Archive for the 'Recipe' Category

Two Soup Fails?

Published February 19, 2010 Dinner , Lunch , Recipe 1 Comment
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Wednesday was a cloudy, dark, and gloomy day. Soft, light snow fell followed by heavy, wet snow – perfect day for hot steamy dishes like soup. For lunch I wanted something simple and comforting. On top of the fridge we have a bag of alphabet pasta Jay and I purchased on a whim several months ago and at last I felt inclined to make use of it. In a small pot I put a cup of previously made chicken stock and a cup of water and while it heated on the stove I looked around in the fridge for something else to throw in besides alphabet pasta. I added two small pieces of cassava (yucca), about 2 oz each, 3 oz of skinless, boneless chicken breast, and 2 garlic cloves broken in half. I left the pot cooking on medium heat, thinking that maybe I should have added more water. 20 minutes later the cassava was cooked – it had swelled and absorbed a large amount of water so I added a little more to make it soup-y. The chicken was cooked and the garlic made everything smell like a cozy cottage during a snowstorm. This is when I added the alphabet pasta. 10 minutes later I checked back and what I found was a pot of gooey slop. It was not the soup I had looked forward to but it smelled amazing. I topped it with a bit of sour cream and paprika. Jay, who said it didn’t look very appetizing, tried a bite and then another and another. “Damn, that’s pretty good,” he said. So simple in taste and so easy to make. I will call it Alphabet Cassava Slop.

For dinner, still in the mood for soup, I brought out the Cooking Light magazine my friend gave me and I flipped over to the potato soup recipe featured on the cover. In hindsight I should have realized that potatoes would make for a very thick and heavy soup – turned out to be more like super tasty mashed potatoes. Jay said, “Potato stew.” But I think he was being nice. I’d probably make this again but next time I’ll use less flour and add more stock or milk.

Here is my version of the potato soup recipe, serves 2-3

2 baking potatoes

1/3 whole wheat flour

3 cups 2% milk

2 oz cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

3 bacon slices, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake the potatoes for an hour or until tender. Let them cool and peel then coarsely mash them. The magazine says to lightly spoon flour (all purpose flour) into a dry measuring cup and then level it with a knife but I scooped whole wheat flour with the measuring cup so maybe that affected the portion. Who knows. Place the flour in a pot and gradually add the milk and whisk until blended and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until thick and bubbly. Now, I’m not sure but I think what I did wrong was to heat the flour and milk as I whisked, making the mixture thicker than it should have been so just keep that in mind in case you decide to try this. Next, add the potatoes, a little more than half the cheese, salt and pepper and cook until cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and 3/4 of the onions. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes but don’t let it boil. Serve with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onions.

Hungarian Chorizo and Lentil “Stoup”

Published December 3, 2009 Dinner , Recipe Leave a Comment
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November was a crazy month what with working on my school assignments and writing my NaNoWriMo novel. But the fun hasn’t stopped yet. My story isn’t finished and next comes the revision part. I bet if it were summer I wouldn’t feel as inclined to spend a month indoors to write a novel but because the days are cooler now, I have no complaints. The past couple of days I’ve been in a warm, comfortable soup mode to counter the cold breeze that filters through my badly insulated windows. But because I’m still writing I’ve been using recipes that are quick and easy to make. Enter Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Meals: Cooking ‘Round the Clock. I hadn’t used this book in a while but over the past week it has come in handy. Over the weekend I made her carbonara which was very simple with pancetta (I used bacon), wine, egg, and lots of cheese. It was comfort food at its best.

Next I made her Hungarian Hot Sausage and Lentil “Stoup.” Here is my slightly adapted version:

Hungarian Chorizo and Lentil “Stoup”

Makes 4 servings

About 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – evoo (I kept saying this in my best impersonation of Ms Ray to Jay’s confused face, “What’s evoo?”)

150g Spanish style chorizo, sliced (unfortunately I mixed up the chorizo and the sausage when I brought out my ingredients)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 portobello mushrooms, gills scraped out, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots (one large carrot was enough)

1 cup canned lentils

1 large starchy potato, peeled and chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp cumin (but I would advise using less than this)

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp rosemary

14oz canned diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth

Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chorizo 2-3 minutes and then add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté for a bit then add the carrots, lentils, potatoes, bay leaf, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and rosemary. Next add the tomatoes and broth. Cover the pot, raise heat to high to bring to a fast boil then remove lid and boil for about 15 minutes. Serve with some toasted bread and butter. This spicy soup will warm you up on the coldest of days.

