I’ve said before that I can become somewhat irritated by salad that has lettuce in it. But when the lettuce is the main component and when it helps with the simplicity of the dish, it is no longer boring and can even be something I really love. I made this salad for dinner one night and while I would have preferred to make it with a dressing much more like Caesar salad dressing, which is mayonnaise-based (because that’s what you’d eat on a BLT sandwich,) I was limited when making it for my oil/vinegar-based-loving family. I have to say, I think the simple salad dressing worked even better than anything creamy would have.
Ingredients:
1 head Romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and chopped 1 large tomato, diced 4 slices bacon 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Place bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until bacon is very crisp. Drain on paper towels before crumbling or cutting into bite-size pieces.
2.) Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, rice vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. Set aside.
3.) Place lettuce and tomato in a large bowl. Drizzle the salad dressing over top and mix thoroughly to combine. Top with bacon pieces and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I love to snack. So much so in fact, that I do it often and so I better make sure that my snacks are healthy ones. Radish chips are one of my favourite go-tos, as are Tuna Boats. Ever since my mom sent me this recipe for Roasted Chickpeas, this one tops the list, too. The recipe she sent said the chick peas should only be in the oven for about 40 minutes, but mine were in there for over an hour before they were a texture that I liked. That ended up being something very similar to Corn Nuts (who doesn’t love Corn Nuts?) They’re very crispy, very crunchy, and super healthy for you. That means you can eat as many as you’d like!
Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper A generous amount of salt
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.) In a large bowl toss together the chickpeas, olive oil, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt so that all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
3.) Transfer the chick peas to the baking sheet and place in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Check on them at this point and if you’d like them a bit crisper, bake for another 10 – 20 minutes, checking on them often. Remove from oven when they’re your preferred texture.
4.) Serve and enjoy!
*Roasted Chickpeas can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 – 3 days.
To me, eggs really are the perfect food, which is why I especially love dishes like this one that really show them off. Frittatas are super easy, you can stuff whatever you’d like into them, and they’re not just for breakfast. Growing up, I remember one of my friend’s families had a leftover frittata every Friday night. At the time I didn’t know what a frittata was, but I did know that in their house at least, it held the leftovers from the past week – including spaghetti and meatballs. Now, I’ve never tried putting pasta in my frittata, but this one with spinach and mushrooms is pretty good.
Ingredients:
6 eggs 1 cup sour cream, divided 2 shallots, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 pound (about 4 cups) spinach 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided 1/2 cup cheese of your choice 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat broiler.
2.) Heat oil in a stainless steel or cast iron skillet set over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for about five minutes, until they are almost carmalized. Then add shallots and garlic and cook for another minute or two, just until fragrant. Add spinach and cook until wilted, turning regularly, about two to three minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3.) In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs together. Add 1/2 a cup of the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the fresh parsley, and the cheese, and whisk together until well combined. Season with salt and pepper, and then pour the entire mixture into the skillet. Give everything a stir once to evenly distribute and then let it set and cook, about three to four minutes, until you can see the very edges start to firm up and set.
4.) Place the entire skillet under the broiler for about two minutes, just until the top is set, and the entire frittata is cooked through.
5.) Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remainder of the fresh parsley. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top, or to the side.
I have a couple different versions of mac n’ cheese on the site, and all of them are baked. But when you bake traditional macaroni and cheese, there’s a problem – at least in my eyes. All of that deliciously melted cheese bakes and gets much firmer. It no longer runs all over your plate. It will no longer be ooey gooey. And all the hard work you’ve put into making that bechamel sauce pretty much goes down the drain. It’s for these reasons that my family has never really liked macaroni and cheese – and why I was so determined to somehow get it back onto our table. Now, I’ve found the answer.
Forget about the oven altogether. Instead, toss the cooked macaroni in the sauce, and just top it with toasted breadcrumbs like you do with pasta al pangrattato (because you have to keep the breadcrumbs, they’re the best part.) But do not, whatever you do, toss it in the oven! At the last minute, pull it all together and you’ll finally have all that cheesiness dripping down your chin when it’s time to eat. I hesitate to say that this will be the only mac n’ cheese I’m making from now on (I’m hesitant to say that about any dish,) but it certainly is a good one to have in your wheelhouse.
Ingredients:
1/2 package (about 4 cups) dried penne or other pasta 4 tablespoons butter, divided 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups milk 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated, plus 1/2 cup 1 cup Fontina cheese, grated 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated 1 cup breadcrumbs 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Bring a very large pot of water to a boil. When it comes to a rapid boil, salt generously and add the dried pasta. When pasta is done, reserve one cup of the pasta water and drain until the bechamel sauce is ready.
