Potato Salad at Earl Rowe Provincial Park, Ontario

"There aren't enough days in the weekend." Rod Schmidt

Part two...
Hmmm... Where did I leave you yesterday? Oh yes, 'Hobo Popcorn.' A classic! Alrighty, after the campfire snacks, a few of us stayed up late, staring into the bonfire, listening to music and drinking. Every now and then, the clouds would part and we would get to see the full moon. I wish I were there right now... Just to let you know, our emergency beer run into the town of Alliston certainly was needed, even though I didn't get through all of my ciders to try my mead. Yes, that's right, I bought mead. Why not?! Maybe Kev and I will crack one of the bottles open this evening and try it out. Wassail!! So, after a few too many drinkies, us late night stragglers found our ways back to our sleeping bags and had a somewhat peaceful night's sleep (yes, the raccoons showed up to party as well!). The next morn, after a bonfire hot dog brekkie, Kev and I went canoeing. I haven't been canoeing for years and I have to tell you, I loved it! I could have stayed in that canoe for hours, but other people wanted their turn as well! While paddling away long a couple of rivers, we saw dozens of jumping fish, turtles, geese and ducks. It was so quiet and peaceful on the water that morning. Just lovely! After our canoe trip, we packed up our camping gear, had a drinkie and sat in the light, refreshing rain until lunchtime. What did we have? More hot dogs from the fire of course!! After lunch, we drove back to Georgetown, unloaded, took a 20 minute power nap, jumped in the shower and got ready for our next adventure... My cousin Emily's 21st birthday party in Hamilton. For this, I made a yummy potato salad (made the morning before), and with luck on our side, we showed up right at dinner time! A lovely spread was organized by my auntie Alex. Just about everyone brought something, from delicious cheeses, cold cuts and cru d'ete, to samosas and mini mincemeat turnovers. A few glasses of punch and a champagne toast later, we were ready to party again! The whole group of family and friends had a fantastic time, but of course there was too much food! So, being that my potato salad is Kev's fave and only made on special occasions, we brought the rest of it home and Kev took it for his lunch today at work!

 

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Potato Salad
(serves 6 to 8)

680 gr/ 11/2 lbs potatoes, medium cube or minis halved (Kev prefers red skinned)
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
2 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1/4 onion, small dice (Kev prefers red onions)
hand full fresh chives from the garden, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

.boil the potatoes in salted water until they just turn soft, strain
.while still hot, spread the potatoes out on a tray to cool and sprinkle over the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, chill until cold in the fridge
.in a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, stir in cold potatoes, adjust the seasoning, enjoy!

This recipe is loosely based on one that I tested for Jane Rodmell's latest cookbook 'All the Best Recipes,' a salad that I always enjoyed while working in her food shop in Toronto ('All the Best Fine Foods' located at Yonge and Summerhill.). Of course, I have made a couple of changes and made it my own! For a healthier version, you could always use low fat mayo and sour cream. You could also add additional fresh herbs such as parsley or dill (mmm, dill would be especially delicious in this salad!).
Well, that does it, two blogs to get through the busy weekend! Now, I won't be back until Friday because I have a couple more jam packed days of adventure on the horizon! I'll give you a brief preview: beach, snacks, drinks, bonfire, fireworks, camp out and possibly another beach... There you go! Happy Canada Day, my followers!! Have fun, be safe and we'll catch up on Friday!

Hobo Popcorn at Earl Rowe Provincial Park, Ontario

"There aren't enough days in the weekend." Rod Schmidt

Helloooo followers!!! Wow. I am wiped out! It was quite the weekend, let me tell you about it!!
So, after once again convincing my Dad to skip work on Friday, we headed up to our 10 acres in Norfolk County to work in our vegetable garden, check out the composter my Dad built (in picture above), cut the grass and replace the batteries in the R.V.. As luck would have it, my brother Adam and his wife Michelle also had the day off (they were both avoiding the madness of the G20 in Toronto, he works in a law firm and she works in a bank). Good stuff! Once we ate our humble lunch of sandwiches and pickles, we washed them down with a beer and got down to work. I headed into the garden, equipped with a hoe and rake. Man, those weeds just never end, do they?! But growing even better than the weeds are our vegetables! My word, they just love it up there! Meanwhile, Michelle jumped on the John Deere to mow, my brother weed whacked, while my Dad eventually changed the batteries and got the R.V. started. He also hooked up the solar panel, which we use to help power the pump in the R.V.. In our short three hours up there, we accomplished everything on our 'to do' list! Excellent!
On Saturday afternoon, Kev got off work early and we packed up to go camping for the night. On our way to Earl Rowe Provincial Park (close to Orangeville), my sweetie took me for a bit of a tour. We drove the back roads from Georgetown and ended up in Bellfountain. A lovely, lovely little town that was established in the early 1800's. Deep in a valley, it is a hidden gem with great hiking trails! Kev and I are definitely gonna head there soon and I can't wait! Once in the Provincial Park, we met up with the rest of Kev's family. How fun! We set up our tent, drove into town for an emergency beer run, then got back to campsite just in time for our grand steak dinner with all the fixin's. Yum! After dinner, we relaxed around the campfire and once we weren't so stuffed anymore, I tried out my campfire cooking experiment... 'Hobo Popcorn'. I saw it in a camping book once and decided to test it out!

Photographer: Geoff Patey

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Hobo Popcorn

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp popcorn kernels
pinch of salt

. using ' heavy duty' tin foil, roll out 3 to 4 long sheets
. spread them out a bit into a large square (best to do on a picnic table)
. rip off one smaller piece and place it in the centre, place the oil and kernels in the centre
. gather up the sides and form a large, round parcel
. either tie a string to the top and tie to a stick, or use a hot dog poker (pictured above)
. place over the hot coals and shake until the popcorn is popped, open carefully, sprinkle salt and enjoy!

Well, it sounds easy enough, but it was a bit tough! We had partial success, but finding the right part in the fire to get the constant heat is the key. Oh yeah, patience is also needed. A lot of patience...! Don't worry followers, I will keep working on the 'Hobo Popcorn' until it is perfected! Please try it the next time you have a campfire and let me know how it works out!
Alrighty, enough babbling for now! I will continue on about our camping adventure tomorrow and tell you about the birthday party we went to yesterday evening! I warned you that it was quite the weekend!! Bye for now, my loyal followers!

