I had initially been planning on making either smoothies or porridge for breakfast this morning, but I was still in a pancake sort of mood, so I figured I'd do another batch of those instead. Plain pancakes seemed kind of boring though, so I decided to Google around for inclusion and flavour ideas. I made it as far as a Food Network slide show featuring "drool-worthy" pancakes. I had been planning on picking out one of those recipes to try this morning, but I didn't even get halfway through the list before Alex dragged me off. Before the laptop shut though, I did get a glimpse of "Strawberry-Granola Pancakes" and figured I could try something like that and just make it up as I went along.
Strawberry-Granola Pancakes
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. granola (I would've put more if I'd had any)
1 tsp. strawberry jam
1 tsp. apple jelly
5 frozen strawberries
1 1/4 c. milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
vanilla yogurt
1. Combine flour, salt, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and baking powder. (I also added the granola, jam, and strawberry concoction at this point, but I think I'd change that around next time.)
2. I only had about a tsp. of strawberry jam left, so I improvised: Place strawberries, jelly, and 1 Tbsp. sugar in empty jam jar. Microwave for 1 minute. Cut/mash/break up strawberries.
3. Add milk, egg, and butter to dry ingredients.
4. Add granola, jam, and strawberry concoction (if you haven't already).
5. Cook over medium heat.
6. Serve with vanilla yogurt.
I was happy enough with this but, as is often the case with a new recipe, I'd make a few tweaks next time:
Strawberry-Vanilla Pancakes
1 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. granola (optional)
1 Tbsp. strawberry jam
10 frozen strawberries
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. apple jelly
1 1/4 c. milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
vanilla yogurt
1. Combine flours, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
2. Stir in milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.
3. Microwave strawberries with jam, jelly, and brown sugar. Mash the strawberries around to break them up a bit.
4. Stir strawberry mixture and granola (if using) into batter.
5. Cook over medium heat.
6. Serve with vanilla yogurt.
Wednesday 30 March 2016
Monday 28 March 2016
Pancakes
Whipped up some pancakes for breakfast this morning. If pressed I could probably make them without a recipe (I have in the past), but it's been a while and I wanted a guide for this instance. I just grabbed a basic recipe off of allrecipes. No fancy inclusions. No buttermilk. No whipped egg whites. Just plain pancakes. Tasty. Not super light or fluffy, but perfectly serviceable, comforting pancakes.
Pancakes
Slightly adapted from allrecipes
3 c. flour
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. (If you're planning on adding inclusions like berries or chocolate chips, now would be a good time to add them.)
2. Pour in milk, eggs, and butter. Stir to combine. (I was always told not to worry about lumps in pancake batter. Get the lumps out of your gravy and your cake batter, don't worry about the pancakes.)
3. Heat pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil (preferably peanut oil). Add as many 1/4 c. dollops of batter as will comfortably fit in the pan (usually three or four).
4. When you start to see bubbles on the tops and/or sides of the pancakes, flip them over.
5. When the sides look dry (or you feel they're ready), remove from pan, add a tiny bit more oil, and start your next batch.
6. Serve with your favourite pancake toppings. Suggestions include: maple syrup, honey, butter and jam, fresh fruit and custard or whipped cream, fruit compote, Nutella, sugar and lemon juice, and yogurt.
Pancakes
Slightly adapted from allrecipes
3 c. flour
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. (If you're planning on adding inclusions like berries or chocolate chips, now would be a good time to add them.)
2. Pour in milk, eggs, and butter. Stir to combine. (I was always told not to worry about lumps in pancake batter. Get the lumps out of your gravy and your cake batter, don't worry about the pancakes.)
3. Heat pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil (preferably peanut oil). Add as many 1/4 c. dollops of batter as will comfortably fit in the pan (usually three or four).
4. When you start to see bubbles on the tops and/or sides of the pancakes, flip them over.
5. When the sides look dry (or you feel they're ready), remove from pan, add a tiny bit more oil, and start your next batch.
6. Serve with your favourite pancake toppings. Suggestions include: maple syrup, honey, butter and jam, fresh fruit and custard or whipped cream, fruit compote, Nutella, sugar and lemon juice, and yogurt.
Sunday 27 March 2016
Roast Leg of Lamb
I don't buy lamb often. It's too expensive. They had some on for 50% off the other day though. I was hardly going to pass that up!
I used the rub from a Jamie Oliver recipe I found and the cooking instructions from a Martha Stewart recipe and met somewhere in the middle. I'd meant to make the mint sauce from the Jamie Oliver page as well, but I completely forgot about it. I might make up a small batch to go with the leftovers tomorrow. Honestly though, the lamb is delicious as is and I love the flavour of the rub. It doesn't need any sauce and part of me wonders if the mint mightn't take away from the delicious lamb and lemon flavours already present.
