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Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas – 30 Minute Meal

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Meals come together quickly when you use the broil feature in your oven like our simple Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.

These fajitas can be on the table in 30 minutes or less when you prep things in advance or get the gang to help with dinner preparation. Once dinner prep is done, it’s as simple as preheating your oven, tossing items onto your baking sheet and selecting broil. In about 12 minutes you are sitting down to eat dinner.

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

We like to serve tacos with an array of toppings and condiments allowing everyone to choose what they like in their tacos. We are all so different it’s funny some days.

For fajitas, I don’t add cheese, but the family does. I do however like spice and add in jalapenos, pickled or freshly sliced, banana peppers, or even thinly sliced thai chili peppers. After doing this for so many years, the kids are now willing and able to try spicy peppers – sometimes!

PRO TIPS:

Change up your onions by using white or yellow in stead. Roast some baby tomatoes and add a variety of peppers. Remember to cut everything the same size to ensure even cooking time.

We use flour tortillas when eating our fajitas. Warming them on our electric glass stove burner provides a little char. To do this simply turn on your burner to medium, toss one on, watch it, after a few seconds flip it with tongs and set onto a plate. Do this with all of them and keep them covered under a dish towel until ready to serve.

A second warming option is wrap them in foil, place on rimmed baking sheet and put on lower rack in oven until warmed through while your fajitas cook. Or low heat and time in your microwave.

Additional sides for fajitas, salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

 

No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls

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It’s that time of the year where our summer days are becoming shorter and there is a cool crispness to the evening air you can’t deny. Winter is coming. No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls are full of antioxidants help you to boost your immune system while you enjoy a sweet treat.

Back to school shopping is in full swing for supplies, clothes, backpacks and of course school snacks. It’s amazing how much less my kids eat during summer holidays compared to when they are in school and needing fuel throughout the day. Baking snacks in advance, like these No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls, and freezing is one way we like to get ready for back to school before it arrives.

No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls
No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls

Elderberries are full of antioxidants, vitamins A, B and C plus are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and are the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world. When it comes to antioxidant power, elderberry is higher in flavonoids than blueberries, cranberries, goji berries and blackberries. Known as a treatment for cold and flu symptoms, Feel Good Elderberry Syrup can also be used when cooking or baking as a food flavouring.

No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls
No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls

No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls are a protein packed recipe you can freeze and pull out for breakfasts, pop into lunches or enjoy while out hiking or camping. Using only 7 ingredients, they are loaded with nutritional foods like elderberry syrup, chia seeds, nut butter, hazelnuts (also called filberts) and dried cherries. This combination of super foods offer immune boosting antioxidants, protein, fiber and healthy fats.

Ingredients for the no bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls
Ingredients for the no bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls

Teaching our kids to make healthy choices is easy when you have great ingredients to work with. For more inspiring healthy recipes or back to school snacks check out our Date Energy Balls, or Pepperoni Pizza Muffin recipes.

No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls
No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls

We are working in collaboration with Feel Good Syrup on this post. All opinions, views expressed and recipe development are, as always, my own.

Iceberg Wedge Salad with Bacon

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A salad needs only a few ingredients and a fantastic dressing to make it a salad and this Iceberg Wedge Salad with Bacon offers all those things and more.

Wedge Salad History

The history of the Wedge Salad has been found to date back to 1916 in a book called “Salads, Sandwiches & Chafing Dish Recipes” by Marion Harris Neil. Iceberg lettuce was a very popular item in those days, most likely super cheap and a good canvas for adding flavours. With fewer ingredients to cook with in those days Marion’s recipe is simply Roquefort cheese and hard boiled eggs with a light dressing. In the decades to follow the wedge salad became a delightful and popular starter course to order when dining out.

Wedge Salad with Bacon
Wedge Salad

The traditional classic wedge salad of the 1970s could be found in many steakhouses and would always be laden with blue cheese dressing, crispy bacon, and hard boiled egg all on top of an iceberg lettuce wedge.

Wedge Salad with Bacon
Wedge Salad with Bacon & Pistachios

In the last ten years the wedge salad has begun to make a comeback popping up on menus all over the country. Many recipes stick true to the traditional wedge salad ingredients, however at Bakersbeans we see no point in following tradition and as always love to put our own spin on recipes.

A wedge salad, like any bright green salad can be dressed up or dressed down however you choose. Adding beans, nuts, chopped vegetables or fruit, different cheese, salad dressings, even protein changes the game and gives you a new fresh salad every time you make it.

I’ve been playing with my food aka wedge salads for the past month. We decided this week will be wedge salad week in our house. One head of iceberg lettuce can make four meal sized wedge salads, therefore stay tuned for three more wedge salads this week!

Pro Tips:

  • Leave the stem on, slice a thin piece off the bottom and eat around it. Keeping the stem on helps hold the wedge together.
  •  This recipe makes enough for one wedge. Double ingredients for more wedge salads.
  • Sprinkle a little water on your leftover lettuce head and use plastic wrap pressed against the cut side of the lettuce head and wrapped around it to stop it from turning brown.
  • If you do not like to cut into your salad, simply cut up the salad, toss everything currently on your plate and boom you have a regular plated salad.

This salad is a knife and forker and currently one of our favourites. Be sure to check out our other wedge salads: BLT Wedge Salad and Greek Wedge Salad.

What is your favourite salad?

 

 

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

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I recently met with the owner of a local grilled cheese restaurant who approximately one year ago closed her former location with intentions on opening in a new hood. It took some time, but finally the opportunity came in the perfect cozy little package. Almost ready to open, she still had to write the menu on the board, get her liquor license and complete a few other tasks, but without a doubt, she was ready to rock in roll.

