Pepper Corn Bread

This is from one of the Grandma series of cookbooks (I think it was Grandma's Touch but I own three of them so my memory is bad) - Irene Hrechuk.  I could not find the recipe shared freely online so I won't post it here.  I do recommend this cookbook (Grandma's touch).  Many of our favourite recipes do come from here (like the chili - oh my...and the carrot cake...mmm).  However this recipe was not enjoyed by us.  The kids were away at Grandma's house and so we made a big pot of chill and tried this cornbread recipe.  The combination of buttermilk, butter and creamed corn just made this bread too moist and greasy feeling for us.  We prefer a drier lighter cornbread.  We will not make this again.

7 Second Salsa

I had the urge for fresh salsa yesterday.  Really good fresh salsa.  The kind we always get to have when we go to Mexico.

I had the freshest ingredients - picked from my backyard! Onions! Cherry Tomatoes! Jalapeno! Cilantro!

I've always meant to try the 7 second salsa recipe from our Magic Bullet cookbook.  I've  tried many smoothies in it and they've all been great so why not salsa too?

http://www.food.com/recipe/magic-bullet-seven-second-salsa-221301

6 -8 cherry tomatoes (or 1/2 cup) 1/4 of a jalapeno pepper 1 -2 garlic clove 1 sprig fresh cilantro (optional) 1/4 cup onion salt and pepper Directions: 1 Place all ingredients, IN THE ORDER THEY ARE LISTED, into the tall cup (you may need to cut up the tomatoes). 2 Twist on the cross blade and place the cup onto the power base. 3 Give it several quick pulses. Do not over-process -- salsa should be chunky. 4 Remember to apply a bit of counter-clockwise pressure to the cup to keep it from locking-on.

Looks fabulous so far doesn't it?   My supper was cooking in the oven, the kids were getting along and awesome salsa was on its way.  Life was good!

Then this happened....

So I said to myself, "Ok - it looks green and gross.  It's not chunky despite the 7 second pulsing. The onions should have been dropped in last - not first because they aren't chopped up.  Despite all this - it does smell like salsa should.  So suck it up and taste it...."

Yeah...no.  Not good.  Really onion-y.  Not enough tomato.  I added another 6 cherry tomatoes hand chopped this time.  Added some salt.   Still not great.  it was....ok...

Mr Picky and Little Miss Vegetarian would not try it and I didn't have the heart to make them eat something that I didn't love.  Husband-of-Cheerios said it was bland and tasted too much like onions.

I felt a little let down that my awesome fresh garden produce gave me this (mostly because I kill plants as a general rule so to actually produce food is worthy of a medal).

We will NOT make this again.  

I still want some good fresh salsa....

Lettuce Wraps

This recipe came from my Pampered Chef cookbook but also found online here:
http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/42723

We just bought a new knife and my husband happily julienned the carrots for this recipe as well as cut the cucumber sliver thin.

This recipe was ok but I have had better.  Amy - a friend of mine sent me the best tasting lettuce wrap recipe.  :)   I also didn't like butter lettuce for this and think it would have tasted better using iceberg.

We served them with Heather's green onion cakes...also found here on this blog.

I've made her green onion cakes a few times always with great results...until this night.

I still don't know what I did wrong but the result was that we should have called these "rock cakes" and not green onion cakes.  I got to the point where I couldn't even eat them.  They tasted fine but truly were like gnawing on a rock.

Strangely enough the kids kept eating them and happily called them rock cakes.  They looked so hilarious trying to chew off a bite that I had to take their pictures:

I guess I need to learn to pay more attention when I cook...LOL

Summer Borcht and buns!

OK so this is a soup that you have to keep an open mind about, it s a recipe passed down many generations from large Mennonite families. This particular version comes from my grandmother who is greatly missed, she had 18 children, so you see the recipe is large! I still make it in this quantity because we put it in several containers in the fridge and eat it for a week! My family goes CRAZY for it, even my 8 year old loves it. I'd have to say it's an acquired taste. I'm posting it for the brave few who might try it, once you get a taste for it, you will make it in the quantities that I make lol!! It's always so sad when it's done. It is called summer borscht because it is FILLED with summer greens as you will see in the recipe, we used to call it marijuana soup when we were young and thought we were funny.

Now there is one ingredient that is tough to find, either you grow it and freeze it like I do, or sometimes you can find it in those nice little plastic containers of fresh herbs in the grocery store, but as of late, I cannot find it anymore. Luckily this can be substituted quite well with...another odd ingredient... BEET LEAVES lol!! Shame on me, I have been known to sneak a few leaves off the beets in the grocery store cause well...other people just throw them in the garbage lol!! TERRIBLE!! I had another option once, my neighbor brought me to his backyard to show me his gardens and he happened to grow a lot of beets. He also mentioned once that urine was really good for growing plants and vegetables....also he is such an awesome environmentalist that he doesn't waste any of his bathwater by simply draining it, he uses it to water his plants, what an awesome guy!! Anyway, short story long, I now shoplift the beet leaves from the grocery store....