"My work here is done." Tyres, 'Spaced'

Hello followers, I'm back! Yippy! I have missed you all very much!
Well, my work for the G8, G20 is done... It's been quite the adventure, let me fill you in! First of all, I have never seen a catering on this scale. I was told that we were supplying three meals a day for the 1 billion dollars worth of security located in Toronto and Huntsville (there is another team stationed up north lead by the Executive Chef). Wow! I wondered how many people that was, so I asked the Sous Chef. He told me we were feeding 3000 people a day (with different menu options), plus their regular catering clientele. Big wow!! There are people working for this company 24/10. That's right, 24 hrs a day, for 10 days. New people show up every couple of hours to relieve the old of their duties. I'd say there are about 60 people working at all times, including freelance Chefs like myself and others brought in from different agencies. Just crazy. I've been starting at 6 or 7am and working 12 to 14 hour days. You might wonder, 'Sarah, what were you doing?' I'll tell you! I was asked to help cook the daily food for the regular catering clients (including Google), while also preparing items for the G8, G20 security. My first day I was baking off cookies. A lot of cookies. 150 dozen cookies, to be exact! I don't think I've ever seen so many cookies!! Over the next few days, I was packaging pre made cakes and desserts, baking off 600 mini pizzas, packaging 1000 spring rolls, mixing potato salad and scooping it into bowls to feed 2000 people. Packaging creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, beef bourguignon, chicken Parmesan, manicotti, cannelloni and more sweets. Oh yeah, I also made 400 breakfast wraps one of those days and made the daily gluten free meals (25 per day). Of course, there was a heck of a lot more going on, these were just some of the tasks I helped out with while I was there. You might be wondering, 'Where are they keeping all of this food?' Well, three refrigerated transport trucks are stationed outside the facility, running 24 hours a day, to keep all of the food cold. 'Where is the hot food heated up?' There is an outdoor kitchen set up with eight ovens and several warmers, with a Chef in charge, also running 24 hours a day. 'Where would the food go?' Three times a day, delivery trucks and vans would be lined up to take the hot and cold food away to a dozen or so locations. Like I said, I have never seen anything like it before! Definitely an experience I am glad I got to partake in! The catering company is still working away, but I have put in as many hours as I wanted and I am ready to get back to my regular schedule. That's one of the great things about being a freelance Chef, I get to make my own hours!
So, to finish off my crazy week, I am heading up to the land today with my Dad to do a bit of work in our garden. I can't wait to visit our veggies! Yay!! Tomorrow my sweetie Kev and I are going to his family's annual camp out for a steak dinner and on Sunday evening, we are attending my cousin Emily's 21st birthday bash! What a great weekend!
Well followers, I bid you all adieu, but don't worry! I will be blogging about my culinary adventures next week and I hope you will enjoy my simple and tasty recipes! Bye!!

"How luscious lies the pea within the pod." Emily Dickinson

Happy Monday, my followers! I hope you all had a great weekend and that your Father's Day events were a success!
Well, since we have talked last week, I have had a great opportunity fall into my lap! On Saturday I was called into work for a catering company who is doing the food for the G20 and G8! How exciting! I know the head Chef and they need help, so I'm in! What a great break for a freelance Chef like myself. Full time work for a week, no problem! The head Chef is already up in Huntsville, leaving his Sous Chef (assistant), behind to run the Toronto show. Let me tell you, it's a huge operation and these people know what they are doing! This same catering company did all the food for Canada's Hockey Team execs at the Olympics in Vancouver, the women's championship tennis in Calgary and the P.G.A. golf tournie in Oakville, to name a few. I'm excited to be working, but my blog is going to suffer because if it... My blogs will most likely be sporadic and I'm not sure what the pics will be or if I will be able to do many recipes. Sorry followers, but starting between 6 and 7 am and not knowing when I'm going to be finished everyday, probably won't leave me a lot of time to blog. But, I promise to give you all a behind the scenes view of a huge catering undertaking! It will be interesting, that's for sure!
Now, back to the weekend... Yesterday my sweetie Kev and I did double family duty! A Birthday/Father's Day bash at Kev's brother Geoff's house here in Georgetown, accompanied by a great BBQ mixed grill lunch with salads. Yum! Then off to My family's Father's Day party, accompanied by a yummy BBQ mixed grill dinner with horseradish mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus and a combo of sugar snap and green arrow peas, freshly picked from our land! That's right, our very own herbicide and pesticide free garden in Norfolk County! Now, I am not lying when I tell you that our peas from the pod were the best I have ever tasted! So sweet and juicy, even my brother's wife, Michelle, who hates peas liked them! They are first veggies to be harvested from our garden, isn't that exciting?! And let me tell you something else! If everything we produce this season is as good as those peas, we are going to be very happy farmers indeed!
Well, bye for now my followers. I will have a blog for you as soon as I can (I really hope it'll be tomorrow!). Hmmm, kinda sad, eh? Bye...

Upside Down Ontario Strawberry and Rhubarb Cake

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities!..." Norman Vincent Peale

Okay, is it just me or are the weeks really flying by?! Friday again, crazy!
Well, yesterday I decided to experiment with a little baking. Scary stuff!! You see, I am not the most confident baker out there. In pastry class back at Stratford Chef school, I really enjoyed it! Maybe it was just the fact that our pastry Chef, John Bex, was utterly amazing and his love for what he did was contagious. Mind you, I did do pastries for the 'Green Room' restaurant in Stratford for a season, but that was a decade ago and I feel like I have lost the knack. Well, I have decided to put those feelings aside and simply go for it! Why not get out of the comfort zone every now and then and try something different? You agree with me, right my followers! Thanks! Anyhoo, let's get back on track and back to yesterday's baking... So, I looked in the fridge and saw that I still had some Ontario rhubarb. I then saw the pints of Ontario strawberries on the counter (both from Norfolk county) and thought, 'Bingo!' What goes better together than strawberries and rhubarb?! Well, maybe peanut butter and jam, but that's beside the point! Geesh! I did a bit of research and came up with an idea: upside down strawberry and rhubarb cake. Easy and tasty, just the way I like it!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Upside Down Strawberry and Rhubarb Cake
(serves 4 to 6)

3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 cup Ontario rhubarb, small pieces
2 cup Ontario strawberries, cut into halves
1 cup self rising flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
pinch of salt

.preheat oven to 350 degrees
.add the melted butter to a 9 inch (22.86 cm) cake pan, spread across the bottom and brush a little up the sides to prevent sticking
.sprinkle the brown sugar evenly into the bottom of the pan with the butter
.next, spread out the fruit evenly in the pan
.in mixing bowl sift in flour, stir in the sugar, pinch of salt and zest
.add in eggs, vanilla and butter and stir until combined
.spread the batter over the fruit and place in the oven for 40 to 45 mins, until golden brown
.remove from oven, allow to sit 5 mins, loosen the edges with a knife, place a large plate on top and flip it over
.remove cake pan, serve while still warm, (by itself or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!), enjoy!

