Grilled Chicken, Potato, and Vegetable Skewers

I'm so happy that barbecue season is finally here to stay. The days are much longer, and the weather is consistently pleasant. Also, we’ve been heaving a bag of charcoal into our cart every time we go for groceries. Is there a better sign of spring?

Making skewers is a great way to barbecue. Not only is it a fun way to eat, because everything is bite-sized, but also it makes it easier to flip the food on the grill. (Note: if using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least a few hours to slow down the burning process.) Last Saturday, Jeff marinated pieces of chicken breast overnight in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, honey, red wine vinegar, whole grain Dijon mustard, basil, oregano, rosemary, and salt and pepper. On Sunday, he marinated baby red potato slices for about three hours in olive oil with thyme, rosemary, and salt and pepper. This blog entry won’t contain a recipe section, because there aren’t any; Jeff’s style of marinating is as follows:

- Opens a Ziploc bag
- Dumps in any combination of ingredients that he likes, in arbitrary amounts
- Adds food

Although no two marinades have turned out alike, it has never failed him. Why not live on the wild side?

As I’ve mentioned before, I am picky when it comes to potatoes; therefore, I prefer relatively thin slices for maximum flavour and crispiness. However, you could simply halve the potatoes before skewering, if you like (tip: poke some holes in them with a fork so that the marinade seeps through.)

The vegetables weren’t marinated; once skewered, we simply brushed them with olive oil, and seasoned them with salt and pepper. These babies don’t need any more help in the flavour department.

The potatoes went onto the grill first, since they take the longest to cook through; up next a little while later were the veggies. Have I ever confessed that I love burnt food? Well, I do.

Just look at the char marks on these potatoes. Burnt potatoes are a must for me (other food I prefer with a bit of a burn: onions, toast, Brussels sprouts, hot dogs, marshmallows.) Delicious!

Once the veggies were done, they were placed in a 300C oven to keep warm. The chicken skewers replaced them on the grill.


Mmmmmmmmm. What more can I say?

Once the chicken was cooked through and the potatoes were fork-tender, it was finally time to eat.

Success! The chicken was bright and tangy, with a strong lemon taste. The potatoes were perfectly crispy, and woodsy from the rosemary. The vegetables were naturally flavourful, tasting almost as if they had been roasted. All three food groups had the unmistakable and delicious taste of being grilled over charcoal. Served with my ever-present coleslaw, this spring meal of skewers left nothing to be desired. What a great way to wind down from the weekend!

Doggone Delicious

When I have visitors, I love to let them know how much I appreciate their company by making them something special. Spending time in the kitchen in honour of a guest is my favourite way to welcome them into my home; and, since I love cooking, as well as sharing my passion for food, I really enjoy entertaining.

So, when I found out that my new friend Packer was coming over while his human parents enjoyed a nice evening out, I decided to make him a little treat. I figured he might be a little confused in his new surroundings with strange babysitters, and I wanted to make him as comfortable as possible.

I decided to bake him little biscuits, and since I knew that Packer has not yet tried a lot of different foods (although he has been known to eat garbage), I steered clear of recipes that contained a lot of ingredients (like cornmeal and cheese, which seem to be pretty common in homemade dog treats). It would be rude to fill his puppy stomach with treats over the course of the evening, and then have him go home and be sick; therefore, I selected the simplest recipe I could find: Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers, which only have four ingredients. I confirmed with his owners that he has been given peanut butter before, and then set to work.

The peanut butter and whole wheat-based dough was extremely easy to work with, which is great for a novice baker such as myself. Although bone-shaped treats would have been adorable, I just used the smallest biscuit cutter I could find; besides, I don't think their shape really mattered to Packer.

I was delighted to find that he absolutely loved the treats. He sat on command like a good little boy to get them, and gobbled them up at lightning speed. At one point, he even sat on the floor in front of the bowl that they were in, and barked for more. It was hard for me not to let him have them just for being cute, but I knew his owners are doing a great job training him, and didn't want to mess up any progress. I sent him home at the end of the evening with the leftovers, and am happy to know that he will be enjoying them for a little while longer.

I wouldn't ever post anything on my blog without tasting it, and since I knew exactly what was in this dog treat, I did sample one. The cookie was dense from the whole wheat, with a strong peanut butter smell and taste; however, not surprisingly, it was pretty bland. I might eat them if I were starving. Maybe. Oh well, who am I to judge a dog's tastes? He likes what he likes! I certainly respect that.

