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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.

 

Moroccan Beef Noodle Skillet

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Consider this a healthy alternative to Hamburger Helper. It’s easy to make and so much better for you then the stuff you get in a box with an ingredients list full of words you don’t understand. Give this a try and you will be hooked on how easy it is to make. Also a great recipe for those activity evenings that have us rushing out the door, or pair it with a beer and you have a quick hearty meal for one. I made this the other day for lunch for the munchkins and they gobbled it up.

I’m doing lots of experimenting this week with my new spice from The Missing Ingredient, a Vancouver based company who offers a monthly food subscription service. I love the box of goodies they’ve bestowed upon me this month. I talk more about them in my last post Ras el hanout Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas.

There are a variety of ways to serve this dish. You can stuff a potato, toss into a pita with some veggies, put in a soft or hard shell taco with your favourite fixins, put it in a wrap with cheese, hollow out a small bun and dollop some into it sloppy joe style, or mix it with your favourite noodles or rice. When I made it I cooked up some shell noodles, saved a cup of the pasta water and mixed the pasta with the burger. I added in about half a cup of the cooking water to marry it all together.

Important to remember you can make this dish with any spice. Albeit a packet of taco, fajita or burrito seasoning, chili powder or  really any spice blend you have tucked away in your cabinet. You could also substitute ground lamb, pork, chicken or turkey…even ground round (veggie cuisine). So many options can make this a new dish every week!

This dinner in a hurry is ready in less than 30 minutes.

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas

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Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas is one of those snacks you can’t stop eating! We toss chickpeas with olive oil, salt, pepper and our favourite spices, then roast keeping these tasty morsels out for snacks. Including cauliflower makes this a light lunch when served on toast or over greens.

roasted cauliflower with chick peas

Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas

A combination of fresh ground spices like fennel and coriander, or spice blends mixed with olive oil, salt and pepper make these roasted cauliflower with chickpeas sing when roasted!

Cut your cauliflower florets into manageable bite sized pieces. Use canned chickpeas that have been drained and rinsed if needed make this a quick, easy, anytime dish. Look for canned chickpeas that have only three ingredients (sea salt, water, chickpeas). We always buy the Scarpone’s brand.

Cauliflower

Make sure the cauliflower is fresh with no brown spots or blemishes. This vegetable is loaded with vitamins and minerals and comes in different colours! Look for white, orange, purple and green (romanesco) in grocery stores!

roasted cauliflower with chick peas

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are an essential ingredient in Middle Eastern and European cooking.

Garbanzo bean is the Spanish term and chickpea the English name. Many will associate them with hummus but they are also popular in curries, salads, falafel, even veggie burgers.

roasted cauliflower with chick peas

Spices

Let’s face it, spices add tons of flavour and chickpeas are fairly simple tasting without the addition of spices.

We like to keep things simple and easy so we use ground spices already on hand. Just check the expiry and make sure they are fresh and if not, toss out and buy new!

roasted cauliflower with chick peas

PRO TIPS:

  • Olive oil is key to helping the chickpeas get crispy
  • Eat them while hot or warm. Once they cool or have been refrigerated they seem to become sad chick peas and deflate a little
  • Add them to salads, any kind, even Caesar salad for an extra pop
  • Fresh chopped herbs are just as tasty as spices. Or combine spices and fresh chopped herbs

roasted cauliflower with chick peas

Here’s a few other recipes to try containing chick peas!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans

 

Pomegranate and Orange Quinoa Salad

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Healthy and delicious, this Pomegranate and Orange Quinoa Salad provides crunch, texture, a hint of sweet from the orange and freshness from the mint. It’s one of our favourite quinoa salads to enjoy when pomegranates are in season!

pomegranate orange quinoa salad

Pomegranate and Orange Quinoa Salad

I created this pomegranate and orange quinoa salad for a Ladies Halloween Wine Evening. When our wine nights started, we always went with a theme so I racked my brain on a savour dish to make that fit the theme.

After rooting around my kitchen and pantry I devised the idea of this salad and named it “blood clot salad with crunchy finger nails“. It was a hit!

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

What’s so great about Quinoa

Like many grains quinoa is having it’s day in the lime light and for good reason. Quinoa is an ancient grain (planted and harvested for thousands of years), high in fibre, nutrients and protein (so good for vegan or vegetarian diets), and is full of antioxidants.

You either like it or don’t like it. I definitely like this grain!

pomegranate quinoa salad

How to cook Quinoa

Making fluffy, delicious quinoa has never been easier. If you follow my recipes you will know I love to cook a batch on the weekends, let it cool, fluff it up and store it in the refrigerator for using throughout the week.

I’ve always used the 1:2 ration when cooking my quinoa. Comes out perfectly and after it’s cooled off (in the pot) it’s fluffy and delicious.

pomegranate quinoa salad

Do I need to rinse Quinoa

The short answer is no. Perhaps back in the day you did to remove a bitter-tasting compound called saponin, but these days grains come already cleansed and ready to go.

For as long as I’ve been eating quinoa, I’ve never once rinsed it and it’s never tasted bad.

pomegranate quinoa salad

PRO TIPS

  • Replace bok choy for your favourite greens: kale, spinach, arugula, swiss chard or parsley.
  • Swap pine nuts for toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds
  • Salad can be made a couple hours in advance and left to sit in refrigerator until ready to serve.
  • Serve in shot glass for fun!

pomegranate orange quinoa salad

If you like this salad, give these salads a try!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram, hashtag #bakersbeans and leave a comment!

