Tomato & Olive Antipasto

One of my favourite preserves of each summer is this recipe for tomato & olive antipasto.  I tried it years ago from the book "The Complete Book of Pickling" by Jennifer MacKenzie, and have made it yearly ever since!  It is a fair amount of dicing, but well worth it in the end. Naturally you don't necessarily need to preserve this antipasto and can make it and keep it in the fridge, but the wonderful summer flavours will last longer if canned!  This tastes amazing with rich cheeses and cured meats such as salami!

8oz wide-mouthed jar fresh from the canner!

TOMATO & OLIVE ANTIPASTO
Ingredients:
10 cups chopped Roma tomatoes (you can peel them but I don't and the texture is fine)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1 1/2 cups diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced celery
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp pickling or canning salt
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups red or white wine vinegar (I use red for the rich colour it gives)
1/2 cup drained rinsed brine-cured olives, diced or slivered*

• In a food processor or blender, puree 2 cups (500 mL) of the tomatoes until smooth (alternatively you can use passata).
• In a large pot, combine pureed and diced tomatoes, onions, red and green peppers, celery, garlic, bay leaves, sugar, salt, basil, oregano, pepper and vinegar.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot.
• Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often, for about 2 hours or until the antipasto is reduced by about half and is thick enough to mound on a spoon.
• Meanwhile prepare canner, jars and lids.
• Stir olives into antipasto and boil gently, stirring often, for 5 minutes to blend the flavours.  Discard the bay leaves.
• Ladle hot antipasto into hot jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.  Remove air bubbles by sliding the handle of a spoon into the antipasto, and adjust headspace as necessary.  Wipe rim of jar and place hot disc on jar.  Screw band down until fingertip tight.
• Place jars in canner and return to a boil.  Process for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and remove canner lid.  Let jars stand in water for 5 minutes.  Transfer jars to a towel-lined surface and let stand for 24 hours.  Check lids and refrigerate any jars that are not sealed.
• ENJOY!!

*I find the antipasto sits nicer on a cracker when diced but this is just preference!

**This recipe makes approximately 8 250mL jars or four 500 mL jars

Watermelon, Cucumber, Feta & Mint Salad

 

This is the perfect summertime salad - refreshing and has a wonderful sweet and salty flavor that is perfect for those hot summer days!  Not only is this quick and easy to create, but is a powerhouse of nutrition:  watermelon  and cucumbers both are a great source of potassium (watermelon has more than a banana!), calcium & magnesium, but it is also an excellent source of vitamins A and C!  And the bonus?  This salad also hydrates you and banishes bloat...what isn't to like about this salad?!

WATERMELON, CUCUMBER, FETA & MINT SALAD

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber, diced

1/2 medium sized, seedless watermelon, diced

1/3 cup of crumbled feta (I used sheep's milk feta)

10 - 12 mint leaves, rolled together and thinly sliced (chiffonade)

DRESSING:

Zest and juice of one large Persian lime

2 tbsp. honey or agave syrup

Pinch of salt

Freshly ground black pepper

• Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and set aside.
• Carefully mix together the watermelon and cucumber.  Drizzle with the dressing. 
• Sprinkle the salad with the feta and mint. 
• Serve and ENJOY!!

*You can also add sliced black kalamata olives and reduce the amount of feta.  This salad is also nice with thinly sliced red onion!*

 



Curried Chickpea Quinoa

Last night we had baked salmon in a soy and maple syrup glaze, as well as a leaf salad.  I needed a quick and nutritious side dish that would appeal to my kids as well as the adults.  Upon surfing www.allrecipes.com, I came upon this recipe which is excellent warm or cold!

CURRIED CHICKPEA QUINOA

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup orange juice

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 medium red onion, diced

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup of raisins

1 teaspoon of curry powder

Salt and black pepper to taste.

• In a large saucepan, bring the water and orange juice to a boil.  
• Add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt and pepper, and stir.   Bring back to the boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed).
• Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for another 5 minutes.  Remove the lid, fluff quinoa with a fork, season with salt and pepper, and serve
• ENJOY!

A Year in Pictures

Occasionally I blog about my other passion:  Scrapbooking!  My dilemma was that life was getting so busy, that I really haven't had time to indulge my creative scrapping side.  Meanwhile however, photos of all that we do in a year were piling up.  I decided that there had to be a better way for me to create beautiful pages of all these events without taking up a ton of time.

As our main living area is open concept, we have one large wall that sits between our family room and the kitchen.  I have had a variety of plans of what I would like to display on this wall, but nothing seemed to pan out.  I was shopping in Walmart one day and came upon these beautiful frames for only $10 each in the clearance section.  They were the approximate size of a scrapbooking page (12" x 12") once the matting was removed, and there were 12 left.  A plan instantly formed in my mind as I hurriedly loaded these into a cart!

