Sicilian Spaghetti

Sicilian Spaghetti 

From too salty to bland... I wanted to try this recipe for Sicilian Spaghetti from allrecipes.com for some time. I've discovered that when you make any recipe from this site: READ THE COMMENTS FIRST! It's like a taste kitchen that helps to make the recipe better.

What should have been a taste sensation of garlic, anchovies, olive oil, breadcrumbs and herbs ended up being unpalatable. How can you add a CUP of BREAD CRUMBS to a dish that's already without sauce? How would I have so blindly followed the directions? Stoopid is as stoopid does, in this case.

Again, I'm not going to bother with pasting the recipe in here, because I wouldn't recommend anyone try it. But, I did search out Sicilian Spaghetti with Bread Crumbs and stumbled upon a blog called Drool Factor. Wow, the author is not only a writer, a foodie, but a photographer too! Her/his recipe for Sicilian Pasta with Anchovies and Bread Crumbs sounds divine!

Pasta c’anciova e muddica
Serves 2

160g spaghetti
8 anchovy filets, salted or brined
1 large garlic clove
1 small onion
25-30 g bread crumbs ( I used one slice of regular sandwich bread)
some dried chilli pepper (to taste)
chopped parsley
a teaspoon of grated Sicilian pecorino (optional) (I used parmigiano reggiano)
3 tablespoons of good quality extra-virgin olive oil
salt for the pasta

Coarsely chop the anchovies, slice the garlic and onion paper-thin and set aside.

While you bring the water for the pasta to a boil, heat the bread crumbs in a pan over a medium flame. Stir continuously till the bread crumbs become a nice tan colour. Remove the pan from the flame, pour half the oil into it and stir till all the bread crumbs are coated. Set aside.

When the water boils, salt it and add the spaghetti. While the spaghetti cooks, heat the remaining oil in a pan on a medium-high flame. Once hot, add the chopped anchovies and with a wooden spoon, mash them till they dissolve into the oil. Add the onion and garlic and let it cook till they just start to become golden, then add the chilli, reduce the heat and cook for another two minutes; set aside.

The pasta should be ready and al dente by now: drain it well and dress it with the anchovy-onion-garlic mixture. Add two thirds of the bread crumbs, the parsley and cheese (if using) and stir well. Serve with last sprinkle of the toasted bread crumbs and light drizzle of olive oil.


I will definitely try this one! Go to the site, just to see what this past should look like. Beautiful! Makes me even more determined to take a course in studio photography. I need to learn how to light food so it looks as appealing as these photos.

Mangiare!

Kathy

Italian-style Swiss Chard

Italian-style Swiss Chard 

What is it with salty recipes?! There is obviously something wrong with this recipe from allrecipes.com for Italian-style Swiss Chard. I followed the instructions quite closely, and if it weren't for the incredible saltiness, making it inedible, this would be amazing (what's not to like about greens sautéed in garlic and olive oil?)! The recipe called for 1 tbsp of salt to boil swiss chard in! I wish I would have tasted it before I went ahead and finished it off, because I could have rinsed it and hopefully saved the dish. 

After I made the recipe I reread it to see if I did anything wrong. Nope, all good there. Then I went onto the site for the comments and see that a lot of people thought the same thing as me (which makes me feel like it isn't just me being salt-sensitive this week). Although the original recipe doesn't state white or red chard, one reviewer said she found the red-stalked chard more bitter. I couldn't find white, so I used red. In this case it was fine, but perhaps the salt covered over the bitterness as I've found that too. Hubby and I ate about 2 bites and had to throw the rest out. Which is a sin, because the Sicilian Spaghetti (recipe in next posting) we served it with was chokingly dry — and if you can believe it —bland!

I'm not even going to bother to provide the recipe, instead below is my own version that I will make next time, because this could be so good!

Italian-Swiss Chard

It may look like a lot of chard going into the pot, but it cooks down to next to nothing. If you really like chard, you might want to eat this as a main dish with some protein. It's that good!

Serves 4

2 big bunches  white Swiss Chard

1 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Wash the chard and remove the leafy greens from the tougher stalks. Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces and tear leaves into large strips. Meanwhile, bring water and salt to boil in a large frying pan or deep saucepan. Cook the stalk sections in the salted water for 2 minutes. Stir in the leafy strips and cook until leaves are wilted and the stalks are fork-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until aromatic and tender (about 3 minutes). Add the Swiss chard and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, or add pepper and some freshly-grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Before this blog started, I had never tried chard, now I may actually try to grow some! It's a great leafy green for the cooler months and holds up much better than spinach in dishes. 

As for allrecipes.com, I'm going to be much more selective in the future. The concept of being able to share your recipes online in a mega format is great, but I've had a number of duds from there (including the next posting for Sicilian Spaghetti), so I guess I'll have to take the site with — dare I say it — a grain of salt!

Ciao bella!