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

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Autumn always brings a harvest of delicious produce, and admittedly it’s my favourite time of the year. I love experimenting with pumpkin, and watching the kids try pumpkin recipes I’m testing and love it. One of my favourite go to Fall cookie recipes is my Pumpkin Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are delightful. The combination of chocolate, and pumpkin is sinfully delicious. I decided to take this combination, and make pancakes for the minions one day for lunch. They kept asking for more.

Using my Basic Pancake Recipe, I added in some pumpkin, and chocolate chips. I doubled this recipe, and made two sizes, regular pancakes and dollar size. Once cooled down you can separate them with parchment or wax paper, carefully place them into a freezer bag, and store them in the freezer. Breakfast and/or brunch is ready whenever you need them.

My boy was curious when he heard they were pumpkin pancakes. He then went on to eat 6 of them. Sigh growing I suspect. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

 

Sun & Salsa Festival | Cucumber Salsa

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One of Calgary’s older neighbourhoods, Kensington, has been hosting it’s Annual Sun & Salsa Festival for as long as I can remember. The first time I attended was back in 2002! I love that you can bring the kids along and participate as a family in trying different salsas. Upwards of 20 local restaurants, pubs and cafes participate in the festival, making a fresh batch of their best salsa for the public to sample, and then we the public, are tasked at voting for the salsa we liked best.

There are always some crazy and unique creations. Most super delicious, but also inspiring. You can buy chips there, with proceeds going to charity. Or if you are watching your funds, bring your own bag along. From kids activities, to street performers and dancers, vendors tables, free samples, free fruit, games and balloons artists, there really is a ton of stuff to do. Another treat is the Food Trucks. There are a handful on site to feed you when you get hungry and can’t get into a restaurant and/or on their patio.

My only advice is get there early. Each year this festival gets busier, and by mid afternoon one can almost feel like they are in a sardine tin can walking along the main streets. This is usually our signal that it’s time to go, as it’s no longer fun for the kidlets. This festival typically happens during the summer months, when it’s hot out, so come prepared with sunscreen, hats, and lots of water!

When I used to live in Vancouver, I used to love exploring the Vancouver Province Newspaper during lunch. Of course there was a food/recipe section and it was all that mattered to me back in the day. Whenever I would find a recipe I was interested in, I would cut the recipe out, eventually photocopy it and add it to the “must try” section of my recipe box. It was quite the process back in those days, the days before food blogs, bloggers and foodies alike. More proof that even back in the 1990’s food was a big part of my world.

So in my repertoire of old recipes, somewhere I have a cut out cucumber and tomato salsa. I remember this because we renovated one of our pantries recently and as such everything had to be hauled out and sorted. Not like I got distracted going through recipes or anything. This particular recipe involves vinegar, something I’ve never used in a salsa before. So on a whim I wanted some salsa to pair with our Cumin Steak with Black Beans. I whipped up a quick cucumber and tomato salsa and this recipe was born.

There’s so much you can do with salsa whether you are roasting, toasting or making it fresh. This salsa is super duper easy. Keep it easy or add in a few of the extras I talk about below.

The Sun & Salsa Festival in Kensington returns on Sunday, July 20, 2014. It’s a great way to try some new salsa flavours, support the community and get inspired to make your own salsa at home.

 

Roasted Fennel and Broccoli Soup

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I love soups. Smelling up the house while they cook. I’m trying to get my kids to eat more soup. Wish me luck? They tend to enjoy raw vegetables over cooked. But one must not give up. I had someone come to the door while this soup was simmering on the stove and they were drooling over the smells wafting through the air.

I haven’t made many pureed soups and honestly the family was not too sure about the texture of this soup. But I loved it and I am going to start making more pureed soups to put into rotation. So easy and so healthy.

More often then not my inspiration these days comes from something I’ve heard, seen, or what’s in my pantry/fridge. I’ve had a fennel bulb taking up space for two weeks with the intention of making a salad. Decided today was the day of the fennel bulb. And it wasn’t going to be salad. Looked in the fridge again and broccoli pops out. Thinking a fennel and broccoli soup might work. I used to Google my ideas to see if they’d been done before and I finally clued in to the fact that was a bad idea. Who cares if it’s been done before, at this moment in time it’s my idea inspired by the vegetables staring back at me from the fridge. You can totally make this vegetarian by using vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock. And you can omit the evaporated milk for a Vegan soup. I just so happen to have some leftover from pumpkin pies so it tossed it in.

Substitute almond or coconut milk (unsweetened) if you are making this while doing the Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox.

 

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

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Seems we live in a world of Whoopie Pies these days. Everywhere I go there are Whoopie Pies! Never being one to jump on a band wagon, I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve ever had or made a Whoopie Pie. It started when friends invited us over for Thanksgiving dinner. Our friends were making a traditional turkey dinner and so I planned on making a traditional pumpkin pie. But I wanted something else, something more, just in case some people do not care for pumpkin pie. I googled pumpkin and have no idea how I ended up at pumpkin whoopie pies, but I did and the idea stuck. Always up for a challenge, this was definitely going to be uncharted territories. I do not particularly like to bring a recipe to a gathering that I have not tested yet. But there wasn’t much time and with the array of ingredients I had assembled, I felt quite confident making these cookies.