Since I'm getting my own puppy in about six weeks, I was happy to test this recipe on little Packer. A neighbourhood dog also really liked them, so I'm pretty confident in holding on to this recipe for the future. As a dog-lover, it was very heartwarming to see one willing to stand on his head to get something that I made especially for him. 

In short, if you have a puppy, know a puppy, or are a mail delivery person, I highly recommend these biscuits. Just remember to take their bark for it that they taste good.

Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers: The recipe

Amanda's notes: I found that the biscuits were done at around the 14 minute mark. I used smooth peanut butter in case Packer wouldn't like the texture of crunchy, but after seeing how much he liked them, next time I'll use whatever is on hand. If you don't have cookie cutters, just cut the dough into squares; the dog won't mind!

Ingredients

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth) 

1 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Bake for 20 minutes on a greased baking sheet until lightly brown. Cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Crostini

One of my absolute favourite meals is a cheese plate. Although it is one of the simplest things to throw together, it is a gourmet experience that I find very special. I've read the rules on how to pair different cheeses for a plate, but I don't care to follow them. I'm not sophisticated in my cheese likes and dislikes; I just like what I like! So, I choose three or four cheeses that taste good, and, if you ask me, they always go together perfectly.

Sometimes when Jeff and I have planned ahead for a cheese plate, we go all out with cured meats, different chutneys, balsamic vinegar and spiced olive oil, nuts, and fruit. However, in its most basic form, all you really need for your plate is the cheese, some good bread, and maybe some olives. (Wine is a given, of course). A really easy way to bring a simple cheese plate to the next level is by making your own toasted bread slices, crostini (Italian for "little toasts.'') The small effort it takes to make them is nothing compared to what they bring to the meal, and they are a million times better than anything that comes in a bag.

All you need is a fresh baguette, sliced on the diagonal. You then brush both sides of each slice with olive oil, and sprinkle them liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

In they go to the oven for a few minutes, until they look like this:


At this point, if you want to punch up their flavour, you can rub the hot toasts with a peeled clove of garlic (a trick I've learned from Giada De Laurentiis from Everyday Italian). But, since I wanted the flavour of the cheese to take centre stage in this particular meal, I simply let them cool to room temperature on the pan.

Once cooled, there is no limit to the toppings you can use on crostini: you can make bruschetta, top them with sundried tomato or olive tapenade, spread cream cheese on them and sprinkle them with fresh herbs, or just pile them in a basket and eat them plain with a selection of good cheese and olives.

If perfection has a taste, it is crostini. They are delightfully crispy on the outside, yet slightly chewy when you bite into them. The olive oil and seasoning, combined with the toasting, makes them much more interesting than a plain baguette, and far more satisfying than crackers. I can't tell you how worth it it is to take a few extra minutes to make them; you'll just have to trust me and try it yourself.

The next time you find yourself unsure about what to make for dinner, consider a simple cheese plate with crostini. I guarantee you will feel very special. Also, I know from personal experience that if you have a spread like this ready for your significant other when they get home from a long hard day, they will love you forever. Sounds good to me!

Crostini: The recipe

Ingredients

Fresh baguette (I like whole wheat, for extra flavour)

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Clove of garlic, peeled (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350C.

Slice baguette into 5mm slices, on the diagonal. Brush both sides with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and fresh black pepper.

Bake on a cookie sheet for about 6 minutes on each side, until golden brown on the edges.

Rub warm toasts with the garlic clove, if desired.

Let toasts cool to room temperature. Top with whatever your heart desires. Enjoy!

Store toasts in an airtight container.

Cheesy Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Although I enjoy eating meat, I would say that I fall on the lower end of the scale when it comes to average meat consumption; my breakfast, snacks, and lunches are almost always vegetarian. I usually have a small portion of deliciously prepared meat at dinnertime, but vegetables or legumes, sometimes accompanied by a small amount of whole grains, definitely constitute the bulk of my nightly meal.

The reason I watch my meat consumption is that I’m picky about the origins of my food, and, since I don’t mind paying slightly more for locally-raised cuts of meat, I’m happy to eat a little less of it to compensate. Therefore, in order to cut down on the amount we buy, I like to try to have one vegetarian supper per week. It’s not a strict rule that I’ve set for our household; it’s just something I try to think about (I also like to think that the fact I usually forget to take meat out of the freezer about once a week is a total coincidence; no, really, I’m just very responsible!). The only two main dishes I find myself making again and again for vegetarian suppers are refried beans, and pasta. As you can see, I needed a little inspiration.