Two fantastic soups

Published November 14, 2009 Dinner , Must repeat , Recipe , Weight Watchers , Yum! 2 Comments
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These days, when I think of Weight Watchers I don’t think about the points – I’m not really counting points or following the diet, I just like to think I’m eating a little healthier. Instead I think about how yummy my dinner is going to be. Of course, there are some Weight Watchers meals that leave a lot to be desired but for the most part they are tasty and quick and easy to make. This past week, from the Turn Around Program Cookbook I’ve made two incredible, filling, delicious soups. When I was flipping through the book I first saw the Beef and Potatoes soup and I bookmarked the page right away because how could I say no to beef? And the fact that the meat is cooked in a mild spicy tomato mixture makes it even better. The next soup that caught my eye was Shrimp Bisque. I have heard of fish soup before but I’d never imagined eating pureed shrimp. I was dubious about this one but the end result was delicious and smile-inducing.

I’ve made a few modifications to the soups:

Shrimp Bisque

serves 4, 3 points per 1 cup serving

3/4 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined (reserve the shells)

1 bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups of water (chicken or vegetable would work, I used mushroom flavour) or 3 cups of broth

2 1/2 cups water

2 tsp unsalted butter

2 shallots, chopped

1/4 cup long grain rice

1 tbsp tomato paste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Place the shrimp shells in a large pot and cover with the broth and water. Cook and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Strain the broth and discard the shells. Set aside the broth. Melt the butter over medium heat and then add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth, the rice, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in the shrimp, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook until shrimp are ready, about 3 minutes. Scoop out 8 shrimp or so from the pot and place on a cutting board, chop and set aside. Let the soup cool about 5 minutes and then puree in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to heat and simmer until heated through. Serve with chopped shrimp on top and a dollop of home made salsa for an added kick.
Check out this other recipe too:
Shrimp Bisque on Foodista

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Shredded Beef and Potato Soup with Chimichurri

serves 6, 5 points per 1 cup serving

1 pound boneless bottom round steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

Salt

3 cups beef broth or 1 beef flavoured bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups water

14oz diced canned tomatoes

3 or 4 pickled jalapeño peppers, chopped.

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice of half a lime

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cups diced potato

Heat a bit of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the beef and salt. Cook and turn the beef until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, and jalapeño peppers. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for one hour. Scoop out the beef to a cutting board and let it cool. Set aside the broth and tomato liquid. Shred the beef with two forks or do what I did and use your fingers. To make the chimichurri, combine the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, a dash of salt, and the crushed red pepper and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onions, stirring until softened. Add the potatoes and the broth-tomato liquid and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the beef and simmer for another 2 minutes. Serve with chimichurri on top.

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Haddock Burgers

Published November 12, 2009 Lunch , Recipe , Weight Watchers Leave a Comment
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I’m a huge fan of burgers. Massive burgers that leave me with a dislocated jaw. I would probably be happy eating burgers everyday. Well, maybe that’s an exaggeration but you know what I mean. Even if I were to eat burgers everyday, I would eventually get bored and I’d have to find another type of meat to fill my hamburger bun. I could use chicken but why not try fish? This idea comes from that much-used Weight Watchers cookbook I’ve been working my way through. These burgers are worth 6 points each.

Haddock Burgers, makes two

2 haddock fillets (or cod or halibut)

2 kaiser buns, preferably whole-wheat

Tomato cut into thick slices

Lettuce

Red onion cut into slices

Old cheddar cheese cut into slices

For tartar sauce:

2 tbsp mayo

2 or 3 mini pickles, minced

1 tsp capers, minced

Set the oven to broil. Spray olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over fish fillets and place on a baking sheet then set aside. Mix the mayo, pickles, and capers together in a small bowl. You could also puree them to get a smoother consistency for the tartar sauce. I tried using my Magic Bullet but the amount was too small and it all ended up smeared against the sides of the container. When the oven is heated place the fillets inside and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked. I am terrible at judging when something looks cooked so I tend to cook things a little bit longer than suggested.

Assemble sandwiches with the tartar sauce, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, cheese, and of course the fish fillets.

