I know, I know…you probably don’t want to look another cookie in the mouth for at least another little while. Maybe you’ve been spending your mornings gobbling crispy candy cane bark and stuffing your cheeks with spicy-sweet pretzels & nuts (I don’t judge). But consider this cookie recipe for a time when you want something buttery and festive.

The thing is, New Years celebrations are coming up soon and these cookies would be perfect on the table. They aren’t very sweet – but you could sprinkle them with powdered sugar after baking if you prefer. I like them as is. They’re great with a cup of tea and make a lovely after-dinner treat. Studded with orange zest and rum-infused cranberries, these shortbread look pretty to boot.

These were the only cookies I made this holiday season, but they were worth it. The original recipe didn’t include orange zest (shame!) and the directions were to roll out the cookie dough and cut out with cookie cutters. Too much work for my busy schedule. So I decided to instead roll them into 2 logs and go the slice & bake route which makes them the perfect thing to slice into when you’ve got unexpected guests. Or maybe you just want to slice off a couple cookies for tea time. Like I said before, no judging. Enjoy.

cranberry rum shortbread cookies
(adapted from a 1980s recipe in the Vancouver Sun newspaper)
1 c dried cranberries
1/2 c rum
1 c butter, softened
1 T orange zest
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 c icing (powdered) sugar
2 c all purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking powder

In a small saucepan, bring cranberries and rum to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes until the rum is absorbed into the cranberries. Set aside to cool.

Cream butter, zest, vanilla and sugar together. In another bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder – add gradually to the creamed mixture. Add the dried cranberries, stirring until just combined. Shape dough into 2 rolls, about 1 1/2″ each in diameter. Wrap tightly in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375F. Slice each log into cookies about 1/4″ thick and place on a prepared cookie sheet (I always line mine with silpat or ungreased parchment). Cookies don’t spread very much, so you can bake more at once if you like. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with icing (powdered) sugar if desired.

Possibly related posts:

• have a boozy christmas: rum balls
• jingle bells and chocolate shortbread cookies

July is nearly all gone and for me it went way too quickly. I had a nasty cough for most of the month and was bogged down with work. However, I did go to a baseball game, watched a drive-in movie from the back of a pick-up truck and drank beers on a sunny patio. Also, for the first time ever, we watched every single stage in the Tour de France, which was silly, exciting and just plain fun to watch. So what did I end up doing when faced with a screen filled with fit cyclists attacking the Pyrenees mountains by brute force and sheer athletic ability? Well, I ate coffee ice cream topped with this deliciously evil drunken caramel sauce.

This sauce is dangerous. Not only is it boozy and has a good pinch of salt to counter the sweet, but the number one factor that makes it a true killer is that it’s way easy to make. In fact, I’m pretty sure you already have every single ingredient needed to dig into a bowl right now. It’s obviously great over ice cream (especially topped with roasted almonds and cocoa nibs), but I can see this being a brilliant topper over an apple pie or a peach tart. If you’re not into the booze, you can just leave it out and it will still be fantastic. And it’s vegan as long as you choose a good non-dairy margarine. See, I told you this caramel sauce was pure evil.

Don’t worry too much about this little indulgence because my next post will be about turnips.

Elsewhere: I’m using umeboshi vinegar again over at Poppytalk. Check out my recipe for an orzo pasta salad with baby bok choy. Over at ReadyMade I’m sharing the Community Sponsored Agriculture love – what do you make with your haul?

totally evil drunken sauce
(adapted from Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson)
1/2 c unsalted butter (use a non-dairy margarine for a vegan version)
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/4 – 1/2 t kosher salt
1/8 t cinnamon
2 T dark rum (or whiskey or bourbon)
2 t vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the cinnamon and salt and mix until the sauce is smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the rum and vanilla. Cool slightly and serve. Any leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or by placing the bowl in hot water and giving things a stir until the sauce melts.

