Salsa Ranchera is a great basic tomato-based table sauce that can be used to serve with tacos, huevos rancheros, or just served with corn chips! I roughly use a classic recipe by Diana Kennedy as a guide for my Salsa Ranchera. Diana Kennedy is a great resource for Mexican cooking, in case you haven’t heard of her. Her cookbook The Art of Mexican Cooking is a classic and one that I use and refer to often. We cook Mexican food quite frequently around here – it is one of my favorite cuisines. I love to have a variety of salsas to choose from for tacos and this Salsa Ranchera is…
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Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars
I don’t often make desserts, but yesterday I was craving something sweet. I had some caramels leftover from my Christmas baking stash that I hadn’t used so I came up with these Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars. An oatmeal crust layered with gooey caramel, chocolate and then topped with more oatmeal topping adorned with pecans. A pretty good little sweet treat if you are in the mood. I almost didn’t post these as I thought I should make them one more time to perfect the crust. I think it needed a bit more butter. I’ve altered the recipe to include a few more tbsp of butter, which is what I would…
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Zucchini Corn Salad with Herby Dressing
This simple Zucchini Corn Salad with Herby Dressing was what I came up with today in an attempt to use up some zucchini we had in the fridge. It would be a great salad for the end of summer when everyone is trying to find ways to use up plentiful amounts of zucchini. This would be great too topped with a few pistachio nuts if you have some. I didn’t today and since I’m trying not to always be running back and forth to the grocery store these days, I decided to go without. You could leave the vegetables raw for this, but I decided to roast the zucchini a…
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Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo…which I’m using as an excuse to make this Mexican Shrimp Cocktail. Personally I don’t really celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Canada, but I’m always looking for a reason to cook Mexican food as it is one of my absolute favorites! If you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo tomorrow I have some great Mexican recipes on this site to try like these Mushroom Poblano Tacos that you could serve with Homemade Corn Tortillas and Guacamole with Roasted Poblano perhaps washed down with Mango Margaritas, then add this delicious Mexican Shrimp Cocktail in for the appetizer! Oh wow, now that sounds like a great meal. I first made…
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Pasta al Limone
Sometimes simple is best. This classic Italian Pasta al Limone is pretty much as simple as it gets. You only need a few ingredients to create this delicious and bright Pasta al Limone. Butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, Lemons, and Pasta come together to create this perfect pasta dish. Great for when you have minimal ingredients on hand. The secret to the sauce is to make sure that you reserve a little of the pasta water. The starchy pasta water melds with cheese, lemon juice, and butter to create a delicious and light sauce – no cream required! Some tips for a great Pasta al Limone Cook the pasta until just shy…
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Maple Chipotle Glazed Salmon with Mango Salsa
I had some mangos that were ripe that I needed to use up, and that is what inspired me to make this Maple Chipotle Glazed Salmon with Mango Salsa. Oven-roasted salmon with a sticky sweet and spicy glaze. Serve over rice and top with a sweet delicious mango salsa adorned with fresh lime juice. A perfect, light, and healthy meal. Salmon is so good for you: Great source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Great source of Protein High in B Vitamins High in Potassium High in Selenium Mangos are one of my favorite fruits! I love them plain. They are great too served with lime juice and chili sprinkled over. Another…
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Raspberry Gin Smash
I love a good Gin and Tonic, but sometimes I like to mix things up a little. This Raspberry Gin Smash is a nice refreshing summer drink you can enjoy on the patio. It was a busy day around here with yard work and cleaning up the house so this short little drink recipe is a nice way to end the day. Also, after cleaning the house all day, I don’t want to make a huge mess in the kitchen. How are you all fairing in this health crisis? I keep losing track of the days now that I am not working and taking kids to school each day. Anyone…
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Best BBQ Pulled Pork Sammies
