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Welcome
Welcome to our first Christmas publication of Massy Stores Living magazine. ‘Tis the season for a little indulgence and we hope to offer you some culinary inspiration in this issue. We have a few seasonal favorites and some with a twist on the traditional, like our Sweet Plantain Lasagna, Five Spiced Turkey and Cumin Roasted Pork Tenderloin. Our decadent desserts feature a no bake creamy Cheese Cake with a tart & sweet sorrel topping as well as a luscious Ponche de Crème Panna Cotta with a boozy Rum & Raisin sauce. Our cocktail section features a few classics plus a refreshing Sorrel Sangria that’s sure to become a favorite. We have some great tips on entertaining, decorating and home DIY projects to do with the little ones. Many thanks to our advertisers for their continued support and to our customers we hope you enjoy this small token of our appreciation.We welcome your suggestions and feedback at massylivingmagazine@gmail.com Have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!
Luanne George Editor - In- Chief
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 1
Content s
Creative Director & Editor in Chief Luanne George Managing Editor Aasma Al-Rawi Sinanan LL.B, L.E.C.
Tips on Decorating your tree.......................pg 14
Graphic Design Gabriella D’Abreau
Ponche de Crème Panna Cotta with Rum & Raisin Sauce..............................pg 18
Cont ribut ors Wazir-Chris Ali-John Candace Ali Christine Sinanan Anthony Choo Quan Safiyya Ali-Mohammed Karen Alleyne Sariah Best-Joseph Sancha Raggie Photography Food Stock, Istock, Shutterstock Produced and published by Phoenix Communications Ltd. 1.868.681.2164 | luanneg2001@yahoo.com massylivingmagazine@gmail.com For Sales and Advertising please contact:
Bread Pudding with Dulce de Leche...........pg 19 Creamy Cheesecake with Home-made Sorrel Jelly...............................pg 23 How to Plan the Perfect amount of alcohol for your Party...............................pg 26 Sorrel Sangria................................................pg 28 Wild Rice & Mixed Mushroom Pilaf..............pg 32 Sweet Plantain & Ground Turkey Lasagna.............................................pg 34 Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb.........................pg 42 Roasted Five Spice Turkey............................pg 43 Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash Casserole..........................................pg 48 Cumin Crusted Pork Tenderloin...................pg 49 Hasselback Potatoes in Parmesan Cream Sauce................................pg 50 Couscous with Chickpeas & Peppers...........pg 52 Apple Butter Glazed Picnic Ham..................pg 53
St Lucia
Sariah Best-Joseph at saria.best-joseph@massygroup.com Sancha Raggie at sancha.raggie@massygroup.com Tel: 1-758-457-2404 1-758-457-2000
Barbados
Karen Alleyne at karen.alleyne@massygroup.com Tel: 1-246-434-0482 Ext 5533
St Vincent
Petra Plato at petra.plato@massygroup.com Tel: 1-784-453-9109
Anthony Choo Quan Trinidad at anthony.chooquan@massygroup.com & Tobago and Guyana Christine Sinanan at christine.sinanan@massygroup.com Tel: 1-868-609-4456 Ext 31041 / 31042 Luanne George at luanneg2001@yahoo.com Tel: 1.868.681.2164
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Welcome to our second issue of “Massy Stores Living”. A regional lifestyle publication we introduced earlier this year to feature the many facets of Massy Stores. The response from customers has been overwhelmingly positive and we are extremely grateful to our partners and suppliers for their support in making this publication possible. We continue to make strides in our goal towards growth and giving our shoppers the ultimate retail experience within the region. On March 17th, we opened our first supermarket in Guyana, located in Amazonia Mall, East Bank, Demerara. With 16,000 square feet of retail space, it is the largest supermarket in the country. The new location includes features such as high-quality fresh produce, chilled and frozen meat, prepared foods and a wide variety of local and foreign food and general merchandise items. Additionally, we offer a number of convenient, value-added services including a deli and bakery, butcher and fresh fish counters, an in-store pharmacy, ATM machines, MoneyGram and SurePay points of service. On August 4th, Massy's retail locations in St. Lucia, formerly branded as Super J IGA, Mega J and gl foodmarket, were rebranded to Massy Stores. St. Lucia is the fourth territory to undergo the re-branding exercise in the region. Eleven stores, nationwide, are now part of the Massy Stores family which includes a total of 46 retail locations across the region. The re-branded St. Lucia stores now introduce two new formats to the largest Caribbean retail chain. Massy Stores
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Gourmet, in Rodney Bay, offers a select range of health, gourmet, organic and artisan products and the store also offers a yacht restocking service for vessels berthed in the Rodney Bay Marina. Massy Stores Mega, located in the north of the island, is a 50,000 square foot club store format outlet which offers value items to customers on bulk grocery, office supplies, home improvement products and more. Massy Stores Mega also offers a number of value-added services including a pharmacy, Bank of St. Lucia kiosk, specialty bakery, eye care centre, ATM services as well as ACE Hardware products and ACE colour matching centre. In the last year we have also undergone extensive renovations in several stores across the region. Another major new development is our Massy Card “Earn when you roam and redeem at home” programme. Customers will only need one card to earn points and other rewards when they use their card at Massy Stores locations across the Caribbean. Massy Card is free and many of the great loyalty card features and benefits remain, such as earning points on every transaction; using points to purchase groceries at your “Home Store”; or redeeming points for Massy gift vouchers to purchase goods and services at participating partners in all our Regional locations. In the spirit of the Season you can also use your accumulated points to donate to the many social institutions we are affiliated with locally and regionally. We would like to take this opportunity, from our family to yours to thank you for your continued support and to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year! Derek Winford, CEO Massy Stores
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 7
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Everything you need to make this season Merry! From Bakeware to Brand name appliances. Choose from a wide selection of Home appliances, Housewares and Soft furnishings at all Massy Super Centers.
Our family serving your family.
