One chicken, three meals

For my posts in 2014, I thought I would try to give you all some insight into how my food brain works: mainly, how the heck I decide what I'm going to cook on a weekly basis.

It all begins when I get a food craving: one particular week, that craving was for roast chicken (and stuffing and mashed potatoes...instead of the usual turkey I had lamb for Christmas, and I was consequently going into a bit of roasted bird withdrawal).  So I say to myself, "Self, we're going to make a roasted chicken this week."

Now, my absolute favourite roasted chicken recipe of all time is forty clove chicken...because anything that literally involves three bulbs of garlic can't not be absolutely delicious.  Along with adding flavour, the brine helps to keep the meat nice and moist, which means that you're safe to leave it in the oven a little bit longer (ensuring that your roast chicken is cooked and that no one at the table gets food poisoning)....if you want you can increase the cooking time to 25 minutes per pound instead of the typical 20.

I like to add a clove or two of roasted garlic to the mashed potatoes...and I also like to puree some into the gravy.

Since brining the chicken requires buying a bunch of celery, I thought that I had better find a way to use the rest of the bunch (I find that celery goes floppy quite quickly in my fridge, and I absolutely despise wasting food).  My answer: stuffing.

Every family has a slightly different recipe for stuffing, and every child is certain that their mother's is the best.  I am no exception to that rule, and firmly believe that my mother's sausage and raisin stuffing is the benchmark against which all other stuffing recipes should be measured.  The problem with using recipes from our mothers, however, is that moms tend not to really measure ingredients once they've been making something for awhile...and mine is no exception.  So the quantities here suggested are just that, suggestions...feel free to modify the recipe to suit your own taste buds.

Ingredients

-2 stalks celery, chopped

-1 large onion, diced

-1/2 pound pork breakfast sausage (casing removed if using links)

-1 cup raisins

-1 loaf of bread (I personally like sourdough), cubed

-1 or 2 cups of chicken stock (more or less depending on how "wet" you like your stuffing)

-1 or 2 tbsp poultry seasoning 

-salt and pepper to taste

First, brown the sausage in a frying pan.  Add the veggies, and cook until they are beginning to soften.  Combine the vegetable and sausage mixture with the remaining ingredients in a slow cooker; cook on high for 2-3 hours (adding more liquid if necessary/desired).

Doesn't that look delicious?  Don't worry, there are plenty of leftovers...

Once the chicken is roasted and that meal is finished, the next thing to figure out is exactly what to do with the leftovers (of which there are plenty, even once you have put some aside for lunch the next day).  Chicken soup is an obvious solution...and the carcass of a forty clove chicken makes a particularly flavourful stock.  

To make the chicken stock, first pull all the remaining meat off of the bones and put it in the fridge for later.  Then add the chicken bones, all the aromatics (celery, garlic, etc.) that were inside the chicken while it was roasting, one of the bulbs of roasted garlic, one coarsely chopped onion, one coarsely chopped carrot, and one coarsely chopped piece of celery to a large soup pot.  Cover everything with water and bring to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer for an hour or two.  Strain out all the bones and veggies and add salt and pepper to taste, and then you have a deliciously flavourful stock.  At this point it is quite easy to make soup: all you need to do is add the leftover chicken meat (chopped up or shredded into fairly small pieces), some finely chopped carrots and celery, and some noodles (or rice, or pearl barley).

Soup was not was I made, however.  Instead, roasted chicken day 2 involved simply sauteeing the leftover chicken with the leftover gravy and serving it over the leftover stuffing I had warmed up in the oven...I had better plans for the stock.

Since the stock that this chicken makes is so strongly flavoured, I decided to use it to make a delicious risotto.

I've talked about risotto one this blog once before, but I cannot stress the deliciousness of this creamy rice dish.  Sure it's involved and you have to spend basically the entire cooking time standing at the stove and stirring...but the results are worth it.

Ingredients

-1 tbsp olive oil, divided

-cremini mushrooms, sliced

-small onion, diced

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-2 cups arborio rice

-1/2 cup dry white wine

-6 to 8 cups of chicken stock

-1/2 cup grated parmesan

-1 cup frozen peas

In a medium sized pot, bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer.

First (using half of the olive oil), saute the mushrooms in a large, heavy bottom pot.  Set aside.

In the same pot (over medium heat), use the remaining oil and saute the onions and garlic until they just begin to soften.  Add the rice and mix well.  Cook for about 2 minutes.

