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Appetizers

Green Lentil Pizza with Prosciutto

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In this Green Lentil Pizza recipe, the lentils are in the crust! Crazy I know, right?!

I’ve been throwing this idea around for a while and only just decided to add in the sweet potato this morning after seeing it staring at me from the counter.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from veggie burgers (believe it or not). I looked at the ingredients used to make my quinoa burger, considered the ever popular cauliflower pizza and decided to combine some of these flavours with green lentils to make a lentil pizza crust. And it worked!

This is my main dish entry for the Canadian Lentils Revelations Recipe Challenge and most likely my fourth and final entry. What fun creating with lentils!

With this recipe, it’s important to note a cauliflower pizza tastes nothing like a bread dough pizza. Nothing at all. And this crust is the same. It gives the allusion and feel you are eating pizza as it holds together remarkably well, especially with the delicious pizza toppings, but it tastes like what it is, veggies n cauliflower crust. You have to go into this knowing and being ok with that. It really is quite tasty and the perfect vegetarian fare (minus prosciutto).

The kids didn’t enjoy the pizza so much, but I liked the taste and would make it again. If you are trying to cut out carbs, and/or you like the cauliflower pizza, this is a good option full of protein. If you want to keep it vegetarian, top your pizza with grilled veggies.

Here’s how I did it.

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Green Lentil Pizza
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, pizza, supper
 
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups cauliflower florets (no stems)
  • ½ cup cooked sweet potato
  • ½ cup green lentils, cooked and pureed
  • ¼ cup green lentils, cooked and left whole
  • ⅓ cup parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup asiago cheese, grated
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 egg
  • pinch of salt, pepper
  • ¼ tsp hot pepper flakes
  • ⅓ cup pizza sauce
  • 3 slices prosciutto
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Put cauliflower in food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles course sand. This will give you about 2 cups.
  3. Put in oven safe bowl and cover. Cook in microwave for about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool (stir occasionally to help speed it up).
  4. In second bowl mash together sweet potato and pureed lentils. Mix in whole lentils, parsley, both cheeses, egg and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add hot pepper flakes and cauliflower, stirring to combine. Use your hands to form into a ball and place on a piece of parchment.
  5. Roll out ball using rolling pin or hands to flatten evenly.
  6. Place on baking sheet or preheated baking stone and bake for 15 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and add your pizza sauce, prosciutto and mozzarella cheese.
  8. Place back in oven and back another 5 - 10 minutes or until cheese has started to brown. Remove and eat.

 

Lentil Balls with Marinara Sauce

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Think meat balls but remove the meat and add Lentil to the word Balls. I played with this recipe for a while trying to see if I could get it to work with both flavour and consistency. I wanted it to work so I could enter it into The Canadian Lentils Recipe Revelations Challenge. See I’ve always loved lentils and used them from time to time in different dishes, but never on a regular basis. This challenge is reminding me I need to cook with them more often allowing the minions the chance to learn to love them. And the husband. This recipe is the perfect small bite (appetizer) for those who want a meatless meal. Or a main as it’s filling and tasty.

The hardest part about making these tasty bites is getting them to hold their shape while baking. Admittedly they do not stay crispy or round, but take on a flat side shape as they cook. The sides brown up quite nicely I might add and they are a delectable bite. Now I have to admit I took a couple and fried them in some canola oil in a pan. They soaked up some of the oil but became crispier. In the end I decided to stick with the oven method and make the balls smallish as they held together better. Pair them with your favourite marinara sauce for dipping or pair with whatever sauce tickles your fancy.

Serve them warm cause when you take a bite the melted cheese inside is simply delicious. In an additional experiment I decided to roll half of the Lentil Balls in store bought, seasoned bread crumbs. I almost liked the bread crumb version better as it adds a little extra crunch and texture.

In the end they taste good albeit square, round or heart shaped.

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Lentil Balls with Marinara Sauce
Author: 
Recipe type: appetizers, main, entree, dinner, lunch,
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 garlic bulb, roasted
  • 1 cup cubed sweet potato, cooked and cooled
  • ¼ cup shallots, minced
  • 2 cups green lentils, cooked
  • ½ cup asiago cheese, grated
  • ⅓ cup parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
  • 1 tsp 5 spice powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Cooking spray
  • Seasoned breadcrumbs
Instructions
  1. In a bowl squeeze your roasted garlic out of the bulb. Add sweet potatoes and mash with garlic.
  2. Drop in shallots, lentils, cheese, parsley, yogurt, sundried tomatoes, 5 spice powder, cumin, a pinch of salt and pepper and sesame oil.
  3. Stir to combine.
  4. Preheat oven to 425F.
  5. Roll mixture into small balls and set on parchment lined cooking sheet in rows of 3. Bake in oven for about 8-10 minutes and carefully turn. Bake another 6-10 minutes or until nicely browned.
  6. Remove from pan and serve hot with your favourite dipping sauce.
Notes
To make a quick marinara sauce, in oil saute ½ minced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic until onion starts to soften. Add 2 cups tomato sauce, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp thyme, pinch of salt & pepper and simmer for 30 minutes.

 

Tomatillo & Black Bean Salsa

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I had picked up some tomatillos a couple weeks ago at the store with a recipe in mind. I’ve never cooked with them before and was excited to make a new dish. Time passed, other external factors came into play and I never got to make my recipe. Sometimes that happens. But I knew they were in the fridge and I wanted to try them before they started to grow legs. So I made a salsa! I know this surprises you, since I’ve been on a three month long fresh salsa kick.

I wanted to keep the salsa simple so I pulled out some leftover sliced shallot from the fridge, jalapenos (cause I always have those on hand), some black beans and got started chopping.

I was very pleased with how this salsa turned out. The tomatillos impart an unusual almost grassy taste, but it’s so bright. This salsa is refreshing, bright and tastes great on almost everything.

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Tomatillo & Black Bean Salsa
Author: 
Recipe type: side, entree, appetizer
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
  • 3 tomatillos, remove husk and dice
  • 3 tbsp shallot, diced or sliced
  • ½ jalapeno, diced and seeds removed
  • 3 tbsp tomato, diced
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ½ lemon or lime, juice
  • salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
  1. Toss black beans through cilantro into a bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and taste for seasoning. If needed add a little more salt and another splash of olive oil.
  2. Serve with chips, crudites, on grilled meat, baked potatoes or vegetables. Even good on burgers or in lettuce cups/wraps.

