You know how there are those certain foods your parents make you eat that you don't quite appreciate until your an adult?  Growing up, my grandmother used to make "meat pie" every year for Christmas.  And not just one, but several so that we could freeze them and have it throughout January.  Back then, I used to wonder why our family couldn't eat something normal for the holidays such as ham or turkey.  But now, I couldn't get through the winter without having a slice of meat pie.  It's a nice change from hot chili, soups, stews to warm you up after a cold day.

Here's my grandmother, my "Mamere," teaching me to make meat pie.  Or how she and the French Canadian's call it, Tourtiere.

La Ingredients ...

Before you begin ... peel, cut and chop your potatoes. We used 3 pounds of potatoes, but when it was all said and done, we realized we could have added another pound. You could also use "instant" mashed potatoes if you need to save time, but taking this extra step makes for a better texture.

Add the meat to a large stock pot and set on medium heat.

After the meat is fully cooked, drain the broth into a separate bowl for later use.

With the meat pie filling set aside, we added the potatoes and onions back into the same pot with some fresh cold water and a tinsy bit of the broth left over from the meat to add flavor.

The spices ... I only had whole cloves, so I used my mortar and pestle to grind them up. Mixing the dry spices together before adding to the meat pie filling helps make the flavor more even throughout the pie.

After the potatoes have cooked, drain them and add all the ingredients back to the pot.   Using a large spoon or a hand mixer, blend all ingredients together and add the spices. .

Add the filling to your empty pie crust shells.  This recipe makes two pies.

Using a little water, wet the edge of the crust before adding the top layer of pie dough.

Create some vents either using a knife or shaped cookie cutter.  Cover with foil and bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then remove foil and reduce heat to 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

Voila!  Tourtiere ...

French Canadian Tourtiere

My Grandmother's Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground pork
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 8 white potatoes, peeled & cooked
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 -  refrigerated 9 inch pie crust

French Toast was probably my favorite breakfast growing up and recently I've been receiving lots of different variations of this popular morning food.  Some with different fruits and spices, some stuffed, some layered, the classic single slice and family casserole style.  It made me wonder, why do we call it "French" toast anyway?  I know it's not really French, or is it?

Wikipedia's etymology says the earliest use of the term was in 1660 and was bread fried with wine, orange juice and sugar.  I'll have to give that recipe a try!  After doing a little more digging through Google, I discovered in French it is actually called "pain perdu" which translates into "lost bread."  It was a popular recipe in many countries, not just France, as a way of making stale bread palatable.  The English call it "gyspy bread" and I think I'd like to adopt that term from now on ... sounds like breakfast with an adventurous edge!

While there are many different adaptations, the basics remain the same.  A simple batter of eggs and milk.  And I like to add a dash of vanilla, the way my Mom always made it.

This recipe comes from Diane Kenniston Hill Inn Bed & Breakfast in Maine. She likes to make her French Toast with shell or heart shaped homemade biscuits.  In lieu of biscuits I used some Texas sized bread.

Here's what you'll need:

The basics ... milk, eggs, bread, butter

Add to that a dash of vanilla, some sugar, walnuts, strawberries, and maple syrup.

You can do this same recipe with whole slices of bread instead of heart shapes.  Or, if you're like me, next time you walk through the baking section of your store and see all the cookie molds you'll dream of French Toast in the shape of flowers, butterflies, kittens, birds, musical notes and the State of California.  (That last one was random, I know)

If' you're going to make it into a shape, cut your bread first ...

Then add the milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla to a large bowl and mix well.

Pour mixed batter into a shallow bowl for dipping.

Then start layering into a 13x9 inch baking dish.

Slice your strawberries and layer on top of the bread.  Isn't this starting to look like a lovely Valentine's Day breakfast?

Next, put a layer of bread on top of the strawberries, sort of like a sandwich.

I poured the extra batter over top to fully soak them in eggy goodness.

Sprinkle with walnuts and add a dab of butter to the top of each toast.

Bake at 325 for about half an hour.

And you'll have plenty of left over crust to make bread pudding ... or feed the ducks.

When they're finished, slice around the edge of the hearts with a knife and serve individually with strawberries and maple syrup.

Doesn't it look like it's sticking it's tongue out?

That is, if French Toast could sass back and actually had a  tongue.

Mmm.  Delish.

Heart Shaped Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

If you ever wanted dessert for breakfast, and felt a little guilty popping a single Dove's Promise's Dark Chocolate piece to melt on your tongue with your morning coffee ... then I have wicked solution for you.  A muffin.  Because even though it's chocolate, the fact that it's a muffin still makes it breakfast.  And since the stores are filled with pink hearts, chocolates and forget-me-not's, I thought this treat would make the perfect cupid's arrow  ... either for your Valentine's heart or your own.