After browsing tons of whoopie pie recipes, all with similar measurements and ingredients, I finally made up a list of what I needed, combining a few ideas into my own concoction. In the end this recipe is not too far off some of the ones I saw and so I’m not sure who to give credit to, but I will go with the first recipe I looked at.

These cookies ended up being super easy to make and incredibly tasty both with and without the cream cheese icing. They would be the perfect bake sale item.

Now that I have made a basic whoopie pie, and they were a huge hit this past Thanksgiving, I am predicting more whoopie pies in our future. And just so you know, these cookies taste equally delicious with a dollop of leftover whipping cream on top!

 

Slow Cooker Five Spice Chicken

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Slow Cooker Five Spice Chicken is so full of flavour you will be adding it to your regular dinner routine after the very first bite!

Five Spicke Chicken with Bok Choy
Five Spicke Chicken with Bok Choy

Slow Cookers or Crockpots are one of the best small appliances out there for getting dinner ready while you are working or otherwise busy.

Flavour in the Brown

Heard the term Flavour in the Brown before? So much truth here. Searing your meat builds flavour and texture by caramelizing the meat. We always brown our chicken when making this recipe for added flavour.

Browned Five Spice Chicken
Browned Five Spice Chicken

As Simple As 1, 2, 3

A few ingredients make this a really tasty dish. Have all your ingredients ready to go so all you have to do is brown the chicken, add the chicken to your slow cooker, add the remaining ingredients and turn it on to low and slow.

Veggies in with the Five Spice Chicken
Veggies in with the Five Spice Chicken

Serving Suggestions

We top this Slow Cooker Five Spice chicken with fresh parsley, some sliced green scallions or a little chopped bok choy mixed with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Bok Choy is a bitter Chinese green we’ve been cooking with for 30 years. Interested in learning more about Bok Choy check out Five Ways to Eat Bok Choy.

Serve with rice or egg noodles. If there are leftovers remove the chicken meat from the bones and use the next day to make soup, quesadillas, chicken salad or a sandwich. This meal then becomes one meal, eat twice.

Five Spice Chicken with parsley
Five Spice Chicken with parsley

One of my favourite salads to eat is a raw bok choy salad introduced to me back in the 90’s. Today my family loves this salad as much as I do and it’s one everyone should try if you venture into bitter greens.

Here’s a few more recipes to get you started on bok choy and slow cooker cooking.

 

Fall Canapes

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A couple years ago I started a Mom’s Wine Group. We try to meet monthly, and at each gathering we have pre-selected a theme for the wine and the bits & bites. It’s been a lot of fun and I’ve not only enjoyed the nights out and hanging with the ladies, but also trying different wines and some good eats.

Testing out recipes today, I decided this would be one of those bites I will make for one of our wine evenings. I’ve made canapes before, but these ones have Fall elements in them and with Fall in the air it’s the perfect bite for a celebration, like Thanksgiving. I love roasted squash so I decided to roast some grapes and cranberries as well as squash. I caramelized an onion & shallot and went to the market to buy some prosciutto, cheese and fig jam. All of a sudden too many ideas started to flow so I scaled it down to six varieties all shown in the photo. For the record, roasted grapes are absolutely delicious.

A canape can essentially be anything you want it to be as long as it’s small, finger type food. Toppings can be as versatile as the canape. During this experiment I had to stop the insanity at six varieties, I was having too much fun! Below I have included the ingredients for all six canapes so if you are looking to only make one or two of them, look at the Variation list to see what you will need for the ones you would like to make.

 

 

Dinosaur Bones | Dinosaur Provincial Park Camping

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Our new Adventure Series is going to start with one of our favourite camping destinations, Dinosaur Provincial Park. The majestic hoodoos and badlands call us back time and time again as we love to get out and explore this vast land. This is just one of a few of our favourite places to go camping and I hope to share several of our other favourites camping spots during this journey.

In this new series, I will occasionally be picking a recipe to make based on the experience and fun we’ve had. Kind of in a trailblazer and explorer kind of way except adding a recipe to accompany the journey. Each recipe I select will be carefully chosen based on what we’ve experienced and that could be just about anything. I’m super excited to get this party started as ideas have been flowing for quite some time.

Dinosaur Provincial Park is located in Eastern Alberta, Canada. This park is a Unesco Heritage Site and well worth the 2.5 hour trek from Calgary. As you drive through the country to your camping destination, all of a sudden this breathtaking landscape (called the Hoodoos) opens up in front of you and you stare in awe thinking you have entered Jurassic Park. Truly stunning.

2013-08-06 11.10.22
Dinosaur Bones (white)

Being a Unesco Heritage Site you are only allowed access to certain areas. But this park has a ton of things for families to do. From guided tours and hikes, family programs, dinosaur digs, camping, theatre shows, exhibits both at their information centre and on self guided trials, there is something for every level of activity. The four of us took in a Fossil Tour while we were there, and were intrepid explorers in an active bone bed site discovering real dinosaur bones from 75 million years ago. So very cool.

The kids loved being able to explore the self guided trails despite the warnings of rattlesnakes, scorpions and black widow spiders. And when they weren’t exploring they were off bike riding, making smores, Geocaching or playing down by the stream. The only con to this particular weekend was how crazy the mosquitoes were. But that is camping life…you come have to come prepared.

