Angel Hair Pasta with Roasted Bell Peppers and Basil Pesto

This recipe is courtesy of the Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry Cookbook:

Serves 4:
2 large red bell peppers
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large orange bell pepper (I used ALL red peppers)
1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
8oz. uncooked angel hair pasta (capelli d'angelo) ... I used the whole-wheat fusilli pasta I had on hand.
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat broiler.  Halve bell peppers.  Remove stems and seeds.  Place peppers cut-side down on non-stick baking sheet (or line with tin foil).  Broil until blistered and charred.  Transfer to a  large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15mins.  Peel off skins.  Set 1 red pepper half aside.  Cut peppers into thin strips.  Set aside
2. In a food processor, puree reserved red pepper half, basil, olive oil, garlic and salt until smooth.  (I cheated and used the Farmer's Market Pesto I had).
3. Cook pasta according to package directions until tender but firm.  Drain and return to pot.  Add pepper strips and basil puree.  Toss to combine.  Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

This was such a yummy Saturday afternoon meal.

Baked Fennel with Garlic Butter and Vermouth, with Risotto

The baked fennel recipe is courtesy of Jamie Oliver's Naked Chef Takes Off cookbook

Baked Fennel with Garlic Butter and Vermouth, serves 4:
3 large heads of fennel
1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
3 large pats of butter
2 wineglasses of dry vermouth (white wine also works)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.  Remove any discolored parts of the fennel, then cut the tops off and slice finely, reserving the feathery leaves.  (Slice each fennel from the top to the root, into about four pieces)
2. Throw all the ingredients except the reserved leaves into a baking dish.  Rip off a piece of wax paper, run it under cold water and scrunch it up to make it soft.  Then place it snugly over and around the fennel, not the baking dish.  This bakes and steams the fennel at the same time  - yum!  Cook in the preheated oven for 20mins, or until tender.  Scatter with the fennel leaves before serving.

**Note: I'm SURE this recipe would be a major hit ... however, midway through the cooking process, our power went out for almost an hour.  The fennel was not as tender as I imagined it would taste.

Risotto made from the Mediterranean boxed variety.

Thai Chicken Pizza with Zesty Peanut Sauce (Minus the Chicken!)

This recipe is courtesy of the Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry Cookbook:

Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup light peanut butter
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp grated gingerroot
1 tsp liquid honey, reduced-sodium soy sauce, and red wine vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast (skipped this for obvious reasons)
1 12-inch prebaked thin-crust pizza shell (for lack of time, I used 4 pita shells)
1 cup packed shredded light Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. To make sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until bubbly, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. To assemble pizza, spread peanut sauce evenly over crust.  Top with half the shredded cheese.  Top with bean sprouts, carrots, green onions and peanuts, in that order.  Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over toppings.
4. Place pizza directly on middle oven rack and bake for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is completely melted and edges are lightly browned.  Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.
 **Note: This pizza tasted quite strong without the chicken to tone down the flavor of the sauce.  Perhaps some baked tofu strips would be a nice replacement for the chicken.

Evidence that we ARE still eating ... Fajitas and Margaritas!

Fajitas, from the Rebar Cookbook:

Fajita Recipe, serves 4:
Flour tortillas
Baja black beans (black beans are seasoned with: 1 Tbsp cumin, 2 Tbsp pure chile powder, 1 Tbsp dried oregano, 6 garlic cloves, peeled and shopped, 1 Tbsp salt, 2 Tbsp brown sugar ... the original recipe also calls for cilantro, chopped onion, chipotle puree, 1 can tomato paste and 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, but I like the taste better without these additions)
Ancho chile-lime tofu (I skipped this)
3 bell peppers (I used 1.5)
1 large onion
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
cracked pepper
grated jack cheese (optional ... I used cheddar)
fresh-cut tomato salsa (tomatos, cilantro, minced garlic, lime juice)

1. Prepare the required recipes.  The black beans and tofu can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
2. Slice sweet peppers and onions into 1/2" wide strips.  Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the peppers and onions with salt until golden and tender.  Add seasoned black beans and warm through.
3. While above is warming through, wrap tortillas in tinfoil and warm in toaster oven for a few minutes.
4. Grate cheese and assemble tortilla.  Or, serve buffet style, with all the components in separate bowls.