 

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Bites

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It takes a Village…or at least I could have used one the first two weeks of February. It sho

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Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, game day, appetizer, beer night,
Serves: 30
 
Ingredients
  • 15 jalapenos
  • 1 x 8 oz brick of cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp smoked gouda cheese, shredded
  • 1 tbsp old cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tsp old bay or other spiced up seasoning
  • pinch of salt
  • 15 pieces bacon cut in half
Instructions
  1. Cut each jalapeno pepper in half lengthwise. With a small paring knife and or spoon, remove seeds and white membranes. Of the seeds removed, I dropped approximately 5-6 seeds back into each jalapeno half to add a little heat before adding the cream cheese.
  2. In a bowl mix together cream cheese, gouda cheese, old cheddar cheese, spice and a pinch of salt until smooth.
  3. Fill each jalapeno half with cream cheese mixture just to top. Do not over stuff pepper. I've found the mixture will bubble over if you do.
  4. Wrap each piece of bacon around jalapeno and secure if needed with toothpicks.
  5. Preheat oven to 375. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is cooked and brown.
  6. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

t by like a bullet and left me with a fuzzy head and feelin like a Zombie.

My husbands Aunt passed away recently, she was also his Godmother. Tough week. He flew out to Manitoba Thursday night for the Funeral/Celebration of Life and was gone for 4 days. Over the course of the weekend I had a Ladies Beer Night planned, kids activities to prepare for and an afternoon at the Loose Moose Theatre to attend. So I did what any mom would do….I scrambled to try and find a sitter last minute for the beer night.

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One hour into Beer Night I got a text “boy has thrown up at birthday party”. Gawd. Those are the worst words ever. And then “we are on our way home’. I text back praying for it to be a “one of”, only to find out another episode in the car. We were only 4 beers sampled in at this point, but as it goes, beer night was officially over for me. I needed to get to my kid.

The days that followed were chaos. I had to terminate a client, an old friend passed away and child number two got sick.

Back to beer night. True to form the ladies kept the party alive long after I left with a mere promise to take photos for me and offer feedback on the Village Brews I had left. To be more specific I left the ladies with a Growler sized Troubadour and a couple bottles of the seasonal Winter Chai. The feedback seemed positive with everyone loving the beer.

The Village Brewery story began with friends sharing beers and dreams for a community brewery. A brewery built to support Calgary’s artists and craftspeople. One that would create the excellent ales and lagers our friends and neighbors deserve. It takes a village to raise a beer. And a beer to raise a village. Staying local, supporting the arts and looking after the place, are some of the things they believe in.

Beer night went on without me and was deemed a success invoking Beer Night Part Deux, A Summer Tasting, to begin discussions. I brought along these Jalapeno Bites to enjoy with the beer.

[lightbox link=”https://www.bakersbeans.ca/images/2014/02/2014-02-05-16.54.41.jpg” thumb=”https://www.bakersbeans.ca/images/2014/02/2014-02-05-16.54.41-620×465.jpg” width=”620″ align=”center” title=”2014-02-05 16.54.41″ frame=”true” icon=”image”]

Twice Baked Smashed Potatoes

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I first came across this recipe years ago, after watching Chef Michael Smith make them on one of his shows…maybe Chef at Home? They were so easy to make, bake a potato, smash them, bake again. The recipe stuck and I started making them at least a couple times a year.

These potatoes are so versatile they go with anything. You can top each one with a small, dressed salad. I love them topped with guacamole or salsa. Eat as a side with a steak or any kind of meat. Sprinkle bacon on top. Drop on some grilled or baked veggies.

Oh La La delicious and they were the perfect side to our Steak with Chimichurri Sauce the other night.

Here’s how I did it.

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Twice Baked Smashed Potatoes
Author: 
Recipe type: side, lunch, dinner
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 6 potatoes, baked and slightly cooled
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • fennel seeds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Place potatoes on baking sheet.
  3. Using a heavy bottomed pan or cup push down on each potato until it has been smashed down evenly.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper and fennel seeds on top.
  5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until potatoes have crisped up.
Notes
To bake potato: Wash and prick with fork or knife. Place on piece of tin foil and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper and a tsp of butter. Wrap up in foil and place on baking sheet and in 350F oven. Bake for one hour.

 

 

Chili Lime No Tequila Chicken

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This recipe is simple with simple flavours. I created it while doing the wild rose d-tox. It was satisfying, tasty and filling. You could easily add half a cup of tequila to the recipe for some added flavour and even toss in some chopped jalapenos. But it’s not necessary.

Chicken kabobs can be made in the winter, by broiling them. The one thing about broiling meat in the oven, is there will always be smoke when you open your oven door. But they cook quickly. Fortunately when I made them I was able to open the windows as we were having a Chinook here in Calgary. As always grilling them while camping or on the deck is just as tasty.

The first time I made these kabobs I used one chicken breast. It made two kabobs which gave me two meals. The second time I prepared 2 chicken breasts and ended up with four kabobs or four meals. This recipe is for 2 chicken breasts. You could easily substitute turkey breast. I’d say it’s a keeper since the minions were picking the chicken off my plate hence prompting me to make more the second time around.

Serve it on a salad, on top of  grains or brown rice.

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Chili Lime No Tequila Chicken
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner, Lunch,
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless cut into cubes
  • 1½ cup zucchini, sliced into thicker chunks
  • ½ red onion, cut into chunks
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Juice from ½ lime
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • salt & pepper
  • skewers
Instructions
  1. In a plastic ziplock style bag, add your olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Squishy bag to combine flavours.
  2. Drop in your chicken, zucchini and red onion. Give bag a shake and set aside for 30 minutes.
  3. If using bamboo/wooden skewers soak for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking.
  4. Turn oven on to Broil.
  5. Alternating chicken, zucchini and red onion, start building your kabob.
  6. Place on parchment or foil lined rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Make sure your oven rack is as high as it can go. Broil for 5 minutes. Turn kabobs over and broil another 5 minutes. You are now ready to eat.

 

Bakers Latkes

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One of my favourite foods growing up was potato pancakes. Besides grating potatoes, I honestly don’t know how my mom made them, nor do I recall if they had onion in them or not. But what I do remember is they were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, thin and oh so tasty.

I’ve experimented with them over the years and the way I like to make mine is without any additional fillers…with the exception of egg, sometimes. If you search your basic latke recipe, you will find it is made with a binder (egg) and either flour, matzo, crushed crackers, or breadcrumbs and some onion. My latkes are pretty much grated potatoes, salt and pepper. This time I added in some grated zucchini. I love to taste the potato without any other stuff. Since they are cooked in oil, I salt them lightly after. Crispy and salty goodness is just what I was needing on Day 8 of my D-Tox.

And for the toppings…well growing up it was mostly sour cream. I’ve eaten them with a variety of other toppings, but I always come back to old faithful (sour cream). Since I’m allowed to eat these on a D-Tox, I had to find another topping and decided to add some of the jicama and green apple slaw I created the other day (recipe to be posted soon). Another yummy topping would be a fried egg.

