Zucchini Meatballs & The Last Round of Fall 2011 Insider's Report PC Product Reviews

Zucchini is going in everything around here these days, so why not meatballs?  I figure zucchini keeps baked goods moist, so in the meatballs it went.  Now if I could just get my two year old to try meat, I'd be able to sneak in some extra veggies.  I made these meatballs so I could try out the PC Meatball Cooking Sauce and wrap up this fall's Insider's Report product reviews.  I really don't know how much the zucchini really added to the moistness or flavour, but it's a fun way to sneak in a green vegetable if you have  a picky eater (young or old).  This is a great meatball recipe that can be used pretty much any way you like to serve them as they are only mildly seasoned, letting the beef flavour rule.

My Zucchini Meatballs

Makes 25 golf ball-sized meatballs

2 lbs lean ground beef

1/2 medium sized onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1 egg

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 cup shredded zucchini

Salt & pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients by hand and form into balls (I make large, slightly larger than golf ball sized ones).  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

So, as I mentioned, I made these meatballs to try out the new PC Meatball Cooking Sauce ($2.49, Atlantic).  The Pulled Pork Cooking Sauce was fantastic, so I had high expectations for this one too.  I was a bit let down unfortunately.  When I opened the bottle the sauce smelled good so I took a little taste, but the celery flavour was a bit overwhelming for me.  I didn't cook it on the stovetop as the bottle suggested, but poured the full bottle over my full batch of Zucchini Meatballs and baked it at 350 for 30 minutes.  Strangely enough, the sauce was really tasty when eating the meatballs, but just too 'celery-y' when you got some sauce alone.  Due to the heavy handedness of the seasoning, I don't think I'll be buying more of this sauce for us.  Without the celery flavour, the sauce is a thick, dark, sweet and sour sauce that is otherwise well balanced.

Over the weekend, I also was able to try one of the more classic PC pizzas, the PC Mozzarella Thin & Crispy Pizza.  I was actually astonished that my little girl ate some of it, which is a good thing!  While I thought the toppings were good and the bits of pesto added some great flavour, I found the crust a bit bland and reminiscent of the frozen pizzas available many years ago.  Personally I don't find the frozen thin crust pizzas very filling and could no doubt eat the whole thing myself (yeah, I love pizza).

I also got to try some of the PC Green Express Cycle Dishwasher Detergent ($6.49 for a box of 25).  These claim to let you use your dishwasher's economy cycle and get the same results as the regular wash.  Unfortunately our ancient and Frankenstein's monster-ish portable dishwasher doesn't have an economy cycle so I can't verify that claim, but on a regular wash cycle, our dishes came out sparkling clean and it's nice knowing that less chemicals were involved.  When the old beast finally gives in and dies I will definitely try these again in my brand new dishwasher!

Loblaws also let me try some of the new school supplies, including the J+- Pencils and Notebook.  I LOVE the small notebook.  It's a bit larger than a chequebook (remember those?) but it has an elastic wrap around strap that keeps my coupons secure along with my grocery list.  I suppose the kids could use it too ;).  At $3 each, I might pick up a couple of pink ones to have as spares when this one runs out, it is the perfect purse size.  The pencils, well... are just pencils.  I haven't shopped for pencils in years and won't have to again for another three, but a tube of 20 pencils retails for $3 which seems like a fair price for a good quality pencil.

So my first product tests are finished.  It was so much fun to try out some new products and I really enjoyed letting you know how I liked them (or not so much).  I'd love to hear your opinions if you try any of the products I've reviewed!

Maple Roasted Radishes

Yes, radishes.

My husband mentioned recently that he would like some radishes, which I thought was an odd request.  He was only going to use them in salad, but still, it got me thinking... what do people do with radishes besides salad?  There had to be something.

It turns out that roasted radishes are quite popular, just not around here because I have yet to find anyone else who has cooked them.  They can be roasted like any other root vegetable, in a hot oven with a bit of olive oil and salt & pepper... and they end up tasting similar to a mild turnip!  They lose all of their bite when roasted and get almost sweet.  Had I let mine go longer, they would have gotten nice and caramelized, which would have been even better.   I can't wait to add radishes to my autumn roasted veggies, their pinky colour will look great with the various orange and beige fall harvest.

