If candying nuts is something you’ve never done, it’s something I strongly suggest you try. All it takes is three ingredients.
You can use whatever nuts you like best, and then use them to garnish salads, add a little extra sweetness to banana bread, or just put out as a bowl of munchies when entertaining. The only thing that can go wrong here is that the nutsburn, because it can happen extremely quickly. So keep an eye on the pan and make sure you take it off the heat as soon as all of that sugar is melted.
1.) Melt the butter in a frying pan set over medium heat. When fully melted, add the pecans and toss to completely coat in the butter.Stir just until everything in the pan becomes hot.
2.) Add the sugar and stir to distribute throughout the pan. Melt and then stir quickly to make sure the pecans are fully coated in the sugar and butter mixture. Then remove from heat immediately.
3.) Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread the pecans out in a single layer to cool and let the mixture set.
I’ve never been a girly-girl easily grossed out by stuff, especially food stuff. So sticking my hand into a huge bowl of raw meat has never been a big deal. But I will tell you that ground chicken is not like other grounds meats. Unlike beef, and even turkey, ground chicken is not for the faint of heart. It kind of smooshes together and becomes a big glob of raw grossness. It sticks to your hands and kind of plops down into the pot, like little blobs of slimy pink play-dough. It’s not pleasant.
That being said, once it’s in the pot and starts cooking, it does separate and doesn’t have any of that off-putting aroma that some say ground turkey has when it cooks. And when you add all the other ingredients to the pot to make this fantastic chicken chili, well there’s really nothing quite like it. I had never thought that chili was something you could change all that much. But when you use a different kind of meat, stock instead of stewed tomatoes, and add a couple handfuls of fresh greens, you might just end up with my new favourite chili.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 pounds ground chicken 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons chili powder 3 tablespoons flour 2 cans (15 oz.) white kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 bunch baby spinach 2 ears of fresh corn, shucked with kernels removed 4 cups chicken stock 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Directions:
1.) Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
2.) Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chilipowder. Cook, stirring frequently to break up the chicken, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
3.) Stir the flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan as you do to release brown bits. When boiling turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
4.) Add the spinach and the red pepper flakes, stir, and continue simmering for another 20 minutes or so, until all the flavours have blended and the spinach has wilted. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5.) Ladle the chili into serving bowls and sprinkle each serving with some Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
There’s a reason that we use the term “sliced bread” when we’re talking about how good something is. Nothing really beats soft and airy bread that melts in your mouth – and if you can get a loaf that has just come from a bakery and still has that fresh out of the oven smell, even better. But truthfully, bread doesn’t have to be soft and light to be good. In fact, you can slather it with some oil and seasoning, dry it out in the oven, and you might just find it’s much tastier than it was before it went in. That’s what this crostini recipe is all about – simple, beautiful bread that’s tasty, tasty. And while I urge you to swipe a piece or two as it comes out of the oven, leave some for the amazing dip and spread you can use to top them with.
Ingredients:
1 baguette, very thinly sliced 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup olive oil Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.) Brush one side of each slice of baguettewith olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over both. Place in the oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes, until crostini is firm and starting to brown. Flip the crostini over about halfway through baking time.
3.) Serve and enjoy, or place in an airtight resealable bag, squeezing all of the excess air out, and store at room temperature for one week.
I’m sort of conflicted as to why artichoke and spinach dip appears on just about every single restaurant menu. On the one hand, it’s absolutely delicious. I mean, it’s so good that you don’t even care if you wreck your appetite for that $15 meal you ordered that will arrive after that dip, so it’s easy to see why restaurants would push it. On the other hand though, it’s so simple to make at home I don’t understand why anyone would pay to have someone else make it for them. Seriously, this dip takes just two minutes in the mixer, then 15 in the oven; and when it comes out, you’ll have an ooey gooey dip that’s perfect for any party – or just when you need a snack.
1 box (10 oz.) frozen cut or chopped spinach, thawed 1 jar (12 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sour cream 1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Crostini, pita chips, or tortilla chips, to serve
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Place the spinach between two sheets of paper towel and squeeze all of the excess water out.
3.) Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment and whip until it’s softened. Add the spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar. Season with salt and pepper and mix everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
4.) Spoon the mixture into a round oven-proof casserole dish and smooth out the top so that the dipcooks evenly. Place the dish into the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the dish is entirely hot throughout.
5.) Serve with chips, crostini or crackers, and enjoy!
