Who doesn't love sure-fire meals in a snap? It's those simple, fresh, satisfying meals we love that bring us back to make their recipes time and time again. A handful of fresh ingredients and few pinches of humble spices, fused together in a quick sear can take dinner to a whole new level. Bringing together these elements complete with enticing flavors fast is something we all want a recipe for!
Flipping Fast Fridays Are my way of uniting us in our desire for tantalizing uncomplicated recipes.
Starting December 4th 2009 I will be making Flipping Fast Fridays into a Monthly Blog Carnival. I would like to invite you to participate every first Friday of the month to come share your snappy fare.
Get Your blog and recipe post featured at The Crazy Kitchen!
At the end of the month I will pick my 4 favorite submissions and feature them each Individually on a Friday. Your mouth watering dish and recipe will be displayed while I give people a window into who you are and what your site is about.
Don't have a blog? You can still share. Contact me via e-mail: thebedabunch(at)gmail(dot)com And you can participate too.
Here are the guide lines for sharing your meals @ The Crazy Kitchen:
- It must takes 30 minutes or less to make.
- It's gotta be tasty (to you!)
- Made with healthy ingredients (it doesn't have to be oober healthy, just balanced)
- Old recipe posts welcome
- Sign up with Mr. Linky or Contact me
To use Mr Linky You can put in your information like so:
In the name bar enter who you are and what you're making
Chelsey @ The Crazy Kitchen (Veggie Stuffed Egg Crepes)
Then post your blog link with the location tag:
http://thecrazykitchen.blogspot.com/2009/11/veggie-stuffed-egg-crepes.html
I can't wait to try your sure-fire cooking!
Chelsey
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A Long Time Coming
If you don't already know, I've been struggling for four years with debilitating headaches, pain on my right side, and IBS. It came on strong after the birth of my third child, Manny. You wouldn't know it to look at me, I'm only 29. Sooo young, as many say. Too young to be in pain all the time. Honestly, I am embarrassed by it. So when I'm in pain, I seclude myself to the safety of my home. But when I am well, I like to leave the pain behind and go out and about to socialize. Truly, I don't like to dwell on this area of my life I like to live!
Over the past year and a half I've found some strategies to help reduce my pain, so I don't fear it anymore. This has been so freeing! Before when the pain would come on I would panic. It can be overwhelming when there simply is nothing you can do but wait for the excruciating pain to pass. Especially when It can take days. I have three kids needing me, and a husband who is often traveling abroad for work. My responsibility for my family can be overwhelming at times. Too much to bear. But I have to be 'tough'. I love them so much, and in return they love and adore me. So I venture on through the pain, ever looking for ways to heal, while keeping things together.
I've started researching ways to free myself of the pain naturally. I was willing to try anything especially since the traditional health care route was not working for me. After enduring 3 full rounds of physiotherapy sessions, regular massage therapist visits, chiropractic care, as well as seeing my family doctor with minimal relief. I figured it was time to look elsewhere.
I have found relief from books (Pain free By Peter Egogoscue), Natural healing methods like Emotional freedom technique, and body talk have helped me take baby steps into the healing process. These are things I would have never tried earlier in my life! Too hoakey! But amazingly they have had more effect than the traditional methods. I believe it is because they focus more on the whole body, rather than just the symptoms.
Allowing God take the ropes in my life has most definitely helped. It's been a mind, body, soul, healing experience. I am learning how the mind, body, and soul, are so delicately intertwined. One weaves into the other, and to fix one thing you have to value the intricate work as a whole. Symptoms, I would say, are the way our body conveys it's needs. I have been putting all my eggs into one basket, valuing the needs and opinions of others. But I am hearing a new call to value - "My needs". I need to value my differences, and sensitivities.
I'm replenishing my soul with truths, dispelling the lies that have crippled life for me over the years. I can feel the layers slowly peeling back. The ones that have been consuming me, suffocating my very essence. Under all those layers is me. The real deal. Fresh and new. Gloriously made by the hands of God. Something I would have never allowed myself to believe before. Pu-shaw!, me gloriously made? But it's true, and it is for everyone too! We have all piled on this 'stuff' that is snuffing out that very being God has especially designed each one of us to be. It is our differences that make us glorious! Why do we try so hard to be the same? To fit in? When our very own personal beauty comes from our uniqueness.