Lucky for me, my vegetarian sister, Kristin, saved the day. She told me about these stuffed zucchini boats that she makes on a regular basis: she cuts them in half, seeds them, and fills them with a mixture of ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, tops them with paprika, and bakes them until the filling is nice and golden. They sounded amazing! So much so, that I couldn’t imagine them getting second billing in an omnivorous supper; no, these zucchini boats would have to shine as the main component of a vegetarian meal.

I tried them myself, and made them my own by substituting the mozza with my always-present favourite, asiago, and adding some dried basil and oregano to the mixture.

I baked the boats until the cheese was nice and bubbly, and then turned on the broiler until a golden brown crust formed on the tops.

I'm happy to report that the stuffed zucchini boats were even better than I expected. The zucchini shells were nice and tender, but still firm enough to stand up to the filling. The latter was very creamy, gooey, and flavourful; the combination of the two cheeses was a marriage made in Heaven, and the lemon juice brought in a nice tang. I scarfed them down, not caring that the bubbly cheese was kind of burning my mouth.

Since the stuffed zucchinis were so special, I served them very simply with some buttered brown rice, and onions and mushrooms sautéed in olive oil. It was a wonderful, light spring meal that I intend to recreate on a regular basis. I’m already imagining how the zucchini boats might taste if I add diced onions to the stuffing, and then top them with breadcrumbs tossed with melted butter…but that will be another story!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats: The recipe
2 servings as main dish, 4 servings as side

Amanda’s Notes: As I mentioned before, Kristin uses mozzarella in her zucchini boats. I think any of your favourite Italian cheeses would be fantastic with the ricotta in this dish.

The amounts for the filling depends on the size of the zucchinis, and, of course, how much you want to stuff them (be aware that if they’re overfilled, the cheese will seep out over the sides as it melts). Make lots if you’re not sure; the filling was very tasty on its own, and I think any extra would be great spread on bread.

Ingredients
2 large zucchini
1 to 2 cups ricotta cheese
½ to 1 cup grated asiago cheese
fresh lemon juice (start with a half lemon, taste as you go)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 450C

Trim ends off zucchinis, and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds and pulp, leaving ½ inch shell.

Mix remaining ingredients together, and divide evenly into zucchini halves. Top with more freshly ground black pepper.

Place zucchini halves on a roasting pan. Bake until filling is bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts: Take Two

As I stated in an earlier post, I have loved Brussels sprouts since I was a child. I loved them so much, that I happily eat them simply boiled and served plain; in fact, they were the first thing I rushed to whenever my siblings and I managed to convince our parents to take us to the local Ponderosa buffet. I still love them, and, like a lot of my favourite foods, I associate them with fond memories. Brussels sprouts remind me of my childhood, and I had a happy childhood; ergo, Brussels sprouts make me happy! Aside from the nutrients, what more do I need from a vegetable?

As I got older, I realized that a life-long deep love for boiled Brussels sprouts is a rarity. When I met Jeff, I found out that he hated Brussels sprouts; in fact, he would shudder at the mention of them. While at first I thought, “to each their own”, once we started living together, I began to miss incorporating Brussels sprouts into my meals. I therefore embarked on a mission: to bring Jeff over to the Brussels-sprouts-loving side. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I was determined to get him not only to tolerate them, but to enjoy them.

I started questioning Jeff on his history with Brussels sprouts, and found out that he had only ever tried them once, also at a Ponderosa buffet; unfortunately, his experience was not as positive as mine. Apparently, this one taste of Brussels sprouts was enough to traumatize him for life. However, I had also noticed over the years that Jeff is more picky about texture, rather than taste, when it comes to food, and figured that perhaps he visited the Ponderosa on a particularly over-boiled, mushy sprouts kind of day. So, I decided that, in order to erase the memory of these unfortunate sprouts from his mind, I would find a whole new way to cook them for him. “OK,” Jeff said, a little uneasy, “but please don’t be too disappointed when I don’t like them.” Ooh, a challenge.

