Best of Bridge Sunday Suppers – Recipes and Giveaway

In 1975, eight Calgary women, all members of the same bridge club, took off for a weekend away. Fun, bridge and talking about cooking led to the planning of the first Best of Bridge cookbook. Bank loans, uncomplicated recipes and self promotion made that cookbook a reality.

The public loved these women who would show up to promote themselves in their matching aprons and homespun approach. (Photo to left of the original team courtesy of Best of Bridge.)

In 2008, Robert Rose bought the rights to Best of Bridge and in 2015 the four surviving members of the team (one member moved away, and three had died), decided it was time to retire and approached Julie Van Rosendaal, a popular cookbook author to take over. Julie recruited her best friend, Sue Duncan, and Calgary food blogger Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, as co-writers of the new Bridge team. (The new team is pictured to the right with the original surviving members, courtesy of Best of Bridge)

The trio’s first book Best of Bridge The Family Slow Cooker: 225 All-New Recipes was published in 2016 with recipes that will take you through every meal and every occasion. So whether you’re looking for some breakfast and brunch inspiration or for a fantastic chili recipe to make on a cold winter’s day — the ladies have got you covered. Includes recipes for: Breakfast and Brunch, Appetizers, Soups, Stews, Chili and Curries, Sandwiches, Big Meats, Veggies and Sides, Pasta (and Pasta Sauces), Rice and Grains, Condiments, Stocks and Basics, and Sweet Stuff and Beverages.

Now the ladies are back with a new collection, Best of Bridge Sunday Suppers: All-New Recipes for Family and Friends which focuses on the all important Sunday supper. The recipes are approachable, flavorful and include measurements in both weight and volume and not just for Sunday. Meatloaf burgers, Foolproof Yorkshire pudding, British fish pie, and Grilled steak bibimbap are a few examples of dishes of the selections available. The trio also include a chapter on sauces and condiments as well as homemade bread. Tried and true recipes, offering many answers to the all important question, “What’s for supper?”  (or dinner depending on where you live).

Today, we are sharing two recipes from this title – dinner and dessert – a simple sheet pan chicken dish and one of my favorites, a blondie. Special thanks to Robert Rose, the publisher, for sharing these recipes and providing  three copies of this title to our members in the US and Canada in our giveaway below.



Sheet pan chicken with pistachios and honey

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This is a variation of a slightly more exotic chicken dish created by Yotam Ottolenghi. We loved the idea of roasting chicken pieces with honey and nuts, but wanted to simplify the ingredients to reflect what’s usually in our own pantries. The result is just as delicious. Serve over rice.

1 onion, chopped 
1 tsp ground ginger 5 mL
1 tsp ground cinnamon 5 mL
Pinch saffron 
1⁄4 cup olive oil 60 mL
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 lbs assorted bone-in skin-on chicken pieces 1 kg

3 tbsp liquid honey 45 mL
1⁄2 tsp vanilla 2 mL
1 tbsp warm water (approx.) 15 mL
3⁄4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped 175 mL


In a small bowl, combine onion, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place chicken in a shallow dish (or sealable plastic bag) and cover with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove chicken from marinade and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, then pour marinade over top. Roast for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another small bowl, combine honey and vanilla. Stir in warm water to form a paste (start with a little water and add more until you get a workable consistency). Stir in pistachios. Remove chicken from oven and spread paste evenly on top of chicken. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced. Serves 4 to 6.

Tip: Any combination of bone-in skin-on chicken pieces is fine in this recipe, and the same amount of marinade will work for a slightly larger quantity. If you are comfortable with dismantling a whole chicken (or have a butcher who will do it for you), that will work. For ease, we also like buying a couple of packages of chicken thighs and legs.

Browned butter blondies
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A pan of blondies can be stirred together in 5 minutes and slid into a warm oven as everyone sits down to eat; when it’s time for dessert, it’s ready. If you like, bake them in a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan and serve in slightly fancier wedges, with a scoop of ice cream.