Enjoy with a homemade margarita!
Lime Margarita Recipe found at following link:  http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/bebidasdrinks/r/LimeMargaritas.htm

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 oz tequila

1/2 oz Triple Sec

1 oz lime juice, fresh squeezed

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

kosher Salt (optional)

lime wedge (optional)

crushed ice or ice cubes

Preparation:

If you're going to salt the glass, take your lime wedge or a bit of triple sec and rub around edge of glass. Turn upside down and press rim into salt.

For the drink- Shake the tequila, triple sec, lime juice and sugar in a shaker (or stir vigorously with a spoon) and pour over ice. Or you can blend it in a blender if you prefer it. Garnish with lime wedge and enjoy!

Cinnamon Rolls!

This is your one-way ticket to a cinnamon bun on the run - they are much quicker to make than the traditional roll.  The secret?  Don't bother with rising time!

They looked much better after getting the glazed treatment, but they were eaten too quickly to snap a picture!

Dough:
2 cups white flour
3 tsp baking flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup milk

Filling:
3 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

Glaze:
1/2 cup packed powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk

1. Sift and mix all dry ingredients for dough.
2. Add butter to flour mixture.  Mix with a fork or beaters until it's the consistency of cornmeal.  (I always use my fingers to incorporate cold butter)
3. Add milk.  Add until dough makes a soft ball with a little dry flour mix around the ball.
4. Roll out on floured board in a rectangular shape.  Dough should be about 1/4" thick.  Add melted butter all over top of rolled dough.
5. Filling: Mix and sprinkle generously over dough.
6. Roll cinnamon buns, starting from the longest side, lengthwise.  Roll tightly all the way up, slightly pinching edges together.
7. Use a piece of dental floss or a sharp knife to cut roll into 1" slices.
8. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving 1/2" apart.  Bake at 400F for 8-10mins.
9. After rolls have cooled, glaze.
Serve slightly warm.

Onion-Celariac Root medley

Celeriac Root often goes unnoticed when I'm grocery shopping, but lately it's been featured on the Food Network by Michael Smith.  I'm curious about it.  It's ugly in appearance - just this bulbous, earthy root looking thing.  Once you shave that fibrous skin away, immediately the celery aroma comes wafting up ... it's really a lovely root to work with.  Being a BIT cautious, my first attempt to use this in a dish is something super simple.  The celeriac root joins chopped onions in a pan and is warmed through until soft and golden brown. Add a little salt and pepper and throw in a nice salad and roasted potatoes on the side, and suddenly you have a well-balanced vegetarian meal.  (I'm sure there are people out there who may question this claim, but hey, I'm still learning about how to make a balanced Vegetarian meal).

p.s. My new favourite addition to any salad is GOAT CHEESE.  Yum.

Celeriac-Potato Gratin

This dish is the perfect addition to a Sunday evening dinner.  It's mild in flavour and huge in "comfort".  It nicely caps off the end of the week and transitions into the upcoming week by providing that feeling of being taken care of and being somewhat healthy.  These photos don't do the flavour justice.  It looks like plain old potato gratin.  But the celeriac root really provides a lovely mild undertone of celery flavour.  It would be fun to play around with a different medley of root vegetables next time ... I am starting to really appreciate gratins!

This recipe comes from the Jamie Oliver website: 

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/celeriac-gratin

Ingredients:

• 1kg potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1cm slices (I used two medium sized potatoes)

• 1 large celeriac, peeled and sliced into 1cm slices

• 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

• 125g Cheddar cheese (or to taste), grated

• 600ml carton double cream (I poured 2% milk over the dish to come up halfway up the dish)

• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked, stalks roughly chopped  (oops - I forgot to use this ... would have made it prettier for sure!)

Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Place the potatoes, celeriac and onion in an earthenware-type baking dish. Season generously. Add the garlic, ¾ of the cheese, the cream and the parsley stalks. With a spoon, move everything around to mix all the flavours. Sprinkle over the extra cheese, and bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until tender and golden. Sprinkle over the parsley leaves. I like to leave the gratin in the dish, pop it in the middle of the table and tuck in!

Chocolate Crincke Cookies

I found this recipe on Stephanie Nielson's food blog and lets just say I had a hunch they would be tasty.
For anyone in doubt, let me just say this: these are brownies in a cookie's body.