Like I said before, I was so happy with the simplest preparation of Brussels sprouts, that I wasn’t even aware that they could be cooked more than one way. I decided to try roasting them; I had no idea how they would turn out, but I figured that a little caramelization could do no harm. I cut them in half, seasoned them with lots of salt and black pepper, let them roast almost to the point of burning them on the outside, topped them with Parmesan, and broiled them until the cheese melted. When I set a small serving of my reinvented Brussels in front of Jeff, he gave them a bit of a skeptical look; but, since he had promised to be open to my favourite childhood vegetable, he put on a brave smile and dug in.

The rest is history, really. Roasting resulted in Brussels sprouts that were nice and crispy on the outside, but so soft and tender on the inside. He truly loved the sprouts, practically inhaling them all in a matter of minutes, and gushing about them for days. I was proud of him for trying them, and proud of myself for recruiting a former hater to greener, sproutier pastures.

Roasted Brussels sprouts are now a regular side dish at our place. It gives me such satisfaction to see Jeff picking out a basket of sprouts at the market, all on his own. Every time we eat them, he thanks me for reintroducing him to them, because otherwise, he says, he never would have known what he was missing. A life without Brussels sprouts? I shudder at the mention of it!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts: The Recipe

Amanda’s notes: Like the roasted chickpeas, I prefer my Brussels Sprouts salted like fries. They are also delicious when roasted with a chopped onion.

Ingredients
Bunch of fresh Brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Parmesan or Asiago cheese, grated

Directions
Preheat oven to 450C.

Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts. Remove any dry and yellow leaves on the outside.

Cut sprouts in half. Arrange on a cookie sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with lots of salt and pepper, and toss sprouts with hands to coat.

Roast sprouts until very browned (or blackened, if you like) on the outside (about 30-40 minutes for large sprouts). Turn sprouts halfway through.

Preheat broiler. Top sprouts with grated cheese.

Broil until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Spicy Salted Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpeas, also known as Garbanzo beans, are one of my favourite foods. I love them in their pureed form, as hummus, but I also like to throw them whole into salads and pasta. They’re a great way to add texture to just about any dish; although, I enjoy them so much, that I often find myself eating handfuls of them right out of the can (after draining and rinsing them, of course). I just can’t get enough!

Lucky for the chickpea-obsessed, they can be made into an amazing snack. When chickpeas are roasted, they become nice and crunchy, and absolutely addictive. Throw in a ton of salt and some spice, eat them warm out of the oven, and find yourself in Snack Heaven.

I have noticed that this recipe is featured on a lot of diet blogs, which is kind of a shame, because they are delicious enough to be enjoyed in their own right, as opposed to a passable substitution for another craving. My philosophy is: if what you want is chips, just eat some damn chips! Nothing else will satisfy, and you’ll be craving them again the next day, anyway. I don’t think it’s fair to approach these roasted chickpeas as just a healthy substitute for junk food, because you will not appreciate them for what they really are: an awesome snack that can be made at any time out of pantry items. Believe me, you will crave these; they are are that good.

I’ve been perfecting the recipe over the last couple of years, and the trick to getting the best, most crunchy texture is to dry the rinsed chickpeas as much as you can. Although you can roast them straight after rinsing with fine results, a little extra work is worth it. I even go so far as to remove the papery skins off of each chickpea, which I find makes quite a difference in the end result (but may only be advisible to the extremely anal-retentive).

I like my chickpeas to be as salty as fries or popcorn, so I really pile it on. Don’t be shy! Chickpeas are very forgiving, because they require a lot of help in the flavour department; so, you can’t over-salt them. My favourite way to spice them is with cayenne pepper, but I’ve had good results with cumin, and curry powder as well. I’ve never tried it, but I bet a sweet version could also be made, perhaps with cinnamon sugar. Mmmm…I think an experiment is in order!

Amanda’s Spicy Salted Roasted Chickpeas: The Recipe
2 servings

Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Extra-virgin olive oil (approx. 2-3 tbsp)
Salt
Cayenne Pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 425C.
Line a cookie sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Spread chickpeas on top of paper towels. Using another double layer of paper towels, roll the chickpeas around on the pan to dry them (this will also remove a lot of the skins).

Remove the rest of the skins, if desired. Repeat drying with paper towels. 

Remove paper towels, leaving chickpeas on cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt, and add a few pinches of cayenne pepper.

Shake the pan until all chickpeas are evenly coated. (At this point, you can taste a raw chickpea to see if the salt and spice is to your liking.)

Roast for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes. Chickpeas are ready when they are browned and crunchy (and noisy when rattled).

