Easy Baked Risotto

I was skeptical when I saw this recipe.  How would this taste.  Well it tasted just like risotto make on the stove and was a really easy quick meal to make.  I added sautee mushrooms to the risotto along with the Parmesan.

Easy Baked Risotto

Serves 4 to 6
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken stock, if you’re not going meatless)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Sea salt (or kosher salt) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place the rice and stock in a 10-cup baking dish (or Dutch oven), and stir to combine. Cover with foil (or the lid of the Dutch oven, if using), and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the stock is absorbed and the rice is al dente.

3. Grab a wooden spoon, and beat in your Parmesan, butter, salt and pepper.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

I really like gnocchi.  In fact my favourite meal is the maple marinated cod with sweet potato.  So when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it.  It was really good and scored a 5 out of six in our house.  At first two of my kids wound not even try it but after they did to their astonishment they exclaimed "This really is good I like it!".

Ingredients1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 tsp dried sage
Gnocchi:
2 cups  roasted sweet potato purée (roast two sweet potatoes in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp  salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 cups all-purpose flour

Preparation:
Gnocchi: In large bowl, stir together pumpkin purée, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt and nutmeg. Using wooden spoon, stir in 2 cups of the flour. Stir in enough of the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to make soft, sticky dough that pulls away from bowl but still sticks to spoon and fingers.
On well-floured surface and with floured hands, roll dough into log; divide into quarters. Gently roll and shape each quarter into 3/4-inch (2 cm) diameter rope. With sharp knife, cut each rope diagonally into 3/4-inch (2 cm) pieces.
In large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi, in 2 batches and stirring gently, until floating; about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, scoop onto large serving platter.
Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook pine nuts until lightly toasted and butter just begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
Add sage, cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Scrape over gnocchi; toss to coat.

Eggnog ice cream

Yesterday I told you how much I liked eggnog so when I saw this recipe I knew I was making it.  It was good, with a strong eggnog flavour and because of this a little goes a long way.  I must say that I prefer the candy cane ice cream over this one.  (hence the reason there is still some of this one left).  

Eggnog ice cream

1 cup (240ml) whole milk
2/3 cup (133g) caster sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups (480ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Mix in the nutmeg and vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath – I just let it cool over the counter, then refrigerated it.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. Once the mixture is cold, taste it and grate in more nutmeg if you wish. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes about 1 liter (1 quart)

Mexican Hot Chocolate cookies

As I have said before my husband really enjoys spicy things.  So when I received the following recipe in and email I knew I had to make these for him. They are good with just a subtle spicy flavour.  Do not be afraid to make these if you do not like spicy things, all of my kids enjoy these cookies.  They are also a nice soft cookie, I do not like hard crisp cookies so these are right up my alley.

Ingredients

Makes 32
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chile powder (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.
In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder (if using). Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)

Balsamic Chicken Drumsticks

My kids really like chicken drumsticks to I decided to try the following recipe because I have a lot of balsamic vinegar and I had fresh rosemary sprigs in my fridge.  This recipe scored a 6 out or 6.   I did not think I was going to have any leftovers.  It was a fairly easy simple meal.

Ingredients
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 agave nectar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 sprigs of rosemary
5 garlic cloves, halved
10 to 12 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Combine the balsamic, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves, in a large, re-sealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and the brown sugar. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bag and seal with as little air as possible in the bag. Place in the refrigerator andmarinate for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Place the chicken drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil (in order to kill bacteria). Reduce the heat tosimmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes. Reserve.
Use a pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade on the cooked chicken. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the chopped parsley.
Cook's note: I like the rosemary and garlic flavors in the background. Brushing the cooked drumettes with the reduced marinade helps the flavors along. Also, re-moistening helps the parsley and the seeds to adhere.

Chocolate Caramel Cookie Squares

When we were Christmas baking and making this recipe my sister was complaining that she thought this recipe was too much work and that it was not going to be worth it.  Boy was she wrong.  This recipe is worth every minute it takes to prepare.  I can't even begin to tell you how good it is.  This is definitely going to become a staple Christmas recipe!

Ingredients

Makes 16
FOR THE CRUST
4 1/2 ounces (9 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for parchment
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL
10 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sea salt, preferably fleur de sel

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides; butter parchment, excluding overhang. Beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour and table salt, and beat until just combined.
Press dough evenly into pan, and bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
Make the chocolate caramel: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, washing sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming, until amber, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter, cream, and table salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until smooth. Pour over chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Stir to combine, and let stand until cool, about 10 minutes.
Pour mixture over crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. Run a knife around edges; lift parchment to remove whole bar from pan. Sprinkle with sea salt. Trim edges, and cut into 16 bars. Bars can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chocolate-Caramel Cookie Bars - Martha Stewart Recipes

Roasted Pork with Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

I saw Giada make the following recipe on the food network.  It looked easy and yummy do I decided to try it.  When I was at the grocery store this week and they had peppers on clearance I knew the time has come.  The pork was really good, new and juicy, not at all dry, but the sauce was a little disappointing.  It tasted like a spaghetti sauce.  It was a yummy smoky spaghetti sauce but you could not really tasted the red peppers.  Oh well I still found a good sauce recipe.

