One on One: Ben Mulroney

 

This week's One on One was a lot of fun to do. It's always nice talking with Ben when I get the chance to. I was pretty excited when he said he'd take part. The recipe he shared with us is unbelievable! Enjoy the One on One and the delicious recipe. Happy Cooking!!

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As a child being in such a well known family with your father being Prime Minister did you or do you have any interest in doing the same work as your father?

 I never had any interest in pursuing politics. That being said, it’s in the blood: I am deeply invested politically, particularly on the municipal level.

Are you working on any upcoming projects that you can share with us.. And is there something that you can tell us about Ben Mulroney that the readers don't know about you...

I have a deep love for comic books and I am working diligently to inculcate that passion in my sons, Brian and John. Also, while I very much enjoy a sedentary lifestyle,I counterintuitively love running Tough Mudder challenges. If you’ve never heard of it, google it: it’s a lot of fun.

Being in the eyes of Canada and the world at such an early age was it hard for your family to take trips or do family things without the camera or public media around... As a child did you understand why? With your own family now it must be difficult.

Canadian prime ministers are hounded at work, but mercifully left alone by the press at home and on vacation, so getaways were drama-free. That being said, I understood the implications of public life very early, and not much about it surprised me. Today, life is good: if anyone stops me on the street, it is to pay me a compliment, which is always a plus.

Who do you look up to as a role model or that inspires you today.. And is there someone that you  haven't worked with that you hope to one day soon?

  The answer to both of your questions is the same: my dad.

And finally when you and your family are at home what is the one meal that you or wife makes that is a family favorite? Can you share the recipe with the readers please...

  We are a comfort food family and we love a good Bolognese sauce. Here is the recipe, as best as I can remember it:

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 Throw chopped carrots, peppers (red, green yellow orange) celery and mushrooms into a small amount of oil in a pot. Cook through, but make sure they are still crunchy.

  Add  half a chopped white onion, 3-4 chopped cloves of garlic,  1.5 lbs of your favorite ground meat: I tend to use lean ground beef, but sometimes, I’ll use some veal, or turkey.

 NOTE: for vegetarians, YVES vegetarian ground round works as a perfect substitute.

 Salt and pepper.
 Stir and mix together til meat is about 2/3rds cooked.
combine 1 large can of tomoato paste.
Add ½ bottle of red wine and let simmer til wine has reduced nearly completely.
 Let simmer for 3 hours, adding ½ cup of milk or cream every 30 minutes.
While this is happening, salt, pepper and spice to taste.

For best results, remove from heat, and let sit in fridge over night – reheat and serve next day.

For an added crunch, add a few handfuls of the chopped peppers while you ar reheating the sauce – it will give the meal added brightness and an extra crunch.

ALSO, puree green veggies and combine in some of the sauce for a vitamin-packed sauce your kids will love!
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Thanks to Ben for taking part in this week's One on One! He's got one busy schedule and for him to take the time to participate was really kind of him.

 

 

Follow Ben on Twitter and Instagram

 

Gluten-free Mini Doughnuts

I used my 12-count mini doughnut pan to bake these little beauties, so this recipe will make a dozen small doughnuts. They bake in only 15 minutes.
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Gluten-free Mini Doughnuts

Makes: 12 mini doughnuts

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Ingredients:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:

1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour or certified gluten-free oat flour
1/2 cup potato starch (not potato flour)
2 tablespoons hazelnut flour or almond flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Add:

1/4 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening
1/2 cup vegan sour cream (or plain vegan yogurt)
1/4 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk (or plain rice or nut milk)
Ener-G Egg Replacer for two eggs mixed with a scant 1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract


Instructions:

Add the shortening first, by spoonfuls, and use the mixer's whisk attachment or a pastry cutter to help it distribute the shortening until the flour mix becomes sand textured.

Add in the vegan sour cream, coconut milk, egg replacer and vanilla extract, and mix until the dough forms a smooth and pliable dough. It should be slightly sticky- but not too sticky to handle. (If the dough is too wet and cannot easily form a ball when you roll it in your palms, add a bit more flour.)

Divide the dough into 12 sections and roll each piece in your palms to form a ball roughly the size of a golf ball Your hands should be slightly oily from the shortening- this is good.

