Basil and Bacon

Moving on to bigger and better!

Find the new "This Delicous Life" food blog at my new home, "Basil and Bacon"

www.basilandbacon.com

Come check out all the new recipes!

*Becky

Pad Thai Style Spaghetti Squash. Yeah. I went there.

There was a time in my life that I would do everything I could to avoid carbs. Basically 2004-2008. Call it South Beach, call it what you like. These days I call it crazy! What I wouldn't have done to have a recipe like this in my arsenal during those days. Sticky, Pad-Thai style goodness.

The nice thing with this recipe is you can switch up the "nut butter" you use. If you have allergies you can avoid nut butter all together and go with Sunflower Seed Butter or Sesame Seed Butter. It will all work deliciously!

If you're still with me, let's talk for a moment about spaghetti squash. We've been eating spaghetti squash at our place for several years now. If you've never tried it, you must give it a shot. (We LOVE it with pesto...) The brilliant thing about this squash is all you need to do is cut it in 2 and roast it on a cookie sheet for 45 minutes. Once it's cooked, you use a fork to pull out all the spaghetti like squash noodles inside. Brilliant I tell you. It's like guilt free noodles that never go mushy. It's good to know that you can roast the squash up to 4 days in advance and just wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge.

Pad Thai Style Spaghetti Squash
Adapted from carrotsncake.com


1 Spaghetti Squash, roasted
2 large eggs
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 pkg (or large handful) of snow peas
2 chicken breasts, previously grilled and chopped OR 1 pkg firm tofu, cut into squares and pan fried
3 green onions, chopped
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

Sauce
Juice from 2 limes
1/2 cup of nut or seed butter (I used Cashew Butter)
1 tsp sriracha sauce (or more if you like spicy!)
2 tbsp soya sauce (*for gluten free, sub coconut aminos)
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 cup coconut milk

1. To prepare your sauce, place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

2. In a large pan on med heat add 1 tsp of oil. Crack your eggs into the pan and scramble lightly. Let the eggs cook into a large thin omelet, flipping if you can. Remove the eggs from the pan and cut into strips. Set aside.

3. To the same pan add another 1 tsp of oil. Add in your chopped onion. Sweat out the onion for about 4 minutes. Toss in your snow peas and give it a good stir.

4. To the pan, add your roasted spaghetti squash "noodles," your cooked egg and your prepared cooked chicken or tofu.

5. Pour in your sauce and give everything a good stir. Let it cook for a few minutes to heat everything through. Add a bit of water if you think the sauce is getting to thick.

6. Remove from heat and stir in green onions and cilantro.

7. Serve with a few dashes of sriracha if you desire.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

You know those days, you have no idea what to make for dinner, no ingedients, and you're so strapped for time you end up drinking soup out of a mug? It was one of those days at our house yesterday. After a 2 hour walk and 3 very short naps, Isla was a grumpy pants and wouldn't let me put her down all afternoon. It was all I could do to chop an onion and some cauliflower. So that's all I did folks, it's that simple.

Here is a great soup recipe perfect for fall. Very few ingredients and literally ready from scratch in less than a half hour, with about 5 minutes of hands on time. In the end, it all gets pureed so you don't even have to chop nicely!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

1 onion, diced
1 head cauliflower, florets roughly removed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
4 cups chicken or veg stock
1/2 cup milk or half and half
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded chedder cheese (*optional)

1. Heat a large soup pot on med high. Add in olive oil and butter and heat until butter is melted. Add in onions and cauliflower. Give it a good stir and heat through for about 5 min.

2. Add the stock to the pot. Put the lid on. Bring to a boil, then reduce, simmer for 15 min or until cauliflower has completly softened.

3. Stir in your milk and a good dash of salt and pepper.

4. Using a hand blender (or regular blender, do half at a time) puree the soup until it's very smooth.

5. Return to the pot and add your shredded cheese. Stir until it melts. Taste and check if it needs more salt.

Chicken and Dumplings

This is very Southern Y'all. Truth be told, I had never eaten or even heard of chicken and dumplings until this year. But it's really not as foreign as it sounds, basically chicken noodle soup meets chicken stew with some dumplings instead of rice or noodles. If you're like me, you hear "dumplings" and think of Chinese dumplings...but no folks, this is something very very different.

Don't be afraid of the dumplings. They are just a couple things thrown together in a bowl and then spooned into simmering stock. The result is a very satisfying and a totally homemade treat. Give it a try next time you've got left over roast chicken!

Chicken and Dumplings

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 lg carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 cups chicken stock
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or diced
salt and pepper

Dumplings
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp of an herb (I used dill, but you could use thyme, rosemary or parsley)
2 tbsp cold butter, cut into small dice
milk

1. Prepare the dumplings: In a medium size bowl mix your flour, baking powder, salt and herb. Add in your diced cold butter. With your fingers, scrunch up the flour mixture with the butter until the butter is incorporated in tiny pieces. Add in enough milk to make a slightly sticky dough that is wet enough to scoop with a spoon.

2. Heat up a large pot and add the olive oil. Add in your carrots, onions, celery and garlic. Let saute for a few minutes until the veggies start to soften.

3. Add in your chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.

4. Add in your cooked chicken.

5. With the broth simmering, add in a tbsp of dumpling dough, 1 at a time, swirling the stock as you go.

6. Cover and let simmer for about 15 min

Camping McMuffins!

Growing up we would spend most of every summer camping. It was such an amazing time especially once our trailer eventually included very comfortable beds, air conditioning and a TV. But as long as the day ended in a campfire, it was camping. One if the best things about camping with a microwave was the delicious breakfast sandwiches my mom would make for us in the morning. I'd forgotten about these for so long. But thanks to Mom, they are back folks, and ready to save you $3 a day.

Camping McMuffins

1 english muffin, sliced and lightly toasted
1 egg
spray of cooking spray (Pam)
1 slice of cheese
1 slice of back bacon

1. Get yourself a microwave safe little bowl or ramekin. Give it a spray with the cooking spray. Break your egg into the little dish and use a fork to break up the yolk a bit. Put your egg in the microwave for 40 seconds.
2. Get your egg out of the microwave and place your back bacon and cheese on the egg. Pop it back in the microwave for another 20 seconds.
3. Place your egg on the english muffin. That's it. Enjoy!

Sesame Noodle Salad

My main foodie purpose these days with a 5 month old, as I have said before, is to build up a repertoire of meals I can make quickly or in advance. I've tried to allow myself to just cave in and buy some canned soup or jarred sauce...but I get to the store and absolutely nothing looks appealing to me. At all. It seems I've come so far over the other side that there is no turning back! Alas, this means several frustrating moments every week with a recipe half competed, my hands full of garlic, the oven on high and a crying baby at my feet. Balance. I must get some.

Speaking of balance, this delightful noodle salad dish definitely has it. It's Salty, sour, sweet and spicy. It's make-ahead. It's easy. This recipe totally rocks! This recipe has been adapted from one of my favourite blogs, eatliverun.com. If you get a chance, check out Jenna's adventures!