Ingredients
Pork:
3 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt for seasoning, plus 2 tablespoons
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 beef broth
2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 (15-ounce) can tomato puree
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions


Pork: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rub 1 tablespoon of the oil over the pork and season with salt and pepper, to taste. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add the pork and brown it on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish and roast it until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 165 degrees F, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board.

Sauce: In the same skillet used for the pork, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the broth and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the paprika, tomato puree and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmerand cook until the sauce thickens, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and pepper, to taste.

Slice the pork thinly and arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce on top, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Cheesy Baked Farro

This  recipe originally called for Farro, a type of grain.  I could not find Farro so I used barley and it turned out really well.  It scored a 6 out of 6.  Although at first my youngest son refused to even try it, my husband told him that if he had a good reason not to try it he did have to eat it.  He put a disgusted look on his face and grudgingly shoved a spoonful into his mouth.  While his nasty look quickly turned to joy when he discovered that this was good and he actually like it!  Just goes to show you never know unless you try!

Ingredients
Vegetable cooking spray

Sauce:
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups warm whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Farro:
2 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
1 cup grated Gruyere
1/2 cup fontina cheese, grated
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups barley, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
Olive oil, for drizzling
Directions


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

For the sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 8 minutes (do not allow the mixture to boil). Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the farro: In a large bowl, add the cheeses and stir to combine. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture and reserve. In a large stock pot, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the farro, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the faro is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, if necessary. Add the farro, thyme, and sauce to the bowl with the cheese. Stir until combined and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the reserved 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake until the top is golden brown and forms a crust, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Lime Meltaways

I love Christams time.  I love getting together with friends and family.  I love the crafts, baking and decoreating.  I love excitemtn of seeing the kids open thier presents.  I just love celebrating Christ's birth with my family.  On saturday my family started our annual Christmas baking extravaganza.  We were baking machines.  This I decided, unbeknown to my family that we were going to try to bake some new Christmas cookies.  That I was tired of having the same ones every year.  So I will be posting a new recipe everyday until Christmas and telling you which ones were good and which ones were not.  Hope that you enjoy them and that you to are courageous and try something new!
The first one we tired was lime meltaways.  These had a huge lime punch and the tartness was nicely offset my the icing sugar.  This will be a nice foil to other overly sweet treats!

Ingredients

Makes about 10 dozen
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Grated zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Add lime zest, juice, and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined.
Between two 8-by-12-inch pieces of parchment paper, roll dough into two 1 1/4-inch-diameter logs. Chill at least 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Remove parchment from logs; slice dough into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart.
Bake cookies until barely golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, place cookies in the sugar-filled bag; toss to coat. Bake or freeze remaining dough. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Light Loaded Potato Soup

It was soup night once again in our household and I had such high hopes for this soup, but let me tell you it was awful.  It tasted really bland.  It had not pizazz, I would not recommend making this soup but if you want to here is the recipe.

Original recipe here

Makes 4 servings (about 1 1/4 cup each)

4 (6-ounce) red potatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 bacon slices, halved
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions

1. Scrub and dry the potatoes, and prick them all over with a fork. Place the potatoes on a plate, and microwave them on high for 13 minutes. The potatoes should be tender. Cut them in half, and set aside.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add broth.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup milk. Add the mixture to the pan with 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. Place a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Arrange your bacon halves on the paper towel, and cover them with a second paper towel. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon. Set aside.

6. Scoop the potato pulp out of the skins, and mash the pulp into the soup. Discard skins.

7. Garnish each serving of soup with cheese, green onions and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Skillet Lasagna

I saw this recipe here and thought to myself, great an easy way to make lasagna, that should be an easy kid friendly weeknight meal.  While the lasagna was okay, and it did rate a 6 out of 6 was it was not anything spectacular.  My husband said that it tasted too much like tomatoes for him (I personally liked the tomato flavour).

Serves 4 to 6
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
Salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound meatloaf mix, ground sirloin or Italian sausage (casings removed)
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese


1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3. Scatter pasta onto meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juice and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.

4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons of ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for five minutes. Sprinkle with  remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.

Apple, Leek and Butternut Squash Gratin

Once again I saw this recipe here and decided I wanted to make it form the picture and name.  It just looked and sounded so yummy!  However I was sadly dissapointed.  It was not good at all.  I can't even tell you why it was not good except to that it just did work togehter.  It got a 0 out of 6 (I did not even make the kids eat it, good thing we also had caterpillar bread for supper).


