Puff Pastry recipe from Canadian Living

I copied this puff pastry recipe from Canadian Living because it's just so good and if ever the link to the recipe didn't work anymore I wanted to make sure not to lose it.

Quick Puff Pastry

Canadian Living Test Kitchen food experts create every recipe to inspire home cooks and share how fun and satisfying cooking is.

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Source: Canadian Living Magazine: May 2007

• 
  
• Portion size 1 lb (500 g)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 mL) cold unsalted butter
• 1-2/3 cups (400 mL) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) cold water
• 
  
• Preparation

Cut butter into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes; set aside 3/4 cup (175 mL) in refrigerator. In food processor, blend flour with salt. Sprinkle remaining butter over top; pulse until indistinguishable, about 10 seconds. Sprinkle with reserved butter; pulse 4 or 5 times to cut into pea-size pieces.

Pour water evenly over mixture (not through feed tube). Pulse 6 to 8 times until loose ragged dough forms (do not let form ball). Transfer to floured waxed paper; gather and press into rectangle. Dust with flour; top with waxed paper. Roll out into 15- x 12-inch (38 x 30 cm) rectangle.

Remove top paper. Starting at long edge and using bottom paper to lift pastry, fold over one-third; fold opposite long edge over top, bringing flush with edge of first fold to make 15- x 4-inch (38 x 10 cm) rectangle. Starting from 1 short end, roll up firmly; flatten into 5-inch (12 cm) square. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

Additional information : Variation
Quick Herb Puff Pastry: After rolling out into 15- x 12-inch (38 x 30 cm) rectangle, sprinkle all over with 2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh parsley and 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh thyme. Continue with recipe.

You might like these recipes using Puff Pastry:
Cock-a-Leekie Turkey Pie
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2015/10/cock-leekie-turkey-pie.html

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2016/01/spicy-cranberry-sausage-rolls.html
Spicy Cranberry Sausage Rolls

• 
  

Creamy Butterscotch Fudge

You only need a little square of this rich and creamy fudge to satisfy your sweet tooth. 

300 g  bag butterscotch chips
1  2/3 cups white chocolate chips or melting discs (plus more for drizzling)
1 - 300 ml can sweetened condensed milk
sugar cinnamon to sprinkle

Line an 8 X 8 pan with parchment paper. You can cut the corners to fit as the fudge will not ooze underneath the paper.

In a large pot and on low heat, melt the butterscotch chips and white chocolate chips with the condensed milk. This will only take a few minutes.

Stir well and pour into the prepared pan.

Melt a few white chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle as much as you want on top of the fudge. Sprinkle sugar cinnamon for a little sparkle. (1/4 cup sugar to 1 tbsps cinnamon ratio is what I use)

Set at room temperature a few hours. Once set you can lift the parchment out of the pan and cut your yummy fudge into
1" squares.

Festive Fruit and Green Salad for a Crowd

With all it's colours this salad is just so pretty!

It makes enough for about 25 people but you can divide it down if you don't need that much. Have all your fruit and veggies chopped and stored in ziplock baggies until you need them. You can toss the dressing in right before serving.  I did that with one big bowl of salad, but left the second bowl undressed in case it didn't get used right away.

4 - 8 oz bags mixed greens and spinach
2-3 cups chopped celery
2  1/2 cups dried cranberries
4 cans mandarin orange segments, drained
3 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
2 tsps salt
1  1/2 cups pecan halves
1 pomegranate

Dressing:
16 oz vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder


Mix the dressing ingredients together and refrigerate. It is a little sweet on account of the sugar, but if you want more sweetness just add a little of the juice from the drained mandarins. I stored my dressing in mason jars because it was easy to transport to the dinner I was taking my salad to.

To prepare the apple slices dissolve 2 tsp of salt in a bowl of water enough to cover the sliced apples. Let them sit in it for 10 minutes, then rinse with cold water and pat dry. Place in a ziplock bag and remove as much air as possible (use a straw). Granny Smiths don't brown as easily as other apples do, but doing this will keep them white even longer.

Cut the pomegranate in half then submerge in a bowl of water. As you start peeling the membrane away it will float to the top leaving the pomegranate seeds on the bottom of the bowl.  So easy!

So when you are ready to serve this beauty simply empty all your baggies into a large salad bowl along with the greens, toss with the dressing, then sit back and wait for the compliments : )

Turkey and Bacon Carbonara

But if you still have turkey leftovers.....

3/4 lb pasta (I used linguini)
2 cups cooked turkey
1/4 lb bacon, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream 35%
1/2 cup parmesan
2 tbsps parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped spinach/greens

In a bowl mix eggs, cream, parmesan, salt and olive oil and set aside.

Fry bacon in a pan, then add onion and cook until translucent. Toss in turkey and parsley.

Cook pasta and drain. While hot pour in the egg mixture and stir well to coat. Add the turkey and the chopped spinach.

Serve with more parmesan. 
Hopefully that's the end of the turkey leftovers!

Pear and Cranberry Pork Roast

Here's another pork recipe (because we're all tired of turkey leftovers!) filled with lots of fruit, nuts and veggies.

2 lb boneless porkloin
1 cup chopped, unpeeled Bosc pear
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
2 tbsps finely chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 slice brown bread, crust removed and cubed
1 tbsp sundried tomatoes
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
rosemary, salt and pepper to taste

Lightly brown onion, celery and garlic in a little olive oil. Add the bread and lightly toast it. Remove from heat and add cranberries (both types), sundried tomatoes, walnuts, rosemary, salt, pepper, white wine vinegar and honey. Toss in the pears. Cool.

Butterfly the pork and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the filling evenly,

roll it up and tie to secure with kitchen string.

Brush with oil and place in a 400 F oven for 30 minutes. Baste with the pan juices, add any leftover filling to the pan and return to the oven an additional 30-40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Heat the browned pan and add a little water or broth for a lovely brown au jus.

Montreal Pork Roast

Had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner at my cousin's place. He made this pork roast on the bbq which I thought I'd try to re-create in the oven.

1 lb boneless pork roast
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
Montreal steak spice
Joe Beef butcher's blend (also from Montreal)

Mix the dijon and honey together and smear all over the roast. Generously sprinkle both steak spices then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Roast in a 350F oven for about 45 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before slicing. 

I had some potatoes roasting in the pan as well. Meat was ready first so while it was resting I popped the potatoes back in the oven to get a little browner. And once I removed the potatoes from the pan I added some broth for a deep brown au jus.

Çhristmas Jam

Tastes like Christmas in a jar!

2 oranges, zested 
6 cups fresh cranberries
20 oz/600 g frozen strawberries, thawed 1 hour
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 (3 oz) pkgs liquid fruit pectin

Zest both oranges. You should have about 4 tsps. Set aside.
Then peel the oranges and quarter.

In a food processor pulse the cranberries and oranges coarsely.

Add the strawberries.

You may have to work in batches. Add zest, allspice and cinnamon and mix everything together in a large pot. Add sugar and water. Heat on medium a few minutes, check to see that the cranberries have softened, then bring up to a rolling boil. Stir in the pectin, bring back to  boil for 1 more minute.

Remove from heat and skim off the foam.

I looked up why the foam should be removed. It makes air pockets in the jam that you don't want as it could cause bacteria to grow. But don't throw the foamy jam out, just put it in a jar, keep it in the fridge and use first.

Sterilize jars. I pour boiling water in the jars. The lids get the same treatment.

Fill and process in a hot water bath 10 minutes.

Recipe from
http://www.food.com/recipe/christmas-jam