Employing the help of my husband Greg and using his laser to ensure the nails were lined up perfectly, we created 4 rows of 3 frames each.  Then I set to work creating pages!!!  I chose mainly one big event per month and framed it.  Now I have 12 completed pages that cover pretty much all we did in 2013, and have since gone on to create other pages for the months where we had lots of events.

My biggest fear as I was halfway through this endeavor was that the wall would end up looking messy with the explosion of colours and variety of photos all in one space.  However, once they were mounted on the wall, the neutral colour served as a perfect backdrop to highlight all of our family and friends that are featured on these 12 pages.  Everyone enjoys revisiting the past year's events by looking at the pages, and now that we have completed January 2014 and almost February 2014, I am going to replace the two months up on the wall with the current year so this acts as a perpetual calendar!!!

What I love most about this is that we all get to enjoy my scrapbook pages since they aren't shelved away in albums.  When we finish a month, then the page gets taken down and placed into an album for the year, but not without being thoroughly enjoyed first!  The only thing I worry about now is that the pages might fade out with the indirect sunlight...but the benefits far outweigh the negatives in my mind!!

Mexican-Style Slow Cooker Beef Stew

I love my slow cooker and the freedom it affords me to create healthy homemade meals for my family without slaving over a stove for hours!  There's nothing like coming home at the end of a long day to smell the delicious scent of dinner fully cooked and ready to serve.  This is a variation on a traditional beef stew that yielded yummy results.  I served cornbread alongside this dish to sop up the flavourful gravy!!!!

MEXICAN-STYLE SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

4 carrots, cubed (or 1 small bag of baby carrots)

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 1/2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1" dice

8oz can of tomato sauce

1 pkg dry taco seasoning mix (I used low sodium)

2 cups water

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

• In the bottom of the slow cooker pot, layer carrots, potatoes, onion, and stewing beef.  Pour the tomato sauce over top.
• In a large 2 cup measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup water into the cup and stir in the cornstarch.  Stir in the package of taco seasoning, and then add the rest of the water (stirring to ensure it is smooth and combined evenly).  Pour the taco mixture over the ingredients in your slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours.
• Uncover and stir, season with salt and pepper after tasting.
• Serve either on its own, over rice or with a side of cornbread.  ENJOY!

Kale & Quinoa Rolls

I spied this recipe in "Fresh Juice" magazine and decided to whip it up one evening expecting mixed results from the family.  As expected, India didn't even want to try the kale (she only likes it in chip form), but loved the quinoa.  Devon had 3 rolls and Greg and I finished up the rest!!  This is similar to cabbage rolls and I have pictured the dish without the sauce topping the rolls, so you could see how they look in the baaking dish. This is not only super nutritious, but easy and tasty too!

KALE & QUINOA ROLLS

Ingredients:

12 large leaves of kale

2 tsp grapeseed oil

1 onion, diced

1 cup diced mushrooms (I used porcini as they're "meatier" in texture and have great flavour)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 cup quinoa (rinse to remove the bitter coating called 'saponin')

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 zucchini, diced

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

1 large egg, beaten

2 cups no salt added passata di pomodoro (crushed tomatoes)

• Remove the stems from the kale by grasping the base of the stem in one hand and running the thumb and forefinger up the stem.  It will break off where the stem is more tender.  Discard the stems.  Add kale to a large pot of salted, boiling water.  Cover and cook until the leaves are softened - 2 minutes maximum.  Place leaves in a sieve and run under cool water.  Remove leaves and lay out flat to drain on paper towels.  Set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, add oil.  Saute onions, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, and thyme for 5 minutes (or until onion is softened)  Stir in quinoa.  Add broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.  Stir in carrot, zucchini, salt and pepper.  Let cool to room temperature.  Stir in egg*
• Preheat oven to 350F.  To assemble the rolls, spoon approximately 1/3 cup of the quinoa mixture onto each kale leaf, just above where the base of the stem would have been.  Fold bottom up over filling, tuck sides in and roll up.  This is quite a bit trickier I found than using cabbage leaves for traditional cabbage rolls.  Take your time!
• Line the base of a 13"x9" baking dish with half of the passata.  Arrange the kale rolls on top of it and cover with the remaining passata.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for one hour.
• Remove and ENJOY!

Split Pea and Ham Soup

As we have been experiencing some sub-Arctic temperatures lately, and we had a pork shoulder we turned into pulled pork, I decided a good old-fashioned pot of split pea and ham soup was in order!!  This is one of those rib-stickingly good dishes that is great for lunch or dinner (or an after school snack according to my children!!)

