tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29999754291888292232010-09-01T13:45:15.645-04:00Jacy Eats...Recipes, Hints, and General MusingsJacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-57444720743842648612010-09-01T10:43:00.001-04:002010-09-01T10:44:17.672-04:002010-09-01T10:44:17.672-04:00Curry Cream TortelliniNot sure where I got this one from, but it was jotted down in my recipe file. It turned out pretty good (of course, I made some adjustments) but I would consider thickening the sauce a bit before serving. Maybe with a cornstarch slurry. <br />
<br />
Although, it made a really tasty soup like dish! I served it with a side salad of mixed baby greens and a garlic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papadum" target="_out">papadum</a> that I toasted up in the microwave.<br />
<br />
<b>Curry Cream Tortellini</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4947946255/" title="curryCreamTortellini by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/4947946255_8dbc0736d6.jpg" width="500" height="351" alt="curryCreamTortellini" /></a><br />
<br />
1 shallot, finely chopped<br />
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (you can omit this if you're spice sensitive)<br />
2 teaspoons curry powder<br />
1 clove garlic<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 1/2 cup vegetable stock<br />
1 14 oz can coconut milk<br />
1 package tortellini (we used cheese, mushroom would be wicked good!)<br />
4 large basil leaves, chopped<br />
1 tablespoon honey<br />
1 tablespoon fresh ginger<br />
Chopped peanuts (optional)<br />
<br />
Heat oil in saucepan and soften the chopped shallot and jalepeno (for a minute or two). Grate in garlic and add curry powder. Heat until the curry powder warms (you'll smell it!)<br />
<br />
Add veggie broth carefully (curry facial anyone?) and bring up to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and let it do its thing for about 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times. <br />
<br />
While that's going on, toast your chopped peanuts by placing them in a dry frying pan over the heat, shaking often, until you smell them, then remove from heat. Keep a close eye on them though, because one second it may look like they are golden brown, and the next second they will be charred and leave a horrific smell in your house that won't go away for hours. Don't say I didn't warn you.<br />
<br />
Back to the saucepan: Pour in coconut milk, tortellini, honey and grate in ginger (I keep mine in the freezer...grates like a breeze and lasts a lot longer than leaving it out). Bring up to a simmer (DON'T BOIL) and stir until pasta is nearly done. Sprinkle in basil at the last minute, let pasta finish cooking, and serve with toasted peanuts on top if you like.<br />
<br />
I had some store bought papadums in the cupboard so I oiled them lightly and tossed one at a time into the microwave for about 40 seconds. Burnt papadum is another one of "those smells that never go away" so keep an eye on them.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-5744472074384264861?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-79822180963120805192010-08-31T08:53:00.004-04:002010-09-01T13:18:19.221-04:002010-09-01T13:18:19.221-04:00Fishcakes and SkullheadsWhen we were kids, we ate Brussels sprouts a lot. My Grandma Val (I believe) told us once that they were "skullheads", and that did the trick! We ate them right up.<br />
<br />
My "skullheads" recipe is pretty simple, and may not sound appetizing, but I assure you, they are. I pick Brussels sprouts all about the same size (smaller is tastier, as is true for a lot of veggies) but as long as they aren't the size of my hand, they are fine. A little rinse, a cut in half, and a toss into a non-stick frying pan. If there are loose leaves that fall in, don't fuss, they are actually the best part of this dish. I admit that I often peel the leaves off on purpose just so I can have more of them.<br />
<br />
Add about 1/4 cup water and a sprinkle of salt to the pan and let the veggies steam a bit. Turn down the heat to medium-high and add a tablespoon or so of butter. Allow to melt in, shake it up occasionally, and just let it sit and caramelize. <br />
<br />
I usually add a couple of tablespoons of butter in 2 installments, but cook until the sprouts look brown and the loose leaves almost look burnt. Not quite black, and not stinking up the house with char, but dark brown.<br />
<br />
Doesn't sound like it would be that great, but it is ridiculously tasty. <br />
<br />
Alternatively, you can probably Google up some "oven roasted brussels sprouts" recipes. Similar end product.<br />
<br />
The fishcakes recipe came from the same magazine as the Yummy Cake (Canadian Family, October 2010) and it's part of the article/group of recipes that are to help people make food that everyone will enjoy if you're also cooking for those with food sensitivities. This one was called "Shellfish-Free Crab Cakes".<br />
<br />
I call them frickin delicious. You know I don't love the fish, but try to find recipes to make the fish palatable for me so I can reap the health benefits. THIS is sooo good!<br />
<b><br />
Fishcakes</b><br />
<br />
1/2 lb tilapia fillets (or another whitefish, if that's all you have available)<br />
1/2 lb salmon fillets<br />
2 medium sized white potatoes<br />
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion<br />
2/4 cup finely chopped parsley<br />
Zest of 1 lemon<br />
1 egg<br />
2 tablespoons <a href="http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/products.jsp?catIds=cat40002&type=details&catIds=101&resView=grid&next=37&productId=17580" target="_out">seafood seasoning</a> (recipe calls for 1 tblsp Old Bay but we don't have that here)<br />
Pepper (and salt if you're using Old Bay)<br />
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs<br />
Oil for pan frying<br />
<br />
Peel and slice potatoes thinly, cover with cold water in a saucepot and boil until done. The thinner/smaller you slice potatoes (and other root veggies), the faster they will cook...obviously. And if you cut them evenly, they will cook evenly. Magic, that! <br />
<br />
While potatoes cook, put a large frying pan of salted water onto the stove to boil. Once the water is boiling, turn it down to simmer and poach the fish for about 6 minutes. <br />
<br />
Drain the potatoes well (don't want soggy fishcakes!) and scoop the fish onto a paper towel lined plate.<br />
<br />
Now, let's get down to business: In a large bowl, rice potatoes (or mash), toss in onion, parsley, lemon zest, and seasonings. Peel skin off the fish (if necessary) and flake both into bowl (big chunks, small chunks, whatever you like). Mix gently and taste for seasoning. Adjust if necessary. NOW add the egg (see what I did there?) and mix gently to incorporate.<br />
<br />
Place breadcrumbs on a shallow bowl (or plate). I added a little bit more of my seasoning because it was really good! Grab a golf ball sized chunk of fishcake, roll into a ball and flatten slightly to form a patty. Coat in panko and place on a plate or sheetpan. Continue until you've formed all the mix. You are probably looking at about 15 or 18 patties? Pop in fridge to cool down and set a little, about 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, mix 1/4 cup mayo with just under 1/4 cup ketchup. Add 2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle (I actually took a shortcut and used dill relish)...or you could use sweet pickles, finely chopped red onion, nothing aside from the mayo and ketchup...up to you. Mix and stick in fridge.<br />
<br />
Heat a thin layer of oil in the bottom of a frying pan and brown up the fishcakes. Drain on paper towel and enjoy! <br />
<br />
I'm sure you could also bake them after spritzing them with a little oil if you don't like the idea of pan frying. <br />
<br />
My thoughts about the recipe? It's an incredible main, and would be a great little appetizer. Don LOVED them, as did Quinn, and me, the fish disliker thought they were wicked good. Probably because of the crispy, crusty potato, and the seasoning. I could barely taste the fish inside, and I know it was there!<br />
<br />
It did take longer than I like to spend on a weeknight dinner, so while I would definitely make this again, I would probably save it for a weekend.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-7982218096312080519?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-21206069322394802772010-08-30T12:11:00.002-04:002010-08-30T13:49:13.697-04:002010-08-30T13:49:13.697-04:00Yummy CakeQuinn eats Oatmeal Bear Paw cookies. They are these soft cake like cookies, and they are oh so convenient, but there are things in them that I prefer not to feed him - modified palm oils, sorbitol, artificial flavours...<br />
<br />
I'm not saying that I'm going to totally stop buying them. They do serve their purpose as an occasional convenience food, but there has to be something better for him!<br />
<br />
Then arrives my new <a href="http://www.canadianfamily.ca/" target="_out">Canadian Family magazine </a>(October 2010). There was a recipe under the article "Smart Foods" for Flaxen Oaty Cranerry Walnut Bars.<br />
<br />
Comparing the Nutritional Values, there really wasn't much difference between the Bear Paws and the Bars With the Really Long Name...but the ingredients were MUCH better. I made a couple of adjustments to the recipe and made them.<br />
<br />
Quinn called them "Yummy Cake", which is a heck of a lot easier to remember than Flaxen Oaty Cranerry Walnut Bars. I will definitely make these again. I might try some different fruit and nut combinations next time. They are tasty, and healthy, and fulfilling. Give them a try!<br />
<b><br />
Yummy Cake</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4942161586/" title="yummy cake by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4942161586_28c8c791f1.jpg" width="500" height="368" alt="yummy cake" /></a><br />
<br />
2 cups whole wheat flour<br />
1 cup oats<br />
1 cup dried cranberries<br />
1/2 cup chopped pecans<br />
1/4 flax seeds<br />
2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon sea salt<br />
3/4 cup demerara sugar<br />
1/4 cup butter, softened<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 1/4 cup milk<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
<br />
Grease 9x9 square pan (these could probably make great cookie cakes or mini muffins...adjust the baking time as necessary if you change it up) and preheat oven to 350.<br />
<br />
Mix flour, oats, cranberries, nuts, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.<br />
<br />
Cream butter and sugar in a seperate bowl, and add eggs, milk, and vanilla.<br />
<br />
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into pan and bake about 30 minutes (or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean).<br />
<br />
Cool in pan and cut into bars.<br />
<br />
Really, any fruit/nut combo would work. Bits of strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, apple...mash in a banana (maybe you'd need to adjust the milk and butter for that?) The cake part is a great base for anything you like to put into your baking. Grate in some zucchini! Heck, the possibilities are endless. Do it up!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-2120606932239480277?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-23979232083619747402010-08-26T14:02:00.002-04:002010-08-26T14:04:30.383-04:002010-08-26T14:04:30.383-04:00Radish SpreadSo I went to a party at a friend's place a few weeks ago, and she had this INCREDIBLE radish dip...a recipe of her Mother's. I couldn't stay away from it! I got the recipe from her and immediately set to making it.<br />