Kathy

Salmon Rösti (Patties)

Salmon Rösti 

If you've been following my blog since it began a year ago, you may remember one of my first recipes Salmon Cakes from Oprah's superfoods menu. Well, this recipe from eatingwell.com, for a Swiss-style recipe called Salmon Rösti, although made with frozen hash browns, is way easier and very tasty. Technically hash browns are processed, but I'm hoping not too badly, because this is a great recipe. But, again, TOO SALTY! Maybe my taste buds are overly sensitive this week?

I made the recipe as outlined below. I tried to use the measuring cup, but it didn't work well. I took a big handful and made it into a fairly rounded patty (and you have to really squeeze it into shape or it falls apart in the skillet. Squeezing it also takes out some water.). After I got the patty into the skillet I used a spatula to flatten it. My first I didn't do it and they kind of fell apart. You also have to leave them on the skillet for a full 5 minutes so that the egg and hash brown can set together. Otherwise, again, they'll break.

Salmon Rösti

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/salmon_rosti.html
From EatingWell:  January/February 2010 Convenient frozen hash browns and flaked salmon come together for a twist on this traditional Swiss favorite. We love the creamy dill sauce, but a dollop of ketchup is tasty too. Serve with: Steamed green beans tossed with sliced scallions, Dijon mustard and lemon juice.
4 servings, 2 rösti (salmon cakes) each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 6- to 7-ounce cans boneless, skinless wild Alaskan salmon, drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 3 teaspoons dried, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups frozen hash-brown shredded potatoes (about 12 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation

1. Combine salmon, onion, eggs and egg white, mustard, 2 tablespoons fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried), pepper and salt in a large bowl. Add potatoes and stir to combine.
2. Preheat oven to 200°F.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Fill a 1-cup measure two-thirds full with the salmon mixture and firmly pack it down. Unmold into the pan and pat to form a 3-inch cake. Repeat, making 3 more cakes. Cover and cook until browned on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Gently turn over and cook, covered, until crispy on the other side, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer the cakes to a baking dish; keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the skillet and cook 4 more cakes with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining salmon mixture.
4. Combine sour cream, capers, lemon juice and the remaining dill in a small bowl. Serve the salmon cakes with the dill sauce.

Nutrition

Per serving : 317 Calories; 18 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 143 mg Cholesterol; 19 g Carbohydrates; 21 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 559 mg Sodium; 605 mg Potassium
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 1/2 lean meat, 2 fat

On the second night we ate these, I made the sauce and it was soooo much better than bottled tartar sauce (it was the night of our noreaster, so no sour cream. Since I began this blog I've started making my own salad dressings (so, so easy and so, so much better!) and this tartar sauce is also the way to go. Now I'm just going to have to find a recipe for ranch dressing so I can make my own veggie dip!

Happy cooking,

Kathy

Caesar Salad with Fresh Skillet Croutons

Caesar Salad with Fresh Croutons 

 Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE GARLIC?!

Last weekend I was craving a crunchy Caesar Salad, and so I went looking for a new recipe for the dressing. I've been making a version for years that uses just olive oil, without any creaminess. I like it, but hubby prefers a creamier dressing.

I found a recipe that I used as a base, but made so many changes, I'm going to call this version my own. An oh Lordy, was it good! Well, after I made it the second time anyway. The first time I used too much salt in the fresh croutons, and scraped everything into the salad without tasting — ruining it. But I still wanted the wonderful garlicky burn on my tongue and garlic burps throughout the evening, so I tried again.

So, if you are not a Garlic Lover, with a capital G-L, then you can go to the original recipe of 1/2 of 1 clove, but what's the point I say. I also say, don't skip the anchovy paste. It's what makes a caesar salad. Well, that and the garlic.

Garlicky Caesar Salad
1 head romaine lettuce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil mayonnaise (reduced fat)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp anchovy paste
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Tear romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces, rinse and spin-dry; set aside in a big salad bowl.

 In a food processor or using a stick blender, puree all remaining ingredients. Pour over salad, toss with croutons (recipe below) and serve immediately.


Fresh Skillet Croutons
Seriously, take a moment to make these, they will elevate your caesar to a whole new level. And stop worrying about the fat content. Trust me, those processed kind are loaded with plenty of bad-for-you fats. 

3 cups day-old whole wheat baguette slices, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
prepare bread cubes; melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; add bread cubes, tossing to coat. Stirring frequently, cook until crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

This salad is very flavourful, without too much dressing, just the way I like it!

Enjoy,

Kathy

Slow Cooker: Cardamom and Lemon Rice Pudding

Cardamom and Lemon Rice Pudding

Before saying goodbye to my old slow cooker, I made this yummy Cardamom and Lemon Rice Pudding from Epicurious.com to accompany my slow cooker Roast Pork in Onion Gravy. I love cardamom, and anything with lemon works for me, so this was a no-brainer. I followed the recipe pretty closely, but did use brown rice instead of white (since you have to cook it anyway, why not I said?). I used my very handy rice cooker to do it, which cooks brown or white rice effortlessly in 50 minutes — perfectly every time.