Maple Roasted Radishes

1 bunch radishes, scrubbed and ends trimmed and then halved
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp pure maple syrup
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss the radishes in the oil and maple syrup, sprinkle with S&P and roast in a single layer on a pan in a preheated 400 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes.

Have you enjoyed cooked radishes before?  What other ways have you seen or heard of radishes being used other than raw in salads?

August Daring Bakers Challenge - Peanut Butter Fudge / Milk Chocolate & Pecan Praline Truffles

The August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!.  These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies!  This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at http://www.chocoley.com offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy!

Sadly, that winner will not be me.  All is not lost though...

I was so out of my element with this month's challenge but I didn't want to use one of my passes so quickly after joining.  Although I left it until the very last minute, I ended up having a blast and really think that candy making could become very enjoyable.  This months challenge was dubbed 'Candylicious' and the only real rules were that we had to make two candies, one of which had to be chocolate and the other could be anything else.  I went very basic with fudge and chocolate truffles (the only chocolate candy that didn't require tempering and a candy thermometer).  I haven't attempted to make fudge since I was a teenager and I didn't remember it ending up very tasty.  I looked for the easiest recipes I could find... baby steps.

The Peanut Butter Fudge is so yummy and a bit of a 'cheater' recipe because you beat in icing sugar at the end.  It's a drier, less creamy fudge, which is what I prefer.  The Milk Chocolate & Pecan Praline truffles might be the best chocolate I have ever tried in my life!  They did turn out a bit too soft, but their taste more than compensates.  I either added a bit too much cream or it was the chocolate I used (I didn't go expensive because of my lack of candy-confidence).  It was also ridiculously hot and humid here today (again, because I was a huge procrastinator this month and couldn't put it off anymore).  Anyway, no more excuses, they are insanely decadent regardless!

Peanut Butter Fudge

Inspired by Allrecipes

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 cups brown sugar (lightly packed)

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

1 cup peanut butter (I used Kraft unsweetened, unsalted)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 cups icing (confectioners) sugar

Measure the icing sugar into a large bowl or KitchenAid bowl fitted with paddle attachment, set aside.  In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, salt and cream.  Bring to boil and once small bubbles start to form, let boil for 2 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the vanilla and peanut butter until smooth and immediately pour over the icing sugar.  Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, although mine never got quite that far... it more closely resembled large, very moist 'fudge pebbles'.  I pressed the fudge with an offset spatula into an 8" square pan lined with plastic wrap and placed it in the fridge to set.  So if you get a smooth mixture, bonus points to you, but if you get pebbles, fret not!  I keep the fudge in the fridge, but it's best if you take it out and let it come to room temperature before eating.

Milk Chocolate & Pecan Praline Truffles

Inspired by the Cook's Academy Curriculum, Dublin

For the praline:

1 cup pecan halves

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tbsp water

In a preheated 350 degree oven, roast the pecans on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.  Once cool, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Raise the heat to slightly higher than medium and bring the mixture to a boil and let boil until it turns amber in colour (like my photo below shows).  Immediately remove from heat and pour over pecans.  Allow to cool completely and then break into pieces and process in food processor until desired consistency is reached, you will want a coarse crumb.  Set aside.  You will have leftover praline but it's possibilities are endless (ice cream topping anyone?).  

For the truffles:

250g (9 oz) milk chocolate, the best you can afford (I used PC Milk Chocolate in the 300g bar and have no complaints)

1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

2 tbsp DeKuyper Buttershots liqueur (or any other butterscotch-flavoured liqueur)

Finely chop the chocolate and put into heat proof bowl, set aside.  Over medium heat, bring the cream to just shy of boiling and then immediately remove from heat and pour over the chocolate.  Gently stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Set for 10 minutes and then gently stir in liqueur until entirely mixed in.  At this point you need to let the ganache set by leaving it on the counter overnight or in the fridge for a few hours (it was way too hot here today, so it definitely went in the fridge and I had to scoop it fresh out of the fridge instead of waiting for it to come to room temperature).  Using a melon baller or teaspoon, form small balls, smoothing and rolling with hands as little as possible.  Place in the pecan praline crumbs and roll to coat.  Set in candy papers or mini-muffin liners (or simply on parchment) and let set (again, I had to put them back in the fridge).

Thank you Daring Bakers for making me step out of my comfort zone and introducing me to the sweet, sweet world of candy making!  So while I didn't choose the most creative or adventurous recipes for this challenge, they were delicious and I am inspired to try some more of them now.

