In the Kitchen with Reebs

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

2012-02-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is another great slow cooker meal for those days we get out to enjoy some winter activities. There's nothing like coming inside after a long day on the ski hill and being assaulted with the aroma of chili that's been cooking all day. I took a cue from my Mom when I was home at Christmas and tried browning some vegetables first. I think she roasts them, which is something I should try next time. The measurements below are my best estimates. One of the great things about chili is that you can really just use what you have, and add or subtract as you'd like.

Vegetarian Chili

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 - 3 stalks celery, chopped

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 2 - 3 cups cauliflower florets

- 2 - 3 cups broccoli florets

- 28 oz can diced tomatoes

- 2 - 3 cans (19oz) of beans (chickpeas, red or white kidney beans, black beans)

- 1/4 cup tomato paste

- 1 or 2 tbsp chili powder

- oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and other spices

In saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil. Saute onion, celery, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli with some sea salt.

Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, tomato paste and spices. Stir to combine.

Cook on low heat for 6 - 8 hours. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkled with cheese and some toast.

Multigrain Loaf

2012-02-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've made my own bread a few times before, mostly buns and french loafs. While this recipe takes some time, what with preparing the starter the night before, and the two rises, it is definitely worth it! It is great for sandwiches, toast and just plain warm out of the oven with a little butter. This recipe is from The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book, a great resource for a ton of awesome recipes!

Multigrain Loaf

- 4 cups multigrain bread flour

- 1 cup warm water

- 2 tbsp buckwheat honey (I couldn't find this so used a dark grade honey)

- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Starter:

- 1 tsp granulated sugar

- 1 cup warm water

- 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

- 1 cup multigrain bread flour

Starter: In large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, stirring until mixture is consistency of thick pancake batter, about 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand in warm place until bubbly and puffy, 8 to 12 hours.

Stir in 3 1/4 cups of the flour, warm water, honey and salt to make sticky dough. Turn out onto generously floured surface. Knead, dusting with as much of the remaining flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic; about 8 minutes. Form into ball and place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down dough (one of my favourite parts!). Shape into ball; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Press into 11 x 8 inch rectangle. Starting at short end, roll up into cylinder; pinch along bottom and ends to seal. Fit, seam side down, into greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Cover with clean tea towel and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Dust loaf with 1/2 more of flour. Slash top lengthwise down centre, starting and ending about 1 inch from edges of pan. Bake in centre of 375F oven until instant-read thermometer registers 215F and loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, 50 - 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool.

Vegetable Stock

2012-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Even before deciding to cook/eat Vegetarian for the month of February, I've always used a lot of vegetable stock. It used to be more difficult to find stock that was more natural, but there are many more options now. However, I still find the packaged stocks too salty, and sometimes it's hard to get to a Stock Market or Soup Meister. Making your own vegetable stock, however, is super easy and quick. The stock will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. This recipe is from Mark Bittman's 'How to Cook Everything'.

Vegetable Stock

- 4 large carrots, sliced

- 2 large onions, chopped (no need to peel)

- 3 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped

- 2 celery stalks, chopped

- 2 - 5 cloves garlic (no need to peel)

- 10-20 medium button mushrooms, trimmed and halved

- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

- 10 - 20 fresh parsley stems and leaves

- freshly ground black pepper

In saucepan, heat a little oil and brown vegetables for a few minutes. Add 14 cups cold water and some pepper. Bring to a boil and adjust the heat to simmer steadily but gently for 30 minutes to an hour.

Let cool, then strain, pressing on the vegetables to extract as much juice as possible. I strained into a cheesecloth lined sieve, squeezing the cheesecloth each time. Divide into containers, marking how many cups in each container, then use or freeze for later.

Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Risotto

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Risotto is such a versatile dish. You can take a base and add vegetables, meat, different cheeses, and create a new dish every time. This dish used up some vegetables we had left in the crisper, and just thinking about it now I wish I had some left!

Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Risotto

- Cauliflower and Broccoli, in florets (about 2-3 cups)

- Extra Virgin Olive oil

- 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

- half leek, chopped

- 1 cup arborio rice

- 1/4 cup dry white wine or vegetable broth

- 1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan

- 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach

In large bowl, toss together cauliflower, broccoli and 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast on greased baking dish in 400F oven for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and tender.

In small saucepan, bring broth and 1 3/4 cups water to a boil, reduce heat and keep warm.

In large saucepan, heat one tbsp of oil over medium heat. Cook leek, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Add rice, stirring to coat and toast grains. Add wine or 1/4 cup stock and cook until no liquid remains, about 1 minute.

Add broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring after each addition until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Rice should be loose, creamy, and slightly firm in middle. Stir in roasted vegetables, parmesan and spinach.

Mini Lemon Scones

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

I needed to taste test some jam at work, and I figured it would be more fun to do it as a group with some homemade scones instead of just crackers. Now, I'd never made scones before so I was a little nervous. Friends had told me before that scones were super easy to make, but I was still kind of nervous. To add a little pressure, my boss has been making scones since she was first taught how in grade school in Ireland.

Of course I turned to Canadian Living to see if I could find a recipe that would complement the Peach Jam we were tasting. These mini lemon scones were great, and so super easy to make. I brought a jar of my Strawberry Rhubarb Jam as well, hoping to redeem myself just in case the scones weren't really as good as I thought (but everyone loved them and the jam!).

Mini Lemon Scones

- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- 2 tbsp granulated sugar

- 1 tbsp grated lemon rind

- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 1 egg

Topping:

- 1 egg, lightly beaten

- 2 tsp granulated sugar

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, lemon rind, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until in coarse crumbs. Whisk buttermilk with egg; add to flour mixture, stirring with fork to make soft dough.

With lightly floured hands, press dough into ball. On floured surface, knead gently 10 times. Pat out into scant 3/4 inch thick round. Using 1-3/4 inch floured round or fluted cookie cutter, cut out rounds, patting out scraps and cutting more rounds twice. Place on parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.

Brush biscuits with egg; sprinkle with sugar. Bake in center of 400F oven for about 12 minutes or until golden. Let cool on pan on racks.

Chicken in Dijon Cheddar Sauce

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

I realize this dish does not go along with my eating/cooking vegetarian for the month of February, but to be fair, I made this in January. I'm just only getting around to posting it now. This is another great week night meal that does not take too long to prepare. Another bonus, you will very likely have most of the ingredients on hand.

Chicken in Dijon Cheddar Sauce (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 onion, finely chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, thyme

- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 1 1/2 cups milk

- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

- dash hot pepper sauce

- 1 cup shredded extra-old Cheddar cheese

- 1/4 cup finely diced red pepper

- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken, in batches. Transfer to plate. Drain fat from pan.

Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme to pan; fry over medium heat, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk; cook, whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in mustard and hot pepper sauce.

Return chicken and any juices to pan; cover and simmer until juices run clear when chicken is pierced, about 10 minutes.

Add cheese and half each of the red pepper and parsley. Stir until cheese is melted. Sprinkle each serving with remaining red pepper and parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.

Chickpea Tabbouleh Salad

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

This salad is very easy to make, and is filling enough to serve as your main course for week day lunches. The fresh mint is great, especially if you have a post-lunch meeting. Just check your teeth first!

Chickpea Tabbouleh Salad

- 1 cup medium or coarse bulgar

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

- 1 cup diced English cucumber

- 1 cup minced fresh Italian parsley

- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Dressing

-1/4 cup lemon juice

- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper

In saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to boil. Stir in bulgar. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until no liquid remains, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; fluff with fork and let cool to room temperature.

Add chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, onions and mint.

In small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over bulgur mixture and toss.

Vegetarian for a month (or what remains...)

2012-02-06T20:59:00.000-08:00

Brent and I have decided (well I suggested and he agreed) to try and cook and eat vegetarian for the rest of February. Now we're not going to just stop eating meat, we are going to challenge ourselves to cook more creatively without using meat, and using minimal dairy. I was making soup for our lunches for the week, and using all the fresh produce really got me thinking about the many different dishes we can make that are vegetarian. So we started brainstorming, and so far our list includes everything from tofu, bean dishes, risotto, steamed dumplings, rice and bean burritos, to vegetable curries and coconut milk pancakes. I'm really excited about this, and feel that having a challenge like this will help me to create some great new dishes.

This soup is my inspiration to eat/cook vegetarian for a month. It is possibly the simplest soup I have ever made, but it is seriously so good. Brent's exact words were 'Hot damn, that's like restaurant soup'. This is from the March issue of Canadian Living, and is supposed to be Alphabet Soup, but after searching a couple of grocery stores unable to find the tiny alphabet pasta we settled on some mini shells.

Alphabet Soup (minus the alphabet)

- 1 tsp olive oil

- 1 leek (white and light green parts only), diced

- 1 carrot, diced

- 1 rib celery, diced

- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 small zucchini, diced

- 4 cups vegetable broth

- 1/2 cup bottled strained tomatoes (Passata)
- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1/2 cup alphabet pasta (or mini shells)

- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 1 cup packed fresh spinach, thinly sliced

In large saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook leek, carrot, celery and garlic, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add zucchini and cook until softened, another 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, 1 cup water, tomatoes and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pasta; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in corn and chickpeas; cook until hot, about 5 minutes. Check the pasta for doneness at this point. If it needs to be simmered for another 5 minutes, now is the time. Once pasta is cooked, stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 1 minute.

This soup is another excellent argument against canned soups, because it is such a simple recipe, but the flavours are so reminiscent of the alphabet soup we've all had as kids. Crush up some crackers and you are good to go!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Slow cookers are fabulous inventions. Even though some recipes do take a bit of prep time (chopping, searing, seasoning), there is something so satisfying about getting dinner ready hours in advance, with nothing to do but wait for the timer to go off.

Like many people, our slow cooker does not get a lot of use in the summer months. However, once the winter hits, I find myself taking it out almost weekly. It's a great way to make a big batch of something to feed you for a few days. Especially those days where it's dark when you leave your house in the morning and dark when you leave the office. I find sometimes I just don't want to come home and prepare dinner, and then worry about packing lunches. Those days I just want to curl up with a book, or watch a movie. Preparing a few days worth of dinners/lunches with a slow cooker gives me that opportunity, without feeling any guilt!

The other great thing with slow cookers are the recipes! You can find a recipe to cook almost anything in a slow cooker. Plus, you can really play around a lot with the ingredients and flavours. This beef stew was simple, but oh so good.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 lb stewing beef cubes

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil

- 2 onions, chopped

- 2 tbsp chili powder

- 1 tsp each salt and pepper

- 4 each large carrots and stalks celery, cut in 1 inch chunks

- 1 tbsp each cider vinegar and liquid honey

- 1 3/4 cups beef broth

- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 1/2 cups each frozen corn and frozen peas

In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown beef in batches and transfer to slow cooker.

Drain fat from pan and add remaining oil. Fry onions, chili powder, salt and pepper over medium heat, stirring occasionally until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Scrape into slow cooker. Add carrots, celery, vinegar and honey.

Add 1 cup of the broth to skillet; bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from bottom of skillet. Scrape into slow cooker with remaining broth. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low until beef is tender, about 6 - 8 hours. Skim off any fat. Move beef and vegetables to 1 side of slow cooker.

In small bowl, whisk flour with 1/2 cup water; whisk into liquid in slow cooker and stir to redistribute ingredients. Cover and cook on high about 15 minutes, until thickened. Add corn and peas and cook until steaming hot.

Best enjoyed with some fresh bread and a glass of wine. We discovered a little bakery near our place and bought a nice thick loaf that was perfect for sopping up all the good bits at the bottom of your bowl. Enjoy!

Flax Cookies

2012-01-30T21:22:00.000-08:00

Cookies, that are good for you? Well, I was convincing myself of that until Brent pointed out that they are still full of butter and sugar. However, they are better for you than most, and still taste awesome. Now I also learned when I brought these in to work that it's best not to tell people a cookie is healthy-ish, because cookies and healthy just don't go hand in hand, and it creates skepticism before people have tried the cookies. Verdict all around though, was that these cookies are pretty darn good.

Flax Cookies (do I even need to say they're from Canadian Living??)

- 1/2 cup butter, softened

- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

- 1/3 cup granulated sugar

- 1 egg

- 1/2 tsp vanilla

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

- 2/3 cup flaxseeds

- 1 tsp baking soda

Prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper or greasing and set aside.

In bowl or stand mixer, beat together butter and brown and granulated sugars until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, flaxseeds and baking soda; stir into butter mixture to make soft dough.

Drop by level tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 350 F oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until golden - about 12 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 2 minutes. Transfer to racks; let cool.

Slow Cooker Squash and Chickpea Curry

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a great dish to make when you know you are going to have a busy week ahead. It's simple and with a big batch of rice will last you for 3 or 4 days. Another great recipe courtesy of Canadian Living.

Slow Cooker Squash and Chickpea Curry

- 2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 small squash)

- 2 cups diced peeled potato

- 1 can (19oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 onion, diced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp minced fresh gingerroot

- 2 tbsp mild or medium curry paste

- 1 can (400 ml) light coconut milk

- 1 cup vegetable stock (there is enough flavour that you can use water if you don't have stock on hand)

- 1/4 cup natural peanut or cashew butter

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 2 cups packed shredded Swiss chard

- 1 cup frozen green peas

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Combine squash, potato and chickpeas in slow cooker.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Fry onion, garlic and ginger, stirring occasionally until onion is light golden, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add curry paste; cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add to slow cooker.

Add coconut milk and stock to slow cooker; stir in peanut/cashew butter and salt. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in Swiss chard and peas. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until Swiss chard wilts. Sprinkle with coriander and serve over rice.

Make Ahead - Mini Quiches

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is another one of those great make ahead appetizers that is always a crowd pleaser. The great thing with this recipe is that you can really play with the filling, based on what you have on hand or what you know your friends and family like. The ones below are two of my favourites! You will definitely have more egg filling than needed, so feel free to use more mini shells and make as many as you want.

Mini Quiches (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 24 mini tart shells (in foil cups), thawed

- 4 eggs

- 1 1/4 cups milk

- 1 tsp Dijon mustard

- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Double-Cheese and Spinach Filling:

- half pkg frozen spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry and chopped

- 1/2 cup diced rindless Brie cheese

- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

- pinch of fresh nutmeg

Artichoke and Shallot Filling:

- 2 oz pancetta, diced

- 4 small shallots, minced

- 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and diced

Place tart shells on rimmed baking sheet, dividing filling amongst shells.

In bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard and salt and pepper. Pour into shells, being careful not to overfill. Bake in bottom third of 375 F oven until pastry is golden and filling is just set, 25 - 30 minutes. Serve warm.

To make this ahead, let cool, refrigerate in air tight container for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in 400F oven for about 4 minutes.

Chicken Fingers

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

These Chicken Fingers are great, and the best part is you can make them in advance and cook them from frozen. If you have these and some french fries on hand, you've got an easy, healthy, 'fast food' dinner. I also like having these in the freezer to use in wraps for lunches.

Chicken Fingers

- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

- 2 eggs

- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Parmesan) cheese

- 1 cup panko or fresh bread crumbs

- 2 tsp dried oregano

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp each pepper and paprika

- 1/4 cup butter, melted.

Between sheets of waxed paper, pound chicken with meat pounder or rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick. Cut on diagonal into strips (you can also use this recipe to make popcorn chicken, by cutting into small bite sized pieces). In bowl, whisk eggs. In shallow bowl, combine cheese, bread crumbs and spices.

One at a time, dip chicken strips into eggs, letting any excess drip back into bowl. Coat generously with cheese mixture, pressing to adhere.

Store, layered between waxed paper, in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Bake from frozen.

Arrange on greased baking sheets; drizzle with butter. Bake in 425F oven until golden, crispy and no longer pink inside, about 20 - 25 minutes.

If you'd like to cook them right away, decrease baking time by about 5 minutes.