I opted to use some julienne carrots in my recipe, but the original calls for snow peas. You could definitely use almost any raw vegetable that you like. Also, I used WW Spaghetti, but Soba or Buckwheat noodles would be amazing.

Sesame Noodle Salad

1/2 pack whole wheat spaghetti
1 carrot, julienne, preferably with a mandolin
3 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Sauce (*This makes at least twice as much as you need, put it in the fridge! Makes a great salad dressing or stir fry sauce.)

3/4 cup Tahini
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup soya sauce
1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Sriracha (or more if you like it spicy!)

1. Cook your noodles, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. Mix all sauce ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add a little more water if you want the sauce thinned out a bit.
3. Add your prepared veggies to the noodles.
4. Pour about 1/2 the sauce over your noodles. Mix well.
5. Top with sesame seeds.

From Mommy's Kitchen

My mom is amazing. She is incredible with my daughter (obviously,)she is a great business woman and she is a fabulous decorator and personal stylist. She has always been a wonderful mommy to me and lately my everyday company. All that being said, experimenting with recipes is not really her thing. I always joke that when I was younger, I knew it was a special day when we opened up a can of diced tomatoes to go with the Kraft Dinner. Ah the memories.

Lately, my mom has gained a little confidence in the kitchen and has been impressing me with many of her creations. Last night she served this Pan-fried Panko Crusted Talapia that was ah-mah-zing! I asked her for her recipe and after some hesitation she kindly divulged the secrets.

This is super simple, but usually, simple is best.

Thanks Mom!

4 Talapia Fillets
2 eggs, slightly whisked
2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
Hy's Seasoning Salt
Garlic Plus Seasoning
2 tbsp butter
1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Break eggs onto a shallow plate, whisk slightly.
2. Pour Panko onto another shallow plate.
3. Dip Talapia into egg, let the extra drip off, then place talapia into the panko. Turn and press panko into the fish to create a nice coating.
4. Season breaded fish with Hy's and Garlic Plus seasoning.
5. Preheat a large frying pan over med-high heat. Add butter. Once butter has melted, place each fillet into pan.
6. Cook until brown on one side, about 4 min, then flip and brown the other side for about 4 min.
7. Serve with lemon wedges.

Fennel and Mushroom Chicken Pot Pie

Fall is officially here and so is the colder weather. Alas, before you tear up, let us rejoice in the beginning of Roast Chickens, Hearty Soups, Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Chicken Pot Pie! I must admit, I always look forward to cranking the oven back on after months of trying to avoid it.

This is a great recipe for a comfort food staple, Chicken Pot Pie. This particular pot pie includes fennel, an amazing and very under-used vegetable! To make things a bit healthier, I also only use crust on the top of the pie, rather than encasing the whole thing. You can make this is in a large casserole dish or several servings in french onion soup bowls. A very basic and impressive looking fall dish to serve to guests.

Fennel and Mushroom Chicken Pot Pie

2 lg chicken breasts, roasted and shredded
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 bulbs fennel, root only, cored and diced
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp butter

1. Add olive oil to a large pot heated to med high. Add mushrooms, carrot, fennel and onion and thyme to pot. Heat through to soften, stirring often, 5 min.
2. Stir in flour until well combined.
3. Add mustard and butter.
4. Stir in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for 10 min.
5. Add shredded chicken and salt and pepper if needed.
6. Fill casserole dish with chicken mixture. Top with rolled out pie crust, allowing the crust to spill over the edge of the dish.
7. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 min or until crust is browned. Let cool a bit before serving.

Vietnamese Bun (Boon)

When our daughter Isla was a mere 6 days old, my husband and I went for Vietnamese. We quite literally can not go a week without it, we love it. Although I know that recreating the legit dishes we love, at home, would be next to impossible, I knew it was at least worth a shot.

Well, let me tell you, this is delicious. Super simple. Super quick. Most can be prepped in advance. And to my complete surprise, the leftovers were amazing (I thought the noodles and everything would get soggy, but it never happened!)

Vietnamese Bun (Noodle Salad)
from bevcooks.com

(makes enough for 4)

Salad
1 pack rice noodles, soaked for 10 min in room temp water, drained(*you must do this!)
1 square of tofu or 1 chicken breast, cut into pieces and pan fried
1 large carrot, finely julienned (with a mandolin is best)
1/2 cucumber, seeds removed, finely julienned
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts

Sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
juice from 1 lime
1 tbsp chili garlic paste (I used Sambal Oelek)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2/3 cup water

1. Cook tofu/chicken.
2. Prepare carrots, cucumber, mint and cilantro.
3. Boil some water, place presoaked rice noodles in the pot and cook for about 1 min. Drain and rinse with cool water.
4. In another pot, combine all sauce ingredients and heat until simmering. Remove from heat.
5. Toss everything together in a large bowl. (Or make it look pretty like I did the picture...then mix it all together!)

Top with a few squirts of Hoisin Sauce if you like.

Everything can be prepared in advance except for the rice noodles.

Enjoy!

Take-Out Style Sweet & Sour Chicken

I hate Chinese take-out. We used to eat it occasionally, but stopped because we always felt terrible after eating it. Maybe it was the msg, maybe all the oil? Needless to say, I'm always happy when I find a recipe that gives the flavor of "chinese food" without the repercussions. This recipe does include some sugar, so it is by no means the healthiest meal of all time, but it is delicioius! Serve with rice and some stir-fried snowpeas, carrots and broccoli for a full takeout style meal.

This recipe is very simple. I think next time I will try a slight variation on the original and make it into Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chicken. (see note after recipe for this variation.)

Serves 6
(from lifeasalofthouse.blogspot.ca)

For the Chicken
3 chicken breasts, cut into pieces
salt and pepper
1 cup corn starch
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp canola oil

For the Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip into eggs then into cornstarch, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat large skillet over med high heat, add oil.
4. Add chicken to the skillet. Turn pieces to brown, but don't cook them all the way through.
5. Whisk together sauce ingredients.
6. Put browned chicken into a baking dish. Pour sauce over the chicken and stir.
7. Bake for 1 hr, turning pieces every 15 min.

* Sweet & Sour Pineapple Chicken variation: Omit the sugar in the sauce, add the juice from a tin of pineapple tidbits instead. Stir a 1/4 cup diced white onion and a tin of pineapple tidbits into the sauce before adding to the chicken.

Yum!

Sesame Quinoa with Chicken

Here is a quick and easy dinner idea to use up some of that well-intentioned Quinoa sitting your pantry. If you've never used sesame oil before, give it a try. It's a very strongly flavored oil so you only ever need to use a little bit for a great flavor payoff. Works really well with most Asian flavors and is a great addition to stirfries of all kinds. This is also a perfect recipe to use up left over cooked chicken.

Sesame Quinoa with Chicken
(from howsweeteats.com)

1 cup Quinoa, rinsed and uncooked
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
6 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

dressing:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp soya sauce

1. Heat sauce pan over med high heat. Add 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil and 1/2 tbsp olive oil.
2. Add garlic and quinoa. Stir to coat then toast 3 min, stirring often.
3. Add chicken stock and cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer 15 min. Fluff with a fork.
4. Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.
5. Add chicken and green onions to quinoa. Toss in dressing and top with toasted sesame seeds.