I don't know if it was that my slow cooker is old, or that I used brown rice, but this was more soup than pudding, even after an extra hour on high. But after turning it off for a while the liquid was all absorbed and it was the rice pudding I know and love. No matter, this was REALLY good! I used cranberries instead of raisins for the tang. With the lemons left over, I juiced them, added an equal amount of water, sweetened it with Agave syrup (which is healthier than white sugar for diabetics and you use almost half as much) then brought it to a boil and simmered for a few minutes, before putting it in a jar in the fridge. Boy am I glad I did that because after a day the lemon flavour of the rice pudding was diminished and the syrup was absolutely fantastic on top.

I never took another picture, but it did end up looking very rice pudding-ish.

Cardamom and Lemon Rice Pudding Epicurious | February 2007

by Melissa Clark

This wintertime favorite, a great way to use up the leftover rice in your fridge, gets a surprise lift from lemon zest. For added crunch, sprinkle it with slivered almonds or pistachios before serving. This recipe was originally part of a feature on slow cooking. For additional recipes and tips for using a slow cooker, Yield: Makes 6 servings 3 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 4 large eggs, beaten 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon) 5 whole green cardamom pods 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 3 cups cooked medium-grain white rice 1 cup golden raisins Special equipment: Slow cooker In slow cooker, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, granulated and brown sugars, vanilla, zest, cardamom pods, and nutmeg. Stir in rice, cover and cook on high 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, add raisins, and cook 1 hour more, stirring occasionally. Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve chilled. Cook's note: This recipe was originally prepared in an oval, 6-quart slow cooker.

Epicurious.com © Condé Nast Digital, Inc. All rights reserved.

Since I love rice pudding I would absolutely make this again, but I would make it with 1% milk and 10% cream. I'm sure it would be just as good. I would use cranberries again for sure for the tang that goes well with the lemon flavour. Because I love cardamom, in addition to the pods, I would add a quarter to a half-teaspoon or so of ground cardamom too for that one of a kind taste. Do make the lemon syrup sauce, it is fantastic!

Enjoy,

Kathy

Slow Cooker: Roast Pork in Onion Gravy

Roast Pork in Onion Gravy

I got two wonderful gifts for Christmas, a Kitchen-Aid cast iron enamel-coated dutch oven (similar to the Cruset that is so popular these days) from my mother-in-law and a fancy new slow cooker from hubby. Given my devotion to cooking, and the fact that I asked for cooking gifts, these were heartily welcomed. Unlike our first Christmas when hubby gave me a toaster oven (that I hadn't asked for) and is now scarred for life, he did good, really good!

I must admit, I haven't been a big slow cooker user. I do make a mean steel-cut porridge in it, and occasionally other dishes, I haven't made it a focus. If I had when we lived in our commuting city, I probably wouldn't have eaten so much processed or restaurant food. But my new slow cooker is bigger (7 litres/quarts) and is very cool because you can brown your meat in it because the liner is made of aluminum that's coated with a non-stick surface. Super good because those precious brown bits are what make food taste good, and great for the lazy likes of me because there's only the one pot to clean up.

I let hubby pick from a whole slew of roast recipes I found and his choice was Pork Roast in Onion Gravy from Canadian Living. Canadian Living is a Canadian institution when it comes to cooking. And rightly so. The recipes are very good and triple-tested in their kitchens.

The roast all browned and ready to cook.

I wouldn't call this a super fast dish to make, but I made it the night before and put it on at noon the next day (You could put it on low and leave for a day at work too, but I wanted to try my dual cooking setting.)

The cooked roast, lovely colour!

I loved being able to thicken the gravy right on the stove. Very fast. While hubby carved, I thickened.

I added mushrooms, lovely. Here it is on the stove thickening.

The end result was a lovely, tender and tasty roast of pork — something I've always found very hit and miss in the past (the over-cooked roast). I used caraway seeds because I love them, but I'm sure cumin, with it's fresh taste, would be very similar. Next time I will add more because I LOVE the taste of caraway.

We couldn't find a bone-in pork roast, this was on sale and turned out fabulously.

Oh so good! The mushrooms were a great addition. We ate it for two meals and put the rest of the meat and gravy in the freezer for a quick meal down the way. We even had a pork roast sandwich one day for lunch!

With frozen veg, it was a great and easy meal!

 

 

Pork Roast in Onion Gravy

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

roll over and click star to rate

Tender pork simmered in a rich onion gravy is a perfect match for mashed potatoes any night of the week. You can easily substitute a boneless pork loin roast if you like; just reduce the cooking time to five hours.

This recipe makes 12 serving(s)

Nutritional information available online.