Sounds good, eh?! Well, it tastes good too! I'm actually eating a piece right now for my brek with a big ol' mug of tea.Yum! Now, just a warning, this isn't the sweetest cake around. If you like things quite sweet, I would suggest that you add a Tbsp or two of white sugar to your fruit before you but it in the pan. Or, just add an extra Tbsp or two of brown sugar into the pan with the butter. Try it out and let me know what you think! Remember, strawberries and rhubarb are easily frozen, which is great, so we can enjoy our fresh Ontario goodness that much longer! Have a great weekend followers and I will report any culinary adventures I find for you on Monday! Bye!

Asian Hot Pot Style Soup

"From time immemorial, soups and broths have been the worldwide medium for utilizing what we call the kitchen byproducts or as the French call them, the 'dessertes de la table' (leftovers)." Louis P. De Guoy

Yes, yesterday's dinner was one of those dinners... leftovers made new! So many veggies in the fridge, you don't know how to make them into a coherent meal! Well, that's when my alter ego 'Macgyver of the kitchen' shows up. A quick look in the cupboard and freezer convinced me that an Asian inspired soup would be featured on our dinner menu! I didn't really appreciate a big bowl of soup until I lived near Korea town in Toronto. My old roommate Diane and I would venture up the street and explore! Food marts, tiny restaurants, cafes, etc. Two of our faves were walnut cakes and kimchi. I fell in love with kimchi right away! I would buy large tubs of the delicious fermented cabbage and pick away at it with chop sticks until it was time to buy a new tub! We had our fave soup place as well. As soon as you sit down, water, tea and soup accompaniments were placed on the table: seaweed salad, mung beans in a sweet sauce, spicy fermented radish, an egg per person and of course, kimchi. Large stone bowls of boiling soup would soon be brought to the table, along with a stone bowl of rice. The server then would scoop the rice out of the stone bowl into a serving bowl, then fill the rice bowl with water. While the soup was still boiling, we'd crack the egg in and stir it up. I always ordered the dumpling soup with tofu, medium heat. The first time Diane and I went, we didn't realize how spicy the soup was going to be... We learned our lesson and always remembered to order medium hot after that! After the soup and rice is consumed, people start to intake the lukewarm rice water with their spoons. Hmm, we guessed it was a considered a digestive? Who knows! We never asked but simply decided to join in. When in Rome... Unfortunately, I don't have any kimchi, so I used other Asian ingredients for our soup.

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Asian Hot Pot Style Soup
(serves 2)

1 Litre chicken or vegetable stock
1 slice of ginger
1 clove garlic, sliced in half
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin
pinch of sea salt
1/2 white onion, medium slice
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 cup of sliced, mixed vegetables (I used asparagus, green beans, snow peas, mushrooms, and radish)
leftover cooked steak, chicken or pork, sliced
4 to 6 dumplings, any type (use mine if you like, found on my 'Recipes' page)
2 small handfuls cooked noodles, such as udon, miki, soba or rice vermicelli
2 scallion, sliced
1 tsp or so, sesame oil (preferably roasted)

.put the stock in a pot, add ginger, garlic, soy sauce, mirin and salt to make your broth and bring to a simmer
.add in white onion, carrot, celery and dumplings, put on lid and simmer 3 to 4 minutes
.remove lid, add mixed vegetables, put on lid and simmer another 3 to 4 minutes
.meanwhile, in each serving bowl, place noodles, scallions, pour in a little sesame oil and place in the sliced meat
.ladle the hot soup into the bowl, over the other ingredients
.serve with extra soy sauce, sesame oil and hot sauce (such as sambal olek or siracha), enjoy!

Now, this is just what I had lying around, but you can use whatever you have! Just keep the broth the same and improvise! Heck, add tofu, an egg or seafood! I always serve this soup with a soup spoon and chop sticks. It's easy to make and a great way to use up leftovers and empty out the vegetable tray in the fridge! Serving a large soup for a meal is easy and can be served year round! Yum!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

"Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden." Robert Brault

Yesterday was fun! My Dad was at our 10 acres in Norfolk county for the day (he planted some pole beans, a pumpkin patch and some more flowers), while my Mum and I were at home gearing up for our visit with Mary and her two kids, Lauren and Zach. Mum bought Lauren a gardening set of her own. Tiny gardening gloves, a bucket, trowel and a small watering can. As soon as the crew came over, Lauren wanted to get started. Auntie Gail showed Lauren her gardening implements and they were off to the back deck to get started on the herb garden. They were out there all day planting and were very successful! Lauren even planted a flower for her Mum to take home! So sweet! Meanwhile, I had made Mary and I lunch, two of her favourites: egg salad sandwiches (for you who haven't tried it, add a little fresh chopped dill to your egg salad, yum!) and salad with balsamic vinaigrette. I have tried many a balsamic vinegar over the years and must say, the older the better! When I was working out in Niagara-on-the-Lake, our Chef Tony Deluca brought in a 100 year old bottle of balsamic vinegar from Italy for us to taste. He pried open the mini wooden crate to reveal a tiny glass flask, sitting in a nest of straw. He opened the wax sealed cork and we all patiently lined up with spoon to sample it. So sweet and complex in flavour, it is still the best balsamic I have ever tasted. Next time a you stumble into a good food shop (like 'All the Best Fine Foods' in Toronto), ask for a vinegar tasting. You'll be amazed at the difference between the grape varieties and difference age makes. Now, balsamic vinegar is unique in the process of how it is made. A thick reduction of grape juices is poured into barrels and left to ferment. The cheaper the balsamic, the chances are that the vinegar was put into steel barrels and only aged a few months. The more expensive types follow the customs of almost a thousand years and are aged in different wooden barrels to create a complexity of flavours and are aged 8, 12, 25 or more years. Wow!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Balsamic Vinaigrette (Mary's fave)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup light olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, mashed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.put all ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid, shake until thickened, buon appetito!