Dinosaur Provincial Park is a great place for families to go camping and only a short distance from Calgary. The recipe I choose to make for this adventure is Dinosaur Bones (aka Turkey Leg Drumsticks), as big pieces of meat come to mind when I think about our experience. I tried to wrap a little parchment on the bottom of the leg to make them easier to hang onto. That was an adventure unto itself.

I’ve been doing a lot of brining chicken this year and since we like to occasionally brine our holiday Turkey, I decided to brine the turkey legs to impart some flavour and moisture into the meat. Success was mine. We all felt like cavemen as we ripped into these Dinosaur Bones.

 

Quick Pickle Cucumbers

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When I read the topic for this month’s Canadian Food Project I admit I was hesitant. True to form there was all kinds of canning, pickling, freezing, smoking (salmon), sausage making (moose) and jam preserving going on in my home at any given time. But I didn’t have any memories or special stories/recipes to share of being involved in these kinds of traditions. Until I started thinking about this post. I remembered a couple of our small town cookbooks in my collection; the Skeena Valley Fairs Association Anniversary Cookbooks in which my mom has many recipes. Then things started to flow.

The Canadian Food Project Experience was started on June 7, 2013 by Valerie Lugonja of A Canadian Foodie. It’s a compilation of Canadian Food Bloggers who are committed to sharing their time, unique regional Canadian food experiences, and recipes. We hope to bring clarity to our Canadian Culinary identity. Through the Canadian Food Project Experience, I am rediscovering a childhood full of food memories in a way I never knew possible. I must say thank you to Valerie yet again, for allowing me to participate in such an incredible walk down memory lane.

We didn’t have very much money when I was a child, but we foraged what we had to from our garden/land. While always curious as to what I was seeing, (from moose carcass hanging in garage and then being ground into sausage, to live octopus in the sink) I was usually off in a shadow somewhere observing the process, from afar. When it wasn’t happening where I could observe (like in our home today), many of these traditions were done well into the evening, after the kids were in bed. And so it goes the only participating I did was to indulge and eat the goods when they were ready.

These carefully prepared bites lasted all winter. We had cherry, apple, crab apple and plum trees. Everything got canned. Gooseberries, red currants, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, saskatoons and raspberries grew in our garden. They became jam, canned, frozen or fruit wine. In the garden I remember green beans, potatoes, peas, cucumbers and tomatoes. Everything had a place.

My dad was an avid river fisherman. He would always bring in the big Springs, Steal head, and Trout when it was salmon season and get his quota. The salmon would be filleted, prepared and marinated in a brine for smoking and then carefully smoked in an old gutted refrigerator turned smoker. While I remember most of the process there are still a few questions. Today no other smoked salmon compares to his in my mind. I will recreate this recipe one day. They would also can the smoked salmon – it was so delicious. And if he was drawn for a moose there would usually be a moose to contend with. Living off the land, that’s what we did.

Fast forward to the present. Over the years I have participated in juicing (the kids love this), fruit drying with a dehydrator I used to own, making quick pickles out of vegetables, and soon I’m hoping to venture into the land of jams. We don’t have as much space to grow as my parents did but we make the best of what we have.

This summer I experimented with quick pickles. I did carrots, radishes, cucumbers and spanish (red) onions, separately. When looking back at some of the pickle recipes my mom and her friends made I was reminded that everything back then was with mustard seeds, turmeric and sealed in a hot water bath. This reminded of those yellow mustard pickles that I did not enjoy all so much, but at least I remember them.

Today I am sharing a mini cucumber quick pickle recipe. It’s not my mom’s nor was it a family tradition, but it’s mine. It’s great on burgers and I’m excited to try it on a sammy with mayo as suggested to me earlier today by a social media compadre. I might even mix it in with some quinoa and/or fresh made coleslaw over the days to come. Until then I challenge you to get pickling. If you love pickles, don’t be afraid to try it because if I can do it, so can you.

 

The cookbook recipes. In this one (my mom’s name is Elfrieda), she used flour! Intrigued indeed.

moms-recipes-1

Another one of her pickle recipes.

 

Mom's pickle recipes
Mom’s pickle recipes

 

Hawaiian Chicken Melts

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A quick and simple recipe today. More often then not I don’t think about posting recipes I make regularly and without putting thought into what I am making. Then my husband Rob reminds me there are many people who can not just whip something up as easily as I do and so I should be posting more of these types of posts. Gotcha daddy-o.

Today I made these for the kiddos for lunch. Made in advance they would also be a great lunch item to send along with school kids. Especially those older ones who have access to a microwave in the lunch room to quickly warm them if they so choose.

These are so versatile you could vary the sauces, toppings and even cheese for a different melt every day. There are many kinds of barbecue sauces to choose from so use your favourite. Also try pizza sauce, ranch or pesto. Don’t use a mayonnaise based sauce if you are sending them to school. A breakfast melt with ham, scrambled egg and cheese is also perfect for those rushing out the door.

 

Beer Can Chicken

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Moist and flavourful, you will be surprised how easy it is to make Beer Can Chicken! Simply rub the bird with your favourite spice blend, secure chicken on a can of beer and turn on your grill.

beer can chicken

Beer Can Chicken

Beer can chicken recipes have been floating around for the last twenty or so years. It’s a movement and trend that people like to follow. When you think about certain countries who roast an animal on a grill or over a fire, the animal is typically vertically placed, not parallel.