Around the same time I stopped in to check out the new digs, I came across a photo of a jalapeno grilled cheese I had made once upon a time. There are many of those once upon a time photos that never got matched up with a recipe. Suddenly I wanted grilled cheese. And jalapenos. So it happened and here it is in all it’s glory. Important to note I use mayonnaise to “butter” my bread. It works just as good as butter and is cheaper.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

5.0 from 4 reviews
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Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
Author: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 1 jalapeno pepper
  • olive oil
  • ⅓ cup softened cream cheese
  • 1 tsp old bay
  • pinch kosher salt
  • pinch finely grated black pepper
  • 4 pieces of bacon
  • Loaf of bread
  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
  • mayonnaise
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 475F.
  2. Cut jalapeno in half and remove seeds and veins. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet and drizzle on some olive oil. Rub all over and put in oven for 5-10 minutes or until peppers have softened and have a light char on them. Remove from oven and either skin them or set aside to cool (both way works). Once cooled enough to handle, rough chop them and mix in a bowl with cream cheese, old bay, salt and pepper.
  3. Cook your bacon. Drain, set aside.
  4. Slather four pieces of bread with mayonnaise. On the other side of each slice, spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture.
  5. In a large skillet over medium heat, add bread with cream cheese mixture, mayonnaise side down. Top with two pieces of bacon and ½ of the grated cheese. Top your with remaining slice of bread, mayonnaise side up.
  6. Cook on medium low until melty and golden, 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook 5 minutes more.
  7. Remove from pan and let sit. Repeat with second sandwich.

 

Dublin Coddle

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A Dublin Coddle is a one pot dish originating in Dublin, Ireland. Typically leftover pork sausage, ham, bacon, potatoes and onion are tossed into a heavy pot, topped with stock, covered and baked for a couple hours to blend the flavours and cook the potatoes.

Dublin Coddle
An Irish Stew – Dublin Coddle

While channel surfing one night, You Gotta Eat Here, the Canadian version of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, caught my eye. The crew and host were filming in Dublin, Ireland and featuring a Chef making a Dublin Coddle. I was very Intrigued, it looked so good. The Chef used ham hock, a couple different pork sausages and bacon. He said pork was the main ingredient and his Dublin Coddle had four variations of pork products.

A Dublin Coddle dates back to the 1700s and is traditionally a dish eaten during the colder months using up leftovers in the fridge. The name ‘coddle’ is most likely derived from caudle, which comes from the French term meaning to boil gently, parboil or stew. Or so the research indicates.

Dublin Coddle
Dublin Coddle

This stew reminds me of another stew I use to make on the stove consisting of smoked sausage, potatoes and carrots. A very simple dish yet the potatoes cooking down in both provide a creaminess to the stew without adding any dairy products. I also use a dark ale, stout or porter in this coddle.

PRO TIPS:

  • Dark beer adds depth and flavour to slow cooked dishes. A light beer will not offer the same flavour.
  • Have crusty bread or Irish Soda Bread on hand to mop up the broth.
  • Great dish to make while camping. Prepare what you can in advance, keep cool until ready to cook in a heavy bottom pot with a lid.
Dublin Coddle
Dublin Coddle

Try this stew on St. Patrick’s Day – our kids loved it! Serve with Irish Soda Bread and beer!

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Dublin Coddle
Author: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 250 gr bacon or ½ pkg, cut into chunks
  • 3 mild Italian sausage, uncooked and left whole
  • 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
  • ½ pkg or 190gr smoked Mennonite sausage, sliced into chunks
  • 4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • ½ cup chopped parsley divided in two
  • good pinch sea salt and cracked pepper
  • 4 cups warmed chicken broth
  • 1 bottle of dark beer
  • Crusty bread
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Heat a large, oven safe Dutch oven or casserole pot over high heat. Add Italian sausage and the bacon and cook long enough to add colour but not cook through, about 5 minutes. Remove them to drain on paper towels. Drain all grease except two tablespoons. Once sausage cools cut on diagonal into large chunks.
  3. Add onions and Mennonite sausage slices to pot stirring to scrape up and bits on bottom and let cook about three minutes.
  4. Add potatoes, cooled sausage, bacon, half the parsley, salt and pepper.
  5. Pour in beer and bring to a boil. Add chicken broth, reduce heat and cover the pot.
  6. Place covered pot in preheated oven and cook for 2 hours.
  7. Serve hot with fresh crusty bread.

 

Broken Glass

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A popular potluck item for decades, Broken Glass is an easy, pretty and show stopping jello dessert to make for your guests or with your kids.

Broken Glass
Broken Glass

We’ve taken this treat to potluck gatherings, class activities and enjoyed them as snacks at home. You can colour code it to a birthday party theme, bridal showers, picnics, or any kind of holiday celebration. Simply pick your favourite jello colours and follow the instructions.

One of my closest friends mom’s made it once for our little girls 2nd birthday party. She made it rainbow coloured and it was such a special treat for us I had to recreate what she did and make it for Valentine’s Day.

Broken Glass
Broken Glass

Plan in advance of your event as you will need two days to let the jello set up. I have little cookie cutters that I like to use to cut smaller shapes and a few in the shapes of hearts.

I used the heart shaped cutters instead of cutting cubes to make jello hearts. When adding them to the casserole dish they went in just before the milk and were selectively placed. To ensure I had an equal mix of red to white I used only 2 small boxes of jello. You could use more however I like the white to show through.

Broken Glass
Broken Glass

The instructions are fairly straight forward to make this dessert. Give yourself time and have fun! Do you have a favourite Valentine’s Day treat you like to make for your family?!

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Broken Glass - Valentine's Day
Author: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 2 small boxes of red jello (cherry, raspberry, strawberry)
  • 2 envelopes unflavoured gelatin
  • 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 cups boiling water
  • Supplies: 9x11 casserole dish
  • Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Plastic storage containers that are longer vs high
  • Small heart shaped cookie cutter for heart shapes
Instructions
  1. Dissolve each box of red jello into separate plastic containers using only 1 cup of boiling water for each box. Mix well to ensure combined. Cool down and cover with plastic wrap.
  2. Chill overnight or at least 24 hours to set.
  3. The next day in a bowl add your gelatin and pour two cups of boiling water over top to bloom the gelatin. Stir well.
  4. Let cool a little and stir in sweetened condensed milk until cool to touch.
  5. Cut the red jello into small similar shaped cubes or use a heart shaped cookie cutter to create heart shapes.
  6. Carefully place in a 9x11 casserole dish. Pour cooled gelatin and milk mixture over red jello, cover with plastic wrap and chill over night.
  7. Using a flat thin small knife or spatula, carefully cut around the side of the casserole dish to loosen sides. Slide spatula along bottom and remove pieces carefully.
  8. Best served immediately however it will keep in your refrigerator for a day or two.

