27 January 2014 Meatless Monday – Easy Roasted Carrots

Meatless Monday – Easy Roasted Carrots

January 27, 2014 By

Cooked CarrotsI just love roasting vegetables in the winter months to serve as a side dish with various foods, or on their own as a complete meal. Just drizzle a little oil, sprinkle S&P and roast!

In this case, large carrots are cut in half long ways and roasted until the natural sugars caramelize and create a slightly sticky coating that’s delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 4 giant carrots, cut in half then halved long ways
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Add the carrots to a baking sheet and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the carrots then roast, cut side down, in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until tender.

4 side servings.

Filed Under: American, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , , ,
20 January 2014 Meatless Monday – Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Meatless Monday – Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

January 20, 2014 By

Raw SproutsRoasting Brussels sprouts couldn’t be simpler – cut the sprouts in half, drizzle a little oil, sprinkle S&P and roast for 20 minutes. The natural sugars of the sprouts caramelize and created little crunchy bits that are delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Add the Brussels sprouts to a baking sheet and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the spouts and roast them in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, flipping them gently until caramelized and golden brown.

6 side servings.

Filed Under: American, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,
11 January 2014 Slow Cooker Oatmeal

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

January 11, 2014 By
Oatmeal Bowl

Oatmeal with Maple Syrup

How great is oatmeal on a cold winter morning? Pretty darn great if you ask me. Warm, comforting and simple to make, oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfast items.

I’ve come to learn to enjoy Irish steel cut oats and the Crockpot is a perfect way to cook it to its nutty, slightly al dente yet creamy texture. Set the oatmeal in the slow cooker when you go to bed and wake up to a perfect bowl in the morning!

Ingredients:

Oatmeal Cooking in Crockpot

Oatmeal Cooking in Crockpot

Directions:

  • Find a heatproof bowl that fits inside your Crockpot with a bit of space around it. Add enough water to the Crockpot for it to be half full. Place the empty bowl in the Crockpot.
  • Add the water, oats and salt in the bowl and stir to combine.
  • Turn the Crockpot on low and cook for 5-8 hours.

Serve with golden raisins, maple syrup and warmed, light cream.

Makes 6 servings.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal
Serves 6
How great is oatmeal on a cold winter morning? Pretty darn great if you ask me. Warm, comforting and simple to make, oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfast items. I’ve come to learn to enjoy Irish steel cut oats and the Crockpot is a perfect way to cook it to its nutty, slightly al dente yet creamy texture. Set the oatmeal in the slow cooker when you go to bed and wake up to a perfect bowl in the morning!
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Ingredients
  1. 4 cups water
  2. 1 cup steel cut oats ( I use McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal)
  3. ½ tsp. Kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Find a heatproof bowl that fits inside your Crockpot with a bit of space around it. Add enough water to the Crockpot for it to be half full. Place the empty bowl in the Crockpot.
  2. Add the water, oats and salt in the bowl and stir to combine.
  3. Turn the Crockpot on low and cook for 5-8 hours.
Notes
  1. Serve with golden raisins, maple syrup and warmed, light cream.
Food & Wine Chickie Insider https://www.foodandwinechickie.com/
Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
4 January 2014 Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

January 4, 2014 By

Roasted Red Pepper SoupWe were just in Quebec celebrating Christmas with my family and one night, we went out to a neat restaurant in my town that served a comforting, delicious roasted red pepper soup. We loved it so much that my guy asked me to recreate it when we got back home.

The soup at the restaurant was sweet and a bit smoky from the roasted peppers and tangy from the tomatoes and had a small amount of cream to give it a luscious texture and…creaminess. This soup comes close to the “original” and would be ideal served with a simple grilled cheese but could also be dressed up with a drizzle of crème fraiche.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 tsp. each dried thyme and Kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. each black pepper and granulated sugar
  • 28-ounce can of roasted sweet red peppers, drained (could also roast two large red peppers)
  • 28-can of San Marzano tomatoes
  • 32-ounces chicken or vegetable broth
  • ½ cup light or heavy cream

Directions:

  1. Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat then add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the thyme, salt, pepper and sugar and cook for an additional minute.
  3. Add the red peppers, tomatoes and the broth to the vegetables and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes then use an immersion blender to pulse the soup to an almost smooth consistency. You could do this in batches in a blender also. If you like a completely smooth soup, strain the pureed soup through a sieve (I did).
  4. Stir in the cream into the soup and warm through, making certain the soup doesn’t boil again.