When my husband tried these tonight he declared that they were the Best BBQ Pulled Pork Sammies he had ever tasted! I had to agree that they were pretty darn good! The kids really enjoyed them too – you know they love it when they all come back for seconds! I love making pulled pork in the slow cooker. It’s great for tacos or pulled pork sandwiches and best of all it’s pretty much hands-off cooking for the majority of the day. I use pork shoulder when making pulled pork as it has enough fat in it to break down until pull-apart tender. The other great thing about pork shoulder…
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Simple Miso Noodle Soup
This Simple Miso Noodle Soup is the solution for a quick supper on a busy day. So throw away your instant ramen noodles and try out this simple little bowl. Miso Paste Miso Paste is a handy little Japanese condiment to have in your fridge that is made from fermenting soybeans. I love to add it to chicken broth to add a depth of flavor a soup like this Simple Miso Noodle Soup. There are two different common types of Miso Paste that you will find in stores – white miso and red miso. White miso tends to have a more delicate flavor and is easily adaptable in different recipes.…
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Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs
Chilaquiles are a popular Mexican breakfast, typically served with fried or scrambled eggs. These Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs are made with homemade tomatillo salsa, crispy homemade corn chips, crumbly feta cheese, and topped with Pickled Red Onions. What is Chilaquiles? Chilaquiles is a common Mexican breakfast dish. It consists typically of fried corn tortilla chips with salsa, cheese, and either scrambled or fried eggs. What to serve with Avocado slices Mexican Black Beans Cream or Mexican Crema Cilantro Feta or Queso Fresca Onions How to make Homemade Corn Chips If you have leftover Homemade Corn Tortillas these are a great way to use them up. Any store-bought variety will work…
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Mango Margaritas
Mango Margaritas are one of my favorite drinks to enjoy when I’m visiting Mexico. These ones are slushy, ice-cold, and sweetened with honey simple syrup. I prefer the slushy kind of Margarita as it feels like a delicious grown-up Slurpee and is very refreshing on a hot day. Since I’ve been posting quite a bit of Mexican food on the blog lately, I figured I had better add a refreshing cocktail to the menu. Especially since summer is around the corner. This is a perfect treat for the patio! Classic, easy to make and so good! I prefer a Blanco Tequila to make this drink with. I’ve made this pretty…
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Homemade Corn Tortillas
I love homemade corn tortillas. I often will make these for taco night around here. They are really simple to make at home. What you need to make Homemade Corn Tortillas You only need two ingredients to make these Corn Tortillas. Masa Flour and Water. That’s it! I do salt my flour a little bit so I guess 3 ingredients if you include that. It is also handy to have a tortilla press. If you don’t have one, you could use a rolling pin, or even a heavy-bottomed pan to press the dough. You also need a little plastic wrap or plastic food bags to cover your press so that…
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Mushroom Poblano Tacos
If you haven’t noticed, I love Mexican food. I could eat tacos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and be very happy about it. These mushroom poblano tacos are one of my favorites! A great vegetarian dish too! I like to add a little bit of cream at the end of the cooking process to the mushrooms mixture and let it cook down a little, I think it compliments the mushrooms well. If you don’t have cream though, don’t fret, these would be good without it as well. We made Homemade Corn Tortillas and tomatillo salsa to go along with these. These are really simple to make and great with ice-cold Mango…
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Spicy Chipotle Shrimp
These Spicy Chipotle Shrimp are so good and come together so quickly! Perfect for a weeknight meal or just a quick and easy dinner anytime! You may have had this dish if you have visited Mexico before. It is a popular dish I’ve seen on my visits in restaurants. My husband and I have visited Mexico many times, and besides the beautiful weather, friendly people, and stunning ocean, our other favorite thing about Mexico is the food! Mexican food is one of my favorite cuisines to cook. Exploring some of the traditional foods and preparations has expanded my view on what an amazing cuisine Mexico it is – so many…
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Bucatini all’Amatriciana
I have to say that Rome has some pretty kick-butt classic pasta dishes to choose from. Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe and this delicious and simple Bucatini all’Amatriciana. I love simple and classic pasta dishes like these. When you have good ingredients, you don’t really need a whole lot of them in order to create great flavor. Pasta is simple, cheap, and one of my absolute favorites! What is Bucatini all’Amatriciana Traditionally the sauce for this pasta dish is made with guanciale, tomatoes, and pecorino romano cheese. Some variations include onions, white wine, hot pepper flakes, or garlic added in. Guanciale is a cured pork product that comes from the cheeks.…