 

Ras el Hanout Hummus

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Ras el Hanout is an aromatic spice blend common in Moroccan cooking. The name in Arabic means “head of the shop,” and literally refers to the best spices a store has to offer.

It’s a spice blend gaining popularity and becoming more mainstream in kitchen pantries. One interesting fact about this spice is no two Ras el Hanout spice blends are the same. What does this mean? Many will include cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, various peppers, and turmeric. But every company that creates this blend has their own secret combination. In fact they could use up to 30 of their own best spices to create their own blend. To add to the mystique, the list of traditional ingredients has been said to even include hashish and Spanish Fly.

 

Ras el Hanout Hummus
Ras el Hanout Hummus

 

I’ve had this little spice gem in my spice pantry for the last couple of years. It still carries a strong and lovely smell and tastes equally delicious when added to any food. I started adding it to roasted chick peas and that’s what brought us to making this recipe.

The flavour of this hummus enhances as it sits in the fridge. Eat it with with pita, in wraps, with fresh vegetables, even on crispy crackers. Start your kids young eating hummus with their fresh veggies, a healthier option instead of ranch dressing. If you are into trying some new hummus recipes do check out my Cilantro & Black Pepper Hummus and Roasted Jalapeno Hummus.

What’s you favourite flavour of hummus and how do you like to eat it?!

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Ras el Hanout Hummus
Author: 
Recipe type: snack
 
Ingredients
  • 1 540ml or 2 cups can chick peas, drained and liquid reserved
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp ras el hanout
  • ½ cup tahini
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup toasted pepitas
Instructions
  1. Add chick peas, garlic, ras el hanout, tahini, ¼ cup olive oil, lemon juice and a good pick of black pepper and salt to food processor, vitamix, ninja or bowl. Process until mostly smooth. Add some of the reserved chick pea liquid and extra oil as needed. I used all the liquid from the can.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning, add more salt as needed.
  3. Serve on a plate or in a bowl with a good drizzle of olive oil on top, some additional sea salt flakes and toasted pepitas.

 

 

Roast Turkey Pho

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Back in the 90’s Robson Street was Vancouver’s outdoor shopping mall with great restaurants and cafes as well as all kinds of high end stores to tickle your fancy in. It was a seen and be seen place to be. In fact it still is. Walking up and down Robson every time I go to Vancouver to visit brings back vivid memories of the time spent living there. At one point I lived in the West End so merely a hop skip and jump over to Robson Street to take it all in.

I was a part time Gapper back in those days, and my time working at The Gap on Robson was extremely adventurous, it was an experience. I ate out a lot (single in the city) and one of my favourite little stops was a little hole in the wall cafe on Robson Street. This eclectic little place served up the best soup I’d ever had and I would visit whenever a cold struck. This soup was Pho, pronounced Fuh. Pho is not the same as Ramen, which is darker and richer cooked entirely from pork bones, but rather traditionally made from beef and scented with star anise, cinnamon and ginger.

Roast Turkey Pho

Pho is an anytime soup but most comforting in the Fall and Winter on those days you need a bowl that hugs you back and some comfort food. The most important component to a Pho is the broth. Enjoyed in a restaurant, Pho broth is typically simmered for hours on end resulting in a delicious tasting broth with many levels of flavour. For this Roasted Turkey Pho Broth I can honestly say my turkey stock simmered for 4- 5 hours. Was left to sit for several hours while it cooled and then further cooled in the fridge with all it’s aromatics and turkey bones for up to two days. The result, the best tasting turkey stock I’ve ever made.

There was only one thing to do at this point, try to make a pho soup in stead of your basic turkey noodle soup to use up the last of the 15lb roast turkey. While shopping for ingredients for my turkey pho, I discovered Campbell’s offers a new product, Pho Broth. So I did what any virgin pho maker would do and bought a pack, you know just in case the turkey broth was lacking in flavour. After straining the turkey broth and getting 6 cups of intensely flavoured broth, I decided to add in the package of pho broth to make approximately 8 cups. I just knew it was going to be good.

This quick version of pho is layered with each ingredient giving you the full restaurant experience.

Create your Pho Bowl

Rost Trukey Pho w/ingredients

When you make this recipe you must get your soup bowl ready and start with the cooked noodles, gingerly placing on the bottom of the bowl. Ladle in your hot broth gently moving around the noodles with chopsticks to ensure they are not sticking together. The next layer is the turkey breast, add a good heaping spoonful. At this point you add whatever toppings you prefer that are available. We eat family style here so it makes sense for each person to customize their pho.

Looking for other ways to use up leftover turkey? This soup is very popular and quite tasty: Turkey, Bacon & Corn Chowder.

2.0 from 1 reviews
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Roast Turkey Pho
Author: 
Recipe type: dinner, lunch, soup
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 8 cups chicken stock, pho stock or home made turkey stock
  • 2 small cinnamon sticks
  • 1 piece of ginger, approximately 1 inch and peeled
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 package flat rice noodles
  • 2 cups cooked cold turkey sliced paper thin
  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • ½ cup green onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 limes, 1 juiced - the other cut into wedges
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup fresh herbs: mint, basil, cilantro rolled and thinly chopped
  • sriracha sauce
Instructions
  1. In a large pot add all the stock, cinnamon sticks, ginger, cloves and star anise. To keep things easy to fish out I put my cloves and star anise in a tea pincher/infuser for easy removal later on. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Remove spices from broth and stir in fish sauce, salt and sugar. Keep on low heat.
  2. Cook rice noodles according to instructions.
  3. Add prepared bean sprouts, turkey, green onion, lime wedges, jalapeno peppers and fresh herbs into individual bowls and place on table.
  4. Scoop about ½ - 1 cup of noodles into each bowl. Ladle 1⅓ cups of hot broth over noodles and gently swirl noodles with chopsticks or a skewer to ensure they are not sticking. Top with a heaping spoonful of turkey.
  5. Serve each person their bowl with chopsticks and a fork/spoon and let them add their favourite toppings.