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• totally nuts: spiced caramel corn with pepitas, almonds & pecans
• cranberry rosemary apple sauce

I’m always on the lookout for the perfect drink. And it seems a couple of my favorite food bloggers also did a bit of thirst seeking recently too. Lotte + Doof whipped up a beautiful looking ginger beer – perfect for a dark & stormy out on the porch. Shutterbean created some beautiful looking blackberry ginger sours ripe with gin.

Seeing as I still had a few leftover containers of frozen strawberries in my freezer, I decided to use up the whole shebang and whip up a strawberry concoction of my own. Taking cues from both Tim and Tracy, I made sure that I threw in some ginger alongside the sour. But despite a nice 3 inch nub of gingerroot, the flavour was a bit subtle for me. I was looking for a stronger ginger pop, so next time I’ll double (or even triple) the amount of ginger. As a virgin drink, it was the perfect summer sipper. But toss back a shot of rum and it helps to make the summertime last a little bit longer.

Now about San Francisco…we’ll be taking a two week trip to northern California and would love to gather some perfect must-do tips. We’ll be spending 5 days in San Francisco and I’m looking for great affordable (read: budget) restaurants, favorite burrito haunts, awesome vintage shops, cool book stores, rad neighbourhoods, and great walks. Suggestions for Oakland and Berkeley are welcome as well. Also, there will be a few days spent outside of Guerneville so recommendations for things to do and wineries to check out will be greatly appreciated. We also plan to do a hike or two in Yosemite, so if you’ve got a nice easy to moderate hike that has fabulous views, I want to know!

strawberry lemonade cooler
3 c strawberries (frozen are fine)
1 c sugar
3 inch piece ginger, sliced (or double the ginger for more pop)
4 lemons, juiced

water or club soda
rum (optional)

In a medium sized pot, bring to a boil the strawberries, sugar, ginger and enough water to cover everything. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve and throw out the pulpy mass. Pour the strained syrup into a large jar and mix with lemon juice. Refrigerate until cool.

Mix syrup with water or club soda and serve with plenty of ice. I’ve found a 50-50 ratio works well, though add more or less depending to your own taste.

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• strawberry lemonade slushie
• strawberry muffins topped with cinnamon sugar

Summer has come to Vancouver with a vengance and all I’ve been wanting is a bit of cooling off. A slushie would hit the spot, so I looked into my freezer to see what kind of makings I had. A can of frozen lemonade leftover from a party? Check? Frozen strawberries? Ice? Check and check. The result? Holy brain freeze territory! It was sweet, it was icy and it was the easiest and tastiest way to beat the heat of summer. Want a more grown-up drink? Add in 6 oz of white rum and you’ve got yourself a pretty simple & tasty daqueri.

strawberry lemonade slushie
1/2 a container of frozen lemonade concentrate
juice of 1 lemon or lime
1 1/2 c frozen strawberries
ice water
ice cubes

Spoon out half the lemonade into a tall pitcher. Add in the strawberries and lemon juice. Top with water. Use an immersion blender to blend it all into slush, adding more water if necessary. Add in a few ice cubes and crush those up too (and rum, if that’s the way you roll). Pour into 4 glasses. Let the brain freeze begin!

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• strawberry cooler + some san francisco (& area) help
• wait, there’s a flower in my drink: lavender-mint lemonade

My mom isn’t doing very well health-wise and she’s currently in the hospital. I wanted to do something extra special in my holiday package to my parents. Of course I packaged off my dad’s favorite cookies along with trying to recreate her date square. Despite having only half the amount of dates needed and subbing in raisins for the balance, I think I surpassed her version. My friend who ate a square thought they were the most flavourful date bars she had ever eaten and some friends of Cornelius who lucked into a couple of squares immediately wanted the recipe. So here it is. Sweet, buttery, oaty goodness. Pure and simple. I know my mom will love them.

