Pledges & Film Friday: Home is Where the Food Is

Well this is it my little monkey bottoms! Our final conversation of 2011! I know recently I've been a little grumpy in my posts and I really do want to thank you all from the most sincere places of me for all your kind words and support. Who'd 'a known what a great readership I have! ...wait, I knew! I knew!

So I mentioned in this post that I don't do New Years resolutions. And usually, I don't. Actually, this year I'm not either. However I do want to make some pledges to both myself and to you for the coming months simply because we need a little more positivity around here. Hang on, you say? What's the difference between a resolution and a pledge? Well! Let me tell you...

A resolution is meant to be broken. By it's very definition, it's intention. I do not intend to do anything different in the new year; a pledge however solemn agreement to do something. New years resolutions seem to fall by the wayside while pledges are fixed baby. And I need some fixin'!

So, my solemn promises for action this coming year are as follows:

• love better.
• live smaller.
• to craft more.
• find joy.
• be in the moments.

I'm still working on how to accomplish these things and I'm sure I'll stumble along the way, but I really want to be calm, balanced, healthy, and full of love. So, here goes!....

....Now onto Film Friday! In the same theme as above, I've selected a video this week that really emphasizes how I want to live and be and breathe. This short film titled Home is Where the Food Is, was made by The Juki Museum for the 100 Mile Diet Society in Vancouver, BC. The film follows every ingredient of a delicious and simple meal to its source - the Earth. It's very "local" for me since everything actually comes from Vancouver Island. It's amazing to see what can be grown/raised on Vancouver Island - my most favorite part is the stall with the eggs. We have dozens of these little stalls on the island just brimming with various fruits, veggies, flowers, herbs, and sometimes even baked or canned goods. I hope you enjoy this little short film. It is very near and dear to my heart. 

How do you feel about New Years Resolutions? Pledges? Do you have any? If so, do share!

P.S. Happy New Year to you my lovelies. I wish you happiness and wholeness and all the wonderful things in the world for you and those whom you love most in the coming year. Thanks again for everything. XO.

P.P.S. The photos above were the result of a very crafty weekend originally inspired by very clever Gentri Lee in this post. FYI: the golden one has a turkey standing on a drum - may be difficult to tell in the photos but she sure looks rad in person!

Roasted Moroccan Rack of Lamb - hell yes!

I'm home now. Four days in the interior of B.C. was enough for me. I'm always sad to leave my parents but at the same time, I'm also stoked to get back to the island. There's just something so holistic about being here. Part of that feeling is probably simply because it's home. And we all know the phrase: Home is where the oven heart is. But it's also more than that. The refreshing salty sea air, the slow paced, laid back, outdoor-activity friendly lifestyle that defines the West coast, and the incredible relationsjips that I've cultivated here.

This return though, was more difficult than usual. Just before I left, I lost my job through no fault of my own (which is what I was raging about in this post). Usually the days after Christmas are filled with surprises and energy and fun - but this year I'm stressing. Big time. Who is hiring at the end of December?! What am I going to do?? I have $300.00 in my bank account and rent to pay and I'm in trouble. Ack! To top it all off, I still have 2 classes to take before I graduate and therefore have 2 hours of school, 3 days in the middle of the week - I can't very well get a "real" job. I guess I'll have to keep serving. But who needs servers at this time of year?? I keep trying to remember that opportunities have in fact presented themselves at just the right moment over the past year. It's been snowballing good news until now. So maybe this is another one of those opportunities. Maybe it's time to make the shift to something new. Maybe it's time to start my catering business.... Anyone need a personal chef or a party planner/chef???

So, while I don't believe in new years resolutions, I'm making one today. In preparation for January when bitches be hiring: 

Get. A. Job. Preferably, one that I'll love. One that nourishes me AND pays my ever-growing visa bill. Aye.

Now, here's a recipe that you don't need a New Year's resolution for... Unless you resolve to make it. This was succulent, juicy, and so flavorful. As most of you know, I love lamb. I know it isn't for everybody but heck! This blog is for me (your viewership and comments really do validate my posts and therefore make it worth doing of course) and my tummy wanted some happy little lambs in it! Baaaaah!

