I was a phone hog as a teenager.
I spent hours on the phone planning where we were going and what we were going to do, but mostly just idly chattering.
But idle chatter or not, the thought of someone listening in would have made me shudder. I always kept my voice low so that my incessant yattering would be inaudible to prying ears. When my parents got call waiting (mostly due to their frustration with the inability to receive their own calls), I became a master of the phone juggle.
My son reminds me of a lot of myself, especially when he is simultaneously MSNing to at least 2 dozen friends while listening to his IPod and playing a video game to which he flips back when I pass by.
"POS" is what the kids type in to tip off other IM friends that there is a "parent over shoulder" and they should watch what they zing back and forth. The few times Jordan has let me sit in on a session, I was quite shocked.
Yes, I am sometimes shocked by the crassness of what is said in the anonymity of the Internet, but I am also shocked by the spelling or lack thereof. How are any members of this instant message generation ever going to learn how to spell correctly? And do they actually know who all these people really are? Am I just sounding old?
I hope I am just sounding like a concerned parent.
A few weeks back I was introduced to a program that allows you to be a permanent "POS".
OnlineFamily.Norton monitors where you kids are going on the computer and, depending on the parameters set, will notify you with an email.
Like most parents, I am concerned and sometimes worried about what my kids are doing on the net. With Norton you can set the amount of time they spend on line each week, who they talk to, and what information they're sharing with others.
Norton, and I, don't recommend that you set these parameters in a sneaky fashion but rather talk about it before downloading the free copy.
I certainly believe that open dialogue is key and that setting house rules as a family unit is paramount. Never once over the last two months that we have been operating with the system did my kids seem to mind.
Better yet, seeing what they Googled and the sites they visited gave me insight into some of the things that they were interested in.
For instance, I had no idea my daughter loved Chow Chows so much.
Who knew?
Download your free copy of OnlineFamily.Norton and see what you find out!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The secret to a perfect pie
There are times when I am completely blown away by a product. And unexpectedly, to boot.
Yes, it is June but I am hard at work on Christmas Dinner for our dear readers at Canadian Family Magazine (yes, we do work 6 months in advance). In an attempt to keep recipes simple for during that busy time of year, I decided to pick up the Pillsbury rolled pie crusts that caught my eye as I was scooting by the refrigerator section of the grocery store. They were for a recipe that was already getting unwieldy, so I thought this would be perfect. But I had pretty low expectations.
I must explain. I come from a long line of pie bakers. Buying a pre-made crust is just not in my genetic make-up. My mom’s pie is simply revered. Whenever she is asked over to anyone’s for dinner, they sneak in a request for a pie. She blushes, usually obliges and everyone raves.
But I believe the filling is the key to my mom’s premier pies. She spends most of the summer picking berries and stuffing her freezing with them for the sole purpose of pies. But my mom is busy with friends and her 15 grandchildren, so sometimes the crust doesn’t get the attention it desires. Maybe too much water or stretching it too thin to make two pies where one would have been perfect.
Which leads me to why I am so excited about how wonderful these pie crusts are.
They are dead simple to use, even for someone who has never made a pie. It is like some pastry god has already perfectly rolled the crust up onto your rolling pin and you simply unroll it into the pie plate and press gently in, fill and then top with the second pie crust. The pie I made is savoury so it is brushed with egg wash.
The pie looked promising out of the oven and as I cut into it, I honestly couldn’t believe the amazing shatter factor. You know that ultimate flake that comes from a well made crust when shatters on contact? This crust has it in spades. So although I would like to keep this little secret to myself, I just couldn’t. It is too good not to spread the word.
Maybe a call to mom is in order. It's not like she's going to read this: although she is a good pie maker, this new fangled Internet thing is something she finds too much work to figure out. She would rather make pie.
Yes, it is June but I am hard at work on Christmas Dinner for our dear readers at Canadian Family Magazine (yes, we do work 6 months in advance). In an attempt to keep recipes simple for during that busy time of year, I decided to pick up the Pillsbury rolled pie crusts that caught my eye as I was scooting by the refrigerator section of the grocery store. They were for a recipe that was already getting unwieldy, so I thought this would be perfect. But I had pretty low expectations.
I must explain. I come from a long line of pie bakers. Buying a pre-made crust is just not in my genetic make-up. My mom’s pie is simply revered. Whenever she is asked over to anyone’s for dinner, they sneak in a request for a pie. She blushes, usually obliges and everyone raves.
But I believe the filling is the key to my mom’s premier pies. She spends most of the summer picking berries and stuffing her freezing with them for the sole purpose of pies. But my mom is busy with friends and her 15 grandchildren, so sometimes the crust doesn’t get the attention it desires. Maybe too much water or stretching it too thin to make two pies where one would have been perfect.
Which leads me to why I am so excited about how wonderful these pie crusts are.
They are dead simple to use, even for someone who has never made a pie. It is like some pastry god has already perfectly rolled the crust up onto your rolling pin and you simply unroll it into the pie plate and press gently in, fill and then top with the second pie crust. The pie I made is savoury so it is brushed with egg wash.
The pie looked promising out of the oven and as I cut into it, I honestly couldn’t believe the amazing shatter factor. You know that ultimate flake that comes from a well made crust when shatters on contact? This crust has it in spades. So although I would like to keep this little secret to myself, I just couldn’t. It is too good not to spread the word.
Maybe a call to mom is in order. It's not like she's going to read this: although she is a good pie maker, this new fangled Internet thing is something she finds too much work to figure out. She would rather make pie.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Light my fire
Okay, now that I have you over here let me start by saying that there will be no salacious details shared with regards to DMD's martial relations and any attempts to increase the quality or quantity thereof...
So, now that that is out of the way...remember that little trip to Las Vegas that Rob and I took over the Easter weekend?
Well, the thing is, we needed that trip.
It wasn't perfect timing, falling as it did, just four weeks after the death of his mom and smack dab in the middle of trying to sell our house.
But after the difficulties of the last year or two, we needed an opportunity to reconnect and try and restart some of the passion and excitement that marked our earlier years together. Because while passion and excitement obviously waxes and wanes over the years, I think it's also what gets you through the rough spots.
So, when Eden Fantasys offered me an opportunity to test drive one of its adults-only Romantic Gift Sets I jumped at the chance to take one along to Vegas in hopes that it would be a fun way to re-light our...ahem...spark.
And it was.
But not so much because of the actual contents of the kit. Most of what it contained isn't exactly stuff I would want to spend money on: the candles were meh, the rose petals were hokey, the champagne glasses (one had broken in transit) were plastic and cheap and the massage oil was, well, typical massage oil - kinda fun but also kinda smelly and really messy.
But using the kit was fun because it made us laugh a little and it made us make an effort and really - no matter what kind of sundry devices and toys you manage to whip out - most of the time a few laughs and a bit of effort are all an otherwise loving couple really needs to reconnect.
Though a hot heart doesn't hurt!
What's a hot heart, you ask?
This, my friends, is a hot heart.
While I know that picture doesn't exactly inspire lustful thoughts, the hot heart was included in our package and it was really cool and I actually, kinda, sorta, fell a little bit in love with it!
It is a soft, plastic heart-shaped massager filled with gooey stuff that heats up in a most delightful fashion when you rub it on the body.
The hot heart, my friends, is hawt.
And also apparently reusable. Although we have yet to break it out again since our return from Vegas, just the prospect of one day getting another massage from the hawt, hot heart has a tendency to make this diva feel a whole lot more loving in general.
And that's all I'm gonna say about that.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Taste of Thailand pad Thai
Pad Thai is my ultimate fast, (mostly) pantry food. Rice noodles, fish sauce, lime and ketchup. Yep, I like my pad Thai with ketchup.