Apple, Leek and Butternut Squash Gratin
Serves 4
· 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· 2 medium leeks, white part only, trimmed of roots and tough outer leaves, thinly sliced crosswise, well washed and dried
· Coarse salt and ground pepper
· 1/2 cup apple cider
· 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus leaves for garnish
· 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/8-inch thick
· 1 pound apples, such as Gala, Cortland, Baldwin, or Macoun, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
· 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 10-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add leeks and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add cider and sage and cook until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes; set aside.
2. In a 2-quart shallow baking dish, arrange squash in overlapping layers; season with salt and pepper. Spread leeks evenly over the squash.
3. Arrange apples in an overlapping layer over the leeks. Brush apples with remaining tablespoon oil. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 45 minutes.
4. Uncover and sprinkle cheese over the top. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. The tip of a paring knife should easily pierce the gratin. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage leaves.

Honey-Soy Glazed Salmon with Bok Choy

My favourite restaurant serves a delicious Soy and Maple Glazed Cod with Bok Choy and sweet potato gnochi, my mouth waters just thinking about it.  That is why when I saw the following recipe I knew that I had to try it.  Honey and Soy on Salmon?? If it is anything like the Cod it would be a sure  winner.  I was not disappointed.  They dish is a winner in two categories it is both delicious and REALLY easy to make.  The most complicated part was remembering the marinade the fish for 30 minutes before I had to cook it.  I wonder how it would taste with cod??

1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 inch peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
4 salmon fillets, about 1 1/2 pounds
4-6 heads baby bok choy, root ends trimmed off

PROCEDURES
1Whisk soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, ginger, and garlic together until honey dissolves. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade in separate bowl, then place salmon fillets, skin-side up, in marinade. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes, preferably for 30.
2 Meanwhile, preheat broiler (or grill) to high. Heat 1/4 cup of water in medium skillet over high heat and bring to a boil. Add bok choy and cover. Allow to steam until almost tender, about 4 minutes, then add reserved marinade. Toss to combine, cook for an additional 2 minutes to reduce excess liquid. Remove from heat.
3 Put the salmon under the broiler skin-side down and broil without turning until exterior is well-caramelized and the fish is just cooked through, 7-10 minutes, depending on thickness and the distance from broiler.
4 Arrange bok choy on plates and top with the salmon fillets.

Spaghetti All'Amatriciana with Spicy Mozzarella Meatballs

I have been meaning to make this recipe for months but when I was deciding what to make for supper this one never seem to speak to me, well tonight it did.  This recipe was delicious and was eaten by everyone in my family, bonus!  The three different kinds of cheese in the dish made it taste really good.  They were also really good meatballs.  Perhaps the best ones I have ever eaten.

Ingredients
All'Amatriciana Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

Meatballs:
1 small (6-ounce) onion, grated
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1/4 cup
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup
1/3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 large egg
2 tablespoons ketchup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 pound lean ground chicken
2 ounces  mozzarella cheese, cut into 16 (1/2-inch) cubes

1 pound spaghetti or other long pasta
Directions

For the sauce: In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and reserve. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the cooked bacon. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the meatballs: Position an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the onion, 1/2 cup parsley, 2/3 cup Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, ketchup, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken. Using your hands, combine all ingredients gently but thoroughly. Shape the meat mixture into 16 (1 1/2-inch-diameter) meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Make a hole in the center of each meatball and place a cube of mozzarella inside. Reform the meatball so that the mozzarella is completely covered with the meat mixture. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes until cooked through.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place in a large serving bowl. Add the meatballs and sauce. Toss gently and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and Parmesan

Raspberry and Rosemary Scones

For those of you who don't know. I am a huge tea drinker and like any good tea drinker I also enjoy my scones.  This recipe intrigue me because it was both a sweet and savory scone.  I decided to try making it.  While it tasted good I think I would still lean more towards the sweet scones, I like my sugar.  However they were really good.

As an aside my husband saw these cooling on the counter his comment was I think I have seen these somewhere before, perhaps on TV and my thought was busted!

Ingredients
Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup raspberry jam
Glaze:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons water
Special equipment: a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter
Directions


For the scones: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with asilpat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch thick, 10-inch circle. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped pieces of dough and put on the prepared baking sheet. Gently knead together any leftover pieces of dough and roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into more heart shapes and add to the baking sheet. Using an index finger or a small, round measuring spoon, gently make an indentation in the center of each pastry heart. Spoon a heaped 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer the cooked scones onto a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually add the water until the mixture is thin enough to spread. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the scones. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes. Serve or store in an airtight plastic container for 2 days.

