Chili-Glazed Salmon

February 2013

SmartCooks.  'Chili-Glazed Salmon' was the dinner antidote to the week and weekend from hell, thanks to a nasty stomach bug that led to the 'hell' designation.  

It was bad enough for me to miss the opportunity to roast n' toast Kim Novak on February 13 and Valentine's on the 14th.  A belated 'here's lookin' at 'em'.  

I also missed the final weekend of Winterlude.  I should feel bad about it except I've never been very keen on skating in -30ish wind chill weather with wind gusts of 45 km and above.  Brrrr.  

Clearly, I'm in a minority in the 'brave-the-weather-no-matter-what' category.  As the photo attests, there were throngs of people up to the challenge.  They must be from hardier stock than I am -- and I've lived here for decades now.  But then again, I also would never have trained or signed up for the 130-km ultra cycle-run "Actif Epica" marathon in Manitoba this weekend. Double brrr. 

The return to the land of an interesting, healthy, fast dinner somehow led to buying a couple of small salmon fillets and finding a Southern US recipe -- profiled by Oprah a few years back -- for 'Chili-Glazed Salmon with Braised Collards.  (You'll notice no recipe for the braised collards... all I can say is I tried 'em and I did not like 'em ... at all ... so no coupling of the two for me.)

A word about the 'Chili-glazed' part of the recipe

There are a range of choices for the chili part of this recipe.  Some recipes suggested a Thai/Asian sweet chili sauce (homemade or bought), while others simply say 'chili powder'.  I chose the latter, opting for the lower calories. 

I happened to have 'ancho chili powder' on hand.  The description on the package told me that it consists of ground dried poblano chili peppers from the Central Mexico region of Puebla.  The powder is known for adding a zing to food, but is on the very mild side as far as chili peppers go.  Definitely up my alley ...

I upped the lime juice/zest slightly from the original recipe and thought I achieved the right 'mild zing' palate balance I sought. I siphoned a little 'Jim Beam' bourbon from hubby's bourbon collection and made the sauce very quickly.  Then, it was 8 minutes under the broiler to produce a perfectly cooked salmon dinner.  You can add a small salad, or a green vegetable (kale, collards!, swiss chard, broccoli....), rice/quinoa, or whatever.  It's an easy, satisfying and fortifying return to normal and the start of yet another work week.  

Enjoy! 

Chili-Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:

¼ cup honey 
1.5 T bourbon
2 T ancho chili powder
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp lime zest
2 tsp lime juice
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets


Directions:

In a small bowl, combine honey, bourbon, ancho chili powder, ginger, salt, pepper, lime zest and lime juice.

Place oven rack about 6 inches from broiler. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place salmon fillets, skin side down, on foil. Spoon mixture over salmon. Broil until glaze is bubbling and salmon is no longer opaque in the center, about 8 minutes.

Celebrating Chinese New Year with Hot and Sour Soup

February 2013

SmartCooks here.  Every time I grumble about not being able to find ingredients in Ottawa for my latest culinary venture ... well, try Charlottetown.  In Ottawa, I tell myself I just don't know where to look (and then I go on an expedition) but in Charlottetown, well... variety is bleak. 

But I persevered this week to enjoy flavourful Chinese Hot and Sour Soup as a tribute to Chinese New Year (year of the snake).  It was worth the search effort and gives me a mission other than work.  

Brief Observations on the Ottawa-Charlottetown Living Experiences

Charlottetown is a beautiful city (especially in the summer) but it's a bit grim in the winter like the blizzard raging this weekend that I avoided by taking the last plane off the Island Friday night.  Photo below could be either the reality in Charlottetown or Ottawa! 
     
But to date it's proven impossible to find much organic produce in my searches around Charlottetown (other than PEI potatoes) or staples like dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, or black vinegar.  I've resorted to packing heat in my suitcase every week -- chiles, Sriracha, Asian sprouts to name a few ... and stocking the kitchen with 'imported' goods.  Not that there's much time to cook given the hours I'm working these weeks .... but that's a tale for another day.    