Roasted Moroccan Rack of Lamb

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Lb (approx 8 small bones) Free-Range, Organic Rack of Lamb.

1 Garlic Clove, peeled & cut in half.

2 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary, de-stemmed & finely chopped.

1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme,  de-stemmed & finely chopped.

1 Tsp Cumin Seeds.

1 Tsp Coriander Seeds.

1 Tsp Ground Ginger.

1/2 Tsp Ground Cardamom.

1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon.

1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper.

Pinch of Nutmeg.

Pinch of Ground Cloves.

1 C White All-Purpose Flour.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

What to Do:

First things first - remove the lamb from the fridge about 45 to 60 minutes before you plan on cooking it. This will allow the meat to come to a decent temperature so it cooks evenly.

Now, pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees F.

As that heats, bash the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle with a good helping of salt until fragrant and broken (the seeds, not the mortar and/or pestle). Toss in a bowl along with all the other herbs, spices, and pepper. Spread over a clean dry surface (i.e. cutting board). In a separate bowl, place the flour.

Pat dry the lamb, rub all over with the halved garlic, and season with salt and pepper; roll through the spice mixture being careful to coat the sides, top and bottom. Next, dredge lightly with the flour.

In a frying pan (cast iron is excellent!), heat about a Tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb, fat side down (bones facing up) and sear to brown but not cook. When it's got a good bit of brown on it, flip and brown the meat on the other side. 

Flip back to fat side down and place in the oven uncovered. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare meat - the best way to eat these little guys!

Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack, cover with tin foil, and let rest about 10 minutes. 

Cut into the meat between each bone and serve 2 or 3 lamb pieces to each person, served alongside Winter Balsamicy Braising Greens with Raisins and Almonds and a good ladle-ful of Celeriac Pomme Puree.

Eat.

SRC Reveal: Dishing the Divine

Good morning sugar plums!

I hope your Christmas was lovely! Did Santa bring you all the love (and treats) you could ask for? I cleaned up - that's for sure! And I don't just mean for Christmas either... I'm talking about the Secret Recipe Club.

The Secret Recipe Club is a project I participate in, in which you are assigned another participant's blog (it's a secret though - the person doesn't know you have their blog) and you have to create something that they've listed in their recipe index. Not only does this push you to look at blogs and get to "know" someone you might not have before, but it also stretches your cooking creativity. How much fun is that??

This month I was assigned Dishing the Divine and let me tell you - this was by far, my most favorite SRC assignment yet. Paula's openness regarding her recipes and the communication she encourages on her blog is refreshing as well as generous. Too often we bloggers talk at people - we need more dialogue both about food and the relationships it creates. In this, a lot of the food on her blog is made from real ingredients with time and love and are based on what's available locally and in season. This philosophy really reflects how I like to eat so I can't tell you how stoked I was to find dishes made from scratch. In fact, I had a very difficult time narrowing down what I wanted to replicate. Some of the dishes I didn't make (but will certainly do so in the future are:

• Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese in Basil Infused Olive Oil
• Pumpkin Black Bean Soup 
• Spring Mushroom Soup with Aromatic Vegetables 
• Zucchini with Walnuts and Fresh Herbs 
• Chicken Pot Pie

Ultimately, I made my decision based on a recipe I have been meaning to make for ages but haven't had a recipe from which to start from. Sure, I had to get up at 7am to get things going for the day and my bread maker bit the dust, but in the end, the flavor was all worth it. 

Side note: Bread maker dying was not such a bad thing. Not only was it a relief to free up the space on my utility shelf that was getting awfully crowded, but I actually find making bread by hand inherently satisfying and holistically therapeutic. Kneading the dough actually makes me feel connected to a legacy of real, slow food that has nourished us for centuries. And will continue to do so as long as corporate food doesn't obliterate us. So go ahead, knead some dough. It's a good work out for your arms and the texture and flavor of homemade bread kills store bought every time.

