. I'm looking for people who will provide honest and detailed feedback, who will follow the recipes exactly as they are written and take a few notes while testing, and who won't mind completing a short online feedback form when they are finished. I know it sounds like a lot, but I promise it'll be easy and fun. And I also promise to thank you publicly in the back of the book!

If you're interested, simply fill out THIS FORM so we can get the ball rolling. You can expect the first round of recipes to be sent out sometime next week. Thank you so much, friends! I hope you're all having a fabulous summer and I look forward to getting back to blogging soon!

P.S. The photo above is a behind-the-scenes look at my friend Jenn styling one of the recipes during a photoshoot last week despite three kids, one cat and one dog underfoot! 

Winning Weeknight Pasta

Many of our meals these days look like the one you see here: a cobbled collection of odds and ends gathered from the fridge late in the day, tossed together to create something that resembles dinner. Often, it works out well and no one around the table knows that I actually didn’t have a plan to make the supper they’re scarfing down.

I think we’ll be eating like this a lot over the summer. Three of us now have job schedules to juggle (hooray for teens who work in the summer!), and life in general is far more chaotic than it’s been in previous years. It’s a season, for sure, and I do feel confident that by the time fall rolls around we’ll be a little more structured. I'm betting many of you feel the same way these days.

I don’t think this needs a formal recipe, but more of a quick rundown of how I made it. The ingredients you’ll need are: 2 pounds pasta + 1/2 cup pesto + 1 container ricotta + 1 1/2 lbs. sausage + all the green veg (head of broccoli, pound of beans, 1/2 bag frozen peas) you can find + plenty of Parm. It’s a meal that serves 8 to 10, which in my house is enough for dinner and lunch leftovers for those packing something to go.

The how to is pretty self-explanatory: cook pasta according to package directions. Mix pesto and ricotta and set aside. Remove casings from sausage, crumble and cook in a skillet. Add all the green veg you can find and sauté until softened. Spoon pesto mixture into drained pasta, add sausage and vegetables and mix. I'm certain you saved some of your pasta cooking water, so toss some of that into the pot as well to help bring it all together. Transfer to a serving bowl and shower with plenty of parmesan cheese.

What to Cook This Month

Good morning, all. How’s the weather in your part of the world? Here, I woke up to bright, brilliant blue skies, a welcome change from the usual darkness I find myself greeted with each morning. Rob took the morning shift today, which means that after giving in to sleep around 9pm last night (don’t ever think the Scotts don’t know how to do Friday night right!), I feel rested for the first time in forever. Now that I think about it, that’s probably why you find yourself with a post to read this weekend.

What’s for dinner these days? For those of us with school aged kids, it’s truly survival of the fittest for the next few weeks, and weeknight meals need to be simple. Like five-ingredient simple, if you know what I mean.

I know we’re probably going to eat these hipster Mexican taco salad boats every Tuesday for the next month, and when my Dad and his wife come to visit in a few weeks – they’re spending three months driving from one coast of Canada to the other, then back again - I’ll be making these shrimp burgers with Old Bay mayo for the whole group.

I’ve been relying on simple salads and crowd-pleasing pastas more than usual these days as I’m in the final weeks of recipe development for my book. I can’t give away my new one-pan recipes, but why not try this harissa quinoa with chicken or this harissa chicken with potatoes and asparagus (yep, we like harissa!). This one-pot pasta continues to be my most popular post of all time, but I also really like this three-pea variation.

To go with all of this delicious food, we’ve been drinking frozen mango margaritas and sangria, of course, especially while watching Master of None and Bloodline on the nights I don’t work. If you’re entertaining, why not set up a Build-Your-Own Caesar bar. It’s perfect for #Canada150, so keep the idea in your back pocket for July 1st. Speaking of which, we’ll be hosting our 14^th (maybe 15^th?) annual Canada Day party this year. I’m thinking of making a birthday cake for our nation’s big celebration, but who knows, I might change my mind before then.

I suspect things will be quiet around here in June while I visit with family, get my big kids through their exams and work (so much work this month!). Until I pop back in to say hello, I want to let you know how thankful I am that you’re sticking around during this busy time. I have BIG plans for the blog come September and October (think total makeover, a return to the monthly newsletter, and more), but I need to get a few things done before that can happen. Have a wonderful weekend!

This Week's Bites

Do you have anything fun planned for the long weekend? We're going to an antique market, a Danish pastry shop and taking my nieces out for breakfast. There's also sure to be 7:00 am walks around the neighbourhood (#lifewithatoddler), a gin and tonic or two, and (hopefully) plenty of time for books. If you're in the mood for a little online reading yourself, here's a look at what caught my eye recently. Have a good one!

Food:

• A guide to the best bread of Mexico. 
• These 7 fruity lemonade recipes are perfect for sipping this spring.
• I made these coconut-lime pork tacos (spooned over rice instead of in a shell) for dinner recently, and they were a slam-dunk for all five of us. 
• Moms on a mission: 50 women who are changing the way we eat.
• Are these 8 breakfast food trends the new avocado toast?
• Fascinating! And so super smart.
• For all you mamas with wee ones at home, this cookbook is my current favourite guide to feeding a young family. I honestly think it's the best one I've read in all my years of parenting.

Family:

• How to build resilient kids.
• The joy of having boys.
• 8 ways parents can teach teens to be honest.
• Psychologists recommend children be bored in the summer. 
• How to be a mom in 2017.

Just for Fun:

• Currently obsessed with this show.
• Jackson bought me this book for Mother's Day. It was fantastic!
• 7 books I wish I could download into my brain.