Over at Canadian Family we were sent a Red Velvet Cake from Heinz to try out. Verdict: Delicious. Believe me, there is no shame in ketchup. You can also link through to other recipes in which I have unabashedly used ketchup with great results.
Although some pad Thai experts like Pim decry the use of ketchup here, I stand firm. And even though I met Pim at the IACP conference last year in New Orleans and loved her, I also firmly believe that if you are going to get others to cook along with you, one unique ingredient per recipe should be it. In pad Thai’s case, this would be the fish sauce.
Fish sauce is a popular Southeast Asian ingredient made from salted and fermented fish or anchovies. If you are not familiar with this ingredient you are probably having a little bit of a gag reaction at the thought. Do not let that stop you from actually buying some and making this recipe. It is essential.
Fish sauce is usually found along with the soy sauce in what some mainstream grocery stores ubiquitously call the International Aisle. The problem is they may only carry one particular brand. I suggest that you try to hit an Asian grocery store that will have some variety.
My favourite brand is Three Crabs that is made from anchovies (no crabs here although there are three on the label). Being Vietnamese, it is called nuoc mam, whereas fish sauce from Thailand is nam pla. My main advice is this: buy the more expensive brand because it is worth it. I pay about $5 for a large bottle, steering clear of the $1.99 specials. You can taste the difference.
The rest of the ingredients can be found in most grocery stores. The thin rice stick noodles are the noodles used in pad Thai. They come in 500-gram packages. I prefer them to the thicker noodle, but it is up to you. A full package will feed about 8 people. Soak the noodles you need in warm water for about a half hour before using.
Make the sauce in advance with the ratio of one part ketchup, one part fish sauce, one part sugar and one part lime juice. Mix together until sugar has dissolved. Add some chilli flakes or chilli oil to your taste. You need about 1/3 cup of sauce per portion of noodles so if you are making a big batch using the full package of noodles make about 2 generous cups sauce.
Mince three cloves of garlic, dice 250 grams firm tofu (1/2 pkg) whisk two eggs together, rinse 3 to 4 cups bean sprouts then chop the 4 green onions, 1/2 bunch cilantro and 1/4 cup roasted peanuts.
The key to success here is to do the pad Thai in batches. Have all your ingredients ready sitting on the counter next to you. Do one or two servings at a time. Heat a large wok with some oil. Cook a bit of garlic and tofu until fragrant and lightly coloured add a big handful of drained noodles and toss around. Add a bit of whisked egg and toss to coat the noodles. Add 1/3 cup fish sauce mix and toss around then add a handful of bean sprouts and green onion.
If your noodles are not soft enough, add a splash of water, and oil as well if stuff starts to stick. You are doing a noodle stir fry so you have to keep stuff moving or else the noodles will ball up and be awful (hence the reason to do small batches).
I like to add cilantro and peanuts right at the end. Serve with a slice of lime and pass the chilli oil for people to spice it up if they want to.
Although I could just eat pad Thai, I usually pair it with a protein and vegetables or salad. Sort of maintaining the zone philosophy of a one third each of carbs, protein and veg. I find even if you have the protein within the pad Thai, I eat way too many noodles on my way to the protein, but it is up to you. If you want to combine the noodles with shrimp or chicken, add them when you first start with the garlic and hit them with a bit of sauce.
I roasted some salmon that I doused with lime, garlic, salt and pepper. At 425F, it took about the same time as a batch of pad Thai.
Although my husband pairs mayonnaise with his salmon (and just about everything), I draw the line at additional condiments with mine, not even ketchup.
Over at Canadian Family we were sent a Red Velvet Cake from Heinz to try out. Verdict: Delicious. Believe me, there is no shame in ketchup. You can also link through to other recipes in which I have unabashedly used ketchup with great results.
Although some pad Thai experts like Pim decry the use of ketchup here, I stand firm. And even though I met Pim at the IACP conference last year in New Orleans and loved her, I also firmly believe that if you are going to get others to cook along with you, one unique ingredient per recipe should be it. In pad Thai’s case, this would be the fish sauce.
Fish sauce is a popular Southeast Asian ingredient made from salted and fermented fish or anchovies. If you are not familiar with this ingredient you are probably having a little bit of a gag reaction at the thought. Do not let that stop you from actually buying some and making this recipe. It is essential.
Fish sauce is usually found along with the soy sauce in what some mainstream grocery stores ubiquitously call the International Aisle. The problem is they may only carry one particular brand. I suggest that you try to hit an Asian grocery store that will have some variety.
My favourite brand is Three Crabs that is made from anchovies (no crabs here although there are three on the label). Being Vietnamese, it is called nuoc mam, whereas fish sauce from Thailand is nam pla. My main advice is this: buy the more expensive brand because it is worth it. I pay about $5 for a large bottle, steering clear of the $1.99 specials. You can taste the difference.
The rest of the ingredients can be found in most grocery stores. The thin rice stick noodles are the noodles used in pad Thai. They come in 500-gram packages. I prefer them to the thicker noodle, but it is up to you. A full package will feed about 8 people. Soak the noodles you need in warm water for about a half hour before using.
Make the sauce in advance with the ratio of one part ketchup, one part fish sauce, one part sugar and one part lime juice. Mix together until sugar has dissolved. Add some chilli flakes or chilli oil to your taste. You need about 1/3 cup of sauce per portion of noodles so if you are making a big batch using the full package of noodles make about 2 generous cups sauce.
Mince three cloves of garlic, dice 250 grams firm tofu (1/2 pkg) whisk two eggs together, rinse 3 to 4 cups bean sprouts then chop the 4 green onions, 1/2 bunch cilantro and 1/4 cup roasted peanuts.
The key to success here is to do the pad Thai in batches. Have all your ingredients ready sitting on the counter next to you. Do one or two servings at a time. Heat a large wok with some oil. Cook a bit of garlic and tofu until fragrant and lightly coloured add a big handful of drained noodles and toss around. Add a bit of whisked egg and toss to coat the noodles. Add 1/3 cup fish sauce mix and toss around then add a handful of bean sprouts and green onion.
If your noodles are not soft enough, add a splash of water, and oil as well if stuff starts to stick. You are doing a noodle stir fry so you have to keep stuff moving or else the noodles will ball up and be awful (hence the reason to do small batches).
I like to add cilantro and peanuts right at the end. Serve with a slice of lime and pass the chilli oil for people to spice it up if they want to.
Although I could just eat pad Thai, I usually pair it with a protein and vegetables or salad. Sort of maintaining the zone philosophy of a one third each of carbs, protein and veg. I find even if you have the protein within the pad Thai, I eat way too many noodles on my way to the protein, but it is up to you. If you want to combine the noodles with shrimp or chicken, add them when you first start with the garlic and hit them with a bit of sauce.
I roasted some salmon that I doused with lime, garlic, salt and pepper. At 425F, it took about the same time as a batch of pad Thai.
Although my husband pairs mayonnaise with his salmon (and just about everything), I draw the line at additional condiments with mine, not even ketchup.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Well Hello Spring Pasta
I love this time of year.
I eagerly wait for the first fresh, seasonal food to grow. It begs creativity. I feel myself become more invigorated as the days warm and feel full of vibrant life.
Although my Diva sister-in-law is very much a city girl, her Dad taught her a few tricks growing up in a small town and one of them is foraging.
I am in awe. The last time I went foraging went something like this:
I returned from a walk in the woods around our cottage and spread the mushrooms out for final inspection. A call was placed to the Don Mills Diva's father; a forager, fisherman and all-around good guy. He advised me to stay away from mushrooms exhibiting colour and slime. He concurred I had a puffball on my hands after I sliced it in half to make sure it was solid. He was baffled by the oyster mushroom discovery, claiming he had never found any and couldn’t help.