Now, feel free to switch up this recipe! Use all extra virgin olive oil if you like, skip the red wine vinegar or mustard, etc. This is Mary's special recipe that I have developed for her, but you might like it a bit different. Also, next time you have a few extra bucks to spend, buy an aged balsamic vinegar and have a taste test with the one you already have in your cupboard. If you do, please tell me all about it! Expanding your taste buds and being able to appreciate the subtle differences in flavours, is what will make you a better cook! Till tomorrow, followers!

"The only time to eat diet food is while you are waiting for the steak to cook." Julia Child

Well, I have to tell you that Kev and I were pooped after our busy weekend! Not only pooped, but also suffering from aches, pains and mosquito bites, all thanks to the big garden up at the land. Maybe it's time to invest in some 'A535' and 'After Bite'!! Working outdoors in a garden all day is tough work! I wonder if us city folks will ever manage to toughen up and become real farmers? So, after a day of Kev hard at work and me catching up on a lot of over due house work, I wondered what I should make us for dinner. Kev phoned and I asked him if he had any ideas... "Steak and taters!" he said, without hesitation. Sounded good to me! Kev said he would drop by his fave local butcher shop to pick up a couple of really nice steaks for the BBQ. Again, sounded good to me! Since we were gonna be using the BBQ, I figured would make a couple of foil package sides. Always the easiest way to go! One package had par cooked potatoes, onions, garlic, chives and sage, and the old Cheddar we picked up at the market from Simcoe, Ontario. The other package had locally grown asparagus, cherry tomatoes and garlic scapes, with butter and Extra Virgin olive oil (follow the easy instructions for 'Vegetables in Foil Package ...' on my 'Recipes' page.). For those of you who are wondering what garlic scapes are, I'll fill you in! The garlic scape is the edible stalk that grows from a garlic plant. When a bulb forms on the end and the stalk begins to curl, it is ready to harvest. They taste like garlic, only much milder. They can be prepared in many ways! Blanched, sauteed in butter, stir fried with Asian veg. or pickled, are all great ways to enjoy this springtime treat! Kev had never tried them before and he loved them! So tasty!
Well, today I am off to Hamilton. My best friend Mary is going to come over to my parent's house and bring her two lil' kiddies. We are all going to have lunch, then Mary's daughter Lauren is going to help my Mum plant the rest of her herb garden and flowers! How fun! Have a great day and I'll be back with yet another culinary adventure tomorrow!

"There aren't enough days in the weekend." Rod Schmidt

Hello followers, how was your weekend? Mine was busy, but a lot of fun! Let me share the highlights with you!

On Saturday morning, my sweetie Kev and I got dressed up and jumped in the car to head into Toronto. We met up with my parents, my brother Adam and his wife Michelle and about 100 other people to go for a harbour cruise. We all had our sea legs on to raise funds for research of 'Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia (WM),' a blood cancer my Dad has. For a description of WM, let me take a quote from the National Cancer Institute:

"Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia is a rare type of slow-growing, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system). It causes overproduction of a protein called monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM or "macroglobulin") antibody."
The cruise was great! I hadn't been to Toronto Island since I was a kid, and it is lovely! We had a few drinkies and a lunch buffet, followed by dessert and coffee. We were entertained by a local story teller, who taught us all a bit about the history of the area. Finally, there was a silent auction. Not bad! We are waiting to hear how much money was raised while 'Cruising for a Cure' and when we do, I will let you know! Overall, a great event for a great cause!

After we the cruise, we all headed back to my parent's house and met up with my youngest brother Jordan and his girlfriend Jen for Michelle's birthday dinner. Michelle loves Indian food, so that's what we had! We ordered so much, it was an absolute feast! Yum! Kev and I bought  a bottle of Gewurztraminer that went perfectly with dinner. After eating way too much, the party started and we all ended up sleeping over! How fun! So yesterday morning, after a much needed breakfast, we picked up my cousin Hollie and all headed up to my parents 10 acres in Norfolk county for a day of cutting the grass, weeding and planting flowers and winter squash. Of course, we couldn't get started until we ate lunch! Huge, yummy sandwiches with chips and pickles were on the menu. So good! After eating, we grabbed a beer and headed down to garden. Our snow peas and red currants are ready (except that a deer has eaten most of them!), and the green arrow peas are almost there. Everything is growing like crazy! It's fantastic to be so closely involved in my family's large vegetable garden! This is the first summer that I have been able to do so and I am grateful! I picked some thyme, sage, chives and garlic scapes just before we all packed up and left in the early evening. Kev and I decided to stop at a small farmer's market along the way. We bought a few goods from Ontario: Norfolk county asparagus and strawberries, old Cheddar from Simcoe and cherry tomatoes from Grimbsy. Yum yum! Once we made the long hall back to Georgetown, we were exhausted! So, instead of making dinner, we put away our lovely local food and grabbed some take out. Kev got chicken from Swiss Chalet and I got a burger from Harvey's. We brought it home and ate it on the couch. Why not? A perfect way to end a perfectly lovely and busy weekend!