This is best served up with FRESH buns, recipe to follow. I would give you a much better recipe but heck I am not my mother and cannot make a freezer full of buns at one time, so I sufficed with this recipe I found online. If you are interested in the BIG recipe of mouth watering buns/bread I can certainly pass it on and I will take a picture of how much it makes next time my mom makes her recipe lol!!  P.S.  My soup is boiling in the picture hence the bubbles on top!

Summer Borscht
(feel free to half, or even quarter this recipe, I suggest quarter when you first try it, remembering to keep an open mind and have no expectations for what it will taste like, it is like no other potato soup you will have tried)

10 cups soup stock made by boiling a smoked ham and 2 onions chopped for 1 hour.

Add 2 cups of a mixture of chopped greens including:
Sorrel
beet leaves
green onions (about 3 bunches)
FRESH dill (around 3 tbsp)

and around 6 cups cubed potatoes
salt to taste

Cook until potatoes are done.

take off the heat and let cool for a while, then add 1 litre of buttermilk and bring to a boil again.

then WA LA, you are done! Here is what it looks like... generally, this soup had probably more greens but hey, whatever floats your boat.

ok on to the buns!

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions

1. Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

Honey-Chipotle Turkey Meatballs

Yet another recipe from the January/February 2012 Everyday Food. I did say that it was full of great sounding recipes ; )

This recipe got chosen for two reasons.

1. Brad loves meatballs and he loves meatballs in a sweet and sticky sauce even more!

2. A while ago I opened a can of Chipotles in Adobo for another recipe. Because I am such a wimp a whole can is enough to last me a year though! So to minimize waste and always have some on hand, I froze them individually in snack size zipper bags.

HONEY-CHIPOTLE TURKEY MEATBALLS

http://www.marthastewart.com/872905/honey-chipotle-turkey-meatballs

RATINGS:

Heather - 9.5 - "A great turkey meatball"

Brad - 10 - "When can we have these again"

NOTES:

I made up the meatballs and the sauce in the afternoon, so that all Brad had to do was cook them. This worked really well. I might even make up a batch to freeze and have ready for a quick meal another time.
I only used 1/2 a Tbsp of chipotle which isn't much and I am going to have to cut that in half again, I am such a wimp.

This recipe was intended as an appetizer, and would be great that way. We enjoyed it as a meal with rice and steamed asparagus.

Hard boiled and Deviled eggs

First I started with boiled eggs, now for the event I went to I made a total of 72 deviled eggs...yikes!! So I wanted a fool proof way to peel all those crazy eggs so I found a recipe for fool proof boiled eggs YAY! Here it is:

Hard Boiled Eggs

1. Fill a pot with water and add a handful of salt (optional, for hard boiled eggs) and set the temp to high. I’ve yet to try the salt, but many readers have recommended this tip for even better peeling results. According to ehow, salt should be omitted when soft boiled eggs are desired. Add your eggs making sure the water covers the entire egg. Bring it to ROLLING BOIL, but don’t continue to boil. Once it begins, remove it from the heat and put a lid on it. Set your timer for 15 minutes.

2. Ding! Pour the hot water off and immediately fill your pot with cold water. Add as much ice as you can to this water. When it melts in a few minutes, add more. The water should be icy cold when you put your hand in it. If not, continue adding ice.

3. After about 10-15 minutes, pour NEARLY all of the water off reserving about an inch.

4. Put the lid on and now it’s time to play bumper cars. You heard me, shake those babies bumping them together back and forth gently (edited via reader’s suggestions). You’ll look ridiculous, but I promise it’s worth the goofy look so you’re not peeling each one under cold running water. Just continue to shake, shake, shake for about a minute and voila! When you remove the lid nearly all of your shell has fallen off the egg and they EASILY peel off without peeling the egg. Use running cool water if necessary.

Now for the deviled eggs that I tried and tested and they all tasted great! I'll put them in order of popularity.

Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs

12 eggs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 slices of bacon

2 tbsp finely shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbsp mustard ( i used dijon)

BLT Deviled Eggs

6 large eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled plus more for garnish if desired

2 cherry tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp dried parsley flakes ( I used fresh)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh Herb Deviled Eggs

6 large eggs

3 tbsp mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1/8 cup chopped fresh chives plus more for garnish

1/4 tsp fresh chopped dill

1/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/8 tsp chopped fresh sage

1/8 tsp chopped fresh basil

Lemon-Pepper Deviled Eggs

6 large eggs

2 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise

juice of half a lemon

1/8 tsp lemon zest minced

1/2 tsp lemon pepper

lemon zest curls and lemon pepper for garnish

For all the recipes you hard boil the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise scoop out the yolk and I put mine in the mixer and added the ingredients and whipped them up, sometimes you have to play with the amount of mayo to get a good consistency. After whipping I put the mixture in a piping bag and piped them into the eggs whites and garnished according to the recipe. These were all a big hit, the lemon ones were really good but definitely a different taste than most people are used to. Every single one of my 72 eggs were eaten and people started asking me if I did this as a business and asked for my card LOL!!!

