tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11359014423056954862024-02-07T07:23:33.011-07:00Red Deer FoodieGetting busy in the kitchen!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-56327297462643209032012-05-28T19:36:00.000-06:002012-05-28T19:36:11.824-06:00New Site! I'm the master of my own domain!!Hey - I'm not sure if I'm going about this right, but I'm really excited to announce that I finally have a new site with my own domain! Check it out the NEW <a href="http://reddeerfoodie.com/">Red Deer Foodie</a> and set your bookmarks, and follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/?iid=am-133564127713382299023018942&nid=6+sender&uid=260577299&utm_content=profile#!/shannonyac">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://pinterest.com/shannon_yac/">Pinterest</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shannon.yac?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Red-Deer-Foodie/258457910850280">Facebook</a> to catch all of my updates and recipes! Any hints on how long I need to keep the old one up? And any tips for WordPress - please let me know too - I'm learning!!<br />
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</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-12116278577782808592012-05-26T20:22:00.001-06:002012-05-26T20:22:12.361-06:00Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Corn on the CobYou know it's almost summer when all of the cooking magazines have lines like "Let's Grill!" or "Get Your Grill On" and pictures of hamburgers and anything charred grace the covers. I freaking love grilling! <br />
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I picked up the June issue of <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/">Food Network Magazine</a> and basically want to make every single page but I obviously have to settle down and cook one thing at a time! Today I started with the Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Corn on the Cob, as featured on page 148. So simple and delicious! I cooked my corn in foil, with butter and salt rather than directly on the grill, as I like it to kind of steam/poach in the melted butter... I changed the sauce a little bit by adding sriracha rather than the red pepper flakes they called for and was really happy at how it turned out - this would also be a great rub/sauce for chicken too! Enjoy!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></strong><br />
1 large pork tenderloin<br />
4 ears of corn, remove the leaves and silk<br />
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<strong><em>Spice Rub:</em></strong><br />
1 tbsp paprika<br />
2 tsp sea salt<br />
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper<br />
1 tsp packed light brown sugar<br />
1 tsp ground cumin<br />
1 tsp <a href="http://www.mccormick.com.au/keens-mustard.aspx">Keen's Mustard Powder</a> (not sure if available in the States, but this stuff is the bomb!)<br />
1/2 tsp onion powder (I crused about a tbsp of onion flakes in my mortar)<br />
1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1-2 tsp olive oil to coat the tenderloin with<br />
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<strong><em>Sauce:</em></strong><br />
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar<br />
3 tbsp packed brown sugar<br />
2 tbsp ketchup<br />
1/2 tsp sriracha sauce<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97d48KniUKjETY5eX78NrmXhQWU7EoBBp-B7h0XRml1w1FhGUab0oyyI6YpJbJl9vajJK-lVDK8UVbtmCkRbRCytXC0zNXWtVHOotfZTWqzknuP0m2Vv5mMju1j3xJY_zs8n4aj_2Ugc/s1600/IMG_5425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97d48KniUKjETY5eX78NrmXhQWU7EoBBp-B7h0XRml1w1FhGUab0oyyI6YpJbJl9vajJK-lVDK8UVbtmCkRbRCytXC0zNXWtVHOotfZTWqzknuP0m2Vv5mMju1j3xJY_zs8n4aj_2Ugc/s320/IMG_5425.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Secret Sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Method:</span></strong><br />
At least 3 hours before you want to bbq, prepare the spice rub. Spread out a big piece of Saran Wrap and lightly oil the tenderloin. Work the spice rub into the tenderloin with your fingers and wrap it up tightly in the plastic - then throw in the fridge for 3-6 hours.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0Zt0bisKn2b2ybUwIh5VGFfAS9Nw0oG_dhyebfc295IIRNnkepMwCfDntL50cp_iPtywZ5tLGyvYQd6Ok_lLzIkRwd-_vpVclyqqbxPNX4R_9kfNG4wHgJB15AZ6ll1pc-CG-gqKIzI/s1600/IMG_5421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0Zt0bisKn2b2ybUwIh5VGFfAS9Nw0oG_dhyebfc295IIRNnkepMwCfDntL50cp_iPtywZ5tLGyvYQd6Ok_lLzIkRwd-_vpVclyqqbxPNX4R_9kfNG4wHgJB15AZ6ll1pc-CG-gqKIzI/s320/IMG_5421.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can reserve extra spice rub as long as you didn't touch it<br />
with your ditry pork hands!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thirty minutes before you're wanting to cook, remove the tenderloin from the fridge and let come to room temp. Preheat your bbq to medium high. Chuck the tenderloin on the bbq and grill for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally - be patient and let grill marks appear yo!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After one turn... foiled corn in the background...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now it's time to make the sauce - combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat - make sure the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside till you're ready to serve!!<br />
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Back to the bbq: when the internal temp gets to about 140-145, remove from the bbq and let rest for about 15 minutes. Slice, drizzle with the sauce and serve!! With more of the spicy sauce if you're inclined! And the buttery yummy corn! Oh and I also had some potatoes ;)<br />
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So looking forward to a summer of grilling goodness!!<br />
<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-24429372340442086062012-05-22T09:24:00.000-06:002012-05-22T09:24:26.082-06:00Sneaky Chocolate Brownie Muffins IIHope everyone had a great long weekend!! We were on the road most of the weekend, but today I had an entire day to relax and have some "me" time. I dropped the boys off at Heritage Ranch, they went for a monster bike trip and I did a quick 4km run through the trails. I went shopping for the week and then came home and did some experimenting with an old recipe for <a href="http://reddeerfoodie.blogspot.ca/2011/07/just-typical-sunday.html">Chocolate Surprise Muffins</a>. This is my famous recipe that includes spinach as the main ingredient! I fooled around with the fats and flours and here's my latest rendition of these muffins! I'm just starting to cook with coconut flour and wanted to see what it would bake like - just as good as whole wheat flour in my opinion and smells really yummy!!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Sneaky Chocolate Brownie Muffins II</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
3/4 cup white flour<br />
1/2 cup coconut flour<br />
1 cup oatmeal, pulsed thru the food processor<br />
1/2 cup cocoa powder<br />
1 tbsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
3 cups packed baby spinach leaves<br />
1 whole apple, quartered<br />
1 ripe banana<br />
2/3 cup coconut oil (in it's solid form, then melt in microwave and it will equal 2/3cup + 1 tbsp liquid coconut oil)<br />
1/2 cup skim milk<br />
1 cup agave syrup<br />
2 extra large eggs<br />
seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Preheat oven to 350degrees and coat mini muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients, including the ground oats. Don't bother rinsing out the food processor at this point!<br />
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Now combine all of the rest of the other ingredients in the food processor and pulse till liquid. If your kids are super picky, you may want to really go nuts and pulse completely, otherwise they may object to the tiny green flecks once baked!! Nick didn't notice... YET.... it's funny when kids pick up on these things though! <br />
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Anyways, add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and give it a good stir. Spoon little plops into your mini muffin tins and shove in the oven for 15-18 minutes... today 17 minutes seemed to be my magic number! <br />
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Remove from oven and let cool slightly before removing from tins - they're done and unless the kids were helping you in the kitchen, it's unlikely that they will figure out the secret ingredients!! This batch makes 5 dozen little moist muffins. They freeze really well and are a pop into lunch bags quite nicely!! Only thing I DON'T know: is coconut considered dangerous on the nut-allergy listing?? If anyone knows, please leave me a little message!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-37897954124135263312012-05-18T22:17:00.001-06:002012-05-18T23:22:04.283-06:00Antipasto SandwichesI'm a sucker for sandwiches - especially anything on a chewy French bagette! I'm also a sucker for anything in the antipasto family; anything that's marinated in olive oil is big deal in my books! So when I flipped through this month's drool-worthy issue of <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/">Food & Wine Magazine</a>, I was so excited to see their recipe for Double-Grilled Antipasto Sandwiches! This is a great recipe for when you just want to run into the deli and grab a couple quick items! So easy and so delicious! Rather than the provolone that the original recipe called for, I used extra old cheddar for more of a bite. I also served this with fresh basil leaves and a basil mayo. Check it out!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Antipasto Sandwiches</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