 

 

 

 

 

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye

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Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye comes together quickly and is easy to prepare in advance or when you arrive at your gathering when you have your ingredients prepped and ready to go.

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye
Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye

Coming from the Pacific West Coast, I’ve eaten my fair share of smoked salmon. Even freshly smoked then canned via my momma. As a child my dad would catch river salmon and smoke it regularly. I craved it. When I moved to Vancouver I had a hard time eating smoked salmon that was not his. Eventually lox and cream cheese on bagels won me over and I let go of that craving. But it still resides in my thoughts as a taste I will never forget.

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye
Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye

Did you know this recipe’s origins are German? We were asked to bring an appetizer to a recent family gathering or celebration of cultures. Since we have a Spanish student living with us, I wanted to hi-light some Spanish food. But he’s 16 and we couldn’t get it together in time.

I reached out to another former student from Germany, one who has become a second daughter to us. I am partially German with relatives living in Germany so I was intrigued to see what she would suggest. She sent me pictures of lox on Pumpernickel German Rye Bread and advised it’s very popular in Germany. I clearly had no idea! This was a dish I could get behind and off I went to find pumpernickel rye and lox.

Pumpernickel German Rye Bread is a heavy, dense and simply flavoured bread. Lox is sold everywhere here but as a touristy item. Fortunately thanks to twitter I located some that was both a decent price and delicious. The bread came from the European deli.

What I put together really didn’t look much like the photos she sent me but more based on my memory of lox on bagels with cream cheese. And the best part of it all, our Spanish student helped me assemble these German appetizers and did his share of eating them. I expected nothing less from a growing teenager.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye
Author: 
Serves: 15
 
Ingredients
  • Smoked Salmon
  • Cream Cheese, room temperature
  • Capers
  • Red onion, sliced thin
  • fresh dill
Instructions
  1. Cut your bread into smaller pieces. It's a firm bread so it will hold up well.
  2. Spread on cream cheese.
  3. Add some of your smoked salmon.
  4. Sprinkle on some red onion, capers and dill.
  5. Serve immediately.

 

 

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings

6 · · 3 Comments

If you are like me, chicken wings are one of those things you just can’t get enough of. Then there’s my husband who would eat them every night if he could. Even the kids enjoy the non spicy wings now so there’s rarely any left when we make them as it’s all in every time wing night happens.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Wings
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Wings

When I fry the wings I tend to do it outside on the burner of our BBQ to avoid grease splatter. I do not have a deep fryer and really do not want one. When winter approaches here in Canada and temperatures drop to low to BBQ I have to find new ways to create recipes as the grease splatter drives me a little crazy. As a chicken wing lover I do prefer my wings to be crispy vs fatty and as such I’ve been challenged with baking them as they never crisp up the way I like them.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings

We use chicken wings to help make our gravy when ever we roast a turkey and I always end up with a few leftover in the freezer allowing me the opportunity to play. These wings were tossed with some of my favourite ingredients and added to our slow cooker or they can be done in the Instant Pot.

In a little over two hours the wings were perfectly cooked with a little added time for a good broil in the oven.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Wings
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Wings

These wings are so moist they practically fall off the bone but still have a nice crisp on the outside.

Here’s how we do it.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
Author: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 20 chicken wings, tips removed
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ginger, freshly grated
  • pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, a pinch of pepper and sesame oil.
  2. Add chicken wings and stir to coat.
  3. Pour all into oval slow cooker.
  4. Cook on high for 2- 2.5 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to broil.
  6. Remove from slow cooker and place on baking sheet with a rack.
  7. Broil for 5 minutes, turn chicken wings over and broil for another 5 minutes. Watch them carefully.
  8. Serve with a little of the slow cooker sauce drizzled over top.

 

Apple Sponge

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There are only so many days in a month and when you have over half a cookbook flagged with recipes to try, the struggle becomes real. Plus kids, activities, events to attend, life in general! But I’m determined and so I made my way through a good handful of recipes from Olia Hercule’s cookbook Mamushka.

The monthly cookbook club I belong to allows you to try any recipe you want and share it to Instagram. There are no other requirements besides check out what others in the club are making. I have found through this process this year there are several recipes I would make again. This being one of them.

This Apple Sponge contains no rising agent. You create height by beating air into the eggs. The cake was moist and using Fall apples harvested at their peak makes it the perfect Autumn dessert. I added salt to the recipe to enhance the flavour but that’s entirely your choice.

Olia’s mom would make this whenever they had a craving for something sweet, calling it biskvit (“a sponge”).

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Apple Sponge
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • Butter for greasing pan
  • 5 eggs
  • ¾ cup + 2 tbsp superfine sugar
  • 1⅓ cups flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 green apples, cored and thinly sliced
  • icing sugar for dusting
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x12 inch cake pan with butter.
  2. Beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl with a handheld mixer for at least 5 minutes (use a timer if necessary) until very thick, pale, and foamy. The amount of air you beat in is essential.
  3. Gently fold the flour and a good pinch of salt into the egg mixture.
  4. Mix the cinnamon with the apples, then tip the apples into the prepared cake pan and pour the cake batter evenly over the apples. Bake until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, 35 minutes.
  5. Let it cool in the pan. Dust with some icing sugar, cut into squares and serve.

 

 

Yogurt Drop Scones

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Since I was small child I have loved cookbooks. Most likely because my mom had cookbooks I could peek at (Joy of Cooking, Five Roses Cookbook) and secondly because I’d been watching PBS Cooking Shows on Saturdays since the 70’s. When I moved away from home and to Vancouver, I would always fly home for Christmas. It was then my mom always had some cookbook or cooking wares item under the tree for me. My suitcase went home full of inspiration and my cookbook collection slowly increasing in size.

This year I joined in on a cookbook of the month club. I have been enjoying discovering new cookbooks through this club and trying new recipes, several I will make again. The cookbook for September is Mamushka, A Cookbook by Olia Hercules. This book shares recipes from Ukraine & Eastern Europe and is a cookbook I would have never found on my own. I’ve enjoyed several recipes from this book and will be sharing a few on the blog.