Brownies

2012-01-21T10:25:00.001-08:00

Following a fabulous Sushi date last Saturday night I wanted something sweet, just a little bit of chocolate or ice cream. Walking home we stopped in to a little convenience store, and we were going to buy some type of chocolate bar, kit kat or coffee crisp or something. Well, we didn't have any change on us, and they wanted us to spend $5 to use the Interac. So we walked away, and I thought, that's okay, I don't really need something sweet. Fast forward to about an hour later, the craving has not gone away, so I decide to whip up a batch of brownies. This is a pretty simple recipe, nothing fancy, no icing or anything. But they hit the spot. Someday I'll make and post the brownies with the Caramilk bars in them...so decadent!

This recipe comes from a great little cookbook I have called Clueless in the Kitchen. This is actually my second copy as the first one went up in the Great Kitchen Fire of '03.

Antidepressant Brownies

- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 2/3 cup oil

-1/2 cup boiling water

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1 1/3 cup flour

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In large bowl or stand mixer, stir together the cocoa and baking soda. Blend in 1/3 cup of the oil, and mix until smooth. Pour in the boiling water, stirring until the mixture thickens. Stir in the rest of the oil, sugar, and eggs. Mix until smooth.

Add the flour and vanilla. Blend completely until there are no lumps.

Mix in nuts (if using) and pour into greased baking pan. Spread the batter evenly. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, until just set in the middle. Be careful not to overcook.

Let cool and cut into squares. I would only cut the ones you are going to eat right away. I cut them all into squares and portioned them out for the lunches for the week, and they dried out by the end. Oh, and always eat one that's still super warm!

Make Ahead - Mushroom Crescents

2011-12-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

Here is yet another great make-ahead recipe. The dough for this recipe is super easy - flour, cream cheese and butter, and I'm sure you can adapt the filling to suit your needs. When I can I try and take into account any food issues or dietary concerns of friends and family. While I admit that coming to our place as a vegan you should probably eat first (butter and cheese are key ingredients in most of my holiday recipes) I do what I can.

So for a friend who has a gluten intolerance I have begun experimenting with gluten free baking. I've tried different flours as well as cake and pie crust mixes. They have mostly turned out pretty good. For this recipe I used Kinnikinnik All Purpose Flour Blend. I like this stuff because it can be substituted cup for cup in place of regular flour. When I was working with the dough it did crumble a bit when folded, however since I've never made this recipe with traditional flour I'm not sure whether it was the recipe or the flour. Either way the crescents turned out great!

Mushroom Crescents (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 tsp each dried thyme and sage

- 1/2 tsp pepper

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped portobello mushrooms

- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped button mushrooms

- 1/3 cup white wine or water

Pastry

- 4 oz cream cheese, softened

- 1/3 cup butter, softened

- 1 cup flour

- 1 egg, beaten

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion, garlic, thyme, sage, pepper and salt, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add portobello and button mushrooms; fry, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Cook until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. (This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day).

Pastry: In large bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until fluffy. Stir in flour until dough begins to form; knead in bowl until smooth. Divide dough in half; flatten into 2 discs. Wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

On lightly floured surface, roll out each disc into 10-inch circle. With 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles, rerolling scraps.

Brush edges lightly with egg. Place 1 tsp of filling in centre of each; fold dough over filling, pinching edges to seal. Place, 1 inch apart on baking sheet. (At this point you can layer between waxed paper in airtight container and freeze for up to 3 weeks, bake from frozen).

Brush tops with egg and bake in centre of 400F oven until light golden, 12 - 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make Ahead - Phyllo Bundles

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Puff Pastry isn't the only great shortcut for appetizers. Phyllo can be a cook's best friend. It's a little tougher than Puff Pastry to work with, but with a few quick steps you can make some great appetizers that can be frozen and baked in a very short time. When working with Phyllo, one thing I have learned is the importance of keeping the sheets from drying out. This can be done using a clean damp cloth, laying it over the pieces you are working on as well as the sheets you are going to use. Once you get the hang of it the possibilities are endless!

Phyllo Bundles with Goat Cheese and Cranberry

- 3 - 6 sheets of phyllo pastry, thawed

- 1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:

- 8 oz goat cheese

- 1/2 cup dried cranberries

- 2 tsp grated orange zest

- 2 tsp chopped fresh chives

Mix filling ingredients together and refrigerate until needed.

Working on a flat surface, generously brush a sheet of phyllo with butter. Top with second sheet and more butter, then third sheet and more butter. Cut phyllo into 16 - 20 squares. Place a dollop of filling in the centre of each square.

Pull up the edges, pinch together to create a bundle.

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. If refrigerating, cover with a damp clean cloth or plastic wrap. If freezing, cover with plastic wrap and seal. Once frozen store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Bake bundles in 400F oven for 8 minutes, or until golden, 10 minutes if frozen. Serve warm.

Make Ahead - Lamb Sausage Rolls

2011-11-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

Here is another great make ahead recipe. Really anything with Puff Pastry is bound to be awesome. I've made my own, recipe found here and while it was super easy, I agree with a lot of cooks/chefs in that the store bought stuff is pretty damn good too! I usually use Tenderflake, but apparently Presidents Choice has one that is already rolled out into a 10 inch square. Maybe next time I'll try that!

Lamb Sausage Rolls (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 eggs

- 1/4 cup bread crumbs

- 1/4 cup minced onion

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

- 2 tsp crushed fennel seeds

- 1 tsp grated orange rind

- 1/2 tsp each salt and ground coriander

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1 lb ground lamb (or lean ground beef)

- 1 pkg puff pastry, thawed

- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

- 1 egg yolk

In large bowl mix eggs, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, fennel seeds, orange rind, salt, coriander and pepper. Mix in lamb and set aside.

Divide pastry in half and roll out each half into 10-inch square. Cut each into 3 equal strips. Brush each with mustard. Evenly spoon filling along centre of each strip (I think the butcher gave me more than 1 lb of lamb, it seemed like I had a lot of filling!).

Fold pastry over filling; pressing edge to seal.

Arrange rolls, seam side down, on pan lined with parchment paper. Cover and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. On board, cut each roll into 10 pieces; return to pan. At this point you can layer between waxed paper in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

In small bowl whisk egg yolk with 1 tbsp water; brush over rolls. Bake in 450F oven until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes, 25 minutes if frozen.

Make Ahead - Sesame Crackers

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Some people might say that making your own crackers is showing off a little. And while I do agree to a certain extent, after having tried many different types of crackers, I've found a few that are actually really easy, and worth the extra work. These are great because they can be made and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week, leaving ample time to do all the other last minute preparations for whatever party you might be hosting. Or, just eat them once they're done, and see if they last a whole week!

Sesame Crackers

- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

- 1/2 cup rye flour

- 1 3/4 tsp salt, divided

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

- 1 cup sour cream

- 1 large egg yolk

- 1 cup toasted sesame seeds, divided

- 1 egg, beaten

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- Kosher salt for sprinkling

In a food processor or the bowl of a stand mixer, place the flours, 1 1/2 tsp of the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and black pepper. Pulse or stir. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the sour cream, egg yolk, and 3/4 cup sesame seeds and process or stir just until mixture comes together. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on a work surface until well mixed. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and form each into a log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each log into a 12-inch strip about 1/16 inch thick (roll the dough thinly enough so the crackers bake up nice and crisp). Transfer the crackers to parchment-lined baking sheets and poke all over with a fork.

In a small bowl, beat the egg, sugar, soy sauce and remaining 1/4 tsp of salt. Brush generously over crackers and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sesame seeds and kosher salt.

Bake in 375F oven until golden brown and crisp, 15 - 20 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

Make Ahead - Vegetable Samosas

2011-11-24T19:40:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. Parties, and food and entertaining. One of the best pieces of advice I can give is to take some time and make anything you can ahead of time. Appetizers and hors d'oeuvres that can be made and frozen are great to have on hand. For planned celebrations, or spur of the moment guests who drop by to share in the spirit of the season. And in that spirit, I would like to share some of my favourite appetizers that can be prepared in advance. One of the most requested dishes from my kitchen is the Chicken and Brie in Puff Pastry. This next dish definitely takes some time to prepare, but the flavours are fabulous! Serve with a mango chutney.

Vegetable Samosas (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 cups diced peeled potatoes

- 1/2 cup diced carrots

- 3 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 tsp each fennel and cumin seeds

- 1 tsp brown or black mustard seeds

- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

- 1/2 tsp each coriander and fenugreek seeds

- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp grated gingerroot

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup frozen peas

- 3 tbsp lemon juice

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

DOUGH:

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 tsp cumin seeds (preferably black)

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

- 1/2 cup milk

DOUGH: In food processor or bowl, combine flour, cumin seeds and salt; pulse or cut in butter with pastry blender until in fine crumbs. Pulse or stir in milk until dough begins to form ball; press into disc. Wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

In saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes and carrots until tender, 10 minutes; drain. Meanwhile in skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry fennel, cumin and mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander and fenugreek seeds, and cayenne pepper just until cumin seeds begin to pop, 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, ginger and salt; fry until softened, 3 minutes. Stir in potato mixture, peas, lemon juice and coriander; let cool.

Cut dough into 12 pieces; form each into flat round. On floured surface, roll out each to 6-inch circle; cut in half. One piece at a time, moisten half of the cut edge with water. Form cone shape by overlapping cut edges by 1/4 inch; press together.

Fill with rounded 1 tbsp potato mixture. Moisten top inside edges of pastry; press to seal. Trim any jagged edges; crimp with fork.

Bake in 425F oven for 15 minutes. To make ahead, bake, let cool and freeze in airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Reheat in 350F oven for 10 - 20 minutes.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Asparagus

2011-11-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of those great show-off dishes. It really doesn't take long to prepare and is great served with a quick side of sauteed vegetables or even just a simple spinach salad. This recipe comes from The Best of Bridge, and is a staple for Cavanagh entertaining. I have served with hollandaise sauce on the side, but on it's own the dish is just as tasty.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Asparagus

- 4 whole chicken breasts, halved, boned & pounded

- 24 medium asparagus spears, lightly blanched

- 1/4 cup butter, melted

- 1/4 cup dijon mustard

- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

- 1/4 cup white wine

- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

- 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Prepare chicken and asparagus. Combine butter, mustard, garlic and wine. Dip chicken breasts in this mixture to coat them.

Place 3 or 4 asparagus spears on each breast and roll, securing with 1 or 2 toothpicks. Mix bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley together and roll the breasts in this mixture.

Bake 30 minutes at 350F oven.

Rosemary Cashews

2011-11-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe is courtesy of Barefoot Contessa, and is a great way to spice up cashews for a quick and easy pre-dinner snack. They only take 5 minutes to make, and are best served warm so wait until your guests have arrived before putting the cashews in the oven. The recipe below serves 8. I halved it as there were only 4 of us.

Rosemary Cashews

- 1 lb cashews

- 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

- 2 tsp light brown sugar

- 1 tbsp kosher salt

- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Spread cashews on a pan. Toast in 350 F oven until warm, 5 minutes.

In large bowl combine remaining ingredients and add warm nuts. Toss thoroughly and serve warm. So tasty!

Sunday Night Dinner - Roasted Squash Soup with Apple and Brie

2011-11-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

I made this soup to serve as a first course for dinner on Saturday night. While it takes a couple of hours from start to finish to make, it is a great soup and we had enough left for Sunday Night Dinner as well as lunches for work this week. The original recipe from Best of Bridge calls for chicken stock. I used vegetable stock I'd made and frozen a couple of weeks ago. Chicken stock is definitely saltier, and any stock you buy at the grocery store has more salt than homemade. I found I definitely had to season with more salt than I expected, but still great flavours!

Roasted Squash Soup with Apple and Brie

- 1 large butternut squash

- 1 carrot

- 1 medium onion

- 1 leek, white portion only

- 2 tbsp butter

- 8 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)

- 1 apple, peeled & chopped

- 1 bay leaf

- 1 tsp sugar

- salt and pepper to taste

- 8 oz. brie cheese

- snipped chives

Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place cut-side down on pan and bake at 350 F until tender, about 45 minutes.

Chop carrot, onion and leek into 1" pieces and place in large pot. Gently saute with butter, being careful not to brown. Add cooked squash to vegetables. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add apple, bay leaf and sugar. Simmer, uncovered for 40 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and puree soup in batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve slice off rind of brie and cut brie into 1/2" pieces. Place cheese in bottom of bowl and fill with hot soup. Garnish with chives.

Sweet Chili Chicken

2011-10-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe for a weeknight dinner. Instead of ordering take out, put some rice on when you get home, get prepping and you have a great Thai-style dinner ready in under 30 minutes. This recipe is courtesy of Canadian Living's October issue.

Sweet Chili Chicken

- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut in bite-size pieces

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 peppers (red, green, yellow or orange) cut in bite-size pieces

- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

- 1/2 cup Thai-style sweet chili sauce

- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

- 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Sprinkle chicken with salt. In large skillet, heat oil over high heat; stir-fry chicken until starting to brown and juices run clear when chicken is pierced, about 6 - 10 minutes.

Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion and peppers and stir-fry for 3 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water to prevent sticking to pan if necessary.

Mix chili sauce with vinegar; add to pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until reduced and vegetables are tender-crisp. Sprinkle with onions and serve over rice.

Spinach, Tomato and Bocconcini Pasta Toss

2011-10-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is another great recipe from Canadian Living, from the August 2011 issue. It's quick, fresh and has a lot of great flavours.

Spinach, Tomato and Bocconcini Pasta Toss

- 5 cups fusili pasta

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 onion, thinly sliced

- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

- 2 cups cherry tomatoes

- 1/4 tsp each salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes

- 4 cups baby spinach

- 1 cup cubed bocconcini cheese (if you can find them the pearls are great)

In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid and return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes; cook until tomatoes start to split, about 5 minutes.

Add to pasta along with spinach, cheese and half of the reserved cooking liquid. Cook, stirring and adding more liquid as needed until spinach is wilted and cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes.

Turkey with Some Tears

2011-10-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

This was our first Thanksgiving in our new place. The last holiday, Easter, was the weekend we moved in, so we didn't have quite enough time to get ready to entertain. When we decided to host the dinner, we made a guest list. When we counted, we had invited over 30 people. Now, we know that's a lot but we also knew that some friends were going out of town and others had prior engagements.

I found a great menu in the October issue of Canadian Living. It was called Turkey Without the Tears. Perfect, the by-line was 'Want a no-stress Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings? Here are time-tested restaurant strategies that save time - and sanity'. The menu was for 10 people, and I thought we were going to end up with 12 or 14, so it would be perfect. Turkey, stuffing, carrots, brussel sprouts & green beans, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie. It was great!

So I did what I always do when I'm planning a party. I make a plan, a grocery list and I get to work. We sent out the invitation using a very cheesy pic of a trip to a pumpkin patch last fall.

As we were planning everything, making list after list, the RSVP's started to roll in. And roll in they did. With the numbers rising every day the panic started to set in. What if we didn't have enough food? Where was everyone going to sit? I'd already ordered the turkey, and what if we didn't have enough dessert? And so came the turkey tears - an unprecedented pre-party meltdown. Brent listened, offered suggestions and tried to calm me down. I was excited about celebrating with all of our friends but I started wondering if I was making a big mistake.

So we made a few adjustments. As well as the turkey, we grabbed a turkey breast to cook before putting the large bird in the oven. We decided to double the mashed potatoes and carrots, and I decided to make a second dessert. And when people started asking if they could bring anything, we stopped politely declining. So we had a couple of salads, candied yams and lots of wine!

Wednesday we went grocery shopping and made the cranberry sauce. Thursday I made the carrot cake and gluten free pie dough. Friday we picked up the turkey, brined it, made the potatoes, blanched the brussel sprouts and green beans, cleaned and cut the carrots, prepped the stuffing, made the pumpkin pie, iced and decorated the carrot cake, made the whipped cream, cleaned and set-up the living room and bar. By the time we went to bed we'd gone through a bottle of wine and it was 2am! When I got home from my sewing class Saturday morning, Brent had cleaned the bathrooms and all we really had left to do was put the turkey in and let it cook.

After all was said and done there were about 20 people here, and we had enough food and wine for everyone. Not a lot of leftovers, but it was a great night with a fantastic crew of friends and family. The menu from Canadian Living was great, and there are definitely some dishes I would make again! While there were a few tears during the planning process, it was well worth it.