This newfound joy I've got is bleeding into all areas of my life. I'm enjoy the little things that I used to take for granted before the pain. Food, a weekend away with my hubby, friendships. The ability to be on my feet more. And now that the pain is dulling I have awoken to smoldered senses, and strained concentration. Something I am eager to undress myself of.
I can see the light now. Something I wouldn't have said last year. I feel as though I'm half-way there. Half way to complete freedom. So close, yet so far away.
There are some things I will reluctantly admit about myself. I am proud, what can I say? I would like to perceive myself as tough. But the truth is, I am a sensitive person. My feelings get hurt easily. My body handles change with swift reactivity. My skin is even sensitive! No nice smelly creams and washes for me, or else I will be punished by the 'burning', a sensation that can last for hours. All in all I'm a sensitive girl. So I've been conversing with God lately. Talking about the pros and cons to my scenario. God is slowly directing my attention to these sensitivities I have. What is it worth? He says.
What change is worth the price to be symptoms free?
What price would I be willing to pay to regain the vitality of my youth? What lengths would I go to? MMmmmmm that's a tough question. I've been sitting on the fence thinking about it. There are things that I know I'm sensitive to, like Coffee for example. I Love Coffee! Please God don't make me give up coffee!
There are fears I hold like the boldness to cross social norms. I want to be able to eat what everyone else is eating. I fear that if I change how I eat I will not be 'normal' (And I want to be normal, I really do, but then again who is normal?).
Then there are strange memories that just don't make sense. Like the time Victor made his typical Saturday morning pancakes and bacon for breakfast and I bawled my eyes out.
"Why do you make this every Saturday when you know it makes me sick???" Sob, sob....
Most people are grateful for pancakes for breakfast! I do like pancakes. It's a strange memory really, that has been playing in my mind. Why would I cry over pancakes?
Because, when I eat pancakes for breakfast I feel weak and hazy. Not a normal response to eating pancakes! God has made me sensitive. So what's a girl to do about it? I have been ignoring my needs for quite awhile. As a mother and a wife and a neighbor and a daughter....My needs have been pushed to the wayside. That 'tough' me has barged through, denying my weaknesses. Saying "I can do it all!" But I can't.
In my weakness I am finding out who I truly am. I am dwelling on whom God made me to be and not what everyone wants me to be. And you know what? I'm finding freedom! I can feel it being unleashed here and now!
So like I said, my sensitivities have been rolling around in my mind.
Coffee, flour, sugar. Oh, no.
Coffee, flour, sugar, oh no!
Coffee, flour, sugar, OH NO!
Is it worth the price?
Can denying these foods buy the clarity I'm seeking? I don't know. But, I'm jumping off the fence in pursuit of my dream. I'm dreaming of that sparkle returning to my eye. The clarity re-establishing control. I'm dreaming of redeeming a life that was once lost to pain. I'm envisioning being pain free, and clear minded. Oh boy, I'm taking the jump! Feet first. Is it worth it? Only time will tell. Coffee, Flour, Sugar....Bye Bye. I will miss you. See you again? Maybe, then again maybe not. Am I committing to this forever? No, I'll start one step at a time. The first step is a small three month commitment. Baby steps towards my journey to symptomsbegoneland. I'll keep you posted on my findings.
Take care!
X
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Scandinavian Sauciness (Paired with chicken meatballs over penne)
Time estimate: 8 minutes
Ingredients
-1 Tbs Butter
-1 Garlic clove minced (try the pampered chef garlic press)
-Generous pinch of all spice and nutmeg
-1 cup of milk
-1 cup of beef broth
-1 Tbs + 1 Tsp of cornstarch.
-Pepper and salt
-Parsley for garnishing
*optional* ¼ cup of cream or half and half
Utensils Needed:
-Medium sauce pan
-Measuring cups and spoons
-Garlic press
-Whisk
-Bowl for milk and broth
Directions
-Melt butter over medium in saucepan. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
-While garlic is cooking mix cornstarch, and spices into a bowl with the milk and beef broth. Whisk until all lumps are gone.
-When garlic is done, whisk the liquids again to prevent the cornstarch from lumping and add to the garlic. Turn to med-high and whisk frequently until thickened. Add pepper and salt to taste. If you're looking for something a little creamier add in the cream or half and half. Garnish with parsley.
Chicken Meatballs
Holy Mother of a meatball! Check this out. Chicken meatballs. Healthy, juicy, savory and slightly salty. A quick addition to any meal (once you make this mother load). These take about an hour to make. But follow my motto: “More work now, less work later”. This recipe makes enough meatballs for three family sized meals.
