Time budget, solved!

Whole chickens go on sale every few weeks around here. I've discovered buying the whole bird not only is better for my wallet, but also for flavour since bones add the best of it. But as days get busier, there is not always time to carefully roast and baste a perfect chick. So if you don't care much for crunchy skin in the first place, here's a great busy-person-friendly version which never lets me down.

Rinse and thoroughly dry a 2 pound chicken. Toss some fresh pepper and kosher salt into the cavity, then stuff it with both sides of a halved lemon, a few garlic cloves also cut in half (don't even waste your time taking the skins off) and a handful of fresh herbs, my favourites are thyme and sage. Place in a slow cooker, season with a little more salt and pepper, close the lid, turn to high, and walk away. Four hours later, when all your running around is done, and you've spent quality time with the kiddies, carefully take this baby out of the slow cooker (it will probably fall apart on you), take it off the bone and serve with a quick baby greens salad. Or, use in tacos, on grilled sandwiches with roasted red pepper and feta, or stir into a creamy sauce for pasta.

If you have a little extra time in the late morning hour (should this chicken be for a 6 o'clock dinner, take the chicken out at about noon), rest the whole bird and lemon on the kitchen counter and allow them to come to room temperature before cooking. This shortens the cooking time, and more moisture is retained. In fact, you should always, with the exception of fish and ground meats, cook any cuts at room temperature. Less time in the oven is a very good thing.

See you in four hours, Mrs. Chicken, when your internal temperature reaches 180 F.

Picky eater

When you've had a crazy day, when you've been to ten stores and still can't find sneakers for your kids' first day back to school, and when these same kids somehow - really, it's beyond me - picked a rather large tear into a second leather dining chair, and the doors you've painted twice need an unfortunate third coat, I'd say it's a good time to recharge with a plate of homemade food.

Funny thing, the other day I made meatballs and decided to use up a gravy powder mix uselessly sitting around my spice rack, to accompany these little organic meaty morsels. One by one we took our first bites. We went back for a second. We couldn't place it right away... it just tasted so, fake. Needless to say, I threw out the rest of that powdery yuck, and will stick to homemade. Always. Period.

Who needs packaged food when basic steak, grilled chicken, or even sausage can be enjoyed with super fast, amazingly scrumptious mushrooms. Don't even try to make these low fat, diet, or whatever makes you feel good about eating. Packaged food is far worse nutrition than a little bacon fat.




Bacon Mushroom Saute

1 lb Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
8 slices Bacon, roughly chopped
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Chives

Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium - high heat. Add the chopped bacon, saute until about half cooked.
Add the finely chopped onions, continue to cook on medium - high heat, stirring, until bacon is crisp and onions soft.
Toss in the sliced mushrooms. Give it a good stir, cook until the mushrooms are nicely browned. Remove from heat.
Stir in the chopped chives. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Now, enjoy!

Sometimes I crack myself up. But only sometimes.

My kitchen's a mess from cooking all day. I'm wearing my favourite blue jeans. The Summer air is crisp, and I've baked bread today. This home cook is as happy as can be! Certainly it's not just me who gets excited about these things?

When asked which season I enjoy the most, I never quite get my answer right. Is it Summer? I suppose it was, as a child, since school was out and we lived in our bathing suits. Or is it Spring? Where everything dead comes alive, and those first Spring flowers bloom in full color. Or perhaps Fall...

Today I will answer, because today I can!
My most favourite Season is no season at all...
I'm lucky as can be, it comes four times a year.
It's the change of Season I love.
Especially when celebrated with a beer.


All right, so I am not much of a poet! But who says I can't try?





Pimped up Garlic Bread
Serves 6

1 large loaf Italian style bread (or homemade french bread, shaped as a letter, like mine today - these things happen when one loves to cook), halved lengthwise
8 - 10 garlic cloves, uniform size, skins left on
6 tbsp unsalted Butter, softened
2 tbsp finely grated fresh Parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper
1 tbsp each fresh basil and chives, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp each fresh thyme and oregano, freshly chopped


Preheat oven to 500 F.
Toast garlic cloves in a dry skillet, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and color of cloves deepens slightly, about 8 minutes. Remove from skillet. When cool enough to handle, peel and mince the garlic.
Using a dinner fork, mash garlic and remaining ingredients into butter until thoroughly combined.
Spread cut sides of loaf evenly with garlic butter, transfer to cookie sheet and bake on middle oven rack for 5 - 8 minutes, until golden brown and toasted. Cut each into 2 inch slices, serve immediately.

