Peanut butter squares

I knew I hadn’t posted in a little while, but when I peeked at the calendar this morning it appears that I haven’t posted in a whole month.  Terrible!  I have some pretty good excuses,  though.  Hear me out:

I prefer to cook and blog on the weekends rather than during the week.  There’s ample time to catch natural light for photos (impossible in the evenings for most of the year in Canada), and, well, working a full-time job kind of takes up most of my waking weekday hours.  But these past few weekends have been filled with wedding planning, meeting up with vendors and visiting my parents rather than cooking.

The other reason is that I’ve been travelling a lot for work.  One week this month was spent at a trade show in NYC, where I spent the majority of my time manning our booth and resting at the hotel.  No pizza, hot dogs or “celebrity chef” restaurants to be had.  Next week I’ll be making the trek to Kelowna, BC for another conference and trade show but I doubt any decent food tourism with come of that.  (I’ll bring my camera just in case!)

Now that I have a few minutes this weekend to catch up, I thought I’d share one of my absolute favourite desserts.  It’s the easiest possible recipe and doesn’t even require baking.  Give it a try if you’re in the mood for Reese peanut butter cups this long weekend

Peanut butter squares

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl and press into a large baking dish, flattening with the back of a spoon.  Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in short intervals, stirring in between.  Pour over the peanut butter mixture and smooth out with a spatula.  Cool and cut into squares before chocolate fully hardens.

Easy tzatziki coleslaw

Coleslaw is one of those classic summery accompaniments that goes with just about anything you’d be inclined to cook in the warmer months: burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, fried chicken and fish, barbecued ribs, spicy wings, grilled chicken.  Whether you like it bright and tangy or thick and creamy, coleslaw imparts a fresh, palate-invigorating contrast to the smoky, hearty meats it’s often served with.

This recipe isn’t really a traditional coleslaw since it doesn’t include mayonnaise or vinegar, but it’s extremely quick and easy to prepare (not to mention absolutely delicious)–perfect for a weeknight.  All you need is a bag or two of coleslaw mix (a mixture of shredded broccoli, carrots and cabbage), a container of prepared tzatziki (I recently discovered the President’s Choice version and can’t get enough of it), and one or two thinly sliced green onions.

Grab a large bowl and toss the coleslaw mix with a couple generous tablespoons of the tzatziki, season with salt and pepper to taste and top with the green onion.  Serve to your hungry family and friends with whatever summertime meal suits your fancy.

Do you have a favourite ridiculously easy summertime recipe?

Homemade sesame seed bagels

As much as I love food and cooking, I’ve never made bread before nor have even worked with yeast.  But by some miracle–thanks in part to my stand mixer and Joy of Cooking–I managed to pull off homemade sesame seed bagels last Sunday afternoon. And let me tell you: they were by far the BEST thing I’ve ever made.  Ever.

The recipe was straightforward, simple and required few ingredients, but I still ran into some problems along the way.  For instance, when I made the first batch I didn’t wait long enough for the yeast to properly activate before mixing in the flour and other ingredients (rookie mistake).  This resulted in a dry, crumbly dough, so I had to throw it away and start again.

Fortunately, the second batch turned out perfectly.  After mixing the dough in my stand mixer and letting it rest, I divided the ball into eight pieces, rolled each one out into a long rope and wrapped the ends together, tucking them underneath to form the classic bagel shape.  I then let the bagels rise a little before tossing them in a large pot of boiling water.  After a minute or two (flipping them once at the halfway mark), I used a handheld strainer to fish out each ring and then laid them on a cornmeal-lined baking sheet.  After a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds, I popped the bagels into the oven and baked until golden brown.

The kitchen smelled heavenly, but the real treat came when it was time to try one, fresh out of the oven and still piping hot.  I held off on the butter and other accompaniments for the first bite and was glad I did; they were unnecessary.  The golden sesame-coated exterior was crusty yet somehow also soft and chewy, giving way to pillowy, softly elastic insides that had a yeasty, faintly sweet flavour.

They were so overwhelmingly good that I had a sort of revelation…how many other foods out there are this delicious, but because we’re so accustomed to the store-bought version, we have forgotten (or never even knew) what the fresh, homemade kind really tastes like?

It would take tons of time and effort to make everything from scratch obviously, but there’s something to be said about preparing a small batch of something simple once in a while, like a bagel, and really enjoy it.

Bagel recipe from Joy of Cooking

8 bagels

Combine in a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer and let stand until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes:

• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp warm water
• 1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 tsp sugar

Stir in:

• 1 tbsp melted vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 tsp malt syrup or sugar
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup bread flour

Gradually stir in:

• 3-3 1/2 cups bread flour

Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Let rest, covered, 15 to 20 minutes.

 

Punch down the dough and divide into 8 pieces.  Roll each piece into a rope about 10 inches long, tapering the ends.  Wet the ends to help seal, and form into rings, stretching the top end over and around the bottom end and pinching them together underneath.  Let rise, covered, on a floured board about 15 minutes, until puffy.