250g thinly sliced proscuitto<br />
125g <a href="http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/products.jsp?type=details&catIds=112&brandId=1&productId=16783">extra old cheddar</a> cut into 3/4 inch x 3 inch sticks<br />
olive oil for brushing <br />
1 large bagette, cut down the centre and cut into 2-3 pieces<br />
1 large garlic clove, halved<br />
250g marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced<br />
125-250g roasted red peppers, cut into strips<br />
a couple handfuls of fresh basil leaves<br />
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<strong>Basil Mayo:</strong><br />
1/4 cup mayonaisse<br />
2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil leaves<br />
splash of white wine vinegar, to taste<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Heat up your grill pan, or light a grill, or fire up the Gordon Ramsay grill (or George Foreman grill....) Lay out 2 slices of proscuitto, overlapping slightly. Position on chunk of cheese at one end and lay a large basil leaf down the centre of the proscuitto. Roll up. Repeat with the other two chunks of cheese. <br />
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Take 2 wooden skewers and thread thru the bundles. Cut down the centre & set aside.<br />
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Lightly brush the insides of the baguettes with olive oil and lightly grill - get some lines going if you want! Remove from grill and rub the cut side of the garlic cloves along the insides. Set aside.<br />
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Next up, add the proscuitto skewers to the grill (medium-high) and cook 5-7 minutes, until the proscuitto is getting crispy and the cheese is getting melty.<br />
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While that's cooking, spread the inside of the baguettes with the basil mayo. Top with artichokes and red peppers and wait for those delicious proscuitto bundles to be ready!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mthgpbEoeozS0TFmzn_Am2wMXN0kA-I6eJmjUVpUOFsmTSzbETjN-xxlj7z4qrCI_-w4zi-Bmc9dVfHpWHTxuTJKL-XyhV7Gca8LXCXPKKL8MKUPpXAKtidtnDFAhsg1sQZ3tMxJRO4/s1600/IMG_5340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mthgpbEoeozS0TFmzn_Am2wMXN0kA-I6eJmjUVpUOFsmTSzbETjN-xxlj7z4qrCI_-w4zi-Bmc9dVfHpWHTxuTJKL-XyhV7Gca8LXCXPKKL8MKUPpXAKtidtnDFAhsg1sQZ3tMxJRO4/s320/IMG_5340.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">waiting for the nom nom bundles!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once the bundles are done, carefully remove from the skewers and position on your sandwiches. Serve immediately and be prepared to be a kitchen hero for the next couple days!!<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-46766155154666852822012-05-16T08:41:00.000-06:002012-05-16T08:41:42.696-06:00PSA: National Hunger Awareness Week 2012Last week was <a href="http://hungerawarenessweek.ca/home">National Hunger Awareness week</a>, and although I'm a bit late in posting this, I thought it's still really important to share!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Did you know?</em></span></strong> <br />
<ul>
<li>Hundreds of thousands of Canadians use food banks because they do not have enough money to feed themselves or their families. Children. Seniors. People with disabilities. People who have jobs and still can't make ends meet.</li>
<li>Hunger in Canada exists because deep and persistent poverty continues in the country. For more than a decade, diverse and inter-related factors have sustained this situation: a labour market that fails to provide enough jobs with stable, livable wages; a rise in precarious and non-standard employment; a fraying income security system that does not provide sufficient financial support for those in need; a lack of affordable, social housing; and accessible and affordable child care. People living in poverty cannot afford sufficient, nutritious food. Many turn to food banks to help them meet this most basic need.</li>
<li>Hunger in Canada can be alleviated. Everyone can play a part in reducing hunger! Not just at Christmas either - people need help all year long!</li>
</ul>
I always feel really fortunate to live in Canada and to have the opportunity to earn all the things our family wants and needs, but these opportunities don't come as easily to others as they do to me, you or many of the people we know. I think it's important to help out pals in need when we can, so with the help of my office social committee, we made bagged lunches and sold them to our co-workers to raise money for our local food bank!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAtg2hAdIJUt9tWMvXOkOtEUYEdbuZhvTi5lwPVsTtoAbfpVKtGt6wVR5PlA_gAPH2YMD3w7pFc8dPJrd1CzX6nVtlKp-dW1TzP2FdSkm1X7C329AFUFKPF_JvF6d_-evnVDffh3jBB8/s1600/IMG_5273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAtg2hAdIJUt9tWMvXOkOtEUYEdbuZhvTi5lwPVsTtoAbfpVKtGt6wVR5PlA_gAPH2YMD3w7pFc8dPJrd1CzX6nVtlKp-dW1TzP2FdSkm1X7C329AFUFKPF_JvF6d_-evnVDffh3jBB8/s320/IMG_5273.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choices: chicken, ham or veggie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was a great success, as all of our fundraising schemes, and best part - the lunches were delicious!! I don't know why, but a sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it for you ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIk6d0yAyKHPdbXXx4eLRQNFRVojXQVeJrFy5FYsbGiRdGhrzgg-XcdEkEnSoolvxDMKOP4cmJMDaRA22pFWngWRm5PzDdbsIjoCepyCoqCkGrQKbGUYBOXwCVKn7XNgfr7yAmJv36iA/s1600/IMG_5276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIk6d0yAyKHPdbXXx4eLRQNFRVojXQVeJrFy5FYsbGiRdGhrzgg-XcdEkEnSoolvxDMKOP4cmJMDaRA22pFWngWRm5PzDdbsIjoCepyCoqCkGrQKbGUYBOXwCVKn7XNgfr7yAmJv36iA/s320/IMG_5276.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for delivery!!</td></tr>
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There is probably a pretty good chance that right now, your local Food Bank has a need for food or funds to stock their shelves - take a quick look in your pantry or even your wallet; a little goes a long way! Share with others some of the benefits you may enjoy because of the opportunities you are given! <br />
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xo<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-77974725035066917452012-05-14T11:30:00.000-06:002012-05-14T11:30:20.565-06:00Pork Souvlaki with Greek Salad (featuring Israeli Couscous!)I don't want to jinx anything, but I gotta say: I think that sunny days are here to stay!! Judging by my burnt arms and legs, it's easy to see that I had a great weekend! <br />
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Yesterday I spent the day in Calgary with my sister - first we ate at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cliveburger17">Clive Burger</a> - I swear I had been dreaming of those burgers for weeks and they did not disappoint! Then she took me to an interesting market called <a href="http://kingslandfarmersmarket.com/">Kingsland Farmer's Market</a> - what a delight that place is! It's definitely no <a href="http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/">St. Lawrence Market</a>, but very cool, almost like <a href="http://www.osfm.ca/">Old Strathcona's Farmer's Market</a>! My sister told me that it's bigger during produce season, so I can't wait to go back this summer! I ended up purchasing some delicious pitas and tzaziki sauce from<strong> Sichani’s Mediterranean</strong>, which was the inspiration for tonight's dinner: Pork Souvlaki!! <br />
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I also have been eyeing up a bag of Israeli Couscous blend in my pantry that was given to me (I WON!) from <a href="http://www.arunningtale.com/">Lindsey</a>'s blog! She is a <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/">Trader Joe's</a> addict and put together a gigantic Trader Joe's prize including many amazing thing from their store! So I decided to make a couscous salad with all the Greek flavours and got a super nom nom salad! (In case you're wondering, Israeli couscous is a large version of couscouc, similar to pearl barley) Check out the recipes:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Pork Souvlaki with Greek Salad<em> (featuring Israeli Couscous!)</em></span></strong><br />
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<strong>Pork Souvlaki Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes<br />
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice<br />
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
5 large cloves garlic, finely minced<br />
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped finely<br />
fresh ground salt & pepper<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXM5PiiTvQGnGgn93wwcbmNw7jxUgor3LzPesYiWt4A7LBBE4iN5B9-QVsHO-2iLm7YrW-jKCBmNoJNdj1bAR4hIU6WHM333fjZzEk1-sdgOFLNhyphenhyphenhL2KARToW6GyenM6FHJu3IAAe-o/s1600/IMG_5325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXM5PiiTvQGnGgn93wwcbmNw7jxUgor3LzPesYiWt4A7LBBE4iN5B9-QVsHO-2iLm7YrW-jKCBmNoJNdj1bAR4hIU6WHM333fjZzEk1-sdgOFLNhyphenhyphenhL2KARToW6GyenM6FHJu3IAAe-o/s320/IMG_5325.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you don't have one of these blends, you could <br />
