Brie and Sausage Bake

This was the second dish that I created for our Father's Day/Allan's Birthday brunch on Sunday!  It is delicious warm or room temperature and is one of those dishes that you can put together the night before, and then when your guests arrive, all you have to do is sprinkle it with cheese and heat!  Easy and delicious!!!

BRIE AND SAUSAGE BAKE

Ingredients:

1lb Italian sausage (either in bulk or removed from casings)

1 small onion, chopped

8 cups of cubed sourdough day-old bread (I used potato scallion!)

1/2 cup shopped roasted sweet red peppers

1/2 lb Brie, cubed

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp minced fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)

8 eggs

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

3 green onions, sliced

• In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.
• Place bread cubes in a greased 13"x9" baking dish.  Layer with sausage mixture, red peppers, Brie and Parmesan cheeses,  and basil.  In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, mustard, pepper and salt; pour over top.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove from fridge 30 mins before baking.  Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 45-50 mins. or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake 4 to 6 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.  Let stand 10 mins. before cutting.  Sprinkle each piece with green onions, serve and ENJOY!

  

Smashed Rutabagas with Ginger-Roasted Pears

I pulled this recipe out of a magazine ages ago and it has become a regular side dish at our table!  I must admit that the kids aren't so fond of them, but any adult I serve it to usually goes back for seconds!!

Rutabagas are the larger, waxed root vegetable that you will find in the markets - the flesh is an orange colour.  Turnips are small (size of a beet), white with a purplish colour to one end.  The flesh of a turnip is white. These two are often mistaken for each other!

SMASHED RUTABAGAS WITH GINGER-ROASTED PEARS

Ingredients:

4lbs rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

1 1/2 tbsp EVOO

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar

3 firm Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut into 3/4" cubes

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

5 tbsp butter

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

• Boil rutabagas in a pot of boiling, salted water until tender (approx. 35 mins)
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Combine extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), lemon juice, ginger and sugar in a large bowl.  Add pears and toss to coat.  Spread evenly on the lined baking sheet and roast until tender, turning pears frequently, about 35 mins.  Remove from heat and set aside.
• Drain rutabagas and return to the same pot.  Mash to a coarse puree.  Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates, approx. 5 mins.  Add cream, butter, and thyme.  Mix in pears and any juices from the baking sheet.
• Season with salt and pepper. ENJOY!

This dish can be made a day ahead and transferred to a microwave-safe bowl.  Cover and chill.  Bring to room temperature and rewarm at 1 minute intervals in the microwave, stirring often.

Baked Farfalle with Prosciutto and Mushrooms

This is one of those comforting type of pasta dishes that can be frozen and reheated or just eaten immediately because it smells soooo good!  Personally I find there are fewer seductive savoury flavours than the combination of cremini mushrooms, whipping cream and prosciutto together!!!  Try this with a glass of crisp white wine and you'll know what I mean!

BAKED FARFALLE WITH PROSCIUTTO & MUSHROOMS

Ingredients:

1 tbsp EVOO

4 oz prosciutto, diced

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (about 250g)

1 1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup white wine

1 can (28 oz/796mL) of diced tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/3 cup whipping cream

5 cups farfalle pasta (bow tie)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

• 
  
  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute prosciutto until golden, about 5 minutes.
• 
  
  Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, basil pepper & salt; saute until mushrooms are golden, about 8 minutes.  Add wine and boil until almost no liquid remains, about 1 minute.
• 
  
  Add tomatoes, stir in tomato paste and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add cream; simmer until thickened (approx. 5 mins) *At this point you could cool the mixture for 1/2 hr and then refrigerate in an airtight container for 24 hrs if you want to make ahead*
• 
  
  In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook farfalle until tender but firm, approx. 10 minutes.  Drain and return to pot.  Add sauce and parsley; toss to coat.
• 
  
  Transfer to a 2.5L baking dish, sprinkle with Parmesan Reggiano and bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly, in a 375F oven.
• 
  
  ENJOY!!

Yummy Tuna Noodle Casserole!

My kids love egg noodles, peas and tuna (not to mention creamy alfredo sauce), so this dish was a hit! You can top the casserole with a combination of crispy panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan Reggiano, or just crumble plain potato chips on top like I did ;0)

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Pinch grated nutmeg

16 oz of wide egg noodles

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas (I used canned because that's what I had on hand)

1 can of solid white water-packed tuna, drained and flaked

1 cup of panko breadcrumbs, or crumbled plain potato chips (although dill might be nice too!!)

• In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and put into a medium sized casserole dish. Stir in the tuna and peas. Set aside.


• In the same saucepan over medium-high heat, heat both the butter and whipping cream until little bubbles appear on the surface. Whisk in the Parmesan-Reggiano with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.


• Pour the alfredo sauce over the noodles and stir to ensure everything is evenly covered.


• Top with crumbled plain potato chips or panko breadcrumbs and place into a 350F oven until the topping goes golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.


• Serve and ENJOY!

Butter Chicken - MY FAVOURITE INDIAN DISH!!!

For me the quintessential Indian dish is butter chicken. You can tell the calibre of the restaurant you are at simply by the sauce - many try to use a cream of tomato base which is always too salty (like prepared soups are) and not a robust fresh tomato taste. I love to make it at home for my family...and the bonus is leftovers can be chopped up and made into sandwiches or put on salad!!!!

This is NOT a low-cal option, but it is the #1 way to get into my good books by preparing it for dinner ... hint, hint !!