Kevin's Closet Cooking Blog 

Given the weather in both my cities, I developed a craving for homemade "Hot and Sour Soup".  The craving was prompted by a post I received from Kevin's 'Closet Cooking', a Toronto-based lad who is a prolific food blogger and e-recipe book publisher.  He describes himself as a software engineer by day and a cook by night.  I swear he must research, cook, photograph and post 10 hours a night... his passion and obsession with 'never again eating a boring meal' is evident through his busy, colourful blog.  

For Chinese New Year, he posted a tempting array of dishes ranging from lemon or orange chicken, Kung Pao, Dan Dan Mian to the one below on "Chinese Hot and Sour Soup".  For the most part, the recipes are part of clean eating.  I adapt them to suit taste... last night, for example, I cooked a version of his "Lemon-Honey Chicken" but tripled the sauce to spoon over noodles.  He's worth checking out.  

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients 

I found many variations of this soup on line, both vegetarian or made with pork or chicken.  I opted for tofu and pork exactly as recommended by Kevin's Closet Cooking.  

Finding the dried mushrooms can be challenging.  Luckily, I have a variety of dried mushrooms on hand, the result of an Internet buy gone wild on my part. If it's too difficult to find the exact type listed below, most supermarkets now carry packages of 'gourmet' or even shiitake dried mushrooms that will work.  

The recipe calls for dried wood ear, black and lily bud dried mushrooms.  Lily bud dried mushrooms may be the most difficult to find in our part of the world.  They are the unopened flower buds of orange and yellow day lilies and are also known as golden needles.  They are very popular with Buddhists and in other vegetarian cuisine due to their distinctive, earthy flavour.  Before adding to a dish or soup, they just need to be soaked in warm water for 20-30 minutes.  Trim soaked buds of any hard stem tips and then shred or cut across in halves.

Bamboo shoots can also be a challenge to find.  Bloblaws is a write off, at least the shambly store in my neighbourhood.  I eventually found them at the Asian Supercentre in the East end of the world. Strange they are so hard to find given their popularity for centuries in Asian cuisine.  The canned variety lacks the flavour of fresh produce but for this soup, they did the trick quite nicely.

Once the shopping expedition is done, assembling the soup is simple.  The photo from a delightful food site called Wandering Chopsticks most of the ingredients. Enjoy and check out Kevin's Closet Cooking site.  

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 dried tree ear mushrooms (also known as wood ear mushrooms)
• 6 dried black mushrooms
• 8 dried lily buds (otherwise known as golden needles)
• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
• 3 T unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 T Chinese black vinegar
• 4 T light soy sauce (or Tamari) 
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 T water
• 1 T oil
• 4 ounces pork loin (optional), 
• cooked and shredded
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock 
• 1 package tofu, cut into small pieces
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1 tsp white pepper, ground
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp chili oil or to taste
• 1 T chili sauce or to taste
• 4 green onions sliced

Directions:

Soak the dried tree ear and black mushrooms in boiling water until softened, about 20 minutes, and shred them. Soak the dried lily buds in warm water until softened, about 20 minutes, and shred them. Cover the bamboo shoots in water, bring to a boil, drain and shred.

Mix the vinegars, soy sauce, salt and sugar in a bowl. Mix the cornstarch into the water in a bowl.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the pork, tree ear and black mushrooms, lily buds and bamboo shoots and saute for a minute.  Add the broth and tofu and bring to a boil.  When boiling, add the vinegar mixture and the cornstarch mixture and stir until it thickens.

Pour the eggs into the soup in a thin stream while stirring the soup. Stir in the peppers, oils and chili sauce.  Serve garnished with green onions.  

Jerusalem: A Cookbook

February 3, 2013

SmartCooks here.  Rarely does a book review get me to jump in the car and and search out the book.  That is until I read several reviews of a new cookbook called "Jerusalem: A Cookbook".  I bought the last copy at Chapters in Ottawa (thank goodness for on-line searches of which stores have copies).  I'm still reading it, and intend to cook my way through most of the vegetables and some meat recipes over the next six months or so. 

Jerusalem:  A Cookbook is informative, thoughtful, and accessible for many audiences and cooking levels.  I am learning so much about Middle Eastern cuisine and getting to cook with some of my favourite vegetables and herbs -- za'atar, tahini, fresh lemon juice, plenty of herbs, eggplant.  At the same time, I'm learning tons about the history and culture of Jerusalem.  The pictures of the city, people and the food are simply stunning. 

