Thursday, March 31, 2011

Creamy Garlic & Herb Shrimp Pasta

Creamy Garlic & Shirmp Pasta
Adapted from Kraft’s What’s Cooking Magazine

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients:
8oz/220g Rigatoni (or whatever your favorite pasta is – WCM used linguine
2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped (WCM used sugar snap peas)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 lb/450g large shrimp, peeled
½ cup Philadelphia herb & garlic cream cheese spread
2/3 cup chicken broth (I use sodium reduced or make my own)
2-3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan 1 tbsp fresh parsley or basil, chopped

Directions:
1. Boil pasta as per directions in salted water and drain.

2. In the meantime, heat oil, vinegar & mustard (or Kraft’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tuscan Italian Dressing) in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp & cook until shrimp turn pink (2-3 minutes). Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. In the same pan, add spinach, cream cheese and broth. Cook and stir on medium heat for about 4 minutes or until the cream cheese melts and forms a thickened sauce. Do not let the sauce boil.

4. Add the pasta to the sauce in the pan, toss and then add the shrimp. Toss again, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and chopped herbs.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

From The ACE Bakery Cookbook

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes (or until the toothpick comes out clean) Makes 8-12 muffins (depending on the size of the muffin pans)

Ingredients:
½ cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
½ cup fine granulated sugar
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup cornmeal (not corn flour, I still used a fine grind cornmeal rather than coarse)
3 large eggs
¾ cup sour cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup canola oil
½ tsp lemon zest
2 cups frozen blueberries (do not defrost)

Directions:
1. Pre heat the oven to 350°F/175°C and spray muffin tins with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Gently stir this mixture into the dry mix and then pour the canola oil, while mixing continuously. When the oil is completely incorporated, fold in the lemon zest and blueberries.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins (2/3 full). (I like to use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop for ease and consistency). Bake for 15 minutes and test for doneness by sticking a wooden toothpick in the center. If it comes out dry, they’re done.

4. Cool on a cake rack in the muffin tin until cool before removing the muffins.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Grandma Dolly's BBQ Ribs

Grandma Dolly’s BBQ Ribs
From Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories and great for chicken too

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Roasting time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 racks of back pork ribs
BBQ Sauce
¼ cup oil
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tin (6 oz/170ml) tomato paste
¼ cup white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme or basil
¼ cup honey
½ cup beef stock
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp powdered mustard

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C (325°F/170°C for chicken )and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place a wire rack on top so fat will drip away from the meat.

To prepare the Sauce: makes about 2 cups and can be made a couple of days ahead.
1. In medium sized pot, heat oil. Add garlic and onions and cook until onions are translucent (5 minutes or so).

2. Combine tomato paste and vinegar and add to pot. Stir in rest of ingredients and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
Roasting
For ribs:
Place ribs on a rack over a cookie sheet with sides so that the fat will drain and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Baste initially and then every 20 minutes or so.

For Chicken:
Place chicken in a roasting pan or on a rack over a cookie sheet with sides so that the fat will drain and bake for 1 hour. Baste initially, and every 20 minutes or so.

Roasted Scallops with Rosemary & Thyme

Roasted Scallops with Rosemary & Thyme
Adapted from fineCooking Cook the Classics

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Roasting time: 15-20 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 fresh thyme sprigs
3 large rosemary sprigs, cut into thirds
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb/450g large fresh scallops (the magazine calls for shrimp – equally fine)
2tbsp white wine vinegar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

2. Pour the olive oil on the pan and add the rosemary & thyme. Toss to coat and roast for 10-12 minutes or until very fragrant.

3. Add the scallops (or shrimp) and toss with tongs until well coated with the hot herb oil. Continue to roast for another 8 minutes or until the scallops are cooked just through (the meat will be white. If using shrimp, they will turn pink)

4. Add the vinegar and a good pinch of sea salt.

This is great as part of a Tapas spread, served with some good country style bread for dipping up the sauce. It’s also wonderful tossed with cooked pasta.


Sunday, March 13, 2011

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Kitchen Sense

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 15 minutes or so
Baking time: 10-12 minutes
Makes 3 dozen large cookies

Ingredients:
½ cup ( stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 heaping cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line rimmed baking trays with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter & shortening with the sugars until light and fluffy. (about 5 minutes) Beat the eggs in one at a time. Beat in the vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda & salt. Once the sugar, butter mixture is creamy slowly beat in the flour until incorporated. Remove paddle and stir in the oatmeal and chocolate chips, but don’t over mix or the cookies will be tough.

4 I use a small spring action ice cream scoop to drop the cookies on the sheets, but you could use 2 tablespoons to do this. Leave at least 2” between cookies as they will spread during baking. Dust a fork with flour and press lightly over the center of the cookie to somewhat flatten them. Repeat, this time making marks perpendicular to the last. You’ll probably have to dip the fork into the flour for each press, otherwise the fork will stick to the dough.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will rise a little and be lightly browned.