Oh Christmas Tree Whether you embrace the classic tradition of putting up your tree twelve days before Christmas or on the 6th of December in honor of Saint Nicholas, decorating the tree can be a daunting task. It’s important first to decide on a theme and colour scheme. Are you going for a traditional tree? Coastal or Caribbean theme, a trendy colour palette, or have you decided to go whimsical? With so many options for creating your Christmas tree, we would like to offer a few guidelines to make it magical. If you are going for the “designer look” a coordinated colour scheme, large topper and oversized ornaments are the secrets to designer Christmas trees. Try using ornaments and ribbons in shades of gold, silver and white or a combination of copper, tan and silver to add style and sophistication. For a whimsical tree, think small stuffed toys, candy canes, ribbons, baubles and lots of bright bold reds and greens. The coastal Christmas tree can be a combination of shades of aqua and turquoise blues, greens, silver, iridescent and white. Incorporating coral sprays or shells dipped in gold or silver glitter and paint, starfish, seahorses and anything nautical or beach-themed gives a cohesive look. No matter what the theme, the first step to a beautiful Christmas tree is adding the lights. Tree lights typically come in green or white wire strands, choose the strand colour that matches your tree so the wire is not visible. Illuminating your Christmas tree from the inside out will give it the most dynamic look. Start at the base of the trunk and work your
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 141
way up, wrapping lights around every major branch, moving from the trunk to the tip and back. For every vertical foot of tree, you should use a strand of 100 lights. Next, fillers and garlands. There are no firm rules when draping garlands on your Christmas tree. Start at the top of the tree and slowly, increase the amount of garland between each wave as you work your way down the branches. Plan to use about two strands of garland for every vertical foot of tree. Add decorative sprays. For the front of a full standard tree use no less than five clusters, seven usually works best. Bundle three stems of artificial flowers, fruits or leaves together and tie the stems with string or floral wire. Great ideas for sprays include silk poinsettias in white, gold, purple or red and large leaves or branches dipped in copper, gold or silver. These all add dimension and interest to your clusters and sprays. Finally, it’s time to hang ornaments. To showcase your favourites, place them in prime positions on the tree first. Next, hang your larger ornaments, spacing them evenly around the tree. Fill in around those ornaments with medium and smaller -sized ornaments. Be sure to hang some ornaments closer to the trunk to create depth. Finish dressing the tree by adding specialty items, such as clip-on ornaments or icicles. For some great DIY inspiration check out these sites: www.diynetwork.com, www.goodhousekeeping.com or www.countryliving.com.
Homemade
MINCE PIES
Although their name suggests otherwise, mince pies are a sweet dessert. A traditional favorite in the UK at Christmas time. They do not contain minced beef or pork, but are filled with mincemeat - a preserve consisting of dried fruits, apple, mixed peel, almonds, spices, vegetable shortening and a small (or not so small) amount of alcohol. The mixture should be prepared 2 days in advance. Makes 18 pies.
INGREDIENTS For the mincemeat filling: 14oz. brown sugar 12oz. each of raisins, sultanas and currants 7oz. finely chopped mixed peel 6oz. finely chopped blanched almonds 6oz. vegetable shortening 2 medium-large green apples, peeled & diced 4fl. oz. brandy 1 orange, juiced and zested 1 lemon, juiced and zested 4 tbsp. dark rum 1 tsp. grated nutmeg ¼ tsp. each of ground cloves, cinnamon, ground mace and ground ginger For the pastRy: 225g cold butter, diced 350g plain flour 100g golden caster sugar 280g mincemeat 1 small egg icing sugar , to dust
DIRECTIONS FILLING: 1. Mix all of the mincemeat ingredients together in a large bowl. Transfer to sterilised jam jars and cover with lid. Every few hours turn the jars over so that the alcohol disperses evenly. PASTRY: 1. To make the pastry, rub cold, diced butter into plain flour, then mix in golden caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Combine the pastry into a ball - don’t add liquid - and knead it briefly. The dough will be fairly firm, like shortbread dough. You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later. 2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 18 holes of two muffin tins, by pressing small walnut-sized balls of pastry into each hole. Spoon mincemeat into the pies. 3. Take slightly smaller balls of pastry than before and pat them out between your hands to make round lids, big enough to cover the pies. Top the pies with their lids, pressing the edges gently together to seal - you don’t need to seal them with milk or egg as they will stick on their own. (The pies may now be frozen for up to 1 month).
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4. Beat 1 small egg and brush the tops of the pies. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar. They will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
Ponche de Crème Panna Cotta with rum & raisin sauce
INGREDIENTS Panna Cotta 3 ½ cups milk 5 large egg yolks ¾ cup sugar 1 cup cold heavy cream 2 tbsp. rum freshly grated nutmeg 1 tbsp. powdered gelatin (1 ½ envelopes) Rum & Raisin Sauce ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup light corn syrup 1 tbsp. unsalted butter ¼ cup dark rum ¼ cup raisins
DIRECTIONS Panna Cotta
1. Fill a large bowl with ice and water, and set
aside. Place 2 cups milk in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk until pale yellow. Pour half of hot milk into egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to pan with remaining milk, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of the spoon. 2. Remove from heat, and immediately stir in remaining 1 ½ cups cold milk and cold cream. Pour through a very fine strainer into a bowl set over the ice bath. Add rum and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. 3. Sprinkle gelatin over ½ cup cold ponche de crème in a small bowl. Pour remaining ponche de crème into a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until just barely steaming. Add gelatin mixture, and stir to dissolve. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Pour into 3 oz. ramekins or teacups, and refrigerate until set, 2 ½ to 3 hours. RUM & RAISIN SAUCE 1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and corn syrup. Set over medium-low heat. Stir until well combined and sugar has melted, about 5 minutes. 2. Remove from heat, and add butter, rum, and raisins, stirring until butter has completely melted. Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature over the panna cotta.
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Bread Pudding with dulce de leche
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Dulce De Leche 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
Dulce de leche: Peel the label off the can of sweetened condensed milk, place it in a pot or large saucepan, and cover it with water by 1 to 2 inches. Bring it to a very gentle boil, reduce the heat to LOW, so that the water has a nice slow simmer. Watch the water level and add water if the level of water falls below the top of the can.