For this month's SRC assignment, I made Slow Cooker Southern Pulled Pork and Golden Pull-Apart Butter Buns. Both were delicious and I made minimal changes to the recipes. Actually, the buns were left as is, while I added just a couple extra hints of seasoning to the pork. I hope you'll make these recipes and enjoy them as much as I did. And go check out Dishing the Divine - she is divine.

Slow Cooker Southern Pulled Pork
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2.5 Lb Happy Pork Shoulder.

1 Spanish Onion, peeled & chopped. 

3 Cloves Garlic, peeled.

1 1/2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar.
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar.
1 Tbsp Hot Pepper Sauce.
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper.
1 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.

1 Tsp Dried Mustard.

1 Tsp Smoked Paprika.

Few Dashes Worcestershire Sauce.

1/2 C Bold BBQ Sauce.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season well on all sides with a good dose of salt and pepper. Place into a slow cooker. Pour the vinegar around the pork. Cover and cook on low for 11 to 12 hours, basting with the juice every 3 or 4 hours.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and if yours has any bones, discard them. Strain out the liquid and save about a cup or so. Shred the pork using tongs or two forks and return to the slow cooker. Stir the remaining ingredients into the reserved liquid.

Mix into the shredded meat in the slow cooker. Cover and keep on warm until serving.

Serve on a bun with some pretty fantastic coleslaw (stay tuned for recipe!).

Golden Pull-Apart Butter Buns
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.
2 Tsp Instant Yeast.
2 Tbsp Potato Flour/Starch.
3 Tbsp Dried Milk Powder.
2 Tbsp White Sugar.
1 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt.
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, room temperature + 2 Tbsp melted.
2/3 C Water, lukewarm.
1/2 C Milk, lukewarm.

What to Do:

Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl and mix and knead – using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine on the dough cycle – to make a soft, smooth dough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and allow the dough to rise for 60-90 minutes, until it’s just about doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball.

Lightly grease two 8″ cake pans. Space eight buns in each pan.

Cover the pans and allow the buns to rise until they’re crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60-90 minutes. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Uncover the buns and bake them for 22-24 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it. 

Remove the buns from the oven, brush with melted butter, and turn onto a cooling rack.

Serve with pulled pork or just chow warm with some extra butter.

Eat.

P.S. That's right. I dolled up those little sandwiches - they're pretty much the cutest pulled pork sliders in the world.

P.P.S. If you wanna check out the lovely lady that made one of my recipes this month, click here.

This post is linked up with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Century Housewife.

Film Friday: My Gift(s) to You

It seems everyone is doing a giveaway right now. I suppose tis the season for giving - but instead of giving you some thing, I present you with these 3 very merry videos. They're not food related at all... and I contemplated not putting them on Film Friday...

...but the Christmas in me won out...

...I'm sure you'll have enough to feast your eyes and tummies on over the next day or so anyhow...

...I'm going to sign off now for the next couple of days and go eat tons of fudge and sit in a Christmas tree lit room with my family and indulge on Turkey and laugh. A lot...

...May Santa bring you sleighfuls of joy and goodies and enough wine to withstand family get togethers - merry Christmas everybody - I wish you all the best in the next couple days...

...and now, here is my gift to you:

The first is by two very talented and clever ladies - Garfunkel and Oates. I hope you enjoy them...

The second is gonna make you just die..from love:

And the third, well.... it's the exact opposite of the previous one. Click here... If you can last the entire 16 minutes then I'm so, so sorry. 

Happy Ho Ho everyone!! See you in a couple days...

Veggie Friendly Christmas Rice Paper Spring Rolls

Only 4 more sleeps people!! Do you hear the sleigh bells yet??

