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Ben & Jerry’s, the famed ice cream makers known as much for their inspired ice cream names as their chunk-filled flavours, is looking to Canadians to name their newest creation.

The new flavor is a combination of vanilla ice cream, fudge covered waffle cone pieces and a fudge swirl. They have temporarily named it We are Waffling – but are waiting for you to give this flavor it’s official name.

Starting April 19th, Canadians can visit www.facebook.com and serve up their own name on a virtual pint on the “Ben & Jerry’s Canada” Fan Page. Ben & Jerry’s fans can view and vote on their favourites at a gallery of pre-selected pints on the “Ben & Jerry’s Canada” Fan Page between July 2nd to July 16th, 2010.

What will the winner get? A year’s supply of the soon to be re-named We are Waffling ice cream, the thrill of seeing their name on pints of Ben & Jerry’s across Canada and (eternal bragging right among friends and acquaintances).

Sounds like fun and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream is always good for a sweet treat.

Just go to www.facebook.com and enter to win. Don’t forget to vote while you are there. Good luck ice cream fans.

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Tags: ben and jerrys, Contests, ice cream

Are you, like me, becoming increasingly concerned about the fact that many of our children eat very little “real” food? There is more and more processed and ready to eat out of the package food available today, so much that some kids, and more than we want to believe I think, have little contact with real food, made with fresh ingredients.

Hellmann’s conducted a national survey and according to the results, Canadian families are eager to eat more real food. However, although 92 per cent of Canadians with kids feel that consuming real food is important, only six per cent are making all of their meals using only real food.* No matter what your age, that is a HUGE change from when any of us grew up. The concern is, how this is going to affect the future of our children in terms of their health and longevity.

Hellmann’s is committed to making it easier for Canadians and their families to enjoy the pleasure of real food. As a result, they are providing $100,000 in Real Food Grants to support initiatives that bring Canadian families and kids together with real food in their community.

The good news is that families and community organizations across Canada can take part in this initiative and help promote healthy eating for kids and you can get a grant from Hellmann’s to help do it. Here’s how -

Eligible Programs & Who Can Apply

Hellmann’s Real Food Grants will fund projects that take place in Canada in 2010. Their priority is to support programs or projects with tangible results that connect Canadians and their families to real food versus submissions without specific outcomes.

To be eligible, an initiative must achieve one of these goals:

• Educate Canadian families and kids about real food
• Connect Canadian families and kids with real food through an experience or event

The following groups* can apply:

• School based groups
• Community groups
• Families

*All groups must create a community event or experience that involves kids.

Hellmann’s Real Food Grants Ideas:

Grant ideas could be small initiatives such as:

• A Canadian family hosting a real food picnic
• Organizing a real food lunch week for a classroom or school
• A group / class trip to experience real food. For example: a farmer’s market, a bakery, cheese, meat, fish shop, etc.

Or larger initiatives such as:

• Starting a community based garden or greenhouse
• Organizing a community real food festival or event
• Starting an in-school real food lunch program

The Grant Application Process:

Hellmann’s Real Food Grants applications will be accepted between April 7, 2010 and June 30, 2010. Applications will be evaluated on an on-going basis. To apply, please fill out the submission form located online online at RealFoodMovement.ca.

So get going creative thinking families and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to help people to start thinking of real food!

We can do this.

* Hellmann’s Real Food survey was conducted by Ipsos Canadian Online Omnibus for Hellmann’s. Data was collected via an online poll between February 11-14, 2010 from more than 1,000 Canadians ages 18 and older. For the purposes of the survey, and our Real Food Grants Program ‘real food’ is defined as authentic food that is made with simple, natural ingredients; and ‘Canadians with kids’ are defined as ‘Canadians with kids under 18 in the household.’ Survey data is statistically accurate +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20.

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Tags: Healthy Eating, hellmanns, hellmanns grant, hellmanns real food movement grants, real food movement

Who can resist the combination of chocolate and raspberries? This is an easy recipe to make and great for entertaining.

A perfect treat for any mom this Mother’s Day.

16 ounces white chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 cups fresh raspberries (or strawberries if you prefer)
finely chopped pistachios (optional)

In a heavy pot on very low heat, melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and stir in whipping cream. The mixture will still be very liquid. Place in a bowl and refrigerate, uncovered, until it is cool and until mixture thickens, about 2 hours.

Spoon a layer of mousse into a serving bowl (glass looks beautiful for this). Top with a few raspberries and another layer of mousse. Top with raspberries. Garnish with chopped pistachios if desired.

Simple, delicious and elegant. Can’t beat that.