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Greek Salad with Crispy Feta Croutons
Who doesn’t love a greek salad, better yet one with crispy fried feta croutons! The weather is finally warming up in here in Calgary for a much-needed break from winter. Spring has me craving dishes that are a bit lighter and fresh. Of course, healthy salads are great, but a little indulgence is still delicious and these crispy feta croutons fit the bill. This greek salad is a mixture of the traditional veggies typically used for this dish. Cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion and a bit of flat-leaf parsley thrown into the mix. For the dressing, a simple mix of olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, oregano…
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Best Breakfast Sammies
These are seriously my absolute favorite Breakfast Sammies. The recipe is not my own for the sausage patties, and I’ve included a link to the cookbook they are in, in case you are interested. The boys and I love breakfast sandwiches! Who doesn’t really! Toasted buns, melty cheese, avocado slices, runny yolk eggs, and these homemade sausage patties. Served up with some hot sauce it is a breakfast that dreams are made of. A great weekend breakfast when you aren’t in a rush to get out the door, which I suppose most of us aren’t lately. I call this the Best Breakfast Sammies- because this is my absolute favorite! Better…
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Cacio e Pepe with Arugula
Pasta, Peppercorns, and Pecorino Romano. Those are the three main ingredients you will need to make this Cacio e Pepe with Arugula. I’ve added in some arugula as I think the peppery green compliments the dish perfectly, but if you don’t have arugula, this dish is great without it. This dish comes together quickly and is a really simple dish once you know a few techniques. What is Cacio e Pepe Cacio e Pepe is a pasta dish that originated in Rome. It means Pepper and Cheese. It is a simple but delicious dish when prepared correctly. Ingredients Matter When you make a simple dish like this Cacio e Pepe…
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Coconut Curry Shrimp Bowls
We are coming down to the bare scraps around here before I go for groceries. Therefore, the inspiration for these Coconut Curry Shrimp Bowls came from trying to figure out what to use what I had left. I’ve been trying to limit my trips to the grocery store, and the good thing about that is that I tend to use up everything we have with no waste. The other benefit of limited supplies – it allows you to be creative with the ingredients you have on hand. We had some shrimp in the freezer, a can of coconut milk and red cabbage. I’ve been slightly obsessed with red cabbage lately.…
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Cheesy Chickpeas with Tomato and Dill
Having a well-stocked pantry is wonderful when you need to improvise for a quick meal with just a few ingredients. I like to keep canned beans and canned tomatoes on hand and I use them both frequently. These Cheesy Chickpeas with Tomato and Dill use up canned tomatoes and canned chickpeas and make a satisfying and healthy quick supper. I was getting low on groceries today, and for some reason, I had an excess supply of canned chickpeas. I figured, I had better use some of them up, and there are only so many hummus recipes you can do. That was the inspiration for this dish. I added dill in…
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Sesame Noodle Bowls
These Sesame Noodle Bowls are great for when you really don’t feel like cooking. They pretty much take about as long to make as to cook your noodles, so super quick. I serve them cold (salad style), and you can pretty much layer in any veggies that you like in here. This dish is vegetarian and vegan friendly too, however, if you would like to add some protein in, feel free. I got the inspiration for this dish from another site Pinch of Yum Sesame Bowls This recipe is adapted to my taste. Anyone else getting sick of quarantine life? Although I’m trying to stay positive, I have to admit, it…
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Mozza Stuffed Meatballs in Marinara with Chimichurri
Meatballs – stuffed with Mozzarella – Yes Please! These Mozza Stuffed Meatballs in Marinara with Chimichurri are great as a meal themselves, or they would be great as an appetizer. The meatballs kind of remind me of Arancini, but instead of a rice version, a meat version. I baked the meatballs this time, for ease of cleanup and also I was afraid they would break a little and I wanted the oozy cheese to stay put inside until we cut into them. The Chimichurri, was an afterthought, as we had some leftover from brunch. It added a nice brightness and cut the richness – it is a great addition to…
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Spring Greens Crustless Quiche with Chimichurri
