Ontario Tomato La Caprese

"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins." Laurie Colwin

Hello followers! Hot enough for yah?!
Well, it's day two of 'Salad Week' and we are talkin' tomatoes! Up at our 10 acres of land in Norfolk County, we grew four varieties of tomatoes this year and all have been successful! My Dad's fave have always been Beefsteaks. Perfect on a toasted tomato sandwich, these large tomatoes are hearty, juicy and sweet in flavour. I decided to take one and make my absolute favourite salad of all times... La Caprese. This classic Italian salad is a combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and fragrant basil, that is finished with a full bodied extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.The key to this subtle salad is the quality of it's ingredients and it is only to be be enjoyed when tomatoes and basil are in season. The other ingredients can be found at the grocery store, but again, quality counts! Fresh mozzarella is traditionally made with buffalo's milk and can be found at some specialty food shops. If you see it, buy it! Cow's milk mozzarella is more common these days. Different in taste, but still delicious with it's mild flavour and rich, creamy texture. What's left? Oh yes, the extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. Very important! Always have a good extra virgin olive oil around for dipping with crusty loaf, finishing off a dish or for a salad. They are expensive, but well worth it! Last Christmas my friend Wendy and her husband Pio gave us a bottle of organic e.v.o.o. straight from Pio's family run farm in Italy. Wow! Talk about a special treat! Absolutely delicious, I used it to heighten the experience of many dishes until it was finished and let me tell you, I enjoyed every last drop!


Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Tomato La Caprese

ripe tomatoes (of your preference), sliced
fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

.arrange the tomato and cheese on a platter or individual plates
.scatter the basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, buon appetito!

Enjoy this salad as a first or main course. Serve with a crusty loaf of  bread and a nice bottle of wine. Sit outside, play some Italian music and let your mind whisk you away to a patio outside a little trattoria in Italy somewhere. Ahh, now wouldn't that be lovely? Until tomorrow followers, when 'Salad Week' continues!

Ontario Grilled Corn Salad with Fresh Oregano and Feta

"A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine." Anne Bronte

Hiya, my followers, how was your weekend? Mine was lovely, thanks for asking! Didn't get up to much, but I did have a culinary adventure...
I had a small catering on Saturday. You see, at my sweetie Kevin's work, the boys often make their own lunches in the small kitchen at the back. On Saturdays their boss pays, isn't that nice? Well, I have often made the joke that I would love to be their lunch lady and I finally made that joke to Kev's manager. Well, be careful what you ask for, because I now have the Saturday lunchtime gig! I'm very happy they liked my beef and spicy sausage lasagna and I'm excited to think of something else for next week! How fun is that?! I also did some searching through my blog and realized something... I have hardly any salad recipes. How very disappointing! So, I have decided dedicate this week to salads and proclaim it 'Salad Week' (kinda like 'Shark Week,' well, not really...)! But what is going to differentiate these salads from all others, is that these salads will be made with our own veggies! That's right, I am making my salads with the harvested vegetables from our large garden, located on our 10 acres up in Norfolk County. I am starting 'Salad Week' with corn. 'Corn is King' and the main ingredient in this yummy salad. Inspired by one I tested for Jane Rodmell's cookbook 'All the Best Recipes,' it is unique and delicious.

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Grilled Corn Salad with Fresh Oregano and Feta
(serves 4)

2 corn cobs, grilled and kernels sliced off
1 tin (398 ml or 15 oz) your fave beans (I used giant Lima beans), drained and rinsed
2 green onions, sliced
handful cherry tomatoes, sliced
handful olives, pits removed (I used French cured, my absolute favourite!)
1 to 2 tbsp fresh oregano, sliced
1 to 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 to 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
salad greens of your choice
handful feta cheese, crumbled

.combine everything in a bowl, except for the greens and feta, adjust seasoning
.place the greens on the bottom of a platter, or individual plates
.spoon the corn salad on top of the greens, sprinkle with feta, enjoy!