8 servings.

Filed Under: American, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
30 December 2013 Tangy Beef Tartare

Tangy Beef Tartare

December 30, 2013 By

Beef TartareFor the last two Christmas in Quebec, my family has divided up who brings what for Christmas Eve dinner. As you might expect if you’ve been following this blog for a while, I’m charged with desserts. While everyone raves about my Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie, I look forward to my cousin Phil and his wife Laurie’s Beef Tartare. We serve it as an hors d’oeuvres paired with garlicky toasts and it’s absolutely delicious. This year, they’ve agreed to share the recipe and I’m sharing it with you.

Main Ingredients:

  • ½ pound pristine quality beef filet mignon or sirloin, finely chopped with a sharp knife
  • 1/3 cup chopped capers
  • 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 1/3 cup minced shallot
  • 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped chives
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. ground pepper
  • 1 tsp. sea salt

Tangy Mayonnaise Ingredients:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. white vinegar
  • ½ cup grape seed oil

Directions:

  1. Combine all the main ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. In a separate small bowl, whisk the yolk, mustard and vinegar together until combined. Slowly drizzle the oil into the yolk mixture while whisking vigorously. Continue whisking the mayonnaise after the oil is incorporated for 30 seconds to ensure the mixture is emulsified.
  3. Gently add the mayonnaise to the beef mixture and stir to coat.
  4. Serve the tartare with toasted bread or crackers.

Makes about 2 cups.

Filed Under: American, Beef, Canadian, French, Starters Tagged With: , , ,
11 December 2013 Chocolate Rolo Cookies

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

December 11, 2013 By
Cookie Prep Station

Cookie Prep Station

When I was growing up in Quebec, Caramilk chocolate bars were some of my favorite. Basically Cadbury chocolate with gooey caramel inside – yum! When we moved to the US in 1985, Rolos were as close as it got and I began enjoying them almost as much as my beloved Caramilks.

Rolo In Cookie Dough

Rolo In Cookie Dough

When this year’s The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap came along, I knew I wanted to stuff a Rolo inside a chocolate cookie as my entry. Chocolate, caramel…need I say more?

This recipe yields 4 dozen cookies, perfect for the three dozen I needed to ship to my matches and a dozen for moi!

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 48 Rolos, unwrapped
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
Cookie Dough Balls

Cookie Dough Balls

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar and the cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Beat until just combined.
  4. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture, ¼ cup at a time, to the butter/sugar mixture until fully incorporated – don’t overmix.
  5. Baked Cookies

    Baked Cookies

    Take a teaspoon of cookie dough and flatten it in your hand or on the counter. Wrap the flatten cookie dough around a Rolo. Once you’ve ensured the Rolo is covered completely with the cookie dough, roll the dough ball in the remaining sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets – 12 cookies per sheet. Roll the remaining 2 dozen cookies and set aside.

  6. Bake the first 24 cookies for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the sheets then move to a cookie rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining 2 dozen cookies.

Yields 4 dozen cookies.

 

Inspired by Two Peas & Their Pod

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , , , ,
6 December 2013 Pepernoten – Bite-Size Dutch Spiced Cookies

Pepernoten – Bite-Size Dutch Spiced Cookies

December 6, 2013 By
Pepernoten Cookies

Pepernoten Cookies

Every Sunday night, I take part in a food Twitter chat (are we connected on Twitter?) that last about an hour. During last week’s session, I met a food blogger from Holland, Ellen from In My Red Kitchen, now living in Los Angeles. We exchanged a few tweets and I told her my guy is Dutch and I’d be checking out her website for recipes. She sent me back a link to her Pepernoten recipe and told me to make that for SinterKlaas.

Today is December 6, Sinterklaas, and last night, at my guy’s delight, I made Ellen’s Pepernoten recipe. Pepernoten are tiny little cookies deeply-infused with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove. They are crunchy and are eaten sort of like popcorn – by the handful.