EASY PEASY SPLIT PEA AND HAM SOUP

Ingredients:

  1 ham bone with some meat still on it

 1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 each carrots and stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
4 cups sodium-reduced chicken stock
2 cups  dry green or yellow split peas (I used green obviously!)

•  In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-low heat; fry onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper and ham bone, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. 
• Add stock, peas and 2 cups of water; bring to boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until peas break down and meat is tender enough to fall off bone, about 1 3/4 hours. 
•  Remove ham bone; pull off and shred meat. Discard ham bone and bay leaves. In blender, puree half of the soup; return to pot.
• Ladle into bowls and ENJOY!!!!

*After removing the ham bone, you can also use an immersion blender to blend soup to half chunky stage while still in the pot.

Loaded Baked Potato and Hot Wings Casserole

I saw this recipe on Facebook and kept it so I could try it one day...well that day came this week and BOY am I glad I made this!!!!  We all loved it but it was a bit spicy for the kids without Caesar dressing.  Once they added that, they ate it up!

LOADED BAKED POTATO & HOT WINGS CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

2lbs chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes

8 to 10 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes

1/3 cup of EVOO

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp garlic powder

6 tbsp hot sauce

TOPPING:

2 cups grated cheese (I used goat marbled Cheddar)

1 cup crumbled bacon

1 cup diced green onions (I used leeks as that's what we got in our CSA, and lightly sauteed them!)

• Preheat oven to 500F.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil to hot sauce and mix well.  Add the diced potatoes and toss to coat.  Carefully remove the potatoes trying to retain as much sauce as possible.
• Place potatoes in prepared baking dish and put into the oven for 45 to 50 minutes.  Stir every 10 to 15 minutes to ensure even baking and crispy potatoes.
• Add diced chicken to the sauce and toss to coat well.  In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the topping.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and lower the heat to 400F.  Place the diced chicken directly on top of the potatoes and sprinkle the toppings over the entire dish.
• Return to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes (or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove and serve with additional hot sauce and/or Caesar salad dressing.
• ENJOY!!!

  

Cheese & Herb Potato Fans

My son Devon saw this recipe in "Taste of Home" magazine and he asked me to make it as a side to our slow cooker roast beef, carrots and parsnips dinner....they are delicious!!  Just make sure that you allow enough time to properly bake the potatoes in the oven as they won't fan out unless they are perfectly cooked.  Use fresh herbs as they deliver the most flavour - we were lucky that all the herbs are still blooming in our garden...but with the change in the weather, it won't be for long!!

CHEESE & HERB POTATO FANS

Ingredients:

8 medium potatoes, scrubbed and dried

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used goat marble cheddar)

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan or Peccorino cheese

2 tbsp minced fresh chives

2 tbsp minced fresh sage

2 tbsp minced fresh thyme

• Preheat the oven to 425F.  With a sharp knife, cut each potato into 1/8" slices, ensuring you leave the slices attached at the bottom.  Gently fan potatoes slightly and place into a greased baking dish.
• In a small bowl, mix butter, salt and pepper.  Drizzle over the potatoes.
• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until potatoes are tender (they will fan out and the skins will look crispy!)  In a small bowl, toss cheeses with herbs.  Sprinkle over the potatoes and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
• Serve and ENJOY!

Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Fettuccini

I made this dish for my friend Anne who sent me a less-than-subtle message on Facebook asking for this dish (in fact she sent me the recipe and said "Make this for me")...so I did!  Here is a fantastic dish that I served at a dinner party and disappeared in no time!!!

CAJUN SHRIMP & SAUSAGE FETTUCCINE

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 lb cooked fresh fettuccine

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb peeled, deveined raw large shrimp

1 tbsp plus 2 tsp Essence Seasoning (recipe below)

1 1/2 hot or smoked turkey sausages (I used turkey/chicken ones from Costco), diced into 1/2" pieces

1/2 cup diced green bell peppers

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano or Peccorino Reggiano

 Essence Seasoning:

2 1/2 tbsp Hungarian paprika

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

• Heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat in a large saute pan.  Season the shrimp with 2 tsp of the Essence.  Place the shrimp in the pan and saute until almost done.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
• Place the remaining oil in the saute pan along with the onion and bell peppers.  Saute, stirring until the onions are translucent (about 3 mintues).  Add the sausage and cook another minute.
•  Add the garlic to the pan and saute, stirring quickly to avoid garlic burning, for another 30 seconds.
• Add the chicken stock to the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the thyme, 1 tbsp of Essence and 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Return the shrimp and pasta to the pan.  Continue to cook the sauce and pasta, stirring occasionally to combine.  Remove from the heat and add the basil and Parmesan.
• ENJOY!