Thursday, October 31, 2013

Fun in Seattle with KCTS 9 and my delicious Sour Cream Rhubarb Strawberry Pie

On Saturday, November 2nd I will be having fun in Seattle as a guest on KCTS 9 Just Desserts. If you click here you will be directed to the link that talks about the cooking show and gives a list of the guests for this  day. How much fun is it that I can share my recipe with KCTS 9 and all of you! The show airs at 11am November 2nd.  Hope you can join us!

Recipe Title: Sour Cream Rhubarb Pie -Maggie’s favourite pie (click here to go directly to my YouTube video of this recipe)
History of this delicious pie:
Maggie, one of my best friends, has a fond memory from her childhood of a sour cream rhubarb pie that her dear Mom Helen used to bake for her family on the ranch back in Spring Valley, Saskatchewan. She asked me to re-create the pie because in Maggie's words it is the  'best darn pie'! Maggie and I happened to find an original recipe in Helen's 70 year old, worn recipe note book for a raisin sour cream pie.  I borrowed the recipe for the sour cream filling and extrapolated it to create the sour cream rhubarb pie. It is pretty perfect so says Maggie and so I am sharing this recipe with you. I hope you enjoy this pie! 

By: Miriam Borys

Ingredients for one 9 inch pie:
4-5 cups rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
3 cups strawberries (optional)
1 unbaked pie shell
sour cream filling (see recipe below)
crumble topping (see below)

PASTRY
Full recipe
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 lb. shortening
4 tbsp.  white vinegar
1 cup ice water
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Pastry Assembly
  1. Mix together flour, salt and brown sugar. Whisk together to remove the lumps.
  2. Cut up shortening into small cubes, return to cooler to keep cold.
  3. Add vinegar and egg to liquid measure cup. Beat with a fork.
  4. Add enough ice cold water to egg/vinegar mixture to make a total of 1 ¼ cup of liquid.
  5. Place measured dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
  6.   Add shortening and with a knife or a pastry blender start cutting the shortening in to the flour until all the shortening is broken up and about the size of a quarter and mealy. 
  7. Add liquid mixture to the flour mixture and combine until the pastry is formed and comes together. Do not over mix at this stage or your pastry will be tough. 
  8. Roll dough up into a flat disc and wrap in parchment paper and place in a clean plastic bag and store in the fridge until needed.
Miriam's Time Saving Tip Making this pastry ahead is a great time saver. It keeps well for over a week in the fridge (and longer in the freezer) as long as it is wrapped well. After making pies freeze the remaining pastry for use later.

SOUR CREAM PIE FILLING

1 egg
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sour cream
In a bowl mix together egg, granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of flour, and sour cream. Whisk to remove lumps. This is the sour cream filling that will be poured over the rhubarb before the pie is baked.

CRUMBLE TOPPING
½ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup melted butter
Melt butter. In a small bowl mix flour and brown sugar with melted butter. Set aside for topping.

PIE ASSEMBLY
Cut the pastry into 4 or 5 pieces.
On a well floured surface shape one piece of the pastry into a round disc. It is easier to get a round shape when starting with a round shape. With a rolling pin, roll the pastry out carefully until thin and approximately 1 ½ inches larger than the rim of your pie plate. 
Wash and dice rhubarb into small chunks. No need to peel rhubarb.
Line the bottom of one unbaked pie shell with fresh rhubarb (& strawberries if desired...see below for instructions)
Pour sour cream filling over fruit.
Sprinkle crumble topping over fruit and sour cream filling. 
Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes and reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes more until mixture just starts to bubble out and pastry is golden brown.

Delicious Option:
Sour Cream Rhubarb & Strawberry Pie
Reduce sugar to 1 cup and the rhubarb to 4 cups.
Add 3 cups of strawberries.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip If using a stand mixer for pastry making do not multi task. Stay at the mixer and pulse the machine on and off until the flour and shortening are slightly mixed but not totally combined. There should still be big size chunks of shortening showing and plenty of loose flour. Do not be alarmed at this because if you go too far at this stage you will ruin the pastry. 
Me & Maggie


Friday, October 25, 2013

Home Made Salad Dressing with Zucchini & Red Onion


Recipe Title: Home- Made Salad Dressing with Zucchini & Red Onion   
I love having my home-made salad dressing ready to go in the fridge when we are in the mood for a salad. This recipe is quick, delicious and a keeper. I found this amazing hard plastic container (please see photo in this blog) that I have also given out as gifts because they are so handy. Please enjoy!
By: Miriam Borys


Yield:  approximately 1 cup of salad dressing
Ingredients:
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
¼ cup red onion
½  cup         zucchini (rough chop)
1 tsp. Garlic (more can be added as desired)
1 tablespoon honey
½ heaping tsp. Horseradish 
In a blender add all the ingredients and blend well until all the chunks are liquified.
Store in the fridge until needed. If doubling this recipe go easy with the red onion as it can be very strong. To double I would use ¼ cup plus approximately  ⅛ of a cup so it is not too strong. Enjoy!

