If you’re going to be looking for asparagus this summer, do yourself a favour and don’t buy it from the grocery store. Instead, go to your local Farmer’s Market or find a friendly farmer nearby that’s toiling in the fields so that you can have beautiful plump stalks on your dinner table. And as an added bonus, you’ll probably get them for much cheaper too. These ones (aren’t they gorgeous?) came from an avid gardener that my husband works with. Trust me, by buying asparagus this way, you’ll end up with asparagus twice the size of what you’ll find in the store, yet they won’t be stringy or fiberous at all. When it comes time to roast them, you have several options. This is how I do mine.
Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt Pepper Juice of half a lemon
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.) Trim asparagus if needed and then place them in a large resealable bag. Pour in the olive oil and give them a shake and roll to ensure that stalks are fully coated. You can also place them in a bowl or right on the baking sheet and then drizzle and roll them in oil, but I do find this is the easiest way to do it, and you also won’t waste as much oil.
3.) Place asparagus on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper and sprinkle minced garlic over top.
4.) Place into the oven and cook for 8 – 10 minutes, until the asparagus are softened but still crisp.
One night when I was making Chinese food at home, I wanted to add a little salad. But what kind of salad goes with Chinese food? I didn’t know any, especially those that were straight up vegetables like I wanted and didn’t include noodles of any kind. Luckily, I have a book my grandma gave me – Chinese Food Made Easy – and this recipe was inside. It is indeed very easy, and it stars an ingredient you might not think would ever be the main star in any dish (I know I never did) – green onions! Now, I introduce you to a Chinese salad that is supposedly very popular in the Far East – Pamuchim.
Ingredients:
6 – 7 green onions 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil Pinch of red chili flakes Pinch of salt Pinch of ground black pepper
Directions:
1.) Wash the green onions very well and slice them, lengthwise, so that they are long thin strips. Place them in a bowl of ice water for 30 minutes.
2.) Drain the green onions and pat them dry as best you can. They will be very curly.
3.) Place the green onions in a large bowl. Add the rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly coat the green onions in all the ingredients.
One of my Twitter followers has asked me to post a Canadian recipe, and there are two that I always think of first – butter tarts, and Nanaimo bars. Since I’ve already posted the butter tarts, I thought I’d go with the latter – the scrumptious dessert that originated in Nanaimo, British Columbia. I usually make both desserts for Canada Day, and was going to wait until then to post this Canadiana treat, but no one minds if we eat them a little early this year, do they?
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut 1/3 cup walnut halves, finely chopped 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
1.) First, make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8″ by 8″ cake pan with parchment paper.
2.) In a bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, coconut, walnuts, cocoa powder, and sugar. Drizzle with butter and egg; stir until combined.
3.) Press crumb mixture into the prepared cake pan and place in oven for about 10 minutes, until firm. Let cool on a rack while still in the pan.
4.) Next, make the filling. In a bowl, beat together the butter, custard powder, and vanilla. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, alternating with the milk until smooth. If the mixture is too thick to spread after all the icing sugar and milk is added, gradually add up to 1 tablespoon more milk. Spread over the cooled crust, then place in the refrigerator to let it firm up, about one hour.
5.) Then make the topping. In a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, place chocolate and butter together. Stir to combine and fully melt both ingredients, then spread over filling. Refrigerate until the mixture is just about set, about 30 minutes, before cutting into bars with the tip of a knife.
I’ve been waiting all spring to try out this recipe! When I heard that there was a Mexican street food that included corn on the cob, slathered in mayonnaise and then covered in cheese – I mean, come on. How could I contain my excitement? So the minute my store had fresh ears of corn piled high in that massive cardboard box, I loaded up a couple of bags, knowing exactly what I was going to do with them. Of course, I had to change it up a bit, but I promise it was only because of logistical issues. My store doesn’t carry queso fresco cheese, so I had to substitute Parmesan. And because my little ones were eating it, I sprinkled it with paprika instead of cayenne. It was super good with the substitutions, and I’d bet it’s just as good with the traditional ingredients. I do find that grilling corn isn’t really worth all the trouble. It actually takes longer than boiling it, and it’s difficult to cook it through without burning it. I will be making this corn recipe again, but next time I think I’ll just boil it instead.
Ingredients:
4 ears of corn on the cob 1/2 cup mayonnaise Juice of 1/2 lime 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 1 cup Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons paprika, divided Salt Pepper Lime wedges, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
1.) In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, and a touch of salt and pepper. Lay the Parmesan cheese
2.) Husk the corn, removing as much of the silk as possible. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat and arrange the corn directly over the flame. Cook for a few minutes before turning and cooking on the other side.
3.) Remove the corn from the grill and, while it’s still hot, brush each ear with the mayonnaise mixture. Repeat with the remaining ears of corn. One by one, lay the ears of corn down in the cheese and roll it around so that the entire ear of corn is covered. Sprinkle a bit of paprika over top each one and garnish with lime wedges, if desired.
