Runny butter tarts, corn fritters, Quebec pudding for July 1

As flags fly and strains of O Canada waft through the community on Wednesday, recipes from across the nation will be featured in celebration of Canada and Canada Day.
Each region of the country has foods significant to its residents - whether brought in by settlers or developed there throughout the years.
Those recipes have been adapted over the years but their essence remains similar.
Today's recipes, from a variety of sources, provide ideas of what to serve as Canada's birthday is saluted with parties, community gatherings and fireworks.
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Canadian Kebobs
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsps. maple syrup
2 tbsps. chopped green onion
2 tbsps. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. rye whisky
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 lb. grilling steak (top sirloin, tenderloin, strip loin or rib eye)
2 oranges, peeled and cut into large chunks
In a large sealable bag, combine vinegar, garlic, syrup, onions, whisky, cloves, salt and pepper. Set aside 4 tbsps. of the marinade for basting.
Trim any fat from steak; cut into 1 inch cubes. Add to the bag, seal tightly and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight.
Discard marinade used on steak.
Thread steak and orange onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat: close lid and cook, basting with reserved marinade for 4-5 minutes per side or until browned but still pink inside. Serve immediately.
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Runny Canadian Butter Tarts
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tbsps. ice water
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. hot water
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
Fill a cup with ice and water.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in the shortening to make pea-size pieces.
Add the tablespoons of ice water from the cup until dough holds together. Form the dough into a ball. The dough is now complete. Put it into a plastic bag or wrap it up and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Roll the dough between two sheets of waxed paper.
Cut the shells using a large glass. Put these shells into greased muffin or tart pans.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Put walnuts and coconut on baking pan and roast for 5-10 minutes, until brown. Remove from oven and set temperature to 450 degrees F.
Fill the bottom of each tart shell with about 10 raisins each.
Whisk together sugar, egg, butter, vanilla and hot water. Add coconut and walnuts. Pour mixture into tart shells, filling 2/3 full and no more.
Bake in 450 degrees F oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before attempting to remove. Makes 12 tarts. Centre will be runny.
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Canadian-Style Corn Fritters
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, or to taste
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 (15.25 oz.) can whole kernel corn
1 (14.75 oz.) can cream-style corn
1 tsp. lard or other cooking fat
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre and pour in the egg, milk, whole kernel corn and cream-style corn. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
Heat the lard in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drop tablespoon-sized dollops of batter onto the hot skillet, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve with chokecherry or maple syrup.
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Quebec Pudding
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups water
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup cold butter
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a large saucepan, mix together the brown sugar and water, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, and stir in 1 tbsp. of butter and 1/2 tsp. of vanilla. Cover while preparing the batter.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt.
Cut in 1/3 cup of butter by pinching between your fingers, or using a fork until the mixture has lumps no larger than crumbs.
Make a well in the centre, and pour in the milk and 1 tsps. of vanilla all at once. Stir just until all of the dry mixture is absorbed.
Return the sugar mixture to a full boil, and drop large spoonfuls of the batter into the syrup. Cover and simmer over medium heat, without removing the lid, for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the largest dumpling comes out clean.
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Saskatoon Smoothie
2 cups chocolate milk
1 cup saskatoon berry yogurt
1 cup frozen saskatoon berries
1 tbsp. liquid honey
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until frozen berries are pureed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. Frozen banana chunks may be substituted for frozen berries.
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Moose Jaw and area residents will have many opportunities to gather to show Canada's colours on Canada Day.
As we gather with friends and family, it should be foremost in our minds that in other countries, assembling in celebration is forbidden. Because of our taken-for-granted freedoms, such restriction is incomprehensible.
Celebrate and give thanks.
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Thought for the day: "We shall be Canadians first, foremost, and always, and our policies will be decided in Canada and not dictated by any other country." - John G. Diefenbaker

Joyce Walter can be reached at 691-1259 or jwalter@sasktel.net