Pasta Perfection - Greek Orzo Salad

This salad is cool, refreshing, and delicious! Inspired by traditional greek salad ingredients with a light and zesty dressing. Perfect for a BBQ, potluck, or family function! And it tastes just as good the next day so feel free to make ahead of time!

Serves 10.

Ingredients for the salad:

1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1 1/2 cups crumbled seasoned feta cheese

2 cups of chopped cucumber

1 pack cherry tomatoes (1 pint)

3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives

4 green onions, chopped

Ingredients for the dressing:

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Cook orzo in large pot of salted, boiling water. Ensure orzo is cooked al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes

2. Drain orzo in colander, rinse with cold water to stop the orzo from continuing to cook.

3. Add feta, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and green onions

4. Combine lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and olive oil in small bowl.

5.  Add dressing into the orzo salad and mix well.

6. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving for flavours to meld.

NOTE: Artichoke hearts, capers or pine nuts are awesome additions as well!

Beautiful Brioche

Brioche is one of the greatest bread based inventions ever! This beautiful, rich, eggy and slightly sweet treat is very traditional for Easter meals, especially brunch. Our mother has made it every year since we were children, and it just gets better and better. Brioche seems very complicated, because it has quite a few steps and needs to be started the day before you want to serve it, but in truth, most of the time spent is waiting for the dough to rise. It is actually a very easy dough to put together and it is worth every minute of effort. This recipe was created from the amalgamation of many different recipes to make it as easy as possible to follow.

Brioche is best served slightly warm with butter. It is also good toasted, and the leftovers make brilliant french toast!

Makes: 1 loaf.

Ingredients:
Bread:
1 tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup milk, warmed
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
3 eggs (2 for the bread, 1 for the egg wash)
1/3 cup butter, softened
Zest of 1 lemon

Icing:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup icing sugar

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, warm the milk in the microwave until it is just warmer than body temperature. (105°–115°F.) Stir in yeast and flour to make a smooth paste. Let sit for 10 minutes till foamy.
2. In a large bowl add, flour, icing sugar, salt, and lemon. Stir gently. 
3. Using fingers, or 2 knives, cut in butter till evenly distributed.
4. Add milk, eggs, and yeast mixture. Stir mixture until the dough just comes together.
5. Put the dough out onto a lightly floured counter, kneed 3-4 minutes till the dough fully incorporated and is smooth.
6. Lightly grease a large bowl and put the dough in to rest. Cover with Saran Wrap and a damp tea towel. Let rise for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (This helps create the distinct flavour of brioche.)
7. Now it's time to form the loaf, we love the look of doing a braid. To do this, divide the dough into 3 equal portions, roll them into 24" logs. Lie the logs side by side and pinch one end together well. Braid the strands together loosely, (don't pull or twist, but "flop" each strand on top of the center strand without leaving gaps). At the finish, pinch the second end together tightly. (You may have to adjust to make sure the loaf is even.)
8. Put the loaf onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Let proof covered with Saran Wrap and a damp tea towel. Let rise for 90 minutes.
9. Make an egg wash with the remaining egg and a tablespoon of water. Brush the wash onto the dough.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes, then lift off the baking sheet and cool on a rack.
11. To make the glaze: mix lemon juice and icing sugar until smooth. Spoon onto the brioche and spread evenly when still slightly warm.

 

 

Romanoff Potato Popovers

Romanoff Potatoes are the perfect Easter side dish. Rich and cheezy, they are the perfect pair to both ham and roast beef for dinner on Easter Sunday. This traditional potato casserole uses sour cream, cheese, onions and scallions to dress up the basic boiled potato.  They can also be made a day ahead of time to make your dinner go more smoothly. The best part of this dish is the crust that forms as they bake in the oven. We wanted to get the most crispy crust possible while keeping the inside creamy. So we bake ours in greased muffin tins. They look beautiful and taste awesome.

Makes: 18 Popovers.

Ingredients:
6 large russet potatoes
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 medium white onion, finely diced
3 scallions or green onions, sliced finely
1 teaspoon cayenne powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Put into a large pot of salted water and boil until cooked, about 30 minutes.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, saute the onion in butter till translucent and golden brown.

3. When fully cooked, drain the potatoes well and return to the pot. Let the potatoes cool slightly and allow all moisture to evaporate.

4. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the potatoes roughly. (We refer them to still have small chunks remaining.

5. In a bowl, mix the sour cream, onions, cheese, scallions, and cayenne. Pour this mixture over the potatoes and mix to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. 

At this point, you can refrigerate the mixture overnight or until you are ready to bake.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins thoroughly with butter.

7. Spoon the potato mixture into the muffin tins. Do not pack the mixture.

8. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, or until golden brown and hot though.