Turn down the heat slightly, and add the white wine, stirring until the liquid is almost absorbed.  Add the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is fully absorbed.  Continue that process (add liquid, stir until absorbed) until the rice is al dente (tender, yet still firm...but not crunchy)...the process should take 20 to 30 minutes (but don't panic if it takes longer).

Stir in the parmesan cheese, mushrooms, and frozen peas; mix well.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.

"Vegetarian"...full of vegetables, though it uses chicken stock as the base.  Could easily be made truly vegetarian if vegetable stock were used instead, though that would change the flavour.  You could even add some shredded leftover roasted chicken to make it a truly balanced meal...

The rich, roasted garlic flavour of the stock comes through in the rice, and marries quite well with the roasted mushrooms and parmesan.  The green peas give a burst of freshness (and a much needed serving of veggies)....serve with a salad and a glass of the white wine that you used in the recipe.  Enjoy!!

Three things to do with carrots

The humble carrot: healthy, delicious, cheap, and underrated.  While salads and carrot sticks are obvious choices, there are so many things that you can do with this vegetable!  Here are three suggestions....

1) Roasted

Carrots are sweet, which means that they roast beautifully.  It's also ridiculously easy: once the carrots are in the oven all you need to do is set a timer and take them out when it dings...no need to slave over the stove checking for done-ness.

The method is basic.  First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Cut up the carrots into bite sized pieces (as a general rule, the larger they are, the longer they will take to cook).  Toss them with a little oil (I prefer canola or vegetable oil for this since olive oil tends to smoke in the oven at high temperatures), add salt and pepper to taste, as well as whatever other spices/flavours you desire.  Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes (longer if necessary).

Using a mix of coloured carrots is not only delicious, it's also beautiful!

2) Soup

I love vegetable soups: they are creamy and delicious...and ridiculously good for you since they amount to little more than veggie puree thinned out with a little chicken stock.  Also, really easy to make.  For this particular curried carrot soup you will need the following:

-2 tbsp olive oil
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 1/2 pounds of carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (if you can't be bothered peeling/chopping, just buy a bag of baby carrots from the store!)
-6 cups chicken stock
-1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
-1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper (more=spicier)
-salt and pepper (to taste)
-sour cream (for serving)

Preheat a large pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil, onion, and carrots; saute 5 minutes.  Add 4 cups of chicken stock, curry powder, cayenne, and about 1 tsp of salt.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the carrots are very tender (15 minutes or so).  Remove from heat, and use a hand blender to blend until smooth (or, you can blend small batches in a normal blender.  Be careful though...hot liquids in a blender tend to splash!).  Return to heat; if the soup is too thick add more chicken stock (until you reach the desired consistency).  Add salt and pepper to taste; serve with sour cream.

You can make these fancy hearts by putting down small dollops of sour cream and then dragging a toothpick through them in a circle.

3) Bake

Muffins are a great place to put vegetables, especially since grated veggies take the place of oil or milk.  These muffins are extra special since they also contain crushed pineapple...and they freeze really well!

-1 1/2 cups flour
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-3/4 cup natural bran

(If you don't like bran in your muffins you can just use 2 cups of flour and omit the bran.  Another option is to use 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup of whole wheat!)

-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp cinnamon

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Make a well in the centre, and set aside.

-2 eggs
-1 cup grated carrot
-1 can (398 mL) crushed pineapple with juice
-1 tbsp cooking oil

In a small bowl beat eggs lightly.  Add carrot, pineapple, and oil; mix well.  Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the centre of the dry ingredients.  Stir to moisten.

(At this point you can, if you choose, add 1 cup of raisins or dried cranberries.)

Fill greased muffin cups with batter.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.

As always...enjoy!!

Think pink

When you think of delicious food, what colours spring to mind?  The rich red of tomato sauce?  The golden brown in the skin of a delicious roast chicken?

The (what can only be described as) magenta of a pasta sauce made with red beets?

I'm guessing that last one probably wasn't your first thought.  It wasn't mine either...until I gave this recipe a go last night.  The original calls for golden beets, but I didn't have any of those.  I used red, and the result was delicious (if a slightly strange colour).  The original also calls for prosciutto and beet greens, but I didn't have either of those either...