use plain Israeli Couscous!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong>Greek Salad Ingredients:</strong><br />
3/4 cup Israeli Couscous (or blend)<br />
3 tbsp olive oil<br />
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice<br />
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar<br />
fresh ground salt & papper<br />
1 large shallot or red onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)<br />
1 cup cucumber, seeded and chopped<br />
1 cup tomato, seeded and chopped<br />
1/2 cup each chopped red & green pepper<br />
2 cups spinach leaves, chopped<br />
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese<br />
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Serve with: tzaziki sauce, soft pitas & chopped jalapeno pepper<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
In a medium glass bowl, combine all of the souvlaki marinade ingredients and add the cubed pork tenderloin. Allow to marinate in the fridge for about an hour... while this is happening soak some wooden skewers in water - this will prevent them from burning on the BBQ (I didn't soak mine long enough and they became very blackened!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kWXDWBlJE1DDXUy9DO68Rku-dsL_57YFF0ew00h_UAahveAJoAhqXzIrEhHv-iG_sFVK3WMfju7ywvj03ubE66yvAXEP66b2JauvVynf8IJQXQpmejRt06xfS47tEo1QlGMkJpwIQKM/s1600/IMG_5328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kWXDWBlJE1DDXUy9DO68Rku-dsL_57YFF0ew00h_UAahveAJoAhqXzIrEhHv-iG_sFVK3WMfju7ywvj03ubE66yvAXEP66b2JauvVynf8IJQXQpmejRt06xfS47tEo1QlGMkJpwIQKM/s320/IMG_5328.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for Todd to get his grill on!</td></tr>
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After the tenderloin has had a chance to soak up the delicious marinade, thread the meat onto the prepared skewers and fire up the BBQ! Cook at about 400degrees for about 12 - 15 minutes, turning a couple times. <br />
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If you're an eager beaver, while the pork is marinating, you could be prepping your amazing salad! Start with getting the couscous cooked: get a medium pot of water boiling - add a generous pinch of salt and the couscous. Boil for about 8-12 minutes; read the instructions on your package and follow those times! When it's done cooking, rinse under cold water and let drain well.<br />
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In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Whisk until it thickens slightly. Once this ready, add the cucumber, tomato, peppers, feta and couscous. Wait till right before you're going to eat to add the spinach, because it will wilt a little bit!<br />
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To serve, warm up some pitas. Spread some tzaziki on a pita, add a souvlaki skewer, some more tzaziki and top with some chopped jalapeno! Put a big spoonful of the salad on the side and dinner is served!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at Clive Burger, surrounded by my sister's drawings!</td></tr>
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-67803854620629947012012-05-09T09:50:00.000-06:002012-05-09T09:50:33.949-06:00Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Pastry Roll-UpsHere's another recipe that looks like your spent a ton of time on, but really all you need is a box of <a href="http://tenderflake.ca/Forms/Products.aspx">Tenderflake Puff Pastry</a>! Super easy! This is a little bit like spanakopita, but I lightened it up on the feta, used some cottage cheese and added roasted red peppers.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Pastry Roll-Ups</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
4 cups fresh spinach<br />
1/2 cup cottage cheese<br />
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled<br />
1 large egg<br />
1 large clove garlic, minced<br />
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese<br />
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, finely diced<br />
1/2 pkg Tenderflake Puff Pastry<br />
salt & pepper<br />
flour for surface and rolling pin<br />
1 tbsp egg-whites<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Preheat oven to 425degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pile spinach into a microwave-safe bowl and add a bit of water. Cover with saran wrap and microwave for about 1-2 minutes, until spinach is wilted. Strain spinach and allow to cool a bit - squeeze ALL of the moisture out - I even let it rest in a collander lined with paper towels to get the liquid out!<br />
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Once that's ready, give the spinach a bit of a rough chop and combine with the cottage cheese, feta, whole egg, garlic, parm, red pepper, salt & pepper.<br />
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On a lightly floured surface roll out the puff pastry. Cut into 4 squares.<br />
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Divide the filling equally between the 4 pastry sheets - spooning it evenly down one side.<br />
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Start rolling and arrange seam side down on the cookie sheet. Brush the tops with egg whites and bake for 25-30 minutes.<br />
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Once tops are nice and golden, remove from oven, let rest for about 5 minutes and serve! You could also cut smaller squares and make into mini-appies - nom nom!<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-44219134155111489682012-05-08T08:46:00.000-06:002012-05-08T08:46:38.345-06:00Fig & Walnut Fibre BarsI love food mags of any kind and I spied a new one last week called <a href="http://freshjuice.ca/">Fresh Juice</a> and it's available at the <a href="http://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca/LCLOnline/home.jsp?_requestid=2986292&storeId=798">Real Canadian Superstores</a>... I do think that there are just enough carefully placed pro-Superstore/Loblaws ads that it should actually be free with purchase, but whatevs - I spent $2.99 on it and I'm okay with that. <br />
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Anyways, they have a ton of amazing recipes, and I adapted one of them for squares called "Super Dominoes" - I swapped out a few of the ingredients and re-named the recipe to something that made a bit more sense ;)<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Fig & Walnut Fibre Bars</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1lb dried figs, chopped<br />
2 eggs<br />
<strong>2/3 cup fancy molasses</strong><br />
1/2 cup margarine<br />
<strong>1/4 cup agave nectar</strong><br />
<strong>2 tsp fresh grated ginger</strong><br />
1 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp ground allspice<br />
1/4 tsp ground cloves<br />
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg<br />
pinch salt<br />
1 1/2 whole wheat flour<br />
3/4 cup rolled oats<br />
2/3 cup wheat bran<br />
<strong>1/2 cup flax seeds</strong><br />
1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
<strong>1 cup chopped walnuts</strong><br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Preheat oven to 375degrees and line a 13x9 baking dish with parchment paper. Soak figs in 1/2 cup boiling water - set aside for about 30 minutes while you get everything ready.<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, molasses, margarine, agave, ginger and spices. <br />
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In another bowl, sift together all of the dried ingredients. Add dry to the wet ingredients and stir until moistened.<br />
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Fold in the figs (and liquid) and the walnuts. <em>*What I would change here is that I would pulse the figs and liquid in the mini food processor before adding to the batter only because it was too chunky/crunchy for my liking - I would almost describe the fig seeds as "ant-like" in texture</em>! <br />
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Spread into the pan and bake for 40 minutes. <br />
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Let cool completely and then cut into bars. Seal in an air-tight container and/or freeze for a quick snack. <br />
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</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-78140880185922782242012-05-02T08:47:00.000-06:002012-05-02T08:47:47.859-06:00Spicy Asian Chicken WingsTodd has a hoarding problem - especially when it comes to anything made of paper from the 1990's... must have been a great decade for him??? Anyways, I'm not going to diss him too much because he has been working super hard to dispose/recycle out the clutter from his youth and he's finding some real gems! <br />
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Today he produced a hilarious mini-cookbook from 1992 called <strong><em>"Favorite Slow Cooker recipes,"</em></strong> pointing at a recipe for <em>Easy Oriental Chicken Wings</em>. I was skeptical that tasty wings could be achieved in a slow cooker, but I wanted to indulge my husband for his trip down hoarder memory lane.<br />
