Day 7, Recipe 6: Not Your Average Pasta..Puttanesca

Alright, so I slacked off yesterday & fell to the temptation of all you can eat sushi. I guess I should have committed to taking a days rest every 7 as we love to go out and dine. Aji Sai is right at Queen & Spadina and has, by far, the best AYCE menu in Toronto- in my opinion anyways.

Tonight, I was craving pasta.I'm terrible when it comes to finding recipes though- there's always so many modifications I feel I need to make. This recipe was pieced together from various websites I came across. Most of the recipe is modified to suit my liking- Enjoy!

4 T         olive oil
1            onion, chopped
3-4         garlic cloves, minced
3            fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 t       red pepper flakes
1 C        cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 can   diced tomatoes
1 tin       anchovies in oil
1 C        fresh baby spinach
             salt & pepper to taste
1/4 C     feta cheese, crumbled
             spaghettini, prepared as per package directions.

Boil a pot of water for the spaghettini. When the water is almost at boiling, begin making sauce.
Heat olive oil over medium high and add onions and garlic; saute until fragrant- about 1 minute. Add basil, saute until onion is translucent, approximately another 1-2 minutes.
Add red pepper flakes and cherry tomates, stirring to mix with onion mix. Pour diced tomatoes and diced anchovies into skillet, cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add spinach and stir into skillet, cooking for no more then 2 minutes over medium heat- just until slightly wilted.
Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and crumble feta cheese over top; stir and serve with garlic toast!

Day 5, Recipe 5; Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Let me start off my saying- I LOVE slow cookers. Today was my first experience using one that my mama gave me, and I can honestly say I now understand why it's such a staple in households. Turn it on, put some stuff into it and leave it be. Fan-friggen-tastic. I told my boyfriend that during this challenge I would take on pulled pork- I've never had it & he's a big fan, so I figured why not. Well- I plugged my slow cooker in to the outlet on my stove. Went back in two hours to find it was still cold. Naturally, I hopped onto google to find out how long it takes a slow cooker to heat up and was horrified to find out that it only takes about 15 minutes on high to feel noticeable heat. Oops. Blonde moment. Note to self; don't use the outlet on the stove.

1           3-4 lb pork butt or shoulder
1 1/2 C   root beer
             salt & pepper
1/4 C     onion, chopped.
1 bottle  Budweiser BBQ sauce

Season the pork with salt and pepper and place into slow cooker over the onions. Pour root beer over top. Turn the slow cooker on high and cover for one hour.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 7 hours.
Remove pork from slow cooker and trim of all fat. Pull apart with a fork and set aside.
Drain liquid from slow cooker.
Return pork to slow cooker and pour the bbq sauce over and mix. Cook for an additional hour. Serve with toasted buns & assorted garnishes of your choice.

* After discovering I had wasted two hours of precious cooking time, I went for a shortcut on cooked the pork on high for 4 hours and then added the bbq sauce, cooking on low for an additional hour. The pork was tasty, and melted in my mouth.Having nothing to compare it to, I'd say this was a success from both a slow cooker and recipe standpoint.

★★★★.5/☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 out of 5 for yum factor!

day 4, recipe 4; Light & Healthy Pizza, hmm.

My boyfriend refers to this as "greek-za". It was delicious, but hardly what I'd classify easy. Between struggling to improvise the dough recipe to utilize the tools I had handy, to finding under-risen dough at the half way mark and under cooked pizza at the end of the recommended cooking time, I was more then discouraged. In the end, this pizza was a melody of crispy crust, garlic and feta. I'd make it again, but on a time crunch I can almost guarantee I'd find myself rummaging through the takeout flyers for a quick fix.

1 1/2 C            fresh broccoli
1/2                  red onion
1/4 C               kalamata olives, pitted, chopped into pieces
5 cloves           garlic
1 can               diced tomatoes
1/4 C               feta cheese, crumbles
                       pizza dough
1 T+3t             olive oil

Prep work:
1 1/2 C            fresh broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2                  red onion, chopped
                      vegetable oil spray
Coating:
3 t                   olive oil
2 cloves           fresh garlic, minced
Mix together in a bowl, set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Spread broccoli and onion onto sheet and coat in spray once more; Bake for 11 minutes. Toss with olive oil coating and set aside.