Meal Planning

2011-10-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

One of the worst problems we have with food is waste. No matter how hard we try we end up buying food and not using it. And try as hard as we might, there are always those nights after work when without a solid plan we end up eating out. I don't mind the occasional sushi or pizza evening, but that can get expensive.

Recently I've been trying really hard to use what we have in our fridge, freezer and cupboards, while making dinner and lunches as many days a week as I can. One thing I've started trying is to make a meal plan for the week with the ingredients we have on hand and then only buying at the grocery store what we need to fill it out.

The first step for me is to outline what my week looks like, including any concerts, events, plans with friends etc. This way I know exactly what nights we'll be eating at home, when we'll have leftovers, and when we need to think about making a separate lunch.

Next step is for me to write down what we have on hand in four different categories: Protein, Dry Goods, Vegetables and Cheese (cause I love cheese). Looking at this list I try and create a menu for the week, using up as much of what we have that's fresh. Anything else I need, we do a quick run to the grocery store, and that's when we pick up any staples. These items are refreshed as needed from the list on the fridge.

I try and do this every Saturday or Sunday morning and so far so good. Let's see how long I can keep it up!

Easy Alfredo Sauce

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is a great way to use up whipping cream you may have bought because you decided to make waffles for breakfast, and what are waffles without fresh whipping cream?

For this night we used up a zucchini, frozen chicken breast and spaghetti we had on hand. All I had to do was pick up a bottle of wine on the way home from work.

Alfredo Sauce

- 1 cup whipping cream

- 1/4 cup butter

- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

- salt and pepper

- pinch fresh nutmeg

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to directions, until tender but firm. Drain well and return to pot.

Meanwhile in saucepan, bring cream and butter just to boil. Reduce heat and stir in Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add to pasta. At this time you can throw in some chicken and sauteed veggies, or shrimp, or fresh peas, anything you'd like. Toss to coat.

Favourite Mac and Cheese

2011-10-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Not to sound like a cliche, but macaroni and cheese can be very personal. How one prepares Kraft Dinner is so different from person to person. I remember having friends who used all butter, so it would be creamier, or more milk to create a thinner sauce. I even remember eating it once when someone was kind enough to make it for me, and when I was eating it there was barely any flavour.Turns out this person only uses half the flavour package! And don't even get started on hotdogs or ketchup.

I remember teaching a friend to make KD in highschool and because it was her first time making it herself we measured everything out according to the package, and it was so good! Because basically the flavour packet + the milk + the butter is a formula to make the sauce. Cooking is really all about science. Once you make your own formula or recipe for the sauce, you can play with variations (peas or no peas?).

Now, I haven't eaten KD in years, although I sometimes still crave it a little. Once you've started making your own Macaroni and Cheese though, the KD stuff just doesn't measure up.

This recipe is pretty simple, and easy to adapt for your own tastes.

Macaroni and Cheese (with Bacon!)

- 2 3/4 + 1/2 cup shredded old Cheddar cheese

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1/3 cup flour

- 3 cups milk

- 2 tsp Dijon mustard

- salt and pepper

- 2 green onions, chopped

- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

- 2 cups macaroni

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until tender but firm, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 3 cups milk and cook, whisking, until sauce is thickened. This usually takes me 10-12 minutes, but sauce will sometimes thicken in as little as 8 minutes.

Add mustard and salt and pepper. Stir in 2 & 3/4 cups of the shredded Cheddar, just until melted. Pour over macaroni.

Stir green onions and bacon into mixture until combined.

Spread in 8-inch square glass baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheddar on top. Bake, uncovered, in 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Sunday Night Dinner - Lentil Soup and Mom's Cheese Biscuits

2011-10-02T18:31:00.001-07:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A really great meal can be found in a good soup. Add a salad one day, sandwhich or a wrap another, and you have a few days of lunches and dinners. The best way to have soup though, is with cheese biscuits. I remember loving the biscuits at Red Lobster. They were so good you would go for the lunch special (unlimited soup and garden salad) because you also got cheese biscuits. Unlimited! We may have left with a few in our purses...

As good as those may have been, hands down nothing beats my mom's cheese biscuits. I remember making these for the first time, that was when I learned about cutting butter into a dough recipe. I have no idea where my mom got this recipe from, and I should really have it written down in more than one place, because it's awesome!!!

Mommy Cavanagh's Cheese Biscuits

- 2 cups flour

- 4 tsp baking powder

- 3/4 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

- 1 cup water

- 1 1/2 cups grated old cheddar cheese

Mix together dry ingredients in bowl. Using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly. Add water and cheese and stir just to moisten.

Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto a greased baking sheet.

Bake in 425 F oven for 15 minutes, checking at 10 minutes. These will disappear quickly as soon as they cool.

Sweet Summer Dessert

2011-09-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

I love berries. All types anytime - blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries. When they are in season they are awesome. And the best thing is you can freeze them and they are still great year round.

Right now in BC we're lucky to be enjoying the late fall harvest, with apples and peaches that are so sweet you wonder how you can eat any other kind of fruit. What a perfect time to take some of those fresh Okanagan peaches, and add some frozen blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and fresh blackberries. Let's toss the fruit in a bit of flour, some brown sugar and cinnamon. Place it all in a glass dish. Now the best part. Mix together more flour, brown sugar and melted butter now. Why not add in a little more cinnamon? Awesome. Mix that until it's crumbly and just kind of put it over the top of the fruit.

Into the oven - 350 F for 45-60 minutes. Spoon that out, with a little ice cream. There you go. Isn't that just the best?

Berry Crumble (all measurements are approximations)

- 2 Peaches, diced

- 1 cup frozen Blueberries

- 1 cup frozen raspberries

- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries

- 1/2 cup fresh blackberries

- 1/3 or 1/2 cup flour

- 1 tbsp cinnamon

- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Topping

- 1 cup flour

- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1/3 cup butter, melted

Toss berries with flour, cinnamon and brown sugar. Place in oven proof glass dish. Mix remaining flour, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Drizzle butter overtop and stir until crumbly. Place on top of berries. Bake. Enjoy with ice cream.

*Pictures from this blog are from this dessert at Basswood Lake, for my sister's birthday. We had awesome Ontario fruit, including Blackberries my other sister and I picked behind the cottage that day.

Sunday Night Dinner - Skillet Chicken Cobbler

2011-09-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

We're now a couple of days into Fall, and the start of the rainier season in Vancouver. Now I'm not sure what my feeling will be in March and April, but in the Fall I sometimes absolutely love when it rains, when it really pours. This morning waking up and hearing what sounded like a monsoon outside (to my sleepy head anyways), was so relaxing.

With the rain also comes the wet socks, chilly weather and comfort food. Oh the comfort food. Tonight I decided to try a new recipe from the October issue of Canadian Living. Awesome selection of recipes in the Sizzling Skillets article, and this is the first one we've tried.

Skillet Chicken Cobbler

- 1 tbsp each vegetable oil and unsalted butter

- 1 onion, chopped

- 8 oz button mushrooms, quartered

- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in bite-size pieces

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- salt and pepper

- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

- 2 ribs celery, chopped

- 2 carrots, thinly sliced

- 1 bay leaf

- 1/2 tsp thyme

- 1 cup frozen peas

Topping:

- 1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

- 1/2 cup buttermilk

In 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat; cook onion and mushrooms, stirring often, until mushrooms are lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add chicken, garlic, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until chicken is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in floor, cook 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil, stirring. Stir in celery, carrots, bay leaf and thyme; reduce heat, cover and simmer until thickened and vegetables are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minute. Stir in peas, discard bay leaf, remove from heat and set aside.

TOPPING: In bowl, whisk together flour, baking power and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly. Drizzle in buttermilk, stirring just until soft sticky dough forms. Turn out onto floured surface; knead 6 times or just until smooth.

Roll out into 6-inch square; brush with 2 tsp buttermilk. Cut into 6 biscuits and arrange over chicken mixture. Bake in 375 F oven until top is golden and filling is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Freezing Corn

2011-09-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year when the weather starts to turn, and I start to think about all those months without fresh produce. It makes me a little sad,but then I remember that I can easily preserve the summer by freezing! I have frozen bags of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and rhubarb in the freezer. And recently I also decided to freeze me some corn.

Freezing corn is super easy, and it's always great to have on hand to add to stews, chili's, shepherd's pie and other wintery dinners.

Step 1 - Shuck and clean corn.

Step 2 - Place corn in a large pot of boiling water. Boil for a short time (1-2 minutes).

Step 3 - Transfer to ice water to cool and stop the cooking.

Step 4 - Remove niblets from cob.

Step 5 - Dry on paper towels.

Step 6 - Place in large freezer bags, and freeze.

It's a pretty easy process, and now you can enjoy your corn year round!

Hypercolour Bean and Mushroom Risotto

2011-09-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of risotto, and have tried my hand at many different types. Last time I made a simple pea and parmesan risotto for dinner I kept thinking that I wish I had mushrooms to add. Now after making this Canadian Living Mushroom Risotto, I realized that just adding mushrooms wouldn't have cut it. The key is to reconstitute dried mushrooms, using the liquid as the broth. Wow! What awesome flavours!

Now, this recipe was for a Green Bean and Mushroom Risotto. I already had some awesome purple beans I'd grabbed earlier in the week, and I thought they would make the risotto look so cool, with the deep purple set against the mushrooms. Now, I had not yet cooked these beans, so little did I know that they were hypercolour (I do hope some people get that reference!). When they were cooking I looked away for a minute or two, and when I looked back they had turned green! Regardless, the dinner was awesome!

Hypercolour Bean and Mushroom Risotto

- 1 pkg dried mushrooms (I used Porcini's I think?)

- 1 cup hot vegetable stock

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 onion, finely chopped

- 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- salt and pepper

- 1 cup arborio rice

- 1/3 cup dry white wine

- 1 cup purple beans, cut

- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigianno

- 2 tbsp parsley

In heatproof bowl, soak mushrooms in 2 cups boiling water until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon; chop and set aside. Strain liquid into measuring cup; add stock and enough water to make 3 cups. Set aside.

In large shallow saucepan, melt 1 tbsp of the butter over medium heat; fry mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add rice, stirring to coat. Add wine; cook, stirring constantly until no liquid remains. Add 1 - 1/2 cups of stock mixture, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring after

each addition until completely absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Add beans. Add remaining stock mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until completely absorbed and rice is creamy and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cheese, parsley and remaining butter.

Cauliflower and Cheese Casserole

2011-08-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

I first made this recipe over 2 years ago, mentioned it in a post here and have meant to post it for some years. This is a great way cook cauliflower and is a dish that definitely stands out. Another great side from Canadian Living. Their recipe calls to steam the broccoli, but you can also blanche in boiling water, dunking them in cold water to stop the cooking.

Cauliflower and Cheese Casserole

- 1 large cauliflower, cut in bite-size pieces, steamed until tender.

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 small onion, minced

- 1/3 cup flour

- 4 cups hot milk

- 1 1/2 cups shredded old Cheddar cheese

- 1/2 tsp dry mustard

- salt and pepper

- 1/4 cup fresh or dry bread crumbs

- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Place cauliflower in 8-inch square glass baking dish.

In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Fry onion, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, 1/2 cup at a time. Simmer, whisking, until thick enough to coat back of spoon - around 8 minutes. Stir in Cheddar, mustard, salt and pepper, until cheese is melted. Pour over cauliflower.

In small bowl mix together bread crumbs, Parmesan and parsley. Sprinkle over cauliflower mixture and bake in 400 F oven until bubbly and golden, 15 minutes.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

2011-08-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Growing up my mom used to make awesome birthday cakes and desserts (and still does!). I remember decorating cakes with gummy worms and M&M's, so good! But one birthday cake idea that has stuck around is the Ice Cream Cone Cupcake - exactly what it sounds like, a cupcake in an ice cream cone.

I remember having these at school - I need to remember to ask my mom how she transported them, because I've been bringing them to bake sales and work parties for years, and still haven't figured it out!

When I was working in a kitchen at a summer camp I started making these for kids birthday's, instead of the regular cake. I decorated them the same way my mom did, with jelly bean eyes and licorice mouths. It was great, no kid could complain about someone's piece being bigger or smaller. And I made sure each cupcake had 1 black jelly bean, so no one could complain about wanting another one because they didn't like the black jelly beans. It was great! Making over 100 of them sometimes was a little crazy, and a few would inevitably go down in the process.

Nowadays when there have been bake sales, potlucks or birthday parties at work, I've brought these back. And every time someone asks me how I get the cake into the ice cream cone. Everyone is always surprised to find out you bake the cake in the cone! Somehow the ice cream cone manufacturers got a hold of my mom's idea and started printing the instructions on the box, but that's okay, because everyone should experience Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes!

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

- Cake batter of your choice (you can use a box, or any si

mple vanilla or chocolate cake recipe)

- 24 flat bottomed ice cream cones

- Icing of your choice (I strongly encourage making your own but understand sometimes there are time constraints and the tubs are super convenient)

- Sprinkles, candies, chocolates, nuts...

Preheat oven to heat specified in cake batter recipe. Stand cones up without touching on cookie sheet. Pour 1/3 cup of batter into each cone. Bake in centre of oven for time specified for cupcakes (around 20 - 24 minutes). Check at 20 minutes - use a toothpick, when it comes out clean they are cooked through.

Let cool on rack. Decorate and enjoy!

Sunday Night Dinner - Pork and Broccoli Stir Fry

2011-08-14T21:51:00.002-07:00

Because I love BBQ'ing pork tenderloin so much I often don't think about using it in other dishes. But pork tenderloin lends itself so well to a stir-fry, especially when you throw in some ginger and hoisin sauce.

Pork and Broccoli Stir Fry

- 1 pork tenderloin

- 1tbsp vegetable oil

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp minced gingerroot

- 3 cups chopped broccoli florets and peeled stems

- 2 carrots, sliced

- 1 red pepper, sliced

Sauce:

- 3/4 cup vegetable stock

- 2 - 3 tbsp hoisin sauce

- 1/3 cup of water

- 2 tbsp tamari

- 4 tsp cornstarch

- 1 tbsp rice vinegar

In small bowl or measuring cup whisk together ingredients for sauce. Set aside - you will need to whisk again before adding to stir-fry.

Slice pork in half lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. In large wok or skillet, heat oil over high heat; stir-fry pork until just a hint of pink remains, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Add garlic and ginger to work; stir-fry over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add vegetables and 2 tbsp water; cover and steam about 3 minutes, until tender crisp.

Return pork and any accumulated juices to wok. Stir sauce into wok and cook, stirring, until thickened and glossy, about 2 minutes.

At this point I add some Farkay noodles that I've already cooked and cooled. This would be great over rice as well.

A Hit and a Miss

2011-08-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

It happens to all of us. You decide to try out a new recipe, and for some reason you decide to do it when you are having company. You figure the recipe looks pretty good, and you've never BBQ'd ribs before, but it can't be that hard right? So you go and pick up all the ingredients, and it seems like they're going to make an awesome marinade and sauce. Beer, sugar, molasses, dates...

And so you follow the recipe, exactly as it describes, and even when it's cooking and you think it might be on too long, you keep following the recipe. You make the sauce, and boy does it smell good simmering on the stove top. Adding the super sugary, smoky sauce to the ribs is going to be so great.

And here's where it all goes wrong...

We realized soon after brushing the sauce on both sides, turning the heat to medium-high and cooking 15 minutes (as directed) that there was something wrong. See, they burned. And they burned bad. Like pretty much inedible bad.

Our friends were good sports, and we all actually ate them (well, what was left of them). At least we had a salad.

But there was a redeeming factor to the night. I had taken the time that afternoon to make a strawberry-rhubarb lattice pie. And I'd made some vanilla ice cream to go with it. So while eating the warm pie with ice cream, and having a great time catching up with friends, I realized that sometimes it does all balance out.

Lessons learned:

First, even though I've heard this a million times, read your recipes closely! And think about how things cook and react to temperature and other factors. I've heard somewhere that cookbooks and recipes have a 10% margin of error. It could be a typo. And if you ever doubt a recipe, don't doubt yourself. Try it your way; it can't be worse than burning the ribs to a crisp!

