Canada Weeks!

It’s the 7th edition of the Cool Kids Cooking Club — a “virtual” club where kids and their parents cook the same dishes the same weeks as kids all across the country! This week, we are saying Eh to the Great White North!

I sincerely apologize on how long this took me to get this week out. Turns out, there aren’t a lot of uniquely Canadian foods that aren’t whale blubber or pour-fresh-maple-syrup-into-the-snow type things haha. So these recipes don’t really *go* together in a meal, but you can spread them out and enjoy them!

If this is your first time hearing about the club,    read this post    first about how it all works:   Cooking Club Introduction

You can also find   Week One at this link HERE    and    Week Seven HERE

(this is the badge for this edition, if you are doing badges for your kids. If you want to learn more about badges,    read the introduction post )

Our 3 Canadian Dishes are:

1. Potato and Cheese Perogies
2.  Classic Poutine
3.  Nanaimo Bars

You can make all three for one meal, or spread them out  — whatever works for you and your family! And please post about them in our Facebook group!

Print Recipe

Potato and Cheese Perogies

This dish, originally hailing from Poland, is now a recognized dish of Canada, due to all the Polish immigrants! Stuff with whatever fillings you'd like!

Servings

Ingredients

• 5 Cups Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Butter Melted
• 2 Cups Sour Cream
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 Potatoes Peeled and Cubed
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese
• Onion Salt To Taste
• Salt and Pepper To Taste

Servings Ingredients 5 Cups Flour 2 Teaspoons Salt 2 Tablespoons Butter Melted 2 Cups Sour Cream 2 Eggs 1 Egg Yolk 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 6 Potatoes Peeled and Cubed 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese Onion Salt To Taste Salt and Pepper To Taste

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer, mix together flour, salt, butter, sour cream, eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Mix until the ingredients come together. Switch to a dough hook and kneed for 5 minutes. The dough should be a bit wet but able to be worked with your hands. If it is too wet, add more flour. Too dry, add more sour cream.
2. Cover bowl with a towel and place in a warm place to rest while you are doing the rest of the steps.
3. Put your potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash. Add the cheddar cheese, softened cream cheese, and seasonings and mash all together until combined. You can also add bacon bits, more cheese, cream, etc. at this step! Set aside to cool.
4. Start a pot of water boiling on the stove.
5. Roll out your dough on a floured surface. Find something about 5 inches in diameter to cut out your circles -- I used a lid from a travel cup! Cut out your circles and then place a scoop of the potatoes onto the middle of each circle. Fold the dough in half over the potato and then crimp with a fork to seal shut.
6. Start a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of oil heating to medium on the stove.
7. Working in small batches of about 5 perogies -- drop the perogies gently into the boiling water. They will sink to the bottom and then start floating back to the top. This means they are ready! It will literally only take 30 or so seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the boiling water and place them into the hot oil pan. Sear each for a couple minutes on each side. Remove to a paper towel lined pan.
8. Continue boiling and searing until all the perogies are done. They are traditionally served with sour cream, but you may eat them with whatever you like! Suggestions are marinara sauce, or gravy!

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Classic Poutine

Not for the faint of arteries -- this is a heavy pub snack that is so delicious! Try with different toppings!

Servings

Ingredients

• 1 Quart Oil for frying
• 1 Packet Brown Gravy
• 1 Cup cold water
• 5 Potatoes Cut into Fries
• 2 Cups White Cheddar Cheese Cut into small cubes

Servings Ingredients 1 Quart Oil for frying 1 Packet Brown Gravy 1 Cup cold water 5 Potatoes Cut into Fries 2 Cups White Cheddar Cheese Cut into small cubes

Instructions

1. This recipe can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be. You can use frozen fries and bake them in the oven. You can home make your own gravy. It's up to you!
2. To make fries from scratch, heat your oil in a heavy bottom pot on the stove until it reaches 375F consistently. While it is heating, cut your potatoes into fries. My mandolin has a "fry" attachment that makes them all small and uniform -- but of course a knife will do fine if you don't have that!
3. Working in batches, carefully drop the fries into the hot oil. Cook until light brown, about 5 minutes. Have a paper towel lined pan ready and remove the fries to that to dry out a bit.
4. Meanwhile, prepare your packet of brown gravy according to the instructions on the label. Mine uses 1 cup cold water mixed with the powder.
5. Meanwhile Meanwhile...cut up your cheese into small cubes. Real poutine uses Cheese Curds, but my local grocery store doesn't carry those. Use either cheese that you have!
6. Once everything is ready, place your hot fries on a plate, sprinkle with the cheese, and drizzle on the hot gravy. Eat immediately!
7. Try using different cheeses or flavors of gravy. Possibilities are endless with poutine! I've had a Perogie Poutine with Thin Sliced Beef before! Get creative!

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Nanaimo Bars

Irresistible, extremely rich dessert bars!

Servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Butter Softened
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 5 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• 1 Egg
• 1 Packet Graham Crackers Mashed into Crumbs
• 1 Cup Flaked Coconut
• 1/2 Cup Butter Softened
• 3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Instant Vanilla Pudding Powder
• 2 Cups powdered sugar
• 1 Cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 Teaspoons Butter

Servings Ingredients 1/2 Cup Butter Softened 1/4 Cup Sugar 5 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder 1 Egg 1 Packet Graham Crackers Mashed into Crumbs 1 Cup Flaked Coconut 1/2 Cup Butter Softened 3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream 2 Tablespoons Instant Vanilla Pudding Powder 2 Cups powdered sugar 1 Cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips 2 Teaspoons Butter

Instructions

1. In a microwave safe bowl, add 1/2 cup butter and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Add the white sugar and cocoa powder and stir until all combined.
2. Beat the egg in a small bowl and slowly pour into the above mix. Beat until combined. Microwave again for 30 more seconds and stir.
3. Take one unopened packet of graham crackers and place it within a large Ziploc baggie. Use a rolling pin (or whatever you have around!) and smack it until the grahams turn into course crumbs. Dump them into the chocolate mix and stir. Add coconut and stir again.
4. Grab a 9x9 or 8x8 pan and spray with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray again (this treat can be a beast to remove from the pan -- best to take precautions!). Pour the chocolate-graham-coconut mix into the prepared pan and flatten evenly with a spatula. Place in the fridge to set while working on the next steps.
5. In a stand mixer, cream together the 1/2 cup butter, heavy cream, and instant vanilla pudding powder until fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Spread this mix over the base layer in your pan and place back in the fridge to set, about 1 hour.
6. Lastly, place your semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2 tsp butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on half power for 30 seconds. Stir. Keep doing this in increments of 15 seconds(stirring well after each) until the chocolate is just completely melted. Pour over the pudding layer and smooth out. Refrigerate until the chocolate on top hardens.
7. This is a RICH dessert, so be sure to serve it in small squares and with a glass of milk!

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This concludes this session of the Cool Kids Cooking Club. I am working on some other projects right now, but maybe we will see the club come back some day! Thanks for participating!