Roast Leg of Lamb
Adapted from Jamie Oliver and Martha Stewart
1 leg of lamb (mine was ~2.5kg), fell removed
coarse sea salt
pepper
zest of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 bunch fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
~1/4 c. olive oil
new potatoes (~200g per person)
carrots (1-2 per person); peeled and cut into large chunks/quarters
parsnips (I couldn't get any for this, but I definitely would've put a few in if I'd had 'em; 1-2 per person)
onions (1/2 per person, rounded up); peeled and cut into eighths
garlic (1-2 cloves per person); peeled and bruised
1. Combine the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, and garlic in a large bowl.
2. Add 1/2 the rosemary and some salt and pepper. Drizzle over a couple tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Dump veg into the bottom of a large roasting pan.
3. In a small bowl, combine the garlic paste, lemon zest, some pepper, ~1 tsp. of salt per kg of meat, and the remaining rosemary and olive oil.
4. Smear the mixture all over the lamb and place the leg on top of the veg in the roast pan.
5. Bake at 425F for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F and bake for an additional hour or until internal temperature reads 130F.
6. Broil for an additional 5 minutes then remove from oven and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes.
7. Serve with roast veg. Optionally add mint sauce or gravy. A salad might be nice along side as well.
I think a little bit of lemon zest added to the potatoes could be quite good. Other veg could be added as well if desired. Really though, this roast was pretty much perfect. The lamb was delicious and tender. The rub was amazing. I was initially dubious about the lemon zest, but it was great! Definitely don't leave it out!
I used the rub from a Jamie Oliver recipe I found and the cooking instructions from a Martha Stewart recipe and met somewhere in the middle. I'd meant to make the mint sauce from the Jamie Oliver page as well, but I completely forgot about it. I might make up a small batch to go with the leftovers tomorrow. Honestly though, the lamb is delicious as is and I love the flavour of the rub. It doesn't need any sauce and part of me wonders if the mint mightn't take away from the delicious lamb and lemon flavours already present.
Roast Leg of Lamb
Adapted from Jamie Oliver and Martha Stewart
1 leg of lamb (mine was ~2.5kg), fell removed
coarse sea salt
pepper
zest of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 bunch fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
~1/4 c. olive oil
new potatoes (~200g per person)
carrots (1-2 per person); peeled and cut into large chunks/quarters
parsnips (I couldn't get any for this, but I definitely would've put a few in if I'd had 'em; 1-2 per person)
onions (1/2 per person, rounded up); peeled and cut into eighths
garlic (1-2 cloves per person); peeled and bruised
1. Combine the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, and garlic in a large bowl.
2. Add 1/2 the rosemary and some salt and pepper. Drizzle over a couple tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Dump veg into the bottom of a large roasting pan.
3. In a small bowl, combine the garlic paste, lemon zest, some pepper, ~1 tsp. of salt per kg of meat, and the remaining rosemary and olive oil.
4. Smear the mixture all over the lamb and place the leg on top of the veg in the roast pan.
5. Bake at 425F for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F and bake for an additional hour or until internal temperature reads 130F.
6. Broil for an additional 5 minutes then remove from oven and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes.
7. Serve with roast veg. Optionally add mint sauce or gravy. A salad might be nice along side as well.
I think a little bit of lemon zest added to the potatoes could be quite good. Other veg could be added as well if desired. Really though, this roast was pretty much perfect. The lamb was delicious and tender. The rub was amazing. I was initially dubious about the lemon zest, but it was great! Definitely don't leave it out!
Dark Chocolate Orange Truffles
I got to randomly clicking around the Smitten Kitchen blog the other day and stumbled across her post about hazelnut truffles. I decided that maybe it was finally time I tried making truffles myself. I'd always found the idea a little intimidating. I'm not sure why. I've made ganache before and, as she said, truffles are just firm ganache, so I figured maybe it wouldn't be so bad afterall and gave it a whirl.
She got her recipe from Ina Garten, but I just used her instructions so, I'll just link back there for now.
Orange Truffles
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
130g extra dark chocolate (70-75% cocoa), chopped
130g milk chocolate, chopped
1 c. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. orange blossom water
3 Tbsp. Cointreau
1 tsp. vanilla extract
cocoa, sifted (for dusting)
1. Heat cream just to boiling and pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate has all melted and you have a smooth ganache. (If chocolate needs a little help melting, place the bowl over a pot of hot/boiling water and continue whisking.)
2. Stir in orange blossom water, Cointreau, and vanilla.
3. Once everything is well-mixed, chill for an hour. (My ganache was still a bit too soft after an hour in the fridge so I actually ended up bunging it in the freezer for 15 mintues or so and that was perfect!)
4. Form into small balls and roll in sifted cocoa powder.
5. Place back in fridge to chill and firm up for another 15 minutes or so.
These are quite tasty. I'd be curious to see how they'd come out with 1-2 Tbsp. of orange juice in place of the floral water. I think they'd also be better rolled in something other than cocoa: I think toasted coconut would be really nice with the orange actually. Finely chopped glace orange might also work well.
There are also, of course, tonnes and tonnes of different flavour possibilities. I might just take a minute to jot some ideas down for next time to get them fixed in my mind.
Cherry Truffles - 3 Tbsp. pureed cherries, 2 Tbsp. kirsch, 1 tsp. almond extract; roll in chopped toasted almonds
Hazelnut Truffles - 3 Tbsp. Frangelico, 2 Tbsp. fresh-brewed coffee, 1 tsp. vanilla extract; roll in chopped toasted hazelnuts
Gingerbread Truffles - 1 Tbsp. ground ginger, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 Tbsp. molasses; roll in cinnamon sugar?