Do you make homemade candy?  Do you have any recommendations on a good candy/chocolate thermometer that doesn't break the bank?

Fall 2011 PC Insider's Report Product Review - Part 3

I've enjoyed a cooking and baking break most days this week thanks to the product testing I am doing for the new President's Choice products.  In the past two days I have been able to try four more products and am ready to share the results with you all.  I'll start with the PC 100% Hawaiian Medium Roast Whole Bean Coffee.  I adore coffee and find it hard to face the world before my first two mugs each morning.  Seeing how I prefer a medium roast, I was pretty sure I was going to like this coffee.  I was right, it is smooth and rich and  ranks up with the best coffees I've tried at home.  I go through a lot of coffee, so I prefer buying it in larger quantities, but if I see this on sale (It is $9.99 for a 454g - 1 pound- bag), I will probably pick some up in the future.

Next, while the little one was napping I tried out the PC Brownies with Dark Chocolate Chips ($3.99 for a box of 8).  These are baked in a peanut-free facility and are individually wrapped making them perfect for lunches (both for kids and parents).  They are moist and more cakey than fudgy and the mini dark chocolate chips add a nice texture  and some added interest to their rich chocolate flavour.  As you can see in my photos I turned one into a mini Mommy treat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some PC Chocolate & Toffee Topping, which was a new product this summer.  Mmm!  I really don't see me buying these right now because I don't have to pack any lunches, but if I did, these brownies would be a nice treat from time to time.

Thursday is the day that we do most of our shopping after my husband gets off work, so dinners are usually leftovers or something quick and easy.  The PC Rip & Dip Cheese Pizza ($5.99 for 750g pizza) fit the bill.  It also was a perfect time to try out the PC Creamy Garlic Dipping Sauce ($2.49 for a 450g bottle).  The Rip & Dip Cheese Pizza comes with it's own marinara sauce, so we had two dippers to choose from.  I was a bit skeptical of the pizza when I looked at it in it's frozen state, but I followed the instructions, cooking it at 400 degrees for 19 minutes.  I did turn my oven to broil for the last minute, but that is my own personal preference.  It was actually pretty tasty, more like little pizza buns as the crust is thick and very tender and soft... perfect for little eaters.  My picky 2 year old actually ate some and I think would have eaten a few more if Grandpa hadn't snuck her so many cookies while we were shopping :)  I make a lot of homemade pizza, so I might not be a frequent buyer of these, but as my husband and I were discussing over dinner, they would be perfect for a family with a few little ones.  They would love pulling off their own individual pizza buns and it would cut down on waste as they would only take what they eat.   My husband really liked the Creamy Garlic Dipping Sauce, saying that it tasted just like the dippers that come with the delivery pizzas.  I thought it tasted more like Caesar salad dressing... not that that's a bad thing, I just don't want to dip my pizza in it.

So I only have a couple items left to review and will get to them over the next week.  I hope you have enjoyed my reviews so far and if you have any questions on any of the products I've reviewed, just ask :)

I received free product to test to be able to provide review, but my opinions, as always, are just that...  mine.

Easy Pulled Pork/Fall 2011 PC Insider's Report Product Review - Part 2

This is by far my easiest dinner idea yet. We had a lot of outdoor activities planned for last weekend, but I still wanted to try out some more of the new PC products that arrived at my door late last week.   I decided to make pulled pork in my slow cooker and used the new PC Pulled Pork Cooking Sauce, so we would still have the day free to play.  I love pulled pork and buy it regularly at Boneheads BBQ, who does a killer version.  Needless to say, I was going to a bit picky on this review.  We LOVED it!  It'll get me through between trips to Boneheads for sure.  The balance of tang vs sweet was perfect.  When I went to the President's Choice website to get the link for the sauce I read a user review who had used this sauce and some leftover pulled pork on a pizza and I think that would be absolutely delicious!  At $2.49 (Atlantic) a jar, I will be keeping some of this in the cupboard.

Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

A 3lb boneless pork roast (I had an on sale boneless rib roast... great value)

1/2 cup water

Salt & pepper to taste

1 jar PC Pulled Pork Cooking Sauce

Great buns, toasted

Vinegar & Oil Coleslaw

In the morning, put the pork roast (mine was still slightly frozen) in slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour the water in the bottom of the crock.  Cook on high for an hour and then turn to low and let cook until half an hour or so before dinner time (my new value-priced 3 qt slow cooker cooks hot, even on low, so mine was done by 3pm).  Remove the pork to a heat-proof bowl and drain the liquid out of the crock.  Using two forks, pull apart the pork and then return it to slow cooker.  Add the entire jar of sauce and stir.  Cover and let cook on low for the final half hour.  

