And mom's a' cookin'. We're sitting in the middle of our third winter storm this season... except it's still fall and we've hardly had a day without snow in the last 2 weeks. We also have a very cold air mass sitting right on top of us making it so cold that we haven't reached anything higher than -15C all week.
So I've been cooking up a storm. Well, I've been cooking stews and breads and doing as much as I can to help keep the house warm. Tonight to make something different, I roasted breaded chicken thights with some potatoes and served up some steamed swiss chard along with some sliced tomatoes. It all disappeared as soon as the plates reached the table. :D
Everything was simple enough to throw together. The chicken was simply breaded with breadcrumbs to which I had added some salt, pepper and italian seasoning. The potatoes where baked along with the chicken in a hot oven for about 1 hour. In the last 10 minutes, I got the swiss chard leaves prepared, washed and steamed. Tossed the swiss chard with a bit of butter, salt and pepper to taste. I sliced 3 vine ripened tomatoes and sprinkled a bit of kosher salt and just a few drops of balsamic vinegar over the slices.
The silence that surounded the supper table tonight was only broken by the utensils striking the plates. That is a satisfying sound to this chef. :D
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
It's nice when
I love to cook. As a parent in a large family, if I didn't love to cook, I think I'd be in big trouble. But I love to cook, so that is ok. I don't mind going somewhere and while I'm visiting being asked to "help" prepare a meal or answer food related questions. It is my passion and I thoroughly enjoy it.
But you know? It's nice when I go for a visit, and it is just that - a visit. My mom has prepared a lasagna, there is fresh homemade bread, and all we do is talk about the time of day and the weather. That's nice too.
But you know? It's nice when I go for a visit, and it is just that - a visit. My mom has prepared a lasagna, there is fresh homemade bread, and all we do is talk about the time of day and the weather. That's nice too.
Friday, December 14, 2007
T'is the season
To come home one day with groceries and all of a sudden realize that you could use a larger refrigerator! Oops! Buying too many groceries isn't usually a problem around here... The kids are growing and they eat their fair amount. By this time of year though I usually have some baking done and my menu planned. This year I may be a little behind, but it is no different. I have a refrigerator full of fresh food ready to be prepared as Christmas goodies. I have a pantry with all of the necessary ingredients to make spice cakes, sugar cookies and all kinds of sweets and treats.
I usually only get the basic, local vegetables and inexpensive cuts of meat, milk - lots of milk - and cheese, cereal and snack stuff. Christmas is the time of year where I get those more "exotic" ingredients - odd spices, foreign fruits, quality chocolates... Over and beyond the regular food that I usually get.
Once a year, I come home with all of the ingredients that I need to make a special Christmas for the children and I think that at this time of year I should probably look into renting a second refrigerator. I say that now though, when friends and family are often at the door, when we bring sweets to Christmas parties and for teachers, when we are at our culinary busiest. In all too few and very short weeks, we'll have returned to our regularly scheduled menues.
So while my fridge is well stuffed I will enjoy it. I will Thank God for all of His goodness, I will Praise Him for the provenance of care He gives to His creation. I will share this great bounty with those who are hungry that find their way to my home, I will share the blessing of the season with anyone who needs an extra special blessing.
Now I'm off to wrap gifts and prepare the other little extras that make Christmas special for the children.
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night"!! :D
I usually only get the basic, local vegetables and inexpensive cuts of meat, milk - lots of milk - and cheese, cereal and snack stuff. Christmas is the time of year where I get those more "exotic" ingredients - odd spices, foreign fruits, quality chocolates... Over and beyond the regular food that I usually get.
Once a year, I come home with all of the ingredients that I need to make a special Christmas for the children and I think that at this time of year I should probably look into renting a second refrigerator. I say that now though, when friends and family are often at the door, when we bring sweets to Christmas parties and for teachers, when we are at our culinary busiest. In all too few and very short weeks, we'll have returned to our regularly scheduled menues.
So while my fridge is well stuffed I will enjoy it. I will Thank God for all of His goodness, I will Praise Him for the provenance of care He gives to His creation. I will share this great bounty with those who are hungry that find their way to my home, I will share the blessing of the season with anyone who needs an extra special blessing.
Now I'm off to wrap gifts and prepare the other little extras that make Christmas special for the children.
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night"!! :D
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
On a windy wintery day
We'll be using some left over bread, some remnants of cheese and a lovely beef stock... to make a hearty and warming french onion soup for supper.
Monday, December 10, 2007
How is this for a Christmas side dish?
Carrot Ribbons
1/4-1/2 carrot per person
1/4-1/2 parsnip per person
1/2 cup of water
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash and peel the carrots and parsnips. Then continue peeling the vegetables to create ribbons about 1 centimeter wide (less than 1/2 inch). Do not mix the vegetables yet. Cook them seperately in a covered pan then blanche them in ice water to stop the cooking process. This can go very quickly depending on how much carrot or parsnip is in the pan. The vegetables should still be slightly crunchy. At this point you can mix the vegetables and store them in the fridge for a day or two if made in advance.