I have a full list of ingredients and directions at the end of the post ... but the main stars of this event are ripe red raspberries, dark chocolate chips and pink muffin cups to make them cute and girlie.

Sift together your flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Then sift the cocoa.

I should have sifted the sugar in with the flour ... but making these snow topped cocoa mountains was more fun.  I like to play with my food.

Add the brown sugar, then whisk/stir it all together.

Next start adding your wet ingredients.  Whisk your eggs together in a separate bowl.

Milk.

Chocolate chips.

Might I add that I almost had to run out to the store to buy another bag as Jim, the photographer, could not stop eating these.  What makes that even funnier is that he doesn't like sweets!  Liar.  These are bittersweet ... so I give him that credit at least.

My recommendation ... get an extra bag of chocolate and an extra package of raspberries for munching.

Here's a few facts that will take away the guilt ... raspberries are loaded with vitamin C ... chocolate is full of antioxidants and polyphenols ... eggs and milk give you protein and calcium.  Ignore the sugar and flour. They don't exist except to carry this wholesome nutrition into your body.  (wink)

Mix in the chocolate chips before the raspberries.  They're a little tougher, so you can really mix them in well.

Raspberries are fragile, so be careful when folding them in.  These were fresh, but I might even recommend freezing them for an hour so that they hold up better to mixing.

Serve on a platter for breakfast ...

Or as a single tasty treat with coffee or tea ...

Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

(recipe modified from Inn at The Park's Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe Below)

2 Cups all purpose flour
2/3 Cup cocoa
1/3 Cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 Cup milk
1/2 Cup melted butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 package of chocolate chips
1 package of fresh raspberries

1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease muffin pan or line with paper cups.

2) In a large bowl, whisk or sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3) Beat eggs in a separate bowl, then add all wet ingredients to flour/cocoa mixture.

4) Fold in chocolate chips. Next add the raspberries and spoon batter into muffin cups.

5) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool then dust with confectioners sugar and serve.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

from the Inn At The Park Bed & Breakfast, Louisville, Kentucky

2 Cups all purpose flour

1/3 Cup packed light brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 Cup milk

1/2 Cup melted butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 package of chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease muffin pan or line with paper cups.

2) In a large bowl, whisk or sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3) Beat eggs in a separate bowl, then add all wet ingredients until well blended..

4) Fold in chocolate chips. Next add walnuts and spoon batter into muffin cups.

5) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

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YIKES!  Only one week left for holiday shopping.  Yowza!  I've been working and traveling and have not yet had time to purchase one single gift.  Guess who will either be ...  1) Shopping online this evening or ... 2) standing in long lines at the stores this weekend.  Yours truly. Moi.

I posted my Top 10 Favorite Gifts for Travelers last week.  Here's my pic for Foodie Friends.  For some of you last minute gifters like me, there are even two you can even make at home!

1)  A gift to look fashionable while cooking ... even if you're a messy one like me ...

Flirty Aprons.

2)  A gift for  a zesty spirit ...

Homemade Limoncello Recipe.

3)  A gift for the adventure foodie ...

Zingerman's Culinary Adventure Society (this is on my list!)

4) A gift for yourself after looking at Zingerman's price tag ...

Homemade Holiday Sangria

5) A gift for my HSN fans ...

Command Performance Cookware

And two more BONUS ideas for stocking stuffers and the traveling foodie ...

A Marx Foods Gourmet-Pantry-Samplers or a Mobile Foodie Survival Kit

Happy Shopping!  I'll see you online or at the mall ...

-Rachelle

Rachelle teaches Daytime Hosts Dave & Cindy how to make a recipe she learned from Chef Oscar at Hacienda Tres Rios. Perfect for Fall and Winter entertaining and parties, this sweet and savory appetizer includes dates, onion, walnuts and mozzarella.

MOZZARELLA ROLL RECIPE

Ingredients

16 oz. mozzarella cheese

5 pieces of dates

1 tablespoon chopped red onion

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

Fresh lettuce for garnish

Pepper

Ingredients for sauce

12 oz. Heavy cream
1 oz. Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for sauce 2

12 oz. Heavy cream
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

In a saucepan plan, add the oil and chopped onions.  Saute until the onions caramelize and brown.  Then add the dates and nuts, a little salt, mix together and let it cool.

In warm water, place the mozzarella to soften.  Knead with your fingers to achieve a circular shape.  Place the filling in the center and close the rolls in form of a package.

For the sauce mixes, the ingredients are added separately to obtain a white sauce and a brown sauce.

Decorate the dish with the sauces, place the mozzarella rolls and finish with the lettuce.

Prepared by Chef Oscar Orbe

Executive Chef and Director of Food & Drinks

Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort

OTHER STORES FROM TRES RIOS

SENSE ADVENTURE

HOW TO EAT A CRICKET

TEQUILA-JITO

HAMMOCK PHOTO ADVENTURE

WISH YOU WERE HERE: RIVIERA MAYA

(Disclosure:  What's up my apron?)