Serve on lightly toasted buns and topped with a vinegar-based coleslaw,  for a no-fuss and hearty sandwich :)

Enjoy!  And don't worry Boneheads... until I figure out how to smoke a brisket like you, I'll be back :)  So again, another good PC review.  If I don't like a product that I review I would definitely say so, but these new products have all been winners in our house so far.

I received free product to test to be able to provide review, but my opinions, as always, are just that...  mine.

Peach & Blueberry Pie for Food Network Canada's August Cooking Club Challenge

This month's Food Network Canada's Cooking Club Challenge was a seasonal Peach Blackberry Pie by Anna Olson.  This month I wanted to follow the recipe exactly, but I did make one change... I substituted blueberries for blackberries as the timing was just perfect for Nova Scotia's blueberry harvest.  I was able to pick up both the organic blueberries and the local peaches from Hennigar's in Wolfville on the way back from a weekend visit to Oaklawn Farm Zoo.  Of course, seeing that I planned on making many farm market stops on the way back, the skies opened up with a crash and a bang and we were in the midst of a severe thunderstorm, which unfortunately did a lot of damage to some of the Valley crops.  I braved one good soaking to pick up my pie fixings and everything for another pot of hodge podge.

I'd like to tell you that I loved this pie, but I can't.  I'm not a peach-lover and I had a heck of a time with this pastry recipe, which may have been the recipe, but more than likely my temperament as I made it.  As much as I man-handled it though it stayed very flaky... too flaky.  It exploded whenever you touched it :)  I knew that my peaches were juicy when I sliced them, but hoped that the flour in the recipe would be enough, it wasn't.  So while it was not a pretty pie, my husband said he really enjoyed it.  

Anna Olson's Peach Blackberry (Blueberry) Pie
Adapted from Food Network Canada

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and well chilled
3 tbsp cold water (I needed 4)
1 tbsp lemon juice

Filling:
8 peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups blackberries (I used 1 pt blueberries)
1/2 cup sugar (If I were to make this again, I'd use more... maybe my peaches weren't very sweet)
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 egg mixed with 2 tbsp cold water for brushing top crust
2 tbsp turbinado sugar (I used regular white sugar)

For the crust, pulse together the salt and flour in a food processor.  Add the well-chilled butter pieces and pulse until it resembles coarse meal.  Mix together the water and lemon juice and add to food processor, pulsing until it starts to come together, I had to finish this part by hand.  Form dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling.  Roll out the bottom crust and place it in pie plate, leaving edge as is.  Pop back in the fridge while you prep the fruit.

For the filling, put the peeled slice peaches and black (blue) berries in a large bowl.  Add sugar, flour, zest and spices and mix until combined.  Pour into pie crust, top with small bits of butter, and set back in fridge while you roll out the top lattice.

For the lattice, roll out the second disc of dough and cut it into 8 or 10 slices long enough to cross the pie.  Lay 4 (or 5) slices of lattice up and down across the pie and by folding up alternating pieces, weave 4 (or 5) slices of lattice horizontally across the pie.  There is an excellent tutorial with step by step photos here.  I had lost my patience with the pastry by the time I got around to this point and it shows :)  Trim the edges and crimp as you would normally, sealing the lattice to the bottom crust.  Brush with the egg wash mixture and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes (mine took 65 minutes).  Place a sheet of foil or parchment below the baking pie to catch any drips.  Let the pie cool completely before slicing, this will let it set up as much as it can.  We served ours with some vanilla bean ice cream.

If you are a peach fan, I'd recommend trying this pie too... but if you have a favourite pie crust recipe, I'd suggest perhaps using that one instead.  With the apple harvest just around the corner, I'd better get some more practice in.