This salad is easy to put together and the presentation is lovely. Using leftover boiled corn can easily be grilled for the salad. The grilling of the corn really adds another dimension to this simple summer salad, that is full of flavours and textures. Try it and let me know what you think! Hmm, what garden fresh vegetable should I highlight tomorrow during 'Salad Week'...? You'll just have to come back to find out! Ha ha!

Rosemary Crostini

"Homemade is better!" Me

 

Good day, my fave followers! Well, it's lovely to sleep with the windows open but last night I was freezing!
So, yesterday I mentioned that one could serve my marinated cheese with crostini. I then realized that I haven't even posted my crostini recipe... Sorry! Well, I am here today to share it with you. Crostini is Italian and literally translates into 'little toasts.' It is simply bite sized, thinly sliced pieces of bread that are either grilled or baked in the oven. Served plain or with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, they can be used for just about anything. Serve with an antipasto platter or cheese tray, throw a couple into a bowl of soup or top with just about anything to make a yummy little appetizer. I remember crostini became a dinner party conversation at my parent's house one night last year. My best friend Mary showed up with an offering of a box of Ace Bakery 'Rosemary Crostini.' Mary said how good they were, but the price was steep (about $5 for around 20 pcs). She asked me if I could crack the code and make them. No problem! I tackled the challenge after dinner! Once they were done, we had a taste test. We all agreed that they were very similar, but homemade was better! Since then, my rosemary crostini have become a family favourite. On occasion, I have even made them and sold them to Mary for parties she's held (and for a much better price, of course!).

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Rosemary Crostini
(1 baguette makes 50 to 60 pcs)

day old bread, preferably a ciabatta loaf, baguette or buns with a small circumference
dried rosemary
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

.preheat oven to 325
.slice the bread thinly with a good serated knife (a steak knife works and you should be able to yield 55 or 60 pcs per baguette)
.place slices single layer on a baking tray, drizzle or brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and top with the dried rosemary (I prefer to crush it in my fingers while sprinkling, just to release more flavour)
.put in the oven for about 15 mins until toasted and crunchy, buon appetito!

Now, I bake these until they are hard and crunchy, just like the Ace brand. But, you can take them out earlier, so they aren't as crunchy. For the price of one box of Ace Crostini, you could probably make 3 times as much at home. If you do bake the crostini until they are hard, they can be kept in an airtight container for at least a week or so (with no moisture in them, they won't go soggy). Simple, cheap and super yummy, make some crostini for you next get together. These homemade treats are guaranteed impress your guests!

Marinated Ontario Cheese with Fresh Herbs in Olive Oil

"The appetite is sharpened by the first bites." Joze Rizal

Good morning, followers! I'm back!
Well, yesterday evening Kev and I had dinner at my parent's house. I love eating at home, my Mum always makes something delicious to eat! My parents have had some fantastic dinner parties over the years... International cuisines, decor to match and the appropriate music to set the mood. My Mum always goes all out for her guests and the parties are always a hit! I remember my Mum would send my Dad and I to the Hamilton Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings with a list of ingredients. Working at the Hamilton Public Library, downtown, my Mum knows the neighbouring market like the back of her hand. My Dad and I would get the food, then go to the library to search the international music department for the evening's selection. Once, my Dad chose some steel drum music to liven up a summer BBQ. As my Dad was outside, enjoying a Red Stripe and the sounds of the Caribbean, two of my Uncles were standing in front of the entertainment system trying to turn the music off! Hilarious! Now, what I love most about my parent's dinner parties are the nibbles (Tapas, if you will!)! Always simple, always delicious! Well, keeping with the tradition, I thought I'd help out yesterday by offering up a little nibble of my own. Marinated cheese. If you love cheese, you're going to love this one, I promise!

Simple and Tasty Recipe: 

Marinated Ontario Cheese with Fresh Herbs in Olive Oil
(choose a jar or container with a tight fitting lid)

cheese (ie., feta, bocconcini, chevre), cut feta into cubes or roll chevre into 1 tbsp balls
fresh herbs (ie., rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, etc.), torn into pieces
bay leaf
whole peppercorns (I especially like pink peppercorns for this!)
* chili flakes (optional)
pinch of sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

.place all the ingredients in a jar, make sure the cheese is covered by the oil
.refrigerate for 24 hours before serving, to allow the flavours to infuse
.keep in the fridge for a month or two, the flavours will intensify
.take out of fridge 1 hour before serving
.serve on it's own, with flat breads, crackers, grilled or fresh bread, crostini (have I given you my crostini recipe yet?), on salads, etc., enjoy!