He ended the call by saying he was really busy the following week and would not be able to fit in any funerals.
ECK! Did I dare?
I only dared once and was scared silly that I had poisoned my family for the next 48 hours: no, I am not a confident forager.
Having been trained by one of the best, the Diva hasn’t these fears. In around Kelly’s hometown there are a few spots teeming with a bounty of ramps (wild leeks) and morels (wild mushrooms) which she confidently identifies and, I assume, forces Rob to dig up. (editor's note: you assumed right, sister)
A weekend visit up to her parents' house a few weeks back yielded me the happy recipient of two unassuming grocery store bags heavy with their finds.
This recipe combines the holy trinity of spring: fiddleheads, morels and ramps. The fresh cheese I buy is found in a container and seems to tie everything together. If you are at the St Lawrence Farmers Market in Toronto, ask Monteforte’s Ruth Klassen if she has any fresh cheese. If she does buy it- it is outstanding and would be perfect here.
And hey, if you don’t have a foraging Diva in your life, you can pick up fiddleheads, ramps and morels at farmers markets as well. Just do it soon, the season is short.
Well Hello Spring Pasta
with Fiddleheads, Morels, Ramps, Tomatoes and Fresh Cheese
1. Clean fiddleheads and ramps. Chop ramps in half then roughly chop stem ends. Cut the leaves in thin slices. Sauté in butter a handful of cleaned, chopped morels, fiddleheads and chopped ramps ends.
2. Add 8 oz of spaghetti to a large saucepan of salted boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain reserving ¼ cup of pasta water.
3. Toss pasta with 8 oz fresh cheese cut or torn into bite sized chunks, 2 pints (about 2 1/2 cups) roughly chopped assorted tomatoes* and cut ramp leaves. Toss in sautéed stuff.
4. Drizzle is 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and reserved water if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
5. Serve immediately with a simple tossed salad on the side.
Makes 6 servings.
Cook's Tips
*Having a variety of tomatoes in this pasta adds extra visual interest. A combination of yellow, red and orange cherry tomatoes cut in quarters is a favourite. Tear drop and heirloom tomatoes are worth the work to find when they are in season.
I eagerly wait for the first fresh, seasonal food to grow. It begs creativity. I feel myself become more invigorated as the days warm and feel full of vibrant life.
Although my Diva sister-in-law is very much a city girl, her Dad taught her a few tricks growing up in a small town and one of them is foraging.
I am in awe. The last time I went foraging went something like this:
I returned from a walk in the woods around our cottage and spread the mushrooms out for final inspection. A call was placed to the Don Mills Diva's father; a forager, fisherman and all-around good guy. He advised me to stay away from mushrooms exhibiting colour and slime. He concurred I had a puffball on my hands after I sliced it in half to make sure it was solid. He was baffled by the oyster mushroom discovery, claiming he had never found any and couldn’t help.
He ended the call by saying he was really busy the following week and would not be able to fit in any funerals.
ECK! Did I dare?
I only dared once and was scared silly that I had poisoned my family for the next 48 hours: no, I am not a confident forager.
Having been trained by one of the best, the Diva hasn’t these fears. In around Kelly’s hometown there are a few spots teeming with a bounty of ramps (wild leeks) and morels (wild mushrooms) which she confidently identifies and, I assume, forces Rob to dig up. (editor's note: you assumed right, sister)
A weekend visit up to her parents' house a few weeks back yielded me the happy recipient of two unassuming grocery store bags heavy with their finds.
This recipe combines the holy trinity of spring: fiddleheads, morels and ramps. The fresh cheese I buy is found in a container and seems to tie everything together. If you are at the St Lawrence Farmers Market in Toronto, ask Monteforte’s Ruth Klassen if she has any fresh cheese. If she does buy it- it is outstanding and would be perfect here.
And hey, if you don’t have a foraging Diva in your life, you can pick up fiddleheads, ramps and morels at farmers markets as well. Just do it soon, the season is short.
Well Hello Spring Pasta
with Fiddleheads, Morels, Ramps, Tomatoes and Fresh Cheese
1. Clean fiddleheads and ramps. Chop ramps in half then roughly chop stem ends. Cut the leaves in thin slices. Sauté in butter a handful of cleaned, chopped morels, fiddleheads and chopped ramps ends.
2. Add 8 oz of spaghetti to a large saucepan of salted boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain reserving ¼ cup of pasta water.
3. Toss pasta with 8 oz fresh cheese cut or torn into bite sized chunks, 2 pints (about 2 1/2 cups) roughly chopped assorted tomatoes* and cut ramp leaves. Toss in sautéed stuff.
4. Drizzle is 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and reserved water if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
5. Serve immediately with a simple tossed salad on the side.
Makes 6 servings.
Cook's Tips
*Having a variety of tomatoes in this pasta adds extra visual interest. A combination of yellow, red and orange cherry tomatoes cut in quarters is a favourite. Tear drop and heirloom tomatoes are worth the work to find when they are in season.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Green Eggs for Dinner
Just when I thought I was at wit's end making dinner at the end of the day...Voila!
I came up with what I think is a brilliant idea.
Okay, so I am not the first in the world to make a frittata, but I thought I would share this. Sorry about the bad picture, but it is really so yummy. It is also dead simple and quantities can be adjusted to suit the number of eaters.
And the best thing? Most ingredients are ones you have on hand, or at least will once you make this killer Chimichurri sauce that I first made for this May’s Canadian Family issue. Check it out at www.canadianfamily.ca This recipe combines Argentinean style sauce with a Spanish tapas favourite which is why this recipe is called…..
Spanentinean Frittata For Two
1 medium sized peeled Yukon gold potato
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 eggs
2 tbsp chimichurri sauce
salt & pepper
olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Slice potato thinly. Transfer to bowl; cover with plastic wrap and microwave 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.
3. Uncover potatoes and whisk in onion, eggs and chimichurri sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a splash of olive oil 8-inch over proof fry pan over medium high heat. Pour in egg mixture.
5. Transfer to oven and bake 15 minute or until eggs are set in middle. For easy clean up, serve right from the pan.
If you have more eaters, double recipe and increase pan size to 12 inches and baking time to 20 minutes.
Enjoy frittata with a salad and feel really healthy eating your greens.
My favourite Green Sauce otherwise known as Chimichurri
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 medium shallot, peeled
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup parsley leaves, packed
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, packed
1/4 cup mint leaves, packed
1-2 tbsp chicken stock, water or olive oil, if needed to thin
1. Combine oil, vinegar, juice, garlic, salt and pepper in blender; blend until almost smooth.
2. Divide the herbs into thirds; blend one third until incorporated. Add remaining herbs in 2 more additions, pureeing until almost smooth after each addition. Thin out if needed with chicken stock or water. Chimichurri can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
I came up with what I think is a brilliant idea.
Okay, so I am not the first in the world to make a frittata, but I thought I would share this. Sorry about the bad picture, but it is really so yummy. It is also dead simple and quantities can be adjusted to suit the number of eaters.
And the best thing? Most ingredients are ones you have on hand, or at least will once you make this killer Chimichurri sauce that I first made for this May’s Canadian Family issue. Check it out at www.canadianfamily.ca This recipe combines Argentinean style sauce with a Spanish tapas favourite which is why this recipe is called…..
Spanentinean Frittata For Two
1 medium sized peeled Yukon gold potato
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 eggs
2 tbsp chimichurri sauce
salt & pepper
olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Slice potato thinly. Transfer to bowl; cover with plastic wrap and microwave 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.
3. Uncover potatoes and whisk in onion, eggs and chimichurri sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a splash of olive oil 8-inch over proof fry pan over medium high heat. Pour in egg mixture.