Potato Pancakes latkes
Bakers Latkes

Things to note: Because you don’t have a binder to hold the latkes together you have to be gentle with them or they will fall a part. Ensure you scoop some carefully into your hot pan, gently push down and only turn when they are browned on the underside.

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Potato Pancakes
Author: 
Recipe type: Lunch, Dinner, Side, Vegetarian, Snack
 
Ingredients
  • 7-8 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled & grated
  • 1 cup zucchini, grated
  • salt & pepper
  • vegetable oil or coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Place shredded potatoes and zucchini in a kitchen towel and twist tightly over the sink to wring out excess water. Transfer mixture to a bowl and toss lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Once hot add 4-5 tbsp canola or coconut oil. You will need to add more oil as you go so keep it close by.
  3. Spoon approx 2 tbsp of the potato mixture into pan. Do this two more times so you have three in the pan at one time. Do not overcrowd the pan. Press lightly. Cook until browned (about 5 min).
  4. Transfer to a plate or platter lined with paper towels. Season with salt. Cover to keep warm while you continue to cook the rest of the latkes.
  5. Serve with your favourite topping.
Notes
Toppings: sour cream, apple sauce, creme fraiche, caramelized onions with bacon, any kind of slaw, cranberry compote.

 

Candied Bacon & Brown Sugar Baked Brie

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Late last Fall I was invited to attend an exclusive event put on by London Drugs (LD) at the new Molson Coors Tasting Room here in Calgary, aligning with LD tweet ups occurring at the same time in both Edmonton and Vancouver. Treats were provided by Dinner With Julie, special holiday cocktails prepared by Molson’s and London Drugs showcased their compact kitchen appliances. Bloggers were able to tweet about the event and by doing so get entered into the contest to win a T-Fal Optigrill. I didn’t win, but I sure had fun trying!

The beverages were delightful and inspiring. We tried beer cocktails called the Skinny Sour, Red Reindeer, Skinny Grinch and a White Christmas.

Snacks by Julie consisted of Spiced Nuts, Alfajores, Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Orange Maple Butter, Grilled Asparagus with Queso Fresco & Prosciutto, and a brie baked with a cranberry compote to name a few. I believe all of these recipes are available on her website.

Last year I started reviewing events, and adventures and pairing a recipe with each outing I posted to the blog. In creating a recipe for this particular evening, I wanted it to be a snacky bite. Since Julie did a baked brie, and it’s one of my favourite bites to make, I opted to create a new baked brie. So many ways to make a baked brie and initially I wanted to do it with beer. But in the end I just didn’t have time in the lead up to Christmas to get a baked brie with beer recipe perfected. I did recall however, my father in laws girlfriend Paulette, making a brown sugar baked brie for us once upon a time. It was that memorable. So I went for it. Since I already had sweet from the sugar and the liquor, I wanted to add a salty element to the brie and as such experimented with Candied Bacon. And so was born my Candied Bacon & Brown Sugar Baked Brie.

It was good, but the real test was getting feedback from the ladies. Over Christmas we got together one evening for a glass of wine and some bites. I picked up a large brie wheel and doubled the recipe for them to test. I think they liked it since every last crumb was devoured. Awesome!

Here’s how I did it.

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Candied Bacon & Brown Sugar Baked Brie
Recipe type: appetizer, snack
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp pecans, chopped
  • 1 tsp brandy
  • 1 tsp amaretto
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 2 tbsp candied bacon, chopped
  • 1 pkg brie (small)
  • Supporting Cast of crackers, apples, pears
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Remove brie from package and place on pie plate/dish or oven proof fry pan. Skor top a couple of times. Place in oven and bake for 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile mix together brown sugar, pecans, brandy, amaretto and salt.
  4. After 5 minutes remove brie from oven. Pour brown sugar mixture on top and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes.
  6. Sprinkle with candied bacon and serve with pear slices, apple slices or crackers.

 

Spinach Chips

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While I do not have a lot of time to watch TV, my favourite past time is and has been since I was a kid, is watching cooking shows. It blooms inspiration. My kids love watching some of the cooking shows to now especially the ones that feature kids!

Recently I watched a show called The Chew and Dolvett Quince was a guest on the show. He’s a celebrity trainer with at the time of this post, a book called the 3-1-2-1 Diet.

While on The Chew he made a skirt steak and spinach chips. Kale chips are not my favourite thing, but I was very intrigued by these spinach chips. When you work from home, it’s always good to plan ahead as far as the snacks go. Or you could end up snacking all day on the wrong foods while you work. Same with working in an office although planning ahead is a little easier when you make and take a lunch to work!

When making these spinach chips, use only a little of your favourite spice. I like to add hot chili flakes. Once cooked they melt in your mouth. One of two kids liked them. Time to try them again.

4.0 from 1 reviews
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Spinach Chips
Author: 
Recipe type: Snack
 
Ingredients
  • 1 bag fresh spinach, pre washed
  • Pam cooking spray
  • salt & pepper
  • spice blend
  • 2 whole almonds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300.
  2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Place spinach in one layer on parchment paper. Spray with pam. Sprinkle on salt, pepper and your favourite spice. Grate almonds on top.
  4. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until crispy.
  5. Serve immediately.

 

Avocado Green Smoothie

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Some days we sleep in or at times oversleep ending up frazzled and rushed to get out the door. Can anyone relate? But having a time-crunched morning doesn’t mean you should skimp out on breakfast. Breakfast fuels our body and that’s where creating a quick, simple avocado green smoothie can help you start your day with energy.

Several years ago I tried out the Body For Life fitness program. Breakfasts were easy and consisted of smoothies or shakes with the addition of protein. Throughout the years smoothies have stayed with me as a quick alternative to breakfast, lunch or even a snack. And when I am in workout mode, I am always adding protein powder to my smoothies when I can find one I like.

When I had my babies, smoothies were part of the rotation and they quickly got addicted to them. I would add a little water, fruit juice or coconut milk. I always use any kind of frozen fruit—whether it be berries, mangoes, or pineapples, add cinnamon, spinach and whatever else I could find like a fresh banana. As they have gotten older I do not use fruit juice any more but rather cold green tea, water or coconut milk to decrease any added sugars. Always using frozen fruit ensures a thick smoothie.

This smoothie was a combination of all things green I could find in my fridge or counter top. And since I had an abundance of lemons and limes to use, I added some lime juice to finish it off. If you ever find your smoothies to thick add in a little water to thin it out.

When we make smoothies we use either our blender or immersion blender. If you wanted to make this one for the kids, you might want to add in a little maple syrup for sweetness but its not necessary. Mine have never had added sweeteners so they do not miss it. If you really love green smoothies, check out our Mango Ginger Smoothie, a delicious bright drink with a ginger kick!