I love making this recipe. The presentation is lovely and I have even made these jars and given them out as Christmas presents to family and friends. Use any cheese or herbs you prefer. Add olives in with the cheese. Serve with whatever to like. Remember, my recipe is but a guideline... Use it well, young
follower Jedis!

Potato Chip Dip

"Almost every person has something secret he likes to eat." M.F.K. Fisher

 

Hello followers! Isn't it so nice to sleep with the windows open?
Well, anyone know who me knows what I like to eat... potato chips!! Well, it's actually not just the chips I secretly eat, it's just about anything salty with a crunch. Cheezies, cheese sticks, popcorn, corn chips, fries, etc.! Savoury not sweet, that's me! I can't tell you how many nights I had chips as my late night dinner... Living within in the food industry is not the healthiest way to survive, that's for sure! I remember in Chefs school, we'd finish up around midnight and would rush to the closest pub for a dinner of pints and potato chips. Over the years I've tried to cut down and with Kev's good habits to influence me, I'm doing much better. But let me tell yah, any special occasion when I know those salty snacks will be around, I get excited! So, even though I ate a huge meal at the Chinese restaurant the other evening, when my Grandma offered chips and dip, I could not refuse! I'm glad I did though, because that dip was delicious! My Grandpa emailed me the recipe yesterday and Kev and I enjoyed it last night for a snack! Yum, yum, yum!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Potato Chip Dip
(about 2 cups)

1 package of cream cheese, softened
2 green onions
1 hard boiled egg
2 tbsp mayonnaise
pinch of garlic salt
dash of Worcestershire sauce

.throw everything in a food processor or blend, chill in fridge for 1 hour before serving, enjoy!

Now, I decided to process one of the green onions and slice the other (Kev and I like chunks...). I was also thinking that the addition of another cheese would be super tasty! Grated old white Cheddar, grated asiago or even crumbled blue cheese! Oh man, good thing we finished that bag of chips last night, coz now I feel like eatin' some chips for brekkie! Thank you for the recipe and as it turns out, it actually belongs to my Aunt Debbie's Mum! Thank you Lorraine, we love your dip and hopefully my followers will as well!
Now for some bad news... I will not have a blog tomorrow. I will be out of reach of a computer, so we'll have to meet up again on Thursday. Sorry! Till then, my fave followers!

"Family is the most important thing in the world." Princess Diana

Monday morning, again... I hope you are having a good one!
So, followers, how was your weekend? Ours was great! We had a sleepover at my grandparents and it was so much fun! When Kev was done work on Saturday, we packed our overnight bag and hit the road for Hamilton. After years of being between Hamilton, Muskoka and Port Dover, my Grandparents finally decided to settle and moved into a new house last year. It's a lovely place! As soon as we arrived, we jumped into my Grandparent's SUV and went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. It was really good and oh man, did we ever eat a lot! After dinner, we went back to their house and watched The Gershwin Award concert for Sir Paul McCartney. At that point, even though we weren't very hungry, my Grandma put out chips and dip. Let me tell you, that dip was delicious! After a few beers for the boys, a few glasses of strawberry wine for the girls and quite a few laughs, we all went to bed. In the morning, Grandma and Grandpa made us a big brekkie of fried eggs, ham and toast. Yum! A few things about my Grandparents that have been passed on to the rest of us is their love of music, sense of humour and a healthy appetite. Music is always being played, laughter can always be heard and food is always on the table. Kev and I were thinking of leaving after breakfast, but hours of chatting turned into lunch! A big bowl of chicken noodle soup, sandwiches, pickles and olives were on the menu. So good! After a couple more beers for the boys and a couple of gin and tonics for the girls, we continued to chat and laugh late into the afternoon. I love my Grandparents. They have seen a lot, but there is still a lot to see. They talk about the past, but they also talk about the future. They like to be busy and stay young that way. Heck, my Grandpa is thinking about building an exercise room in basement to house their treadmill and wii! How cool is that?! My Grandparents are an inspiration and I'm a bit embarrassed to say that, because I know they will be reading my blog today on their lab top! (Hmm... Hey Grandpa, could you email me that chip dip recipe? I will post it tomorrow! Thank you and thank you again for a great visit!) Family is everything. So don't take it for granted, because in the end, who else do we really have? Bye for now...