Olia’s scones recipe is what we would call small pancakes. This recipe makes a small batch so you will need to double it if you are feeding a family of four. Or a teenager. I’ve never played with Kefir before and was thrilled to find it locally for this recipe. These scones/pancakes were simply delicious and with only five ingredients in this recipe, one I will make again.

Olia calls these one of her most favourite recipes of all time, ones he makes for her son often as her mom did for her.

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Yogurt Drop Scones
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup plain yogurt or kefir
  • 1 egg lightly beaten with a pinch of sea salt
  • ¾ cup flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 2 tbsp oil
Instructions
  1. Mix all of the ingredients except the oil together in a bowl with a fork. The batter should be a soft dropping consistency.
  2. Brush a frying pan over medium heat lightly with the oil, then drop separate large tablespoonfuls of batter into the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining batter and add more oil if necessary. Serve warm with Greek yogurt or jam.

 

Sweet Red Chili Glazed Chicken with Salad

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Summer days can be hot, and there is honestly no desire in this house to cook a big meal. Instead we love real simple meals. Like grilling up some meat and having a nice flavourful salad with it.

This meal was inspired by expiring sweet red chili sauce in our fridge (ha ha!) and the fact we love grilled corn and asparagus. The Cilantro dressing is the perfect dressing for this meal and one I could literally drink up or put on everything. I will make it again and again.

This meal may seem labour intensive but it’s really not. First thing get your lettuce cleaned and corn/asparagus ready for the grill and BBQ them. Grill chicken next. While it’s cooling a bit get your dressing ready. Finally finish off the chicken and assemble. The first time I made this dish I admittedly kept two of the chicken thighs out of the glaze as I thought the kids would like it. Boy was I wrong. They devoured all the glazed chicken and LOVED it!

Sweet-Chili-Chicken-v2

Here’s how we did it.

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Sweet Red Chili Glazed Chicken with Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, dinner
Serves: 5
 
Ingredients
  • 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp Chinese five spice powder
  • 2 tbsp sweet red chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce
  • olive oil
  • *********
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bigger pieces
  • 4 large radishes, sliced thin
  • 2 tbsp. parsley, rough chop
  • 2 cobs of corn, husked
  • 10 spears of asparagus, bottoms removed
  • ***********
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • 1 tbsp tamari
  • 1 tbsp + ½ tsp fish sauce
  • ½ jalapeno seeds included
  • 2 limes
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 tsp ginger, fresh
  • 2 green onions
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • **********
  • sesame oil
  • parchment or wax paper
  • black sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
  1. On a sheet of parchment or wax paper mix together your chicken, Chinese five spice powder and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Put a second piece on top and whack (I use a rolling pin) to flatten chicken on thicker areas. Keep it around ½-3/4 inches thick. Set aside.
  2. On a place add your corn. Pour a little olive over top and pinch of salt and pepper. Roll corn on plate to cover corn with oil. Put right on grill and cook over medium high heat for approximately 10 minutes turning every 2 minutes or until a nice char starts to form. Once the corn cooled cut corn kernels off and discard cob. Set aside.
  3. Take your asparagus and roll on the plate the corn was on to scoop up leftover oil, salt and pepper. Add a little more if needed. Place on grill crosswise (so they don't fall through grate) and grill for 5-10 minutes depending on thickness of asparagus. Brown spots are good but don't let them char. Set aside.
  4. On grill over medium high heat cook chicken thighs for about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  5. To make the dressing add cilantro, tamari, 1 tbsp of soy sauce, fish sauce, ¼ of jalapeno to start, juice of two limes, garlic cloves, ginger, green onions, sesame oil, 2 tbsp olive oil into a blender or cup. Whiz until smooth. Taste. If not spicy add the rest of the jalapeno pepper and a small pinch of salt and pepper.
  6. In a frypan over medium high heat mix together sweet red chili sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce and ½ tsp fish sauce. Add chicken to warm up and turn to cover with glaze. Remove to cutting board to slice thin or serve whole.
  7. Add lettuce to serving platter, sprinkle on the corn, asparagus, radishes and parsley. Add your chopped chicken (or serve it on the side). We topped it with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds. Serve dressing on the side or pour over chicken.

 

Italian Sausage, Zucchini and Bocconcini Pasta Salad

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Summer fresh grilled veggies with fresh basil and bocconcini is favourite dish around here when it gets to hot to cook. Leftover veggies are an easy addition the next day to any dish, like these Grilled Veggie, Pesto & Bocconcini Pizzas.

Today we jazzed up our grilled veggies with bacon, grilled Italian Sausage and lots of fresh garlic. It was a hot one so making something easy and cool for dinner was right up our alley. If you have a side burner on your grill you could also cook the bacon and pasta right there to avoid your oven all together.

In our family we have some who don’t like peppers, some zucchini and some bocconcini cheese (insert gasp). Since I don’t cater to anyone’s likes or dislikes when I make a meal, I always tell them to pick out what they don’t like and eat what they do.

This would be an easy dish to partially prepare in advance and take camping. Make your dressing and store in a sealed jar. Cook all veggies and store in the fridge in a sealed container. Cook the rest when you are there and assemble.

 

Italian Sausage, Zucchini and Bocconcini Pasta Salad
Italian Sausage, Zucchini and Bocconcini Pasta Salad

 

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Italian Sausage, Zucchini and Bocconcini Pasta Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, dinner, potluck
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • ½ green pepper, cut in chunks
  • ½ red pepper, cut in chunks
  • ½ red onion, cut in chunks
  • 1 small zucchini, cut in chunks
  • 3 mild Italian sausages, grilled
  • ½ pkg bacon, cooked
  • 5 cups uncooked Catelli Ancient Grains Fusilli
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cracked pepper
  • olive oil
  • 3 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 container small bocconcini
  • 1 tbsp lemon
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, sliced thin
Instructions
  1. Add peppers and onion to a bowl. Drizzle in 1 tsp of oil, a pinch of salt and cracked pepper.
  2. Add vegetables to a grill pan set over medium high heat on the BBQ and grill for about 5 minutes. While they are grilling, toss zucchini into same bowl, drizzle in 1 tsp of oil and a pinch of salt and cracked pepper. Mix and add to grill pan with other veggies. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until tender and lightly charred all over.
  3. In a pan of salted boiling water add fusilli. Cook according to package instructions. Drain and spread on to a baking pan with edges to cool down.
  4. Drain and cut each bocconcini into fours. Set aside.
  5. Sliced sausage into thin slices. Set aside.
  6. Cut bacon into chunks. Set aside.
  7. In a cup or small bowl mix minced garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk in vinegar.
  8. In a large pasta bowl add cooled pasta, sausage, cheese, grilled veggies, bacon and dressing. Toss to combine.
  9. Sprinkle with fresh lemon, salt, pepper and basil. Serve immediately.
Notes
You could also use the Catelli Ancient Grains Rotini or Penne pasta in this dish.