Cook's Note: The dough can also be made by hand by stirring together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough

Monkey Bread

I have looked for a good monkey bread recipe for awhile.  I tried a couple of others but the dough did not cook all the way through and was still mushy inside.  This cooked all the way through and had a nice texture.  Although I did cheat as I combined the ingredients in my breadmaker instead of mixing my hand and putting them in a warm oven as the original recipe called for.

Ingredients
For the bread
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon instant yeast
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
For rolling
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted


Directions
For the bread
Warm the milk on the stove but do not boil.  Add milk, melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, flour and then yeast to your breadmaker.  Select the dough setting.  When the cycle completes remove from breadmaker and punch it down.  Pour the melted butter into a small bowl. Put the sugar and cinnamon into a second bowl and whisk well to combine.  Roll small balls of dough in your hand or on the counter. Dip them first in the melted butter and then roll in the cinnamon sugar and layer them into the bundt pan or other baking pan.
Allow the dough to rise for a second time, for about 45 minutes, until the dough balls reach the top of the pan and double once again. Preheat oven to 350°. Once hot, place the pan back into the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

Jalapeno Cream Cheese stuffed Bacon wrapped Chicken

My husband like spicy things and lately I like to stuff things so when I saw this recipe here I knew I was going to make it. It was really good and fairly easy. My kids love getting to help hit the chicken with the hammer (I think they thought mommy had finally lost it). I confess I just stuffed the kids chicken with cheese wrapped it in bacon, but we had not leftovers so it was a success. It looks and sounds harder then it is to make so try it!

Ingredients

4 oz Cream Cheese
1 Jalapeno, seeded and small diced
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 boneless Chicken Breast halves
4 slices Center Cut Bacon
Salt, Pepper
Vegetable Oil
preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, jalapeños, sugar and salt. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
2. Meanwhile pound chicken breast halves. Loosely wrap in plastic wrap and beat with a meat pounder of the bottom of a saute pan.
3. Salt and pepper both side of breast and stuff the middle of one breast with half the cream cheese mixture. Wrap breast around mixture as best as you can. Next wrap in two slices of bacon and pin with toothpicks to deal the edges. Use toothpicks horizontally so you can grill the flat side of the breast evenly.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a sauté pan with vegetable oil. Once oil is sizzling hot place the bacon wrapped breast flat side down and sear for at least 5 minutes. Flip chicken and sear on other side a few minutes. Remove the toothpicks. Put in the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking.

5. Serve warm out of the oven with any side dish, I made a simple side salad.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

I needed a fast recipe for supper that was easily tranportable in a thermos.  I knew I had a winner when I saw this recipe here.  It was good soup but if I was to make it again I would either puree half or all of it.  Again I like a creamy soup and this was not creamy but good all the same.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Serves 6
4 ounces bacon (about 3 to 4 slices), chopped
1/8 cup olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled
5 cups corn kernels,
1 cup half-and-half
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon; set aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
3. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and turmeric, and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
5. Add corn, half-and-half and cheddar to the soup. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Second Day Turkey, Dressing, Gravy and Corn Pot Pies

Once again I was trying to use up all the leftover turkey, stuffing, and vebetables from our infamous turkey dinner. This recipe looked to be both easy and it seemed to be something all of my children would enjoy.  However I was sadly disappointed.  Three out of my four children refused to even try it.  When we finally managed to convince one of them to try it they then proceeded to gobble down the rest of their meal.  The other two who refused to try it lost out because this was actually quite yummy.

Ingredients
2 cups leftover corn

1cup leftover dressing

1 cup leftover gravy
1 cup roasted turkey meat, chopped
2 standard puff pastry sheets
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl lightly blend leftover corn, dressing, gravy and turkey. Using the puff pastry, cut out 6 (4-inch) disks from each sheet. Lightly press the disks into the bottom and up the sides of 6 (1-cup) muffin tins, leaving about 1/2-inch crust over the edge to secure the top. Press the tines of the fork into the bottom and the sides to dock the pastry. Fill each cup level with the top and cover with another cut circle. Secure the edges by pinching together. Cut a small hole in the top for steam. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Serve with leftover gravy.  

Second Day Baked Stuffing Bites with Cranberry Sauce Pesto

I had lots of leftover stuffing from our flopped turkey the other day so when I saw this recipe I thought it was a perfect way to use up all the extra stuffing.  However I could not bring myself to fry the stuffing balls and instead chose to bake them in the oven.  They still had a crisp outer layer, they were just a bit better for you.  My husband did not really enjoy the pesto, although he is not a big cranberry fan, I thought I was quite tasty.

Ingredients
Leftover stuffing
2 eggs
2 teaspoons milk
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut leftover stuffing into bite-sized cubes and set aside. In a small bowl whisk eggs and milk. Coat each stuffing bite with this egg wash, then dredge in the bread crumbs until fully coated and set aside. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven until warmed through about 30 minutes.  In a food processor blend cranberry sauce, pepper and walnuts and set aside. Serve the bites alongside the pesto!

