Friday January 17th, 2014

Dinner for 6

Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese
Hamburgers with choice of toppings, grilled peppers, grilled onions, tomatoes, lettuce, pears, mustard, pickles, ketchup, blue cheese, cheddar, havarti, etc.
Bourbon Glazed Peaches with Ice Cream. 

I was feeling like imparting a little summer into this winter. This has been the coldest winter since our return to Canada 4 years ago.  It has been a little hard to take after 6 years of South Australian winters, which we would escape for five weeks each year and return to Canadian summer.  So I was in the mood for a great burger and peaches.  Luckily I froze a baskets of peaches when they were at the peak of their season.

My son's girlfriend does not eat meat so I was working out an alternative burger for her when a friend suggested I pick up a quinoa patty from Paisley Fine Foods.  That is what I decided to do and it got great reviews from my guest.  The rest of us ate beef burgers that I prepared adding egg, garlic power, onion powder, worcestershire, salt and pepper then cooked on my grill pan.  I roasted some whole red peppers in the oven, then placed them in a plastic bag so I could easily peal them.  I grilled the onions in a frying pan and all of the remaining topping were found in the fridge.

The spinach salad was just baby spinach, chopped red onion, crumbled blue cheese and a homemade balsamic vinegrette.

The recipe for the bourbon glaze was found on line here but I didn't have any whole fruit only cut frozen fruit.  My solutuon, make the glaze as directed and add 2 cups of chopped frozen peaches.  Cook until warmed through.  Top over icecream.

This was tasty and loved by those that ate it, but I would change it in the future if I was using frozen peaches again.  I found it too sweet so I feel a little less sugar but more peaches, maybe 4 cups would be better.  Also I believe it could have used a little more bourbon.  The left overs, it made a lot of glaze, were used on waffles the next day. Of course I will also try grilling the peaches when summer finally rolls around again. 

Friday January 10th, 2014

Dinner for 1

Mushroom Risotto

The first week back to school after the Christmas break here in Southern Ontario has been a little dodgy to say the least.  Monday the buses were cancelled in our area and Tuesday all the schools were closed due to the extreme cold.  A little extra Christmas vacation was a bonus for the kids but set me behind on all my work.  My husband was traveling this week and happily managed to drive and catch all his planes without any dire incidents.  Thank goodness.  It was a very late return on Friday for him so I planned dinner for 1.  More practice on my much loved mushroom risotto.

This time I am using Jamie Oliver's recipe from his book Jamie's Italy.  I made the base risotto and added chopped roasted mushrooms and garlic in.

I still need practice.  Tonight I thought the rice was a little under cooked and I may have added too much cheese.  I am going to keep on practicing this until I have mastered my favourite dish.

Friday January 3rd, 2014

Dinner for 4

Turmeric and Saffron Curry
Ruby Grapefruit, Lime and Scallop Salad
Stir Fried Bok Choy
Pretzels with Hersey Kisses and Peanut Butter M&M's

Wow it is the start of 2014 already.  Times flies sometimes.  The Friday night dinners are off to a quite start.  Tonight it is my husband, my son, his girlfriend and myself.  Our two daughters are also hear but not interested in scallops so they are having some pasta.

We are starting off with a favourite broth.  This recipe is from Vij’s: Elegant & Inspired Indian Cuisine . I've been making it a lot lately.  It is simple to make, the colour is beautiful and we all think it is so tasty.  I doubled the recipe so that we could have some leftover but it is just too popular with my son and his girlfriend, they ate it all up.

The main course of ruby grapefruit, lime and scallop salad was inspired by this recipe however I changed a few things to adapt it to what I had on hand.  With no watercress I used a combination of baby spinach and rocket (arugula) for the salad base.  I also thought I had macadamia nuts in my pantry but it turns out I didn't, so for the nuts I used some blanched slivered almonds.  The fish market hear never has scallops with roe attached so I just used frozen Nova Scotia scallops, some days I really miss living near the ocean.  Well maybe most days.

Stir fried bok choy is often enjoyed in our house.  My eldest daughter and husband love it.  I trim and clean the baby bok choy, today it was what they call the Shanghai variety, and leave it in the colander until I need it.  In the wok I use a little peanut oil and toasted sesame oil.  I heat it to almost smoking, toss in about a tbsp of finely chopped garlic then almost immediately toss it the bok choy.  I stir fry it until it wilts, add a splash of soy and rice vinegar and them plate it up.  Simple goodness.