1⁄2 cup butter 125 mL
1 cup packed brown sugar 250 mL
1 large egg, beaten 
1 tsp vanilla 5 mL
1 cup all-purpose flour 250 mL
1⁄2 tsp baking soda 2 mL
1⁄4 tsp salt 1 mL
1⁄2 cup chopped dark or white chocolate, chocolate chips or chopped nuts 125 mL


Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the foam starts turning golden and the mixture smells nutty. Pour into a medium bowl and stir in brown sugar, then egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until almost combined. Stir in chocolate and/or nuts (or whatever additions you like) until just blended. Spread into an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and set around the edges. Serve warm or let cool in pan on a wire rack. Serves 9.

Courtesy of Best of Bridge Sunday Suppers by Best of Bridge © 2017 www.robertrose.ca Available where books are sold. Image credit: Matt Johannsson, Reflector Inc.

The publisher is offering three copies of this book to EYB Members in the US and CA.  One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post.

Which recipe in the index would you try first?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post. Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on December 6th, 2017.

 

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77 Comments

  • echilt5  on  October 28, 2017

    Mango butternut soup

  • rchesser  on  October 28, 2017

    Yvonne's pomegranate chicken

  • ravensfan  on  October 28, 2017

    Asian noodle salad

  • lgroom  on  October 28, 2017

    Beef and Guinness pie

  • contest718  on  October 29, 2017

    Cover photo looks great. I think it is a prime rib or whatever cut of beef looks awesome!

  • stef  on  October 29, 2017

    Cheese seafood lasagna looks great

  • heyjude  on  October 29, 2017

    Foolproof Prime Rib

  • tmcginty  on  October 29, 2017

    The blondies!

  • AGENT99  on  October 29, 2017

    Friendship salad

  • kennethjohngilmour  on  October 29, 2017

    would like to try the Curried Chicken Salad with Peaches found on page 22

  • Nancith  on  October 29, 2017

    Beef and Guinness pie would be a dish sure to please my family.

  • lauriesk  on  October 29, 2017

    The first recipe I would try would be the Mississippi Pot Roast.

  • RuthGo  on  October 29, 2017

    The bibimbap sounds delicious!

  • LeighF  on  October 29, 2017

    Meatloaf burgers 🍔

  • kmn4  on  October 29, 2017

    Lemon poppy seed pound cake

  • sunhan  on  October 29, 2017

    I would try the Easy Tortiere first!

  • matag  on  October 29, 2017

    Brown sugar panna cotta

  • smartie101  on  October 29, 2017

    Browned Butter Brownies

  • trudys_person  on  October 29, 2017

    You got me with the Browned Butter Blondies! Thank you!

  • jezpurr  on  October 30, 2017

    This one caught my eye: Sheet pan chicken with pistachios and honey, and a few others!!!^_^

  • annieski  on  October 30, 2017

    Large batch brownies sound like a winner as we head into holiday season!

  • Siegal  on  October 30, 2017

    Cheesy seafood lasagna for me

  • Kristjudy  on  October 30, 2017

    The blondies!

  • sarahawker  on  October 30, 2017

    Sausage, corn, potato and cheddar chowder

  • ktwalla  on  October 30, 2017

    Coconut sweet potato soup

  • bibliophile02  on  October 31, 2017

    Uncomplicated arugula salad (but the blondies also look great!)

  • ladybrooke  on  October 31, 2017

    Soft chocolate loaf cake

  • sgump  on  November 1, 2017

    The quinoa salad with mint and blueberries would be nice to try next summer!

  • Shelley.b  on  November 2, 2017

    Cheesy seafood lasagna

  • vinochic  on  November 2, 2017

    Roasted Squash Coconut Curry

  • HeatherLynn  on  November 3, 2017

    Those browned butter blondies are calling my name!!! Delicious!

  • ennsee  on  November 3, 2017

    I would love to try to make the Orzo salad with cherries and lime dressing first.

  • t.t  on  November 4, 2017

    Fattoush

  • PennyG  on  November 4, 2017

    Ben's favorite broccoli cheese soup – still on the lookout for the perfect recipe!