Grasshopper Truffles - 3 Tbsp. creme de menthe, 2 Tbsp. creme de cacao, 1 tsp. peppermint extract; roll in hot chocolate powder
Mocha Truffles - 3 Tbsp. fresh-brewed coffee/espresso, 2 Tbsp. creme de cacao, 1 tsp. vanilla extract; roll in hot cocolate powder or finely chopped chocolate-coated coffee beans
Peanut Butter Truffles - 1/4 c. peanut butter, 1 tsp. vanilla; roll in chopped toasted peanuts
Honey-Ginger Truffles - 3 Tbsp. honey-ginger tea syrup, 1 tsp. ground ginger; roll in finely chopped candied ginger
She got her recipe from Ina Garten, but I just used her instructions so, I'll just link back there for now.
Orange Truffles
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
130g extra dark chocolate (70-75% cocoa), chopped
130g milk chocolate, chopped
1 c. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. orange blossom water
3 Tbsp. Cointreau
1 tsp. vanilla extract
cocoa, sifted (for dusting)
1. Heat cream just to boiling and pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate has all melted and you have a smooth ganache. (If chocolate needs a little help melting, place the bowl over a pot of hot/boiling water and continue whisking.)
2. Stir in orange blossom water, Cointreau, and vanilla.
3. Once everything is well-mixed, chill for an hour. (My ganache was still a bit too soft after an hour in the fridge so I actually ended up bunging it in the freezer for 15 mintues or so and that was perfect!)
4. Form into small balls and roll in sifted cocoa powder.
5. Place back in fridge to chill and firm up for another 15 minutes or so.
These are quite tasty. I'd be curious to see how they'd come out with 1-2 Tbsp. of orange juice in place of the floral water. I think they'd also be better rolled in something other than cocoa: I think toasted coconut would be really nice with the orange actually. Finely chopped glace orange might also work well.
There are also, of course, tonnes and tonnes of different flavour possibilities. I might just take a minute to jot some ideas down for next time to get them fixed in my mind.
Cherry Truffles - 3 Tbsp. pureed cherries, 2 Tbsp. kirsch, 1 tsp. almond extract; roll in chopped toasted almonds
Hazelnut Truffles - 3 Tbsp. Frangelico, 2 Tbsp. fresh-brewed coffee, 1 tsp. vanilla extract; roll in chopped toasted hazelnuts
Gingerbread Truffles - 1 Tbsp. ground ginger, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 Tbsp. molasses; roll in cinnamon sugar?
Grasshopper Truffles - 3 Tbsp. creme de menthe, 2 Tbsp. creme de cacao, 1 tsp. peppermint extract; roll in hot chocolate powder
Mocha Truffles - 3 Tbsp. fresh-brewed coffee/espresso, 2 Tbsp. creme de cacao, 1 tsp. vanilla extract; roll in hot cocolate powder or finely chopped chocolate-coated coffee beans
Peanut Butter Truffles - 1/4 c. peanut butter, 1 tsp. vanilla; roll in chopped toasted peanuts
Honey-Ginger Truffles - 3 Tbsp. honey-ginger tea syrup, 1 tsp. ground ginger; roll in finely chopped candied ginger
Thursday 24 March 2016
Chicken Scaloppini
From Cook's Country, this recipe turned out delicious -- the crispy outer layer of the chicken didn't really survive close contact with the sauce, but the sauce was delightfully full of mushrooms and the chicken moist and tender. The recipe as originally written claims to serve two; we doubled it (and made some substitutions) and it fed the two of us and the toddlebot for two dinners.
The recipe presented here is the doubled version.
Ingredients
The recipe presented here is the doubled version.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ C all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- 12 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 2 red or yellow bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into thin strips
- 2 onions, sliced thin
- ½ C capers
- 2 garlic cloves or pearl garlics, minced
- 1½ C chicken broth
- 1 C dry white wine
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- a generous amount of chopped fresh parsley
- Place the chicken breasts on a plate, cover, and freeze for 15 minutes. (This is a good time to prepare the vegetables.)
- Taking each breast in turn, slice it in half horizontally starting from the thick side, then hammer it flat (to about ¼" thickness) using a meat mallet or the underside of a cast-iron pan.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.
- Heat oil in a deep-sided nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Replenish oil and add mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions. Cook until liquid has evaporated and vegetables are starting to brown, 4-6 minutes.
- Add capers and garlic and cook until fragrant, ~1 minute.
- Add broth and wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook until slightly thickened and reduced in volume, 5-7 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter.
- Return chicken and accumulated juices to pan to heat through.
- Transfer chicken to platter and top with vegetables, sauce, and parsley.
Sunday 20 March 2016
Black Garlic (Cheater's) Stroganoff
I'm tired so I'll keep this short. Got some black garlic. Looked up recipes. Stroganoff was tasty but didn't really showcase the garlic. Next time will take chef's advice and make some sort of savoury sauce to go over meat.