Therefore cooking a bird upright not only ensures the entire bird will cook evenly and come out nicely browned, but that the idea of vertically cooking is really not that far fetched.

The Brine

Yup we went there and turned it up a notch. Some like to brine, some don’t and that’s okay. You do what works for you. If you don’t want to brine your beer can chicken, omit that step!

Brining meat can offer additional moisture and help season the food from the inside out. To this day I still see many cookbooks with tips on brining turkey and chicken.

beer can chicken

Maillard Reaction

Everyone loves a brown, crispy skin on their bird and meat. Browning happens when the sugar and amino acids in the meat heat up. This is called the Maillard Reaction, named after French scientist Louis-Camille Maillard in the early 1900s.

The technique is applied to all kinds of food, like seared steaks, fried dumplings, cookies, breads, toasted marshmallows to name a few.

Indirect Heat

Indirect heat is the key to cooking a moist bird. Set your bird up like a tripod by spreading out the legs giving it more balance.

Gas Grill: Turn on your burners on one side of your grill to medium and set up the chicken on the side with the burners turned off. Cover grill.

Charcoal Grill: Prepare your charcoals on one side of the grill, stand up the chicken on the other side of the grill with a drip pan underneath. Cover grill and replace charcoal as needed.

Sometimes we smoke the bird while cooking which merely imparts a smokey flavour.

beer can chicken

Ready to get grilling?! We’ve made beer can chicken many times over the years and here are some of the tips and tricks we’ve learned along the way!

PRO TIPS:

  • You can tuck in the wings if you wish, but it’s not necessary. In fact leaving the wings out like we do ensures they will be golden, crispy and delicious.
  • Add some spices to your beer before you add your chicken. We also like to add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary in the chicken cavity before combing with beer can.
  • While the taste of the beer is not really noticeable, it really doesn’t matter what kind of beer you use. Replace beer with gingerale, cider, rootbeer even some sort of cool, flavourful cooler.
  • These days you can buy a special beer can chicken roaster, but it’s not necessary. Neither is a drip pan.
  • We’ve never had a dry bird cooking it this way despite all those trying to debunk beer can chicken and advising it can be dry. Nope not here as long as you slow cook it.

Here’s a few of our favourite grilling recipes:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans

 

Mini Cheese Balls

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The cheese ball from the 70’s has been redefined as mini cheese ball bites. Simple and satisfying Mini Cheese Balls are quick, easy and incredibly delicious!

Mini Cheese Balls

Mini Cheese Balls

A cheese ball is a sight to behold however mini cheese balls are tasty any time of the  year. Roll them in your favourite spices or fresh herbs and serve them as an afternoon snack or light bite before a big meal.

History of the Cheese Ball

According to legend,” writes Michelle Buffardi, author of Great Balls of Cheese, “the first cheese ball in recorded history was made in 1801 by Elisha Brown, Jr. on his farm and presented to President Thomas Jefferson” at the White House.

If you are interested in learning more, writer, Jennifer Russel delves more into the history of the cheese ball in her piece titled: “Respect the cheese ball: It’s the perfect party food”. There is even a book about cheese balls called “Great Balls of Cheese” featuring all kinds of great information and recipes for those wanting to learn more.

Mini Cheese Balls
Mini Cheese Balls rolled in chili powder, fresh parsley, za’atar

The Inspiration

In the 90’s our office group hosted regular lunch time potlucks. A co-worker would make mini cheese balls rolled in chili powder and I gushed over them every time she’d bring them.

They were so good I’ve recreated the recipe many times rolling them in everything from cumin, taco powder, za’atar, fresh parsley with fresh dill and of course chili powder.

Smoked paprika, bagel seasoning, garam masala or curry might be on my list next.

Mini Cheese Balls

Since we’ve sampled or made them several times over the years, here are a few tips and tricks on making sure they come out perfect for your next gathering.

PRO TIPS:

  • Make them tiny bites. Roughly 1 tsp sized so you can pop them in your mouth and eat several without feeling guilty.
  • Try a variety of fresh herbs.
  • Once rolled refrigerate. One hour before serving remove from fridge to bring to room temperature.
  • Use your favourite spice blend (even BBQ and/or for meats or fish), or create your own.

More easy appetizers:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Baked Chili Honey Chicken Wings

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Baked Chili Honey Chicken Wings are coated in a homemade sauce, then roasted in the oven to crispy perfection. This simple appetizer is an excellent choice when preparing for the big game or looking for a casual afternoon snack.

chili chicken wings

Baked Chili Honey Chicken Wings

I admittedly have never eaten more chicken wings in my life until I met my husband. He is obsessed with chicken wings and for good reason. When they are spiced or sauced right, these crispy bites are delicious any time of day or night!

We toss together a combination of flavours to make a marinade for these wings. It’s so good we’ve even used the marinade with breasts, thighs and drumsticks!

chili chicken wings

Chicken Wing Marinade

Whisk together ingredients in a bowl and transfer to a plastic bag you can seal. Or toss all the ingredients into the plastic bag, seal and give it a good shake before adding your wings. To make these finger licking good chicken wings we mix together the following ingredients.

  • Olive oil, good quality
  • Chili powder, provides a bit of heat
  • Soy Sauce, your salty element
  • Dijon mustard, tang
  • Rice vinegar, crispy, sweet, tang
  • Honey, sweet element
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

chicken wings

Preparing the wings

Occasionally when you buy chicken wings they haven’t been separated into the wing and drumstick. It’s easy to separate them into three pieces (drumstick, wing, wing tip).