Arugula Pesto Pizza

Arugula. It's one of the great food dividers, right up there with cilantro. You either love it or you hate it. Personally, I love it. It's by far my favorite salad green. I love it in a simple salad with oil and vinegar, I love it topped with a poached or fried egg and, much to my husbands horror, I love it on top of pizza. In this recipe, I've hidden the arugula in the topping and put it right on the pizza. You still definitely get the peppery bite that I love, but it's masked a bit with the smokey flavor of the Gouda and the creaminess of the ricotta. Brilliant!

Smokey Arugula Pesto Pizza
(inspired by Weeknights with Giada)

3/4 cup ricotta
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
2 cups shredded smoked Gouda or smoked Mozzarella
2 cups packed arugula
1 pound prepared pizza dough
2 roma tomatoes, sliced
olive oil

1.Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. In bowl of a food processor add ricotta, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth.
3. Add cheese and arugula to food processor and pulse until combined.
4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface place on pizza pan. Drizzle on a bit of olive oil. Throw it in the oven for 3 minutes to start the cooking and ensure a crispy crust.
5. Take pizza out of the oven. Spread the cheese and arugula mixture over the dough. Top with sliced tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for about 15 min until crust is golden around edges.

Seuss Style Grilled Cheese

Everyone has heard of Green Eggs and Ham, but how about Green Grilled Cheese? This, my friends, is brilliant. This recipe makes 4 sandwiches but leaves a TON of left over cheese/butter mixture. Just wrap in parchment and freeze and you can use it anytime. Or,and this would be amazing, toss with hot pasta and diced tomatoes for a quick and delish dinner.

And don't forget people, there is a huge amount of spinach hidden in this great sandwich, perfect for kids and veggie avoiding husbands!

Green Grilled Cheese with Pancetta and Tomato
(inspired from 'Weeknights with Giada"

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 cups shredded White Chedder Cheese
4 tbsp butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cello pack (3 cups or so) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 tbsp canola oil
5 tbsp warm water

3 eight-inch sliced of pancetta, diced and crisped up
2 roma tomatoes, sliced
8 slices bread

1. Mix together first 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
2. Spread a few generous tablespoons of the mixture on both sides of the bread for each sandwich. Top with crisp pancetta and 4 slices of tomato. Put the sides together and grill in a panini press or a hot pan until browned on the outside and warmed through.
3. Let rest for a minute or two then slice and enjoy the oozy deliciousness.

Better than bought Bruschetta

I can't believe I've never made bruschetta before. It's crazy. It's one of my all time favorite things and for some reason, I just keeping buying it. Well, no longer my friends. This recipe rocks my world. So simple and delish! Try it with french bread, on crackers, or on flatbread or pizza. The fresh tomatoes, the garlic, the basil. O.M.G.

Bruschetta

1 1/2 lbs of plum or cherry tomatoes diced(about 2 pints of cherry, or about 6 plum tomatoes depending on the size.)

6 large cloves garlic, finely minced

1-2 shallots, finely minced

1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup Olive Oil

salt and pepper

1. Chop up the tomatoes. Give the chopped tomatoes a little squeeze over the sink to get rid of some of the juice, otherwise, it's a bit to liquidy.

2. Prepare the rest of the ingredients. Toss everything in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper (taste it! to check seasoning.)

3. Let sit at room temp for at least an hour or so if you can stand it, to let the flavors come together.

Bask in the deliciousness.

Best Ever! Breakfast Bars

Mornings can be tough. When I've got a few minutes I love to start my day with a dill and Gruyere omelet. Furthermore, I like to eat early, within minutes of getting up. Yummy! But, if I'm being totally honest here, living with a 3 month old sometimes means it's 10:30 before I even think about breakfast these days. I really like the idea of a grab and go breakfast, even if I'm only going 10 feet away to the playmat. I definitely don't do the store-bought granola type breakfast bars, I find they are too high in sugar (and mystery ingredients!) and really have very little nutrients. I came across this recipe on one of my favorite blogs www.healthytippingpoint.com, the original comes from www.fannetasticfood.com.

I followed the basic recipe here and made a few changes based on what I had on hand. I think this would work with almost any combination of ingredients. If you have allergies or food sensitivities, this can easily be adapted. Same goes for the peanut butter*, use another nut or seed butter as you wish.

*A note about peanut butter: Avoid the name brand peanut butters that contain hydrogenated vegetable oil if you can. You'll find it listed on the ingredients near the top. That stuff is terrible for you. Try a natural variety in this recipe. I used a natural organic no stir peanut butter that is sweetened with touch of cane sugar. Find it with the other peanut butters at the grocery store.

Dry ingredients
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup mixed cereal (I used Quinoa Puffs and Chex)
1/4 each (TOTAL of 1 cups) of 4 types of nuts or seeds (I used pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground flax seeds, sliced almonds)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients
1/2 to 3/4 cups of brown rice syrup (health section of grocery store)
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Microwave wet ingredients for about 30 second and stir well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix well. Press into an 8 x 11 dish. Refrigerate or wrap individual bars and refrigerate.

Spaghetti al limone

I first posted this recipe way back over 2 years ago. Since then, it's become a staple at our dinner table. I thought it deserved a little attention once again...

I'm always amazed when I try a new amazing group of flavors. I always think "why didn't I think of that before?" This is one of those combinations. It's not really a recipe at all, just throwing together some ingrediants and ending up with an incredible dinner. It only takes about 5 min (plus the time it takes to boil a pot of pasta)and it's light and fresh tasting. I love it.


Spaghetti Al Limone (from Oprah's Cookbook)


1 Pound Spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 2 lemons
cup or so of fresh grated parmesan cheese
handful of fresh basil, torn in to pieces
salt and pepper



Cook spaghetti and drain, but keep about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid aside.


Whisk together the lemon juice and cheese. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Stir in zest and salt and pepper.


Pour lemon cheese mixture over hot spaghetti. Add as much of the hot cooking liquid as needed to make the sauce creamy. Toss in the fresh basil.


Enjoy!

Pasta Celebrating Summer Tomatoes

It's the season of amazing tomatoes and they are super yummy cut up with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. But if you're looking for something a little more substantial, try this minimal ingredient 15 min fresh summer pasta.

1 box spaghetti or any other pasta
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tbs Olive oil
handful of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
handful fresh Basil, chopped
Salt and Pepper

1. Cook pasta according to directions until al dente in heavily salted water. Be sure to save about 1 cup of pasta water in a measuring cup before draining the pasta.

2. While pasta is cooking, place tomatoes, garlic and a drizzle of olive oil on an oven sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes until softened.

3. In a large skillet pour in 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Add 2 tbsp olive oil. bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 min.

