Jill's Test Kitchen

My Favourite Beverages

2011-12-29T08:00:00.002-08:00

I don't drink soda pop, I don't often drink juice and I hate plain water. What's a girl to do? Here are some of my go-to tricks for quenching my thirst.

Water with Cucumber Slices
I first fell in love with cucumber flavoured water while dining at my favourite local Thai restaurant. It's such a simple and refreshing twist on plain old tap water. And when the water is done, you can still eat the cucumbers! Try it with fresh mint leaves too.

Soda Water with Fresh Muddled Lime & Soda Water with Cranberry Juice
These are my "cocktails". Soda & lime is a staple at home and soda with a splash of cranberry juice is my "going out" treat. To kick it up a bit I occasionally add fresh mint. Make sure your soda water is sodium free. In a pinch Perrier Lime is tasty too.

Clean Iced Tea
Fresh brewed tea, lemon slices and a bit of agave. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

Chocolate Peppermint Tea
For an evening treat, I brew a cup of peppermint tea (which aids in digestion) and add a teaspoon of Torani Sugar Free White Chocolate Syrup. Chocolate and peppermint - it's dessert in a mug!

I also drink a lot of tea at home. My favourites are Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice, Twinning's Lemon & Ginger and when I'm sick, Traditional Medicinals Lemon Echinacea Throat Coat.

What are your favourite beverage alternatives?

Butternut Squash Apple Sage Soup

2011-12-26T13:25:00.000-08:00

This is almost identical to my Butternut Squash Apple Bacon Soup but instead of bacon, I added fresh sage. The sage made it a completely different soup - but still mega delicious. I served the soup in verrine glasses as a Thanksgiving appetizer. My Grandmother was quite impressed!

1 1/2 lb butternut squash, halved and seeded
2 onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic
2 medium baking apples, quartered
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
4 tsp olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper
4-5 fresh sage leaves

1. Peel and cut squash into large,1 1/2 inch cubes. Place cubes into a roasting pan. Add onion, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Roast for 425 degrees for 30 minutes until squash is tender. Half way through roasting, add apples to pan, toss everything together and place back in the oven to finish roasting.

2. Peel roasted apples (skins should slip off easily). Add apple, squash, onion, garlic and sage to a food processor.

3. Heat the roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup vegetable broth, and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from the roasted vegetables. Add broth to food processor with the vegetables. Blend everything together until smooth. Add honey and pulse to blend together.

4. Add vegetable puree, the rest of the vegetable broth, 1 cup water, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to a large pot. Add whole fresh sage leaves. Bring to boil then simmer on low for 10 minutes. Remove whole sage leaves before serving. Garnish with sour cream and fresh sage leaves.

Leftover Turkey Rice Soup

2011-12-24T18:21:00.001-08:00

Wondering what to do with your left over turkey? The easiest thing to do is make soup! Remember back in October when we brined and roasted a chicken then made stock with the carcass? No? Well, go here and refresh your memory. If you're not up to making your own stock but still want to make soup, stay here and let's continue.

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken, turkey or vegetable stock.
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tbsp parsley flakes (and any additional seasonings you like)
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup rice, cooked (any variety)
2 cups cooked turkey, chopped (great way to use up all that dark meat no one eats!)

1. Add stock to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add carrot, celery, chickpeas, tomato, parsley and salt & pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes.

2. Add rice and turkey. Simmer for another 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Trifle

2011-12-21T17:51:00.005-08:00

Hello! I'm back! Are you shocked? I did not abandon my blog. Just been taking a hiatus. To be quite honest I haven't even been cooking all that much the last six months. It's quite sad and pathetic actually. I hope to post a few recipes over the next month, then I will be taking another short break while I move houses.

This lovely holiday dessert recipe comes from my cousin. I made individual portions for Thanksgiving and it was a huge success. There is nothing healthy or natural about this recipe. It's the holidays... let's live a little!

The base of my trifle is spice cake. If you live in the USA you can buy packages of Gingerbread mix, which is what the original recipe called for. In my area of Canada all we have available is Spice Cake mix and it did the trick just fine!

Pumpkin Trifle

- (USA) 2 (14oz) packages gingerbread mix or(Canada) 1 box Spice Cake mix (Duncan Hines - available at Save On Foods)
- 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 30oz can pumpkin pie filling
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 tsp ground cardamom, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 1 12oz container Cool Whip, thawed
- 1/2 cup crushed ginger snaps, optional

1. Bake gingerbread mix or spice cake mix according to package directions. Cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, prepare pudding. Stir in pumpkin pie filling, brown sugar and spices.

3. Crumble half the gingerbread or spice cake into a large trifle bowl, punch bowl or other pretty glass bowl*. Pour half the pudding mixture over top, then add a layer of Cool Whip. Repeat with remaining cake, pudding and Cool Whip. Sprinkle crushed ginger snaps on top to garnish.

4. Refrigerate overnight.

*You could also use individual dessert bowls as I did. Portion the ingredients according to the number of servings you require and layer according to directions.

Enjoy!

Peach Kombucha Smoothie

2011-06-04T09:46:00.004-07:00

Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage that is thought to have similar health benefits as Kefir and other cultured foods. It has been served for centuries in Europe and Asia, where it is considered a health tonic. Read more about Kombucha here.

I have read much about this supposed wonder drink but I had yet to try it myself. I bought two bottles ($3.49 each!) and set about taste testing.

Kombucha is, in a word, bad. It smells like vinegar and tastes about the same. But that didn't deter me. Instead of drinking it straight up, I did what I do with Kefir and poured it into a blender to make a smoothie. The results were pretty darn tasty. This particular smoothie is vegan but you could add a bit of greek yogourt if you wanted. I added a bit of flax seed meal to boost the fibre.

Peach Kombucha Smoothie

Serves 2

- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup Kombucha (plain or peach flavour)
- 2 whole fresh peaches, skin on, sliced or 2 cups frozen peach segments or combination of fresh & frozen peaches to equal 2 cups
- add ins of your choice, about 2 teaspoons (flax meal, chia, protein powder, wheat germ etc)
- 1 cup ice

1. Add the first 4 ingredients to a blender and blend well.

2. Add ice and blend again to crush. Pour into two tall glasses.

Food Blogging & Food Photography Tips

2011-05-27T18:19:00.010-07:00

Last week, Danica from Danica's Daily was live tweeting from the BlogHerFood Convention in Atlanta Georgia. Danica tweeted loads of useful tips and tricks on food photography and food styling as well as copyright and recipe etiquette. Lindsay from Love & Olive Oil was also there and tweeted some great tips on recipe development and blog design. I enjoyed their tweets so much, I must have "favourited" at least a dozen from each lovely lady.

Here are my favourite tips from Danica (tweets condensed into paragraphs):

On Food Photography:

"A tripod is the best inexpensive tool you can get for great food photography. DSL users - If you can only buy one lens make it a zoom Tamron 28-75 mm. Shoot by a window, outside or in dark shade. Avoid direct sunlight. Use an old sheet/table cloth or parchment paper to hang over the window if it has harsh direct sunlight. In low light, use a tripod."

On Food Styling and Props:

"Keep your dishes simple. Go for smaller, white, matte dishes with no designs. Keep your props simple and use them over again... mix it up with the food, napkins etc. If you have $25 to spend on photography, buy foam core, white sheet/table cloth, plain white plate, plain white bowl and a clear drinking glass." Tip from Twitter user FrenchFoodieMom: "When adding garnishes to your food pictures, make it like it fell there."

For the live blog notes from the 'Simple, Affordable Tools, Techniques and Accessories to Improve your Food Photography' seminar, go here.

On Crediting:

"Adapting is recipe specific, meaning you saw a specific recipe in a book/online and you change some ingredients to make it yours, based on your own culinary style/tastes. Changing 2 or 3 ingredients in a recipes does not make it yours. When adapting, reference the author and site/book/link where you found the recipe. Put the intro/instructions into your own words.

'Inspired by' means there is no specific recipe. You tried a soup at a restaurant, liked it and created your OWN take on it."

On Copyright:

"Publishers can reproduce up to 3 blogger recipes to use in their book without permission because bloggers are in the media world. Once recipes are published they are considered public domain. Individual recipes cannot be copyrighted, but, groups of recipes (in books) can be copyrighted. The more individual the writing voice you use in your recipe, the intro, the ingredients and the instructions the more claim to copyright you have.

For the live blog notes from the `Copyright, Credit and Etiquette` seminar, check here.

And my favourite tweets from Lindsay (tweets condensed into paragraph):

"For recipe name, find a happy medium. Convey enough of what the dish is but don't name every single ingredient. A long ingredients list is daunting, if you can shorten and simplify, do so. At the same time, don't trick your reader into thinking a recipe is simple when it is not. Use commas carefully when writing ingredient lists in recipes - "noun, verb" - but be aware, "1 cup parsley, chopped" and "1 cup chopped parsley" are not the same. Your recipe instructions are where you can deliver a lot of voice and personality. When writing recipe instructions, give visual cues for done-ness, not just a range of time. Giving the 'why' of an action turns you into a friend in the kitchen (e.g. remove from heat to prevent scorching). When you test your recipes you know your readers will be successful and you know that they will trust you."

To read the live blog notes from the "Professional-Grade Recipe Development" seminar, check here.

I learned so much just from reading the #blogherfood tweets and from reading through the seminar live blog notes. There were a lot of things I had never considered before, like using a tripod in my photography. I already have a really great tripod but for some reason, I never bother to use it. Hopefully these tips will help improve my recipe writing and food photography so I can deliver a better blog. And... depending where BlogHerFood 2012 is held, I might have to look into attending!

Mexican Fiesta

2011-05-10T10:16:00.004-07:00

I recently returned from a week in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where I had the best Mexican food I've ever eaten. Chili Rellenos, Chilaquiles, Tamales, Tostadas, Carne Asada, Ceviche, shrimp tacos, as well as the most tender, flavourful skirt steak ever... not to mention fresh made tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo and refried beans. It was heaven!

This trip rekindled my interest in Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking so I hope to create some of the dishes I enjoyed the most and post them here. When I was in Vegas a couple years ago I had an amazing sweet potato tamale at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. I was determined to make tamales myself. I managed to find corn husks here in Vancouver, which is amazing since it's incredibly difficult to find authentic Mexican/Spanish food items that don't come from a yellow box. Despite having a bag of corn husks buried deep in my cabinet, I still haven't tackled homemade tamales. I think while the Mexican spirit is still in my heart, I will give it a go. I'm also determined to re-create the delicious skirt steak (flank steak).

In the picture is one of the best things I tasted. I'm not sure how authentically Mexican or Spanish it is, but it was light, refreshing and oh so tasty. It was some sort of cold shirmp and crab salad, stuffed into a cucumber boat and topped with a drizzle of sour cream and a sprinkle of queso fresco. I'm definitely serving something like it at my next cocktail party!

And if any one knows where I can buy queso Mexicano (Mexican cheese) in Vancouver, specifically cotija and queso fresco, please let me know. I really wish we had a true Spanish foods aisle at our grocery stores like they do in the United States. I almost stocked up on cotija when I was visiting my cousin in Seattle last month but decided against it. Kicking myself now!

Food Labelling - What does it all mean?

2011-04-22T08:35:00.016-07:00

I was talking with a co-worker about organic food sources yesterday. She was told to always chose organic when it comes to dairy, meat and poultry. What she didn't realize is that organic doesn't guarantee a humanely raised, healthier animal. Organic does not equal free-range. Free-range does not equal organic. Free-range does not equal pasture raised. Food labelling terms are so confusing and there is little in the way of regulation to standardize the meanings. What's a conscious consumer to do?

Poultry & Eggs:

When it comes to poultry and eggs, we often see terms like "cage free", "free range" and "free run". What does it all mean?

"Cage Free" simply means the chickens were raised outside of a cage. This doesn't mean it was raised in a humane environment, or that it had access to the outdoors. Cage free is the most meaningless term of all of them. As well, a Globe & Mail article from 2009 stated that uncaged chickens "exposed to higher levels of bacteria, parasites and viruses that put them at greater risk for disease and infection".

"Free Run" is basically the same as Cage Free. The birds are kept loose in large barns, with no access to the outdoors.

"Free Range" implies to most consumers, that the animal is raised "free on the range", but that isn't always the case. In the United States, the USDA decrees that poultry certified as "free range" must have access to the outdoors but it doesn't necessarily mean the animal actually goes outdoors (Source). Free-range chicken eggs have no legal definition in the United States. In Canada, the term "free range" is not legally defined and could mean anything.

A new term has popped up in recent years, Pastured Poultry. Pastured poultry is raised on pasture and eats a natural diet of grass and bugs (chickens are not vegetarians!).

Beef & Other Meat

"Free Range" - When it comes to beef and other meat products, there is even less regulation. The USDA has no specific definition for "free-range" beef, pork, and other non-poultry products (Source). Generally when it comes to ranching, free range implies that livestock is allowed to roam around without being fenced. It doesn't guarantee the animals were raised entirely outdoors, or that they were raised on a diet of grass and hay (you know, the stuff cows are supposed to eat!).

"Pasture Raised" and "Grass Fed" generally mean the same thing. The livestock is raised on pasture, eating a natural diet of grass or hay (in the winter months). Some farmers raise their animals on pasture but then "finish" them on grains (to fatten them up before slaughter). It is believed that grass fed livestock is healthier than conventionally raised (factory farmed) animals because they have more nutrients and less fat. It is also believed that pasture raised animals contribute to the environment by building up the top soil, since their manure is spread over a large area. This provides a source of natural, organic fertilizer (Source). As with Pastured Poultry, pasture raised livestock may not be certified organic.

Seafood:

This should be obvious, but there is no such thing as organic fish! I only say this because I read another blog where a woman was gushing about the benefits of eating organic salmon. Just think about it for a moment and ask yourself, how!?! When it comes to fish, you want to look for "Wild Caught" or "Wild". With shellfish, farmed (rope grown) is okay because the practice is much different than with farmed fish. You also want to purchase and consume sustainable seafood and limit your consumption of seafood high in mercury. If you are in the US, the Monteray Bay Aquarium has a great chart (and App!) here. If you are in Canada, check this PDF chart from SeaChoice. SeaChoice also has an App that is available from the App Store.

Organic:

When it comes to poultry and other meats, the term "organic" is the only term strictly regulated in both the United States and Canada. For something to be labelled organic or partially organic, it must meet specific criteria and be subject to inspection. When it comes to poultry products, organic means that the animal has been fed organic, non-genetically modified food (free of pesticides and herbicides) and has not been given any hormones or antibiotics. Organic does not guarantee the animal has been raised outdoors and organic doesn't always mean healthier or better.

Photo: Nanaimo Downtown Farmers Market

Bottom Line:

When it comes down to it, it's important to "know thy farmer". Know where your meat and poultry products are coming from rather than just shopping based on a label. Ask questions! Remember, you have a right to know where your food is coming from and how it was grown. I get my beef products at the farmer's market, direct from a farmer and his wife. When I can't make it to the weekly market, I go to a farm shop in a neighbouring city. I did research and found their animals are raised in a humane and sustainable way. Neither of these suppliers are certified organic, but that's okay with me. My food beliefs put sustainable, local and humanely raised above organic. It's up to your to figure out which is more important to you.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday.

Things I've cooked recently...

2011-03-31T18:52:00.003-07:00

Time to share some great recipes I tried out recently...

The Pioneer Woman's Chicken Cacciatore - I modified the recipe and made it in a slow cooker. I browned the chicken, minus the flour coating, then added everything (plus a can of chicken broth) to the slow cooker and set it on low for 6 hours. The results were good and it was very tasty. Probably would have been better in the oven like PW does it, but my work schedule required a slow cooker dinner.

Shredded Beef Sliders from Evil Shenanigans. The beef in this dish was delicious. At first I found it a bit spicy but after reducing the sauce and adding honey (instead of all that sugar), it was absolutely perfect. I tossed the shredded beef with the sauce and served it on a whole wheat roll. Just like a BBQ Beef Sandwich. I will make this again for sure! The mixture freezes well too. Not a true down South BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich, but pretty darn close.

S'Mores Brownies from Buns In My Oven. I made these to take to work one night. Since I was taking them to work I chose to use my creme brule torch instead of broiling the marshmallows at home. Fun, but WHAT A MESS! But the brownies were very tasty.

St. Patrick's Day Chocolate Spritz Cookies. I still haven't figured out how to use my cookie press so instead for Spritz, I rolled the dough and made slice & bake cookies. The cookies were very good but the icing (royal icing) wasn't the right consistency for sandwiching between two cookies. I think a butter cream frosting would have been better. I ended up drizzling the icing over the cookies in a zig zag pattern. They looked neat and tasted good.

The Pioneer Woman's Chicken Scallopine. This one was so-so. The meal itself was tasty but I ran into some issues during the cooking process. First, my chicken did not cook through during the initial pan frying. I ended up browning the breasts in the pan and finished them off in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or so. The second issue, and this was the most disappointing one, when I added the cream to the sauce, it separated (curdled!). I suspect it's because of the lemon juice. Next time I would add lemon juice at the end, rather than in the middle. The sauce tasted great but looked kind of funky. The last change I made was to add the cooked noodles to the pan with sauce, tossed it around and cooked it together for a minute so the noodles sucked up all the yummy sauce.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Bites. The Pioneer Woman calls them Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies. Whatever you call them, they are delicious and simple! I have made them twice now and both times my guests were impressed. Definite crowd pleaser and a must-have for the next party

Carrot Apple Fennel Slaw

2011-03-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

I have some left over cabbage from last week's Braised Red Cabbage dish so the easiest way to use it up is in a slaw. You can make it even easier buy buying a bag of pre-cut coleslaw, broccoli slaw or carrot slaw mix and add in the fennel and apple. The dressing is a vinaigrette, but if you like it creamier, add more mayonnaise.

Adapted from Evil Shenanigans.

1/4 red cabbage, shredded or sliced fine
1/4 green cabbage, shredded or sliced fine
3 carrots, peeled and shredded or cut into matchsticks
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 apple (any variety), cored and cut into matchsticks (Peel is okay!)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
pinch sea salt
pinch pepper
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1. Add all vegetables to a large serving bowl and toss well.

2. In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk together until well blended and smooth.

3. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to evenly coat. Top with sunflower seeds.

*For a meal-size salad, top your slaw with some roasted chicken breast.

Oysters Two Ways: Raw on Half Shell & Baked with Parmesan

2011-03-15T11:41:00.014-07:00

It's oyster day at my house. Vancouver Island oysters were on sale at the market so I bought a dozen. When bought at the grocery store or fish market, oysters are incredibly affordable - usually ranging from $0.50 to $1.00 each; Much cheaper than restaurant oysters which are often marked up 300-500%!

I'm going to share my two favourite ways to enjoy oysters. The first is raw, on the half shell with a few flavourful accompaniments. The second is baked in the oven, topped with breadcrumbs, herbs and cheese.

First thing first though... you have to open your oysters. As I said last time I shucked oysters at home, I'm no expert. A proper oyster knife is key. For other tips, I suggest you take a few minutes searching the internet for a good tutorial.

Jill's Favourite Way to Eat Oysters on the Half Shell:

6 fresh oysters (any size), shucked & on the half shell
3 lemon wedges
Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons prepared horseradish (I prefer fresh grated but it's not easy to find!)

Arrange oysters on an ice-covered plate. Squeeze lemon over each oyster. Add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce to each and top with a 1/2 teaspoon of horseradish.

Enjoy!

Baked Parmesan Oysters:

2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
pinch each salt & pepper
1 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
6 fresh oysters (any size), shucked & on the half shell
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 lemon wedges (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 357 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, mix together bred crumbs, salt & pepper and parsley.

3. Arrange oysters on a baking sheet. To ensure oysters stay upright, pour 1 cup of course salt on the baking sheet and nest oysters into the salt (this is also a great presentation technique!). On each oyster, sprinkle 1/2 clove of minced garlic and 1/2 tablespoon of the breadcrumb mixture. Drizzle melted butter over each oyster and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned and cheese melted. Serve immediately. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the oysters if you desire.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday.

Clean Out The Fridge Vegetable Soup

2011-03-11T11:06:00.007-08:00

I'm terrible when it comes to eating my vegetables. I throw out so much produce, it's ridiculous. Last week I had some limp celery, wilting carrots, a wrinkled zucchini and a soft bell pepper. Not wanting to put them to waste (yet again) I decided to chop everything up and throw it in a pot. The resulting soup was easy and fast to make and quite tasty. The below recipe is what I put into my soup, but you can add anything you have on hand.