 

Pre-heat oven to 425°F.

 

Bring to a boil in a large pot:

• 4 quarts water
• 1 tbsp malt syrup or sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Drop the rings 4 at a time into the boiling water.  As the bagels surface, turn them over and cook about 45 seconds longer.  Skim out and place on an ungreased baking sheet coated with cornmeal.  Sprinkle with toppings of choice.  Bake 20-25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

 

I want to know: what’s the best thing you’ve ever made?

Skillet frittata with bacon, spinach & white cheddar

I made this frittata last night for two reasons: 1) we didn’t have much in the fridge and I didn’t feel like going grocery shopping; and 2) I wanted to test drive my new cast iron skillet!

I’m always on the lookout for one-pot (or pan) meal ideas, so the fact that this recipe starts on the stove top, finishes in the oven and can be served straight from the pan is a dream.

Skillet frittata with bacon, spinach & white cheddar

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup milk or cream
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated white cheddar
• 4 strips of pre-cooked bacon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a cast iron skillet or other large oven-safe pan, add the oil and heat over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a large bowl and stir in the spinach, bacon, salt, pepper and milk (or cream).  Whisk to combine.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, moving around the bacon and spinach with a wooden spoon so they are evenly spread out.  Lower the heat slightly and cook until the eggs have set, about 15 minutes.
4. Pre-heat the broiler.  Sprinkle the cheese on top of the frittata, remove the skillet from the stove top and transfer to the oven.  Broil until the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven, let cool slightly and slice into wedges.  Serve immediately.

Eat, drink & be married: Food photos from my engagement party

This past weekend my parents hosted an engagement party for Reilly and I.  The theme: wine, cheese and classy finger food.  It was the perfect excuse to get our families together to chat, play some games, eat great food and have a couple of drinks.  Here, the menu and a few drool-worthy photos of the incredible spread:

Spring vegetable "garden"

Engagement party menu

The food:

• Cheese plate (cranberry and pepper boursin, blue cheese, two kinds of cheddar, creme oka, herbed goat cheese, gouda, old cheddar, dates, pecans, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dried mango)
• Spanish omelet squares
• Deviled eggs 2 ways (with caviar and without)
• Spring vegetable garden (carrots and green beans “planted” in garden vegetable dip)
• Cocktail meatballs 2 ways (tomato sauce and teriyaki)
• Smoked salmon platter with capers, onions and sour cream
• Caprese salad skewers (bocconcini, cherry tomatoes and basil)
• Feta, cherry tomato and mint skewers
• 3 kinds of sandwiches (roast beef with pickles, prosciutto and provolone with asparagus, ham and swiss)
• Shrimp cocktail
• Marinated olives
• Prosciutto-wrapped hearts of palm

The drinks:

• Cranberry-white wine punch
• Red and white wine
• Champagne
  

  Smoked salmon platter

Deviled eggs with caviar (courtesy of Aunt Elena)

Caprese salad skewers

My mom prepping the Spanish omelet (she kept telling me not to photograph the bottom, but I did anyway!)

Prosciutto-wrapped hearts of palm

Deviled eggs sprinkled with a healthy dose of paprika

The perfectly composed cheese plate

Shrimp

The wine bar area with matching yellow glasses for the bride (me) and groom (my wedding colour is yellow)

The vegetable garden again (couldn't resist posting another photo)

Bubbly for all! Corks from our champagne toast

This white wine punch was a hit

If you're still hungry after all that great food: 3 kinds of sandwiches

One more egg photo

My turmeric- and blueberry-dyed Easter eggs.  Not a vibrant as eggs coloured with food colouring, but they’re pretty nonetheless.

Celebrating Easter weekend with a few eggcellent photos

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter (and, if you don’t celebrate, a very happy long weekend)!

First burger of the season

Oh yeah!  Nothing like a homemade burger, cooked on the grill, in the middle of March!  I’m not sure what’s up with this unseasonably warm weather but I’m not complaining (note: I wrote this last week…unfortunately the weather is back to blah).  It’s the perfect excuse to get away from the same old routine of root vegetables, roast chicken, heavy pastas, warming curries…all are delicious of course, but it’s time for a change.

I chose to welcome spring with a dinner of grilled cheeseburgers, corn on the cob and fresh green salad.  As a kid I remember how exciting that first hint of spring was, when it was almost time to take out our bikes, when you could finally see a tiny patch of grass in the front yard, and when dad would fire up the barbecue for the first time since the summer before.  Last weekend felt just like those early springs of years past (except it was about 15 degrees warmer and two months earlier), making it the perfect excuse to get grilling.

I must admit that it was because of my fiancé Reilly’s knack for making burgers that inspired me to make a batch myself using his recipe (even though I make stuff like meatballs and meatloaf from scratch, I had always just bought frozen beef patties).  How silly, when ours are much fresher and taste so much better?  And they only take a few minutes to make.