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Tags: chocolate desserts, chocolate mousse, chocolate mousse recipe, chocolate recipes, dessert recipes, easy desserts, fruit desserts, fruit recipes, recipes for entertaining, white chocolate recipe

Here’s a lovely recipe for chicken cooked in barbecue sauce. It is an easy oven recipe. Season and brown the chicken on the stovetop, then place it in the oven smothered in that wonderful sauce. Yum!

Chicken in Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:
1 – 2½ to 3 pound chicken, cut into pieces
½ cup flour
1½ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
barbecue sauce (recipe follows)

Add salt and pepper to flour and stir to mix. Roll chicken pieces in seasoned flour to coat.

Heat the oil. Brown chicken pieces on all sides over moderate heat, about 20 minutes. If pan is not oven-proof, transfer chicken to a shallow baking pan.

Pour barbecue sauce over chicken. Cover with a lid or foil and bake at 325° for 45 minutes, until chicken is tender. To crisp the top, place baking pan under a broiler for a few minutes. Watch closely so sauce doesn’t burn.

Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup tomato juice
¼ cup catsup
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cooking oil

Combine ingredients and cook slowly for 15 minutes.

Makes 1½ cups.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Great as a baking sauce for this chicken or as a basting sauce for ribs, pork or chicken.

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Tags: baked chicken, baked chicken recipes, barbecue chicken, barbecue sauce, bbq chicken, bbq sauce, chicken recipe

This risotto primavera recipe has a bit of a twist. It is cooked in a pressure cooker. The rice turns out nice and soft.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook the risotto the usual way, by gradually adding the chicken stock and letting it cook in before adding another large spoonful

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
4 cups hot chicken stock
- salt –
1 lb asparagus, cut in pieces
1/4 lb sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 cup peas
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups parmesan cheese, freshly grated

In a pressure cooker; heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in rice to coat well.  Stir in 3 1/2 cups (875 ml) stock.

Lock lid in place, bring to high pressure over high heat.  Lower heat just enough to maintain high pressure, cook for 5 minutes.  Quickly reduce pressure.  Remove lid carefully.

Stir in asparagus and half of prosciutto.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and adding more stock if needed to keep it soupy for 5 minutes or until rice is tender but slightly firm and mixture is creamy.  Stir in peas and green onions.  Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Stir in half of basil, remaining prosciutto and 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with remaining basil and cheese.

Serve

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Tags: how to cook risotto, Italian recipes, risotto primavera, risotto recipe, risotto recipes

It’s Easter and Passover this week. For those of us celebrating Easter, ham is often first on the menu. You will find our directions for baked ham on the main site here.  Glazing your ham with one of our signature glazes creates a real masterpiece. You  will find recipes for Pineapple Glaze, Ginger Glaze and Chili Glaze among many others. Look here for the glaze recipes. All of our Easter recipes and menu suggestions can be found here.

Here is a wonderful side dish recipe that will work well with many main dishes, including either ham or turkey.  It is simple, a bit tangy and a bit sweet.

Citrus Glazed Carrots

2 cups  carrots, sliced
2 medium oranges
1 1/2 teaspoons  honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Cook carrots in small amount of boiling water until tender crisp; drain.

Meanwhile, section oranges over a bowl to catch juice. Stir orange sections and juice, honey, salt and ginger into carrots in saucepan. Heat through.

Serves 4

Whatever you celebrate this season, have a wonderful weekend.

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Tags: carrot recipes, cooked carrots, easter recipes, side dishes, vegetable recipes, vegetable side dish recipes, vegetable side dishes

Easter is coming up and here is a wonderful recipe that would be perfect for Easter brunch or breakfast. It combines the two traditional Easter favorites, ham and eggs into something just a bit different.

For lunch just serve this in large squares with a salad.

1 package (14 oz)  frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon dijon mustard (15 ml)
3/4 pound ham, thinly sliced (375 g)
13  eggs
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped (25 ml)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (25 ml)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1 ml)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (1 ml)
1 tablespoon water (15 ml)

Roll out half of pastry about 1 inch bigger than bottom of 13×9 inch (3 L) glass baking dish, lining the bottom and part of the sides.  Spread the pastry evenly with mustard, top with half of the ham.  Break 12 of the eggs onto the ham.  With a fork, pierce the yolks but do not stir yolks and whites together.  Sprinkle with onion, parsley, salt and pepper.  Top with the remaining ham slices.

Roll out remaining the pastry, placing it on top, sealing the edges onto the bottom pastry.  Beat the remaining egg with water.  Brush over top of the pastry.  With the tip of a sharp knife, make small slashes in several places in top pastry.

Bake in preheated 400ºF (200ºC) oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Cut in squares to serve.

Serves 10

For more yummy Easter recipe ideas, plus menus, go here on our main site, www.cookingnook.com.

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Tags: easter recipes, egg recipes, ham and egg pie, ham recipes