What’s your favourite smoothie combination?! Please tell us in the comments below!

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Avocado Green Smoothie
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, beverage, smoothie, green smoothie
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, packed
  • 1 cup cucumber, chopped
  • 8-9 mint leaves
  • ½ avocado
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • ½ cup water
Instructions
  1. Toss everything into your blender and puree until smooth. Add more water if you want a thinner smoothie. Pour into a to go cup or drop in a straw. Enjoy.

 

Eggs in Avocado with Fresh Salsa

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Every January I do the Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox. This is my 13th+ year doing this D-Tox and as you can tell I’m hooked. I try to do it twice a year. After Christmas/December and at the end of the Summer. It’s such a great reminder to get back on the healthy eating track, helps me feel better and clears up my skin. I love it and I’m very excited to be starting it again. A forewarning however, do not do a cleanse or D-Tox of any sort unless you have consulted your doctor. Another forewarning is this D-Tox is 12 days long and not an easy one by any means. Being prepared with meal planning, especially if you have a family to feed as well as yourself, is essential to success.

Another important thing to note is don’t do a cleanse or D-Tox to lose weight. Do it to jumpstart healthy eating and as such, make a lifestyle change. Do it to remove flours, dairy and sugars from your diet and see how they may have affected you. When the D-Tox is over re-introduce those foods slowly. I have had friends who have done this D-Tox and struggled with it. It’s not for everyone.

Over the years I have compiled a file on my computer with the recipes and foods I’ve tried that work on this program. It’s important to note this D-Tox is mostly fruit & vegetables with a side of protein, grains and light carbs.

Recently I saw an episode of The Chew, one of my favourite shows on TV right now, and Chef Michael Symon made Eggs in Avocados. He topped it with tomatoes & fresh basil. I’ve seen recipes in passing with eggs baked in avocados, but this is the first time I’ve seen it done in a sauce/fry pan. Being a lover of all things avocado I wanted to try it.

So this is day 1 of my 12 day cleanse and breakfast consisted of eggs in avocado fried in saucepan and topped with a fresh salsa. I’ve never had cooked avocado before and have to admit it’s a peculiar taste that I am not sure about. But everything went together nicely and I will try it again, but next time I might bake it in the oven. Plus you might love cooked avocado, even if I wasn’t so sure!

If you want to keep it vegetarian don’t add eggs, just crispy up your avocado in the pan or oven and top with salsa. You can make up your own fresh salsa like I did today or use this Pico De Gallo recipe. I made a huge batch since I know I will be eating a lot of fresh salsa over the next 12 days. I love it. Here’s how I did it. Note while you are allowed to use salt while on the cleanse, you have to use it in moderation. I did not salt the avocado dish but I salted the salsa.

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Eggs in Avocado with Fresh Salsa
Recipe type: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Vegetarian
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 avocado, ripe
  • 2 eggs
  • olive oil
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp cilantro, chopped or torn
  • pinch of black pepper
Instructions
  1. Carefully cut your avocado in half length wise. Remove pits. Scoop out a little of the avocado where the pit was sitting to make a slightly bigger hole. I took a small sliver off the bottom of the avocado to help it sit flat in the sauce pan. Add a few drops of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add your avocado.
  2. Sprinkle on some black pepper, cayenne pepper and some fresh cilantro.
  3. Crack your eggs, one at a time, into a bowl. Using a spoon scoop out each egg and carefully place each egg in an avocado half.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover pan with a lid, and cook until the egg whites have set up but the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. If you like your yolks firmer cook another minute or so.
  5. To serve place on a plate and top with pico de gallo or fresh salsa and another sprinkle of cilantro.
Notes
To make fresh tomato & cucumber salsa: In a bowl add 1 large diced tomato, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp diced red onion, 2 tbsp diced cucumber, 1 tbsp diced jalapeno or green pepper, the juice from half a lime, sprinkle of salt. Mix and serve.

 

Old Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Fondue

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The world of fondue is a fun one. With so many varieties of fondue to create, you would seriously never get bored. This Cheese & Bacon Fondue is one of our favourites.

Old Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Fondue
Old Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Fondue

This is one of our favourite cheese fondues and it’s not your traditional Swiss style fondue. This one is loaded with old cheddar cheese and bacon. It’s extra fun because it’s always a battle at the end to fish out the last pieces of bacon. Forks are a flyin. Fighting over bacon in your cheese fondue, what a concept. Seriously though, we’ve never had an injury during Battle Bacon, and you just can’t go wrong with cheese and bacon. Another favourite of ours has beer in in.

Old Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Fondue
Old Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Fondue

When we fondue we like to have two or more fondues on the table. Cheese fondue and a meat in broth fondue. The kids are not so big on the cheese fondues yet, but love the broth ones and are always dipping their veggies in the broth as well. Which means it’s up to husband and I to ensure the cheese fondues do not go to waste. Tough job.

Old Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Fondue
Old Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Fondue

Don’t be deterred by the sour cream in this one and don’t try to cut calories by using low fat sour cream. Husband is not a sour cream fan and does not even notice there is sour cream in this fondue because #Bacon!

We love to fondue and while we only get at it a couple times a year, it’s highly anticipated around here!

Old Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Fondue
Old Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Fondue

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Old Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Fondue
Author: 
Recipe type: appetizer, dinner, lunch,
 
Ingredients
  • 6 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
  • ½ cup old cheddar cheese, grated
  • ½ tsp dry mustard
  • ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • pinch of salt & pepper
  • pinch of fresh nutmeg
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, over low heat, warm sour cream.
  2. Add cheese by handfuls, alternating between cheeses and stirring after each addition until all cheese is melted.
  3. Add Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard and a pinch of salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Stir until combined.
  4. Transferred to pre warmed fondue pot and sprinkle bacon on top.
Notes
Cheese fondues are great with: mini cooked potatoes, fresh cut up veggies (mushrooms, blanched broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, zucchini), cut up bread (french bread, bagel, rye or pumpernickel, baguette, english muffins), breadsticks, marinated artichokes or olives, cut up sausage or pepperoni.

 

Fondue Night
Fondue Night

Roasted Vegetable Soup with Chipotle

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How often do you find leftover vegetables in your fridge begging to be used before they grow legs?! In my soup adventures this week, I was tossed whether to make a soup with some of my frozen meatballs or leave it a plain vegetable soup. Once I decided to puree the soup, I went with a vegetarian style soup kicked up a notch with some chipotle in adobo sauce. The chipotle in adobo sauce gives the soup quite a kick (spicy), so you may want to start with 1/2 tsp of the chipotle first, taste, and keep going until it is hot enough. If you do not like spice, just omit entirely.