On the day you'll be serving this dish, bring the vegetables to room temperature, melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the vegetables quickly in the warm butter with just a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot. Yum!
NOTE: Why not mix the carrots and parsnips before "steaming"? Because the vegetables are in the liquid, and the parsnips will discolour.
1/4-1/2 carrot per person
1/4-1/2 parsnip per person
1/2 cup of water
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash and peel the carrots and parsnips. Then continue peeling the vegetables to create ribbons about 1 centimeter wide (less than 1/2 inch). Do not mix the vegetables yet. Cook them seperately in a covered pan then blanche them in ice water to stop the cooking process. This can go very quickly depending on how much carrot or parsnip is in the pan. The vegetables should still be slightly crunchy. At this point you can mix the vegetables and store them in the fridge for a day or two if made in advance.
On the day you'll be serving this dish, bring the vegetables to room temperature, melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the vegetables quickly in the warm butter with just a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot. Yum!
NOTE: Why not mix the carrots and parsnips before "steaming"? Because the vegetables are in the liquid, and the parsnips will discolour.
What do you get when...
...you mix a rinsed can of mixed beans, some pizza spice, salt & pepper, some vinegar and a dash of oil? A very easy lunch!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
A Christmas Auction
To help a family in need, please visit this auction to help a single mom this Christmas season.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
It's that time of year again...
When the kids come home from school and raid your pantry to give at school for the local food bank. When the boxes stand at the end of the check out at the grocery store, asking to be filled with non perishable items. When, depending where you live, there will be volunteers who come knocking on your door asking for food or monetary donations in support of the Christmas boxes given to those in need.
From experience, I can say that the families that receive your donations are grateful. It puts food on the table, and the children do not go to bed hungry tonight. If I may, I'd like to make some recommendations for donations.
Canned tomatoes and tomato juice rather than tomato soup. Much more versatile and more nutritionally sound, they are generally kept for those who are sickly, or who may have special dietary requirements. If you ever step into a food bank, you may well find a wall full of tomato soup, yet only a shelf or two of tomato juice and canned tomatoes.
Salt and pepper, herbs and spices. Can you imagine eating pasta cooked in unsalted water? Can you imagine the only seasoning you have on hand are the extra flavourings from Ramen noodles? Can you imagine meal after meal, unseasoned and bland?
Think of the families who have infants and could need diapers - of all sizes. Think of those families who canot go to the dentist, and may need a tooth brush. Imagine yourself, all of a sudden in need of one of these boxes from the food bank. What would you need in one of these boxes?
I know some of my readers occasionally use uncommon ingredients such as capers, or extravagant ingredients such as truffles. These are not what I am asking for. I am asking for those items that are staples in your pantry and in your home. I am asking for those items that would be missed if they were no longer available to you. I am asking for a little bit of creativity in your donations.
Please know that whatever you decide to give, your donations will be greatly appreciated by the family who will receive it. So do not be shy. The food drives have started. Give freely, joyfully and creatively. You never know who could be receiving your donation.
From experience, I can say that the families that receive your donations are grateful. It puts food on the table, and the children do not go to bed hungry tonight. If I may, I'd like to make some recommendations for donations.
Canned tomatoes and tomato juice rather than tomato soup. Much more versatile and more nutritionally sound, they are generally kept for those who are sickly, or who may have special dietary requirements. If you ever step into a food bank, you may well find a wall full of tomato soup, yet only a shelf or two of tomato juice and canned tomatoes.
Salt and pepper, herbs and spices. Can you imagine eating pasta cooked in unsalted water? Can you imagine the only seasoning you have on hand are the extra flavourings from Ramen noodles? Can you imagine meal after meal, unseasoned and bland?
Think of the families who have infants and could need diapers - of all sizes. Think of those families who canot go to the dentist, and may need a tooth brush. Imagine yourself, all of a sudden in need of one of these boxes from the food bank. What would you need in one of these boxes?
I know some of my readers occasionally use uncommon ingredients such as capers, or extravagant ingredients such as truffles. These are not what I am asking for. I am asking for those items that are staples in your pantry and in your home. I am asking for those items that would be missed if they were no longer available to you. I am asking for a little bit of creativity in your donations.
Please know that whatever you decide to give, your donations will be greatly appreciated by the family who will receive it. So do not be shy. The food drives have started. Give freely, joyfully and creatively. You never know who could be receiving your donation.
Don't know what to have for supper?
My mom has this fast and firm rule that works everytime...
Start peeling potatoes! :D
It's uncanny, but whenever I'm stumped about what to fix for supper, I follow this rule and start peeling potatoes. Within a few minutes I remember the frozen italian sausage in the freezer, and then the recipe just kind of floats out of the air and into my brain... Some caramelized onions, sliced up sausage, a bit of wine... hmmm. Some mashed potatoes with that. hmmm... Some shaved carrots? Yeah. Carrots with a bit of maple syrup (the real stuff please)...