Take your knife and position over the joint between the wing and the wing tip. With a firm press or push cut through the joint with your knife. Then find the joint between the drumstick and wing. Apply pressure and cut through the cartilage of the joint. Sometimes I like to trim extra flappy skin or meat. Save this excess and the wing tips for stock. The wings are now ready for the next step.

raw whole chicken wings

Baked or Fried

Pros to baking wings:

  • Ultimately baked is a slightly healthier option when it comes to wing unless you have breaded them.
  • It is a quicker method if you are making a large batch.
  • The temperature will be constant.
  • Easier to eat, less greasy.
  • When tossed with baking powder they get even crispier!
  • No oil mess to clean up after.

Pros to frying wings:

  • Frying the wings ensures any sauce will stick to them.
  • They are crispier and crunchier than baked.

Grilled Wings

The odd man out is grilling wings. For me, I do not like fatty wings. Any time we’ve grilled them or had them smoked in a restaurant they have still come out fatty. So I stick with the two methods listed above!

chicken wings

If you loved chicken wings or chicken in general, try our Miso Roasted Chicken Thighs, Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings (also finished in the oven), or these Devilled Drums.

If you are in the mood for grilling some chicken you might want to check out our Jerk Chicken recipe, Grilled Coconut Chicken Thighs or Grilled Garlic Chicken.

PRO TIPS

  • Plan for approximately one pound of bone-in wings per person.
  • No need to pat the wings dry before cooking.
  • The longer you let them marinate in the refrigerator, the more flavourful they will be.

If you make this recipe please tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #Bakersbeans!

 

My Cherished Canadian Recipe | Plum Pierogi

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September’s submission for The Canadian Food Project is “My Cherished Canadian Recipe”. As soon as I saw this month’s topic I knew which recipe I was going to discuss as it is one that is near and dear to my heart.

The Canadian Food Project Experience was started on June 7, 2013 by Valerie Lugonja of A Canadian Foodie. It’s a compilation of Canadian Food Bloggers who are committed to sharing their time, unique Canadian food experiences, and recipes.

My happy childhood memories are far and few between. So any memory that I can tie to food is a good memory for me. Making Plum Pierogies with my mother is one of those memories I cherish.

Pierogies can be made any time of the year. Being of Ukrainian, German and Romanian decent, pierogies were a staple in our household. I grew up in Northern British Columbia, and fondly remember August/September was when the prune plums on our trees were ripe, juicy and just waiting to be picked. This is when canning started and the plum pierogi making would begin. For as long as I can remember Fall has always been my favourite time of the year.

Back in the day the only frozen pierogies you could find were the ones family and friends had made and were storing in the freezer. Pierogi makers were fairly new on the market and when purchased and tested, never stood up the the old fashioned method of hand making each pierogi. A lot of love went into making those plum pierogies. Love and family time together. These precious moments come far and few between in today’s world which is full of technology, gadgets and convenience foods. But these together times are what I strive for with my kids, to repeat the past and spend time together, in the kitchen.

I first posted my Plum Pierogi recipe in September 2012. Today I’m sharing it again as my most cherished recipe. The photos show the pierogi making process. For recipe click on Plum Pierogi link above.

Pierogi Dough Rolled out and cut into pieces
Pierogi dough rolled out and cut into pieces
Pierogi Dough being flattened and prepped for rolling
Pierogi dough being flattened and prepped for rolling
Pierogi dough rolled and ready for fillings
Pierogi dough rolled and ready for fillings
Pierogi Raspberry Filling
Pierogi Raspberry Filling

 

Pierogi plum filling
Pierogi plum filling
Pierogies locked, loaded and reading for cooking
Pierogies locked, loaded and reading for cooking

Five Spice Ginger Cookies

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Aromatic Five Spice Ginger Cookies are chewy, soft and super tasty! Enjoy as is, turn into an ice cream sandwich or break up and add to your favourite ice cream dish!

five spice cookie

Five Spice Ginger Cookies

Admittedly I spend way to much money in a coffee shop that sells ginger molasses cookies. Buying both the coffee and the cookies. To save money I decided to make these cookies at home so I could have them any time I wanted, only I added a twist.

Five spice powder offers an additional flavour profile to this cookie and one, once you’ve tried it, you will fall in love with.

five spice powder

What is Five-Spice Powder

This flavourful spice mixture is a combination of five different spices very popular in Asian cooking encompassing sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami.

Spices used typically are star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves and fennel seeds. You can make your own blend or find it at your local spice store or grocery store.

Other uses for five-spice powder include as a rub for grilled or braised meats, fish or shrimp, sprinkled on freshly cooked french fries, and essentially anywhere else you would use a spice combination. We love it on whole grilled chicken. Here’s a few other recipes we’ve used this spice in.

  1. Slow Cooker Five-Spice Chicken
  2. Five Spice Salmon with Maple Syrup

five spice powder

The Inspiration

I was invited to participate again in the 3rd Annual Calgary Food Bloggers Bake Sale with proceeds going to The Calgary Foundation’s Flood Rebuilding Fund.

Needed to come up with a fun cookie recipe to sell at the bake sale. I was going to chocolate dip these cookies to make them different, then decided to pump up the spice level. Much to our delight the taste testers offered rave reviews.

