Jocelyn's Kitchen Table

April is a busy month for birthdays in our family.  (My husband Alec, son and I plus sister-in-law, niece and sister).  So there’s lots of extra special meals and birthday cake to get through.  For Alec’s birthday this year I made a simple meal of b-b-qued steaks and his favourite Frozen Lemon Mousse (recipe in previous entry).

Alec works very long hours so the meals are mostly up to me.  However, when he does cook it’s always a treat.  This birthday was no exception.  

Menu: Assorted Cheese Plate, Toasted Orzo and Buttered Rice Combo, Stir-Fried Sesame Asparagus, Maple Salmon, Strawberry Spinach Salad and Chocolate Ganache Cake (light and tasty from bakery - he’s forgiven!)) We were without teenagers that meal so had a quiet, delightful dinner.  Thought I’d share the online salad recipe:

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

2 tbsps sesame seeds

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp Worcestershire

1 tbsp minced onion

Combine all ingredients and chill for an hour.

Use to taste on medium bowl of fresh spinach, 1 quart strawberries and 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds.

As the birthday celebration continued into supper, I was lamenting that my baby was 18 and growing up into manhood.  A mixed blessing!  The cake was chocolate with a creamy, coconut topping that I must say looked delicious.  Before anyone could take a bite someone yelled “food race” and Maddy and Lachlan, with hands clasped behind their backs, dove into their pieces ferociously!  About half way through Lachlan lifted his head and we soon realized he was choking!!  I’ll spare you the details but he lived.  I guess it was a compliment that my cake was so thick and rich and creamy that you couldn’t inhale it without chewing !!!!?????.  I need not have worried about the growing up part.

The Cake was a favourite from Epicurious and can I share if anyone wants.  I googled a recipe for coconut icing.  I was running out of energy so wanted something fast.  I found one with Cool whip in it.  I’m pretty sure I will never be the the real foodie club now that I have admitted I used this edible oil product.  In my defence, the last time I used it was probably 1979!

COCONUT FROSTING

I can sweetened condensed milk

1 medium Cool Whip ( I used a large container because that’s the size my daughter brought home and it worked well to fill in a slight dip in my cake!!)

1 medium pkg coconut

Pour sweetened milk over warm cake.  Let cool. Mix coconut into thawed cool whip and plop on.  You could use real whip cream I’m sure if you made sure to whip well.

My baby is 18!!  Lachlan turned 18 on Friday.  It’s our tradition to start the birthday with a favourite breakfast.  It’s often a bleary-eyed, mini-party but sometimes it’s been the only time the 4 of us are all together in the day to celebrate.  Lachlan was hinting about some Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins the other day.  He was happy!!

LEMON-POPPYSEED MUFFINS

This recipe is based on the Cook’s Illustrated Master Muffin Recipe.  They baked beautifully and by all accounts were delicious!

3 c flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp poppy seeds

Combine the above in a medium bowl.

1 1/4 sticks butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c plain yogurt (I used vanilla and it was fine)

1 tbsp lemon rind

In mixer or with beaters, beat softened butter for 2-3 minutes or until light.  Add sugar, eggs, one at a time, and zest. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with yogurt just until mixed.  Do not over mix.  

Bake at 375F in middle of rack in greased or papered 12 muffin pan until golden - about 25-30 minutes.  Test with toothpick.  Cool for 5 minutes.

While waiting to cool mix 2 tbsp lemon juice with one cup of icing sugar.  Brush over warm muffins.

BURRATA CHEESE

While in LA a few weeks ago on our indulgent girl’s trip, Maddy and I discovered a new and wonderful kind of cheese.  Almost everywhere we went for dinner they were serving this beautiful, soft and luscious Burrata.  It’s a fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream.  ”Burrata”  means “buttered” in Italian and until recently came mostly from Puglia, a region in southern Italy.  The outer shell is a solid mozzarella and the inside is softer mozza and cream.  On the menus we saw it was served with tomatoes, olive oil and some kind of bread.  

My husband and I, while out with friends at Bonterra Trattoria in Calgary a couple weeks ago, saw it on the menu.  They do produce it now in Canada and the States which has brought the price down so I am now on the look out to see where we can get it here.  It’s to die for!

A few weeks ago my daughter and I went on a girl’s trip to LA!  Yes we did!  It was my husband’s idea actually and a very good one at that.  It might be because he was feeling guilty about going to Europe without me next month, or his golf trip, or his fishing lodge excursion!  But don’t feel bad for me!  He is going on a battlefield trip and while it sounds very interesting I don’t think I could do 10 days of it!

Anyway, Maddy and I had 5 fun-filled days of shopping, walking along the beach, touring around in our Ford Mustang Convertible and eating the most amazing food.  I have spoiled her for life.  The food everywhere was fresh and interesting with a depth of flavour not always found here in Calgary even in our best restaurants.

Our most memorable was at a place called “Gjelina’s” in Marina del Rey.  We ate family style on long tables.  People crowded in if they were lucky enough to get a table.  We waited for over an hour but were rewarded with such a wonderful experience.  Maddy was only a little embarrassed when I started comparing meals with fellow guests.  One guy across from me said he had “order envy” when he saw my pork belly (from a pig, not mine!).