5. Transfer to oven and bake 15 minute or until eggs are set in middle. For easy clean up, serve right from the pan.
If you have more eaters, double recipe and increase pan size to 12 inches and baking time to 20 minutes.
Enjoy frittata with a salad and feel really healthy eating your greens.
My favourite Green Sauce otherwise known as Chimichurri
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 medium shallot, peeled
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup parsley leaves, packed
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, packed
1/4 cup mint leaves, packed
1-2 tbsp chicken stock, water or olive oil, if needed to thin
1. Combine oil, vinegar, juice, garlic, salt and pepper in blender; blend until almost smooth.
2. Divide the herbs into thirds; blend one third until incorporated. Add remaining herbs in 2 more additions, pureeing until almost smooth after each addition. Thin out if needed with chicken stock or water. Chimichurri can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Salt snob
I admit it: I’m a salt snob.
I look with disdain at the ordinary salt shaker gracing most restaurant tables. It may as well be road salt given its full-on assault on the senses.
I checked my cupboard recently and counted eight different types of salt. Here is the low down on each of them.
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.
This is our everyday salt. Its lovely pinchable flakes and subtle flavour makes it a hands-down winner. At about $5 for a large box, it's also a bargain! Check out my Canadian Family recipe for chicken baked in a salt crust and give it a try because the chicken is so moist and tender.
Fleur de Sel
Fleur De Sel de Guérande is known as “the caviar of salts” and is acclaimed by many chefs as the best of all sea salts. The delicate flavour and moist texture make this the ideal finishing salt.
Salish Himalayan de Guérande
Himalayan Pink Salt is harvested from ancient sea salt deposits deep in the Himalayan Mountains. Gives lasting minerally (in a good way) flavour. We love it on popcorn!
Salish Sea Salt
Salish Sea salt is cold-smoked over red alderwood for 24 hours. Salish gives food a delicious essence of smoke flavour. Try on salmon, red meat or baked potatoes.
Oak Smoked Fleur de Sel
Oak smoked fleur de Sel is cold-smoked over oak wine barrels that have been used for years to age fine Chardonnay wine. Use as a finishing salt on salads, veggies, meat...almost any dish on which you want a smoky kicker.
Hawaiian Sea Salt
Hawaiian Sea Salt is the traditional salt used in Hawaii to season and preserve. It contains purified Alae clay which is high in minerals and gives the salt a mild taste. Try mixing the coarse salt with herbs and use as a spice rub; it seals in the natural moisture of meats.
Cyprus Mediterranean Salt
Cyprus Mediterranean Flake Salt is a unique pyramid shaped crystal. The texture and mild taste make this a versatile salt for use in cooking, baking and garnishing.
New Zealand Organic Sea Salt
New Zealand Organic Sea Salt is harvested from the deep, clear waters of New Zealand's North and South Islands. Our second choice for everyday salt.
Salt is the single most effective way to enhance the flavour of virtually everything you eat. Sprinkle one of the finishing salts on a favourite dish and it should add some new flavour or texture. Think of it as inexpensive indulgence to spice up your life.
Go ahead, toss the traditional salt shaker and be a salt snob.
I look with disdain at the ordinary salt shaker gracing most restaurant tables. It may as well be road salt given its full-on assault on the senses.
I checked my cupboard recently and counted eight different types of salt. Here is the low down on each of them.
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.
This is our everyday salt. Its lovely pinchable flakes and subtle flavour makes it a hands-down winner. At about $5 for a large box, it's also a bargain! Check out my Canadian Family recipe for chicken baked in a salt crust and give it a try because the chicken is so moist and tender.
Fleur de Sel
Fleur De Sel de Guérande is known as “the caviar of salts” and is acclaimed by many chefs as the best of all sea salts. The delicate flavour and moist texture make this the ideal finishing salt.
Salish Himalayan de Guérande
Himalayan Pink Salt is harvested from ancient sea salt deposits deep in the Himalayan Mountains. Gives lasting minerally (in a good way) flavour. We love it on popcorn!
Salish Sea Salt
Salish Sea salt is cold-smoked over red alderwood for 24 hours. Salish gives food a delicious essence of smoke flavour. Try on salmon, red meat or baked potatoes.
Oak Smoked Fleur de Sel
Oak smoked fleur de Sel is cold-smoked over oak wine barrels that have been used for years to age fine Chardonnay wine. Use as a finishing salt on salads, veggies, meat...almost any dish on which you want a smoky kicker.
Hawaiian Sea Salt
Hawaiian Sea Salt is the traditional salt used in Hawaii to season and preserve. It contains purified Alae clay which is high in minerals and gives the salt a mild taste. Try mixing the coarse salt with herbs and use as a spice rub; it seals in the natural moisture of meats.
Cyprus Mediterranean Salt
Cyprus Mediterranean Flake Salt is a unique pyramid shaped crystal. The texture and mild taste make this a versatile salt for use in cooking, baking and garnishing.
New Zealand Organic Sea Salt
New Zealand Organic Sea Salt is harvested from the deep, clear waters of New Zealand's North and South Islands. Our second choice for everyday salt.
Salt is the single most effective way to enhance the flavour of virtually everything you eat. Sprinkle one of the finishing salts on a favourite dish and it should add some new flavour or texture. Think of it as inexpensive indulgence to spice up your life.
Go ahead, toss the traditional salt shaker and be a salt snob.
Monday, April 20, 2009
What's missing in Cuba
We just got back from a week of basking in Cuban sun.
I went to Cuba once before with my good friend Andrea for spring break my last year of high school only a few short years ago (I wish) and I swore I would never go back.
It wasn’t a political statement and it wasn't because of the company or the lack of great beaches.
It was the food.
Even with my unsophisticated teen-aged palate, I had never tasted such bland food. I think Andrea and I pretty much survived on plantain chips at the bar and cashews we brought from home. Even the food on the plane trip home tasted like a gourmet feast.
This time around our family was in search of an inexpensive beach holiday on which we could re-connect and relax together. Cuba seemed to match all of our criteria, but could we survive a week on chips and nuts?
It turns out that not only was the beach was glorious and the company wonderful; some of the meals were downright spectacular.
Aboard a catamaran on a snorkeling trip to Playa Bonita, we had one of the best lunches of the week. Fresh fish, seafood and this killer paella was spread out before us in a rustic, open air building in the middle of an uninhabited beach.
I went to Cuba once before with my good friend Andrea for spring break my last year of high school only a few short years ago (I wish) and I swore I would never go back.
It wasn’t a political statement and it wasn't because of the company or the lack of great beaches.
It was the food.
Even with my unsophisticated teen-aged palate, I had never tasted such bland food. I think Andrea and I pretty much survived on plantain chips at the bar and cashews we brought from home. Even the food on the plane trip home tasted like a gourmet feast.
This time around our family was in search of an inexpensive beach holiday on which we could re-connect and relax together. Cuba seemed to match all of our criteria, but could we survive a week on chips and nuts?
It turns out that not only was the beach was glorious and the company wonderful; some of the meals were downright spectacular.
Aboard a catamaran on a snorkeling trip to Playa Bonita, we had one of the best lunches of the week. Fresh fish, seafood and this killer paella was spread out before us in a rustic, open air building in the middle of an uninhabited beach.
My lack of Spanish prevented me from getting the actual recipe from the lone gentleman who whipped up the feast, but this easy version I made once we were home, was very close.
Playa Bonita Paella
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lb chorizo sausage, cut into small slices
1 large onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz size)
2 cups short grain rice
1 lb small clams in their shell
1/2 lb squid cut into thin slices
1 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves
1. Heat olive oil in a very large saucepan. Sauté the chorizo sausage. Remove from pan and reserve.
2. Add onions, peppers and garlic to pan and sauté until soft.
3. Pour in stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the rice and reduce temperature to medium low. Stir in chorizo and simmer on the stove for 20 minutes.