Ingredients
-a dozen or so red beets, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick half moons
-3 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
-6 slices of bacon, diced
-8 cloves of garlic, minced
-1 cup chicken broth
-1/2 cup white wine
-1 tsp dried rosemary
-1 lb rotini (or whatever pasta you happen to have on hand)
-3/4 cup grated parmesan (more for serving)

1) Heat a medium large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the bacon and onions and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and the bacon has begun to crisp (about 10 minutes).  Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes.  Add the beets and cook for 5-7 minutes, until just tender.  Stir in the broth, wine, and rosemary; simmer until the liquid evaporates the beets are completely tender (about 15 minutes).

2) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until done.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

3) Combine the pasta, beet mixture, and parmesan (if needed, add some of the reserved cooking water to moisten).  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with more parmesan.

See, I wasn't kidding.  It's PINK!  Delicious, warm, and comforting...but very very pink....

Biscuits 101

Baking is probably the most intimidating form of cooking, if only because it requires that you be particularly exact: fail to cream the butter and sugar together for long enough and your cake will not have the right texture...mix too vigorously and your muffins turn into hockey pucks.  Can't let doughs rise for too long, but you have to make sure that they rise for long enough.....

Lots of errors are made when learning how to be a good baker, and I have made most of them.  But the result of all that trial and error is delicious, and so all the mistakes turn out to be worth it.

One of the first things that I learned how to bake was biscuits, buttermilk ones to be precise.  My mom always used to make them when we had beef stew...they're perfect for sopping up that last little bit of gravy in the bottom of the bowl.  Working well for gravy also means that they're delicious with soup, which is what I paired them with this particular weekend...meaning that you're about to get two recipes for the price of one.

First, the soup: roasted broccoli and garlic.  I love roasted vegetable soups of any kind, mostly because they are basically a giant pot of vegetable puree and are super good for you.  Roasting the broccoli adds a depth of flavour that you can't get from merely boiling it, though if you were pressed for time you could just boil the broccoli in the chicken stock before blending in the cream cheese.

You will need....
-5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
-2 pounds of broccoli florets
-4 tbsp olive oil
-salt and pepper
-125g cream cheese
-3 or 4 cups chicken broth (personal preference...depends on how thick you like your soup)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Wrap the garlic in a foil packet and roast for 50 minutes.  Meanwhile, toss the broccoli florets in olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast for 20 minutes (or until tender).

Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins into a large soup pot.  Add the broccoli, cream cheese, and chicken broth; puree until smooth using a hand blender.

(Of course you can use a normal blender instead...just put the broccoli, garlic, etc. into the blender instead of the pot!)

Bring the mixture to a simmer.  Add salt and pepper to taste...then serve.

Garnished with bacon...though a sprinkling of old cheddar would be just as delicious.

Now, the biscuits.  I used to do mine the old fashioned way (adding cubes of butter to the flour and then mixing until a mealy texture was achieved), but then I got my hands on a cookbook by Michael Smith.  His tip: freeze the butter, then grate it in.  Seriously.  All you have to do then is mix the flour and butter together and you will immediately achieve the right texture...less work.  I like things that involve less work.....

Trust Michael.  You'll never go back.......

Ingredients
-4 cups all purpose flour
-2 tbsp baking powder
-2 tsp salt
-1 cup butter, frozen
-1 1/2 cups milk (try buttermilk...it will give your biscuits a rich, creamy flavour!)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F (convenient if you're making this recipe at the same time as the soup).  Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.  Using a grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour and toss lightly until it's all combined.

At this point you can also add all kinds of things for a little extra flavour: chopped dried herbs, curry powder, a handful of cheese.....get creative!

Pour the milk into the four mixture, and stir until it forms a large mass.  As with muffins you don't want to overmix the batter...as soon as most of the mixture forms a ball tip everything out onto a lightly floured surface and fold the dough over a couple of times until it all comes together.  Roll the dough out until it's about 1/2 inch thick, and use whatever you have handy to cut it into the shape that you desire (I use a water glass since I don't have a biscuit cutter).

I also use a wine bottle to roll out my dough since I don't have a proper rolling pin...

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes...until they're deliciously golden brown.

And I quote: "Better than my mum's!"

Start with a side dish, and make it a meal

That's exactly how my meal planning went this past weekend.  Here's how the decision went down...

I had some potatoes leftover from last weekend's camping, and decided that I ought to use them sooner rather than later.  While thinking about all the different ways that I could cook them I landed on something I hadn't made in awhile (due to the warm summer weather): scalloped potatoes.