1 zucchini, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock (or any stock)
2 cups water
salt & pepper
dried herbs of your choice (parsley, basil, celery seed etc.)

1. Add everything to a stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.

2. Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree mixture until desired consistency reached. Serve immediately. Freezes well too!

*You don't have to puree your soup, I just prefer puree over chunky.

Poutine

2011-03-10T13:33:00.001-08:00

Poutine! The quintessential French-Canadian comfort food. Fries covered in fresh cheese curds and gravy. Does it get any better than that? While at the Farmer's Market a couple of weeks ago, I picked up some farm fresh cheese curds. In my area fresh curds are hard to find. Heck, even un-fresh curds are hard to find! This was a real treat and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.

From Wikipedia:

In the basic recipe for poutine, French fries are topped with fresh cheese curds, and covered with brown gravy or sauce. The French fries are of medium thickness, and fried so that the inside stays soft, while the outside is crunchy. The gravy used is generally a light chicken, veal or turkey gravy, mildly spiced with a hint of pepper, or a sauce brune which is a combination of beef and chicken stock, originating in Quebec. Heavy beef or pork-based brown gravies are rarely used. Fresh cheese curds (not more than a day old) are used. To maintain the texture of the fries, the cheese curd and gravy is added immediately prior to serving the dish.

In the past when I made poutine I would use a packet of powdered Poutine Gravy Mix. This time I decided to try my own. It turned out well and was quite easy. I used pre-cut frozen fries because they bake up crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - perfect for a traditional Poutine. Serve for lunch or dinner; as a side or a main.

For the gravy I mixed half a cup of chicken broth, half cup of beef broth and a splash of red wine in a saucepan. I simmered it on medium-high heat until it was reduced by a third. I added a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a splash of water and whisked until the sauce thickened. Finally, I seasoned it with salt and pepper. I baked the fries until crisp and placed them on a plate. I sprinkled a generous amount of cheese curds on top of the fries then drizzled with an equally generous amount of piping hot gravy. Delicious!

P.S... It's pronounced "Poo-Tin" but since French is my second language, I'm okay with "Poo-Tine". ;-)

Braised Red Cabbage & Apples

2011-03-08T16:15:00.012-08:00

I picked up some Bratwurst from the Redl's Home Grown Beef stand at the market last week. When I think of Bratwurst, normally I think of a huge juicy hot dog. But it's a new day my friends. I'm going to Mexico in two months. I need to think about my "figure". Instead of brats on crusty rolls, slathered in condiments, I'm sticking with the German theme and cooking up a big pot of braised red cabbage.

Adapted from "A Cook's Bible: Gluten Free, Wheat Free & Dairy Free Recipes.

1 medium red cabbage, 1.5 - 2lbs - halved, cored and sliced thinly
3 large baking apples - peeled, cored and diced
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground allspice, divided
3 tablespoons honey*
salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons butter*

1. Pre-heat oven to 300°F. Grease a large baking dish or dutch oven with butter.

2. Arrange half the shredded cabbage in the bottom of the dish. Top with half the apples, onion and garlic. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 2 tablespoons honey and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Repeat process with a second layer using remaining ingredients.

3. Pour vinegar over top of everything. Dot small pieces of butter over top. Cover dish with a lid and bake in pre-heated oven for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until cabbage is tender. Remove from oven and serve with grilled or broiled bratwursts. (Mashed potatoes makes a great accompaniment too!)

*Sub out non-dairy margarine for butter and agave syrup for honey and you have a vegan side dish!*

This post is part of Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade.

Roast Beef Dip Sandwhich

2011-02-09T14:00:00.002-08:00

What do you do with left over Roast Beef? Make a beef dip, of course!

There isn't really a recipe for this one. It's a "throw together" leftovers meal. I also cheated and used a packet au jus gravy mix from the grocery store, although there are several recipes online if you'd prefer to make an au jus from scratch.

1 tablespoon butter
3 button mushrooms, sliced thin
1/4 small onion, sliced thin
Left over roast beef, sliced thin
slices of mozzarella or provolone cheese
crusty hoagie style buns
horseradish mustard (optional)

1. Melt butter in a saute pan. Add onion and mushroom and cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are browned. Add roast beef slices to pan just to warm through slightly.

2. While onions and mushrooms are cooking, slice open and toast hoagie bun. Once toasted, butter the bun and dress with horseradish mustard or any condiment of your choice.

3. Arrange sliced beef evenly over the bottom hoagie bun. Top with cheese slices and then layer onion and mushroom mixture on top. Replace top bun. Slice in half and serve with a cup of au jus for dipping.

Roast Beef with Red Wine Mushroom Gravy

2011-02-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

I was in Toronto last week to visit some friends. While there I visited the famous St. Lawrence Market, where I bought a jar of deliciously potent Horseradish Mustard from Kozlik's Canadian Mustard. For three days I have been craving this mustard slathered over a juicy slice of roast beef. Incidentally, if you are interested in trying Kozlik's, they are sold at several stores in the Lower Mainland, including Thrifty Foods in Coquitlam!

Recipe adapted from the Canadian Beef Producers website.

Roast Beef

2-4 lb beef oven roast (I used an inside round roast)
6 cloves of garlic, cut into thin slivers (about 3 slices per clove)
course salt and fresh cracked pepper
beef & steak seasoning rub (optional)

1. Remove roast from refrigerator 1-2 hours before cooking to bring to room temperature. (A room temperature roast will brown better!)

2. Cut shallow slits all over roast and insert garlic slivers into slits. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Rub with beef & steak seasoning rub if desired.

3. Place roast, fatty side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into centre of the roast. Cook, uncovered at 450°F for 10 minutes, turning once. Reduce heat to 275°F and cook until thermometer reads 140°F for medium-rare to medium. For a small to medium roast this could take 1-1/4 to 2-1/4 hours. For a larger roast this could take 2-1/4 to 3 hours. Cooking times are estimates only and vary oven to oven. Different roast types and shape can also affect cooking times. Check the chart below for a guideline and be sure to check on your roast after 1 hour and ever 15 - 30 minutes thereafter. My 2.12 pound roast took 1 hour and 25 minutes reach 140°F internal temperature and it was cooked perfectly medium-rare. It would be even easier if you have a digital thermometer where you can set the desired temperature and it will notify you when that temperature is reached. Unfortunately, I don't have one of those!

4. When desired temperature is reached, remove roast from oven and cover loosely with foil. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before removing to a cutting board for slicing.

Red Wine Mushroom Gravy

3 tablespoons pan drippings from roasting pan
2 teaspoons butter
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
2 teaspoons fresh cracked mixed peppercorns
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a splash or two of water.

1. Pour 3 tablespoons of drippings from the roasting pan into a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat. Add butter and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have browned and sauce reduced by half.

2. Add broth, wine and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until mixture has reduced slightly, about 10 minutes.

3. Add cornstarch to pan and whisk continually until gravy has thickened. Pour over steak and mashed potatoes!

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

2011-01-27T12:44:00.007-08:00

This is a great make-ahead meal. I cooked up a big pot before going back to work to use as lunches for the week ahead.

1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 medium red pepper, chopped
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
4-5 large button mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 19 oz can red kidney beans
1 - 14 oz can chickpeas
1 - 5.5oz can tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 tablespoon sliced pickled green chilies or banana peppers (optional)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

1. Add everything to your crock pot and stir together to mix well.

2. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

3. Serve over cooked rice or quinoa and top with shredded cheese or sour cream!

This post is part of Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist.

Winter Apple & Beet Salad with Honey Dressing

2011-01-17T15:25:00.010-08:00

Eating locally grown produce in the winter can get really tiresome, really fast. Around Vancouver, winter's bounty is basically limited to squashes and root vegetables - things that don't bode well for a fresh, crisp salad. Thankfully apples are in abundance, as are beets. And although not local, pomegranates are in season until the end of January. Add all that to layer of fresh mixed greens* and you have an artful, appetizing winter salad!

Serves 2 entrée sized salads.

Honey Dressing

A simple oil & vinegar dressing with a hint of sweetness.

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
2 teaspoons local honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1. Add all ingredients to a small bowl or salad dressing cruet and mix well.

Tip: Coat your teaspoon in olive oil to make the honey slide off easily into your bowl!

Salad

1 medium size beet, greens cut off
4 cups mixed baby salad greens (I used baby spinach and pea shoots)
1/2 small red apple and 1/2 small green apple, cored and thinly sliced
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons feta cheese (optional)
prepared dressing

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees (F). Rinse beets and place on a sheet of foil and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Seal foil around beets to make a small packet. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes until fork tender. Remove from oven to cool. When beets have cooled enough to handle, put on some rubber gloves and remove the skins using your fingers. Skins should be tender enough to slip off, by pushing up with your thumbs. Once peeled, cut off root ends, then cut beets into small, bite sized chunks.

2. Arrange salad greens over two plates. Top each plate with half the beet chunks, half the red apple slices and half the green apple slices. Sprinkle half the pomegranate seeds and feta cheese over each plate. Drizzle desired amount of dressing over top.

This would also be great topped with toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds!

(*No, salad greens aren't locally available in winter either, but we have to pick our battles!)

This post is part of Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist.

Sautéed Wild Mushroom Crostini

2011-01-09T11:45:00.007-08:00

Baby Shitake mushrooms and garlic cheese bread from the farmers market.

Over the holidays I co-hosted and self catered a cocktail party. I spent weeks planning the menu, and then three days preparing the appetizers. The food was definitely the centrepiece of the party. One of my favourite creations was sautéed wild mushrooms on a piece of toasted and mozzarella topped baguette. The recipe itself was inspired by a similar one seen on Oprah a few years ago. As with most of my cocktail party appetizers, I wasn't able to get a photograph of the finished dish. Instead, enjoy a snap of some of my haul from the farmer's market today.

Sautéed Wild Mushroom Crostini

This dish can be served as an appetizer, snack or even as a main dish. If serving as a snack or main dish, consider using a loaf of French of Italian bread, instead of baguette.

Ingredients:

1 baguette, cut into thin slices
olive oil
1/4 cup butter (1 stick)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound mixed mushrooms (button, crimini, shitaki, oyster, porcini, etc.), cleaned, stems removed and chopped fine
1/4 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Grigio work well, but use whatever you have!)
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, plus 2 tablespoons, reserved
sea salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
mozzarella cheese (fresh or firm; cut into 24 thin slices, approx. 1"x2" or to fit baguette slice)
1/4 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese (Shredded NOT grated!)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F). Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake bread for 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside. Leave oven turned on.

2. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add chopped mushrooms. Increase heat to medium and sauté mushrooms in butter for 5-8 minutes, until starting to reduce and brown.

3. Add white wine and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring often, until wine has reduced and most of liquid has evaporated, approximately 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add fresh chopped parsley and mix together. Remove from heat.

4. Arrange mozzarella slices on top of each baguette slice. Top each with approximately 1 tablespoon of mushroom mixture. Don't be afraid to use your fingers to ensure mushroom mixture is evenly spread over bread slice. Top with a light sprinkle of shredded Parmesan.

5. Once all bread slices are topped with cheese and mushroom, bake in oven for 8-10 minutes until cheese has melted and edges of bread starting to brown. Remove pan from oven, place crostinis on a serving plate, lightly sprinkle additional chopped fresh parsley over everything and serve immediately.

New Year - No new posts!

2011-01-04T11:25:00.008-08:00

Hello!

Just a quick post to say Happy New Year! And also to apologize for being M.I.A. for so long. I was out with a friend yesterday and he mentioned I've been slacking off in the blog department. The last few weeks of 2010 were the busiest weeks of the entire year. The first week of 2011 has been no different. I did quite a bit of cooking over the holidays, and even have a couple of great cocktail appetizers to post, but I don't have any pictures just yet. That's always the case when prepping appetizers for get-togethers... no time for pictures. I might have to work that issue into my goals for 2011.

In other cooking news, I got some great cooking related gifts for Christmas. I finally got a stand mixer, which will make baking much, much easier. I also received a huge, 20 quart canning pot for all my canning creations! Previously I was using a large stock pot, which did the trick, but I'm sure my mom will be happy to have her stock pot back!
My stocking was full of lots of gadgets and tools, the best of all is a digital food scale. I've used it quite a bit already and am unsure how I managed without it. Weighing is far more accurate (and sometimes easier) than measuring ingredients, especially when it comes to baking.

The best new kitchen tool wasn't a gift at all, unless you count "gifts to self". I splurged on Boxing Day and ordered a KitcenAid Food Processor. Splurge is kind of an exaggeration. It was over 60% off so the deal was way too good to pass up. Over the holidays I made Marianne's Beet Hummus and found that my mini food chopper was useless for such a job. It was time to graduate to a full size food processor and I couldn't be happier with my purchase!

I'm already thinking of all the fun things I can make and prepare using my new tools and gadgets. A birthday cake is first on the list. I have an ambitious plan to make and decorate a strawberries and cream layer cake for my co-worker's birthday. From scratch. I've never made a cake from scratch. I've never even made a layer cake!

I will be back soon with new posts! Hope you all had great and tasty holidays!

Cheese, Bacon & Herb Frittata

2010-12-14T09:37:00.012-08:00

The other day, one of my co-works made a Frittata for a potluck breakfast. Another co-worker is currently on a "carb free" diet, to get in ship shape for her upcoming wedding so the Frittata was made special for her. A Frittata is like a quiche, except Frittata is crust free; Just eggs and whatever goodies you'd like to add in for flavour. It's incredibly versatile and easy! It can be made in advance and re-heated or eat it cold. Frittata is the perfect for potluck, picnic, breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack!

For the herb addition to my Frittata I used a couple great freeze dried seasoning blends from Epicure Selections. Their Cheese, Chive & Bacon Dip Mix and Three Onion Dip Mix are perfect additions to eggs, potatoes, soups and of course, dips. I absolutely love their products and have one of just about everything in the catalogue. If you don't have Epicure products to use in your Frittata, just use whatever herbs or seasonings you'd like.

Ingredients:

8 whole eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon dried herb blend of your choice (I used 1/2 tbsp Epicure Cheese, Chive & Bacon Mix and 1/2 tbsp Epicure 3 Onion Mix.)
Pinch each of Salt & Pepper
4 slices of crisp cooked bacon, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 green onion sprigs, sliced thin

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate and set aside.

2. Add eggs and milk to a bowl and beat together. Stir in herbs, salt and pepper.

3. Pour egg mixture into prepared pie plate. Sprinkle over half the cheese and drop bacon pieces evenly around the dish. Cover with remaining cheese.

4. Bake in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until cheese has melted and the eggs are puffed up and the edges starting to brown.

5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sliced green onion. Let cool slightly then slice and serve.

Variations: Substitute ham or sausage for bacon, or omit meat for a vegetarian option. Use fresh herbs instead of dried. Add fresh, diced veggies. Anything goes!

This post is part of Twister Tuesday @ GNOWFGLINS.

Sweet Potato, Leek & Ham Soup

2010-12-08T18:14:00.007-08:00

This recipe is adapted from Cooking Light's "Fresh Food Fast" cookbook. It's incredibly quick to make and is a great use of left over holiday ham.

1 cup diced, cooked ham
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups sliced leek (2 large)
3 cups peeled & diced sweet potato (2-3 large)
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup 2% milk
salt & pepper to taste
thin sliced green onion for garnish

1. Heat a large heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Add ham and cook 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Remove ham from pan and set aside.

2. Melt butter in the same pot. Add leek and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Add sweet potato, chicken broth and water. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes until sweet potato is fork tender.

4. Remove pot from heat and pour in milk. Using an immersion blender, puree soup to desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in 3/4 cup of the diced ham. Return pot to low heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, just to heat through.

5. Spoon into bowls and garnish with remaining diced ham and sliced green onion.

Local Eating - Winter Foods

2010-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

(Photo taken in my back yard 3 winters ago... thankfully no snow this year!)

Re-posted from last year. It's December 1st - Time to think winter foods!

Wondering what is growing in the Vancouver area during the winter months?

Get Local BC has a lot of information to help people buy and eat local.

Right now there is an ABUNDANCE of locally grown produce available. Here is the list from Eat Local BC:

Vegetables: Beets, cabbage (green & red), carrots, garlic, kale, leeks, onions (red & yellow), parsnips, potatoes, rutabagas, shallots, squash (winter), turnips (white), zucchini
Fruit: Apples, kiwi
Meat & Dairy: Dairy Products, eggs, beef, buffalo, chicken, duck, goat, lamb, pheasant, port, rabbit, turkey
Seafood: Clams, cod (Pacific), crab, Dungeness crab, flounder/sole (Pacific), mussels, oysters (Pacific), prawns (jumbo), sablefish (black cod), scallops, shrimp (side stripe, west coast)
Herbs: Bay leaves, chervil, rosemary, sage, savory (winter), thyme
Etc: Honey, Mushrooms, Nuts

At first I thought I hated winter vegetables but now I'm finding I really enjoy roasted beets and parsnips. I use carrots, potatoes, squash, onions and shallots regularly. Winter produce isn't so bad after all!

Looking for a winter Farmers Market in your area? Check here.

My Grandma's Meat Lasagna

2010-11-16T15:18:00.006-08:00

My Grandma makes a very basic meat lasagna that can be easily adapted to suit your tastes. Add or omit whatever you'd like. The basic recipe is eight ingredients but my Grandma usually kicks it up a notch by adding some minced veggies to her sauce. The layers are simply noodle, meat sauce and cheese. If you want to fancy it up you could add spinach, ricotta or cottage cheese layers. Prep is fairly quick (it can be made and assembled up to a day in advance) and the lasagna cooks in under an hour.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 stalk celery, minced (optional)
1 large carrot, peeled & minced (optional)
3-4 large mushrooms, diced fine (optional)
2 14-ounce cans tomato sauce (I use 1 can sauce, 1 can diced)
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (optional)
1 pound of cheese (mozza, cheddar or whatever you want)
9 lasagna noodles

Directions:

1. Brown onions in oil. Add beef. Season with garlic power and Seasoning Salt. Cook until meat is browned. Drain excess fat. (My Grandma doesn't do this but I can't help myself!) Add carrot, celery and mushrooms and cook a few minutes until fragrant.

2. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and Italian Seasoning. Season with salt & pepper. Simmer slowly for 20-30 minutes.

3. While sauce is simmering, cook lasagna noodles in salted water, as directed by package instructions. Drain and set aside.

4. Prepare cheese by shredding or thinly slicing - your preference. I prefer to have shredded cheese for my layers and thin sliced cheese for the top.

5. When sauce has reduced slightly (if it's runny, simmer longer), arrange 3 noodles lengthwise across a baking dish. Cover with an even layer of meat sauce, followed by an even layer of shredded cheese. Top cheese with 3 more noodles, another layer of meat sauce and another layer of shredded cheese. Finish with the last 3 noodles and a layer of cheese slices.

6. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees (F) for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

Tastes better than it photographs!

Garbage Plate Breakfast

2010-11-14T18:47:00.004-08:00

A long time ago I saw an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives featuring Frank's Diner and the Chorizo Garbage Plate Special. The premise of the breakfast entrée is that you take whatever you have in your fridge, load it up on top of a bed of grilled hash browns and crack an egg or two on top. Voila! Complete breakfast in one plan and you've cleaned out your fridge a bit in the process.

My Garbage Plate started with a bed of cube hash browns, half a chopped red onion and a bit of chopped red pepper. I cooked it in a cast iron fry pan with a bit of oil and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Any left over veggie will do. Throw in any left over meat you have (ham and sausage are great!). Add some fresh (or dried) herbs or other seasonings of your choice. It's my favourite type of recipe - ANYTHING GOES. Make the Garbage Plate based on what you have and what you like. When your hash browns are cooked and your veggie additions are tender, crack an egg or two on top of the mess and mix it all up. Heat until the egg is cooked through. Top with some shredded cheese. Eat. It's like a breakfast stir fry. And it's GOOD!

I'm still here!

2010-11-10T19:52:00.005-08:00

I just wanted to update to say I'm still here. The blog is still running. Unfortunately I haven't had time to do much cooking or recipe posting. This time of year, straight through to January, is always the busiest for me. I have some things in the works and hope to get some new recipes up within a week or two.