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.

Coincidence?!

The Soccer World Cup is in full swing as I write today, so perhaps an Italian flag should be replaced by a German one... I feel an apology coming on as I am terribly sorry to my German heritage, but when it comes to food, the Italians do take home the Gold. If you will notice the *coincidental* similarity of these two photos:




Do the Italians always have food on their minds?

Don't tell the authorities, but I think my passport is telling a lie! I am a typical Canadian, a Heinz 57 of many nationalities. (Of course my children are greater mutts than myself. But then, I have always been partial to mutts!) Still, I am convinced I should have been born somewhere between Italy and Spain. Although I would miss my blond hair.




And since you are wondering... No, I did not eat this much pasta in one sitting! This portion is for photography purposes only. (I did come close though... as this happened to be super yummy.)

I've had this dish buzzing around my head for a few days now. (Again, food on my mind at all times, very Italian-ish.) I am loving the fresh herbs in my garden, and I always stock Sundried Tomatoes in my pantry, as well as cream cheese - which is purchased in bulk and used in bulk. Garlic is never far off... and so I thought to myself, this must be a match made in Italy heaven. As I photographed the chopped herbs, tomatoes, and garlic, I couldn't help but think it looked an aweful lot like *a* flag. And so, a dish buzzing around in my head became a story buzzing even louder. A little like those horns at the World Cup.

Comparable to Spaghetti alla Carbonara, this pasta makes a great side to a crisp salad or fresh asparagus and grilled chicken. A good chef's knife comes in handy here - chopping the herbs, garlic and tomatoes finely is, I think, important for even flavour distribution. And don't forget to play with the ingredients - what's good for me may not be good for you. I happen to love a good amount of flavour... in other words use as much or as little herbs and tomatoes as you wish, it's sure to be tasty every time!




Asiago and Sundried Tomato Garden Spaghetti
Serves 4 - 6

3/4 - 1 lb Spaghetti
1/2 cup plain cream cheese (please don't use low fat)
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 fresh basil, chopped (or a combination of basil and parsley)
1 (270 ml) jar Sundried Tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
fresh ground Pepper
Sea Salt
Asiago Cheese, a big chunk of it, for grating at the dinner table

Cook pasta in salted water to al dente, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water just before draining. Do not rinse pasta!!
In a large saucepan, combine cream cheese and olive with the garlic, herbs, tomatoes and fresh ground pepper over low heat until melted. Add the drained but not rinsed (!) spaghetti and reserved 1 cup pasta water. Stir to combine well. Season with salt to taste.
Serve with asiago cheese and a grater.

Will you be my neighbour?

Summer is all about taking it easy, right? My dog Cooper knows all about that one - hence we are working on a bit of a double chin. But isn't he handsome? He's a pro at snuggling too, by the way, and has a soothing way of waking me up in the morning. It sure beats the beep-beep-beep of an alarm clock. I'll take puppy eyes any day!

So summer. And taking it easy. Slow cooked fork-tender meats. Barbeques. And a cold beer. Summer dresses and breezy air cutting through heat. Are we ready? I say bring it on!

Besides, 3/4 of the way into my Sprout year, I find it fitting to slow down, to stick with the familiar (most of the time, anyway, as I am sure there will be days I will be tempted to roll up some sushi, bake a mile high cake, or try a new vegetable), and get really good at just a few things.

My kiddos don't seam to mind. Last night at dinner I commented on how they've done an amazing job eating lately. They said it was because the food was normal. I threw in that a few short months ago there was nothing normal about cilantro, or raw onions for that matter. No comments after that, just chewing, and asking to be excused once mouths were wiped.

Interestingly enough, nine months ago I would have never made my own salsa. Roasting a chicken was reserved for a special day. Today, it is stress free cooking. It's fresh, and fast and comfortable. Learning can have it's ups and downs. And failures. But having learned is really, really nice. I'd like to think this is only the beginning, and I am proud of my family for sticking with me. Having once thought I would cook gourmet meals, beautifully plated, artistically styled... I realize now that cooking from scratch is what matters. Cooking it right, making it fun and having family and friends enjoying - mmmmm. It means the world to me.