Chicken stuffed with Ontario Goat Cheese and Mushrooms

"Be happy, eat right and spend time with family and friends." Me

Wow, Friday again! I hope you are all having a great morning, I know I am! I just watched some of the opening ceremonies from the World Cup and feel inspired! I have found a 'Live 365' Internet radio station plays African music! I am lovin' it! This music reminds me of the 'Earth Song' festival that I used to frequent when I was younger. Live international music late into the night with a huge dancefloor, international food tents that would leave the air full of fantastic smells (that's where I had my first falafel!), and lovely goods from all over the world to buy. A wonderful summer treat, it's sad that it ended. If you are from West Hamilton, you'll know what I am talking about!
Well, yesterday I prepared some food for my best friend Mary. Being a busy Mum of two youngin's, she finds it hard to have the time to always make a homemade dinner. That's where I can help! If there's one thing I do not like, it is prepared food from the grocery store. I walked through the frozen food section of a store the other day and was floored by the vast amounts of it out there! Okay, a prepared item every now and then is alright, but the ingredients in those things are scary! Even a simple tin of soup has a crazy amount of stuff in it and who the heck knows what half the stuff is?! So, yesterday I experimented with and successfully made grilled stuffed chicken (pictured), for Mary. I also made her my Taco Filling, a jar of my Taco Seasoning Spice Mix and a Quiche (all on my 'Recipes' page). I love that I can help Mary out and know that I'm providing her family with good, preservative and additive free food!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Chicken stuffed with Goat Cheese and Mushrooms

(serves 2)
 

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1/2 tsp Italian herb mix (dried basil, rosemary, oregano)

1 garlic clove, fine chop

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

fresh ground pepper

.combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside in the fridge until the stuffing is ready

.preheat oven to 350 degrees

Stuffing:

4 cremini mushroom (good size), rough chop

1/4 tsp fresh thyme, chop

1/4 cup goat cheese

2 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/2 tsp fresh parsley, chop

sea salt (to taste)

fresh ground pepper

.combine all ingredients in a bowl

.remove chicken from fridge, lay flat on a cutting board and insert a sharp paring knife horizontally into the thickest part of the breast and make a pocket of space

.either spoon the stuffing into the breast, or place the stuffing into an icing bag and force the stuffing in (this method works better, you do not need a tip)

. in a hot pan with a bit of oil, sear the breasts until they are golden brown and season with sea salt, either transfer to a baking dish/tray or place the heat proof pan into the oven

.bake at 350 degrees for about 15 mins until done (firm to the touch, juices run clear), enjoy!

So, today I am gonna make my sweetie Kevin some carrot soup while I hem a new dress, before I leave to work a catering in Toronto this afternoon. The new dress is for a charity boat cruise my family is going on tomorrow. We are 'Cruising for a Cure' to raise money for research on a blood cancer called Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia. My Dad has been living with Waldenstrom's for 12 years now, so it is a cause that is definitely close to our hearts! It is a lunch boat cruise around the Toronto harbour and it's gonna be great! Even though there are thunderstorms in the forecast, the weather won't dampen our spirits! Too cheesy...? Anyhoo, have a great weekend followers and I will be back on Monday to tell you all about my culinary adventures! Bye for now!

"What? ...morning in an English family and no sausages? God bless my soul, what's the world coming to, eh?" Dorothy Sayers

Photographer: Harry Gils, Props Stylist: Dana Gils, Food Stylist: Sarah Visheau (me!)

Alright followers, I've got one for yah! What's better than breakfast? ...Breakfast for dinner!! Yum! I love a full English breakfast, don't you? Well, yesterday was the perfect day for it! Rainy, damp and foggy, I certainly felt like I was back in England. I love England! I also love, love, love English food! Maybe it's because my Mum is English and that's what we grew up on, but for me, English cuisine is the ultimate comfort food. A couple of years ago I went back to the home land with my youngest brother Jordan, his girlfriend Jen and our cousin Terry (pictured below), to visit the family. It was Jord and Jen's first trip across the pond. My brother Jord was so excited to get down to some good eatin', since I had told him of all the delights we would encounter... Big brekkies, large sausage rolls, meat pies, cheese and onion pies, chips with curry sauce, crisps of every flavour and Cornish pasties... Oh those pasties!! Jord had never heard of pasties before, poor boy! For those of you who don't know what they are either, they are large stuffed pastries. Back in the old days of tin mining, Cornish wives would send their husbands underground with a pasty. Basically, it's a meal wrapped in pastry. Meat and potatoes with veg on one end, jam or fruit on the other, baked until golden brown. No longer just meat and potatoes, these days you can get just about anything in a pasty. Well, sure enough, as soon as we landed in Manchester and stepped outside of the airport, guess what?! There was a Cornish pasty stand waiting for us! It was 6 am but that didn't matter, we were super excited and ready for it! We shared a breakfast pasty filled with potatoes, bacon and eggs. Next, we shared a cheese and onion pasty. Last, but not least, we shared a steak and blue cheese pasty. Yum! Well, that marked off 10 days of eating good ol' English food! My brother Jordan and I were in heaven and probably both gained quite few a pounds. Especially when we would wash down most of our delights with pints of beer and cider! Why not? You only live once! So yes, while I was driving into Georgetown yesterday, in that gloomy weather, all I wanted for dinner was a big mug of tea and a full English brekkie. I popped into the grocery store, bought some mushrooms, bacon, bangers and bread. When I got back to our place, I put on a Smiths CD and put the kettle on. I threw a tin of diced tomatoes in a pot to simmer, pulled out my Dad's Vitoria Day baked beans from the freezer and started frying up the bacon and sausages. When Kev walked in the door, I greeted him with a mug of tea and put the ketchup and HP sauce on the table. Next, I fried our eggs and mushrooms, then last but not least, I fried our bread in the bacon fat and we served ourselves. What a feast! So good! Now, some might call me crazy and some may not agree at all, but you gotta love a place where fries come with curry sauce and instead of simple toast for brek, you can have your bread fried in the leftover bacon fat! 'Ello govna!!

Norfolk County, Ontario

"Why do potatoes make good detectives? Because they keep their eyes peeled." Ha!

Ha ha ha! 'Eyes peeled!!' Oh gosh, my Dad was right, I spent way too much time in the sun yesterday!