Thanks for visiting!

Chicken Stock

2010-10-30T15:18:00.001-07:00

You brined a chicken. You roasted a chicken. You carved and ate a chicken. Now it's time to deal with the chicken remains. Why waste a perfectly good chicken carcass when you can boil it with aromatic vegetables and create a simple and delicious stock. If you aren't ready to make your stock the day after your chicken dinner, put the bones in a bag and freeze them until you are ready.

Ingredients:

Carcass and bones of a 2-3 pound chicken
4 litres water
1 large whole onion, ends trimmed, cut in half (skin left on - adds colour!)
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3-4 fresh or dried celery leaves (optional - but adds a great deal of flavour)
1 bay leaf (optional)

Directions:

1. Add everything to a stock pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Reduce to low and cover. Simmer on low for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours or overnight.

3. When you have simmered your stock for the desired length of time, remove bones and vegetables using tongs or a slotted spoon and discard. Pour stock through a fine strainer. Pour strained stock into jars. Leave overnight or in refrigerator until fat congeals at the top. Remove congealed fat with a spoon and discard or save for later use (chicken fat is referred to a Schmaltz. It is used in Jewish cooking, in place of butter or lard, as it is considered kosher).

4. Pour stock into ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen, pop out of trays and store in ziplock bags in the freezer. Most standard ice cube trays will produce a 1 ounce portion of stock, ready for use when needed. You could also measure one or two cups of stock into ziplock bags and freeze for times when you need larger portions. DO NOT freeze your stock in glass canning jars as the stock expands when it freezes and may cause your jar to crack and leak (as mine did, duh!). The fresh stock will keep in your refrigerator for 2-3 days. Use stock in soups, stews, sauces and stir fries.

*Seasoning your stock with salt and pepper is optional. I generally do not season my stock as it gives me more freedom to season later on when I use it in my cooking. Overly seasoned stock may interfere with the flavour and seasoning of the dish you are creating. Sometimes I will add a bit of fresh cracked pepper, but I never salt my stock.

Basic Roast Chicken & Gravy

2010-10-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

See part one - Brining a Chicken.

Your chicken has been brined and it is at room temperature. You are ready to roast! Start by watching this video, from CHOW, on how to truss your chicken. Trussing ensures the wings and legs are firmly attached to the body so that the bird cooks evenly and the small extremities don't dry out. Trussing also allows the bird to be turned easily during cooking. Prior to trussing, salt and pepper the inside of the cavity.

Once your bird is trussed, you are really ready to roast!

Ingredients:

2-3 lb whole chicken, brined and trussed
2 tbsp butter at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, melted (or olive oil, or a mixture of the two)
salt and pepper
1 large carrot, cut into large chunks
1 onion, cut in quarters
1 celery stalk, cut into large chunks

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees (F).

2. Smear 2-3 tablespoons of room temperature butter over the outside of the bird. If you prefer, you could also brush olive oil all over.

3. Generously salt and pepper the outside of the bird. If you'd like, you can also sprinkle with dried herbs of your choice. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Arrange vegetables around the bird in the bottom of the pan. Here's a tip: I don't have a rack for my roasting pan so I propped my bird up ON TOP of the vegetables. As long as the bird doesn't sit on the bottom of the pan, anything goes!

4. Place pan in pre-heated oven and roast at the high heat for 15 minutes to get the top nice and brown. After 15 minutes, turn chicken and roast the other side for 15 minutes. Baste with melted butter. Turn back to breast side up, baste again and lower heat to 350 degrees (F).

5. Baste every 15-20 minutes. It may take up to 1 hour and 30 minutes to cook, but test for doneness after 50 minutes. The general rule of thumb is 30 minutes per pound. Stick a meat thermometer in the fattiest part of the thigh. The internal temperature should register 165-170 degrees (F). Any less and your chicken is undercooked. Any more and you risk a dried out bird. Remember that the chicken will continue cooking after you remove it from the oven. While cooking, if the legs, wings or breast start to get too browned, cover those bits with small pieces of tin foil to avoid burning.

6. Once proper internal temperature is reached, remove your bird from the oven and set on a plate or chopping board, covered with foil and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes. When ready to cut, check here for a tutorial on how to carve your chicken.

Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed veggies. A 2-3 pound chicken will adequately serve 2 or 3 people with a bit of left overs for soup, a stir fry or a casserole!

Chicken Gravy:

For gravy, try this White Wine Gravy from Martha Stewart. For a more simple gravy, try this one, like I used:

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken stock
1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a splash of warm water
salt & pepper

Directions:

1. While chicken is resting, remove vegetables from roasting pan and discard. Scoop out and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Place roasting pan on a burner over high heat (if pan is large, place across two burners).

2. Add chicken stock to hot pan and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom (this is called de-glazing the pan). Bring to a boil.

3. Pour in cornstarch and bring to a boil, stirring continually. When sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, it's ready. Season with salt and pepper. Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a gravy boat or glass bowl.

Next time... homemade chicken stock using the left over carcass and bones.

Brining Poultry

2010-10-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

I just finished week 8 of my Surf & Turf cooking class over at CHEESESLAVE. This week we learned about roasting and braising meats and sauce reductions. Recipes included pot roast with gravy, braised short ribs, Moroccan chicken, lamb chops, pulled pork and roast duck, among many others! Also included in this class was a video about how to roast a chicken. Ann Marie doesn't cover brining in the videos, but briefly mentions it and includes some direction in the recipes.

Last year when I cooked my first ever Thanksgiving turkey, I brined my turkey in a mixture of water, salt, honey and citrus zest. Brining poultry before cooking leads to juicier and more tender meat. My turkey was a huge success. My brother-in-law declared it was the best turkey he had ever eaten. I would like to think it was just because I cooked it, but I'm quite certain the brining had something to do with it.

The problem with brining is that it takes time. A large bird (10lbs or more) requires 12-24 hours to brine then an additional 12-24 hours to "dry" (a wet bird won't cook or brown well). A smaller bird can be brined adequately in 3-12 hours and left to "dry" for 6-12 hours. Basically, if you want to brine your bird, you should start 2 to 3 days in advance of cooking. It's not as much of a pain as it sounds. Preparing the brine takes minutes and once the bird is in the solution, you don't have to do anything until you take it out of the brine! Don't forget you also need at least an hour (for a small bird) before cooking so the bird can come to room temperature before putting it in the oven!

A basic brine includes salt and a sweetener. More advanced brines will include flavour enhancers like citrus zest or dried herbs. The one I used for my turkey last year included lemon and orange peel, cardamom pods and dried thyme. For my roast chicken though, I wanted something very simple and very basic.

Cooks Illustrated has a great PDF with loads of info and tips on brining. They recommend the following ratios for a basic brine:

Per 1 litre (1 quart) of water add 1/4 cup of fine kosher or sea salt (1/2 cup if salt is course) and 1/2 cup of sweetener. One litre (1 quart) of liquid is required per pound. They also say it should not exceed 2 gallons of brine, but you need enough to cover your bird so if you are cooking a large chicken or turkey, you may need as much as 3 gallons of brine. They also say to brine for one hour per pound, but for no more than 8 hours.

My brine didn't follow the Cooks Illustrated model exactly but it was close. I adapted my brine from the Healthiest Meals on Earth cookbook. It looked something like this:

2.5 lb whole chicken
2 litres warm water
1 cup sea salt
1 cup unpasteurized, raw honey

The brine was mixed together in a stock pot and the chicken placed inside. The chicken was brined in the refrigerator overnight, for about 12 hours. After that, I drained the pot, rinsed the chicken and placed it in the empty stockpot, and left it in the refrigerator for another 6 hours.

And contrary to what you may have read online, you CAN use a metal pot to hold your brine - just make sure it is stainless steal or enamelled cast iron (like Le Creuset). Do not use aluminum or straight cast iron as metal can leech into your brine and affect the taste. You can also use glass or plastic container or a plastic brining bag. Do not use a garbage bag as they are not food safe. You may need to weigh your chicken down with a plate to ensure it is completely submerged.

When you are ready to cook your bird, take it out of the refrigerator and leave it to sit, covered, at room temperature for at least one hour.

Next time... Basic Roast Chicken

Pear & Gorgonzola Tarts with Red Pepper Jelly

2010-10-18T14:39:00.002-07:00

This is the second fall themed appetizer I prepared for my cousin's 1st birthday party. As with all party appies I make, there is no photo! I will probably be making these again. They were popular amongst the blue cheese fans in the crowd. I didn't have time to top mine with the pepper jelly but I'm sure they would have been fantastic if I had taken the time for that extra step. They definitely needed a kick of sweetness. A dribble of honey or some rich caramelized onion would have been a nice topping too.

Ingredients:

1 package phyllo pastry, thawed
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 ounces (125g) Gorgonzola cheese plus a couple ounces extra, crumbled
8 ounces (250g) cream cheese
3 tbsp milk or cream
salt and pepper.
3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped
1 jar Cranberry Hot Pepper Jelly

Directions:

1. Unfold phyllo pastry and cut into 3x3 squares. Brush melted butter on a square and cover with a second square. Repeat process until squares have 4 layers. Press into the cups of a mini muffin tin. Pre-bake phyllo cups according to package directions (about 8-10 mins or until light golden-brown). Remove from oven and let cool. Can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

2. Add Gorgonzola, cream cheese, milk, salt and pepper to a food processor and blend together until smooth. Fold in 3/4 of the chopped pears.

3. Spoon a small amount of cheese mixture into each phyllo cup. (I added my cheese mixture to a pastry bag and squeezed about a teaspoon of mixture into each cup.) Top with a couple pear pieces and a bit more crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove from oven. Top each with a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper jelly. Serve warm.

Grandma's No Bake Whipped Cheesecake

2010-10-14T17:49:00.008-07:00

My Grandma has been making this cheesecake for over 40 years. She pinched the recipe from the restaurant kitchen when she worked at Woolworth's in the early 1960's. (It's also known as Woolworth's Icebox Cheesecake.) This cheesecake has been a favourite in my family ever since, and makes an appearance at every major family function and holiday gathering. I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon at Grandma's the other day learning how to make this classic dessert. It's easier than I expected, although a stand mixer (which I do not have) is a definite must. It could be put together using an electric hand mixer but would require a bit more time and effort.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 block (250g) cream cheese
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tins evaporated milk, refrigerated overnight before using
- 1 large packet lemon gelatin
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 2/3 cup cold water

Directions:

1. Mix 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl. Press crumbs into a deep 9x12 inch baking pan, covering the bottom and up the sides about half an inch. Reserve the other 1/2 cup of the crumbs for topping. Refrigerate crust until ready to use.

2. Add cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to a small bowl of an electric stand mixer and cream together until smooth and well blended, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

3. Add milk to a large bowl an electric stand mixer and whip until stiff peaks are formed.

4. While milk is beating, prepare gelatin. Mix gelatin powder with boiling water and cold water. Mix well to dissolve powder but do not allow to congeal.

5. While mixer is running, slowly add gelatin mixture to whipped milk. Mix together on slow speed for 1/2 a minute.

6. While mixer is still running, slowly add cream cheese mixture to whipped milk. Mix together on slow speed for another 1/2 minute or until all cream cheese is incorporated.

7. Pour mixture over crumbs in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over top. Refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving.

Sausage, Apple & Sage Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-10-13T18:18:00.001-07:00

My cousin's baby turned 1 year old last week! She hosted a family birthday celebration over the weekend, the day before (Canadian) Thanksgiving. In honour of the holiday, my cousin wanted to do a fall/Thanksgiving theme cocktail menu. I offered to help out by making a few dishes.

Unfortunately, no pictures yet. The appies were gobbled up before I could snap a photo!

First up - Mushrooms stuffed with... STUFFING! I've always believed that stuffing is the best part of the holidays; or at least the best part of the holiday dinner. Last year I posted my mom's recipe for Moist Bread Sausage Apple Stuffing. It's THE best stuffing EVER and that is no exaggeration. I re-worked the recipe to make it suitable to stuff into large white mushrooms. Topped with a bit of grated Parmesan (because every stuffed mushroom recipe should be topped with cheese), these mushrooms are to die for!

If you want, you could make this into an entrée by using large portabella mushrooms. To get the celery and onion to a fine, minced consistency, I chopped them into smaller pieces, then put them into a food processor.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1 cup minced celery (about 3 stalks)
1 cup minced onion (about 1 large onion)
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped fine
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 lb (4 oz, 250g) ground pork sausage (NOT Italian sausage)
2 apples, peeled, cored and minced
1/4 cup apple juice or cider
1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan, plus
36 large white button mushrooms, washed and de-stemmed

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange mushrooms, tops face up, in a single layer. Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes, while you prepare the stuffing. Remove from oven to cool. Replace parchment with a fresh sheet and arrange mushroom tops down, in a single layer.

2. Melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions and celery and cook until onions are translucent and celery tender. Add seasonings and mix well. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bow.

3. In the same sauté pan, cook sausage and apple with apple juice until sausage cooked through and apples are soft. Add mixture to the bowl of onion and celery.

4. Once vegetable mixture has cooled slightly, add bread crumbs and Parmesan to the bowl. Toss everything to mix well.

5. Scoop mixture into each mushroom cap. Sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan cheese. Bake in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until tops are browned. Serve immediately.

Thanksgiving Recipes

2010-10-10T19:31:00.008-07:00

I'm posting this a little late for the Canadian readers since Thanksgiving dinners are being held tonight and tomorrow night. For the American readers, maybe some of these recipes will give you inspiration for your meal next month!

My mom's classic and our family favourite - Moist Bread Sausage Apple Stuffing. I changed it up this year by adding fresh chopped sage. Delicious!

A new favourite (of mine) - Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli and Asparagus with Garlic Balsamic Reduction. My other Brussels Sprouts favourite is when they are sautéed with onion and bacon!

Or how about Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce.

Another new dish - Roasted Root Vegetables with Candied Pumpkin Seeds. I made this one last year instead of mashed potatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen - Cranberry Port Wine Jelly and Merlot Wine Jelly

2010-10-08T09:00:00.002-07:00

Two more easy jellies to make for holiday gifts. These ones are even easier than the Cranberry Hot Pepper Jelly because there is no food processing step. Wine jellies are fabulous with cream cheese and pate. They are also good over lamb and game meats.

Recipes from 'The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving'.

Cranberry Port Wine Jelly

1 cup port wine
1 cup 100% cranberry juice (NOT cocktail and NOT concentrate)
3 1/2 cups white sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin

1. See here for instructions on how to prepare jars for canning and here for how to prepare your boiling-water canner.

2. Place wine, cranberry juice and sugar in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in pectin. Skim off any foam.

3. Ladle mixture into hot 125ml canning jars. Cover with a hot snap lid and secure with a ring. Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes if you are above 1000ft elevation). Turn off the heat. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars from water (to stabilize pressure inside jars). Remove jars from water and place them on a towel. Let jars sit, undisturbed, to cool at room temperature overnight. Remove rings, label jars with contents and date, and store jars in a cool, dark place. (If you are giving as gifts, leave rings on, or replace rings just before gifting.)

Yields 4 1/2 cups

Merlot Wine Jelly

You can substitute ANY wine in place of the Merlot.

2 cups Merlot wine
1/4 cup fresh, strained lemon juice (2-3 lemons), or 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
3 1/2 cups white sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin

1. See here for instructions on how to prepare jars for canning and here for how to prepare your boiling-water canner.

2. Place wine, lemon juice and sugar in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in pectin. Skim off any foam.

3. Ladle mixture into hot 125ml canning jars. Cover with a hot snap lid and secure with a ring. Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes if you are above 1000ft elevation). Turn off the heat. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars from water (to stabilize pressure inside jars). Remove jars from water and place them on a towel. Let jars sit, undisturbed, to cool at room temperature overnight. Remove rings and store jars in a cool, dark place. (If you are giving as gifts, leave rings on, or replace rings just before gifting.)

Yields 4 1/2 cups

Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen - Cranberry Hot Pepper Jelly

2010-10-07T19:20:00.002-07:00

Making homemade jellies is a lot easier than I expected. With the right supplies and a little patience, you too can create some gourmet jellies for holiday gifts. Cranberry Hot Pepper Jelly makes a great appetizer, served with crackers and cheese, especially cream cheese. It's also great as a spread on a turkey sandwich.

The best part about making your own jelly is that it is CHEAP! Assuming you already own the required canning equipment, the cost per 125ml jar of Cranberry Hot Pepper Jelly works out to less than $2 per jar! My batch of eight jars actually cost $1.73 per jar. That cost includes the jar, sugar, pectin, red pepper, jalapeño and cranberry juice AND the jar top labels. (The vinegar is not included in the cost analysis because I already had a large jug on hand, but even with the amount of vinegar used in the recipe added in, the total per jar would still be under $2.) Homemade jellies are personal, affordable, easy and delicious.

The green jalapeño peppers used in this recipe are quite mild and taste peppery rather than spicy. If you'd like a spicier mix, try using Serrano peppers or red jalapeño peppers. You could also add a teaspoon or two of dried red chili flakes to the saucepan during step one.

Recipe from 'The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving'.

1 large sweet red pepper
2 green jalapeño peppers, seeded
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup 100% pure cranberry juice (NOT cocktail)
3 cups white sugar
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin
8 125ml canning jars, snap lids and rings
1 jelly bag or cheesecloth

1. See here for instructions on how to prepare jars for canning and here for how to prepare your boiling-water canner.

2. Finely chop red pepper and jalapeño peppers in a food processor. Place mixture in a small stainless steel saucepan* with water and vinegar. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a course sieve, pressing with the back of spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Pour liquid through a jelly bag or through a couple layers of cheesecloth to remove any remaining sediment.

3. Place strained liquid, cranberry concentrate and sugar in a medium stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin, return to a full boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam.

4. Ladle mixture into hot 125ml canning jars. Cover with a hot snap lid and secure with a ring. Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes if you are above 1000ft elevation). Turn off the heat. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars from water (to stabilize pressure inside jars). Remove jars from water and place them on a towel. Let jars sit, undisturbed, to cool at room temperature overnight. Remove rings, label jars with contents and date, and store jars in a cool, dark place. (If you are giving as gifts, leave rings on, or replace rings just before gifting.)

Labels are Avery #8293 - High Visibility Inkjet Round Labels.

Yields 8 - 125ml jars

Baked Mac & Cheese with Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Smoked Cheddar

2010-10-05T10:38:00.006-07:00

I was craving carbs last night so I "whipped up" a really quick and simple homemade mac and cheese. It's really not as difficult or scary as it seems. You could make it even more quick and simple by leaving out the onions and bacon, but I suggest you leave them in!

Ingredients:

6 cups whole wheat pasta noodles
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
4 tbsp butter, divided
2 tbsp flour
1 bay leaf
1 cup milk
salt & pepper
1/2 cup smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
5 sliced bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until cooked al dente (should still be slightly firm to the bite). Drain and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Toss well to coat noodles in oil so they will not stick together. Set aside.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter to a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook down until reduced and browned, about 15 minutes. Remove onions from skillet and set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk continually until a paste is formed (this is called a roux). Add milk and bay leaf and continue stirring until sauce thickens slightly (this is a basic French Béchamel sauce). Add shredded cheese a bit at a time and continue to stir until cheese has melted. Add caramelized onion and diced bacon and stir together.

4. Add cooked noodles to cheese sauce mixture and stir together to coat. Pour into a greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan over top and then top with breadcrumbs. Cut 1 tablespoon of butter into 4 small chunks and drop onto top of breadcrumbs in a few places.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown and crispy.

This post is linked to Twister Tuesday at GNOWFGLINS.

Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen - Spicy Dill Beans

2010-10-02T08:15:00.003-07:00

It's that time of year again! Time to start thinking about Christmas gifts and holiday menus! Last year I made several tasty creations in my kitchen and gave them out to friends and family. More great gifts from the kitchen will be coming over the next couple months!

At the request of my mother, I spent an afternoon canning Spicy Dill Beans. I use a recipe that Vancity Rock Girl posted over two years ago. I first canned beans using this recipe before Christmas in 2008. I had labels and little cards with the Mott's Caesar recipe, printed through Vistaprint. I wrapped the jars up all pretty and gave them out to extended family and friends. They were a HUGE hit! I continued to get requests for these tasty beans throughout 2009. Now the supplies are running short and people are in need of more beans! You can't drink a Caesar without a Spicy Dill Bean to garnish! They are also great for munching as a snack. This recipe also works for carrots and asparagus... especially asparagus!