Black Garlic Stroganoff
Adapted from Black Garlic North America recipe page
2 Tbsp. bacon grease (or butter)
1 onion, chopped
6-8 cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper
1 lb. ground beef
1 tin condensed cream of mushroom soup (I used wild mushroom)
2 cloves black garlic, chopped
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. milk (next time I'd use beef stock)
1 large dill pickle, chopped (optional)
1 package wide egg noodles
1. Cook onion, mushrooms, and garlic in grease. Add a bit of pepper.
2. Add beef and brown. Sprinkle in a bit more pepper.
3. Add soup and black garlic and simmer for a while. (I would add stock at this point as well next time.)
4. Meanwhile, cook egg noodles.
5. Stir in sour cream and pickle.
6. Serve over egg noodles (or toss with egg noodles).
Tasty, but black garlic doesn't really come through. Next time I'd probably just use 4 cloves of regular garlic and leave out the black garlic entirely, but there will be a next time.
Black Garlic Stroganoff
Adapted from Black Garlic North America recipe page
2 Tbsp. bacon grease (or butter)
1 onion, chopped
6-8 cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper
1 lb. ground beef
1 tin condensed cream of mushroom soup (I used wild mushroom)
2 cloves black garlic, chopped
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. milk (next time I'd use beef stock)
1 large dill pickle, chopped (optional)
1 package wide egg noodles
1. Cook onion, mushrooms, and garlic in grease. Add a bit of pepper.
2. Add beef and brown. Sprinkle in a bit more pepper.
3. Add soup and black garlic and simmer for a while. (I would add stock at this point as well next time.)
4. Meanwhile, cook egg noodles.
5. Stir in sour cream and pickle.
6. Serve over egg noodles (or toss with egg noodles).
Tasty, but black garlic doesn't really come through. Next time I'd probably just use 4 cloves of regular garlic and leave out the black garlic entirely, but there will be a next time.
Friday 18 March 2016
Tropical Fruit Smoothie
Still working my way through the smoothie recipes from the most recent Cook's Country. I didn't like this one quite as well as the Cherry-Almond one, but it was still pretty good nonetheless.
Tropical Fruit Smoothie
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country April/May 2016
1/2 banana
1 Tbsp. honey
tiny sprinkle of salt
1/2 c. frozen pineapple
1/2 c. frozen mango
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. coconut water (pineapple juice or orange juice would also be good options)
1. Puree banana with honey and salt.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
Tropical Fruit Smoothie
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country April/May 2016
1/2 banana
1 Tbsp. honey
tiny sprinkle of salt
1/2 c. frozen pineapple
1/2 c. frozen mango
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. coconut water (pineapple juice or orange juice would also be good options)
1. Puree banana with honey and salt.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
Thursday 17 March 2016
Cherry-Almond Smoothie
I usually just bung a bunch of complimentary fruit in a blender with a bit of yogurt and/or juice and/or coconut water when I make smoothies. It works reasonably well. Pineapple and coconut water on its own actually makes a really nice smoothie. However, Cook's Country published some actual smoothie recipes in their latest issue and I have to say, I'm really impressed with the results. Their version uses a banana-honey base and quite a bit more yogurt than I'd normally put, but it makes for an extremely creamy, mellow smoothie. It doesn't taste as fruity or acidic as what I normally make. It's a bit more subdued and more filling as well which is great for breakfast smoothies.
Cherry-Almond Smoothie
From Cook's Country April/May 2016
1/2 banana
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. almond butter
tiny sprinkle of salt (~1/16 tsp.)
1 c. frozen cherries
1/2 c. plain yogurt (original recipe recommends whole milk yogurt; I used 2% because that was the only variety available in lactose-free)
2 Tbsp. milk (again recipe recommends whole milk; I used LF 2%)
1. Puree banana, honey, almond butter, and salt together until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Puree until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Enjoy!
Cherry-Almond Smoothie
From Cook's Country April/May 2016
1/2 banana
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. almond butter
tiny sprinkle of salt (~1/16 tsp.)
1 c. frozen cherries
1/2 c. plain yogurt (original recipe recommends whole milk yogurt; I used 2% because that was the only variety available in lactose-free)
2 Tbsp. milk (again recipe recommends whole milk; I used LF 2%)
1. Puree banana, honey, almond butter, and salt together until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Puree until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Enjoy!
Tuesday 15 March 2016
Dublin Coddle
I had intended to make this on the weekend when time is a bit more plentiful, but things kind of got out of whack, so it didn't end up getting made until tonight. It came out alright in the end, but I'd definitely make some tweaks to it next time. There's potential here, but I can't say that I'm thrilled with the results the first time 'round. So, here's what went into it this time and I'll follow it up with a suggested version for next time.
Dublin Coddle
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country
1 1/2 lbs. yellow-fleshed potatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
salt & pepper
6 slices thick-cut bacon
2 lbs. sausages (original recipe calls for bratwurst or bangers; I used some amazing, locally-made, garlic-y pork sausages we had on hand)
4 small onions, sliced 1/2" thick
~1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 3/4 c. low-sodium chicken stock
2 Tbsp. cane vinegar (original recipe calls for apple cider vinegar, but we ran out)
(See below for an idea of what I did with this. Baked at 325F for 1 1/2 hours. Potatoes were still a little firm in places.)