Add more salt if needed. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Although I have yet to encounter left-overs, you could store them in an air-tight container for several days.

Really, I'm Not Starving

As children, my siblings and I did not fit the stereotype when it came to our food preferences. For example, we loved most vegetables, and gobbled them up without complaints (even Brussels sprouts, which I adored). I credit this to my parents, who strictly followed the “You Eat What We Put in Front of You” child-rearing plan. Since we didn’t have any choice in our dinner menus, and my parents would have simply laughed if we’d suggested they prepare two different meals, it was inevitable that we would try a bit of everything. Thinking back, my parents were brilliant; they couldn’t imagine catering to children who refused to eat anything but Kraft Dinner and hotdogs, and so they found an easy way to avoid that situation entirely: telling us what to do. Now, that’s smart parenting!

I remember begging my dad to fix us our favourite snack: a plate of cheese cubes, grapes, crackers, and carrot sticks, and us jumping up and down with joy around him while he prepared it. I also remember a similar reaction to my mom’s “ants on a log”, celery stuffed with peanut butter and topped with raisins. Yum!

A funny story about my sister and I that I only heard recently illustrates our childhood diet quite impressively: when we were five years old, and our brother three, the whole family took off in our minivan for a two-week trip to Disney World. Since this entailed a three-day drive, not to mention many nights away from home, we were stopping to eat at a lot of fast food and casual family dining restaurants. After one too many nights of eating greasy food, my sister and I started whining, complaining that we were sick of burgers and fries, and hey, could you get us some veggies? My parents had to drive around until they found a salad bar for their little princesses. Mom and Dad deserve a pat on the back for that one, if you ask me.

Thanks to my parents, not only did I have a nutritious childhood, but also these good habits have followed me into adulthood. I still love vegetables, and can’t understand why a lot of people think of them as boring (or even evil). I’ve been thinking a lot about our society’s relationship with vegetables lately, because of some strange reactions that I have received from co-workers when opening up my lunch.

I bring a lunch to work every day, and it normally consists of a veggie plate and dip, or a green salad. To me, this is lunch food. I don’t like to eat a heavy meal at lunch, because if I do, I’m less productive in the afternoon. I eat a gourmet breakfast, and I also snack on things like cheese and nuts between meals; therefore, I hardly ever get hungry during the day. Plus, when I get home in the evening, supper is always a very filling production. I’m not denying that eating vegetables at lunch allows me to indulge more at other times, but that isn’t the main reason why I eat them so often. I eat vegetables at lunch because I like them. Is that too hard to believe?

Apparently, it is, at least for some people. Whenever I eat with a big group of my co-workers, I am inevitably asked, in an alarming tone, “Amanda?! Are you on a diet?!” When I say no, and enquire as to why they asked me, I always hear, “Well, it’s just that, you’re only eating vegetables!” If you replaced the word vegetables with asbestos, I’m convinced the tone and grimace on the inquisitor’s face would hardly change. Furthermore, they often feel that they have the right to tell me that I don’t eat enough, and that I must be starving. As someone who works very hard at preparing delicious quality food for herself on a daily basis, this is a huge insult. Never mind that they haven’t tracked my eating habits beyond what they see at noon hour; and never mind that I pack so many vegetables, I very often have a hard time eating them all in one sitting. "Nope, starving!"

I get really annoyed, and frustrated, at this ‘diet’ question, especially since it is sometimes asked loudly, in front of others. First of all, that’s rude. (WHO CARES if someone is on a diet, anyway? I sure don’t). What if I was on a diet, but didn’t want to talk about it in front of everyone? What if I had some medical condition that required a certain meal plan? What if I had an eating disorder, and you were forcing me to address a very painful issue? None of these answers apply to my case, but they very well could. My point is, you never know why people do the things they do, so shut your trap, already.

What bothers me even more than the rudeness is the fact that someone eating vegetables is worth this much attention and awe. What does this say about the average person’s eating habits? Vegetables are real food; they grow in the ground, not in factories, and provide us with essential nutrients, just like they did for our great-great-grand-parents, who, I suspect, appreciated them a lot more than we do, since they worked so hard to provide fresh ones for their families. We should be ashamed! Delicious vegetables are available year-round, without us having to even lift a finger, and all we do is wrinkle our noses and associate them with deprivation. It just doesn’t make sense that a plate of vegetables or a salad should be met with hushed tones and condolences.