Bread pudding 15 oz. pure pumpkin purée 1 cup whole milk ½ cup heavy cream 2 large eggs, lightly beaten ¼ cup light-brown sugar ½ tsp. coarse salt ¾ tsp. pure vanilla extract ½ tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. anise seed, roughly chopped 10 oz. day-old bread cut into ½" slices or 1" cubes ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped 1 cup homemade Dulce de Leche, warmed Unsalted butter, room temperature, for dish
Simmer the can for 2 to 2 ½ hours for a lighter golden dulce de leche. Simmer it for 3 ½ hours for a deeper color and flavor. (Using tongs, VERY CAREFULLY turn over the can halfway through the simmering process.) After the simmering time, turn off the heat and allow the can to come to room temperature. Bread Pudding: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, milk, cream, eggs, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and anise seed. Arrange bread in dish. Pour custard over bread and top with pecans. Bake until custard is set, 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with dulce de leche.
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Cranberry Orange Loaf INGREDIENTS ¾ cup ⅓ cup 1 ½ cups 1 ½ tsp. ¼ tsp. 1 ½ cup ¼ cup ⅔ cup ½ tsp.
pecans, chopped cranberries, chopped all-purpose flour baking powder salt egg buttermilk butter sugar vanilla zest from ½ of an orange
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350ºF . Chop pecans and cranberries, set aside. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in separate bowl. In another bowl, cream sugar and butter together. Add egg, buttermilk, orange zest and vanilla. Combine the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Add the pecans and cranberries to the mix. Pour into a 9” x 5” loaf pan and cook for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm. Can be kept in freezer for future use.
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Fruit & Nut Loaf INGREDIENTS ¾ cup ¼ tsp. ¼ tsp. ½ tsp. ¾ cup 1 cup 2 cups 3 cups 3 1 tsp.
all-purpose flour baking soda baking powder salt firmly packed light brown sugar mixed dried fruit quartered moist dates walnut halves large eggs pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS 1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Spray the loaf pans (either one 9” x 5” 8-cup loaf pan or two 8” x 4” 4-cup loaf pans) with vegetable oil spray or line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, and salt to combine. Add the brown sugar, all the dried fruit, and the nuts and mix thoroughly with your fingers. Set aside. 3. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla until light. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands until all the fruits and nuts are coated with batter. Scrape into the prepared pans. 4. Bake until the top is deep golden brown and the batter clinging to the fruit seems set, about 1 hour for smaller loaves, 10 to 15 minutes longer for a large loaf. Cool completely in the pans on a rack. 5. When completely cool, remove the cake from the pans. MASSY STORES | Living | Page 21
CREAM OF CARAMEL
Milk Tart INGREDIENTS Serves 10-12 250g 200g 6 cups 200g 3 100g 100g 2 tsp. 50g 1 cup 1 box (90g) 1 cup 1 can 1 bar (90g)
graham crackers, finely crushed butter, melted whole milk sugar eggs flour corn flour vanilla essence butter milk caramel instant pudding whipping cream dulce de leche (see recipe for homemade on page 19) milk chocolate
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DIRECTIONS
1. Mix the crackers with the melted butter and press onto the bottom of a deep 30 cm square dish. Chill until needed. 2. In a large saucepan on medium, heat the 4 cups of milk with the sugar for 10 min. Do not bring to a boil. 3. In a separate bowl beat the eggs, remaining 2 cups milk, flour, corn flour and vanilla essence until smooth. 4. Mix the flour mixture with the hot milk and, stirring every 2 minutes until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat, beat in the butter and leave to cool. 5. Whisk the extra one cup of milk and instant pudding together. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the instant pudding. 6. When the custard is cool, start the layering. Pour the custard over the chilled biscuit layer, smooth the dulce de leche over the custard and add the instant pudding mixture. Grate the chocolate over and refrigerate overnight.
No Bake Creamy Cheesecake with Sorrel Jelly Topping INGREDIENTS
Cake Base 100g digestive biscuits 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted Filling 1 tbsp. 2 tbsp. 1 tsp. 1 cup 3 tbsp. 60ml 200ml
gelatine powder water vanilla extract cream cheese, room temperature sugar milk dairy whipping cream
Cont’d on page 64
Sorrel Jelly Topping
6g 2 tbsp. 100gm 10g 50g
gelatine powder water sorrel syrup sugar water
Sorrel Syrup
3 cups 3 cups 2 cups
cleaned sorrel water sugar
Sorrel Syrup
1. Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil. Add the sorrel and slowly simmer in the bubbling syrup for about 25 minutes. 2. Strain and cool the syrup and store (it keeps for months). Use the (now soft candied) sorrel as you would raisins or dried cranberries, add to a salad, sweet bread or porridge. MASSY STORES | Living | Page 23
ULTIMATE INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Swiss Roll
For cake vegetable-oil cooking spray ¼ cup sifted unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for pan ⅓ cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus 2 tbsp. more for pan 1 pinch of salt 3 large whole eggs plus 2 large egg yolks ½ cup granulated sugar 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled completely (½ stick) For filling 1 cup heavy cream 3 tbsp. confectioners sugar, sifted For Garnish Dark chocolate grated or shaved.
DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare oven and baking sheet: Heat oven to 450ºF, with rack in bottom half. Coat a 12 ½" x 17 ½" rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, coat with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa powder and tap out excess. 2. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a bowl. 3. Combine eggs and sugar: Bring about 2” of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over (not in) simmering water, whisk eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat on mediumhigh speed for 2 minutes. Raise speed to high, beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 4 minutes more. 4. Add dry ingredients: Sift cocoa mixture over egg mixture, using a large rubber spatula, carefully fold. When almost incorporated, pour melted butter down side of bowl, gently fold to combine. 5. Dust parchment paper with cocoa over a clean kitchen towel and set aside. Spread batter evenly into prepared sheet. Tilt the sheet pan so the batter spreads out evenly and drop it several times on the counter top to burst the uneven air bubbles. Bake cake until springy to the touch, 6 to 7 minutes. While the cake is baking, make the filling. Beat cream with confectioners sugar until it just holds stiff peaks. 6. Run a knife around sides of cake. Invert onto prepared towel, and remove parchment. While the sheet cake is still warm, gently roll, starting from one short side, into a log, incorporating the kitchen towel. Let the cake cool completely, rolled. (This will give the cake a “shape memory,” so it will be easier to roll again with filling). 7. Spread filling over cake leaving a ½” border all around. Carefully roll cake to enclose filling (without towel), starting at a short end. Refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours). Spread the remaining filling on the chilled cake and garnish with chocolate shavings. MASSY STORES | Living | Page 24
ENTERTAINING
C
M
how to plan the perfect amount of alcohol for your party
Y
CM
MY
CY
It’s the season for entertaining and getting together with friends and family. Whether it’s a Christmas Eve cocktail party, dinner, lunch or a New Year’s brunch. Here’s a guide to calculating how much wine, beer and liquor you will need for your shindig. Count on guests consuming two drinks in the first hour of your event and one drink during each following hour. Are you serving wine, beer and spirits? The general rule of thumb is 50 percent of your guests will prefer wine, 30 percent will prefer beer and 20 percent will prefer mixed drinks. Simply offering wine and beer? Plan on 60 percent of your guests drinking wine and 40 percent drinking beer. First, figure out how many drinks you will need for the duration of the party. As a general rule, assume guests will have two drinks during the first hour of the party, and one drink every 45 min - 1 hour after that. Next, decide how you want to divide those drinks among wine, beer and liquor, depending on the crowd. To make it simple, just allocate a third of the total number of drinks to each type. MASSY STORES | Living | Page 26
Wine: A 750-ml bottle of wine contains about 5 servings, so divide the number of wine drinks by 5 to come up with the number of bottles you’ll need. You should take into account other types of alcohol, an even easier way to estimate wine needs for a sit-down dinner is to assume half a bottle of wine per person. For Champagne or sparkling wine, a bottle will fill about 6 flutes. Beer: If you know your guests then you know their preferences. If you have beer drinkers, it’s more than likely they will drink beer throughout the event. Estimate at least 2-3 beers every hour. Liquor: Mixed drinks have a 1.5 oz. (45 ml) serving of liquor per drink, so a 750-ml bottle will make about 16 drinks. To figure out how many bottles you need, just divide the number of liquor drinks needed by 16. To estimate the amount of mixers needed, average about 1litre of tonic water, soda water, or juice for every 3 guests. As you plan for wine, spirits and beer at your party, be sure to have plenty of seasonal favourites including ginger beer, sorrel and ponche de crème.
CMY
K
INGREDIENTS 5 cups 2 tbsp. 1 cup 1 1 750ml 1 lb. 1
Sorrel Sangaria
water chopped ginger dried sorrel cinnamon stick bottle white wine of fruit (mango, pineapple, papaya) cut up in large chunks. lime quartered
½ cup 2 2 tbsp. 2 cups 1 cup
dark rum oranges, sliced simple syrup (sub with honey or sweetener) water sugar
DIRECTIONS 1. In a medium pot , boil 2 cups water and sugar. Simmer until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. 2. Place sorrel in a large bowl, together with ginger, lime, and cinnamon stick. 3. Bring 5 cups water to a boil. Gently pour water into the bowl of sorrel and spices. Steep for an hour and refrigerate overnight. 4. Strain the sorrel mixture in a cheesecloth to ensure all bits and pieces are removed. 5. Combine all fruits in a large pitcher pour the rum over it. Then add the sorrel, wine and simple syrup. Leave in the fridge overnight for a really potent and flavourful sangria.
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HEATpunch
pineapple
INGREDIENTS 3 parts* 4 parts 4 parts 1 part ½ part 1 dash 1
Malibu Pineapple Juice Boiling Water Fresh Lime Juice Sugar Syrup Angostura Bitters sliced lemons and oranges Malibu Tea/Spice Bag (this contains: 1 clove, 1 green cardamom,1 allspice berry, ½ part star anise, 1cm cinnamon, 4g green tea)
DIRECTIONS Add the spice mix to the boiling water in a pan. Heat for 5 mins and then add the rest of the ingredients. Heat further until hot but not boiling and then serve in insulated punch glasses and dust with nutmeg. *1 part equivalent to 1 oz.
Wild Rice
& Mixed Mushroom Pilaf
Ingredients 2 cups 1 cup 2 tbsp. 1 1 ½ 5 oz.
2 tsp. 2 tbsp.
low-sodium chicken broth, or more if necessary wild rice blend butter small onion, minced (½ cup) small carrot, minced (¼ cup) rib celery, minced (¼ cup) fresh mushrooms, (a mix of Portobello, Shitake & white mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin) minced fresh thyme leaves minced fresh parsley leaves Salt and ground black pepper
Directions 1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan, add rice blend, and return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is fully cooked. Turn rice into a medium bowl and fluff with fork. 2. While the rice is cooking, heat butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery, sauté until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, sauté until tender and liquid evaporates, then add thyme, cook, stirring until well coated, about 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add this mixture to rice, toss to combine. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 32
INGREDIENTS 1.25 lb.
Plantain & Ground Turkey
LASAGNE
1 ½ ½ cup 2 3 2 tbsp. 4 oz. ½ tsp. 3 2 tbsp. 3 1 2 tbsp. 2 cups
lean ground turkey (ground beef or pork can be used instead) tomato, chopped red onion, chopped sweet bell pepper, chopped pimento peppers seeded and minced cloves garlic, minced chopped fresh cilantro tomato sauce cumin, to taste bay leaves capers ripe plantains, peeled and sliced lengthwise large egg plus 2 large egg whites, beaten whole milk grated Cheddar cheese
Cont’d on page 64
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 34
Classic
Beef Lasagna Prep Time Total Time 45 MINS 2 HRS
Servings 12
INGREDIENTS 1-½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese ⅓ cup water, divided 3 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf ) parsley ½ tsp. ground black pepper, divided 1-½ lbs. ground chuck beef (80% lean) ¾ cup chopped yellow onion 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning ¼ tsp. salt 2 tbsp. finely chopped garlic 2 cans Hunt’s Petite Diced Tomatoes, undrained (14.5 oz each)
2-½ cups 2 tsp. 1/4 tsp. 9 2-½ cups 1 cup
Hunt’s Tomato Sauce balsamic vinegar crushed red pepper flakes dry lasagna noodles, uncooked shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese grated Parmesan cheese PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13" x 9" glass baking dish with cooking spray. Combine ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons water, parsley and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in small bowl; set aside. 2. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion; sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook 7 minutes or until beef is crumbled and no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more or until fragrant. Drain. Add undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, remaining water, vinegar and red pepper flakes to skillet. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Assemble lasagna by spreading about 1 cup meat sauce over bottom of dish. Place 3 dry noodles over sauce, top with 2 cups meat sauce, half of ricotta mixture, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, ending with a layer of noodles topped with remaining sauce and remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. 4. Spray underside of aluminum foil with cooking spray; cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more or until cheese melts and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
With over one hundred products in our range, from premium select nuts to golden Demerara sugar. Our Cuisine line of quality products at a great price gives you savings worth celebrating this season!