The trick to making these is choosing ground chicken that is not too lean. This shouldn't be much of a problem. Typically ground chicken isn't made of breast meat. When you use meat that's too lean, you will produce impossibly dry chewy meatballs. Here's a picture of what my batch of ground meat looked like to help you be the judge when purchasing the ground meat you will be using.
My husband gives these meatballs a big thumbs up. I have a triple batch posted so you can freeze the rest for easy meals later. They do take a little time to make (the meatball rolling that is). My rescuer is my mini cookie scoop. Just dip scoop into the meat and drop them straight on the cookie sheet. No rolling necessary. You can buy one of these via pampered chef or at a specialty culinary store like Pots and Peppers here in Cochrane, Ab http://potsnpeppers.com/about.html
The Mother of Meatballs (triple batch!)
Time estimate: 1 hr.
Utensils you will need
-Measuring spoons and Cups
-Knife and a cutting board
-Stand up mixer or a big metal bowl and a strong wooden spoon
-Optional-a cookie scoop (saves time and energy)
-2 Cookie sheets
Ingredients
-3 lbs of Ground chicken
-4 Eggs, beaten
-1 Small onion minced
-1/2 Cup of Milk
-2 Tbs Cornstarch
-2 tsp thyme leaves
-1 tsp of Salt (try kosher, or sea salt)
-1/2 tsp pepper
-Cooking spray for cookie sheet
Directions
-Preheat the oven for *400f
-Mix all ingredients in a stand up mixer, or by hand if you want to build some really big muscles.
-Once mixed get out your cookie scoop if you have one, and scoop the meatballs. Drop them onto a greased cookie sheet. If you are lacking a cookie scoop you can take an eyeball sized meat amount and roll it into the palm of your hand to form the meat ball. (sorry, eyeball, is the only thing that came to mind when thinking of the size!). Drop them onto the cookie sheet spacing them about a fingers distance apart.
-Put them into the oven for twenty minutes, flipping half way through.
-Check after twenty minutes. Are they nicely distributed with golden brown donenesss? If not pop them back in the oven for 2-4 minutes.
I served these meatballs over an penne with a complimentary sauce
Monday, October 12, 2009
PPppppiiizzzza
I have been following a local food blog called Dinner with Julie. I love that she lives in Calgary, where as most of the food blogs I keep tabs on are in the states. My friend Gayle told me about her blog after I started the Crazy Kitchen. Gayle has been letting me in on some good finds lately! Julie blogs about baking, dinner, and local restaurant reviews, as well as ones afar. I am now a loyal follower of hers.
A few weeks ago Julie posted about a new revolutionary bread that requires no kneading. What? No kneading!? The post was of a pizza dough version of no-knead bread . She praised the recipes superior crumb and chewy goodness...victoriously stating it was even better than regular pizza dough !
That is powerful statement to make. Better than regular pizza dough recipes?
I have made bread regularly for awhile now. And I love making fresh homemade pizza's. My favorite pizza dough recipe is from the joy of cooking (my first cook book!). My only adaptation to Julies recipe was to add a little more salt, because The joy of cooking version has more, and a bit more yeast, because salt eventually stops the yeast from working it's magic (or so I've heard).
Julie raved about this recipe in every factor: taste, texture, and ease, I figured if it was that good, I'm going to make it 100% with whole wheat. That will be the true test to see if it is the end all be all recipe! Haha! I honestly thought I was going to make it fail.
Was I ever surprised! It surpassed my expectations. My husband always complains when I make things with 100% whole wheat, because it's too healthy (he's a wonderfully honest taste tester). He took a bite, knowing full well going in it was whole wheat. Not too happy about it...Until he bit into the chewy crust.
His taste buds arose from their slumber.
He looked up at me, surprised.
“This is really good”
No Need to Knead Pizza Dough
I have been following a local food blog called Dinner with Julie. I love that she lives in Calgary, where as most of the food blogs I keep tabs on are in the states. My friend Gayle told me about her blog after I started the Crazy Kitchen. Gayle has been letting me in on some good finds lately! Julie blogs about baking, dinner, and local restaurant reviews, as well as ones afar. I am now a loyal follower of hers.