4. Add clams, squid, shrimp and peas. Cover and cook another 10 minutes or until clams have opened and squid and shrimp are cooked.
5. Stir in parsley, taste and season with salt and pepper before serving.
Now if only I could find a way to recreate this at home...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Opa makes dinner
One of my kids' favourite meals that Oma used to make was chicken goulash. It was made in a typical European way, except Henny made it with a far greater portion of sauce than I think was usual. She did this so the kids could mix the whole thing into the mashed potatoes that she always served with the goulash. They loved it.
Karl surprised us last night when he came over for dinner. He brought with him a somewhat streamlined version of Oma’s goulash and...Opa had one more surprise: spatzle. I love spatzle and think it is perfect with goulash so I offered up my spatzle maker...
Opa was not impressed: he scoffed and said something that indicated he believed my spatzle maker to be a pile of *#%@ and proceeded to make us hand-thrown spatzle. He used a soup spoon, dipped it in cold water to prevent the spatzle from sticking to it, scooped up some dough and dropped the balls into the boiling water.
After dinner I asked him for the recipe. He again scoffed and said it was simple. When I pressed for measurements, he was even more vague. I figure he is either plagued by bad memory or is keeping his spatzle recipe a closely-guarded secret. So here is my version of Opa's spatzle.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Stir together the flour and salt. Combine eggs and milk; stir into the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the spatzle maker and slide the cutting tool back and forth over a large pot (with a diameter of at least 20 cm or 8 inches) of boiling, salted water.
Take care to let the extruded pieces of dough fall into the slightly bubbling water and let them cook for approximately 2-3 minutes. Generally, spatzle swimming on the surface are sufficiently cooked and may be gathered with a large slotted spoon, drained and placed into a serving dish. Karl’s larger spatzle took about 8 minutes to cook.
Oma’s Chicken Goulash
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
3 tbsp flour (she used potato flour to make this gluten free)
1 1/3 cups chicken stock or more if needed
1/4 cup tomato paste
Cut chicken into 3/4-inch chunks. In Dutch oven, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; fry chicken, in batches, until browned outside and no longer pink inside, about 4 minutes. Remove to bowl.
Add remaining oil to pan. Add onion, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in stock and tomato paste; cook, stirring often, until thickened enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Stir until heated through.
Serve with mashed potatoes or spatzle.
Karl surprised us last night when he came over for dinner. He brought with him a somewhat streamlined version of Oma’s goulash and...Opa had one more surprise: spatzle. I love spatzle and think it is perfect with goulash so I offered up my spatzle maker...
Opa was not impressed: he scoffed and said something that indicated he believed my spatzle maker to be a pile of *#%@ and proceeded to make us hand-thrown spatzle. He used a soup spoon, dipped it in cold water to prevent the spatzle from sticking to it, scooped up some dough and dropped the balls into the boiling water.After dinner I asked him for the recipe. He again scoffed and said it was simple. When I pressed for measurements, he was even more vague. I figure he is either plagued by bad memory or is keeping his spatzle recipe a closely-guarded secret. So here is my version of Opa's spatzle.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Stir together the flour and salt. Combine eggs and milk; stir into the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the spatzle maker and slide the cutting tool back and forth over a large pot (with a diameter of at least 20 cm or 8 inches) of boiling, salted water.
Take care to let the extruded pieces of dough fall into the slightly bubbling water and let them cook for approximately 2-3 minutes. Generally, spatzle swimming on the surface are sufficiently cooked and may be gathered with a large slotted spoon, drained and placed into a serving dish. Karl’s larger spatzle took about 8 minutes to cook.
Oma’s Chicken Goulash
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
3 tbsp flour (she used potato flour to make this gluten free)
1 1/3 cups chicken stock or more if needed
1/4 cup tomato paste
Cut chicken into 3/4-inch chunks. In Dutch oven, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; fry chicken, in batches, until browned outside and no longer pink inside, about 4 minutes. Remove to bowl.
Add remaining oil to pan. Add onion, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in stock and tomato paste; cook, stirring often, until thickened enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Stir until heated through.
Serve with mashed potatoes or spatzle.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Miss Congeniality Cabbage Soup
There is a slight problem with the recipe that I am about to share: it is not good looking.
Being part of a very visual profession, I know that the quickest way to get a recipe killed is for it to look bad. A few years ago we were doing slow cooker food for a story for Wish Magazine. The chicken tagine tasted fabulous, was easy to prepare and featured ingredients most people have on hand. In other words, a perfect recipe for busy Wish readers. Its fatal flaw was that it wasn’t fashion-model-fabulous looking.
Chicken tagine never graced the pages of the magazine.
So with that in mind, I beg you to make this recipe. It has all the hallmarks of a recipe to suit 2009; it is cheap, easy and good for you. It is dead simple to make and I really must give credit to Grant Van Gameren, chef/co-owner at The Black Hoof. This is a man with a real affection for turning nothing into something really quite fabulous. He serves cabbage soup with bone marrow which is really fabulous.
He also writes a blog called Charcuterie Sundays that you should check out if you want insight into how an innovative chef thinks. He has a general description of how to make cabbage soup and I mostly followed it, but then couldn’t resist cooking up some bacon, chopping it fine and adding it at the end. A few crisp, crumbled bacon pieces would have been a nice garnish but my daughter ate them before I could stop her. I sprinkled nutmeg on it instead which is exactly what Grant does.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium head of green cabbage, cored and finely sliced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
10 whole cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups white wine
water
4 slices cooked crisp bacon
butter
nutmeg
1. Sauté cabbage, onion, garlic, salt and sugar over medium low heat until cabbage is limp and translucent, about 15 minutes. Reduce temperature if it starts to brown.
2. Increase temperature and deglaze with wine. Add enough water to cover cabbage. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce temperature to maintain a good simmer.
3. Continue to simmer at least four hours. Yes: this is slow cooking stove-top style.
4. Add 3 pieces of chopped bacon. Puree soup with immersion blender. Add a few tablespoons of butter to ramp up silkiness.
5. Serve top a few crumbled pieces of bacon and a sprinkle of nutmeg
Being part of a very visual profession, I know that the quickest way to get a recipe killed is for it to look bad. A few years ago we were doing slow cooker food for a story for Wish Magazine. The chicken tagine tasted fabulous, was easy to prepare and featured ingredients most people have on hand. In other words, a perfect recipe for busy Wish readers. Its fatal flaw was that it wasn’t fashion-model-fabulous looking.
Chicken tagine never graced the pages of the magazine.
So with that in mind, I beg you to make this recipe. It has all the hallmarks of a recipe to suit 2009; it is cheap, easy and good for you. It is dead simple to make and I really must give credit to Grant Van Gameren, chef/co-owner at The Black Hoof. This is a man with a real affection for turning nothing into something really quite fabulous. He serves cabbage soup with bone marrow which is really fabulous.
He also writes a blog called Charcuterie Sundays that you should check out if you want insight into how an innovative chef thinks. He has a general description of how to make cabbage soup and I mostly followed it, but then couldn’t resist cooking up some bacon, chopping it fine and adding it at the end. A few crisp, crumbled bacon pieces would have been a nice garnish but my daughter ate them before I could stop her. I sprinkled nutmeg on it instead which is exactly what Grant does.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium head of green cabbage, cored and finely sliced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
10 whole cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups white wine
water
4 slices cooked crisp bacon
butter
nutmeg
1. Sauté cabbage, onion, garlic, salt and sugar over medium low heat until cabbage is limp and translucent, about 15 minutes. Reduce temperature if it starts to brown.
2. Increase temperature and deglaze with wine. Add enough water to cover cabbage. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce temperature to maintain a good simmer.