Vancity Rock Girl's Spicy Dill Beans:

Yields 4 pints

2 lbs green beans, trimmed to about 3 1/2 inches
4 red jalapeño peppers, cut in half lengthwise
8 sprigs of fresh dill
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 tbsp mustard seeds
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 tbsp picking salt

1. See here for instructions on how to prepare jars for canning and here for how to prepare your boiling-water canner.

2. In a large saucepan, mix water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Keep warm on the stove top while you finish the next step.

3. To each jar, add 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds, two halves of hot peppers and two sprigs of fresh dill. Tightly pack the beans into each jar.

4. Pour the hot vinegar mixture into each jar and fill, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top. Cover with a hot snap lid and secure with a ring. (You want air & water to be able to circulate during the water bath, so don't tighten the ring too much.)

5. Place jars into boiling water bath canner. Ensure water comes up 1 inch above the top of the jars. Bring to a boil again and process the jars for 10 minutes (15 minutes if above 1000ft elevation). Turn off the heat. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars from water (to stabilize pressure inside jars). Remove jars from water and place them on a towel. Let jars sit, undisturbed, to cool at room temperature overnight. Remove rings, label jars with contents and date, and store jars in a cool, dark place. (If you are giving as gifts, leave rings on, or replace rings just before gifting.) Let sit at least 2 weeks before using.

Check Vistaprint for cheap custom labels and business cards. They have daily deals where you get the printing on several items free and just pay shipping. I have custom printed stationary, envelopes, pens, post-it's, note cards and note pads. It can be quite addictive at first and the products make great gifts!

Putting Up

2010-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Home canning is also referred to "putting up" - putting up food for use later in the year. Canning is making a huge come back, for economical reasons and because of the eat local movement. Home preserving is an essential part of local eating because it encourages you to shop and eat seasonally. With canning and dehydrating, you can preserve seasonal foods for use later in the year, out of season. The other day I had a canning marathon. It was quite an ordeal but, with the help of Food in Jars, I managed to put up:

3 pints (500ml jars) Homemade Spiced Applesauce. Total of 6lbs of Okanagan apples put up.

5 quarts (1L jars) Tomatoes Packed in Water, using 8lbs of Okanagan tomatoes. (I loosely followed my Grandma's method, but adhered to the USDA guidelines to ensure they are in a safe pH range).

3 pints (500ml jars) Peaches in Honey Syrup, using 5 lbs of Okanagan peaches. (I followed the directions on the Food in Jars website, but instead of 100% sugar, I used 50% honey/50% sugar. One jar also received a piece of Star Anise, a cinnamon stick and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.)

Add all this to the things I put up during the Preserve the Bounty challenge, and this summer I preserved about 25 quarts of fruit and vegetables for use this winter!

Still on the agenda for this week is Spicy Dill Beans, at the request of my mother. She loves them as a garnish in Caesars.

Pumpkin Muffins

2010-09-30T09:00:00.003-07:00

This recipe was forwarded to me by my cousin, Tobe. I re-worked the ingredients to eliminate refined vegetable oil, white sugar and all-purpose flour and reduced the amount of oil and sweetener. The end result is quite good. The spices and pumpkin really stand out. A warm pumpkin muffin with a pat of butter is lovely with tea on a rainy fall afternoon! You could also make pumpkin loaves, if you prefer.

1 400ml (14oz) can 100% pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
4 whole eggs
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup water
1 cup unrefined golden cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp aluminum free baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (see below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour two 12-cup muffin tins.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, coconut oil, water, cane sugar and vanilla until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, apple pie spice and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the muffins/loafs comes out clean.

4. Let cool slightly in pan, then remove to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix:

(4:1 ratio of cinnamon to other spices. Adjust volume accordingly.)

1/4 cup ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cloves

1. Add everything to a small glass jar and seal with a tight fitting lid. Shake well to mix. Store for up to 6 months.

Butternut Squash Apple Bacon Soup

2010-09-29T13:26:00.008-07:00

The perfect soup for a chilly fall day!

1 1/2 lb butternut squash, halved and seeded
2 onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic
2 medium apples, quartered
4 tsp olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp honey
4 sliced bacon, diced
salt and pepper

1. Peel and cut squash into large,1 1/2 inch cubes. Place cubes into a roasting pan. Add onion, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Roast for 425 degrees for 30 minutes until squash is tender. Half way through roasting, add apples to pan, toss everything together and place back in the oven to finish roasting.

2. Peel roasted apples (skins should slip off easily). Add apple, squash, onion and garlic to a food processor.

3. Heat roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup vegetable broth, and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from the roasted vegetables. Add broth to food processor with the vegetables. Blend everything together until smooth. Add honey and sage and pulse to blend together.

4. Cook bacon in a dutch oven or heavy saucepan, over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from dutch oven. Add vegetable puree, the rest of the vegetable broth, 1 cup water, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to boil then simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Serve sprinkled with crisp cooked bacon and a dollop of sour cream.

This post is part of Twister Tuesday at GNOWFLINS and Real Food Wednesday at Kelly The Kitchen Kop.

This post was featured on the front page of Tasty Kitchen on October 6, 2010.

Okanagan Farm Stands

2010-09-27T08:48:00.008-07:00

Highway scenery last summer. The weather wasn't as gorgeous this weekend!

I spent the weekend in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. The area is well known for fruit and produce. (The region is also well known for it's wineries, that that wasn't the purpose of this trip). Road side fruit stands line the highways through every little town and big city, from Salmon Arm in the North Shushwap area, down through Enderby, Vernon and Kelowna on Highway 97A, and all along Highway 3 (Hope-Princeton/Crowsnest) through Peachland, Summerland, Penticton, Keremeos and Princeton. Highway 3 is the fruit stand highway. If you come to the Okanagan looking for fruit, make sure you take the Hope-Princeton Highway instead of the Coquihalla (Hwy 1). The route is a little longer and a little bit windier, but it's worth it just for all the fruit stands. Come in the summer for berries (especially cherries), peaches, nectarines and plums and come in the fall for apples, pears, pumpkins and squash.

Photo Credit
We stopped at Bear's in Keremeos. It's apple and squash season in the Okanagan. There were a dozen varieties of winter squash, some I'd never seen before. Along with the usuals (butternut, turban, delicata, acorn), they also had some odd looking grey things and some white acorns.

Grey Hubbard Squash
I stocked up on three varieties of local apples but all I can remember is honey crisp - I already forgot the other two varieties! I also picked up a couple butternut squashes, a flat of field tomatoes (more canning in my future) and a carton of peaches (the last of the season)! I also got a jar of local Keremeos Blackberry Honey and a bottle of local Black Cherry Fruit Vinegar.

While in Salmon Arm, I stopped at the famed DeMille's Farm Market and bought three blocks of Farmstead Artisan Cheese produced by The Village Cheese Company in Armstrong, B.C. (original home of the huge Armstrong Cheese company).

Sometime this week I plan to make Butternut Squash Apple soup and I might try to make some dried apple rings in the the food dehydrator. Any suggestions what I can do with the peaches, other than gobble them up whole?

Beet Hummus - Guest Post from Marianne

2010-09-22T21:40:00.008-07:00

Today I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post by Marianne, of From French Fries to Flax Seeds. Marianne went to high school with me eons ago and last year, we reconnected over Facebook. Turns out she likes food as much as I do so we became Farmer's Market buddies! Marianne is training to be a registered dietitian, so along with having great recipes, she is also extremely knowledgeable about dietary health and nutrition. This may just be the longest post I have ever posted and include the most pictures, but is also one of the best! I cannot wait to make my own batch of beet hummus!

Beet It!
by Marianne of From French Fries to Flax Seeds

There are plenty of foods I may declare that I don’t like, but it’s not always true. It’s just easier to say “I don’t like (blank)” than to try and explain the situations in which I enjoy said food. Take tomatoes, for example. I often say I don’t like them, but I do eat them in things like salsa, ketchup, soups, stews, and of course Caesars ;) But tomatoes in salads or sandwiches, or in a pasta sauce? No thanks. I’ll pass. Because “I don’t like tomatoes”.

But this post isn’t about tomatoes. It’s about beets.

Check out the rest of Marianne's awesome post, mouth watering photos and great recipe for Beet Hummus after the jump.

Beets are another food I will proclaim I don’t like. I’ve had them a few times – roasted at a work Christmas party, on top of a salad, in borscht – and generally, they haven’t done much for me. Yeah, they were sweet, but they also had this weird earthy flavour that I didn’t enjoy. Borscht was probably the only way I could tolerate them, but I always have preferred my grandpa’s borscht better. I wanted to give them a fair shake, because not only are they a fetching shade of magenta, but they have it going on in the nutritional department. Beets are an excellent source or folate, and they are high in potassium, fibre, and manganese. Their purple colour comes from the compound betacyanin, which has been shown to have antioxidant properties, and specifically has shown promise as a cancer-fighting agent. Why wouldn’t I want to work them into my diet? But I had yet to find the right way.

Until now.

Beet hummus has popped up around the blog world from time to time, and always in the back of my mind I thought perhaps this was my gateway into beets. Because everything is better when made into hummus, right?

So I set out on my own beet hummus making project, wanting to put my own twist on it. Our dill plant was on its last legs, and knowing that beets and dill pair nicely together, I decided to give my hummus a decidedly Eastern European spin. Representing my Russian roots, yo!

I even employed Brittany’s trick to make my hummus uber-smooth by removing all the pesky chickpea skins. If you have the time, try it. It’s a weirdly calming process once you get into a rhythm. Who needs meditation when you have chick pea skins to remove?

What I was left with was a stunning magenta coloured dip, that almost looks like it couldn’t occur in nature. But trust me, this is no franken-food.

I promptly conducted a taste test.

And what do you know, it was really good. Like, really, really good. Dare I say – the best hummus I’ve made? The beet adds some sweetness without that earthy flavour I remember. And the dill was genius – the flavour improved the longer it mingled. Both my mom and sister tried it, and gave it the thumbs up. In fact, mom raved about it a little bit.

I tried it out with other foods, just to make sure it was up to snuff. Like in a wrap with shredded carrots, avocado, and aged white cheddar.

With assorted veggies.

Aussie style on a beef burger.

And in my favourite portable, refrigeration not required sandwich – hummus, avocado, and cheddar.

And it was all good.

Dill Beet Hummus
makes approx. 2 cups

Add a pop of colour to your next veggie platter or sandwich with this stunning magenta coloured hummus. The dill and beet flavours give this hummus an Eastern European twist. You might not want to go back to regular hummus after this.

•1 can (19 oz or 540 mL) chickpeas, rinsed and skinned
•2/3 cup cooked beets
•1 large clove garlic, chopped
•3 tbsp olive oil
•2 tbsp tahini
•juice of 1 lemon
•1/3 – 1/2 cup fresh dill
•sea salt & pepper to taste
•1/4 – 1/3 cup water

1. Combine all ingredients except water in a food processor, and blend until combined. Add water until desired consistency is reached. Allow to sit for several hours before serving to let flavours meld.

Notes: Although I cooked my beets from scratch, you could easily used canned beets (which would be much less messy). Skinning the chickpeas is completely optional, but it does give you a smoother product.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade.

Caesar Vinaigrette

2010-09-19T16:45:00.013-07:00

I made this easy dressing to top a simple Caesar salad for a family get together. Traditional Caesar dressings use raw eggs but one of my family members is expecting so she can't eat raw eggs. Another option is mayonnaise, but it's not my favourite condiment (and store bought mayonnaise is highly processed), so I try to avoid it. I found a simple blender Caesar dressing on Pioneer Woman so I used that as a guide and changed it up slightly. The result was a perfectly balanced, fresh and tangy dressing. It was way better than anything that comes in a bottle. Incidentally, this would also be a terrific as a baste for chicken!

2 whole cloves garlic
2 tablespoons plain Dijon mustard (not grainy)
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
dash of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Add garlic, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt and pepper to a blender.

2. Pulse on low a couple times until blended. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse a couple more times.

3. Add olive oil, a little at a time, and pulse once before adding more. When totally combined, pour into a glass jar or bowl and refrigerate prior to use.

My salad was made with a head of fresh romaine from the Farmer's Market. I added about three tablespoons of dressing, tossed it together, then added shaved Grana Padano and the Pioneer Woman's garlic croûtons, made using fresh country bread, also from the Farmer's Market. To finish it off, I added another tablespoon or two of dressing and tossed everything once more.

Stuffed Peppers - A Guest Post from my Cousin

2010-09-17T16:08:00.005-07:00

I put the call out to some friends and family members for some guests posts. I've been a little swamped lately since going back to work after having most of the summer off. My cousin Tobe was the first to come to the rescue with Stuffed Peppers. Tobe doesn't have a blog but she loves to cook. She also guest starred in my post a few weeks back about Canning with Grandma. Without further ado...

Stuffed Peppers by Tobe

One of my fiancé's favourite Monday night football meals is "Stuffed Peppers". They are super easy to prepare and great to serve to all our hungry football fans. I decided to take a very basic stuffed peppers recipe and raise it a few notches to add some more flavour and take advantage of some fresh local ingredients.

I added 1 cup of shredded sharp white cheddar which gives a nice smokey flavour. Save a small handful to garnish the top; it makes a nice crusty gooey top on the peppers. If you can't fine sharp white cheddar, any cheddar will work. Instead if 2 cans of tomato sauce, I used 1 can and substituted the other for 1 jar of my Grandma's canned tomatoes. If you don't have canned tomatoes I would use 1 can of crushed tomatoes to give the sauce some texture. I combined organic ground beef and ground bison, instead of plain ground beef, to change the meat up a bit. Finally I added a few splashes of red wine to the meat mixture. It gave a little more depth and helped bring some more flavour to the dish.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked long grain wild rice
1 cup water
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground bison
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp red wine (few good splashes)
6 green bell peppers
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (8 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes.

3. In a skillet over medium heat, add meats, red wine and Worcestershire sauce and cook the beef and bison until evenly browned.

4. Rinse bell peppers and remove and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes. Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward. Slice the bottoms of the peppers if necessary so that they will stand upright.

5. In a bowl, mix the browned beef and bison, cooked rice, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can crushes tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, cheese, salt, and pepper. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper. Mix the remaining tomato sauce and Italian seasoning in a bowl, and pour over the stuffed peppers.

6. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender. During last 20 minutes of baking, top with remaining cheese.

Enjoy with a side salad and some hot crusty bread!

Pea Shoot, Tomato and Egg Salad

2010-09-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favourites from The 10 Cent Diet. It's so fresh and simple. I eat it as a snack or as a salad with lunch. If you boil a few eggs in advance and keep them in your fridge, you can put this delicious salad together in a couple minutes.

Pea shoots, like all sprouts, are incredibly nutritious. They are super concentrated with nutrients - including seven times more vitamin C than blueberries, eight times more folic acid than bean sprouts and four times more vitamin A than tomatoes. (Source). Add a sliced garden fresh tomato and a perfectly hard boiled, free-range egg and you have a complete snack.

Serves 1

1 handful fresh pea shoots, cut in half
1 tomato, halved and sliced
1 (or 2) hard boiled egg(s), sliced
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt (I use Fleur de Sel) and fresh cracked pepper

1. Layer pea shoots, tomato and egg in a bowl.

2. Top with a drizzle of balsamic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

If you're feeling extra fancy, used reduced balsamic vinegar. It's extra delicious that way. (Put 1 cup balsamic in a saucepan and simmer on low until volume reduced by half and balsamic is syrupy).

Skillet Sautéed Caramel Apple Crisp

2010-09-14T09:00:00.001-07:00

I picked up some beautiful apples at the Farmer's Market the other day from Silverhill Apple Orchard. I was planning to make apple snacks in my food dehydrator but decided to postpone that task for another week. Instead I cooked up a tasty dessert that can be ready in about 25 minutes.

Serves 4

Skillet Sautéed Caramel Apples

2 apples - halved cored and sliced thin (Peel if you want; I didn't)
splash lemon juice
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 tbsp sucanat
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp Apple Pie Spice (See below)
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl, toss together apple slices and lemon juice.

2. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add apple slices and stir to coat in butter.

3. Add sucanat, honey, Apple Pie Spice and vanilla. Mix together and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender and a thick caramel sauce has formed.

4. Remove from heat and pour apples and caramel sauce into a glass or ceramic baking dish or individual ramekins. Set aside.

Crisp Oat Topping

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup sucanat
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Apple Pie Spice (See below)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Mix everything together in a medium bowl. Mixture should be moist. If too dry, add another tablespoon of melted butter.

2. Spoon mixture over top of sautéed apples and caramel sauce and press down so it is a compact, even layer.

3. Place baking dish in oven and broil on low for 2-3 minutes, until top is golden brown and crisp. (Don't burn it like I did!)

4. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream!

Apple Pie Spice Mix

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of ground cloves

1. Add everything to a Mason jar. Screw on lid and shake well to mix. Use within six months.

I also used my Apple Pie Spice Mix in Caramel Apple Pie Burritos!

My First Guest Post & Wild Mushroom & Garlic Crusted Steak

2010-09-13T08:10:00.003-07:00

I was lucky enough to be asked by Kristen of Food Renegade to write a guest post for her blog. It was quite an honour, especially since I'm so new to the world of "Real Food". Kristen said she loved my photography and simple recipes and asked me to put together a grain-free, sugar-free recipe "for a tasty, but easy main dish". I was stumped at first. No grain? No sugar? But those are my two favourite things! In the end I stuck with my favourite, never fail, Red Wine Sautéed Mushrooms and a new one, Wild Mushroom and Garlic Crusted Steak. With flu season approaching I was planning on doing a new post about immunity boosters (see last year's), so I used this opportunity to plan a dinner around immunity boosting food. I was so excited about the project I had my post in to Kristen in just over 24 hours! The post is below or check it out on Food Renegade. The post and pictures look way better on her site! Enjoy and happy health!

P.S. This dish would be delicious with a bed of buttery mashed potatoes under the steak... or even better, horseradish spiked mashed potatoes!

Immunity Boosting Dinner
Autumn is just about here, summer holidays are over, kids are back in school, the weather is getting cooler and it’s beginning to rain more often. What does all this mean? Flu season is right around the corner! Along with the changing of seasons comes the onslaught of germs and viruses. I don’t get seasonal flu shots and can’t afford to be off sick from work, so this is the time of year I start super-charging my immune system by changing my diet to focus on “immunity boosting foods”.

It’s well documented which foods help boost immunity and fight off colds and flus. Prevention Magazine has a good list as does Yahoo! Health. My ultimate Immunity Boosting meal consists of a grass-fed sirloin steak for Zinc, Omega-3’s and Vitamins A & D, sautéed mushrooms for white blood cell support, and sautéed spinach and garlic for Vitamins A and C and bacteria fighting Allicin . Today I’m sharing recipes for a Wild Mushroom & Garlic Crusted Steak with Red Wine Sautéed Mushrooms. Pair with a side of simple sautéed spinach and a glass of antioxidant rich red wine, and it’s a complete meal with great health benefits. This dish would also be delicious with a bed of buttery mashed potatoes under the steak!

Prep Tips: Start the mushrooms first. While the mushrooms are browning, put together the Wild Mushroom & Garlic mixture and coat the steaks. After you turn the steaks once (Steak Step 3), add red wine to the mushrooms (Mushroom Step 3) and let simmer on low while steaks finish cooking and resting (15 minutes). Start cooking the spinach 5 minutes after you have placed the steaks on a plate to rest. Everything should be ready when the steak rest period is up.

The Barefood Contessa has a very simple, tasty sautéed spinach recipe. Check it out here.

Mushroom & Garlic Crusted Steak

4 Small Grass-Fed Steaks (Sirloin or Strip Loin work best)
14g Dried Wild Mushrooms, about 0.5 ounces by weight, (I used a mixture of Porcini, Chanterelle, Shitake, Lobster & Oyster mushrooms.)
1 tsp Whole Mixed Peppercorns
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tbsp Dehydrated Minced Garlic (preferably Roasted Garlic, if you can find it)
1 tbsp Dehydrated Minced Onion
1 tbsp Fresh or Dried Chopped Parsley
4 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Minced
2 tbsp Olive Oil, Divided

1. Add mushrooms and peppercorns to a spice grinder or food processor and grind until you have a course powder. Place mixture in a small bowl. Add salt, minced garlic, minced onion and parsley. Mix together. Add fresh garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir mixture together to form a thick paste.