<br />
And it just didn't taste the same as hers. No matter what I did. <br />
<br />
When people have a "signature recipe", I think it's just impossible to replicate it. Stacy must have put some magic in that dip. Seriously.<br />
<br />
This recipe has haunted me since. Who would have thought that radish + cream cheese (and a few other things) = wicked good? What else could I do to this combination?<br />
<br />
Making up recipes on the fly is easy. It really is. I know, you're probably rolling your eyes (I would have been, a few years ago), but if you know what tastes good with what, you can do it! I believe in you!<br />
<br />
Let's see what we already know: nearly everything tastes awesome with cream cheese. It's true. Add a smear of cream cheese to a roast beef sandwich. It's GOOD! But cream cheese is sort of bland...so you have to build it up with flavours.<br />
<br />
Garlic, shallots or onions, very finely diced would fit that bill. Garlic might be a little strong with the radish as I want the radish to shine. So shallots it was...I like the sweetness of a shallot. And I'm totally lazy, so rather than chopping it super finely, I just grated it into the cream cheese.<br />
<br />
Let's look at the radish - what tastes good with radish? Dill does!<br />
<br />
I added a bit of this and a bit of that, and came up with this recipe...and it's pretty awesome.<br />
<br />
I love radishes but can only do so much with them raw, you know? I am glad to now have this spread in my repitoire...it would be all sorts of awesome spread atop a toasted sesame seed bagel, or (as I was eating it this afternoon)on a multi grain cracker.<br />
<br />
Yummeh!<br />
<br />
<b>Radish Spread</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4930011722/" title="radishSpread by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4930011722_450bd79ef9.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="radishSpread" /></a><br />
<br />
1 brick cream cheese, softened<br />
1 med shallot<br />
1 teaspoon dill weed (or more...but keep in mind that the flavour intensifies over time)<br />
splash lemon juice<br />
7 medium sized radishes (or more)<br />
pinch salt<br />
<br />
Grate shallot and radishes into cream cheese and mix. Add dill and lemon juice, stir and taste. Add a pinch of salt, mix, and taste again. Adjust any flavours as you see fit (more radish, more dill...keeping in mind that the flavour will get stronger as the dip sits...whatever).<br />
<br />
Put dip in fridge to set up a bit and allow the flavours to meld.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-2397923208361974740?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-23371224333767536672010-08-12T09:30:00.001-04:002010-08-12T09:45:37.856-04:002010-08-12T09:45:37.856-04:00Dead Easy Roast & Rosemary FoccaciaI think I got the recipe for this roast online somewhere, years ago. I've made roast a bunch of different ways, but I always seem to come back to this one. It's no fuss, and it is very well received. <br />
<br />
If it isn't broke...<br />
<br />
<b>Dead Easy Roast</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4883011264/" title="deadEasyRoast1 by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4883011264_cf9fcfcea6.jpg" width="500" height="372" alt="deadEasyRoast1" /></a><br />
<br />
Seriously, that's it. <br />
<br />
1 package gravy mix (I have used Bisto, brown gravy mix, mushroom gravy mix...whatever I have on hand)<br />
1 package ranch dressing/dip mix (I've also done it with the herb dressing/dip mix and italian dressing powder mix)<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
A hunka roast (this is what we had in the freezer)<br />
Veggies (in this case, an onion, and some potatoes and carrots, but whatever you like)<br />
<br />
Get out your crock pot. Pop in the roast (if it's tied, leave the string on). Mix water and seasoning packets, pour over roast. Cover and cook for 8 hours or so. The amount of water might look low but as the roast cooks, it will add liquid (as will the veggies, after you add them).<br />
<br />
Stir and flip occasionally (though you don't have to really do this...if you're making this roast while you're at work). Add chopped veggies (bite sized pieces) about 2 hours before crock pot time is complete.<br />
<br />
I added a bit of rosemary from our garden to this one, but other than that, there shouldn't be a need to add salt or pepper.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4885291310/" title="deadEasyRoast2 by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4885291310_cf39a96325.jpg" width="500" height="380" alt="deadEasyRoast2" /></a><br />
<b><br />
Rosemary Foccacia</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4885291398/" title="foccacia by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4885291398_babf2ff58d.jpg" width="500" height="335" alt="foccacia" /></a><br />
<br />
This recipe is pretty forgiving, as long as you give it a *little* time to rise. I should have let this batch rise a little longer, but SOMEONE was in a hurry to eat his roast. Turned out pretty good, though.<br />
<br />
It's based off this recipe, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Herbs/recipe.html?dishID=8590" target="_out">Black Olive Foccacia</a>, though I obviously adjusted it. I would like to try it with black olives though.<br />
<br />
1 cup warm water<br />
2 teaspoons yeast<br />
3 cups all purpose flour<br />
1 tablespoon sugar<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
4 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 tablespoons (or more) of chopped, fresh rosemary<br />
Course salt and chopped, fresh rosemary for top<br />
<br />
I was so excited to have a reason to use my awesome stand mixer. Just sayin'. I had to dig out my dough hook (never used that on the mixer before) but you could totally do this by hand if you need/want to.<br />
<br />
Pour warm water into bowl of mixer, add yeast, sugar and 1 cup of the flour and stir until combined. Let rest 10 minutes (you'll see a change as the yeast begins to activate)<br />
<br />
Add remaining 2 cups flour, salt, olive oil, and rosemary and mix (using the dough hook) for a couple of minutes until the dough forms a ball. Continue to mix (or take it and knead it by hand) for a few minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in large, oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and place somewhere warm to rise.<br />
<br />
The original recipe called for a 1 hour rise, but I think last night's batch got a 30 minute siesta. Punch dough down, knead a few times (by hand this time) and pull to fit on an oiled baking sheet (I think I used a 13x9 because that's what I had handy). <br />
<br />
Poke top with fingers to make indents, drizzle a bit of olive oil and sprinkle course salt and chopped rosemary atop. Let rest another 30 minutes (we didn't have time for that last night, but it would have made for a loftier end product).<br />
<br />
Bake in a preheated 375 oven until golden and crusty on top, and cooked (but still soft) in the centre. <br />
<br />
The original recipe called for a 450 degree oven and 40 minutes, but in my oven, that makes the outside cook too quickly (so I knocked down the temp) and it took closer to 25 minutes to cook. Just keep an eye on it.<br />
<br />
Cut and serve...this is great for sopping up the gravy from the roast (and a great compliment to the chef).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-2337122433376753667?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-45484724466765452332010-08-11T13:45:00.001-04:002010-08-11T14:18:29.680-04:002010-08-11T14:18:29.680-04:00Frozen Mud Pie<b>Frozen Mud Pie</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4882930558/" title="frozenMudPie by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4882930558_b959df2a66.jpg" width="500" height="355" alt="frozenMudPie" /></a><br />
<br />
Got <a href="http://rightathome.ca/fhj_cooking_mudpie.aspx" target="_out">this recipe</a> from Johnson's Right@Home newsletter. I made a couple of slight modifications.<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs<br />
3 tbsp melted butter<br />
1 tsp water<br />
One brick cream cheese, room temperature<br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/3 cup cocoa powder<br />
1/3 cup milk<br />
One tub Cool Whip, thawed<br />
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus 2 tbsp for garnish<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray a 9 in springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.<br />
<br />
In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs with melted butter and 1 tbsp of water. Mix and press into bottom of springform pan.<br />
<br />
Bake 15 minutes and let cool.<br />
<br />
Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add cocoa powder and milk, incorporating completely. Fold in Cool Whip and 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips.<br />
<br />
Pour into cooled crust, sprinkle other mini chocolate chips on top, and toss on some extra crumbs. Do whatcha like (chopped, roasted peanuts would be really good on top too!). Freeze for a few hours.<br />
<br />
Remove cuff from springform pan by carefully sliding knife in between pie and pan.<br />
<br />
Cut (you might need to use a knife warmed with hot water) and serve.<br />
<br />
It's good frozen, though my crust got ridiculously hard, or chilled in the fridge.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-4548472446676545233?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-73897939982591818542010-08-11T13:43:00.001-04:002010-08-11T13:53:58.426-04:002010-08-11T13:53:58.426-04:00Pizza PastaPizza Pasta can be made with whatever you have...but it is basically pizza toppings baked with pasta.<br />
<br />
<b>Pizza Pasta</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4882323379/" title="pizzaPasta by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4882323379_65f58fce88.jpg" width="500" height="369" alt="pizzaPasta" /></a><br />
<br />
1/2 box whole grain penne<br />
1 jar prepared pasta sauce (or, if I have some homemade leftover I use that instead)<br />
Sliced pepperoni<br />
Black olives<br />
Mozzerella cheese<br />
<br />
This time I also added ground beef with a little onion, because my Mother in Law gave me some ground beef that needed to be cooked up.<br />
<br />
Cook noodles according to directions (maybe a smidge underdone to allow them to finish cooking in the oven if you go that route).<br />
<br />
I browned the ground beef and drained, added the pepperoni and sauce. If I am adding veggies, I throw them in as well.<br />
<br />
Mix saucy slop and noodles, dump into casserole, top with cheese, and bake until cheese is melted.<br />
<br />
Freezes well and makes for great leftovers.<br />
<br />