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I looked at the recipe and decided it needed to be jazzed up with <a href="http://www.huyfong.com/no_frames/oelek.htm">sambal oelek</a> and got to work. The result was super delicious, tender, meat-falling-off-the-bone wings... with a kick!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLk_Cugx1nuAs7OkgmMoaNgevvoGTyz5bfSes0WZe6BsCf4sDdL5AdZdBXIN8tMqyohMiNaKlNkiA9zOw7Xwq-VsIyGWd3vu-HP65dTcARg-1si84Gl4RCM607wqRGq6PlCTQucLV2Af2S/s1600/IMG_5213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLk_Cugx1nuAs7OkgmMoaNgevvoGTyz5bfSes0WZe6BsCf4sDdL5AdZdBXIN8tMqyohMiNaKlNkiA9zOw7Xwq-VsIyGWd3vu-HP65dTcARg-1si84Gl4RCM607wqRGq6PlCTQucLV2Af2S/s320/IMG_5213.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...sometimes it's better for things to stay in the 90's!</td></tr>
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Here's the recipe:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Spicy Asian Chicken Wings</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
2-3 lbs chicken wings<br />
1 cup soy sauce<br />
1 cup packed brown sugar<br />
1 cup water<br />
1/2 cup sambal oelek or asian chili garlic sauce<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, water & sambal oelek. Bring to a boil & simmer for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly.<br />
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In a large frying pan, brown the chicken wings in batches and let rest on paper towels (the recipe actually suggested doing this in a pan of shortening, but I actually browned them in vegetable oil - would I do that again? NO! There's enough fat on the wings, brown in a non-stick pan without extra fat).<br />
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Next step: place the wings in the slow cooker and pour your sauce over top. According to the recipe, we are to cook on high for 2-3 hours. At the 2 hour mark, I decided they were too "saucy" for my liking and I transferred them to a baking dish and cooked them (uncovered) for the last hour in the oven at 325degrees. Stir couple times during that last hour, then at the end, broil for about 3 minutes, stirring at the 1 1/2 minute mark.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like my wings more dry and sticky!!</td></tr>
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These wings were great - most of the skin part was melted away and we were left with really tender chicken meat! Super nom! I served with fresh vegetables and a herb/sour cream dip that I whipped up.<br />
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<strong>THE VERDICT:</strong><br />
Why not ditch the slow cooker aspect completely and just cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes?Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-88826951108275321692012-05-01T11:39:00.000-06:002012-05-01T17:52:49.424-06:00Chicken al Pomodoro with Zucchini PappardelleI was going to name this "Pollo al Pomodoro with Zucchini Pappardelle" but I didn't want to throw you people off... In reality, I was just trying to be fancy so that I could really celebrate this amazing meal!! In Italian, <em>al pomodoro</em> means "tomato sauce" and <em>pappardelle</em> is a flat, Italian pasta. So - what this recipe is for is chicken which I cooked in a tomato sauce and served with "pasta" that I made by shaving little Italian zucchinis! This dinner was made in under 30 minutes and tasted like a million bucks! SO GOOD! Here's how you can make it yourself:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Chicken al Pomodoro with Zucchini Pappardelle</span></strong><br />
<strong><em>Ingredients:</em></strong><br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 tbsp butter<br />
3-4 chicken breasts<br />
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced<br />
1/2 cup white wine (tonight's pick <a href="http://www.missionhillwinery.com/products/popup.asp?id=77654599500107">2007 Mission Hill Pinot Blanc</a>)<br />
2 cups chopped assorted tomatoes (I used about a cup of grape tomatoes and then some field tomatoes)<br />
1/4 cup chopped parsley<br />
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil<br />
salt & pepper<br />
fresh parmesan <br />
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<strong><em>Pappardelle Ingredients:</em></strong><br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 large clove garlic, minced<br />
3-4 little Italian zucchinis<br />
salt & pepper<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
In a large skillet that has a tight fitting lid, 1 tbsp olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown the breasts on each side for about 4 minutes per side. <br />
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Chop the garlic and tomatoes. When the chicken is browned, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but be careful not to burn! Add the wine and crank the heat to bring this up to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced thickened, then toss in your tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium, put a lid on it and cook for 10 minutes.<br />
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Using a wide vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini to make "noodles."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYjm90hEwMwADdXf8FohS6SArIGn0T9jM7ULgl_N1zDe7YzUCBZEwO-H50TdS5ynK4CzQDcSrkYDOU54ACw2uJhDu14L43Wu-soaNMBBPnAjiCAMnhLXmAPTp_QVV0YoWKVYsvElkvGrv/s1600/IMG_5233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYjm90hEwMwADdXf8FohS6SArIGn0T9jM7ULgl_N1zDe7YzUCBZEwO-H50TdS5ynK4CzQDcSrkYDOU54ACw2uJhDu14L43Wu-soaNMBBPnAjiCAMnhLXmAPTp_QVV0YoWKVYsvElkvGrv/s320/IMG_5233.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In a smaller non-stick pan, heat oil and garlic over medium heat. When the timer for the chicken is up, remove the lid and season the tomato sauce to your taste. Add about half of the chopped herbs and stir to combine, allowing the herbs to wilt slightly.<br />
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At this point, toss the zucchini pappardelle into the garlic/oil and season a little bit - careful not too much salt b/c it will draw out too much liquid! Only cook the zucchini for about 2 minutes - that's all you need!!<br />
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If you can believe it, dinner is ready!! Plate up the zucchini noodles and top with some sauce and a chicken breast. Top with more of the herbs and some parmesan cheese. OMG delicious - I'll be making this one again soon fo sho!! <br />
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OH! One other thing! The zucchini pappardelle is also a great option for those on gluten-free diets!!<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-51586113193928118732012-04-30T08:58:00.000-06:002012-04-30T08:58:32.931-06:00Easy Peanut Butter Cereal BarsWell, I'm still trying to plow thru all that <a href="http://reddeerfoodie.blogspot.ca/2012/04/thai-shrimp-skewers-with-peanut-sauce.html">peanut butter</a> I bought at Costco a couple of weeks ago, and believe it or not, I'm almost down one jar! I've tried a couple of the recipes on the <a href="http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/home.aspx">Kraft</a> site and so far I've had a hit and a <a href="http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/super-easy-peanut-butter-cookies-85456.aspx">miss</a>. I'm only going to talk about the hit: here's my interpretation of a recipe for squares that's on the jar!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Easy Peanut Butter Cereal Bars</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
3/4 cup corn syrup<br />
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter<br />
4 cups Crispix or Chex cereal<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut<br />
1/2 cup cup semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
non-stick cooking spray<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Spray a 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine the corn syrup and peanut butter in a medium sized bowl microwave safe bowl and heat for about 45seconds - 60 seconds. Stir until smooth. <br />
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Add cereal and stir to coat.<br />
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Add coconut and chocolate chips and stir until everything is evenly distributed. Press into the prepared baking dish and shove into the fridge for at least an hour. <br />
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Cut into little squares and keep in an airtight container, in the fridge until ready to serve.<br />
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This is another recipe that you could totally personalize to whatever you have going on in the pantry - I would also be interested to see how it turns out using agave nectar and natural peanut butter... if you bust it out, please let me know!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-17368246490031781372012-04-29T15:19:00.003-06:002012-04-29T15:25:34.798-06:00Ham Asparagus & Swiss Quinoa QuicheThis week I was lucky to come across quinoa flour at the Leduc <a href="http://www.bulkbarn.ca/en-ca/index.html">Bulk Barn</a>! No more lame attempts to grind whole quinoa in the food processor!!<br />
<br />
I was going to do some baking with the quinoa flour this afternoon, but opted to go out for a pedicure instead. When I got home, I flipped thru my faveski cook book <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Quinoa-365-The-Everyday-Superfood/dp/1552859940">Quinoa 365</a> and got some inspiration from their recipe titled "Vegetable Cheddar Quiche" - I used different flavours and ingredients based on what I had in the fridge, and what came out was awesome!! The funny thing about quinoa is that it stinks before you cook it, then turns into something completely different after baking (at least that's what I've noticed with all my quinoa baking recipes).<br />