Chef Miriam Little Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com
plastic storage container for home-made salad dressings


Sunday, October 20, 2013

Fresh Home Made Hummus with Artichoke Hearts, Cilantro & Serrano Pepper

Recipe Title:  Fresh Home Made Hummus with Artichoke Hearts, Cilantro & Serrano Pepper

By: Miriam Borys

Ingredients:

1 can chick peas (well rinsed under cold water & drained) 540ml
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 ½ tablespoon cumin powder
1 1/2  cup artichoke hearts (marinated)
4 tbsp. Tahini
2 garlic cloves
30ml Lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1 tablespoons serrano pepper or as much as you want - throw into the processor in whole chunks and the processor does all the work for you
½ cup fresh cilantro (washed), firmly packed or half a small bunch
¼ cup vegetable stock
cracked salt & pepper to taste

  1. Drain chick peas well. Rinse with cold water in a wire mesh sieve and drain well.
  2. Add all ingredients into the processor. 
  3. Processes until large pieces are gone. Scrape the sides of the processor bowl down.
  4. Continue to process and add vegetable stock or water and process until the hummus is at the desired consistency. This stage is up to you and your personal taste. If too thick add a tablespoon of water or  broth (vegetable or chicken) at a time until the hummus is at the right consistency.
  5. Store in the fridge in a covered container until serving.
  6. Great with a vegetable tray or with crackers and cheese.


    food processor does all the work for you



Chef Miriam Little Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com


Saturday, October 12, 2013

Arugula Green Salad with Jarlsberg Cheese & Prosciutto (this salad is an excellent addition to a Thanksgiving Dinner)


Recipe Title: Arugula Green Salad with Jarlsberg Cheese & Prosciutto   
& Red Onion Home Made Salad Dressing

By: Miriam Borys
Ingredients:
Spring mix (use half of a 5 oz. Package)
Baby arugula (use half of a 5 oz. Package) 
*note any salad greens would work well for this recipe. I have used the 5 oz. Package of baby spinach and arugula and I have also had great success using beet greens and arugula. This part depends upon your personal taste.
Jarlsberg cheese - shaved (or any cheese that you would prefer)
20 Sautéed Cremini mushrooms
¼ cup butter or olive oil
150g  prosciutto (½ a package) - sautéed 
Red Onion Salad Dressing ( this dressing can be made well in advance and stored in the refrigerator for use throughout your busy week)
Yield:  1 1/4 cups
finished salad dressing 
 ¼ Red onion (1/2 cup)
½ cup Olive oil
¼ cup White balsamic or champagne vinegar
½ bunch Cilantro
¼ cup Sour cream
Salt /pepper to taste
2 teaspoons honey
To make the salad dressing, in a processor or blender, start with the cilantro and onion. Puree and add the rest of the ingredients until creamy and smooth. Put into an air tight container to keep cold until needed. This dressing can easily be doubled.
Salad Assembly
Saute mushrooms in butter, set aside to cool or if preferred they can be served hot. Use this pan for the prosciutto.
Cut up prosciutto and sauté as well over low until slightly crisp but not hard and overdone. Set aside for later use.
On a large platter start with ½ package of spring mix. Spread the spring mix out over the bottom of the platter.
Next, sprinkle arugula over spring mix.
Shave desired amount of cheese over the arugula.
Top with mushrooms & then prosciutto.
Drizzle with red onion dressing and serve immediately.

Chef Miriam Little Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com
red onion makes this salad

1/2 cup olive oil

red onion, lemon juice & fresh cilantro





sauteed mushrooms are delicious for this recipe


Saturday, October 5, 2013

Pumpkin Pie Time again!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and pumpkin pies are a must at this time of year.  This is my delicious recipe for the tastiest,
Mom Eileen enjoying her time with Alexandra, Cori and myself.
most delicious pumpkin pie ever baked. The original recipe came from my fabulous Mom, Eileen Little and without a doubt it is a winner. Please follow the link below for the recipe and link to my video

http://cookinguncovered.blogspot.ca/2012/10/moms-best-ever-pumpkin-pie.html
or in the search bar, type in pumpkin pie.
Happy pie making and Thanksgiving!
Hope you love this pie as much as we do.  Happy Pie Making!