If you need to make this ahead (which I sometimes do when I need to use up veggies or other leftovers but don't necessarily want to eat it right away), cook the noodles and the slop and put it in the casserole, top with cheese, and freeze. When you feel like eating it, pull it out of the freezer, let it thaw, and bake it at 350 until heated through and cheese is melted. <br />
<br />
Or, you can put the slop and noodles into individual microwaveable containers and freeze. When you want one for lunch or dinner, take it out, nuke it, and eat!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-7389793998259181854?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-20375825065289761282010-08-06T09:01:00.003-04:002010-08-06T09:12:48.364-04:002010-08-06T09:12:48.364-04:00Chicken Benedict and Honey Mustard ChickenMy Mom gave me this recipe, and she swears it came from my Aunt, who swears that she's never seen it before. I can't take credit for it, but I don't know who I can give credit to.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4865432873/" title="chickenBenedict by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4865432873_086153f1fe.jpg" width="500" height="337" alt="chickenBenedict" /></a><br />
<br />
It's a fairly healthy recipe, depending on how you make the sauce. I don't do "low fat" mayo and sour cream, and Don finds the creamy sauce too heavy, so I make a honey mustard for him.<br />
<br />
There are three components to this dish, the rice, the chicken and the sauce. You should probably make them in that order. By the time the sauce is done, the chicken and rice should be about ready to go.<br />
<br />
<b>The Rice</b><br />
<br />
1/4 cup brown rice<br />
1/4 cup red rice (or 1/2 cup brown rice in total)<br />
1 1/4 cup water<br />
4 spinach nuggets (the pkg tells me it's 85g worth, or one serving)<br />
<br />
I have a small Salton rice cooker and the perfect ratio for rice is 1/2 cup uncooked rice, 1 1/4 cups water. I usually do half and half brown rice and red rice, but do what you like. I couldn't tell you how long the rice cooks for, my little rice cooker dealie tells me when it's done. <br />
<br />
I add the spinach (I found genius frozen chopped spinach nuggets at WalMart) when the water is nearly cooked in. The spinach I use is already cooked. I have also done this with a handful of fresh baby spinach as well. If that's what you have, add this a tad sooner to allow it time to wilt...and make sure you chop it. No one likes a wad of slimy spinach in their rice.<br />
<br />
Once your rice is started, it's time for...<br />
<b><br />
The Chicken</b><br />
<br />
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
Bread crumbs (I love Panko)<br />
Salt and pepper (or any other seasoning you like)<br />
<br />
Preheat over to 350.<br />
<br />
Dip chicken breasts in egg and then coat with bread crumbs (I usually season mine with a Garlic and Wine seasoning from the most heavenly restaurant, The Melting Pot - but salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, whatever you like...the chicken shouldn't be super strongly seasoned though)<br />
<br />
I place breaded chicken on a rack placed on a foil lined cookie sheet. I like to limit the amount of cleanup I (make Don) do.<br />
<br />
Place in preheated oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes until a thermometer tells you it's done (or juices run clear, or whatever method you use). <br />
<br />
Time to make the sauces!<br />
<br />
<b>Mock Hollandaise (or, "The Best Part of This Meal")</b><br />
<br />
6 or so mushrooms of your choice (I usually use crimini but we had button mushrooms on hand), sliced thinly - or a can of sliced mushrooms (but these are not allowed in our house)<br />
1/2 cup mayonnaise<br />
1/2 cup sour cream<br />
1 tablespoon yellow mustard<br />
Juice of half a lemon<br />
Salt<br />
Paprika<br />
<br />
Throw sliced mushrooms into a saucepan with a bit of water and boil to soften. Drain mushrooms once done and put aside. If you're using canned mushrooms, drain and rinse and set aside.<br />
<br />
In saucepan over medium low heat, add mayo, sour cream, mustard and lemon juice. You won't die if you need to use the bottled lemon juice, but it really does taste best with fresh if you have it.<br />
<br />
Taste this awesome sauce (and resist the urge to eat it by the spoonful) and add a little salt and a sprinkle of paprika. Add the mushrooms and heat through.<br />
<br />
<b>Honey Mustard Sauce for Don</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4865432797/" title="honeyMustardChicken by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4865432797_aabab89860.jpg" width="500" height="367" alt="honeyMustardChicken" /></a><br />
<br />
4 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard (or whatever mustard you have on hand)<br />
2 tablespoons honey<br />
2 tablespoons white wine (we had some hanging out in the fridge, im sure you could omit this if you needed to, or add water, orange juice, or stock?)<br />
<br />
Add everything to a saucepot, bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened.<br />
<br />
<br />
At this point, your rice and spinach, and chicken should be good to go.<br />
<br />
Plate up a bed of rice, pop the breaded chicken on top, and cover with the sauce.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-2037582506528976128?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-30658401915767411652010-08-04T13:52:00.002-04:002010-08-04T13:54:04.760-04:002010-08-04T13:54:04.760-04:00Mexican Pizza & Cold Avocado and Leek SoupThe pizza is something I've made for a while, but the soup was adapted from Fast, Healthy Food from Readers Digest. I'll admit that I've never had cold soup. Really. I'm not kidding. The thought of a cold avocado soup made me a little twitchy, but I do love avocado, and adore the creaminess of it...and I had a few leeks in the fridge that needed to be used up, so I gave it a go. <br />
<br />
It was a win!<br />
<br />
I would recommend starting the leek part of the soup a few hours earlier, to allow it to cool.<br />
<br />
<b>Cold Avocado and Leek Soup</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4859958481/" title="avocadoSoup by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4859958481_47b7fa6239.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="avocadoSoup" /></a><br />
<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 leek, whites thinly sliced<br />
1 garlic clove, minced (I grate mine right into the pot)<br />
3 cups vegetable stock<br />
1 ripe avocado<br />
1 small container plain yogurt (like, the single sized serving)<br />
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<br />
In a saucepan, heat oil and soften sliced and cleaned leeks (remember, slicing the leeks and floating them in a bowl of cold water allows the dirt and grit to fall to the bottom and the clean leeks remain at the top) for a few minutes. Pour in veggie stock, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes or until leeks are very soft.<br />
<br />
Put aside to cool.<br />
<br />
Once cooled, pop leeks and broth in a blender and puree. <br />
<br />
You don't want to open the avocado too soon because it will turn brown and the flavour will lessen. I'd serve this soup within an hour of mixing it up.<br />
<br />
Cut avocado and remove pit, and scoop flesh into blender. Add yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro and whirr it up until smooth. Pop back into fridge to cool completely.<br />
<br />
Serve with a little fresh cilantro on top.<br />
<br />
The cookbook mentions that you can also serve this soup hot, but would replace the yogurt with sour cream. <br />
<br />
<b>Mexican Pizza</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4859958089/" title="mexicanPizza by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4859958089_fa31e71b50.jpg" width="500" height="376" alt="mexicanPizza" /></a><br />
<br />
1 pizza crust (I use a PC Thin pizza crust, but you can make your own...just bake it off first)<br />
1 cup refried beans (canned or homemade, or you can use black bean dip - see below)<br />
Shredded cheddar<br />
Any toppings you wish to add (or not)<br />
Chopped fresh cilantro<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 400 or so, pop in pizza stone (or you can use the underside of a cookie sheet, or other pizza pan...whatever you have). Remove stone or pan from oven, oil as necessary, and place pizza crust.<br />
<br />
Smother beans on top - sometimes I'll use canned refried beans and add half a packet of low sodium taco seasoning. This time I used the canned beans and added some chipotle salsa I had in the fridge for seasoning. Sometimes I use a bean dip (recipe below) instead of the refried beans.<br />
<br />
Top with shredded cheddar and anything else you'd like to add (that you want to heat up) and pop into the oven until pizza is hot and cheese is melted.<br />
<br />
Pull out of the oven, and top with chopped cilantro and anything else you might want to put on there...I like raw green onions and I had some kicking around, so I put them on at this point.<br />
<br />
<b>Black Bean Dip</b> (alternative to refried beans)<br />
<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1/2 onion, diced<br />
1 clove garlic, grated in<br />
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed<br />
2 tablespoons lime juice<br />
1 tsp ground cumin<br />
1 tablespoon (or so) fresh cilantro, to taste<br />
<br />
Heat oil in saucepan and soften onions and garlic. Place in food processor and add rest of ingredients (aside from salt and pepper). Process until smooth, taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Sometimes I like to add a couple dashes of hot sauce.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-3065840191576741165?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-90409063316577728502010-08-03T08:49:00.002-04:002010-08-03T08:52:00.364-04:002010-08-03T08:52:00.364-04:00Salmon with Mango SalsaAs I mentioned in <a href="http://munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com/2010/07/whats-on-plate-for-next-week.html" target="_out">this post</a>, I'm not a huge fan of the salmon...but I know it's good for me and I do try to make fish at least once a week. Truth be told, though, I'm starting to acquire a taste for it. I certainly don't CRAVE it, don't know if I ever will, but I've found a few ways to make it that taste pretty good to me. <br />
<br />
This is one of those recipes. It's based off of a recipe in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Healthy-Food-Minutes-Readers/dp/0276427483" target="_out">Fast Healthy Food, a Reader's Digest cookbook</a>.<br />
<br />
Quinn really enjoyed it, and didn't balk at the pepper. <br />
<br />
<b>Salmon with Mango Salsa</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4848825855/" title="salmonMango by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4848825855_1fdce072d5.jpg" width="500" height="371" alt="salmonMango" /></a><br />
<br />
4 salmon fillets<br />
4 teaspoons mixed peppercorns (black, white, green and pink)<br />
Baby new potatoes, scrubbed and halved<br />
<b><br />
Mango Salsa</b><br />
1 mango, peeled and diced<br />
3 green onions, chopped<br />
2 teaspoons pink peppercorns, soaked in warm, salty water to soften a bit<br />
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped<br />
Juice of one lime<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
Dash of hot sauce<br />
<br />
Check the salmon for pin bones and remove them, rinse the fillets and pat dry.<br />