Ingredients

1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) whole cloves 1 1bone-in rib-end pork loin roastbone-in rib-end pork loin roasts, (about 4 lb/2 kg) 1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) pepper 2 2tbsp tbsp(25 mL) (25 mL) vegetable oil Onion Gravy: 4 4oniononions, sliced 1 1tsp tsp(5 mL) (5 mL) cumin or carawayseeds 1 1cup cup(250 mL) (250 mL) white wine 1 1cup cup(250 mL) (250 mL) chicken stock, (or 2 cups/500 mL chicken stock) 1/4 1/4cup cup(50 mL) (50 mL) tomato paste 2 2tbsp tbsp(25 mL) (25 mL) cider vinegar 4 4cloves garlic, minced 2 2bay leafbay leaves 1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) salt 1/4 1/4cup cup(50 mL) (50 mL) cornstarch 1/4 1/4cup cup(50 mL) (50 mL) minced fresh parsley

Preparation:

Stick cloves into pork; sprinkle with pepper. In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown pork on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate; pour off fat in pan.
Onion Gravy: Add remaining oil to pan; saut?nions and cumin seeds until golden, about 8 minutes. Scrape into slow-cooker. Add pork and any accumulated juices, wine, stock, tomato paste, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and salt. Cover and cook on low until pork is tender, about 6 hours.
Transfer pork to plate; tent with foil. Skim off any fat from gravy. Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 cup (50 mL) water; stir into gravy. Increase heat to high; cover and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Stir in parsley. Serve pork with gravy.

Source: Canadian Living Magazine: November 2004

One thing I ABSOLUTELY would not do again is put whole cloves into the pork. No cloves at all for this gal who has been scarred by dentists using them as an antiseptic for packing wisdom teeth. I will say no more but that pork roast and memories of dentistry do not make for a good eating experience!

Did I mention that my in-laws gave us a freezer full of food when we visited at Christmas? We won't have to buy meat for months! But of course, we did buy this roast. Sometimes, no matter how full your freezer is you still end up adding more.

This is a definite keeper!

Kathy

Unprocessed: Mac and Cheese

Yummy Mac and Cheese!

I have to admit here, I still love two processed foods: KD and noodle soups. But after making this dish, I'm down to one. I got this recipe for Mac and Cheese from Lovoni Walker's show on Viva, Simple, Fresh, Delicious. And it lives up to the show's name.

I will admit, this looks nothing like mac and cheese from a box, but it tastes even better. It gives me that salt fix, which is the real reason I like KD, and has lots of milk and lots of cheese in it. It even has that wonderful cheese stringiness that kids would love.

It's pretty easy to make too. I won't kid you, it's not as fast as opening up a box, but the results are worth it. With veggies or a salad, it's surprisingly filling. The portion in this picture was actually too much for me to eat. I can easily eat an entire box of KD if I'm being perfectly honest.

I used whole wheat rotini, but if you're like my friend's husband and can't eat food that's white on white, maybe get some tri-colour rotini or spirals to liven it up. These pics premiered my new dishes, and work awesomely well with light coloured foods when photographed (my old ones wouldn't fit well in the dishwasher and I found these plates for $1.44 each, so for $17.28, plus tax, I have 12 new plates and ALL of them fit in one load!).

But I digress. I had just made a roue (white sauce) the other day, so the concept wasn't new to me, but that's the biggest deal about it. Otherwise, it's the easiest thing to make.

www.simplefreshdelicious.com

Unprocessed : Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 12 oz (375g) spiral or macaroni pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

---

Instructions

Cook pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water for about 12 minutes or until tender; drain well. Return pasta to same pot.
Meanwhile, heat butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk. Stir until sauce boils and thickens. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened; remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Add sauce to pasta and stir until combined. Serves 6 to 8.

---

http://www.simplefreshdelicious.com/recipes/unprocessed-mac-and-cheese/ : All Recipies Copyright www.simplefreshdelicious.com

The pasta held up well the next day, tasting just as good. I will definitely be adding this to my repertoire of healthier comfort foods. I love the idea of putting it into a cup. A great way to manage portions.

Now If I could find a good recipe for the lovely packet of spicy chicken noodle soup that was as quick, I'd be all over it. It's not the noodles that are a must-have, it's the taste of the sauce. Oh, but then, I don't actually eat it as a soup, but as noodles, so maybe I'm kidding myself. Okay, it is the noodles, but they don't have to be the kind that come from  a package, which is why I think there's hope.

Yours in gooey twirling goodness!

Parmesan Spinach Cakes

Parmesan Spinach Cakes (revamped)

I really liked the premise of these Parmesan Spinach Cakes from EatingWell.com. I loved the idea of the simplicity of a crustless quiche-like muffin, but the result just didn't work for me. I used 1 cup of feta cheese because honestly, I can't envision something that similar to spanakopita not having it. And with something as bland as spinach can be, you need to take it up a notch or two in my opinion. Maybe because it was without the lovely phyllo pastry around it, but it was just kind of half way there for me. I also used frozen thawed spinach, because I always do...

So, here is the recipe, maybe you'll like it better:

Parmesan Spinach Cakes

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/parmesan_spinach_cakes.html
From EatingWell:  September/October 2008 If you like spinach-cheese pie, try these simple but elegant-looking little spinach cakes.
4 servings, 2 spinach cakes each | Active Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh spinach, (see Note)
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese, or low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Pulse spinach in three batches in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta (or cottage cheese), Parmesan, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper; stir to combine.
3. Coat 8 cups of the muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide the spinach mixture among the 8 cups (they will be very full).
4. Bake the spinach cakes until set, about 20 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn out onto a clean cutting board or large plate. Serve warm, sprinkled with more Parmesan, if desired.