A few weeks ago Julie posted about a new revolutionary bread that requires no kneading. What? No kneading!? The post was of a pizza dough version of no-knead bread . She praised the recipes superior crumb and chewy goodness...victoriously stating it was even better than regular pizza dough !
That is powerful statement to make. Better than regular pizza dough recipes?
I have made bread regularly for awhile now. And I love making fresh homemade pizza's. My favorite pizza dough recipe is from the joy of cooking (my first cook book!). My only adaptation to Julies recipe was to add a little more salt, because The joy of cooking version has more, and a bit more yeast, because salt eventually stops the yeast from working it's magic (or so I've heard).
Julie raved about this recipe in every factor: taste, texture, and ease, I figured if it was that good, I'm going to make it 100% with whole wheat. That will be the true test to see if it is the end all be all recipe! Haha! I honestly thought I was going to make it fail.
Was I ever surprised! It surpassed my expectations. My husband always complains when I make things with 100% whole wheat, because it's too healthy (he's a wonderfully honest taste tester). He took a bite, knowing full well going in it was whole wheat. Not too happy about it...Until he bit into the chewy crust.
His taste buds arose from their slumber.
He looked up at me, surprised.
“This is really good”
This recipe is easy as 1-2-3, the only thing is you need to do is plan one day ahead. The secret is in the waiting. So plan pizza for dinner tomorrow. Try this new technique, you might find that like me, you may never look back at your old pizza recipe again.
No-Knead Pizza Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (I used whole wheat and it passed the husband test)
1/2tsp. active dry yeast (instant or regular)
1 Tbs. salt
In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and let it rest on the countertop for 18-24 hours at room temperature.
After that time the surface of the dough will be dotted with bubbles. Generously flour a work surface and scrape the mixture out onto it, gently folding it over itself once or twice, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprinkled with flour or cornmeal. Spread it out with your fingertips until it’s a rough oval or rectangle (you may need to sprinkle the top with a little flour too, to keep it from sticking to your fingers), and set it aside while you get your toppings together and preheat the oven to 450°F.
*I spread it out even more by generously rubbing my rolling pin with flour and rolling it on top of my preheated pizza stone. Watch out the dough is sticky. Keep rubbing flour on the rolling pin when you notice it catching on the dough. When your done press your finger tips in the dough to prevent bubbling.
Spread the crust with tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, pesto or anything else you’d like to sauce it with, then top with your choice of toppings and grated cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
I made this pizza with a side of Waldorf salad (rehashed my way of course!)
1 fuji apple diced
2 celery ribs diced
½ cup of grapes sliced in half (I used table grapes)
½ cup of cucumber sliced and cut in quarters
Dressing:
2 Tbs of mayo ( I used hellmans light, do not use miracle whip)
2 Tbs of sour cream (I used 5% mf)
1 tsp of Mista salad dressing (posted earlier, a staple in my home)
“Mista” Italian Salad Dressing
3 lemons juiced
2 Tbs White wine vinegar
3 Tbs Light tasting olive oil (Presidents Choice Spanish olive oil is great, or 1 1/2 Tbs of olive oil mixed with 1 1/2 Tbs canola oil)
2 ts of Dijon mustard
1 Garlic clove pressed
½ ts 'Greek' spice
½ ts sugar
1/8 ts salt & pepper
-Juice lemons, add the rest of ingredients and whisk. Presto! The best salad dressing.
Mista Salad Dressings
Kraft, move on over. Your getting kicked out of the fridge. Once you try making your own salad dressings the bottled ones are sure to get the boot.
Part of my healthy recovery is my new found love for vegetables. I think the reason we are so adverse to these healthy companions is that most of us grew up on their frozen, mushy brothers and sisters. Or maybe your mom cooked the life right out of them. Ever remember eating broccoli that portrayed the famous trendy puke green color of the seventies? Didn't taste so good did it?
~The secret to loving whats good for you~
If I incorporate more veggies in my diet I feel so much better. I think clearer. I have more energy. My zest for life returns. But even though I know I should do this, it's not quite enough motivation. Wanting to do this is more important. What encourages my desire to want them is dressing them up. It's possible to do this via healthy dressings and marinades. I need to get my taste buds excited. This is my motivation. It's got to taste good.
~The Chicken Veggie comparison~
Let's say for dinner your having a chicken breast. A plain cooked chicken breast is pretty bland, it will take some effort to choke the whole thing down. And whoops, you've cooked it to death, fearing you might eat salmonella. The texture is now dry and yucky, and impossibly hard to swallow all by itself. Your craving something to coat the chicken so you can actually swallow it. I'm afraid only butter or gravy might do the trick here. Kind of defeats the purpose of eating this healthy choice.
