Basil and Bacon

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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!