FlourHere’s a slightly-modified version of Ellen’s recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. cardamom
  • ¼ tsp. ground ginger
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 6 Tbsp. milk
Unbaked Pepernoten

Unbaked Pepernoten

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 340 F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the flour, the baking powder, the spices, the salt and the sugar in a medium bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with the milk. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until fully combined – don’t overmix.
  4. Use about a half teaspoon of cookie dough to form tiny little balls.
  5. Place the balls on the cookie sheets and flatten them slightly with your thumb. Bake the Pepernoten for 15 – 18 minutes.
  6. Cool completely on a cookie rack then store in an airtight container.

Makes about 75 cookies.

Filed Under: Desserts, Dutch Tagged With: , , , , ,
29 November 2013 Bacon Collard Greens

Bacon Collard Greens

November 29, 2013 By
Bacon and Onion

Bacon and Onion

Yeah, I know collard greens are typically associated with the south but I love southern food and enjoy cooking this style of food. One side dish I love to make a serve with rich food is a piping hot bowl of baconey, spicy collard greens. You could even go nuts and grill some pork sausages and top the porky collards with them!

Collards Sauteeing

Collards Sauteeing

It couldn’t be simpler to make collards, just make sure the bigger stems are removed and that they have ample time to cook so they’re tender.

Ingredients:

  • 6 bacon slices, julienned
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound fresh collard greens, sturdy stems removed and chopped
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tsp. each salt and pepper
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • Heavy pinch of nutmeg
Cooked Collards

Cooked Collards

Directions:

  1. Cook bacon in a large sautee pan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add collard greens and sautee until they start to wilt, about 3 minutes.
  2. Pour the chicken broth over the greens and season with salt, pepper red pepper flakes and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour, or until the greens are tender.

Yields 6 sides servings.

Filed Under: American, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,
22 November 2013 Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

November 22, 2013 By
Raw Brussels Sprouts

Raw Brussels Sprouts

Like many others, I’ve rediscover Brussels sprouts in the last few years. Roasted, earthy, caramelized Brussels sprouts that is…not grandma’s soggy, bitter version.

Roasting Brussels sprouts couldn’t be easier and they’re a crowd pleaser, even for former haters.

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 16 ounces slab bacon, julienned
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
Slab Bacon

Slab Bacon

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar. Heat over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, or until thickened and syrupy. Cool and reserve.
  2. In a heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until browned and crispy. Place the cooked bacon on paper towels to drain and pour all but 4 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan.
  3. Add butter to the bacon fat and place the skillet over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, carefully flipping the sprouts periodically, until caramelized and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
  4. Season the sprouts with salt and pepper, toss with the bacon and drizzle the balsamic glaze over the dish.

6 side servings.

Filed Under: American, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , , ,
17 November 2013 Black Out Chocolate Pound Cake

Black Out Chocolate Pound Cake

November 17, 2013 By

IngredientsI’ve had these Ghirardelli dark chocolate bars in my pantry for two weeks and they’ve been calling my name to use them in something dark and decadent. While perusing Pinterest (one of my guilty pleasures), I saw a beautiful pound cake by OMGChocolateDesserts.com that I knew would be wonderful.

Chocolate Mixture

Chocolate Mixture

I wanted that deep, dark and rich chocolate flavor so I used the dark Ghirardelli chocolate I had on hand along with the cocoa powder by the same maker. The results are sooooo delish.

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 ounces Ghirardelli dark chocolate (60% cocoa), chopped
  • 1/3 cup boiling water
  • ¾ cup Ghirardelli cocoa powder
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
Cake Batter

Cake Batter

Ganache Ingredients

  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 4 ounces Ghirardelli dark chocolate (60% cocoa), chopped
Baked Cake

Baked Cake

Cake Instructions

  1. Coat a 9” x 5” loaf pan with cooking spray or butter. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Mix the flour and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over it and stir with a spoon until fully melted. Add the cocoa powder and stir until well incorporated. Set aside.
  4. Cream the butter for 2 minutes using an electric mixer. Add the granulated sugar and mix for 1 minute. Add the reserved chocolate mixture and mix for another minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the flour mixture, a quarter cup at a time, until just blended – don’t overmix.
  5. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 6o-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  6. Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan then unmold and cool completely.

Ganache Instructions

  1. Heat the cream in the microwave for 1 minute.
  2. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a small bowl and whisk until the mixture is uniform in color and has thickened. Allow the ganache to cool for 3 minutes then spread it over the cake

Serves 8.

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , , ,
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