pseudo-mexican spice

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For reasons I can't fathom, I've had crazy crazy cravings for some spicy mexican fare lately. No, Lil Z is not going to be a big sis. I've just been absolutely craving fiesta-inspired food. Hubs and I just came back from a lovely, lovely respite in Cuba (where we attended and took some pics at a lush and colourful tropical wedding and trash the dress session. The whole setting just gave me intense longings for spicy food (Cuba is BEAUTIFUL, but the resorts are not exactly known as gastronomical meccas).

So the entire meal plan for this week is based around spice, spice and more spice. I recently got hold of a March 2009 copy of Cooking Light and within it found a veritable treasure trove of ethnic foods. So this week's plan consists almost entirely of recipes modified from that magazine. YUMMY. Cooking Light is my absolute FAVOURITE cooking magazine. As much as I love some of the more sinful publications (Bon Appetit, Gourmet), I really appreciate the fact that this magazine actually has food that I can eat and enjoy with little guilt. My back-to-work deadline is rapidly looming and I still can't jam myself back into most of my work attire...so Cooking Light is definitely de rigueur.

Last night, we dined on tex-mex turkey calzones, accompanied with a delicious black bean salad. The recipe as published in the magazine is pretty simple and quick. I complicated it a bit by making my own dough (I had the ingredients and the time), but if you follow their prescribed shortcuts, especially the one of just using shredded (already cooked) chicken breast), this would assemble in a jif. The results are deeeeeelish and satisfying and, as I was anticipating the sheer deliciousness of this meal, I doubled the recipe and froze half. I see some frozen calzones in the near future for me........

Tex Mex Calzones

stolen and adapted from March 2009 Cooking Light

1 pound lean ground turkey breast
1 cup chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper (I cheated and used 2 green as they are cheaper!)
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fat-free fire-roasted salsa verde
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 (11-ounce) can refrigerated thin-crust pizza dough (I made my own, recipe below)
2 cups preshredded Mexican blend cheese (I never buy pre-shredded cheese - it's SO expensive...I used grated old cheddar)
Cooking spray
low-fat sour cream

1. (If you're making your own dough, do that first!) See below. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring mixture occasionally. Remove turkey mixture from heat; stir in salsa and cilantro.



3. Unroll dough; divide into 4 equal portions (per can....or if you make your own dough, divide into 8). Stretch each portion into a 6 x 4–inch rectangle.



Working with one rectangle at a time, spoon about 1/2 cup turkey mixture on one side of dough. Top with 3 tablespoons cheese; fold dough over turkey mixture, and press edges together with a fork to seal.



4. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough and turkey mixture.



5. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until browned. Serve with sour cream.



Calzone Dough:
4.5 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packages)
2 t sugar
1.5 c warm water
3 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 T ground flax meal (it's good for ya!)
1 t salt
1 T canola oil
spices: about 1/2 t each cumin, chili powder, coriander, garlic and zest of one lime....TOTALLY optional but they are easy to throw in and taste oh-so-yummy

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer/food processor, combine yeast, sugar and water. Add flours, flax, salt and canola oil and mix on speed 2 until combined and forming a nice, cohesive ball. If it won't combine, add water, 1 t at a time. If it's too sticky, add flour, 1 T at a time. (You can do this by hand as well...I am just lazy and in luuuuurve with my kitchenaid).



2. Turn out the dough into a greased large bowl.



Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. I like to have it rise in the oven, with the oven light on. It's perfectly warm and draft-free. If you make the dough first, you can let it rise while you make the filling and the salad. By the time you're done those, the dough should be just about done. When it's ready, punch it down and divide into 8 equal portions.

Black bean salad:

Combine 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed and drained black beans, 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup chopped celery, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 1 avocado, 1 clove garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl; toss well to coat.



Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 calzone and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

CALORIES 416 ; FAT 14.1g (sat 6.1g,mono 4.9g,poly 1.6g); CHOLESTEROL 44mg; CALCIUM 195mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.2g; SODIUM 771mg; PROTEIN 25.7g; FIBER 2.5g; IRON 2.5mg

Said hubs, about this meal....'this is freaking phenomenal.' And about leftovers at lunch: 'I could just eat a lunch of these black beans, onions and tomatoes on their own.' It's absolutely delicious. The salsa verde imparts just enough spice to satisfy and they are yummy pockets of mostly-healthy goodness. Two thumbs up.

