Family Day

Many of my readers are celebrating Presidents' Day today, but here in Ontario (and in several other Canadian provinces) we're celebrating Family Day.  We've only observed this holiday in Ontario since 2008, but already we anticipate it as if we've celebrated it for years.  And what's not to love?  Family Day helps break up the sometimes-endless month of February, and it's a great excuse to spend time with our loved ones.  For many families, it's a chance to establish a new set of traditions.

Traditions, both new and old, can provide some of the best family memories.  I thought about some of my favourite food traditions that our family has shared, not specifically on Family Day, but throughout the year:

- burgers at Webers.  We've driven one or both girls home from camp every summer since 2002, and every year we stop at Webers Hamburgers on the way.  We always move one of the picnic tables into the shade, and share cheeseburgers and fries while the girls tell us about another great camp experience.

- barbecuing in the back yard.  Living in Canada, we take advantage of the short summer season by eating outside whenever we can.  It's even more special when we share it with our friends.  Whether we're serving chicken or steak, salmon or veggie burgers, we make the most of our long days by eating, laughing and talking in the back yard.

- dinner out on New Year's Eve.  This is a newer tradition, but for the past few years the four of us have had dinner out in a restaurant on New Year's Eve.  We go around the table and talk about some of our favourite memories over the past twelve months.  I can't think of anyone else I'd rather close the year with.

What are some of your best family food memories?

In the meantime, I'd like to share this recipe for Toblerone Shortbread cookies.  My family loved them, and I'm sure yours will too.

Toblerone Shortbread cookies

(adapted from Anna Olson)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp icing sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

One and a half 100 gram Toblerone bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter until light and fluffy.  Add icing sugar and beat again until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl often.  Add cornstarch and blend in, then add all-purpose flour and salt, and mix until dough comes together.  (Dough will be soft.)  Stir in vanilla.

Chop Toblerone bars into smallish chunks and stir them into the batter.

Spoon large teaspoonfuls of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, leaving two inches between cookies.  Bake for 16 minutes, then remove from cookie sheet to cool on a rack.