Do this and you will be one happy(ier) human being:

Chocolate Crinckie Cookie Recipe - makes 4doz.
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup cocoa powder
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
powdered sugar

1. In a large bowl combine sugar and oil.  Add cocoa.  Blend well.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to cocoa mixture, blending well.
3. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours.  (I only chilled for 2 and they turned out okay ...)
4. Heat oven to 350F.
5. Shape dough into one inch balls.  Roll in powdered sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 12 to 14mins.
6. Cool on wire rack and enjoy!

p.s. My hand mixer bit the dust just as I finished mixing this batter (I place no blame on the dough).   Though I dream of one day having a beautiful KitchenAid Stand Mixer, I picked up a new KitchenAid Hand Mixer and am excited for the fact it comes with more attachments than my previous one had ... lets just say Dough Hooks and Soup Puree attachment.  Ohhhh yeah.

Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes

Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes:

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes - makes 36:
3 cups cake four (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cup sugar
5 large whole eggs PLUS 3 egg yolks, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to medium.  Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Add yolks, and beat until thoroughly combined.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.  Beat in vanilla.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  Bake, about 20mins.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.  Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temp, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

4. To finish, frost cupcakes.  Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers.  Bring to room temp and if desired, decorate with sprinkles before serving.

Streusel Cupcakes

Well ... I seem to have taken on a new addiction ... baking Martha Stewart cupcakes.
This is for good reason: I am an awful baker.  Just awful.  No matter how hard I try, my end product NEVER looks like it does in the picture or the way it looks when I've had it at someone else's house.  But somehow ... some magical twist of fate allows me to follow Martha's recipes and end up with a dessert that is edible.  Some recipes I've had to attempt a few times, I admit.  But it's worth all that effort to get the unbelievably yummy taste that is intended when Martha included her recipe in her book.
The latest creation is the Streusel Cupcake - goes perfectly with that mid-morning coffee.  I warn you, however, if you try this recipe ... the floor will look like Cookie Monster has been there as soon as you bite into these succulent morsels.  They are CRUMBLY.

With glaze:

Streusel Cupcake recipe - makes 24
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup plus 2Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (I never seem to have butter at room temp, or read the recipe well enough in advance to prep it ... so I just popped the butter in the microwave for 30sec ... this seemed to do the trick)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
Streusel Topping (recipe follows)
Milk Glaze (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on med-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Stir in vanilla by hand.  Add flour mixture and sour cream; stir until just combined.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups.  Sprinkle half the topping over cupcakes, gently pressing it into the batter.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining topping.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20mins (again - I NEVER rotate or stick a cake tester in ... I just blindly trust Martha's timing and it seems to work ...).
Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
4. To finish, place cupcakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; drizzle evenly with milk glaze.  Glazed cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temp in airtight containers.

Streusel topping:
(makes enough for 24 cupcakes)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp.

Whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; cut in the butter using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or two table knives until combined but still crumbly.  Refrigerate 30mins before using. (uhh ... or just for the time it takes to plop the ingredients of part one into cupcake tins).

Milk glaze:
(makes enough for 24 cupcakes)
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp milk

Whisk together ingredients until smooth.  Use immediately.

... The smell of these beauties baking is sell-your-home worthy!

Garden Full of Goodness Lasagna

The woman who introduced me to this lasagna said: "Besides me, there are all men in my family. Men who love to eat meat. This is the only vegetarian dish that I don't have to persuade them to eat. They love it."
Who can argue with an introduction to a dish like that?? Not me. I tried it and it has become a staple in my home. Especially during those weeks where you don't feel like cooking EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. Make one dish and it lasts a few days ... it serves 8 afterall!! :)

This recipe is courtesy of Paula Deen from the Food Network
Ingredients
2 cups thinly sliced zucchini
2 cups thinly sliced yellow squash
1 cup thinly sliced carrot
1 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cups small cottage cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
8 oven-ready, "no cook," lasagna noodles
12 slices provolone cheese, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Directions
Combine zucchini, squash, carrot, mushrooms, onion and peppers with water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Drain well, and reserve.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, and eggs. Stir together.

Spread 1/3 of the sauce evenly over bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Place 4 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/2 of cream cheese mixture over noodles. Cover cheese mixture with 1/2 the vegetable mixture, more sauce, and top evenly with 6 slices provolone cheese and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with 4 noodles, rest of the cream cheese mixture, vegetables, sauce, and remaining cheeses. Place in oven for 35 minutes or until lasagna is hot and bubbling

Let lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

p.s. I have adapted this recipe to our personal tastes ... meaning I've left out the yellow squash and end up using a full tub of cottage cheese. This is one packed dish!

Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes, a la Martha Stewart:


MAKES 30
42 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (Who are we kidding, do any other cookies hold a match to OREO cookies??), 30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped
2lbs cream cheese, room temperature (Equivalent: 4 Philadelphia Cream Cheese pkgs)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temp, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 275F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
2. With an electric mixer on med-high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.
3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.
4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-filled cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until filling is set, about 22mins. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate (in tins) at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

This was my contribution to Easter Sunday dinner at my parents, who claim they do not like cheesecake. Either this recipe has converted them, or they were acting like loving parents and PRETENDED that they loved them. Either way, these are substantial little desserts that are packaged in single-serving sizes. I will definitely makes these again.

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Icing

From Martha Stewart's Cupcake Book (Thanks Laura!!), here are the One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Icing:


Cupcake Recipe - Books says it makes 18, I usually get 21:
1 1/2cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil (I just used olive oil...)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm water

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and water; beat until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
2. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating tins halfway (I NEVER ROTATE - why is this important???), until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean (I just rely on Martha's recommended time - I have a hunch that her opinion is trust-worthy!), about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months in airtight containers (good to know!).
3. To finish, fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium French star tip with icing. Pipe whatever design you choose ... Martha does a starburst pattern, but I am trying to get the hang of using the pastry bag and am starting simply. PLUS I really want my cupcakes to look like FLIRT cupcakes ... one day.

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting - makes about 4 cups
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (I don't sift ...)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2mins.
2. Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium. This process should take about 5mins. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy!
3. Add vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth. If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 10 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again, about 5 mins.

YUM.

Asparagus and Zucchini Crudi, and Fregola Salad with Fresh Citrus and Red Onion

Since receiving Giada's Kitchen for my birthday, it's lovely being able to have another cookbook to work my way through (only Vegetarian sections at this point). For dinner, I chose two salads:

Asparagus and Zucchini Crudi:

Fregola Salad with Fresh Citrus and Red Onion:



Asparagus and Zucchini Crudi Recipe - Serves 4 to 6:
2 medium zucchini, trimmed
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese

1. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into long thin strips. Thinly slice the asparagus on a diagonal. Put the sliced vegetables in a serving bowl and toss together to combine.
2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then drizzle over the veggies. Toss to coat. Use the vegetable peeler to shave the Romano over the salad and serve immediately.
Note - this was surprisingly tasty. I was slightly cynical that the raw asparagus would taste okay, but I think I actually prefer it now over steamed. It's nice to have that "crunch".

Fregola Salad with Fresh Citrus and Red Onion - 4 to 6 servings:
I could not find "Fregola" pasta ANYWHERE!!! And I looked everywhere ... except the Italian centre (which I'm sure is there and I should have gone there first). So I substituted Fregola with Orzo ... a pasta that is just as small and looks like rice.

Orange Oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 orange, zested

Salad
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used 4 cups vegetable broth)
1 lb. fregola pasta (or orzo)
1 orange
1 pink grapefruit
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (soak in cold water before tossing into salad)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 Tbsp fennel seeds, lightly toasted (I skipped this one)
1 tsp course salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To Make the Orange Oil:
Combine the olive oil and the orange zest in a small bowl and set aside.

To Make the Salad:
1. IN a large saucepan bring the chicken (or Vegetable) broth to a boil over high heat. Add the past and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the pasta and dump it onto a large baking sheet. Spread it out into a single layer and let cool for 10mins.

2. Using a small knife, cut all the peel and pith off the orange and grapefruit. Holding the fruit over a large bowl, cut between the membranes to release the segments into the bowl and catch the juices. Add the onion, mint, basil, fennel seeds (or not), salt, pepper, and cooled fregola (or orzo) pasta.

3. Add the reserved orange oil to the pasta. Toss all the ingredients together and serve.

Black Olive and Goat Cheese Tart with Sicilian Orange Salad

I was watching Anthony Sedlak on the Main (Food Network) and he made the most mouth-wateringly good looking meal. In fact it looked so good I could imagine tasting it. So that's what I decided had to be made for dinner. I took a walk to Planet Organic and picked up top grade ingredients, got home and dutifully pre-made all I could, roasting what I could ... before the clock struck 5:00 and dinner had to be made in earnest.