Well followers, as you can probably tell by my pictures, I was up at the land with my parents again. It's been a while and oh man, what a difference! Everything has sprung up! Some of the snow peas are ready for picking and the green arrow peas growing like mad. The horseradish, asparagus, corn, potatoes, tomatoes and Brussels sprouts are certainly on their way. Our peppers, cucumbers, eggplant and fennel all show new growth as well. The onions (3 varieties), and beans (also 3 varieties), my parents put in last week have already sprouted and my Mum's herb garden is loving the sun! Even our organic sweet potatoes are sprouting! We really weren't sure about those guys... My Dad heard that if you bought organic sweet potatoes, let them form eyes, then plunk em' in the ground, they'll grow. Well, it looks like they're growing, alright! Their leaves are purple! Who knew?! Yesterday we planted a few more veggies. We know it's a bit late to be getting things in the ground, but it's tough for us to get up to the land for a few days to plant out in one foul swoop! In went summer squash (3 varieties), carrots (2 varieties), beets (2 varieties), radishes (2 varieties) lettuce (3 varieties), and Swiss chard (my Grandma's favourite!). Not bad, eh? We're just gonna keep our green thumbs crossed and hope for the best!  The real test will be when my parents build a house at the land and we can dedicate the proper time needed to get our garden growing. The only thing that isn't doing so well is the orchard. We have two apple trees and two pear trees. Since they went in three years ago, we have had minimal fruit due to our battle with bugs and deers. We find hoof marks around the trees in the spring and buds nibbled off. Gosh darn deers! This year we thought they ate em' all, but sure enough my Dad found one apple yesterday! Yippy! So happy to find it, I just had to take it's picture! We are planning to go back up on Sunday to weed and my Mum is going to plant some flowers. I'm also planning to snip off a bunch of garlic scapes and fry them up in a little butter and salt to eat. Yum!! I often tell my Dad that buying that 10 acres is the best investment he has ever made and every time we go up there, we appreciate it more and more. We love our little farm and our little country experiment! Who knows, maybe us city folk will figure it out one day and become real farmers! Yee haa!!

Greek inspired Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

"Dinner was made for eating, not for talking." William Makepeace Thackeray

 

 

Well, that quote pretty much sums up our dinner last night! It turned out so good, we scarfed it down with out saying much but, 'Yum!!'
Yesterday I had one of those moments when I had no idea what was going to be for dinner... So, I did what I usually do in such situations: wonder around the grocery store aisles until I'm inspired! Yesterday my inspiration turned out to be a piece of feta cheese. I love Greek food and I love feta cheese! Whenever I eat feta, it takes me right back to Greece! I've travelled around Greece twice, the second time being especially amazing, since I was there with my best friend Mary and her family. I got to travel north to visit the villages where Mary's parents are from! Fantastic! The people, weather, food and drink were all very welcoming! I remember one meal in particular, which I often think as being the best meal I have ever eaten... Cooked in the outdoor kitchen by Mary's aunts, was a large dish of baked chicken and rice with tomato, onion, garlic and fresh herbs. On the table sat feta cheese, olives, vegetable salad with salt and olive oil, bread and afterwards, fruit. The simplest of Greek food, but that's what made it so absolutely delicious! Everything served was fresh from the their farm! The chickens were their own, as was the feta, made from the milk from their goats. The olives and fruit were from the trees that surrounded the farmhouse. All of ingredients that went into the rice were from the garden. The vegetables for our salad were picked, washed, cut straight into the bowl and topped with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of farm pressed olive oil, just as we were sitting down to eat. Even the bread was baked in the outdoor kitchen that morning! Wow, I had never eaten like that before, nor have I since! So like I said, that feta cheese inspired me to make dinner and this is what I did...

Quick Recipe:

Greek inspired Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
(serves 4)

Tomato sauce:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, rough chop
* 1/4 cup wine, red or white (optional)
2 cloves garlic, rough chop
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp fresh oregano, rough chop
1/8 tsp cinnamon
28oz tin tomatoes, diced or whole (preferably unsalted)
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.in a large sauce pot, add the oil and cook the onions on medium heat for about 5 mins, add the wine and reduce
.stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano and cinnamon, cook for 1 minute
.stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper
.bring to a boil on high heat, turn down to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes, remove from heat
.meanwhile, prepare meatballs...

Meatballs
(makes 8 large)

500gr/1 lb ground chicken
1 /2 onion, fine chop
2 clove garlic, fine chop
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, fine chop
1 tbsp fresh parsley, fine chop
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.combine all ingredients in a large bowl
.shape into meatballs (I made 8 large), ans place them in the pot with the sauce
.cover with a lid, return pot to a boil on high heat, reduce to a simmer medium low
.cook for 10 minutes, remove lid, turn the meatballs over and continue to cook with the lid off for another 5 to 10 minutes until done
.serve with a little additional crumble feta cheese if you like, kali orexi!

Now, it might seem like a lot, but this recipe is super easy! Just make sure your 'mis en place' is ready (all of your ingredients are chopped, etc.), before you get started! As pictured above, I served ours with rice and asparagus. Well, just wait until our Ontario produce is ready when we can make this again this summer and serve it up a lovely, fresh Greek salad! Can't wait! I hope you enjoy my Greek inspired meatballs. Even if you haven't been to Greece, you will definitely get a taste for all of those fantastic flavours that I love so much!

"All the world is a birthday cake, so take a piece, but not to much." George Harrison

Happy Monday, followers! How was your weekend? Yes, I know, a lot of rain... Just remember though, it's good for the garden!
Well, my weekend was filled with several culinary adventures! I'll fill you in! On Friday evening, I worked a catering in Toronto. A small dinner party for 20 people. No problem there! The clients loved the food and a good time was had by all! Unfortunately that same day, my parents were up at the land planting more veggies into our garden. I was upset that I missed it!! Oh well, being a freelance Chef means that you gotta work when work comes your way... On Saturday morning, I was back in Toronto. This time it was a luncheon for a crowd of 140. I was happy to see that there were a lot of people to help, including some of my good friends in the catering world! Again, it went off without a hitch! When I got back into Georgetown that evening, my sweetie Kevin had bought us a treat! The ingredients for mojitos (on my 'Recipes' page)! He made us a couple, but on some Cuban music and we relaxed, with memories of Cuba floating through in our minds... Kev also made me dinner that night! BBQ chicken thighs, asparagus smothered in butter and sea salt in a foil package and grilled garlic bread. I whipped us up a quick lemon sauce to complete the meal! Delicious! Then, on Sunday it was the big day... Two birthday parties in one at Kevin's parents house! It was for Kev's youngest brother Rob and his daughter Kayla. How fun! Now, the invitation announced a pool party and BBQ. When we woke up Sunday morning, we realized that both would probably be thrown out the window. But, as luck would have it, the hot dogs were cooked on the BBQ after all and swimming commenced after lunch (at least an hour after eating, of course!). The rest of the afternoon was spent lounging in the sun by the pool, chatting and sipping on cold beer. Lovely! For dinner, Kev and I enjoyed grilled sausages (mine with HP sauce), a quick veggie fry up and my Mum's leftover cauliflower cheese casserole from the freezer. Easy and scrumptious! Certainly a lovely weekend spent with family and friends, good food and drink... Can it get any better than that?!