Better Dublin Coddle
1 1/2 lbs. yellow-fleshed potatoes, sliced 1/8" thick
salt & pepper
6 slices thick-cut bacon
2 lbs. sausages
4 small onions, sliced 1/4" thick
~1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. chicken stock
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1. Shingle the potato slices in the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Cook bacon over medium heat. Cut into 1" pieces and set aside.
3. Lightly brown sausages in bacon grease. (Do not cook all the way through yet.) Set sausages aside.
4. Add onions, garlic, and thyme to pan with bacon grease. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until onions are soft (~8 minutes).
5. Add chicken stock and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan.
6. Pour onion mixture over potatoes. Spread onions evenly.
7. Place sausages on top of onions.
8. Bake at 325F for 1 1/4 hours or until desired doneness.
9. Sprinkle with reserved bacon. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with salad & crusty bread.
Dublin Coddle
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country
1 1/2 lbs. yellow-fleshed potatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
salt & pepper
6 slices thick-cut bacon
2 lbs. sausages (original recipe calls for bratwurst or bangers; I used some amazing, locally-made, garlic-y pork sausages we had on hand)
4 small onions, sliced 1/2" thick
~1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 3/4 c. low-sodium chicken stock
2 Tbsp. cane vinegar (original recipe calls for apple cider vinegar, but we ran out)
(See below for an idea of what I did with this. Baked at 325F for 1 1/2 hours. Potatoes were still a little firm in places.)
Better Dublin Coddle
1 1/2 lbs. yellow-fleshed potatoes, sliced 1/8" thick
salt & pepper
6 slices thick-cut bacon
2 lbs. sausages
4 small onions, sliced 1/4" thick
~1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. chicken stock
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1. Shingle the potato slices in the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Cook bacon over medium heat. Cut into 1" pieces and set aside.
3. Lightly brown sausages in bacon grease. (Do not cook all the way through yet.) Set sausages aside.
4. Add onions, garlic, and thyme to pan with bacon grease. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until onions are soft (~8 minutes).
5. Add chicken stock and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan.
6. Pour onion mixture over potatoes. Spread onions evenly.
7. Place sausages on top of onions.
8. Bake at 325F for 1 1/4 hours or until desired doneness.
9. Sprinkle with reserved bacon. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with salad & crusty bread.
Jalapeño-Glazed Pork Chops with Celery Root Salad
Yet another recipe out of Cook's Country. I just had to switch up the glaze a bit.
Jalapeño-Glazed Pork Chops
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country April/May 2016
4 pork chops
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
salt & pepper
1 (250mL) jar jalapeño jelly
6 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and cook in oil over medium-high heat (~6 minutes/side). Remove pork chops from pan.
2. Add jelly and vinegar to now empty pan. Cook 3-4 minutes, until jelly melts and liquid is slightly reduced and thickened.
3. Pour glaze over pork chops and serve with celery root salad.
Celery Root Salad
From Cook's Country April/May 2016
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
2 Tbsp. capers, minced
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. cayenne
salt & pepper
1 celery root, peeled and grated
1. Combine mayo, mustard, capers, vinegar, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
2. Stir in grated celery root. Serve with glazed pork chops.
Next time I'd like to try adding a grated apple to the salad. I think it would complement the celery root really well and add a bit more interest and flavour.
Jalapeño-Glazed Pork Chops
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country April/May 2016
4 pork chops
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
salt & pepper
1 (250mL) jar jalapeño jelly
6 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and cook in oil over medium-high heat (~6 minutes/side). Remove pork chops from pan.
2. Add jelly and vinegar to now empty pan. Cook 3-4 minutes, until jelly melts and liquid is slightly reduced and thickened.
3. Pour glaze over pork chops and serve with celery root salad.
Celery Root Salad
From Cook's Country April/May 2016
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
2 Tbsp. capers, minced
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. cayenne
salt & pepper
1 celery root, peeled and grated
1. Combine mayo, mustard, capers, vinegar, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
2. Stir in grated celery root. Serve with glazed pork chops.
Next time I'd like to try adding a grated apple to the salad. I think it would complement the celery root really well and add a bit more interest and flavour.
Sunday 13 March 2016
Apple Cake
I've been compiling a list of cake recipes to try for a while now. I'm not going through them very fast, but that probably not a bad thing considering that decadent cakes probably shouldn't be consumed with great frequency. I found this recipe on the Smitten Kitchen blog. She apparently got it from her mother. And her mother, as it turns out, got it from a Home and Garden magazine.
Apple Cake
Slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen
6 apples, peeled and cubed (I used Honey Crisp)
6 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 3/4 c. flour (I used 2 1/4 c. unbleached, all-purpose and 1/2 c. whole wheat)
1 Tbsp. baking powder, sifted
1 tsp. table salt
1 c. canola oil
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1. Toss apples with cinnamon and 6 Tbsp. sugar.