So here's what I love most, and plan to work on over the next three months:

Bread - a good variety of shapes and tastes

Slow cooked meats - not the Crock Pot kind (even if there is nothing wrong with it)

Organic Burgers - I am convinced anything can be turned into a burger!

Fresh vegetables - lots of them, too... and summer salads

How's my vegetable garden, you ask? Well, it's turned into more of an herb garden. But I love herbs, so why not?! Besides, the idea of being able to harvest all summer long and having more than I can use sounds so... neighbourly!

I can boast about this roast!

Who doesn't love weekends? Especially long weekends, with plenty of sleeping in, coffee on the patio, and bed times that don't seem to matter. The aroma of something roasting in the oven or the barbecue ties it all together, and life seems perfected in those precious moments of family. Did I mention we welcomed a new dog into our home? He's an almost 3 year old Lab, who answers to the name of Coop. Especially when said in a low, drawn out voice. I haven't always believed in love at first sight... however I certainly do now. But back to the chicken, which has roasted in my oven for a quick hour - this is one of those classic no-fail staples which I will be passing along to my girls in a book planned for their wedding day. There is no stuffing, no lengthy preparations, just a stunning roast chicken, with great flavour and even better gravy.





My Favourite Roast Chicken

1 (3 pound) whole chicken
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 F.
Rinse the chicken, or chickens - this recipe is easily doubled, in fact, I always do - inside and out under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan on a rack. Rub all over with olive oil.
Combine the seasonings, and rub onto chicken. You can also rub it under the skin, directly onto the meat. Sprinkle some inside the cavity, too.
Roast the chicken, with the roasting pan lid closed, at 500 F for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 450 F, roast another 20 minutes. Turn the oven down again to 425 F, roast for 10 minutes. Take the roasting pan out of the oven, remove the lid, and place back in the oven for the last 10 minutes.
Check the temperature in the largest part of the thigh, without allowing the thermometer to touch the bone. It should read 180 F.
For the gravy, pour the drippings into a saucepan, add enough chicken broth to make about 2 cups total, and bring to a boil. Stir together 2 tbsp corn starch and 1/4 cup cold water. Add to the boiling drippings, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the juice of a 1/4 lemon. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Harvested some Chives, made some Salmon

Yup, that's right, these chives are fresh, green and beautiful - and - from my backyard. So what, you say? Well, let me tell you, they've been in my backyard since Earth Day, about 6 weeks, and they are not only alive, but thriving! For someone struggling to keep house plants alive, that is a really, super big deal. There just might be hope for me after all... I do have pretty big dreams of a pretty big garden.





I made a decision this week. Salmon is going to be bumped up from splurge to regular item on the weekly grocery list. My love, Paul, immediately throws in some advice - let's beer batter and fry it! And although I may give into this once in a while, salmon is a symbol of heart, brain and skin health to me - deep frying is not. However, if that's how lovey gets excited about fish, then I will oblige. Once a year.





Citron salmon is seasonal, light, and quickly thrown together. It ranks quite high on my favourites list, actually. I especially love that I can drizzle perfectly paired asparagus with a little olive oil and roast them simultaneously. Chardonnay, anyone?





Citron Salmon

half a fillet of whole Salmon (about 2 pounds)
1 Lime
1 Lemon
2 tbsp of Chives
fresh Dill Sprigs
1/2 cup Butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Mix the juice of half the lemon, half the lime, 2 tbsp chopped each dill and chives into the softened butter.
Generously line a casserole dish with aluminum foil. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the dish.
Spread with flavoured butter. Lay about 10 dill sprigs on top of the butter.
Slice the remaining lemon and lime, lay on top of dill.
Enclose everything tightly with the foil. Bake in the 400 F oven for 20 - 30 minutes. Baking time will vary according to the thickness of the salmon. But please, do not over cook! Rather, under cook just a little, and allow the residual heat in the foil to finish cooking it, while sitting on the counter.

Paperless cooking. It's not over-rated!