Here are the roasted tomatoes:

Black Olive Tapenade with Basil Pesto: (I had some MAJOR TROUBLE here ... 1.Didn't realize the olives I picked up to supplement what I already had at home were NOT PITTED. Let me tell you, the sound of the blender blade hitting olive pits can be a strange, unfamiliar sound. As I tilted my head in wonderment of what that noise was, I kept the blender going ... Arrg - had to manually pick out all the pits that were intermixed with the minced olives). THEN realized I added about oh ... 1 cup too much olive oil to the mix. Spent a while draining that out. End result:

Sicilian Orange Salad - can I just say how DELICIOUS this salad is?? Made up for the tapenade fiasco above. I learnt something cool about onions doing this salad, too. Anthony gave a tip saying that once you thinly slice the red onions, stick them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. This takes the oniony sting out of them. I have to say this is the only way I prepare onions for salads now ... gives a much more mellow taste.

And here's the main kahuna: Black Olive and Goat Cheese Tart. Buttery Richness would be the two main describing words for this one. Note: From my experience, I will never EVER take it for granted that Puff Pastry comes pre-made in ready-to-go sheets ever again. Ever. I had to pick some up at the last minute and was surprised to find it in a hard, unthawed block that needed to be thawed and rolled out. Set me back a little in time.

Final Product. I'm guessing we/I enjoyed a glass of wine with this meal ... took the edge off all those cooking blunders, but I think this meal really does call for a glass of vino. Just to give it the sophistication it deserves.
Bon Appetite!!

Let me just say, the below recipe is taken from the food network at the following link:

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/ontv/hosts/Anthony-Sedlak/recipe.html?dishID=8484&hostid=41633

Yield: 4
Ingredients
Oven Dried Tomatoes
4 roma tomatoes, halved, cored and seeds removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sprig thyme
salt and pepper
Pesto
2 cups basil leaves, washed and dried well
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
salt to taste
Tapenade
2 cups pitted black olives
4 cloves roasted garlic
1 cup olive oil
1 10 x 10 inch sheet pre-rolled butter puff pastry, (1/2 450g package)
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup basil leaves, washed and roughly torn
1/4 cup goat cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
Sicilian Orange Salad
3 oranges, peel and most of pith removed
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced and soaked in cold water
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Sicilian black olives, pitted
1 tablespoon salt
pepper to taste

Directions
Oven Dried Tomatoes
To prepare oven dried tomatoes, preheat oven to 375. Lightly toss tomatoes, thyme and oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange tomatoes on rack placed above baking tray; bake until tomatoes are dried, but still tacky to the touch, about 30 minutes
Pesto
To prepare pesto, combine ingredients in blender and pulse until smooth paste is formed. Season to taste with salt.
Tapenade
To prepare tapenade, combine ingredients in blender and pulse until smooth paste is formed.
Sicilian Orange Salad
To prepare oranges, peel and cut each orange along segments into eight pieces. Season orange slices well with salt.
Toss together with drained red onion slices, basil, chilli flakes, olive oil and olives. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
Black Olive and Goat Cheese Tart
Preheat oven to 425. Lightly flour board and roll puff pastry to form a 8x12 inch rectangle. (Excess puff pastry can be frozen for future use.)
Transfer to parchment lined baking tray. Pierce puff in several places with fork.
Spread pesto thinly on top, leaving a 1/2 inch border around edges. Spread dollops of tapenade on top. Arrange oven dried tomatoes on top and crumble spoonfuls of goat cheese evenly across tart.
Brush egg yolk lightly on border and sprinkle grated parmesan on top. Bake at 425 until edges become light golden and puffy, about 8-10 minutes.
Top with torn basil leaves. Let cool slightly before serving.

Easy-Peasy Grilled Meal

This meal doesn't even warrant a recipe - just threw a bunch of veggies on the grill, boiled some potatoes and made roasted garlic mashed potatoes with them then tossed a salad together which was almost my favourite part as we had mangoes on hand - zing!