Meat Us at Massy At Massy Stores we take pride in the range and quality selection of fresh and frozen meat available at all our outlets. We work with some of the top suppliers from the United States and New Zealand to source the highest standard of imported frozen meats. Our local beef which is certified halal, and our local fresh chicken is hormone-free, steroid-free and also certified halal. Over the years we have cultivated strong working relationships with our farmers and suppliers to ensure the best quality product to our customers at the most competitive prices on the widest range of cuts. Meat storage is a top priority concern of Massy Stores. Rooms are set at temperatures to keep all fresh and frozen meats at the best quality and safety standards. Stringent temperature checks are carried out at all locations three times per day to ensure equipment is in proper working condition. All packaging is done in-store to ensure further compliance with our high safety standards and there is a three day shelf-life set on all our chilled meats. We are always working to improve and expand our offerings, through in-store renovations, state of the art equipment, proper merchandising and a wide selection of products. One of our most recent remerchandising exercises involved setting up a “Let’s Get Grilling” destination at our Chaguanas, Point Fortin, Westmoorings and Maraval locations. These outlets offer a wider assortment of premium cuts of steak , including Certified Angus Beef assorted cuts, US Beef assorted cuts such as rib eye on and off the bone, premium tenderloin, strip and hanger steaks. Other meats, including french-cut rack of lamb, lamb legs, pork, beef ribs and 100% beef burger patties are also available at these locations. The “Great American” range of steaks and burgers, which are very popular with our customers because of quality, individual vacuum-sealed packaging and economical price point, is available at most of our locations. It is a main objective of ours to provide different grades of beef to suit different budgets so that everyone can enjoy our scrumptious cuts. This season, in addition to our already wide selection, we will feature a full range of hams, turkeys, beef roasts, lamb legs and racks, pork loins and ribs. Make every meal memorable with Massy. MASSY STORES | Living | Page 40
If it's meat that makes your meal merry, we have the widest assortment of Premium, local & imported hams, turkey, lamb, pork tenderloins, beef rump roasts and so much more. We will meat and exceed your expectations for quality, price and selection this season.
Our family serving your family.
INGREDIENTS 2 (8-rib) 1 ½ tsp. ¾ tsp. 1 tsp.
frenched racks of lamb (each rack 1 ½ lb.) trimmed of all but a thin layer of fat salt black pepper vegetable oil
For herb coating ½ head new garlic or 3 large regular garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. black pepper 1 ½ tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
d e t s a o Herb R
B M A L CK OF
RA
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown lamb: Heat a dry 12" heavy skillet over high heat until hot, at least 2 minutes. Meanwhile, pat lamb dry and rub meat all over with salt and pepper. Add oil to hot skillet, then brown racks, in 2 batches if necessary, on all sides (not ends), about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer racks to a small (13" x 9") roasting pan. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Stir together garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and oil. Coat meaty parts of lamb with herb mixture, pressing to help adhere. Roast 15 minutes, then cover lamb loosely with foil and roast until thermometer inserted diagonally into centre of meat registers 120°F, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to 125°F to 130°F for medium-rare while lamb stands.) MASSY STORES | Living | Page 42
Five Spiced Turkey INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
12 - 14 lb. thawed or fresh turkey, giblets removed and reserved 2 large, ripe pears, quartered 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled 1 bunch scallions, washed 2- 2” pieces of fresh ginger root, halved 4 tbsp. honey 4 tsp. salt ¼ cup peanut oil 2 tbsp. Five Spice Powder
Preheat oven to 500°F with a rack positioned in the lower third of the oven. Spray a roasting rack generously with non-stick cooking spray and place in a roasting pan. In a small mixing bowl, toss the quartered pears and garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of the honey and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Stuff the ginger, and the scallions into the cavity of the turkey. Pour the oil evenly over the turkey and sprinkle with the Five Spice Powder and remaining salt. Use your hands to massage the turkey and evenly distribute the spices. Put the roasting pan in the oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. When 30 minutes have elapsed, lower the heat to 350°F. Continue roasting until an instant read thermometer says the turkey breast measures 160°F and the thigh/ drumstick meat measures 170°F. On a 12 to 14 pound bird, this should take about 2 hours. About half an hour before the turkey is done, drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey over the breasts and brush with a pastry brush. Return the pan to the oven until the honey has caramelized.Remove the turkey from the oven and lightly tent with foil. Carve and serve! MASSY STORES | Living | Page 43
TURKEY with apple cranberry glaze INGREDIENTS 12 lb. 1¼ cups ¾ cup ¼ cup 3 1 3 2 tsp. 1 tsp.
turkey salt packed light brown sugar coriander seeds, cracked star anise pods 3” unpeeled piece ginger, thinly sliced cloves garlic, smashed ground coriander mixed peppercorns
FOR THE GLAZE
3 cups apple cider 1 2” piece ginger, thinly sliced 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries 1-3 dried red chili peppers ½ cup molasses ½ cup apple cider vinegar 1 pinch of salt 2-4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, diced
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 44
The spiced brine keeps the lean turkey meat moist and adds a boost of great flavour. Brining is the process of soaking meat in a mixture of salt, sugar, water, and other flavours. Soaking meat in a 5% salt brine for as little as a few hours before cooking can make meats noticeably juicier and preserve tenderness. The best candidates for brining are meats that are naturally low in fat like turkey and those meats that tend to dry out during cooking. Since brining works from the outside in, the meat fibres closest to the surface reap the most benefit, so even a short period of soaking can produce noticeable results. Incomplete brining will give you less than optimum moisture retention, but over-brining can impregnate meat with salt to disastrous effect.
DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare the turkey a day or two before roasting: Bring 3 quarts water, the salt, brown sugar, coriander seeds, star anise, peppercorns, ginger and garlic to boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat and add 4 cups cold water: cool to room temperature. Place the turkey in a large container, pour the brine over it, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove the turkey; dry it well and pat all over with the ground coriander. Let dry in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight. 2. Make the glaze: Bring the cider, ginger, cranberries, chilis, molasses and vinegar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thick, whisking occasionally, about 30 minutes. Strain the glaze and season with salt. 3. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Place the turkey breast side up on rack in a roasting pan and roast 1 hour, 10 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 155-160ºF. Continue roasting, brushing with the glaze every 10 minutes, until brown and crisp, about 30 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before carving. 4. Heat the remaining glaze with any pan drippings in saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the butter. Carve the turkey and serve with the extra glaze.
CANNED VEGETABLES CANNED BEANS CANNED FRUIT CHICKEN VIENNA SAUSAGES
PEANUT BUTTER TUNA MACKEREL PINK SALMON
CORN MEAL CORNED BEEF COCONUT MILK OILS & SALT
www.valricofoods.com
SWEET POTATO & BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Casserole
INGREDIENTS
3 large sweet potatoes, halved 6 cups butternut squash 2 tbsp. melted coconut oil, divided ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tbsp. maple syrup 1 tbsp. butter 1 pinch of salt + black pepper PECAN TOPPING 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped 1 tbsp. coconut oil 1 tbsp. brown sugar 1 tbsp. maple syrup 1 tbsp. butter 1 pinch ground cinnamon 1 pinch salt
DIRECTIONS
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 48
1. Preheat oven to 4000F and lightly grease (or line with parchment paper) 2 large, rimmed baking sheets. Also lightly grease a small baking dish (8” x 8” is ideal). 2. Add halved sweet potatoes to one baking sheet, and the cubed butternut squash to another. Drizzle each with olive oil or melted coconut oil. 3. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Rub sweet potatoes together to distribute the oil, and toss the butternut squash as well. 4. Roast butternut squash for 15-20 minutes, remove from oven and test doneness, it should be fork tender and easily mashed. 5. Depending on the size of your sweet potatoes, they should take anywhere from 20-35 minutes total. Remove from oven when very soft to the touch. Then reduce oven heat to 3500F. 6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped pecans and toast for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If smoking or browning too quickly, turn heat to medium-low or low. 7. At the 5-minute mark, add coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to coat and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 8. Peel sweet potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl with butternut squash. Use a fork or potato masher to thoroughly mash. 9. Add another pinch salt and pepper, ground cinnamon, maple syrup and butter. Mash and mix to combine, taste and adjust seasonings. 10. Transfer mashed squash and potatoes to prepared baking dish and top with toasted pecans and a little butter, cubed over top. 11. Bake for 10-15 minutes and serve warm.
Cumin(Geera) Crusted
Pork Tenderloin
INGREDIENTS ¼ tsp. 2 tbsp. 4 cloves 2 tbsp. 1 tsp. ½ tsp. 24 oz. 3 tbsp. 2 tbsp.
cayenne pepper ground cumin garlic, minced ground coriander salt black pepper (ground) pork tenderloin (cut into 4 pieces) olive oil fresh parsley (minced)
APPLE RAISIN CHUTNEY 2 cups apple cider vinegar 2 cups sugar 2 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 7 cups) 1 cup raisins 5 whole cloves 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper 1 ½ tsp. ground ginger
DIRECTIONS Mix cumin, coriander, salt, garlic, olive oil and pepper in medium bowl. Dredge pork in spices. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven; roast pork until thermometer registers 160°F, about 10 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice pork ½" thick. CHUTNEY: Stir vinegar and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until syrupy and reduced to 1½ cups, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer until apples are tender, liquid is absorbed, and mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 49
Hassleback Potatoes in Parmesan Cream Sauce
The potatoes are thinly sliced widthways but held together at the base and fan out like an accordion when they are baked. INGREDIENTS Serves four 1kg small new potatoes, skin on (about 12 potatoes) 100g unsalted butter 200ml double cream 150ml chicken stock 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp. chopped rosemary 30g finely grated parmesan 10 sprigs of thyme salt and black pepper DIRECTIONS Use a small serrated knife to cut widthways incisions across each potato about 0.5cm apart and going three-quarters of the way through the potato, so it stays in one piece. PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE 1. Put the butter in a large, ovenproof sautĂŠ pan and place on a medium-high heat. Once it starts to foam, add the potatoes cut side up and half a teaspoon of salt. Fry gently for 15 minutes, basting throughout, until the potatoes are nearly cooked and goldenbrown all over. You want the incisions in the potatoes to open up, so use a small knife to help prise them apart. Remove the potatoes and wipe the pan clean. 2. Heat the oven to 3900F and return the potatoes to the pan cut side up, add the cream, stock, garlic, rosemary, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes, basting the potatoes as they cook. Take the pan off the heat. sprinkle over the parmesan and thyme, then roast for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through, golden-brown all over and the cream is bubbling. Serve at once. MASSY STORES | Living | Page 50
Zucchini Cheese Loaf INGREDIENTS 3 cups 4 tsp. 1 tsp. ½ tsp. 1 tsp. 1 cup ¾ cup ¼ cup 1 tbsp. 2 1 cup 4 tbsp.
all purpose flour baking powder salt baking soda garlic powder shredded zucchini shredded cheddar cheese of shredded carrots fresh dill (or 2 tsp. dried dill) large eggs buttermilk butter, melted
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 3500F. Grease a regular size loaf pan (9” x 5”) 2. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and garlic powder. Whisk to combine. Add the zucchini, cheddar cheese, carrots and dill. Stir together. 3. In a separate small bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk and butter. 4. Pour the wet ingredients into the ingredients in the large bowl. Gently stir together until moistened. 5. Pour into loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cool completely or serve warm.
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 51
COUSCOUS with Chickpeas and Peppers A hearty variety of spices, including ginger, paprika and allspice, give this Moroccan style couscous it’s unique flavor. If you like Moroccan flavors or couscous dishes, try this easy vegetarian side dish.
