Peach Blackberry Shortcake Turnovers

During my week off with the kids we headed to the cottage for some peaceful seclusion. Well, that was the theory, anyway. With 3 boys things are rarely peaceful. We took many walks in the woods scouting for wild mushroom and lichen (did I mention we are total nerds?), and happened upon a patch of wild blackberries. The question was what to do with them. I thumbed through this old Five Roses cookbook (which had no publication date but I am assuming is a few decades old judging by this cookie picture) and adapted the shortcake recipe to make these tasty treats.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 9

For the dough

- 2 1/4 cup flour

- 3 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3 tbsp sugar

- 1/4 cup non hydrogenated margarine

- 3/4 cup soy milk

- soy milk for brushing

For the Filling

- 2 peaches, skinned and chopped

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1 cup wild blackberries

- 2 tsp sugar

- 1 tsp flour

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- pinch of nutmeg

METHOD

Preheat oven to 425

1. Mix peaches with 1 tsp of sugar in a bowl and set aside.

2. Make the dough: mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Mix margarine in with your finger until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

3. Heat milk in the microwave until warm (but not hot) then mix into flour with a wooden spoon. Use your hands when the dough gets too tough to mix with a spoon, then knead a few times on the counter until smooth. Try not to overwork the dough. Set dough aside.

4. By now, the peaches will have released some liquid. Strain liquid out, then add remaining ingredients and mix well.

5. Roll dough into a 12 x 12" square. Use a knife to cut into nine 4 x 4" squares. Place 1/9 of the topping in the centre of each square, then fold into triangles. Press down on edges to seal. Transfer to a cookie sheet and cut 2 slits in the tops. Brush with soy milk.

6. Bake for 12-15 mins, or until browned and insides are bubbling. (I think the oven at the cottage cooks a little hot).

Blackberries in their natural habitat.

These thorns are deadly. The canes do not give up their fruit easily.

Happy Herbivore Mini-Cookbook for Sale

Do you remember me posting these photos?

They were all tester recipe for Happy Herbivore's upcoming cookbook. She has made 16 recipes available in a mini e-cookbook for $5 on her website. All of these recipes have no added fat (sure to please at least one of my readers) and use whole grain flours. Yes, Happy Herbivore has virtues I can only dream of. And, as a marathon runner she is living proof that a vegan diet can fuel even the most dedicated athlete. Check it out!

Strawberry Lemonade

The fine summer weather persists here, now that the kids are all cramped in their classrooms and focusing on reading and writing instead of resting and relaxing. If you are lucky enough to still be outside enjoying the weather (I am still pretending that the semester does not start tomorrow), pour yourself a tall glass of this wonderful lemonade. My brother made this for our family picnic this summer, and the recipe comes from Fine Cooking magazine.

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 7 cups

- 1 1/2 cups sugar

- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

- 2 cups water

- zest of 2 lemons

- 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

- 2 1/2 cups cold water

METHOD

1. Put sugar, berries and 2 cups of water in a sauce pan and bring to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 mins, until berries soften and release their colour. Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest, and let cool.

2. Strain berry mixture into a pitcher through a fine sieve, pressing the berries with a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Add lemon juice and water to the pitcher and mix well. If the lemonade is too strong, add more water.

3. Serve in a tall glass with plenty of ice cubes.

Roasted Corn on the Cob

I have never had roasted corn in my life so I am not sure if this is the preferred method, but it worked out very well for me. Local corn is in season now and the kernels are tender and very sweet. Roasting only amplifies the sweetness. And, if you are a corn-roasting expert, let me know your method.

INGREDIENTS

- corn cobs, husk on

METHOD

Preheat BBQ to 500 degrees

1. Trim top tassells and soak corn in a sink if water for 20 mins.

2. Roast on the BBQ for 25 -30 mins, turning every 5 mins, and rotating cobs if your BBQ has hot spots. The husks will be pretty black by the end, but you want to make sure you don't burn the corn underneath.

3. Remove corn from grill and let cool for 5 mins. Remove husks and serve.

Here are the cobs after 1 turn. The real trick is getting the husks off the hot cobs. I held them with an oven mitt and peeled off the husks with a set of tongs.

Warm Roasted Potato Salad

The kids are headed back to school tomorrow and so we spent the afternoon on the beach soaking up the last of the summer sun. We brought a picnic dinner, pitched a tent in the sand, and enjoyed swimming in the warm lake. Potato salad is the quintessential summer picnic food, and this is a more refined take on an old classic. The recipe is based on a potato salad my brother made for us when we visited a few weeks ago for our nephew's birthday.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4-5

- 2 lbs baby red potatoes

- 2 shallots, peeled

- 2 cloves garlic, peeled

- 3 tbsp olive oil

- 2 gherkins, finely diced

- 2 tbsp coarse grain Dijon mustard (or more, to taste)

- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

- freshly ground pepper

METHOD

1. Toss baby potatoes, shallots, and garlic in some olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast on BBQ over medium heat, turning regularly, for 30 mins, or until soft. Remove from foil.

2. Dice potatoes, chop shallots, and mince garlic. Toss with remaining ingredients and season to taste.