Watermelon Margarita

Originally published on February 20, 2014

Today is National Margarita Day, right smack dab in the middle of winter! I know that watermelon might not be the first flavour you think of when concocting (or ordering) a margarita, but trust me. This summer when you have all that extra watermelon in your fridge that you don’t know what to do with (doesn’t that happen every year?) this is a tasty and refreshing way to use it all up!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons sugar 
1 lime wedge, plus more for garnish
3 1/2 cups watermelon, cubed and seeded 
1/2 cup tequila 
2 tablespoons sugar 
Juice of one lime 
1 tablespoon Triple Sec or other orange flavoured liqueur 
1/2 cup crushed ice 

Directions:

1.) Rub the rims of each glass with a lime wedge and then place 2 teaspoons of sugar onto a plate. Spin the glasses, upside-down, in the sugar to coat the rims and set aside.

2.) Place the watermelon, tequila, 2 tablespoons of sugar, lime juice, Triple Sec, and crushed ice into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour margaritas into glasses and garnish with lime wedges.

3.) Serve and enjoy!

There’s More than One Way to Roast a Pepper

Originally published on February 22, 2014

I’ve always been kind of fascinated with roasted peppers. I mean, you take this vegetable with super crisp and glossy skin, roast it for a few minutes, and it completely changes everything about it. The skin becomes withered, the flesh of the vegetable becomes something soft and pliable. And once a pepper is roasted you can use it for anything from sauces to antipasto platters to garnishes to simply adding a special little something to any dish. But when it comes to actually roasting the peppers, you have just about as many choices. Here are the four ways to roast a pepper, and what you’ll need to keep in mind when using any particular method.

Roasting

I start with roasting because in my opinion it’s by far the easiest, and cleanest, way to do it. Simply place peppers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and place in a 400 degree oven. Roast for 20 minutes then turn, and roast for another 15-20 minutes until the skins are charred and peppers are quite wilted. Remove from oven, place peppers in a paper bag and close. Allow peppers to rest for about 15 minutes before removing from bag, peeling skins off, and using peppers as needed.

Broiling

This works largely the same way as roasting except that your baking sheet should be placed closer to the top element, and you need to keep a really close eye on them. The peppers will also take just about 10 – 15 minutes to roast. They’ll still need to be placed in a paper bag so that the skins will peel off easily.

Gas element

You can just put the pepper on a fork or on a steel skewer, turn on the gas element, and hold the pepper over the flame campfire style. But, that will cause the pepper to wilt a bit, and juices will spill out, onto both your stovetop and into the element, which can be a real mess. Instead of doing this, wrap the entire pepper in aluminum foil before placing it directly over the element. The bonus to this is that you don’t need to steam the pepper in a bag afterwards, as it will already be wrapped in foil.

Grilling

This can be a great option any time of the year that you’re willing to get outside and fire up your grill. Just place the peppers directly on the rack, close the lid, and let sit for about 15 minutes or until the skins are charred, turning about halfway through. Place in a paper bag and allow skin to steam off.

For best storage after grilling the peppers, either can them if you have a large quantity, or keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Popcorn

Originally published on February 23, 2014

Popcorn might not be the most sophisticated or gourmet thing you’ll ever make, but I’ll let you in on a little secret. If you buy actual kernels of corn rather than the pre-packaged microwave stuff, you’ll save yourself mega bucks and will be able to flavour the popcorn however you want. Outlined here is the typical butter-and-salt variety, but you can try garlic powder, Italian spices, Parmesan, caramel and more!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels 
3 tablespoons butter, melted 
Salt 

Directions:

1.) Place vegetable oil in a very large pot over medium heat. When oil is hot, place about three kernels inside to test. If kernels pop, the oil is ready and you can add the remainder of the kernels.

2.) Place a lid over top of the pot and, while keeping over the heat, shake regularly to ensure that both popped and uncooked kernels do not burn. Cook for about three to five minutes. Make sure you don’t wait until you no longer hear popping, as this too will cause the kernels to burn. Check to ensure that enough kernels have popped before taking the pot off the heat entirely.

3.) Pour melted butter over top, sprinkle with salt, and shake one last time to thoroughly combine.

4.) Serve and enjoy!

Hoagie Rolls

Originally published on February 25, 2014

You can use regular bread dough to make hoagie rolls, but I seriously suggest using a separate recipe such as this one. Not only does it take much less time, but the buns seem to come out softer and fluffier and of course, they have those signature markings across the top. If you don’t need 18 rolls, which is about what this recipe makes, place the extras in the freezer. It’s always so nice to have freshly homemade bread on hand!