2. Place steaks on a plate and brush with a bit of olive oil. Press mushroom mixture onto each steak to coat. Turn steaks and do the same with the other side.

3. Heat a cast iron fry pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When pan and oil hot, add steaks to pan, two at a time if pan is small. You can also cook the steaks on the grill, if you prefer. Sear for 4-5 minutes per side, then move steaks to a plate and cover with foil to rest while you cook the other two. Let steaks rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Red Wine Sautéed Mushrooms

1 lb White Button or Brown Crimini Mushrooms
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
Splash of Olive Oil (to keep butter from burning)
1/3 cup Dry Red Wine
Salt & Pepper to Taste

1. Brush or lightly rinse mushrooms to remove any visible dirt. Cut mushrooms in half or into quarters if they are very large.

2. Heat butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until reduced, browned and tender.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add red wine. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until wine has reduced, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mushrooms onto plate beside steak and drizzle some extra sauce over the steak.

Local Eating - Fall Foods

2010-09-12T09:30:00.001-07:00

It's nearly Fall, my favourite season. Fall marks the birthday celebrations of my mother, sister, uncle, two grandfathers, niece, cousins and brother-in-law... oh yea and my own! I love fall fashion (sweaters & boots!), fall weather and fall colours. Most of all, I love fall food!

According to Get Local BC, the following is available locally this Autumn:

Vegetables: Artichokes, beans (fresh & dried), beets, broccoli, cabbage (green, savoy & red), carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard (swiss), corn, cucumbers, fennel (bulb), garlic, kale, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, onions (red & yellow), parsnips, peppers, pumpkins, potatoes (red, russet, yellow, white), radishes, rutabagas, salad greens, shallots, spinach, squash (winter), tomatoes, turnips (white), zucchini

Fruit: Apples, crab apples, cranberries, grapes, melons, pears, plums, prunes, strawberries

Meat & Dairy: Dairy Products, eggs, beef, buffalo, chicken, duck, goat, lamb, ostrich, pork, rabbit, turkey

Seafood: Clams, cod (Pacific), crab, Dungeness crab, flounder/sole (Pacific), halibut (Pacific), mussels, oysters (Pacific), prawns (jumbo), sablefish (black cod), salmon (Chinook/King/Spring/Pink/Chum/Coho), sardines (Pacific), scallops, shrimp (side stripe, west coast), Spring dogfish, Tuna (Albacore)

Herbs: Basil, bay leaves, chervil, chives, cilantro, dill leaf, dill seed, epazote, fennel leaf, fennel seed, garlic chives, lemon grass, lemon verbena, sweet marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory (summer & winter), shiso, sorrel, tarragon, thyme

Etc: Honey, mushrooms, nuts

And now... I'm off to the Farmer's Market! Happy Sunday!

Oysters on the Half Shell with Pickled Shallot Vinegar

2010-09-11T13:45:00.002-07:00

It's week four of my online cooking class, Surf & Turf at Cheeseslave. This week, Ann Marie taught us how to pick fresh seafood and we learned several recipes for uncooked seafood dishes, like ceviche and sashimi. She also showed us a great way to shuck raw oysters.

Oysters are extremely good for our health and are listed in The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. According to author Johnny Bowden, a 1 cup serving of oysters supplies more than 100 percent of the recommended daily value of Zinc. Zinc is important to healthy immune function and fertility, among other things. Oysters are also a mood elevator as they are rich in the amino acid tyrosine, which the brain converts to dopamine. Before dealing with raw oysters at home, make sure you read up about how to buy and store fresh shellfish. Raw oysters are safe to eat, if handled properly.

A few weeks ago, I ordered an oyster knife online from Golda's Kitchen, in anticipation of this lesson. Yesterday I picked up 8 small fresh oysters from the market and today I got down to business! I was pretty apprehensive about the process. Not sure if any of you have seen Bob Blumer's Glutton For Punishment? He participated in an "Oyster Shuck Off" in one episode. Let's just say there was a lot of blood. As it turns out, oyster shucking is not that hard, or that dangerous! Actually, it's incredibly easy. I made it through my eight in under 10 minutes, and had only minor difficulties with two of them. But... this post isn't about how to shuck oysters. I am certainly no expert. There are loads of videos on YouTube that can help you out. All I can tell you is to make sure you have a proper oyster knife, a sturdy wooden cutting board, a clean dish towel and a steady hand! And DON'T STRESS! And if someone tells you a butter knife will work just fine to shuck an oyster, DO NOT BELIEVE IT. You need an oyster knife. You can pick one up at most any kitchen supply or speciality shop for about $10.

OXO Good Grips Oyster Knife
I love topping my raw oysters with a squeeze of fresh lemon, a dash of Tabasco, a little bit of grated fresh horseradish or pickled shallot vinegar - but not all together! I made the Pickled Shallots during week three of the Preserve the Bounty Challenge. French Food at Home does a pickled shallot on fresh oysters. My favourite seafood restaurant, Rodney's Oyster House also serves their fresh oysters on the half shell with a pickled shallot vinegar. It's delicious! Pickled shallots are also a great condiment for many other things, like salads, sandwiches, antipasti platters, meat and poultry!

Pickled Shallot Vinegar

2 large shallots
1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 sprig fresh thyme

1. Peel shallots and slice thinly.

2. In a medium saucepan, mix together vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring often to dissolve sugar. Add shallots and stir.

3. Bring to a simmer and cook for one minute. Add thyme sprig. Remove from heat and let cool at room temperature.

4. Transfer mixture to a glass canning jar. Cover and refrigerate for at least one week before using. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months.

Alternatively - if you want to heat process your canned shallots for shelf stable storage, complete the directions up to step 3, but do not let the mixture cool. Pack shallots into cleaned and sanitized jars with a small sprig of thyme. Fill with hot vinegar mixture to 1/2 inch below the rim. Cap your jars and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Lemony Seafood Pasta

2010-09-10T08:00:00.006-07:00

Summer is nearly done. Holidays are over, the days are getting shorter, the weather cooler and the rain is falling. Soon we will be cooking butternut squash soup and crock pot roasts. In the meantime, keep the spirit of summer around a little longer with a light, simple and fresh pasta dinner.

I threw this together quickly before heading out to work one night. I put it in a pyrex "to go" container and snapped a picture. It tastes better than it looks!

Serves 2

10 ounces of penne, linguine or fettuccine, cooked according to package directions and drained
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small shallot, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 large shrimp, peeled & de-veined
10 large sea scallops
3 tbsp butter
8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
handful of fresh chopped parsley and basil
fresh grated Parmesan

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.

2. Stir in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced.

3. Add shrimp and scallops to sauce pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning seafood half way through, until shrimp and scallops are cooked and opaque.

4. Remove pan from heat and add butter. Stir until melted and sauce is thickened. Toss in tomatoes and cooked pasta. Sprinkle fresh herbs over top and toss gently to incorporate.

5. Divide evenly between two plates and sprinkle with more fresh herbs and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade.

Why Choose Local?

2010-09-09T08:00:00.001-07:00

(Please disregard that this video is sponsored by Hellman's)

Why do you choose local?

Community Gardens

2010-09-08T09:00:00.005-07:00

The little island where my mother owns a vacation cabin, is home to the most amazing community garden. It's called D.I.G.S. (Douglas Island Garden Society) and is funded completely by donations (the initial funding came from a City grant) and worked on completely by local islanders volunteering their time and hard work.

My mom even donated an old potting shed that was on her property and it now stands, freshly painted at the front of the D.I.G.S. Community Garden. The Garden gate is never locked and everyone is welcome to come in, walk around and enjoy the garden. Sunflowers, tomatoes (including heirloom), squash, carrots, berries, rhubarb, chard, lettuce, herbs, onions, beans, hot peppers... they grow it all in abundance and with great success.

Every Sunday from 10am-12pm, fresh produce is available at the little stand (Anna's Store) for free or by donation. The other day I got a bunch of celery, fresh picked that morning, with all the leafy tops still attached. My cousin got fresh green beans and my other cousin got poppy seeds. We dropped a few loonies and toonies ($1 and $2 Canadian coins) in an old rubber boot and off we went with our goods.

D.I.G.S. is an amazingly successful and impressive community initiative. Across the country, more and more, city leaders and stakeholders are embracing the community garden concept and are donating city land for use as garden space. There are many reasons to support community gardens. Along with providing local residents access to fresh, local produce, community gardens also increase the sense of community and belonging for those working in the garden as well as those living in the area. This is no more apparent then on the island where D.I.G.S. operates. Each Sunday morning the local islanders meet up at the Garden to exchange produce, share stories, work in the dirt and interact. They also have a children's program where kids learn about gardening and participate in craft activities. In the Summer a "Garden Walk" is organized, where islanders tour each other's gardens, giving the "green thumbs" a chance to showcase their hard work and the others a chance to enjoy it. Afterwards, they all get together at someone's house for a barbecue. I have always been amazed and impressed with how a simple garden can do so much to bring people together.

Urban community gardens also provide much needed green space in an otherwise sparse urban landscape and help to beautify neighbourhoods. An old gas station lot at the corner of Burrard and Davie, in the heart of Downtown Vancouver was recently turned into a thriving community garden. Another one has been operating for years on a stretch of old decommissioned train track off Fir Street in Kitsilano.

Along with neighbourhood beautification, some also believe that areas with community gardens have lower instances of crime, particularly with regards to vandalism, because the area residents take more of an interest in their neighbourhoods (the same is true for areas with organized Neighbourhood Associations). (Source). Alternatively, other studies have indicated that while community gardens do not actually impact crime rates, area residents perceive their neighbourhood as safer because of the presence of the gardens. (Source). Regardless of studies and stats, the fact is, community gardens are good for neighbourhoods, cities and area residents.

Check here to find a Community Garden in your neighbourhood (Greater Vancouver only) and do what you can to take part! Get involved, volunteer, donate. Do what you can to support these great community programs. If your community does not have one and you want to take part, contact your City Hall parks department to get the ball rolling! Check this post on how to start a Community Garden, including tips on how to secure land and sponsorship and how to organize your garden society.

For more on Community Gardens, check here.

Canning with Grandma

2010-09-07T07:03:00.006-07:00

Last week I joined my cousin and my Grandmother for a lesson on beet canning. My Grandma is an expert in home canning. Every year she cans beets, tomatoes, peaches salmon, jams, pickles... you name it! The Pickles in a Bucket recipe came from her. She also makes THE best canned tomatoes. They are perfect for a quick, homemade tomato sauce and even better for tomato soup. Pictures from tomato canning will come at a later time, along with Gram's recipe. Right now, it's all about BEET PICKLES!

Grandma's recipe book

Beet Pickles (Click to enlarge to see her brine recipe).

Grandma doesn't believe in using rubber gloves. I think she even rolled her eyes at me when I asked where here gloves were.

Cousin Tobe learning from the best.

Grandma hasn't bought new canning jars in years!

Canned beet pickles!

Fresh out of the water bath canner.

Cousin Tobe with her finished product!

After letting the jars rest overnight, then removing the rings, the beets are shelved for at least a month before enjoying. Tobe says she eats the pickled beets as a snack, right out of the jar or chopped up on salads. You can add them to a veggie or antipasti platter for a delicious party treat! The finished Beet Pickles are so delicious - not too sour and not too sweet. They are the perfect mix.

This post is part of Twister Tuesdays at GNOWFGLINS.

Make the Switch - How to Shop Local

2010-09-06T07:04:00.009-07:00

Kits Beach, Vancouver
A few months ago, I posted about what it means to be local and just last week I posted some resources for locally and humanely raised animal products. I think I skipped a step in there though, so now it is time to talk about how to make the switch to locally grown and produced products.

Get Local BC suggests you start small. Begin with one or two of the foods you buy the most, rather then an entire food group. Find local sources for the products and compare prices to find the best supplier for your needs and wallet. Once you have made the switch to one or two local items, do the same with a few more items until you have local sources for much of your fresh food supply.

Granville Island Market, Vancouver

Other tips to help you shop and eat local:

- First, define what "local" means to you. Revisit my post about what it means to be local. Do you want products produced and growth within Canada, within your Province, or within your regional area?

- Avoid large, chain grocery stores. These grocery stores carry very little local produce (if any at all), and often what they do carry is not as fresh as you would get elsewhere. There are some exceptions, of course so check the produce department of your local grocery store to see what locally grown products they offer. The best alternative is to shop your local, independent grocer or your local organic/natural foods grocer.

- Learn what products are "in season" each month, before you go shopping. Not everything is available year round. Eating local means eating in season. Check Get Local BC's Seasonal Chart or my posts on Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter foods. (Lists applicable to BC and Pacific North West region only. If you live in other area of the country, go to Google to find an "in season" chart for your area.)

- When starting the switch to local, don't worry about organic. If you can find local AND organic produce, GREAT! If not, think about what is more important to you, based on your food philosophies. Some people feel better about eating organic. Some feel better about eating local. Again, both would be ideal but sometimes it is not possible. I tend to buy local over organic, especially in the Summer during market season. Come fall & winter I tend to buy organic in the stores. Check my post about whether or not to buy organic before you make your choices.

- In the Spring and Summer, visit your community Farmer's Market. The produce is picked at the peak of freshness and brought to the market for you to buy, direct from the grower. Roadside farm stands are also a great choice!

- In the off season, visit independent produce markets, like Kins Farm Market or sign up for a home delivery service like Spud.ca or Organics@Home.

- If you live in British Columbia, buy Hot House. BC Hot House is 100% owned by local growers. BC Hot House tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers are sold around the world. We are lucky enough to have them based and grown, right in our backyard, with farms in Surrey, Abbotsford and Ladner. Just watch out for their other label MX Hot House. Those products are grown in Mexico during the winter months when there isn't enough light to adequately grow greenhouse produce here.

- Read labels and signs to know where your food is coming from. Not all produce at your local, independent grocer or produce markets is local. Kins carries a huge selection of produce from California. Just the other day I bought Californian plums because I wasn't paying attention. If you aren't sure, ask questions. You have a right to know where your food is coming from.

- Plant your own garden and grow the items you tend to purchase the most. If you don't have space for an outdoor garden, consider a container garden. This year I planted a large container herb garden, container lettuce and container tomatoes. Several cities now have community gardens as well.

- Preserve the Bounty! This summer I participated in The Nourished Kitchen's Preserve the Bounty challenge and preserved over 12 litres of in season fruit and produce for use in the winter months. I bought a food dehydrator and dried fresh herbs and in season fruit. Along with canning, drying, fermenting and vinegar preserving, you can also freeze some foods for use during the off season.

- If you can afford it and have the freezer space, buy your meat products in bulk. Buy a half or a quarter of a cow direct from the farmer. You will save money and time as you won't need to return to the farm or other vendors every few weeks or months to re-stock. With local beef and poultry readily stocked in your freezer, you won't be tempted to buy lesser quality meat of unknown origin from the grocery store. (Ann Marie at Cheeseslave says it takes 7 cubic feet of freezer space to store half a cow.)

- Adjust your cooking focus to be in line with seasonal food. In the summer, cook with beets, corn, green beans, zucchini and berries. In the Fall, try Brussels sprouts, parsnip, cauliflower and pears. In Winter, stick with apples, carrots, onions, butternut and other winter squashes. In the Spring enjoy asparagus, rhubarb and BC Spot Prawns.

- Realize that buying local doesn't mean giving up foods you love. Certain foods like citrus fruit, are not available at any time in British Columbia. Buy local when you have the choice but don't feel like you have to give up locally unavailable foods. Instead, buy from your local produce market to ensure you are getting the freshest produce possible and buy organic when possible. For pantry staples like soy sauce, sugar, coffee, rice, olive oil etc, buy high quality, un-refined and organic when possible.

For more information:

Get Local BC has produced a directory, mainly aimed at residents in the City of Vancouver. It has lots of good resources about where to shop for local products.

Eat Wild Canada has an extensive list of sources for grass-fed beef and other humanely raised animal products.

Check my post about local vendors and resources for locally and humanely raised animal products, such as dairy, meat, seafood and poultry.

This post is part of Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist

Cleaned Up Cream Cheese Brownie Cake

2010-09-05T08:00:00.003-07:00

This recipe comes from an old cook book called So Fat, Low Fat, No Fat by Betty Rohde. I used to make this all the time when I was in college. It's already a pretty good recipe but I wanted to clean it up to eliminate the refined ingredients and make a few substitutions for things like fat-free mayonnaise and light corn syrup (yuck)!

Cake:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unrefined golden cane sugar (I use Cuisine Camino brand)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp honey or agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup warm water

Cream Cheese Swirl:

1/3 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp unrefined golden cane sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 inch square baking dish.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Stir until blended. Add yogurt, honey, vanilla and water. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour batter into greased baking pan and set aside while you prepare the cream cheese topping.

3. In a small bowl. combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Mix together until smooth and creamy. Drop about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into 4 or 5 places on top of the cake batter. Place the tip of a butter knife into the centre of each cream cheese dollop and drag the cream cheese around to make swirls on top of the cake.

This is my swirl after baking. It sucks. Sometimes it takes some practice, and it helps if your cream cheese is really soft and creamy!

4. Bake for 40-45 minutes in pre-heated oven until cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool, then cut into squares. Serve with melted Toblerone Fudge Sauce.

This post is part of Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.

Lemon Blueberry Spelt Crumb Cake

2010-09-04T11:00:00.005-07:00

This post was done in advance because I am out of town and today is my birthday!!

I'm trying to finish off the last of a 5 pint container of blueberries. I've frozen plenty, dehydrated some and preserved some more in alcohol. Tomorrow I have a date with my Grandma and Cousin to can some beets! I can't show up empty handed so this cake is perfect. For someone who hates baking, I have been doing an awful lot of it lately!

Adapted from Canadian Living

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 whole eggs
2/3 cup unrefined cane sugar (I use Cuisine Camino Golden Cane Sugar)
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest from 1 lemon
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Pre heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl toss together blueberries and 2 tbsp of whole wheat flour. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, add spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk together to mix well.

4. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until well blended and creamy. Stir in melted butter, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix well.

5. Gradually add flour mixture into liquid mixture and stir together until blended and smooth. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan.

6. Bake in pre-heated oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and leave cake to cool slightly in the pan, then remove and finish cooling on a rack.

Homemade Granola Bar Makeover

2010-09-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe for healthy homemade granola bars. How health is it when it uses refined brown sugar, all-purpose flour and vegetable oil? Gross, gross and gross. I was going on a little weekend vacation with my cousin and her baby and I wanted to bring homemade granola bars along for a snack. My goal was to re-vamp the recipe using non-refined ingredients and eliminate the eggs since my cousin's son is allergic to them. Flax seed meal is a great egg substitute for baking; One tablespoon of ground flax meal mixed with two tablespoons of water is the equivalent of one egg.

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup sucanat
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup whole wheat flour or spelt flour
1 cup raisins, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, raw cocoa nibs (any combination of things to equal 1 cup - I used a bit of everything!)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp ground flax seed meal mixed with 2 tbsp water
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a square or rectangle baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sucanat, wheat germ, cinnamon, wheat flour, raisins, cranberries, cocoa nibs, shredded coconut and salt. Make a well in the centre, and pour in the honey, flax, coconut oil and vanilla. If it is very dry, add a bit of water, a tablespoon at a time. Mix well using your hands if needed. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. After cutting, let cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

Bison Bean Burritos with Homemade Refried Beans & Guacamole

2010-09-02T08:09:00.006-07:00

I'm going away for a few days so my fridge is a little bare. This is where creativity comes into play so I can get a wholesome dinner, made with real food, on the table. I pulled some bison ground out of the freezer, found a can of Eden Organics pinto beans in the cupboard, bought a couple avocados at the market yesterday and plucked three ripe tomatoes from my tomato plant. A mish mash Mexican meal is in the works. Bison and bean burritos, with fresh Pico de Gallo and Guacamole.

Step 1: Dice up some Pico

Make your Pico de Gallo using this recipe. Improvise for ingredients you don't have. As long as you have tomatoes, you can whip up a simple Pico.