Call it breakfast, brunch, or supper, this Spring Greens Crustless Quiche with Chimichurri is a great way to highlight spring veggies. A beautiful egg and cream custard adorn asparagus, leeks, peas, and of course, I added some bacon in there for good measure. Dot with cheese and bake until just set. Serve this up with a drizzle of Chimichurri sauce and avocado. Quiche is a great make-ahead as it is also great served at room temperature. I only had 4 eggs left this morning and a bunch of beautiful green veggies to use up, so this is where the inspiration for this recipe came from this morning. Quiche is Versatile…
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Fresh Pappardelle with Bolognese
This fresh pappardelle with bolognese is comfort food at it’s finest. Slow-cooked bolognese sauce pairs perfectly with the wide fresh pappardelle noodles. Some tips for a good Bolognese Sauce Use fattier ground beef – the sauce needs the fat for flavor here, and it will yield a much tastier result. Not all canned tomatoes are created equally – I like to use San Marzano, they have fewer seeds, a nice pulp and are superior to many other brands on the market. A little pricier, but worth the extra dollar. I buy them by the case as they are a little more affordable this way. You can find them at any…
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Dutch Baby with Cinnamon Apples
This Dutch Baby with Cinnamon Apples is a delicious treat for breakfast. In fact, I would almost go so far as to say that it is like dessert for breakfast! With everything going on the world right now, I think we all deserve a little comfort, don’t we? The world is a bit ‘mad’ right now with everything going on, and I like many so many of you, am at home isolated with my family. A few months ago, I would have never guessed that we would all be on lockdown in our homes with schools and restaurants closed and a health scare, beyond anything I have ever seen. Amidst…
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Zucchini Rolls with Ricotta, Dill and Parmesan
Zucchini rolls stuffed with ricotta, parmesan, and dill and then baked in delicious garlic-infused tomato sauce dotted with gooey mozzarella. Served hot out of the oven with some fresh basil. Such a delicious and light summer dish! In fact, it tastes like the essence of summer in a bowl! A friend of mine was in town the other day visiting Calgary, so I took her on a few tours of some of my favorite spots, including the Saskatoon Berry Farm and the Avenida Food Hall. I was inspired by the beautiful market produce and brought home a pile of amazing garden-fresh veggies. I love this time of year when the…
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Pork Meatball Bowls with Sweet Chili Dressing
Delicious sweet chili pork meatball bowls served over rice with mango, burst tomatoes, cucumber, carrot and fresh herbs. Perfect for a weeknight meal. Summer is almost coming to an end. It’s hard to believe that my youngest son will be back to school already next week! Yes, it’s that time of year when you are trying to wrangle your young ones back to bed at decent hours so that you can have them up early and out the door. That should be quite an adjustment for my boy as he has become quite the night owl this summer and likes to sleep half the day away. Ahhhh teenagers right! These…
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Chinese Pork ‘Bolognese’ Noodles
Chinese Pork ‘Bolognese’ Noodles. It sounds strange but it is yummy! This easy ‘Chinese style bolognese’ is a delicious and easy pork gravy slathered over noodles and topped with crunchy julienned veggies and fresh herbs. If you have ever heard of the Chinese noodle dish called Zha Jiang Mian, this dish is basically a spin on that dish with easier to find ingredients for us North American folks. Basically it is noodles slathered in pork gravy and topped with some crunchy julienned veggies. I named it Chinese Bolognese as it kind of reminds me of a bolognese and pasta dish, except with Chinese flavors and it is super simple and…
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Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread
This easy rosemary focaccia bread is so easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients and you can have a beautiful homemade focaccia bread in no time! We’ve had a very challenging week around here, but things are feeling a bit more hopeful today, thankfully. It’s a rainy day here today, so I thought it might be a good day to ‘nest’ a little and do a bit of baking. This focaccia bread recipe comes from the Epicurius website Rosemary Olive Focaccia Bread. I didn’t really change much except for leaving out the olives from their recipe and adding salt on top instead. Olives would be wonderful here, but my…
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Quick Kimchi Udon Noodles
Kimchi, udon, bacon, butter, egg and gochujang all marry together to create a perfectly balanced dish that is super addictive and only takes minutes to put together.