PRO TIPS:

  • Always use fresh spices. They have a shelf life so if it’s been a couple years, you should consider updating your spices.
  • Make sure your butter is soft, not melting, not fridge hard, but soft.
  • You can make these cookies smaller, but we prefer a monster sized bite.
  • When the cookies come out they will feel soft. Leave them on the sheet and rack to cool so they can firm up.

five spice cookies

Here’s a few other popular cookie recipes you should try!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

 

Grilled Salmon with Asian-Inspired Glaze

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Craving a salmon dish that’s both flavourful and easy? Grilled Salmon with Asian-Inspired Glaze features a simple Asian-inspired marinade with a touch of fresh mint tossed in to change up the flavour profile, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

Grilled Salmon with Asian-Inspired Glaze

Grilled Salmon with Asian-Inspired Glaze

My dad experimented with different flavours when grilling salmon so I’d say half the inspiration for this recipe comes from him. He never used ingredients like fish sauce or oyster sauce, that was to foreign for him in our small town. So that’s where my part of the recipe comes in, plus the mint. When you have a bundle of mint to use up, you get creative!

Sockeye (Trout) or Salmon

I am a self-professed salmon snob. If you follow my salmon recipes and posts here, you will learn I grew up in the 70’s fishing for salmon in the rivers in Northern B.C. with my dad and family. When buying fish, I switch back and forth between steelhead trout and the best, freshest salmon I can find. I always prefer wild salmon to anything else.

Grilled Salmon with Asian-Inspired Glaze

Shopping for Salmon

When shopping for salmon, I try to buy a large boneless full fillet, usually steelhead trout, one of the many river fish I grew up eating. This size ensures we get a couple meals out of it, like dinner and lunch the next day. I also tend to cut the fish into fillets, experimenting with one section and keeping the latter piece(s) simple for the minions who prefer simple salmon flavours.

Pick up the salmon and smell it before you buy it. If it’s in a case, ask the fish monger to let you smell it. If it smells fishy, it’s old. Always buy fresh fish for the best flavour. I will never buy farmed fish as it tends to be lower in omega 3s, are more prone to disease which is controlled by antibiotics, and tend to contain more contaminants.

Grilled Salmon with Asian-Inspired Glaze

Heart Healthy

Both steelhead trout and salmon offer heart-healthy benefits making this Grilled Salmon with Asian-Inspired Glaze an excellent choice. Here’s how they compare.

Steelhead Trout

  • Lean Protein: Steelhead trout is a good source of lean protein, essential for building and maintaining muscle mass and supporting overall body functions.
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Steelhead trout is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA. These healthy fats are crucial for heart health, brain function, and reducing inflammation.
  • Vitamins and Minerals: Steelhead trout is a good source of vitamins like Vitamin D (important for bone health and immune function) and Vitamin B12 (essential for red blood cell production and nerve function). It also contains minerals like selenium (important for antioxidant defense) and potassium (beneficial for blood pressure regulation).
  • Low in Mercury: Compared to some other fish, steelhead trout is generally lower in mercury, making it a safer choice, especially for pregnant women and children.
  • Less Fat then salmon.

Salmon

  • Excellent source of lean protein: Both fish offer a high amount of protein per serving, important for building and maintaining muscle mass and keeping you feeling full.
  • Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids: Both are excellent sources of omega-3s, particularly EPA and DHA, which contribute to heart health, brain function, and reduced inflammation.
  • Good source of vitamins and minerals: Both provide essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin D (bone health, immune function), Vitamin B12 (red blood cell production, nerve function), and selenium (antioxidant defense).

Grilled Salmon with Asian-Inspired Glaze

Discover some of our most popular salmon recipes here:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker and please comment below!

 

Peach and Blueberry Sangria

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Perfect for warm days, this Peach and Blueberry Sangria is made with white wine and a refreshing blend of sweet and tart flavours.

peach and blueberry sangria

Peach and Blueberry Sangria

Sangria is a refreshing and vibrant beverage originating in Spain and Portugal. A wine-based punch typically combines red, white or rose wine with chopped fruits, such as oranges, lemons and berries.

It’s infused with additional flavours like brandy, triple sec or sparkling water making this summer beverage a versatile drink customizable to suit various tastes.

white sangria

Types of Sangria

  • Rosé Sangria: a delicate and refreshing choice with a pink hue and subtle sweetness.
  • Red Wine Sangria: the quintessential version, this sangria features citrus fruits, brandy or triple sec.
  • White Wine Sangria: often incorporates peaches, berries and citrus.
  • Sparkling Sangria: add sparkling wine for a bubbly and festive twist.
  • Frozen Sangria: chilled and slushy, this sangria is ideal and dangerous on hot days.
  • Thematic Sangria: incorporate flavours to match holidays like Christmas Spice or Tropical.

WHITE SANGRIA

White Wines for Sangria

For a refreshing white sangria, opt for a wine that’s dry, crisp, and acidic. These wines will hold up well to the sweetness of the fruit and other ingredients.

  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Pinot Grigio
  • Albarino
  • White Rioja
  • Grenache Blanc

Enjoy this Peach and Blueberry white wine sangria on the patio, at the cabin, camping in the woods…this spectacular summer beverage works just about anywhere.

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker and please comment below!