Secondly, sometimes it's not a good idea to try a new recipe out with guests, if it's something you've never done before (ie. BBQ ribs). We're going to try that recipe again, but this time we're going to add the sauce to the ribs after they come off the BBQ!

Blueberries and Muffins

2011-08-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

The blueberries are finally out in BC, but due to an increase in bears and aggressive cougars, I would not really recommend picking wild blueberries right now. Luckily, the berry farm where I went for Strawberries and Raspberries also has Blueberry bushes. Now these are way different than picking wild blueberries, but the fruit is still as sweet. I went out last weekend and picked myself one bucket, but now I'm thinking I might need to go back again!

After freezing half of them, and just munching on almost the rest, I decided to make some muffins. I thought about making my standard Lemon Blueberry muffins - a staple at the Cavanagh house (and very good!), but decided to look around online and see what was out there. And of course it was the Canadian Living website that brought me what I can only describe as an incredible new blueberry muffin recipe. I made a dozen last night, and there are only 3 left (and yes, that was just myself and Brent eating them!).

Maple Blueberry Muffins

- 2 cups flour

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1 tbsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 egg

- 1/2 cup maple syrup

- 1/2 cup milk

- 1/4 cup butter, melted

- 1 cup fresh blueberries

Streusel topping:

- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used what I had, dark)

- 2 tbsp slivered almonds (I didn't have any, and instead used some granola, crushed)

- 1 tbsp butter, melted

- 1 tsp cinnamon

Streusel: Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Try not to eat it!

In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. In separate bowl beat egg. Blend in maple syrup, milk and butter and pour over dry ingredients. Sprinkle with blueberries. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon into prepared muffin tray, dividing batter among 12 muffins. Sprinkle with streusel. Bake in centre of 375 F oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until tops are firm to the touch and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool.

Try to eat only one. I dare you.

Strawberry Rhubarb Turnovers

2011-07-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

We were heading to a friends place for dinner and I said I'd bring a simple dessert. With so many strawberries, and some rhubarb left over, I decided to make some turnovers. These were great out of the oven, in the morning for breakfast, and of course after a great dinner with friends.

Strawberry Rhubarb Turnovers

- 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed

- 1 egg, lightly beaten

- 2 cups diced strawberries

- 1 3/4 cups diced rhubarb

- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1/4 cup cornstarch

Mix the strawberries, rhubarb, vinegar, sugar and cornstarch together in a bowl.

Roll out each square of puff pastry to a 12x12 inch square. Cut each piece into 4 (for 8 total). Brush edges with egg. Using a slotted spoon (to avoid excess liquid) spoon mixture onto half of each square. Fold over to create triangle, crimping edges with a fork. Make three slits on top with sharp knife. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar (coarse sugar if you have it).

Arrange on parchment lined baking sheet and bake in 400 degree oven until golden and puffy (about 15 - 20 minutes).

Strawberries

2011-07-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

The fresh strawberries have been out in full force at the Markets for a few weeks now, and after hearing on the radio that the U-Pick season was wrapping up, I rallied the troops and we headed out to Farm country Saturday for some berry picking at Driediger Farms. I'm not really that good at estimating how much I have, so when we went to pay, turns out we'd picked 12 lbs of berries!

With that many strawberries I decided I would be making two batches of jam, and since the farm had some fresh rhubarb, the decision was easy. One batch of strawberry jam and one batch of strawberry-rhubarb. Now I can't decide which I like better!

Still, we had a ton of strawberries left, so I needed to freeze some of them. The best way to freeze them is to place on a cookie sheet in a single layer, in the freezer for at least 5 hours, then bag them. That way when you go to grab some, they are not all clumped together.

Now for the raspberries...that's next weekend!

Bulgur and Mushroom Burgers

2011-07-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

While these burgers do take a bit of time to prepare,they are another great alternative to beef burgers. For those vegetarians at your next BBQ, these are a nice treat.

Bulgur & Mushroom Burgers (courtesy of Canadian Living)

3/4 cup bulgur
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 minced fresh parsley
8 oz mushrooms
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme

In heatproof bowl, pour 1 cup boiling water over bulgur; let stand until doubled in bulk, about 20 minutes. Mix in egg, bread crumbs and parsley.

Meanwhile, roughly break mushrooms into pieces and pulse in food processor until finely chopped.

In skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry onion and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, wine, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes.

Mix into bulgur mixture. Now here you can shape in four patties, or as I did, make a bunch of mini burgers for sliders.

Grill on greased grill over medium heat, turning once until heated through and crispy, about 15 minutes. We topped ours simply, with bread and butter pickles, ketchup and mustard.

Sunday Night Dinner - Market Ribs

2011-06-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

What a full weekend! We hit up the new North Shore Green Market Friday night at the Shipbuilders Plaza before going to see Super 8. Saturday was work, a friends film preview, and watching Teen Wolf on TV while bbq'ing some steaks. Today was a whirlwind, highlights included a hike at Lynn Canyon Park, and dinner, put together from Farmer's Market finds. We had ribs courtesy of Gelderman Farms, picked up at the Main Street Market on Wednesday, mashed potatoes with new potatoes, and an awesome salad with fresh cucumbers, strawberries, and fabulous microgreens found on Friday night.

For the ribs we went with a super easy recipe, adapted from one of Michael Smith's. One of my favourite things about Michael Smith's recipes is the disclaimer:

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like, try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour; you have to add your own!

Such good advice!

Oven-Baked Ribs

- 1 or 2 racks of pork baby back ribs

- 1 can tomato paste

- 1 cup orange juice

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1/4 cup dijon mustard

- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

- 1/4 cup Tamari

- 2 heaping tbsp's chili powder

Cut ribs into 2-3 rib portions. Place in large roasting pan. Whisk together all ingredients and pour over ribs. Cover with foil and bake until ribs are tender, about 2 hours.

Nanaimo Bars

2011-06-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

Now, I wasn't always a huge fan of Nanaimo Bars. I used to find them too rich, and a little artificial. However, once I started making them myself, that all changed. I've made a few different recipes, and they are usually pretty similar.

A couple of things I've noted over the years:

1 - make sure to take the butter out of the microwave right after you've melted it, or you might forget to add it!

2 - do not under any circumstance attempt to make these with margarine, the consistency is not the same.

These ones are courtesy of Canadian Living, and are fantastic. I cut them into bite-sized pieces for a party, although it's hard to eat just one!

Classic Nanaimo Bars

Base:

- 1 cup butter, melted

- 2/3 cup cocoa powder

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar

- 2 eggs, lightly beaten

- 3 cups graham cracker crumbs

- 2 cups shredded coconut

- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Filling:

- 1/3 cup butter, melted

- 1/4 cup milk

- 2 tsp vanilla

- 4 cups icing sugar

*I also added 2 tbsp custard powder

Topping:

- 8 oz semisweet chocolate

- 2 tbsp butter

Grease 13x9 inch metal cake pan and line with parchment paper, leaving 1 inch extending over long edges for handles.

In large bowl, whisk together butter, cocoa powder, sugar and eggs; stir in cracker crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake in centre of 350˚F oven for 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack.

Filling: In large bowl, stir together butter, milk and vanilla; beat in sugar until thickened and smooth. Spread evenly over cooled base. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes or until firm.

Topping: Chop chocolate; in heatproof bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate and butter. Spread evenly over filling. Refrigerate until set. Using parchment paper handles, lift out of pan. Peel off paper and cut into bars.

The new kitchen

2011-06-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pics of the new kitchen. Love it!!!

Kitchen Gadget

2011-06-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

I've come across a lot of kitchen gadgets in the past few years. Some are great, others are destined for the recycling bin. This herb chopper is one that not only do I love, but have now also purchased as gifts for friends.

I know chopping herbs isn't the hardest thing on the planet, but if it were so easy why are there numerous special tools to help with it? The reason I love this one is that it chops everything evenly and quickly without bruising. It also has a great little part on the handle that can be used to pull rosemary and thyme through, pulling each of the leaves off.

It's the Fresh Herb Pro, and I received mine as a gift. I have seen them in cooking stores, Sears etc., and I believe it retails around $15-$20. Definitely worth the investment!

One Ingredient "Ice-Cream"

2011-06-10T00:38:00.000-07:00

Recently, thanks again to Canadian Living, I have discovered this fabulous one ingredient 'ice-cream', that is not only a cool treat, but is also dairy free!

The ingredient you may be wondering is Banana's!

One of my favourite things about cooking and baking, is the scientific element to it. The way you measure ingredients, and certain ingredients react to other ingredients to create something completely different. Think about the way yeast makes dough rise, or when you whip egg whites to create meringues. How is it that our food does this? And more importantly, who was the first person to discover this?

I don't know who first discovered this banana treat, but we've had it a couple of times and each time it has been great. This is definitely going to be on the summer hit list, it's easy, affordable, and also good for you!

One Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

- Banana's

1 - Peel and slice banana's no thinner than 1/4 inch thick. Place on cookie sheet or plate and freeze about 6 hours or overnight.

2 - Place banana's in food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse.

3 - At first banana's will become granular, almost like astronaut ice cream. When this happens scrape down sides of bowl, continuing to scrape and pulse.

4 - Then the beautiful transformation takes place, and voila! The banana's begin to turn into a wonderful, creamy dessert.

If you'd like a soft-serve consistency, enjoy right away. For a harder 'ice-cream' texture, freeze and serve later (if you can wait!).

The first time we went with banana's only. The second time we decided to combo with strawberries. Make sure at least half the mixture is banana, and go ahead and experiment!

A look back

2011-06-02T20:44:00.001-07:00

Where have I been? Well, I have been in the kitchen, but not the one from all of the past posts. So before I begin posting with new recipes and discoveries from my fabulous new kitchen, I thought I would take a moment to look back at some of the great dishes that came out of my tiny little kitchen.

Turkey dinners for 25

Easter Ham for 15

Homemade bread, pasta, crackers

Making jam!

First try at Ice Cream

Cocktails and Canape's

Cheesecake, Puddings and Truffles

The list goes on and on. More importantly, all of those meals, and many others, were executed in what I know refer to as my old tiny kitchen. And tiny it was, although packing it up did take 24 boxes!

I wanted to give everyone out there a real idea of how tiny my kitchen was, as a way to emphasize that you don't need a lot of space or fancy tools to make really great food.

Freezer - basically 1 foot square

Fridge - 3 ft high and 1 foot wide/deep

Stove - again, just over 1 foot square

Counter space - Overall I had two spaces - one was 3'8" x 2' and the other was 1' x 2', and it housed the dishrack most of the time!

So with barely any counter space, a small apartment size fridge and freezer, a single sink and no dishwasher, anything is possible!

There were definitely challenges, don't get me wrong. Having only one large burner, and not being able to really have two large pots on the stove was tough. Working with an oven that small, I was always gambling right before I'd put the turkey or the ham in (you'd think I would measure these things before buying the meat!). And don't get me started on having the wall directly beside the stovetop, or the carpet that went right up the kitchen on either side.

But for all of the trials and tribulations (making pasta with a hand crank machine was definitely trying), it was our kitchen, and the centre of our little apartment for 5 years. And for everything the kitchen lacked, it never disappointed.

Now that we have moved into our very first home, I thought I might feel nostalgic for that little kitchen. As I move around my new kitchen, with a regular size fridge and oven, two sinks (!) and a dishwasher, the nostalgic feeling is quickly fading, and being replaced with excitement about all of the great memories to be made in this new kitchen.

Dirty Apron Cooking School

2011-02-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

The Dirty Apron Cooking School opened its doors in August of 2009. It took almost a year and a half later, but after much anticipation, we finally managed to take some classes, with many thanks to the wonderful women who threw me a Food Is Love wedding shower. Brent and I took our first of two classes in November, and I've finally uploaded the photo's so I could blog about it.

Ocean Potion - The Seafood Class

We weren't really sure what to expect when we arrived, but checked in and were handed aprons and a folder. We waited anxiously with the other attendees, until they rang the bell and announced we could enter for the class. Having been to The Dirty Apron for a fundraiser for Growing Chefs (check them out, they do fantastic work), we had been in the space before, but not seen it set up for a class. There was a demonstration station at the front of the class, with chairs of varying heights so everyone could see. The perimeter of the room was lined with cooking stations. We took our seats and waited to find out what the class was really all about.

First Course - Mussels Congolese

For our first course we were going to learn how to make one of Chambar's famous mussel dishes. What a surprise to have Nico Schuermans, Chef and Co-Owner at Chambar in the class. He even came to the front and taught us how to cook his mussel dish. This is when we learned how the class was going to work. The instructors - David Robertson and Takashi Mizukami - would demonstrate how to prepare the menu before sending us to our stations to try our hand at the dish. When we arrived at our station all of the ingredients for the dish were set out for us, pre-measured. All we had to do was chop and season and cook! We got right down to it, with both David and Takashi roaming the room to answer any questions and guide us along the way.

Once our dishes were prepared, and plated, we moved to an adjacent room and took a seat at some long wooden tables. This is where the class started to get really fun. At this point we were served red or white wine, and got a chance to not only try our food, but discuss our trials with other members of the class. We ate and drank to our hearts content, and headed back inside to tidy our stations. What a lovely surprise to find that most of the dishes were gone and all we had to do was tidy our knives and spoons.

Second Course - Maple-Seared Scallops on warm Chorizo with Kalamata Olives & Pea Coulis

Next we headed back to the seats to have the demonstration on our second course - seared scallops. Until this day, I had never cooked scallops before, and was pleasantly surprised to find out how easy they are. Once again, following the demonstration we headed back to our station to find all the ingredients laid out, and began cooking. After the cooking, again it was back to the wooden tables to enjoy our food and have another glass of wine.

Third Course - Pan-Roasted Halibut with Lemon and Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes

For the third course we prepared halibut. Again, I had only really cooked white fish one or two ways. We learned the secret to a crispy crust, as well as some neat plating techniques. Once again, we headed back to the wooden tables to enjoy our food and drink. But we weren't finished yet! Although we were done with our cooking for the night, we were also going to enjoy dessert, Poached Pears that were stuffed with ice cream and served with a Chocolate Sauce. We definitely left there stuffed to the gills!

Overall, the entire experience was absolutely wonderful. We were sent home with take-out containers of our leftovers, as well as copies of all of the recipes from the evening. I'm not going to publish the recipes on this blog, because I think you should really go and take the classes. I believe that some of the recipes are available online on their website though. The instructors really took the time to make sure everyone was comfortable with what they were cooking, and the camaraderie amongst the fellow students as we laughed about failed kitchen mishaps could be felt around the room.

I would definitely recommend The Dirty Apron to anyone who is interested in taking a cooking class. Not only do you get to learn amazing tricks of the trade, but you also leave feeling as if you've eaten at a fine dining establishment, and guess what? You did all the cooking!! Classes average at $145/person, and after taking the Mama Mia Italian Class as well, Brent and I are going to be saving up to do another class. It's definitely a memorable night out.

Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-01T09:29:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

I know I've been an absentee blogger lately, and I promise I will start the New Year with more regular blogging, as I've got lots of recipes, cookbooks, restaurants and classes to talk about.

For now, here's a photo of our wonderful New Years Eve feast last night. Mussels Congolese, recipe courtesy of one of our classes at The Dirty Apron. This was from the Ocean Potion class, and I will definitely blog about that experience in the New Year.

Wishing everyone a happy & healthy 2011!!

Reebs

Pumpkin Gnocchi

2010-11-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

It seems like the theme these days is pumpkin, and I'm okwith that. This is the first time I'd ever roasted a pumpkin and made a puree for cooking with. I have a couple of cups of puree left in the freezer that I'm going to use for some ravioli or soup.

This recipe was from the October issue of Canadian Living. I grew up reading

Canadian Living and my mom bought me a subscription a few years ago, and keeps renewing it for me. One of the best gifts ever! I look forward to every issue, and cannot think of a recipe I've tried from the magazines or cookbooks that hasn't been successful. This was easy to make, and so good! The pumpkin puree can be used for all sorts of things.

I didn't realize that you don't use Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins, but rather sugar pumpkins to cook with. You could use squash in place of this as well.