Being as the weather has started to cool down, I thought this idea was perfect.

My original plan had been to make scalloped potatoes as a side dish with some chicken.  So I spent some time thinking about what I could do with the chicken...and I couldn't think of anything.  Well that's not actually true; I could think of many things, but none of them were particularly attractive options on this particular fall afternoon.  So I took a slightly different tack and tried thinking about the different things that I could do with scalloped potatoes and realized why I couldn't settle on a chicken recipe...the potatoes were going to be rich and delicious and filling, and there was no real need for any additional food.

Though I did make some space for a side salad.  Gotta get the greens in somewhere!

Scalloped potatoes, as I mentioned, are typically thought of as a side dish, something rich and delicious that you serve along with a simply roasted piece of meat.  But with a few tweaks it's quite easy to make them into a complete meal.  And as there are so many different ways to make scalloped potatoes all I'm going to share is the basic method...that way you can make the casserole your own!

Ingredients/Directions:
-potatoes (obviously); 2 to 2 1/2 pounds, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds.  Starchy potatoes are best since they will absorb the most liquid and will thus prevent your casserole from being too soupy.
-liquid; 2 1/2 cups.  Most of us are probably familiar with using cream, but you can also lighten up your scalloped potatoes by using any combination of cream, chicken (or vegetable) stock, and milk (so long as the combination adds up to 2 1/2 cups)

The first step (after preheating the oven to 400 degrees F and greasing a 9x13 casserole) is to simmer the potatoes in whatever liquid you've chosen.  Combine the potatoes and liquid in a large skillet along with 1/2 tsp salt and some black pepper (to taste).  Simmer, partially covered, over medium to medium-low heat until barely tender (8 minutes or less).

I chose to simmer my potatoes in a combination of skim milk and chicken stock, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper for spice.

-toppings.  I usually put straight cheese on top of my potatoes, but breadcrumbs and nuts are also lovely.  Use as much or as little as you feel necessary.
-fillings.  This is where things get interesting and you can mix all sorts of neat flavours into your scalloped potatoes.  In order to make the casserole into a complete meal meat is a great option (suggestions: ham, italian sausage, ground beef), just make sure that it's cooked first.  Same with any veggies that you choose to add (onions, leeks, fennel, and mushrooms are all great options).

My toppings (small white bowl on the lower right) were a combination of parmesan cheese, panko, and walnuts; and I filled my scalloped potatoes with hot italian sausage, caramelized onions, and old cheddar.

Once your potatoes are barely tender it's time to get everything into the casserole.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the potatoes into the bottom of the casserole dish, spreading them out as evenly as possible.  Arrange your chosen fillings evenly on top of the potatoes.  Top with the remaining potatoes (again, spreading them as evenly as possible) and pour any remaining liquid over all of the ingredients.  Scatter your toppings over the potatoes, and bake until it's bubbly, brown, and the potatoes are completely tender when poked with a fork.  Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving (this gives the potatoes times to soak up more of the liquid).  And, as always, enjoy!

Served with green peas to get an extra serving of vegetables onto the plate.  And, like many casseroles, these potatoes tasted even better the next day!

Sweet summer squash

Ahh, summer squash: the thinned skin cousin of those delightful gourds that help keep us fed throughout the winter.  Delicious in just about any application....but my favourite thing to do with them is bake.

When I was young, like most children, I wasn't the biggest fan of veggies.  So when my mom told me that my favourite chocolate cake contained a heaping helping of grated zucchini I was surprised...but after a short boycott on account of vegetables I succumbed to the sweet beautiful chocolate zucchini goodness.

That childhood memory is what inspired this latest round of baking: zucchini muffins, in a couple of different flavours.  The instructions in both cases are the same (and are pretty standard for muffins): combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet ingredients in another.  Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the wet ones, then stir until just combined (don't over mix or your muffins will be tough).  Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

1) Lemon Zucchini
Dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 2 tsp grated lemon rind, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Wet ingredients: 1 cup grated zucchini (or any other summer squash), 3/4 cup buttermilk, 3 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 large egg
Glaze: 1/2 cup icing sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Bake as per the directions above.  To glaze, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice then drizzle over the cooled muffins.

2) Chocolate Zucchini
Dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1 tsp salt
Wet ingredients: 1 cup grated zucchini (or any other summer squash), 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Optional: 1 cup chocolate chips

The muffins are good without chocolate chips, though without them they are a little on the un-sweet side.  Either way, they freeze beautifully!