I don’t comment on other people’s food choices at lunch, so I don’t understand why anyone cares about mine. I’m not emaciated, and my stomach can’t ever be heard grumbling from across the room, so any “concerned” citizen can mind their own damn business. I am genuinely pleased and excited when I look at my lunch, but the Diet Police can easily ruin any nice foodie moment, which is extremely disappointing. So far, defending myself or playing dumb have not really helped as far as stopping comments, so I’ve resorted to avoiding the crowd entirely, instead eating with a very dear co-worker who is also a fan of light lunches, and who says adorable things like “that looks so good!” when I open mine. She’s a treasure, and exactly the kind of person I like to be around at meal times. How refreshing to eat lunch without judgement or personal questions; really, it’s revolutionary.

When I eat vegetables at lunch, I am contributing to my health, energy levels, and satisfying my cravings for fresh food, the latter having been instilled in me at a very young age by my caring parents. I wonder if, when they were serving me lots of vegetables without incident, they ever imagined me as a healthy, veggie-loving adult, who would someday carry on these habits with their grandchildren. Although I might not have realized it at the time, I know now that my parents gave me a great gift, and it would be sad if I threw all of my old habits out of the window by eating processed food or grease every day.

I’m telling you, some people simply like vegetables. There’s nothing more to it! When you see me eating my greens at lunch, please consider the possibility that I’m doing something that makes me happy, that has always brought me pleasure, and that all you’re doing by questioning me is raining on my parade.

(Thanks, Mom and Dad!)

First Barbecue

Last Saturday was a wonderful day. Not only was the weather extremely pleasant, but also we were hosting some very special company; therefore, in honour of these two occasions, it was finally time to dig out the charcoal barbecue.

And dig it out, we did. (Well, Jeff did). Notice the giant block of ice thrown off the porch to make room for our Weber. We knew the hard work would be worth it, in the end.

To get back into the groove of barbecuing after a long winter, we decided to start off the new season with a simple menu: burgers, sausages, and hotdogs. Classic, simple, and satisfying.

However, it still wasn’t just any other barbecue; Jeff seasoned, mixed up, and formed the hamburger patties out of fresh ground beef from the local Stephen Taylor farm, while the local Degenhardt Sausage Farm supplied the chorizo sausage and German vieners (which are very similar to what we know as hot dogs, only without any unrecognizable ingredients). What better way is there to show someone that you appreciate their visit, than by cooking them such quality products?

Add in some fixings, crispy potatoes, and creamy coleslaw, and you have some extremely happy (not to mention stuffed) diners. It was a fantastic spring weekend meal, and an exciting preview of summer.

Welcome back, barbecue; it’s been far too long. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other in the next few months.

Cold Brown Rice Salad With Lemon and Garlic

With the temperature warming slightly, and the days getting longer, I have been craving meals that are more suited to spring and summer. Luckily for me, I was served delicious and summery ribs, roasted sweet potatoes, and coleslaw at my friends’ house on Saturday, a meal that officially propelled me into a new food season. Unpredictable weather be damned, I don’t think I’m going back to winter food.

It was therefore with a little more excitement than usual that I thought about what I wanted to cook for supper on Sunday. I decided to come up with some kind of salad to go with the chicken breasts we bought at the market the previous morning, and thought of a fantastic cold couscous salad that I had recently eaten at a family gathering. The only thing I could remember about it was that it had feta cheese in it, but that was enough to work with for inspiration. I swapped the couscous for brown rice, simply because I had a lot on hand. I’ve never eaten a cold rice salad, but I figured it would be a fine substitution.

While the rice was cooking away, I got started on the dressing. I decided to infuse my olive oil by warming it on the stove with some crushed garlic cloves.

Once the oil was a little bubbly over medium heat, I waited five minutes or so before straining the oil and setting it aside to cool. This little trick is a great way to get some flavour into your olive oil, and is cheaper than buying fancy little bottles of it from the grocery store.

At this point, the rice was done, and was also set aside. Cooling the rice takes quite a while, so it’s a good idea to get it cooked early (same goes for pasta in pasta salads). I started preparing the salad in the early afternoon, so that it would have time to develop its flavours and cool down for supper.

As for veggies, I chopped up what I had on hand: red and green bell peppers, some kalamata olives, and a red onion.

I love making my own dressing for salads, because it tastes so fresh and simple. To make an olive oil dressing, I combine three parts oil to one part acid, be it balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or, in this case, fresh lemon juice. To get the oil and acid to combine, you need to add a binding agent; my favourite is whole grain mustard, but Dijon also works well. Then comes the fun part: whisking.