Oh, and please stop by the Canada’s Food Network blog to read my latest post on my brunch experience at a new local neighbourhood restaurant, 2 Chefs and a Table.

date & raisin squares
oat mixture:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c butter, room temperature
1 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c rolled oats

filling:
1 c dates, cut up
1 c raisins, cut up
3 T brown sugar
1 T sour cherry jam
1 T amber rum
zest from 1 lemon & 1 orange
1 c orange juice
1 t lemon juice
1 t cornstarch mixed with a little bit of cold water to create a slurry (optional)

1. Add flour, baking powder , soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix in butter, sugar and oats and combine well. Press half of the mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

2. To make filling, combine all ingredients except for the cornstarch in a small saucepan. Cook until thick and smooth. If it’s not thick and smooth, add in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 3 more minutes until thick. Set aside and cool.

3. Pour cooled date mixture over the oats and spread evenly. Cover with remaining oat mixture and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cut into squares while still warm and cool in pan.

Possibly related posts:

• a nice evening for a date: chewy date-nut squares
• can’t eat just one: peanut butter raisin bars

I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen particularly appealing since I had 3 very brown bananas tucked into the freezer. She adapted her recipe from another food blogger and I have adapted hers based on what I had around the kitchen. I didn’t have a bottle of Wild Turkey laying about, so I subbed in some Jamaican amber rum and pecans for crunch. It’s easy, delicious and I can’t wait until I have a few more big bad bananas around so that I can mash them into submission for this cake. Scrumptious with fresh berries sprinkled about, or as my husband prefers, smeared with unsalted butter. It’s good for an evening snack and even better for breakfast.

You better believe me that I was very sad to see this last slice go. One more thing…head over to the Food Network Canada blog to read my post on the Alibi Room. Finally, beer lovers in Vancouver have a place to revel that is not my living room. Hooray!

jacked-up banana bread
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 c melted Earth Balance margarine (but any light flavored oil or butter should do)
3/4 c lightly packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 t vanilla
1 T rum
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 t baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 c of flour
1/2 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Mash up your bananas and then add in the melted margarine and brown sugar. Mix about with a wooden spoon until well combined and then toss in the egg, rum and the rest of the spices. Add the baking powder and a pinch of salt and combine. Add the flour and then finally the pecans and pour batter into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven. When cooled slightly, remove from pan and put on rack to cool completely. Or just dive in when ready.

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This morning I had a small pineapple that I had found on special for 99 cents in Chinatown. I also had some strawberries that were a little past their prime. So I cut them up and created a boozy syrup out of rum and honey and vanilla. A little shredded coconut sprinkled about and it was perfect! It lifted what could have been a ho-hum fruit salad into the realm of fancy pants-ness. The heady scent of rum, vanilla and coconut is seriously intoxicating without being down-right boozy. It definitely made my Monday morning, but it’s more suited for a light summer dessert or weekend brunch item. This would be great with waffles, scones or pancakes or tossed with a bit of fresh mint or, oooh, even pistachios! Imagine the pineapple possibilities.

pina colada fruit salad
1 small pineapple, diced
1 basket of strawberries, sliced
3 T unsweetened angel flaked coconut
3 T honey (or agave syrup)
4 T amber rum (I used my favorite Appleton Estate from Jamaica)
1 t vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together honey, rum and vanilla. Add fruit and coconut and toss. Serve in small bowls.

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• citrus wallop fruit salad
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The next day, things in the kitchen were much better. I made some of my baked oatmeal for breakfast but I ran out of my skim milk. Luckily, Cornelius had just a little bit of eggnog left over from all the holiday festivities, and the expiration date was still a day away. So along with my 1 remaining cup of skim milk went in a half cup of the ‘nog and boy oh boy, did this oatmeal rock my socks! I had already added in a bit more spice than the original recipe called for and with the added kick from the eggnog, this oatmeal was a total flavour sensation. Wondering what to do with some leftover ‘nog? Put it to use for breakfast and treat yourself to something extra special. Oh boy, I guess this makes the 2nd of 2 breakfast eggnog posts! And I don’t even like eggnog!