6. Remove from the oven and place the baking pans on a rack to cool for a few minutes before transferring them to wire rack, (I just slide cookies on the parchment paper ) and allow them to completely cool.

I'm sharing this with Lisa's Sweet as Sugar Cookies Linky Roundup - check out the awesome choices.

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Farfalle with Chicken Pollo & Mushrooms in Sherry Cream Sauce

Farfalle with Chicken Pollo & Mushrooms in a Sherry Cream Sauce
Adapted from Pasta – 40 Recipes for Fine Dining at Home

Printable Recipe

Prep/Cook time: 20-30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 box (10oz/300g) whole wheat Farfalle (or whatever your short favorite is)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, white part only, rinsed, dried and sliced
1 small onion, diced
8 oz/225g shitake mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced
8 oz/225g cremini (or wild mushrooms), sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 lb/ 450g boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced across the grain
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp Dijon mustard or Pommery mustard (with seeds)
1 tbsp pesto
½ tbsp butter
½ cup sherry (the recipe actually called for Port, but I was out and substituted with sherry which was delicious)
½ cup heavy cream (whipping cream, 35%)
Garnish: grated Parmesan Cheese, cracked pepper, Italian/flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions
1. Cook the pasta to al dente in salted water in a large Dutch oven.

2. In the meantime, Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and sauté leeks, onions, mushrooms, and garlic for 5 minutes or until the onions soften and the mushrooms start to go golden. Add the chicken, season with salt & pepper. Stir in the mustard, pesto and butter and continue to cook only until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Remove to a large bowl and keep warm.

3. Deglaze the pan with sherry or port, stirring up any brown bits that might be in the bottom. Add the cream, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened.

4. Stir in the reserved chicken & mushroom mixture (I used a slotted spoon leaving any liquid behind and reserved it to add to the final dish if too thick). Add the drained pasta, tossing to coat.

5. Garnish with cracked pepper, chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Marinated Hanger Steak with Dragon's Breath Blue Cheese & Salad

Marinated Hanger Steak with Dragon’s Breath Blue Cheese & Romaine Hearts
Adapted from Low-Salt DASH Dinners & Chef Craig Flinn's awesome vinaigrette

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: from 2 hours on the counter to 48 hours in the fridge (bring back to room temp before grilling
Cooking time: 10-20 minutes (hanger steak is thicker than flank steak, so will take longer to cook)
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
Hanger steak (butchering how to) recipe works great with flank, skirt, tenderloin … and any grilling beef you choose.
Marinade:
½ cup red wine
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary
2 tsp dried basil
3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Salad
Romaine hearts, torn into bite sized chunks
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into chunks

1/2 English cucumber, chunked
Dragon’s Breath Blue Cheese (from NS That Dutchman’s Cheese) Stilton Blue (this time I used Borgonzola)
Chef Craig Flinn's Awesome Vinaigrette


Directions:
1. Prepare the hanger steak a la Dennis Johnston of fid resto in Halifax

2. In a large ziplock baggie, combine all the marinade ingredients and blend well. Add the prepared hanger steak (or whatever other cut you choose), coat well with the marinade and massage. You can let the meat marinate on the counter for a couple of hours before grilling or refrigerate for up to 48 hours. If refrigerating, bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.

3. To grill: bbq/ grill pan/ electric grill/ broiler… whatever you have – heat to high and grill for 3-4 minutes, turn the meat, lower the temp a bit and continue to grill for 4 minutes for medium rare. That's how long for flank steak, but hanger steak being thicker will require more time. Turn the heat down to medium so it will not char, and turn every 4 minutes until done to your liking.

4. Remove from the grill and place on a plate, flipping the hot side (closest to the grill) on top and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Then slice on the diagonal, across the grain to serve.

5. While the steaks are grilling, place the torn romaine hearts and chunks of red peppers & cucumbers into a large serving bowl. Toss with vinaigrette.

6. Once the steaks are sliced, place them on top of the salad and crumble the cheese over top.

Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Soup

Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Soup
From Fresh & Frugal: Easy and affordable recipes for market-fresh local food

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Roasting Time: 40 minutes or until the cauliflower and garlic are soft
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 large head of garlic, cloves separated & peeled but left whole
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 sprigs, fresh thyme, leaves picked off and stems discarded
Pinch or two of salt
¼ cup more olive oil
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1 bay leaf
¼ cup heavy cream (35%)
2-4oz/60-120g Boursin cheese
Sliced chives for garnish
Salt & pepper to taste
White truffle oil & olive oil to garnish (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F/180°C

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Place the garlic cloves and teaspoon of olive oil on an additional square of foil and make into a pouch for roasting.

2. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower pieces, chopped onion, thyme leaves, pinch of salt and ¼ cup of olive oil. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet in a single layer. Place the pouch of garlic on the side of the tray and roast until the cauliflower is golden (30-40 minutes)

3. Once vegetables are cooked, place them in a soup pot along with the roasted garlic, broth, milk & bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and allow to gently simmer until the cauliflower falls apart. (about 20 minutes)

4. Add the cream and Boursin just before serving. Blend (I use an immersion blender, Chef Craig Flinn uses a high speed blender) until smooth. Taste for seasoning and garnish with chopped chives and truffle/olive oil, if desired.

Monday, March 07, 2011

Marinated Hanger Steak with Borgonzola Cheese & Romaine Hearts

Marinated Hanger Steak with Borgonzola & Romaine Hearts
Adapted from Low-Salt DASH Dinners & Craig Flinn's awesome Vinaigrette

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: from 2 hours on the counter to 48 hours in the fridge (bring back to room temp before grilling
Cooking time: 10-20 minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
Hanger steak (butchering how to) recipe works great with flank, skirt, tenderloin … and any grilling beef you choose.
Marinade:
½ cup red wine
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary
2 tsp dried basil
3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Salad
Romaine hearts, torn into bite sized chunks
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1/2 cucumber, cut into chunks
Craig Flinn's vinaigrette

Dragon’s Breath Blue Cheese (from NS That Dutchman’s Cheese) or Borgonzola

Directions:
1. Prepare the hanger steak a la Dennis Johnston of fid resto in Halifax

2. In a large ziplock baggie, combine all the marinade ingredients and blend well. Add the prepared hanger steak (or whatever other cut you choose), coat well with the marinade and massage. You can let the meat marinate on the counter for a couple of hours before grilling or refrigerate for up to 48 hours. If refrigerating, bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.

3. To grill: bbq/ grill pan/ electric grill/ broiler… whatever you have – heat to high and grill for 3-4 minutes, turn the meat, lower the temp a bit and continue to grill for 4 minutes for medium rare. Hanger steak is thicker than flank steak, so you might have to lower the heat to medium and turn every 4 minutes until it's done to your liking.

4. Remove from the grill and place on a plate, flipping the hot side (closest to the grill) on top and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Then slice on the diagonal, across the grain to serve.

5. While the steaks are grilling, place the torn romaine hearts, and chunks of red peppers & cucumber into a large serving bowl. Toss with the vinaigrette.

6. Once the steaks are sliced, place them on top of the salad and crumble the cheese over top.


Aleppo Spiced Chickpea Salad


Aleppo Spiced Chickpea Salad
Adapted from, among others, this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 cans Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed well and drained
1-2 tbsp avocado oil ( good olive oil is fine too)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped or minced
½ tsp turmeric
1 tbsp aleppo spices or your favorite curry powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
4 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander, finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
sea salt to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the chopped onion. Sauté until the onions are beginning to brown (about 4-5 minutes) and add the chopped garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

2. Add the spices (Aleppo or curry, turmeric & cayenne).toss and cook for another minute or until fragrant from all those wonderful spices. Add the drained chickpeas, lemon juice and cilantro. Toss and heat for a couple of minutes.

3. Remove from heat, taste and add some sea salt and extra lemon juice if needed. Allow the chickpeas to cool in a bowl for about 10-15 minutes and transfer to the fridge for another 15-30 minutes before serving.

4. Taste for seasoning and add more cilantro plus whatever seasoning seems missing.

This simple side is great for lunches as well. I particularly like it with Naan Bread and tt’s even better the next day!

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Asian-Style Marinated Flank Steak

Asian-style Marinated Flank Steak
Adapted from How to Cook Anything App for iPads & iPhones

Printable Recipe
Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Marinate time: at least 30 minutes (for those last minute meals & then I leave it on the counter) up to 24 hours in the fridge and brought to room temperature before grilling
Grill time: 10 minutes
Resting time: 5 minutes

Serves 2-3 depending on the size of the flank steak and your appetite

Ingredients:

1 flank steak (Mark Bittman says 2-2 ½ lb/ 1 kg will feed 4-8 depending on how you’re serving it… main with sides require more per person than as part of a stir fry or topping for a salad)
Marinade:
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce) or soy sauce
1-2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp brown sugar
½ cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 small Serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Remove excess fat from the flank steak and lightly score it on both sides to both tenderize the tough cut and to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat. “Lightly score” means to just cut through the surface, not going deep into the flank. I like to make criss cross cuts, diagonal to the grain of the meat.

2. Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a zip lock baggie, add the scored flank steak, making sure to coat both sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes on the counter to 24 hours in the fridge, flip the steak over a couple of times to make sure the marinade works its magic evenly.

3. If you are marinating overnight, be sure to allow the steaks to come to room temperature (at least 30 minutes) before grilling.

3. Grill steaks over a hot grill pan or BBQ, for 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from the grill and lightly cover with foil for 5 minutes. This allows the meat to relax and become more tender.
I served it here with a side of Napa Cabbage & Pancetta (without the pasta)