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Linguine with Tomatoes, Capers and Burrata
This simple and delicious linguine with tomatoes and burrata is so good. Linguine adorned with a simple sauce made with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced garlic, fresh arugula, and capers. Top it off with some creamy burrata and a sprinkling of toasted homemade breadcrumbs to finish. So simple and so good. Pasta is pretty much one of my favorite things to eat, I absolutely love it! Admittedly, I can be a bit of a ‘pasta snob’. There are a few tips to make sure that you have a great pasta dish. Tips for making perfect pasta Make sure that you cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling…
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Slow Cooker Pork ‘Chilorio’ Tacos
These slow cooker pork ‘chilorio’ style tacos are so delicious. Best of all you can let your slow cooker do most of the work! What are Chilorio Tacos? Chilorio is basically a slow-cooked pork in a red sauce. The recipe that I’ve used here is adapted slightly from a Rick Bayless one. https://www.rickbayless.com/ I’ve made this quite a few times now and haven’t really altered it much as I absolutely love it! Pork Shoulder all lathered in a beautiful sauce made with ancho chiles, fresh orange juice, pineapple juice, garlic, and spices. Let it simmer away all day in your slow cooker until the pork is pull-apart tender. When you…
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Lemongrass Chicken Satay with Coconut Rice
Delicious Lemongrass Chicken Satay grilled on the BBQ and served with a spicy peanut dipping sauce all over a bed of creamy coconut rice. Serve it up with some sliced mango, cucumber, Thai basil, chili and extra sauce for dipping. The weather is beautiful outside! Spring is officially here in Calgary. I’m sure that we will have a few more ‘freak’ storms before we are out of the woods, but for now I am going to enjoy this beautiful warm weather. I always get excited when winter comes to an end, and one sure sign of that is firing up the BBQ again and cooking in the great outdoors. My…
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Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese
If you are looking to step up your sandwich game – try this delicious Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese. Who doesn’t love grilled cheese? My kids absolutely love them, and I do too. They are quick, easy and very satisfying. A great addition to a hot bowl of soup, or great just on their own for a quick and easy meal. I had bought a very large bag of spinach from Costco this week. So I’ve been pretty much trying to put spinach in everything to try to use it up. Luckily fresh spinach cooks down substantially, so it should be gone in no time. I came up with an…
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Easy Weeknight Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry
This healthy and quick Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry comes together in no-time for a delicious weeknight meal. Freezer friendly too, so make this ahead of time and freeze it for a busy night. I love curry. The blend of spices, the bold flavors, just perfect for a cold winter day. There is still lots of snow on the ground here in Calgary, but spring is just around the corner thankfully. I’m already dreaming about patio weather. Hopefully, this delicious curry will comfort us with this cold weather for now. I’ve cheated here and used a curry spice paste. I actually have to admit I have used this paste quite…
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Mexican Style Empanadas with Mushrooms
These Mexican Style Empanadas with Mushrooms are truly one of my favorite things to eat! They are so good! You can change up the fillings to suit your liking, but I always like to ensure they have gooey cheese included. Now I’m not sure that I’m using the correct name for these. I know in Mexico fried Quesadillas are made the same way, usually with Cheese and poblano and epazote added in. I also know there is something called Molotes which are kind of the same with stuffed masa dough filled with meat or chorizo with potato. But for now I”m just calling them empanadas (Mexican style). The first time…
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Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Are you watching the Super Bowl today? These Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs would be a great snack to make if you are. My husband I would say is a bit ‘football-obsessed’. As for me, I really don’t pay too much attention to it. In fact I mostly just watch for the half-time show to see who is performing. These would be a great snack though if you were hosting a bunch of football fans. This recipe is inspired by one that I saw a while back by Alton Brown.I thought it was a brilliant idea for a spin on the traditional chicken parmesan. I’ve baked the meatballs here today, which…