Step 2: Make the beans

Homemade Refried Beans

-1 can organic black or pinto beans, drained (but not rinsed)
-1/4 cup fresh Pico de Gallo or other fresh salsa
-1 tbsp pickled jalapeño or banana peppers (optional)
-1 tbsp bacon fat (optional - but adds great flavour!)

1. Add the first three ingredients to a bowl and mix together. Using an immersion blender, quickly blend together the beans and salsa, leaving a chunky texture.

2. Add bacon fat to a heated cast iron frying pan, then pour in beans. Cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally, while you prepare other dishes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, before serving.

Step 3: Prepare the Guac

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup Pico de Gallo
salt & pepper to taste

1. Cut avocados in half and scoop flesh into a bowl. Add Pico de Gallo and mash together using a fork or small masher. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you have a fresh lemon or lime you may want to add a splash of juice as well.

Step 4: Cook the meat

Bison Burrito Meat

1 lb ground bison meat
2 tbsp Jill's Mexican Seasoning or other homemade Mexican or taco seasoning blend.

1. Add a bit of olive oil to a sauté pan and heat over medium-high. Add bison and cook until starting to brown. Break apart larger pieces with spatula.

2. Add Mexican seasoning and a couple tablespoons of warm water. Stir together. Reduce heat slightly and simmer until meat is cooked through.

Step 5: Assemble

Whole Wheat Tortilla Shells
Prepared ground bison
Prepared refried beans
Prepared guacamole
Prepared Pico de Gallo
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)

1. Lay a tortilla shell on a plate and layer fillings of your choice down the centre of the tortilla. Fold tortilla into a burrito and serve with more sour cream, guacamole and Pico de Gallo on the side. Alternatively, if you don't want to use tortillas or don't have them on hand, layer your ingredients in a bowl for a Mexican Fiesta Bowl. Also very delicious!

Preserve the Bounty - Week 4 Wrap Up

2010-09-01T07:45:00.002-07:00

Week four of the Preserve the Bounty Challenge is my favourite so far, and the easiest. Preserving in alcohol! Who doesn't love a little drunken fruit?

My goals for this challenge:

- use fresh, local fruit from the Farmer's Market
- use alcohol I already have in my liquor cabinet (to save $)
- not use vodka (that's too easy!)

For my first creation, I improvised Jenny's recipe for Vanilla Rum Plums. I used a mix of small local black plums from Osoyoos and larger black plums from California. A bit of a cheat but they were in my fridge for some reason, so I figured I would use them up. I used a 1 litre canning jar. I had to cut the larger Californian plums into quarters (around the pit) to fit into the jar. The local plums I just pricked with a fork and popped them into the jar whole. Then I added 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon clear vanilla and enough Vanilla flavoured rum to cover all the fruit and fill the jar. As luck would have it, I had EXACTLY enough rum left in the bottle to fill the jar, right down to the last drop!

Next I preserved fresh, local blueberries in Peach Schanpps! This time I used a 500ml canning jar. I rinsed the blueberries and picked through them to remove stems, leaves and any unripe ones. I filled the jar with blueberries (just under 2 cups), added 1/4 cup of sugar and topped it all off with enough Peach Schnapps to cover the fruit and fill the jar.

My last creation, as posted the other day, cherries in Brandy! I couldn't decide if I should leave the stems/pitts intact and use the cherries for garnish or pitt and de-stem them for use in desserts and baking. I decided to do both. I made one 500ml jar of de-stemmed and pitted cherries and one 500ml with stems and pitts. The latter will be used in drinks and on top of desserts. The former will be used inside tarts, pies and other baking/cooking applications. I followed the same process as above. Cherries, 1/4 cup sugar per jar, alcohol to fill. For all my creations I chose not to simmer the alcohol with the sugar. I didn't want to jeopardize the alcohol content by heating it. Instead I used the good old "shake" method - put the fruit, sugar and liquid in a jar, secure tightly and shake your ass off! I continued to shake the jars every couple hours, just to ensure all the sugar was dissolved, then I stored my jars in the bottom of a cupboard. Every couple days I go and shake them up again.

Now I have to wait at least a month before I test my creations. I'm looking forward to Vanilla Rum Plums over ice cream. And Blueberry Peach Schanpps Martinis. I'm also thinking of trying out some Cherry Brandy Tarts. Oh the fun I will have this fall!

Cherries in Brandy

2010-08-31T09:00:00.003-07:00

Week four of Preserve the Bounty and Jenny challenged us to preserve using alcohol. Fruit and booze. How can you go wrong with that? Along with making a jar of Jenny's Vanilla Rum Plums, I also put together a jar of cherries preserved in brandy, with cherries from the farmer's market.

You will need:

Fresh cherries*
Brandy (can substitute vodka)
1/3 cup sugar
1 L canning jar, snap lid and ring

*You can either pit and de-stem the cherries or leave them intact. I chose to make a jar of each. The ones with stems on will be perfect as garnish for drinks and on dessert. The ones with no stems and pits will be perfect for baking.

1. Add cherries to a clean, sterilized 1 litre canning jar. Add 1/3 cup sugar.

2. Fill jar with Brandy to the bottom of the neck, leaving at least a half inch of head space at the top. Secure lid tightly.

3. Shake jar well to dissolve sugar. Leave jar on the counter for a few minutes for the remaining sugar to settle, then shake again until all the sugar is dissolved.

4. Store jar in a dark, cool place. Turn and shake lightly 3-4 times a week. Wait at least 4 weeks before eating.

Eat cherries on their own, in pies or on top of desserts. When the cherries are done you will have about 3/4 of a litre of delicious cherry brandy! The longer the cherries and brandy sit and mingle, the better the results!

Now... what to do with your cherry flavoured brandy? Mix up a drink!

Cherry Cola:
4 oz cherry brandy
8 oz Coca Cola
1 preserved cherry for granish

1. Pour brandy over ice in a tall glass. Add Coke. Garnish with a cherry!

Cherry Champagne Cocktail:
1 oz cherry brandy
3 oz champagne or sparkling white wine
2 preserved cherries

1. Drop two cherries in a champagne glass. Add cherry brandy. Top with champagne or sparkling wine.

Check here for more recipes using Cherry Brandy. It's from the BOLS website, makers of commercial Cherry Brandy. But be happy because you saved $20.99 (BC Liquor Store price) by making you own!

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

Chicken in Apricot Sauce

2010-08-30T09:00:00.005-07:00

Apricots are in season locally so how about apricots for dinner tonight?

Adapted from Eating Well Magazine

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (preferably pastured & organic)
salt & pepper
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp coconut oil
3/4 cup white wine or vermouth
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 shallot, minced
1 yellow pepper, cut into small squares
3 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped (for about 1 cup chopped apricots)
2 tbsp homemade apricot preserves
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1. Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until flattened and an even 1/2 inch thickness. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Add flour to a shallow pie dish. Dredge chicken through flour, coating both sides. Shake of excess flour.

3. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. You will probably need to cook chicken in batches. Add more coconut oil between batches.

4. De-glaze the pan by adding wine and scraping up any brown bits left from cooking the chicken. Add shallots and peppers and cook until wine is slightly reduced. Add white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard and stir together.

5. Add apricots and cook until fruit begins to break down, 2-3 minutes. Stir in preserves and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup warm water to pan and stir.

6. Cut the chicken breasts in half and return them to the pan. Spoon sauce over chicken to coat. Reduce heat to low and simmer chicken in sauce for 5-8 minutes while you prepare your side dishes. Sprinkle fresh thyme over top.

7. Serve chicken with extra sauce spooned over top. Grilled vegetables or sautéd spinach make good side dishes.

If you find the sauce too sweet, add more white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard.

This post is part of Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist.

Cranberry Orange Butter

2010-08-29T09:00:00.001-07:00

Another Preserve the Bounty Challenge from week 2 - preserving in oil or fat. Do you think I have enough compound butters yet!?

This is an extra special compound butter so it deserves its own post. See the original compound butters post here. In this application we use frozen cranberries as they are easier to mix into the butter and easier to mince in a food processor.

1/4 cup frozen cranberries
1 tsp honey (preferably orange blossom)
zest from 1 large orange
1/2 cup soft butter

1. Place frozen cranberries in a food processor and process until minced. Place processed cranberries in a medium bowl.

2. Add orange zest and honey and mix together.

3. Blend in softened butter, using a firm spatula. Spread butter and mix well to get cranberry mixture incorporated throughout.

4. Spoon blended butter onto a sheet of parchment. Roll one end of the parchment over the butter. Using your hands, form and roll the butter in a small log. Twist the ends of the parchment to close. (Mine looks more like a 2x4 than a log, but that's okay too!)

5. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Great on muffins, toast and pancakes!

Try blueberries and lemon zest next time!

Blueberry Orange Muffins with Blueberry Filling

2010-08-28T16:30:00.003-07:00

Week by week the blueberry supply at the Farmer's Market is dwindling. I missed my chance to buy a case by one week. I kept putting it off and putting it off. Oh well, I still managed to freeze 4 cups, dehydrate 2 cups and preserve 2 cups in Peach Schanpps!

Up today, blueberry muffins made with whole wheat and spelt flours, flavoured with fresh orange juice and zest. And as an added surprise, a dollop of homemade blueberry preserves in the middle!

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup wheat germ (optional - use another 1/4 cup whole wheat or spelt flour instead of wheat germ)
1/3 cup sucanat or cane sugar (like turbinado)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Juice and zest from 1 orange
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 egg
1 cup fresh blueberries, plus an additional 1/4 cup
1/4 cup blueberry preserves

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 12 cup muffin tin with olive oil cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a second bowl, add orange juice and zest, coconut oil, vanilla extract, yogurt and egg. Stir together.

4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together until just combined. Gently fold in 1 cup of blueberries.

5. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup. Top with a teaspoon of blueberry preserves. Cover preserves with another 2 tablespoons of batter and pat down around the preserves to cover and seal. Sprinkle a few blueberries on the muffin batter.

6. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Leave muffins to cool the muffin pan, then remove.

When I made my batter, I forgot to put the melted coconut oil in. The muffins still turned out fabulous.

Adventures in Food Dehydrating

2010-08-27T13:25:00.015-07:00

On a whim I went out and bought a food dehydrator. I did some online research and read some reviews and decided on the Nesco American Harvest. My main reasons for choosing this one were the price, the availability at my local London Drugs and the mostly positive reviews on Amazon. The pricier Nesco Gardenmaster didn't rate as well. I also like the square design and thought it might be easier to store than the larger, round units. (Just after posting this, the London Drugs flyer arrived at my door. The very same model I purchased is on sale for $20 less! Thankfully London Drugs offers 30 days for price adjustments. If you are looking for a food dehydrator, sale starts Tuesday!)

London Drugs offers a 15 day trial on all their electronics and small appliances so when I got the Nesco home, I immediately put it to use. I figured herbs would be a good place to start. Relatively mess free and easy to prepare. I clipped all the curly parsley in my garden as well as loads of basil and Italian parsley. I rinsed and patted dry everything then arranged it all on the trays. The instruction booklet says herbs can take 20-24 hours to dry. In reality - not even close. Most of my curly parsley was done after 29 hours. The basil was no where close. After removing the completed curly parsley, I re-arranged the trays and put the basil at the top (the drying mechanism is at the top so the air blows downwards). I anticipated the longer drying times because many of the customer reviews advised of this but I was surprised at just HOW MUCH LONGER it actually takes.

At the 49 hour point, my basil was STILL not dry, and actually no where close to being dry. I decided to scrap it all together because after two days, the flavour and natural oil was surely compromised. Next time I will dry air drying in a cool place. Despite the lengthly drying time, and the basil failure, I did end up with a nice little tin of dried parsley. It smells fantastic and I can't wait to use it!

Next up JERKY! Apparently this machine was made for jerky so I was expecting good things. I bought a package of inside round blade steaks (very, very thin). Four fair sized pieces only cost $4.50. I cut them into wide strips and placed in a bowl of jerky marinade (powdered mix that came with the dehydrator). I marinated the beef in the fridge for about 16 hours (they recommend 12-24 hours). Then I arranged the beef neatly on a drying try and turned the machine on to high. Within minutes my kitchen smelled wonderful. Only five hours later and I had delicious, tender jerky! The book said it could take anywhere from 4-14 hours. I should have checked it soon as it probably would have been ready at 4 hours. Some pieces are a bit tough but it's still really good. There would have been more in the picture but I ate quite a few pieces to "sample" it! Jerky success! Since the original batch, I have made more jerky using strip steak and tri-tip steak that I cut into thin slices, against the grain. The steaks were partially frozen so cutting them very thin was easier. These ones were good too, but I prefer the ease of using the inside round steaks. The inside rounds are leaner so the finished jerky it not oily and they tasted better.

My last experiment was blueberries from the Farmer's Market. After rinsing the blueberries, I drizzled some lemon juice over them, then arranged the berries on the drying trays. I was expecting completely dehydrated blueberries but after more than 15 hours, I got little raisin like things. I poured them into a ziplock and popped them in my freezer. I think I will use them in homemade granola mixes, yogurt and baking. Incidentally, after doing the blueberries, I learned there is a difference between drying an item and dehydrating it. Drying eliminates about 75% of the moisture content in foods. Dehydrating removes about 98% of it. Both can be done in a dehydrator, you just need to adjust the length of time. If I want fruits moist and chewy, they need to be dried, which takes less time. If I want they dehydrated and completely dry, they need more time. I'm learning that patience is a big part of food dehydrating. I'd still like to try cherries, but I'm waiting on a new cherry pitter. Mine is an old fashioned thing, like an old school syringe. It kills the finger and takes a fair bit of pressure to get the pit out (pictured right). I'm upgrading to an Oxo Good Grips Cherry Pitter. It looks a little more easy to use and less like a torture device.

So far I am pleased with my purchase. It isn't too loud when running (similar to medium setting on my range hood exhaust fan), it produces great results (aside from the oregano fiasco) and it's super easy to use! Future dehydrating experiments: flax crackers, Salmon jerky, fruit leathers, dried cherries, apples and mangoes! What else can I dehydrate??

Top and bottom photos in post from Google Images.

Food Resources in Lower Mainland / Vancouver Region

2010-08-25T10:19:00.052-07:00

Greater Vancouver map via Google.

One of the hardest parts of eating local and healthy animal proteins is sourcing the products, especially when it comes to to grass fed beef, pastured poultry products and pastured dairy. They are several farms in the Fraser Valley that supply grass fed beef and pastured chicken, but many of them require purchasing an entire quarter or half of the cow. If you're like me, you don't have the money or the freezer space to make such a large purchase, not to mention the time required to make the three hour round trip drive to go and get the products.

Instead, I have been sourcing out local vendors and suppliers (within the Lower Mainland of Vancouver) - grocers, home delivery services and other vendors that supply healthy dairy, meat and poultry products. This list will grow as I find more local retailers. If you have a trusted source for local, ethically raised animal products, let me know in the comments!

Cows at the Blue Heron French Cheese Company. Tillamook, Oregon

Dairy

The distribution & sale of raw milk has been illegal in Canada since 1971 so no raw milk sources are listed. Government regulations in Canada prohibit the use of synthetic hormones on dairy cows and prohibit the distribution of milk containing antibiotics (even trace amounts). As well, a guideline set by Agriculture Canada requires that all dairy cows have access to pasture and fresh air. According to the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, "milk is the most heavily safety-tested food in the Canadian food supply system". The only thing that seems to differ between Canadian organic dairy versus non-organic dairy is that organic dairy is obtained from the milk of animals which are fed organic feed (free of pesticides, fertilizers and GMO's). With those facts, I'm not sure organic dairy is worth the extra money for so little added benefit. Conventional milk in Canada is pretty darn good already. Regardless, I have still listed a few sources for products I love! For more on the Canadian dairy supply, check here.

- Avalon Dairy (Vancouver, B.C.): Organic milk and dairy products. Milk packed in reusable or returnable glass bottles to reduce waste. Available at most retail grocery chains and via Organics@Home and Spud home delivery services. This is the only source I have been able to find for non-homogenized whole milk (also called Standard Milk).

- Gort's Gouda (Salmon Arm, B.C.): Although Gort's Gouda is not available in retail outlets in the Lower Mainland, I included it in this list because I absolutely adore their products. My aunt lives in Salmon Arm so I always pick some up while I am there visiting. Gort's is newly certified organic and makes raw milk Gouda, Maasdammer and feta cheese out milk produced by pasture raised, 100% grass and hay fed cows. They accept online orders within Canada, minimum $45 purchase required, and offer free shipping in Western Canada and the Maritimes. They also sell goat's milk Gouda.

- L'Ancetre Cheese Factory (Quebec): Not local, but the only locally available source of organic, raw milk cheese I can find. They also produce quality butter and pasteurized milk cheeses. Selected varieties are available at Planet Organic, IGA and at most better grocers. Also available via Organics@Home and Spud home delivery services.

Eggs

- Rabbit River Farms (Richmond, B.C.): Chickens range free on organic pasture and are fed certified organic feed. When indoors, they are cage free. Available at IGA, Save On Foods, some Real Canadian Superstore locations, Choices, Whole Foods and via Organics@Home and Spud. See here for more retail locations. Beware of the "free run" eggs they also sell, which come from chickens with no access to the outdoors or pasture.

Grains

- A Bread Affair Baugetterie (Langley, B.C.): Large selection of organic artisan breads, including Whole Wheat Sourdough, Spelt and 6 Grain. Also have several delicious breads certified at least 85% organic including my favourite Roasted Garlic & Cheese, Sprouted Wheat and Cranberry Semolina. Don't forget about their 100 Mile loaf, which is made of ingredients sourced within 100 miles of their bakery in Langley. Available at their Bakery, Planet Organic, Hopcott Premium Meats and various Farmer's Markets. Farmer's Market Schedule.

- Gesundheit Bakery (Abbotsford, B.C.): Preservative, oil and sugar free bread and bun products. They also have a line of yeast free and gluten free breads. Huge selection, including my fave Black Russian Rye! Gesundheit is a Farmer's Market staple around the Lower Mainland. Check their market schedule here.

- Silver Hills Bakery (Abbotsford, B.C.): Breads & bagels made with organic sprouted grain. Many products are wheat free. Available at most grocery chains, including IGA, Thrifty's, Safeway and Save On Foods.Check the store locater for more retail locations.

Honey

- Honey Bee Centre (Surrey, B.C.): One of the only honey bee farms in the Greater Vancouver region. All their honey is pure and unpasteurized. Available for sale at their country store on 176 Street & Fraser Hwy, online, or at various Farmer Markets around the Lower Mainland.

Meats

*Government legislation does not permit the use of growth hormones in any poultry, lamb, pork and bison sold in Canada. Although not specified below, all poultry, lamb, pork and bison products will be hormone free.*

- Bradner Farms Chicken (Abbotsford, B.C.): Their certified organic chickens have three times more living space than the average chicken and access to the outdoors. Available in the frozen meat section at Save On Foods. (The Bradner Family Farm also supplies the milk for Avalon Dairy. In 1999, they became the first suppliers of certified organic fluid milk in Western Canada!)

- Empire Valley Beef (Williams Lake, B.C.) Grass fed and finished beef products. Available at selected community Farmer's Markets through the fall and via Organics@Home delivery service. Check here for their market schedule.

- Hopcott Premium Meats (Pitt Meadows, B.C.): Partially pasture raised, hormone and anti-biotic free beef from the family farm, located right next door to the meat shop. Dry aged 21-28 days. The beef is not certified organic and not fed a diet of 100% grass, but still better quality than what you would find in your grocers meat case. Hopcott also sells antibiotic free pork and poultry from the Fraser Valley and a line of nitrate free deli meats.

- Meridian Meats & Seafood (Maple Ridge & Port Coquitlam, B.C.): Quality butcher shop offering pasture raised, grass fed beef and lamb, free run, cage free chicken, free range, non-medicated turkey, and pasture raised (grain finished) bison. Animals raised in the Fraser Valley and interior.

- Organic World's Specialty Meats (Maple Ridge, B.C.): Sells pre-packaged fresh and frozen organic beef, bison, chicken, turkey, pork, seafood and occasionally, wild game (elk, boar & pheasants!). Very, very good prices.

- Pasture to Plate (Chilcotin Valley, B.C.): Pasture raised, grass fed organic beef and lamb, pork and poultry. Only available at a few independent retailers in Vancouver, including Drive Organics on Commercial Drive. See here for retail locations.