Guacamole!!!!

I tried this recipe out tonight....success!! This was yummy!

Guacamole

3 avocados peeled pitted and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)....I didn't add the pepper cause I was trying to get kids to eat it lol!

mash together avocados, lime juice and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refridgerate 1 hour for best flavor or serve immediately.


turned out to be the best guacamole I've ever had.

Cowboy Caviar

This recipe is from my Mom's friend.
I tasted it for the first  time about 2 weeks ago.  My mom handed me a Scoops Tortilla Chip filled with what you can see above.  I eyed it skeptically.  After all, I am the one who won't try a pimiento.   She gave me her Mother look so I had to eat it or risk her wrath.  To my surprise it was delicious!!  It was so good that I got the recipe and made it myself the next day.  I took it to my in-laws house and my Mother-in-Law asked for the recipe too. 

Did you catch that?  My MOTHER-IN-LAW asked for the recipe!  That's like Julia Childs asking for a recipe.  Hee Hee.

I then fed it to some people at work: Mrs Smith, Mr Sven Zen and Mrs Tulip.  Both Mrs Smith and Mrs Tulip asked me for the recipe.

I don't think I can be any more clear.  Make this recipe.  You will NOT regret it and you will die a happier person because of it.

Without further delay...Cowboy Caviar

*variations of this can be any changes you desire - there are also other versions on the web

1 can pinto beans
1 can black eyed peas (I used black beans)
1 can shoe-peg corn ( I had to google this...used a smaller can of peaches n cream instead)
1 chopped sweet pepper (finely chopped...I used a combo of red, orange and yellow)
1/2 cup finely chopped red or sweet onion (I used sweet)
2-3 finely chopped jalepeno (we used 2 but will use 3 next time)
Mix all these together.

Marinade:
3/4 cup vegetable oil or corn oil (not olive oil). (we used vegetable oil)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
Boil marinade and cool.  Pour over bean mixture and marinade overnight.  This keeps well for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Serve with dippers and enjoy.

We also added a splash of hot sauce.

Chunky Guacamole

I never used to like guacamole. This recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Mexican 2010 magazine. Everyone who tried it says that it is the best they have ever eaten. It is super fast to make and now I often make it for an appetizer on Friday afternoons.

CHUNKY GUACAMOLE

2/3 c chopped tomato

1/4 c sliced green onions

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 very ripe avocados, mashed

Stir all ingredients together. Keep the pits and put them in the bowl with the mix. It keeps it from going brown and it REALLY works! Refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

RATINGS:

Heather -10 - "I love this stuff"

Brad - 10 - "Holy Guacamole"

Black Bean Nacho Dip

Quinoa, what a funny word, but it is great for you.

I bought a copy of Quinoa 365 the Everyday Superfood after browsing it at my sister's place.

A hint if you are going to try this, the best place to buy quinoa is at Costco.

(WAY less expensive than any where else)

I decided to make this as an appetizer for Brad and I today since we are going to be eating late.

Black Bean Nacho Dip

1/2 cup cooked quinoa

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 8oz package light cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp milk

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Step 1. Puree the black beans, cream cheese, milk and lime juice.





Step 2. Mix in remaining ingredients

Step 3. Put in pretty serving bowl and enjoy

Ratings:

Brad - 9 - "Great on Tostitos"

Heather - 9.5 - "I think this is going to be my new favorite dip"

Additional Brad Quote:

"You know, I used to hate cilantro, but this is so good"

He tells me this every time I make something with cilantro in it.

California Rolls by Melanie

I learned how to make these by taking a class at Planet Organic.  Last weekend, DH decided to make a batch for Miss Almost Vegetarian's birthday party.  I know that they aren't actually California Rolls since they ARE meatless but that's what they called them in the class and I am sticking to it...

As adapted from Planet Organic's California Rolls:

2 cups sticky rice - cooked
As you remove from heat - add 3T rice vinegar

Filling options:
Carrot sticks - blanched
Red Pepper - cut into strips
Asparagus
Cucumber - remove seeds from centre, cut into strips
Umeboshi paste

Spread cooked rice evenly on a Nori sheet (shiny side down) covering the sheet completely except for leaving 2" free of rice at the top of the sheet for use for sealing the roll.