Chicken breasts aren’t the best part of the bird in my opinion – especially the boneless, skinless variety. They are pretty tasteless, can dry out super quick, and just aren’t all that exciting. But sometimes, only chicken breasts will do. And sometimes, you even need them to be boneless and skinless, such as when you’re making this sandwich. Because you’ll be using the most finicky part of the chicken, you’ll need to brine the breasts for a little bit first – but not too long, or else you’ll only contribute to the drying out of the chicken. About a half hour or so is all you need.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 strips of bacon 1/2 cup ranch-style dressing 4 slices Cheddar cheese 1/2 tomato, thinly sliced 12 cups of water (for the brine) 1 cup salt, plus a couple pinches 1/2 cup sugar 2 bay leaves 4 hamburger buns Pepper
Directions:
1.) Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap or in a large resealable bag. Using a meat mallet, pound them out slightly, just until each one is of even width. Place water, salt, sugar, and bay leaves in a very large bowl or pot. Add chicken breasts and brine for about 30 minutes. When finished brining, remove chicken breasts, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry.
2.) While chicken is brining, place bacon strips in a skillet set over medium heat and cook, turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes, just until bacon is very crispy and cooked through. Cut each piece of bacon in two, place on paper towels to drain and set aside.
3.) When chicken breasts are ready to be cooked, heat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Season chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper and place them on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes before flipping and cooking for another 5 minutes on the other side. The pounding of the meat and the fact that it’s done on a grill (which is much faster than stovetop,) this is really all the chicken should need but be sure that it’s fully cooked through before taking it off the grill. Turn the grill off and allow chicken to rest for just a few minutes.
4.) While the chicken is resting, prepare and assemble the sandwiches. Spread a bit of the ranch dressing on both sides of the bun, and then to just the top of the bun add tomato (I like to season the tomato slices with a bit of salt and pepper,) the cheddar cheese slices, and two pieces of bacon (so that each sandwich has one whole slice of bacon.) Place the chicken breast on the other side of the bun, close up the sandwich, and cut each in half if desired.
Nachos are one of my favourite appetizers. And when I heard that my two daughters had never even had nachos before, I decided to make an entire dinner out of it. When making nachos, you have a couple of options for the cheese. You can simply scatter shredded cheese over top of the chips and let it melt. But I warn you, if you do it this way, you’re likely to end up with hard bits of cheese all over the place, and it’s not the most appetizing way to eat those delicious chips. Instead, make an ooey gooey cheese sauce, and let that drape over your chips before you add your toppings. I used simple green peppers for mine, as the salsa I paired with it was already quite spicy and my girls can only take so much. But by all means, if you like it really spicy use jalapenos in place of the green peppers in the sauce – I’m betting it’s delicious! Also, don’t feel as though you’re limited to the toppings I used on our nachos. These are the ones I like, but you can use whatever you’d like. Normally I don’t put corn on my nachos either, but I had some left over from the other night and so, on it went.
Ingredients:
For the cheese sauce:
1 tablespoon butter 1/2 onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 green pepper, finely diced 1 teaspoon red chili flakes 1 1/2 cups milk 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 1/2 cups cheddar or queso fresco cheese, shredded 2 teaspoons yellow mustard Pinch of salt Pinch of pepper
For the nachos:
1 bag tortilla chips 1 pound ground beef 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon cumin 1 tablespoon ground mustard 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon dill 1 tomato, diced 1 green pepper, diced 1/2 cup olives, sliced 3 cobs of corn, with the kernels cut off Sour cream for serving, if desired Salsa for serving, if desired
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) First, make the cheese sauce. Place a medium pot over medium heat and add the butter. Wait until it melts and then add the onion, the garlic, the green pepper, chili flakes, and a touch of salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes, just until the onion and pepper start to soften. Then, add the yellow mustard, and whisk to fully mix with the other ingredients. Add the milk and bring up to a simmer. Whisk in the cornstarch and allow the mixture to heat through, for just about two minutes. Lower the temperature to low and slowly add the cheddar cheese, in batches, being sure to incorporate each batch fully before adding another. Once all the cheese has been added, keep the temperature on low and stir occasionally to keep the sauce from forming a skin.
3.) Next, prepare the beef mixture. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, cumin, ground mustard, ground coriander, dill, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat and when hot, add the ground beef, breaking it up as you do. Add the spice mixture and then add to the ground beef. Cook, stirring regularly, until beef is completely cooked through, about 7 or 8 minutes.
4.) Arrange tortilla chips on a baking sheet so that the chips cover the entire surface, piling them high if you need to. Drizzle the cheese sauce over top, then sprinkle on the ground beef, green peppers, tomatoes, olives, and corn kernels.
5.) Place the nachos in the preheated oven and cook for about 15 minutes, just enough time to let the nachos come together, and for everything to be heated through.
