Borscht (Beet and Cabbage Soup)

I really wish I could have taken a better picture of this soup.  This picture does it no justice.  It was such a beautiful, vibrant colour...not the reddish-brown it appears in the photo.  Clearly my camera was not meant to take photos of borscht!  

That being said, this vegan (without the sour cream) soup is wonderful.  So tasty and warming.  Beets are one of my favourite vegetables, and I just love them in this soup.  

Borscht

4 large beets
2 large carrots
2 medium onions
1/2 head of white cabbage
2 tbsp. olive oil
5 cups vegetable broth
juice from 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper
sour cream for serving

Peel the beets and carrots and grate them.  Thinly slice the onion and cabbage and chop into small pieces.
Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the beets, carrots, and onion for a few minutes, until starting to soften.  Add the shredded cabbage and the broth and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve with a dallop of sour cream, if desired, and enjoy!

Everything Salad

This salad has so many delicious things in it.  Beets, cranberries, pears, nuts.... and it all tastes so wonderful together.  I made this salad because I was craving something super healthy and flavourful.  And with all these fruits and vegetables I felt healthy indeed.  If I had had some Parmesan cheese I would have grated a bit of that into this salad, so if you have some...grate away!  I tossed everything with a homemade vinaigrette which didn't overwhelm the multitude of flavours in this salad.  

Everything Salad

1 large bowl of mixed greens
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
1 beet, peeled and grated
1 golden beet, peeled and grated (optional)
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp hulled sunflower seeds

Dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil, or oil of your choice
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients and toss the desired amount with the salad,

Spring Roll Salad

Everything about this salad is amazing!  The flavours blend together so well, I could probably eat it every day.  And it's so refreshing to have in the middle of winter.  The fresh lime and cilantro and the overall brightness of this salad makes me feel like spring is just around the corner.  I found the original recipe for this salad here, but I have made a few changes to it, such as the addition of mango.  I love mango in spring rolls, and I also think mango, cilantro, and lime go really well together, so I wanted it in this salad.  If you have the time I recommend making the dressing ahead of time so the flavours have a chance to mingle.  I found it tasted better the next day, but it was also delicious the first day, so if you can't make it ahead of time don't worry.

Spring Roll Salad

100g Vermicelli noodles, cooked according to pkg

3 cups shredded Napa Cabbage

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup sliced English cucumber

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips

1 mango, julienned

1 can baby corn, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

spicy dressing:

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce

1 lime, juice and zest

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp minced ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

Cut the noodles into bite-sized pieces and put in a large bowl.  Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl and toss.  

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and stir into the salad.  

Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup

This is a wonderful, full-flavoured soup that is warming on a cold winter's day.  And with an ingredient list of old cheddar, roasted cauliflower, and delectable leeks...how could it not be delicious?  When I made it I only pureed it a bit with the blender so that there were still tasty pieces of cauliflower in the soup.  Roasting the cauliflower first added a wonderful nutty taste.  I sometimes roast cauliflower as a side dish and then toss some Parmesan cheese on it using this same roasting method- it's delicious!

Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1+1 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, ends and dark green parts removed

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 cup shredded old white cheddar

1 cup milk

salt and pepper

optional: parsley and/or orange cheddar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Toss the cauliflower with 1 tbsp of olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Roast on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, until browned, stirring once or twice.

Cut the leek in half lengthwise and then thinly slice both halves. In a large pot heat the remaining oil then add the leek.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until it is softened.  Add the broth, wine, thyme, and roasted cauliflower.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.

Use a submersion (hand) blender to puree the soup into the desired consistency.  Mix in the cheese and milk and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Fresh Mixed Vegetables

Sometimes I just crave simple vegetables with a side of rice, and these veggies were perfect.  They added so much colour to my plate, and had a great melding of flavours.  I used green beans, carrots, and yellow and orange peppers to make this.  I would have added red peppers too if I had had some in my fridge.  When I paired this with a brown and wild rice medley it made for a filling and healthy meal.  When making this dish just be careful to not overcook the vegetables, the fresh crispness of them add to the taste of the dish.  These vegetables are also a great addition to penne tossed with a cream sauce.