The cookbook is written by two London-based Israeli chefs  -- Yotam Ottolengthi and Sami Tamimi -- who make it their mission to acquaint readers with the wonderful flavours of Jerusalem’s cuisine and culture.  Reading the cookbook is as much an adventure for me as cooking from it.  Yotam and Sami were both born in the same year (1968) in Jerusalem but grew up in different parts of the city:  Yotam in the Jewish west portion of the city; Sami in the Arab east.  

The two met not in Jerusalem but in London, UK, where a friendship led to a business partnership.  At last count, they now run five take-out restaurants – the famous deli-style Ottolenghi, and one fine-dining UK theatre district restaurant called NOPI.  They have written other cookbooks that celebrate the cuisine of their hometown (e.g., "Plenty: Vigrant Vegetable Recipes" in 2011 and "Ottolenghi: The Cookbook") in 2008.

This current book includes a brief history of Jerusalem, memories of the food cuisine and 120 recipes.  Each recipe starts with notes about the origins of the dish or suggestions for preparation, or background on ingredients like eggplant. 

The authors intersperse recipes with personal memories.  I had to chuckle at their description of playing in the 'rare' (for them) Jerusalem snowfall. (Oh that I could capture their enthusiasm for snow!)  They recognize that some of the ingredients -- like za'atar, saffron, arak, barberries, Jerusalem artichokes -- may be difficult to find in some areas in the western world and therefore offer alternatives.  Personally, my suggestion is to search out the key ingredients on an shopping expedition and it will save time later when cooking some of the recipes. 

Here's one recipe below -- Roasted Chicken with Clementines and Arak -- that has been featured in many of the reviews I read.  I tried it as it seemed a perfect antidote to the Ottawa and Charlottetown weather of late.  It made me think of spring with its fresh ingredients like fennel and citrus (clementines).  

The recipe is an invention of the authors and calls for Arak, an anise-flavoured liqueur that comes from Beirut, Lebanon.  Ouzo or Pernod has can be substituted for Arak.  I opted for Pernod.

Roasted Chicken with Clementines and Arak 
(4 people) 

Ingredients:

6 T Arak (or ouzo or Pernod)
4 T olive oil
3 T freshly squeezed orange juice
3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T whole-grain mustard
3 T light brown sugar 
1.5 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium fennel bulbs, cut lengthwise and into quarters
1 2 lb organic or free-range chicken, divided into 8 pieces OR a mixture of chicken breasts and thighs, skin on
4 clementines, unpeeled, sliced thin
1 T fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
Parsley, for garnish

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together Arak (or Ouzo or Pernod), olive oil, orange and lemon juices, mustard, brown sugar and salt.  Season with pepper to taste.  

Add fennel, chicken, clementine slices, thyme and crushed fennel seeds.  Turn several times to coat.  If time allows, marinate chicken for a few hours or preferably overnight. If not, at least 30 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Transfer all ingredients, including marinade, to a large roasting pan.  Chicken should be skin-side up.  Roast until chicken is browned and cooked through, 35-45 minutes for a whole chicken (less if pieces).  Remove from the oven.

Lift chicken, fennel and clementines from pan and arrange on a serving platter.  Cover and keep warm.  

Pour cooking liquid into a small saucepan.  Place on medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then simmer until sauce is reduced and it reduces to about 1/3 cup.  Degrease using a spoon if fat rises from top of sauce.

Pour the heated sauce over chicken.  Garnish with parsley and serve.

Granola Energy Boost

January 27, 2013

SmartCooks here.  Thankfully, this infernally cold Ottawa January is almost over.  Today is a comparatively balmy -11 degrees C with sun!  Conditions for skating the 7.8 km Rideau Canal are ideal -- this morning after its nightly cleaning and flooding, it was as clear as glass, the type of skating when the sound of your blades slicing the ice is perfection.  A former much-missed neighbour dropped by afternoon Saturday after skating the entire length of the canal, and I left Himself and the ex-N toasting winter with a bottle of Skinny Girl Margaritas

Me, I rummaged around in drawers for my seldom-used passport and took off for the outer edge of the Ottawa universe -- the Asian SuperStore in Orleans.  I was on a mission to re-stock some shelves and find ingredients to make my winter energy booster, which I have dubbed "Granola Energy Boost!".  