- Redl's Home Grown Beef (William's Lake, B.C.): Redl's beef is pasture raised and free off antibiotics, pesticides, hormones, and CORN! Redl's is a staple at my local farmer's market and many others around the Lower Mainland. During the winter Redl's can be found at the Coquitlam and Abbotsford markets. Check here for their market schedule.

- Thomas Reid Farms (Langley, B,C.): Free run, certified organic chicken. Available at Capers, Choices, Thrifty Foods and via Organics@Home delivery service. See here for more retailers.

Seafood

As Vancouverites we are so lucky to have so many local sources of fresh, wild caught, sustainable seafood. Fresh, sustainable seafood is widely available in most grocery stores, as well as fish markets. For an even better experience, take a trip to a local fisherman's warf and buy direct from the fishers. When shopping for seafood, always make sure the fish you bought is labelled "WILD". Check the SeaChoice Seafood Guide to know what is the best choice for sustainability when buying fish and seafood. I buy a lot of my fresh seafood at IGA and Thrifty Foods (both support the Ocean Wise Program), as well as my local fish market.

Fisherman's Wharf's

- False Creek Fisherman's Wharf (Vancouver): 1505 West 1st Avenue, North-West of Granville Island, between the Burrard Street Bridge and the Granville Street Bridge.

- Steveston Fish Market(Richmond): 3800 Bayview Street, Steveston Village, Richmond.

Farmers Markets:

- Fresh Off the Boat (Port Coquitlam, B.C.): Large selection of locally, wild caught, sustainable seafood & fish. Check here for their market schedule. Ocean Wise supporter.

Fish Markets

- Blue Seas Fish Market (North Vancouver): 2011 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver. Supports OceanWise.

- Granville Island Public Market (Vancouver): Several seafood merchants including Finest At Sea and The Lobster Man on Mast Tower Road and Longliner Seafoods, The Salmon Shop and Seafood City inside the market.

- The Crab Shop (North Vancouver): 2455 Dollarton Hwy, North Vancouver.

- Inlet Seafoods Ltd. (Port Moody): 236 Newport Drive, Port Moody (NewPort Village). Supports OceanWise.

- 7Seas: Locations in South Surrey and Kitsilano (Vancouver). Supports OceanWise and SeaChoice.

More to be added...

Apple Pie Spice Mix

2010-08-24T08:09:00.002-07:00

Making homemade spice blends is easy and affordable. Scale the recipe to make as much or as little as you need.

Apple Pie Spice Mix

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of ground cloves

1. Add everything to a Mason jar. Screw on lid and shake well to mix. Use within six months.

I used my Apple Pie Spice Mix in Caramel Apple Pie Burritos and Skillet Sautéed Caramel Apple Crisp!

Preserve the Bounty - Week 3 Wrap Up

2010-08-22T10:00:00.007-07:00

Retro poster from Google Images.

I started the Preserve the Bounty Challenge in week three so I had a bit of catching up to do.

I skipped the week one challenge as I wasn't sure about fermenting and I'm still not. Sauerkraut and Kimchi? No thanks. I'm thinking about trying preserved lemons, but as of right now I don't see the point in doing it for this particular challenge, since lemons aren't local to my region. (The idea is to preserve your local produce for use in winter months when it won't be available. Since lemons aren't local - I have to buy them no matter what time of year it is.)

Week two's challenge involved preserving things in oil or fat. I caught up on this one by making four Compound Butters using my garden herbs - 2 1/2 cups of butter total. I also canned roasted red peppers in a mixture of oil and vinegar. I can tell you, I won't be canning roasted red peppers any time soon. Very time consuming for very little reward. I got one 500ml jar for my troubles.

With that out of the way I set to work on the challenge for week three - preserving in vinegar. My first attempt was Pickled Ginger. I ended up with two 500ml jars. I followed that up with Grandma's Pickles in a Bucket and was rewarded with two 1L jars. I later made two more 500ml jars. After a visit to the farmer's market, things really got out of control. Using 500ml jars, I ended up with two jars of dill pickles, one jar of pickled dill carrots, one jar of pickled dills AND carrots, one jar of pickled sweet peppers and one jar of sweet pickled carrots. I also go one 1L jar of pickled shallot vinegar! I should admit that I did cheat on this challenge and used the water bath canning method to boil many of the pickled products, just to make them shelf stable. I don't have room in my fridge for this many refrigerator pickle products! The Pickled Garlic and Grandma's Pickles in a Bucket were made without heat processing and are stored in the fridge.

Unrelated to this weeks challenge, I also canned fresh tomatoes, similar to what my Grandma makes. There is nothing better than tomatoes canned in water for making fresh tomato sauce in the winter. I used this recipe. It was incredibly easy. I got two one litre jars out of my tomato bounty (about 12-14 large tomatoes). I might make more next week after I pick up more tomatoes at the farmer's market. Again, I cannot express how awesome fresh canned tomatoes are in homemade tomato sauce. I even have a recipe using them!

Back to pickling... after making Ricardo's Beet Cakes, I popped the left over beets into a jar and pickled them too! One 500ml jar of sweet pickled beets. I can't wait to eat those! The only thing I didn't pickle this week were my farmer's market blueberries and cherries, but don't think I didn't consider it! Instead of pickling cherries, I canned some in a light sugar syrup (I followed this method). Another little canning bonus to go along with the tomatoes!

Preserved for Week 3:
- Pickled Garlic 2x500ml = 1 litre (not pictured)
- Pickles in a Bucked 2x1L and 2x500ml = 3 litres
- Dill Pickles 2x500ml = 1 litre
- Dill Carrots 2x500ml = 1 litre
- Pickled Sweet Peppers = 500ml
- Pickled Sweet Carrots = 500ml
- Pickled Shallots = 1L
- Pickled Sweet Beets = 500ml
Total Preserved: 8.5 litres
Bonus: 2 litres Canned Tomatoes and 1.5 litres canned cherries!

Beet Cakes

2010-08-21T12:00:00.003-07:00

Beets? In a cake? It's another crazy recipe from Richardo! Remember the Lettuce Soup? Yea... that was him too!

I love beets and I love baked goods. Seemed like a no-brainer to try this recipe out. One online reviewer raved "you would never guess it contains beets!" There is a very faint earthy taste of beets, but it isn't unpleasant. The vibrant pink colour is a nice touch too. Even my mom, who HATES beets, enjoyed her beet cake! These cakes are sweet and buttery with a hint of lemon. Served slightly warm, they are so moist that you don't need any added icing or other topping, although Ricardo's Mascarpone Cream looks delicious! I will be making these again for sure. Next time I may try an un-refined alternative to all the white sugar though.

A side note - my cakes didn't rise too much. Actually they didn't rise at all! I think I need some new baking powder.

Adapted from Ricardo & Friends

Beet Cakes:

1 cup peeled, grated raw beets
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, soften grated beets in butter and lemon juice, for about 5 minutes. Let cool so no longer hot to the touch.

3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

4. In another larger bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes. Add in the dry ingredients and mix together then gently fold in the beet mixture. Do not over mix!

5. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds.

6. Bake in pre-heated oven for between 20 minutes or, until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean.

7. Loosen the cakes by running a knife around the inside of each muffin cup. Gently remove the cakes, without inverting the pan, and place on a cooling rack to cool slightly (I found them better slightly warm). If serving with ice cream or Ricardo's Mascarpone Cream, let cool completely before topping with the cream.

Surf & Turf Online Cooking Class

2010-08-20T20:15:00.006-07:00

Granville Island Market fish stand.

I signed up for an online cooking class. It's called Surf & Turf and is offered by Ann Marie of Cheeseslave.com.

Check the short video below to see what it is all about.

Surf & Turf is a 12 week program that covers the following topics:

The Classes

Lesson #1: Protein & Fat: Why You Need It
Lesson #2: Shopping & Stocking Up
Lesson #3: Grilling: Setting Up an Outdoor Grill
Lesson #4: Seafood: Raw & Lightly Cooked
Lesson #5: Seafood: Broiled, Fried & Braised
Lesson #6: Bone Broth: Making Stock from Scratch
Lesson #7: Soups & Stews
Lesson #8: Roasting, Braising, Reductions Sauces & Gravies
Lesson #9: Pan Frying & Deep Frying
Lesson #10: Sandwiches & Salads: Meat-Based Salads & Grain-free Breads
Lesson #11: Organ Meats 1: Heart, Tongue & Bone Marrow
Lesson #12: Organ Meats 2: Liver Four Ways
Bonus Lesson: Appetizers, Side Dishes & Snacks

I’m not super thrilled about the theory portion of the program. I’m sure it will be interesting and informative, but like everything related to health and nutrition, it has to be taken with an open mind and a grain of salt. What I am looking forward to is the actual cooking lessons. I’d like to learn how to cook fish properly. It will be great to learn how to make stock from bones and I’m even looking forward to the two lessons on organ meats... except the part about tongue!

Jenny, at The Nourished Kitchen wrote a really good re-cap of the first lesson (the dreaded theory lesson). Oddly enough, it’s her review that finally prompted me to sign up!

In the coming weeks I will post re-caps about my lessons and experiences. Check back!

Grandma's Pickles in a Bucket

2010-08-20T17:55:00.003-07:00

More pickling for week 3 of the Preserve the Bounty Challenge!

This recipe comes from my Grandma. My Grandmother is the Queen of Canning. Her canned tomatoes and pickled beets are stuff of legends (seriously)! I've always said if there is a natural disaster or the Armageddon, I'm going to Grandma's house. There is enough canned food there to feed an army, or my large family! While over for lunch one day she put a dish of the sweetest, most delicious pickles on the table. I ate the entire bowl full myself - and I didn't feel bad about it either because Grandma just went to the fridge and filled the bowl right up again. I might have eaten those ones too!

These are no cook, refrigerator pickles. Grandma keeps her pickles in a giant plastic ice cream pail. I don't have a pail quite that large, nor the space to store it, so I made my pickles in batches and packed them into 1 litre canning jars. Grandma's original recipe also calls for TWICE as much sugar as vinegar. I reduced the sugar slightly in my own brine, but for the recipe post I have left it as is.

2 cups white vinegar
4 cups sugar
2 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp celery seed (or celery salt)
1 tsp mustard seed
2 long English cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 1L canning jars, sanitized per manufacturers directions

1. Add sugar, vinegar, salt, turmeric, celery seed and mustard seed to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and stir until it becomes a syrupy consistency and sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Pack sliced veggies into sanitized 1L canning jars. Fill jars with syrup to just below the neck, leaving at least 1/2 inch of head space.

3. Leave in the fridge for at least 48 hours before eating. Shake jars a few times a day.

4. Keep refrigerated. Will keep in the fridge for up to one year.

Pickled Garlic

2010-08-20T08:00:00.009-07:00

For week three of Preserve the Bounty Jenny challenged us to preserve something in vinegar. I love this challenge. The pickling possibilities are endless! My first creation - pickled garlic. I made one jar with thyme and chilies and one jar with thyme, oregano, mustard seed and chilies. The basic recipe is below. Adjust as you see fit - use any dried herb or seasoning blend that suits your fancy!

6-8 heads of garlic
2 cups white vinegar
3/4 cup dry white wine (substitute water)
3 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp mustard seed
4 whole dried Thai chilies

1. Peel and separate garlic into cloves. Place into a bowl and set aside.

2. Sterilize two 500ml canning jars according to manufactures directions (I run mine through the dishwasher. The heat cycle does a great job at sanitizing).

3. In a large saucepan, bring vinegar, wine, salt, sugar, thyme and mustard seed to a boil. Stir to ensure salt and sugar is dissolved. Add garlic cloves to the mixture and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat. Remove garlic from vinegar mixture using a slotted spoon.

4. Fill each jar with garlic and two chili peppers. Ladle hot vinegar mixture into jars. Fill up jar to just below the neck, leaving 1/2 inch head space at the top. Seal with heated snap lid and band.

5. Let cool to room temperature then place in the refrigerator. Leave at least 2-3 weeks before eating. The longer they sit, the better. After opening, keep refrigerated. Will last in fridge indefinitely, as long as garlic is immersed in vinegar solution.

Note: What does it mean if your pickled garlic turns blue?! Apparently it's normal. A few of my pieces had a blue tinge to them, near the root ends. Garlic contains sulfate which reacts with copper, creating a compound that will trun the garlic blue. It is still safe to eat and should not affect the taste. To prevent the reaction, the garlic needs to be heated through to de-activate the sulfer (this is why you add the cloves to the boiled vinegar mixture before canning). Another way to avoid the blue is to use purified water if you rinse your garlic cloves as standard tap water may contain trace amounts of copper, and avoid using copper pots.

Preserved Roasted Red Peppers

2010-08-19T09:38:00.008-07:00

Still on week two of the Preserve the Bounty Challenge. I preserved herbs and citrus in butterfat but I still wanted to try preserving something in oil. I searched Google high and low for a recipe for food preserved in olive oil. My requirements were that the recipe had to be something I would actually use and it had to be SAFE (home preserving non-acidic produce in oil is not recommended by the US FDA).

I came across a recipe at Honest-Food.net. The site is titled "Hunter Angler Gardener Cook" and is full of information about finding, cooking and preserving food.

In this recipe, the peppers are roasted in the oven, dredged through a vinegar solution, packed into jars, covered in more vinegar and then topped with olive oil. It`s pickling and oil packing in one. The added acidity from the vinegar is sure to eliminate any bacteria growth concerns. These roasted red peppers can be eaten as is, added to a sandwich or used in sauces or soups.

I followed the recipe to a tee. It`s lengthy so I am not going to re-post here. Just go on over to Honest-Food.net and check it out.

Preserving roasted red peppers is a long and involved process. I didn't enjoy it and I won't be doing it again any time soon! All that work and I only got one 500ml jar out of it! Then again, I only processed three large peppers... any more and I would still be at it! I'm confident that when the time comes to use the peppers, I efforts will have been worth it!

Compound Butters

2010-08-19T08:00:00.007-07:00

Since I joined the Preserve the Bounty Challenge late, my first challenge was for week three. I planned on waiting until the end to try weeks one and two. Week two involved preserving things in oil or fat. At first I wasn't sure how this one would work out. I'm not interested in preserving my fresh herbs in pure olive oil. I would never use a product like that. I thought about preserving garlic in oil but then learned about the food safety risks associated to this method of preserving non-acidic foods, like garlic (read about it here. Scroll to the bottom). I was pleased to learn that compound butters, that is butter mixed with fresh herbs and other seasonings, is considered a way of preserving fresh foods. Perfect! I love butter (as you may have noticed), and I have an abundance of herbs in my garden. I decided to do a double challenge to start and complete weeks two and three in only one week. Time to get creative and whip up some fun, festive and flavourful compound butters!

See a good tutorial on the Tasty Kitchen Blog.

Jenny, from The Nourished Kitchen (the site hosting the Preserve the Bounty Challenge), has a great recipe for Wild Mushroom Butter.

Just take softened, unsalted butter and blend together with herbs and seasonings of your choice. I made my compound butters in quarter cup portions (four portions per large block of butter) as this was easiest to work with and I get to make four different varieties at a time! To the butter I added about a tablespoon or two of fresh chopped herbs, or a teaspoon or two of zest or spices. The measurements are completely arbitrary. Add as much as you want. You cannot screw this one up! Check the Tasty Kitchen Blog for tips on rolling the butter once blended. As a food safety tip, I read that you should add a half teaspoon of lemon juice or other acid to the mix to ensure there is no bad bacteria. Fat promotes the growth of botulism bacteria in non-acidic foods, so if you are adding garlic to your butter, make sure you add a splash of lemon juice just to be safe. It's also recommended to keep butters refrigerated or frozen at all times. Do not leave out at room temperature longer than it takes to use it up! As well, if you try any of the cheese butters, do not make more than you can use within a week. The other butters will keep well in the refrigerator for several months and even longer in the freezer.

Chive & Cracked Pepper Butter: Fresh chives, chopped fine and a few good twists of fresh cracked pepper. Great on steak or vegetables! (pictured right)

Lemony Basil Butter: Fresh lemon basil, chopped and the zest of one lemon. Alternatively use regular basil. Awesome for fish and seafood (pictured middle)

Garlic & Parsley Butter: Fresh chopped Italian parsley and 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced. You may want to lightly sauté your garlic for a more mild flavour. For this one I used a half cup of butter because I figured I would use it more than the other two. Perfect for bread, seafood, steak, baked potatoes or anything! (pictured left)

Blue Cheese Butter: Crumbled blue cheese and a pinch of salt. Awesome on steak.

Three Cheese Butter: Just like the one served on baked potatoes at The Keg. Fresh grated Parmesan, Asiago and cream cheese, Boursin or Laughing Cow.

Steakhouse Butter: Lightly sauté minced shallots, garlic and parsley then cream into butter with a dash of Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.

What compound butter combinations can you come up with?

Preserve the Bounty Challenge

2010-08-18T08:16:00.008-07:00

While surfing the net the other day, I came across The Nourished Kitchen - Preserve the Bounty Challenge. I decided to sign up. What better way to continue healthy, local, wholesome eating than by preserving the summer harvest?

In the month of August. we’re setting aside our pressure canners and we’ll be preserving the bounty of the summer season naturally while optimizing the nutrition of the foods we put up for winter. Over the course of 5 weeks we’ll cover sun-drying, oil curing, freezing, fermentation and salt-curing – traditional techniques that optimize nutrition and don’t heat up the kitchen like canning.

I missed week one (fermentation) and week two (preserving in oil & fat), but I signed up just in time to receive instructions for week three (preserving in vinegar). Sometime during the month or at the end of the challenge I will go back and try the challenges from weeks one and two.

For now - preserving in vinegar. Well, that's easy. Pickled green beans, pickled carrots, picked garlic, pickled beets. I make fabulous spicy pickled dill beans. And I might try my hand at pickled peppers. You name it - If it's available at the market tomorrow, I'm going to pickle it. The catch is I can't boil the finished product to ensure a tight, secure seal on the jars. That's no problem though. Vinegar and salt are fabulous preservatives and as long as I store my goods in the refrigerator, I will have no problems with bacteria or other nasties.

In other food preserving news, I bought a food dehydrator. My plan is to dry most of the herbs in my garden (basil, parsley, lemon basil, rosemary, thyme, chives), make my own dehydrated minced onion and garlic and dry some blueberries and strawberries for use in cereal and baking in the winter. I may even try my hand at fruit leathers and jerky!

(As it turns out, drying and dehydrating was the challenge for week 5! And instead of salt curing, we preserved with alcohol in week four.)

Do you have any experience with preserving in vinegar or with food dehydrators?

No Cook Dinners for a Hot Day!

2010-08-17T08:54:00.013-07:00

Too hot to cook? Try a summery salad instead.

Recipes that require minimal cooking, such as boiling water, are marked with an asterisk.

Soba Noodle Salad*

Shrimp Scallop Spinach Salad with Mango Dressing* Requires quick pan frying of seafood. Skip the cooking and enjoy the salad without the shrimp & scallops. Equally delicious!

Quinoa Vegetable Salad*

Chickpea Vegetable Salad

Poached Chicken Salad with Spicy Almond Dressing*

Insalata Caprese

Or how about easy and healthy egg salad?

Mini Cranberry Egg Salad Pitas*

In putting together this post I realized I have very few "no cook" recipes and zero sandwich recipes! I think that needs to change. After I get some things from the farmers market this Thursday, I will post my favourite "quick fix" sandwich.

Clean Iced Tea

2010-08-16T16:27:00.009-07:00

Nothing says summer like a tall, cool glass of sweet iced tea! Iced tea is my favourite (non-alcoholic) beverage. Unfortunately, most commercially produced iced tea brands contain MORE sugar per serving than a can of pop! I don't know about you, but I could do without all that added sugar... and water (even with a wedge of lemon or lime) just isn't quite refreshing enough on a hot summer day. Instead, I brew my own iced tea and sweeten it with natural, low GI agave syrup. I can adjust the sweetness and use different tea flavours to suit my tastes.

4 Individual Bags of your favourite Tea (I used plain old Lipton black tea today)
1 lemon, sliced thin
3 tbsp agave syrup
5 cups boiling water

1. Place tea bags and half the lemon slices in a large pitcher. If your tea bags have paper label tabs, remove them prior to adding the bags to the pitcher.

2. Add water to pitcher and stir. Measure in agave syrup and stir again. Steep tea for 10 minutes or longer if you like it strong.