Now that school's done for the Christmas season I officially have no reason not to do all the things I have been talking about doing for the past four months. In the last couple days or so I cleaned out my school assignment bin, put the veggie beds to bed for the Winter - that was way past due, so many dead little plants - organized the office/art room a bit and the kitchen utility shelf (which involved tossing my broken bread maker which sucked at first, but as I'm learning how to bake bread and knead by hand, has evolved into kind of a relief), started playing with the new DSLR camera (hello pretty photos!), started reading the Cormac McCarthy novels John has been buying me since September, and have been so crafty making beautiful gifts for beautiful friends I giggle with pleasure. 

It's been busy but I feel a little more at ease in my home now. Things were piling up and I was starting to feel dis-organized and anxious. But serenity now, my friends! All I have to do at this point for the next 2 weeks is pack for our trip to Mom and Dad's (we leave tomorrow) and complete this. How sweet it is to be out of school and (mostly) un-employed...more on that later..

Speaking of going to Mom and Dad's, can you believe it's December 21st already?? The following recipe is hardly Christmasy unless you count the pretty red and green and white colors involved. Hang on! That is Christmasy so unless you object in some fashion, I'm deeming the following veggie friendly Christmas rice paper spring rolls! There's hardly any cooking in this recipe and most of the work is just prep. And in light of all the heavy foods we're eating this season - which for me consists of mostly cookies and ice cream and cookies - these spring rolls are a breath of fresh air. If you aren't a fan of tofu you can leave it out or substitute meat. If you haven't tried tofu, give it a shot. Get the organic stuff though and make sure it's firm or extra firm - you don't want gooey soy material in your wraps. 

Veggie Friendly Christmas Rice Paper Spring Rolls

(printable recipe)

Ingredients for the Rolls:

1 Package Rice Paper.

1 Large Bowl Hot Water.

1 Small To Medium Sized Package of Vermicelli (rice noodles).

Couple Handfuls of Bean Sprouts.

1 Red/Orange/Yellow Pepper, julienned.

1 Handful of Scallions, finely chopped.

Fresh Basil, roughly torn.

Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped.

1 Package Firm or Extra-Firm Organic Tofu, julienned.
1 C Roasted Peanuts.

2 or 3 Tbsp of Canola Oil (or other neutral veggie oil).

2 Limes for Juice.

Ingredients for Dipping Sauce:

4 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar.

1/2 C Tamari Soy Sauce.

2 Tsp Black Sesame Oil.

4 1/4" Slices Ginger, peeled.

1 Garlic Clove, minced.

2 Tbsp of Scallions, finely chopped.

1 Tbsp Chili Flakes.
The Juice of 1 Lime.

What to Do:

First, incorporate all the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a jar or medium sized bowl and shake/stir to combine well. Set aside.

Next, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a non-stick frying pan. Add the tofu. Brown on all sides until a little crispy and then add the juice of one lime all over the tofu. Set aside. 

As the tofu cooks, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the vermicelli. Stir to break up, and allow to return to a boil then immediately remove from the heat. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.

Now: assemble! Rice paper may be tricky the first couple rolls but it gets easier. Immerse one sheet (and ONLY one sheet) in the large bowl of hot water. Let the paper soften. After about 15-20 seconds or so pull from the water and lay on a flat, clean surface. Pile your shit in there and squeeze a little lime wedge over it. Don't make em too full or the paper will tear, but make sure you give each one enough substance to fill it. Again, it may take a try or two.

Now, roll the edge closest to you over and around the mixture. Try to keep it relatively tight. Roll once or twice, tuck the ends in to the body of the roll and finish rolling to the end of the paper. Keep it taught but not so much that it tears.

Ta-da! Veggie friendly rice paper spring rolls! Serve with the dipping sauce and some extra limes if desired, either at room temperature or cold.

Eat!

P.S. if it all goes to shit and they do tear, just discard the rice paper, add some chop sticks and serve as a fantastic salad!

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Coriander and Almonds

First, I just want to say thank you so much, from every ounce of my being, to all the kind comments I've received from you lovely people with respect to my previous post. I know I haven't been all that forthcoming about the details here but even so, I've received comments and emails and all the support a girl could possibly ask for. So, thank you. So much. It means more to me than you could ever imagine.