Tonight's meal is hopefully equally delicious - tilapia with coconut red curry sauce, served on a bed of seasoned jasmine and bok choy rice. I'm excited already. Thanks for reading!!!!!!!!!

of local interest....

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In twit-like fashion, I managed to delete all of the photos I had stored up to post....but I do have two quick local notes for my Ottawa readers.....

1. Atelier Restaurant - if you have an adventurous palate and a deep pocket for eating out, you should eat there. Eat there now. It's a fantastic new restaurant, chockful of molecular gastronomy. They serve a 12 course blind tasting menu (blind meaning that you don't get to pick what you eat, nor do you know what it is until it's served....not that the room is dark or that you are blindfolded) of fun and creative food. LOVE IT. You will also love it. Also, get the wine pairing. The sommelier is young and cute and knows his stuff. Cost for two with tip (and wine pairing) is about $330. But totally worth it for that special occasion. No doubt this will become a mecca for Ottawa foodies.

The image below is borrowed (without permission) from Miv Photography (they are awesome) - I kinda felt like too much of a touristica-tool to whip out my massive camera with its huge flash to take my own photos. The food is freaking cool.




2. Supperworks - another cool company. They aren't entirely local, as there are franchises across the province, and other, similar companies, across the continent, but they've got a great thing. Basically, every month, they have a snazzy fresh menu. You fill in a form online and tell them which delicious things you would like to eat. Then, you arrive at your booked appointment, are offered an apron and a drink, and then you get to work in assembling your pre-ordered meals. Everything is chopped and ready for you. All you do is scoop up according to instructions, stick on a label, and throw the whole thing in your freezer when you get home. Then, when you're having a crazy week, you just defrost it in your fridge (while you're at work or running around or what have you) and come home and just quickly cook it. Most of them cook in less time than takeout, and the cost is definitely less. The added bonus is that you know exactly what went into your meal and you can actually feel good about serving it.



I'm not sure how they'll fare in the floundering economy, but if it's between supperworks and take-out, supperworks is definitely the more economical option. Definitely suggest that you busy folks check it out.

Now....I actually have snazzy meals planned for every night this week...hopefully I'll actually get to posting some of them. On the menu tonight? tex-mex turkey calzones with a black bean salad.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........

cordon bleu...or maybe it's green....

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Since being on mat leave, I've done a number of things. First, I got a nice big TV. Next, I upgraded my cable package.

And last, I've become totally and completely addicted to the Food Network. However, in doing so, I've discovered that they tend to replay the same episodes about three times a day. Probably not a huge deal if you only tune in every once in a while, but when it's on your TV all day, most days, it gets darned annoying.

The added bonus is that the idiosyncracies of the various hosts really start to grate on your nerves. I'm not about to get into a full-blown invective lambasting the various people on tv, but one show in particular that I *almost* love is Chef At Home. It's hosted by Michael Smith and he's got a great approach to food. Unlike most chefs whom I would be absolutely sh!tbaked to have at my home (you know, the ones who ascribe to the idea that there is only ONE correct way to make every individual dish), he seems to have a totally down-to-earth approach to food. I think we'd get along.

That is, of course, if I could get over his didactive narration. Seriously, he talks to me like I"m about 5 years old (coincidentally, the age of his cherubic little son, Gabe). And if you watch each episode, a fun drinking game would be to take a shot every time he uses the word "aromatic." Might liven things up.

Anyway, with all that said, his food is almost unerringly fabulous. I caught a preview for an episode a while back and was so intrigued by it (ham and cheddar chicken baked on a bed of onions) that off I went to www.foodtv.ca to try to find the recipe.

It was yum. I made the whole meal and it was a big hit. Simple, delicious...no complaints here. I might skip the spinach sauce next time (it made a TON and was just a little too spinachy tasting), but the onions were amazing, and the stuffed pototoes kicked all kinds of ass. Two thumbs way up. Make this meal - it'll impress your inlaws and fill your bellies.

Ham and Cheddar Chicken Rolls
stolen from Chef at Home


4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
8 slices deli ham
8 thin slices cheddar cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
4 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp dried thyme

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°.

2. Layer two pieces of plastic wrap on top of each other. Fold them in half, open and place a chicken breast near the fold. Fold over the plastic wrap covering the meat then gently pound and flatten the breasts using a rolling pin, meat pounder or the bottom of a heavy pot.

3. Season the chicken, then spread a thin layer of Dijon over each piece.

4. Lay two slices of ham and two slices of cheddar on each breast. Roll them up tightly.


5. Sauté the onions with the oil, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until they are lightly browned and golden.