2.) Meanwhile, make the bechamel sauce. In a saucepan set over medium heat, melt two tablespoons of butter. When melted, add two tablespoons of flour and whisk until it’s fully combined. Cook for about two minutes, whisking constantly. Then slowly add the milk, whisking as you do, until everything has fully combined. You need to do this slowly, otherwise you’ll have difficulties mixing it all together. When all the milk has been added, cook the mixture for another two or three minutes, until it has begun to thicken. Then turn off heat, and add all the cheese very slowly, making sure you fully incorporate it all after each addition. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.
3.) When the bechamel sauce is finished, you can start making the al pangrattato to top the mac n’ cheese. Start by setting a skillet over medium heat and melting the remaining two tablespoons of butter. When melted, add breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the breadcrumbs are nicely toasted brown and are very aromatic.
4.) Then just assemble. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to thoroughly coat all noodles with the sauce. Serve onto individual plates, and top with al pangrattato. Divide remaining Parmesan cheese among the plates equally, and sprinkle on top.
French fries. They seem so simple, don’t they? Slice up some potatoes, throw ‘em into a deep fryer, and fry until beautifully golden brown and crispy before dunking them in ketchup. But hold on for just a second. If that’s actually how you go about making French fries, you’ll be extremely disappointed with the hard little potato bits that you’ll end up with. Truthfully, getting the very best French fries is a bit of a process. Do it right though, and you’ll have the same kind of beautiful fries you usually only find at chip trucks in the summertime (only now you can have them year-round at your house!)
Ingredients:
6 – 8 potatoes, with their skins on Salt 1 – 2 litres of peanut or vegetable oil (depending on how big your deep fryer is) for frying
Directions:
1.) Scrub potatoes clean and then slice lengthwise so you have three or four large pieces of potato. Then, lay flat on a cutting board and slice lengthwise again, creating thick-cut fries.
2.) When all potatoes have been sliced, place in a very large bowl of ice water and leave in the fridge for at least an hour up to overnight. This removes the starch from the potatoes,which will result in crispier French fries.
3.) When ready to fry, fill a deep fryer or a large pot with oil (leaving an inch or two at the top to keep oil from bubbling over) and preheat to approximately 325 degrees (if you don’t have a deep frying thermometer, preheat the oil over medium heat.) It won’t be piping hot, but it should be warm enough to cook potatoes. When hot, add potato slices in batches and fry just until the potatoes are soft, about five to ten minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels before transferring to a bowl.
4.) When all potatoes have had their first fry, turn the temperature up to about 375 degrees (this is medium-high heat.) When the oil reaches the higher temperature, again add potato slices in batches and fry until potatoes are golden brown and crispy, about five minutes. When one batch is done, remove from heat and drain again on paper towels. Season with salt immediately, and continue with the remaining potato slices until all have been cooked twice.
As most of you know, I love eggs. And when it comes to food, the only thing I might love more than eggs are eggs that are stuffed inside of other food – such as avocados, or even in bread such as with Frog in a Hole. That’s why when I saw this new craze (most popular on Pinterest) of stuffing bell peppers with my favourite food, I was excited. And when I made them, I was even more so. First of all, they look like little flowers in your pan – they’re so pretty! But when it’s time to dig in, the sweetness of the pepper cuts through the richness of the egg yolk, creating the perfect balance, and the perfect breakfast. You can change this up however you want, cooking the eggs for longer if you like firmer yolks, or flipping the peppers in the pan before adding the egg.
Ingredients:
3 bell peppers, of any colour 3 eggs 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Crack each egg into its own small bowl, making sure that no shell falls in and that the yolks don’t break. Pour the vegetable oil into a skillet set over medium heat so the pan can begin to preheat. Take the spatula you will use to take the peppers out of the skillet, and run the front and back of it along the bottom of the pan. This will coat the spatula in oil, making the pepper slip off it when it’s time to transfer to a plate (or, if you’re more prepared than I am, simply spray it with non-stick cooking spray.)
2.) Cut tops off peppers and slice one fairly thick ring, about an inch thick. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the inside. This will season the eggs so that you don’t have to season the eggs and mess up how pretty they’ll be when they’re finished cooking.
3.) Place the pepper rings inside the skillet. Then, one by one, hold one of the peppers down while you pour the egg yolk into the centre of it. This will help ensure that the whites of the egg don’t run out of the bottom of the bell pepper, leaving you with very little in the centre. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the eggs have set. Carefully remove and transfer to a plate.