 

Healthy Road Trip Snacks for Kids

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It’s no secret we camp frequently in the summer and road trip or travel all year round. There are many great day trips to take from Calgary, in fact I wrote about it here 10 Day Trips from Calgary. With families in BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan it’s fair to say we’ve traveled the four Western Provinces up and down and back again. From the time our kids were babies we were strapping them into their car seats and hitting the road ready to experience the next big adventure.

When the littles were babies I made my own baby food. It made sense to pack a small cooler full of healthy snacks for them. Washroom breaks or gas stops make it easy to purchase something on impulse and that’s why we always try to have a cooler packed with snacks ready to go.

In your cooler include a zip up plastic bag filled with wet wipes or napkins, plastic cutlery, a travel safe knife and old grocery bags for garbage.

1. Fresh fruit. Cut up and/or washed fruit and berries in a plastic container

2. High fiber and low sugar cereal like Cheerios

3. Terra or other brand Veggie Chips

4. Cheese sticks

5. Rice crackers or other healthy crackers

6. Rice Cakes in plastic bags with Nut Butter

7. Home made popcorn (I also put this in the kids lunches)

8. Pretzels mixed with dried fruit or nuts

9. Granola bars or Energy Bites

10. Yogurt tubes

11. Fresh veggies

12. Mini homemade muffins or Pizza Muffins

13. Applesauce cups (don’t forget spoons)

14. Preservative free healthy sausage with cut up cheese and crackers

15. Juice boxes, bottled water or infused bottled water

16. Hummus with crackers, pita or veggies

 

 

 

Aiden’s Gouda Fruit Salad

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My kids love to get into the kitchen and create things. More often then not they announce what they want to make without checking on ingredients first. This salad was the exception as we just so happened to have all the fruit available. Aiden’s Fruit Salad is made by my son Aiden and on this night accompanied quick sandwiches before a busy activity evening.

A fruit salad can include any fruit you want. We never add a dressing or drizzle of honey to our fruit salads as we let the sweetness of the fruit speak for itself.

Aiden's Gouda Fruit Salad
Aiden’s Gouda Fruit Salad

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Aiden's Gouda Fruit Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: salad, side, lunch
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup strawberries, rough chop
  • 2 cups grapes
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup green apple, rough chop
  • 1 cup fresh pineapple, rough chop
  • 2 cups watermelon, rough chop
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint
  • ½ cup cubed Gouda, Monterery Jack or grilled Halloom cheese
Instructions
  1. Add all fruit to a bowl. Light stir to combine.
  2. Tear off pieces of mint. Pour cubed cheese on top and serve.

 

 

Greek Pasta Salad

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Back in 2002 I used to play on a local softball slow-pitch team. I was fairly new to Calgary and looking to get out and meet people. The same year I also joined an indoor soccer team and billiards team. It was around then I met my husband, through work of all places, and life was forever changed.

During our ball season, our team did a few weekend tournament camping trips. Let’s be honest. They are beer tournaments and lots of beverages were consumed. Lots of fun though! We planned potluck style meals and it was around this time someone from work introduced me to Club House Pasta Salad Dressing Mix. I was hooked, it was so delicious. So every camping trip that followed I would precook the pasta, store it in a zip lock bag, chop up a bunch of vegetables, store them in a plastic bag, mix up the dressing and keep it in a sealed jar and wrap up some feta as the finishing touches. Always a hit and a salad I make regularly now. Our Greek Pasta Salad was created when leftover Greek salad met pasta using the Club House Pasta Salad Dressing.

Did you know you do not have to rinse your pasta to cool it down? Last year at an event with Canadian Chef Lynn Crawford she made a delicious noodle salad. She advised not to rinse your pasta while letting it cool down – it’s not necessary. Instead lay it out on a cookie sheet and let it cool that way. I’ve been doing this ever since and it works like a charm!

 

Greek Pasta Salad
Greek Pasta Salad

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Greek Pasta Salad
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
  • 400 gr pasta (fusilli, rotini)
  • 1 cup of peppers, chopped
  • ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cucumber, chopped
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives
  • 1 cup small grape tomatoes cut in half
  • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 pkg Club House Pasta Salad Dressing Mix
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • White vinegar
  • Olive oil
Instructions
  1. Cook your pasta according to instructions on box. Drain and lay out on cookie sheet to cool down.
  2. Whisk together your pasta salad dressing as per instructions using vinegar and oil. Mix in Dijon mustard. Set aside.
  3. In a medium sized bowl combine peppers, onions, cucumber, olives, cooled pasta and dressing. Gently toss in tomatoes and feta. Let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

 

White Chocolate Lavender Brownies

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Every summer we visit Kelowna and the Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm. We love to wander the gardens and stop in the cafe to enjoy a lavender infused treat before we leave. We also drop into the little store they have and I always pick up some cooking lavender (or food grade culinary lavender) to play with at home. This is how this recipe came to be. Rummaging through my baking box in the pantry for white chocolate, I discovered the lavender. Having never heard of lavender brownies before I thought dang this could be good. The flavour is very subtle, but 3 out of 4 of us can detect the lavender in the brownies however next time I might try adding a little more. If you can’t get your hands on lavender, just leave it out.