Earlier this week, I made for dinner some good ol’ rice and beans. Please excuse the photo as I was only able to snap one blurry shot before my camera battery died. But don’t judge this recipe by one shoddy picture because this meal is so easy to put together and it’s full of flavour and spice. Plus, it’s the epitomy of cheap eats which makes it the perfect meal after all of December’s excess. You can adjust the heat by adding more or less chili….I went a bit crazy with the peppers but I tamed it with some honey and a big dollop of fat free sour cream. We heated up a few corn tortillas to eat along side. Yum.

red beans and rice
1 c rice
2 c water
1 t olive oil
1 can of red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 small onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 c salsa
2 T dark rum
1 T cumin
1 t red dried chili peppers, crushed
a few dashes of piri-piri sauce or your favorite hot sauce
1 T honey or brown sugar (optional)
dash of salt

1. Prepare rice as per usual. I always boil up 2 cups of water and then add in the rice. I keep the lid on and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes or so and then I turn off the heat and forget about it. Just don’t open the lid as the steam makes everything perfect!

2. Heat up a large cast iron pan with the olive oil. Add in the onions, garlic, celery, green peppers, and crushed dried chilis. Throw in a dash of salt to help the juices flow and stir until everything gets wilty.

3. Next, add in the kidney beans, spices and salsa and stir about until everything is combined and heated through. Taste to adjust spices and add in the rum and the honey if needed. Simmer for a few minutes and then serve in deep bowls on top of the rice.

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I’m totally new to the world of rum balls…a recent convert so to speak. One afternoon during a long walk on Commercial Drive (a street known for it’s hippies, Italian community and local food spots), Cornelius put me up to a rum ball challenge. We stopped off at 3 different bakeries and tried rum balls at all 3 just so that we could figure out which bakery made the best one. So you better trust that even though I’m new to the rum ball existance, I’m certainly no slacker when it comes to determining what makes a great rum ball. And these, my friends, are great rum balls! A great holiday cookie indeed. Since these are no-bake cookies, the rum flavour doesn’t burn off and they’ve got enough of a kick to keep a smile on your face during whatever holiday stress you encounter.

I don’t have a food processor, so I chopped all the pecans by hand. This works really well for this recipe because a nice nutty texture is best here and you don’t want to end up with a messy paste of finely ground nuts. If you don’t have chocolate cookies, give gingersnaps or vanilla cookies a try!

rum balls
1 1/2 c pecans
1 1/4 c chocolate wafer cookies (or gingersnaps or vanilla cookies)
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
2 T cocoa powder
2 T corn syrup
1/4 c amber rum

+ powdered sugar, grated coconut and sweetened cocoa powder

1. Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven until fragrant (about 10 minutes). Let cool and then chop finely. While pecans are toasting, crush the cookies until fine.

2. In a large bowl, combine crushed pecans, crushed cookies, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa and stir until well mixed. Add in the rum and corn syrup and mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour.

3. Roll 1 teaspoon of the mixture into balls and roll in your choice of powdered sugar, grated coconut or cocoa powder.

Makes 28 balls…so go ahead and double the recipe!

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• cranberry rum shortbread cookies

hot buttered rum
1/4 c butter, softened
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 T brown sugar

4 c water
2 c apple cider
1 large cinnamon stick, broken in 3
4 cardamom pods, slightly crushed
6 cloves
1 T brown sugar

1 t lemon juice per mug
1 1/2 oz amber rum per mug

1. Prepare the butter. Add spices and sugar to butter and mix until well combined. Put in fridge to firm up.

2. In a medium sized pot, add water, cider, spices and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. In 4 mugs, add in 1 teaspoon for lemon juice and one and a half ounces of rum to each mug. Add in 1 rounded teaspoon of the cold spiced butter and then ladle the hot spiced cider to fill each mug. Cheers!

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