1 large carrot, peeled and julienned

1/2 orange pepper, cut into thin strips

1/2 yellow pepper, cut into thin strips

large handful of green beans, trimmed

1/2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup vegetable broth

freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter in a large pan over med-high heat.  Add the carrots and green beans and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Add the vegetable broth and cover pan for 3 minutes.  Add the peppers and cover pan again for 2-3 minutes or until carrots and green beans are tender-crisp.  Season with pepper and enjoy!

Home Made Perogies!

A few months back my cousin mentioned that she has always wanted to make perogies from scratch, so when she was coming to visit for a weekend of skiing fun I thought it would be a great time to make them together.  Although I have made perogies before on my own, it was definitely easier, and more fun, to make them with someone.  We took turns being the roller/cutter and the filler to make an assembly line of tastiness...all the while drinking wine to make the work merrier:)  

We made a traditional bacon/onion/cheese perogie and we also got creative and made jalapeno/onion/cheese, sweet potato/bacon, and mushroom/onion/cheese fillings.  They all turned out great...well, I didn't try the mushroom one, but my cousin and her boyfriend told me they were delicious!  They really do taste so much better than the frozen ones.  

When making the dough you will find it very elastic-y.  I found I would have to keep rolling it out after cutting a few circles.  But the elasticity did make it easier to stretch the dough around the filling.  And when it came to the filling I didn't measure anything, I just mixed mashed potatoes with all the different ingredients I wanted and figured if there was leftover filling I would just eat it on its own.  Which my cousin did with the mushroom filling.  For this recipe I will give an approximation of what we used for each filling, but if you want it cheesier or less oniony just use what you would like in the fillings.  I did want to make a sweet apple and cinnamon filling too, but we just didn't have the time, or the energy.  All together we made over 50 perogies, and we ate most of them too!  They were just so yummy!

Home Made Perogies

For the dough:

3 cups flour, plus more for kneading

1 cup water

1 egg

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

For the filling:  

(potato/cheese/onion/bacon, potato/cheese/onion/jalapeno, potato/cheese/onion/mushroom, and sweet potato/bacon)

6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups cheddar cheese

3 onions, chopped

6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

3 jalapeno peppers, finely diced

1 large sweet potato

3 shitake mushrooms, finely diced

any other fillings you would like to try

Place the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Beat the water, egg, and oil with a fork in a separate bowl and then add to the flour.  Slowly mix in with a wooden spoon until the dough forms (it may still be a bit crumbly).  Transfer onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, sprinkling with flour to prevent sticking.  The dough should be smooth and start to feel stretchy.  Invert a bowl over the dough and let it sit at room temperature for an hour.  (This will give you time to get the other ingredients ready.)

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until cooked through.  Drain and use a hand-mixer to puree them.  Divide the potatoes and cheese into three bowls. Bake the sweet potato, or microwave it, until it is cooked through and then scoop out the pulp and place it in a bowl.  Fry the onions until well-done and add to 3 of the bowls of potato.  Fry the mushrooms and add to a potato/onion mixture.  Add the jalapenos to another of the bowls of potato and onion.  Divide the bacon between the remaining potato/onion bowl and the sweet potato bowl.    

Divide the dough into 2 parts to make it easier to roll.  Start with one half and roll it until it is about 1/8" thick.  Use the top of a glass or a round cookie cutter to cut circles (about 2 1/2" in diameter) from the dough.  Place a tablespoon of filling into the middle of each circle, and then fold the dough over and seal at the edges.    Brushing a small amount of water on the dough edges before pinching together helps the perogie to stay closed.  

Place the perogies in a large pot of boiling water, about 10 at a time, and boil for 4-5 minutes or until they float to the top.  Drain the perogies and fry in a large skillet with olive oil until they are browned on both sides.  Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions.  Enjoy!!

   

If you wish to freeze or refrigerate some for another time then skip the frying step.  They taste better when they are freshly fried.         

Curried Tofu and Veggie Soup

I am really excited about this soup.  It is insanely good, and one of those recipes you could make with just about anything.  I would love to try it with fish or shrimp, and I think my hubby would love it with chicken.  You can add any vegetables you fancy to it.  I put in broccoli, carrots, red pepper, bean sprouts, and baby corn but any of those could be switched to something you prefer.  I almost added some shitake mushrooms to it, but then I was like 'what was I thinking? I hate mushrooms!'.  It's just that I had some in my fridge from when my cousin was here making perogies with me and I thought I should use them.  