When I first started thinking of garnishes for the blog, to be honest, I didn’t know if it was something that was really worthwhile. But as time has marched on and I’ve found more and more pretty and delectable garnishes, I’ve found that it’s truly got some merit to it – especially when it’s something as dainty as a orange that has been “Supremed”. Many people think that this technique is “segmenting” an orange but in truth, if you want to do that, all you have to do is peel the orange and separate all the pieces. If you want the garnish that gives you a jeweled orange to sit atop any salad or other dish, you must Supreme it. And it’s really easy to do. Here’s how:
Start by cutting off both ends of the orange. You don’t want to take too much of the orange when you do this, just enough to show the flesh of the orange.
Stand the orange up on one of its ends. Using a short paring knife, cut the peel off the orange just where the white membrane meets the pulp of the orange. Let the knife follow the curve of the fruit, slicing the peel away as you do.
Now, if there is a tricky part to this technique (which there’s really not), it’s getting those wedges out perfectly. Remember that if you just cut away where the membrane is, you’ll end up with those somewhat uglier segments that haven’t been Supremed, they’ve simply been cut out of the orange. To get the Supreme wedges, cut each wedge just inside of those membranes. You’ll need to cut them out on a slight angle, and then repeat with the opposite side before continuing on with the rest of the orange.
That’s really all there is to it! Just three simple steps to take an orange from average to Supreme. Now, how are you going to use it now that you’ve got it? In any way you choose!
This salad sort of comes from my work. While we serve a salad that’s very, very similar to this (and we do call it Harvest Salad), I did have to make several substitutions due to what I had in my fridge. It’s so good, I often say I’m pretty sure this
This salad sort of comes from my work. While we serve a salad that’s very, very similar to this (and we do call it Harvest Salad), I did have to make several substitutions due to what I had in my fridge. It’s so good, I often say I’m pretty sure this salad isn’t even good for you. It tastes like candy!!
Ingredients:
For the salad:
2 cups, firmly packed, fresh spinach $1.49
1 orange (I cut my wedges in half but you can leave them whole if you’d like)
1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup cucumber, cut in a large dice
1/4 cup candied pecans
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
For the salad dressing:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh raspberries (can use frozen, just thaw them first)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jelly
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Directions:
1.) Place spinach in a large bowl and place all other saladingredients on top.
2.) One by one, measure out and place all dressing ingredients in a large measuring cup. Process with an immersion blender to fully combine and emulsify the saladdressing. Pour as much as you’d like over the salad and save the rest in an airtight container in the fridge.
My kids love food on a stick, and I love making it for them. These sausage kabobs are true perfection. They’re easy, they’ve got a ton of flavour and, put a platter down in front of any group and you’ll soon have tons of “oohs” and “ahs” headed your way. Even if that weren’t the case, I am still dreaming about these sausage kabobs.
Ingredients:
4 Italian sausages, cut into approximately 1 1/2″ pieces About 20 cherry tomatoes 1 large handful of basil leaves 3 tablespoons peach preserves 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil Skewers, soaked in water if wood to avoid burning
Directions:
1.) Place basil leaves on a cutting board or other surface and drizzle olive oil over them. Gently rub the basil leaves together and turn them to thoroughly coat them in the oil. This will prevent them from burning on the grill.
2.) Assemble the skewers by threading the ingredients in this order: sausage, tomato, basil. Continue threading the ingredients in this order until all skewers have been made.
3.) Heat grill to medium heat. When hot, place kabobsonto the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, until sausages are completely cooked and brown.
4.) While kabobsare cooking, make the glaze. Place the peach preserves and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine and heat over medium-low heat until the glaze has reached a nice consistency and is hot throughout.
5.) Remove kabobsfrom the grill and place on a serving platter or cutting board. Brush the glaze over top.
Need a potato salad for a barbecue or potluck this summer? This might just be the one you’re looking for. With just a few ingredients this is one salad in which the potatoes really shine. It’s super tasty and you can make it the night before and have your side all ready to go for dinner the next day. One of the ways this salad beats other potato salads, especially in these hot, humid months, is that it doesn’t contain any dairy so it can sit out for a little while and you don’t have to mess around with keeping it on ice.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 red onion, sliced
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1.) Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water; salt the water generously. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are cooked through and just fork-tender. Drain and rinse potatoes under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain again thoroughly.
2.) While potatoes are cooking prepare the dressing. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, mustard, vinegar, shallots, parsley, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
3.) Add potatoes and red onion to the bowl of dressing and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or, place the potato saladin an airtight container and store in the fridge overnight, up to three days.