Mac and cheese, 2.0

The last time I posted about making mac and cheese the subject of my musing was an ooey gooey oven baked casserole.  Delicious.  However, completely impractical given the summer heat.  Better to do it on the stovetop, and add some fresh veggies for colour and crunch.

And bacon.  Because everything's better with bacon.........

Ingredients
-3 cups broccoli florets (use pre-cut to save time)
-4 cups uncooked rigatoni (or any other pasta that you have in the cupboard)
-2 slices bacon
-1/2 tbsp butter
-1 1/2 tbsp flour
-1 1/4 cup milk
-1/2 cup (ish) Velveeta cheese, cubed (the secret to a creamy sauce)
-1/2 cup (ish) shredded cheddar
-salt and pepper to taste

1) Steam broccoli for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Drain; pat dry and keep warm.

2) Cook the pasta in the same pot.  Drain; return to pot and keep warm.

3) In a small frying pan cook the bacon until crispy; remove to a paper towel but reserve drippings.  Add butter and flour to create a roux and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Slowly add milk (stirring well to incorporate) and then bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook for 1 minute, until slightly thick, and remove from heat.  Add Velveeta and stir until incorporated, then add the shredded cheddar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4) Add sauce to broccoli and pasta.  Crumble bacon over the top and enjoy!!

Don't worry if broccoli isn't your thing...you can replace it with any other vegetable that you like.  A cup of frozen peas works particularly well, just add them to the sauce at the same time as the shredded cheese so that they heat through!

What I'm eating now: Corn off the cob

Summer is the best time for produce, and one of my favourite things to eat is juicy and sweet corn on the cob....steamed (or grilled), with just a little butter and salt.  Delicious.

Not very creative though.

I don't know about you, but I'm always a little intrigued when I watch cooking shows and watch the TV chefs cut fresh corn straight off the cob.  So when my cooking magazine arrived this month with recipes featuring that particular technique I decided to give it a go.

Practice was required to keep the kernels from flying everywhere.

I can't lie: it's time consuming.  But results can't be argued with, and my menu this week featured two delicious dishes (one side, one main) that showcased the fruit of my labour.......

#1: Corn and Bacon Saute
-1 or 2 slices of bacon (depending on your preference)
-2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
-1 1/2 tbsp butter
-3/4 cup sliced green onions
-lime wedges

Heat a large skillet on medium heat.  Add bacon to pan and cook until crisp; remove from pan and crumble.  Add corn to drippings in pan; cook 3 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.  Stir in butter; cook 1 minutes or until butter melts.  Stir in crumbled bacon and green onions.  Serve with lime wedges...a spritz of fresh juice really makes the flavours sing!

You could substitute frozen corn kernels for fresh if you're pressed for time, but the flavour just won't be the same...

#2: Creamy Corn Risotto

This recipe is a little more involved than the first, mainly because risotto is something that requires a lot of a attention.  But don't let that scare you: the results are worth the effort.  If you've never made risotto before I recommend giving this article a quick read as it provides step by step instructions (with photos) for the basic process.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients
-1 large red bell pepper
-4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
-1 3/4 cups low fat milk
-2 tbsp butter, divided
-2 1/2 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
-1 onion, finely chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp fresh ground pepper
-1/4 cup dry white wine
-1/2 cup sliced green onions

1) Combine corn, milk, and 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer; cook 10 minutes.  Stir in stock, keep warm over low heat.

2) While the corn mixture is simmering, cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes.  Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a baking sheet; flatten.  Broil 8 minutes or until blackened.  Place peppers in a ziplock bag; let stand at least 5 minutes.  Peel and chop; set aside.

3) Melt the remaining 1 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; swirl to coat.  Add onion and garlic to pan; saute 3 minutes.  Stir in rice, salt, and black pepper; saute 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups corn mixture; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.  Reserve 1/2 cup corn mixture.  Add remaining corn mixture, 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total).

4) Remove pan from heat; stir in reserved corn mixture, bell pepper, and green onions.

My favourite part about this dish is that there is as much corn as there is rice, making it quite light.  It's also lighter than typical risottos because it does not contain any cheese, but the milk/corn mixture makes it so creamy that you'll never miss that addition!

Happy cooking!!

Keen-what?