Fall 2011 PC Insider's Report Product Review - Part 1

Recently I was contacted to see if I would be interested in trying and reviewing some of the new President's Choice products featured in the PC Insider's Report.  I look forward to the Insider's Reports to read about new food trends and to see what new products will be hitting the shelves and I frequently shop at Atlantic Superstore, along with other local vendors, so I was definitely game for this :)

I don't know who was more excited to see the box arrive at the door, my daughter or I.  So I got out my camera and we opened the box within minutes of signing for it to uncover so many new PC items that our whole family should enjoy trying out.  Chelsea got the first go at it and got to try one of the PC Organics Mixed Berry Carrot Naturally Flavoured Fruit & Vegetable Snacks.  She has had other all-fruit chews similar to this before and she enjoyed these ones just as much.  I liked that they were more toddler-sized and what I enjoyed most is that they are a bit less sticky than the other fruit & vegetable snacks we have tried... less sticky is always a good thing when it seems that everything in the house is already sticky.  These snacks have no artificial colours or flavours and contain only naturally occurring sugars.  Although for younger toddlers, I will buy these from time to time to supplement fresh fruit since Chelsea is still a pretty picky little girl.  At $2.49 (Atlantic) for a box of 10, they are fairly affordable and are a great (and healthy) item to hide in your purse for emergency snacks :)

Later in the day, Chelsea and I both tried one of the Banana Bread Little Penguins Soft Cookies.  While I don't think I'll ever be able to say that a store-bought cookie is as good as homemade they aren't bad.  They are very similar in taste to the other soft cookies targeted towards kids that are on the market, but they have one huge advantage... instead of being wrapped in pairs, they are wrapped individually which is fantastic!  I will continue to buy these to have for on-the-go snacks for that reason alone.  I do wish that they would make a whole wheat version though, like they do with the PC Whole Wheat Cheddar Little Penguins Snack Crackers, which are a favourite of ours.  At $1.88 (Atlantic) for a box of 12, they are absolutely going to be on my weekly grocery list.  These are also made in a peanut-free facility, and while thankfully Chelsea doesn't have a peanut allergy, she has little friends who do, so this is important to keep in mind.  Oh, and Chelsea adored the fact that they were penguins and recognized them immediately :)

The final treat of the day is one that my husband and I tried out, the PC Cosmic Sours Candy.  I'm not a huge candy fan (though I heart chocolate), but two of the few candies I like are Swedish Berries and Sour Patch Kids.  They were also two of the few gummy type candies that I could eat when I was vegetarian as they did not contain gelatin.  These PC Cosmic Sours are like the love child of these two candies (and don't contain gelatin either), they are big enough to stay soft when you bite into them and the sour sugar coating quickly gives way to the sweet chewy centres.  My husband and I both really enjoyed these. While I probably would not have gone out of my way to buy these before, now that we have tried them, they will definitely be on my list should a candy craving strike.  These also would make yummy cupcake decorations, but I'll have to buy another bag (the 225g bag is $3.99 -Atlantic) to try that out because the one we got is now gone :)

All in all, our first snacks were a positive start to this review and I can't wait to try some more of the new PC products this week, including some quick meal ideas and coffee!  

Did you receive your copy of the PC Insider's Report this week?  What items would you like to try?  (I know the Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream is on my 'to try' list)

I received free product to test to be able to provide review, but my opinions, as always, are just that...  mine.

Sueghetti & Meatballs

AKA Spaghetti with Pesto White Sauce & Chicken Meatballs... which is a mouthful, so 'Sueghetti' it is.

Yesterday afternoon I was in a bit of a food funk and had no idea what was going to be for dinner except that it should include ground chicken as it was thawed in the refrigerator.  I was chatting with my sister Sue on Facebook and she suggested something she had made which was small chicken meatballs with a white sauce on pasta.  I took that idea and ran with it, and when I noticed the pesto in the freezer I knew that this was going to be a winner.  My husband absolutely loved this and it is now going to be a pasta regular around here.

My Sueghetti & Meatballs

Meatballs

1 lb extra lean ground chicken

1 clove garlic, minced

1 egg

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp chopped fresh sage (because that's what I have growing, but chopped basil would be perfect)

Sauce

2 tbsp butter or margarine

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

S&P to taste

2 cups milk (I used 2%)

1/3 cup basil pesto

*cooked pasta (enough for 4 servings)

*grated Parmesan cheese

To make the meatballs, mix all ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand and then form into golf ball-sized balls (I got 15 balls that size).  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes, flipping over half way through the cooking time.