6. Place the chicken rolls on top of the onions in the pan or transfer to another baking pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the rolls are cooked through.


You may serve them whole with a scoop of the onions or slice each one into several ‘rounds’ and present them on a bed of the onions.



Spinach Sauce
stolen from Chef at Home
as mentioned, I could take this or leave it. It makes WAY too much - I've frozen the leftovers to use as a pizza sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 lb. spinach leaves, washed
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Pour the oil into a saucepan over medium-high heat then add the onions and garlic. Sauté until they are fully aromatized, until the whole kitchen smells great!

2. Add the spinach, white wine and chicken broth and cook briefly just until the spinach softens, shrinks and wilts down. This is a 6qt pot, btw.


3. Puree with a hand blender, counter blender or food processor and season with salt and pepper.


Salsa Stuffed Potatoes
stolen from Chef at Home
these potatoes ROCK - I used hot salsa and old cheddar. I recommend you do the same

4 large baking potatoes
1/2 cup your favourite salsa
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°.

2. Bake the potatoes for an hour or so, until their flesh is very tender.

3. When they are cool enough to handle, trim the top off of them. Scoop out most of the flesh, leaving enough around the inside of the skin to keep it whole and give it strength.

4. Mash the scooped potato with the salsa and cheese. Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells, mounding them over the top a bit as needed.


5. Bake until they are hot and the tops are golden brown and beautiful (about 20 minutes...put them back in the same time as the chicken!)



This is a great meal to serve to company - it's got loads of flavour, but there's nothing in it that is especially exotic or strange to the unadventurous tastebud. I had no leftovers, so that should say something. Super yum. Thanks for reading!

the easiest, best thing you will ever make

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Dear, dear readers...I must apologize. I've been holding out on you. You see, there is a recipe that I came up with by happenstance a couple of years ago and I've been making it regularly ever since (and you know it's good, because me actually making something on a regular basis is in itself an irregularity).

This recipe is ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as salt and pepper pasta. This is a recipe that is so stupidly easy and simple, so fast to throw together, can make totally varied quantities depending on your needs and is basically just perfect for a working/busy family. It's not the prettiest thing I've ever made, but if you pair it with a salad, you have a healthy, balanced meal that will totally blow your mind.

If, of course, you like Indian food. If you hate curry, well, read no further...this is yummy, but not likely to convert an avowed curry hater.

Everyone else will love it though, and you can pat yourself on the back, because it's just so stupidly easy that you won't mind making it over and over again.

In this particular instance, I was making a triple batch, but I'm going to give you the quantities for a single batch instead...though the leftovers are so yummy, you may want to double or triple it.

Crockpot Beef Chickpea Curry


1-1.5 lb beef (I usually buy a super cheap roast and cut it myself - it's cheaper and less fatty than pre-cut stewing beef. Also, I find the stores have stewing beef in such enormous chunks that they are more suited to giants than people) - in this particular instance, I used a big ole rump roast:

Apparently, 1.7 kg makes about 2L of beef...hmmm

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-1.5 c beef broth
curry paste to taste (I use Patak's curry paste, usually either hot or vindaloo...but there are many other types...use about 1/4 cup for a flavourful curry)



1 cup peas
1/4 c chopped cilantro

1 cup low-fat plain yogourt
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 c chopped cilantro
zest and juice of 1 lime

naan/pita/etc.

1. In the morning, throw the beef, chickpeas, broth and curry paste in the crockpot (these proportions are best-suited to a 2-3 qt crockpot...my triple batch was perfect in a 6 qt pot). Turn the crockpot to low and go about your life for the rest of the day. I've even put the beef in frozen and it still tastes good. You want the liquid to not cover your ingredients, but ALMOST to cover them, so add a little more if you're short. BTW, life is easiest if you combine the broth with the curry paste, and THEN add the beef/chickpeas.


2. When you get home (or about 20 minutes before dinner), throw the whole curry into a large skillet and turn the stove to medium-high. Add the peas (use frozen peas, don't bother thawing). You want to get the liquid to evaporate to make an almost-dry curry. You could simply drain it off, but having it evaporate concentrates the flavours a lot more. It's much tastier.

3. Meanwhile, combine the yogourt, garlic, cilantro and lime in a small bowl. If it's not a saucey consistency, add a little milk to thin it out. Heat up your naan/pita in the oven at 350F for about 5 minutes (wrap them in foil).