Sideroads of Halton Hills Magazine

"DONE!" Me

Wow, I am done... Crazy times! I just sent my recipes off to the editor and he says they look good! Thank goodness! I just sent off my photos, I hope he likes them as well! Here are my food shots, I like the dessert the best... Actually, the dessert makes the other two look like chopped liver, but what can u do?! Now, I know that real photographers out there (Harry, for instance), are cringing at my photos, but a busy girl with a deadline has gotta do, what a busy girl has gotta do! Enjoy...

First up, root vegetable fritters. These little critters are so so hard to make look good! I tried stacking them, just shooting one, the sauce in a dish on the side, etc... I wanted the shot to be light and happy, just as they would be as appetizer for a party.

The roast was a really tough one! Transferring the stuffing from the back of the roast to the front was difficult, but it had to be done. I placed the roasted bits here and there for colour. I tried to kept it glossy and tried to light it in a way in which it highlighted the top of the roast, all shiny and delicious.

The dessert turned out great and was the quickest to shoot. Simple and elegant. I wanted it to look like it was shot at night, on a table, after dinner... It looks you could just dive in and devour it, don't you think?

 The editor says the magazine will go to press in 4 weeks, so I'm sure I'll hear from him if there are any changes, etc... And don't worry followers, I'll keep you all up to date! Oh yes, by the way, the photos will only end up being about 5 cms in size. Just thought I should mention that...
Alrighty, followers have a great weekend and we will catch up on Monday! I'm sure a few culinary adventures will come my way and I'll tell you all about them! Bye for now!

Sideroads of Halton Hills Magazine

"The ultimate inspiration is the deadline." Nolan Bushnell

Good morning followers! See my quote? The author is the guy who invented Atari and Pong!! How cool is he?!?
Well, do I ever have a busy day ahead of me... Good thing my vat of coffee is as strong as jet fuel! So, if you didn't read my blog yesterday, I will quickly fill you in. I have a page all to myself in the fall edition of the 'Sideroads of Halton Hills' magazine, published four times a year. My deadline is tomorrow, at which time I must submit three recipes, complete with photographs, a short quip at the beginning of each recipe and a quick bio. Oh yes, I need a head shot for my bio... I forgot about the head shot! Oh well, at least I remembered!! So, for a few weeks now I have been thinking of recipe ideas, but I haven't been that focused. No no, don't worry my followers, yesterday I got down to some serious brainstorming and came up with three recipe ideas. I'm thinking 'Root vegetable fritters with curry dip,' as the appetizer (the curry dip can be found on my 'Recipes' page), 'Roast pork with apple, bacon and sage stuffing,' as the main, and 'Spiced pumpkin custards with candied nuts,' as the dessert. What do you think? The editor wanted me to keep it seasonal and local. No problem! That's what I do best! Alrighty followers, I know today's blog isn't the best, but I wanted to keep you updated! I'm gonna get started now, while I'm fresh and frisky! I'm diving in with the fritters first, takin' on those pesky lil' custards second and will rassle that pork roast later on this afternoon! Yeee haa! It's gonna be a good day and as always, I'll be back tomorrow to let you know that it was all a complete disaster! Just kidding!! It's going to be perfect!!! Till tomorrow!