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Anyways, check out this quiche - something that you could totally fool around with and use your fave flavours - the crust is really unique - it's rich and buttery, but a bit crumbly around the edges. <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Ham Asparagus & Swiss Quinoa Quiche</span></strong><br />
<strong><em>Crust Ingredients:</em></strong><br />
1 cup quinoa flour<br />
1/2 cup butter, melted & slightly cooled<br />
1 tbsp water<br />
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<em><strong>Filling Ingredients:</strong></em><br />
1 tbsp butter<br />
1 1/2 cup chopped asparagus (discard woody ends)<br />
3 shallots, finely chopped<br />
2 large cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 cup grated swiss cheese<br />
1/2 cup shaved Black Forest ham, chopped into "ribbons"<br />
5 large eggs<br />
1/4 cup milk<br />
1 tbsp quinoa flour<br />
1 tbsp dijon mustard<br />
salt & pepper<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in microwave for about 30 seconds and let cool slightly. Add quinoa flour and mix well. Add the water and form a little dough ball. Grease a 9 inch baking dish with butter and press the dough into the dish, then set aside.<br />
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In a medium frying pan, melt butter and saute shallots, garlic & asparagus until tender, about 7-8 minutes.<br />
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In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, dijon, salt & pepper, making sure that there are no little flour balls floating around. Fold in the cheese.<br />
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Once the vegetables are tender, remove from heat and layer in the prepared pie crust. Sprinkle with the shredded ham then top with the egg/cheese mixture.<br />
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Put into the oven and bake for 45 minutes. When time is up, remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.<br />
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Refrigerate leftovers and enjoy for brunch the next day or pack up in a lunch. <br />
<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-25898948223199219052012-04-26T11:09:00.001-06:002012-04-29T15:26:32.200-06:00Buttery Caramel CornHey! Did you know it's Administrative Professionals Appreciation Week? I guess they celebrate for a whole week and then there is also a special day assigned to celebrating too! For our Ladies of the Office, Nick and I whipped up a quick batch of Buttery Caramel Corn; it's a variation of my <a href="http://reddeerfoodie.blogspot.ca/2011/10/halloween-crackerjack-prizes-not.html">Halloween Crackerjack</a> - a few tweaks and turned out sooo delish! Try it for your next kid's party too!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Buttery Caramel Corn</span></b><br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
8-10 cups popped popcorn*<br />
1 cup butter<br />
2 cups dark brown sugar<br />
1/3 cup corn syrup<br />
1 1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp
baking soda<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
non-stick cooking spray for cookie sheets<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
Preheat ovent to 200 degrees. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium
heat. Add brown sugar, syrup and salt. Bring to a light boil, stirring
constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add baking soda and stir. This will fizz, so don't be alarmed - it's normal. Add the vanilla and again be prepared for a mini-eruption. Pour the caramel mixture into the corn/peanut mixture and toss to coat evenly.<br />
<br />
Lightly coat 2 cookie sheets with non-stick spray. Press the popcorn
equally between two cookie sheets. Shove in the oven and stir every 10 mins. Do
this for about 30 - 40 minutes.<br />
<br />
Let cool on racks COMPLETELY before packaging. I divided mine into clear cello-bags and then put into cute little popcorn containers that I found at Winners. I stuck old-timey candy sticks in the packages and topped with ribbon - super cute!! <br />
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*if you made the Halloween Crackerjack, you'll notice that I'm using LESS popcorn in this recipe - that's because I wanted the corn to be coated with more of the caramel sauce. This is definitely a recipe for people that like SWEET - tastes exactly like <a href="http://www.kernelspopcorn.com/">Kernels</a> Double Hit (maybe better!)<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-70824764905803247792012-04-23T10:17:00.000-06:002012-04-23T10:17:24.950-06:00Creamy Spring FettucineIf you've been following my blog, you know I like fairly simple and healthy dishes! I love using food that's in season and guess what? It's asparagus season!!! So here's a quick dish inspired by something saw on the very lovely <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.ca/2012/04/asparagus-mushroom-leek-spring-pasta.html">Everyday Occasions by Jenny Steffens Hobick</a> blog. Check it out - she's a tiny (and much cuter) version of Martha! Love this blog! <br />
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Rather than cream for this recipe, I used <a href="http://www.boursincheese.com/">Boursin Cheese</a> and it added a really creamy texture to the dish - very springy!!<br />
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<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Creamy Spring Fettucine</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
4 slices Aldersmoked bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks<br />
2 cups chopped leek (white part only)<br />
2 cups whte button mushrooms, sliced<br />
2 cups asparagus, discard woody part & cut into 1 inch pieces<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1/2 cup Boursin Garlic & Fine Herb soft-ripened cheese (flavoured cream cheese would also work)<br />
1 pkg fresh <a href="http://www.olivieri.ca/en/Pages/home.aspx">fettucine</a>, or your favourite pasta - reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water!<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
In a large non-stick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Reserving the bacon fat, remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the olive oil to the bacon fat over medium heat and add the mushrooms. Saute for about 4 minutes, get those mushrooms soaking up all the nice flavour from the bacon fat. At this point, put a big pot of water on to boil - I will always remember something I learned from a cooking show - make sure the water is waiting for you, not the other way around!! <br />
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Add leeks and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. <br />
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Next, add the asparagus and the boursin and stir to coat. Start adding some of the pasta water - about 1/4 cup to start, stirring, and then keep adding till it hits the consistency you like! Season with salt & pepper. Cook for another couple of minutes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">almost done... all you need is the fettucine!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you're using fresh pasta, it really only needs to be cooked for a minute or two, eventhough the package may lie and say 4-5 minutes. If you overcook it, you'll have a doughy mass of noodle-ish goo! Trust me here, so make the pasta as the sauce is almost done cooking - you don't want the pasta to be sitting around hardening up or sticking together!<br />
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Plate your meal: top fettucine with the sauce and top with bacon bits! And guess what? This dinner is done in under half an hour!<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-32416473262196020402012-04-22T09:36:00.001-06:002012-04-22T09:36:20.629-06:00Salsa de ChipotleSometimes I find the greatest recipes in the strangest of places - like this one I found in <a href="http://www.glamour.com/">Glamour Magazine</a> for Salsa de Chipotle. Even though I had to tweak it a bit, I gotta say that this recipe is a big time winner!! This salsa is easily a great stand-alone dip, but I think it would be so good as a marinade for chicken, or a Mexican pasta sauce - give it a try!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Salsa de Chipotle</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
8 medium ripe tomatoes<br />
salt<br />
1/4 cup canola oil + 1 tsp for sauteeing onions<br />
1 small white onion, chopped<br />
4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped<br />
2 chipotle chilis in adobo<br />
juice of 1 large lime<br />
1 large red chili pepper, seeded and membrane removed<br />
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<br />
<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Prehead oven to 350degrees. Cut tomatoes in half, and place them on a baking sheet covered in foil. Season with salt & roast for 1 1/2 hours. They are going to shrink up and turn almost "meaty' - it's awesome because all the flavours are concentrated.<br />