Ingredients:

2 small packages active dry yeast
3 cups water, divided and at about 110 degrees (just above body temp)
2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
8 – 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1.) Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water with one tablespoon of the sugar added to it. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until the mixture starts to foam on top.

2.) Add remaining water and sugar. Beat in oil, salt, and 4 cups of the water, mixing until smooth. Add more flour, a little at a time, until it forms a soft dough.

3.) Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until it’s completely smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.

4.) Place a bit of vegetable oil in a large bowl, and add dough. Turn the dough to cover it in the oil, which will keep it from sticking.

5.) Cover, place in a warm spot, and allow it to rise for about 45 minutes.

6.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

7.) When ready, punch the dough down gently. Turn out again onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 18 pieces. Shape each of these into an oval.

8.) Place the different pieces of dough onto greased baking sheets, about two inches apart.

9.) With a very sharp knife, create a 1/4″ slash across the top of each piece of dough. Cover and allow to rise for about 20 minutes.

10.) Bake for about 13 – 18 minutes until the rolls are golden brown.

11.) When rolls are finished cooking, place on wire racks to cool.

12.) Serve and enjoy!

Pasta Al Pangrattato

Originally published on February 27, 2014

Pasta is one of those dishes that doesn’t really need a whole lot of changing up, in my opinion. It’s one of my favourite things to eat, and you can put down a plate in front of me that’s just pasta and sauce and I’d be very, very happy. That being said, I saw Jamie Oliver make Pasta Pangrattato on one of his many cooking shows, and I thought it looked interesting. Really it’s just flavoured breadcrumbs on top of any pasta and sauce of your choice. This recipe isn’t exactly what Jamie did (on whatever show that was,) but it’s close enough; and it’s not only really tasty, but a great way to switch up pasta – if that’s something you’re looking for.

Ingredients:

1/2 package of any dry pasta of your choice 
2 cups spaghetti sauce 
3 tablespoons olive oil 
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon anchovy paste 
1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced 
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed 
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil. When boiling, drop pasta in and cook for about 7-8 minutes, until the pasta is al dante with just a bit of bite left to it. When done, drain in a colander.

2.) Warm spaghetti sauce in a separate saucepan over medium heat while the pasta is cooking. When sauce is hot and pasta is finished cooking, toss pasta and sauce together.

3.) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add anchovy paste and chili pepper. Stir and cook for about 1 minute before adding garlic cloves and cooking for 30 seconds more.

4.) Add breadcrumbs, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir to thoroughly coat breadcrumbs in oil. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, until breadcrumbs are golden brown and they smell incredible.

5.) Plate pasta and sauce, and place pangrattato over top.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Onion Rings

Originally published on February 28, 2014

Who doesn’t love onion rings? They’re so good, and this recipe reminds me of some of the best onion rings on the planet – those that come from A&W. Anyone else think the same? Whatever these rings remind you of, they are delicious and pretty easy to make.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, cut into slices about 1/4″ thick 
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt 
1 egg, lightly beaten 
1 cup milk 
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
Salt to taste 

Directions:

1.) Heat a deep-fryer or a quart of oil in a large Dutch oven to 365 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) Separate the onion slices into individual rings and set aside. Place the flour into a large bowl and whisk in the egg and milk. Using a fork, dip the onion rings into the batter and then lift out and place on a wire cooling rack to allow excess to drip off.

3.) Spread the breadcrumbs out onto a plate or other shallow dish. One at a time, lift onion rings from the cooling rack and place into breadcrumbs. Scoop the crumbs up and over the onion, pressing slightly to ensure that breadcrumbs stay on onion ring. Lift and tap onion so that any extra crumbs will fall off onion. Repeat with remaining onion slices.

4.) Place onion rings, in batches if necessary so as not to overcrowd the deep-fryer, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove, place on paper towels to drain, and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Repeat with remaining slices.

5.) Serve and enjoy!

Carrot Puree Garnish

Originally published on March 1, 2014

Whenever I’ve made a carrot side dish, I’ve typically made only roasted or glazed carrots(with the occasional carrot salad popping up now and then.) But all the purees being shown on the cooking competition shows (think Chopped and MasterChef,) got me thinking about just really mashing them up really fine. I mean, what does that taste like? And can you use it as a side dish, or is it mainly reserved for garnish purposes? Well, I’ve made pureed carrots now and I’m happy to tell you – they don’t have to taste or look like baby food! In fact, carrot puree has become one of my favourite side dishes, and there’s something surprisingly comforting about it. And it doesn’t need to be reserved for just a side either. Paint or smear it onto the plate (we’ve all seen chefs do that on TV) and you’ve got yourself a bright little garnish that will dress up any plate!