Pumpkin Puree

Halve and seed pumpkin or squash (keep the seeds for roasting!). Prick skin all over with fork. Roast, cut side down, on rack on foil-lined baking sheet in 350 oven for about an hour, until flesh is browned and tender. Let cool then scoop into a food processor, puree. Refrigerate for up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 3 weeks.

Pumpkin Gnocchi

- 2 cups roasted pumpkin or squash puree

- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

- 1 egg

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

- 3 cups (approx.) all-purpose flour

Sauce

- 1/3 cup butter

- 1/4 cup pine nuts

- 12 fresh sage leaves

To make Gnocchi: In large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, cheese, egg, salt and nutmeg. Using wooden spoon, stir in 2 cups of flour. Stir in remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time to make a soft, sticky dough.

On well-floured surface with floured hands, roll dough into log; divide into quarters. Take each piece and gently roll and shape into 3/4 inch diameter rope. With sharp knife, cut each rope diagonally into 3/4 inch pieces.

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi in 2 batches, stirring gently until it floats to the top, about 3 minutes. Transfer to warm serving dish with slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook pine nuts until fragrant, and butter begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add sage leaves and cook until fragrant (less than a minute). Scrape over gnocchi and serve. Deelish!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2010-10-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving was coming up and I wanted to make a dessert that went well with the meal, but that was a bit different. A few years ago I made a Pumpkin Creme Brulee, and it was awesome! So I embarked on a Pumpkin Cheesecake. Now, I had never made a cheesecake before, so was definitely a little apprehensive. It didn't help that the night before we were hosting dinner I decided to make the cheesecake, started to get the ingredients out, and then couldn't find a spring form pan. I swore I had one, but apparently I didn't. So off on the hunt I went, to every grocery store, dollar store, and home store I could find in myneighborhood. I even went so far as to go into a diner and ask if they had one they could lend me. Inthe end I found one in a dollar store after having gone in twice already, I just had to check one last time! It worked out well, because Brent had done the dishes from my Cheesy Carrot Casserole Prep while I was out.

This dessert does take some time, but is definitely worth it, and a great end to any holiday dinner.

Pumpkin Cheesecake (from Best of Bridge)

Crust:

- 2 cups crushed ginger snaps

- 5 tbsp butter, melted

- 2 tsp cinnamon

- 4 tbsp brown sugar

Filling:

- 4 - 8oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened

- 1 1/2 cup sugar

- 5 eggs

- 1/4 cup flour

- 1/2 tsp each ginger, cinnamon & freshly grated nutmeg (so much better than the powder)

- 14 oz can of pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie filling!)

- 2 tbsp maple syrup

CRUST: Combine ingredients. Lightly grease a 13" springform pan and line bottom with crumb mixture. Pat firm and chill.

FILLING: Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Beat softened cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly beat in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour, spices, pumpkin and maple syrup. Pour batter over crust.

Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until filling is set. Cool for an hour and refrigerate for several hours. Don't worry if the top cracks, apparently that's okay and it still tastes great.

Garnish with freshly whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

This was a huge hit, as was Stewart's apple pie. All in all, a great night for desserts!

Garlic Zoom

2010-09-23T19:41:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I'd seen these things before and didn't really know what to expect. And then at the cooking shower this summer I was given one, and told by that it really does work. And I tell you, people aren't lying, these things are awesome. You seriously just put your garlic bulb in the little space and roll the Garlic Zoom across the counter (really you need to make car noises when you do this). It chops the garlic so nicely, plus it's fun!

Mushroom Chowder

2010-09-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

Well, yesterday marked the official last day of summer, but you know what, I think I'm okay with that. I like the fall, wearing sweaters, drinking tea and cooking all of those great wintery comfort foods.

I had all these mushrooms in my fridge, in plastic, and no brown bags in site. Knowing that they wouldn't last, I decided to make a mushroom soup for dinner. I adapted this recipe to use what I had on hand, and it was great, that night, and for lunch for a couple of days too.

Mushroom Chowder (adapted from The Best of Bridge)

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1/2 cup sliced onions

- 1/2 cup diced carrots

- 3 cups chopped mushrooms (I used portobello's, crimini and white mushrooms)

- 3 cups vegetable broth

- 2 cups light cream

- 1/2 cup diced potatoes

- 1/4 cup frozen corn niblets

- 1/2 apple, peeled & diced

- 2 bay leaves

- 3 tbsp red wine

- 2 tbsp chopped parsley

It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it is surprisingly quick and easy to make, just prep all the ingredients before hand and it's a breeze.

In large saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil and saute garlic, onions, carrots and mushrooms for about 5-8 minutes, being careful not to brown.

Add broth and cream to vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Add potatoes, corn, apple, bay leaves, wine and parsley to soup. Simmer about 1/2 hour. Remove bay leaves, season and serve.

Slow Cooker Ribs

2010-09-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

It was a rainy Labour Day here in Vancouver, and I was glad I didn't have anything to do. It was also the perfect day for a nice slow-cooked rib meal. I've made ribs lots of different ways, but one of my favourites is done in the slow-cooker with a quick barbecue sauce. This recipe is adapted from Canadian Living, and lives up to it's name 'Fall-off-the Bone Ribs'.

Slow Cooker Ribs

- 2 racks pork back ribs

- 2 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp cayenne pepper

- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Sauce

- 2 cups ketchup

- 1/2 cup wine vinegar

- 2 tbsp granulated sugar

- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

- 1 tsp liquid smoke

Trim fat from ribs and cut into 2-3 rib portions. In small bowl stir together chili powder, cayenne and salt and pepper. I also added some seasoning I bought in Hawaii this time. Rub all over ribs. Place on pan and broil until browned, about 5 minutes each side. Transfer to slow cooker.

In bowl, whisk together all ingredients for sauce. Pour over ribs, scraping sauce from bowl. Stir to coat.

Cover and cook on low until tender, and falling off the bone, about 6 hours.

I usually use baby back ribs, but used spare ribs this time, and they were just as good!!!

Eggs Benedict

2010-09-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of Eggs Benny, and I used to eat it almost every weekend. I'm less indulgent now, and save it for special occasions. A brunch at the cottage with my dad was such an occasion. This was the last morning at the cottage before heading into the Soo to start the intensive wedding preparations, so we decided to embark on this adventure. Now, neither of us had ever attempted to make Eggs Benedict, much less even poach an egg. This resulted in numerous phone calls to my mom, and numerous eggs undercooked before we got it right. Dad was in charge of the eggs, and I did the Hollandaise Sauce. Together we made a great meal, although the kitchen was a huge mess!!! I think we ended up going through a dozen eggs by the end of.

Hollandaise Sauce (from Canadian Living)

- 4 egg yolks

- 1/4 cup water

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1/4 cup butter, softened

- 2 tsp lemon juice

In small heavy saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, water and pepper; cook, whisking, over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until pale and thick enough to coat back of spoon. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter and lemon juice.

I decided to use a double boiler, because I really didn't want to end up scrambling the eggs... it ended up taking a little bit longer, but it still worked.

Toast your english muffins. We used peameal bacon, so good, so cook that as well. Top english muffins with peameal, then poached eggs, then hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle with fresh chives.

Poaching eggs: I'm not going to pretend I know how to do this. We were using an egg poacher, and we both decided afterwards that it's probably better to just poach them in water. I am still going to be figuring out how to poach eggs, and will let you know what I come up with.

It was a fantastic meal, but all in all, for the trouble and the mess, I think I'll save Eggs Benedict for restaurants, and keep pancakes for brunch!

Thanks for the great kitchen experience Dad!

Reebs

I'm on Twitter

2010-08-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

Hey,

I've added a new function to the Blog. I'm now a Twitterer, or whatever the term is. Anyways, follow me on Twitter, you can just click on the link on the upper right hand corner. I'll be tweeting from my favourite restaurants, market place and anything else that I think you'll enjoy.

Reebs

It's been a long time...

2010-08-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

My sincere apologies for taking so much time off this summer, but it was for a very good cause. I went and got hitched! It was a lot of fun, and of course we were inundated with fabulous gifts, many of them kitchen oriented, which I will have to try out and blog about.

There was a fabulous shower held in my honour, and the guests contributed money so that Brent and I can take a culinary course here in Vancouver, which we are very excited about. Guests also brought their favourite kitchen gadgets, and boy did we get a lot of great stuff.

One of my favourites though, would have to be this apron from my mom, although I'm not sure how funny Brent finds it.

We had a great time back in Ontario, spent a lot of time with family and friends, and a lot of time out at Big Basswood, where my dad and I successfully (and messily) made Eggs Benedict together for the first time. That post will come later as well.

Thanks for waiting, many more posts to come!!!

Rebecca

Market Find - Kohlrabi

2010-06-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

Went to the Market this morning and this is what we bought for the first time ever:

It's called a Kohlrabi, and apparently can be eaten raw or cooked, similar to a carrot. The leaves can be sauteed or can be used as a wrap. I'm not yet sure what we'll do with it, this may require some online research.

I will keep everyone posted!

Garlic Scapes

2010-06-21T19:30:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I picked up some garlic scapes at the market on Saturday.I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with them, and read around on the internet to see what people suggested. Two of the main suggestions were pesto and also sauteing them in butter. I didn't really feel like making pesto, but did like the idea of having pasta. Plus I had all of those heirloom tomatoes staring at me from the counter.

Before starting the recipe I decided I had to try a piece of garlic scape raw, just so I had an idea of what it was before I started cooking with it. It was very strong, almost instant heartburn. But, I knew from that small sample that once it was cooked down it would have a great flavour.

Pasta with Garlic Scapes and Heirloom Tomatoes

~ 8 garlic scapes, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

~ 1/4 red onion, sliced

~ 1 tbsp each butter and olive oil

~ variety of tomatoes, chopped

~ 1/2 cup feta cheese

~ salt & pepper

~ pasta, your choice

Heat pan over medium heat, melt butter and add olive oil. Saute garlic scapes and onion in butter and oil until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tomatoes have broken down. Season with salt and pepper.

At this point you can choose to serve, or as I did, you can add a bit of creaminess. Stir in 1/2 cup of feta cheese. If you choose to use feta, keep in mind that you won't need as much salt when you are seasoning.

In the meantime, cook pasta according to directions. Mix with sauce. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese, and garnish with a cherry tomato.

Very yummy!!! (and quite garlicky, in a good way)

Market Finds

2010-06-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty stellar time at the West End Farmers Market this weekend. Started off by finding the English Peas and buying a bunch (I missed them last week). Then it was off to have some fresh Ham & Cheese Crepes before purchasing the rest of our weekly fruit and veggie run. This week we picked up fresh strawberries and raspberries, salad greens, chard, a bunch of different heirloom tomatoes, olives, tuna and baby back ribs and bacon. I'd say we did pretty well.

Doesn't it all look so good? Now to just find interesting ways to prepare it all. Oh, and the ingredient we bought this week that we've never had before were Garlic Scapes, we'll see how it goes!

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

2010-06-18T17:37:00.001-07:00

It's finally starting to feel like summer, with the sun shining and the summer markets in full swing. This year, we made a pledge to try and purchase one thing each week at the market that we had never cooked before. So last week rather than go for the crimini mushrooms I usually get, I grabbed a couple of Portobello's. This recipe is what I came up with to cook them, and I think it's a keeper.

Reebs' Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

- 2 Portobello Mushrooms

- 2 shallots

- 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

- 6-8 cherry tomatoes, chopped

- 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

- bunch of spinach and/or kale, chopped

- feta cheese

First off, prepare the quinoa. I prepared mine using a recipe for Quinoa with Shallots from my new Mark Bittman cookbook.

1 - Heat two tbsp's olive oil in a skillet with lid over medium-high heat. When hot, add shallots, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally about 3 minutes.

2 - Add the quinoa and stir; when grains start popping and toasting, add stock and bring to a boil. Stir one last time, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.

3 - Uncover and test for doneness. If the kernels are still hard, make sure there's enough liquid to cover bottom of the pan, cover and cook another 5 minutes.

Once that was done, I put it aside and started working on the rest of the filling. First off, prepare the mushrooms. I wipe mine down with a damp paper towel, that way they don't get too wet. Remove the stems and chop for the filling. I scraped the gills out, this is totally a personal preference, really I just wanted to make more room for the filling.

For the Filling:

Heat a tbsp of olive oil in pan, sautee garlic, mushroom stems, and tomatoes until they start to soften. Add greens and continue to cook until greens are wilted. Stir in enough quinoa to make enough filling for the portobello's. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon filling over portobello's, making a large mound on each mushroom. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Bake in 350 F oven for 20-25 minutes, until feta is starting to brown.

Serve with a light salad.

Special Delivery

2010-06-15T16:44:00.001-07:00

So I got home from this photography workshop I'm doing and my landlord had a package for me.

I was so excited to see it was from Amazon, because I had just purchased a few things online in the past week or so, and the best thing was in the box.

Mark Bittman's 'How to Cook Everything: 2000 Simple Recipes for Great Food'.

I was at a friends place on Friday and was flipping through his copy. I loved it so much I actually ordered it from my phone. I never thought it would come so soon!

I hope to be posting many new recipes from this cookbook in the coming weeks.

Tofu with Peanut Sauce

2010-06-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

Even though apparently summer doesn't seem to want to arrive in Vancouver, I'm still trying, and grilling indoors since it's too wet and miserable out. I'm also trying to find new ways to cook with tofu, it's affordable, a great source of protein and can be quite good if well prepared. With tofu, it's really all about the marinade as tofu really absorbs the taste of whatever it is cooked in. This recipe is from Canadian Living, a great source for simple yet delicious recipes that are easy to adapt based on what is in your pantry/fridge.

The peanut sauce from this recipe is fantastic, and would be great with chicken as well!!!

Tofu & Vegetable Skewers with Peanut Sauce

- 1 pkg extra-firm tofu

- 2 cups sugar snap peas

- 2 cups cherry tomatoes

- 2 cups small mushrooms

- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- salt and pepper

Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup smooth all natural peanut butter

1/2 cup warm water

1/4 cup tamari

2 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp lemon juice (juice of half a lemon)

2 cloves garlic, minced

To make the peanut sauce, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Remove 3/4 cup and set aside.

Rinse and pat tofu dry. Cut into 24 equal pieces that can thread onto skewers. Add to peanut sauce in bowl, toss gently to coat and let stand for 10 minutes. Thread onto skewers.

In separate bowl, toss together vegetables with oil and salt and pepper. Thread vegetables onto skewers.

Place skewers on greased grill over medium-high heat. Grill, turning once, until tofu is browned and vegetables are tender-crips, about 10 minutes.

Serve drizzled with more peanut sauce, over rice.

Homemade Pizza

2010-05-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, we had great pizza anytime you wanted. It was always from local restaurants, no chain pizza shops ever lasted very long. When I first moved out, to Ottawa, I remember the desperation my roommate and I (also from the Soo) felt when we were craving good pizza. It always took awhile, but eventually I would find a good pizza restaurant, only in time to move to the next city. In Ottawa, it was Fida's. I don't know if that place is still around, but on most days if you went to pick it up it was 50% off, awesome for University students, and damn good pizza too! When I moved to Montreal I ended up working at one of the best pizza places (and I'm not being biased) - Amelio's - where you have to try the Blanche (or four cheese).

Vancouver has been hit or miss with pizza. We'll find a decent pizza joint, but consistency is hard to come by. Incendio's is definitely on our list, however we find more and more that we prefer to make pizza at home. I used to use the recipe found here , and thought it was the bomb. It is great if you are making pizza and are tight on time. However, my sister recently introduced to me the beauty of a pizza dough that you let rise. You can either let this one rise for an hour and cook right away, or overnight. This dough is the bomb!

Pizza Dough (from The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book)

- 3 cups all-purpose flour (approx)

- 2 tsp quick-rising (instant) dry yeast

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 1/4 cup hot water

- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

In bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups of the flour, yeast and salt. With wooden spoon, gradually stir in water and oil until ragged dough forms, using hands if necessary.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; knead, adding as much of the remaining flour, 1 tbsp at a time, as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. You can use a stand-mixer for this, cutting the kneading time in half. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over; cover with plastic wrap.