Sideroads of Halton Hills Magazine

"Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?" Frank Scully

Good morning followers! Guess what?! I am finished painting my parent's porch! Yippy! That was a hard job, let me tell yah!
Now, have I got a culinary adventure for you!! Are you sitting down? Good! Well, I suppose I should start at the beginning... (isn't the suspense killing you? Hee hee!) When I moved out here to Georgetown this past spring, I was ready to challenge myself. I became a freelance Chef, created my blog and started exploring new possibilities. Soon after I started blogging, my Chef school caught wind of it and asked me to write an article for their alumni newsletter! Wow, was I honoured! I loved my time at the Stratford Chef School and thought it was fantastic to be back in the loop.You know, that got me thinking, 'What else could I do?' I automatically thought of a food article in the local paper, but was dismayed to find out that they already had one. Too bad. So, I moved on and continued freelancing and blogging. About a month ago, I decided to take a chance. I wrote the editors of local newspaper and told them who I was, what I did, added a link to my blog and asked if they could use a food writer/recipe tester/food stylist, etc. A few days later the general editor wrote me back and said that if I were interested, I could have a page in their seasonal magazine for my recipes and photos. Hello!! Can you believe it?! The publication is called 'Sideroads of Halton Hills' and it is included within 'The Independent & Free Press' four times a year. I met with him later on that week and he told me to include a head shot, short bio and discussed my deadline (it's this Friday, by the way! Eek!). He also told me the deadlines of the winter and spring editions, so I guess I'm in?! How exciting! I know it sounds weird, but I just had this strong feeling that there was an opportunity for me with the local newspaper. If anything, this experience has taught me to simply go for it. You never know what can happen, unless you make it happen! So, needless to say, I've got some hard work ahead of me for the next few days. I've been mulling ideas over and over in my head and today I have got to get down to business! Wish me luck everyone and I will be back tomorrow with an update! I think this might be my best culinary adventure, yet!

BBQ Sauce

"...barbecuing... is an art..." James Beard

 

Hello followers, isn't it nice and cool outside this morn?
Well, as mentioned yesterday, today I will continue with recipes that I made for our BBQ dinner this past Sunday (which just happened to be Julia Child's birthday. She would have been 98. Happy birthday Julia, thank you!). Yesterday I had my BBQ ribs recipe and my bruschetta recipe is on my 'Recipes' page, so today I will tell you how I grilled our corn on the cob and how to make my homemade BBQ sauce. Barbeque sauces are extremely easy to make, yet it seems that just about everyone I know buys them. I suppose they are quite inexpensive to purchase and everything is easier when you pour it out of a bottle, but come on followers, live a little!! Most of the BBQ sauces I have made are tomato based, but let me tell yah, there is a world of crazy BBQ sauces out there! Ever been to a 'Ribs Fest?!' I went to the one in Burlington several years ago and it was insane! Live music on the outdoor stage, hundreds of chairs set up along dozens of large tables, line ups of people in front of every tent, smoke billowing off the outdoor grills and tonnes of sauces on display that were up for sale! Tomato based, mustard based, mayonnaise based... just to name a few! If you like ribs and get the chance to go to a 'Rib Fest,' it is an experience you won't forget!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

BBQ Sauce
(makes about 2 cups)

1 to 2 tbsp oil
1 onion, fine chop
3 garlic clove, fine chop
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses or brown sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp 'Paprika Spice Mix,' (found on my 'Recipes' page, used it as my rib rub)
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.put the oil into a pot on medium heat, add the onions, cook and stir for about 5 mins until soft
.add in the garlic, stir for about 1 minute
.add the rest of the ingredients, turn heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for about 20 mins
.season with salt and pepper, enjoy!

If you do not want to use ketchup, combine tomato paste and water to the same consisency. If you would like a bit of spice, add some chili flakes in with the garlic or add your fave hot sauce at the end with the salt and pep.
Oh yeah, the grilled corn! Super easy!! Just soak your whole corn cobs (husk n' all!), in water for about 15 mins. Shake em' off, put them on a low grill and turn them every now then. They'll be done in about 20 to 30 minutes. Allow the husks to cool off for a moment, pull them back and twist to use as a handle for eating! I then like to put my cob back on the BBQ to grill a bit, yum! A little butter, salt and pepper and you are good to go!! So followers, what is our lesson today? Get outside, grab beer, crank up the BBQ and have yourselves an outdoor summer meal! Why not?!