There's just something about it: cooking without a recipe. Cooking because you know what you want. And delivering that. I've been tinkering with roasted potatoes for some time, and have many recipes that I love. Being the simple dinner lady that I am, I am often happy with a plate of potatoes and something fresh and crispy to fill my plate. Lately my roast potatoes have been very Greek - olive oil, fresh lemon juice, dried oregano and s&p. For me, something was missing. So this is what happens when I cook according to me - my very own Garlic Roast potatoes. (I am so sorry if someone else out there makes theirs the same, I truly, honestly am not copying you. Let's just say great minds think alike!)

And since cooking without a recipe, is well, by feel, I'll include general measurements. Use more or less according to your liking. Make it your own! To my liking, roast potatoes should: 1) be moist yet crisp, 2) have a nice golden colour, 3) marry perfectly with herbs and other seasonings while not losing the potato itself.

By the way, I hardly ever use up an entire bundle of herbs before they go bad. So I tried freezing them for future cooking - it works! I wouldn't recommend doing this for use in salads, or any other uncooked herb needs, but sauces, roasts, and so forth love frozen herbs. In other words, never ever deny yourself fresh at the grocery store!

One last roasting tip: after washing the potatoes, dry them thoroughly - otherwise you will oven steam, not roast!

Moni's Smashed Garlic Roast Potatoes
Serves maybe 4, or two if you make them really, really yummy!

Roughly 6 - 8 small or medium yellow fleshed potatoes, unpeeled, 2cm dice
About 4 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
Olive oil ... you know I love a lot of it! (For more accurate measuring, count to 3 while pouring!)
A few sprigs fresh oregano, picked
Around 1 tsp smoked paprika - basically enough to give the potatoes a red hue
Fresh ground pepper
Coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 450 F.
Combine everything in one or two glass casserole dishes. I like to keep them single file.
Roast in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring once half way through.
Remove from the oven, search for the garlic cloves. Using the tines of a fork, smash them and stir back into the potatoes.

Mushrooms and a little bread

There's no doubt about it - weeknight meals need to be made in a flash. Being a stay-at-home mom, however, not only is my world quite different from working moms, but so is my weeknight cooking. I can enjoy the luxury of spending 4 hours on a meal, if I so desire. Did I mention I love being a stay-at-home mom? Sure, there are sacrifices to be made. But so far I don't seem to be missing anything, so at home I will stay. It's the weekends which seem to require quick meals. Yet another luxury we enjoy is a husband, or daddy, who has every weekend off. We don't get much time with him during the week, but Saturday and Sunday is family time (when, of course, there isn't something in need of fixing in our semi-old home). We spent most of the day out, and when late afternoon rolled around, the inevitable question loomed: what should we make for dinner? To which hubby replies, let's order pizza! (GASP) Order pizza?! Not when there is fresh sage and thyme in the fridge, not to mention delicious mushrooms, mixed greens and homemade bread!

Dinner in 15 minutes:

Grab 2- 3 cups of mushrooms, wipe them with a damp cloth. Go to town and tear them up a little, no need to chop! Heat a large skillet on high, swirl in some olive oil. Add the mushrooms, cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Now grab a few red chili flakes, a sliced clove of garlic, a couple of sprigs fresh thyme and a handful fresh sage leaves. Salt, pepper, a knob of butter. Oh, yum! Slide the mushrooms into a bowl, add some more olive oil to the hot skillet. Plenty would be great. Slice up baguette style bread, place in the skillet. Flip after a couple of minutes, then toss shredded Jack cheese on the slices. Remove from pan when cheese has melted. Now to the completion of this meal: Half a cup of plain yogurt, a good swirl of olive oil, a couple of teaspoons cider vinegar, salt, pepper and a crushed clove of garlic = healthy, creamy, low sodium, no ingredients we can't pronounce salad dressing. Slice some tomatoes, add to mixed baby greens. Toss with a little, or a lot if you like - it's healthy after all - salad dressing. Oh, and there's always the option of delegating a significant other a couple of steaks which have been sprinkled with salt and fresh pepper, and sending him/her out for a visit with the barbecue.

Kraft dinner, what? Pizza, huh?! I bet I can make this meal faster than anyone can order and bring home pizza. Or cook out of a box.