And there you go. Before you're finished peeling potatoes, you have the entire meal planned out, where 5 minutes earlier you had no clue what could find it's way to the table for supper.
Start peeling potatoes! :D
It's uncanny, but whenever I'm stumped about what to fix for supper, I follow this rule and start peeling potatoes. Within a few minutes I remember the frozen italian sausage in the freezer, and then the recipe just kind of floats out of the air and into my brain... Some caramelized onions, sliced up sausage, a bit of wine... hmmm. Some mashed potatoes with that. hmmm... Some shaved carrots? Yeah. Carrots with a bit of maple syrup (the real stuff please)...
And there you go. Before you're finished peeling potatoes, you have the entire meal planned out, where 5 minutes earlier you had no clue what could find it's way to the table for supper.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Fresh homemade bread
There is nothing that beats fresh homemade bread. I have a recipe that is so versatile, you can make just about any dough based recipe. Foccacia? Yup. Baguette? Uh-hu. Pizza crust? Sure thing. Cinnamon buns? Most definately. Oh, and let's not forgette the regular loaves or rolls...
This recipe is so easy to make that it is almost a shame not to have fresh bread daily. So much so, that the recipe is named "Daily Bread". It is not my own recipe. Years ago it was posted on a free subscription based e-mail list named foodwine. I've searched the archives for the original post and I couldn't find it. To the original author - Thank you. My family has much enjoyed your recipe over these past many years.
Daily Bread
Yields 1 loaf/1 pizza
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water (112F)
2.5-3 cups of all purpose flour (depending on the humidity you may need more or less)
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vegetable oil (optional, though necessary for pizza dough)
In a bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, water and 1 cup of flour until you get a runny gloppy mess. Keep covered in a draft free place for a minimum for 15 minutes, or even better - overnight.
Once the yeast mixture has proofed, add the remaining amount of flour, the salt and the oil (if desired). Mix thouroughly, the dough should not be particularly sticky, it should be soft and have just a bit of give when pressed with a finger . If you are using a machine of some sort, kneed the dough for a few minutes. If making by hand, kneed the dough for about 5-10 minutes - it depends if you have the time to give a full kneed or not, as long as the dough has been worked a bit, then you'll be ok. Like I said it's a very forgiving dough. Place in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm and draft free place in your kitchen. You can leave it all day while you're at work, or overnight while you're sleeping for a fresh loaf first thing in the morning. Or again, you can make it as a traditional bread recipe and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size.
Once you and the dough are ready, shape in the form that you want... Pizza? Roll it out. Loaf? Roll it up into a log. Baguette? Snake it out. If making bread, let it rise another 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400F, and then bake your bread for 30 minutes.
Can you see why I so like this recipe? It works with me. I don't have to worry about having to watch the clock to make bread anymore. Is there anything better than a fresh slice of warm bread with a bit of butter with supper? Not in my books. :D
This recipe is so easy to make that it is almost a shame not to have fresh bread daily. So much so, that the recipe is named "Daily Bread". It is not my own recipe. Years ago it was posted on a free subscription based e-mail list named foodwine. I've searched the archives for the original post and I couldn't find it. To the original author - Thank you. My family has much enjoyed your recipe over these past many years.
Daily Bread
Yields 1 loaf/1 pizza
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water (112F)
2.5-3 cups of all purpose flour (depending on the humidity you may need more or less)
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vegetable oil (optional, though necessary for pizza dough)
In a bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, water and 1 cup of flour until you get a runny gloppy mess. Keep covered in a draft free place for a minimum for 15 minutes, or even better - overnight.
Once the yeast mixture has proofed, add the remaining amount of flour, the salt and the oil (if desired). Mix thouroughly, the dough should not be particularly sticky, it should be soft and have just a bit of give when pressed with a finger . If you are using a machine of some sort, kneed the dough for a few minutes. If making by hand, kneed the dough for about 5-10 minutes - it depends if you have the time to give a full kneed or not, as long as the dough has been worked a bit, then you'll be ok. Like I said it's a very forgiving dough. Place in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm and draft free place in your kitchen. You can leave it all day while you're at work, or overnight while you're sleeping for a fresh loaf first thing in the morning. Or again, you can make it as a traditional bread recipe and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size.
Once you and the dough are ready, shape in the form that you want... Pizza? Roll it out. Loaf? Roll it up into a log. Baguette? Snake it out. If making bread, let it rise another 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400F, and then bake your bread for 30 minutes.
Can you see why I so like this recipe? It works with me. I don't have to worry about having to watch the clock to make bread anymore. Is there anything better than a fresh slice of warm bread with a bit of butter with supper? Not in my books. :D
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