Now that I'm back from my holiday, it's time to get back into the swing of blogging on a weekly basis.

Sometimes it can be challenging to come up with a side dish since the old standbys (potatoes, pasta, rice) are so readily available and delicious.  However, eating the same thing day after day can get a little tiresome, and so it's always good to have another side dish in one's repertoire.

Why not try quinoa?

Pronounced "keen-wah," quinoa is a delicious and nutritious South American seed.  Easy to cook, it's become possible in recent years due to it's high protein "superfood" status.  Whether or not you buy the whole superfood thing, quinoa is something that you should try.  It's easy to cook, and is good both hot (as in the recipe that I'm going to share with you) or cold (in a salad).

You should cook quinoa the same way you would rice: two cups of liquid to every cup of quinoa.  I like to cook mine using chicken or vegetable stock...it adds more flavour.  Add both the liquid and quinoa to a pot and bring to a boil; once the liquid is boiling reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes (until you can see the germ...the little white bit curling around the seeds in the photo below).

The other clue that your quinoa is cooked?  All the liquid is gone!

Once the quinoa is cooked you can do any number of things with it.  One especially great option is to cool is to room temperature and mix it with veggies/dressing to make a healthy and balanced salad, but I'm going to share another great option......

1) Cook 1.5 cups quinoa in 3 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock according to the directions above.  When the quinoa is finished cooking, stir in 2-3 tbsp low fat cream cheese (I like to use the herb and garlic kind for more flavour) and stir until well mixed.

2) Saute 5 cups of veggies (any kind) in olive oil and garlic.  When they are crisp tender, add them to the quinoa mixture.

Here I've chosen a combination of mushrooms, asparagus, and peas...but feel free to use whatever is either in season or in your fridge.

And, as always, enjoy!

Tis the season for salad

Lately it's been warm in Montreal, and when it's warm out I don't really relish the idea of heating up my  apartment further by cooking something hot.  The answer is making a salad for dinner.

It's actually quite easy to make a salad into a meal.  One way is to add cooked grains to bulk it up...quinoa is one of my favourite choices in this case, but it does require some stovetop cooking time (couscous is another great option).

Another good way to make a salad into a meal is to add protein.  For this reason I usually keep a tin of chickpeas on hand...no cooking required, just rinse and add!  And, of course, you can also add meat, which is what I did to make this Thai-inspired salad.....

Dressing:
-1/3 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 whole limes)
-1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
-1 tbsp grated ginger
-1 tbsp fish (or soy) sauce
-1-2 tsp chile paste with garlic (less if you like your salad mild, more if you prefer spicy food)

Combine all five ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Salad
-julienned carrot
-chopped cucumber
-fresh basil leaves (using a couple different varieties of basil really makes the salad delicious)

Exact quantities here are not important.  Basically...just cut as many vegetables as you like in whatever style you want (I, for instance, use julienned carrots because I have a vegetable peeler that does the julienning for me).  Feel free to add your favourite baby greens...cilantro and mint also go very well in this salad!!  Once you've chosen your salad ingredients, combine them with the salad dressing.

Steak
-flank steak, trimmed
-salt and pepper

Season steak on both sides with salt and pepper.  Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat; add steak to pan and cook for about 6 minutes on either side (or until the steak reaches the desired degree of doneness).  Remove from the pan and rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes (this seals in all the juices).  Cut the steak diagonally across the grain in this slices, drizzle with some of the salad dressing.  Arrange over salad and enjoy!

As always, I serve my salad with bread :)

What I'm eating now: Beets

As you know my parents were recently in town, and one morning while I was studying they took a trip to Jean Talon market to buy some ingredients for dinner.  I suggested that they purchase some beets for us to roast....so they did: several pounds in fact.

Red AND yellow!  Oh the variety.....

Luckily I happen to really enjoy beets.

Roasting beets brings out their natural sweetness, and it's one of the easiest ways to cook them.  All you need to do is:

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Clean the beets thoroughly.  No need to peel!
3) Wrap them in a large foil packet to make sure that they roast evenly (if you don't have any foil don't worry...the beets roast just as well naked.  If you do choose this method, make sure you turn them so that they cook evenly).  Roast until tender...time required varies.  The beets are ready when they pierce easily with a fork.
4) Remove from the oven and let them sit until they're cool enough to handle.  Once they are cool you can peel them easily...their skins should slide right off!  (If you have any trouble just pull off the peels with a small paring knife.)