If you want to have the pizza today, let rise in warm draft free place until doubled, about 1 hour. If you want to have the pizza tomorrow or another time, let rise in refrigerator for 1 day. You can freeze in large resealable freezer bag for up to 1 month; let thaw and rise in refrigerator overnight.

When you are ready to make your pizza, roll the dough out to fit whatever size pan you are planning on using. I used a cookie sheet for mine. Grease the pan lightly, then place the pizza dough on it. It should feel quite flexible. Crimp the edges to create a bit of a crust. Top and then bake in bottom third of 450 F oven for 20 - 25 minutes.

While I love the quickness of the other pizza dough, I would really recommend trying this one if you have the time. It is so good, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. I topped mine with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, green olives, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini and feta and mozzarella cheeses. So yummy!!!!

Chicken in Phyllo Pastry

2010-04-11T20:11:00.001-07:00

The first time I made this recipe was in University, when I was having some new friends over for dinner. I can't remember for the life of me why I decided on this particular dish, but when at dinner the girls were asking where I bought the chicken bundles from, I knew I had found a new favourite. Since that day back in 2001 I have made this numerous times for many different people. I've privately dubbed it my best 'dish to impress'. That is, if I'm cooking for people for the first time, I know this dish will is a crowd pleaser. So when I was visiting my sister in Toronto and she told me we were having some of her friends for dinner, who were looking forward to having me cook for them (I think she may have talked me up a bit) I thought, why not pull out ole faithful. It was a hit!

Chicken in Phyllo

- 8 Phyllo Pastry Sheets, thawed overnight in refrigerator

- 1/4 cup (or more) butter, melted

- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved

- 1 bunch of fresh spinach leaves, stems removed

- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped

- 1 large red pepper, cut in strips

- 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

One of the biggest things with making this dish, is the prep. After years of prepping this, my best advice is to have everything ready in an assembly line type operation. Phyllo is not difficult to work with, as long as you take care of it. What I mean by that is to cover the phyllo you are not using with a damp cloth. This helps it to not dry out and crack, making your life much easier. Once you have each of the items prepped and set out, it's time to get started.

Lay one sheet of phyllo on counter and fold in half. Brush melted butter along edges. Place chicken breast half in the middle, near the bottom of phyllo. Layer spinach, a sprinkling of basil, red pepper strips and some feta cheese. Roll chicken and phyllo over once. Fold edges toward the middle and continue rolling until you've formed a nice little bundle.

Place on cookie sheet, brush with butter. Now the next key is to cover this with another damp cloth, covering each bundle as you work. Once this is completed, you can either cook right away, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Bake in middle rack of 375 F oven for 25-30 minutes.

This dish is from The Best of Bridge, one of the best cookbooks you should have. It is great served with the Chickpea Couscous.

Chicken and Brie Panini

2010-04-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

The panini press is a fantastic thing. Luckily for us our panini press is part of our indoor grill. If you're in the market to purchase an indoor grill, I would highly recommend you get one that comes with a panini press. The options are endless when you can whip up a quick grilled sandwich, such as the one we had for dinner last week.

Grilled Chicken and Brie Panini

- loaf of crusty bread (if you're unsure, ask at the bakery what would work well in a press)

- boneless, skinless chicken breast

- 1 pear, sliced

- Brie cheese, sliced

- Sweet jam (I used a maple and walnut spread)

Cook chicken however you please. I simply rubbed some olive oil, salt and pepper on mine and baked in 350 oven for about 20 minutes.

Slice bread in good sized sandwich portions, and then cut in half. Spread bottom half with sweet jam. Layer pears, chicken and brie, top with other piece of bread. Place in panini press and cook until cheese is nice and melted.

A trick we've picked up from watching panini's made at cafe's is to use parchment paper on both sides of the grill, so you don't end up with a sticky gooey cheesy mess to clean up.

Chickpea Couscous

2010-03-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

After watching that first episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, I wanted to make something healthy and wholesome for dinner. Looking through the cupboards and fridge, I realized I had enough to make a variation of a couscous dish from the Best of Bridge that I've made numerous times before.

Chickpea Couscous

- 1/2 red onion, chopped

- 1 large red pepper, chopped

- 1 clove garlic, chopped

- 1/2 tsp paprika

- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 1 cup frozen green peas

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 2 tomatoes, chopped

- 2 cups liquid (ideally broth, I used water)

- 1 cup couscous

- can of artichoke hearts, chopped

- 3 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

- juice of half a lemon

In saucepan with tight fitting lid, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion and red pepper until they begin to soften, about 2-5 minutes.. Stir in cayenne pepper, paprika and garlic. Cook one minute. Add carrots, chickpea's, green peas, tomatoes and liquid. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add couscous, cover and simmer for one minute more. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Stir in artichoke hearts, parsley and lemon.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

2010-03-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching the first episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. It can be found here on CTV's media player.

I'm a big fan of Jamie Oliver and some of the stuff that he has done in England to help people understand and care more about their food. I'm anxious to see how he does with the North American version of this show. It seems to be a bit of a mix between meeting up with families, going to community groups, and of course helping out the school system. It really does blow my mind that kids are being fed such horrible food on a daily basis. For adults to be eating this stuff is one thing, but kids are not given a fighting chance when they are having pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries and white bread as their staple diet. This is the kind of thing that makes me so passionate about bringing food and cooking back to the house, and bringing people together around the kitchen table.

I was lucky growing up in a family where having dinner together meant something, and helping out in the kitchen was an every day occurrence, and not just for special occasions. I try every day to remember how lucky we are to live in a city and a country where we can access good healthy food, and where we have the time (and it doesn't take a lot of time) to make healthy meals every day. I'm not saying that I'm perfect, and by no means is that the case. I love going out to eat, and when I'm at the movies, you'll find me with some popcorn. Rather, it's a matter of making the right choices, and not seeing meal time as an inconvenience, but rather a time to come together and sit down for a few minutes, uninterrupted. When I was growing up, and the phone rang at dinner time, you didn't get up from the table to take the call. Whoever answered the phone took a message, because dinner time was family time (plus who wants their food to get cold!).

I guess that first episode of that show got me kind of riled up. Change is a difficult thing to provoke, and Jamie Oliver has his work cut out for him. I admit that I shed a tear or two watching it, and thinking of all those kids who are already so unhealthy at such a young age. But, at the same time there's a feeling of hope, that a real food revolution is upon us. We will move away from the fast food coma we as a nation (Canada is just as bad as the US) have been in, and start to appreciate home cooked food again.

I'm doing my part everyday, and I hope you are too!

Broccoli and Asparagus Soup

2010-03-22T22:33:00.000-07:00

I saved the stalks from the broccoli I used for last night's casserole so I could make some soup for dinner tonight. On the way home I picked up some asparagus and had enough stuff at home to put something together quickly. There's really not a lot to the soup, so it's easy enough to make after work.

Broccoli and Asparagus Soup

- 4 cups broccoli florets and stems, chopped

- 4 cups of chopped asparagus spears

- 1 onion, chopped

- 4-5 cups of liquid (I used part veggie stock, part

water)

- 1 1/2 - 2 cups of milk

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter and a tbsp of olive oil, saute onion for 5 minutes, until softened. Lower heat if needed. Add broccoli and asparagus, season with a bit of sea salt and pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add veggie stock and water. Simmer, uncovered for 20 - 25 minutes.

Transfer soup to a large bowl. Blend soup in batches, returning to saucepan. Over medium-low heat, stir in milk, simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste.

Of course, this soup begs to be enjoyed with a grilled cheese sandwich. Pick up some fresh bread for the sandwiches, it makes a huge difference!

Sunday Night Dinner - Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

2010-03-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend in Whistler for my staff post-Games celebration. It was a lot of fun, lots to celebrate, and skiing was phenomenal. Arriving back, I was exhausted and just wanted some comfort food for dinner, and something that would be very easy to make so I could have a nap. Remembering a casserole we used to have as kids, I thought I would try my hand at it. I had asked my mom for the recipe a few years ago, and luckily had saved the email! My sister's and I loved this dish, until one of my sister's went downstairs while my mom was preparing it and saw that it included cream of mushroom soup. So funny how kids will love something until they know what's in it. This recipe originally comes from my godmother, and has been adapted because I didn't read the entire recipe before I started (again, I was really tired and do not recommend that).

Mom's Chicken and Broccoli Recipe

- 4 - 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

- 4 - 6 cups chopped broccoli florets

- 3 cups (approx) shredded cheddar cheese

- 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

- 1/2 cup of vegetable broth

- 2 tbsp melted butter

- 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

In greased casserole dish, place broccoli florets. Cut chicken into a bit larger than bite size pieces. In cast iron pan, cook chicken on medium until no longer pink inside, about 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. Place on top of broccoli.

Cover with shredded cheese. In bowl, mix mushroom soup with vegetable broth, pour over entire dish. Top with mixture of melted butter and bread crumbs. Bake in 350 oven for 35 minutes.

I served this over rice, and it was really good, and I have a feeling it will taste even better for lunch tomorrow.

Where has Reebs been...

2010-03-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I know it's a been a long time, this is actually my first post in 2010! It's been a very busy couple of months though. I was working on the Olympic Winter Games, which didn't leave much time for cooking or blogging. Prior to that I was busy trying my hand at making aprons, for friends and family for Christmas.

Keep your eyes on the blog, as there will be some changes coming, including some new features, and maybe even some more aprons, oven mitts and other fun kitchen stuff.

Now that things have quieted down a little, I'm looking forward to having time to cook, sew, eat out and enjoy all the things I love doing.

Reebs

Sunday Night Dinner - Boeuf Bourguignon

2009-12-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

That's really just a fancy name for Beef Stew with red wine. But that's just too easy to say right? I've been wanting to try Boeuf Bourguignon for quite a while, but I never had the right pot. So along came my birthday and Brent got me a beautiful Le Creuset dutch oven. I was so excited I decided to make Boeuf Bourguignon the next day. I went through a few of my cookbooks and online and then settled on a mix of Julia Child and Ina Garten. In the Barefoot Contessa's recipe, it calles for 1 pound frozen small whole onions. Now I just couldn't find those, and I'd looked in a few grocery stores, including the fancy pants Yaletown Urban Fare. So I decided to prep my own pearl onions. It does take some time, but these were really good. You can either do this first or while the stew is cooking.

Pearl onions for Boeuf Bourguignon
I used 24 pearl onions. First you blanche them in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse in cold water. Slice the tips off onions, peel and score the root end with 1/4 inch cuts. Sautee onions in a single layer in a tbsp or two of butter until lightly browned. Add stock or water halfway up sides of onions, add a dash of sugar and some salt and pepper. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 minutes or until tender. If there is liquid remaining, drain and then set onions aside.

Boeuf Bourguignon (adapted from Barefoot in Paris)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 ounces bacon, diced
- 2 1/2 lbs beef, cut into 1-inch cubes (the stuff I got was top sirloin cut into stewing beef)
- 1 lb carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
-2 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 (750ml) bottle good dry wine
- 2 cups beef broth (approximately)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 4 tbsps unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
- 3 tbsps flour
- 24 pearl onions, prepared (or 1 lb frozen)
- 1 lb mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven. Add bacon and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Remove to a large plate with a slotted spoon.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In batches and in single layers, sear the beef all over for 3-5 minutes. Remove seared beef to plate with bacon.

Toss carrots, onions, salt and pepper into the pan and cook over medium heat until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with any juices that have collected. Add the wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the beef. Add tomato paste and thyme. Bring to boil, cover pot and place in oven for 1 1/4 hours, or until meat and vegetables are very tender. Remove from oven and place on top of stove.

Combine 2 tbsps of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the prepared onions. In a medium pan saute mushrooms in remaining 2 tbsps butter over medium heat about 10 minutes. Add to stew and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

I served mine over mashed potatoes with bread on the side. So good!!!

Chocolate Espresso Pudding

2009-11-23T20:46:00.001-08:00

We had some friends over for an amazing night of food and drinks on the weekend. The company was fantastic, and while the girls made a chaotic mess in the kitchen, the boys were more than happy to clean it up...or at least they didn't complain! Knowing that dinner involved a lot of hands on cooking, I wanted to make sure to have dessert prepared in advance. This chocolate dessert was so easy to make, and so good!!!

Chocolate Espresso Pudding
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup 10% cream
- 3 tbsp hot espresso or very strong coffee
- 2 tbsp liquor (I used Kahlua) or coffee
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- whipping cream for garnish

In blender, finely chop chocolate and set aside.

In saucepan, bring cream to boil; remove from heat. Add hot espresso and liquor. With blender running, pour in hot cream mixture in thin stream until chocolate melts. Add eggs and whirl until smooth and well combined. Spoon into serving dishes. I used martini glasses. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, whip up some whipping cream with a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup. Garnish dessert with whipped cream and chocolates or fruit. I used fortune cookies since our dinner night was Asian themed.

We may have had one small amount of dessert left, and that disappeared before we made it out of the kitchen!

Sunday Night Dinner - Dad's Peameal Roast

2009-11-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

My dad has been telling me about this great peameal roast he makes, but I've never been home to try it myself. Knowing how much Brent loves ham, I thought I would try my hand at it for dinner tonight. So I called my dad, and got him to talk me through his recipe. Oh, and really, this must be served with Scalloped Potatoes. I used Canadian Living's recipe, it's not posted online, so maybe I'll post it later this week.

Dad's Peameal Roast
- 1 peameal roast (found in the ham section of the grocery store)
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 6-10 clovesPreheat oven to 350F. Line small pan with tin foil. Place roast on rack on pan. Mix mustard, maple syrup and thyme together. Drizzle over ham, brushing to distribute. Save leftover sauce to brush on halfway through cooking. Place several cloves in ham.

Roast for about 1.5 hours. You can put this in at the same time as the potatoes. Halfway through brush with more sauce. Roast is ready when thermometer reads 170F. Let rest covered with foil for 10 minutes. This was a great meal for ham lovers, when there are only 2 or 4 people.

Sunday Night Dinner - Tofu with Udon Noodles

2009-11-02T21:24:00.001-08:00

I love vegetables and tofu stir fried with noodles, and I'm always trying different kinds of noodles to go with my stir fries. Last week someone at work was eating Udon Noodles, and I thought to myself, well, I need to try those out. They are really easy to cook, simply drop into boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then add to stir fry. You can also use them in a broth dish as well. Very tasty!

Tofu with Udon Noodles
- Extra hard tofu, rinsed, patted dry and sliced
- 1 or 2 packs Udon Noodles
- 1-2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/3 cup of tamari
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1-2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- veggies (snow peas, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, celery and red peppers)
- sesame seeds for garnish

Mix ginger, tamari, sesame oil and vinegar in a bowl. Add tofu and toss. Let marinate for 15-30 minutes while you chop and prep the rest of the veggies.

In a large saucepan heat 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add a little ground ginger, fry for about 1 minute and then add tofu, reserving remaining marinade. Fry until crispy on each side. Add vegetables that take a bit longer to cook (carrots, red peppers, celery), cover and steam for a few minutes. Add remaining vegetables and cook.

Meanwhile, cook Udon noodles according to package directions.

Add vegetable stock to remaining marinade, mix in cornstarch. Add this sauce to the pan, stirring to thicken. Add noodles and toss. Sprinkle sesame seeds on each serving.

Sunday Night Dinner - Shrimp with Rice and Kale

2009-10-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend sadly marked the last weekend of the West End Farmer's Market. But not to fear, there are Winter Markets. For info go to www.eatlocal.org. It just won't be the same getting up on Saturday mornings and not having the Market to go to for our weekly grocery run. There are just so many good things you can find. Like last weekend, one of the fish vendors had some frozen cold water shrimp (which I didn't realize were pink when raw until I asked the vendor about it). So for dinner tonight I wanted to make something with our market finds from this week, using that shrimp from last weekend. Now I only wish I would have bought more of the shrimp when he was there. They were very tasty, slightly smaller than other shrimp, but with more of a salty ocean water taste. Maybe at the Winter Market...