It turned into a many-hours expedition, browsing the aisles by country -- Japan, China, Korea, India, North Africa, South Asia etc.  The produce selection blows me away and I always select one item I've never tried before.  This time it was green radish but more on that in another posting. 


This Granola Energy Boost is super simple to make, filled with healthy nuts, seeds, coconut oil, chia, dried cranberries and without the sweetness found in many of the commercial granolas. The spices can be increased or decreased according to taste.  (I prefer more spiced :))

Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia, like quinoa, is the new darling of nutritionists promoting optimal dietary health.  Relatively unknown outside Mexico until just a few years ago, its popularity has grown  quickly as a complete protein and high in dietary fiber and other minerals.

Nutrition warriors recommend a tablespoon of chia seeds a day in, say, smoothies or a stir fry.  Honestly, though, my quick tour of the research studies led me to conclude that the prescription is far from scientific.  Bottom line:  no harm whatsoever to incorporating it into recipes whenever possible.  Granola fits that bill.  




Benefits of Dried Cranberries

I've come to appreciate the benefits of cranberries over the years.  You'd have to count me in the 'believer' category with personal testimonials to its health and nutritional benefits.  And, no, no details forthcoming ... but it works, that's all I know.

Whatever ... I noted with great interest the arrival of Upper Canada Cranberries at the Carp and Ottawa Farmer's Markets in recent years and have tried many of their products.  They are the only commercial cranberry grower in Eastern Ontario; in fact, their farm is listed as being within the city of Ottawa near the Ottawa airport.  Can't get much more local than that.  

Over the years, they've developed their dried cranberry product to keep it soft and full of nutritional vitamins and antioxidants to help boost the immune system and battle against the evil germs, bacteria, infections and bugs that are ratcheting down the workforce numbers these days.  
l
I kept all ingredients as organic as I could.  Enjoy! 

Granola Energy Boost! 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup raw pecans
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/8 cup chia seeds
2 T sesame seeds
2 T honey
3 T melted coconut oil
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 vanilla bean
Dates

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Place nuts, seeds, coconut in a large bowl.  

Leave fruit -- dried cranberries and dates -- to the side.

In a separate bowl, mix honey, coconut oil, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and the scraped vanilla bean.  

Pour the wet mixture into the nut bowl and make sure everything is evenly coated.  

Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Check often, as this can overcook very quickly.  Mine was ready at 20 minutes.  (My first batch I tried was overdone at 25 minutes... so check often).  

Let cool, break into clusters and add the chopped dates and dried cranberries.  Store in an airtight container.  Keeps easily for a few weeks.  

Avocado and Cucumber Soup or Dip or Side (you decide!)

January 2013 

SmartCooks here.  I'm definitely in that weird January space.  I hate this -40 plus extreme cold. It makes me feel claustrophic as I huddle around the fireplace surrounded by kitties, my laptop and various other electronic gadgets, herbal tea and music.  The three feline children obviously feel the same way and I couldn't resist posting another photo of them on Facebook.  Check it out.  

I played semi-hookey from work today after 14-plus consecutive days of intense work pressure. This morning the day caved in on me. The water wouldn't work in the upstairs bathroom (pipes frozen) and the car was giving me the sluggish whir-whir of a nearly frozen engine.  Clearly it was not going to be easy to haul myself to a 12-hour 'Retreat'.  I felt terrible.  Sore throat was a-brewin.  So, I called it a 'sick day' and burrowed in for some much-needed space/time completely by myself, with a solid, hard workout at end of day rocking to a new Body Attack release at the gym. Rejuvenates the soul kindof day. 

I spent quality time surfing some interesting on-line journals and trying my hand at adapting some recipes I found.  Today's obsession was a fresh, simple recipe for Avocado and Cucumber Soup or Dip or Side (you decide!). It reminded me of spring.  I sampled it as a chilled soup (photo from the site; two others are mine), a dip for vegeys, or as a dollop for tonight's dinner of lemon kale, tomato salsa and chicken strips. 