The NYC Marathon is about a month away and the calories expended during our longer training runs (14 miles to 20 miles) has me hunting for more creative and tasty ways to make pasta for dinner. One of my running pals posted on Facebook that she'd died and gone to heaven with a bowl of butternut squash and sage pasta. I asked her what restaurant was serving such a divine Fall recipe to which she replied that it was homemade. Pssshaw!  Butternut squash pasta? REALLY?  At home?  I didn't believe her, so I dared her to share the recipe.  She did.  And my mouth watered.  So now I'm sharing it with you.

It's from the January 2009 issue of  Cook's Illustrated. I love that magazine. I used to have a subscription to it until I had to practically join a 12-step program to overcome my pack rat habit of keeping every magazine I ever read and cluttering my kitchen counter to the point that there was no space to cook. Looks like they now have an online subscription complete with how-to videos. I might have to try that.

Anyway, here are the Fall flavored stars of this recipe ... fresh sage and butternut squash.

The scent of the sage might remind you of your hippy college roommate's nag champa incense.  For that reason, definitely use fresh sage.  Do not be tempted to use dried sage for this recipe. Trust me, follow the instructions and it will taste divine ... kind of smokey and peppery.  Combined with the secret ingredient (to be revealed below) it will give you the same warm and fuzzy feeling that you get from a cup of chicken noodle soup or a fleece blanket on a cold night.  During the Middle Ages, sage was the key ingredient used in making Four Thieves Vinegar which was thought to ward off the plague.  So during the winter months, bring on the sage baby!

If you've never tried cooking fresh butternut squash, I have to warn you, chopping it is a bitch.  It's a tough little cookie, so watch your fingers.  In fact, if you've had a tough day at the office, a frustrating day at home, or if the whole world is just on your last nerve, this is a great recipe to end the day with.  Pour yourself a glass of wine and hack away at Mr. Butternut Squash.  Remember ... just be careful your fingers don't get in the way.

One little tip ... most grocers will sell them already split in half.  This helps with two things.  One ... You will probably only need half of a medium sized squash.  Two ... Having it already sliced in two pieces gives it a flat surface to place on your cutting board that makes chopping a bit easier.  Only slightly.  But at least you won't be chasing a rolling squash around your kitchen with a sharp knife.

Now, let me introduce you to the secret ingredient that really makes the sage flavor pop ... BACON!  Everything tastes better with bacon, right?

Your going to saute the fresh bacon with about 8 sage leaves until the leaves are crisp, but not brown.  Then, strain the bacon and sage and save the grease to add back to the pan to reuse for cooking the squash.  I tried this recipe once with turkey bacon to try and make a "healthier" version.  The turkey bacon just doesn't add the same amount of flavor.  Splurge on the real thing.

Next add your bacon grease back to the pan and cook the squash.  The recipe said to cook until they were "spotty brown."   I  blackened mine.  Oops.  It still tasted terrific though, so don't be afraid if you make the same mistake.

Add butter and allow to melt.  Mmm.  Butter AND butternut squash.  You're taste buds are doing a little anticipatory dance right now, aren't they?  After the squash is browned, add scallions, nutmeg, minced sage, pepper and sugar (I used brown sugar here instead of the recommended refined sugar ... seemed more Fall-like to me). Stir until the scallions are softened and then add broth and bring to a simmer.

At this point you might be thinking, "great, now I've got butternut squash in a chick broth.  I've made soup.  Blah!"  Just trust the recipe ... it get's thick and saucy.  Add the butternut squash and broth mixture to the large pan with the past and stir together with remaining bacon-sage mixture, 2 tablespoons (I used more) of Parmesan,  and lemon juice.  Use the reserved pasta liquid to adjust consistency.

Drool.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash & Sage Pasta

Ingredients

4 slices bacon cut into 1/4 inch pieces

8 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tbsp freshly minced

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 scallions sliced thin (about 1 cup)

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 lb penne pasta

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

4 teaspoons lemon juice (one lemon should do)

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

1) Cook bacon in 12 inch skillet over medium heat until crisp (about 8 minutes).  Add whole sage leaves and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).  Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer into a small bowl, reserving the bacon fat and bacon-sage mixture separately.

2) Return skillet to high heat, add 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat (adding olive oil if necessary) and heat until shimmering.  Add squash in even layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to caramelize (4 to 5 minutes).  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until spotty brown (3 to 4 minutes longer).  Add butter and allow to melt.  Add scallions, nutmeg, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and minced sage.  Cook, stirring occasionally.

3) Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pan over high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta.  Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup cooking water and transfer back to large pan.

4) Add squash mixture to pasta and stir in 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and reserved bacon sage mixture.  Adjust consistency with the reserved pasta liquid.  Serve extra Parmesan and sliced almonds on the side to add to taste.

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