4. Toss the drained pasta into the skillet followed by the pan of roasted tomatoes and garlic.

5. Grate in some fresh Parmesan cheese and give it a good stir. Add more pasta water if needed to create more sauce.

6. Remove from heat and toss in basil.

Thai Chicken Wraps!

In another attempt to get through dinner without turning on the oven in this heat, I made this delightful Thai Chicken Salad Wrap last night. I roasted a couple chicken breasts earlier in the week (on a cooler day!) but you could definitly use a store bought rotisseri chicken. This would be amazing for a picnic too, makes enough for 4 pretty big wraps.

I love the Thai flavors in this, really bright and fresh. It has the signature sweet, sour and spicy that sets it apart. Definitly not your typical chicken salad! (Don't freak if you hate cilantro, just leave it out and add some italian parsley instead...)

Thai Chicken Salad Wrap
(adapted from kitchenconfidante.com)

4 large wraps
2 chicken breasts, roasted and shredded
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tbsp mayo
2 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp soya sauce
1 carrot, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 cucumber, seeded, sliced lenthwise into thin strips

1. In a medium bowl, mix together shredded chicken, mint, cilantro, green onions and shallots.

2. In another bowl, whisk together lime juice, mayo, sriracha, sugar and soya sauce. Pour over chicken mixture.

3. Scoop a generous amount of mixture into the middle of a wrap. Add a few lengths of cucumber and carrot. Wrap up, tucking in the ends. Cut on the diagnal.

Enjoy!

Overnight Oats!

I was thinking about "Overnight Oats" the other day when talking to some girlfriends about using oatmeal to help boost milk supply when breastfeeding. Obviously oats are good for everyone, but who wants to cook up oatmeal on the stove when it's 40 degrees outside!?! This is also a great idea for those people (ie my husband) who are too rushed in the morning to eat a proper breakfast or for momma's with little ones who suddenly remember breakfast at 10:30am when the babes go down for a nap. Super fast breakfast with staying power.
Anyway, this is a base recipe for overnight oats. You can literally add anything you like. Look it up online for some more variations (overnight oats, oats in a jar, refrigerator oats etc.)

Mix together equal parts (1/3cup each) uncooked oats, milk (regular, soy, almond, anykind!) and yogurt in a mug or jar or a cup. Add a pinch of salt. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning add in whatever else you like and stir it up! You can also do this omitting the yogurt, just double up on the milk of your choice.

Fresh or dried fruit, nuts (and nut butters,) and seeds all work well for overnight oats, you can experiment with textures by adding the extras to the mix the night before or just stirring them in right before you eat.

Add in ideas:
Peanut butter, honey and banana
Chia seeds, walnuts and dried cranberries
Cinnamon, apples and raisins
Maple syrup and pecans

Perfect for Summer: Curried Spelt Salad

With the heat of summer in full swing we've been trying to do as little oven and stove top cooking as possible. That being said, we are having a serious lack of curry at our house lately. Here is another great grain salad that is perfect because it makes a very good size batch and you can eat it all week.
This time the grain is Spelt, which is a type of wheat berry. You should be able to find this in the health food section of your grocery store or any specialty grocer. (I used the 'Bob's Red Mill' variety.) If you can't find spelt, you could use farro or quinoa or even barley. It's crazy good and, like I said, lasts a week in the fridge. This recipe makes a TON, perfect for a bunch of lunches for bringing to a potluck or BBQ.


Curried Spelt Salad
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

2 cups Spelt (Bob's Red Mill), rinsed
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp veg oil
3 tsp yellow curry powder
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp mustard
6 small carrots, diced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 lemon cut lengthwise, finely chopped with peel
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups cilantro leaves, picked and chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 apple, diced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Place spelt and salt in a medium pot. Add water so that it covers and goes over the spelt by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and let simmer for about 1 hr until the spelt is tender. Drain and place in a large bowl.

2. Heat veg oil in a pan. Add curry powder, mustard, cardamom and corinader. Cook 2 min.

3. Stir in carrots, lemon and onions. Cook for 5 min.

4. Add vinegar and stir until evaporated. Remove from heat. Pour into bowl with spelt.

5. Stir in chicken, apple, cilantro, pecans and olive oil. Taste and add salt and pepper if nessesary.

Enjoy room tempertature or cold.

Muffins in honor of my little muffin

Graham Cracker Chocoate Chip Muffins

Isla had her 2 month shots today. It was rough. If she was big enough, I imagine I would make these tasty treats for her, to make her feel better. Since she's mini, I decided that I desearved a little treat instead.

These are a basic muffin with big taste. Something totally different. And delicious!


(from Tasty Kitchen Blog www.tastykitchen.com)

FOR THE MUFFINS:
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (Just crush them up in a bag)
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup veg oil
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3 tbsp butter, Melted

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees

1. In a med bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and Graham Cracker crumbs.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the milk, oil, egg and vanilla.

3. Add dry ingrediants to wet ingrediants and mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Fill greased muffin tin with batter.

5. Mix together all topping ingrediants until crumbly. Put 1 tbsp or so or mixture on top of each muffin.

6. Bake 16-19 min until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Tabbouleh!

Grain salads are my absolute favorite thing to eat in the summer! They are so versitile, last for days in the fridge (and get better as they sit!) and they are so healthy. These salads literally come together in less than 10 minutes and they are the perfect dish to use up the extra veggies and herbs in your fridge. I use couscous, quinoa, millet, barley, spelt berries....the list goes on. Pair the cooked grains with whatever veggies and herbs you have in the fridge and top with a vinegrette (lemon or vinegar based.) It's seriously easy and deliscous.

Yesterday I made a classic grain salad, Tabbouleh. This salad is a tradition Arab staple. I'm pretty the one I made is not exactly traditional, but it's great none the less.

Tabbouleh Salad

1 cup cooked couscous
1 bunch fresh italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
handful fresh mint, chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped (leave the skin on, good color)
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
handful of crumbled feta cheese
1 cup cooked chickpeas (optional)
salt

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Refridgerate at least 1 hr or until ready to eat.

Fresh Summer Salad

This is such a great fresh summer salad. I love salads full of grains and this one is new favorite. Comes together in 10 min and gets better the longer it sits in the fridge.


Asparagus & Tomato Lemon Couscous Salad

2 cups Israeli Couscous (find it in the greek section at the grocery store)
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed off and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
2 tbsp Olive Oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
pint of cherry tomatos, sliced in half
3 tbso fresh parsley, chopped
salt & pepper
parmesean

1. Bring to a boil 2.5 cups of water in a pot. Add couscous. Cover and Cook 10 min, stirring occasionally.

2. In the last 2 minutes of cooking add the chopped asparagus spears to the pot and put the cover back on.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper.

4. Toss cooked couscous, asparagus, chopped tomatos and chopped parsley in a large bowl. Top with vinegrette and toss.

5. Top with parsley and parm.

6. Serve room temperature or cold.

My kind of grillin'!

When it comes to grilling, I'm a bit of an amateur. It's no secret that I'm not really a fan of huge chunks of meat, no matter how they are cooked. But fear not, there are some amazing grilled dishes that manage to have meat as a component, rather then the main star. This is a simple dinner that everyone will love. Interesting combination that totally, totally works.