Individual Onatrio Rhubarb Pastries with Orange and Whipped Cream

"Botanically a vegetable, pink-stalked rhubarb (sometimes called pie plant) is treated by cooks as a fruit..." Ann Willan, 'LaVarenne Pratique'

Wow, another week has flown by and it's Friday again!
Well, hopes for a BBQ at my parents house got washed out (big time!!), so I put everything in the oven... Chicken in my 'Souvlaki Marinade' and 'Vegetables in Foil with Herbs and Feta Cheese' (both on my 'Recipes' page). After dinner, my Mum and I went over to my Nanny's place for a visit. I love visiting with my family and my Nanny always has a few good stories up her sleeve! Being a rainy day, we decided to get out and headed over to Fortino's for a cup of tea and a grocery shopping trip. We saw some rhubarb and it reminded me of when we were kids and my parents had rhubarb growing in the backyard. My Mum and Nanny would give us tea cups filled with sugar so we could dip in our freshly picked rhubarb and crunch away! Yum! Nanny told me last night that she would do the same thing as a child growing up in England. My Nan's Mum would send her to a woman up the street to buy her rhubarb. My Nanny told me that she would buy a large bundle for two pennies... Wow! I bought about the same amount last night for almost $9!! My word! So, with inspiration from my Nan's stories, I've decided to do a quick and easy rhubarb dessert. Now, I'm certainly not the great baker my Nanny is and doing pastries are a bit out of my comfort zone, but what the heck!! It's rhubarb season and we need to appreciate this yummy... vegetable!

Quick Recipe:

Individual Rhubarb Pastries with Orange and Whipped Cream
(makes 8)

1 1/4 cup rhubarb, rinsed, thinly sliced
1/3 cup + 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 large navel orange, zested and juiced (including some pulp)
1 sheet of store bought butter puff pastry, rolled out 5 mm thin (President's Choice is the best out there, that is readily available. That's what I use.)
1/2 cup 35% cream
*turbinado sugar (optional)

.preheat your oven to 375 degrees
.combine the rhubarb, 1/3 cup sugar, 2/3 of the orange zest and the orange juice in a bowl, set aside
.roll out the puff pastry and cut out 8 rounds (I used a pint glass with a 9 cm diameter), place on an ungreased tray
 .score the pastry with a sharp paring knife, following the edge, about 1 cm in from the edge (this will allow the outside edge to puff higher than the centre where the rhubarb will be placed)
.with a fork, left the pcs of rhubarb out from the liquid and place on the pcs of pastry, keeping them within your score mark
*.with your finger, put a little of the cream around the pastry edge and sprinkle with the turinado sugar (optional)
.put in the oven for 15 to 20 mins, until the puff pastry is browned and crispy, meanwhile...
.put the marinating juices into a small sauce pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low, simmer and reduce to a light syrup (about 15 mins)
.when the pastries are done, remove from oven and immediately spoon over or brush with the syrup, allow to cool
.in a bowl, pour in the cream and whisk for about a minute until thickened, add the 1/2 tsp sugar and the rest of the orange zest, whisk for about another minute until whipped stiff (do not over whip or you will separate the cream and you'll eventually make butter! Actually, there's nothing wrong with that!!!)
.serve your pastries warmed or cool, with the whipped cream on the side or on top, enjoy!!

Well, I did it! The pastries are a bit tart, but the cream adds a sweetness that is heavenly! I'm not much of a sweets lover, so these really aren't to sweet. If you would like, add a bit more sugar. With the leftover bits of pastry, roll them up and put them in a bag in the freezer. I keep everything! These puff pastry bits can be thawed, rolled out and use again. They won't rise properly, but it's always nice to have pastry handy! These desserts can be made with any summer fruit and any citrus fruit! I can guarantee you that as Ontario has it's new fruit to offer, I will be making these pastries all season long! How exciting!
Alrighty followers, I'm working a catering tonight and another tomorrow in Toronto... I hope they both go well! Then, on Sunday, Kev and I have a birthday/pool party to go to! Yippy! Be safe everyone, have a great weekend and we'll catch up Monday!

(Behind the scenes... How do yo like my 'studio?')

Calzone

"The trouble with Italian food is that 5 or 6 days later, you're hungry again." George Miller

You can say that again, George! Oh man, our dinner last night turned out to be a feast! So good! Kev and I shared an 'everything in the fridge and freezer' calzone. You know when you look in the fridge and there's a tonne of bits and pieces, yet you feel that you still have to go to the grocery store in order to make a meal? I had one of those moments yesterday. So many things, yet what could I make? It was time to get creative and figure it out! My best friend doesn't call me the 'MacGyver of the kitchen' for nothing, you know!! Sorting through the fridge I found a half of a green pepper, a handful of baby spinach, some asparagus, rapini, a few leaves of fresh basil and a small piece of mozzarella. In the freezer I had a small container of  'My Fave Tomato Sauce' (on my 'Recipes' page), a couple of grilled sausages and 'Pizza Dough' (also on my 'Recipes' page). Remember when we had a 'make your own pizza party' with my cousin Mel's little kiddies (April 10)? Well, I still had some of that pizza dough left in the freezer, tightly wrapped up. Hmmmm, what could all of this stuff make...? I got it!! The hugest calzone ever made! Yes!! So, I pulled the sausages, sauce and dough from the freezer. I let them semi thaw out on the counter, then put them all in the fridge until I was ready (the dough will rise if left out too long, so best to keep it refrigerated until needed!). Here's what I did...

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Calzone
(makes 1, serves 2)

1/2 recipe of 'Pizza Dough' (on my 'Recipes' page)
1 cup of 'My fave Tomato Sauce' (also on my 'Recipes' page)
2 to 3 cups of sauteed veggies and meat with fresh chopped herbs (all of your choice!), cooled and strained of excess juices
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

.preheat the oven to 400 degrees
.on a greased tray, stretch out the pizza dough until quite thin (5 mm or so), and shape into a large circle
.spread the sauce on one half, top with the veggies and meat
.sprinkle on both cheeses, drizzle with a bit of olive oil
.fold the dough over the filling to form a half circle
.tuck and seal the rounded edge by crimping and pinching with your fingers (you want it sealed tightly!)
.brush the calzone with more olive oil and sprinkle sea salt on top
.place in the oven and bake until lightly browned (15 to 20 mins), remove
.allow to sit for a few minutes, cut and serve, enjoy!