INGREDIENTS 2 1 tbsp. ¼ cup 1-15 oz. 2
cloves garlic, minced olive oil water or vegetable broth can chickpeas red or yellow bell peppers, sliced or chopped 1 tsp. cumin ½ tsp. ground allspice ½ tsp. ginger ½ tsp. paprika ¼ tsp. nutmeg ¼ tsp. salt 2 cups couscous, uncooked ½ cup raisins dash cayenne pepper dash cinnamon
DIRECTIONS 1. Sauté the garlic in olive oil until just fragrant. Add chickpeas, bell peppers and spices, stir until well incorporated. Add water and raisins then cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. In a large saucepan, cover the couscous with water. Bring to a boil, then cover, remove from heat, and allow to sit for about 15 minutes, or until couscous becomes light and fluffy when mixed. 3. Pour the beans and pepper spice mixture into the couscous mix and serve hot. MASSY STORES | Living | Page 52
APPLE BUTTER Glazed Picnic Ham INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Apple Butter Ingredients 2 ½ lbs. Red apples, washed and quartered (not peeled) 2 cups apple juice 1 cup brown sugar ½ tsp. ground cinnamon ¼ tsp. grated nutmeg 1 lemon, juiced
Apple Butter In a large stockpot, combine the apples with the apple juice. Cook on low heat until the apples are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, purée and pass through a fine sieve. Put the purée in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and add the remaining ingredients. Cook on low heat for about 30 minutes until it is reduced by half and thickens up, stirring regularly and skimming the surface if necessary. Remove from heat and let cool.
Glazed Ham Ingredients 1 Farmer’s Choice Ham 2 cups finished apple butter
Glazed Ham Preheat oven at 350°F. In a bowl, combine apple butter, honey and Dijon mustard. Peel off the skin of the ham and brush it with apple butter mixture. Bake at 350°F for approximately 20 minutes per lb. , making sure to baste it with sauce every 15 minutes during cooking process. Remove ham from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before carving.
CHEERS
to your health!
E
very new year we make the same resolutions, in one form or another, lose weight, eat healthier, get fit, run a marathon. However grandiose the goal, we start off with a burning enthusiasm that most times fizzles out by January, with the exception of Carnival enthusiasts in Trinidad. The determination to fit into that teeny tiny costume trumps every desire to devour an entire roti for lunch before the end of February. Here’s a few tips to keep you on the bandwagon a bit longer and hopefully help make health and fitness a lifestyle.
Write down your goals and be very specific about what you want to achieve.
Whether it’s losing 10 lbs. or gaining more muscle. Motivate yourself every day by reading these goals every morning. Pull out this list at vulnerable times of the day, as well.
The buddy system works!
Having a friend with similar goals helps you both to stay accountable. Report (whether or not you have used good eating habits and followed your eating plan) to this person daily through email, text, or voice messages.
Teach yourself the difference between hunger and craving. Ultimately, you want to just label what you’re feeling (hunger, craving, tiredness, boredom, or a negative emotion) and tolerate it without giving into food. Have a list of powerful distractions to turn your attention away from your craving.
Plan your weekly meals on the weekend.
It helps to prep veggies and season meats on Sundays. Wash greens, slice and chop vegetables and store in Ziploc bags and containers for easy salads. Roast a whole chicken to use in salads, wraps or soup during the week.
Move!
Make every effort to exercise daily, even if it’s a 30 minute walk. Your level of exercise will depend on the goals you have set out. A few small changes in your daily routine can make all the difference in your health and well being. MASSY STORES | Living | Page 56
DIY
Gingerbread House Nothing makes a more impressive centre-piece or is as much fun for the kids as a homemade gingerbread house. The construction of your gingerbread house will closely follow the building concepts of a real house. You can make the gingerbread ahead of time, making sure to let it thoroughly cool in a dry area before wrapping securely to store. Be sure to allow plenty of time to assemble.
Some simple tips:
• Cut the basic structure templates for your house from poster board and test first by taping the pieces together. If it will stand made out of poster board, then most likely it will be structurally safe for your gingerbread house. • Prepare a base for your house. Use a piece of plywood covered with foil or a large heavy platter or baking tray. You will want to be able to move the entire structure easily. You can use a sheet of gingerbread on top of the base if you wish, but it is not necessary. • Keep in mind that the dimensions of your gingerbread house will be restricted to the size of a 12" x 15" baking sheet, so cut your templates accordingly. • Maximum thickness for dough should be 3/8". For houses larger than 6 inches square, use 1/4" thickness and for smaller houses, use 1/8". Weight-bearing walls should be just slightly thicker. • If you want the walls covered in icing, you may need to thin the icing with a few drops of water and then spread gently on the sides before assembling. Let it sit for the icing to dry. • When assembling, apply the “glue” icing using a pastry bag, and let it sit for 30 minutes to set before actually assembling. This will help the pieces adhere better, resulting in a more stable structure. When assembling, apply a generous (but not dripping) amount of icing glue to one side of the joint. Press un-iced piece to the iced edge and hold briefly until the icing sets. If you want more stability, you can also icingglue the walls to the base.
• For the icing decoration, use a pastry bag with various decorating tips or a knife. You can easily fill in gaps and smooth construction errors with icing and candy decorations. Wipe off smudges or drips with a clean, damp paper towel. • To apply candy decorations, dab a small amount of icing to the underside of the candy and hold in place until set. • You can use dough scraps to roll out added decorative cut-outs to be applied with icing glue. These cutouts can be impressed with various designs before baking. • If you do not have time to do the baking, you can use graham crackers and still have fun decorating.
Ingredients
4 cups 1 tsp. ½ tsp. ½ tsp. ½ tsp. 1 cup 1½ cups 1 ½ cup
Icing 1 lb. 3 1 tsp.
sifted all-purpose flour baking powder baking soda salt nutmeg butter, softened sugar egg dairy sour cream
DIY
Sugar Cookie Christmas Tree
powdered sugar egg whites fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS- Cookies
1. Sift flour with baking powder, soda, salt, and nutmeg, set aside. 2. In large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, beat butter, sugar, and egg until light and fluffy. 3. At low speed, beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth. 4. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well combined. 5. With rubber scraper, form dough into a ball. Wrap in waxed paper or foil, refrigerate several hours or overnight. 6. Divide dough into 4 parts. Refrigerate until ready to roll out. 7. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 3750F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. 8. On well-floured surface, roll dough, one part at a time, ¼ inch thick. 9. With floured star shaped cookie cutters, cut out cookies (minimum 3 to 4 of each size). Using spatula, carefully place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. 10. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Remove to wire rack to cool.