Spread Umeboshi paste across the middle of the rice with some pickled ginger (we didn't use the pickled ginger).

Add the filling. We used red pepper, asparagus and carrot. (steamed it slightly before using)

Roll the Nori and rice tightly together and when you get to the empty Nori at the top of sheet wet the top part of the Nori sheet and continue to roll.  This damp Nori will create a seal.  Roll in Saran wrap and put in the refrigerator until ready to cut.

When you cut the rolls, clean and wet the knife between cuts to prevent the rice from sticking to the knife and tearing the Nori.

Enjoy with soy sauce and if you are my husband - wasabi.

I forgot to take a picture of the final product so I borrowed a picture from sushicup.com

The verdict?  Neither Mr.Picky or Miss Almost Vegetarian would eat them but all the adults at the party really liked them.  We also brought more to another birthday party the next day and they were popular there too.  Yes, we will make them again. 

Green Onion Cakes and Pot Stickers

It is my hope that after reading this post Melanie will be inspired to try at least one of these recipes!

Brad and I like to get take out Chinese about once a month (Bing's in Spruce Grove is great), typically on a Saturday evening when I am to lazy to cook after working all day. The food we get is enough for 3 servings for us. Sometimes Brad lucks out and gets the leftovers for lunch on Sunday other times I will make green onion cakes and pot stickers to add to the meal for both of us on Sunday evening.

Home made green onion cakes are one of the easiest things ever to make. I don't remember where I got the recipe from, all I have is the ingredients scribbled on a page in a note book. The pot sticker recipe I found on Epicurious a couple of years ago and is from Ming Tsai. Give one or both a try, they are better than 90% of the ones I have had in restaurants and they both freeze well so that you can have them on hand.

Green Onion Cakes

2 cups flour

3/4 cup hot water

1/2 tsp salt

Mix flour and salt together.

Add water and mix until the dough starts to come together.

Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until starting to get smooth.

Add 3/4 cup green onion tops (1 bunch) and continue kneading until smooth.

Cover and let rest about 10 minutes.

Cut into equal pieces (I usually make 6 per batch)

Stretch into circles

Fry in medium-high fry pan with a little bit of oil

Set on paper towel to remove excess oil

I like to sprinkle a little bit of extra salt on top

Pork Pot Stickers
I am going to cheat again and post the link to the recipe.
If you read the reviews* as I did you will want to try these.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pork-Pot-Stickers-236605
This time I had the pot stickers in the freezer.
Kandice helped me make them (Brad hates helping me with these).
To cook them from frozen I put simply put them in the pan with the water and oil and turn it on.


THE FINAL PRODUCT

Ratings:

Brad - 9 - "Better than I remember"

Heather - 10 - " I love both!"

* I have never been let down by a recipe found on Epicurious that has good reviews posted.

Parmesan/Thyme Crackers - the final word

This is the recipe for Parmesan & Thyme crackers from the cookbook Barefoot Contessa - Back to Basics.  I won't post the actual recipe as I'm sure that is a copyright violation.  :)

 Here is how soft and creamy the dough looked at first....

Too bad I didn't take a picture of the crumbly mess that followed.  Miraculously though, sitting overnight in the fridge seemed to have improved its texture and I was able to slice through the dough log with no problems.  Here is a look at the crackers just before they went into the oven this afternoon.  Note the vague resemblance to the picture in the cookbook.

They smelled delicious while cooking.  The finished product really looked nothing like the picture - my cheese was not shredded but grated and my thyme was not minced.  That being said, they were actually quite good.  They had the texture of shortbread with the taste of a herb cracker. 

2 thumbs up for taste, 1 thumb down for making a cracker in the first place.  Only Martha-types would do such a thing on a regular basis rather than just opening a box of Nabisco.  ;)

The cracker dough is in the fridge...

Parmesan Thyme Crackers - Well it started out looking promising.  I added the butter to the mixer and even put in the fresh thyme, kosher salt and pepper.  I weighed out the 4oz of cheese it called for and watched it mixed around!  It did say that the dough could be a bit dry - which it was beginning to look so I added the tsp of water that it suggested. 

Hmm...come to think of it...the dough just looked like a pile of dust.   I added 2 more tsp of water for good measure and dumped it out to form into a log to chill.  Hah!  I finally got it into sort of a log shape after it crumbled back into dust a few more times.

It sits in my fridge now...mocking my efforts and warning me that when i go to slice it and bake it tomorrow, that it will once again crumble into dust.  I am refusing to think about it and instead self medicating with a mug of hot chocolate, a shot of chocolate mint Bailey's and a rerun of the Golden Girls.

Tomorrow I'll post the final crumbles picture of the crackers (who makes crackers anyway?) as well as a pic of a Pomogranate Cosmopolitan - a fine recipe for New Year's Eve.