Nutrition

Per serving : 141 Calories; 8 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 123 mg Cholesterol; 6 g Carbohydrates; 13 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 456 mg Sodium; 560 mg Potassium
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 medium-fat meat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Equipment: Muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

• Note: Baby spinach is immature or young spinach—it's harvested earlier than large-leaved mature spinach. We like the sturdy texture of mature spinach in cooked dishes and serve tender, mild-flavored baby spinach raw or lightly wilted. Baby and mature spinach can be used interchangeably in these recipes (yields may vary slightly); be sure to remove the tough stems from mature spinach before using.
• Weights & Measures
• 10 ounces trimmed mature spinach=about 10 cups raw
• 10 ounces baby spinach=about 8 cups raw

If I were ever to make this again, I'd use my own recipe, because I know it's good. It was originally for broccoli, but everything else was spanakopita, so I changed it, and it was a very popular dish at our house a few years back. I'll have to make it again, maybe with the phyllo, but I'm not sure about making little cupcakes, phyllo can be a bugger to work with and at least this recipe made a whole pie so there was less fuss. The whole reason I wanted to make the crustless variety is that I was trying to avoid the butter and phyllo for hubby (and me too). Maybe it would work well as a crustless quiche pie... Hmmm...

Michelle’s Spinach Feta Pie

Makes 8 servings

8                      sheets phyllo pastry, thawed

2                      packages fresh spinach greens (or 2 thawed spinach packages)

1/4 cup            butter

1                      onion, chopped

3                      eggs

1 lb.                 feta cheese, crumbled

2 tbsp              chopped fresh dill

1/2 tsp             salt

1/2 tsp             pepper

1/2 cup            butter, for phyllo

Steam spinach in skillet with a bit of water, until wilted (skip this step if using thawed spinach). Drain and set aside. In skillet, add onions and sauté until clear. Add spinach and sauté for 1 minute.

In large bowl, beat eggs slightly, add spinach mixture and all ingredients, except 1/2 cup butter.

Line a springform pan with phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter and alternating angles to overlap.

Pour in filling. Fold overlapped edges of phyllo over spinach mixture. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 350°F. Cool 10 minutes, cut into 8 wedges and serve.

So there you go. I don't only post the great recipes, but the mediocre too. These weren't awful, just kind of bland. Maybe a shot of hot sauce would have perked them up. If you do make it, let me know what you think.

Kathy

Onward: New England Clam Chowder

Mmmm... the best New England Clam Chowder ever!

Yes I come from a coastal community, but as a kid I didn't eat anything from the sea, except for salmon (and the occasional fish stick, but that isn't fish to me, it's mystery meat) and only because as practicing Catholics, we couldn't eat meat on Fridays. My mom would buy the most beautiful sockeye salmons and cut them up into family meal-sized portions (they were huge back then) and freeze them in milk, which she said added flavour to the meat. Didn't matter, served with a wedge of iceberg lettuce and a dollop of Miracle Whip, or with a cucumber salad made with real cream, and a baked potato on the side — fish was still fish.

Now, of course, I love salmon (it's my favourite) and have even branched off to some seafoods. But here on the east coast the clams are different. They have the rounded ones I'm used to, but they also have something called Bar Clams, which are are long and narrow. My experience with clams are in clam chowder. My best friend Brenda and I used to go to Whitespot (a definite BC tradition) and eat a bowl of Manhattan Clam Chowder. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Manhattan Clam Chowder got its name as an act of derision — New Englanders thought the only people crazy enough to eat clam chowder with a tomato base would be Manhattanites.

So, as a newbie New Brunswicker, and having 3 jars of bar clams, I found three clam chowder recipes recipes for hubby to choose from. His assignment: make either New England, Manhattan or Santa Fe clam chowder. Of course, being an east coaster, he chose New England.

This is easily the best New England Clam Chowder I've ever eaten. The sherry and worchestershire make it sing, and the cream makes it so rich that a small bowl and some crackers is all you can eat in one sitting. This one comes from epicurious.com and comes from the Culinary Institute of America. It is incredibly rich, made with real cream, sherry, worchestershire sauce and bacon. Oh, and of course some of the best clams you'll ever taste. They are meaty strips of claminess, not little pillows of fishy-tasting clam (that's why I preferred tomato-based clam chowder —it hid the fishy taste of BC clams)

New England Clam Chowder

Epicurious  | August 2008

by The Culinary Institute of America

Gourmet Meals in Minutes

yield: Makes 2 quarts

This is the Culinary Institute of America's version of the American classic, rich and creamy. Paired with a salad and bread, it becomes a hearty meal.