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Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat 1 tsp oil and cooke onion and garlic until golden brown. Set aside. When the tomatoes are done, put them into the food processor or blender. Add the onions, galic, cilantro, chilies, lime juice and salt (go eas with the salt at first because remember that you salted the tomatoes already while roasting).<br />
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Slowly increase the speed and add the oil from the top and continue blending until the salsa is smooth, almost "creamy."<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-67237799690794796962012-04-21T08:53:00.000-06:002012-04-21T08:54:19.923-06:00One-Pot Cooking: Steamed Fish with Coconut RiceI absolutely love one-pot cooking! The thought of all the flavours of the dish coming together - deeelish! When I saw this recipe on <a href="http://www.canadianliving.com/health/__get_enough_milk_products_every_day/asian_steamed_fish_and_coconut_rice.php">Canadian Living</a>, I knew it was going to be a winner!! I adapted it slightly and it turned out amazing!! The kitchen smelled great and the coconut rice and vegetables was killer! You are going to love this recipe:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">One-Pot Steamed Fish with Coconut Rice</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
<br />
1 tbsp butter<br />
2 large green onions, sliced<br />
2 cups sliced vegetables (I used red and yellow pepper and thinly sliced carrots)<br />
1-2 small dried hot chili peppers, crushed (depending on your heat tolerance)<br />
1 cup basmati rice<br />
1/4 cup unsweetend shredded coconut<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 tbsp flour<br />
2 cups milk<br />
1 cup asparagus, woody part discarded, then cut into 1 inch pieces<br />
1 lb skinless white fish filets (about 1 inch thick, cut into 4 pieces)<br />
salt & pepper<br />
zest of one lime<br />
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil<br />
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9B7fbiYeECnVwy9wblMwZYMGjmJ3bShaIBtztxcYwcdK5Bfu5SLpgTznGQbW_t-4WfmRVs67SQcwpUi5pmvEWOlodVImaeZo2fHRf0No_ArG_OjqY8ZhFgbZaHpGa7g7CxNHz2hOjLcxU/s1600/IMG_5137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9B7fbiYeECnVwy9wblMwZYMGjmJ3bShaIBtztxcYwcdK5Bfu5SLpgTznGQbW_t-4WfmRVs67SQcwpUi5pmvEWOlodVImaeZo2fHRf0No_ArG_OjqY8ZhFgbZaHpGa7g7CxNHz2hOjLcxU/s320/IMG_5137.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">everything you need for dinner tonight!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong>Method:</strong><br />
In a large skillet that has a tight fitting lid, melt butter over medium heat. Add the crushed chili and let it flavour the butter. <br />
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Saute the green onions and rest of your vegetables, sprinkle with a bit of salt and cook for about 3 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in rice and coconut until coated. <br />
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Add water and bring to a boil. Whisk flour into the milk and pour into the skillet while stirring. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.<br />
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Pat fish dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt, pepper, chili flakes and lime zest. <br />
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Remove lid from skillet, fluff rice with a fork and add top with the fish filets. Sprinkle the asparagus around the fish. Replace lid and continue steaming for about 15 minutes.<br />
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Guess what? Dinner is done!? Serve topped with cilantro and lime wedges. I think this recipe would also be amazing with thinly sliced chicken breasts, shrimps and large scallops too!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56a53ak6ey5b4zNVfdI_aHIo51U1lorgjiy76goZPPh_v3PVFOepn2899jyLsgJLuv7Ai1DMBlZ8JID5VaroWxl8a0wyk9Vl1qqX7ligCbKfdeZkkBCcIRpHOKkFrUGE9twtzblx9WcWN/s1600/IMG_5151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56a53ak6ey5b4zNVfdI_aHIo51U1lorgjiy76goZPPh_v3PVFOepn2899jyLsgJLuv7Ai1DMBlZ8JID5VaroWxl8a0wyk9Vl1qqX7ligCbKfdeZkkBCcIRpHOKkFrUGE9twtzblx9WcWN/s320/IMG_5151.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-36168895874065703842012-04-17T08:36:00.000-06:002012-04-17T08:36:55.565-06:00Thai Shrimp Skewers with Peanut SauceRaise your hand if you have ever "accidentally" gotten sucked into a stupid purchase at Costco? Yep, that's me - and last Friday Costco had it's way with me: I bought two gi-normous containers of Kraft Peanut Butter (yah, I know it's not the healthiest choice, but it tastes good so back off). They were only $3.87 each for the 2kg containers!!! I know, right!? I got so excited that I forgot my one cardinal rule when buying large quants of food: always check the friggin expiry date!!! So I know that technically I can return one of the containers, but instead I am challenging myself to use up one whole container within the next few weeks! The other one might have to make a trip to the local Loaves & Fishes... <br />
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Anyways, here's my first recipe of the week (I'll be highlighting PB recipes over the next week): Thai Shrimp Skewers with Peanut Sauce!! I did a lot of googling and found a ton of recipes for peanut sauce, and based on what was in the pantry, here's what I came up with:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Thai Shrimp Skewers with Peanut Sauce</span></strong><br />
<strong>Peanut Sauce Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 1/2 cup light coconut milk<br />
2 tbsp red curry paste<br />
1 cup smooth peanut butter<br />
2 tbsp white wine vinegar<br />
1 tbsp soy sauce<br />
1 tbsp coconut oil<br />
1/2 - 3/4 cup water to smooth out the sauce<br />
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<strong>Thai Shrimp Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 lb large uncooked shrimp, peeled<br />
1/4 cup light coconut milk (try to capture the creamy stuff on the top of the can - use the rest for the peanut sauce)<br />
1/2 tsp red curry paste<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
1/4 cup cilantro<br />
1/4 cup basil leaves<br />
juice of one lime<br />
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Method:<br />
First get your shrimp marinating: in your food processer, combine all of the ingredients (except for the shrimp!!) and pulse for a bit. Pour over shrimp in a glass bowl and set aside for about 30 minutes. <br />
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While the shrimp is marinating, get your peanut sauce on the go. Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly; add water while stirring to get to a consistency that you want!<br />
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Thread the shrimp onto bamboo skewers and grill on your indoor grill if you don't feel like going outside (it was only +4 on Saturday so I opted for the indoor grill!) Grill for about 5-7 minutes. Done! Serve with the sauce on the side and you have a super awesome appetizer! The peanut sauce will keep for a couple weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-32470132852580097662012-04-14T08:36:00.002-06:002012-04-14T08:36:27.654-06:00Quinoa Stuffed PeppersCarrying on with the theme of pre-planning meals, here's an easy recipe that utilizes left-over (or reserved!) pasta sauce and pre-cooked quinoa. These stuffed peppers are easy to assemble, super healthy and freeze awesomely for quick lunches during the week!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Quinoa Stuffed Peppers</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 cup <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1135901442305695486#editor/target=post;postID=4361946996862961817">pasta sauce</a><br />
1 cup cooked quinoa<br />
1/3 cup crumbled feta<br />
1/3 cup chopped green and/or red peppers<br />
3 large green bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded<br />
2 tbsp Italian breadcrumbs<br />
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
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Method:<br />
Preheat oven to 400degrees. Line a deep baking dish with tin-foil and set aside. Line up the peppers, cut side up and ready to be stuffed.<br />
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<br />In a large bowl, combine pasta sauce, quinoa, feta and chopped peppers. Distribute evenly between the 6 halves.<br />
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In a little bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and parm; sprinkle on top of each of the peppers, pressing into the stuffing with your fingers.<br />
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Carefully add the water into the dish - this helps "steam" the peppers as they're cooking. Shove into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. </div>
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This gives you softened peppers, but doesn't cook the crap out of them - they will still appear green! I remember my mom making stuffed peppers and they would practically be grey b/c she cooked them for like a hundred hours!! Anyways, if it's your preference, cook longer for softer pepper shells!</div>