The soup had a really nice level of spice to it, as in it got my nose running a bit.  If you would prefer something milder just add less curry paste.  I loved the spice on the rainy day we were having though, it warmed me up from the inside:)  

Spicy Tofu and Vegetable Soup

1 tbsp coconut or olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

1-2 tbsp red curry paste

900 ml vegetable broth

398ml can of coconut milk

1 tbsp sugar

350g pkg extra firm tofu

1 cup beansprouts

1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 can baby corn, cut into 1" pieces

Rinse the tofu under cold water and then cut into thin slices.  Place each slice on cutting board covered with paper towel.  Place more paper towel on top and then top with something heavy so that the excess moisture will be squeezed out.  Let sit for about 15 minutes and then cut each slice into thin strips.
In a large pot heat the oil over med-high heat.  Add the onion, ginger, and curry paste and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the sugar, broth and coconut milk; mixing to incorporate the curry paste.  Bring to a boil and then mix in the vegetables and tofu.  Let cook for about 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Enjoy!

Dijon Roasted Chicken and Carrots

Every now and again I feel like I should actually make a dinner that my hubby will like.  This one is kind of half-and-half, since he doesn't like cooked carrots, but I figured I made up for that with the delicious chicken and yummy potato wedges I served with it.  This recipe calls for bone-in chicken breasts that I think is a must.  I find chicken tastes different when cooked with the bone.  It's jucier and seems to have more flavour. Also, it takes longer to cook which allowed the Dijon sauce to get extra crispy and the carrots to become tender.  I loved the onions in this recipe too, they soaked up all the flavours of the chicken and I ate so many of them!  I will definitely be making this again!

Dijon Roasted Chicken and Carrots

2 tbsp Dijon mustard 

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried sage

1 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

2 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts

3 cups of large pieces of carrots

1 large sweet onion, chopped into large pieces

1+1 tbsps olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 475.  Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan and sear the chicken breasts until browned.  Mix the carrots and onions with the other tbsp of olive oil and the salt and pepper and place on a large baking sheet, leaving two spaces in the middle for the chicken to go.

Mix the Dijon with the dried herbs.  Place the chicken on the baking sheet and then cover each breast with the Dijon mixture.  Roast for 40 minutes and then enjoy!

Squash Vegetable Soup

Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy soups...actually I enjoy soup all year round.  This one is really hearty, filled with cauliflower and big chunks of flavourful squash.  I like the addition of tomato paste to the broth, I found it gave it an extra layer of flavour, and the spice of the chili flakes made it even more warming. I found this soup very filling, which made it perfect for my lunch.  If you were making it for dinner and just wanted a bit of extra heartiness I think some barley or brown rice would be a good addition.  Either way it's a fantastic soup!

Squash Vegetable Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 celery stalk, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups water

2 1/2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

1 small cauliflower, chopped into florets

2 bay leaves

handful chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until tender.  Add the garlic, carrots, celery, hot pepper flakes, thyme, and salt.  Cook for a bout 5 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and mix well.   Stir in the water, broth, squash, cauliflower, and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer until the squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Add 2 cups of the squash to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.  Add the puree back to the soup and stir together well with the parsley, salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Crispy Oven Wedges with a Kick

When I saw these potatoes at the grocery store I knew I had to make some wedges with them.  They were the perfect shape, all I had to do what quarter them lengthwise into wedges.  I have been trying out different recipes for potato wedges and thought I would try something new with these ones.  I think I have finally figured out how to make crispy oven fries.  I just had to boil them for a few minutes first and cook them at a high temperature.  After cutting them I put them in a deep frying pan and covered them with water and then boiled them for about 5 minutes.  Then I drained them and put them back in the pan so that the heat could completely dry them. Once the potatoes were dry I put the oil and seasonings on them while they were still in the pan and shook it around to cover them.  That way the oil was already warmed up when I put them in the oven, which seemed to make a difference.  They turned out really well and I will definitely make them this way again.