9. Use a sharp knife to release the popovers from the pans.

Hot Cross Buns

Easter is a holiday full of symbolism and tradition. It is the most important of the Christian holidays, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. It celebrates rebirth and renewal, and the beginning of a new growing season. Whether you are religious or not, it is a time of celebration, and family and in our house wonderful food. 

Hot cross buns are a staple treat around Easter time. These sweet buns filled with spices and fruits are fantastic served with butter or jam straight from the oven. Traditional hot cross buns are made with raisins or candied fruit, but we prefer to make them with dried fruits such as cranberries and mango to give them a fresher taste. I don't like using pie dough or flour water paste to make the cross, I just carve a cross in the top with a sharp knife before baking. The glaze will then settle in the hollows.  These are incredibly simple to make, but have quite a few steps, so make sure you have enough time before you need to serve them.

Makes 2 dozen buns.

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold butter

3 large eggs

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup dried mango, diced to the same size as cranberries

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, warm milk in the microwave until just warmer than body temperature (105°–115°F.)

2. Stir in yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar.  Let mixture stand 5 minutes, or until foamy.

3. In a small bowl put cranberries and mango. Pour enough hot water on fruit to cover. Let stand for 10 minutes to plump, then drain all water off and set aside.

4. Into a large bowl sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and remaining granulated sugar.

5. Add butter blend into flour mixture with pastry blender or fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. 

6. Lightly beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in yeast and egg mixture, and fruit. Stir mixture until a dough is formed. 

7. Transfer dough to a floured surface and with floured hands knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. 

8. Place dough to an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

9. Butter 2 large baking sheets.

10. Turn dough onto a floured surface,  knead dough briefly and then divide into 24 balls. ( I prefer to use a scale and weigh out the balls, but you can also form into two logs and cut each log crosswise into 12 equal pieces.)

13. Form each piece into a ball and arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Let buns rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

14. Preheat oven to 400°F.

15. At this point, if you like you can use pastry dough to add a cross to the top of the buns. But I prefer to just use a knife to carve a cross in each.

16. In a small bowl, whisk egg with a fork. Brush buns with egg glaze 

17. Bake buns in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 12 minutes. 

18. Transfer buns to a rack to cool slightly. Buns may be made 1 week ahead and frozen, wrapped well. 

Irish Whisky Soda Bread

It's St Patrick's Day! I have always loved Ireland, and fell even more in love with the country when I vacationed there many years ago. The people are the warmest and most welcoming of anywhere I have ever visited, the scenery and history is rich and beautiful, and the food is amazing. (The beer is pretty good too) I have been making this recipe for whisky honey soda bread for many years. It doesn't have the traditional whisky soaked raisins or caraway, it is a simple soda bread that has a hint of sweetness, but is excellent served with butter and stew or with jam.

Makes 2 x 8" diameter loaves.

Ingredients:

Bread:

4 Cups flour, all purpose

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon baking soda

1/4 Cup Butter, chilled

1 Cup raisins or currants (optional)

1/2 Cup honey, liquid

1/4 Cup Irish Whisky

1 Cup buttermilk (you can use regular milk as well)

Glaze:

2 Teaspoons Irish Whisky

2 Teaspoons Milk 

1/4 cup icing sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. 
3. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins or currants (if using). 
4. In separate bowl, combine buttermilk, honey and whisky. 
5. Add all at once to dry ingredients; stir just until just incorporated. 
6. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 1 minute (too much handling will toughen loaves, while too little will inhibit rising.) 
7. Divide dough in half and shape each half into an 8" round loaf. Place in two greased 8" cake pans. 
8. Cut a cross 1/2" deep in each loaf.
9. Brush each loaf with milk.
10. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottoms. Remove from pans; let cool on wire racks.

Pumpkin Power Muffins

Muffins are a brilliant food. They are perfect for breakfast, a great addition to a brunch spread, and a natural afternoon snack. Easy, convienient and inexpensive. The problem with most muffin recipes is that they have little nutritional value, so in fact they aren't as much muffins as they are individual portions of cake. This recipe was inspired by the classic power muffins, lots of good ingredients but far less sweet, stodgy, or heavy. Pumpkin adds great flavour, keeps the muffins moist and replaces most of the fat.  Add your favorite nuts and fruit to change up the taste to fit your palette.

Makes 12 Muffins
Nutritional Value: 160 calories each

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup bran

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk  (you can also use 1/2 cup of regular milk mixed with 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice, or plain yogurt instead)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons, sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a standard muffin tin with muffin papers.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the following: flour, bran, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, both sugars.
4. In a second large bowl, wisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, oil, and egg.
5. Add the cranberries, almonds, and pumpkin seeds into the dry ingredients.
6. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix only till combined. You need to move quickly at this point for best results. The batter will be quite thick.
7. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, they should be about 3/4 full.
8. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffin bounces back when pressed or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
10. Put immediately on a cooling rack.