Give me the green

I love the colour green. Not forest green, unless it's the real thing, but crisp, yellowy greens. Apparently it's a calming colour. And it's been said that green lovers are smart. Would be nice if that was true, now wouldn't it! (I've decided to run with it.) So what is it about green that makes me sing? It encompasses so many diverse and amazing things - many of my favourites, actually. Like spring, and new life. Greener living, and how it's become a trend! (Possibly the first trend I'll follow, too.) Then there are the vegetables, fruits, and herbs. How green signifies nutrients. And I am sure there is some sort of psychological reason as to why we go on green when approaching a set of lights. Green is not only comfort to me, it is life. In the case of these Thai Rice Noodles, green is crisp from fresh lime, and hot, oh so hot, from the jalapeno peppers I threw in without first deseeding them. Um, perhaps not so recommendable when feeding children under 10 years of age. I do love treating myself to a little heat once in a while, though!

This is a simple, yet stunning rice dish, which satisfies those ethnic food cravings I seem to get. There's not much prep to be done, making it a quick, veggie filled, healthy dinner option. Toss in a cup or two of cooked, shredded chicken or a pound of ready-to-eat shrimp for a meaty upgrade.

Thai Rice Noodles
Serves 4 - 6

3/4 - 1 lb medium-thick rice noodles
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno - deseeded when children abound, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 cups snow peas, ends trimmed
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 handful roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 cup almond slivers, toasted (in a dry skillet, over med - high heat, for about 3 - 5 minutes)
1 - 2 limes, cut into wedges

Prep veggies.
Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
Stir together the fish sauce, sugar and soy sauce. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the oil, then snow peas and red pepper.
Cook while stirring for a couple of minutes.
Add the green onion, jalapeno and garlic.
Continue stirring, cook until the vegetables begin to brown and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the sauce, swirl it around the pan, then add the drained noodles and combine well.
Take skillet off the heat, add in the nuts and cilantro, reserving a few for garnish.
Serve immediately, with lime wedges.

Case Study

It's a beautiful spring week day, which means I am spending loads of time out in the yard with the kids, digging for 'fossils' in the sand box, pulling weeds, and sitting on the patio with a cold drink. And unless dinner is prepared on the BBQ, it needs to be made in a flash - I don't want to miss any warm, energizing sun rays! The number 1 misconception of cooking from scratch must be the unavoidable involvement of processed food. I guarantee you, this doesn't have to be the case, fresh is just as fast, but one hundred times tastier. I apologize for yet another pasta dish - it seems as though pastas, breads and soups are what I get excited about, probably because I am confident any home cook rushed for time can make great, fresh food without a ton of time spent (except for the bread, I suppose!). The reason I decided to write about this particular pasta dish is because I have been making a rather similar one when I only have about 20 minutes to spare. This Jamie Oliver version truly knocks it out of the park, and I found it to be an interesting case study in using spices (cinnamon with tuna?), as well as fresh lemon and herbs (I am crazy for these!). There is always that question of, how do I know when to use what herb, when do I add it, and what can I add to bring out the flavour even more? Practicing with existing recipes can open the window of opportunity to create your very own signature dishes.

All the credits for this recipe go to Mr. Jamie. Knowing his passion for passing on a recipe, I am sure he won't mind me passing this one on to you.

Lazy Afternoon Pasta
Serves 4

Olive Oil
1 red or white onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 - 2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
a bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks chopped
1 x 28oz cans good quality plum tomatoes
2 x 10oz cans good quality tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb good quality rigatoni or penne (I used seashells)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
a small handful of freshly ground grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a good splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan a cook the onion, chili, cinnamon and basil stalks on medium to low heat for 5 minutes until the onion has softened and is slightly sweet. Turn up the heat and add your tomatoes, tuna and a good pinch of salt. Break the tomatoes up using the back of a spoon, then bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often. Taste for seasoning, adjust with salt and fresh pepper if needed.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to package directions. When al dente, drain the pasta in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water (about 1/2 cup). Toss the pasta into the tuna and tomato sauce with the roughly torn fresh basil leaves, a glug of olive oil, the lemon zest and juice and Parmesan, mix together well. Loosen the pasta with a little of the reserved pasta water if needed. Check the seasoning and serve immediately.

Thanksgiving Day, Every Day!

