Loving the everyday

About a year and half ago, give or take a few weeks, I sat myself down on my big, comfy couch with a cup of hot chocolate and a super cozy blanket, candles flickering in the background, I am sure. I had a decision to make. Have you ever noticed that successful folks seem to be passionate about (mostly) just one thing? And so become really, super good at what they do? Well, I felt torn in two between decorating and cooking. I do love them both equally. Both are creative, fun and a great way to express myself.

In the end, I chose cooking, put my decorating adventures on the back burner and let the pots do do all the talking instead of the walls. The biggest deciding factor being that cooking is an everyday event, I would never get bored, I can start a new "project" with every new dinner and still never ever run out of things to do and learn. Cooking has not let me down. There are days, though, I think I may never eat again since the house smells of food far too much. Weird? I know... but smell seems to satisfy my hunger rather often.

And that is exactly when design and decorating comes back to mind, I simply can not help myself. I'll never stop loving this fun and very much personal expression of personality. The way I see it, you may spend money on golf, I spend my hobby money on creativity. In the end, we are both satisfied.

So the question remains, can I do both? Perhaps I can, since I'll be in the kitchen singing my song around 4pm without a doubt in my mind that food excites and satisfies me. And on those days where leftovers abound, and the pots enjoy a day off, I'll trail off to my next decorating project.

And what better place to get back at'er than the kitchen?

I keep a folder with inspiration photographs, do you? They all seem to go in one direction as of late. I like to call it 'industrial chic'. And so, my bare, boring, once green walls are finally receiving a little more of my character... a perfect balance of old and new. (Is it ironic to update a kitchen with 80's panelling? I think not, when I go back to my inspiration shot, above.)

I feel rather lucky that my love enjoys the process as much as I do.



Still, in the midst of it all, I made this oh-so-yummy Chili and served it with homemade spinach pasta. The photo really does not do it credit. But I suppose we all have our limits?!

TIP: wear plastic gloves when handling hot chili peppers, or wash hands well with soap and water if you do touch the chilies.




Roast Beef Chili serves 4 - 6

3 pounds round beef roast, cubed (pick one with not too much marbelling or connective tissue)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

olive oil

2 onions, diced

1 large sweet red pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

10 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

2 tbsps tomato paste

1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes

1 tbsp grated unsweetened chocolate

CHILI POWDER:

2 hot red chili peppers, seeded and hand-torn

2 tbsps whole coriander seeds

2 tbsps purchased chili powder

2 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp white sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 medium size can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

GARNISH:

lime wedges

fresh cilantro leaves

First make your chili powder:

In a dry skillet, toast the hot red chili peppers with the whole coriander seeds over low heat until fragrant, shaking the pan so they don't burn.

Now put these in a blender or coffee bean grinder and pulse until you have a fine powder. Add the remaining chili powder spices, sugar and salt.

Now...

Season the beef cubes with plenty of salt and pepper. Set a large pot over medium - high heat and add about 3 tbsps of olive oil. When the pot and oil is very hot, add the beef and stir until brown.

Mix in the onion, red pepper, jalapeno, and garlic.

Stir in the chili powder you just made.

Add tomato paste and San Marzano tomatoes, crushing tomatoes with the back of wooden spoon.

Now add the chocolate. (Think depth of flavour...mmmmm)

Add enough water to just cover the beef and simmer, UNcovered, until the meat is fork tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours.

Grab two forks and pull beef cubes apart, as little or as much as you prefer.

Stir in the drained red kidney beans, taste and season with salt and pepper.

Simmer for another 30 minutes, covered if already reduced to a thick consistency, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro leaves.

Serve as is, or over pasta (this cuts the heat for the kiddos), corn bread or just a bunch of shredded cheddar cheese.

Deliciousness and a little game of "Where's Waldo"

My Thursday turned out to be a fun day. Even with my strong disappointment in the Canadian public, and for the first time perhaps ever, possibly also a little embarrassment, too. Then again, maybe that's meant for a certain someone named Jamie Oliver, too. I've seen enough of him on my Telly to know he's a pretty chilled out guy, but Thursday, well...