3. Continue to simmer at least four hours. Yes: this is slow cooking stove-top style.
4. Add 3 pieces of chopped bacon. Puree soup with immersion blender. Add a few tablespoons of butter to ramp up silkiness.
5. Serve top a few crumbled pieces of bacon and a sprinkle of nutmeg
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Diva's favorite new beauty products
It's not secret that my physical appearance hasn't exactly been a priority lately.
I have a mother-in-law who is ill, a husband who is working 70 hours a week, a demanding full-time job and a preschooler who is attempting to perfect his tantrum by way of constant practice: I need all the help I can get.
Luckily I've received a few products for review to help ensure that I appear a little more polished on the outside than I feel on the inside.
Check out this little beauty...
If you're interested in trying this mascara visit www.beautytubes.ca and enter the special code FZCU for a $5 discount.
My last find is a lusciously delicious skin shielding lotion and sunblock from Skin MD Natural. It's one in a new line of products that, rather than penetrate, help turn the top layer of skin into a protective shield. From their web site: "Shielding lotion is a lotion that forms a protective barrier on the skin and keeps out irritants and chemicals. It also allows the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin."
I have a mother-in-law who is ill, a husband who is working 70 hours a week, a demanding full-time job and a preschooler who is attempting to perfect his tantrum by way of constant practice: I need all the help I can get.
Luckily I've received a few products for review to help ensure that I appear a little more polished on the outside than I feel on the inside.
Check out this little beauty...
This, my friends, is the Cadillac of toothbrushes, the Oral B Triumph. (Insert heavenly choir here).
This kind of cleaning doesn't come cheap (it retails for $120 plus) and I'm not sure that my Irish peasant stock would have allowed me to splurge had I not been sent one to review, but OH MY LORD now that I have it I am addicted to it. I had never even used an electric toothbrush before and I can't believe the difference. My teeth are noticeably whiter and my mouth just feels sooo much cleaner.
If this kind of brush isn't in your budget, you might want to consider asking for one for a birthday or Christmas gift: I know once this one breaks down (hopefully many years from now!) I'll be finding a way to get my hands on another. After all, once you've ridden in a Cadillac the view from a Kia just doesn't cut it.
Another favorite find is a fancy new product from L'Oreal - Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara. It's double-barreled: you brush on lash conditioner and thickener from one end and the actual mascara from the other. Given that I generally fly out the door within 30 minutes of waking, at first I wasn't sure I wanted to take the extra time to apply two distinct coats but it leaves my lashes so long and thick I don't mind. I can actually create a small breeze when I batt them. And the best part? It comes off really easy with just water.If you're interested in trying this mascara visit www.beautytubes.ca and enter the special code FZCU for a $5 discount.
My last find is a lusciously delicious skin shielding lotion and sunblock from Skin MD Natural. It's one in a new line of products that, rather than penetrate, help turn the top layer of skin into a protective shield. From their web site: "Shielding lotion is a lotion that forms a protective barrier on the skin and keeps out irritants and chemicals. It also allows the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin."
I used it as a moisturizer/ sunblock on our recent trip to Key West and I was really pleased with it. It's not greasy at all and you only need a tiny bit to make your skin feel soft and plump: very nice and definitely something I would use again.
Now if only someone could invent a product that would keep an obstinate three-year-old from screaming throughout his supposed nap time, thereby preventing his mom from catching up on her much needed beauty sleep.Anyone, anyone...?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Spring chicken
Oh, thoughts of spring spilled out onto our dinner plates a few nights ago!
Bright green and golden yellow shone brightly at we sat down to enjoy what could have been a boring chicken dinner. Boneless, skinless breasts of chicken are not my favourite piece of meat. I find them rather tasteless and often dry.
But they are convenient, which is why chicken breast recipes are popular with the readers of Canadian Family Magazine. In fact, they are far more popular than any other recipes we post. So I am currently working on developing chicken recipes. Here is one variation that riffs on an Argentinean style of beef served with their signature “green” sauce.
Just a few notes about ingredients you may not be familiar with:
Smoked Sweet Paprika adds a smoky, sweet essence and some fantastic colour to the chicken. If you are in Toronto, Pasquale Bros. has a few varieties in stock or go to Anna Olsen’s website www.olsonfoodsandbakery.com and buy online. This is a must stock spice; paprika with real flavour. Buy and try.
Ancho chile powder is made from dried poblano chiles. I like it because it is not too hot but packs a nuanced balance like a great red wine. I think, combined with the smoke paprika, they are a perfect duo.
The bright yellow beets were roasted unpeeled until tender with their green tops trimmed leaving a one-inch end (to keep the sweet juices trapped inside) for about one hour. When they are cool enough to hold, just push off the skin with your hands. If it is not coming off easily, they are not cooked. I sliced then tossed in some olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Yum.
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6 oz each or larger breasts cut in half)
1 tsp olive oil
1 Combine sugar, spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub mix into chicken and let rest while you prepare sauce.
2 Pre-heat cast iron pan or barbeque to high. Lightly rub olive oil on chicken.
3 Start with chicken “good side” down and cook for 5 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until cooked through.
4 Remove chicken from pan when done and tent with foil to rest. When serving, drizzle with chimichurri sauce.
Chimichurri sauce
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 medium shallot, peeled
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup parsley leaves, packed
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, packed
1/4 cup mint leaves, packed
1 Combine oil, vinegar, juice, garlic, salt and pepper in blender; blend until almost smooth.
2 Divide the herbs into thirds; blend one third until incorporated. Add remaining herbs in 2 more additions, pureeing until almost smooth after each addition. Thin out if needed with additional oil if needed. Cover and chill. Makes four servings.
Bright green and golden yellow shone brightly at we sat down to enjoy what could have been a boring chicken dinner. Boneless, skinless breasts of chicken are not my favourite piece of meat. I find them rather tasteless and often dry.
But they are convenient, which is why chicken breast recipes are popular with the readers of Canadian Family Magazine. In fact, they are far more popular than any other recipes we post. So I am currently working on developing chicken recipes. Here is one variation that riffs on an Argentinean style of beef served with their signature “green” sauce.
Just a few notes about ingredients you may not be familiar with:
Smoked Sweet Paprika adds a smoky, sweet essence and some fantastic colour to the chicken. If you are in Toronto, Pasquale Bros. has a few varieties in stock or go to Anna Olsen’s website www.olsonfoodsandbakery.com and buy online. This is a must stock spice; paprika with real flavour. Buy and try.
Ancho chile powder is made from dried poblano chiles. I like it because it is not too hot but packs a nuanced balance like a great red wine. I think, combined with the smoke paprika, they are a perfect duo.
The bright yellow beets were roasted unpeeled until tender with their green tops trimmed leaving a one-inch end (to keep the sweet juices trapped inside) for about one hour. When they are cool enough to hold, just push off the skin with your hands. If it is not coming off easily, they are not cooked. I sliced then tossed in some olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Yum.
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6 oz each or larger breasts cut in half)
1 tsp olive oil
1 Combine sugar, spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub mix into chicken and let rest while you prepare sauce.
2 Pre-heat cast iron pan or barbeque to high. Lightly rub olive oil on chicken.
3 Start with chicken “good side” down and cook for 5 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until cooked through.
4 Remove chicken from pan when done and tent with foil to rest. When serving, drizzle with chimichurri sauce.
Chimichurri sauce
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 medium shallot, peeled
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup parsley leaves, packed
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, packed
1/4 cup mint leaves, packed
1 Combine oil, vinegar, juice, garlic, salt and pepper in blender; blend until almost smooth.
2 Divide the herbs into thirds; blend one third until incorporated. Add remaining herbs in 2 more additions, pureeing until almost smooth after each addition. Thin out if needed with additional oil if needed. Cover and chill. Makes four servings.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Healing Power of Congee
Many of you know that my dear mother-in-law is not well.