Change up whatever vegetables you want to add in, and make it completely vegetarian or vegan by using vegetable stock. If you do not like or have bok choy, leave it out. It really is an acquired taste, one I was introduced to in the 90’s by mom mom. She started making this Bok Choy Salad and to this day my entire family loves it. You’ll find bok choy errs on the bitter side and again it might be an acquired taste, but oh so good for you! It will add a little crunch and texture to the soup.

To roast veggies, toss two cups sliced veggies with a splash of sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes or until starting to brown and soft.

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Roasted Vegetable Soup with Chipotle
Author: 
Recipe type: soup, lunch, snack, dinner, entree, appetizer,
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups roasted vegetables, chopped (carrots, cauliflower, celery, onion)
  • 2 cups stock
  • 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ¼ cup bok choy, chopped
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Toss roasted vegetables into pot and place over medium heat on stove. Add in stock, cumin and bok choy. Bring soup to a boil and lower to simmer. Add in chipotles and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let simmer about 15 minutes to marry the flavours.
  2. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
  3. Using an immersion blender or food processor puree your soup. If using food processor puree in small batches. I added in a little extra stock to loosen it up a bit.
  4. Place back on stove to heat up to a light simmer.
  5. Pour into your bowl and serve with a sprinkle of bok choy salad, croutons, or even shaved Parmesan.
Notes
To make bok choy salad: Combine ½ cup sliced thin bok choy leaves, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, ½ tsp sesame oil, ½ tsp orange zest, 1 tsp orange juice, pinch of salt. Mix well and place a dollop on your soup.

 

Candied Bacon

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Wanted to play with bacon one day so I decided to try making a candied bacon. That’s the problem when there is a package of bacon in the refrigerator, it demands to be made into something. Since I’ve heard so much about candied bacon and chocolate dipped bacon, I decided to pick one and candied bacon it was to be.

I figured there would be brown sugar and possibly maple syrup in the recipe, but since I had never made candied bacon before I took to google to discover how it was done.

The reason behind my bacon madness today? I was testing out a brown sugar baked brie and thought it would be the perfect topping to finish it off. Now that I’ve discovered candied bacon I’m hooked and sorry it took me so long to make this delightful bite. There are so many recipes this would be good in, and as such, appears to have enhanced my love affair with bacon.

Try it in salad (ie: Cesar salad), with pasta (sprinkle it on a Pasta a La Carbonara – drool) or even sprinkle some on a beef stew or beef chili before serving.

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Candied Bacon
Author: 
Recipe type: appetizer,
 
Ingredients
  • 6 pieces bacon
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Mix brown sugar, rice vinegar, maple syrup, black pepper and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
  3. Place bacon slices on a rack set over a baking sheet line with foil or parchment paper. Helps with the clean up later on.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes, turn slices, and bake another 5 minutes.
  5. Remove pan from oven and brush both sides of bacon with brown sugar mixture. Return bacon to the oven and bake another 5 minutes. Do this 2-3 more times until bacon is browned and crisp.

 

Carrot & Cumin Soup

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Some days you just feel like soup. Nothing else. Soup. Maybe a Sandwich because you need to feed the minions a little more than soup or you can’t guarantee they will like the soup you made. But mostly soup. I made this soup and it rocked our world. Well the grown ups. Easy Peasy as Jamie Oliver would say.

Make it entirely vegan by replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock and omitting the butter.

Easy, quick and currently our favourite comfort soup.

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Carrot & Cumin Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup, lunch, entree, main
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup shallots, sliced
  • 2½ cups carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup baker (russet) potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • salt and pepper
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat melt your butter and olive oil. Add carrots and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes then add your shallots. Saute for another 10 minutes turning heat down as necessary.
  2. Stir in coriander, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper. Cook another couple of minutes.
  3. Add broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stir and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 20 - 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
  4. Using an immersion blender or food processor puree your soup. If using food processor puree in small batches.
  5. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley.

 

Chicken, Apple & Halloom Skewers

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It was about a year and a half ago I first discovered Halloom cheese in one of our local stores. I was curious, and as such the cheese came home with me. This became the beginning of a beautiful love affair. Since then we’ve enjoyed the salty, yet mild grilled halloom cheese on skewers with fruit or meat, in salads, as a desert with a balsamic drizzle, as an appetizer/on a canape or on a baguette in a sammy. So many ways to eat this delicious cheese, but it must be grilled first to fully enjoy the cheese in it’s entirety. The smokey but light flavour adds impact to whatever you serve it with.

For the past couple of weeks Ambrosia apples have been everywhere in the stores and so I picked some up. I had been throwing the idea around of grilling up some skewers for lunch on my indoor grill/panini pan but kept putting it off as the amount of smoke that comes from the grill pan is almost to much to handle at times, especially in the winter months. Finally a warm day came along which meant windows open and grill pan pulled out for lunch time fun.

I placed some chicken, halloom and ambrosia apple pieces, in no particular order, on small skewers. They needed a quick marinade so I poured some Maille Old Style Mustard into a bowl, added a few other ingredients and whisked it all together. This became the marinade and dip when all was said and done.

Quick and easy, it was the perfect lunch for the minions and leftovers were served up and devoured for dinner.

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Chicken, Apple & Halloom Skewers
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner, Lunch, snack, appetizer, game day
 
Ingredients
  • 2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 ambrosia apples, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 package halloom cheese, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Maille Old Style Mustard
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ½ tsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp greek yogurt
  • salt and pepper
  • skewers
Instructions
  1. If using bamboo or wood skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before assembling.
  2. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium heat
  3. In a bowl mix together apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey, oil, greek yogurt and a pinch of salt and pepper. Separate mixture into two bowls. This is your dip/marinade. Set aside.
  4. Alternate your apple, chicken and halloom cheese on the skewer. Don't put too many pieces on the skewers. 4 - 6 is good measure to start for longer skewers, 2-4 for shorter ones. Once all skewers are prepared, brush on some of the reserved marinade from one of the bowls you set aside. Save the other bowl for a dipping sauce for later.
  5. Grill skewers about 10 minutes, turning regularly. Chicken is done when there is no more pink inside. If you are not sure, check for doneness by cutting open a piece of the cooked chicken.
  6. Serve with reserved bowl of dipping sauce.
  7. Makes about 16-20 smaller kabobs.

 

Mini Salad in Toast Cups

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This is a recipe I’ve had on the radar for quite some time as I came across it several years back. Seemed easy enough to make so I made a mental note. With Grey Cup less than a week away, I figured it was a good time to get my butt in gear and get testing some recipes. The toast cup replaces the buttery, crunchy crouton(s) in the caesar salad. You will love how quick, easy and delicious these are to make. Took me less than an hour to have these mini salad bites on the table, ready to be consumed. The out come was fabulous.