Crispy Oven Wedges

4 medium potatoes, cut into wedges

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

a few lemon wedges, if desired

Preheat oven to 475F.  Place the potato wedges in a pan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and continue to boil for about 5 minutes.  The potatoes should be just starting to get tender.  Drain the potatoes well and add back to pan.  Let sit for a minute or two so that any water left on them evaporates.  Toss with the olive oil, garlic, and spices and transfer to a large baking sheet.  Add the lemon wedges to the pan, if desired.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.  Enjoy!

Smashed New Potatoes

These are wonderful crispy little potato bites that are easy to make and easier to eat.  They are a good alternative to fries or potato wedges, and make a great side to this chicken.  In potato terms there was an extra step in making them, since you had to boil them and then bake them, but it's worth it.  I may try to roast the potatoes first next time, and then smash and bake them longer.  Saves the use of a pot:)  

I used cayenne pepper to season them because I like spice, but any number of seasonings would work.  They would be good with rosemary, garlic, chives...or just salt and pepper.  Anything you choose will taste wonderful!  

1 1.5lb bag of baby new potatoes (or as many as you would like to make)

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Parsley, finely chopped

Cayenne

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender.  

Preheat oven to 450F.  Drizzle olive oil on a foil-lined baking sheet and the place the drained potatoes on it.  Smash each potato with either a potato masher or the bottom of a glass.  Brush the tops of the potatoes with more olive oil.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, and parsley generously over the potatoes.  Sprinkle a bit of cayenne on each potato.  Bake for 20 minutes until crispy and golden.  Enjoy!

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Pilaf

I recently bought 3 beautiful zucchinis of different colours, but didn't know what I wanted to make with them.  Then I remembered this brown rice casserole that I have made a few times before.  I usually just make it with regular dark green zucchini, but I thought the extra colours would brighten the dish up more. This is a really hearty casserole that I like to serve as a side to fish, or on its own if I'm having it for lunch.  And with only 4 ingredients it's a convenient recipe to make.  

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Pilaf

1 1/2 cups of brown rice

2 1/4 cups vegetable broth

2 small zucchini, diced

1 sweet potato, diced

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix all of the ingredients in a baking pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Stir rice and vegetables and add a bit of water if necessary.  Cover tightly again and continue cooking for another 15-30 minutes.  Rice and sweet potatoes should be fully cooked.

Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Squash

I love sweet potatoes and squash.  They are two of my favourite vegetables.  Both are so flavourful, and I love the bright colours they add to my plate.  But I find I always make them the same way, by baking them.  So when I came across a recipe for roasted sweet potatoes in a balsamic glaze I wanted to try it out.  Now I don't usually eat both of these vegetables together, but since I had half of a leftover squash in my fridge I figured I would add it to the recipe.  It turned out really well, and I liked how it brought the sweetness level down a bit.  I still usually just bake my squash, because peeling them really sucks, but when I want something a little more I make this recipe. 

Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Squash

1/2 a Butternut Squash (or any other kind you want to use)

2 large Swet Potatoes

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbsp Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1 tsp Salt

Peel and cube the squash and sweet potatoes and place them in a large roasting pan.  Preheat the oven to 400F. 

In a small saucepan over medium heat bring the Balsamic vinegar and the brown sugar to a boil.  Reduce the mixture until it begins to thicken.  Add the butter and salt and stir until smooth.  

Pour the glaze over the vegetables in the pan and mix well.  Place in the oven and roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are cooked and beginning to brown along edges (about 40 minutes).  Enjoy!

Clam Chowder

Clam chowder has been one of my favourite soups since I was a kid.  I would love it when I would come in from playing outside on a cold winter day and my mom would have some of this simmering on the stove.  For me it's a very comforting soup.  And it's a quick, easy soup to make.  I like this recipe because it's not a thick chowder, it's more of a broth.  (Ugh, I tried canned clam chowder once and it was so creamy and unappetizing...this chowder is nothing like that!)  I made some of these tea biscuits to go with this yummy chowder, it may just be childhood memories, but I think clam chowder needs tea biscuits on the side!  

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do!