Grilled Peach, Sweet Potato, Red Onion and Chicken Skewers with Pecans

4 Peaches, sliced into chunks (ripe, but not too ripe or they will fall apart on the grill)
2 Sweet Potatoes, cut into chunks
1 Red Onion, cut into chunks
3 Chicken Breasts, cut into chunks
1 cup Pecans

Sauce
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 cup balsamic or sherry vinegar
salt
pepper

Pecan Spice1 tbsp honey
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice



15-18 Wooden Skewers (soaked in water so they don't burn)


1. Chop chicken, peaches, sweet potato and onion. Place chopped sweet potato in microwave safe bowl and microwave for 3 minutes to start the cooking process.

2. Pour sauce ingredients into a pot, bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer. Let simmer 12-15 min to reduce.

3. Toss all chopped ingredients into a bowl. Pout over HALF of reduced sauce. Stir well.

4. Skewer all chopped ingredients.

5. Place foil on grill. Preheat. Place skewers on grill. Cook, turning often and bast with more sauce. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12 min.

6. Place pecans on a square of foil. Top with pecan spices above. Toast on grill for 5 min. (Watch carefully so they don't burn.

Serve skewers on a large platter. Drizzle with any remaining sauce. Top with pecans.

Enjoy!

Salad fit for an Iron Chef

This is a serious recipe. I once shared a bite of this salad with a real live IRON CHEF champion. Yes, from that Iron Chef on Food Network. I was working at EAT! Vancouver last year when I first met Rob Feenie. I happened to have brought this for lunch and happened to come sit and chat with me while I ate it (and try it himself!). Ah the memories.
I probably have made this salad 50 times. It's super easy, really yummy, healthy and never disappoints. It's the perfect salad for spring and summer and gets even better once it's left in the fridge overnight. It's best if eaten at room temperature. (Did someone say perfect picnic food?)

Give it a shot. I promise you'll love it.

Quinoa Artichoke and Parsley Salad

2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup shallots (chopped)
t tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (not the oil pack ones....)
1 cup chicken broth (or veg broth or water)
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 1-2 lemons
salt and pepper

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a medium pot. Add chopped shallots and thyme, saute for 5 min until softened.
2. Add chopped artichokes to the pot. Saute for 1 min.
3. Add chicken broth and Quinoa to pot. Cover and simmer for 15 min or so until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. Stir occasionally.
4. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and zest, parsley, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt/pepper.
5. Transfer to another bowl and let cool to room temp before enjoying or store in the fridge until ready to eat. (Remove from fridge and let it come to room temp a few minutes before serving.)

Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers with Garlic Dill Sauce

Here's a great easy weeknight meal that you will definitly love. These turkey burgers can be grilled on the BBQ or grill pan or pan grilled in a frying pan on the stove. You have to make the sauce. It takes the deliciousness factor up times 10.

Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers
(makes 4)

1 lb ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
5 oz frozen chopped spinach (about 4 cups of fresh wilted)
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tbsp bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together. Refridgerate until ready to use.
2. Form into paddies. Grill (or pan fry in greased pan) about 6min each side, until cooked through.)


Garlic Dill Sauce

1 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tbsp mayo
4 tbsp fresh chopped dill
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
salt and pepper

1. Mix all together. Refridgerate until ready to use. (Best if made a couple hours in advance.)


Serve these babies on buns with sauce, extra feta and sliced red onion.

Homemade Larabars!

In this world of prepackaged snacks and sweets and other garbage, I'm forever searching for "from scratch" snack recipes that are quick, easy and portable. These bars are an excellent solution.

Do you know what a Larabar is? If you don't, you've been missing out. Basically a Larabar is yummy prepackaged real food bar that contains just a few simple (and real!) ingredients. Just nuts, fruits and spices. They come in yummy flavors like Pecan Pie, Cashew Cookie, and Peanut Butter Cookie (and dozens more.) Bottom line, Larabars rock. Downside? They are expensive. Fear not, for I have found the solution!

Homemade Larabars! I tried two varieties today and have a few more to try. But so far, they are delish. Even better than the originals. I got the basis for these recipes from this girls awesome blog. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

**Be aware people. These are delicious. But they are NOT sugar and fat free. They are healthy because they contain real ingredients including protien from the nuts and natural sugars from the fruit and no preservatives. But don't be fooled. Don't eat them all at once. **

For each recipe, put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it all comes together. Nuts should be very tiny pieces, but don't let it go until it's totally smooth. You want some texture. Divide into bars and wrap in wax paper. Keep in the fridge.

Cashew Cookie Bars (makes 4)

60 grams unsalted raw cashews (about 1/2 cups)
160 grams dates, pitted (about 1 1/2 cups)
drop of vanilla
good pinch of salt


Elvis Bars (makes 4 or 5)

60 grams unsalted raw peanuts (about 1/2 cup)
160 grams dates, pitted (about 1 1/2 cups)
60 grams dried bananas
drop of vanilla
good pinch of salt

Meatball Subs!

I was doing some meal planning one weekend and mentioned this recipe to my husband. He got so excited! I suppose he thought I was making it for dinner that night... Alas, no, I was adding to my list of future meals. Needless to say, he was very upset with me for even mentioning it. I guess it sounded good?

This is a crazy yummy dinner and definitly a step up from those mystery meatball subs from that you get from Subway. (Not that I've ever tried one of those, cause I can promise you I never will...) Fear not, my husband does agree that these ones are much better.

I've really have never seen a meatball look prettier. And that's gotta count for something!

Chicken Meatball Sub
(adapted from bevcooks.com)

1 lb ground chicken
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
1.5 tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 (28 oz) can tomatoes, pureed in a blender
Handful of basil leaves, chopped
1 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into 4 equal sizes and sliced lengthwise
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic salt or garlic bread seasoning
4 slices provolone cheese
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degres

1) Combine first 8 ingrediants in a large bowl.

2) Roll chicken mixture into small-medium sized meatballs. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.

3) Bake for 30 min until browned.

4) Put pureed tomoatos in a large put with a tight fitting lid. Add browned meatballs to pot. Simmer for 25 min. Remove lid and simmer another 10 min until sauce thickens slightly.

5) Remove from heat. Add chopped basil and salt & pepper.

6) Turn oven to broil. Brush ciabatta with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Place on baking sheet and broil for 3 min until starting to brown. (Watch closely!)

7) Remove ciabatta from oven, top with meatballs and sauce. Lay a slice of cheese on top. Broil another 2 min until cheese melts.

8) Serve with fresh basil leaves.

Super Simple Springtime Soup

Say that 4 times fast!

It's spring! Sorta. Well let us pretend it's spring and make a super fast, super yummy spring time soup. Before long the local asparagus should be flooding the markets and I've got the perfect recipe to use it all up.

This makes a ton of soup. Enough for a couple meals and some extra for the freezer. Done in 30 min flat. Or less if you're a quick chopper. (And don't make a fuss about the chopping, it's all getting wizzed up in the end anyways.)