DIRECTIONS- Icing
1. Sift sugar into a bowl of an electric mixer. Add remaining ingredients. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low until sugar is incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Check for stiff peaks. 2. If needed, increase speed to medium-high and continue beating icing. Once stiff peaks are formed, transfer the icing to bowls and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap onto the icing to prevent crusting.
DIRECTIONS- Cookie Tree
1. Begin by selecting one of the largest cookies for the base. Using the royal icing as glue, stack another cookie of the same size or larger on top of the base cookie. You’ll rotate each cookie slightly, so that the points are exposed. Repeat this process until your tree is complete, using smaller cookies as you work your way up. Place and glue one of the smallest stars in an upright position, at the top of the tree. 2. Once your tree is built, using a leaf tip, add royal icing snow to the tip of each star. Decorate with sprinkles or candy. Do this as you work your way up. If you wait, the icing will harden and the decorations won’t stick.
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 61
Fill your
prescript ion
while you shop
• Competitive pricing
• A range of vitamins & supplements
• Qualified & experienced pharmacists • Get points for your purchases
Proudly Supporting Agriculture & Farmers in St. Lucia
Massy Stores (SLU) Ltd. is one of the leading purchasers of agricultural products (produce, livestock, eggs, poultry, broiler and value added products) on the island. Guided by the understanding that good agricultural practices and agricultural development are directly linked to the stores’ ability to continue to meet the demands of customers, the company’s role has evolved beyond being a market for farmers and producers through the eleven Massy Stores. There is a direct focus on providing some key support structures crucial to shaping the future of Agriculture in St. Lucia. One of the many initiatives in that regard is the Massy Stores Annual Registered Farmers’ Meeting which provides an opportunity for farmers, produce buyers and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to engage and share with the leadership of the company. This year’s farmers’ meeting followed shortly after the re-branding of the company under the theme “Massy Stores, committed to working with the farming community”. In his remarks Guest Speaker and Director on the Board of Massy Stores Mr. Gordon Charles told farmers “Over the past few decades, our focus has been on building strong, long-term relationships that are sustainable and we have put many programmes in place to strengthen the relationship with you. The agricultural sector is an area of focus for us and is among the more critical for the island, so naturally we are proud to continue to add value to its development now that we are part of the Massy Stores family!” One of the programmes which Mr. Charles alluded, to is the company’s interest-free Registered Farmers Loans Program, designed to help farmers meet production challenges, enhance quality, introduce new varieties of crops, undertake farm repairs and deal with farm emergencies. Almost three hundred farmers have received vital assistance under this program. Another ongoing initiative is the Massy Stores Farm Visits, during which the Massy Stores produce buying teams meet with farmers on their properties to discuss market needs and demands, scheduling, supply logistics, production planning for improved product availability, right down to introduction of new varieties of crops etc. The discussions also extend to the importance of business planning, labelling, packaging and value added options to realise a more marketable product. The meeting also discussed the positive outcomes of the Roots and Tubers Programme initiated by Massy Stores with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Caribbean Agricultural Research & Development Institute (CARDI). This programme encourages St. Lucian farmers to get back into the production of traditional crops such as yams, dasheen, potatoes, ginger, carrots, which were on the decline due to production challenges. The introduction of the programme, which was supported by a media campaign to highlight the importance of these crops and their high nutritional value served as a catalyst for improved production. Farmers attending the meeting applauded Massy Stores for their initiatives in the local agricultural sector. Incentives such as preferential pricing for farmers trained and certified in Good Agricultural Practises and Food Safety. These initiatives help maintain high levels of quality which is crucial to Massy Stores valued customers.
Written by Sariah Best
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 63
Cont’d from page 34
Cont’d from page 23
No Bake Cream Cheesecake with Sorrel Topping
Plantain and Ground Turkey Lasagna
DIRECTIONS
DIRECTIONS
Cake 1. Line the base and side of a 7” removable cake pan. Set aside. 2. Place biscuits in a zip lock bag and crush finely with a rolling pin. Combine melted butter with crushed biscuits. Press the crumbs onto the base of the pan and chill. 3. In a mixing bowl, whip the dairy cream until soft peaks form. Set aside to chill in fridge. 4. Soak gelatine in 2 tablespoons water, set aside to allow the mixture to dissolve before placing the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the mixture until the gelatine melts, remove from heated pot and cool slightly before using. 5. In another mixing bowl, whip softened cream cheese until smooth. Whip in sugar until well dissolved. Add the milk followed by melted gelatine. 6. Fold the chilled whipped cream and vanilla into the cream cheese mixture with a hand whisk. 7. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the chilled biscuit base. Smooth the surface and chill until set.
1. Preheat the oven to 3500F and grease an 8" x 8" baking dish. 2. Heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Sauté onions, garlic, pimento peppers and cilantro, cook for a few minutes then add turkey, break up with a spatula. 3. When turkey starts to cook, add tomatoes and bell peppers, combine well. 4. Continue to break the meat up into smaller pieces. Add capers (with vinegar), cumin, bay leaves, salt, pepper, tomato sauce and about ¼ cup of water. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. 5. Spray a small sauté pan and heat to medium. Lay plantain slices on pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. 6. Spoon cooked turkey into baking dish and top with a layer of shredded cheese. Arrange the plantain slices over the cheese.
Sorrel Jelly Topping
1. Soak gelatine with 2 tablespoons water, stir lightly. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering hot water. Stir until the gelatine melts. 2. Add sorrel syrup, sugar and water to a small pot. Stir until sugar dissolves at medium heat. Add in gelatine and stir well to combine. 3. Cool down the liquid slightly and gently pour over the top of the cheesecake. 4. Chill so it can set before slicing.
MASSY STORES | Living | Page 64
7. Beat together the eggs with the milk and pour over plantains. Top plantains with remainder of cheese and cover with foil. 8. Bake for about 25 minutes. When cheese is completely melted, change oven setting to broil and broil for about 3-5 minutes.