I have been bringing her food in hopes of keeping her energy and spirits up. When she got home from the hospital a month ago, I suggested that she try congee. Congee is a rice-based dish that looks somewhat like a thick, white soup. There is a very good congee place right near her house, but my MIL is allergic to gluten and was terrified that unidentified ingredients (mainly soy and fish sauce) would contaminate the good-for-her rice dish.
So I made and bought over a big pot of congee. Spiked with her gluten-free soy sauce (anyone know where you can get gluten-free fish sauce?) it was a soothing, easy-to-digest meal. She kept taking about how it was the only thing she has eaten this month that didn’t make her feel awful.
Just imagine that for one moment….eating usually brings joy or at least satisfaction. Imagine it bringing pain….
After a painful procedure the other day that left her feeling particularly weak, I made another huge pot. I made the stock particularly rich with tons of ginger, garlic, onions, carrots and a mixture of chicken & fatty pork bones.
Congee is one of those things that you can add in whatever you fancy. I like to spike it with chilli oil, cilantro leaves and a few raw peanuts, but that's just me.
Here is my basic congee recipe that I made for Hennie: add additional stock or water if it gets too thick for your liking.
10 cups stock
1 1/2 cups glutinous rice (don’t worry it is not that kind of gluten- it means it's sticky)
1/2 lb pork tenderloin
1 acorn squash, cut in half and cooked in the microwave until tender
3 cups baby bok choy or spinach, chopped
1/4 cup chopped chives
Fish and soy sauce to season
1. Bring stock to a boil. Add rice and stir. Bring back to boil then simmer. Simmer for 1/2 hour or until rice is very tender and the rice is splitting.
2. Slice pork into thin slices then again into slivers. Add to pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Scoop out baked squash and add to pot then stir in boy choy and chives.4. Taste and add fish and soy sauce or salt.
I have been bringing her food in hopes of keeping her energy and spirits up. When she got home from the hospital a month ago, I suggested that she try congee. Congee is a rice-based dish that looks somewhat like a thick, white soup. There is a very good congee place right near her house, but my MIL is allergic to gluten and was terrified that unidentified ingredients (mainly soy and fish sauce) would contaminate the good-for-her rice dish.
So I made and bought over a big pot of congee. Spiked with her gluten-free soy sauce (anyone know where you can get gluten-free fish sauce?) it was a soothing, easy-to-digest meal. She kept taking about how it was the only thing she has eaten this month that didn’t make her feel awful.
Just imagine that for one moment….eating usually brings joy or at least satisfaction. Imagine it bringing pain….
After a painful procedure the other day that left her feeling particularly weak, I made another huge pot. I made the stock particularly rich with tons of ginger, garlic, onions, carrots and a mixture of chicken & fatty pork bones.
Congee is one of those things that you can add in whatever you fancy. I like to spike it with chilli oil, cilantro leaves and a few raw peanuts, but that's just me.
Here is my basic congee recipe that I made for Hennie: add additional stock or water if it gets too thick for your liking.
10 cups stock
1 1/2 cups glutinous rice (don’t worry it is not that kind of gluten- it means it's sticky)
1/2 lb pork tenderloin
1 acorn squash, cut in half and cooked in the microwave until tender
3 cups baby bok choy or spinach, chopped
1/4 cup chopped chives
Fish and soy sauce to season
1. Bring stock to a boil. Add rice and stir. Bring back to boil then simmer. Simmer for 1/2 hour or until rice is very tender and the rice is splitting.
2. Slice pork into thin slices then again into slivers. Add to pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Scoop out baked squash and add to pot then stir in boy choy and chives.4. Taste and add fish and soy sauce or salt.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Recession busting pepperoni and 3-cheese bake
Egg recipes are simple, healthy, mostly pantry-based and they taste great.
And better yet? Eggs are a great ingredient for tight budgets and tight belts. At only 16 cents and 70 jam-packed-with-protein-calories each, eggs are super value all around.
Once you get the technique of this egg dish down pat, you can mix it up. Just remember to pre-cook any vegetables with high water content or else it will be soggy city.
Make it gluten-free with a quick substitution of brown rice flour for wheat flour. My apologies to lactose-free folks out there: it's the cheese that makes this dish sublime!
6 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp each: baking powder & salt
1 cup each: cottage cheese & grated mozzarella cheese, divided
6 sundried tomatoes, sliced into slivers, divided
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
3 bocconcini ball cut into 15 slices (about 2 oz)
18 pepperoni slices
1 Pre-heat oven to 350F
2 Beat eggs well. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, 3/4 of mozzarella, half of the tomatoes and basil.
3 Pour eggs into a greased 9” glass pie plate. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella. Top with bocconcini, pepperoni, remaining tomatoes and basil.
4 Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and firmly set when tested with a toothpick.
Makes 6 servings.
And better yet? Eggs are a great ingredient for tight budgets and tight belts. At only 16 cents and 70 jam-packed-with-protein-calories each, eggs are super value all around.
Once you get the technique of this egg dish down pat, you can mix it up. Just remember to pre-cook any vegetables with high water content or else it will be soggy city.
Make it gluten-free with a quick substitution of brown rice flour for wheat flour. My apologies to lactose-free folks out there: it's the cheese that makes this dish sublime!
6 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp each: baking powder & salt
1 cup each: cottage cheese & grated mozzarella cheese, divided
6 sundried tomatoes, sliced into slivers, divided
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
3 bocconcini ball cut into 15 slices (about 2 oz)
18 pepperoni slices
1 Pre-heat oven to 350F
2 Beat eggs well. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, 3/4 of mozzarella, half of the tomatoes and basil.
3 Pour eggs into a greased 9” glass pie plate. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella. Top with bocconcini, pepperoni, remaining tomatoes and basil.
4 Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and firmly set when tested with a toothpick.
Makes 6 servings.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Not Guilty
Congratulations to:
Christophers Heart
Leanne
3boys247
You have all won a copy of Not Guilty - My Guide to Working Hard, Raising Kids and Laughing Through the Chaos by Debbie Travis. Be sure to shoot an e-mail to donmillsdiva@hotmail.com with your address and I'll make sure they're sent off to you.
Thanks to everyone who entered!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Mickey knows cake
(posted by LeeAnne)
Remember when I went to Disney world and brought back that fabulous soup recipe from Boma?
Well, that's not the only great recipe I managed to get their chefs to reveal. While I was there I got to wondering how a visitor with allergies would survive at Walt Disney World: it turns out very well, thank you very much.
The chefs at Boma are allergy savvy and know the scoop. While there, the flourless chocolate cake caught my eye. Although our dairy-free readers may want to make some substitutions, I recommend anyone who is gluten-free check this one out.
It is not too sweet and ever so moist (I know, how could it not be with 9 eggs and 1 1/2 cups of butter!!!!) without any frosting. It's also simple: other than almond flour (ground almonds) most ingredients are probably already in your pantry
Boma’s Flourless Chocolate Cake (adapted)
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups + 2 tbsp sugar
9 eggs
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 lb almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1. Cream butter and sugar together.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Melt chocolate and add to mixture.
4. Mix in almond flour and baking powder.
5. Grease a 10” square baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated 300F oven for 70 minutes.
6. Let cool completely in pan before unmolding.
Remember when I went to Disney world and brought back that fabulous soup recipe from Boma?
Well, that's not the only great recipe I managed to get their chefs to reveal. While I was there I got to wondering how a visitor with allergies would survive at Walt Disney World: it turns out very well, thank you very much.