2. Grease pan and preheat oven to 350F. I used a Bundt pan. The original recipe calls for a tube pan.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
4. In a smaller bowl, combine oil, 2 c. sugar, orange juice, and eggs.
5. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
6. Here the original recipe calls for pouring half the batter into the pan, followed by half the apples, then the rest of the batter, and finally the rest of the apples. However, since I was using a Bundt pan and the cake would end up being served "upside down", I reversed the order and did apples-batter-apples-batter instead.
7. Bake at 350F for 1 hour 15 minutes.
8. Allow to cool completely before removing from pan.
This cake smelled amazing as it was cooking and it definitely delivered on flavour as well! It did not, however, have great structural integrity, so if you're looking for something with perfect presentation, this is not the cake for you. But seriously, so delicious! And over at Smitten Kitchen, Deb advises that it's even better on the second day when the juices from the apples have really sunk in and made everything lovely and moist and pudding-y.
TF's mom mentioned that this sounds like a good cake for serving with custard and I definitely think I'll give that a try next time. ('Cause you better believe there's gonna be a next time!) If nothing else, I think I may have to start making this cake for TF's birthday. He was quite taken with it.
Apple Cake
Slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen
6 apples, peeled and cubed (I used Honey Crisp)
6 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 3/4 c. flour (I used 2 1/4 c. unbleached, all-purpose and 1/2 c. whole wheat)
1 Tbsp. baking powder, sifted
1 tsp. table salt
1 c. canola oil
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1. Toss apples with cinnamon and 6 Tbsp. sugar.
2. Grease pan and preheat oven to 350F. I used a Bundt pan. The original recipe calls for a tube pan.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
4. In a smaller bowl, combine oil, 2 c. sugar, orange juice, and eggs.
5. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
6. Here the original recipe calls for pouring half the batter into the pan, followed by half the apples, then the rest of the batter, and finally the rest of the apples. However, since I was using a Bundt pan and the cake would end up being served "upside down", I reversed the order and did apples-batter-apples-batter instead.
7. Bake at 350F for 1 hour 15 minutes.
8. Allow to cool completely before removing from pan.
This cake smelled amazing as it was cooking and it definitely delivered on flavour as well! It did not, however, have great structural integrity, so if you're looking for something with perfect presentation, this is not the cake for you. But seriously, so delicious! And over at Smitten Kitchen, Deb advises that it's even better on the second day when the juices from the apples have really sunk in and made everything lovely and moist and pudding-y.
TF's mom mentioned that this sounds like a good cake for serving with custard and I definitely think I'll give that a try next time. ('Cause you better believe there's gonna be a next time!) If nothing else, I think I may have to start making this cake for TF's birthday. He was quite taken with it.
Wednesday 9 March 2016
High Tea
Not so much a recipe as a collection of things, but I figured I'd write it up anyway because it went over so well.
For the Tea
black tea (such as English Breakfast or Orange Pekoe)
milk
sugar
For the Scones
scones
clotted cream
strawberry jam
For the Cucumber Sandwiches
white bread
mayonaise
English cucumber, sliced
freshly ground black pepper
Optional Extras
cake(s)
cheese(s)
crusty bread or crackers
spreads, compotes, and/or chutneys to complement the cheese(s)
cookies/biscuits
additional sandwiches
1. Make you cucumber sandwiches (preferably crustless finger sandwiches).
2. Lay everything out on one or more plates.
3. Brew your tea.
4. Sit down and enjoy with friends! Spread the scones with clotted cream and jam, sip your tea, and enjoy some cakes and cookies. :)
For the Tea
black tea (such as English Breakfast or Orange Pekoe)
milk
sugar
For the Scones
scones
clotted cream
strawberry jam
For the Cucumber Sandwiches
white bread
mayonaise
English cucumber, sliced
freshly ground black pepper
Optional Extras
cake(s)
cheese(s)
crusty bread or crackers
spreads, compotes, and/or chutneys to complement the cheese(s)
cookies/biscuits
additional sandwiches
1. Make you cucumber sandwiches (preferably crustless finger sandwiches).
2. Lay everything out on one or more plates.
3. Brew your tea.
4. Sit down and enjoy with friends! Spread the scones with clotted cream and jam, sip your tea, and enjoy some cakes and cookies. :)
Morning Glory Porridge
I've been playing around with this recipe and tweaking it over the past couple of weeks. I tried it with steel-cut oats yesterday and I'm really pleased with the results.
Morning Glory Porridge
1/4 c. dried coconut
1/4 c. nuts (I used slivered almonds and raw cashews, but chopped walnuts would also work well)
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 c. steel-cut oats
2 c. water
1 carrot, grated
1/4 c. raisins
2 Tbsp. wheat bran
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1. Toast coconut, nuts, cinnamon stick, and oats with butter.
2. Add water and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Morning Glory Porridge
1/4 c. dried coconut
1/4 c. nuts (I used slivered almonds and raw cashews, but chopped walnuts would also work well)
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 c. steel-cut oats
2 c. water
1 carrot, grated
1/4 c. raisins
2 Tbsp. wheat bran
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1. Toast coconut, nuts, cinnamon stick, and oats with butter.