I found the original recipe on a blog called Whole Family Fare, written out of New York by a young woman who is both vegan and devoted to cooking fresh and raw foods.  She and her family travel to places like Costa Rice to live in treehouses and browse farmers' market.  Years ago we would have called her a 'hippie'; now I think she would be called an 'environmentalist' or a 'locavore'.  Whatever, she comes up with some terrific recipes based on nutritious, low-calories, organic, foods for the family.

Preparation is super simple -- five main ingredients i.e., avocado, cucumber, green onions, garlic and lemon juice plus some water and sea salt.  (For a bit more heat, add a jalapeno.  I did.  Cilantro was a nice touch too).  

A blender is all the clean up you need.  No cooking, no muss, no fuss.  








Avocado Soup or Dip or Side (you decide!) 

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados

1/2 large cucumber

5 green onions (white part only, save some of green parts for garnish)

1 clove garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup of water 

Green parts of onion for garnish

Jalapeno (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Peel the cucumber, cut into slices and set aside.

Chop the green onions, white parts only.  Put the avocados, cucumber, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, 1 cup of water and 1/2 tsp of sea salt into the blender.  If using a jalapeno and/or cilantro add as well.  

Blend well, adding more water if necessary.  Consistency can be thicker or thinner, depending on the amount of water you use. 

Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.  It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, after which I would pitch it.  

Puy Lentils: The 'Caviar of Pulses'

December 2012

SmartCooks here. 

Good friends brought me a package of puy lentils from the UK.  I incorporated them into a recipe, "Puy Lentils with Apple, Fennel and Herbs" as part of the Christmas dinner menu.  It' a keeper.  

About Puy Lentils 

I'd never tried these before Christmas dinner.  A bit of e-research turned up the biggest fan of the lentils from Puy i.e., famed pastry chef and cookbook author, David Leibovitz, who is now living in Paris.  He describes the lentils (or 'pulses') as having a unique, nutty flavour due to the volcanic soil they're grown in, without fertilizer, which gives them a fine, mineral-rich taste.  Their grown uniquely in Auvergne, France, with lots of sunshine and no humidity.  

Unlike other lentils I've tried (green, red), puy lentils never get mushy when cooked or make muddy type soups that are the hallmark of some of the vegetarian fare I try at The Green Door restaurant just down the street from here.  

Puy lentils prepare very quickly ... rinse thoroughly in cold water and cook for 20-25 minutes ... and serve either warm or at room temperature.  They are fabulous in salads, or alongside meats (e.g., roast pork), or in squash, part of a roasted root vegetable casserole and hearty winter soups.

Health Benefits of Puy Lentils 

Lentils have about 30% of their calories from protein, making them the third-highest level of protein among the legume or nut families (soybeans and hemp have the highest levels).  They are an integral part of vegetarian diets and also contain dietary fiber, vitamin B and minerals.  When lentils are mixed with grains such as rice the result is a complete protein dish.

These lentils are not widely found here in Canada yet.  I predict this will change.  We do grow them, apparently mostly in Saskatchewan, but of course we export them to areas where market demand is strong. 

We're relatively new into growing lentils in some regions of Canada -- here's hoping the supply side grows too.  In the meantime, Whole Foods supermarket and the better health food stores carry them from England or France.  

A box goes a long way -- 1 cup would made three big salads.  If you can find them, there are terrific, hearty, winter fare.  


Bright Lentil Salad, with Apples, Fennel and Herbs 
(Serious Eats, author of French Revolution Food) 

Ingredients:
1 T cider vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar
Kosher salt, ground black pepper
2 T olive oil
1 T water
1 medium fennel bulb, finely diced (1 cup)
1 apple (Pink Lady recommended), diced (1 cup)
8 ounces plum tomatoes, finely diced
1 cup of Puy Lentils, cooked, drained and rinsed
1 T fresh thyme
2 T fresh basil

Directions:

Prepare lentils according to directions.  Some need to be cooked as per above, while others can be found in ready-to-eat boxes or cans.  Most are labelled 'organic'.

In a bowl, whisk the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until the sugar dissolves.  Add olive oil, and whisk until emulsified.  Add water and whisk to loosen.  Add fennel, apple and tomatoes, toss to combine and allow it to sit in the vinaigrette for 15 minutes.  Then add lentils and fresh herbs and allow to sit for another 15 minutes.  Serve.