Light and refreshing, white wine peach and blueberry sangria is delightful on the deck, patio or poolside.

 

Taco Salad Bowls

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Easy to make and always a hit around the dinner table, these Taco Salad Bowls are sure to become your new favourite meal!

Taco Salad Bowls

Taco Salad Bowls

I have been making these for the kids since they were little. Now they are old enough to help prepare the toppings and actually prepare the dinner! Served family style, everyone can add whatever toppings they enjoy to their bowl.

How do you make the bowls

Small custard baking dishes and a little cooking spray is all you need to shape your bowls. Plus time in the oven and a little extra seasoning!

We use the small flour tortillas and make extras for those who want seconds. They are the perfect size.

Bowls for the taco salad

What to put in your taco salad?

Everything you love to top your tacos with can go in this salad!

Our recommendations are: fresh shredded lettuce, grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, spicy peppers, olives, grilled corn on the cob that has had the corn sliced off, fresh salsa, avocado, guacamole, sour cream, black beans, and fresh cilantro.

PRO TIPS:

  • Ensure your wraps are room temperature when wrapping around the custard dish to avoid tears.
  • Use for any kind of salad that is not heavily dressed.
  • Make bowls in advance so they are ready to go for dinner, or take camping
  • Have all toppings prepped and ready to go
  • Change this up using ground pork, turkey, chicken or even veggie ground round

taco salad

Love tacos as much as we do?! Here’s a few recipes to tantalize your tastebuds!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

 

 

 

 

Blueberry Simple Syrup

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Cocktails are so popular these days and simple syrup a must have when making them at home. This easy to make Blueberry Simple Syrup is delicious in cocktails and mocktails!

blueberry simple syrup

Blueberry Simple Syrup

With cocktails being all the rage these days and B.C. Blueberry season upon us we are getting busy making all kinds of edible blueberry recipes. Then we decided why not make a few blueberry cocktails because summer! Cocktails need a sweet element and this is how our simple syrup came to be.

Cocktail Season

Inspired by some lovely cocktails and delicious bites at a BC Blueberries Social Media Launch here in Calgary last month, I decided to go big and make a Blueberry Mojito.

A mojito is a traditional Cuban highball, one I enjoyed very much when we traveled to Cuba in 2003. It’s simply a combination of white rum, lime juice, soda water, mint and sugar. Instead of adding granulated sugar in the cocktail which takes awhile to dissolve, we add liquid sugar (simple syrup) instead.

blueberry syrup

Simple Syrups

Simple Syrups are added to cocktails as a sweetener allowing you to balance sourness or bitterness in the drink. Since the syrup is a liquid, it dissolves quickly while making the cocktail.

You can buy simple syrups, however it’s much easier and less expensive to make your own. A simple syrup always starts with a ratio of 1 cup sugar to 1 cup water.

blueberry simple syrup

Storing Simple Syrup

Now that you’ve made it and a few cocktails, what do you do with the leftover syrup? It can be stored in the refrigerator for two – four weeks.

Go beyond cocktails and add this syrup to ice tea, lemonade or drizzled over ice cream.

blueberry simple syrup

You can change up the fruit or berries in this syrup to create new syrups and new cocktails. Just remember the ratio of one part sugar to one part water and you will be good to go!

More Blueberry Recipes to love:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans

 

Garlic Mustard Glazed Chicken Kabobs with Peaches

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I have a family of chickens..er chicken lovers. We definitely eat our share of bird. There so many ways to prepare chicken and/or turkey the opportunities are endless. My kids love meat on a stick and so kabobs or satay’s are one way we eat chicken regularly. It’s easy and it’s fun, as long as they are not stabbing each other at the table.

Still on a Maille Mustard kick (Mustard Maverick) I wanted to do a chicken kabob with mustard. And with a bowl full of summer fresh peaches I wanted to take it a step further and do a peach/chicken mustard kabob. So I threw a bunch of ingredients into a bowl and this is what came of it.

A dish like this is perfect for camping. Get everything marinating in the bag or bowl, toss it into your fridge or cooler, gently pack a couple peaches and some skewers and you will be good to go. Really it’s that easy to look like a superstar in the campsite. It could also be a quick meal depending how long you let your chicken marinate.

Grilled peaches are delicious no matter how you prepare them. Their natural sweetness comes out. If you are not sure about peaches, try pineapple. Equally divine. The marinade also worked well with grilled shrimp.

I served this dish with brown rice, sliced carrots and green beans from our garden and grilled corn cut up. Simply perfect.

Disclosure – I am participating in the Maille Mustard Maverick Program with the Food Bloggers of Canada and 14 other food bloggers. I have received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.

peach-and-chicken-kabobs2

Apple Flower Nachos

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For several years now I’ve caught wind about these apple nachos. They seem to be the ubiquitous snack of our time. Walking past a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory one day I was ogling the candied apples. And it hit me, apple nachos are really just a deconstructed candied apple. How clever.

My kids love apples and so inspired by the candy apples, I decided to make them this treat using whatever goods I could find in the pantry. Unfortunately supplies were low, but I did find some things I thought would work. Plus I wanted to make it fun since I’ve always found when you make food fun for kids they are more apt to want to try it without the battle. And it lets your own creative side shine through.

So I surprised my minions with these apple flower nachos. They were fun and a hit! Next time I will make them for lunch and add some nut butter to the dish to jazz it up a bit.