This recipes make 12, enough for a family of 4, but double and triple if you are expecting a crowd. And remember recipes with mayo can not be left out of the refrigerator for long periods of time.

Good use for leftover rotisserie chicken and to change things up a bit, replace the bacon with crisped pancetta for an equally delicious bite.

BLT Salad in a Toast Cup
BLT Salad in a Toast Cup
Cesar Salad in Toast Cups
Cesar Salad in Toast Cups

 

Buffalo Chicken & Bacon Salad in Toasted Cups
Buffalo Chicken & Bacon Salad in Toasted Cups

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Mini Salad in Toast Cups
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer, entree, entertaining,
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 3 pieces of bread, all four sides/crusts removed
  • 1 cup romaine lettuce, inner leaf rib removed and remaining leaf sliced into thin shreds
  • 1 tbsp caesar salad dressing, your favourite store bought or homemade
  • 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 pieces bacon cooked and chopped into small pieces
  • mini muffin tin
  • cooking spray or melted butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Cut each piece of bread into four equal squares.
  3. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray or brush with melted butter.
  4. Flatten each piece of bread a little and gently press each bread square into a muffin cup. Give another quick spray or brush of melted butter. Continue until you have filled 12 muffin cups.
  5. Place in oven and bake for 6-8 minutes or until the bread has turned lightly brown. Remove and set aside to cool.
  6. In a bowl combine lettuce, salad dressing, cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  7. Place a small amount of the salad in each bowl and top with a few pieces of bacon and a little sprinkle extra parmesan cheese.
  8. Serve.
Notes
To make BLT Salad in Toast Cups: Mix one cup of shredded lettuce with 1 tbsp mayo, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cut up one tomato into small dice. Place a little lettuce in each toast cup, top with a little tomato and a few pieces of cooked, chopped bacon.
To make Buffalo Chicken Salad in Toast Cups: Mix 1 tbsp melted butter with ¼ cup hot sauce. Toss with 1 cup diced roasted chicken. Set aside. Toss 1 cup shredded lettuce with 1 tbsp mayo and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a little lettuce in each toasted cup and top with a small spoonful of buffalo chicken, few pieces of cooked bacon and if you have it a few crumbles of blue cheese. I added a small piece of cheddar to each one since I had no blue cheese.

 

Buffalo Chicken & Bacon Dip

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Grey Cup to Canadians is like Super Bowl to Americans. As luck would have it, our Calgary Stampeders didn’t win the Canadian Football League’s Western Division Final over the weekend, it was the melon heads who took the win to advance to the Grey Cup. I can of course affectionately call the Saskatchewan Roughriders and their fans melon heads because most of my family lives in Regina, including my brothers, and they are loud and proud Riders fans who openly admit to wearing watermelons on their heads. All in good fun.

This means the Roughriders advance to the Grey Cup and will play against the Eastern Division Final winners, the Hamilton Tiger Cats. This year Regina is hosting the Grey Cup and I predict a whole lot of frozen melons at that game cause it’s gonna be cold. And since we are in the West, we will root for the West, cause West is Best! Go Roughriders Go!

This recipe came about as I had some leftover buffalo chicken from the Salad in Toast Cups recipe I am testing (to be posted soon). We roasted two whole chickens this weekend so we would have leftovers for a busy week. Plus leftovers of this kind always mean a new recipe or two must be attempted.

I didn’t have any blue cheese but I would definitely sprinkle some on top prior to putting this dish in the oven to melt a little….or after it comes out. Cut avocado sprinkled on top before serving would also be a nice touch. Baking this dip not only blends the flavours but it mellows out the buffalo sauce a little. I also sprinkled on a little extra cheddar before baking.

I served the dip with a variety of chips and crackers, but celery, carrots and fresh veggies would be just as delicious.

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Buffalo Chicken & Bacon Dip
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, appetizer, game day food,
 
Ingredients
  • 8 oz brick cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup cooked chicken, cut up
  • ½ cup greek yogurt
  • 4 pieces bacon
  • ¾ cup grated old cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup hot sauce
  • 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
  1. In a pan over medium heat cook your bacon until nice and crispy. Set bacon aside to drain. Pour out all but 1 tbsp of the bacon fat.
  2. In microwaveable bowl melt butter with hot sauce. Stir until combined. This is your buffalo sauce.
  3. Heat pan you cooked bacon in to medium and drop your cooked chicken in. Stir chicken to get some of that yummy bacon fat on and warm it through. Pour in about half of the buffalo sauce and stir.
  4. Lower heat and cook for 3- 5 minutes. Take off heat and set aside to cool slightly.
  5. Preheat oven to 350.
  6. In a medium size bowl mix cream cheese, greek yogurt, 3 pieces of the bacon broken up, cheddar cheese and cooked chicken. Add the remainder of the buffalo sauce. Pour into an oven proof bowl and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
  7. Break up and sprinkle the last piece of bacon on top and serve with a mixture of chips, crackers or fresh vegetables.
  8. Yields about 3-4 cups.

 

 

Caramelized Onions with Ginger

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The past couple of years I’ve been having a love affair with caramelized onions. How could I not have known how delicious these slow cooked, sweet little morsels were. Now I make them on a regular basis and keep them in the fridge. The sampling during the cooking tends to lower the end quantity, so I always try to make a little more than the recipe calls for.

Adding the ginger gives the onions a little kick. Sweet + spicy is super delicious. I can’t wait to try a french onion soup with this combination. The caramelization process does take close to an hour to get the onions nice and brown so make sure you have the time.

Caramelized onions can be used many ways. Mix into mayo or greek yogurt for a dip or sandwich spread. Put on your burger (one of my favourites) or on top of a steak or pork chop. Place on top of a baked brie, or on crackers or baguette slices with your favourite cheese. Mix into eggs, on pizza, or in a pasta (mac and cheese). And of course these make the perfect french onion soup.

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Caramelized Onions with Ginger
Author: 
Recipe type: Condiment
 
Ingredients
  • 3 medium onions, sliced thin
  • 3 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
  • butter
  • olive oil
  • salt
Instructions
  1. In a pan over medium high heat add about 2 tbsp butter and a small glugg of oil. Drop in your onions, stir and spread them out evenly over the pan. Reduce heat to medium low. Keep your heat down and stir occasionally. The natural sugars in the onion will slowly release.
  2. After about 15 minutes add your ginger and a pinch of salt. Stir. Continue to watch and stir. The entire process will take 50-60 minutes.
  3. If the onions start to get dry and stick add a little more butter or a couple drops water.
  4. Once the onions are ready, use immediately or put into seal-able container and in the fridge for later use.
Notes
This recipe yields about one cup.