<br />
Crush the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle (or you can use a pepper grinder or spice grinder...but make sure you're getting a coarse grind). Press the peppercorns onto the surface of the salmon and set aside.<br />
<br />
Put potatoes on to boil, and cook until done.<br />
<br />
Heat a frying pan (cast iron, preferrably, because they just rock).<br />
<br />
While pan is heating, grab a medium bowl and toss diced mango and finely chopped green onions into it. Rinse the pink peppercorns you were soaking and coarsely chop them. Throw them, chopped cilantro, lime juice and olive oil into the bowl and give it all a stir. Taste and add a dash or two of hot sauce (or you can eliminate it, if you aren't too keen on it). Set aside.<br />
<br />
Salmon cooking time! Lubricate the hot frying pan as necessary so the fish doesn't stick. Fry fish over medium high heat, on one side, for about 4 minutes, flip, and do it up another 4 (or until fish is cooked to your liking).<br />
<br />
Serve it up with mango salsa and potatoes.<br />
<br />
This recipe serves 4, so adjust as necessary.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-9040906331657772850?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-31951064468041556942010-08-01T12:39:00.005-04:002010-08-01T22:33:22.921-04:002010-08-01T22:33:22.921-04:00Tomato Onion TartDon brought some local tomatoes home, so I figured I'd throw together a tomato tart of some sort. Coincidentally, I saw that Food Network Canada had tweeted about <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Side/Vegetable/recipe.html?dishID=8611&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Recipe&utm_campaign=Recipe%20of%20the%20Day" target="_out">this recipe</a>, so I figured I'd try it.<br />
<br />
I realized I'd used up all my cornmeal on the anthills outside (don't ask) so I figured I'd substitute whole wheat flour. It was tasty, but a little heavy...cornmeal would have been WAY better. Next time, I'll make sure I use cornmeal. <br />
<br />
I'd also use thinly sliced tomato, and seed them first.<br />
<br />
<b>Tomato Onion Tart</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4848825945/" title="tomatoOnionTart by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="tomatoOnionTart" height="372" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4848825945_5f94110ba7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<b><br />
The Crust</b><br />
<br />
1/2 cup flour<br />
1/2 cup cornmeal<br />
1/2 cup freshly grated parmasan<br />
1 tablespoon dried oregano<br />
1/4 olive oil<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
Salt and Pepper<br />
<br />
Mix flour, cornmeal, paramasan, and oregano. Add in olive oil and water, mix until just combined, form to a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in fridge to rest about 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
<b>The Guts</b><br />
<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly<br />
1 large tomato (or a couple of plum tomatoes), sliced thinly<br />
Grated parmasan<br />
<br />
Add olive oil to a hot frying pan and caramelize the onions. Once the onions start to turn translucent, turn the heat down and let them brown and sweeten up. stirring only a couple of times as necessary to keep from burning.<br />
<br />
In the middle of cooking the onions, preheat oven to 400 and pull out your tart pan. We all have one of those, right? I don't. I used the springform pan I use for my cheesecake.<br />
<br />
<b>Put it Together</b><br />
<br />
Pull crust out of the fridge and roll out into an even disk that will fit into your 8" tart pan/whatever you're using with a little lip. I guess you could also roll it to a rectangle and put it on a cookie sheet. You really don't need to make this too complicated.<br />
<br />
Spread caramelized onions onto crust, arrange tomato slices atop, and cover with freshly shredded parmasan. I also added a grind or two of pepper...the salt level was good because of the cheese - didn't need to add that. It pays to taste your food before seasoning (learned that the hard way...a few times, sad to say).<br />
<br />
Pop into oven for about 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are softened and the exposed crust is golden.<br />
<br />
I grabbed some basil from the garden and put that on before serving.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-3195106446804155694?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-13183828477001179422010-07-31T10:16:00.004-04:002010-07-31T10:28:15.352-04:002010-07-31T10:28:15.352-04:00Chai Spiced PancakesOn those mornings when I don't have the energy to whip up something from scratch, I simply modify a premade buttermilk pancake mix. Usually I just add a bunch of cinnamon and a handful of oats and bake per box instructions, but this morning I wanted to do something else.<br />
<br />
I thought I'd give chai pancakes a try...I love chai, and I love pancakes...it's win-win, right?<br />
<br />
They turned out pretty good! Maybe next time I'll try to find the black tea I have in the cupboards here from the last time my Mom visited. All the ingredients are things that I had in the cupboard, so adjust as you need to...if you have a cinnamon stick, throw that in instead of ground cinnamon. Have whole cloves? Use those instead of the ground stuff. I happened to have some cardamom pods but I could have just as easily used the ground stuff. The only thing I probably wouldn't substitute is the fresh ginger root for ground, if you can help it.<br />
<br />
For the record, I'm sure you could make it a lot simpler and just steep a commercially made chai tea bag in the milk and call it a day, but you wouldn't have the control you do when you mix the flavours yourself...and also, it's just more fun to mix it yourself (if you have the stuff handy)...I like to cackle like a Mad Scientist when I add things to the pot. It's true! <br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Chai Pancakes</b><br />
<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon (or a cinnamon stick)<br />
8 cardamom pods, cracked open (or, maybe 1/4 tsp ground?)<br />
1/4 tsp ground cloves (or, maybe 6 whole cloves)<br />
1" slice of ginger, roughly chopped<br />
1/8 tsp freshly ground (or cracked) black pepper<br />
(and around 2 tsp black tea leaves if you wish)<br />
Honey<br />
Powdered pancake mix (I use <a href="http://reviews.presidentschoice.ca/6584/F4006/reviews.htm" target="_out">PC Extra-Fluffy & Complete Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix</a>)<br />
Handful of oats <br />
<br />
Place milk and water in a small saucepan and heat gently. Don't want to scald this.<br />
<br />
Add all the spices (and tea if you're using it) and simmer for about 3-5 minutes. Smells good, right? Taste (trying to avoid the whole hunks of stuff in there) and adjust spices to your taste. I added a squirt of honey to sweeten it up a bit.<br />
<br />
<br />
Strain mixture.<br />
<br />
Place required amount of pancake mix in a medium sized bowl (I just eyeball the amount I need), add oats, and pour warm spiced milk mixture over. Stir and add water as necessary to make batter the right consistency.<br />
<br />
Fry those puppies up and enjoy!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-1318382847700117942?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-88240760749039659192010-07-30T16:49:00.003-04:002010-07-30T16:54:52.673-04:002010-07-30T16:54:52.673-04:00Hamburger HashAs I mentioned in yesterday's <a href="http://munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com/2010/07/tuna-noodle-casserole.html">Tuna Noodle Casserole</a> post, Hamburger Hash was one of the staples in our home. This dish was also the first thing I ever made for Don and he loved it. It was also the first time I realized that he is of the school that ketchup is a side dish, and I was all offended that he was smothering my food with Leamington's Finest, but that's another story. I'm over it. Really.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing...I would imagine something like this would be a pretty universal dish, it's just meat and potatoes, but I've made it before in other parts of North America and was informed that "We don't eat that here". Is it possible this is just a regional thing? My friend in college used to eat this (she's local). Her family called it "Hamburger Gravy".<br />
<br />
Truth be told, it's just lazy-ass shepherds pie, right?<br />
<br />
It's easy to make, doesn't take a lot of stuff, and it's relatively cheap. That's All Win in my book. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4844709922/" title="hamburgerHash by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="hamburgerHash" height="390" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4844709922_3255f0274c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Hamburger Hash</b><br />
<br />
1 lb ground beef (I prefer extra lean)<br />
Handful frozen corn (or peas, carrots, green beans, whatever)<br />
Beef or mushroom gravy (Bisto or other powdered mix, canned, whatever you can scrounge up)<br />
Potatoes, peeled and chopped<br />
Butter and milk for your mash<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<br />
Put your potatoes on to boil. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the smaller you cut your potatoes, the quicker they are going to cook...and if you cut them evenly, they will cook evenly. Amazing, right?<br />
<br />
In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef, drain if necessary, and add the frozen (or fresh) veg. Add gravy and warm everything. Taste and season as needed.<br />
<br />
Mash or whip your potatoes with butter, milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, whatever you do. I used butter and a little heavy cream that I had leftover in the fridge. I finished them off with some chives from our garden and some salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
Plop your potatoes on the plate and make a well in the centre. Slop some meat and gravy in the well.<br />
<br />
Eat, and enjoy :)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-8824076074903965919?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-33782044005175213732010-07-30T09:13:00.003-04:002010-07-30T11:56:47.011-04:002010-07-30T11:56:47.011-04:00What's on the Plate for Next Week?Every Friday (at least that's the plan), I look at the flyers for inspiration - and to see what's going on sale - and I plan what we're going to eat. Doing it on Friday makes it less tempting to eat out all weekend which is appealing (who likes to cook and clean up on their days off?) but it adds up. Fast. We do try to go out once a week or so for dinner because we work hard, man...we deserve it! <br />
<br />
This isn't set in stone...who knows? The grocery store might not have what I need, or something may come up during the week, but it's nice to have everything I need to make a dish, and planning ahead saves money. <br />
<br />
So, here's the plan:<br />
<br />
- Salmon with mango salsa and new potatoes<br />
- Steak with mushroom "stew" and mango salad<br />
- Pizza pasta<br />
- Chicken benedict<br />
- Mexican pizza with leek and avocado soup<br />
- Tacos (Don's fave...a weekly requirement)<br />
<br />