While preparing my menu for my daughter’s First Communion last month, I knew I wanted to put out a terrific bean salad of some sort, and that I wanted to keep it relatively simple – simple has been my thing lately. As I started rinsing beans, shucking corn, and whipping together the vinaigrette, I realized the salad I was making was very similar to the one we made for our Mother’s Day buffet at work. With tons of leftovers I ate
bean salad for the rest of the week. As the week went on, the entire dish became even more flavorful.
Ingredients:
2 cans (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed 4 ears corn, shucked with the kernels cut off 2 red bell peppers, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 shallot, minced 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup olive oil Zest of 2 limes Juice of 6 limes 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
1.) Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Cover tightly and place in fridge for at least 3 hours to allow the flavours of the bean saladto marry.
French toast is something that seems pretty easy, doesn’t it? I mean, you take some bread, let it go for a swim in milk and eggs, and then fry it up in a boatload of butter. But, if you want to get French toast that you’ll be thinking about for the rest of the day, there are a few things you can do to make this breakfast basic truly fantastic.
Use the right bread. That thinly sliced Wonder bread might be fresh, soft and delicious, but it’s not the stuff you want to use for French toast. If you do, it will fall flat – if it doesn’t fall apart first. What you want to use is a thick bread that has a very dense crumb. Think cake, but in bread form. Oh yeah, it’s already gettin’ good! Thick-sliced country bread, Challah, and brioche are all great choices that will stand up to the soaking you’re about to put it through.
The drier the bread, the better. Bread is already pretty moist. Add more moisture to that and well, you can guess what’s going to happen. By using dry bread, the custard have plenty to soak into so either lay your bread out the night before or put it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes before making your French toast.
Strain your custard. This is a must. Even if you’ve whipped up your custard using a mixer, there’s a chance that you’ll still have stringy bits of egg in there – and that does not a good custard make. Instead, strain it before you place your bread in and you’ll have smooth, rich custard with no stringy bits.
Use full fat. You are, after all, having French toast. Now is not the time to skimp. Unless you have some kind of food allergy or special dietary requirements, use full-fat cream or at the very least, full-fat milk. Again, this will help add to the creaminess of the custard and you’ll be happy you did.
Really saturate that bread. Just getting the surface of the bread wet will give you a creamy exterior, but you’ll find it also won’t penetrate the bread enough to give you that soft, creamy interior. To make sure that my bread is really saturated, I place my bread on the custard, flip it over, and then push the bread down into the custard, holding it completely submerged for a few seconds. If you’re using the right bread, it still won’t fall apart, but it will give you that creamy, yolky inside you’re looking for.
Get that pan hot! And you need to do it before you put any bread in. If you don’t, the egg is going to seep out from underneath it and form a pool for the French toast to cook in. It won’t only be difficult to cook, it will be difficult and unappetizing to eat. By making sure your pan is hot, hot, hot, the eggs will start to cook as soon as they hit it, and you’ll be on your way to perfect French toast.
After frying it, bake it. Okay, this isn’t a must for perfect French toast, but it’s a technique I’ve recently found and have fallen in love with. Baking French toast makes it act a bit like quiche in the way that it will puff up and become even more luscious. Just like quiche, it will start to fall quickly after you’ve removed it from the oven but if nothing else, it really fills the house with all those great baking aromas. It makes me happy, happy, and I bet it will for you, too.
Use the recipe below. It’s the one I use when I’m cooking French toast for my family, and I haven’t had any complaints yet.
1 1/3 cups full-fat milk or cream 3 eggs 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Pinch of salt 6 – 8 slices thick bread 4 tablespoons butter, for frying Powdered sugar and/or maple syrup, for serving
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Whisk the milk or cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Strain the custard into a shallow bowl or casserole dish.
3.) Soak the bread in the custard mixture. You can do this in batches, soaking some slices while frying the others, or if your dish is big enough, you can do it all at once.
4.) Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted and is starting to foam, your pan is hot enough to add the bread. If your frying pan is big enough you can do all the slices at once, or fry them in batches and move them to a baking sheet as they’re finished. You want to fry the French toast for a couple of minutes on each side. This is building the crunchy exterior that’s one of the best parts of French toast.
5.) Once all of your French toast has been fried, place it all on the baking sheet and place the entire thing in the oven. Bake the French toast for 8 – 10 minutes until it’s entirely golden and puffed up.
6.) Sprinkle all French toast with powdered sugar and/or drizzle with maple syrup and serve and enjoy!