Sweet 'n Spicy Roast Squash - Butternut miss it!

Roasted squash is fantastic vegetable, but if you want to add a little kick to recipe and add some flavour, this recipe is for you. Subtle sweetness from the brown sugar and cayenne pepper for a little heat makes a really satisfying addition to this great gourd.  You could also use acorn squash as an alternative.

Serves 4-6 (depending on the size of the squash)

Ingredients:
1 whole butternut squash
1/8 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
1. Peel the butternut squash using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, trim the top and bottom, cut in half and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/2" cubes. Put in a bowl, and toss with vegetable oil.
2. In a second bowl, mix together sugar and all the spices. Toss the squash into the spice mixture coating evenly.
3. Put the squash on a cookie sheet and roast for approximately 30 minutes, until the squash is fork tender.

Appies with a Twist - Pesto Cheddar Straws

Have you ever had a last minute event to go to and have no idea what to bring? Have no time to put together a snack when friends show up for a visit? Need a little something to go with a bowl of soup of a salad for dinner?  Well we totally have the solution for you.

These beautiful and delicate puff pastry straws are super easy to put together, but look like you slaved over them for hours.  I keep puff pastry in the freezer all the time, its cheap and super easy to work with and so versatile.

These little sticks store well in an air tight container, and will last a couple days.

Makes approximately 18 twists.

Ingredients:
1 piece of frozen puff pastry, thawed (1/2 box)
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, whisked for egg wash
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. On a floured surface, roll the thawed puff pastry to approximately 10" x 18"
3. Spread half the pesto onto the pastry, leaving .5" on each edge.
4. Fold the pastry in half, (10" x 9")
5. Roll the pastry again to 10" x 18", lightly salt and pepper the pastry, then place grated cheese on half the pastry. Fold the pastry over the cheese.
6. Repeat steps 2, 3, 4.
7. Roll the pastry out one final time, to 10" x 18".
8. Brush the pastry lightly with the egg.
8. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut strips about .5" wide.
9. Twist the strips 2 or three times and place on cookie sheet.
10. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, till the pastry is golden brown, and puffed.

Try this technique with other fillings, like cinnamon and sugar, ham and cheese, or jam.

Cheddar and Chive Biscuits

Light, flaky and tender that is what a biscuit should be like. A good recipe for a biscuit is worth it's weight in gold, for it's versitility.  From a basic recipe you can add herbs and cheese,  fruit, sugar and spices and you have something totally different and perfect each time.

These biscuits have cheddar and chives to complement the Potato and Leek Soup.

Makes 12 Biscuits, 3" in diameter.




Ingredients:
2 Cups flour, sifted
1/2 Teaspoon salt
2 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder
1/3 Cup shortening
2/3 Cup milk
3 Tablespoons chives, finely chopped
1/2 Cup aged cheddar cheese, grated
1 Egg for egg wash.

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Using a pastry blender or fingers, cut in the shortening until it is the consistency of peas. Add chives and cheddar cheese.
4. Add the milk and mix gently with a fork until just moistened.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, kneed gently until the dough forms a ball. Do not over kneed.
6. With a rolling pin, roll the dough to about a 1/2" thickness.
7. Cut the dough with a round biscuit cutter, or glass about 3" in diameter.
8. Brush the biscuits lightly with egg wash.
9. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Biscuits should be fluffy and golden brown.

TIP: You can use this same recipe and replace the cheese with fruit like cranberries or raspberries. Remember to add 2 Tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients. You can also add a little lemon or orange rind for extra flavour.

Brussel Sprouts With Clout!

No vegetable can cause grown people to wrinkle their noses and exclaim their disgust like the poor, misunderstood brussel sprout. People who haven't even tried them declare that they are horrifying, vile, nasty things. To those people, I say you have no idea what you are missing!

Now maybe your mother, or grandmother boiled the little buggers till they were grey and you had to eat them with a spoon. And to all of you, I am so sorry! But please don't blame the brussels, blame the cook!  Give them another chance.

So how do you go about making the best brussel sprouts ever?  Simple...add bacon and hazelnuts!  This recipe is so easy, and can be prepped all in advance of your holiday meal. So why not give these poor baby cabbages another try, I promise you will not be sorry.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Hazelnuts.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 lb Fresh Brussel Sprouts

6 slices bacon

1/4 cup Hazelnuts

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Put the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  If the nuts still have the skin on them, put the nuts on a clean dish cloth, fold the cloth over the nuts and rub the nuts in the towel until the skins peel off. Chop the nuts roughly and put aside.