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Caprese Style Grilled Cheese
Who doesn’t love grilled cheese? I think they might be one of our favorites around here. The great thing about them too is they are quick and easy to throw together for an easy lunch or supper. This Caprese Style Grilled Cheese is a great twist to take your grilled cheese game to the next level! Sure a Caprese salad is delicious – but a Caprese Style Grilled Cheese – even better! These are a great spin on the traditional, filled with Basil Pesto, Baby Arugula, Roasted Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella. Make sure you have some great bread for toasting and these come together in no time. You can find…
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Basil Pesto with Pistachios and Pecorino Romano
Pesto is a great way to highlight beautiful fresh herbs. Great to use as a dressing for a simple pasta, or it would even be great as a topping for fish or shrimp. This Basil Pesto with Pistachios and Pecorino Romano is so good. We used it today as a delicious addition to our Caprese Style Grilled Cheese This Basil Pesto with Pistachios and Pecorino Romano is also great tossed over pasta for a quick and simple supper. You can store homemade pesto the freezer for up to 3 months. If you do want to freeze, just leave out the cheese and add the cheese once defrosted before use. If…
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Roasted Tomatoes
These Roasted Tomatoes are a great way to coax out some extra flavor, especially in the winter months when you are missing those summer fresh tomatoes. These are great to have on hand to add to pasta, sandwiches, or even as an addition to a charcuterie board. These can be kept sealed in a mason jar for future use. It is freezing cold here today in Calgary! We have been pretty fortunate to have pretty mild temperatures for most of the winter thus far, but apparently those days are done today. I’m sure dreaming about summer. For lunch today I made these ‘Caprese style grilled cheeses’. These roasted tomatoes were…
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Bacon and Potato Tacos with Roasted Poblano Guacamole
You can pretty much put anything delicious in a taco. These Bacon and Potato Tacos with Roasted Poblano Guacamole were inspired by sifting through my fridge trying to use up what we had in there. I had made some Guacamole with Roasted Poblano and had some frozen corn tortillas so I figured that tacos were a must! I love how easy and quick and adaptable they are. These Bacon and Potato Tacos with Roasted Poblano Guacamole are so good. Corn tortillas filled with bacon and potatoes seasoned with some garlic and serrano pepper and then topped with some grated pecorino romano and doused of course in hot sauce. I hesitated…
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Guacamole with Roasted Poblano
Who doesn’t love Guacamole? This Guacamole with Roasted Poblano is so simple to make! The Roasted Poblano Peppers add a nice flavor to the mix. Poblanos are a really mild chile, so don’t worry about this being too hot! Of course if you like spicy, feel free to add some more jalepeno into the mix. Avocadoes can brown quickly, so if you want to make this ahead of time, press your cling wrap right to the surface of the guacamole to ensure that no air gets through and you can store it in the fridge for a few hours or so. 2 ripe avocadoes juice from 1-2 limes 1/4 cup…
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Simple Arugula and Fennel Salad with Toasted Almonds and Pecorino
There is a wonderful Italian restaurant where we live which I discovered a few weeks ago when I was exploring the area doing a write up for real estate. My Mom was with me to help me out and we stopped for a lunch break and discovered this little gem of a restaurant that served us the most amazing food. I have since been back again with my husband as I’ve been dreaming about the carbonara there ever since. It inspired me to make this simple Arugula and Fennel Salad with Toasted Almonds and Pecorino. The lunch special included a simple arugula salad with fennel and almonds. It was super…
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Basmati Rice with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Olives, Almonds and Goat Cheese