• 1 1/4 pound canned clams, minced, juices reserved
• 2-3 cups bottled clam juice
• 2 bacon slices, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled, diced
• 3 cups heavy cream or half and half
• 6 tablespoons dry sherry, or to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Tabasco sauce, to taste
• Worcestershire sauce, to taste
• Oyster or saltine crackers, as needed

Drain the clam juice from the minced clams and combine with enough bottled juice to equal 3 cups of liquid.

Cook the bacon slowly in a soup pot over medium heat until lightly crisp, about 8 minutes.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in the clam juice, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add more clam juice to adjust the consistency. Add the bay leaf and fresh thyme.

Add the potatoes and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the clams and cream in saucepan and simmer together until the clams are cooked, about 5-8 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, add the clams and cream to the soup base. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the sherry. Season to taste with salt, pepper, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce. Serve in bowls with the crackers on the side.

We will definitely be eating this again, in fact, we even have some in the freezer. Not sure how well the cream will hold up, but I'm sure it will still be mighty tasty. I should say we'll be making this again (with half and half and whole milk instead of real cream), but not until hubby makes me Manhattan Clam Chowder from epicurious. If it's anything like this one, I absolutely can't wait!

Happy eating!

Kathy

2010: The Year of Living Healthfully

It's hard to believe that I've been writing this blog for a year now. When I started, it was all about the 25 superfoods, but like most good projects it became so much more, and not really about eating superfoods at all.

What I did this past year is basically make my own food, free of preservatives, chemicals and additives. I didn't limit myself to low fat, low carb or low anything. And I still lowered my cholesterol level by a half-point (our Canadian system of calculation of total cholesterol is different than the American system).

Just the other night, hubby and I were reflecting about the past year and how much things had changed. Coming from a city where a long commute was part of each day, we didn't have time for eating slow. We ate in restaurants frequently —and not always healthfully. We sometimes ate fast food, and oftentimes ate more than we needed.We also bought a lot of pre-packaged meals, which is expensive and often unhealthy to eat.

So, when we came here to the east coast, a fresh start was in order. I have always loved to cook, but in the past I mainly put myself out there when company came for dinner. This year has been about making special meals for just the two of us; for drinking wine with meals (even pizza) and for NOT eating them on the couch with the TV on. Sitting down and conversing has made our relationship stronger. 

Over the past year hubby was inspired (by fear?) to change his diet to take more control over his diabetes. Our meals, which had always included a starch such as potatoes or bread, are often now focussed on protein (including vegetarian) and vegetables. We've decreased our portion size somewhat too. We still eat more than we should, but that is something to be worked on.

The biggest change I see is that when I think of it, I would much rather make a meal that is awesome than eat a mediocre meal at a restaurant. Don't get me wrong, I would happily pay a large portion of my entertainment budget to eat a meal at my favourite local French restaurant, L'Idylle, which serves eclectic food that is heavenly. But L'Idylle is a place to savour with good friends, and good conversation. Come to think of it, so are the meals I've made this past year.

So many new foods, so much experimentation. It's exciting to try new recipes, to create something that makes the tastebuds stand at attention from a disparate group of ingredients. I can't say I could make different recipes as frequently as I do if I had a daily commute, but surely most of us can make the commitment to add one new recipe to their life once a week?  Because I've also discovered that many of the recipes I've tried are easy and quick to make (with a bit of fore-planning) — often as quick as going to pick up fast food or heating a processed meal. And those that aren't quick or particularly easy have more often than not been worth every step and every minute.

So much change. I can't see myself going back to packaged foods. For me, cooking is creating. It's what I love to do. And if it makes others happy in the process, it's something to be thankful for.

Happy 2011 everyone! Here's to another year of discovery.

Kathy

A Fondue New Year's Eve

Here it is folks, the last recipe of 2010.

Oh the rich, cheesy goodness of it all!

Remember a while back (at Thanksgiving) I mentioned that there are a few things I don't even bother to make because hubby is the king of this particular recipe? Well, hubby's Cheese Fondue is one of them. It might have taken me a few years longer to fall in love with him, but at the time I did realize he'd make some woman very happy with a recipe like this one. And little did I know back then that I'd be the lifelong recipient of this love on a pick!

We went to our friends Valérie and Cédric's house for New Year's Eve this year for a four-hour eat-athon, à la française. Apparently Cyril and I are unusual for Canadians — we like to eat and linger at the table. I would wager this is true about North Americans in general. I can't tell you how many hours it would take for my mother to make a huge Christmas dinner, but I know we were generally finished the meal within 45 minutes (and it could have been faster, but 25 people around the table take a while to get their food). It's a sad state of affairs and says much about our culture. However, when we have guests, or are guests, we're generally at the table for a good long sit. It takes time to enjoy a meal while talking, and that's what I love about people from France — they talk a lot, and they love to eat.

We started with a cold platter of vegetables, meats and cheese, then bruschetta, then an Asian platter (brought by another guest, Claire), and that was only as we sipped Kir Royale (sparkling wine —really not good sparkling wine [I didn't know France made not good sparkling wines] with Kir [a black currant liqueur] that combined is highly drinkable) by the fire.