Ingredients:

2 pounds of carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup half and half cream
2 tablespoons butter 
1/2 cup fresh parsley    
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Place carrots in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, place cream and butter in a small saucepan and warm over low heat on a separate burner. Be sure not to keep an eye on it, as cream will boil over very quickly.

2.) When carrots are fork-tender, drain and place them in a food processor. Add cream and butter mixture, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Puree until entire mixture is smooth.

3.) Serve and enjoy!

Cold Oven Roast Beef

Originally published on March 2, 2014

There are all kinds of ways you can make roast beef, but this is one that I find most fascinating – letting it cook in a cold oven. Yes, it does go against everything you know about cooking and yes, you will be nervous for the entire 2+ hours it needs to be in there for. But trust me. Trust the process. Your beef will cook and it will be delicious. Just be sure to treat it like a souffle in that you cannot open the oven door. As long as you keep to that, you and your roast will be just fine.

Ingredients:

1 eye of round roast, about 3 pounds, room temperature
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried thyme
6 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped

Directions:

1.) Rinse your roast and pat it dry. Combine the pepper, salt, thyme, and garlic. Rub all over the roast and let sit for about half an hour.

2.) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

3.) Place roast in a roasting pan, fatty side up. Place roast in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes.

4.) Turn oven off and allow to cook for 2 1/2 hours for medium rare, about three hours for medium. You probably won’t get the temperature of the roast any higher than this so choose another method if you like your beef medium-well or well done. And remember – do not open that oven door! 

5.) Remove from oven, tent with foil (you still have to let those juices settle outside  of the oven) and let rest for about 10 minutes.

6.) While waiting if you’d like, you can pour pan juices into a saucepan and boil rapidly on the stove, reducing it by about half.

7.) Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Involtini

Originally published on March 4, 2014

This is another one of those recipes that I first saw on MasterChef (MasterChef Canada, to be exact) and knew that it was something I had to try. It sounded so interesting to me, and while I had stuffed chicken breast in this way before, I had no idea that it actually had a name and that it was from one of my favourite food regions in the world – Italy! You can stuff it with just about anything that you happen to have on hand. I chose mozzarella, spinach and prosciutto.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices prosciutto 
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of all moisture
4 thin slices fresh mozzarella 
2 cups spaghetti sauce or very high quality tomato sauce
Salt 
Pepper 
1 teaspoon garlic powder 
3 tablespoons olive oil 

Directions:

1.) Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry. One by one, place the chicken breasts into a large resealable bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin, pound chicken until it’s an even thickness of about 1/4″ thick. Remove one breast when finished and continue with remaining chicken breasts.

2.) Lay all pieces of chicken out flat, ensuring that the smooth side of the breast is face-down, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Onto each chicken breast lay one piece of prosciutto, about 1/2 cup of spinach, and 1 slice of mozzarella.

3.) Starting from one end, roll chicken up tightly so that the filling spirals inside, and secure tightly with kitchen twine – either one in the middle of the breast, or one on each end, depending on how large your chicken breasts are.

4.) Preheat a grill to medium heat and drizzle chicken breasts all over with olive oil. When hot, place chicken breasts on the grill and cover either by closing the lid on an outdoor grill or by placing aluminum foil over an indoor grill. Cook for about 20 minutes, turning a quarter turn every five minutes or so to ensure that all sides are evenly cooked.

5.) While the chicken is cooking, place the spaghetti sauce in a small pan over medium heat, cover, and heat just to warm through.

6.) When chicken is finished cooking, rest for about five minutes before removing twine, cutting in half, and placing on a pool of sauce on a plate.

7.) Serve and enjoy!

Veggie Dip

Originally published on March 5, 2014

The thing that scared me the most about doing this reduced-carb thing for the month of March was the fact that I would have to say good-bye to snacking as a whole. But just like everything else, you can still snack – even as much as you want – if you know how to do it. So while my chocolate bars and my potato chips will have to wait a few more weeks before we’re reunited, I can still enjoy something else that has actually always been one of my favourite snacks – veggies and dip! It’s really very much like the dip recipe I gave you awhile back for chips and dip, but replace the onions and spices with lots and lots of fresh herbs. And remember, if you’re doing the lower carbs with me this month, don’t worry about the fat in this dish. We’re allowed as much of that as we want!

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise 
3/4 cup sour cream 
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped 
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped 
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Place everything in a bowl and stir thoroughly to combine. Place in fridge for at least two hours to allow flavours to marry.

2.) Serve and enjoy!