For the sauce, simply melt the butter in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat.  Add in the flour and S&P and cook for approximately 30 seconds.   Add in the milk and whisk over medium heat until hot and thickened (about 5 minutes).  Once thickened, add in the pesto and stir.  Add  in the meatballs and keep over the lowest heat to keep warm while the pasta cooks.

Serve over pasta and top with grated Parmesan and a big garden salad on the side.  Easy, creamy (without the cream), quick and delicious!

Thanks sis!

Waffling on Waffles

I realized when I was making waffles last Sunday that it was the first time I had used the waffle maker since we moved into our house.  We moved in September 2009.  That being said, to say I make waffles from time to time is a bit of an overstatement.  Since I  bought the waffle maker, I have used the same recipe which is the one I want to share with you.  Maybe that is part of the problem... they taste good and all, but maybe they just aren't the right waffles for me since I just can't be motivated enough to make them.  I also don't like the fact that I can only make two waffles at a time in my waffle maker, I'm hungry in the morning and not a fan of waiting to eat, especially when it's sitting right in front of me :)

Everyday Waffles

Adapted from Food.com

1 can (1 2/3 cups) evaporated milk (I used 2%)

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil

2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs, then add the milk, oil, vanilla, salt and sugar and continue whisking.  Add the baking powder and flour and mix with a large spoon until combined but do not overmix.  Cook according to your waffle makers instructions.  I got 12 small square waffles from this recipe and any leftovers can be refrigerated and then toasted.  Serve with butter and Nova Scotia maple syrup.

Variation:

When you first put the batter in the waffle iron (I always spray mine with non-stick spray between batches) you can sprinkle with blueberries or chocolate chips.

Do you enjoy making waffles at home?  If you have a favourite recipe that you'd like to share, please do!  Hopefully I'll be inspired to make some again before another two years go by :)

Blueberry Balsamic Salad Dressing

This was an experiment with tonight's dinner.  A delicious experiment.  I was going for a more classic blueberry vinaigrette, but what I ended up with was a thick and velvety dressing that was bursting with blueberry flavour.  You gotta love it when kitchen 'accidents' turn out better than whatever it was you had planned in the first place.

My Blueberry Balsamic Salad Dressing

1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Sea salt & pepper to taste
1/2 clove minced garlic
1 tsp honey

Combine everything in blender and let run until thickened and combined.  This dressing will really thicken up and can get almost mousse-like if you let it sit.  Add a few drops more oil and pulse if you need to thin it out.

Did you ever start making one thing in the kitchen and end up with something else that turned out to be a new favorite?  I'd love to hear about your most delicious 'oops' :)

Chickpea & Spinach Soup

This is a very quick and easy soup and it goes incredibly well with a loaf of fresh bread and some olive oil dipper.   Since you can use both canned chickpeas and frozen spinach, it is a meal that you can probably make right now if you check your cupboards and freezer.  I have added fresh ginger to this in the past, but prefer the lemon accent.  The small amount of added carrot isn't noticeable but it helps sweeten up the onions when cooking.

My Chickpea & Spinach Soup
Makes 4 Bowls

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large or 2 small onions, diced
1 small carrot, shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 low-sodium vegetable bouillon cube
2 1/2 cups hot water
1 19oz can chickpeas (garbonzo beans), drained and rinsed well
5 oz spinach, wilted and chopped (or 1/2 a block of frozen chopped spinach, cooked)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp dried ground sage)
juice of 1/2 a lemon (plus some optional zest)
olive oil drizzle (optional)

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté the onions and carrot in the olive oil until translucent.  Add the garlic and let sauté another minute.  Add the bouillon cube, water, chickpeas, spinach and S&P.  Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 10- 15 minutes or until the onions have softened completely.  Remove from heat and stir in the fresh sage and lemon juice (if using dry sage, add along with the garlic).  Purée half of the soup, either in a blender or using an immersion blender (I finally killed my immersion blender, so I had to use my blender, making sure to cover the lid with a dish towel... trust me, hot soup spray hurts), and mix back into the remaining soup.  Like most soups, it tastes better after it sits a bit and it reheats very well.  When serving I like to drizzle a bit of olive oil and add some grated lemon zest to each bowl.

Enjoy!