I have a few things in my fridge left over from last week (leeks, mushrooms, pepperoni...) that I kept in mind while planning. Also, I love mango but never use a whole fruit for any given recipe, so spreading it out over 2 different dishes allows me to eat it and not have to waste the rest!<br />
<br />
We try to eat fish at least once a week, and I'm not a huge fan of the fish...unless it's battered and deep fried (which sort of defeats the purpose of eating it for health reasons). I have tried a bunch of different recipes using salmon and tilapia and find that, prepared the right way, I actually enjoy it. I'm excited to try this new concoction!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-3378204400517521373?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-31539547316137520722010-07-29T10:12:00.003-04:002010-07-29T10:58:20.869-04:002010-07-29T10:58:20.869-04:00Tuna Noodle CasseroleI don't know anyone whose Mom or Grandma didn't make tuna noodle casserole. It's the ultimate in "dollar stretching meals"...I am pretty sure that this dish, creamed peas on toast, bucketloads of spaghetti, chili, stew, hamburger hash (which we're making tonight) and "garbage soup", completely made up my childhood dinner menu...<br />
<br />
..and I swore I would never eat this stuff once I left home, nor would I ever use frozen peas in anything ever again. Aside from the creamed peas on toast, I've changed my mind.<br />
<br />
This is a super versatile meal that can include most anything you have on hand, and is quite satisfying. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4840916108/" title="tunaNoodle by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="tunaNoodle" height="373" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4840916108_275f8a6555.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Tuna Noodle Casserole</b><br />
<br />
1/3 bag eggless whole wheat egg noodles<br />
1 can cream of whatever soup (I think this one is cream of chicken, but cream of mushroom is really good too)<br />
1 can tuna (chunk light packed in water this time...sometimes I'll add 2 cans)<br />
1 yellow pepper, diced<br />
Handful frozen peas<br />
Salt and pepper <br />
<br />
Cook noodles according to package directions.<br />
<br />
In large microwaveable bowl, mix soup (undiluted), peas and tuna. Pop in microwave until peas are defrosted and mixture is hot. Taste and season accordingly.<br />
<br />
Once noodles are done to the desired texture, drain well and mix into soup mixture, adding yellow peppers. <br />
<br />
I add the yellow peppers last because I like them crispy in this dish. Do what you want.<br />
<br />
You can also (more traditionally), throw the whole mess into a casserole, top with breadcrumbs and cheese or whatever and put it in the oven...but it's summer, and the thought of putting the oven on for 30 minutes is not a welcome one. This is one of those times where I like using the microwave.<br />
<br />
If you DO throw the lot in the oven, make sure the noodles are just underdone, so that they finish cooking in the casserole rather than overcooking. <br />
<br />
What do you like in your tuna noodle casserole?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-3153954731613752072?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-55797803143446514372010-07-28T14:15:00.002-04:002010-07-28T14:17:49.637-04:002010-07-28T14:17:49.637-04:00Curried Chicken SaladI've been making this for a while. It's a comforting recipe to me, and I find it's great all year round, for lunch or for dinner. If you're not one for curry, this is a great dish to try. It has a lightly curried flavour...aromatic, warm, I love this...and it's one of Don and Quinn's favourites as well.<br />
<br />
It's not the pretties thing to look at, but I urge you to give it a try and let me know how you like it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4838400042/" title="curriedChickenSalad by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="curriedChickenSalad" height="356" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4838400042_914cebbca0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Curried Chicken Salad</b><br />
<b> </b>(makes enough for my brood of 2 plus a wee one, adjust as necessary)<br />
<br />
2 chicken skinless, boneless chicken breasts<br />
1/4 cup plain yogurt<br />
1/4 cup mayonnaise<br />
1 tablespoon lime juice<br />
2 tablespoons curry powder (adjust to your taste)<br />
2 tablespoons grated ginger root<br />
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped<br />
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts<br />
1/2 (or so) diced Granny Smith apple (I leave the peel on) <br />
(other additions that sometimes find their way in include green onion and celery)<br />
<br />
Poach chicken breasts by placing them in a saucepan, covering them with cold water, and bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover until the chicken is cooked through (maybe 20 or 30 mins). Cut into bite sized chunks (or pull) and leave to cool.<br />
<br />
Mix together yogurt, mayo, lime juice, curry powder, ginger root (I freeze my ginger root, one of the best tips I ever got), parsley, walnuts and apple. Combine with cooled chicken breast pieces and refrigerate.<br />
<br />
Serve cold with pita chips, or pita halves (makes great pita pocket sandwiches), in a wrap, or between two pieces of bread.<br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-5579780314344651437?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-90028156678806845402010-07-23T10:47:00.001-04:002010-07-23T10:49:50.869-04:002010-07-23T10:49:50.869-04:00Roasted Red Pepper PenneI had a bunch of red peppers from Sunquest Farms here in my county (I love using local food!) that I wanted to roast down into a sauce. <br />
<br />
Michael Smith is my "go to guy" for recipes, and he didn't disappoint this time. He has a <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Main/Pasta/recipe.html?dishID=7942" target="_out">Bowtie Pasta with Roast Red Pepper</a> recipe that I worked from, and I know how I'd adjust it the next time. Maybe add a little white wine? We'll see.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4821256444/" title="roastedRedPepperPenne by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4821256444_6cbbe16ac2.jpg" width="500" height="355" alt="roastedRedPepperPenne" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Roasted Red Pepper Penne</b> <br />
(this was enough for the three of us plus a little left over...adjust accordingly)<br />
<br />
4 red peppers, seeded and chopped<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
1 head garlic, peeled, whole cloves<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 tablespoons of fennel seeds<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
1 pound penne<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 350°F. <br />
<br />
Place peppers, onions and garlic in a bowl, drizzle in olive oil and toss to coat, spread evenly onto foil lined (easy cleanup!) baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and fennel seed.<br />
<br />
Roast for about 45 minutes (check every once in a while to make sure everything is cooking evenly...rotate pan if necessary), until veggies are soft and have some nice colour.<br />
<br />
Place roasted veggies into a blender and puree with a little water to loosen it up. Alternately, you can pop the roasted veggies into a sauce pan and hit them with your immersion blender. <br />
<br />
Cook your penne in some boiling, salted water, and keep the sauce warm on the stove. Check for seasoning and adjust as necessary.<br />
<br />
When the pasta is nearly done, throw a few handfuls of baby spinach into the sauce and stir. The heat of the sauce, and the soon-to-be-added pasta will wilt the spinach. You don't need to cook the crap out of it at this point....unless you like slimy spinach. Hey, it's your dinner!<br />
<br />
Spoon the penne right into the sauce. The little bit of starchy water will help the sauce stick to the pasta. Note, I said "little bit"...clearly, if you dump the pasta in with a ton of water, you'll have the opposite effect. Use your head here.<br />
<br />
Dish it up and add a nice bit of parmesan (shavings, gratings, whatever). I also added a bit of dried red pepper flakes to balance the sweetness of the sauce.<br />
<br />
The addition of the fennel seeds triggered a memory of sausages (but no chewy gristle!!), and it was pretty awesome. The sauce was velvety and sweet. I'd never had a pepper sauce before.<br />
<br />
Other recipies using red peppers I'd love to try include:<br />
Anna Olsen's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Main/Cheese/recipe.html?dishID=9967" target="_out">Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Pepper Coulis</a> and <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/at-last-this-soup/" target="_out">Red Pepper Soup</a> from Smitten Kitchen.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-9002815667880684540?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-31999498401042290772010-07-23T10:17:00.003-04:002010-07-23T13:02:23.773-04:002010-07-23T13:02:23.773-04:00Blueberry Boy BaitYup...that's what I said...<br />
<br />
Blueberry. Boy. Bait.<br />
<br />
This is apparently a second place winner in a 1954 Pillsbury Bake-Off. The 15 year old girl who made it named for the effect it had on boys...riskee!!<br />
<br />
It was adapted by <a href="http://www.cookscountry.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=3546&bdc=42552" target="_out">Cook's Country</a>, and Cook's Country's recipe was adapted by <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/blueberry-boy-bait/" target="_out">Smitten Kitchen</a>. <br />
<br />
Then I got ahold of it.<br />
<br />
This is the first time I've made this delicious little treat and I can think of a couple of ways I might adjust it further to better suit my taste.<br />
<br />
One thing I will say about this cake: It's SO moist and buttery that when you press down on it, there's an audible, rich crackle of moisture...and just the thought of that makes my mouth water.<br />
<br />
I made this one with local blueberries, but it could easily be made with anything...it would be delicious with peaches, rhubarb, cherries...the endless possibilities give me goosebumps!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4821039372/" title="blueberryBoyBait by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="blueberryBoyBait" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4821039372_bd9bb5f828.jpg" width="372" /></a></div><br />
<b>Blueberry Boy Bait</b><br />
<br />
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour (plus 1 tsp set aside)<br />
1 cup whole wheat flour<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon sea salt<br />
2 sticks unsalted butter<br />
1/4 cup demerara sugar (*see note)<br />
3 large eggs<br />
1 tsp pure vanilla extract<br />
1 cup milk (whole milk, buttermilk, skim milk, whatever you have...)<br />
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, don't bother defrosting)<br />
<br />
For the topping:<br />
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, don't bother defrosting)<br />
1/4 cup demerera sugar (*see note)<br />
1 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
<br />