Dessert today wasn't really a dessert.  I got no Christmas baking done this year for many reasons, so I was pleasing the children with a sweet salty favourite.  You can find variations of these all over the internet so I am not sure who should get the credit for them here.  They are supper easy.  Lay pretzels out on a cookie sheet. Top with a Hersey Kiss and put them in a 180C oven for about 3 minutes.  Take them out and put the M&M on top.  Let cool completely.  My eldest daughter helped make them, it was fun in the kitchen with her.  Unfortunately no pictures were taken before the 3 and 1/2  trays of them were gobbled up.
 

Friday December 27, 2013

Dinner for 10

Christmas #3

Pork Loin stuffed with Couscous and Feta
Trout Stuffed with Lemon and Thyme with Prosciutto and Cornichon Sauce
Roasted Brussel Spouts
Mashed Potatoes
Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Dried Cranberries
Christmas Baking by Family

Christmas is that busy time of year when you are rushing around doing way too much.  I try not to get to caught up in it all. My husband and I don't usually end up with a lot of social obligations during this festive season which helps us not to be overly booked. We do have family gatherings though, which to me is what Christmas is all about.  Spending time with those you love.  The first is my family.  We have traditionally gathered at one of the sisters' houses the weekend before Christmas.  We eat a traditional dinner of turkey and all the trimmings we grew up with.  It is nice.  

Then comes the actual Christmas day.  For the years we lived in Australia we did various things, nothing traditional, a favourite being a pot luck gathering of expats we knew living there.  On the return to Canada we have kept the day low key and I have cooked less traditional dinners as my children were not use to the traditional turkey and didn't miss it.  However for the last couple of years we have had my husbands mother staying with us for Christmas so we have gone back to the traditional dinner on Christmas day too.  My mother in law is simply not someone who will try anything outside of her tastes.

The third Christmas gathering is with my husband's brother and his family, which happens between Christmas and New years and includes their Mum. We rotate the hosting and this year is our year.  Knowing it is a tough crowd, 5 kids and a picky mother-in-law I tried to keep it fairly simple but I wanted to try some new things.  I just wasn't eating turkey again.

This beautiful pork loin from Thatcher Farms was stuffed with feta and couscous then roasted with pears.  The recipe used can be found here. It turned out beautiful and very tasty.  My Mother-in-law loved the pear and pork, although I am pretty sure she ate around the couscous stuffing. New and different is not her thing.

The trout was more for me as I love having fish for Christmas after spending 6 years near the ocean.  This recipe was delicious.  So tasty stuffed with lemon and thyme and of course who wouldn't love a prosciutto parsley sauce.

The sides to round out the meal included mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts roasted with olive oil salt and pepper and a spinach salad.

I added red onion, dried cranberries and blue cheese to spinach leaves and mad a balsamic vinaigrette with some grainy mustard in it. Next time I think I will add mandarin orange segments too.

Dessert was all the Christmas baking in the house brought and made by various visitors and myself. 

 

Friday December 13, 2013

 Dinner for 2

Cheese, Nuts and Beet and Daikon Salsa
  Warm Salmon and Grapefruit Salad with Asparagus
Triple Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Bourbon Ice Cream

 Just my husband and I tonight.  To start I have some cheese and nuts and some beet and daikon salsa made from Vij's Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine cookbook.  

I have just picked up a large box of grapefruit from a fundraiser for my nephew's rugby team.  I have a couple of favourite ways to use grapefruit.  One is for breakfast, broiled with honey vanilla and cardamon and the other is in this warm salad with salmon and snow peas.

I have been making this for a few years, starting in Australia using this recipe.  I stick mostly to the recipe but it depends what I can find fresh.  This time I used snow pea sprouts instead of tendrils.  I have also used watercress, extra snow peas, and even rocket (arugula).  It is a lovely refreshing and light dinner or lunch.

The triple chocolate brownie is from Chef Micheal Smith.  These brownies are so decadent I rarely make them but when I do they never last long.  I topped them off with President's Choice Black Label Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream.  A light dinner ending with a rich decadent dessert.  Good for a quiet night during the Christmas season.