BBQ Ribs

"...barbecuing... is an art..." James Beard

Hello loyal followers! I hope you all had a good weekend, I did! As you might have noticed, I did a bit of work on my 'Recipes' page and added a new 'Sauces & Dressings' heading... It's what I do. I gotta keep the good ol' blog looking good for you, my fab followers!
Well, have I got a culinary adventure for you!! A few months ago, I put out the message that I do requests. To my surprise, I got some responses! One came from an old friend from high school, Dan (gotta love Facebook for networking!). He requested ribs... Dan had done them many different ways and was wondering how I made mine. Well, preparing ribs is one of those things in which everybody has a different theory. If you are not familiar with cookin' ribs, I'll fill you in! Rib meat is tough, just like stewing meat. The best way to treat such cuts are to cook them long and slow, to allow the meat to break down and become tender. There are two general ways people make their ribs tender: boil them or slow roast them. I prefer to slow roast my ribs in the oven, on a tray, wrapped tightly in foil. That's what I do. I feel that boiling the meat removes the fat and flavour. And come on, we know that a bit of fat is good for you and it tastes so good! After the meat has been slow roasted, I then throw it on a low heat BBQ, drench it in barbeque sauce and grill it to perfection. Yum! Ribs take a bit of work, but are well worth it in the end! Thank you for the request Dan, I hope agree with my method!!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

BBQ Ribs

rack of ribs, I used pork side ribs
'Paprika Spice Mix,' form my 'Recipes page (about 2 Tbsp per side of ribs)
BBQ sauce
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.preheat oven to 325
.remove the membrane that covers the bones on the underside of the ribs, by loosening it with a knife, holding it with a paper towel and pulling it off (the membrane is elastin (just like silver skin on a tenderloin), and will remain tough and chewy, even after cooking. Icky!)
.rub the spice mix into both sides of the ribs and place on a lightly greased tray
.tightly cover the tray with foil, shiny side down and place in the oven for 1 1/4 hrs to 1 3/4 hrs, until the meat is tender, but does not fall off the bone
.place the ribs on a low heat BBQ, season with salt and pepper and slather in your fave BBQ sauce, flip and grill while adding more sauce until the ribs are done to your liking, enjoy!

Another way to roast the ribs would be to do it on the BBQ. Simply prepare the ribs the same way as above. Instead of placing them on a tray and into the oven, wrap the ribs tightly in a double layer foil package and place on a 325 degree BBQ (lid closed), for the same amount of time. Once done, place back on the grill, season and finish them with your fave BBQ sauce. Kev and I enjoyed my BBQ ribs with Kev's parents, BBQ corn and bruschetta. What a great summer meal! For a special treat, I made my own BBQ sauce! Yum! Dan, please try my recipe and let me know how it turns out! Hmmm, maybe I'll have my home made BBQ sauce recipe for y'all tomorrow... And maybe my BBQ corn recipe as well... You'll just have to wait and see! Till then, followers!

Ontario Eggplant Parmesan

"...look down into the vegetable garden... jeweled with the purple globes of eggplant..." Doris Lessing

Wow, another Friday is here... This summer has been flying by, but hasn't it been lovely?
Well, another lovely thing about this summer has been picking veggies from our garden! It's so much fun, I love it! Digging for potatoes is hard work, but it is like a treasure hunt! And if anyone knows me, they know I love pirates! That's it, today feels like a Goonies day! 'Hey you guys!!!' Anyhoo, back to the garden... Now, one vegetable we've attempted to grow this year for the first time is eggplant. We planted the globe variety. Eggplant seems to be one of those things that people love or hate. I really think the haters have just been served eggplant that wasn't cooked properly. How can anyone hate such a beautiful vegetable? Originally cultivated in India over 4000 years ago, it quickly spread across Asia and into the Middle East. Brought to Spain by the Moors, eggplant became popular across Europe. With so many varieties grown today, this member of the nightshade family has become the main ingredient in many a popular dish. Greek moussaka, Middle Eastern babaganoush (my version is found on my 'Recipes' page) and Italian eggplant Parmesan, just to name a few. Last night I made the latter for Kev and I. The first time I made Kev my eggplant Parmesan, he was a bit hesitant. But, I quickly changed his mind with my tasty dish! Here's a quick guide to insure a good eggplant experience... First of all, smaller eggplants tend to be less bitter and no salting to draw out bitter juices is needed. Choose an eggplant that is firm and blemish free. Use your eggplant right away, once it gets old and turns brown on the inside, it won't cook properly. In my experience, the browned flesh of an eggplant remains hard even if it is cooked properly. Try out my eggplant Parmesan recipe, even an eggplant hater can be won over!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Eggplant Parmesan
(serves 2 to 4)