Using your palms, gently roll the dough into a log shape and carefully- gently- continue to roll it into a cigar shape about 4 to 5 inches long. Drape the dough into the well of a doughnut pan, and slightly overlap the two ends to make a circle. Don't get fussy yet. Just lay it in there.
Continue as above with the remaining dough balls.

Using oily or slightly wet fingers, smooth out the dough evenly. Don't smoosh it down into the well- simply finesse it a bit so that it comes together evenly as a ring.

Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, until firm to the touch.

Mine baked at exactly 15 minutes. Don't over bake these little babies- remember, the center of the mold is hot too, so the donut rings are baking from both sides.

Remove the pan and set it on a wire rack to cool a bit. As soon as it's cool enough to handle, remove the doughnuts from the pan and place them bottom side up on a wire rack (if they stay in the hot pan too long, gluten-free goodies get soggy bottoms).

When cooled a bit, sift confectioner's sugar or a mix of confectioner's sugar and ground cinnamon all over the doughnuts.

Chocolate Chip Cookies & Pumpkin Marshmallow Ice Cream

I love to use my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker when I can. So why not post a recipe to an ice cream with a few of my favourite ingredients...
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Chocolate Chip Cookies & Pumpkin Marshmallow Ice Cream

Yield: makes about 1 quart

Total Time: 8 hours

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 baked chocolate chip cookies, crushed
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff

Directions:

Add the cream, milk, sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pie spice and salt to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is combined, making sure not to let it stick to the bottom. Continue to heat until the mixture becomes warm and begins to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat, add the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least 30 to 60 minutes.

Once it's cold, add the mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to directions. A few minutes before it's finished churning, add in 1 cup of marshmallow fluff and half of the cookies in a few increments. Once it's finished churning, scoop the ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Stir in the remaining cookies and marshmallow, then freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours. Let sit for a few minutes before serving so the ice cream can soften.

Hot & Sour Vegetable Soup

 

Here is a incredible soup that can never be passed on a cold day. This is a go-to when you're wanting to warm up. It just puts a big smile on your face after having a bowl or two.
This is one of my all-time favorites that you all have to try out. I know you will enjoy this just as much or even more than me.
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Hot & Sour Vegetable Soup

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
6 pcs dried black mushrooms
3 pcs dried cloud ear, rehydrated
1/2 pc bamboo shoot,
1/4 pc carrot
1/4 pc soft tofu,
2-3 slices of ginger
1 tsp finely chopped coriander, optional

Soup:
3 cups mushroom stock
1 tsp oil
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp black vinegar (Chekiang type)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp chili bean sauce
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 of a large egg or 1 small egg, beaten
1/4 tsp sesame oil
corn starch paste for thickening (corn starch : water = 1 tsp : 2 tsp)

Method
To prepare the mushrooms stock, first rinse 6 pieces of dried black mushrooms, then soak them in 3 cups of water overnight. Squeeze water from mushrooms and reserve water from soaking. Remove and discard stems (retain 3 mushrooms for this soup and reserve the remaining for other uses, like making noodles or stir fries). Since no meat stock is used, I have soaked more mushrooms (6 pieces) for making the soup. But if you are adding in some pork or beef slices, probably you would only need 3 mushrooms.
Julienne ginger, carrot and bamboo shoot, thinly slice mushrooms, tofu, and cloud ear. It would be harder to cut a cloud ear into slivers if it is laid flat as a sheet. Yet, when it is curled into a roll, slicing will be easier, even into very thin shreds. Admittedly, I love every ingredient to be shredded as thin as possible.

As all ingredients are julienned, heat pot over medium heat with a tea spoon of oil. Sauté ginger until fragrant. Toss in mushrooms, carrot, bamboo shoot, and cloud ears. Stir them for a while, 1 to 2 minutes, then pour in stock. Bring it to a boil, then gently lay in tofu, Season with vinegar, salt, soy sauce, chili bean paste, white pepper, and thicken with corn starch paste. Stir to avoid any lumps.

As soon as the liquid thickened to your liking, turn heat to the lowest, use a spatula spoon to lay a thin layer of beaten egg over the soup. Doing such than pouring in the egg is to avoid it sinking to the bottom and forming lumps. Then, quickly stir the egg juice in swirls so as to create feather-like patterns. Sprinkle in sesame oil; garnish with coriander. Serve hot.