* Note: I try to avoid using white sugar or commercially processed brown sugar in recipes...I prefer demerera sugar. If you don't have demerera sugar, in the cake you can use 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar, and in the topping, 1/4 cup white or brown sugar.<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 13 x 9 baking pan.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and milk, and mix until combined.<br />
<br />
Slowly beat in dry ingredients, in 2 or 3 batches, until just combined.<br />
<br />
Toss blueberries in 1 tsp flour (it will help keep them from sinking to the bottom), and fold into batter with a spatula. Place batter into pan and smooth the top.<br />
<br />
Combine all the topping ingredients in a bowl and evenly sprinkle on top.<br />
<br />
Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. I had to check on it and rotate it throughout the baking to make sure it baked evenly.<br />
<br />
It's rich, that's for sure, but it's a nice treat. It was a great way to use up some local fruit that I had lying around. I'd totally make this again.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-3199949840104229077?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-33233902803182462592010-07-20T08:41:00.000-04:002010-07-20T08:41:58.501-04:002010-07-20T08:41:58.501-04:00Cream of Mushroom Soup and Grilled Cheese<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4811551501/" title="mushroomSoup by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="mushroomSoup" height="448" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4811551501_6ae60aaca0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Based on <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Soup/Eggs-Dairy/recipe.html?dishID=8665" target="_out">Chef Michael Smith's Cream of Mushroom Soup</a> recipe.<br />
<br />
1 stick butter<br />
2 pounds mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (I like crimini mushrooms)<br />
2 onions, peeled and chopped<br />
2 cups(ish) red wine<br />
4 cups stock or broth (chicken or vegetable)<br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
Couple sprigs of fresh thyme<br />
2 tblsp corn starch mixed in 1/4 cup water<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<br />
Melt butter in large saucepot (or soup pot). Add mushrooms and onions and saute until softened and lightly browned. It might take a bit as mushrooms release a lot of water, but once that evaporates, they will brown and you'll be in business!<br />
<br />
Season with salt and pepper. Add red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, and simmer until the wine reduces to about half. Add broth and cream, and bring back to a summer. Toss in thyme and simmer a few more minutes.<br />
<br />
Add cornstarch and water mixture slowly and stir until the soup thickens to your liking. Taste and season as necessary.<br />
<br />
When I plate (bowl?) my soup, I like to throw some chives on top and drizzle a bit of truffle oil or sweet chili oil.<br />
<br />
<br />
To make the cheese sandwich, I just used some panini rolls I got at the grocery store. I heated up our panini grill, lightly buttered the outside of the bun, slapped some whole grain mustard on the inside of the bun, and laid on some old cheddar (or American cheese slices because they melt awesomely) on the mustard...put the "lid" on the sandwich, and put it in the panini grill for a few minutes until the crust is crispy and golden.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-3323390280318246259?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-31377465878387931432010-07-18T18:11:00.005-04:002010-07-19T17:25:08.675-04:002010-07-19T17:25:08.675-04:00Dad's Birthday LunchMy Dad is always complaining that I never invite him over for dinner. If he says this to you, he's lying. I have invited him to dinner quite a few times when he's been here and he always turns me down...I think he's afraid of driving in the county at night. Who can blame him, really? Tomato zombies and all...<br />
<br />
So it was his birthday this past week, and we invited him over for lunch. I picked up a delicious Black Forest cake from <a href="http://www.lakesidebakery.com/" target="_out">Lakeside Bakery</a> and made burgers and pasta salad.<br />
<br />
I made Roger Mooking's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Main/Pasta/recipe.html?dishID=9752" target="_out">Pasta Salad with Green Onion Dressing.</a> I made it the night before to let the dressing mellow out a bit, and to ensure it was cold for lunch today.<br />
<br />
<b>Green Onion Dressing</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4805833787/" title="greenOnionPastaSalad by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="greenOnionPastaSalad" height="418" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4805833787_30750e8f56.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
1/2 cup olive oil<br />
1 bunch green onion, white bottoms and green tops separated<br />
1 small garlic clove, chopped<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon dijon mustard<br />
2 tablespoons sour cream<br />
salt and pepper<br />
1 tablespoon honey (this is not in the original recipe)<br />
1 box bowtie pasta, cooked<br />
1 tablespoon vegetable oil<br />
1 red onion, cut into 1/4" inch thick rings<br />
1 red pepper, diced<br />
1 yellow pepper, diced<br />
1 orange pepper, diced<br />
chopped parsley<br />
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted<br />
<br />
Heat up the grill (I've also done this on the stovetop in a pan). Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the white bottoms of the green onions and the red onion slices. Grill until slightly softened and charred.<br />
<br />
Set red onion aside. Roughly chop grilled whites of the green onions and place in blender with green onion tops, garlic, white white vinegar, dijon mustard, honey and olive oil and puree until smooth. <br />
<br />
Transfer to a bowl, stir in sour cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
I added a touch of honey to this dressing to cut the sharpness of the onions and to make it taste a little richer, but you could totally omit it if you like.<br />
<br />
Place cooked pasta in a large bowl, chop up grilled red onion from earlier and add to the pasta, throw in peppers, and slop in the dressing. Add chopped parsley, taste for a final seasoning with salt and pepper, and put in fridge.<br />
<br />
Granted, you could serve this lukewarm or room temperature, there's something awesome about a cold pasta salad.<br />
<br />
I toasted some coconut on the stovetop and put it on the table in case someone (like my Dad) doesn't like coconut.<br />
<br />
This is an "occasional" recipe. I prefer potato salad with things like this (and my potato salad recipe is golden) but, since we had eaten potato salad recently, I wanted to make something different. This isn't the best pasta salad I've ever had/made, but it's pretty tasty.<br />
<br />
<b>The Burger</b><br />
<br />
Based on Michael Smith's awesome hamburger recipe.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4806456910/" title="burger by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="burger" height="409" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4806456910_734a1a1d48.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
1 lb ground beef<br />
1 small onion, grated<br />
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 tablespoon soya sauce<br />
<br />
I read somewhere that you shouldn't overwork your meat. Since then, I've mixed all my bits and pieces first, and THEN added the meat in to combine. Not sure if it makes sense, but whatever. It's what I do...and this is my blog, so there.<br />
<br />
I also tend to grate my onion so that the pieces are small (which is really good if you have pickypants to feed, thankfully I don't...yet). Today I used shallots, because that's what I had and they needed to be used up, so I just chopped them finely.<br />
<br />
So throw the onion (or shallots in this case), Worcestershire sauce and soya sauce in a medium bowl. Season with pepper and mix. You won't need salt (unless you like your burgers extra salty) because you are using soya. This is a genius move on the part of Chef Smith. The flavour it lends the meat is very impressive.<br />
<br />
Plop in your ground beef, mix, seperate into 4 portions, form into patties no more than an inch thick. In our house, they need to be thinnish. That's how Don prefers them. I also let the meat come to just a smidge colder than room temperature.<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere too, to not put cold meat on a hot grill (or in a hot pan). My logic (and that's often questionable, admittedly) is that a super cold hunk of meat will contract when placed on a searing hot grill which would make the meat tough in the end. I could be totally off base, and if I am, don't tell me about it. I don't want to hear it.<br />
<br />
So where was I?<br />
<br />
Heat the grill, and toss the burger patties on. Leave them alone. Seriously. Don't poke at them, don't flip them, and for pete's sake, DON'T SMUSH THEM DOWN WITH THE FLIPPERMAGIG!<br />
<br />
Why do we have the urge to press the meat into the grates? All it does is smush the burger flat and dump out a crapload of juicy goodness!<br />
<br />
Michael says around 4 minutes each side should do...I'm not sure how long I cook my burgers for. I guess until I think they are done. <br />
<br />
While I was cooking the burgers, I toasted the herb focaccia on the grill to dry out the surface a bit. I like that.<br />
<br />
This time I dumped some <a href="http://www.dianasauce.com/products_sauce.htm" target="_out">Diana Sauce</a> (Original style) on the top during the last minute or so, and then pulled them off the grill, put them on the platter, and let them rest for a few minutes while I make sure everything else is in order.<br />
<br />
I shredded some cheddar to put on the hot, glazy bbq sauce, and dumped a bit more on top. <br />
<br />
Why didn't I melt the cheese on the burger while it was cooking, you may ask? I don't like it. It gets oily and weird...and I like the texture of the shredded cheese mixed in with the bbq sauce. Do whatever you want.<br />
<br />
I don't like anything else on my burger when I do it like this...I think the bbq sauce and cheese is plenty, but dress it up to your taste.<br />
<br />
This is how I make my burgers, generally. They are pretty tasty, and have the texture that Don prefers in a burger - tender and a little crumbly (and if you don't manhandle them on the grill, the crumble factor happens when you take a bite, as opposed to on the grill)...that's why there's no egg involved.<br />
<br />
We had our cake, and retired to the living room where Quinn entertained everyone with his spastic form of interpretive dance, and wild boxing style.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4805908933/" title="dadBday by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="dadBday" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4805908933_31c5bc0791.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><br />
Happy Birthday, Dad!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-3137746587838793143?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-64945183686182182862010-07-18T10:51:00.001-04:002010-07-18T10:52:31.594-04:002010-07-18T10:52:31.594-04:00Mushroom and Leek PizzaTonight we had mushroom and leek pizza. It's pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4804448343/" title="mushroomLeekPizza1 by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="mushroomLeekPizza1" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4804448343_3a12d5e14f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