4. By the time you've finished the sauce, your curry is probably close to ready. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro.

5. To serve, you can try to eat it like a wrap (which is delicious, but generally messy), or make a curry 'pizza' on your plate and drizzle with sauce. Maybe not the prettiest thing ever, but it's SO GOOD.



I absolutely love making this. You could make it vegetarian/vegan by omitting the beef/broth (duh) and either adding more chickpeas, or some paneer (though not for the crockpotting portion of the day), or some spinach. The recipe is just a guide, but anyone with a crockpot should make this. Even if you don't have a crockpot, it would fare very well in a cast iron (or other) dutch oven in the oven for a few hours. The key is cheap, non-fatty beef and a long cooking time to soften it up. If you make this, you will like it, guaranteed. Hubs has been after me for weeks to post this recipe, so I hope you enjoy! Also, the reason there are no peas in this particular iteration is that it was hubs' job to add them and he neglected to do so. It's good with or without peas, but it's always good to add more veggies.

Thanks for reading!

to say that life has been busy...

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...for the past few weeks would actually be an understatement.

I've got two guest rooms and they've both been occupied more often than not in the last little bit...which is why you haven't heard anything from me.

Between that and Lil Z, life has kept me hopping.

So um...first things first, merry Christmas from Lil Z and I:


I will update about the big potluck party a bit later (it was awesome) as well as all about Christmas dinner...because in the meantime, I have a few more resolution-worthy recipes to share.

As I've mentioned before, I don't run ads on this blog - first, I'm way too incompetent to figure it all out in HTML (I'm a click and hope kind of gal, when it comes to website coding), second, I steal too many recipes and don't want people to think I'm making money off their creativity, and last, the piddly income I would get from ads would probably only serve to screw up my taxes, make me hire an accountant and essentially negate any financial benefit.

Plus, ads are annoying.

BUT, that said, blogging will occasionally have its perks, and sometimes, I do get the odd freebie in the mail.

Lately, I've received a couple of cookbooks and while I will not mindlessly whore my name out to enrich others, I am pretty happy with some of the recipes I've sampled. This particular cookbook seems fitting for this time of year, given that most of us are probably resolving to eat healthier (BAHAHAHA!), eat out less and all that jazz, I think it's worth considering.

Whole Grains for Busy People, written by Lorna Sass is pretty much exactly what the title describes - quick recipes using whole grains. I'll admit I actually found the book a little off-putting at first...almost TOO healthy looking. I guess I like people to make food appealing by extolling its TASTE virtues, not so much the health virtues. I go for taste, first and foremost, with health being a very good side benefit...kwim? Anyway, Sass, who is pretty much THE person for whole grains, does a good job of explaining a few of the less common grains (farro, millet, etc.) and I'm most definitely looking forward to trying a few more recipes (like squash bisque topped with curried popcorn, or oat-crusted turkey cutlets....she also has recipes coating meat in ground-up popcorn, which sounds intriguing).

The recipes I tried are actually on facing pages, using my latest most fave ingredient - quinoa. Can I tell you how much I love this stuff? It's got a nice chewiness, doesn't taste obnoxiously-in-your-face-good-for-you and just goes so well in so many different things.

I modified the recipes lightly due to ingredient availability (and, let's face it, proximity, as I was too lazy to brave the cold to grocery shop), and because I like bolder, stronger seasonings.

These recipes are relatively quick, though they do require a higher than average amount of attention (i.e., lots of do this, wait 3 minutes, then do this, etc.).

Here are two yummy sample recipes for ya:

Provençal Salmon Stew with Quinoa
from Whole Grains for Busy People
Serves 4 (generously)

My modifications are in parentheses

1 T olive oil
1 c. diced onion
3/4 t thyme *I thought using only thyme would be a bit plain, so added some other typical provençal herbs
(1/4 t lavender)
(1/4 t marjoram)
(1/2 t basil)
(1/2 t rosemary)
1/2 t minced garlic (I used 3 cloves)
1/2 t anchovy paste
1/2 c dry white wine or vermouth (I used vermouth, to keep me from opening and drinking the bottle of white wine, hehe)
2 bottles (13 ounces each) clam juice (here, I subbed 900mL chicken broth as I had no CJ on hand)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid
1/4 c small black olives (I omitted - not a big fan and didn't have any anyway)
1 pound boneless, skinless salmon fillets, cut into 1 inch chunks - I used one of my fave christmas prezzies to cut this bad boy up....