3. Remove tea bags from pitcher and place pitcher in refrigerator to cool. Once cooled, add more agave if desired.

4. Serve over ice with a slice of lemon.

Variations: Experiment with different flavours of tea. Also try making tea blends, using a few bags of flavoured tea and a few bags of regular black tea. My favourite is using 3 bags of green tea with 1 bag of black tea. For added flavour, add a teaspoon or two of honey - just be sure to reduce the amount of agave!

Berry Cheesecake Whole Wheat Crepes

2010-08-14T12:44:00.008-07:00

My co-worker Leasa asked me to make a crepe recipe. I've never made crepes. I'm not even much of a pancake person. Regardless, I took Leasa's challenge and came up with a very nice crepe with strawberry, blueberry and cheese filling. The inspiration for the cheese filling comes from an episode of "Eat Shrink and Be Merry". Janet and Greta were trying to re-create a super indulgent cheesecake recipe. In place of cream cheese and ricotta, they used a blend of protein rich cottage cheese, sour cream and light cream cheese. I figured that would work just as well as a crepe filling. The crepes themselves are made with whole wheat flour and unrefined cane sugar... I cleaned the classic crepe recipe up as much as I could. Thankfully, the butter stays!

I had a hell of a time making the crepes. There was a lot of trial and error before I got the batter right. There was also a lot of trial and error before I figured out how to cook them properly. I started with a 12 inch fry pan but quickly switched to a much smaller 8 inch pan. The crepes are quite small (the size of large pancakes), but they were easier to cook and actually easier to serve. Instead of rolling, I simply folded the crepe sides over like an omelette.

If you have your own fool-proof crepe recipe and crepe cooking method, I suggest you stick with it. Just try my Berry Cheesecake filling. It's divine!

Berry Cheesecake Filling:

1 cup fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and diced
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup agave syrup
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream cheese

1. Add strawberries, blueberries and honey to a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Mash strawberries using back of a spoon or a fork. When mixture is of a syrupy consistency, remove from heat and set aside.

2. Blend vanilla, agave, cottage cheese, sour cream and cream cheese in a food process and mix until smooth. Remove mixture and place into a bowl. Add half of the strawberry mixture to the cheese mixture and fold together. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the mixture. Set aside. Save the other half of the strawberry mixture for topping.

You can also make the filling without berries. It's good plain as well!

Crepes:

Adapted from Eating Well Magazine

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tbsp sucanat
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp butter, melted
1/2 cup club soda

1. Add everything, except club soda, to a blender and combine until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. When ready to cook crepes, add club soda into batter and mix gently.

3. Dab a paper towel in oil and lightly wipe the inside of a small non-stick skillet (I used an 8 inch). Heat skillet over medium high heat. When water dripped into pan sizzles, pan is hot and ready to make crepes!

4. Ladle about a 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet. Immediately lift, tilt and rotate pan to spread batter into a thin, even layer.

5. Cook the crepe until the underside is lightly browned and the top begins to bubble slightly, about 30 seconds. Work a spatula with a long handle under the crepe to loosen. Either use the spatula to flip the crepe or once loosened, shake the pan to flip. Cook until the second side is lightly browned, about 20 seconds longer. Slide the crepe onto a plate. Repeat process until desired number of crepes is reached. Keep prepared crepes warm in the oven, set to a low temperature.

6. When ready to serve, spoon several tablespoons of strawberry cheese mixture down one side of the crepe, about a quarter way in. Using your fingers, roll the crepe around your filling, like a burrito, keeping the ends open. Place crepe seam side down on a plate. If your crepes are small, like mine, you could also just fold the crepe in half, around the filling, like an omelette. Top with a spoonful of reserved strawberry compote.

For a picture tutorial of how to make and fold crepes, see here.

If not using crepes right away, store crepes between sheets of wax paper. Crepes can be refrigerated for two days or frozen for one month.

Farfalle with Roasted Tomatoes & Asparagus in Brown Butter

2010-08-13T12:17:00.003-07:00

After my success with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce, I thought I would try brown butter again. This time, it is pure butter, caramelized, then mixed with garlic, tossed with fresh roasted tomatoes and asparagus and bowtie pasta and garnished with fresh grated Parmesan, parsley and a drizzle of white truffle oil. Fresh n' Easy!

Recipe adapted from Canadian Living

Serves 4

6 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt & pepper to taste
5 cups cooked farfalle (bowtie) pasta or other pasta of your choice
4 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
White Truffle Oil for drizzling (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tomatoes and aspargus on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Roast in hot oven for 8-10 minutes, until asparagus is tender.

2. While veggies are roasting, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until foaming and nutty brown colour. Add garlic and fry, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Lower heat.

3. When veggies are finished, remove from oven and add to butter & garlic filled skillet. Toss gently to coat.

4. Add cooked pasta to skillet and toss gently to mix with veggies and coat with butter. Stir for a couple minutes until pasta is heated through.

5. Spoon pasta into bowls. Top each bowl with a tablespoon of Parmesan and half a tablespoon of chopped parsley. Finish with a light drizzle of white truffle oil.

The bread in the photo is super delicious Seed Bread from A Bread Affair. Pick some up at the Coquitlam Farmer's Market this Sunday!

Chicken Hekka

2010-08-12T12:00:00.002-07:00

Another tropical recipe from Sam Choy. Mr. Choy says while growing up, his family always made Chicken Hekka for mainland guests. He describes this dish as being "comfort food" and a "cornerstone recipe" in his cookbook.

But what the heck is Chicken Hekka? There isn't much about it online. Hekka is apparently a Hawaiian word but when I played around with Hawaiian/English translators, I found no entries. Other blogs claim Hekka is based on Japanese cooking and is pretty much the same as Japanese sukiyaki - a one pot meal made with thin sliced vegetables and meat.

Regardless of what it is, Chicken Hekka is easy to make and it's pretty good.

Marinade:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into cubes
1/4 cup soy sauce*
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp sucanat

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a shallow dish. Add chicken and toss well to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Sake Sauce:
2 tbsp agave syrup
1/2 cup soy sauce*
1/4 cup chicken broth*
1/4 cup sake or Chinese cooking wine

1. Mix everything together in a small bowl and set aside.

Hawaiian cooking does not involve spice. You may wish to add a dash or two or Sriracha to spice things up, or leave as is for a mild flavour.

Stir Fry:
marinated chicken (as above)
1 tbsp sesame or peanut oil
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
1 can sliced bamboo shoots
1 carrot, julienned
1 stalk celery, julienned
3 stalks green onion, cut in 1 inch lengths
1/2 onion, sliced thin
1 cups watercress leaves
1 bundle (2 oz) thin rice noodles, cooked, drained and cut into 1 inch lengths
prepared Sake Sauce (as above)
1/2 block firm tofu, drained and cut into 1" cubes (optional)

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger and chicken. Brown chicken.

2. Add bamboo shoots, carrot and celery. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add onion and green onion and stir fry for another minute or two.

3. Add 1/2 cup Sake Sauce and rice noodles. Let simmer for 5-8 minutes. Sauce will absorb into noodles.

4. Gently stir in tofu and watercress. Mix everything together well. Remove from heat. Serve with rice, more rice noodles or as is.

*Use Gluten Free, if needed.

Haupia (Hawaiian Coconut Pudding)

2010-08-11T08:00:00.001-07:00

Haupia is a traditional Hawaiian Lu'au desert made with coconut milk and arrowroot starch. When heated together, the ingredients take on a gelatinous texture, and when cooled, the result can be cut into cubes for serving. Top with fresh fruit and sorbet and you have quite a nice dessert for dinner party guests!

After Dinner Notes: I was excited to try this recipe. I love coconut and I thought coconut with raspberry sorbet and fresh raspberries would be a perfect after dinner treat for my family's recent lobster dinner get together. I prepared the Haupia around 4:30pm and put it in the fridge to set. I was optimistic that it would set within a few hours. When the time came to serve dessert at 7:00pm, the Haupia was solid and firm, but it wasn't firm enough to cut into cubes as the recipe indicated. Instead, I spooned it out like a pudding, except it had the consistency of gelatin. The taste was good but the elastic, gelatinous consistency wasn't super appealing. I'm not sure the Haupia just didn't fully set, or if that is the way it is supposed to be. It did go quite well with the fruit sorbet and fresh fruit. Overall I would say it was a bit of a bust. Not sure if I would try it again. I'm going to post the recipe anyway in case any of you are interested or are familiar with the dish and have any tips or suggestions.

Haupia (Hawaiian Coconut Pudding):

Recipe from Say Choy's Aloha Cuisine

1 12oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp arrowroot starch*
dash of clear vanilla extract

1. In a large saucepan combine coconut milk and milk.

2. In a small bowl, blend together sugar and arrowroot starch. Add to saucepan and stir into coconut mixture. Whisk well to avoid lumps.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. This will only take a couple minutes.

4. Pour into an 8 inch square glass baking dish. Chill in refrigerator for several hours. When firm, cut into small squares or triangles.

5. Serve with fresh fruit, sorbet, chopped roasted nuts or a drizzle of honey or agave syrup.

To make your own coconut milk, mix 4 cups freshly grated coconut with 2 cups boiling water. Let stand 20 minutes, then drain through a double thick cheesecloth. Squeeze the cheesecloth several times to extract as much liquid as possible. Keep refrigerated.

*Bob's Red Mill makes Arrowroot Starch, but if you can't find it at your local grocer, substitute cornstarch in place.

Lobster Bisque

2010-08-10T09:00:00.001-07:00

A "bisque" is a smooth, creamy, soup with French origins. Bisque is broth left after simmering shellfish with aromatic vegetables, straining, then mixing with cream. According to Wikipedia, the name "Bisque" is thought to either be derived from The Bay of Biscay (on the West side of France and the North side of Spain), or from the term "bis cuits", which is a Spanish/French jumble, meaning "twice cooked".

This soup an involved and long process, especially when you factor in the lobster dinner required in advance of the soup making, but in the end, it is well worth it.

From this:

To This:

Serves 2 entrees or 4 appetizers

left over parts of 2 cooked lobsters (legs & bodies)
4 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup brandy or sherry
1/4 cup sweet white whine
2 tomatoes, chopped
few sprigs of thyme
6 cups water
salt
pinch cayenne
1 1/2 cups cream (I used Half & Half Coffee Cream!)
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp warm water
1/2 cup cooked lobster meat, in chunks (reserved until end)
A few springs of Italian parsley, chopped (reserved until end)
sour cream (optional)

1. Chop the lobster remains into smaller pieces and place in a bowl.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Add onion, carrots, garlic and bay leaf to pot. Stir until veggies are translucent.

3. Add tomato paste and stir together for a couple minutes. Add lobster pieces, then add brandy and white wine and mix well. Add tomatoes, thyme, cayenne and salt. Give it a quick stir. Add water and stir again. Let cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, until volume is reduced by half.

4. Once soup has reduced, place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Strain the soup by ladling it into the strainer. Press the liquid out using the back of a large spoon. Discard the solids. Pour the liquid from the bowl back into the saucepan.

5. Stir in cream and simmer for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with warm water and add to soup. Simmer for two minutes, and stir, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Skim off any fat from the top of the soup, then whisk quickly for a few minutes so the soup is frothy. This will help incorporate any remaining fat into the soup and incorporate air into it, making it lighter and creamier. Let soup stand for a few minutes so the froth subsides slightly.

6. Drop a spoonful of lobster meat into each bowl. Ladle bisque into bowls over top of lobster. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and sour cream. Serve with a warm Cheddar Bay Biscuit.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce

2010-08-09T09:50:00.003-07:00

When butter is melted and left to cook, the milk solids separate from the fat and sink to the bottom of the pan. There, they begin to caramelize and turn a light brown colour. The resulting liquid is very aromatic and has delicious nutty flavour, which is why the French refer to this as "Beurre Noisette" - hazelnut butter. The butter can be used as is, poured over vegetables, pasta, fish, poultry and meats, or mixed with other ingredients to create a rich, flavourful sauce.

1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
6 tbsp butter
2 tsp soy sauce*

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray.

3. Roast asparagus in oven for 10-12 minutes, until tender.

4. While asparagus is cooking, add balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until reduced by half.

5. Melt butter in another small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until colour turns light brown. Careful not to burn the butter.

6. Once butter is a light caramel colour and has a nutty aroma, remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reduced balsamic and the soy sauce. Stir together. Spoon off and discard any foam from the top. Pour into a glass measuring cup or other glass cup with spout. Stir together well so mixture does not separate. Sauce should be a dark and rich with a thick, syrupy consistency.

7. Remove asparagus from oven and place into a serving dish. Pour Balsamic Brown Butter sauce over top of asparagus. Serve immediately.

*Use Gluten Free, if required.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2010-08-07T11:58:00.007-07:00

My dad called the other day from the East Coast to say he is bringing fresh lobster home. "Call your sister and plan a dinner", he said. I've eaten lobster before but always with steak, garlic mashed and veggies. This time I wanted something different so I Google'd "Lobster Dinner" and asked my co-workers to see what they would suggest.

One of my co-workers, with roots in the Maritime Provinces, immediately said "Cheddar Biscuits!!!!". The sentiment was echoed online, where several sites recommended cheddar biscuits or cheese appetizers. More Google'ing led me to a recipe for Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits. I've never eaten at Red Lobster but another co-worker assured me that the Cheddar Bay Biscuits are "to die for".

As for the rest of the meal, it's all very light and fresh to pair with the rich taste of the fresh lobster. My sister is supplying the wine (Chardonnay, although Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc are also recommended pairings). Our starters will be the Cheddar Bay Biscuits with a salad of mixed greens and balsamic vinaigrette (and perhaps crumbled goat cheese). Sides dishes will be steamed (or grilled) asparagus (possibly with The Pioneer Woman's Blender Hollandaise Sauce) and corn on the cob. The lobster will be grilled and served with melted garlic butter and lemon wedges. For dessert... I'm not quite sure yet. Either a cheesecake or sorbet with fresh fruit. It will be a very, very substantial, rich and butter heavy meal! I won't need to eat for days afterwards... but you know I will anyway!

Now for the biscuits... These biscuits are not healthy, wholesome, natural, fresh or anything else I strive to achieve with the recipes on this blog. They are, however, delicious, light, airy, flaky, cheesy, buttery and totally sinful. Enjoy in moderation. :)

Recipe comes from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur.

Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits:

2 1/2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix
3/4 cup cold 2% or Whole milk
4 tbsp cold butter, cut into small chunks
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese (I used a Tex-Mex blend because that's what I had... sooo good!)

Brush on Top:

2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch salt
pinch cayenne(optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine Bisquick with cold butter using a pastry blender. If you don't have a pastry blender, try a large fork, a potato masher or even your hands. There should be small chunks of butter, about the size of peas, throughout the mixture.

3. Add cheddar cheese, garlic powder and milk. Mix by hand until combined and formed into a dough.

4. Break off 1/4 cup portion of dough and roll into a rough ball. Drop onto an ungreased baking sheet. Continue with rest of dough. Will yield 12 portions.

5. Bake for 15-17 minutes until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

6. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, mix together the ingredients from the "Brush on Top" section. Using a pastry brush, brush the garlic butter over top of the biscuits. Be very generous and use all the butter. Serve warm.

Shrimp & Scallop Spinach Salad with Mango Dressing

2010-08-04T17:58:00.002-07:00

This is my absolute favourite salad, barely beating out my second favourite salad.

Another dish inspired by the Island flavours of Hawaii and renowned Island chef, Mr. Sam Choy. Fresh, crisp, bright, delicious - the perfect summer salad.

Serves 2 Main Dish Salads
To serve as an appetizer salad, reduce the amount of seafood to 2-3 of each piece per person.

Shrimp & Scallop Spinach Salad:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
10 sea scallops
10 large prawns, peeled & de-veined, tail on
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1 small red onion, sliced very thin
1/2 fresh mango, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced thin
Mango Dressing (see below)

1. Heat olive oil over high heat and sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Add prawns to pan. Sear 1 minute each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Pat scallops dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Add to hot pan and sear for one minute on each side, until lightly brown in colour. Remove from pan and set aside with prawns.

3. Place spinach and onion in a large bowl and toss together. Divide spinach/onion mix between two plates.

4. Arrange the seafood, alternating scallops and prawns, around the outer edge of each plate.

5. Fan a few mango and avocado slices on top and across the middle of each plate.

6. Drizzle Mango Dressing over top of everything.

Mango Dressing:

Yields 1/2 cup dressing

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 fresh mango, peeled & pitted, puréed in blender (for 1/2 cup purée)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp sucanat
1/2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup grape seed or avocado oil

1. Combine all ingredients except oil. Whisk until well blended and sucanat is completely dissolved.

2. Gradually add oil while continuing to whisk. Pour into a container with tight fitting lid and refrigerate at least 20 minuets prior to using. Remove from fridge and shake well to mix. Drizzle over salad.

Nanaimo Farmers Market

2010-08-02T12:11:00.008-07:00

While away last week, I took a day trip to Nanaimo to visit the Downtown Farmer's Market.

The market is held every Friday from 10am to 2pm at the Pioneer Waterfront Plaza. This is the view from the market location. The island on the right is Protection Island and that is where I spent my week of resting and relaxing. Just a ten minute boat ride from the Nanaimo harbour, Protection Island is the perfect mix of isolation and convenience. The only commercial entity on Protection is a floating pub!

Back to the market...

It's large - in area as well as vendors. I didn't count all the vendor stands but I would estimate there was 30-40 booths. As you can tell from the photos, there is space for many, many more.

I was quite disappointed with the variety and selection of the booths at the market. There was very little fresh fruit and produce available. I counted only 3 or 4 stands selling fresh produce and even then, the selection of produce was limited. I saw garlic, lettuce, raspberries and little else. One stand sold fresh flowers, which was nice to see. There were two fresh artisan bread vendors and two meat vendors, one of which also sold farm fresh eggs. There was also several stands selling baked goods, james and jellies. There were no cheese vendors, which is odd since Little Qualicum Cheeseworks is only 50km up island from Nanaimo. I thought maybe I justed missed them on this particular day but they aren't even listed as a regular vendor on the website. There was an abundance of crafts and artisan booths - vendors selling jewellery, rock candles/vases, quilts, tie died clothing, ceramics, homemade soaps, glass, knick knacks, woodwork, photography, paintings... it was more like a craft fair than a farmers market and none of the arts and crafts booths appealed to me since I was looking for local edible products.

I didn't go home empty handed though.

I bought cookies from The Cookie Lady, fresh artisan bread from Slow Rise Bakery, cognac sausage from Ravenstone Farm, super spicy Dad's Westcoast Wildfire Awesome Sauce, a chocolate fudge cake from the British bakery vendor (whose name I can't recall or find online), and three jars of jelly from Golden Maples Farm.

The jelly from Golden Maples Farm was the best catch of the day. Created and sold by a very interesting lady named Eileen, Golden Maples Gourmet Jams and Jellies were very creative, unique and tasty. I took advantage of the "Christmas in July" sale and got three jars for the price of two.

Photo from Golden Maple Farms

- Cranberry Jalapeño Jelly: Sweet and slightly spicy. I used this one on a turkey sandwich! The label says it can be thinned with water for use as a marinade on ribs or wings. Great over Brie cheese too!

- Smoky Maple Jelly: Sweet red peppers slowly smoked over hickory and alder woods are the basis of this one. Serve with meats, cheese, on crackers or use as a sandwich spread.

- Christmas Marmalade Jelly: Nothing Christmas-y about this delicious blend. Made with oranges, kiwis, cranberries, raspberries and lemons. Use as a dessert topping. Mix with coconut rum and pour over ice cream or cheesecake. Add a spoonful to tea. I'm still working on a Christmas Marmalade Martini!

All three jellies can also be used as a base for salad dressing. Just mix with oil, vinegar and a bit of Dijon.

Elieen told us there are over 400 varieties of jellies, including wine jellies, spicy jellies, maple jellies, wild berry jellies, domestic berry jellies and ice wine jellies. Check out the list here, although I don't think it's a comprehensive list. The three I bought were delicious but it was very difficult to decide. I could have easily bought a dozen more. I'm thinking I may contact Elieen again to order a case in time for Christmas.

Overall, I was pleased with my purchases at the Downtown Nanaimo Farmer's Market. It's worth a visit if you're in the area!