Bourquignone Fondue

It was only then that we moved into the dining room for a three-hour stint of eating cheese fondue made by Cyril and Bourguignone fondue (beef cubes that are very quickly fried in very hot oil, served with a variety of flavourful and creamy sauces) made by Cédric. Two men made us dinner! Oh, but of course, Valérie made a very popular lobster bisque too. Me, I participated by eating. I am very good at it, after all.
 

 Mmmm...

When we were all so stuffed we couldn't move, we sat at the table and talked some more, until it was after 11:00 and we decided to eat dessert. Valérie very reasonably served a fruit salad. Thank goodness I didn't make the champagne cupcake dessert I had my eye on!

At 11:30 we started to search for a TV station that would show the countdown in the Atlantic Time Zone, but such does not exist when you have no cable, so we watched a repeat of the New Zealand countdown instead. Ah well, apparently the Atlantic Canadian time zone is not worth mentioning outside of Atlantic Canada, but that's okay, it all worked out anyway. Of course, then we had to have more Kir Royales to ring in 2011.

Your intrepid foodies

We finally rolled out of the driveway at 12:30 into an eerie fog-filled night. I fell asleep in minutes, with visions of cheese strings dancing in my head — or was that tummy?!

I REALLY had to work on the hubby to get this recipe for you, but I know that it's like an old family recipe and is hard to recreate. He has nothing to fear, he will still remain the go-to guy for cheese fondue for anyone who has ever had his.

Cheese Fondue

4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 dry white wine

1 lb each Emmenthal, Gruyere and Swiss Cheeses, chopped into 1" cubes

1 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp flour

On a very low heat, put garlic and 1/4 cup wine together into a large saucepan, simmering for about 3 minutes. Turn heat to medium low and using a wooden spoon slowly add cheese, melting each addition before adding more. 

Mix in remaining cup of white wine (reserve a 1/4 cup or so, add to the flour and shake in a sealed jar before pouring into the cheese mixture). Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the cheese mixture forms strings about 12 inches long when pulled, but remains extremely soft. Add black pepper to taste.

Put cheese fondue into a ceramic fondue pot with a very gentle flame underneath to keep the cheese soft.  Serve with small pieces of white and/or whole wheat baguette (1" pieces cut into quarters). 

Remember, the rule in Switzerland is that if the bread falls off your pick, you have to kiss someone at the table!

 

Poor Juliette, who has not learned to pace herself (having only an 8-year old's stomach that hasn't had years of massive food consumption abuse under its belt), so she did not have any of the fondue. But, rumour has it that days later, when her maman made beef tortillas using some of the left over fondue beef and cheese, she ate four, so I guess she liked our fondues after all!

The best dish of 2011 (so far)!

As for us, we ate our leftover fondue cheese, in a dry-grilled sandwich with ham and a homemade apple sauce mixed with Dijon mustard on January 2nd. A new amazing dish is born!

Happy 2011 everyone!

Kathy

Tiramisu: A real "pick me up"!

Tiramisu in a pan

I thought Tiramisu meant mixed layers, but no, it actually means "pick me up", as in to lift the spirits. I guess chocolate and espresso would lift anyone's spirits — it sure does mine!

It's another Christmas tradition for Christmas day dinner.  Years ago I would make Christmas trifle with raspberries and kiwi, but this is much better. Chocolate and espresso with heaps of whipped cream and marscapone cheese (which is not cheesy at all). I'm not sure if the traditional Italian version uses a can of sweetened condensed milk, but mine does. Last year I made it for my first Christmas at the in-laws, and it was a spectacular hit. So, of course I made it again this year, this time making it in a big, flat pan instead of in a deep bowl. I also used the full 48 ladyfingers the recipe originally called for, but in my humble opinion, it becomes cakey rather than creamy.  I forgot to take pictures of course, so above is a somewhat similar picture to how it looked this year. Personally I like the messiness of tiramisu in a bowl with high sides. I put the ladyfingers up the sides and the cream scooshes in between the cookies. Picks me up every time!

It's actually quite straight-forward to make, but oh so impressive to serve. This year I forgot to bring Tia Maria (coffee liqueur), so we ended up using Caramel-flavoured Bailey's. It was decent. And once again, a big hit.

Tiramisu in a glass bowl is so pretty!

Tiramisu

This easy and elegant dessert has become our Christmas trifle – Italian style.

Impossible to resist!

Decadent version:                                        

500 ml         tub Marscapone cheese                               

300 ml         can sweetened condensed milk        

4 tbsp          Kahlua or Tia Maria coffee-flavoured liqueur        

1/2 litre       whipping cream, whipped               

36                3” lady fingers        

2/3 cup        cold, strong coffee, (espresso)        

3 oz.            semi-sweet chocolate, grated           

Beat cheese, condensed milk and liqueur until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream. Line bottom and sides of a 12-cup serving bowl with 1/3 ladyfingers; brush with coffee. Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers; top with grated chocolate. Repeat these layers two times more, ending with chocolate. Serves 12.