I usually like to serve my roasted beets on the side seasoned with just a little bit of salt and pepper.  But they're also delicious in salads...they go well with roasted nuts, creamy cheeses, fruits, and slightly bitter greens.  I combined a number of those elements in this particular salad: roasted red and yellow beets, mixed greens, sliced pear, and toasted pecans.

Tossed with some blue cheese dressing...delicious!

While delicious, roasting is not your only option.  If you're looking to be a little more creative, give beet gnocchi a try.  It takes a bit more effort, but is a stunning dish if you're having people over for dinner.  You can also eat beets raw (though you will want to slice them thinly if you do)...alternatively, try giving them a quick pickle!

Meatless March: Week 3

One of the reasons that I'm blogging this month in diary format is so that I can give you a taste of all of the different recipes that I try out, even if I don't share all of the details.  I chose to do it this way in an effort to demonstrate all of the different options that are out there...and to dispel a lingering myth that being a vegetarian really just involves eating a lot of salad and tofu.

The other reason for the diary format is more of a personal challenge: one of my aims is to not repeat any recipes...with an exception for the use of leftovers.  Thus far I have managed with the help of my many cookbooks, a cooking magazine subscription (yes, I just out-ed myself as a giant food nerd), and, of course, the internet.

I used one of those online recipes to start my week with black bean enchiladas.  I did make several changes to the recipe based on the ingredients that I actually had on hand...chipotle peppers instead of anchos (since I had some of the former in the fridge from when I made chili) which made the sauce quite a bit spicier, ketchup instead of tomato paste (a substitution I make most of the time as I always have ketchup in the fridge and don't usually keep tomato paste on hand), a slightly larger can of black beans, and regular grated cheddar instead of the mexican blend they recommend.  After reading some of the reviews I also added one cup of corn (had frozen kernels in the freezer) to the black bean mixture in order to make the filling go a little farther...I ended up with enough to generously fill 10 whole wheat tortillas.

Trust me...it might not be pretty, but it's delicious!

Overall, an excellent recipe for enchiladas.  For those of you who might not be fond of spicy food, consider adding only one chipotle pepper, or look for the dried anchos recommended by the recipe, they're milder.

The best thing about spicy food, in my opinion, is that it gets better over time...meaning that the above pictured enchiladas were even more delicious when I had them for dinner again on Monday night.

As for Tuesday...

Finding myself somewhat down due to a head cold I was in the market for something comforting but the usual suspects (pastas and such) weren't appealing to me.  So I took a spin through my cookbooks and magazines to find something that was: stuffed baked potatoes.  Stuffed with cheese and broccoli to be precise.  Having made my decision I made a list and went to the grocery store where I ran into a bit of a snafu: while there were baking potatoes in five pound bags, they didn't have any that I could purchase piecemeal.  They did have little yellow potatoes so I bought some of those and made a quick change to my plans.

Making stuffed baked potatoes is a multi step process: first you bake the potato, then you scoop out the insides and mix them with all sorts of goodies (sour cream, cheese, broccoli) before returning the insides to the skins and baking them again (ever so briefly, really just long enough to melt the cheese).  My lack of a baking potato with a nice thick skin forced me to improvise: instead of stuffing the mixture back into a potato, I would "stuff" the mixture into a little casserole dish...I'd have the delicious stuffed potato filling without the stuffed potato skin.

The broccoli did double duty: stems in with the potatoes, and the crown steamed on the side.

Wednesday there was no cooking.  I succumbed to my illness and spent most of the day wrapped in a blanket, using up kleenex like it was going out of style.  Lucky for me there were leftovers in the fridge.....

When the time dinner rolled around on Thursday I was back to my (mostly) normal self, ready to cook up a storm.  Not too much of a storm though...just a simple veggie stir fry.

Mushrooms, onion, garlic, zucchini and broccoli stems...with brown and wild rice.

Friday was when I decided to get fancy.

I have a number of different cookbooks and magazines in my house, and one of the things that happens when you have that many potential recipes on hand is that you forget that they exist.  While going through the magazines earlier this week I found one such recipe...one that I am surprised I did not attempt the first time that I saw it.  It was for roasted portobello mushrooms stuffed with spinach and artichoke dip.

I, like more sane people, love spinach and artichoke dip.  Mushrooms have grown on me in the last couple of years...but even if I weren't a fan I would probably still make this recipe.  It's quite simple, easy to lighten, and tastes DELICIOUS!