  • robynsanyal  on  November 5, 2017

    rowned Butter blondies

  • Anno  on  November 5, 2017

    Grilled steak bibimbap! These books are awesome!

  • Vspriestersbach  on  November 5, 2017

    Browned butter bloodies for sure!

  • nicolthepickle  on  November 6, 2017

    The Taco pie sounds wonderful.

  • skipeterson  on  November 6, 2017

    Greek-inspired pork skewers

  • AnneOther  on  November 6, 2017

    I like the sound of "Fancy-pants cauliflower and cheese" so I'd give that a try first!

  • motherofpearl81  on  November 6, 2017

    Beef 'n' beer stew

  • lindaeatsherbooks  on  November 7, 2017

    I would like to first make the orzo salad with cherries and lime dressing.

  • RSW  on  November 7, 2017

    Bookmark Roasted red pepper and tomato soup (

  • LJStubbs  on  November 7, 2017

    Browned butter blondies for sure!

  • lisaevanoff  on  November 8, 2017

    Herbed potato salad

  • juldum  on  November 11, 2017

    I would first try the beet borscht!

  • Dmartin997  on  November 11, 2017

    Pork tenderloin with honey mustard glaze

  • readers  on  November 11, 2017

    Brown buttered blondies

  • Julia  on  November 11, 2017

    Roast duck with apple cranberry glaze.

  • BMeyer  on  November 11, 2017

    sheet pan chicken with pistachios

  • sallansd  on  November 11, 2017

    Creamy Chicken, Corn & Vegetable Chowder looks yummy for a cold winter day

  • sequoia55  on  November 12, 2017

    Soft chocolate loaf cake

  • shines5  on  November 12, 2017

    Quinoa salad with mint and blueberries

  • kaitk  on  November 12, 2017

    I'd make kale Caesar salad.

  • crowlands  on  November 12, 2017

    The bacon and avocado salad would be the first of many I’d try!

  • skichick  on  November 12, 2017

    Frozen key lime puff

  • RickPearson54  on  November 13, 2017

    Blondies

  • JenJoLa  on  November 13, 2017

    Roasted red pepper and tomato soup

  • tararr  on  November 13, 2017

    Roast duck with apple cranberry glaze

  • VeryVigario  on  November 13, 2017

    Asian Noodle Salad 🙂

  • madelainelc  on  November 13, 2017

    I know a 9 year old who would be very into Ben's Favourite Broccoli Cheese Soup!

  • AnnaZed  on  November 15, 2017

    My Mom's ichiban salad

  • Katiefayhutson  on  November 17, 2017

    Beef and Guinness pie

  • JJWong  on  November 20, 2017

    Ben's favorite broccoli and cheese soup!

  • Scotsman61  on  November 20, 2017

    Browned Butter Blondies

  • lhudson  on  November 22, 2017

    Sheet pan chicken with pistachios and honey

  • LaurenE  on  November 23, 2017

    Beef and Guinness pie

  • dbielick  on  November 28, 2017

    Anne's ham and mushroom tart with rosemary and Gruyère

  • SheenaSharp  on  November 28, 2017

    Curried chicken salad with peaches

  • Uhmandanicole  on  November 29, 2017

    Yvonne's pomegranate chicken

  • orchidlady01  on  November 29, 2017

    Roasted red pepper and tomato soup and Ben's favorite broccoli cheese soup

  • auntietina  on  December 1, 2017

    Curried chicken salad with peaches

  • matwell  on  December 1, 2017

    Jason's Grandma's two-hour buns, simply because the name made me giggle.

  • elisabethferg9  on  December 1, 2017

    Hot and sour chicken soup

  • antpantsii  on  December 2, 2017

    Saskatoon Pie. Yum yum.

  • pappaslauren  on  December 4, 2017

    Orzo salad with cherries and lime dressing!

  • Rosesrpink50  on  December 5, 2017

    I would love to make Guido's Leek and Potato Soup (Vichyssoise)!

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