Clam Chowder

3 tbsp butter

1/2 small onion, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

2 cups of diced potatoes

2 cups water

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 can baby clams, with liquid

1 can evaporated milk

Melt butter in a large pot, add onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Add potatoes, salt and pepper, and water, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through.  Add the can of clams with the liquid and the milk.  Heat through and serve.

Pickled Golden Beets

I absolutely love beets, especially pickled ones.  I have been canning beets for a few years, but I always use the regular purple ones.  This year I thought I would change it up and make some golden beets too, just for something a little different.  I only bought a small bag from St. Jacobs Farmers Market, just enough to make 3 jars.  I will keep two of them and give one away to someone special:)  I also bought a big bag of purple beets, which I still have to get around to pickling.  I think I will also try to make a borscht with some of them.
Making pickled beets is really easy.  The only time-consuming part is waiting for the beets to cook and waiting for the pot of water for processing the jars in to boil.  I was overwhelmed by canning when I first started to do it, mostly because every recipe I looked at had an insane amount of information in it.  But as long as you use the same ratio of ingredients in the recipe, use hot, sterilized jars and lids, and process the filled jars for the specified amount of time, it really is simple.  This recipe is enough to make 3 half-pint jars of beets.  For more canning information see the other recipes I have written on canning here. 



3 jars of golden pickled beets and 6 jars of purple pickled beets

Pickled Beets

5 cups of prepared beets*
3 cups vinegar
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tbsp pickling spice

3 half-pint jars
3 rings for lids
3 lids (must be new!)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil to sterilize the jars and rings in.  Place lids in a small bowl and cover with hot water to soften rubber seal.
Meanwhile, bring vinegar, water, sugar, and pickling spice to a boil in a large pot.  Let boil for 15 minutes.  Add the prepared beets and return to a boil.
Remove sterilized jars from boiling water bath.  Fill each jar tightly with beets and top off with the liquid, leaving 1/4" space at the top.  Slide a butter knife around the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. 
Wipe rims clean with a damp paper towel.  Place lids and rings on the jars, do not over-tighten.  Place the filled jars back into the boiling water bath and process for 30 minutes. (The jars must be upright and completely covered with the water.)
Remove and place on a clean tea towel, do not move for 24 hours.  Listen for the sound of the lids sealing...best sound in the world.  Store the beets in a cool place for at least 8 weeks before opening.

*Scrub the beets well and then place in a pot and cover with water.  Boil for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through.  Run under cold water.  Skins will easily come off by rubbing them.  Slice or cube the beets into desired size.

Fresh Mango Spring Rolls

Clockwise: Mango, endive, cilantro, red pepper,
green onion, ginger, jalapeno, carrot, and broccoli

When I was visiting my mom over the summer she made some fresh spring rolls and it was the first time I realized how easy they were to make.  And they were fun to make too.  My mom had a bunch of different vegetables, etc. to put in them and everyone could just make their own.  I think it would be a great way to get kids involved in making dinner, because they could pick whatever they wanted to be in them.  There are so many different combinations to be made.  Pork, chicken, and shrimp are good meat additions, and there are tons of vegetables that would go well in them.
For my first time making them at home I decided on using mango as my flavour base.  I added red and jalapeno peppers for some spice, and ginger because I think it compliments mango nicely.  I used broccoli stems and carrots for some crunch and lots of cilantro because I just love cilantro.  I made these as an appetizer for my General Tao Chicken and I had some leftover that I had for lunch the next day.  They were delicious!

Fresh Mango Spring Rolls

4 sheets of rice paper
1 small Belgium endive, sliced into thin pieces
1/2 cup cilantro
1 broccoli stem, peeled and julienned
1/2 red pepper, julienned
1 jalapeno, julienned
1 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
3 green onions, sliced
1 small carrot, julienned
1 mango, peeled and cut into strips

Dipping Sauce
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 lime, juiced
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp+ water

Mix together all of the dipping sauce ingredients, adding water until at desired consistency.  Set aside.
Prepare rice papers one at a time.  Fill a large plate with hot water and set one of the dry rice papers in it until it becomes soft and transparent.  Carefully take it out of the water and place on a dry plate.  Put the vegetables in a pile in the middle of the paper.  Fold the 2 outer edges in, then fold the back edge over the vegetables.  Roll it tightly the rest of the way.  Cut in half and serve with the dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Soba Noodle Stir Fry