Orzo Stuffed Peppers with Rebar Caesar Salad

Don't ask me where I've been for the past ... oh, month! I HAVE been cooking, I promise! It's just after coming home from holidays, I've gotten into the habit of "taking it easy" so once the labour of making dinner is complete, I admittedly have been RELAXING. Not that it's oh-so-difficult to sit on my exercise ball (making do without a computer chair) and type into this little corner of cyberspace I've found. But it's the flow of the day ... when you get out of step of doing something, it just seems so daunting to add it back in.

Anyway, here I am. And let me reassure you that there is nothing daunting about the following meal. Pure yumminess:


Rebar Caesar Salad (With the addition of Baked Sesame Tofu Croutons), courtesy of Rebar Cookbook:

Recipe - Serves 8:
1 bulb roasted garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp caper juice
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
extra parmesan for garnish

1. Combine all of the ingredients (except the oil) in a blender and blend. Add olive oil in a slow, thin stream.
2. To serve, toss the dressing with washed, dried and torn romaine lettuce, fresh croutons (recipe to follow) and garnish with shaved Parm and lemon wedges.

Baked Sesame Tofu Recipe:
1x block of extra firm tofu
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp cracked pepper

1. Cut tofu into 1/2" cubes. Toss with remaining ingredients, spread on an oiled baking sheet and back at 350F for 15-20mins.



Orzo Stuffed Peppers, courtesy of Giada's Kitchen, by Giada de Laurentiis:

Recipe - serves 4 to 6:
1 (28oz) can whole Italian tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, grated
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken (or Vegetable) broth
1 1/2 cups orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
6 sweet bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped basil, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400F

1. Pour the tomatoes and their juices into a large bowl and break them into pieces using your fingertips. Add the zucchini, mint, cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the orzo and cook for 4 minutes. The orzo will only be partially cooked. Drain the orzo through a sieve, reserving the chicken broth, and add the orzo to the large bowl with the veggies. Stir to combine. Transfer the warm broth to a 3-quart baking dish.
3. Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all ribs and seeds. Cut a very thin slice from the base to help the peppers stand up.
4. Spoon the orzo mixture into the peppers. Place the peppers in the baking dish with the warm broth. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45mins. Remove the foil, sprinkle each pepper with cheese, and continue baking until the cheese is golden, about 15mins (I was in a hurry by this point so I just broiled it for a few minutes). Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the stuffed peppers to serving plates. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Both recipes make enough for left-overs ... and the left-overs taste just as great!

Apple Crisp

This is not your average Apple Crisp (I don't think!!):

Recipe:
Filling
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, chopped small
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (I used walnuts)
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Topping
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup coursely chopped pecans (again, I used walnuts)
(I also added 1/4 cup rolled oats)

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix all the Filling ingredients together, pour into a square baking pan
3. Topping: Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Blend butter into the mixture until pea size lumps forms. Stir in nuts (and rolled oats). Sprinkle over filling.
4. Bake for 35 to 40mins. Cool 10mins before serving.
5. Serve with whipped cream

Bon Appetite!

Farmers Market Perogies with Grilled Red Peppers and Leeks

The fabulous-ness of this dish is that it's simple, fresh, and quick to make. Isn't that exactly what we want for our weekday meals?!!

Perogies with Grated Romano Cheese, Grilled Red Peppers & Leeks, with an adaptation of Caprese Salad:

Baked Sweet Potato with Black Beans

Baked Sweet Potato with Black Beans:



I thought this meal was pretty yummy, but J thought the sweet potato taste was a little overwhelming ... too sweet. Or bland. What could spice this dish up?? I'm not sure but I'd definitely like to tweak this recipe and give it another try. (May I just say I realized I had forgotten to add the salt and pepper? oops ... that explains a LOT about the blandness of flavor).

Recipe:
Baked Sweet Potato and Blackbeans - serves 4
4 sweet potatoes, skins scrubbed
2 cups black beans
2oz. cheddar cheese, grated
salt and peppar

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Pierce potato with fork and put in oven to cook for 45mins (I must have had an exceptionally large potato ... 45mins was NOT enough time. I added another 20mins baking and then another 10mins in the microwave on high ... and then broiled to brown the top for a few minutes at the end)
3. Once fully cooked, slice potato length-wise and top with 1/2 cup black beans with 1/2oz. cheese.
(I scooped the potato out of it's skin, mashed the potato, added the black beans and minced onion. Put this back into the potato skin and topped with cheese and cilantro).