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Acorn Squash and Roasted Garlic Soup

Published October 29, 2009 Dinner , Recipe , Yum! 3 Comments
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I know I’m not the only one when I say that fall is the perfect season for baking and filling our tummies with lovely heavy food. I suppose we do this in preparation for winter. I simply love to eat a big bowl of thick and creamy soup, the kind of soup that warms and satisfies. I know I made this soup at the beginning of this month for Thanksgiving, but it’s so delicious I had to make it again. Well, this time I showed Jay how to make it and he took over in the kitchen. We adapted the recipe a bit but the original recipe can be found here at Epicurious.

Acorn Squash and Roasted Garlic Bisque, makes about 4 servings
1 acorn squash
1 head of garlic
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 tbsp butter
3 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds. Spray a bit of oil over each half and place face down in a baking pan. Do not peel the head of garlic but cut it in quarters, then wrap tightly in foil and place on the baking pan with the squash. Bake for approx 40 minutes. Once cooked, let the garlic and squash cool a bit. Scoop out the softened flesh from the squash and set aside. Unwrap the garlic and mash with a fork.
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft. Next, add the broth (we used 3 cups of water and a chicken flavoured bouillon cube) and squash and cook on low for about 15 minutes. Add the garlic to the soup. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until nice and smooth. Return to heat and stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. It has such a lovely colour and Mm! So warm and yummy.

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Chicken Parmesan

Published October 28, 2009 Birthday , Dinner , Recipe , Yum! Leave a Comment
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Jay celebrated his 30th birthday yesterday and I took him to see the Body Worlds exhibit at the Science Centre. I’d never been and I was beyond impressed. After walking around for hours, looking at the posed remains of humans, we headed back home to eat. I made a very simple dinner of chicken Parmesan, rice, and salad.
The chicken Parmesan I made last night is a variation from the recipe found on Nervous Chef’s blog here.

Chicken Parmesan, serves 2-4 depending on how hungry you are
4 chicken thighs, I didn’t remove the skin or bones
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Frank’s Redhot
Pinch of salt and pepper

1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
Pinch of salt and pepper

1 14 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 5 oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
Water
Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Mix together in a large bowl the milk, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, Frank’s Redhot, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken pieces in the bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to soak for 4 to 6 hours.
Once you’re ready to start cooking, make the sauce by heating about a tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook another 30 seconds before adding the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir in the sugar, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Fill the empty can of tomato paste with water and add that water to the pot. Lower heat and simmer.
Preheat oven to 325F. In a shallow plate or bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Cover each chicken piece in the bread crumb mixture making sure each piece is well coated. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken until just brown on each side.
In a baking dish, large enough to fit the chicken pieces without overlapping, pour half the tomato sauce on the bottom. Place the chicken in the pan and pour the remainder of the sauce over top. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese and put back in the oven for about 6 to 8 minutes more.
I served this with fried rice with corn and a simple salad. Jay was very happy and he absolutely loved the tomato sauce.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Published October 21, 2009 Dessert , Recipe , Yum! 2 Comments
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To me, dipping a tablespoon into a jar of Nutella and licking the gooey, chocolately, hazelnutty spread is absolute heaven. Don’t judge. I know there are others like me. Tons.

It’s with this love of Nutella that I eagerly baked a batch of chocolate hazelnut cookies, filled with none other than Nutella. God I love that stuff.

This is another recipe from 1 Dough, 100 Cookies by Linda Doeser.

Makes about 30 cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup ground hazelnuts

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)

salt

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Sift into the mixture the flour, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips. At this point you will probably have to knead the dough with your hands. Don’t worry if it looks too dry and hard, it’ll turn into cookie dough texture once it’s kneaded. Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll into balls with your hands. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make a hollow in the centre of each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely before filling them with Nutella. I snipped off a corner from a plastic sandwich bag to “pipe” the Nutella into the cookies.

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Spicy Chicken Soup

Published October 17, 2009 Dinner , Recipe , Spice , Yum! Leave a Comment
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The best way to thaw after a chilly walk in the park is to eat a big bowl of spicy chicken soup. This soup will definitely make you sweat!

