HAL’S KITCHEN: Retro holiday dishes featuring eggs

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Canada’s Egg Farmers have done it again. With the help of chefs across the country, a new batch of great recipes has gone up on their website. They feature nostalgic holiday dishes, like chef Josh Gale’s Cheese Pie. It’s inspired by his mom’s cheese pie which he grew up eating every Christmas with strawberry jam on top. Josh says it’s shockingly simple to make and a total throwback, sort of a souffle-quiche hybrid. It’s a comforting, savoury dish perfect for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. I haven’t tried it myself yet but I’ll take Josh’s word for it. I mean, he did Beat Bobby Flay, after all.

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Serves 4 / Prep Time 10 min / Cook Time 30 min

Cheese Pie Ingredients

1 ½ cups (375 mL) cottage cheese
1 cup (250 mL) flour
1 cup (250 mL) grated cheddar cheese or a mix of your favourite cheese (save a little for sprinkling on top)
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
¼ cup (60 mL) melted butter
2 eggs, beaten

Strawberry Butter Ingredients

½ lb (0.3 kg) unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
½ cup (125 mL) strawberry jam
1 pinch salt

Cheese Pie Instructions

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, flour, grated cheddar (reserve a handful for topping), baking powder, melted butter and beaten eggs. Stir everything together by hand until well combined.

Step 3
Lightly spray an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) Pyrex or 9 inch (23 cm pie pan with avocado oil (or any cooking spray). Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared dish, spreading it evenly.

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Step 4
Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until you have a golden, crispy finish.

Step 5
Let the pie cool slightly before serving. It’s perfect on its own or with a side of strawberry jam or whipped strawberry butter for a sweet twist.

Strawberry Butter Instructions

Step 1
Place the unsalted butter in a stand mixer bowl. Whisk on the highest speed for about 5-6 minutes until the butter is fluffy and has doubled in volume.

Step 2
In the same mixer bowl, add the strawberry jam and whisk on low speed until the jam and butter are well combined.

Step 3
Using a spatula, transfer the mixture into a bowl and spoon some onto the side of your plate to enjoy with your cheese pie.

Step 4
Strawberry Butter can be left at room temperature for 2 days or stored in the fridge, for longer.

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PEROGY TRAIL MILESTONE

The Manitoba Perogy Trail has topped 1,000 check-ins. And to celebrate, Perogy Planet, the trail’s sponsor, has donated $5,000 to Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre in Winnipeg. The trail was created as a fun and interactive way for people to explore the province’s vibrant Ukrainian culture through food. If you visit all 25 restaurants on the trail, you get a special commemorative pin. There’s more info at TravelManitoba.com.

JETS TEAM UP WITH KFC

The Winnipeg Jets have announced KFC Canada as an official partner. Concession stands at Canada Life Centre are now selling a variety of KFC favourites. And on game days, fans can wrap their hands around a Big Crunch chicken sandwich for just $4.95 at participating locations across the city.

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SALS AXES ALL TAXES

Salisbury House is axing all the taxes. Not to be outdone by Ottawa and its GST holiday, Sals is also axing the Provincial Sales Tax. Every Thursday, for the next two months, Sals won’t charge you the GST or the PST. So on a $50 bill, you’re saving $6. Salisbury House has eight locations around Winnipeg.

COFFEE PRICES WAY UP

The price of Arabica coffee beans has risen 80% this year. The world’s largest producers of coffee, Brazil and Vietnam, have seen bad weather which has impacted production. Last month, a Nestlé executive David Rennie said the company might have to adjust prices and packaging sizes. So get ready for the cost of your morning cup of java to increase, maybe significantly.

JAVA COULD ADD YEARS

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Drinking coffee might add years to your life. A new scientific review is suggesting that regular coffee consumption could extend your healthy lifespan by almost two years. Researchers in Portugal looked at 50 previous studies and determined that moderate coffee intake may be a simple but effective way to support healthy aging.

THE CUCUMBER GUY

A Canadian food influencer is responsible for one of the top trends on TikTok this year. Logan Moffitt, also known as the Cucumber Guy, went viral with a number of video posts including his recipe for a creamy cucumber California roll which amassed 43 million views. His vids and this trend even caused cucumber shortages in some areas.

THIS TAKES THE BEEFCAKE!

In Leek, Britain, a new naughty calendar has come out just in time for Christmas. It features regulars of Blue Mugge Pub, showing off their barroom bits. All 20 men are naked in the photos but you can’t see anything x-rated, thanks to a well-placed drum kit and other items. The calendar of beer guts is a fundraiser to fight prostate cancer.

— Hal has written columns for years. He’s also the host of Connecting Winnipeg weekday mornings from 10 to noon on 680 CJOB. You can email him at Hal@HalAnderson.ca.

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