 

Winter Brussels Sprout Slaw with Pancetta

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Most of us have heard about the Thanksgiving Side Dish of sauteed brussels sprouts with pancetta and toasted pine nuts. It’s simply delicious and a dish I’ve enjoyed in various forms, more recently at a friends for Thanksgiving Dinner. I had actually intended to make the dish one evening to see if the kids would like it but somehow the idea started to slip away….and I got inspired to make a winter slaw instead. The cold version of this hot dish seemed logical since I had some pancetta, brussels sprouts and napa cabbage in the fridge, all seemingly with a shorter shelf life now that winter has arrived.

And so it began. Started chopping and creating piles. We always have pomegranates on hand (daughter loves), so I did the water trick and cleaned one in less than 60 seconds while toasting up some pine nuts in a pan. It was coming together. The only tough decision (well not really) was to use a crisp apple or almost ripe pear. After sampling both, the pear got my vote, although apple would work to. I tossed most of the ingredients together with a dressing, sampled the crispy pancetta a few times (yum), carefully added the pear and topped it with the pancetta, that I couldn’t stop eating.

As with most coleslaw’s, they taste better the next day once all the flavours have married and the crunchiness of the cabbage softened a little. A nicely grilled halloom cheese, goat or blue cheese would add a really nice flavour to this salad. You could also change up the nuts and toast some slivered almonds or walnuts. Serving it for dinner you should get four servings. Making it for one, you might get two meals out of it, if you are lucky.

Make this vegetarian by omitting the pancetta.

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Winter Brussels Sprout Slaw with Pancetta
Author: 
Recipe type: Side, Salad, Lunch, Main, Entree,
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 8 large brussels sprouts sliced thin or 2 cups
  • 2 cups napa cabbage, sliced thin
  • 2 thick (1/4 inch) slices of pancetta, sliced into long strips
  • 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
  • 1 semi ripe pear, sliced into long thin slices
  • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
  • olive oil
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • salt and pepper
  • ½ tsp cumin
Instructions
  1. In a bowl or measuring cup whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. In a pan over medium high heat add your pancetta pieces and cook until nicely crisp and brown all over. Set on paper towel to drain.
  3. In your serving bowl combine sliced brussels sprouts, napa cabbage, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.
  4. Pour dressing on top and toss.
  5. Since your pear will be on the ripe side gently drop on the pear slices and lightly toss with your hands. Layer crisp pancetta strips on top of salad and serve.

 

 

Prosciutto Wrapped Watermelon with Balsamic Drizzle

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Last year I was invited to attend the KitchenAids Cook for the Cure Launch here in Calgary, a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Our speaker for the evening was Celebrity Chef Corbin Tomaszeski, a former Albertan himself who grew up just outside of Edmonton. The event was hosted at a local restaurant called Belgo Brasserie, and they served up a small offering of bits and bites including Panko Crusted Shrimp, Foie Gras on Toast Bites, Amici Balls and Prosciutto Wrapped Watermelon.

Corbin took to the podium and asked us all to be a part of the KitchenAid Cook for the Cure by joining their fundraising efforts. If certain fundraising goals are met there are incentives tochefcorbinsmaller join other Celebrity Chefs in Toronto in December.

My motivation for joining is different. For me cancer is everywhere these days. Two years ago I lost good friend Diane, to lung cancer that spread throughout her body. She was given 6 weeks, made it 8 weeks before we said goodbye.

Last year a friend’s husband was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. He had surgery to have the lump removed and under went treatment. Today he is cancer free.

Last year, almost to the day, another friend’s 2 year old niece (Lily) was diagnosed with Leukemia. After several months of intense treatments she is doing ok today. But the treatments are not over for her, yet. Last month our family participated and walked in Light The Night, a fundraiser walk for Leukemia, in her honour. Our team was called The Lily Pads.

And more recently, a dear friend from grade four, Kim, has been diagnosed this year with lung and brain cancer. It’s terminal and it’s breaking my heart. A large feeling of helplessness follows this kind of diagnosis especially since she lives in BC and I in AB.

I think I’ve given more money and done more fundraising for cancer this year than ever before. But it can’t stop. It can never stop until cures are found.limegreenhandmixer

To help promote my Breast Cancer fundraising efforts I have decided to re-create an appetizer enjoyed the evening at Belgo Brasserie, Prosciutto Wrapped Watermelon. It’s certainly not a hard bite to make, but I’m adding my own spin of mint and some balsamic drizzle. Typically I make my own balsamic drizzle, although the last time I attempted to make it we had family in town and I got carried away chatting so much I burned my drizzle. Twice.

So the Balsamic Drizzle I used with this recipe comes from my The Missing Ingredient Food Package of goodies. The Missing Ingredient is a food subscription service that sends you a box of goodies each month. I have to say having a container of drizzle in my pantry, ready to go at anytime, is brilliant as you can “drizzle” almost anything.

Please join me in my fundraising efforts for Breast Cancer Research. Even after all the fundraising I’ve done this year for other cancers, I’ll be giving up (gulp) a bottle of wine this week and putting those funds into the pot. Will you?! Please click on the link to donate Cook For The Cure.

For every person who donates on my Fundraising page, or on my sign up sheet, I will put your name into a draw to win a brand new KitchenAid Lime Green Hand Mixer. I’ll do a random draw on Thursday, December 5th for this item. Good Luck and Thank you!

4.0 from 1 reviews
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Cook For The Cure | Prosciutto Wrapped Watermelon with Balsamic Drizzle
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, appetizer,
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
  • 24 pieces watermelon, seedless if possible and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 24 pieces of prosciutto sliced into 1 inch strips
  • 24 fresh mint leaves, small ones if you have or large ones cut into smaller pieces
  • balsamic drizzle
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Carefully wrap one piece of prosciutto around each watermelon piece.
  2. Top with a piece of fresh mint.
  3. Arrange on your platter or serving plate.
  4. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic drizzle.
  5. Serve immediately.

 

Krispy Pumpkins

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As it goes I’ve come up with what I thought was a fabulous idea for rice krispies this Halloween…and Wham it’s been done. As mentioned in previous posts I gave up googling my ideas until after the recipe is created, tested and posted. Then it becomes a comparison….how did they create their food compared to how I made mine. But I’m still taking the credit for coming up with this idea myself even if it has been done before. If it’s an idea I’ve gotten from somewhere, credit is always given where credit is deserved, as it should be. Food Bloggers Law.

We are having a Halloween Boogie Bash for the little kids and I wanted some fun food bites for them to munch on. Thought some food colouring in the rice krispie squares would turn them into great little pumpkins. Made a small batch so if you are wanting a lot double the recipe. In the end, success and the kids loved them.