I've been spending a lot of time meditating on what it means to live and love "today". I consider myself a content person - I am happy how life has turned out and where it has brought me, but in the back of my mind "tomorrow" can often creep in and, if I am not careful, take place of what is so great about now. I can brush it off as being human, but rising above this mentality is surprisingly rewarding. Suddenly I find myself enjoying the craziest things - even toothpaste takes on a whole new meaning. I realized the other day that where I am today is what I hoped for a few years ago... it was my "getting there", my tomorrow that I longed for so very much. So why is it that today, I often find myself longing for tomorrow? When today is what counts, and missing out on that will result on never getting to tomorrow - tomorrow never comes! We, as humans grieve for yesterday and long for the next day. It's a daily decision to enjoy today. But one I make each and every DAY I get up in the morning, and thank my Saviour for His blessings, from very small (like toothpaste - imagine not having toothpaste), to very great (health, family, and being a two car family)! Now, as I approach a new day, I find myself with butterflies in my stomach - not because something hugely exciting is about to happen, but simply because at every turn, I find something I am thankful for and something I love and most of all having a joy that has nothing to do with circumstances. I am working hard on my beauty routine as well - not only as the commercials advertise it, but one that lends a smile, or a hug with a word of appreciation and encouragement. Because you see, it's in the small things that we do for others, where they know they are loved - as these things get missed when love is not present.

One of my favourite vegetables is Bok Choy. It is slightly sweet and mild, yet it retains some crunch after cooking but importantly it is gorgeous even on it's very own. I like to saute the bottom whites in a little butter until they begin to soften, then drown them in a cup of good chicken stock. After this reduces, I throw in the green tops. Once these have wilted, everything has a shimmery glaze and the chicken stock brings out the best of this veg. Simple, people, simple!

I have discovered along the way that fish is overcooked I would say most of the time. And this is precisely where it turns rubbery and fishy. I believe we would have plenty more fish lovers in this world if our fish was cooked properly. The trick is to undercook it just a touch, then let it rest on a serving plate for a couple of minutes. The residual heat finishes is it perfectly and you end up with moist, tender seafood. Sole has been one that even my husband looks forward to. And it's so quick to prepare, not even fast food stands a chance. Gently dab the sole filets with paper towels to dry, while heating up a saute pan to medium heat. After the filets are dry, grind fresh, coarse pepper on them and sprinkle with sea salt. Heat up a little olive oil in the warm pan, place your fish in it, presentation side down first - then leave it alone for two to three minutes. Flip it, and cook until it is almost done, about three minutes. Take it out, and let rest.

Now this very same husband of mine that normally requires a good helping of tartar sauce, or even plain mayo (yuck!) to get the fish into his mouth, declared this other, much healthier sauce, as a "definate blogger". It's even faster to put together than cooking the fish, so make it first. Serve everthing with garlic mashed potatoes and a colorful vegetable on the side.

Parsley Sauce

Serves 4

130 mL Olive Oil

15 mL Lemon Juice

1/4 cup chopped Parsley

1/4 tsp Salt

Place everything in a blender, Process for just a few seconds.

Love redefined

I am sure you have noticed the lack of beef dishes on my blog. But also the promise of a 'meaty future' to my husband (and a 7 year old daughter who has inherited his steak loving gene). Just as with baking, I find it difficult to put love into preparing beef. I love certain cuts, but they happen to also carry a big price tag: Filet Mignon, or a roast tenderloin, is what I can honestly say I enjoy. New York strip being a close second when barbecued, but other than that I love my veggies and, of course, bread - but especially veggies drenched in olive oil that then soak into fresh bread. Add some fresh herbs and I am a happy lady!


Yesterday I set out to take a less expensive Round Roast (cut from the leg, so it's a tougher cut, but with the right technique - braising - it does get quite tender), in hope of turning it into something spectacular. I carefully sweated out my flavour base: a trio of onion, carrot and celery. Then lovingly added fresh rosemary, sage and bay leaves plus a good amount of garlic. The beef was seared, which doesn't necessarily keep in the juices but does add an element of flavour to the dish. Everything was then topped with some stock and left alone to simmer for a good hour. Sounds yummy! But I just couldn't get in the mood... After an hour or so, I removed the beef, reduced the braising liquid, added a splash of lime and fresh black pepper. Still nothing...