I used to make stir-frys for dinner all the time.  They are fast and easy and can be made so many different ways; they were my go-to meal.  But I would always buy the jarred sauces from the grocery store and after a while I got tired of all of them.  They started to all taste the same to me and I found they over-powered the taste of the vegetables. So I started to stock up on different oils and sauces so I could make my own stir-fry flavourings.  I bought sesame oil, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha hot sauce, etc. and just experimented with them by using other recipes as guidance.  This recipe was inspired by satay dipping sauce and I think it's amazing.  I had a huge bowl for dinner, and then ate it for lunch the next 2 days and I haven't stopped craving it since.  It was my first time cooking with Soba noodles, and I loved the taste of them.  And once all the vegetables were cut it only took 10 minutes to cook everything.  I used the vegetables I like in this dish, but any combination will do.  I do really love the crunch that the water chestnuts add though. 

Soba Noodle Stir Fry

250g Soba Noodles
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh chopped vegetables (broccoli, carrots, peppers)
1 398g can whole baby corn, drained
1 227g can water chestnuts, drained
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup vegetarian Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
Sliced green onions

 



Whisk together the peanut butter, Hoisin sauce, water, and hot sauce.  Set aside.  Cook Soba Noodles according to package directions.  Do not over cook.
Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over med-high heat.  Add garlic and ginger, stir for 1 minute.  Add the 2 cups of chopped vegetables, stir-fry for 5 minutes.  (If you find the garlic is burning add some water to the pan.)  Mix in the baby corn and water chestnuts, cook for an additional minute or two.  The vegetables should be tender-crisp.  Add the sauce and cooked, drained noodles to the pan.  Mix together and serve with a sprinkling of green onion slices.

Freezer Meals

The end of August and start of September is one of my favourite times of the year.  I think that for me the real 'new year' will always be September 1st, and not January.  I love everything about the start of fall...cozy sweaters, the beginning of soup season, fall vegetables, going back to work...ok, maybe not so much the going back to work, but everything else is great!  I went to the huge St. Jacob's Farmer's Market to get ready for canning and to buy some other veggies.  I bought red and golden beets for pickling, baby cukes for making dill pickles, yellow zucchini for making my delicious vegetable macaroni and cheese, a whole bunch of basil to make pesto, and some patty pan squash that I'm excited to cook up.  I feel the need to get my freezer and canning shelves full!  I have already canned 7 jars of pears from my pear tree and have made a bunch of freezer meals that I will soon be adding the pesto to. 

I wanted to have some quick lunches available to me for the times that I don't feel like making anything, as well as a few things to make dinner time easier.  I made Curried Carrot Soup, Meatball Stew (from this site), 44 Clove Garlic Soup (from this blog), mashed potatoes with gravy on the side, ground beef with onions and garlic, and some strawberry puree for quick smoothies in the morning. 
I divided the soups and stew into small bags for individual servings.  I divided the mashed potatoes into bags for 2 people, with a small baggie of gravy in with each, and I froze the strawberry puree in ice cube trays so that they would be easy to blend.
For the beef mixture (recipe below), I divided it into different sized amounts so I could use it for a variety of recipes.  I put 3 cups together to make my chili with, another bag with 2 cups to add to a pasta sauce, and a small bag of a cup and a half for making Jamaican patties.  And when I see ground beef on sale I am going to keep these bags replenished.

So here is the recipe for the ground beef:

2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Brown the beef in a large skillet, drain.  Return meat to skillet and add in the onion and garlic.  Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then drain.  Put the cooked meat in a large container or bowl and leave in the fridge until cooled down.  Divide into freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.

Artichoke and Crab Pizza

Ever since my little brother told me a few months ago that he makes the best home made pizza sauce and dough I have been excited to try them out.  And then last week while he was visiting I was finally able to.  The sauce he makes is absolutely fantastic...it involves roasting tomatoes and garlic for hours and then pureeing them with olive oil and I don't know what else.  Unfortunately it's his secret recipe and he didn't let me know what it was:(  But the crust is from the Joy of Cooking Cookbook and is super easy to make and really delicious.  Pizza is just so much better when the dough is freshly made.  I like a thin crust so we stretched it out quite a bit and were able to get 3 medium sized pizzas out of it.  It was perfect, and the outer crust didn't get all dried out.  My bro, hubby, and I each put different toppings on our pizzas, and I'm pretty sure mine was the best.  They just had outrageous toppings like pepperoni *gasp!* and green peppers.  I went with a different combination...