SmartCookBooks 2012 Edition

December 2012

SmartCooks here.  Drats.  Not much blogging, Facebook-ing or emailing from mid-November till now. It was partly work and partly holiday preparations.  (I hereby forswear all things holiday-ish next year by booking two weeks south somewhere in a house/cottage that is warm and un-Christmas-like.  An open invitation to everyone to join me/us.) 

But also on the menu in November-December was the preparation of the 2012 version of SmartCooksBook.  Last year it took me a month to figure out the MacBook technology, iPhoto project formats, converting the project to a PDF (btw Mr. Apple... this is NOT an intuitive feature!), and then figuring out the layout and printing. Self-publish are me.  

I gave out about 50 copies last year to friends and families -- deliberately low key as not all photos were credited.  I acknowledged this and credited where I could.  

This year I vowed that SmartCooksBook 2012 would use all original photos.  I bought a good, but not too expensive, camera that came with a learner's permit aka easy-to-understand instructions, snapped away, and.... promptly lost it a month later in Charlottetown somewhere after a weekend taking photos of some of the amazing scenery.  Luckily, I had uploaded most photos; some (like the Confederation Bridge) are included in this year's edition (see Facebook page).  I chalked it up to a lifelong bad-luck string with cameras. Add to that a year with a new, senior level public service position, overcoming travel anxieties, and general coping with life.  But It means that this year's edition is once again a mix of photos by me and others.  

So, I limited distribution accordingly, remembering that all of this is meant to bring me up to speed on laptop and tablet technologies, as well as social media, keep track of recipes, and is a cool way of saying 'Happy Holidays' to friends and family.  

2013 will be different. Christmas Santa/Husband gave me the long-coveted iPhone5 and I will afix it to my arm to prevent accidental forgetfulness.  I'm still learning my way around it but so far so good.  


SmartCooksBook 2012 

This year's edition features a few favourite appetizers, including 'Bob's Bourbon Cheese Ball', which is a Christmas treat made with Maker's Mark bourbon, only the best! 

This year's revelation was the lunchtime 'Mighty Jars of Salad Goodness,' with creative mixes of salads in wide-mouth mason jars. The fav dressing is a mix of apple cider, ginger and orange juice.  Given my penchant for detail, I searched recipes with exact quantities (like quinoa, vegetables, lettuces) that would equal a week's worth of jars.

The time spent on Sundays prepping for the week was well worth the effort given the 'lunch jar grab-n-go' style I needed throughout most of the year.  I even hauled some jars in luggage to Charlottetown to have at the office.  There's a good pix of the jars over at my Facebook site. 

This edition presents the best of my world-wide e-search for different chicken recipes.  I travelled the e-world to Korea, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Singapore and Sri Lanka to try out a multiplicity of flavourful, mild to hot, chicken dishes. 

My favourite of all of them -- and I make it often -- is 'Michael's Chicken Cashew Curry', made with Sri Lankan white curry from the Montreal-based "Spice Hunters".  They have a terrific internet store and deliver promptly in smallish containers of spices that don't have to linger on spice racks for decades.  

And, yes Brigid, this year's edition contains a few desserts, which as you know are not my specialty.  However, thanks to Smitten Kitchen (Apple Charlotka) and a smidgen of my own imagination, I came up with a few desserts that fit the bill, mostly because they are made with fruit (like apple or pear).  

SmartCooksBook 2013 

I'm planning next year's edition early.  The ingredients are already in place ... 
-- the iPhone5 camera for original photos of food, friends, family, frivolity and frolicking here there and everywhere; 
-- an appetite to research and try new foods;  
-- lots of friends who are also fabulous cooks in styles ranging from vegetarian, carefully guarded family dinner recipes, to desserts and breads;
-- creative writers, many of whom are now 'Retired!' (no, I'm not jealous ... much); 
-- a multitude of upcoming events from baby and wedding showers, weddings, retirements, graduations, deck BBQs, friend/family gatherings etc.; AND 
-- a burning desire for personal, useful, memorable souvenirs of 2013! 

It means this is an open invitation to any and all to contribute to next year's 2013 edition.  Contributors welcome!  All the best in 2013.....