I did the greatest thing this weekend. I moved my blender from the back of the cupboard where it was hiding, and put it on my counter. Why is this so great? Because when something is out of sight, it’s also out of mind, and that was the case with my blender. Purees were made in my food processor, and smoothies were all but forgotten. But, when I did the big spring clean in my kitchen this weekend, I found it and I moved it to my counter knowing that if I was ever going to use it, putting it right in front of my face would be the only way to do it. So, because I always have a freezer full of blackberries (thanks again, grandma!) I knew that this would be the fruit I used for my first smoothie. And while this isn’t the first blackberry drink I’ve created, it is the first smoothie I’ve made using this tart fruit. I’m betting it won’t be the last.
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen blackberries 1 cup chocolate milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon brown sugar Just a pinch of salt
Directions:
1.) Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth. You can strain it afterwards if the seeds really bother you, but I didn’t do it with mine and it was fine.
I’ve long since been making my own chips – whether they’re made out of pitas, radishes, or potatoes. But crackers? Come on. Do we really need to be making our own crackers? And is it really that much easier or cheaper than just running out to the store to buy some? I was to say the least, pretty suspicious about the entire idea. But, as always, I had to give it a go before I made a final judgement. So, I pulled up my bootstraps, took out the (very few) ingredients that are needed for it, and started mixing up my own. I have to say, it took very little time, and it made me feel really great to make something from scratch that I knew was good for my kids, and that only had ingredients I could actually pronounce. Now, anytime we have soup in this house – or just need something yummy to dunk into dip – the chances are good that we’ll have homemade crackers on hand to enjoy with it.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons salt 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup water, plus 1/4 cup, if needed Salt Sesame seeds (optional) Celery seeds (optional) Fennel seeds (optional) Caraway seeds (optional)
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place your oven rack in the lower third of your oven. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.) In a large bowl, mix together both flours, sugar, and salt. Pour in the olive oil and 1 cup of water. Stir until the dough comes together,and is soft and not sticky. If you find there’s a lot of dry flour still left in the bowl, add more water just a little at a time, until it all comes together into a smooth ball.
3.) Divide the dough into two halves and set one aside. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough as thin as you can until it’s approximately 1/8″ inch thick.
4.) Brush the entire surface of the dough very lightly with a bit of water. Evenly sprinkle salt over top, as well as any of the optional toppings you choose (and don’t think they need to be reserved to the list above – they’re your crackers, so top ‘em with whatever you think will be most awesome!)
5.) Using a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or cookie cutter, cut the crackers into squares or whatever shapes you prefer.
6.) Place in the oven and cook for 12 – 15 minutes, checking often to ensure they don’t burn. Remove from the oven as they start to become brown and crisp.
7.) Serve and enjoy!
*Crackers can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If the crackers start to get a bit soggy, they can be reheated in the oven for just a few minutes.
It’s Cinco de Mayo today, and what goes better with guacamole than a refreshing margarita? This time, I didn’t blend it or shake it up with a bunch of crushed ice, but chose to simply pour it over the rocks. When you take out the slush factor of margaritas, they turn into a cocktail that’s pretty much entirely made up of alcohol, so I added a splash of water to tone it down a bit. And, as my father-in-law once told me when offering me Drambuie, remember that this is a “sipping drink.” (But I promise you, this tastes much better than Drambuie.)
Ingredients:
Coarse salt 1 1/2 ounces silver pure agave tequila 1 ounce triple sec or orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier Juice of two limes 1 thin lime wedge, for garnish Ice cubes A splash of water (as little or as much as you would like)
Directions:
1.) Place coarse salt on a plate. Rub the lime wedge around the rim of the glass and then, holding the glass at a 45 degree angle so no salt gets inside the glass, gently coat the rim of the glass in salt.
2.) Place some ice cubes in the glass, and more into a cocktail shaker. Into the shaker place the tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime juice. Place the top on the shaker and hold while shaking vigorously, until the outside of the cocktail shaker is frosty. Pour over the ice cubes in the glass.
This Thai sauce is perfect for dipping summer rolls into but can be used for just about anything, including fish and chicken. You don’t even have to put it over the heat if you don’t want to, but I do find that doing so helps their flavours marry a bit better and helps the overall flavour.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter 1/3 cup water 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce Juice of 2 limes 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon white sugar 2 teaspoons chili paste, or hot sauce 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon sesame oil Salt
Directions:
1.) Place the minced garlic on a cutting board or other work surface. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over top and then use the blade of your knife to press down on the pieces of garlic, moving the blade from one side to another as you do. This will turn the garlic into a bit of a paste and will mellow the flavours of it. (It will also allow the garlic to blend nicely into the sauce, as opposed to having large pieces of it floating around in the sauce.)
2.) Place all of the ingredients, including the garlic paste, into a small saucepan set over medium heat and heat until it’s just warmed through, about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