*This is a crucial step in ensuring you don't end up with soggy pizza- vegetables leak liquid when cooked so baking them for a short while is very important.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F. Spread pizza dough onto a pan- I used a rectangular, shallow pan to make a slab pizza. I sprinkled the bottom of the pan with flour before spreading the dough and brushed 1 tablespoon of olive oil before placing into oven. When dough is evenly pressed onto the pan, put into oven and bake for 5 minutes.

Sauce:
1 can               diced tomatoes, drained
3 cloves           garlic, minced
                       salt & pepper, to taste

In a handheld food processor, mix together tomatoes, garlic, salt & pepper.

Spread 1/2 sauce mixture over pre-baked pizza dough. Sprinkle the broccoli and onions over top. Add olives and feta cheese. Return to 500 degree oven and bake for 12 minutes.

The original recipe called for this to bake for 5-8 minutes. Talk about disappointment- it wasn't even close to done. The recipe boasts of a crispy crust- which indeed it did have after cooking for 12 minutes. If you were timing this pizza around a side dish- such as our delicious buffalo style chicken wings- you'd have been most disappointed that the timing was off.
Interesting experience, overall. One day, I'm sure I'll be spinning dough over my head and laughing at folks ordering from Pizza Nova for a "true italian experience"...for now, however- I won't scoff at my own desire to pick up the phone for a quick fix.
Delicious? Definitely!
Healthy? Agreed!
Worth the effort? Debatable.

No wonder the delivery guy bashfully looks away when he shows up with your soggy Veggie Supreme.

Day 4, Recipe 4: Homemade Light Pizza Dough- v 1.0 [part 1/2]

Let me start off this edition by saying... I now understand why people pick up their phones and order a pizza. For as little time and almost even less pennies, you can have a deliciously greasy, ready to eat slab on your table in under 30 minutes. From the minute I decided to take on this recipe, I knew I was in trouble.
Problem rose (or failed to rise, as did my dough for the first hour) and I was left thinking dinner was totally ruined. I'm posting the original recipe, with notes following on improvements I'd make going forward.

2- 2 1/4 C          all purpose flour
1  t                    instant or rapid-rise yeast
1/2 t                  salt
3/4 C                 warm water (110 degrees)*

Pulse 2 cups of the flour, yeast and salt together in a food processor** to combine. With the processor running, pour the water through the feed tube and process until a rough ball forms, 30 to 40 seconds. Let dough rest two minutes, the process for 30 seconds longer. If after 30 seconds, the dough is sticky and clings to the blade, add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, tablespoon by tablespoon as needed.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and form it into a smooth, round ball. Lightly coat a bowl with vegetable oil spray and place the dough into the bowl. Lightly coat a sheet of plastic wrap with the oil spray and cover the bowl tightly. Let rise in a warm place*** until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, before using.

*; what is 110 degrees? I don't own a meat thermometer and it doesn't specify that I use one to check the temperature so luke warm tap water wins this round. Seriously, s-i-m-p-l-i-f-y.
**; I don't own a food processor. I have a hand mixer and an emulsion blender. I searched all over the internet for variations of this recipe & they all seemed to call for a food processor. Tough patooties, I'm using my hand mixer.
***; Warm place? What does that mean? I placed the bowl on top of my stove while it was busy pre-heating to 500 degrees F, seemed to do the trick. I also covered the bowl with a dish towel.

Bonus Recipe; Russian Pork Chops

I'd almost feel like I was depriving you if I didn't blog the dinner portion of my day. These were fantastic. If you don't like horseradish...well, shame shame.

4             pork chops, boneless or butterflied
2 T         flour
1/4 t        salt
1/8 t        pepper

2 t           vegetable oil
2             green onions, thinly sliced
1 C          chicken broth
1 1/4 C     frozen green bean pieces
2 T          horseradish
1 T          sour cream
1 t            lemon juice.


Mix 1 tablespoon of the flour with the salt and pepper and coat the pork chops.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chops and brown on each side; approximately 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add green onion to skillet and saute for 3 minutes.
Return chops to pan, add 3/4 cup of broth and green beans. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup of broth, horseradish, remaining flour and sour cream.
Pour over chops and cover again. Continue cooking for two minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with additional pepper.
Serve immediatly over rice or egg noodles.