Rice doesn’t have to be boring. It’s easy to jazz it up with some flavour punches. It really is the perfect blank canvas just waiting for your to adorn it. When I first met my husband he told me the only two foods he disliked were plain white rice and rhubarb. I have since fed him both without complaint. Thankfully he isn’t a picky eater otherwise I’m not sure I would enjoy cooking for him as much as I do. My kids give me enough grief with the picky eating business! We had ribs in the fridge tonight leftover from a big Sunday dinner, so I made this little side…
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Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
I absolutely love Pasta Salad and this Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette is one of my favorites! A great addition to a back yard BBQ as a side dish – or great on its own for lunch. It’s my youngest son’s birthday today! I seriously cannot believe that he is 14! My babies aren’t babies anymore. If you are a parent of little ones, I’m here to tell you – time really does go quickly, so even on the days they are driving you crazy – try to savor it – as before you know it they are all grown up! Before our afternoon birthday festivities, I thought I…
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Garlic Soup with Sourdough Croutons
This Garlic Soup with Sourdough Croutons is really wonderful. Made from very simple and minimal ingredients. I should note though that the quality of your ingredients matters in simple recipes like this. So make sure you have some decent olive oil for this and some good red wine vinegar, and please don’t use stale paprika. Remember spices don’t last forever…if you have had your paprika in your cupboard for over a year, it’s time to get rid of it and update with some fresh. Trust me, it will really improve the flavor. This recipe is adapted slightly from one by Christopher Kimball, in a book called Milk Street. It’s a…
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Pickled Jalapenos
I love pickled Jalapenos! They are great to jazz up a taco or a sandwich or nachos. We keep these stocked in our fridge most times. Super easy to make and they keep in the fridge for a whole year, if they last that long! If you followed my old blog, this is a repost from a while back. Some of my content didn’t move over to the new platform when I tried to merge it all. Apparently that process was much more ‘technically challenging’ than I hoped it would be. This makes 2 small mason jars full or 1 large one. This recipe is not my own it is…
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Pickled Red Onions
We are prepping for ‘Taco Tuesday’ here today by making these Pickled Red Onions. When did that become a thing? Truthfully, we have taco’s whenever we feel like it around here, whether it’s Tuesday or not, but it did make it easier when I was thinking of what to make for supper tomorrow. This is a very simple recipe. I’ve been doing a few ‘condiment’ recipes the last couple of days, they are great recipes to have in your repertoire though as they can add great punch and flavor to simple dishes. Tomorrow we are having Slow Cooker Pork ‘Chilorio’ Tacos, and these red onions go perfectly with them. The…
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Potato Pizza with Bacon and Chives
OK for those of you that are still working on your New Years resolutions, this recipe might not be for you. As for the rest of us…..Double Carbs with this Potato Pizza with Bacon and Chives! Heck yeah! This pizza requires the use of a mandoline. Which if you have one, you’ll know it’s an awesome kitchen tool, but be CAREFUL! The blades are very sharp – you do NOT want to slice your finger in one of these, trust me. You will want to slice your baby potatoes very thinly so that they will be done cooking at the same time that your pizza is (this way you do…
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Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Nuoc Cham dressing
It’s amazing what you can come up with when you clean out your fridge. Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Nuoc Cham dressing is what ended up happening for us tonight with our fridge cleanout. I really hate wasting food. I’m always trying to be creative with whatever ingredients we have leftover near the end of the week before I hit the grocery store again. I also just get really sick of always running to the grocery store, so in protest, I am somewhat determined at times to make do with what we have left. It is also a satisfying feeling to unleash your creativity with limited ingredients. This was my improvised…
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Tuna Poke Bowls