Creamy Asparagus Soup
(adapted from simplerecipes.com)

1 large onion, chopped
3 tbsp butter
2 lbs asparagus (about 3 bunches, ends discarded, chopped
6 cups chicken or veg stock
2 springs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
4 tbsp fresh italian parsley, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

1. In a large pot, heat butter over med high heat. Add onion. Saute 5 min until translucent.
2. Add asparagus and thyme. Add some salt and pepper. Saute 5 min.
3. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Cover. Simmer 15 min.
4. Remove from heat. Add parsley. Puree until smooth with a hand blender or in a blender.
5. Return to pot. Stir in cream and lemon juice. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

That's it folks. Super simple. Super delicious.

Enjoy!

Butterscotch Pecan Banana Muffins

As if life isn't already glorious enough, I got up this morning and looked at the 12 frozen bananas in the freezer and decided that breakfast was in order. (Alright so I made a triple batch. I have a feeling these will be a welcomed treat once the baby arrives.)

Simple banana muffins rock my world. Add pecans. Yep. Search the cupboard for chocolate chips and instead find butterscotch chips. Ok. A little recipe tweaking and we have a winner people.

Butterscotch Pecan Banana Muffins
(make about 12)


2 cups mashed bananas
1/3 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butterscotch chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1) In one bowl, combine mashed bananas, melted butter, the egg and vanilla. Mix well.

2) In another bowl combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Toss in chopped pecans and butterscotch chips.

3) Dump banana mixture into flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until it's just mixed. Do not overmix.

4) Grease a muffin tin. Divide batter into tin. Should make about 12 muffins.

5) Bake for 15-18 min until slightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

6) Keeps in a closed container for 3 or 4 days. Or cool completely and freeze for 3 months in ziplocs.

You should probably just double this to begin with. Share them with others, you will make them love you.

Chickity China, the Chinese Chicken...

Orange Cashew Chicken

This is a fantastic recipe I first tried years ago after seeing it on Rachel Ray. I've made a few adjustments and I think it's better then ever. If you're thinking of ordering Chinese Take-Out, try this instead. It's a quick recipe, definitely comes together in less than 30 minutes. Plus, who needs all that MSG and mystery meat?

2 Chicken breast, cut into thing strips
1/2 cup Cashews (unsalted)
2 Red Pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 Onion, diced
3 clove garlic, grated or minced
1 tsp tsp grated ginger root
1 tbsp Canola or Peanut Oil
3 green onions, sliced
salt and pepper

Sauce:
1/4 cup Orange Marmalade
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp soya sauce,
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp corn starch

1. Heat up a medium skillet on high heat. Add oil. Add sliced chicken breast to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 min, until cooked through. Remove to a plate.

2. In the same skillet (on med heat) add in onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for about 5 minutes until tender.

3. Add red peppers and cashews to skillet. Saute 3 more minutes.

4. Prepare the sauce by whisking together all the sauce ingredients (including the cornstarch.)

5.Return the cooked chicken to the skillet.

6. Pour over the sauce and let simmer for 3 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and toss in the green onions.

Serve with rice.

Tart (not for the faint of heart)

If you've never made a quiche or a french savory tart, you're missing out. It's one of the easiest and most delicious meals. If you've got no time, you can buy premade pie shells, they work fine. I prefer the homemade cause I'm crazy like that. But whatever floats your boat.This particular tart is a little different. Walnuts, blue cheese, onions. Come on. How good does that sound? It's not for the faint of heart and it's full of strong flavors.

IT. SERIOUSLY. ROCKS.

Blue Cheese, Walnut and Onion Tart (from Laura Calder 'Dinner Chez Moi')Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Pastry
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp whole wheat flour
pinch salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
3 tbsp cold water

1. Add the flours, salt and butter to a food processor. Pulse until it forms fine crumbs.
2. Add the water a tbsp at a time until the dough just comes together. Should still be a little crumbly.
3. Roll out to size of pie pan on a lightly floured surface. Press into pie pan and refridgerate until ready to use.

Filling
1 tbsp butter
1tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
salt and pepper
2/3 cup lightly toasted walnuts
handful of chopped parsley
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 eggs
1 cup milk

1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the onions and slowly cook until soft about 10 minutes.
2. Spread the cooked onions in the prepared pie shell. Spread in walnuts, parsley and blue cheese.
3. Mix together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over the prepared ingredients in the pie shell.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until set.

** If you find your shell gets to soggy, you can bake it with out the filling for about 10 minnutes before moving onto step 2.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

What the heck is Chicken Tortilla Soup you ask? Apparently we've been missing out on an American staple. I've never ever had Tortilla Soup before, in fact, I don't think I've ever seen it on a menu. I follow many food blogs from people in the Southern US, and recipes like this one keep popping up. Well. LET. ME. TELL. YOU. It's glorious. Pretty spicy and pretty much like a taco in bowl.

If you've got left over roast chicken it's the perfect alternative to the same old chicken noodle.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (adapted from browneyedbaker.com)

Takes about 30 min if you've already got some roast chicken. Makes about 6 servings.


4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1 Serrano Pepper, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons cornstarch
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups Roast Chicken meat, shredded or chopped
2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
6 (6-inch)tortillas, minced
4 tablespoons lime juice
3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt


1. In a large pot heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, pepper and garlic. Stir and cook slowly until translucent. About 8 min.

2. Whisk the cornstarch into the (cool) chicken broth, then add the broth mixture to the pot. Add the lime juice, diced tomatoes, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, and salt. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, cheddar cheese, minced tortilla Give it a good stir. Let it simmer on med-low heat for about 15 min to let the flavors mingle.

3 Ingredient Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

I love pasta. Love it. When I tried this new sauce recipe I totally flipped! It's so simple and it's neither cream based nor tomato based. What could it be you ask? Roasted Red Pepper. Unreal. Seriously, unreal. It's basically 3 ingredients. You'll need a food processor or blender. I made my own fresh pasta for this, because I have too much time on my hands. Feel free to pair this with whatever pasta your heart desires!










5 Roasted Red Peppers (** see instructions below)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground good quality Italian sausage (Just the meat, if you're sausage is in casings, you'll have to squeeze it out. Lovely job.) Get good sausage for this that is well seasoned. If your sausage is bland, add some extra seasonings to the meat such as oregano, fennel seeds or Italian seasoning.
1/2 cup water or chicken stock
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp Olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in a large high sided skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add in sausage meat, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Let the meat cook about 3 minutes, making sure to keep breaking it up with your spoon.
3. Add in your garlic, stir.
4. Keep cooking another 10 minutes or so until the meat has browned.
5. Meanwhile, throw your roasted red peppers in the food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
6. Once the meat is browned, add the pepper puree to the skillet, along with the water/chicken stock. Stir well. Add some salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 min, covered.
7. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Toss with hot pasta and top with fresh grated Parmesan.

Watch out. It's amazing.