2. Add water and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Sunday 6 March 2016
Marmalade-Mustard Glazed Gammon
This was supposed to be served with mashed potatoes and a parsley sauce. I did roast vegetables instead and skipped on the parsley sauce because it really doesn't need any extra sauce with all that glaze.
Marmalade-Mustard Glazed Gammon
Slightly adapted from BBC Food
1.3kg smoked gammon joint
1 lemon, halved
1 orange, halved
1 apple, halved
1 onion, halved
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 good dashes cayenne
1/2 pint ale (optional)
5 star anise
340g marmalade
5 fl. oz. honey
~2 Tbsp. wholegrain mustard
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Roast Veg
5 parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 packed cubed sweet potato and butternut squash
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
~1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
dash cayenne
1. Place gammon in a large pot with lemon, orange, apple, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cayenne, ale, and 2 of the star anise. Add water to just cover everything.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for ~1 hour.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. In a small pot combine marmalade with remaining star anise, honey, mustard, and cloves. Heat until marmalade has melted and everything is well-blended.
5. Remove gammon from cooking water and place in a roasting pan.
6. Drizzle the chopped veg with olive oil and toss with salt, pepper, cayenne, and herbs.
7. Dump the chopped veg in around the meat.
8. Glaze the gammon with the marmalade mixture.
9. Bake at 210C (~400F) for ~45 minutes, basting with additional glaze every 10-15 minutes.
10. When glaze is slightly blackened around the edges and veggies are cooked, remove from oven and serve. (Serving some additional green veg along side probably wouldn't go amiss, I just didn't have anything appropriate on hand when I was making this.)
I'm pleased with how this came out, but I'd definitely tweak it a bit next time.
For the Boil
1.3kg smoked gammon joint
1 lemon, halved
1 orange, halved
1 apple, halved
1 onion, halved
3-4 scallions, rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tsp. black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
2 dried chiles de arbol
2 star anise
For the Glaze
200g marmalade
4 fl. oz. honey
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp. wholegrain mustard
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
Marmalade-Mustard Glazed Gammon
Slightly adapted from BBC Food
1.3kg smoked gammon joint
1 lemon, halved
1 orange, halved
1 apple, halved
1 onion, halved
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 good dashes cayenne
1/2 pint ale (optional)
5 star anise
340g marmalade
5 fl. oz. honey
~2 Tbsp. wholegrain mustard
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Roast Veg
5 parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 packed cubed sweet potato and butternut squash
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
~1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
dash cayenne
1. Place gammon in a large pot with lemon, orange, apple, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cayenne, ale, and 2 of the star anise. Add water to just cover everything.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for ~1 hour.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. In a small pot combine marmalade with remaining star anise, honey, mustard, and cloves. Heat until marmalade has melted and everything is well-blended.
5. Remove gammon from cooking water and place in a roasting pan.
6. Drizzle the chopped veg with olive oil and toss with salt, pepper, cayenne, and herbs.
7. Dump the chopped veg in around the meat.
8. Glaze the gammon with the marmalade mixture.
9. Bake at 210C (~400F) for ~45 minutes, basting with additional glaze every 10-15 minutes.
10. When glaze is slightly blackened around the edges and veggies are cooked, remove from oven and serve. (Serving some additional green veg along side probably wouldn't go amiss, I just didn't have anything appropriate on hand when I was making this.)
I'm pleased with how this came out, but I'd definitely tweak it a bit next time.
For the Boil
1.3kg smoked gammon joint
1 lemon, halved
1 orange, halved
1 apple, halved
1 onion, halved
3-4 scallions, rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tsp. black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
2 dried chiles de arbol
2 star anise
For the Glaze
200g marmalade
4 fl. oz. honey
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp. wholegrain mustard
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
Wednesday 2 March 2016
Sweet Coconut-Cherry Couscous
I tried a different variant of sweet couscous last week and was reasonably pleased with the results. As I mentioned in that post though, I did find the orange zest a little too assertive. I kind of drowned out everything else plus left a bit of a bitter taste which required quite a lot of honey to balance out. It might be interesting to try with marmalade sometime to see if that gives a nice orange-y-ness without being quite so bitter. This time though, I decided to go a different route entirely and I have to say, I'm quite pleased with the outcome!
Coconut-Cherry Couscous
~225g couscous
125g dried cranberries and raisins
1/4 c. dried coconut (I'd probably do 6 Tbsp. next time)
15-20 pitted sweet cherries, halved
750mL milk
cherry yogurt
honey
1. Combine couscous, cranberries, raisins, coconut, and cherries in a large bowl.
2. Bring milk just to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour over couscous.
3. Give couscous a stir, then let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Serve topped with yogurt and honey.
Coconut-Cherry Couscous
~225g couscous
125g dried cranberries and raisins
1/4 c. dried coconut (I'd probably do 6 Tbsp. next time)
15-20 pitted sweet cherries, halved
750mL milk
cherry yogurt
honey
1. Combine couscous, cranberries, raisins, coconut, and cherries in a large bowl.
2. Bring milk just to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour over couscous.
3. Give couscous a stir, then let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Serve topped with yogurt and honey.