It doesn’t take very long for the mustard to work its magic, after which you have a beautiful, homogeneous dressing. Stir in a bit of salt and pepper, and you’re one happy foodie.

Once the rice was sufficiently cooled (enough not to melt any added cheese) I threw in all of the chopped veggies, a couple of handfuls of cubed feta cheese, and poured the dressing on top. I added freshly ground black pepper, just a bit of salt (because of the saltiness from the feta and olives), and some dried basil and oregano. Once everything was incorporated, the salad went back into the fridge to sit until dinnertime.

Creating a dish as you go along is pretty exciting, and rewarding when it turns out well. When I started, I had no idea how lemon, garlic, and feta would work together with rice in a cold salad, but it turned out to be just what I wanted, and the perfect dish with which to welcome the warmer weather. The lemon and garlic dressing gave the salad such an incredible, bright flavour, reminiscent of a Greek salad, and the uncooked veggies gave it a nice, crunchy texture. I’ll be making it again and again, I’m sure. Goodbye, winter!

Cold Brown Rice Salad With Lemon and Garlic: The Recipe

I can see this salad being a very versatile option for summer meals. Just throw in whatever you have hanging around in the fridge, and see what happens! I think it would be great to try with different dressings, as well.
This recipe makes a very large batch, enough for dinner and leftovers. It would be easy to halve if needed.

Ingredients

4 cups cooked brown rice

¾ cup olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (approx. two lemons)
1 tsp whole grain mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1-2 handfuls kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
2 handfuls cubed feta cheese

salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano

Directions

Cook rice and set aside to cool.

Heat olive oil and crushed garlic cloves over medium heat. Once bubbling, infuse for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, strain oil, let cool.

Whisk infused oil, fresh lemon juice, and mustard until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine cooled rice, vegetables, olives, and feta cheese. Add dressing while stirring, until salad is coated to your liking. Add salt and pepper to taste, and basil and oregano.

Stir, and let sit in the fridge until cold. Enjoy.

Sisterly Love

My twin sister Kristin lives far away from me, so getting the chance to eat together is a special treat. I recently spent a week with her in Ottawa that was filled with excellent foodie experiences. Since I’ve come to know the city quite well over the years, and thus have many “must-visit” restaurants, we eat out very frequently during my visit; however, since we both share a passion for cooking, we also took the time to have a proper home cooked meal in her cosy apartment. We didn’t need to think twice about what would be on the menu; it was simply understood that we would be eating fettuccine alfredo.

This fettuccine alfredo that we cook for each other is a specific recipe that we continue to perfect each time we make it. One day while Kristin was visiting, I was surfing the Internet for an impressive pasta recipe that I could prepare for her. I stumbled upon Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe for fettuccine alfredo, and since we used to watch her Food Network show, Everyday Italian, together, I decided to give her version a go. We both enjoyed it so much, that preparing it has become a sisterly tradition.

Before I found this recipe, I had no idea that making fettuccine alfredo was so simple. When I first tried it, I couldn’t believe that something so decadent had been made in my own kitchen. Given that this classic dish is so rich and delicious, I always assumed that it would be complicated to make from scratch. Not so! It’s so easy, that there’s no excuse not to try making it yourself. How could anything go wrong when you’re simply combining heavy cream, butter, and cheese? It certainly tastes right.

The memories I associate with certain dishes contribute greatly to how much I enjoy them. I love this recipe for fettuccine alfredo, because it tastes good, is easy to make, and, most importantly, it symbolizes quality time spent with my dear sister. Make this meal for someone who means a lot to you; it won't disappoint.


The Recipe

Giada De Laurentiis’ Fettuccine Alfredo

Amanda’s notes: I use one box of dried, whole-wheat pasta (cooking to al dente according to package directions).

Kristin and I like to add sauteed onions and mushrooms to our sauce. Experiment!

The recipe as written produces a very lemony-tasting alfredo. I would suggest starting with the juice of half of a lemon and working up from there if needed. Just taste and adjust to your liking.

I use salted butter and freshly ground black pepper with excellent results.

Ingredients
18 ounces fresh fettuccine
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Drain.
Stir 2 cups of the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Add the pasta and toss. Add the remaining 1/2-cup of cream, and Parmesan to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.