** To Roast a Red Pepper:
1. Crank up your oven to 450 degrees
2. Rinse the peppers. Throw your red peppers on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 20 min or so (until soft and blackened.)
4. Remove from oven and IMMEDIATELY place in large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.
5. Let the peppers cool for at least 20 min until you can handle the. The skin will have steamed off so you can easily peel them with your fingers and remove the stem and seeds.
6. That's it! Easy peasy and way cheaper than the jarred ones.

Monkey Bread Muffins for little monkey's!

These days I have a little monkey bouncing around in my tummy almost constantly. I've learned that with a little sugar boost, the bouncing can turn into full on acrobatics. In honor of the little monkey's (or big ones!) in your life, make these pull-apart cinnamon bread muffins. Everyone will love them, they are fun to eat and your house will smell AMAZING!

Monkey Bread Muffins (12 muffins) (adapted from cookingclassy.blogspot.com)

2 cups + 2 tbsp Flour
3 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon


Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 tbsp milk (adjust to reach desired consistency)


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin.

2. In a bowl mix the flour, 3 tbsp white sugar, baking powder and salt.

3. Pour in the buttermilk, milk and 1/3 cup of melted butter into flour mixture. Stir with a fork or your hands just until mixture comes together (don't overmix!)

4. In a separate bowl add 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon and mix together.

5. Scoop dough out a teaspoon at a time and drop into the bowl. Toss dough balls to coat.

6. Put 6 cinnamon/sugar coated dough balls into each muffin cup. Repeat this process until all muffin cups are filled.

7. Mix together the 6 Tbsp of melted butter with the rest of the brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour a tablespoon or so of this brown sugar mixture evenly over each muffin.

8. Bake 17-19 minutes until golden. Cool 5 minutes then remove the muffins with a fork and place on plate.

9. In a bowl whisk together powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp milk until smooth. Pour mixture into Ziploc bag, cut off the tip (to make a "piping bag) drizzle glaze over each muffin.

I find these are best eaten immediately or reheated for 30 seconds in the microwave.

Southwestern Cream of Chicken Soup

I admit it. I'm a soup girl. There is something so satisfying and convienient about a bowl of homemade soup. A small part of me is very sad every May when soups take the back shelf in lieu of salads and grilled fish. But for now. It's February, so Soup's On!

Another great soup coming from my kitchen. I'm continually suprised by many of the soups I make. I track down the recipes and choose them because I like the ingredients and I think they will add up to something great. In this soup I don't know what ingrediant takes it over the edge, but let me tell you, it's delicious.

Southwestern Cream of Chicken Soup (adapted from fortheloveofcooking.net)

1 tbsp oilve oil
1 tbsp butter
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and diced very fine
1/2 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp corriander powder
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
6 tbsp flour, divided
3 cups milk
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry rice
1 cup Montary Jack cheese, shredded
2 cups roasted chicken, shredded or diced
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tbsp of sriracha hot sauce (adjust depending on the heat you want)

1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot. Add in the bell pepper, jalepeno, onion, chili powder, cumin, corriander, salt and pepper. Sweat for 5 min.

2. Add in garlic, cook 1 min.

3. Whisk in 3 tbsp flour and cook 3 min.

4. Add in broth and milk, whisk until smooth.

5. Add rice, simmer while covered for 20 min.

6. Toss shredded cheese in the remaining 3 tbsp of flour. Add the cheese a bit at a time to the soup while whisking.

7. Add in chicken, sriracha and cilantro. Cook 3 min. Check your salt and pepper and the spiciness of the soup. Adjust if nessasary.

A Tale of Two Soups

The Challenge: Using a basic recipe for Creamy Vegetable Chowder, create a delicious concoction worthy of the winning title.

Challengers:
Brandy: a timid recipe follower with a meat and potatoes background.
Kristine: a vegetarian recently taking new chances in the kitchen.

The Recipe (adapted from fortheloveofcooking.net)

2 tbsp Butter
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 tbsp flour, divided
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups potatoes, diced
2/3 cup milk
2 cups broccoli florets
1 - 2 cups sharp Cheddar, shredded
1 sprig thyme
salt and pepper

1. Heat butter in a large pot over med heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and thyme. Saute 3 min.

2. Add garlic, cook 1 min.

3. Add 1 tbsp of flour, stir well.

4. Add stock and potatoes. Cover and let simmer for 20 min.

5. Add broccoli and let simmer 10 min more.

6. Add 1 tbsp of flour to the milk. Whisk well and then add to the soup along with the cheese.

7. Add salt and pepper. Check seasoning.

The Results:

Brandy: This soup was made with vegetable stalk (so our resident vegetarian could sample it...) Nice gesture on Brandy's behalf, but I must say I prefer the chicken stock with this recipe. Brandy cut her vegetables in larger dice, which was great because they held together well through the long cooking time. I was particularily impressed by the broccoli, it still had a "bite" to it, which is difficult to achieve. I must say the most impressive part of this soup was the addition of some hot sauce during cooking. Brandy took initiative here and played around with the recipe. I LOVED it. I will definitely be adding the spicy kick to my next batch.

Kristine: This soup was made with a Vegetarian Chicken flavored bouillon and I thought it worked really well. I loved the texture of this soup as it definitely was very thick and chowder like. I also really liked the size and texture of the potatoes. They were not too gritty and definitly not overcooked. Kirstine's broccoli fell apart quite a bit. That along with the choice of cheese used, lent to a more broccoli/cheese style soup. Good thing broccoli cheese is one of my favorites too!

The VERDICT:

Overall both girls did a very impressive job on their recipes. It's neat to see how one recipe can be adapted so differently. I'm hesitant to declare a winner because as far as I'm concerned (wait for it,...) when you toss out the canned soup and make it from scratch EVERYBODY WINS!. But, alas, in the spirit if the competition I declare the winner to be......





.......scroll down.........






BRANDY! Who edged out the win with the brilliant addition of the hot sauce!

My Favorite Soup of ALL TIME

I've made this soup dozens and dozens of times since I first tried it over a year ago. The original recipe came from Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef Cookbook, although I've changed it enough that I now call it my own.

You need to be brave though, since chickpeas and leeks are the main ingrediants. Most people don't cook with either of these things very often. But trust me, if there ever was a recipe that is greater than the sum of it's parts, it's this soup. The icing on the cake is that this recipe is super duper healthy and filling.

*A note about Chickpeas. I firmly believe that dried chickpeas taste a million times better than canned ones. Personally, it's all I use. If you want to try the dried ones, a little prep is nessasary. You'll have to soak the dried beans in water overnight and then cook them in a huge pot of boiling water for about an hour until they soften. I usually do a huge bag of them and then throw them in a Ziploc in the freezer, then they are ready to use any time. They keep forever.

If it's you're first time with Chickpeas, you can used the canned ones (I would recommend the Organic ones, make sure you rinse them really well.)