On the flip side, if you prepare the chicken breast and marinate for it for a few hours. Taking the time to cook it slowly till it's done just right. It's cooked through yet still moist and tender. It will taste amazing and healthy to boot. You already know this. This is how we should treat our veggies. Season, cook to bring out the best in themselves. Their true beauty will be revealed. Then you will taste the vegetable for it's true value. Your taste buds will applaud in approval. So will your body. Your journey to loving veggies is beckoning, can you hear the call? .
“Mista” Italian Salad Dressing
3 lemons juiced
3 Tbs White wine vinegar
3 Tbs Light tasting olive oil (Presidents Choice Spanish olive oil is great)
2 ts of Dijon mustard
1 Garlic clove pressed
½ ts 'Greek' spice
½ ts sugar
1/8 ts salt
1/8ts salt
-Juice lemons, add the rest of ingredients and presto! The best salad dressing. You can adjust the oil to your needs. If your on a diet 1 Tbs is sufficient, if you want a richer dressing add one or two Tbs more. If you don't like the strong taste of olive oil mix it with half canola, or another mild tasting oil.
*Want to make a veggie dip?
-1/2 cup Mayo
-1/2 cup Sour cream
-2 Tbs Mista Italian dressing
*Creamy salad dressing?
-1/2 cup Mayo
-1/2 cup buttermilk
-2Tbs Mista Italian dressing
Mista Salsa
I love salsa. Fresh, sour &spicy. You can use it for many things. Top a chicken breast. Serve as an appetizer with corn chips. Stir it into tortilla soup. The best part is it's healthy for you! I'm sure you've noticed I've already posted a salsa recipe. I just can't help myself, this one is great and unique on it's own. I make it with my Mista salad dressing. Saves some effort in making this pleasure.
Mista Salsa
4 Tomatoes diced
2 Tbs Onion minced (red looks nice)
½ cup Loosely packed cilantro
2 Tbs of Mista salad dressing (posted below)
*Mix all ingredients
Want some heat?
-Option 1 -1 minced a jalapeño (wear rubber gloves or you hands will burn for a very long time)
-Option 2 -1/4tsp of cayenne pepper
-Option 3- ½ tsp Sambal Oolek (hot chili paste)
Back in the day, before I had kids, I used to work at Red Robins (a family restaurant). I was taking my break one day, in the employee room, when my boss, we'll call him buddy passed by to use the 'facilities'. Not 2 seconds later, I heard him scream.
'What the heck' I thought. It's pretty unusual for a guy to scream.....Especially in the washroom.
He came out a minute later, and curiosity got the best of me. I looked at him, with my one eyebrow raised.
“So”
I began,
“What happened?”
He looked down at the floor, his face going red and replied
“I was just cutting jalapeños”
and pointed down there
“It kind of burns”..
...So take a lesson from buddy, always where gloves while cutting hot peppers.
TACO SPICE
Tacos are a favorite out here. And those little 'taco seasoning' packets are kinds pricey for what you get. They're also full of fillers and preservatives. I found this recipe on ALL RECIPES. Since trying it I will never go back to those meager little packets.
I add this spice mix into my ground beef once it's cooked. About 2-3 Tablespoons per pound. Try this with my fresh salsa recipe and the regular fixings' (cheese lettuce and sour cream) MMMmmm! For future fast dinners I like to cook four pounds of ground beef at a time. I spice it up, eat 1 lb for supper (I share with family of course!) and freeze the rest in three separate containers for later.
Taco Spice Medley
4 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoon sea salt
4 teaspoon black pepper
This is plenty to last you a while. I mix it in a little zip lock container for dinner on the fly.
It also tastes nice in -Chili (recipe to come!)
-Mexican salad dressing (recipe to come!)
-Spice rubs for Chicken beef and pork
-Marinades
Bon Apetite!
Roasting Peppers -> COOKING 101
It's been cold here. Freezing cold. So cold it's hard to imagine that two weeks ago it was plus 34*C.....Right now were siting at a wintry -7*C. Crazy weather! But I guess I should be grateful. There are no tsunamis here, no earthquakes. No poisonous bugs that can kill you. All in all life is pretty good.