Day 3, Recipe 3: S'Mores Granola Bars

So, I am definitely not one would classify an "experienced baker". Betty Crocker sells it in a box, I add the eggs and oil and voila- here's your damn cake, eat it.
Unfortunately, today I don't have any cake mix laying around and my sweet tooth is swearing at me. I took a quick inventory of what I did have laying around and set out to find a recipe that would satisfy. Now, there's probably a few reasons why I don't bake from scratch.
Reason #1- I don't ever have baking soda or cake flour just laying around.
Reason #2- I don't like the limited substitutions available for these things. If I don't have baking soda, why would the automatic assumption be that I would have baking powder and molasses? C'mon.
Anyways, A LOT of recipes I came across called for things that you wouldn't just find in your cupboard in the tiny section designated for "baking supplies". I know it's just as easy to run off to Metro and pick a few things up, but in my case, I'm one foot down with two crutches.

I found a recipe that sounded too good to pass up but I was missing one thing- maple syrup. The information warns not to use artificial (pancake) syrup but as we've already discovered I'm not a baker & I like to bend the rules. So I used light pancake syrup in my bars and I found they were still fantastic. What's life if you don't live a little, eh?

6 T               unsalted butter
1/4 C            light brown sugar
1/3 C + 1T    maple syrup
1/2 C            all purpose flour
2 C               old fashioned rolled oats
1 C               graham cracker crumbs
1/4 C            sweetened or unsweetened coconut
1/2 t             salt
1/4 t             cinnamon

Filling:
1 C              semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 C         mini marshmellow

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter, brown sugar and maple syrup in a pan until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, mix flour, oats, graham cracker crumbs, coconut, salt and cinnamon. Pour butter mixture into bowl and stir ensuring all the dry mix is coated in butter.
Pour half the oat mixture into a 9x9 pan and press down to set. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Sprinkle the marshmellows and chocolate chips on top of the mixture in the pan. Pour remaining crumb mix over top and pat down to set.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 20 minutes, cutting into squares while they are still warm.
If stored in an air-tight container, these will keep for 7-10 days...If they last that long ; ) Enjoy!

Day 2, Recipe 2: Curried Hash

So, I half-committed yesterday to making a lighter, healthier dish for dinner tonight. Things don't always go according to plan though and sometimes, you have to use what you have on hand. I'm not feeling well today and I wanted something that was relatively no fuss and wouldn't take long to prepare. This is an adapted Company's Coming recipe that I once again acquired from my mom- she's my no fail go-to for delicious meal ideas. The flavor in this dish comes from the curry and you can add or decrease the amount as you so choose.


3 T            cooking oil
1 1/4 lb      extra lean ground beef
3/4 C         chopped onion
1 t             salt
1/4 t          pepper
1/2 t          sage (or poultry seasoning)
3 T           all purpose flour
2 C           milk
1 T           curry powder

In a large skill heat oil over medium heat and add onion. Saute until onion is translucent; add ground beef and brown.
Season with salt, pepper and sage/poultry seasoning. Add flour, one tablespoon at a time, stirring with the ground beef mixture to ensure even coverage.
Stir all the milk into the mixture at once. Continue stirring as mixture boils and thickens.

Stir in curry powder and remove from heat; allow to sit for 2 minutes for flavors to absorb.
Serve immediately over a bed of rice or noodles.

The recipe says that this can also be used as a base for a casserole. Some suggestions;
- Rice, green peas, onion baked with base for 30 minutes at 350F
- Potato (parboiled) and diced tomatoes baked with base for 30 minutes at 350F

For this meal, presentation was key- my boyfriend isn't a huge fan of rice or curry. I arranged the rice in the center of the plate and poured green peas around the rice. A spoonful of the sauce overtop and voila! Before I knew it, he was back in the kitchen, spooning himself seconds. The key to this really is the two minute setting time- because the curry is the last ingredient added, the sauce doesn't absorb the flavors of it right away. Allowing a little bit of "breathing" time proved to be beneficial. If reheating or using in a casserole, be sure to use additional liquid as needed.

★★★.5/☆☆☆☆☆                 
3.5 stars out of 5 for yum factor

Day One, Recipe One: Potato, Egg and Sausage Casserole

So, here we are! First recipe of my challenge. This one I got from my mom after scouring the internet for hours looking for something to do with leftover sausage I have in the fridge. First day and I'm scoring two points off my recipe list...not too shabby! This casserole recipe calls for a Hungarian sausage link but I'm left with mild italian sausages so they'll have to do! The recipe makes a 9x13 pan but adjust according to your needs.