1 chicken leg, cut into pieces, keep bones

1 cup rice, uncooked

Approx 6 cups of water

2 or 3 bay leaves

2 large carrots, cut into small chunks

2 potatoes, cubed

half a leek, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 pickled jalapeno peppers

Salt and pepper to taste

Oregano and dried mint to taste

Put the chicken pieces and bones along with the rice in a large pot and fill with the water. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and let it gently bubble for about 40-45 minutes. Near the end, I added two pieces of cooked corn I had in the fridge. “That’s a big garnish, don’t you think,” Jay the smart ass said. For a tangy flavour you can also add fresh cilantro and lime juice.

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Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Cookies

Published October 16, 2009 Dessert , Recipe , Yum! 2 Comments
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Not too long ago I acquired yet another baking book. It’s called 1 dough, 100 cookies by Linda Doeser. I hadn’t baked any of the cookies in the book until today because I couldn’t make up my mind on which recipe to try. I figured chocolate chip cookies with cinnamon would be a safe and easy way to start. I’ve adapted the recipe slightly:

Makes about 30-34 cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup golden yellow sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 semi sweet chocolate chips

salt

For the coating:

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix the butter and sugar together until creamy, then beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Sift together the flour and a pinch of salt into the mixture. Add the chocolate chips and combine. At this point I stared, confused, at the dry and crumbly “dough” in my bowl. It looked more like pie pastry before it’s kneaded together, which is what I decided to do. I had to knead the dough with my hands until it had the consistency of cookie dough. Once that’s ready, scoop out tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. For the coating, mix the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl and roll the cookie dough balls around to coat. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten each ball slightly. The book says to bake for 12-15 minutes but I’d say bake 15-20 minutes, depending on how crappy or awesome your oven is. In my case I took them out after 20 minutes because they never changed their shape, I thought the butter would melt and they’d transform into flatter cookies. Instead they kept their original shape.

The first cookie I tried was kind of a let down. I was expecting a hard and crunchy cookie but it was just crumbly and the flavour seemed a little weird, like old oil. The next cookie I ate was a thousand times better, crumbly, sweet and full of cinnamon. So I’m thinking that maybe the first cookie touched a part of the Silpat sheet with oil residue? I’m not sure. Anyway, these things are a little addictive and I’ve eaten about 10 of them now, so be careful.

Cookies with a glass of almond milk.

Cookies with a glass of almond milk.

Beef Teriyaki Stir-Fry

Published October 16, 2009 Dinner , Recipe , Yum! Leave a Comment
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I picked up a package of stir-fry beef at the store only because it had a sticker on it that said it was two dollars off. Jay looked dubious and all I could think was, “Score!”

Last night, I was supposed to have served the stir-fry with our wilting bok choy but I completely forgot and I’m very sad about that because steamed bok choy with a hint of salt and garlic is absolutely fabulous. But no matter, the beef stir-fry was yummy and super sweet. Maybe even a tad too sweet near the end but delicious nonetheless. I served it over top of soft, sticky white rice. It only came out sticky because I got impatient and I didn’t let all the water get absorbed before I stirred the rice in the pot.

For the teriyaki sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry or sake

Approx 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Approx 1 tsp garlic powder

Beef cut into strips

Approx 2 or 3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables (I used No Name brand “Oriental Mix”)

I was too lazy to mince fresh garlic and ginger, hence why I used powder. Mix all those ingredients together in a bowl and add the beef. Let it soak for at least an hour. I used about 400g of beef but I think the marinade should be enough for 800g. Yes, my little beef strips were swimming in the sauce. Once the beef is ready, heat some canola or sunflower oil in a pot/pan/wok. I also added a small splash of sesame oil because I love the smell and the faint flavour it gives to food. Dump the beef and marinade into the pot/pan/wok and cook on high until beef is almost cooked through, then add the frozen vegetables. Continue to cook until everything is heated. I wanted a thick sauce to pour over everything so I removed the beef and vegetables from the pot and I boiled the sauce to reduce it. It wasn’t looking very thick so I sprinkled some cornstarch straight from the box. Big mistake. What I should have done was to mix the cornstarch in a bit of water first and then pour that into the sauce and maybe then I wouldn’t have ended up with a bunch of little white balls floating in the sauce. I whisked and whisked hoping the cornstarch would disintegrate but it didn’t. When the sauce eventually thickened I poured it through a strainer to remove the balls of cornstarch. I put the beef and vegetables back in the pot with the sauce to coat before serving.

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