The chefs at Boma are allergy savvy and know the scoop. While there, the flourless chocolate cake caught my eye. Although our dairy-free readers may want to make some substitutions, I recommend anyone who is gluten-free check this one out.
It is not too sweet and ever so moist (I know, how could it not be with 9 eggs and 1 1/2 cups of butter!!!!) without any frosting. It's also simple: other than almond flour (ground almonds) most ingredients are probably already in your pantry
Boma’s Flourless Chocolate Cake (adapted)
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups + 2 tbsp sugar
9 eggs
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 lb almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1. Cream butter and sugar together.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Melt chocolate and add to mixture.
4. Mix in almond flour and baking powder.
5. Grease a 10” square baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated 300F oven for 70 minutes.
6. Let cool completely in pan before unmolding.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Not Guilty!
(by LeeAnne)
Women spend so much of their lives feeling guilty.
Guilty about working outside the house, guilty about not working outside the house. Over scheduling, under scheduling. It just doesn’t matter: we feel guilty.
But Debbie Travis, star and creator of The Painted House, a 14-season, 200- episode, world-wide phenomenon has a new book that advises women to cut out the guilt.
Not Guilty - My Guide to Working Hard, Raising Kids and Laughing Through the Chaos is part memoir and part how to succeed in business, but mostly just Travis relaying how she made it through with lots of chutzpah, tantrums (hers) and laughter.
Women spend so much of their lives feeling guilty.
Guilty about working outside the house, guilty about not working outside the house. Over scheduling, under scheduling. It just doesn’t matter: we feel guilty.
But Debbie Travis, star and creator of The Painted House, a 14-season, 200- episode, world-wide phenomenon has a new book that advises women to cut out the guilt.
Not Guilty - My Guide to Working Hard, Raising Kids and Laughing Through the Chaos is part memoir and part how to succeed in business, but mostly just Travis relaying how she made it through with lots of chutzpah, tantrums (hers) and laughter.
Travis tells how, as a bored young mother, she started decorative painting, a trend that was popular in the UK but hadn’t yet hit North American soil. Her home became her canvas and clients start to ask for her services. Travis loved it but her husband wasn’t so sure. “Can’t you just buy wall paper like some normal person?” he pleads in frustration.
But continue she did. Painting led to workshops, then to video and, her biggest leap, to television. Working with her husband she created The Painted House and spun off books, newspaper columns and eventually, a product line.
Not Guilty is full of self-depreciating stories about Travis, her husband and two boys. Full of sage advice and always told for maximum humour, Travis is like your hilarious best friend regaling you with stories, such as the time she came home from work and found her boys sending their two miniature rabbits down the stairs in frying pans as if they were going down a toboggan run.
Never one to mince words, even with her kids, she screams, “What the hell are you doing!?”
“Mom, they’re happy, look at their little mouths,” they replied.
“That’s not a smile, that’s gravity!”
After declaring her sons will never, ever have another pet, Travis puts the miniature rabbits on the deck in a laundry basket.
Within five minutes, raccoons had eaten them.
Stories about her kids and her business ventures are woven together throughout the book. One of my favourites involves her sitting on the edge of a boardroom table with her team discussing a successful design event the previous night, only to look down and see a bulge in her right pant leg.
As she talks, she reaches down and pulls out the offending lump, which turns out to be her “knickers” from the last time she wore the pants. She laughs, but recalls her style interns could barely contain their absolute horror.
Unfortunately I can relate!
I was heading into a fancy restaurant to meet a client once when a sock somehow worked its way out of my pant leg. Just as I approached the table to shake hands with my client, the host came running up to me and handed me the dirty sock.
Great! I laughed (sort of) and tucked the offender in my purse as the client eyed me with suspicion and chose to wave hello instead of shake my hand. Opps. Guilty. Again.
I also enjoyed reading about the time Travis finds out her son has paid someone in his class to do his homework. When busted, her son declares, “But you said, “Hire the best.” So I hired Charles Wong, He’s the best. He even goes to school on weekends.”
Although she gave her son a stern glare Travis reveals that she and her husband privately laughed their heads off later that night.
If you have kids and are trying desperately to achieve that elusive life/work balance, thumbing through Not Guilty is a welcome respite. Travis ends the book with a top ten list for avoiding guilt. Number one is to treat you kids like a paint job. It’s all in the preparation. Take the time to sand and prime well and results will be as good as perfect. Don’t worry about the cracks or blotches-they will just add character.
These days the only thing that Travis feels guilty about is the amount of energy she spent feeling free-floating maternal guilt.
And I couldn’t agree more: what a waste of time.
Don Mills Diva is giving away a copy of Debbie Travis’s Not Guilty-My Guide to Working Hard, Raising Kids and Laughing Through the Chaos to three lucky Canadian (only, sorry!) readers. Leave a comment below to win. Comments will be closed Friday January 23rd at midnight and the winners announced shortly thereafter.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Day After New Year's Day Dinner
(by LeeAnne)
As many faithful readers will know, my mother-in-law left my house on Christmas Day and went directly to the hospital. My parents and brother were also there that night. I had told them Henny hadn’t been feeling well lately, but they immediately were alarmed by her loss of weight and, more importantly, her loss of zeal.
Gradual decline is much more difficult to see, but that night they helped us all see clearly that we needed to act.
And so we acted.
Henny was discharged on New Year's Eve and I started the new year by bringing her a big pot of homemade chicken soup and her favourite gluten-free grain loaf (I will post that recipe soon!). With a grim diagnosis and more questions than answers, I wasn’t sure what other way I could nourish her.
And you know how I love to make soup. My husband, daughter and I ate soup and bread around the table together with Henny and Karl. After dinner, I cleaned out the fridge and noticed a pair of cryovaced Brome Lake duck legs were sitting all alone on a shelf in the fridge. Henny had picked them up on Christmas Eve, never had a chance to cook them and now didn’t feel like duck. I gladly took them home and this is what I made the next day.
Braised Duck Legs with Baby Mixed Potatoes
As many faithful readers will know, my mother-in-law left my house on Christmas Day and went directly to the hospital. My parents and brother were also there that night. I had told them Henny hadn’t been feeling well lately, but they immediately were alarmed by her loss of weight and, more importantly, her loss of zeal.
Gradual decline is much more difficult to see, but that night they helped us all see clearly that we needed to act.
And so we acted.
Henny was discharged on New Year's Eve and I started the new year by bringing her a big pot of homemade chicken soup and her favourite gluten-free grain loaf (I will post that recipe soon!). With a grim diagnosis and more questions than answers, I wasn’t sure what other way I could nourish her.
And you know how I love to make soup. My husband, daughter and I ate soup and bread around the table together with Henny and Karl. After dinner, I cleaned out the fridge and noticed a pair of cryovaced Brome Lake duck legs were sitting all alone on a shelf in the fridge. Henny had picked them up on Christmas Eve, never had a chance to cook them and now didn’t feel like duck. I gladly took them home and this is what I made the next day.
Braised Duck Legs with Baby Mixed Potatoes
2 duck legs
11/2 cups chicken stock
1 lb baby potatoes
Salt and pepper
Season duck legs well with salt and pepper. Using a fork pierce the skin of the legs to help release fat and make the skin crispy.
In a cast iron skillet over high heat sear duck legs skin side down for 5 minutes or until nicely golden brown and fat has been rendered. Turn and brown over side for another 3 minutes. Although you can drain the rendered fat at this point, I like to keep it in because it adds incredible flavour to the potatoes.
Add potatoes and enough chicken stock until the duck legs are half submerged in stock. Bring to a boil and transfer to preheated 350F oven and bake for 40 minutes or until legs are crispy brown, potatoes are soft and internal temperature reaches 170F.
I served this with steamed broccoli although spinach would be great with this dish as well.
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