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<br /></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-77729147106445658512012-04-13T09:15:00.000-06:002012-04-13T09:15:57.060-06:00Spicy Shrimp Quinoa BowlDo you ever get home after work and want a healthy dinner but don't really feel like cooking? Here's a strategy I have been using lately: cook a larger than normal batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week and you'll be half-way there to a healthy dinner like this quinoa bowl! Or, sprinkle it into salads for a boost to your lunch salads!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Spicy Shrimp Quinoa Bowl</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1/2 lb raw shrimp<br />
1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (cooked in chicken broth)<br />
1 tbsp grated ginger<br />
1 tbsp minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)<br />
1 tsp <a href="http://www.huyfong.com/no_frames/sriracha.htm">sriracha</a> chili sauce<br />
1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas<br />
1/4 cup diced red pepper<br />
1/4 cup chopped cilantro<br />
2 tbsp soy sauce<br />
1 tbsp sesame oil<br />
1 tbsp agave syrup<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Get everything ready before you start cooking: grate your ginger, mince your garlic, chop the red pepper and cilantro and set aside. In a medium sized non-stick skillet or wok, heat sesame oil and add the shrimp. Cook for 4-5 minutes and add the garlic, ginger and sriracha.<br />
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Continue cooking until bubbly.<br />
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Add the peas, pepper and cilantro and stir-fry for a couple minutes, until peas are heated through.<br />
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Serve on top of warmed quinoa and dinner is served!!<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-64934940871346657712012-04-12T08:32:00.000-06:002012-04-12T08:32:50.926-06:00Easter Feaster Redux Part Deux: Hawaiian Pizza Puffs!I will admit that I have a love/hate relationship with cooking for the holidays - it's great to spend all day toiling in the kitchen (oops, did I say "toiling" - I meant "cooking for loved ones") BUT there can sometimes be the unfortunate by-product of holiday cookery... the dreaded LEFT-OVERS!! Luckily I have a sister who appears with her own tupperware and friends who seem to enjoy my cooking and don't mind taking stuff home SOOOO this year we only ate left-overs for like 2 or 3 days after! YAYAYAYAYYA! <br />
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If you can believe it, I didn't even really document the cooking of Easter Feaster 2012, but I made quite a lot of yummy foods INCLUDING a <a href="http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpothamrecipes/r/bl104c25.htm">ham</a> cooked in the slow cooker with COKE! As in cola! Turned out so nom nom and the leftovers ended up tasting better as the days went by. But there are only so many days that you can serve a seven year old turkey buns and ham buns, so I thought I better re-invent some of the leftovers and do it before a revolt broke out at our house! I literally threw these together, using some of Nick's fave flavours and cubes of my left-over ham<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Hawaiian Pizza Puffs</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1/2 pkg Tenderflake puff pastry, thawed <br />
1/2 cup crushed pineapple<br />
1 cup chopped ham<br />
2/3 cup grated cheese (mozza mix or Italian cheese mix)<br />
1/2 cup pizza sauce<br />
2 tbsp egg whites<br />
sliced fresh basil, for garnish<br />
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flour for surface and rolling pin<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Preheat oven to 400degrees and line a cookie sheet with baking paper. In a bowl, combine the pineapple, ham and pizza sauce; set aside.<br />
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On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a rectangle about 10x15ish? Enough to get 6 decent sized squares (I went with 5x5inches). Once you have your squares, divide the ham/pineapple mixture between the six of them. <br />
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Top with cheese and fold over into little triangles - top with cheese and seal with the tines of a fork.<br />
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Transfer to the baking sheet and lightly brush with the egg whites. Pop in the oven for about 25 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes. Top with fresh basil and extra pizza sauce.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSAB82LES0BE0AziqYH_FHUcipIDyFHxBF7Vm4f8XRkWl0e1sLrFbTEvIUzVF-mY82Ut8gpZ_DkOKfInygXGtAnjU1NoEk5Q3pN8wR1Hduhg9ors_dNYDERSk5Iqe1Y2yTQz39KYf0oh0/s1600/IMG_5092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSAB82LES0BE0AziqYH_FHUcipIDyFHxBF7Vm4f8XRkWl0e1sLrFbTEvIUzVF-mY82Ut8gpZ_DkOKfInygXGtAnjU1NoEk5Q3pN8wR1Hduhg9ors_dNYDERSk5Iqe1Y2yTQz39KYf0oh0/s320/IMG_5092.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese explosions! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoj88BtSMyvsNZtuXQmkpDA_dkw6MTwdYUvpGkYntzNpD2RipoUkQx1OP056kOYEUejgT5RhQEnxUUOLHVIbDKbZf_LQxlOwaK9YdHa-HpockaYTNaw8opr96l-rGTKUzXWJsCP2Tlraz/s1600/IMG_5094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoj88BtSMyvsNZtuXQmkpDA_dkw6MTwdYUvpGkYntzNpD2RipoUkQx1OP056kOYEUejgT5RhQEnxUUOLHVIbDKbZf_LQxlOwaK9YdHa-HpockaYTNaw8opr96l-rGTKUzXWJsCP2Tlraz/s320/IMG_5094.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish I made more!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-75516248767509602082012-04-11T19:43:00.000-06:002012-04-11T19:43:58.295-06:00Easter Feaster Redux Part 1: Devilled Egg SandwichesI supposed it's probably not a good idea to talk about "Easter" and "Devils" of any kind in the same conversation, but when it comes to DEVILLED EGGS - hell yeah - let'er rip!<br />
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I spied the idea of recycling Easter Eggs to make delicious devilled eggs on Friday's episode of Rachael Ray (not my fave show in any way) and my sister even texted me: "We have to make this" so today, after the dust had settled on yet another Easter Feaster and I surveyed all of the leftovers in the fridge, I knew it would be so. Rachael's recipe calls for like a dozen eggs, but we didn't go that ballistic with decorating this year, so here's my scaled-down adaptation of the salad... <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Devilled Egg Sandwiches</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
5 boiled eggs (remove yokes, discard 3 of them and keep 2 of them)<br />
1 tsp grated shallot<br />
1 small clove garlic minced<br />
2 tbsp mayonnaise<br />
1 tbsp sweet relish<br />
3/4 tsp Keen's mustard powder<br />
1/8 tsp paprika<br />
1/8 tsp cayenne papper<br />
salt & pepper<br />
2 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled OR 4 tbsp bacon bits<br />
2 soft dinner buns, split and toasted<br />
2-4 romaine lettuce leaves<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
In a medium sized bowl, combine two of the egg yolks, shallot, garlic, mayo, relish and seasonings.<br />
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Roughly chop the rest of the egg whites and fold into the devil yolky part.<br />
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Toast your buns, top with some romaine leaves, a big dollop of egg salad and some bacon bits. Done!<br />
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It's a super messy lunch, so if you're so inclined, top with another bun half and make it a closed sandwich instead of an open-faced sandwich.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-43619469968629618172012-04-06T20:48:00.001-06:002012-04-06T21:07:26.836-06:00Homemade Hot Italian Sausage!It's easy to make sausage and you don't even need one of those crazy machines to squeeze the goo thru into some caseing made of mysterious intestinal fabric... Don't get me wrong - I'm not a snausage hater, it's probably just for the best if I don't overthink the whole process and procedures for making a link! So when I saw this recipe in the April 2012 <a href="http://www.chatelaine.com/en">Chatelaine Magazine</a> - I knew I had to make it BUT I knew I was going to make it with a leaner cut - a pork tenderloin, rather than the ground pork that you would buy from the grocery store. I asked the butcher and he told me that they actually do add fat to the mix to make it juicier - no sir, not for me!! So I whipped out my trusty food processor and made my own ground pork!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Hot Italian Sausage (<span style="font-size: small;"><em>adapted from Chatelaine Magazine</em></span>)</span></strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 medium pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat<br />
2 tsp ground fennel<br />
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar<br />
1 tsp sea salt<br />
1/2 tsp black pepper<br />
2 dried red chilis, ground <br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Make sure all of the spices are ground together (I made sure to keep some bigger fennel seed chunks b/c I love biting into them in the sausage). Set aside.<br />
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Cut the tenderloin up into about 4 or 5 large pieces and chuck into the food processor. Pulse until it's coarsely chopped then add the spices - keep pulsing until it looks like the ground meet you would pick up at the butchers.<br />