1 store bought pizza crust (we used a <a href="http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/products.jsp?catIds=cat40002&type=details&catIds=102&productId=prod880005" target="_out">President's Choice thin crust,</a> but you could certainly use a homemade crust, or even a pita bread)<br />
Olive oil<br />
1 Tblsp butter<br />
6oz mushrooms (whatever kind you like, we used crimini)<br />
1 leek, green tops removed<br />
2 sprigs of thyme<br />
Tomato pesto (I used <a href="http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/products.jsp?type=details&keywords=tomato+pesto&_requestid=340723&productId=19827" target="_out">PC Tomato Pesto</a>)<br />
Fresh mozzerella<br />
1 plum tomato<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<br />
You can attack this pizza a number of different ways: do it on the grill...do it in the oven (on a pizza stone, the back of a cookie sheet, a pizza pan, or right on the rack). I prefer the oven method for this pizza, and our pizza stone rules my world...so I will explain what I did using that cooking method, but whichever style you choose, the order is the same: heat up the crust (or prebake if you're making it from a dough), put the stuff on, cook it, eat it, lick the plate.<br />
<br />
Crank the oven to 350, put in the stone. Heat a skillet on the stove, adding a tblsp of both olive oil and butter when the pan is hot. Add sliced mushrooms (we like them sliced thinly) and sliced leeks to soften and brown.<br />
<br />
Let me divert your attention to something you may or may not know...leeks can be dirty veggies, and just rinsing them under the tap isn't going to get all the sand out. Get a bowl of cold water and, as you chop the leeks, place them in the bowl to float. You might need to give them a swish to break up the rings because that's where the dirt and grit will be hiding. The leek slices will float on the top, and the grit will sink to the bottom. Scoop the ones off the top and throw them into the pan. Add a bit of salt, pepper, and the thyme leaves.<br />
<br />
Ok, back to this pizza. While the mushrooms and leeks are browning, I pulled the hot pizza stone out of the oven, oiled the bottom of the prepared pizza crust, put it on the stone, and put it in the oven to warm.<br />
<br />
Once the crust is warmed, pull it out of the oven and smear on some tomato pesto. Distribute the mushroom/leek mess over the pesto, add slices of roma tomato, cover with rounds of fresh mozzarella. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil (optional), salt and pepper, and slide back in the oven to melt the cheese.<br />
<br />
I really like this pizza because it's not too heavy, and I'm not a huge fan of saucy pizzas, so the pesto element of this is just perfect. Pizza is a great dinner because it's so versatile. <br />
<br />
I also make one that has refried beans as the "sauce" and is topped with shredded cheddar and cilantro. I'll have to make that again soon. Stay tuned!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-6494518368618218286?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-20445718328308998582010-07-16T08:36:00.002-04:002010-07-16T08:39:11.778-04:002010-07-16T08:39:11.778-04:00Sweet Potato CurryI love this recipe! It's an adaptation of Michael Smith's <a href="http://www.bcliving.ca/living-space/recipe-sweet-potato-chickpea-curry">Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry.</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4799156236/" title="sweetPotatoCurry by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4799156236_6306cd9207.jpg" width="500" height="353" alt="sweetPotatoCurry" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>The Rice Part</b><br />
<br />
1/4 cup brown rice<br />
1/4 cup red rice (or 1/2 cup brown rice in total)<br />
1 1/4 cup water<br />
<br />
I have a little rice cooker, so these are my measurements. Do what you need to do in order to get some rice done. <br />
<br />
Reminder, this amount of rice is for 2 people + a little person. Adjust as necessary.<br />
<br />
<b>The Curry Part</b><br />
<br />
Vegetable oil<br />
1 onion, diced (I used a red onion this time because that's what I had)<br />
4 cloves garlic<br />
1" piece ginger<br />
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed<br />
2 tsp curry paste (I had Indian Red Curry...adjust to your taste)<br />
1 can butter beans<br />
1 can coconut milk<br />
1 cup orange juice (didn't have any this time, so I used water and juice of a lemon to equal 1 cup)<br />
3/4 cup peanut butter<br />
Salt<br />
Handful of frozen peas<br />
Handful of arugula<br />
Handful of cilantro<br />
<br />
Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a large pot and toss in onions and garlic. I like to grate my garlic. Do what you need to do to make you happy. Cook a few minutes until onions start to brown.<br />
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Grate in ginger. Stir in curry paste, rinsed butter beans (or chick peas if that's what you have), coconut milk, sweet potatoes, peanut butter and salt to taste.<br />
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Bring to boil and drop to simmer for about 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Stir in peas, arugula (or some baby spinach if you have it), and cilantro.<br />
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Serve hot, over rice.<br />
<br />
We eat this every couple of weeks. The curry makes enough for 4 people...or enough for two for dinner and lunches the next day.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-2044571832830899858?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-28161164437279204202010-07-14T19:42:00.005-04:002010-08-01T22:32:39.814-04:002010-08-01T22:32:39.814-04:00Grilled Veggie BurgersI believe our neighbours think that we're crazy...we all know that when you BBQ, it has include MEATY GOODNESS!! And let me tell you, when they are out grilling, the smells that come from over the fence are divine - but I'm certain that the male counterpart feels so sorry for Don that he's being tortured with "burger substitutes" that one day he's going to sneak a burger over here, stealth style. Yeah, Kevin, I'm talking about you.<br />
<br />
Truth is, Don doesn't mind the portobello burger...and I think they are pretty dang tasty too, and I used to HATE grilled veggies. Always thought they were slimy and/or bitter. I have found if they are done correctly, this is not the case.<br />
<br />
Tonight we had grilled veggie burgers with grilled radicchio and some leftover potato salad (which is probably one of Don's most favourite things that I make). There is a deli on Kinderkamack Road in Oradell, NJ that makes THE BEST potato salad I have ever had. This is the closest I've been able to come.<br />
<br />
In an attempt to make a couple of friends happy by posting ACTUAL recipies, rather than "throw some of this and some of that in a bowl" ("OMG Jace, how are we supposed to make your delicious food if you don't tell us how to do it??") here you go...keep in mind that this is for 2 adults (and smidgens for the little one). Adjust as necessary.<br />
<br />
<b>Potato Salad</b><br />
<br />
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed (I've also sliced in 1/8" rounds on the mandolin)<br />
Onions, diced finely (I've used yellow onions, white onions and green onions...whatever is on hand), optional<br />
1\4 cup mayonnaise<br />
2 tblsp apple cider vinegar<br />
1 tblsp sugar (or more to taste)<br />
1 tsp yellow mustard<br />
Salt & pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Put potatoes on to boil in salted water. <br />
<br />
Mix vinegar and sugar to get the sugar dissolved, add mustard, salt and pepper to taste. It should be a good balance of sweet and tangy with a really creamy texture. Adjust as necessary. Stir in onions.<br />
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Drain potatoes when they are fork tender and dump the hot potatoes into the dressing. Mix gently (try not to break the potatoes into mush)<br />
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Refrigerate and serve cold.<br />
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Use whatever potatoes you have on hand, or whatever potatoes you prefer. You can add a chopped boiled egg (which I've done, but am too lazy to do, normally). Throw in diced sweet pepper, celery, add paprika, whatever tickles your fancy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Main/Cheese/recipe.html?dishID=8513" target="_out"><b>Grilled Radicchio</b></a>...not my recipe. I'm not a big fan of radicchio because it's bitter, but Anthony Sedlak's recipe is tasty and a great addition to this meal.<br />
<br />
<b>Grilled Veggie Burgers</b><br />
<br />
2 large portobello mushrooms, stem removed<br />
1 sweet pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into quarters<br />
1/4 cup mayonnaise<br />
5 or 6 basil leaves<br />
Squirt of lemon juice (optional)<br />
Olive oil<br />
Balsamic vinegar or <a href="http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/products.jsp?type=details&keywords=balsamic+glaze&productId=prod910005" target="_out">President's Choice Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena</a><br />
Salt & pepper<br />
Hamburger bun, foccaccia, whatever you have<br />
Arugula, baby spinach, lettuce...whatever you have (as long as it's not that crappy iceburg lettuce)<br />
Balsamic vinegar or <a href="http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/products.jsp?type=details&keywords=balsamic+glaze&productId=prod910005" target="_out">President's Choice Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena</a><br />
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Heat grill on high (or you can do it on the stovetop). Drizzle mushrooms and peppers with balsamic vinegar (if not using the PC Glaze), olive oil, salt and pepper on both sides.<br />
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Mix mayo, chopped basil, a pinch of salt and a squirt of lemon juice (optional) and pop in the fridge.<br />
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Grill for about 3-5 minutes (depends on the size of your vegetables, the heat of your grill, and the alignment of the planets...ok, I was joking about that last one) each side, until the mushrooms and peppers are heated through and softened. If using the glaze, apply during the last 2 minutes or so. You can also grill your bread if you like.<br />
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Assemble burger (you know, bun bottom, greens, veggies, basil mayo and bun top) and go to town.<br />
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You can use whatever veggies you want in here...you like eggplant? Go for it. Grilled pineapple? Ok then. Red onion? Perfect! You can add a bit of garlic to your mayo, rub some garlic on your grilled bread...avoid the garlic if you don't like it...up to you!<br />
<br />