 

Friday November 29, 2013

Dinner for 5

Soju Sangria
Kimchee Citrus Pork with Roasted Fuji Apples
Salmon and Scallion Skewers with a Miso-Honey Glaze
Cremini Mushrooms & Pearl Onions with Sesame-Garlic Butter
Spicy Chicken and Peppers with Smoky Chili Rub
Ginger-Soy Beef with Chili Tomatoes
Ginger Scallion Noodles

 Sides of Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms, Pickled Cherries, Pickled Fennel and Kimchee

 A gift of fantastic homemade Kimchee from friend inspired tonight's dinner.  Feeding all five of us (2 adults and 3 children with varying tastes) I chose a variety of skewers from Seoultown Kitchen: Korean Pub Grub to Share with Family and friends by Debbie Lee.  Pork, salmon, vegetable, chicken and beef.  Something for everyone. Plus plenty of pickled sides.

I started with Soju Sangria found in the Seoultown Kitchen cookbook.  I could find no plums, as it is November, so I just used more mango instead.  This was very refreshing, who new aloe vera juice could be so tasty.  I am looking forward to making it and drinking it on hot summer days.

There were technical difficulties with the skewers.  I had my sous chef (aka husband) grilling.  It was dark, well below zero and one of the burners on the BBQ just didn't want to light.  He wasn't dressed properly for the task so he was cold and cranky.  That resulted in some over charring but I would definitely make these again, in nicer weather.

 Kimchee Citrus Pork with Roasted Fuji Apples 

 Salmon and Scallion Skewers with a Miso-Honey Glaze

 Cremini Mushrooms and pearl Onions with Sesame-Garlic Butter 

 Spicy Chicken and Peppers with Smoky Chili Rub

 Ginger-Soy Beef with Chili Tomatoes

The noodles were out of Momofuku by David Chang. 

The yummy pickled sides were made this past summer after I vowed to read all of my cookbooks cover to cover.  Momofuku by David Chang was the first one I read completely.  It inspired a lot of picking.  Pickled cherries are my new favourite thing followed closely by shiitaki mushrooms.  And the Kimchee made by my friend was just wow!

In the end there was nothing left.  We were all stuffed. 

Friday November 15, 2013

Dinner for 2

Turmeric and Saffron Curry

Raita
Beet and Daikon Salsa
Naan

Ground Beef Curry with Warm Fennel and Zucchini Salad

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts with Red Peppers, Paneer and Cashews

Shrikhand

A week ago I hooked up with a like minded friend on Saturday morning after the Farmers Market.  We wandered through our local kitchen store and then headed to the public library.  Wandering through the cookbook and food writing section we made recommendations to each other.  She suggested:

• Ripe, a Fresh Colourful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables by Cheryl Sternman Rule 
• Long Ago in France The Years in Dijon by M.F.K. Fisher  
• Elegant and Inspired Vij's Indian Cuisine by Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala

After scanning through the book by Vikram Vij I decided to make the Turmeric and Saffron Curry to start a meal earlier in the week.  It was so fantastic I decided to plan my Friday Night Dinner out of the cookbook.  All except the dessert of Shrikhand came out of the Elegant and Inspired Vij's Indian Cuisine cookbook.

Loved it

The Turmeric and Saffron Curry is a beautiful start.  It is like eating a bowl of sunshine.  This has become a favourite in my house.  There are fights for the last bowl.

Although I had every intention of making my own naan, my day got busy and I ended up purchasing it.  I have decided I am going to make some and freeze it so it is always on hand for curries, dhal and whenever a simple pizza bottom is needed for a quick kid friendly meal.

Who knew I could convince a beet hater (my beloved husband) to try them.  He ended up loving the beet and diakon salsa, must have been all the coriander (cilantro).  Also pictures is the raita which was a great accompaniment to the meal.

A very tasty ground beef curry with a warm zucchini and fennel salad.

I have found another dish to get brussel sprouts into my husband.  These were delicious I will have to make them again soon.

I think I have mentioned a few times that I am not much of a dessert eater or maker.  I like a good rich dessert on occasion but mostly I like light things like fruit.  This is a wonderful end to a meal.  Sweetened yoghurt topped with pistachios.  I added candied fennel seeds as well.