White Chocolate Lavender Brownies
White Chocolate Lavender Brownies

These brownies are simple to make and easy to eat.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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White Chocolate Lavender Brownies
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, picnic, dessert
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 6 oz semisweet chocolate
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup white chocolate morsels (Bernard Callebaut)
  • 1 tbsp Culinary Lavender buds
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. In a double boiler or bowl over pot with simmering water melt butter and semisweet chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool 5-10 minutes. With a mortar and pestle or spice grinder grind your lavender until fine.
  3. In a second bowl mix together your sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in the white chocolate and lavender. Add your flour and salt.
  4. Line an 8 inch greased baking pan with parchment or foil and ensure it extends over opposite edges. Add batter and bake for 25 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Let cool in pan.

 

White Chocolate Lavender Brownies
White Chocolate Lavender Brownies

Cinnamon Butter Cake

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Lately I’ve been going through old small town cookbooks where my mom inspired myself and so many of her family members to submit recipes to the annual cookbook collaboration. I have two of them dating back to the 90’s and as I go through these books carefully page by page, I can’t help but smile when I see an Aunt or a friend with a recipe I so fondly remember. I also have several recipes posted from my Vancouver days where I dabbled with cooking constantly.

Who also has these kinds of books? Please share in the comments!

I often wonder the history of some of these retro recipes. So many of them where taken from early early cookbooks and changed up a bit to become Grandma’s or Mom’s recipe. I recall being at a food blogger conference once where a representative from Random House Publishing said exactly the same thing. Every recipe starts from a book somewhere. While I don’t believe “every” recipe does starts from a book since I’ve whipped up my own from scratch, I’m sure there are many that had a helping hand.

This is one of those retro recipes I took from the book and changed up to suit my tastes. I’ve never heard of it before so I was excited to give it a go. It’s a butter cake but I added a ton of cinnamon into the glaze because why not? Cinnamon has health benefits so I needed something to make me feel better after all the, well, butter!

 

Cinnamon Butter Cake
Cinnamon Butter Cake

It’s moist and perfect with tea or coffee.

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Cinnamon Butter Cake
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter (softened)
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tbsp water
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour bundt pan.
  2. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla followed by buttermilk.
  3. Add in flour, salt, baking powder and soda mixing until well combined.
  4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside.
  5. Melt sugar, butter, vanilla, water, salt and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Do not boil. This is your sauce.
  6. With a large skewer, poke holes all over the cake while still warm. Pour syrup all over cake, waiting until it is absorbed before you add more. Use it all.
  7. Let cake cool completely in pan. Remove to wire rack. Serve or cover until ready to serve.

 

 

Cinnamon Butter Cake
Cinnamon Butter Cake

 

Watermelon Berry Popsicles

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Stay hydrated and cool off on a hot summer day with homemade popsicles. With just a few ingredients and a little time, you can have healthy popsicles any day of the week!

I’ve been making these popsicles, minus the coconut milk, since the kids were toddlers. For a new spin I added coconut milk.

Popsicles, like smoothies, can be made using a variety of ingredients. Add in fresh herbs, dairy free milk or yogurt, fruit slices, cold brewed tea, chia seeds, nut butters and more. Make them as simple or complex as you like but be sure to make extra as they won’t last long.

These Watermelon Berry Popsicles have only 5 ingredients and a small pinch of salt as an added flavour enhancer. Best made the day before you plan on eating them.

Watermelon Strawberry Popsicles
Watermelon Strawberry Popsicles

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Watermelon Berry Popsicles
Author: 
Recipe type: snacks, treats
 
Ingredients
  • 3 cups watermelon, cut up and rind removed
  • 1 cup strawberries, stems removed and chopped
  • ½ fresh lime juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint rough chop
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • Popsicle molds
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Aluminum foil
Instructions
  1. Using a blender or hand immersion blender whiz together watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, a pinch of salt and mint. Pour into molds and fill about ¾ full. Place in freezer for 30-40 minutes.
  2. Remove from freezer and place popsicle sticks in middle of each popsicle. Return to freezer for another 15 minutes. Remove and pour coconut milk to the top of the mold. Place back in freezer, cover with tin aluminum foil and let set up at least 12 hours.

 

Broccoli Lentil Salad

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Did you know the UN declared 2016 to be the International Year of Pulses? It’s true! For those who don’t know what a pulse is, a pulse is also known as grain legumes, and are a group of 12 crops that includes dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas, and lentils. They are high in protein, fibre, and various vitamins, provide amino acids, and are hearty crops. They are most popular in developing countries, but are increasingly becoming recognized as an excellent part of a healthy diet throughout the world.

Pulse crops are one of the most sustainable crops a farmer can grow. It takes just 43 gallons of water to produce one pound of pulses, compared with 216 for soybeans and 368 for peanuts. They also contribute to soil quality by fixing nitrogen in the soil.

Beans have always been a staple in our diet, but lentils only entered about 15 years ago when I started experimenting more. And now I can’t stop! Search the website to see some of the ways I’ve used lentils in my cooking (ie: smoothies)!

Here’s a quick and easy broccoli lentil salad that pairs nicely with any grilled meat and is the perfect potluck or picnic side.

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Broccoli Lentil Salad
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup green lentils cooked & cooled
  • 2 cups broccoli
  • ¼ cup red onion, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 pkg craisins (or raisins)
  • ⅓ cup peeled and chopped carrots
  • olive oil
  • lemon juice
  • red wine vinegar
  • salt
  • pepper
Instructions
  1. Place cooled lentils in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and drop in broccoli. Turn down heat to medium (a simmer) and cook broccoli 2-3 minutes until blanched. Drain well and chop fine. Add to lentils.
  3. Into lentil bowl toss in red onion, carrots and craisins. Mix until combined.
Notes
To cook lentils rinse 1 cup of green lentils. Add to 3 cups water (or broth) and bring to a boil. Add in a piece of lemon, bay leave or other herbs for flavour. Reduce heat, cover and simmer checking regularly until desired consistency is achieved (15-20 minutes). Remove from heat, season with salt & pepper and set aside to cool.

 

 

 

Roasted Jalapeno Hummus

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Chick peas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a good source of protein, iron and several other vitamins and minerals. Hummus is a staple in our house and this Roasted Jalapeno Hummus is the latest flavour addition to our weekly rotation.