So there you go...that's what was On My Plate tonight.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-2816116443727920420?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-8224814372570296612010-07-06T16:15:00.003-04:002010-07-06T16:20:11.259-04:002010-07-06T16:20:11.259-04:00Family Reunion: Salty, Spicy, Chocolatey 2 Bite BrowniesWhen I am stressed out, I bake. Friday afternoon we realized that our family room/laundry room/basement was flooded, which sucked the fun out of our "4 day family weekend"...so I baked.<br />
<br />
On Saturday was my family's annual reunion. Four generations together in the same place? It is great fun. I didn't get a chance to visit with everyone as much as I would have liked to because I was trading entertaining Quinn responsibilities with my sister Kate (since poor Don was stuck here at home cleaning up the aftermath), but it was great fun!<br />
<br />
I decided to bake up some Salty, Spicy, Chocolatey 2 Bite Brownies to bring along for the ride. The recipe is based off of Brian Boitano's "<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/brian-boitano/brians-fudgy-gooey-brownies-recipe/index.html" target="_out">Fudgy Gooey Brownies</a>" from the Band Aid episode of What Would Brian Boitano Make?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4769051108/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="saltySpcyBrownies by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="saltySpcyBrownies" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4769051108_20db14c693.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees (though I have the annoying breed of oven that needs to be closely monitored and adjusted throughout the cooking process....maybe one day a kitchen appliance company will read my blog, feel sorry for me, and donate a new oven).<br />
<br />
This recipe made about 55 little brownies in my 24 count mini muffin tin.<br />
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Melt 12 oz semisweet chocolate and 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (cut into cubes) in a double boiler until glossy and remove from heat.<br />
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In bowl, mix 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp chili powder, and 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. <br />
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In a second bowl, mix 4 large eggs and 3 large egg yolks (all at room temperature), and 1 tblsp vanilla.<br />
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Stir 1 cup demerara sugar and 3/4 cup white sugar into melted chocolate and butter mixture until combined. The chocolate should be cooled slightly (so you shouldn't end up with scrambled eggs), so you can add your egg gunk and stir to combine.<br />
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At this point add the flour mixture in a couple of batches, but don't overmix.<br />
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Grab a small ice cream/cookie scoop and portion it out into the mini muffin tin. Before popping into the oven for about 15 minutes, sprinkle the top with a little bit of flaked sea salt. I actually had some Himalyan Pink on hand, so that's what went on top. Keep an eye on the brownies until the tops look set. The middle will still be gooey so relying on the "clean tester" method won't work.<br />
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Let brownies set up a bit in the pan for 2 minutes or so, then transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling.<br />
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Brian's recipe called for espresso powder, which I did not have (and can't get without having to buy a crapload that I'll never use), and ancho chili powder (which I could not find). I eliminated the espresso powder and subbed run of the mill chili powder, and it was tasty as heck.<br />
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<br />
<b>The Verdict?</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUHmXoNxI/AAAAAAAAACs/yXGBr-kqOJk/s1600/tagJacy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUHmXoNxI/AAAAAAAAACs/yXGBr-kqOJk/s320/tagJacy.gif" /></a></div>Very tender, great chocolate flavour with some heat in the back of the throat. Would be amazing with a little caramel drizzled on top.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUV9WWJeI/AAAAAAAAAC8/6vwU8_5cJR0/s1600/tagDon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUV9WWJeI/AAAAAAAAAC8/6vwU8_5cJR0/s320/tagDon.gif" /></a></div>Not dense like brownies usually are (which is why he's not a fan). He liked them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUPy1UD7I/AAAAAAAAAC0/IPrwdLg56Hk/s1600/tagQuinn.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUPy1UD7I/AAAAAAAAAC0/IPrwdLg56Hk/s320/tagQuinn.gif" /></a></div>Did not try these.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-822481437257029661?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999975429188829223.post-48416074038797672792010-07-01T10:33:00.007-04:002010-07-01T11:21:39.526-04:002010-07-01T11:21:39.526-04:00Pancakes and Bacon Candy for BreakfastIt's Canada Day...and Don and I both have the day off (yay!). As Don and Quinn watched <a href="http://www.imaginationmovers.com/website/" target="_out">Imagination Movers</a>, I took to making breakfast.<br />
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We had half a package of low sodium bacon kicking around, and I pulled out the ingredients to make pancakes. Everything came out of my pantry...and believe me, I don't have a funky pantry. It's pretty basic. I'll bet you have most of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge too!<br />
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Getting the bacon started was easy. Preheated the oven to 300ish, lined a baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup), and put a baking rack on the baking sheet (so the bacon doesn't sit in its grease- lets it get crispy, which is exactly how we love it). I spread the bacon out on the baking rack, gave each slice a generous grind of pepper from our ridiculously large pepper mill (one day I'll show you guys, it really is ridiculous) and a sprinkling of demerara sugar.<br />
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Did you guys know that brown sugar is basically refined white sugar with molasses added? I learned that recently, and it's totally the opposite of what I've always thought. I now use demerara sugar, which is partially refined sugar cane extract.<br />
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Back to the bacon. The bacon went into the oven for a while, until it cooked and eventually crisped up (did I mention that we love crispy bacon?) The pepper adds a bit of bite, and the cripsy saltiness blends so incredibly with the sweet, caramalized sugar...man, is there anything better than bacon?<br />
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I pulled out my "Cooking Bible" (Michael Smith's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Chef-Home-Essential-Recipes/dp/1552859843/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277993799&sr=8-9" target="_out">The Best of Chef at Home</a>). I have tried most of the recipes in this book (which is more than I can say about my other cookbooks gathering dust on the shelf) and have absolutely loved 98% of them.<br />
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My pancake recipe is based on his Whole Grain Pancakes recipe on page 3. I half it and have made a few adjustments to suit our family's tastes.<br />
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1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 cup oatmeal (less about 2 Tblsp)<br />
2 Tblsp <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_River_cereal" target="_out">Red River Cereal</a><br />
1 Tblsp baking powder<br />
about 2 Tblsp cinnamon (we love cinnamon)<br />
pinch salt<br />
1 cup milk<br />
1/8 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)<br />
1 Tbslp honey<br />
2 eggs<br />
splash of vanilla<br />
<br />
I did the whole "mix the dry, mix the wet, mix them together, don't over stir" thing, and then I let it sit for a little bit. I don't start the pancakes until the bacon is nearly done. I know, pure genius, what can I say?<br />
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As I'm cooking the pancakes (and if I need to explain to you how to do this, I think you need more than what my blog can offer you), I keep the finished ones under an inverted bowl. Got that tip by watching Michael Smith's show. Sometimes I put them in a warm oven, but it was all full up with bacony goodness, so I used the bowl trick.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raptorlady/4752143064/" title="pancakesAndBacon by MunchkinPunchkin, on Flickr"><img alt="pancakesAndBacon" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4752143064_3ba8079ffd.jpg" width="392" /></a><br />
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Michael's recipes are great because they are a basic outline of what you might want to use together and he encourages you to play with the balance until you find something that suits your taste. <br />
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The blend of unbleached all purpose flour and whole wheat flour allows for some nutritious "meaty flavour" without it being too heavy. I added the Red River Cereal to the oats' measurement because I love the texture of the grains (and added nutritional value). I have made these pancakes with 1/2 cup oatmeal (as called for in the original recipe) and loved it. I made them with 1/2 cup Red River Cereal in place of the oats and they were like bricks. Tasty, but way too heavy! You can use 1 or 2 eggs (more for added richness), water in place of milk, butter in place of oil...whatever you have. These would also be great with a bit of cubed apple or another fruit in them, but Don's not a fan of fruit in his food, so it's left out of ours.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Verdict:</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUHmXoNxI/AAAAAAAAACs/yXGBr-kqOJk/s1600/tagJacy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUHmXoNxI/AAAAAAAAACs/yXGBr-kqOJk/s320/tagJacy.gif" /></a></div>I love that these are nutritous and really tasty. It's strange how much they taste like they have apples in them. Must be the oatmeal and cinnamon combo. Not too much extra work (from a boxed mix) and it's way better for you!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUV9WWJeI/AAAAAAAAAC8/6vwU8_5cJR0/s1600/tagDon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUV9WWJeI/AAAAAAAAAC8/6vwU8_5cJR0/s320/tagDon.gif" /></a></div>Says they are tasty, meaty and tender. The bacon? Fricken delicious.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUPy1UD7I/AAAAAAAAAC0/IPrwdLg56Hk/s1600/tagQuinn.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gO8bpzUi5cQ/TCtUPy1UD7I/AAAAAAAAAC0/IPrwdLg56Hk/s320/tagQuinn.gif" /></a></div>Loves him some "pan-kins and bacon". He ate 1 1/2 pancakes (no syrup...I don't want to clean that off him!) and a piece of bacon (sans pepper and sugar...I always keep one piece that I don't season)<br />
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This is a regular rotation recipe.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2999975429188829223-4841607403879767279?l=munchkinpunchkin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15755941496125026556noreply@blogger.com1