6.) Serve, with salsa and sour cream if desired, and enjoy!
Lemonade is really easy to make, but if you’re going about it just by combining sugar, water, and lemon juice, you’re going to be very unhappy with the results – an entire jar of juice and water combined together, with a bunch of sugar sitting at the bottom of the jug. Instead, you have to make a simple syrup (the same as when you’re making lime soda) and thencombine everything together. It’s an extra step, sure, but afterwards you can add vodka to the lemonade to make it into a true cocktail, or you can blend it up with some ice to make a frozen lemonade smoothie. There are so many options when you have such delicious lemonade!
Ingredients:
Juice of 4 – 6 lemons (enough to make about 1 cup of lemon juice) 3/4 cup sugar 4 cups of cold water, plus one cup
Directions:
1.) Place the lemon juice, sugar, and one cup of water in a small saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil just to dissolve the sugar. Turn heat off and allow syrup to cool just for a few minutes.
2.) Place the simple syrup in a large pitcher and pour in four cups of cold water. If it’s too sweet for you, add a bit more lemon juice and if it’s too tart, add a bit more water.
This week I’m away visiting my family and my sister and I always manage to get in at least one picnic whenever I make the trip, so this chicken salad sandwich recipe – a picnic classic – kicks off picnic week here on the site!
I inherited a huge love of sandwiches from my mother. And of all the many different kinds in the world, chicken salad sandwiches are among the best in my opinion. They’re a type of sandwich that can be changed or altered however you choose, and they really are so easy to whip together – especially if you have leftover chicken in your fridge.
Ingredients:
2 slices white bread 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (or about 1 cup of cooked chicken) 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, plus more if needed 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon dried dill 1 tablespoon mustard seeds, crushed 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 stalk celery, diced 1/2 onion, grated 1/2 cup shredded lettuce Cucumber and tomato slices, if desired Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Place mayonnaise and rice vinegar in a bowl and stir to combine. (You can add more mayonnaise later, but be sure to start with just this small amount so you don’t add too much. Remember, it’s much easier to add more than it is to take it out!) Add in the dill, crushed mustard and coriander seeds, garlic powder, celery, and onion. Stir thoroughly to combine. Now is the time to add more mayonnaise if you wish.
2.) Spread chicken salad over one piece of bread. On the other, spread a bit more mayonnaise just to moisten the bread if you choose, and then layer on the shredded lettuce, followed with the cucumber and tomato slices. Place this piece of bread on top of the bread with the chicken salad.
Yesterday we talked about chicken salad sandwiches, and today we look into another one of the best sandwiches you could bring to any picnic – egg salad sandwiches. I know a great many people put pickles into their egg salad, but I prefer to stick with plain cucumbers. I find they complement the salad better, rather than completely taking it over, and they provide even more crunch. Other than that, I leave it pretty simple. I mean, it’s egg salad. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel here.
Ingredients:
3 eggs 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 stalk celery, finely diced 1/4 cup English cucumber, finely diced 1/4 cup onion, finely diced 1 tablespoon dill, chopped 1/4 cup mayonnaise 4 slices white bread Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Fill a small saucepan with water and the one tablespoon of vinegar. Add the eggs, cover, and put over high heat. Bring to a boil and when it’s rapidly boiling, turn the heat off, leaving the saucepan on the burner. Allow the eggs to steam in the hot water for about 10 minutes, and then remove the eggs from the hot water. Place them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and let them sit for at least ten minutes.
2.) Meanwhile, start making the rest of the salad. Place celery, English cucumber, onion, and dill in a bowl and stir just to combine.
3.) To peel the eggs, remove them from the ice bath. Gently crack them on the counter, and then roll (just as gently) along the counter to break up the shell. Place the entire egg under running water and peel the shell away from the egg. When all eggs are peeled, chop them in a rough dice and place them in with the salad.
4.) Add the mayonnaise to the salad, stir and season with salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5.) Spread half of the egg salad onto one slice of the bread, and then spread the other half on another slice of bread. Top with the two remaining slices of bread and slice in half.
Egg salad sandwiches aren’t the only egg dish that can be taken along on picnics – deviled eggs are another classic (and they’re great for potlucks too!) Just like many others, I grew up on deviled eggs, as it was another dish that my mom absolutely nailed. I remember any potlucks or picnics that we went too, my mom was right there with a platter of those divine-looking eggs, with their puffy clouds of yellow goodness sticking out. Of course, you can change them up however you’d like but these are the ones that started all those variations off. And they’re also the ones I grew up on.
1.) Cut each of the eggs in half and using a spoon, gently remove the egg yolks and place them into a large bowl. Add the Dijon mustard, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, and mash together so that all ingredients are combined. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
2.) Spoon or pipe yolk filling back into the hollowed-out egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika for garnish.
3.) Serve, or store in the fridge until serving time, and enjoy!