This calzone was the first I ever made and we loved it! I made a green salad on the side, but we hardly needed it. Get creative and make one for yourself! The possibilities of the fillings are endless, just wait till you have a lot of bits and pieces in the fridge and freezer to use up!
Guess what?! I just checked our tiny vegetable garden I planted yesterday and it's still there! Let's just say that there a lot of cute bunny rabbits and deer around this area...! So cute, yet so destructive!! Well, I'm heading off to Hamilton today to drop off a computer at my lil' bro's new place, make a quick and easy dinner for my parents (I was thinking BBQ, but we'll have to see about this weather!), then off to have a visit with my Nanny! I'm really looking forward to it! Have a good day followers and we'll catch up tomorrow!

Ontario Herb Mixes for the Seasons

"There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hello followers! Have I mentioned yet that Kev and I are trying out our green thumbs this spring? We started plants by seed and have been growing them in the window sill. In early April we planted baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic chives, sage, mint and cilantro. Two weeks later we added Brussels sprouts and eggplant to the family. We call them our babies. Alright, I call them our babies, not Kev. They seem to like it here and I can't wait to have our herb garden ready to use (it is getting there!)! After hardening them off for the last few weeks, today I'm going to plant out the Brussels Sprouts, eggplant and tomatoes. Oh my babies, I hope you like it in the outdoors! When I first moved to Toronto 4 years ago, my room mate's Mum gave us a house warming present. A herb garden! We kept it on the window sill in the living room. The herbs must have liked it there, because it became unruly quite quickly! So, what I started doing was snipping the herbs, chopping them up and putting them in containers topped with oil. I would do two types of mixes and use them, according to the season. Here's what I would do!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Warm Weather Herb Mix

fresh basil, chiffonade (rolled and sliced)
fresh parsley, finely chopped
fresh dill, finely chopped
fresh chives, finely chopped
oil, olive or vegetable


Ontario Cold Weather Herb Mix

fresh sage, finely chopped
fresh rosemary, finely chopped
fresh thyme, finely chopped
fresh parsley, finely chopped
oil, olive or vegetable

.mix the herbs together and put in a container with a tight fitting lid
.top with the oil and store in fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months

You can do anything with these mixes! Let's discuss the warm weather herb mix first! Toss pieces of your fave fish or chicken  with a dollop of herbs, some sea salt, a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice, then roast in the oven. If there are leftovers, make a sandwich filling for the next day by breaking up the fish and adding a little mayo. Spread some of the herbs on a piece of bread, top with grated cheese and broil (actually, the cold weather herbs would also be great!). Toss some in with your cooked veggies or stir some into a mayo/sour cream mix with some chopped garlic for a great dip! Or into your fave potato or pasta salad!
The cold weather mix is just as versatile! Season chicken or pork with salt and pepper, brush on a little grainy Dijon, top with the herb mix and roast. Add some to your fave stuffing mixture. Remove your roasting potatoes 5 mins before they are done and toss with the mix and some chopped garlic, throw them back in the oven till done. Add some to sauteed mushrooms for a kick. Oh yes, mix either herb mix with softened butter and you have a tasty compound butter, to top on just about anything, including baked potato or steak Anyhoo, I think you get the point! Enjoy!
 

Guacamole

"... the avocado is a food without rival among the fruits, the veritable fruit of paradise." David Fairchild

Avocados... They're strange things, aren't they? I still remember the first time I saw one. I suppose I was about 10 when our family went to my Dad's friend's farm for an afternoon get together. One of the many guests started to make guacamole when snack time approached. She had a large bowl and would cut open the avocados, gouge out the pit, scoop the insides into the bowl, mash them with a fork while squeezing the juice of fresh limes over top. I guess it made a lasting impression, coz I certainly had never seen anything like that before! Since then, I had tried a few avocados here and there over the years, but never really appreciated them until I lived in Australia. When my friend Cathy and I travelled north and stayed in Cairns for a bit, we noticed avocados were everywhere! It seems like everyone was eating them, so we joined in! In the market they would sell them 5 for a dollar. What a deal! We would cut them in half, remove the pit, sprinkle with salt and eat them with a spoon. Yummy! We also saw avocado breads, muffins, oils, skin care products, etc... You name it, they had it (made out of avocados, of course!)! In different restaurants around town I remember seeing avocados on pizza and even dipped in tempura batter and deep fried! Well, even with a million ways to enjoy avocados, my fave way to enjoy them will always be in good ol' guacamole! I made some for us on taco night last Friday and remembered to write down what I did so I could share my simple recipe with you, my loyal followers!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Guacamole
(makes about 1 1/2 cups)

2 ripe avocados (semi soft to the touch)
1/2 onion, fine chop (red or white)
2 clove garlic, fine chop
1 ripe tomato, fine chop
1 lime, juiced
sea salt, to taste

.cut the avocado in half, lengthwise
.with you knife, stab the pit and twist it out (be careful!!), or remove with a spoon
.mash with a fork in a bowl until desired consistency (I like mine a bit chunky)
.stir in the rest of the ingredients, enjoy!

Some people like to add chilies or chopped fresh coriander to their guac... Go for it! Personally, I keep it rather modest, yet super tasty! Guacamole will only last for a day or two in the fridge. Once cut, avocados turn black quickly, to prevent this, sprinkle the cut avocado with lemon juice (just like apples or pears). Now, don't be afraid to eat avocados, they are delicious in many ways (especially on sandwiches!)! Yes, it's true that they are high in fat, but it's the same good fat found in olives! Avocados are also low in sugar, high in fiber and potassium (60% more than bananas!), rich in antioxidants and have vitamins A through K! So there you go! Mr Fairchild wasn't lying when he called avocados "veritable fruit of paradise", was he?!

p.s. Just in case you were wondering what I have in the picture with the guac, they are baked tortilla chips I made in the oven. I simply cut the tortillas into wedges, brushed either side with safflower oil, sprinkled on some chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and sea salt and baked them in a 300 degree oven for about 10 to 15 mins... (check at 10 mins, you don't want them to burn!). A great alternative to deep fried chips! You could also make these with fresh corn tortillas for a gluten free chip!