Goodbye Summer

I am welcoming Fall with arms wide open. To celebrate I made soup last night, and enjoyed every single minute of it! Of course since doing so the sun has come out, and it is 28C, but that is okay.

Normally I am not quite so welcoming of the season change, and I am sure once fall is officially here I will be regretting my early indoctrination of it. Of course to be honest my longing for colder weather is simply due to the my overwhelming desire to use my new cookbook, Great Soup, Empty Bowls. Did I mention that I was able to get a copy of it for only $5 at HomeSense, I really love that store. Because I wouldn't let myself make soup in too early, I have been reading it over and over again. Flagging all the ones that catch my eye, which is most of the book. I was even reading it in the ER last week, while I was waiting for my Hubby. I do believe they people there though I was a tad strange. Oh well!

Anyway this I was very impressed with first one and can't wait to try more of them.

Fresh corn chowder and roasted red pepper cream:
(Serves 4)

• 4 cobs of corn
• 2 tbsp butter
  
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 baking potato, peeled and cubbed
  
• 2 cup milk
• 1 poblano pepper: roasted, peeled, seeded and minced
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Salt
  

Start by cutting corn off of cobs. You should end up with approximately 2/5-3 cups. In soup pot, melt butter and cook onion and garlic until soft. Add potato, corn and milk. Bring to a simmer and semi-cover pot with lid cooking until potato is soft. Approximately 10 minutes.

Add whipping cream, poblano pepper, and season with salt. Return to a simmer. Stirring frequently, cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.

For the cream:

• 1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 red pepper: roasted, peeled, seeded and pureed

Combine all ingredients for the cream. Add a dollop on top of soup and serve.

Enjoy!

Menu Planning

The mission to use as much food from my pantry and freezer over the next few weeks as possible. Why you ask? Well we finally received a possession date for our new house, and I don't really want to move or possibly have to throughout that much food! See I have a bad habit of stock up on food when it is on sale, and freezing left overs a lot!

So the goal is to try and make our way through everything slowly. The good thing is it cuts down my grocery bill quite a bit!

Tuesday: Pizza
Wednesday: Soup (homemade of course)
Thursday: Biryani (cheating on this one, it is from a box)
Friday: Night off
Saturday: Wedding
Sunday: Ham and potatoes - attempt number 2
Monday: Leftovers

Have a good week :)

Vegetarian Night

In our quest to eat healthier, I like to have Vegetarian night. I aim for at least once a week, however it unfortunately doesn't always end up that often. Normally Hubby protests the night, and aways comments on 'how this would be really good if there was ground beef in it!'. I of course deny him, and we continue on our merry way :)

For this week's vegetarian installment I was able to combine with one of my favorite styles of cooking, Mexican! I adore the flavor of cumin, and the sort of smokey taste it bring to dishes. Of course it also gives me and excuse to use salsa when I am eating, my absolute favorite!


Vegetable Tostadas:

• Tostada shells
• 2 potatoes, peeled, cubbed and boiled
• 3 gloves garlic minced
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3 tomatoes diced
• 4 oz green beans, blanched and cut into bite sized pieces
• oregano
• 1 can black beans
• Feta cheese
• 2-3 romaine lettuce leaves, shredded
• 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced

Heat olive oil in skilled and add cooked potatoes, and brown. Add garlic, red pepper, chili powder, paprika and cumin. Cook 2-3 minutes until peppers soft.

Add tomatoes, green beans, oregano. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender. The mixture should be sauce like, and not to dry. If needed add some water. (I added around 1/2 cup).

Heat black beans in separate skillet with small amount of water. Keep warm, but don't let dry out.

To assemble tostadas: place tostada shell on plate, and layer black beans over bottom, sprinkle with crumbles feta. Spoon hot veggie mix on and top with few shreds of lettuce and green onion and serve at once.


This recipe is really yummy. If there is a desire to serve it in a non-vegetarian style, you could replace the black beans with ground beef easily, Enjoy!

Thai Green Chicken Curry

We love our curries in this house! For Hubby it is cooking he grew up with, so it reminds him of home, and for me I just love the flavors and heat found in the dishes. It is something I was only exposed to within the last few years, but instantly fell in love with. Getting used to the heat has taken some time though :)

Through my curry adventures what I have quickly come to realize is that I would prefer a north Indian plate over a south Indian one any day. The problem with that is my Mother-in-law is from south India, and traditionally makes that style of food. She is wonderful at it, and actually known throughout her community for her cooking! She makes the best biryani hands down and I could never dare to compete against it (well at least not if I valve my life). But, that being said I have retreated to my own kitchen and done quite a bit of my own cooking and experimenting with curries now that suit my taste. My secret, I actually prefer mine to hers any day now, including this Thai one, shhhhhhh! I am going to get is so much trouble if she finds out!