Second, was it just me, or did you forget it was Friday on Friday too? I didn't realize that I didn't realize it was until John asked me, "are you not doing Film Friday anymore?"... Oops!

Other things I don't always realize until it's too late:

• The right thing to say in the right moment - sometimes it's shyness, sometimes it's lack of wit, sometimes I don't even realize what I want to say or even feel until the moment has passed.
• Birthday cards - I'm terrible, at remembering to pick up birthday cards. 
• Taking photos of the food I'm making for the blog. Especially stuff that I'm updating (i.e. all the old entries with the super poor photographs). I make these recipes all the time and since they're so ordinary for me, I sometimes forget to capture the process.
• To return DVDs to the video rental store. Seriously. It's like an illness.
• How to spell. I like to think I have pretty good spelling habits, but sometimes very regular words allude me.
• That I'm cutting down on my wine consumption.
• Dates and appointments. I have to write everything down - and I do mean everything - in my agenda, which I check every morning when I get up, or I won't remember where to be or when.
• To look both ways before crossing quiet residential streets.
• My birth control pills. Luckily, it's not actually too late.
• To pick up the groceries for the week. Generally I buy by the day in the farmer's market & CSA off-season (i.e. now) - things just go bad and un-cooked if I end up being busier than I thought I would be. That said, there are staples: yogurt, fruit, muffins. And I forget those.

Something I never forget to do? Make roasted cauliflower with cumin, coriander, and almonds. This is something that is so simple once you make it a couple times, it's easy to whip together as a side dish for lunch or dinner or even just to snack on. Don't get me wrong - it's great when it's hot. But I kinda like it cold too - picking at it with my fingers while I've parked myself in front of the Food Network. It's fantastically flavorful and probably one of my most favorite sides in the world. I'd like to claim the recipe as my own but unfortunately, it's not. It belongs to dream boat chef and food activist Jamie Oliver. So thank you to Jamie as well for looking so good such a spectacular recipe.

Note: If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can carefully wrap the spices in a tea towel, place in a stable/sturdy space (i.e. pavement), and bash the crap outta 'em with a heavy pot/pan... don't break the handle off though! .... not that I did that or anything...

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Coriander and Almonds

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Head of Cauliflower, outer green leaves removed & broken into florets.

A Handful of Blanched, Toasted Almonds, roughly chopped.

2 Tsp Cumin Seeds.

2 Tsp Coriander Seeds.

2 Tsp Dried Chili Flakes.

Juice & Zest of 1 Lemon.

1 Tbsp of Butter, unsalted.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt.

What to Do: 

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking pan with aluminum foil.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the cauliflower for a minute or two. Drain well. Return to the pot and toss in a glug or two of olive oil and the butter. Toss to coat.

As the water heats up, bash together the spices and salt in a pestle and mortar. Dump them and the almonds into a large non-stick pan and dry toast them briefly. 

After a minute or two add the lubed up cauliflower. Mix well.

When the cauliflower starts getting some color on it add the lemon juice and zest and again, mix well.

Fry about a minute longer and then dump the contents into the prepared baking pan. Chuck in the oven and roast about 15 to 20 minutes to allow the mixture to crisp up. 

Eat.


What do you tend to forget? 
Are you an elephant? Or do you tie strings to your fingers?

This post is linked up with the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Century Housewife, and This Chick Cooks.

Winter Veg Wonton Soup

Okay so yesterday I kind of had the rug violently ripped out from underneath my feet. And while I don't want to get into it just yet, I just want to say how much that sucks. Everything is peachy keen and happy and wonderful and then all of a sudden, shit happens. And then you're fucked. Absolutely fucked. Yesterday I felt sadness and loss... but apparently sadness begets anger in the grieving process... Lesson #1, evidently. So, I apologize for not having much of an introduction (haha, I just typed introfuktion by mistake - Freudian slip?) but I have to go figure out what to do now. 