Reilly’s Homemade Burgers

This recipe makes enough burgers to freeze for later (at least 8 medium-sized patties).  I froze mine in packs of two for convenience.

Ingredients:

Burgers:

• 1 package onion soup mix
• 1/2 white onion, chopped (I like large chunks of onion, but you can finely dice them instead)
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (approximate)
• A few large pinches of salt and black pepper

Toppings & extras:

• Hamburger buns (we used whole wheat)
• Red onion, sliced into thick rings
• Old cheddar
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Sliced dill pickles

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and then add the breadcrumbs, onion soup mix, onion, salt and pepper.  Add the beef and mix by hand until just combined.  Shape the meat into patties (about 1.5 cm thick), creating an indentation in the middle so that the meat is thicker along the outside than in the centre (this ensures the burgers stay flat, not rounded on top, as they cook).

Pre-heat barbecue to medium-high heat.  Place burgers on the grill (grease it first) and close the lid.  Turn once after ~5 minutes and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink inside.  Before the burgers are done, grill the onion slices until charred.  Place the cheese and onion on the burgers near the end of cooking so that the cheese melts.  Toast the buns on the grill if desired.  Place burgers on buns and serve immediately.

Why I’m obsessed with homemade salad dressing (and why you should be, too)

I started making my own salad dressing about three years ago.  It began out of pure necessity (I was craving salad one day but only had olive oil and vinegar on hand) but slowly evolved into a convenience and practicality thing (why buy dressing when I can make it myself in seconds?).

Before I knew it, I had grown to love the fresh flavour of my own salad dressing so much that I: a) almost never purchase pre-made salad dressing; b) find the vast majority of store-bought dressings less than tasty; and c) convince others to make salad dressing whenever I can!

You might think it takes time and effort to make dressing, but you’re wrong: it takes less than 30 seconds.

When I’m cooking for just myself, all I do is drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil followed by a little blasamic vinegar (not too much!) over my bowl of greens (usually mixed lettuces or romaine) and sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.  And there you have it: a simple, tasty vinaigrette!

If you want to put in a little bit more effort and make a proper dressing (it’s not much effort, though, trust me!), here’s how:

• Grab a mason jar or any sealable container you can shake
• Finely chop one garlic clove and toss it in the jar
• Pour in some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or any other type–white, red wine…) – make sure it’s roughly 3 parts oil, 1 part vinegar
• Add a sprinkle of coarse salt and some freshly ground black pepper
• Shake the jar like mad!  Now it’s ready.

I’m a fan of vinaigrettes so this is the primary type of dressing I make.  But you can also experiment with ingredients like lemon juice, Greek yogurt, sour cream…there are tons of easy recipes out there.

For an added layer of flavour, throw in some fresh or dried herbs like basil, parsley or cilantro, or some finely chopped green onion.  Dijon mustard is also a welcome addition.

Have you ever made homemade salad dressing?  If so, I want to hear your recipes!

Happy St. Pat’s!

I’m sitting in my backyard for the first time since our disgrace of a winter–it wasn’t really a winter, was it?–set in months ago. The sun is shining against the clear blue sky, blades of fresh green grass are just beginning to poke through the dry brown ones, and there is a mild hint of barbecue in the air. This moment of relaxation with my stack of food mags is a welcome respite after a thrilling but emotionally charged day spent wedding dress shopping. (Spoiler alert: I said yes to the dress!)

However, the atmosphere is less than calm in my part of town. In fact, it’s downright chaotic! See, I live in a university town very close to campus, and today, the warmest and most beautiful day of the year so far, also happens to be St. Patrick’s Day!

In the 17 minutes I’ve been sitting out here, I’ve heard several loud sing-alongs (shots shots shots shots shots shots, everybody!) and games of flip cup take place, what I think were cops blowing whistles to break one of the house parties, and a guy…let’s just say relieving himself, for this is a food blog and no one wants to read that…in the backyard adjacent to ours and then shouting “Happy St. Patty’s Day!” to me. I gave him a smile and a wave.

I of course enjoyed the keggers and house parties when I was a student in this very part of town (it wasn’t too long ago, actually), but these days I’d rather sit on the sidelines and watch the green-clad drunkards stumble around my neighbourhood than actually partake in the festivities!

Ok, so I should probably mention food at this point…but rather than include my own recipes or photos today, I’d like to give a heartfelt shout-out to Spezzatino for their fabulous, so-well-written-that-I’m-jealous-I-didn’t-contribute-to-this-one Potato issue! If you’re a foodie, home cook, science geek or just simply someone who enjoys a good read, Spezzatino magazine is for you. Please go to www.spezzatino.com to browse the other gorgeous issues, get a subscription for yourself or someone you love and read their blog. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Well that’s all for today…however you choose to celebrate it, have a happy St. Patrick’s Day!! Drink some green beer!