Note: no two pumpkins are created equal so have fun with your shapes and don’t try to make them all perfect.

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Krispy Pumpkins
Author: 
Recipe type: Snack, treat, holiday,
Serves: 11
 
Ingredients
  • 22 large marshmallows
  • 3 cups rice krispie cereal
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • couple drops both red and yellow food colouring
  • green jelly beans
Instructions
  1. Melt butter in pan over medium low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until they are completely melted.
  2. Pour in your vanilla and food colouring, stirring until combined.
  3. Remove from heat and add rice krispie cereal. Stir until combined.
  4. Pour into a dish. If you try to form the pumpkins while still hot it won't work. You need to let the rice krispie mixture cool down a little.
  5. Once cooled (not completely) start forming balls and place on platter. Once all your balls are formed, go back to first pumpkin ball and shape into a pumpkin. As they cool they become easier to work with. Add your green jelly bean stem.
  6. Place in refrigerator to firm up for about 20 minutes and serve. Or transfer to a container to store until ready to serve.

 

Ras el hanout Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas

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I’m very excited to be 1 of 3 food bloggers from across Canada chosen to review a Foodie Package from The Missing Ingredient, a Vancouver based company who offers a monthly food subscription service. Each month The Missing Ingredient will deliver to you (anywhere in Canada) 4-5 hand picked and tantalizing food items for you to play with, all packaged in a lovely box. This is a Canadian service and as such, the product is uniquely Canadian. These guys are on their game as they also offer a Gluten Sensitive subscription service.

Within each box of ingredients you receive 4 informative post cards; Chef’s Tips is tricks and secrets from a cornucopia of local Chefs, Meet the Maker tells you about one of the locally sourced products in your box, Feature Recipe gives you ideas on how to use one of the ingredients, and Double Up is a another way to use your feature ingredient.

The minute I opened the box and smelled the feature ingredient, Moroccan Ras el hanout Spice, I was filled with ideas having eaten recently at the Moroccan Castle here in Calgary. I knew exactly what I wanted to make first.

So I got to work today creating not one but four dishes using the spice. Over the next several days I will try to photograph and capture them all. There is so much you can do with this spice but I also want to play with the other items in the box. One of the recipes I made today is a soup with chick peas. I ended up with extra chick peas. I also had a big platter of leftover vegetables from a Girl Guides event last evening and way too much cauliflower. I’ve roasted both cauliflower and chick peas separately before, and today I decided to combine the two with this spice. It was, to say the least, outstanding. Not wanting to share it with anyone, it became my healthy and filling lunch.

The Missing Ingredient is the ultimate foodie gift service for those who love food or for those who are hard to buy for. You can purchase a 1, 3, 6 or 12 month subscription and you do not pay any extra for shipping. Definitely something worth checking out.

This dish is perfect on so many levels…as a side, in a pita with humus, on naan or as a pizza, mixed with pasta or rice, on crostini or even on top of a hearty stew. Some feta or goat cheese sprinkled on would also be lovely.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Ras el hanout Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas
Author: 
Recipe type: side, snack, lunch, Dinner
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • ½ cup chick peas
  • olive oil
  • ½ tsp Moroccan Ras el hanout
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven 350.
  2. Toss cauliflower, chick peas, a glugg of olive oil, Ras el hanout and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir and lay out on parchment lined baking sheet.
  3. Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes until cauliflower starts to brown slightly around the edges.
  4. About half way through cooking time I drizzled on another squirt of oil and sprinkle of salt.
Notes
If you can not locate the Ras el hanout spice mix, use cumin or your favourite spice blend instead.

 

Pomegranate and Orange Quinoa Salad

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This Pomegranate and Orange Quinoa Salad was made for our recent Ladies Halloween Wine Evening. Since it was a theme evening, I named it “blood clot salad with crunchy finger nails“. It was very well recieved and so much fun to make.

It all started with a variation of this salad I’ve been making all year. The dressing always stays the same, as does the main ingredient, oranges. Typically I tend to add some form of greens into it. Parsley, kale, scallions…anything I find in my fridge.

One day last week I was cleaning a pomegranate, with a hovering daughter, and I started thinking about putting pomegranates into the quinoa salad. They are everywhere in the stores and I swear we’ve already gone through half a dozen as my daughter loves them. They certainly are the perfect snack, full of antioxidants and I love how much she enjoys them. While cleaning away, I was having more thoughts about our Halloween evening and what bites I was going to bring. I had already decided on Pumpkin Vomit, made with guacamole, but I wanted a second dish to bring. Just because I’m crazy like that!! For some reason the term “blood clots” came to mind and then the light bulb moment….pomegranates in the salad could be blood clots. I think it could work.

I eat a lot of quinoa salad and always cook the quinoa the day before as I prefer it cooled down for my salad. It becomes very fluffy when you allow it to rest after cooking. The next day I scooped the seeds out of my mini pumpkin and carved it. It was going to by my vomiting pumpkin prop. Since we always roast our pumpkin seeds, I wanted to roast these ones to munch on. I tossed the seeds with oil, salt and cumin but had to turn the oven off and run out to the bus to get my kids mid roast. When I returned the residual heat from the oven had crunchified them a little. Still yummy however and then it came to me, they could be a salad addition of crunchy finger nails. Boom Chaka Laka. We were on a roll.

This is pretty much how this salad came to be. Started with the usual suspects, didn’t have any parsley so I used some of the bok choy greens in my fridge, roasted some pine nuts and tossed it all together.

This is enough for one serving. Double and triple if you are wanting to feed 4 or more and have leftovers for lunch.

 

Blood Clot Salad with Crunchy Finger Nails
Blood Clot Salad with Crunchy Finger Nails

 

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Pomegranate and Orange Quinoa Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: salad, main, dinner, lunch, appetizer,
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • ⅓ cup orange segments (one orange), cut up
  • 1 tsp mint, (heaping) chopped
  • 2 tsp pine nuts, roasted
  • 2 tbsp bok choy greens, chopped (or parsley)
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, roasted
  • 1 tbsp juice from orange
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place first seven ingredients in a bowl and toss lightly.
  2. In a jar or measuring cup add orange juice, vinegar, sesame oil, olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk together and pour over salad.
  3. Toss to mix in dressing and taste for seasoning. Add another pinch of salt and pepper as required.
  4. Serve with another sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds on top.
  5. This salad can be made a couple hours in advance and left to sit in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
You will end up with more dressing than you need. Pour some on and toss. Taste and decide if you need to add more or not. Leftover dressing can be used to coat roasted potatoes, in a pasta salad or used in a green salad.