BUTTER CHICKEN - Murgh Makhani

Ingredients:

2 cups Balkan-style plain yogurt

6 cloves garlic, minced

1" piece of gingerroot, minced

1 tbsp Garam Masala

1 tbsp each lime juice and medium curry paste

2 tsp each mild paprika, ground cumin and coriander

1/2 tsp salt

8 air-chilled free range chicken breasts

BUTTER SAUCE

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp Garma Masala

2 tsp each mild paprika and medium curry paste

1 can chopped tomatoes

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/3 cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

• Line a sieve with cheesecloth; set over a bowl. Add yogurt; drain in refrigerator for 1 hour. Discard liquid; place yogurt in a large bowl and whisk in garlic, ginger, garam masala, lime juice, curry paste, paprika, cumin, coriander and salt.
• Add chicken to bowl (or a large ziploc freezer bag), and turn to coat with yogurt marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Place chicken, skin side up, on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan; spoon yogurt mixture over top. Roast in a 400F oven until no longer pink inside - about 45 mins. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Skim fat from pan juices, reserving juices in pan.
• BUTTER SAUCE: Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion until browned - approx. 10 mins. Add garam masala, paprika, and curry paste; cook, stirring often until fragrant and beginning to stick to the pan - about 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan; mash tomatoes with spoon. Simmer until spoon drawn across the bottom of the pan leaves a gap that fills in slowly - about 15 minutes.
• Let cool slightly. In a food processor or blender, puree until smooth *You can make this ahead of time and allow to cool; cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours*
• Pour sauce into a roasting pan; bring to a boil over medium heat, scraping up any brown bits. Add cream and butter, a few pieces at a time, cooking just until each is melted and incorporated. Pour over chicken. Garnish with coriander.
• ENJOY with a cold beer and naan bread!!!

Thanksgiving Dessert

If you are a regular reader of this blog you will already know that I am a little fearful of baking - although I absolutely adore cooking but feel anxious when it comes to baking (so much so that I am more than happy to leave it to our family master-baker, Greg!) But this Thanksgiving I decided to flex my baking muscle and made the two desserts you see in the photo above...and they were DELICIOUS (not to mention easy!!) I hope you enjoy them as well.

CINNAMON APPLE CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 pkgs (8oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup thawed apple juice concentrate

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 medium tart apples, peeled and sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate

• In a small bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour, oats, walnuts, and cinnamon until well-blended. Press onto the bottom and 1 1/2" up the sides of a greased 9" springform pan.
• Place ona baking sheet. Bake at 325F for 10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in milk and juice concentrate until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined (batter will be thin). Pour into crust.
• Return pan to baking sheet. Bake at 325F for 40 - 45 minutes or until centre is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before carefully runnign a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.
• In a large skillet, cook and stir apples in butter over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Arrange over cheesecake.
• In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch, cinnamon and juice concentrate until smooth. Bring to a boil. reduce heat; cook and stir for 1 minute, or until thickened. Immediately brush over apples.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour or unitl chilled. Remove sides of pan and serve.

PUMPKIN MOUSSE

Ingredients:

1 medium pie pumpkin

2 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1/3 cup vanilla or white chips

2 tbsp milk

1 pkg (3oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1/3 cup solid pack pumpkin

1 tsp grated orange peel

1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks

• Cut top off pumpkin; scoop out and discard seeds. In a small bowl, combine sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon; sprinkle inside of pumpkin. Replace pumpkin top. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes or until crisp tender. Cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, microwave vanilla chips with milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
• In a bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, orange peel, reserved chocolate and remaining cinnamon. Fold in whipped cream. Remove pumpkin top. Spoon mousse into pie pumpkin and serve.
  

Soup Kitchen Faves

Someone commented to me that if my blog is called "soup kitchen", how come there's no soup recipes on there? Funnily enough I LOVE soup and am usually making all sorts, but prior to creating this blog I stocked my freezer so I haven't been cooking any lately! Victoria, I will put some of my favourites on here and then add photos later on when I make them again, okay?!

FENNEL & POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:

3 tbsp of unsalted butter

2 medium-sized fennel bulbs (sometimes called anise), trimmed, chopped and reserve some of the fronds for garnish

1 large leek, halved lengthwise, rinsed and thinly sliced crosswise

1 tsp of fennel seeds

1 1/2 lbs of potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" cubes

5 1/2 cups of broth (I use vegetable, but you can also use chicken)

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel, leak and seeds and cook until the vegetables become soft. Make sure to stir often to prevent sticking and burning!
• Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cover with a lid and simmer until potatoes are tender (approx. 15 mins).
• Either using an immersion-style blender (a MUST for soups in my books!), or a standing blender, puree the soup until smooth. If it is too thick for your liking, you can thin it using water or stock.
• Season to taste with salt & pepper.
• When serving, garnish with fennel fronds. If you enjoy smoked salmon, you can also garnish with a few pieces of this too!

*This soup freezes really well!*

SPICED PARSNIP SOUP

Ingredients:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 lb parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped

2 tsp hot curry powder

3 1/4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt & pepper

Paprika or red pepper flakes for garnish

• Melt butter in a large pot, and saute onion. Add garlic and parsnips and continue sauteing.
• Add stock to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until parsnips are tender (approx. 15 to 20 mins). Take off of the heat.
• Puree using an immersion blender or standing blender.
• Add cream and stir. Season to taste using salt and pepper and garnish before serving!

*This soup freezes really well!*

PARSNIP & GINGER SOUP

Ingredients:

2 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

1 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 lb parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

4 1/2 cups of vegetable stock

2 tsp of creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp Tamari (or regular soy sauce)

salt & pepper

• In a large pot, saute onion in EVOO until translucent and then add the garlic, ginger, carrot and parsnips. Saute for a few minutes and then add the stock.
• Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer until parsnips are tender.
• Add peanut butter and tamari to taste.
• Puree with an immersion or standing blender.

*My children love this and we call it "peanut butter soup" so that there is no objections to the mention of vegetables!*