6          medium potatoes, skin on
6          large eggs, hardboiled
1          link of hungarian sausage, fully cooked & sliced.
1/4 C    butter, melted
1 t        salt
1/4 t     black pepper
1 C       sour cream
1/4 C    milk
1 C       bread crumbs (or crushed crackers, whatever you have)
3 T       melted butter

Prepare the large casserole dish by melting butter and covering the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the butter and set aside.
Boil potatoes in their skin until almost completely cooked but not quite. Hard boil the eggs.
Drain and cool both potatoes and eggs. Remove the skins from the potatoes and shells from the eggs. Slice and set aside in seperate bowls.
Preheat oven to 350 F. To assemble your casserole, begin with a layer of sliced potatoes, then sausage and then sliced eggs. Put a dollop of sour cream on top of each egg layer, using about 1/2 cup of sour cream for this step. Repeat process ensuring to end with a layer of potato on top.
Blend the remaining 1/2 cup of sour cream and milk together. Pour over casserole, ensuring even coverage. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter, drizzle over top of casserole and sprinkle bread crumbs over top.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve with dill pickles and fresh bread.

This casserole is even better when reheated and served the next day, as the flavors have time to absorb and distribute.
Day one, recipe one...after this meal I think it's a safe bet that I should do a lighter, healthier recipe tomorrow. I wonder what I'll dish up!

*After Cooking Notes:
As I mentioned, I made this casserole with leftover cooked italian sausages. I used 4 medium potatoes, 4 hard boiled eggs and half a medium onion sliced. I also sprinkled paprika over the egg layer. I didn't decrease the sour cream or the milk as I prefer my casseroles to be creamy. Even though I served this with sauerkraut and steamed broccoli, my boyfriend & I still managed to eat almost the entire thing. Definitely a winner in our collection! 

★★★★/☆☆☆☆☆
4 stars out of 5 stars for yum factor.

Weeknight Wonder- Easy Beef Stroganoff

This recipe came to me courtesy of my boyfriends mom & we love it! It's quick, easy and totally inexpensive. I usually have all the ingredients handy so it whips up in a pinch!

1lb                extra lean ground beef
1 onion         chopped
1 T               garlic, minced
1 cup            fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can            condensed cream of chicken soup
1 T               worstershire sauce
1/4 cup         sour cream ( I use 5% MF )
                    broad egg noodles, prepared as per package directions

Saute garlic and onions in a pan over medium heat. When onion is translucent, add mushrooms and saute until almost fully cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
Brown ground beef in the same pan, add mushroom, onion and garlic back into pan with beef.
Add cream of chicken soup and stir into mixture and then add worstershire sauce. Place a lid on the pot and simmer until mixture is thick & bubbly.
Stir sour cream into mixture and serve over egg noodles immediatly!

: )

the best damn chili you will ever eat...aka the kitchen sink

I've made many chilis- from vegetarian to chicken to ground beef to sirlion. Each time making a mental note of things I'd do differently. Alas, I fnally mastered it. Without further ado, I give to you the best damn chili recipe!

2 carrots              chopped into thin slices
2 celery stalks      finely chopped
1-2 onions           chopped
6 cloves garlic      minced
1 each                 fresh green & red pepper, diced
1 can                   mushrooms
1lb                      extra lean ground beef OR ground chicken OR ground turkey
1 can                   diced tomatoes
2 cans                  tomato paste
1 cup                   strong brewed coffee
2 cups                 beef broth
1 cup                   budweiser OR dry white wine- whatever you have handy
3 T + 1t               chili sauce (I like to use Willie's Chili)
1                          jalapeno, chopped with seeds removed
1t                         cumin
1t                         cayenne
1t                         chili powder
1t                         black pepper
1t                         cinnamon
1t                         garlic salt
1t                         paprika
3T                        brown sugar
1t                         sea salt
2 cans                  kidney beans, liquid reserved
1/2 cup                frozen corn kernels
2 T                      oil

In a skillet, season ground beef with a pinch of salt and pepper and brown. Drain liquid after browning.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pot. Add onions and saute until soft. Stir in carrots, peppers, celery and garlic. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in ground beef mixture and mix.
Add jalapenos, beef broth, beer/wine, tomatoes, paste and coffee. Bring to a slow boil. Add chili sauce and all remaining spices. Stir well and then add brown sugar and 1 can of kidney beans.
Reduce to simmer and cook for 2 hours.
Add mushrooms and second can of kidney bean and continue simmering for another hour. Stir in corn kernels when you have half an hour remaining.