Sadly, I did walk away from spending two hours in the same room as Mr. Oliver wondering. I'm not sure what I was wondering, but I am pretty sure the evening could have been much better. Should I point fingers at an audience that asked insanely stupid questions, like - "How do you do your hair, Jamie?" Or at a host that seemingly had not much more planned for the evening than to answer question after question from an audience more interested in his looks than his cooks. (I really should stop rhyming!)

Okay, okay... so it was really super cool to see him live... stupidity and all, Thursday will still be a day I'll always remember. And most importantly Jamie did kick me into cooking mode again, with a perfectly cooked steak which even I could smell and drool over far, far away from the stage, spanked with rosemary (yes, that would be spanked - ask me later) and tossed in fresh herbs and the ever important olive oil.

No later than Friday did I crack open a nice bottle of red, and before you could sing the Mary Poppins theme song, I had a gorgeous stew simmering away. So Jamie, you still rock. Everyone has off days, I suppose you can, too.

I am sure you've guessed it by now, there is no photo in my possession of Jamie and me, just a few fuzzy 'pics', this one being the best. (Isn't that sad?)

Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes & Rosemary

Adapted from Dave Lieberman

Serves 6

2 pounds beef chuck, 1-inch cubes

3 tbsp butter

4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 small onions, diced

2 tbsp all purpose flour

2 cups white mushrooms

900 ml low sodium beef broth

2 cups red wine

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

1 6-inch sprig of fresh rosemary

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, 1-inch chunks

2 handfuls green and/or yellow beans, ends trimmed

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Season the beef lightly with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a large, heavy pot over high heat. As soon as the butter starts to brown, add half the beef. Brown beef on all sides then remove from pot to a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of butter and brown remaining beef. Remove from pot also.

Toss carrots and onions into the pot, adjust the heat to medium. Cook until the onions start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and stir until it has been worked into the veggies and you can't see it anymore.

Now add the beef broth, red wine, crushed tomatoes and toss in whole mushrooms and sprig of rosemary. Stir the beef back into the pot and bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 50 minutes. Stir occasionally.

After 50 minutes, add the potatoes and simmer another 45 minutes, stirring once in a while.

Lastly, add the beans and allow them to heat through.

Serve with fresh parsley.

Yes, Sir!

When Bobby Flay talks Burgers, we listen. We do as he says. And we throw out our idea of what a good homemade burger patty should be. What I am talking about is all that extra stuff we mix and over mix into our ground chuck to"hold everything together and build flavour". Things like eggs, breadcrumbs and onions. Forget them, leave them behind. It's about to get much simpler. And oh so much tastier.





Since burgers a la Bobby is a super fast operation, you'll want to heat the BBQ to high before getting to the meat so it's good and ready when you are.

If your ground beef is packaged like mine, it will look a little like a flat, rectangle brick. Using a knife, cut/divide this meat into four even portions, right there, in the package (after removing any wrapping, of course). Gently shape each portion into a 3/4 inch thick patty. Do not overwork the meat, don't squeeze it, don't compress more than you need to. Nobody likes a dry burger. Now make an impression in the middle of each patty. This prevents it from puffing up and looking more like a flying saucer than a burger.

The patties are just about done - a little seasoning of coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides, plus a little swipe of grape seed oil over everything, and we are ready for the BBQ.

Gently place the patties onto the grill, cook for about 5 minutes on each side for well done. Flip once only half way through, and never ever press down on them. Nobody likes a dry burger. At roughly minute number 9, place cheese of your choice on the patties, and close the BBQ for just a quick minute to melt it. I like to toast the buns at the same time I am melting cheese. After about a minute, remove the buns, place your patties on the bun bottoms and slather with toppings. This is where you want to build flavour. Think outside the patty, not in.

For this Cheyenne Burger I used Old Cheddar, Barbecue sauce, French Fried Onions and fresh chopped Parsley.

Now that's what I call a good burger.

By the way, I've made a rather interesting discovery: Grass-fed organic ground beef hardly shrinks during the cooking process. Meaning you'll have more on your plate, and less in the barbecue drip pan. Besides, it's so much better for you, and the animal.

What, it's dinner time again?!

Um, good-bye July? Seriously?

I won't say it, I promise...