You will need.....

-3 tbsp olive oil
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-4 medium portobello mushrooms (stems and gills removed)
-100g cream cheese (I like the low far garlic and herb kind)
-3 tbsp sour cream (or plain yogurt, or mayonnaise)
-1 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 1/2 tbsp fresh)
-300g(ish) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
-1 can artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry, and chopped
-1/2 cup breadcrumbs
-1/3 parmesan cheese

First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine 2tbsp of oil and two thirds of the garlic.  Brush the insides of the mushrooms with the garlic oil; season with salt and pepper.  Arrange oiled side up on a backing sheet and roast until just tender (about 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, sour cream and 1/2 tsp thyme in a medium bowl.  Add the spinach and artichokes; mix well.  In another bowl combine the remaining garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp thyme with the breadcrumbs and cheese.

Remove the mushrooms from the oven.  Spoon the artichoke mixture evenly into the mushroom caps and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.  Bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the filling is hot (about 10 minutes).

Delicious...and this is coming from someone who did not like mushrooms until recently!

Bonus with the above recipe: easy to prep ahead.  Roast the mushrooms and make the filling, and keep both refrigerated separately until mealtime.  At that point spoon the filling into the mushrooms, add the breadcrumbs, and bake!

I spent all day Saturday working on various and assorted different school assignments, and by the time dinner time rolled around I was quite exhausted so I kept it simple: crispy tofu and asparagus.

Finger food...no need to dirty any cutlery!

The best part: you only need one pan, and your meal is ready in less than 15 minutes.  This recipe is definitely a keeper, and will be making its way into my regular weeknight rotation!

And with that another week is gone.  Next week is my last and holds the final challenge: convincing my parents that meat free meals aren't all that bad.

Wish me luck! 

What I'm eating now: Butternut squash

'Tis the season...winter that is.  A season when supermarket produce starts to look a little suspect...

The joy of the modern age is that we can basically get whatever fruits and veggies we want whenever we want them.  Unfortunately, for those of us in northern climates that means trucking (flying, boating) produce in from warmer places, and the journey isn't always kind.  So instead of going for the same greens you enjoy during the summer months, consider moving on to winter squash when the weather turns cold.

There's something about butternut squash that makes it perfect for soups, stews, and casseroles...which is exactly what I want to eat when it's cold outside.  So the other night I made myself a delightful pot of soup, which I then dressed up with some roasted shrimp and a dry Riesling.

Living alone doesn't mean that you can't get fancy once in awhile!

The general directions for roasting the shrimp can be found here.  The only change I made was in how I seasoned the shrimp...this time I used lime zest (since I had a lime for the soup), chili paste, ginger paste, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Don't worry too much about quantities; season to your own taste.  Other than that the directions are exactly the same.

As for the soup, the recipe follows.....

Ingredients (makes about 6 cups of soup)
-1 butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 inch cubes
-4 tsp canola oil
-3/4 tsp salt
-1 cup chopped onion
-3 cups chicken stock
-4 tsp red curry paste (or a little more if you like it spicy)
-1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
-1 can (400 ml) light coconut milk
-cilantro and red chiles to garnish (if desired)

First, roast the squash.  Toss with 3 tsp canola oil and 1/4 tsp salt.  Bake at 450 degrees F for 35-40 minutes (until golden and tender).

After the squash is ready, heat the remaining oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook 5 minutes (until soft), stirring occasionally.  Add the curry paste, chicken stock, and the squash.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes (stirring occasionally).

(If you're roasting shrimp to go along with the soup, put them in the over when the soup has about 5 minutes of simmering left.  That way they'll be done at the same time that the soup is.....)

After 15 minutes, remove the soup from the heat.  Stir in lime juice and coconut milk.  You have two options for what to do next.....

Option 1: for a silky smooth soup, blend the mixture.  I have an immersion blender that I use for this part, but you could use a regular blender as well.  If you are using a regular blender, make sure to remove the round cap from the lid (to let the steam out), and cover the hole with a towel.  Be careful, the soup will be hot!

Option 2: for a soup with a little more texture (or if you don't have a blender), mash the squash in the pot.  You can use a potato masher, ladle, or fork...whatever works for you.  This soup will not be as smooth as the one in option #1, but it will be equally delicious.

Divide soup into bowls, add shrimp, and garnish however you please!