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Wondering if you have the spices right? Here's a little trick - heat up a non-stick frying pan and fry up a couple of tablespoon shized mini-meatballs. Cook until brown and no longer pink inside - take a taste - if you're satisfied with the amount of spice, garlic, pepper, etc then you're good to go! If not, add some more of what's missing (for me on this batch, it wasn't spicy enough, so I upped the amount of chili!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World's smallest frying pan - about 5" in diameter!<br />
Not a doll's frying pan either!</td></tr>
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Divide the meat mixture into 2 halves and then roll into little meat logs - twist at the ends, place in a ziplock and freeze until ready to use (but at least 2 hours!)<br />
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When you're ready to cook with your snausage, remove from freezer and let stand for about 20 minutes. You can cook crumbled in a sauce like I did, or slice and pan fry. <br />
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To make a super easy pasta sauce, cook one of the sausage logs in a tablespoon of oil, breaking up as it cooks. I also added a chopped up red bell pepper and a can of San Marzano tomatoes. Cook through for about 25 minutes and serve over your fave pasta! <br />
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I reserved a cup of the meat sauce for stuffed peppers later in the week!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watch for Quinoa Stuffed Peppers later this week!</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-58306592428273521912012-04-06T09:19:00.000-06:002012-04-06T09:19:40.244-06:00Bacon n Potato Breakfast BakeOK who loves brunch? I do!! And since it's Easter, why not celebrate all things EGG-related! Last weekend I created a really yummy breakfast bake that included two of my favourite things: bacon and potatoes!<br />
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Super easy, though takes some time and prep work:<br />
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<strong>Bacon n Potato Breakfast Bake</strong><br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
3 slices bacon, chopped<br />
10 baby potatoes, sliced thinly<br />
4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly<br />
2 green onions sliced<br />
4 eggs + 1/2 cup egg whites<br />
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
1/2 cup Italian Cheese Blend grated cheese<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Preheat oven to 400degrees. In a large non-stick, oven-safe skillet, fry bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.<br />
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Add the potato slices to the bacon fat and fry until browned - about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until fragrant - careful to not burn the garlic!<br />
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In another bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, seasonings, green onions and half of the cheese.<br />
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Slowly pour into the skillet and fold in the bacon bits. Allow the egg to start to firm up and using a spatula, scrape the edges of the skillet to allow for some of the more liquidy egg to dribble into the cracks. I can't explain it, but you'll know it when you see it!!<br />
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When it's firm around the edges and just starting to set up in the middle, but still runny, top with the remaining half of cheese and chuck into the oven for about 20 minutes.<br />
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Check to make sure the egg is cooked thru (esp in the centre) and remove from oven. Slice into quaters and serve!! Super yum!<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-34891733310396814132012-04-05T19:46:00.001-06:002012-04-05T20:47:04.274-06:00Easy Easter Cupcakes... and CheeCha Contest Winner!It's almost Easter! We had a bakesale at work the other day and I whipped up some super cute little Easter cupcakes using this <a href="http://www.cupcakerecipes.com/easyrecipe.htm">recipe</a> I found on the web. I had never used shortening before, but had some in the pantry from Christmas... can't remember what I was going to make with it, but anyways - these cupcakes were easy to make and the shortening really whipped up a velvetty batter. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QgUNQ8HKhBW8k2kbVfQaVbzXzD8TfMfWevPV0GbtX3NcFX8Tp4vc3ibBbUiOYcRgXdpBCKb04T_Hb4ifttTlqG4ErHVvZcmLVxD08QN9Dh9s9kG4aoGyhZYFs43WeZuy9fleZOwZnTrZ/s1600/IMG_5052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QgUNQ8HKhBW8k2kbVfQaVbzXzD8TfMfWevPV0GbtX3NcFX8Tp4vc3ibBbUiOYcRgXdpBCKb04T_Hb4ifttTlqG4ErHVvZcmLVxD08QN9Dh9s9kG4aoGyhZYFs43WeZuy9fleZOwZnTrZ/s320/IMG_5052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found some little bunny-pics to decorate!</td></tr>
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The recipe produced a yield of 24 mini cupcakes and 8 regular sized cupcakes, which I decorated with shredded coconut (coloured with food-dye) and <a href="http://www.jellybelly.ca/Canada/fun_stuff/official_50_flavors_flavor_guide.aspx">Jelly Belly's</a> to look like wee Easter nests! I guess the bake sale was a big hit (wasn't there due to major migraine!) and the gang raised lots of money for Easter Seals! Yay everybody wins!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6 mini cupcake nests nestled in a little box!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had to get them out of the house because they were so good!<br />
Nice and rich - not too sweet!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIZ3mUfbX3SveLH0Z9bI3tk8V1tn3sZiHWlcoPI0WeOs1xgbwJ3UV4hLrwgMmG9wdakjMhjsQTe-Th8ZY-LlLN_MPtbw8EivGX6mkdcCuF1laniJWKPbTiVcS1D_7yHgBoeD2ShdLekPv/s1600/IMG_5051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIZ3mUfbX3SveLH0Z9bI3tk8V1tn3sZiHWlcoPI0WeOs1xgbwJ3UV4hLrwgMmG9wdakjMhjsQTe-Th8ZY-LlLN_MPtbw8EivGX6mkdcCuF1laniJWKPbTiVcS1D_7yHgBoeD2ShdLekPv/s320/IMG_5051.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assortment trays with littles and bigs!</td></tr>
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Anyways, guess what today is? Today I announce the winners of my very first <a href="http://reddeerfoodie.blogspot.ca/2012/03/contest-cheecha-puffs-give-away.html">CheeCha contest</a>!!<br />
Drumrolllllll.... and the winner is: Summer Walker! Then I got excited and decided to give more away and those winners are: Avely Serin, Sari Lindvall & <a href="http://www.arunningtale.com/">Lindsey Knudsen</a> also will receive some CheeCha vouchers in the mail too! Congrats ladies!!<br />
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I have so many posts to catch up on - hopefully will get around to it this weekend! Have a great Easter everyone!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135901442305695486.post-48606982023102695242012-04-01T18:02:00.000-06:002012-04-01T18:02:05.026-06:00Chicken Mango & Brie QuesadillasYesterday I purchased the most delicious mango I have ever bought in Canada; it was the only ripe mango in the entire display so I jumped all over it! A few days earlier, <a href="http://www.chatelaine.com/en">Chatelaine Magazine</a> had tweeted a recipe for a Chicken, Mango & Brie Quesadilla and I knew I had to make it! I tweaked the reciped a little bit and instead of buying a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, I made a batch of poached chicken breasts. Oh! and instead of serving with sour cream, I made up a quick batch of spicy guacamole (my recipe).<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Chicken, Mango & Brie Quesadillas with Spicy Guacamole</span></strong><br />
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<em>Quesadilla Ingredients:</em><br />
3 <a href="http://reddeerfoodie.blogspot.ca/2011/09/poached-chicken-easy-meal-maker.html">poached chicken breasts</a><br />
4 medium flour tortillas<br />
1 mango, sliced and cubed small<br />
125g brie, cubed<br />
1/4 cup chopped cilantro<br />
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped finely<br />
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<em>Guacamole:</em><br />
1 ripe avocado, mashed<br />
juice of one lime<br />
1-2 tbsp chopped cilantro<br />
1 tbsp chopped jalapeno pepper<br />
4 grape tomatoes, chopped <br />
2 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
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Method:<br />
Poach chicken breasts according to directions - I added extra garlic cloves to this batch and it was sooo good. Let sit for a bit before shredding. While the chicken was cooking, get the guac ready - simply combine all of the ingredients, stir - taste for the salt ~more or less ~ and set aside until ready to serve.<br />
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For the quesadillas, make an assembly line of ingredients. To save on fat, I omitted the oil and cooked the quesadillas on medium-high heat on my Gordon Ramsay grill.<br />
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So here's how it all goes down: on half of the tortilla, layer some brie, chicken, mango, cilantro & jalapeno. Fold over and then shove on the grill, drop the lid and you're done.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks super messy, but it's so easy to clean up if you let<br />
harden up a bit - the cheese just lifts right off!</td></tr>
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285668071307600706noreply@blogger.com3