This cold weather is actually kind of refreshing. It's getting me into the holiday spirit. My excitement for Christmas is brewing. I know it's a little early, but so is winter, and I'm going with the flow of season.
The greatest part about the cold weather for me is that I can cook up a storm, and not die of heat exhaustion. Even better, the icy outdoors double as a fridge for pots of soup, baking, and pre-cooked meals to cool off before I store them in the freezer. A little more work now, a little less work later, all the while saving on my energy bill!
Part of what I'd like to share with you all, is my adventurous spirit in the kitchen. I love to teach the skills I have learned over time. When I first started cooking, I discovered how uniquely different dishes made from scratch are compared to their commercially sold versions. There is a quality and taste that cannot be matched by their packaged and processed relatives. Today I am passing on a lesson for you on how to roast peppers in your oven. Their sweet slightly smoky flavor compliments many dishes in this cold season to come.
Cooking 101: How to roast peppers
Ingredients:
Peppers (any color)
( I roasted eleven, why waste your efforts when you can fill the pan with peppers and freeze the extras for a nice meal addition another day?!)
4 Tbs olive oil
Directions:
1.Turn oven to broil
2.Pour olive oil in a bowl and brush oil into every nook and cranny of the pepper
3.place on a baking sheet
4.place baking sheet 2-3 inches away from burner. Turn on your overhead fan. These tends to smoke a bit as the olive oil splashes onto the burner. Keep an eye that it is smoking not burning.
5.broil 4-7 minutes each side until the skin of the pepper blisters and darkens (darkened, but not burnt). Due to varying sizes some peppers may not blister fully during their rotation, leave them without rotating for the next round. The peppers need the blisters for the skin to come off easily.
6.Rotate until each pepper is consumed by blisters. Once all consumed, place the peppers in a casserole dish or a pot with a lid. Leave them for 20 minutes to steam their skin. This allows the skin to come off easily and the peppers to cool down enough to handle.
Once roasted
*I keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip my fingers into when annoying bits of pepper skin get stuck to them.
Take one of the peppers and gently pull on the stem. The stem and seeds should come out. Sometimes just the stem comes out, and that's O.K.
Turn the pepper upside down and squeeze the seed innards out of the stem opening into the med bowl
Tear the pepper in half. Be careful, they can be hot inside! Place skin side down on the cutting boar. Gently remove the remaining seeds with knife. Swipe the seeds off of the cutting board. Clean up with a cloth. I generally swipe them to the side to be cleaned later. This also saves your shirt from getting juiced.
Flip the pepper over and remove skin. The skin should come off easy. If there is any parts of the skin that is not coming off, scrape it off with a the knife.
Once skins are removed cut them into thin long strips, and then in halves.
Done!
These roasted peppers freeze beautifully. They retain the sweet slightly smoky taste as well as the same texture as the fresh ones.
What to do with them, you say? Roasted peppers taste great in almost anything!
Try them in:
Salads & dressings
pastas
Sandwiches
burgers
soups
Don't worry, recipes using roasted peppers coming soon!
Breakfast
Breakfast
I went to Glen's fruit truck yesterday. He shows up every Friday from 9-3 here in Cochrane, coming all the way from B.C. I'm jealous of their nice warm climate, with a satisfying full summer season. They grow the most amazing fruits and vegetables. I bought a cantaloupe that was double the size of a regular one. Usually I buy these at the grocery store. They can be overipe or not ripe enough. I've never found the knack to pick the perfect cantaloupe....Until yesterday. Manny came up to me with his big hazel puppy dog eyes and begged me to buy one. I hesitated, because the grocery store ones are cheaper. And I can be cheap. But his darling look won me over and I carried it over to the scale with a heavy arm load of other fruits and vegetables.
We brought the behemoth home. And Tiana and Arrie were delighted to find it on the counter. I promptly sliced it up and cut little slits down the wedge, so when you bite into the middle you can bend it and it doesn't make a big mess of your face.
Oh My!
The most delicious, juicy, sweet, and tasty cantaloupe I have ever eaten. Everyone in the family agrees. Lucky for me the cantaloupe was so big I had enough to eat for breakfast. The picture is so beautiful, I can't help myself but share it with you.
Oh my GOOdness! Amazing.....
Oh my GOOdness! Amazing.....