I had a small jar of artichokes at home, so it got me thinking of my favourite dip, artichoke and spinach, which got me thinking of crab dip, and the toppings just went from there.  The artichokes, spinach, crab, and red onion were superb together.  And I had some crab left over which I added to the cheese mixture in my cheese wontons, which turned out really well.  And now onto the recipe, because if I think about this pizza anymore I will have to make another!

 



 

Artichoke and Crab Pizza

 

1/2 of the pizza dough from the recipe below

1 small can pizza sauce (or make your own!)

1 6oz. jar of artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 can of crab meat

1/4 cup cooked spinach, chopped and drained well (about 1 1/2 cups before cooking)

2-4 tbsp finely diced red onions

1/4 cup finely diced yellow and/or orange peppers



 

Preheat oven to 450F.  Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal.  Roll and stretch the dough into the size and shape of pizza wanted and put on the baking sheet.  Spread desired amount of sauce over dough.  Place artichoke pieces over the sauce and then cover pizza with mozzarella cheese.  Top cheese with the remaining ingredients, evenly covering the pizza.  Bake for 10-12 minutes on middle rack, or until crust begins to brown.  Broil for 1-2 minutes at end to turn cheese golden and bubbly.  Let cool for a minute before cutting and enjoying! Yummmm!

 

Pizza Dough Recipe

 

1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

1 1/3 cups warm water

3 1/2  to 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp for coating bowl

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar, if desired (sugar makes a puffier crust)

 

Sprinkle yeast into the water in a large bowl and let stand 5-10 minutes until yeast is dissolved and foaming.

Mix in the remaining ingredients until it's all holding together (start with less flour and add more if needed).  Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.  Dough will be smooth and elastic when done.

Coat a large bowl with remaining oil and place the dough in it, turning it so that oil coats the whole dough ball.  Cover with a clean dishtowel and let rise for an hour and a half in a warm place.  Dough should double in volume.

Punch the dough (best part!) and divide it in half, forming 2 balls.  Lightly cover the balls and let rise for an additional 15 minutes to 24 hours.  (If letting it rise for a long period leave it in the fridge and take it out about 15 minutes prior to using.) *My brother made the dough the night before so it was ready for dinner the next day.*

Roll out the dough balls, top with your favourite sauce and toppings, and bake at 450F for 10-12 minutes.

 



Veggie Quesadillas

Toasty tortillas holding together a delicious blend of cheese, vegetables, and salsa, with more salsa, sour cream, and guacamole to dip...what could be better?  This is definitely comfort food.  Really though, anything with oozy, melty cheese on it becomes comfort food in my book.  Especially when avocados enter the mix!  I love the taste of these veggie quesadillas even more than the traditional chicken ones.  I like the crunch that the vegetables add, and although I make mine without chicken you can definitely add some to these.  Mmm, these really are delicious!

Veggie Quesadillas
(makes 4 small)

8 small flour tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely diced bell peppers (any colour... I like orange or yellow)
1/3 cup finely chopped broccoli
1/3 cup finely chopped cauliflower
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup salsa
1 avocado
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat olive oil in a large pan over med-high heat and cook broccoli, cauliflower, and peppers for about 5 minutes.  Vegetables should be cooked, but still slightly crunchy. 
Sprinkle half of the cheese on 4 tortillas.  Divide the cooked vegetables between the 4 tortillas, spreading around to cover cheese.  Top the vegetables with a tablespoon or two of salsa, keeping the remaining salsa for dip.  Use the rest of the cheese to sprinkle over the layer of salsa, and then top with the remaining tortillas.  Cook them in a frying pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes a side, or until tortillas turn golden brown and get crispy. 
Mash the avocado, lime juice, and chili flakes together to make a simple guacamole.  Serve the quesadillas with the remaining salsa, sour cream, and guacamole on the side.  Enjoy!