Shrimp with Rice and Kale adapted from a Canadian Living recipe
- 1 small to medium leek, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/3 cups long-grain rice
- 2 2/3 cups liquid (I only had 1 cup of veggie stock, used water for the rest)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 2-3 cups)
- 2-3 cups chopped kale

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Fry leek, garlic and salt and pepper, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and toss to coat. Add stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid is almost absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Gently stir shrimp, kale and lemon juice into rice mixture; cover and cook until shrimp are cooked through and kale is wilted, about 5 minutes.

Hot Artichoke Dip

2009-10-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

This dip is super easy, and is great for last minute entertaining. I've adapted from a Best of Bridge recipe to cut down on the mayo.

Hot Artichoke Dip
- 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayo
- about 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
- splash of lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in oven proof dish. Bake in oven or toaster oven for 10 minutes at 350 F until hot and bubbly.

Serve with crackers or breadsticks.

Bowties with Artichokes and Parmesan

2009-10-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

I was recently in Toronto visiting family for Thanksgiving, brr was it ever cold! While there we went to a couple of different restaurants. I didn't take any pictures, but Sidecar on College was great, I would recommend to anyone in Toronto. Whenever I visit new restaurants I like to try and remember what the menu items were that I wanted to try, and then use that as inspiration for a dinner at home. I ended up ordering the Mushroom Risotto (which was awesome), but there was a pasta dish with artichokes that looked very simple, but would have nice flavours. So for dinner tonight I decided to try a new dish with marinated artichoke hearts that I had in my pantry.

Bowties with Artichokes and Parmesan
- bowtie pasta, about 2 cups uncooked
- 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- juice of half a lemon

Cook pasta according to directions, reserving one cup of the pasta water. Drain and return to pot. Toss artichoke hearts and Parmesan cheese with pasta. Squeeze lemon over top.

This would be great with pancetta or prosciutto as well.

Sunday Night Dinner - Mussels

2009-10-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

I know it's Monday, but since it's a long weekend, today feels like Sunday. This afternoon Brent and I went over to Granville Island and picked up some mussels from Salt Spring Island at The Lobsterman on Granville Island. This is the first time I've cooked mussels, but I've been craving them for a few weeks, and they are so easy to cook. A definite success!

Mussels with Wine, Tomatoes and Cilantro
- 3 lbs mussels
- 1 1/2 cups of white wine
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1 - 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- a couple of handfuls of chopped cilantro

Before you start, pick through your mussels and discard any that have opened. If they are only slightly opened, tap on them, if they close, they are okay. Then remove beards and scrub them.

Place wine, shallot, garlic and tomatoes in large pot, bring to a simmer. Dump mussels in pot, cover and steam for 8 minutes or until they have opened up. With a slotted spoon remove mussels onto large serving dish, discarding any that are not opened. Whisk butter and cilantro into sauce, pour over mussels.

Serve with fresh bread.

Sunday Night Dinner - Stuffed Peppers

2009-10-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend for our dinner on Sunday night I wanted to do something with all of the great stuff we got at the market this weekend. So I decided to try my hand at making stuffed peppers. I went online and started looking through different recipes, and came up with this one to use some of the stuff I got from the market.

Reebs' Stuffed Peppers
- 4 peppers, red, orange, yellow or green
- olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- half onion, chopped
- 2-3 carrots, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped red pepper
- 1-2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups cooked rice
- lemon juice from half a lemon
- cheese (I used this cheese from this farm)

Cut peppers in half lengthwise, remove seeds and stuff. Lay cut side up in a glass baking dish. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onions, carrots and chopped pepper about 5 minutes. Add ground beef, breaking up with spoon until meat is browned. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and simmer 5 minutes. Add rice and mix together until heated through.Spoon into peppers. Pour 1-2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cup water and lemon juice around peppers. Cover with foil. Bake in 400 oven for 50 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with grated cheese, and cook 15 minutes until cheese is browned and peppers are tender.

Quick Puff Pastry

2009-10-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Puff pastry is one of the most versatile ingredients to have on hand when cooking and baking. It is a great way to impress guests, and you can really do a lot of different things with puff pastry. I've always purchased the Tenderflake variety, which works really well. However, I wanted to know how hard it was to make my own. Let me tell you, it is actually one of the easiest things to make, using ingredients you probably have on hand. This recipe is from Canadian Living, and again, they don't disappoint.

Quick Puff Pastry
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup cold water

Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes; set aside 3/4 cup in the refrigerator. In food processor, pulse flour with salt. Sprinkle remaining butter over top; pulse until indistinguishable, about 10 seconds. Sprinkle with reserved butter; pulse 4 - 5 times until pea-size pieces. Pour water evenly over mixture (not through tube). Pulse 6 to 8 times until mixture is loose and ragged, do not let form ball.

Transfer to floured waxed paper; gather and press into rectangle. Dust with flour; top with waxed paper and roll out into 15 x 12 inch rectangle. When you first transfer it to the floured waxed paper, fear not, although it looks like it won't come together, it definitely will!

Remove top paper. Starting at long edge and using bottom paper to lift pastry, fold over one-third. Fold opposite long edge over top, bringing flush with edge of first fold to make 15 x 4 inch rectangle. Starting from 1 short end, roll up firmly; flatten into 5 inch square. Cut in half; wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

This can also be refrigerated for 5 days or frozen in airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You'll never want to buy store bought puff pastry again!

I rolled this out and used it for my Chicken and Brie Turnovers and the result was amazing!

Back To School Cocktail Party

2009-09-22T17:45:00.001-07:00

I've always loved the fall, pulling sweaters out of the closet and hearing leaves crunch under your feet. I also always loved going back to school. It was a time when you got to catch up with friends, and there was always a ton of parties. In high school it was dances and football games, in university it was keg parties and drinks after new classes. Why should that end the older we get? It doesn't have to. Every once in awhile Brent and I will host what I like to call a 'Back to School Party'. It's a great chance to catch up with people you've lost touch with over the summer and really, who needs an excuse to have a cocktail party?

You can keep things simple, or spend weeks prepping. I like to use parties like this as an opportunity to try out new recipes on my friends. To keep things safe, I usually serve a couple of staples, some dips and a great cheese platter. Here's a great recipe for a great veggie dip.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip
- 2 roasted red peppers ( on tinfoil lined sheet, broil peppers until charred, wrap tinfoil around peppers for 5-10 minutes, remove tin foil, peppers should peel easily)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- salt and pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced

In food processor pulse together sour cream, cream cheese and mayonnaise until combined. Add rest of the ingredients, pulse to combine.

Orange Beef with Cilantro Rice

2009-09-07T22:58:00.000-07:00

This recipe was really easy to make and great for last minute entertaining.

Orange Beef
- finely grated peel of 1 orange
- juice of 2 oranges
- 1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 pound stir fry steak ( or skirt steak, thinly sliced on the diagonal)
- 1 bunch scallions, white parts finely chopped, green parts cut into inch long pieces
- 1 tbsp brown sugar

Cilantro Rice
- long grain white rice
- fresh cilantro

Stir together orange peel, juice, olive oil, tamari and vinegar. Add steak and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook rice according to directions, on stove top or in rice cooker.

Heat 1 tbsp oil over high in large skillet. Using tongs, transfer beef to skillet. Cook, lightly tossing, for 5-7 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate.

Add scallions and cook over medium heat until wilted. Transfer to beef. Pour remaining marinade into skillet and bring to a boil, lower heat and reduce sauce. Whisk in sugar, return steak to skillet. Stir in cornstarch 1 tsp at a time if you're sauce isn't thickening.

Stir cilantro into rice and serve beef and rice together.

Prosciutto Wrapped Salmon

2009-09-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

A great way to cook with two of my favourite ingredients, prosciutto and salmon. While on Granville Island last weekend Dussa's Ham and Cheese had an Italian Cheese and Meat festival, and they had samples of 12 month aged Prosciutto. It was so good I had to buy some. While snacking on it, and trying to think of what to do with the salmon I had in the freezer I remembered seeing a recipe somewhere with salmon wrapped in prosciutto. And that sounded absolutely delicious.

Prosciutto Wrapped Salmon
- Salmon fillet , cut into 2 pieces
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 3-4 green onions, finely chopped
- pepper
- 2-4 slices prosciutto

I used 4 slices of prosicutto because it was so finely sliced, just the way I like it!

In a small bowl mix mustard, green onions and pepper. Spread over both sides of the salmon. Lay salmon skin side down onto 1-2 pieces of prosciutto. Fold prosciutto up over top. Bake on parchment lined bakign sheet in 400F oven for 10-15 minutes, until salmon flakes easily.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-08-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

Mmm.... There isn't much in life that is quite as comforting as a homemade chocolate chip cookie. I know a lot of people have their different favorite recipes, but me, I'm pretty much happy with anything. And I also know there is a great debate over nuts and raisins in chocolate chip cookies. My thoughts on that, depends on the mood I'm in. Sometimes I love adding raisins to give the cookies an extra chewiness (and also, there's something that makes me feel like they're healthier with raisins!).

That being said, I don't know when the last time I bought a box of cookies was (other than Girl Guide cookies). It's so difficult to enjoy one of those hard crumbly store boxed cookies, after having homemade ones. And cookies are so easy to make, they rarely take more than 2 bowls, and you can clean up while they're in the oven!

Reebs' Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt (optional, but I use it because I use unsalted butter)
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- raisins or nuts if you're feeling saucy

In large bowl with electric mixer, beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla together until light and fluffy. In smaller bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt (if using). Add to wet mixture, beating until well mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Spoon dough onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 8-12 minutes. The baking time will depend on your oven. Tonight I had been roasting a chicken, so my oven was already well heated, so the cookies didn't need as long as usual.

Don't forget the glass of milk!!!

Pita Bread

2009-08-19T20:19:00.000-07:00

I love pita bread, really who doesn't? I remember in Montreal a friend of mine mentioned she was making her own and I was in awe. How does someone make pita bread? And does it really come out with the pocket that is so great for stuffing? I didn't really think much of it, partially because at the time my cooking repertoire was pretty much scrambled eggs and muffins. Fast forward about 4 years and I decided to try my hand at it. I found a recipe online and it is one of the easiest things to make. You probably have most of the ingredients on hand.

Pita Bread
- 3 cups flour (part whole wheat, part all-purpose)
- 2 1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
- 1 1/2 tsps salt
- 1 1/3 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

In a food processor fitted with blade, process the flour, yeast and salt on high for 10 seconds. With processor on high, add just enough combined water and oil until dough forms a ball. Process 60 seconds more.
Remove dough, cover and let rest 15 minutes. Heat oven to 500 F with rack on bottom. Dust cookie sheets with cornmeal. Divide dough into 12 buns roll into 6-inch circles 1/4 inch thick. Place 2 to 3 pitas on each sheet; let rest 10 - 15 minutes. Bake 4 to 5 minutes. DO NOT OPEN oven until time is up - heat will be lost and pitas may not puff. Pitas will not brown so be careful not to over bake.Pita bread is awesome served with hummus. A really quick recipe is to drain a can of chickpeas (reserving some of the liquid), add to food processor or blender, along with 1 tbsp tahini, a couple of tbsp's of lemon juice, 1-2 cloves of minced garlic, salt, pepper and cumin to taste. Blend on high until smooth, adding some of the reserved liquid if necessary.

Sunday Night Dinner - Beef Tenderloin

2009-08-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

I love the summer, and making dinner almost entirely from the market. It is something that makes me so happy!

After picking up a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables from the West End Farmers Market yesterday, I wanted to make something simple for dinner to go along with it. So today I biked over to Granville Island and bought a couple of beef tenderloin steaks. Yes, they are a bit of a treat, but these steaks were so good, and there was enough for us to have sandwiches for lunch tomorrow.

Making the steaks is very simple, all I do is bring them to room temperature and sprinkle with either steak spice, or simply salt and pepper.

In a cast iron pan, melt a tbsp of butter, add some olive oil and heat. Sear steaks on all sides ~ 2-4 minutes a side ~ and then place pan in 350 oven and cook for about 10 -15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak and how you like it. Remove from oven, place steaks on cutting board and tent with foil.

Meanwhile, put cast iron pan on element on medium, add sliced mushrooms and onions, cooking slowly. Add a splash of wine and continue to cook, about 5 minutes. Serve over steak.

I served dinner with fresh potatoes, corn on the cob, and salad with a quick pomegranate juice, honey, olive oil, dijon mustard and vinegar dressing.

A 'Diamond' in the rough

2009-08-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Brent and I caught an early flick at Tinseltown. After gorging on popcorn, we weren't really hungry for a full dinner, but it was 7:30, we were a little peckish, and wanted to go for a drink. We biked around Gastown trying to figure out what it was we felt like eating. I remembered having read something somewhere about a restaurant that had opened up across from the Chill Winston, in a second floor location. Thus it was that we stumbled upon Diamond.

The restaurant is upstairs at #6 Powell Street, on the corner of Powell and Carrall. The space itself is very simple, with exposed brick and huge windows. We were lucky and able to score a window seat, overlooking Carrall street. The staff was really friendly, and helped me to pick out a cocktail. I wish I could remember the name, I do know it had champagne and ginger and basil, and something else.

For food, the menu is a selection of Asian inspired plates that are easily shared. When you order your food, it comes out as it is ready, which is really the best way to eat. We ordered the Japanese Pickled Egg and Beets, Edamame, Pork Gyoza's and the Lemongrass Broth with Glass Noodles. All of the food was fantastic, and the entire menu looked enticing.

Overall, a definite great new find. Not too hard on the wallet either. I can't wait to get back and try some of the other cocktails!

The Diamond
#6 Powell Street
Wednesday - Sunday 5:30 - midnight

Soft Chicken Tacos

2009-07-29T20:19:00.000-07:00

We are sweltering here in Vancouver in the midst of a heat wave. And no one has air conditioning, and fans are hard to come by. So how do you beat the heat? Head down to the ocean for a quick dip after work, and then cook up some spicy Mexican food. Is it working? I don't know, but it sure tasted good!

Reebs Chicken Tacos
- 1 chicken breast, bone in skin on
- 1/2 cup salsa
- plum tomato, chopped
- juice from quarter of lime
- 4-5 pickeled, chopped jalapeno's (more or less depending on your tastes)
- 1 tsp cumin
- soft taco shellsFixings
- guacamole (2 avocado's, mashed, juice of quarter of lime, chopped tomato, 2-3 chopped jalapeno's, salt and pepper, all mixed together)
- salsa
- sour cream
- refried beans
- cheese

Preheat oven to 350, place chicken breast on baking sheet. Rub skin with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes or until cooked through. Once chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove skin, and then shred meat. (You could also use a rotisserie chicken to save time).

Heat olive oil in a pan, add chicken, cumin, lime juice, jalapeno's, tomato and salsa. Stir and heat through.

Put everything out to make your own soft tacos.

If possible try and find authentic soft taco shells, it really makes a difference. I bought mine at this European Deli in my neighborhood, but I have seen them at Safeway as well.

Enjoy!!!
-

Twice Baked Potatoes

2009-07-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

These potatoes are the bomb. I’m taking my time, I don’t want it to end.
- Rachel Cavanagh

I kid you not, this is what I heard the other night at the table. We were celebrating my parents 33rd wedding anniversary, and I had made dinner for everyone (although my dad took care of the roast). Seated around the table on the screened-in porch, enjoying a meal together, the 6 of us, at the cottage. The entire meal was fantastic, but I think the twice baked potatoes were the definitive hit.

Reebs’ Twice Baked Potatoes (adapted from a Canadian Living recipe)
-4 baking potatoes

-2 cups broccoli florets, chopped

-6 slices bacon

-1 cup finely chopped onion

-4 tsp flour

-1 cup milk

-salt and pepper

-½ cup old cheddar cheese (crumbled or shredded)

Scrub potatoes, prick all over with a fork. Bake in 400F oven for 1 hour or until tender.

Meanwhile, in skillet bring ½ cup water to boil. Add broccoli and cook 2 minutes, until tender and bright green. Drain and set aside. Add bacon to skillet, cook on medium for 5-6 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Drain off fat, let bacon cool on paper-towel lined plate. Chop and set aside.

Add onion to pan, cook on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in flour, cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in milk, salt and pepper, cook, stirring for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Add bacon and broccoli and mix well.