My dinner tonight was spectacular! So good, we barely spoke a word. With three rowdy kids and a husband that is a miracle. This took a little work, but really once you try it it's not too complicated. If you want all this work to last, triple the glaze and salad dressing. You can freeze them and use them for another day that you want something tasty without any work. You will not regret taking this on.
Balsamic Orange Ginger Glaze for Trout
2 steel head trout fillets (Salmon would be good too)
1/4 honey
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1Tbs +1 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp orange zest
2 inch of ginger, peeled and minced
1tbs +1 tsp oil
Salt and pepper
1.Preheat the broiler and wrap a broiler pan with foil.
2.Season trout generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
3.Combine honey, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, orange zest, ginger, and oil. Mix well, divide in half. Coat trout with this mixture. Fillets should be only lightly coated, as too much of the glaze can burn under the broiler.
4.Broil fillets 4 inches away from the flame just until browned, 3-5 minutes. Pour the rest of the glaze on top of fillets and finish in the 425F oven until done. The total cooking time (broiling plus baking) should be about 8 minutes per inch of thickness. To test for doneness, separate the flakes in the thickest part and look inside. Fillets are done when a trace of translucency remains in the center.
5.Use second half of glaze to drizzle plate for dipping and 'looks'
Baked sweet potatoes
( I used baby sweet potatoes here, they were about 2 inches wide and three inches long)
-Preheat oven to *400
-Peirce potatoes with a fork
-Bake potatoes on a baking sheet for about an hour (If they are large sweet potatoes the can take up to an hour and a half)
-Potatoes are done when they are squishy to touch
Pomegranate salad
Dressing:
1 ½ Tbs red wine vinegar
1 ½ Tbs balsamic vinegar
2t honey
1 Tbs olive oil
1t orange zest
1Tbs orange juice
salt
pepper
Mix first four ingredients
Zest orange then squeeze juice, add to oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
1 head of red leaf lettuce
1 pomegranate seeded
¼ Cup toasted pecans
¼ Cup crumbled feta
1/8 Cup slivered red onion
Wash and dry lettuce. Cut into bite size pieces.
Cut pomegranate in half and remove the seeds. Be careful to remove the white stuff that may cling to the seeds
Toast pecans. Spread them out on a dinner plate so they are flat. Put them in the microwave for 1 minute. Check them to see if they are toasted enough. If you fell they need some more toastiness, keep on microwaving for 30 seconds until the desired toastiness has been reached. This technique is much easier than the oven/pan method where I always seem to burn them.
Save 4 whole pecan and crush the rest by putting them in a small ziplock bag and going over it with a rolling pin.
Crumble feta
Just before serving, toss lettuce with salad dressing.
For a nice touch, dish out salad into individual bowls. Sprinkle each with 1 Tbs with feta, 1 tsp crushed pecans, and a few slivered onions. Top each with a central mountain of pomegranate seeds. On the peak of the 'mountain' add the whole pecan. If your in a hurry, ignore what I just said and dump all ingredients together and presto yummy salad none the less!
Coffee Syrups
Autumn's Embrace
~
Spiced Coffee Syrup
(Tastes like pumpkin Spice)
1 cup Sugar
½ cup Water
2 t Cinnamon
2 t Vanilla Extract
½ t Nutmeg
2 whole Cloves (or a teeny pinch of ground {teeny!})
2 slices of fresh ginger (cut each about the size of a looney)
-Measure all ingredients and pour into a sauce pan
-Heat on medium high four about four minutes
-Remove ginger and cloves
-Done!
~I recommend 1 Tbsp per cup of coffee
*Be careful not to overcook, as you will make caramel!
I love coffee syrups! Coffee alone isn't too appealing to me anymore, I guess I'm spoiled...
. Starbuck's 'Frou Frou' drinks have paved the way to the everyday treat in my life and I'm addicted. Unfortunately, I can't afford the daily habit. So I started to buy their coffee syrups direct for ten dollars a bottle. This began adding up too. What's a girl to do? Coffee with cream and sugar all of a sudden seems naked!
I have a couple of friends on facebook who share my addiction. They couldn't contain their excitement now that Starbucks 'Pumpkin Spice' Latte has returned. I made the trip to enjoy this seasonal delight. While I tasted and enjoyed the moment , I found myself desiring a more rich 'pumpkin punch'.
That got me thinking...Hey, I could try to make my very own. The quest was set. And two days, three tries and three testing people later the master recipe has been made. Give the recipe a go. It's rich, sweet, spicy, and Mmmm good.
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