3. Cut the bacon into small pieces and put into a fry pan. Cook the bacon slowly over medium-low heat to crisp the bacon and render out all the fat. When the bacon is cooked, scoop it out and put it on a paper towel, reserving all the fat.

4. Trim all the brussel sprouts, by cutting all the stems and removing any wilted leaves.  Slice the sprouts in half.

5. Toss the sprouts in the reserved bacon fat and season with salt and pepper. Put the brussel sprouts on cookie sheet or other baking dish.

6. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring half way through. Sprouts are done when they have some roasted colour and al dente. You do not want to over cook them, they should still have some crunch.

7. When cooked, toss the bacon and nuts into the sprouts and serve.

Thai-riffic Salad

We absolutely love Thai food, and while it may seem complicated it really is fairly simple if you keep a couple basic principles in mind. The key to all Thai food is the balance between sweet, salty, hot and sour flavours, all you have to do is balance them to your personal tastes.  We created this salad using basic pantry ingredients, no need to go out and buy a lot of unusual ingredients.  This salad is fantastic with grilled steak sliced thinly on top. Serves 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients:
For the salad:

1 cup snow peas (sliced thinly)

2 cups bean sprouts
1 red pepper (seeded and sliced thinly)
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
2 green onions (sliced)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts 

1 cup of cucumber (in chunks)

1 carrot (peeled and grated)

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons peanut butter

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce
1 lime (rind and juice)

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Mix the snow peas, bean sprouts, carrot, red pepper, cilantro, mint, green onions, and peanuts in a large bowl.
2. Mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, chili paste and lime juice and zest in a small bowl. Taste and adjust for your taste.
3. Pour the dressing on the salad and toss.

Give Chickpeas A Chance

All we are saying, is give chickpeas a chance. There is far more to these little nuggets of luscious indulgence than just turning them into hummus (Not that hummus isn't fantastic). This sexy little appetizer dish was inspired by an amuse bouche served at Mario Batali's B&B in Las Vegas and the ever present problem of making something fantastic to bring to parties that is quick, easy and best of all won't break the bank.

This recipe can be adjusted for personal taste, so the quantities below are just guidelines. Once you have tried this, you will never think poorly of the humble chickpea ever again.

Serves 6.

Ingredients.

1 loaf of baguette bread or similar
Olive oil
1 can of chickpeas
3 cloves of garlic, minced and 1 whole clove
1 Tablespoon cayenne powder
1 Teaspoon cumin
1 lemon, zest and juice
3 Tablespoons italian parsley, chopped fine
Salt and pepper

Directions.

1. Turn oven on to low broil. Slice baguette in 1" pieces and arrange on cookie sheet.
2. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and broil till lightly toasted (aprox 3 mins), flip and toast 2nd side.
3. When done, rub the oiled side of each piece with the whole clove of garlic.
4. Drain the chickpeas and rinse in hot water. Put in medium bowl.
5. Sweat but do not brown the minced garlic in a generous amount of olive oil. Add cumin and cayenne   to toast the spices.
6. Add garlic, oil, and spices to chickpeas, add zest and juice of lemon, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
7. Mix well, smashing the chickpeas slightly.
8. Serve mixture on toasted bread.

"Q-ing" up Dinner

Are you tired of thinking about what to have for dinner?  Sick of making a ton of dishes and mess? Having last minute company and don't want to spend your evening cooking and cleaning? 

We love this meal! It is super easy and takes almost no time and has no clean up.

TIP: The secret to the success is that you bake the chicken in the oven before your guests arrive. 

Barbecued Chicken Legs With Grilled Corn and Asparagus.

Serves 6

For the chicken:

• 6 chicken legs - skin on (breasts work as well if you prefer)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Your favorite BBQ sauce (see Product Reviews and Tips for a review of our new favorite)

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a baking dish, (we prefer using a 9 x 13" pyrex cake pan)
2. Salt and pepper lightly.
3. Bake chicken at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until just cooked and juices run clear. 
4. Take out of oven, and let rest for 10 minutes. (You can do this step in advance, but cold chicken will take longer to grill)
5. Coat the chicken in your favorite barbeque sauce, and place on the grill.
6. Barbeque until the chicken has grill marks and the sauce is caramelized. ( 5-7 minutes)  

For the corn and asparagus:

• 6 ears of corn (husked)
• 2 bunches asparagus (not too thin)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Wash and dry the vegetables, trim asparagus.
2.  Coat lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Place on grill, turn occasionally to create grill marks. (3 - 7 minutes depending on grill temperature)

Note: Both corn and asparagus cook quickly, and you don't want to overcook them. Asparagus should still be crisp, and corn just required warming through.

Also try: coloured peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms.
For added zip, drizzle veggies with balsamic vinegar.