Tuesday 1 March 2016
Roasted Sea Bass with Chorizo
This was really, really, really good! Not that I got to have very much of the fish itself since the toddle bot ate half of an entire fish on his own. Not even exaggerating. I think he would've eaten even more if there'd been any left. Next time I would definitely double the recipe unless I was only intending to feed myself and the devourer of fish toddle bot.
Roasted Sea Bass with Chorizo
Slightly adapted from BBC Food
1/4 c. olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
100g chorizo, chopped
dash Italian seasoning (replace with thyme if available)
50g pitted black olives
16 cherry tomatoes
salt
black pepper
1 sea bass, scaled and gutted
1. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and chorizo and cook until onion softens.
2. Add Italian seasoning (or thyme), olives, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Dump chorizo mixture into a 9x13" baking dish or similar.
4. Place fish on top of chorizo mixture and slash skin. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (or thyme). Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil.
5. Bake at 190C (375F) for 20-25 minutes.
Roasted Sea Bass with Chorizo
Slightly adapted from BBC Food
1/4 c. olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
100g chorizo, chopped
dash Italian seasoning (replace with thyme if available)
50g pitted black olives
16 cherry tomatoes
salt
black pepper
1 sea bass, scaled and gutted
1. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and chorizo and cook until onion softens.
2. Add Italian seasoning (or thyme), olives, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Dump chorizo mixture into a 9x13" baking dish or similar.
4. Place fish on top of chorizo mixture and slash skin. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (or thyme). Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil.
5. Bake at 190C (375F) for 20-25 minutes.
Huevos Rancheros
I had a general idea of how to make huevos rancheros and was just gonna roll with it, but decided to peek at a few recipes at the last minute and ended up mostly following Jamie Oliver's recipe with a few little substitutions and additions along the way.
Huevos Rancheros
Adapted from Jamie Oliver
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
generous dash cayenne
salt
black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 (226g) jars mild salsa
1 package black beans (230g drained), rinsed
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
6 eggs
6 whole wheat tortillas
Cheddar cheese, grated
1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and bay leaves. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook until vegetables begin to brown.
2. Add salsa and beans. Cook until slightly thickened.
3. Stir in cilantro.
4. Make six wells in the tomato mixture. Break an egg into each well. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low.
5. When eggs reach desired done-ness, remove from heat.
6. Serve on warm tortillas with grated Cheddar.
If I'd been making this at home with access to my usual spices, I'd probably try replacing the cayenne with a bit of minced chipotle in adobo. I might also add a dried guajillo chile or two. I'd probably just use diced tomatoes instead of the salsa next time as well.
Huevos Rancheros
Adapted from Jamie Oliver
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
generous dash cayenne
salt
black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 (226g) jars mild salsa
1 package black beans (230g drained), rinsed
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
6 eggs
6 whole wheat tortillas
Cheddar cheese, grated
1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and bay leaves. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook until vegetables begin to brown.
2. Add salsa and beans. Cook until slightly thickened.
3. Stir in cilantro.
4. Make six wells in the tomato mixture. Break an egg into each well. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low.
5. When eggs reach desired done-ness, remove from heat.
6. Serve on warm tortillas with grated Cheddar.
If I'd been making this at home with access to my usual spices, I'd probably try replacing the cayenne with a bit of minced chipotle in adobo. I might also add a dried guajillo chile or two. I'd probably just use diced tomatoes instead of the salsa next time as well.
Pasta with Turkey and Fennel
I tweaked this a bit because I'm traveling right now and didn't want to buy a whole container of fennel seed for just one meal. I decided to try slicing up a fennel bulb and using that instead and I'm really pleased with how it came out. I feel like it might make it very slightly healthier as well since you're getting a bit more veg that way too.
Pasta with Turkey and Fennel
Adapted from realsimple
350g whole wheat pasta
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey (I used 2% fat ground turkey breast)
3-4 cloves garlic
1 bulb fennel, sliced
generous dash cayenne
sea salt
black pepper
Parmesan
1. Boil pasta until al dente, adding broccoli for the last minute of cooking. Drain and return to pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. of oil over medium heat. Add turkey and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne breaking up and cooking until browned.
3. Remove turkey from pan. Add another Tbsp. of oil. Add garlic, fennel, and a bit more cayenne and pepper. Cook until done.
4. Add fennel, turkey, and remaining Tbsp. of oil to pot with drained pasta and broccoli. Toss to combine. Top with grated Parmesan and serve with a salad on the side.
Pasta with Turkey and Fennel
Adapted from realsimple
350g whole wheat pasta
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey (I used 2% fat ground turkey breast)
3-4 cloves garlic
1 bulb fennel, sliced
generous dash cayenne
sea salt
black pepper
Parmesan
1. Boil pasta until al dente, adding broccoli for the last minute of cooking. Drain and return to pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. of oil over medium heat. Add turkey and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne breaking up and cooking until browned.
3. Remove turkey from pan. Add another Tbsp. of oil. Add garlic, fennel, and a bit more cayenne and pepper. Cook until done.
4. Add fennel, turkey, and remaining Tbsp. of oil to pot with drained pasta and broccoli. Toss to combine. Top with grated Parmesan and serve with a salad on the side.
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