LEEK AND CHICKPEA SOUP

12 oz Chickpeas (canned, rinsed /or dried, soaked and cooked.)
5 med Leeks (white and light green only, rinsed, sliced lengthwise and then crosswise into small halfmoon shaped pieces)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
knob of Butter
2 strips good quality Bacon (left in whole rashers)
1 sprig fresh Rosemary
2 cloves, Garlic (minced)
salt and pepper
4 cups chicken stock
Parmesean Cheese

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot on med heat. Add the 2 rashers of bacon. Cook for 2 min.

2. Add leeks, garlic and sprig of rosemary to the pot. Add some salt and pepper. Cook for 6 min until tender. Do not brown the leeks.

3. Add the chickpeas and 2/3 or the stock. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 min until chickpeas are tender.

4. Remove the bacon and rosemary.

5. Puree half of all of the soup (I like to puree only half so that it still has some texture.)

6. Add the rest of the stock. Check for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed.

7. Add some fresh grated parmesean and stir.

8. Serve topped with a drizzle of good olive oil.

Butterscotch Pecan Cookies!

Looking for something other than the same old Chocolate Chip Cookies? Try these incredible, super simple, butterscotch pecan variety. (I recommend doubling the recipe right from the get go, you'll be glad you did!)


This makes about 12-15 cookies.

1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp softened butter
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add brown sugar, white sugar and butter to large bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla. Cream together well.

Add in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

Add in butterscotch chips and pecans.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough, about 12 per pan.

Bake 12-14 min.

Serious Pizza

Over a year ago now, I had the most delicious pizza of my life for the first time. During a Savor Seattle Gourmet Food Tour in Seattle we were introduced to 'Serious Pie." It's a small pizza place off Virginia Street in downtown Seattle owned by hometown Seattle chef Tom Douglas. I can't begin to explain this pizza. I can't even try. We've had it numerous times since and I will be forever attempting to replicate the delicousness.

So long Panago. Home-made pizza is the stuff.

(Use pizza dough recipe from "Throw Together Flatbread Post" 2 below.)

The key to this being awesome is to preheat your oven like crazy and get the dough really thin. It's not about cheese and crazy amounts of toppings, it's about simplicity and a few really great ingrediants.

Preheat oven to 490 degrees. (Preheat the pizza stone or baking tray as well.)

Roll out dough very thin. Sprinkle cornmeal on a baking tray or pizza stone. Stretch dough to desired size and thickness. Place stretched dough on baking tray. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt or dried oregano. Bake for 7 min (watch closly, it should buble up all pretty but not get too brown.)

Remove partially baked pizza from oven. Top with sliced tomatoes, caramelized red onions, procuitto and small torn pieces of fresh mozzarella (boccacini.) Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and crust edges are turning brown.

Remove from oven and top with something fresh. My favorite is handful of arugala or fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Yum!

(You can switch the toppings as you like too. Bacon or sliced mushrooms are frequent at our place. If you've got some good Truffle Oil you've been saving, drizzle the cooked pizza and greens with the oil before serving for an unbelievablely amazing dinner)

Sriracha Sesame Meatballs

Those of you who know me well, know my aversion to things like "meatballs." Generally, I think they're gross. But these little guys are incredible. I've made them probably 30 times since I found the recipe several months ago. They're are also super healthy.

The meatballs are made with TURKEY! If you like it spicy stick with the 3 tbsp of Sriracha. If you don't like spice you can cut it down to a mere 1 tsp (but you need to keep at least 1 tsp for flavor.)

Everytime I make them I'm surprised at how good they are. Doesn't make sense. The sum is greater then the parts my friends. So much greater.

Sriracha Sesame Meatballs

1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
3 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp thai fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 egg
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp sriracha hot sauce
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

Mix it all together in a big bowl. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make into meatballs, place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 20min until brown.

Serve topped with more green onions and sesame seeds.

So yummy!

Mushroom Risotto

This Mushroom Risotto is delightful. You know what makes it more delightful?...the arborio rice came to me from Chuck Hughes (from "Chuck's Day Off" on Food Network.) I was working at EAT! Fraser Valley last September (the weekend we found out we were pregnant!) and Chuck was making loads of Risotto. At the end of the weekend there was a few boxes left and I was happy to one of them when it was offered to me. No big deal :)


Now, risotto is not difficult. You must try it. You must trust me. Take under a half hour and serves 4.

Mushroom Risotto

1 cup Arborio Rice
1 Shallot, minced
4.5 cups Chicken Broth, boiling
1/4 cup dry White Wine
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan, grated
16 oz Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme, chopped

For the mushrooms:
Saute sliced mushrooms in olive oil in a pan with chopped thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Risotto:


1. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet until very hot. Add minced shallot and saute for 3 minutes until tender.
2. Add rice. Stir well and get it all coated in the deliciousness. Cook 3 minutes.
3. Add wine. Stir and keep stirring until it's absorbed.
4. Add stock, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring after each addition.
5. Continue to add stock until it no longer absorbs and the rice is cooked.
6. Stir in mushrooms, grated Parmesan, butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Plate and top with more fresh Parmesan.

Throw together flatbread

Thanks for coming! I've decided to restart my blog. It's been sometime, but I'm feeling like sharing some delicious things and this is just the place to do it. My intention is to tempt you with yummy looking photos and perhaps persuade you into trying a recipe or 2 yourself. I love the way I eat, I love sharing food with others.

Here's recipe for something I make all the time. Flatbread! It's the best through together meal there is. (Especially when you've got the dough ready to go in the freezer!) Think of some things that might taste good together and give it a shot.

Some of my favorite options are:

Procuitto, tomatos, basil and goat cheese
Balsamic onions, gruyere and thyme
Bacon, whilte chedder, rosemary and grainy mustard
Fried shallots, mushrooms, gruyere and thyme

I use a basic pizza dough recipe (adapted from the one and only 'Joy of Cooking')

Basic Pizza Dough (Flatbread dough)

1 1⁄3 cups warm water
1 tbsp honey
1 package (2 1⁄4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
3 1⁄2 to 3 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt

In a large bowl (or bowl of your mixer) combine water and honey. Sprinkle in yeast. Let sit for 5 min until frothy.

With mixer at low speed, mix in flour, olive oil and salt. (Start with 3 1/2 sups flour, add more until it comes together.)

If your mixer has a dough hook, throw it on and let it go for 10 min at med-high. Otherwise, knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 min.

Place dough in a large bowl greased with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1/5 hrs (until double.)

Punch down. Divide into 2. Place one in the fridge or freezer for later use.

Let the dough you're using rest for 15 minutes before rolling out.

Assemble your flatbread:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roll out the dough into any shape you like (the more rustic the better!)

Drizzle with olive oil and some garlic and/or herbs if you like. Bake for 5 min.

Take the bread out of the oven and top with the rest of your toppings. Bake another 10 minutes or so until everything is browned and ready to eat.

Finish with a sprinkling of whatever herb you're using, some balsamic glaze, or a dash or truffle oil (if you're lucky.)

Be creative and enjoy!

PS: The flatbread picture above has the following toppings:
Olive Oil, Garlic, red onions sauteed in balsamic, tomatos and goat cheese. Once it came out of the oven I through on some fresh basil and a drizzled on a balsamic glaze.