Cinnamon Crunch Pumpkin Bread

I absolutely love anything pumpkin.. This recipe is a keeper. It tastes amazing. You might just not want to share this with anyone. It's a great bread to make during the fall. Who am I kidding... I pretty much would eat this anytime of the year.
Bake some and share the goodness..

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Cinnamon Crunch Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
1¾ c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar, packed
⅓ c. water
¼ c. oil
¼ c. butter
1 c. pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
1 tbsp. flour
5 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ c. chopped pecans (optional)
¼ c. cinnamon baking chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray one 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with baking spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, oil, and sugars. Mix until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, water, and vanilla, mix until smooth. Add in one egg at a time, mixing after each addition.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk together. With mixing speed on low, gradually add dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Set aside.
5. To make the topping, in a small mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on top of batter along with nuts and cinnamon chips.
6. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour. The topping will begin to darken but should not burn. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour before removing.

General Tao Chicken

This has to be my absolute favourite dish to order when the family and I go out for dinner to a Chinese restaurant. So I thought it would be fun to post it here on my blog for you all to try for yourselves. The flavours are incredible and the crunchiness of the chicken is outstanding. I know you all will love this as much as I do. Happy Cooking!

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General Tao Chicken
Serves:6

Ingredients

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 eggs
1 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp ground black pepper
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 Tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce

Directions

Coat the chicken pieces with 1/4 cup of cornstarch; set aside.
Beat the eggs, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the flour and baking powder until no large lumps remain. Mix in the chicken until evenly coated.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Drop in the chicken pieces; cook until golden brown and no longer pink on the inside, about 12 minutes. Set the chicken aside; keep warm.
Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the sesame oil, ginger, and green onion. Cook and stir until the onion is limp and the ginger begins to brown, about 1 minute. Pour in the water, vinegar, and sugar; bring to a boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the soy sauce and add to the simmering vinegar along with the oyster sauce and ketchup. Stir until the sauce has thickened and is no longer cloudy. Stir in the chicken and simmer until hot.

Serve it with your favorite rice dish and steamed Broccoli and Peppers..

 

 

 

One on One: Ruby Rodriguez

 

I can't tell you enough how excited I am about this week's One on One. I have been a fan of Ruby Rodriguez since the first time I watched Eat Bulaga. She is a absolute joy to watch on TV. She's such a great actress and so funny!!! But what I love most is she's down-to-earth and a great person to talk to. I'm so looking forward to going back to the Philippines to see her again.

 

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Chef D: Have you always been in show business, and what was your very first big break?

Ruby: I started as a pre school teacher. My very first showbiz appearance was in a movie with Maricel Soriano, Roderick Paulate , and Abby Concepcion The title is Gorio en Tekla.

Chef D: On Eat Bulaga the cast along with yourself looks like your always joking around and playing practical jokes on each other. Does this happen on set?

Ruby: Practical jokes??? No I do not on the contrary my EB co host always does the joke on me! They love putting crazy stuff in my bag.Like forks, knife and they hide other people cellphone in it too. They use my bag as

 

a cabinet lol

 

Chef D: Do your children have any interest in following your footsteps and becoming a actor/actress?

 

Ruby: Hmmmm I think Toni is too but she is seriously thinking taking up law. aj no idea yet

Chef D: Are you working on any upcoming projects that you can share with us?

Ruby: I still dont have anything big upcoming though i have been doing GMA regional shows and a lot of corporate events.

Chef D: And finally when you and your family are at home what dish is your family favorite that you prepare?

Ruby: Well as u can see Im the one who loves to eat! My hubby does the cooking and I do the handyman stuff.

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Lechon Batchoy
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 kilo of Canton noodles
½ kilo of pork
½ kilo of pork liver chopped
2 raw eggs
4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of spring onions (chopped)
1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
2 cups of Chicharon (crushed)
2 heads of garlic (crushed)
15 cups of water

Method:

In a pan, heat oil and saute garlic until golden brown. Set aside.
In a pot, boil water. Add pepper and salt. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Add the pork. Simmer until the pork is cooked.
Add the liver and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the Sauteed garlic, Canton noodles and raw egg.
 Stir a little and simmer until the noodles are cooked.
Scatter spring onions and Chicharon over the noodles when serving.
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Thanks again to Ruby for taking time out of her busy schedule to participate in One on One! I really appreciate it xoxo

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