Serve with garnishes such as chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream!

Mmmmm. Enjoy! Let me know your thoughts/modifications!

Simply Delicious- Potato & Leek Soup

This soup was so good I found myself reheating some the next day- and believe me when I say there is nothing I usually hate more then leftover food! When I made this, I substituted two cups of chicken broth for water because I didn't have all that the recipe called for and it was still amazing! Enjoy : )

1 leek                    thinly sliced, white parts & some green
1 onion                  chopped
2 celery stalks        sliced
3 potatoes              peeled and cut into cubes
4 cups                   chicken broth
1/4 cup                  dry white wine
3                           bay leaves
                             juice of 1/2 lemon or 2 T lemon juice concentrate
                            salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup                 butter or margarine

Melt butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add leeks, onion and celery and saute until soft- about 3 minutes. Add potatoes and coat in the mixture.
Stir in chicken broth, wine and add bay leaves. Continue cooking over medium heat until potatoes are very soft, about 25-30 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Puree mixture using a food processor or emulsion hand mixer, stirring lemon juice in slowly. Season with salt and pepper and serve!

Best Ever Very Veggie Stock

Homemade vegetable stock should be a staple in every kitchen. It can be timely, but it's results rival those of store bought cans/tetra boxes and has so many uses in everyday dishes! A batch this size will yield enough to make more then a few soups/stews and still have leftovers to freeze away!

3 stalks        Celery, cut into chunks
1 stalk          Leek, green and white parts, chopped
3                  Green onions, chopped
1                  Large onion, cut into quarters
3-4              Carrots, cut into chunks
3                  Tomatoes, quartered
1 cup            Fresh mushrooms, sliced
1                   Yellow pepper, cut into strips
3 cloves        Garlic, minced
2 T               Lemon juice
2 T               Soya sauce
1 T               Peppercorns
4                  Bay Leaves
                    Fresh Parsley sprigs
1 t                Garlic salt
                    Salt & Pepper to taste
1 t                Thyme
10 cups        Water
1/2 cup         Dry white wine

Prepare and combine all vegetablesand garlic in a large stock pot. Add water to pot.
Bring water to a slow boil, adding in lemon juice, wine, soya sauce and spices. Continue to boil for 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3-4 hours.
Strain broth through a cheesecloth into a large bowl. Refridgerate for up to 3 days, freeze up to 6 months.

Stay tuned for my recipe for very veggie stew using this stock as my base!

Note: I chopped my veggies rather carelessly for this stock. Should you want to make a from scratch soup out of this recipe, simply cut the vegetables into bite size pieces and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Boil barley, noodles or rice in a seperate pot and put into your bowl before you spoon in broth. Mmmm.

Sassy Side dishes- Green Bean & Pepper Bake

When you hear green bean casserole, you instantly think comfort food. This is a great side dish to add to any meal - it's colourful, healthy & delicious! Even better, it's really easy to make!

1 lb        Green beans, fresh or frozen
1            Red pepper, cut into thin strips
1            Yellow pepper, cut into thin strips
1             Large onion, cut into thin strips
1/3c        Balsamic vinagrette
1/2c        Part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400F.  Combine vegetables in a baking pan and toss in dressing.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring after 15.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additonal 2-3 minutes until cheese has melted.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole- Weeknight Wonder #1

This casserole is so yummy and tastes just like chicken wings! It'a a little high in calories, but still weighs in as a healthier alternative to chicken wings any time!

1 1/4 lb    Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch strips
1/3 c        Frank's Red Hot
6 c           Frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 c           Ranch or Blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 c        Shredded cheddar cheese
1 can       Cream of celery soup
1/2 c       Corn Flakes, crumbed
2 T          butter, melted
1/4 c       Green onions, chopped, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray.
In a bowl, combine chicken with the wing sauce and let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile in a seperate bowl, stir hash browns, salad dressing, cheese and soup together. Spoon into the pan.
Layer the chicken breast on top of the hash mixture.
Stir together the corn flake crumbs with butter and sprinkle over top of casserole.
Cover casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20-25 minutes.
Sprinkle with green onions and serve!