Pecan Pie (with a shot of Scotch)

This past weekend we celebrated Dad's birthday at my sister Pat's house, as we have for the past few years.  This year she asked if I would bring dessert (kinda a no-brainer).  After a quick Facebook vote, I decided to make my Baileys Chocolate Cheesecake.  Then of course I get to thinking, what if that isn't enough?  What if it's a fuller than normal house?  Pecan Pie.  Yum!  I had a ball of my All Butter Pastry in the freezer (the one made with Greek yogurt that is oh so good!), so I was half way there.

I love trying out recipes from my  Complete America's Test Kitchen Tv Show Cookbook 2001-2011
and decided to give their Pecan Pie recipe a go, with just one little addition... Scotch whiskey :)  Following their method gave me my best pecan pie to date.  The pecans were definitely the star, sweet but not overkill and the crust stayed nice and crispy, even on the bottom!

Pecan Pie (with a shot of Scotch)

Adapted from Complete America's Test Kitchen Tv Show Cookbook 2001-2011

A 9" pie crust, unbaked and well chilled

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed (I used light, recipe called for dark)

1/2 tsp table salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup corn syrup (recipe called for light, I used Lily White)

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp Scotch whiskey

2 cups pecans, toasted and then coarsely chopped (I toast at 375 degrees for 10 minutes right before blind baking the crust)

Partially blind bake the crust in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.  I recommend using a foil lining with rice or beans when you blind bake, which I was out of and instead used an experimental parchment rope twisted into a spiral that I saw used on another blog and it didn't work out for me and my worst fears were realized, I had shrinkage!  Remove from oven, take out foil, etc., set on a wire rack and reduce oven heat to 275 degrees.  

While the crust is blind baking or just after, melt the butter in the top of a double boiler (or just in a medium saucepan would be fine I'm sure), remove from heat and add in the sugar and salt stirring to combine.  Whisk in eggs one at a time and stir in corn syrup.  Put back on to heat and warm until the mixture is just hot to the touch.  Remove from heat again and stir in pecans, vanilla and Scotch.  Pour into the partially baked crust (which should still be warm, which will help keep the crust from getting soggy).  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the centre is just set but will slightly jiggle.  Let cool on wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.  

This pie can be eaten slightly heated, but I served it at room temperature with some Baileys-infused whipped cream... Delicious!  Oh, and it turns out the cheesecake alone would have been enough, but really, can too much dessert be such a bad thing?

What are your favourite desserts to take to gatherings of family and friends?  

I've shared this post with Jam Hands for her Recipe Sharing Monday :)

Wordless Wednesday - Sage in My Garden

Nova Scotia Hodge Podge

If you've been to Nova Scotia in the summer, you've probably had lobster and you probably have had Hodge Podge.  While I have seen variations, the Hodge Podge I grew up with is simply the freshest local beans, potatoes and carrots you can find swimming in cream and butter and seasoned only with salt and pepper.

My Nova Scotia Hodge Podge

This is a small recipe, multiply as needed.

5 small/medium new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered (very small new potatoes need only be scrubbed)

1 bunch (minus a few for munching) young fresh carrots, scrubbed and ends trimmed

2 handfuls each green and yellow beans, ends snipped and rinsed well

1/2 cup cream (I used 18%, but you can use heavy or even milk... but please, no skim)

3 tbsp unsalted butter

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1 green onion, sliced fine, for garnish (if desired)

Prep and well wash/scrub all vegetables and put in a steamer (you can boil, but steaming keeps more flavour and nutrients).  Steam over salted water for 20 minutes once the water has come to a steady simmer.  The vegetables should be tender, but not falling apart.  Remove from heat and pour water out of the bottom pot (or drain the veggies) and put the veggies there along with the cream, butter and salt and pepper.  Gently toss around and make sure everything gets a nice coating of the buttery cream.

Around here, Hodge Podge is a meal in itself, but it also goes great with anything off the grill or with a freshly caught fish.  A fresh loaf of bread to soak up the juices left on your plate is a welcome addition as well.

Simplicity at it's best.

Recipe Share Monday & Pic of the Week!

My Coco-Choco-Nana Bread shot was selected as FoodNetwork.ca's pic of the week, I am so psyched!  It was a great honour to be selected this week and it also brought a lot of new visitors to my blog and I LOVE company, it means I have to bake more :)

This recipe is such a winner that I chose to share it with Jam Hands for her Recipe Share Monday.  Feel free to visit her blog and see who else is sharing.






Although the weather is beautiful here in Nova Scotia this holiday Monday, I hope to work on a new post today too.

Until then,
H