...OK, so maybe I will. Time flies. There, I said it. It's annoying, I know, everyone says it, too much. But for some reason Summer seems to be winding down, and this brings with it the likeness of a close friends' good-bye. Sure, if we use our time wisely, and fill it with great things, however small they may be, I think we live as though on a surf board, gliding through life with it's ups and downs at a tremendous speed, never stopping to look back with regret. Summer always goes by too fast, which is why I might slap you if I ever catch you complaining about it being too hot. Since now you see it, then suddenly, you don't. Of course, it's rather comforting to know Fall is next in line, like a big warm chunky knit blanket wrapped around us, telling us, don't worry - Summer will be back in a few months.

We didn't have much planned this season, there's family in town, friends to catch up with and our kids needed to be given the time and motivation to finally master swimming and riding their bikes. Those were our goals for this year, may I say simple, yet I love the idea of slowing down and taking time for small details as though they were hugely important to the overall scheme of life. And I suppose they are.




And as time flies by, so does dinner time. Here's one of my favourites:

Beef Enchiladas

1 lb extra lean, grass-fed organic ground beef
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup chopped red peppers
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded if desired, chopped
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
2 cups tomato salsa
1 (19 fl oz/540 mL) can black beans, drained
1/2 cup old Cheddar
1/2 cup Mozzarella
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
8 - 10 flour tortillas, about 7 inches in diameter

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Heat a large skillet to medium, add beef, all peppers and salt to taste. Cook until meat has browned. Add 1 cup salsa and the drained beans; simmer 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup cheddar, 1/4 cup mozzarella and all but 3 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro.
Spread 1/4 cup of salsa onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.
Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each tortilla with olive oil, stack on a plate, then cover with a dish towel and microwave about 25 seconds, or until just warm.
Immediately spoon 1/2 cup meat and bean filling down the center of each tortilla, roll up tightly and place in the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat to fill all tortillas, laying them single file. If you have extra filling, spoon this on top of the tortillas with the remaining 3/4 cup salsa.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake covered for 20 minutes.
Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake additional 2 - 3 minutes.
Top with 2 -3 tbsp chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Beefy, sloppy, goooooood

If you are on a diet, I strongly suggest you do not read on. Go to your favourites and find a different site. Don't think about juicy, tasty food. Or better yet, turn off your computer. It's for your own good. Now, for the rest of us that have noticed eating home made food, which is not always low in fat, carbs, or whatever the latest trend might be, is oddly enough healthier and lower in calories, chemicals, and sweat due to teenage "cooks" preparing our take out... drool on, um, I mean, stay with me.



Hi! I'm glad you're still here. Since I am about to share with you this yummy in your tummy, super fast, husband pleasing meaty sandwich you're sure to make again and again.





For an added bonus, I've got a beer pairing tip: Rickard's Dark ale is rich, satisfying and perfect with zippy beef and onions. I've only recently discovered the vast world, or dare I say culture, of beer pairing. Until now I left that to wine and somewhat sophisticated dinners. I have news! Beer is not just a drinkers brew, for unruly college students or folks living a few miles outside of the nearest town. It's all grown up, just like you and me.





Caramelized Onion and Beef Sloppy Sandwich
Inspired by Ree Drummond

2 medium white onions
1 tbsp brown sugar
hot sauce, to taste
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
fresh ground pepper
salt, to taste
1/2 tbsp thyme
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 whole sausage buns
mozzarella cheese
butter

Peel, halve and slice onions. Heat a saute pan to medium-high heat, add about 2 tbsp butter, then onions, brown sugar and a few splashes of hot sauce. Cook onions are soft, about 5 - 7 minutes.
Remove onions, and set aside.
Season ground beef with salt, pepper and thyme.
Add 2 tbsp butter to saute pan from which onions were removed. Heat until lightly browned, then cook beef in the butter until about half done. Don't stir much, the more you stir, the tougher the meat gets. At the half way point, add Worcestershire sauce and about 5 splashes of hot sauce. Cook until evenly browned throughout.
Add onions and yet another 2 tbsp butter to the pan, stir to combine. Remove from heat.
Turn the oven to broil.
Butter halved sausage buns and lay flat on a cookie sheet.
Broil until toasted, about 2 - 4 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Remove from oven and divide meat and onions between the buns. Top with slices of mozzarella.
Return to oven. Heat until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven, close sandwiches and enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini with Chili and Cheese

I am serious about making Chili. I seriously always make far too much! So what's a girl to do with it all? Well, I shared some, froze some, and put some on top of zucchini! A sure fire way to turn boring leftovers into a new meal, and a perfect way to add a little more veg to the dinner plate.