This soup is lovely. I had some issues keeping the wontons together though - some just blew apart in the water - any suggestions? How do you keep your wontons together? And your shit for that matter, when something horrendous happens in your life at the worst possible moment?

Have a great weekend lovelies - I hope your weekend goes better than mine.

Winter Veg Wonton Soup

(printable recipe)

Ingredients for Wontons:

1 Package Wonton Wrappers, thawed if frozen.

1 Lb Ground "Happy" Pork.

1 Lb Mushrooms, cleaned & finely chopped.

 Small Handful of Scallions, finely chopped.

1 Tbsp Ginger, peeled & finely grated.

4 Cloves of Garlic, minced.

3 Free-Range Organic Eggs.

Ingredients for Broth:

2 1/2 C Chicken or Veggie Stock.

1 C Water.

1 Asian Winter Green (I used Tatsoi), though baby bok choy or similar would also work, roughly chopped into approx. 1" pieces.

1 Small Bulb Kohlrabi, peeled & julienned.

3 Small to Medium Sized Carrots, thinly sliced. 

A Thumb of Ginger, peeled & thinly sliced.

Small Handful of Scallions, finely chopped.
A Couple Glugs of Tamari Soy Sauce.

1 Tsp Dark Sesame Oil.

2 Tsp Chili Flakes (to garnish).

What to Do:

 In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the wontons save for the wrappers, scallions and 1 egg. Mix well and set aside.

In a large saucepan incorporate all the ingredients for the broth except for the chili flakes and scallions. Bring to a boil to lightly cook the veggies until just tender. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Now, take the other two eggs and beat them lightly in a smallish bowl with a Tbsp or two of water. Take one wonton wrapper and spoon a Tbsp or so of the wonton mixture onto the center of it, keeping the rest of the wrappers under a damp towel to avoid drying them out. Brush a bit of the egg wash along the outer edges of the wrapper beyond the mixture and firmly bring kitty-corner to kitty corner, creating a little parcel of wonton. If need be, gently brush a little more egg-wash on the edges to seal. Set on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a towel while you make the rest of the wrappers. 

In a large pot bring some water to a gentle semi-rolling boil. Gently toss in a few of the wontons, being careful not to crowd them. Let them cook about 5 minutes or so, until they float to the top and the meat cooks through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

Bring your broth back to a boil and add the wontons and scallions. Heat through for a few minutes, remove from the element, and portion into bowls. Top with the chili flakes.

Eat.

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap: 2 More Arrivals!

We have cookie swap success! In case you missed my original post, click here. Otherwise, continue reading...

I was a touch sad and quite worried when 2 out of my 3 boxes didn't show up. I thought those two boxes had gotten lost in the mail, or perhaps the bloggers who were assigned my name sent their packages out too late, or maybe Santa intercepted them en route... I was still hoping with fingers crossed however that they would turn up... and. they. did.

Boy! Were they worth the wait! The first one I opened was from Meg Robins @ Sweet Twist of Fate. She sent me TWO kinds of florentines - A: Dried cherries, cranberries & almonds, B: Apricots, cranberries & almonds - how generous is that?? And hello! Fruit, nuts & caramel? Heck yes! Click here to get the recipe. 

Meg seems super sweet (she should be! wait till you see all the sugar on her site!), and she is an incredible baker. The catering business she runs looks absolutely scrumptious!

The second box was from Char & Ali @ Living the Sweet Life - and man! Judging by the recipes over there it certainly is a sweet life! I don't know how these baker bloggers don't get to weigh 400 lbs!

As I opened the box I was greeted by these brilliant redish/pink & white little gems wrapped in a material that looked like snow - you'd never seen such a cookie Christmas display! Four words: Caribbean Sorrel Spice Cookies. Oh yeah. For the recipe click here.

Thank you both so much! These cookies were all amazing as was the cookie swap. Cookie swap success!

P.S. don't forget to check out my first box of cookies as mentioned in my previous post from Megan @ The Bold Baker - Pistachio & Cranberry biscotti!

Happy Ho Ho everybody!