Garlic and Cheese Popovers

This was a really easy quick supper.  It would also make a good side dish.  All of my kids ate it and seemed to enjoy.  I would make this recipe again.

Ingredients
Butter:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons anchovy paste
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional
Popovers:
Vegetable oil cooking spray
6 large eggs, at room temperature
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (3 ounces) finely grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup (1-ounce) shredded sharp Provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions


Butter: In a small bowl, mix together the butter, anchovy paste, chives, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. Season with salt and pepper (if using), to taste.

Popovers: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12-count muffin or popover pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

In a blender, add the eggs and garlic. Blend on medium speed untilfrothy, about 15 seconds. Add the milk and the cheeses and blend until smooth. Add the flour, salt, pepper and parsley. Blend on medium speed until incorporated. Pour the batter into the muffincups, filling each cup to within 1/4-inch of the top. Bake, without opening the oven door, until puffed and golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the popovers from the oven and serve with the anchovy butter.

Bubble and Squeak

I decided to make this recipe from the title.  It just sounded cute so how could it not be yummy?  I recently made a turkey dinner and it was a disaster.  My husband had purchased a 30lb turkey from a friend knowing nothing about turkey we thought this was a good idea.  It turned out not to be so good.  The bird was huge.  So we froze it and mother in law had her butcher quarter it.  The time had come to cook it.  So I defrosted it and brined it and cooked it in the over according to Alton Brown's suggestion.  The only problem was that I was following the directions for a nine pound bird and we had a breast from a 30lb bird.  The turkey was in the oven for an hour longer then I calculated, making supper and hour late, and then the meat still was not done!  I guess I learned my lesson.  The good part is that we have lots of leftovers and we had this yummy recipe for dessert last night.  It was easy and a good way to use up those leftovers.  You could probably make it with roast beef leftovers as well.

Ingredients
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup leftover stuffing
1 cup left over turkey meat, diced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cups leftover corn
1 cup vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Leftover cranberry sauce, for dipping
Directions
In a large mixing bowl add mashed potatoes, stuffing and turkey meat. Mix well. Using your hands form patties (about 3 to 4-inches wide). Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet and fry the patties until golden brown on both sides for about 5 to 7 minutes. Do this in batches, if necessary.
Add the corn and vegetable stock to a saucepan on medium-heat to warm up and puree with an immersion blender. It will have a chunky consistency. Once its heated, season with salt and pepper, to taste.
To serve pour the puree in the center of each plate. Place the bubble and squeak on top of the spinach and serve with leftover cranberrysauce for dipping.

Leftovers New Again

So someone recently asked me how I could possibly make 365 different meals.  My answer was this, ready take a deep breath, I don't.  I do reuse some of the things I previously made but in a new way, so therefore they are different and new.  For example the other night for supper we had leftover vegetable cobbler, bowties with turkey meatballs and bow tie pasta and ceasar potatoes.  The new part of the meal was talapia served with leftover frozen homemade chipotle mango hot sauce (previously the hot sauce was served with chicken).   I simply seasoned the talapia with some salt and pepper and baked it in the over for 18 minutes.  Viola, I had a new and different meal with little effort on my part!  I will also be posting great leftover turkey dinner recipes over the next couple of days so watch for ideas of what to do with that leftover turkey and Christmas turkey! Sorry I have no pictures of this one!

Pineapple Layered Mini Cakes

I told you about my recently failed attempt to make a turkey while not only did we have maple pecan tarts for dessert we also had Pineapple Layered Mini Cakes.  These were very moist without being greasy.  My child who refuses to eat anything that even resembles a carrots even gobbled these down.  The icing just puts these cakes over the top.  I will certainly keep this icing recipe and use it again!

Ingredients
Cake
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups grated carrot
1 cup diced or crushed pineapple, fresh or tinned (drained)
Frosting
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 ounces white chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Directions
To Assemble
1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Wrap foil around bottoms of 6 2 3/4-inch ring molds, so the foil comes up the sides and place on a baking sheet. Grease bottoms and sides of molds and line bottoms with a disc of parchment. Whisk together oil, brown sugar, eggs, maple syrup and grated ginger. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and stir into wet mixture to blend. Stir in carrot and pineapple and pour into prepared molds. Bake for 40 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before icing.
To prepare frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together. Beat in melted white chocolate and icing sugar until smooth and stir in vanilla.
To assemble, remove cakes from ring molds. Cut cakes in half horizontally. Frost bottom cake layer on top with 1/4-inch thick frosting. Lay remaining cake half on top. Spread frosting on top of cake. Repeat with remaining 5 cakes. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Yield: Six 2 3/4-inch ring molds (6 mini cake servings).