Roasted Jalapeno Hummus
Roasted Jalapeno Hummus

Hummus is a popular Middle Eastern Dip and spread. A dish we did not grow up with and only learned about later in life through our many food adventures. It’s the perfect healthy dip for fresh vegetables. In fact it is so good for you, here are 8 Great Reasons to Eat More Hummus.

Roasted Jalapeno Hummus
Roasted Jalapeno Hummus

Adding roasted jalapenos was a no brainer for me as I love spice just not too spicy. Roasting jalapenos breaks down the capsaicin in the skin, reducing the pepper’s heat while giving it a sweet and smoky flavour. It is important to note some jalapenos can be hotter than others. Just like some oranges or grapes taste better than others, or onions can make you cry worse than the previous one. Using jalapenos in any dish may result in a mild experience or wild adventure depending on how spicy they are. Therefore you may want to start with just 1 jalapeno depending on your heat level tolerance.

Roasted Jalapeno Hummus
Roasted Jalapeno Hummus

I also love roasted garlic and roast up to 4 bulbs at a time keeping them in the refrigerator to use as needed. Once roasted squish out the entire contents of one roasted garlic bulb into this hummus for added flavour.

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Roasted Jalapeno Hummus
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, lunch, supper
 
Ingredients
  • 4 jalapenos
  • 1 can (540ml) chick peas
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 head roasted garlic (remove garlic itself)
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • sea salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Drizzle olive oil on your jalapenos and place on parchment lined backing sheet. Roast for 15 - 20 minutes turning at least once. Remove from oven when they are darkly roasted. Set a bowl over top upside down and let them steam for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Peel off the skin of the jalapenos, cut open and remove seeds. You may want to use kitchen gloves while doing this or ensure you wash your hands well after. Set aside.
  3. In a blender or food processor add jalapenos, chick peas, tahini, water, roasted garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Blend for about 3-4 minutes scraping down sides as needed.
  4. Taste and add additional salt if required. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve with pitas or bread sticks, in a wrap as a sandwich or with vegetables.

 

Gouda and Olive Tapenade Grilled Cheese

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April is National Grilled Cheese Month and that makes me one very happy camper. I grew up eating pretty simple grilled cheese sandwiches made with Kraft singles. As yummy as they were my tastes changed when I hit my twenties and my love for cheese and/or melted cheese exploded. As I aged I started adding new cheese variations to my grilled cheese and then BAM grilled cheese became cool and popular which made me even happier as there were new variations I hadn’t even thought of.

One of my favourite things to do as a teenager was melt cheese in a pan and scoop it out with fresh bread (this was how I fondued). From here I moved on to toasting the bread, pressing it into the melted cheese and this is how I’ve always made my cheese toast. My kids love it and it’s perfect camping where there is no toaster oven.

This inspired me to up my grilled cheese game one day by pressing my grilled cheese into some melting cheese that was left in the pan instead of scooping it out and burning my mouth like I usually would. So I did both sides. Cheese on the inside and crispy cheese on the outside. It was reaaallly good!

Here’s how we do it.

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Gouda and Olive Tapenade Grilled Cheese
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, snack, camping
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 2 pieces thick sliced french bread
  • mayonnaise
  • ½ cup grated gouda and medium cheddar
  • ¼ cup olive tapenade
  • 2 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat non stick skillet over medium heat.
  2. Mix sun dried tomato with olive tapenade.
  3. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each piece of bread. Place one piece of bread mayonnaise side down in hot pan.
  4. Sprinkle on a little cheese.
  5. With spoon add and lightly spread on your olive tapenade.
  6. Top with a little more cheese and your second piece of bread, mayonnaise side up pressing lightly.
  7. Turn heat to medium low and cover.
  8. Cook until golden about 3 minutes.
  9. Flip and cook other side until cheese is melted and bottom golden.
  10. Remove from pan to board or plate and let site for a minute before eating or cutting.
  11. If you want to add the crispy outer cheese add about 1 tbsp of shredded cheese to hot pan in a small circle. As it melts place your uncut hot grilled cheese sandwich onto the melting cheese. Once the cheese has melted completely and turned golden carefully remove with a flipper and set aside.
  12. Add another tablespoon of melted cheese to hot pan and repeat with other side of grilled cheese until melted and golden. Remove and let sit. Cut and enjoy.

 

 

Gouda and Olive Tapenade Grilled Cheese
Gouda and Olive Tapenade Grilled Cheese

 

Grilled Bread & Tomato Salad

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Sunny days make me want to get outside and eat all the things and plant or harvest my garden and eat fresh grown tomatoes. Right? We’ve had an unusually warm start to 2016 which is great for us Calgarians but not so great for the farmers and producers who rely on the moisture to plant their seeds.

I am slightly addicted to bread so anything that involved bread makes me happy. Having to make up something for a BBQ I decided on a bread, tomato, parsley salad. Simple but delicious. I picked up some roasted garlic bread, gave it some lovely brown char marks and tossed it with the tomatoes. Don’t dress your salad or even add the bread until you are ready to serve it or the bread gets soggy. And serve it immediately for as it sits the bread soaks up the tomato and dressing goodness and it becomes soggy. A little added chunky salami or even cooked chicken would make this the perfect meal in one.

Since I’m using garlic bread I opted not to add garlic to my oil. This dish is beautiful served alongside grilled steak or chicken.

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Grilled Bread and Tomato Salad
Recipe type: Wanda Baker
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • 4-5 slices of day old bread, cut about 1 inch think
  • 2 tbsp + ¼ cup olive oil
  • 5 large ripe beefsteak tomatoes
  • ¼ cup red onion or scallions, minced
  • ½ cup feta, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Pour 2 tbsp of olive oil into a small bowl and with a pastry brush drizzle and dot it over your bread. Grill over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes or until pale golden. Tear into pieces, or cut into cubes. Set aside.
  2. For the dressing, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
  3. Chop tomatoes into large pieces and add to a large bowl. Toss in onion, feta, parsley, basil, and bread.
  4. Pour dressing on salad and season well with salt and pepper.
  5. Allow salad to sit for 30 minutes for flavours to blend.