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata with Mesclun Salad

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata:


... with Mesclun Salad


Yum, yum, yum. I would recommend this meal ... it's fresh yet comforting with the ooey gooey cream cheese melted throughout the frittata.
I couldn't find smoked salmon, so I went for smoked Lok. Is this the same thing?? It tasted just like smoked salmon!
The frittata would have been perfect if I followed my natural obsessive instinct to overcook anything that contains any meat-like product. And this includes eggs. I followed the recipe to a T but the centre came out a little undercooked (which totally grossed me out!) so I popped it back in for a few more minutes. The hard part is you just don't know for sure if it's entirely cooked until you cut into it. The bottom was a nice brown and so was the top. Not very helpful in knowing what the centre was all about. Do people use toothpicks for frittatas??

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata - serves 4 to 6. Cook time: 20mins.
6 large eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp fresh dill (I added at least 5 Tbsp!!)
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used an entire package ... guilty pleasure)
2 oz. smoked salmon, chopped
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Serving Suggestion: Crispy Potatoes and Mesclun Salad

1. Position rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 375F.
2. Whisk the eggs, milk, dill, salt and pepper in a bowl. Using two spoons or your fingers, separate the cream cheese into small clumps. Fold the cream cheese and salmon into the egg mixture.

3. Heat the oil in a medium non-stick skilled over med-low heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir lightly to make sure the fillings are evenly arranged in the pan.
Cook until the bottom is set, but not brown, about 2mins.
4. Transfer the skillet tot he oven an dbake until the top is set, about 8mins.
Remove from the oven, cover and set aside for 5mins.
5. Invert the frittata onto a large plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.


Mesclun Salad - serves 2
2 Tbsp butter
1 dash cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp sugar (this was waaay too sugary ... I'd use 2 Tbsp next time)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup halved pecans
1 red bell pepper
2 oranges (I used x1)
pepper
2 cups mesclun greens (couldn't find any, so used baby Romaine ... this was a tad bland - would go for arugula next time!)

1. In a small saute pan add butter, cayenne, sugar, salt, pecans. Cook slowly over low heat. Stir occasionally. (The sugar didn't dissolve for me ... when I added this to the salad, the sugar clumped a bit ... don't know how to fix this!)
2. Julienne bell pepper and peel and section oranges into wedges
3. Squeeze left over orange pulp in salad bowl, add oil.
Toss greens in this and place on a salad plate.
4. Arrange orange wedges and pepper slices on top. Garnish with caramelized pecan halves.

Leek and Potato Soup

Saturday is Farmer's Market Day. I love meandering through the stalls and looking to see what might be new in produce.
This week I noticed that almost everyone had these lovely stalks of green tops peeking out the tops of their bags.
I wasn't too sure what this popular item was at first. And then I found the booth that had them: Leeks. They are such a neat variation of the onion. I don't know much about them but I do know they make for a wonderful combination with potatoes in soup! So that's what I made on my Saturday afternoon at home.


I was out of all basic items (no oil, vinegar, butter, amongst many other things but I wanted to make dessert ... namely an apple galette. But - no apples, no butter ... and my puff pastry was mouldy in the fridge! Boo. So for dessert, I tried a mixed berry tart using phyllo pastry with lemon glaze on top. This would have been great if it weren't for the competing "tart" tastes between the berries and the lemon juice!)

Wednesday's Meal ... aka. Cabbage Salad Addiction

What's the deal?? I certainly would not categorize myself as a cabbage fan and yet tonight I found myself (almost as though moving in some hypnotic state) making yet ANOTHER cabbage salad variation to accompany the new Pad Thai variation I found in the Rebar cookbook.

Thai Cabbage Slaw ... with spicy red curry vinaigrette. Lets just say that between the garlic and the ginger, this slaw should keep even the most daring cold bug at bay.


Pad Thai ... with tofu, bean sprouts and roasted peanuts:

Tuesday's Meal

Tuesday night called for Frozen Pizza. And that's what we had. Buuuut ... it was accompanied with a Greek Goddess Salad. That somewhat legitimizes the fast foodiness of a frozen, ready-made item, right?
Did I mention the salad has the word Goddess in it? It was good enough to rival something you would have at a restaurant.
No pictures, sorry.

For the recipe, go here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/greek-salad-recipe/index.html

Monday's Meal

Butternut Squash Soup

Rosemary Garlic Focaccia Bread

Roasted Beet and Orange Salad