Bowties with Turkey Meatballs

What kid does not like meatball?  When I saw this recipe here I knew that I was going to make it because I thought my kids would devour the meatballs, and they did after some coaxing.  Let me explain my kids do not like spaghetti sauce, they like plain pasta.  However the meatballs were cooked in the sauce so they were out of luck, but much to my joy after trying the meatballs they all discovered that they were really good.  These meatballs were really flavourful, I think that it was the cheese!

Ingredients
1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup grated Romano
1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups tomato sauce, recipe follows
1 pound dried bowtie pasta
Directions
In a large bowl add bread crumbs milk and mix until well combined. Mix in eggs and 1/2 cup Romano cheese and mix well. Add turkeyand gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into golf-size balls.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 12-15 minutes until they are cooked through.  Turn off heat and keep warm on stove. Be careful not to overhandle the meatballs since they are soft and fragile.
In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water since you want to retain the pasta natural starches so that the sauce will cling to the penne.
Remove meatballs from sauce and place in serving bowl. Pour some tomato sauce over meatballs, but leave about 1 cup of sauce in skillet. Place the cooked bowties into the skillet with the remaining sauce and toss well. Pour sauced pasta into a large serving bowl. Serve alongside the meatballs.


Simple Tomato Sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5-10 minutes. Addtomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning.

Pecan Pie

My husbands favourite kind if pie is pecan.  Unfortunatley for him (or should I say fortunaltey for his waist line),I do not make this kind of pie very often, but today was one of the days I made him a pecan pie.  I must confess I saw this recipe awhile ago, and I even printed it fully intending to make it and then just never got around to it.  I guess I should have made it sooner because as my husband said "This is very good.  The top is all caramelized and cruchy and the filling is just right, not runnign all over the place".  (I used my new no fail pie crust)

Pecan Pie
Makes 1 9-inch pie
Pastry

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup cool unsalted butter

1 large egg

2 tbsp cold water

Roasted Pecans:
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of cinnamon

Filling:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1.  In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut butter into small pieces (you can pull the butter from the fridge 30 minutes before adding) and add to flour, mixing until dough is a rough, crumbly texture. Whisk egg and water and add at once, mixing until dough comes together. Shape dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.

1. To Roast the Pecans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the pecans with the melted butter; add cinnamon. Spread the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast them until fragrant and dark brown, about 7 minutes. Let them cool. Put cooled nuts in a food processor or blender to grind. Set aside.
2. For the Crust: Let homemade pie dough fitted in a pie plate rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (Or, if using a packaged crust, follow the directions for prebaking.) Using a fork, prick the bottom and sides of the pie shell. Cover the bottom with parchment paper, add pie weights (or beans or rice), and bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, and return the crust to the oven until the crust begins to brown, about 5 minutes. (If the edge of the crust starts to get dark, cover it lightly with a pie crust shield or aluminum foil.) Remove from the oven; set the crust on a wire rack to cool.
3. For the Filling: Whisk the eggs until frothy, about 1 minute. Add sugar, corn syrups, melted butter, vanilla, salt and ground roasted pecans. Stir in the 1 cup chopped pecans.
4. Pour the filling into the prebaked pie crust. Bake until the filling is just set but a little loose in the center, about 60 minutes (the original recipe was 40 minute I had to bake mine for 60 minutes). Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Raisin Butter Tarts

Quite awhile ago our town had its local county fair.  As part of the festivities they had Canadian chefs come and give cooking demonstrations. One of these chefs was Anna Olson.  I confess I dutifully watch her show and have prepared many of her recipes.  I find her recipes quite varied, and generally easy to prepare without too many weird ingredients. While at the fair she gave the audience this recipe for no fail pie dough and her raisin butter tarts.  I finally got around to making the tarts today.  They were very good and the pie dough was very easy to work with.  I have been pie dough converted!

ANNA’S RAISIN BUTTER TARTS
These butter tarts have that just-right filling – a little gooey but not too drippy. I like to use golden raisins because they are not as sweet as Thompson raisins.
Makes 12 butter tarts
Pastry:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup cool unsalted butter
1 large egg
2 tbsp cold water
Filling:
¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
¾ cup corn syrup
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup golden raisins
1. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut butter into small pieces (you can pull the butter from the fridge 30 minutes before adding) and add to flour, mixing until dough is a rough, crumbly texture. Whisk egg and water and add at once, mixing until dough comes together. Shape dough into 2 logs, wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
3. Lightly dust a worksurface with flour and unwrap pastry logs. Slice each log into six pieces. Roll each piece to about ¼-inch thickness and line each muffin cup (you can trim the crust, or leave the “ruffle” of pastry for a pretty effect once it bakes. Chill lined muffin tin while preparing filling.
4. Whisk sugar, corn syrup and butter in a bowl by hand until combined. Whisk in eggs, then vinegar and vanilla. Sprinkle a few raisins in the bottom of each muffin cup and pour filling over the raisins. Bake muffins for 5 minutes, then reduce oven to 375 F and continue baking until butter tart filling starts to dome, about 20 more minutes. Cool tarts in the tin, and chill the tarts in the tin before removing.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

This stew was actually really good and fairly easy to make.  It was pretty successful three out of four kids ate it.  It also made the house smell pretty good.