I love Tuna Poke Bowls! My husband and I fell in love with Poke a few years back when we were in Hawaii. In fact, I think we had it EVERY single day of our trip after our first introduction. If you haven’t tried it yet, you really should. It is so good. My youngest son and I often have these bowls as a quick lunch or supper. He absolutely loves sushi, so this is a great little quick bowl to make if you don’t want to pay to eat out or mess around with rolling sushi rolls at home. We picked up some sushi-grade tuna on the way home…
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Vietnamese Vermicelli with Pork Meatballs
Vietnamese Vermicelli with Pork Meatballs are so good. I love how Vietnamese food really balances the salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. This dish hits all those notes. You will need to make a few separate dishes that come together on one plate. A Carrot and Daikon Pickled Salad, Pork Meatballs, Vermicelli Noodles, and Nuoc Cham (which is a Vietnamese Table Sauce). It’s Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, so I probably should be posting some more festive traditional recipes for that, but my Mom is doing the meal for us this year, so I am off the hook for cooking which is wonderful. Also, on a completely unrelated side note –…
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Kuching Style Laska
Who doesn’t like a bowl of a hot spicy noodle soup? If you do, you need to try this Kuching Style Laska. Just a warning this soup is a ‘labor of love’. If you want a simple and quick recipe I would recommend you try my Simple Miso Noodle Soup My husband and I have been watching the Parts Unknown series with Anthony Bourdain on Netflix lately. It’s a really well done series if you haven’t watched it yet. Ever since we’ve been watching Anthony has had us craving a bowl of hot and spicy noodle soup. You often see him somewhere in southeastern Asia, sitting on a small plastic…
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Creamy Pappardelle with Basil and Pea Shoots
This Creamy Pappardelle with Basil and Pea Shoots is truly a 10-minute supper. Perfect for a busy weeknight. By the time your water is boiling and pasta cooked your sauce will be done and ready to toss in the sauce. Throw in some fresh basil and pea shoots for garnish and you will look all ‘fancy’ and impress your family or friends. Little do they know this recipe is dead simple I’m pretty sure an 8-year-old could manage to make it. But don’t tell them that – let them think you fussed, and maybe they will offer to do the dishes. This is more of a method than an exact…
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Orange Scented Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce
It’s the weekend and we all deserve a treat! I think these Orange Scented Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce will fit the bill. Churros are basically a fried ‘choux’ dough. I added a bit of orange zest to my dough, which I quite enjoy. Once fried toss these babies up in some cinnamon sugar while they are hot and you are good to go. These are good just as is, but if you want to be even more decadent make a simple chocolate dip to go alongside and dunk away. CHURRO DOUGH – 1 cup all-purpose flour – 1/2 cup water – 1/2 cup milk – 1/2 cup unsalted butter,…
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Pasta Carbonara
Carbonara has to be one of my favorite pasta dishes of all time. Not only is it delicious, it’s also super quick to make with minimal ingredients that you may just have laying around already. When you feel like something indulgent, this is it! My boys actually used to fight for seconds when I made this. So if you have growing teenagers, you may want to double this recipe…otherwise, this should serve about 4 people (or 1 teenage boy). In my opinion, there are a few key ingredients to making a good carbonara. The first being good pasta (my favorite brands for this are Barilla or De Cecco). You also…
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Jack & Coke BBQ Sauce
This Jack & Coke BBQ Sauce was created in an attempt to come up with a great summer BBQ sauce. I had made BBQ sauces before with the addition of Jack Daniels, which had me thinking about a Jack and Coke. That’s where the inspiration came from. The addition of orange juice and zest brightens everything up and chipotle peppers at a smoky hint of spice. Make a double batch and keep some on hand for all your grilling needs this summer. This sauce would be wonderful on BBQ ribs! It is so nice out here in Calgary today. We are still dealing with Coronavirus, so unfortunately not much company…
