Monthly Archives: February 2011

Too cold for icecream

15 Tuesday Feb 2011

Posted by in sausage and chickpea chilli, yogurt in the crockpot

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The Beef Wellington tarts were fabulous-although the wee one ate most of mine and I was left wanting more. It is funny how last week she wouldn’t have anything (due to all the teeth) but this week we just can’t fill her enough.

I served the tarts with an arugula, orange and tomato salad. A glass of vino and some chocolate for dessert led to a really relaxed Valentine 🙂

The icecream hasn’t happened and it is frighteningly cold out so I think that I have a healthier idea for my extra milk. Thanks again to the great lady at 365 crockpot and Crunchy Domestic Goddess for reminding me of this neat plan-Yogurt in the crockpot!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html

Tonight though it is all about sausages and chili. Here is a recipe for chili that my friend Michelle ADORES! We have gorgeous sausages thanks to Dave and Diane at Ashton Glen and what better way to use them? I leave out the chicken breasts and am using pork sausage but otherwise I follow the recipe.

http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotchili/r/r80215c.htm

Ingredients:
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•2 boneless chicken breast halves, diced
•12 to 16 ounces chicken sausage, such as chicken apple sausage or chicken other smoked chicken or turkey sausage
•1 cup chopped onion
•4 cloves garlic, minced
•2 cans (about 16 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
•1 1/2 cups tomatillo salsa
•1 cup chicken broth
•1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice, fire-roasted, chili-style, or plain
•1 cup frozen corn kernels
•2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno peppers, or mild chile peppers
•1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•Dash cayenne pepper, optional
Preparation:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, diced chicken, and sliced sausage; sauté until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Put the drained beans in a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker; add the skillet mixture and all remaining ingredients except cilantro. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving.
Serves 6.

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Happy V-Day!

14 Monday Feb 2011

Posted by in beef wellington tarts

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Last night was all about using-up the chicken I roasted Friday night so a big batch of Tyler Florence’s thai soup was made again. It was FABULOUS once more.

We also found time for some mojitos! Just take a cocktail shaker and add; 2 T. sugar, 3 generous shots of white or light rum, a large lime quartered and 1/2 a handfull of fresh mint. Mash with a riddler (I actually use the end of a rolling pin), add ice. Strain into a glass (fill only halfway) and top with sparkling water. This drink almost convinces you that there will someday be summer once again.

Today being both a Monday and Valentine’s Day posed a bit of a quandry for me but I have a lovely dinner planned thanks to the Martha Stewart site-Beef Wellington Tarts.

I’m simplifying my version by baking the puff pastry, then spreading with finely chopped and sauteed thyme, mushrooms (did this part yesterday) and then topping the whole thing with a grilled, sliced steak (marinated in wine, garlic and rosemary since yesterday). Below is the more complicated version of the dish-likely better but come-on, it’s Monday and I have a one year old!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/beef-wellington-tarts?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/romantic-dishes#slide_28

Serves 2

8 ounces beef tenderloin
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 sheet (11-inch square) thawed frozen puff pastry, preferably DuFour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 ounces foie gras mousse (about 1/4 cup)
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, and cook until completely browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer skillet to oven, and cook to desired doneness (130 degrees for medium-rare, 8 to 9 minutes). Transfer beef to a plate, and let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, cut two 5 1/2-inch squares from puff pastry; reserve remaining dough for another use. Using a paring knife, score a 1/2-inch border around each square. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3.Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees, and continue to bake until puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
4.Meanwhile, melt butter with remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a clean skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, thyme, and garlic, and cook until mushrooms are tender and garlic has softened, about 8 minutes. Add wine, and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mixture to a small bowl.
5.Add foie gras mousse to skillet, and reduce heat to low. Stir until just melted. Remove from heat.
6.Using the back of a spoon, flatten inside portion of each pastry square. Thinly slice beef, and arrange slices on top of pastry. Top with mushroom mixture, and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

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Food Waste Friday

11 Friday Feb 2011

Posted by in Uncategorized

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It is hard to believe but the tofu burgers were delicious! We actually had them just last night as they were too crumbly the night before and in re-reading the recipe I noticed that they suggested letting them chill over night.

Not a problem. A quick trip to Merivale Fish Market and Wednesday’s dinner was fish and chips. Yummm…

So what needs to be used-up? Well, we’re heading to the farm tomorrow and I’ll bring lunch with us so I’m going to basically empty the fruit and veg drawers for a fruit salad (apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit…) and big baked potatoes that I’ll have bacon, cheese, sourcream, chilli (some in the freezer) as toppings. A loaf of the artisan bread, some homemade pickles and we’ll be set for a great visit.

The baby has now gotten six teeth in the past week and we’re all a bit frayed around the edges. I am shocked that our food waste sins are only two oranges that somehow got past us. I do have some goat’s milk that needs to be tended to so that will be my job for Sunday.

I’m thinking that this might be my solution for letting the milk get ahead of me;

http://www.ehow.com/how_6052699_homemade-cream-using-only-milk.html
Things You’ll Need:
Medium-sized mixing bowl
Spoon
Measuring cups
1 cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Fruit, chocolate, nuts or extracts (optional)
Freezer container
Plastic wrap (optional)
Spatula or wire whisk

•Mix together 2 cups of whole milk with 1 cup of sugar in a medium-sized bowl and blend until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add 2 tsp. of vanilla extract and stir. If you are using an ice cream machine, proceed now with the manufacturer’s directions for your particular model.

•2
Pour the milk mixture into a freezer-safe long dish such as a metal or glass casserole pan or any plastic container with a snapping lid. Secure the lid, or use plastic wrap if there is no lid, and place in the freezer.

•3
Remove the container from the freezer after 45 minutes and stir with a spatula or sturdy whisk. Scrape away any of the frozen mixture from the edges and whip as fast as you can. Stir for about a minute and return to the freezer. Repeat the stirring procedure every 30 minutes until the ice cream is frozen and no longer able to be stirred. Depending on the freezer and depth of your dish, it could take anywhere from 3 to 7 hours to reach the proper frozen consistency.

Happy eating!

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What to have tonight?

09 Wednesday Feb 2011

Posted by in tofu and goat cheese burgers

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The last thing that I feel like doing tonight is making dinner but I also don’t want to waste anything that we have in the house so…

We have a brick of tofu to eat-up and I have a batch dough in the fridge that can be made into buns in about 20 seconds flat therefore I won’t be using onion bread like the recipe calls for.

Surprisingly, I do have all of the veg that this recipe calls for. Fingers crossed that they are good!

http://www.metro.ca/recettes/114/tofu.en.html

Recipe ingredients
1/2 lb (225 g) firm tofu, crumbled
1 cup (250 mL) sweet potato, finely grated
3 green onions, minced
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 tsp. (20 mL) each: soy sauce* and tomato paste*
1/4 cup (60 mL) sunflower seeds
2 tsp. (10 mL) dried basil
1 pinch of chili pepper
3 oz (90 g) smooth goat cheese
Salt and ground pepper to taste.
4 onion breads
Preparation
Preheat barbecue at medium-high.

Mix the first 9 ingredients in a food processor until mixture is homogenous.

Divide the mixture and make four patties, making sure to place the goat cheese at the centre of each one. Note: For firmer patties that are easier to handle, prepare the night before or refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Place the patties on an oiled barbecue grill and cook each side for 5 minutes.

Serve in onion bread and garnish according to taste

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