3 T fresh parsley (omitted because I didn't have any)
grated zest of 1 large lemon
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. In a heavy 12-inch sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, thyme (and other spices, if using), garlic and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the anchovy paste and cook 30 seconds more. You can actually see the lavender and other spices here:


2. Stir in the wine/vermouth and cook until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add the clam juice (or broth) and bring to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover, and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes.


3. Stir in the tomatoes and olives. Return to a boil. Cover and continue cooking until the quinoa is almost done, about 5 minutes longer (if the quinoa has a substantial white dot of starch in the centre, continue cooking until the dot is tiny).

4. Add a little water if the mixture is no longer loose and soupy. Gently stir in the salmon. Cover and cook over medium heat until the salmon is cooked through to the centre and the quinoa is tender, 2-3 minutes.


5. Gently stir in the parsley, lemon zest and juice and season (salt/pepper) to taste, if needed.


Both hubs and I really enjoyed this stew. Sure, I made some changes, but it's a very nice, fresh, healthy tasting soup...like something you might find in a health spa. I noticed, actually, that hubs enjoyed it so much he also ate it for brekkie. Fish for brekkie should tell you something about how tasty this is. Two thumbs up.

Now, on the facing page to the salmon quinoa recipe was another quinoa stew recipe. And while I was making last night's dinner, I couldn't help but read through this other stew recipe and think...hmmm...I freaking love quinoa and I think I have all/most of the ingredients for this. SOLD.

So here's another one for you. I followed the recipe for the most part, but I added a LOT more spices, due to personal preference. I suspect the original might have been a little timid in flavour. Not so much mine.

Southwestern Quinoa Stew with Squash, Black Beans and Corn
serves 4-6
stolen from Whole Grains for Busy People

(again, my mods are in parentheses)

1 T olive oil
2 t minced dried onion (wtf is this? I used 1 small whole regular onion)
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t granulated garlic (again, wtf....I used 3 cloves of regular garlic)
1 container low-sodium chicken/veggie broth
(1 T chili powder, 1 t cumin, dash cinnamon, 1/2 T cocoa powder)
1 cup quinoa
1 t chipotle in adobo, minced (didn't have any - subbed 1 T chipotle hot sauce, and then oomphed it with a few dashes of sri racha)
1 10-oz package frozen cooked squash
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1/3 c fire-roasted red peppers (ummmm....witness what happened to my peppers...EW. I may have cured cancer here, but I opted to toss that jar and just use a fresh green pepper along with the onion....GROSS)

1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
pepper to taste
(crumbled aged cheddar)

1. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, oregano and garlic, cook for 10 seconds (because I used fresh onion, garlic and added a green pepper, I actually cooked for about 5 mins).


2. Add the broth and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa and boil uncovered over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. I added my extra spices at the same time as the quinoa. While the quinoa is cooking, you can assemble the other ingredients.


3. Stir in the chipotle in adobo, and add the block of squash (I partially defrosted mine in the fridge overnight). Otherwise, cover, turn the heat to high and continue cooking until you can break up the squash and stir it in (3-4 mins).

4. Stir in the beans and reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking until here is no solid white dot of starch at the centre of the quinoa (1-3 minutes). I added my squash/beans at the same time because I am lazy.


5. Stir in the corn, red pepper, cilantro and salt/pepper to taste. When I tasted it, I added some sri racha and the juice of half a lime (it needed more bite). Cook, uncovered, until the corn is defrosted.


I garnished mine with some 3-year-aged balderson heritage cheddar. OMG. YUMMY. The stew was delicious - I never would have thought to put these ingredients together, but it works wonderfully....I just thought it needed some kick, and I'm happy with the way my mods turned out.



Overall, I think this is a pretty good cookbook if you're trying to eat healthy, or for example, if you need to eliminate gluten, etc (it's NOT a gluten-free cookbook, but uses a lot of gluten-free grains). THere is a nice variety of recipes and I like how it gently introduces you to a large variety of whole grains.

Critiques? It would be nice if there were nutritional info. I know these recipes are healthy, and were I feeling motivated, I could enter the ingredients and find out the exact info myself...but it would have been nice if this book had already done that. And I also find the recipes can overemphasize the salt and underemphasize other herbs and seasonings.

That said, I would recommend this book to any of you who are trying to eat healthy and are trying to look beyond steamed veggies and rice for your healthy fare. Keep your eyes peeled, as I'm sure I'll have more to say about this book in coming weeks. I've got a beach with my name on it and only a few short weeks to get beach-ready!