Nanaimo Bars (by Margaret Ullrich)

Along with enjoying the many clinics and rail hops, out-of-town guests at Steam on the Prairies got their first taste of a Canadian delicacy, Nanaimo Bars. 

They were good sports about it.  Maybe all the potato salad and pulled pork lulled them into a sense of security.  But, after a few bites, they realized they weren't just eating a chocolate cookie.  There were some definite mumblings - "Coconut?  Whipped cream?" - while they ate dessert.  They even asked a few locals "What's in this?" 

So, to answer their questions, and to add a little something to everyone else's files, here's the recipe.

       Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 egg, beaten

1 1/4 cups graham wafer crumbs

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

Melt first 3 ingredients in the top of a double boiler.  Add egg and stir to cook and thicken.  Remove from heat.  Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts.  Press firmly into an ungreased 8x8 inch pan.

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Second layer:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons cream

2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder (Bird's is available on most stores)

2 cups icing sugar

Cream ingredients together.  Beat until light.  Spread over bottom layer.

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Third layer:

4 (1 oz.) squares semi-sweet chocolate

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat or in microwave.  Cool.  When cooled but still liquid pour over second layer.  Chill in refrigerator.  Cut into bars.

Have a great day.  How can you miss - you're in Winnipeg!

Family Fun and Easy Sugar Cookies

Tired of seeing Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol on TV? How about an old-fashioned dramatic reading. Ron Robinson, Marilyn Maki, Margaux Watt, Gord Leclerc and Carson Nattrass will be reading at Crescent Fort Rouge United Church at 7:30 p.m. on December 11th. Tickets are $10 and are available at McNally Robinson and at the door.


Crescent Fort Rouge United Church will also be presenting Holy Day, Snowy Nights on December 12th at 7:00 p.m. An evening of choral music featuring The Winnipeg Boys Choir, Sandra Boyes, Scot Braun, Lottie Enns-Braun, Cary Denby and the Sisler High School Chamber Choir. Tickets are $5 and are available at the door - under 12 years old are free.


A Jazzy Christmas is more your style? Come to the Muriel Richardson Auditorium at the Winnipeg Art Gallery for a Nat King Cole Christmas. Denzal Sinclaire will be perfoming on December 13th, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at McNally Robinson or call 632-5299.


Catskill wil be performing at the West End Cultural Centre on December 13th at 8:00 p.m. Free admission.


Remember Wayne Newton in Dead Ringer? Okay, if you'd like to see this rare 1981 episode of the TV show Vega$ come to Into the Music on December 14th at 4:30 p.m. The screening will be followed by an hour of music. Hey, it's a free show.


Want a free, fun New Year's Eve? There'll be a New Year's Eve Concert for Hope and Peace at Westminster United Church on December 31st at 6:00 p.m. Ring in the New Year with Andre Macasaet, Bandaline, Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Jazz on Wheels and Fred Penner. Tickets are required and are available December 14th at Assiniboine Credit Union branches.


Okay, it's fun to go out during the holidays and to get together with your nearest and dearest. But, if you're using your car to get around, don't forget that the overnight parking ban is in effect. Any car parked on a snow route between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. may be ticketed. Stay tuned to local media for imformation on temporary Residential Ovenight Parking Bans following heavy snowfall.

For more information call 775-SNOW or register for automatic e mail notification of winter parking bans.


Okay. The kids want holiday cookies and your fancy, Christmas-themed, only-use-once-a-year cookie cutters are in a safe place.

No problem.

These cookies look festive and are just the right size to dunk. All you need is the bottom of a drinking glass - any size, glass, metal or plastic.

If all your glasses are in a safe place - getting a little paranoid, are we? - then grab a jar or bottle. Flatten, bake and enjoy.


EASY SUGAR COOKIES

grease 3 cookie sheets
preheat oven to 400º
bake 10 min.

in a large bowl combine
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon extract
(if you prefer orange, almond, anise, rum, brandy
extract or totally vanilla, fine - they're your cookies)
----
blend in
3/4 cup (minus 1 tablespoon) sugar
----
sift together
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
add to beaten eggs mixture
----
pour into a medium-sized bowl
1 jar red or green-colored sugar
Scoop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls and drop into
the colored sugar
roll the dough balls around to cover them in sugar
place the dough balls on the cookie sheet
flatten with glass
bake
remove at once and cool on racks


Have a great day. How can you miss - you're in Winnipeg!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars and Prairie Fire Launch

Ah, yes... Halloween. It's loads of fun to carve a pumpkin. But now it's November and folks are stuck with a huge hunk of raw pumpkin. Food prices being what they are, nobody wants to just throw food away.

I received a few e mails asking if I had a recipe.
 Here's an old favorite. Hope you enjoy it, too.

PUMPKIN OATMEAL BARS

grease 2 9 x 13" pans
preheat oven to 350º
bake 50 min.

in a large bowl combine
3 Cups flour
3 Cups oats
3 Cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
make a well in the center
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add
3 Cups cooked pumpkin (= 28 oz. can)
3 large eggs
9 ounces oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
stir until just mixed
----
stir in
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
turn into prepared pans
bake - cool - cut into bars


Just a reminder... Prairie Fire Press is inviting you to come to the launch and celebration of "Home Place 3", Thursday November 5, at McNally Robinson Booksellers' Grant Park location, in the Travel Alcove. It's free to the public.

Giving short readings that evening are Steve Benstead, Todd Besant, Warren Cariou, Sharon Chisvin, Anita Daher, Elizabeth Denny, David Elias, Hedy Heppenstall, Mary Horodyski, Faith Johnston, Esme Claire Keith, Barbara Romanik, James Scoles, Niigonwedom James Sinclair, Katherena Vermette, Andrea von Wichert and John Weir. They'll start at 7:00 pm.

Join the writers for cake and coffee after the reading.

Hope they'll serve their delicious carrot cake. I had a story in Prairie Fire's "Home Place 2" in 2008 and remember the launch as being a lot of fun. Writers love to meet their readers.


Have a great day. How can you miss - you're in Winnipeg!

Chocolate Trivia & The Perfect Train Snack: Choo Choos

Mustn't forget about chocolate. Here's a bit of chocolate trivia - M&M's stands for the last names of Forrest Mars, Sr., the candy maker and his associate, Bruce Murrie. M&M is way easier than saying "Forrest & Bruce".

Back to this week's theme: Trains. Sometimes it's nice to have some munchies when you're on a train ride. Here's a recipe for an easy snack that travels well and is chewy. Hence, the name.


CHOO CHOOS

grease an 8" square pan
preheat oven to 350º
bake 30 min.
makes 24 bars


blend together
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar

-----
stir in
1 cup chopped dates
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

-----
2 eggs - beat until foamy
blend with dry ingredients
turn into prepared pan
bake - cool - cut into bars


Have a great weekend. How can you miss - you're in Winnipeg!