Note: I usually drizzle liqueur over the first layer of ladyfingers for an extra hit of boozy goodness!

I have to laugh because I often get comments about how light this dessert is. Trust me, it might be light and airy because the cream and cheese are whipped and the ladyfingers are like hard angelfood cake, but this is not light in calories. For those of you who fear calories, consider this (at least at Christmas):

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention
of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand,
body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming
"WOOHOO, what a ride!"

One more recipe for the holiday season: Cheese Fondue! Talk about decadent!

Kathy

Christmas Breakfast Traditions

Christmas breakfast has always seemed to be my specialty. I used to spend Christmas morning with my sister Linda and her son Matthew. We ALWAYS had stockings with gifts wrapped in tissue paper and I ALWAYS made Grilled French Toast with Blueberry Sauce.

After I moved away from BC, I continued this tradition for many years until I decided to host a  brunch for the Christmas orphans, instead of a dinner. I needed something that would feed a big crowd, and would be easy to make. I found a Weight Watchers recipes that started a whole new tradition: Christmas Breakfast Casserole. It's super easy to make — you stick it in the fridge overnight and in the morning all you do is pop it into the oven and bake. Perfect for hosting an easy brunch when you add a fruit salad or for a lazy gift-opening Christmas morning.

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

I served this on Christmas Day to a huge group of people and it was a big hit.
I added red pepper for the Christmas spirit.
Can also be made with cooked bacon or cubed ham.

Serves 10 to 12

1                      loaf day-old French or Italian bread, broken into 1” pieces

1 lb                  turkey breakfast sausage meat

1 bunch           green onions, chopped

1                      red pepper, chopped

2 cups             shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup               skim milk

8                      eggs

1 tsp                mustard powder

1/2 tsp             salt

1/2 tsp             pepper

Place bread cubes in 11”x7” baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Cook sausage until brown, stirring to crumble Drain. Spoon sausage over bread cubes; top with green onions, red pepper and cheese.

Combine milk and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Pour over bread mixture, pressing down with a spatula to soak up bread. Cover casserole and place in refrigerator overnight.

On Christmas morning, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

It wasn't until we moved to Edmonton and I was hosting another Christmas brunch that I decided it was time for a change. I found this recipe online (no idea where — that was before I realized I'd some day need to credit a site or a person for the recipes I make on my own blog). It is truly decadent, this one, with butter, cream cheese and maple syrup, but extraordinarily good.

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Soufflé

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Soufflé

1                large loaf cinnamon raisin bread (chopped enough to fill 13 x 9 in. pan)

12 oz         cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup      butter, softened

3/4 cup      maple syrup (divided)

10              eggs

3 cups       milk

1 tbsp        cinnamon

1 tbsp        vanilla

Place chopped cinnamon raisin bread in a well-buttered 13 x 9 in. glass pan.

Mix cream cheese, butter and 1/4 cup maple syrup until smooth. Spread on top of bread, leaving some openings through which to pour egg mixture. Beat eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and 1/2 cup maple syrup. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Uncover and bake 50 to 55 minutes at 350°. Cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Serves 8–12


Normally I don't make both of these at the same time, but I think it will become a new tradition, because I can't honestly say that I could pick a favourite between the two. The sausage casserole is the perfect savoury breakfast, and the cinnamon raisin bread casserole is the perfect sweet breakfast. But since when I used to make my Grilled French Toast at my sister's place, we always had sausages with it, so why not have another easy casserole to toss in the oven? 

Grilled French Toast with Blueberry Sauce

My internationally famous French toast dish is not for the feint of heart.
The secret is the vanilla and the generous amount of butter used to grill the toasts.

Serves 6

1                baguette, cut on an angle in 1” strips

6                eggs

1/2 cup      milk

1 tbsp        cinnamon

1 tbsp        vanilla

1/2 cup      butter (or as needed)

1 lb            frozen blueberries

Place a bag of frozen blueberries into a medium pot on medium low to simmer down to a thick compote.

Whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl. Dip bread into egg allowing to soak for a moment. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan on medium, add a good dollop of butter to the pan. Add enough dipped pieces to fill the pan (don’t overcrowd). Using a spatula, immediately press down the baguette pieces. When they are golden below, flip over and press down with a spatula again. When golden brown and crispy, place on a plate and put in a warm oven. Continue with the rest of the pieces of bread.

Serve with blueberry sauce and real maple syrup. Breakfast sausages or bacon are perfect with these heavenly discs!

So there you have it. Another Christmas tradition shared. I firmly believe that during the holidays no one should limit their calorie intake, or worry about too many carbs, or too much fat. The holidays are all about overindulgence. Let you gut guide you, I say. If it says stop, then stop. 

I have one last holiday tradition to share with you before I call my "Superfoods: A Year of Living Healthfully" done.  Hubby's amazing Cheese Fondue. Coming up as soon as I get the pictures I took (forgot to bring my camera) on our friend's camera, back.


Happy New Year to you all!


Kathy