Original recipe here

Ingredients
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 to 4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
Crusty bread, for serving
Directions


In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour. Turn up the heat to med-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread alongside.

Potato Cheddar Perogies

I have been having dreams about these homemade perogies that one of the ladies who I used to go to the gym with made.  They were the best perogies I have ever eaten.  When I saw this Potato Cheddar Perogie recipe here I had to try to make them.  They were really yummy, but I must admit a lot of work.  However with my current string of failures it was nice to have a night of success all of the kids ate these).

Potatoe Cheddar Perogies
Ingredients
Filling
3 cups peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes
1/3 cup unsalted butter
coarse salt and ground black pepper
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 cup finely grated Cheddar cheese (optional)
Dough
5 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons fine salt
4 large eggs
1 cup 2 % milk
3/4 cup water
For serving
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup finely diced onion
coarse salt and ground black pepper
5 slices cooked bacon

Directions
Filling
For filling, cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, and drain. Mash by hand. Season to taste and add nutmeg. If adding cheese, allow potatoes to cool, then stir in grated cheese. Chill potato filling before using.
Dough
For dough, combine flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk and water. Add liquid to flour and stir until blended. The dough should be soft enough that it sticks to the bottom of the bowl, but not so soft that it doesn’t hold its shape. Cover dough and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour, or chill dough until ready to use then pull out of fridge an hour before rolling.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough as thinly as possible without tearing. Use a round cutter 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter and cut out circles of dough. Place 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of potato filling into the center of each perogy and pinch the perogy edges closed. Perogies can be frozen on a baking sheet or kept chilled until ready to cook.
For serving
To serve, melt butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, stirring constantly until onions are richly browned. Reduce heat to medium-low. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook about half of the perogies until they float, about 5 minutes.
Remove from water with a slotted spoon; add to browned butter and cook remaining perogies. Stir in bacon.  then transfer to a bowl to serve.

Vegetable Cobbler

With the weather turning colder here I am in the mood to make more homey satisfying recipes. When I saw the recipe for this vegetable cobbler I knew that I wanted to try to make it. It was relatively easy and tasted good.  Although only one out of three of my kids ate it (the other three would not even try it because it had vegetables in it).  I will make this again because it was really good.

Feel free to substitute the vegetables in the recipe for your favorites – sliced celery, cut-up asparagus spears, diced red bell pepper, diced butternut squash, cut-up green beans, etc.

Serves 6
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or butter)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 to 5 cups sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes (or butternut squash)
2 cups chopped potatoes
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (or parsnips)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups water or vegetable stock
3 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Biscuit Topping:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 teaspoon dill

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 X 13-inch baking dish
2. Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onions, fennel and garlic, cover, and cook on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the salt, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, mushrooms and mustard. Cook until the mushrooms start to release their juices, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sweet potato, white potato, carrot, black pepper and water or stock, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender.
5. Stir the dissolved cornstarch mixture into the simmering vegetables, stirring constantly. When the liquid starts to thicken, mix in the peas, corn, soy sauce and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. (You can also add a dash of hot sauce.)
6. Pour the vegetables into the prepared baking dish, and set aside.
7. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and buttermilk or yogurt. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with as few strokes as possible to make a soft dough.
8. Drop the biscuit batter over the vegetables in the dish in six equal mounds. Sprinkle the dill over the dough.
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

I was so excited about this soup it sounded so yummy but I was sadly disappointed.  It was bland, it has no flavour at all.  It was also kind of chunky and did not puree really smooth.  Not my favourite soup and I would not make it again. Original recipe here.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup
Makes 6 to 8 servings (1/2 cup each)

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1/2 cup cider, plus extra for serving
6 to 7 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times, until very tender.
3. Add arugula, and toss to combine. Roast for 5 more minutes.
4.  While the vegetables are roasting warm the stock and cider on the stove.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and scrape into stock being sure to get up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.
5. Puree with an immersion blender.  Add the cream 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
6. When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons cider and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. 

Curried Chicken with Apples

Lately my suppers have been flops.  I actually did not mind this supper but my husband asked for me never to make it again and said that he was shocked when three out of four kids ate it.  He said that they must have been really hungry.  His comment was that the apples were too soft, and the rice was too slimy.  He said he had trouble finishing.
Original recipe here.