Thai Green Chicken Curry:

• 2 chicken breasts cubbed
• 1 shallot minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 cups coconut milk
• 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 2 tbsp green curry paste
• 1 eggplant chopped
• 2 green chilies, seeded and minced
• 4 tbsp cilantro, minced

In large pan bring coconut milk to a boil. Add garlic, shallot, and chicken. Return to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until chicken no longer pink. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and place in bowl off to side (keep warm).

Stir in curry paste into pan. Add eggplant, and chilies. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Return chicken to pan and return to boil. Adjust seasoning to taste by adding salt and pepper. You may need to add a small amount of water of broth if sauce is to thick (I added about 1/2 cup). Stir in cilantro. Serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Menu Planning

Okay, it has been a crazy day at work, and I almost didn't have time for this today. Good thing my Hubby is always late picking me up!!!

Tuesday: Pizza
Wednesday: Thai green chili
Thursday: Raspberry-Chipotle sauce with pork chops and roasted asparagus (I have never hear of raspberry-chipotle sauce before, but in the last week came across three different recipes for it so I just have to try it out!)
Friday: Night Off
Saturday: Vegetable Tostadas
Sunday: Hams, scallop potatoes and some random veggie to balance it out (For me this is comfort food and I just crave it everyone and awhile - Hubby hates it when I say 'Comfort Food', I tend to use that to describe lots I guess!)
Monday: Night off

Guilty pleasures

For the most part, our house eats very healthy. We ate our veggies and have vegetarian nights, we try not to fry very often, we don't buy prepackaged foods, and I try to buy organic as much as I can afford too. Also we don't often have sweets in the house, and if we do they are homemade (so at least I have to burn calories to make them...at least that is how I rationalize it). But of course every now and again, we get that urge for something that you know you shouldn't eat.

Ever since I read this post about fish and chips a few weeks back it is all I have been craving like you wouldn't believe. I added it to my menu planning a couple of times now and failed to produce. But I finally got around to my own version tonight! Of course I had to coordinate it with a gym day so I didn't feel too much guilt!

Beer battered Fish and Spicy Chips:

• 1 lb tilapia (or white fish of choice)
• 1 cup flour, plus extra for dredging
  
• 1 cup beer
• 1 egg white
• salt and pepper
• Oil for frying
  
• 4 large russet potatoes, cut into slices/wedges
• cayenne pepper
  
• Olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with silpat (if you don't have one don't worry, just watch that chips don't stick).


Arrange potatoes on sheet in single layer and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and small amount of cayenne pepper (be careful not to add to much, but if you like it hot go for it!) Using hands toss to coat.

Bake in oven for approximately 45-60 minutes or until crisp, turning frequently.

In a skillet add oil, approximately 2 inches in depth, and heat.

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, dredge is flour and put aside.

Mix 1 cup flour, beer, salt and pepper. Put aside for 10 minutes. While waiting beat one egg white until peaks form. Gently fold into batter mixture.


Shake excess flour off of fish, and place into beer batter, coating well. Place in skillet with heated oil and fry until golden brown. Remove to paper towel lined plate.


Enjoy!

Chili Tartar sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayanoise
• 1 tbsp minced pickle
• 1 tbsp minced onion
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chili sauce

Mix all ingredients together. Serve with fried fish.

Enjoy!

Serves me right!

I was trying to fight back against the fall like weather we have been having. I should have done the soup like I wanted and just conceded.

Hubby was going to BBQ, how much more summer-esk can you get. Well of course midway last night, as we were cooking the propane runs out! So we haul everything back inside and fire up the oven to broil the rest of our meal. Of course it still tasted wonderful, but it was just missing the hint of BBQ taste. Oh-well what can you do.

Greek Salad and Red wine vinaigrette:

• 1 tomato chopped into large pieces
• 1/2 red onion sliced
• 1/2 cucumber chopped into large pieces
• Feta
  
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

For vinaigrette combine in small bowl garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and red wine vinegar. Whisk well, and pour oil in as a slow stream, whisking continuously.

Combine all other ingredients in bowl and pour vinaigrette over, and toss to coat.

Greek burgers, stuffed with Feta, and tzatziki sauce:

• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp cucumber minced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or you can use fresh)
• 1 tsp minced fresh dill
  
• Salt and pepper
  

• 500g (1 package) lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 tbsp red onion minced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• Feta thinly sliced

For the tzatziki sauce:

Combine yogurt, garlic, cucumber, dill, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Mix well. Spread on half of toasted bun.

For the burger patties:

Combine beef, garlic, onion, lemon juice, oregano in bowl and mix well ensuring well combined. Divide meat mixture into equal portions for patties (mine made 4).

Divide each of those portions into two, and form into thin patties. Take one patty, place feta slice on top, place another patty on top and seal together. Repeat with remaining.

Cook until no longer pink.

Enjoy!