Cut potatoes lengthwise down centre. Scoop out flesh into bowl and mash. Stir sauce into mashed potatoes, until blended. Spoon into shells. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Summer and Potato Salad

2009-07-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this post from my parents cabin on Big Basswood Lake in Northern Ontario. It's so nice out here (even if it's raining and the lake is a bit colder than I'd like). This is a place that I plan to return to every summer for as long as I can. There are no agenda's, no schedules, while I'm here it's easy to forget about the hustle and bustle of life.

We had a big crew out for an afternoon of fishing, kayaking, hot tubing, boating and eating on the weekend, so I thought I'd do a quick post on the potato salad I made. Potato salad is a great side dish anytime of year, but especially in the summer. The great thing about it is that you can add whatever you would like, and there's no end to the possibilities.

Basswood Lake Potato Salad
- 20 - 30 little potatoes ( I used half white half red skinned)
- fresh peas
- 5-6 gherkins, chopped
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- salt, pepper, dill

*Note, I don't actually measure any of the ingredients for the dressing, these are my best approximations.

Cook potatoes until they are fork tender, but not mushy. Let cool and quarter.
In small bowl, mix mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper and dill. Add more of whatever you'd like to get the flavour you are looking for.

In large bowl add chopped gherkins, peas and potatoes. Pour dressing over potatoes and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour before serving. This salad is great the next day as well.

Mustard Dill Salmon

2009-07-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

I never used to be much of a salmon fan, occasionally I would buy some of those frozen salmon fillets, and figured that was as good as it was going to get. Now living in Vancouver, there is such an abundance of good salmon to be found, that I'll sometimes find myself eating it once a week at least. And that's not counting the smoked salmon. During the summer months, the local farmer's markets are a great place to get salmon fillets. When buying salmon, you want to buy wild not farmed, and frozen not 'fresh'. I put 'fresh' in quotation marks because all salmon (unless you catch it yourself or buy it from a fisherman on a boat while he's fishing) is previously frozen. Much seafood is, and often times frozen at sea. So, while you may think the refrigerated salmon is fresher, it's most probably just been thawed, and if you do buy it, you better eat it that day. We try and buy our salmon at the Farmer's Market, right out of the freezer, and boy is it tasty. I love it bbq'd on skewers, just roasted, cooked and made into salmon cakes. The following recipe is so easy, there are barely any ingredients required.

Mustard Dill Salmon
- 1 piece of salmon
- Olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- chopped fresh dill

Place salmon on parchment lined baking sheet. Rub salmon with olive oil. Mix together in a small bowl as much mustard, salt, pepper and fresh dill as you need to cover the fish. Coat salmon. Cook in 375 oven for 12 - 15 minutes or until salmon flakes easily and is cooked through. Serve with rice or potatoes and a salad.

Sunday Night Dinner - Father's Day Lamb

2009-07-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

This year my parents were in town for Father's Day. Rather than going out for dinner, Brent and I decided to make dinner for my parents at our place. One of my dad's favorite meals is lamb, and I boldly decided to try my hand at it. Needless to say, I was very nervous as I've never made lamb before, and have always heard that while it may not be difficult, if it is not cooked properly it can be less forgiving than other meats. While searching through my cookbooks I found a recipe for Herb-Roasted Lamb in Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Family Style. The recipe looked fairly easy, roast the lamb on potatoes.

So off we headed to Granville Island (which also happens to be one of my dad's favorite places to visit while in Vancouver) to purchase what we needed for dinner.
One of the great things about Ina Garten's recipe is that she includes in it the instructions to give the butcher. So I just marched myself over to Tenderland Meats and told the guy at the counter: 'I need a 6-pound leg of lamb, remove the leg bone but leave the shank intact'. That's a bonus of talking to an actual butcher, they got my leg of lamb ready for me and I was ready to go.

As we were trying to decide what green veggie to get for dinner, I spotted some fiddleheads, and decided, why not try my hand at these. Luckily I was able to text a co-worker who is a bit of a fiddlehead aficionado, and he gave me the instructions:

Fiddleheads - Steam or boil for 20 minutes. Pan fry in a bit of butter, garlic and sea salt. Splash some lemon or vinegar on at the end. So good!

Back to the lamb, it was surprisingly easy to prepare, and another great thing about the recipe is that you roast the lamb on the potatoes, so once that's in the oven, half of your meal is complete. Pair with a nice salad to start, some greens, and there you go. For dessert we had some home made ice cream with fresh strawberries.

Herb-Roasted Lamb (from Ina Garten)
- 12 large unpeeled garlic cloves, divided
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves (you need fresh rosemary!!!)
- Sea Salt and Pepper
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 6-lb boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and tied
- 4-5 lbs small unpeeled potatoes (16-20)
- 2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place rack in the lower third of the oven.
Peel 6 of the cloves of garlic and place them in the bowl of a food processor with the steel blade. Add rosemary, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and butter. Process until garlic and rosemary are finely minced. Coat the top and sides of the lamb with rosemary mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 mins to an hour.

Toss the potatoes and remaining unpeeled garlic in a bowl with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Place in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes and roast for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the lamb is 135 degrees for rare, or 145 degrees for medium. Remove from oven and put lamb on a platter; cover tightly with aluminum foil, allow to rest for 20 minutes. Slice and serve with potatoes.

Sunday Night Dinner - Risotto with Green Veggies

2009-06-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend we biked over to the Kitsilano Farmer's Market on Sunday, because we missed the West End one on Saturday. While at the market I found some english peas. I love these and could seriously just shell and eat them for a snack. I then saw some asparagus, and decided to make a risotto for dinner. When I got home I noticed the kale growing on the balcony was getting pretty bushy, so I grabbed some of that for the risotto as well.

Risotto with Asparagus, Peas and Kale
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth and 1 1/2 cups water, heated and kept warm

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 onion, finely diced
- 10 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 clove garlic, finely diced
- 1 cup arborio (short grain) rice
- 1/4 cup white wine (or vegetable broth if you're stuck)
- 1 cup shelled, fresh english peas
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- juice of 1/2 lemon

In a medium saucepan, saute onino and garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat. Add rice, stirring to coat. Pour in wine, cook stirring until no liquid remains, around 2 minutes.

Begin adding the broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding more broth. This will use up about 2 1/2 cups of the broth. Once you have added the last half cup of broth, add asparagus. Continue stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed. This slow cooking process can take up to 20 minutes, so be patient, it is worth it.

Add peas, kale and the rest of the broth (about 1/4 cup). Cook stirring for about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and about 3/4 of the cheese. Serve sprinkled with remaining cheese.

White Tomatoes

2009-06-07T20:38:00.001-07:00

This weekend marked the return of the West End Farmer's Market in Vancouver. This year we had looked into joining a CSA (a Community Supported Agriculture program), which basically boils down to receiving a box of produce every week from a local farm throughout the summer. You pay up front and you don't know what you are going to get week to week. I liked the idea of being challenged with a box of produce every week, and having the opportunity to create new and exciting dishes out of what came my way. However, after examining the program, it wasn't the best fit for us, partially because we don't have a car to pick it up, and also because we will be away for several different weekends over the course of the summer. That being said, I promised myself that instead, we would shop more often at the Farmer's Markets, and I would start taking chances on produce that I had never cooked with before. So here I am in the Farmer's Market at a tomato stall, and there are all these different varieties of Heirloom tomatoes. I love tomatoes, but I have to admit I've never really ventured past cherry, grape, roma and beefsteak tomatoes. So there were these white tomatoes and it said they were low in acid, and good for pasta sauce. The result was surprisingly refreshing.

Pasta with White Tomato and Sausage
- 2 Italian Sausages, cooked and sliced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 - 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 medium white Heirloom Tomatoes
- 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 -3 tsp capers
- salt and pepper

Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic, saute for five minutes or until onion is softened. Chop tomatoes and add to skillet along with juices. Add salt and pepper, simmer on low for about 15 minutes. While sauce is simmering boil water for pasta, and throw together a salad.

While pasta cooks (I used broad egg noodles), add sausage to sauce and heat through. Drain pasta, add lemon juice and capers to sauce. Toss with pasta.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-06-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

I've never been a really huge fan of Chicken Cordon Bleu, probably because the only time I've had it has been of the frozen variety, and most likely cooked in the microwave. However, Brent had been getting after me to make Chicken Cordon Bleu for awhile now. So I finally caved and decided to try my hand at it. I didn't think I'd be satisfied with a simple chicken with ham and swiss cheese, so I looked around on a few sites and settled on adapting a recipe of Tyler Florence's from Food Network's website. The combination of prosciutto and Gruyere cheese, as well as a herbed bread crumb crust really takes this recipe up a notch.

Chicken Cordon Blue
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 thing slices of prosciutto
- 1/2 cup Gruyere, grated
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 cup regular or panko bread crumbs
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 eggs, beaten

Lay the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper. Pound to 1/4 inch thickness with a meat mallet. Remove top sheet of wrap. Lay 2 slices of prosciutto on chicken, sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the prosciutto. Tuck in the sides of the chicken and roll up tightly. Seal both ends tight to form a nice log (this part takes some practice and is hard to explain).

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs with the thyme, garlic, salt, pepper and melted butter.

Dust the chicken with the flour, dip in the egg, and coat in bread crumbs. Place on rack on baking pan. Bake for 20 - 25 mimnutes until browned and cooked through. I served it with sauteed Swiss Chard and a Cauliflower Bake.

These were awesome the next day too, and I will definitely make them again.

San Francisco Delights

2009-05-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hello internet followers. I have been m.i.a. because I have been doing a bit of traveling. Nothing too extravagant, Tucson, Arizona for a family wedding, and then this past weekend Brent and I spent four days in San Francisco. And that, my friends, is what this post is all about.

San Francisco was an amazing city, and I would definitely recommend it to everyone who is looking for somewhere to visit. You've got history, landscape, shopping, people watching, and food, oh the food. Unfortunately I didn't end up taking as many pictures of my meals as I had planned, because frankly when the food comes to your table, sometimes you just want to eat it. That being said, I thought I would mention a few places that were fantastic.

Midi
This restaurant was located in our hotel, and our first night we arrived and checked in around 7:30, so decided to check it out. What a treat. We started with a couple of drinks and the artisan cheese platter. Everything went really well together, and the presentation was great. For dinner Brent had the grilled hanger steak and I had the braised spring lamb. Both meals were fabulous. Funny note, the waiter asked Brent if he wanted fries with his steak, even though that's not how it was served, the waiter was just concerned because 'there's no starch with your entree'. We both found that kind of funny. We finished up the meal with some dessert, unfortunately I can't remember what it was, but it was also great.

Pier Market
This restaurant is located in Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf, one of the biggest touristy spots in San Francisco. However, following our trip to Alcatraz we decided to check out this tourist area, and all I wanted was some clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Touting that their New England Clam Chowder was voted best in Fisherman's Wharf, I decided to check it out myself. Let's just say, it was so good that I was digging into the bowl at the end, and even returned the next day for another cup of chowder.

Catch
This seafood restaurant was recommended by a friend and colleague who also happens to be a bit of a foodie (having previously been a restaurateur). I was anxious to see if it would meet my expectations. And meet my expectations it did. We started the night off the best possible way, with some beer and fresh oysters on the half shell. Next we had the grilled artichokes with lemon pepper aioli. These were so good that I will definitely be trying to imitate them this summer on the grill. For our mains Brent opted for the classic Fish and Chips, and I chose the seafood grill, which was three types of fish grilled, Mahi mahi, salmon and another whitefish. All of the food was great, although the portion was a little bit large, but we did have two appetizers. The service was great, and we finished again with a dessert, I believe it was creme brulee. Interesting tid bit about this restaurant, it is the same building where Harvey Milk had his Castro Camera shop in 1978.

Sea rs Fine Foods
The first few days we were in San Francisco I saw this restaurant and didn't really think anything of it, probably being from Canada and associating Sears with the department store, I was picturing the restaurant inside Zellers or something. However, when reading different books in our hotel room looking for places to eat, this one kept coming up as a San Francisco Tradition. So, on our last day as we were looking for somewhere we could get breakfast at noon on a Monday, we came across the signs. Now I don't know about you, but it seems as though they really want you to know they are there.

Once inside I felt like we were transported to a diner from years gone by. We both had to try the World Famous Little Pancakes, and believe me they were awesome!

I can't wait to get back to San Francisco sometime and try out the many restaurants I missed. It was a great vacation, and such a quick flight from Vancouver. Don't forget to bring back some of the Ghirardelli chocolates for your friends!

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-04-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

These enchiladas are great to make if you have leftover chicken or turkey. Or you can just cook up some chicken for them, as I did tonight. For the chicken I trimmed three chicken breast halves and placed on parchment lined baking sheet. I rubbed them lightly with olive oil, then sprinkled with salt, pepper and chili powder, and baked in 350 oven for about 25 minutes, until no longer pink inside.

Chicken Enchiladas (adapted from a Canadian Living recipe)
- 3-4 cups cooked chicken, cut up
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4-6 mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups each shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 cups salsa (or one full jar)
- 8 large tortillas

In pan over medium heat, saute onion, garlic and mushrooms in one tbsp vegetable oil until no moisture remains, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken, beans, 1 cup each of both cheeses and sour cream.

Lay one tortilla on work surface. Spoon about 3/4 cup of filling into center. Fold tortilla over filling, on each side and then roll up. Place seam side down in greased 13x9 inch glass pan.

Continue with remaining tortilla's. Pour salsa over entire dish. Cover tightly with tin foil and bake in 350 oven for 35 minutes or until piping hot. Uncover and sprinkle remaining cheeses on top, bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before digging in.

Enjoy!

Scalloped Potatoes

2009-04-16T20:16:00.000-07:00

I know everyone claims to have a recipe for the best scalloped potatoes ever. Believe me, I've made a lot of different recipes. One of my favourites includes a layer of sauteed cabbage and bacon. However, I truly believe the recipe I made for Easter this past weekend trumps them all. I should have made a double batch, they were that good. Oh, and I even got an email from a party guest the next day who wrote, and I quote "I am still dreaming about those potatoes". So although I don't have a photograph of the completed dish (it disappeared way too fast), here is the recipe for what I am calling The Absolute by Far Best Scalloped Potatoes EVAH.

The Absolute by Far Best Scalloped Potatoes EVAH
- 1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 1/2 lbs yams or sweet potatoes
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp each, minced fresh parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (sing it like Simon and Garfunkel)
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 1/4 cups grated Gruyere cheese (I might have used more)

Fill large bowl with cold water. Peel potatoes, slice into 1/8 inch thick rounds and place in bowl with water. I've used a food processor in the past for this, which works, but this time I did it by hand.

Combine cream, butter, and garlic in medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Mix all herbs in small bowl, and salt and pepper in separate small bowl.

Butter a large glass baking dish. Drain potatoes, then pat dry with kitchen towels. Transfer half of potatoes to baking dish, using hands to distribute evenly. Sprinkle with half of s&p mixture then half of herb mixture.

Sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat with remaining potatoes, s&p, herbs and cheese. Pour cream mixture over gratin, pressing lightly to submerge potato mixture.

Cover tightly with foil. Bake in 400F oven 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until top is golden, and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.

I baked mine the day before and then reheated in the oven while the ham was resting. Soooo good!!!!

Pasta with Sausage and Asparagus Sauce

2009-04-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

I love cooking with sausage, and particularly because I have access to some of the best sausage around. Oyama Sausage make small batches of fresh sausages every week. Anytime that I am at Granville Island I make sure to pick up a few different ones for the freezer. Their lamb sausages are to die for!!! For this recipe I used a couple of spicy Italian sausages.

Pasta with Sausage and Asparagus
~ 1-2 tbsp olive oil
~ 2 medium sized shallots
~ 3-4 garlic cloves
~ 2 sausages
~ 5 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
~ 5 spears asparagus
~ pasta

Saute chopped shallots and minced garlic in olive oil 1-2 minutes. Remove sausage meat from casings. Add to pan, breaking up with spoon as it cooks, about 8-10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, salt & pepper and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil water and cook pasta according to directions. When pasta is almost done, add asparagus to sauce.

Toss pasta with sauce. Serve topped with parmesan cheese. Bon appetit!