Ingredients
Curried Chicken with Apples
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned)
1/4 cup full-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced Mutsu (Crispin) apple
1/3 cup roasted unsalted cashews
 1 tablespoon lime juice
Fragrant Jasmine Rice
6 cups water
1 tablespoon ground coriander seed
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 dash red chili flakes
salt & pepper


Directions
Curried Chicken with Apples
In a food processor, puree onion, garlic, ginger and chili (if using) until a paste. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add onion paste and stir, cooking for just over 5 minutes, until onions have browned slightly.
Add tomatoes and simmer vigorously for about 5 minutes, until reduced slightly, and oil appears at the edges of the liquid.
Stir in the yogurt and spices, stirring constantly until evenly blended.
Add chicken and season lightly, tossing to coat.
Stir in apple and cashews. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium, cooking until chicken has cooked, about 30 minutes, adding ½ cup water if sauce evaporates (sauce should coat chicken completely).
Immediately before serving, stir in lemon or lime juice and fresh coriander.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with Fragrant Jasmine Rice.
Fragrant Jasmine Rice
Bring water, coriander seed and salt up to a boil. Rinse rice in a fine strainer until it runs clear and add to boiling water. Simmer rice (uncovered is OK) for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse rice through a fine strainer and return to pot.
Over low heat stir in olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice until blended. Stir in the red chili flakes and season to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Arugula Pesto Orzo

I had some leftover Arugula Pesto from my pumpkin pizza and mushrooms that I needed to use up so I decided to make this Arugula Pesto Orzo. I thought this dish was really yummy.  However only one out of three kids ate it.  I think it had something to do with the green colour.  That is very unfortunate for them though because it sure tasted good!

Arugula Orzo Pesto

2 cups orzo
Arugula Pesto
1 leek
2 cups of sliced mushrooms.
1.  Bring a pot of salted water to boil on the stove.  Add the orzo and cook al dante.
2.  Meanwhile preheat a frying pan with 1 TBSP on olive oil.  Once hot add the leeks.  After about three minutes add the mushrooms and cook until done.
3.  Drain the orzo reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.  Add the orzo to the pan with the mushrooms and leeks.  Add the pesto and stir to combine.  If needed add the pasta water.  Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken stuffed in a Sweet Potatoe

As I said before I am in the mood to stuff things.  When I saw the following recipe I knew I had to try, it just looked good, and it fit my mood to stuff things.  This recipe was really easy, filling and yummy!

Sweet Potato, cooked
Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg
Butter
2 BBQ Chicken Breasts Shredded
BBQ Sauce
Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1. Bake sweet potato for 45 minutes until tender. Let cool before cutting. Lay the potato down longways and cut the top piece of skin off and start to mash the potato with a fork. Add butter, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg and mash until the potato is creamy. Try not to break apart the skin.
2. Shred a cooked chicken breast with a fork and add to a hot saute pan. When hot add BBQ sauce. I added about 2 TBS of sauce for one shredded chicken breast.
3. Mash down the potato to make room for this chicken. Add cheese on top and either bake for 10 minutes, or broil for 5 minutes.
4. Enjoy!

Ciabatta Bread

I really like Ciabatta bread so when I was this recipe I knew I was going to make this bread.  I was surprised at how easy it was to make and how good it was.

Ciabatta Bread

Yield:
Ingredients
For Starter
1/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast
1 cup water, at body temperature
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
For Bread
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
3 tablespoons 2% milk, at room temperature
2/3 cup water, at body temperature
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
cornmeal, for baking tray


Directions
For Starter
For starter, mix yeast and water to dissolve. Mix in flour by hand and stir just until blended (no lumps). Mixture will be very wet and sticky. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. One cup of this mixture will be needed for the bread.
For Bread
Stir yeast and milk and mix in the bottom of the bowl of a standup mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add yeast, water, oil, starter and mix with the paddle until blended (or dough can be mixed by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon).
Switch to the dough hook and add flour and salt in, kneading on low speed for 2 minutes, then increasing to next speed up, kneading for 3 minutes. Slap the dough with your hand in the bowl, until it feels stretchy and springs back (it will be too sticky to knead on a work surface).
Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover bowl with plastic and set in a draft-free, warm area to rise for about 90 minutes. The dough should have lots of big air bubbles visible when ready.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll up into a cylinder (like you would for a loaf or bread), but then stretch and pull the flexible dough into a rectangle about 20 inches by 8 inches. Cut dough in half (so that each piece is about 10-x-4-inches) and place each on 2 parchment-lined baking trays sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover loaves gently with a slightly damp tea towel and let rise another 90 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 F and place a baking tray upside down in oven to heat. Remove hot tray from oven, and slide parchment with bread onto hot tray and return to oven quickly. Spray tops of loaves with a little water, close oven quickly and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, spraying again with water after 10 minutes. Remove bread from tray to cool before tearing or slicing.