Stuffed Zucchini with Chili and Cheese

Serves 4

4 zucchini

about 4 cups leftover Chili

1/2 - 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Trim and cut zucchini in half length wise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out about half it's flesh.

Chop the flesh up into small chunks and stir into Chili.

Place zucchini side by side in a shallow glass baking dish.

Spread the Chili over zucchini, sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Pop in the oven and bake for 20 - 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Turn the oven to broil, and broil for 2 - 4 minutes, or until lightly golden.

#1 Reader

It's been a busy week, not overly busy, just more so than usual, but I am oddly happy for Monday, 9am, and a coffee date with myself! I love to reflect on time passed, especially when it is busy and the minutes seem to whizz on by without me being able to get every ounce out of it. You see, I put much importance on not wasting time (or food), which is why I love to reflect as I feel I can put value on some things that I didn't get around to appreciating. So here I am, spending quality time in front of the computer (ha!), I am wearing a super cozy hoody, with the hood over my head, a space heater is blowing warm air my way and my pup is snuggled up close by. It's in these moments I do dream of summer, of sitting by the water, and if you were there with me, we'd talk of times passed, of a great future ahead and the amazing thing that is called today. We'd sip coffee and talk about food, or better yet, nutrition, and how keeping things simple is where it's at. I can almost see it, if I close my eyes and allow myself to drift away...

Right now, however, we have business to take care of! I have a winner to announce! The winner of my very first give away is a special friend that shares the love of food and writing, one who inspires me to be content, a better baker and quite often, a better mother, too. She drinks coffee with me, even though she doesn't necessarily like coffee, but rather enjoys that moment shared together. She is also my #1 Reader, and my one and only entry, but that's OK, because my friend Wanda deserves to win!

Here's what she wrote:

I found myself in the kitchen today, the day before the contest closes, thumbing through my only nice meal cookbook, scrambling for a recipe and ingredients. I settled for the Bacon Topped Meatloaf and Emerald Rice.

I like the idea of both recipes... the Meatloaf had Chili Sauce in it and bacon on top of it. Two items that make any meal delicious in my mind. The rice had spinach, cheese and cream in it. Mmmmm. I figured it would be a fun experiment, and my kids will eat whatever I put in front of them (eventually) so I rolled up my sleeves and dug in.

The meatloaf was very easy to prepare, so I plopped it into a stoneware loaf pan and set it to baking while I prepared the rice. I didn't have half-and-half cream, so I made a mix of sour cream and milk instead. I also ran out of cheddar cheese making the meatloaf, so I used mozzarella instead. I considered lightly steaming some broccoli to go on the side, but my husband and I decided the spinach, rice and meatloaf would suffice for a complete meal tonight.

As the family dug in, they started rating the meal. Boy #1 said the meal was 997 good. (The meatloaf was 1000, the rice was 997.) Girl #1 said the meatloaf was 1000 and the rice was 2. (She was not a fan of the spinach in the rice.) Boy #2 said the meatloaf was 81 and the rice was 10. He's four though, so any number he throws out there is arbitrary. When I asked my husband, he said, "I'd eat it again". Coming from a man who thought he hated meatloaf until a couple of years ago, that's a pretty good rating.

The meatloaf did not hold together well, but it was so moist and tasty. I think next time I'll do them in individual loaf pans. I also commented to hubby that the rice would be great with mushrooms. He agreed... but he's always trying to get more mushrooms into my recipes. I'll definitely give them both another try! I give the meatloaf an A- and the rice a B. And my good friend over at Sprout Culinary Studies gets an A+ for prompting me to try something new!

Bacon - Topped Meatloaf

Serves 8

1/2 cup chili sauce

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

2/3 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 bacon strips, cut in thirds

In a bowl, combine first 9 ingredients. Pat into an ungreased large loaf pan or 9x13 baking dish. Top with bacon. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 70 minutes.Drain and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Emerald Rice

Serves 8

3 cups cooked brown rice

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup half and half (I used 1/4 cup sour cream and 3/4 cup milk)

1/2 chopped onion

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp salt

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Bake in a covered 1 1/2 quart dish at 350 F for 25 - 30 minutes, until heated through.