Let's just say my husband gets to eat a bunch of beef over the next few days! I did eat a little - it was very tender, full of flavour. So I would say it IS possible to take a cheap cut of beef and make into something great. For those of us on a budget (and who isn't), this can be great news! But it looks as though this is not a place I personally can cut costs, and that's OK. I am OK with beef just once or twice a month.


So if you are reading this, and following my recipes, be prepared to get depth of flavour, sometimes crisp and fresh, other times robust - out of the ground, off of trees and snipped from an herb garden. That's where the love is! And should I invite you over for lunch some day, you may find yourself eating Bruschetta and Guacamole, with home made crispy bread and pita, of course!

Tomato Bruschetta with Basil

6 ripe tomatoes
fine sea salt
1 clove of garlic, make sure to remove any green from the middle of the clove
1/4 cup olive oil
pinch of cayenne
handful of fresh basil leaves

crusty bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick, about 3 inches in width
olive oil
a few cloves of garlic, halved

Dice the tomatoes into 1cm pieces. Place in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or the sink. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt (about 2 tablespoons) and allow the salt to pull the water out of tomatoes for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mash a clove of garlic into a paste, either with a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife on a cutting board.
In a medium size bowl, combine the garlic, cayenne, olive oil and a handful of roughly chopped basil. When the tomatoes have drained, add them as well. Stir to combine.
Heat up a saute pan to medium high heat, add a good splash of olive oil. Crisp the bread slices on both sides.
Remove bread from the heat and immediately rub them with garlic.
Place a basil leaf on the bread, plus a heaping spoon of the tomatoes, and enjoy!

Add a thin slice of fresh mozzarella on top of the basil leaf to change it up once in a while! YUM.

Versatile to the max.

As the week comes to an end, and the fridge is getting ready for a new fill, I discovered a full pack of unused fresh basil awaiting it's culinary purpose. Now with a slight brown hue, but still brimming with that fresh basil aroma that just screams, well, fresh, I hit the books and did a little research in order to avoid having to toss it. This turned into one of this "a-ha!" moments we love so much. Basil Butter! How versatile! Spread it on sliced baguette and give a twist to garlic bread, bake some potatoes and serve with a spoonful, slather it on corn on the cob, use it on grilled meat of any kind, or add interest to basic steamed veg. I am sure there are many, many more ways to use this Basil Butter.


Start with 1 cup of room temperature butter. Give a bunch of basil (about 15 leaves) and 4 cloves of garlic a super fine chop. If you have a food processor, just throw them in there and wizz away. Now stir the basil, garlic along side 1/2 tsp of black pepper and 1/2 - 1 tsp of salt (if using unsalted butter only) into the butter. And you're done! Don't be intimidated by whipping up an entire cup of butter - just freeze it in small portions and have it ready at a moments notice.

Mamma Mia!

I am thrilled to finally be working with my new cook book, David Rocco's Dolce Vita. (I happen to have a pet dog named after this guy...) This does leave me a bit distracted from my pro books, but when is there a better time in the year than the dead of winter to eat healthy comfort food, which is even doable on the weekend?! This menu makes me want to get in the kitchen and COOK, but it's after bed time right now so it will have to wait, at least until tomorrow afternoon. Many of the recipes in this book simply list ingredients - no amounts, hardly any directions. Instead a little blurb explains the desired result, the aura of the dish if you will. And then it's all by feel, by knowing what you want out of your food. Here's what we'll be enjoying this week:

Risotto Spinaci di Orsala (Spinach Risotto)
with Pork Sausages and Salsa di Porcini (Porcini Sauce)



Salsa Bolognese with Spaghetti (Meat Bolognese)
Finocchio al Forno (Caramelized Fennel)



Lenticchie con Pancetta (Sauteed Lentils with Pancetta)
Baby Greens with simple Vinaigrette
Tomato and Basil Bruschetta



Crocchette di Patate (Sesame Crusted Potato Croquettes)
Baby Greens with Mustard Vinaigrette



I am also making a semi-hard Doughnut out of flour, sugar, olive oil, white wine and aniseed, called Ciambelle. A doughnut that just might be good for you...! European desserts in general are a lot less sweet than they are here. In Italy they like to dunk their cookies in coffee or wine, rather than smother them with frosting. Either way, dessert is dessert, it is meant to be an indulgence, and we like what we like.