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap Reveal: Chocolate (Andes) Mint Chip Cookies

Can you believe it?? It's finally here!

After so many shiny things and sleepless nights and hard work and hoarding and wrapping and making things pretty and packaging and mailing and anticipation - it's here! It's finally here!

No! Not Christmas.... I'm talking about The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

Hosted by Lindsay @ Love & Olive Oil and Julie @ The Little Kitchen, over 22,000... Wait. Think about this a second... Just think about this: Over 22, 000 cookies were mailed around the world for this swap. Holy moly that's a lot of fucking cookies!!! Those poor postal workers... The idea was, you signed up, got assigned 3 other names and addresses, baked a dozen cookies for each assignee (from the same recipe), and then mail them out - in return, you receive 3 dozen cookies from 3 other bloggers. How fun is that? Not to mention how expensive?? Maybe I did things wrong and got a little too excited about packaging.... but it sure took a pretty penny out of my bank account! Never matter - I'm still going to do it again next year! And you can too, just click here.

It didn't all go according to plan, unfortunately however. I only got one box of cookies. Maybe my other two boxes have gotten lost in the mail, or perhaps the bloggers who were assigned my name sent their packages out too late, or maybe Santa intercepted them en route... I'm still hoping with fingers crossed that they'll show up. God - the trauma! 

But to be honest, I had such a fun and amazing time sending out my own cookies I don't really care too much. See? Christmas really is about giving! And the lack of the other two boxes really just makes the one box I did receive, extra special...

envelopes & stationary c/o isavirtue

...thank YOU Megan @ The Bold Baker for my incredibly delicious pistachio & cranberry biscotti! They arrived crunchy, sweet, nutty, and actually a little savory. I've had one. I'm waiting till Monday (when I host my annual Christmas Party Potluck) to share the rest with my besties.

Readers: If you want her spectacular recipe - don't try to copy it from the photo below (stupid camera phone) - go to her site. 

Now: what I sent... 

I obtained my cookie recipe from Bakeaholic Mama: Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies. Call me foolish, but I had no friggin idea that peppermint was so popular at Christmas time. Yes, do it. I'm foolish. I'll give you a moment to ridicule...............

............Okay, stop it. Be nice. It is Christmas after all. And it was joyous to bake and mail these cookies. I was paired with Anna in Abbotsford @ Hidden Ponies, Kim in Ottawa @ Strawberry Ginger & Callie in Toronto @ Callieflower Kitchen. All 3 ladies are absolutely fantastic bloggers and I feel a small but important connection with each of them. Anna is in the process of doing her B.A. right now (just like me!), and outside of the kitchen loves painting and reading, Kim and I are kind of the same person (enough said), and Callie and I don't have formal training in the kitchen but both have a deep love of cookies, cooking. And we all have vaginas! (presumably)...See? Connections!

Chocolate (Andes) Mint Chip Cookies

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 C White All-Purpose Flour.
2/3 C Cocoa Powder.
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda.
1/4 Tsp Salt.
1 C Butter, room temperature & unsalted.

1 C White Sugar.
1/2 C Packed Brown Sugar.

2 Free-Range, Organic Eggs, room temperature.
2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract.
3 X 132g Packages of Andes Mint Chocolates.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

While that heats, unwrap and roughly/finely chop your Andes Mints.

Sift together in a medium bowl, flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

In your electric mixer (or hand mixer) cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add in eggs 1 at a time then your vanilla.

Slowly add in your flour mixture by thirds. 

When everything is incorporated, fold in your Andes mint pieces.

Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Remove from fridge and form 1 - 1 1/2" diameter balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake for about 10 minutes. As cookies bake, replace dough to the fridge to keep from getting too goopy.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about a minute and then carefully transfer cookies to cooling racks. They'll be very soft (you may think they aren't done yet - they are), but they'll harden as they cool.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so (they'll set and become much firmer) and then serve with a glass of cold milk.

Eat.

This recipe is linked up with The Secret Recipe Swap - Christmas Cookie Party.