VanEats

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¼ cup sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
6 sheets phyllo pastry
6 Tbsp. butter, melted

In a food processor, finely chop chocolate, sugar and cinnamon. If you dont have a food processor, use a knife and chop the chocolate as fine as you can and combine with sugar and cinnamon.
Cut phyllo pastry sheets in half crosswise. Cover with plastic wrap, then a damp tea towel.
Place 1 sheet pastry with long side closest to you. Lightly brush upper half of pastry with butter.

1 cup sour cream
¼ cup yogurt
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 green onion, finely chopped
¾ tsp. mixed peppercorns, coarsely ground
½ tsp. salt or to taste

Mix together all ingredients.
Cover and chill at least 2 hours for flavours to blend.
Serve with an assortment of lightly blanched or raw veggies.

Makes 1 ½ cups

2 lb. cod fillets
2 Tbsp. red curry paste
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 1/2 Tbsp. arrowroot
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
4 fresh lime leaves, finely shredded or 2 tsp. lime zest
1 cup green beans, cut into 1/4" pieces
Oil for panfrying

In a food processor, grind cod to a paste. Place in a large bowl.
Add curry paste, fish sauce, arrowroot, sugar, egg, lime leaves and green beans.
Mix well (use your hands...it's a lot easier!) and chill at least 30 minutes.

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lime juice
3 3/4 cups cranberry cocktail
1 1/4 cups vodka
2 1/2 cups club soda
Lime slices

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Add lime juice. Cool, transfer to a non-metallic container and refrigerate.
To make cocktail, combine lime syrup, cranberry cocktail and vodka in a pitcher. Gradually add club soda.
Serve over ice and garnish with lime slices.

Makes 8 servings

1 Tbsp. butter
3 onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp. sugar
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup smoked Gouda, shredded
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
6 sheets phyllo pastry
1/4 cup butter
Caraway seeds for sprinkling

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until they are transparent and starting to colour. Add sugar and continue to cook until the onions are brown. Total cooking time should be 40 minutes. Cool.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, smoked Gouda, pepper, caraway seeds and onions.