1 to 2 eggplant, preferably smaller in size
1/4 to 1/2 cup of A.P.flour, with a pinch of salt and pep
1 to 2 eggs, lightly beaten, with a pinch of salt and pep (add a splash of milk if you like to stretch it...)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (maybe a little more...)
1 to 1/2 cup tomato sauce (you can use 'My Fave Tomato Sauce' found on my 'Recipes' page)
1 to 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or sliced)

Basic Italian Breading:

1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed in fingers
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.preheat oven to 350
.slice the eggplant into 2 cm thick rounds
.dredge the slices with flour, dip in egg and coat with the breadcrumb mixture, set aside on a plate or tray
.continue until all are done, set aside, do not refrigerate
.in a large skillet, heat half the olive oil on medium heat
.once hot, add the breaded eggplant, do not crowd, fry until browned and crunchy (2 to 3 mins per side), repeat with more oil until all is done
.transfer to a lightly oiled or parchment lined tray and top each piece with tomato sauce and cheese
.place in a 350 oven for 10 to 15 mins, until cheese is melted (you can always broil for a minute or two for extra browning), buon appetito!

Preparing the eggplant takes a bit of time, but it is well worth it! Sprinkle the top with a little fresh basil or parsley once it comes out of the oven! Yum! I prefer to used dried ingredients for my breadcrumb mixture, so it can be made easily year round, the herbs won't burn while cooking and any extra can be packed up and frozen. The Italian breadcrumbs can be used with chicken, veal or white fish fillets and cooked in the same manner as the eggplant. Now, I do freeze my leftover eggplant breadcrumbs but for safety's sake, I always discard any leftover meat or fish breadcrumbs! It is always better to be safe than sorry!
Alrighty my followers, have a great weekend! I will be back on Monday with new culinary adventures. I'm thinking of adventures in BBQ ribs might be fun... How does that sound? I agree, pretty darn good! Bye for now!

Chickpea Salad

"Green peppers are my favourite of the bell pepper family!" Me!

Woot, woot, my followers! I am back!!
Mmmm, I love salad. Any kind of salad. I make a salad almost everyday, using just about anything I can find! It's true! I'm sure Kev has never eaten salads like the ones I've made! Yesterday I was up at our 10 acres in Norfolk County for lunch with my parents. We were on a quick pit stop while on our way to Port Burwell Provincial Park for an afternoon of swimming at the beach on Lake Erie (if you haven't been there, go! It's great!). We took a jaunt down to the garden to see what was happening. Well, I am happy to report that our bell peppers are doing well! I picked a green pepper and knew exactly what I was going to do with it later for dinner... Chickpea salad! Growing up we always had a salad on the table throughout summer. One in particular that has stood the test of time, has been my Mum's famous chickpea salad. The biggest fan of this salad has always been my best friend Mary. She often requests it of my Mum when we are all at my parents for dinner. So simple and quick to prepare, I can understand why it became a staple in our house!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Chickpea Salad
(serves 4)

1 19oz/540 ml tin chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1/4 green pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
1 to 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

.drain and rinse the chickpeas
.combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, stirring every so often, enjoy!

My Mum will also make this same salad substituting the chickpeas with black beans or red kidney beans, on occasion. Believe me, it's just as delicious! This salad is great when served over rice. Not only tasty, but a complete protein, rice and bean combo! What's even better is when it is also sprinkled with grated old Cheddar cheese! Yum! This salad certainly travels well and is perfect for a summertime picnic! Go ahead and try it, followers. I promise you will love it!

"Sorry, again..." Me

Well, once again, technical difficulties (a.k.a. modem troubles), are keeping me from writing my blog again today. I will be on another computer tomorrow, so I will be back! Till then, my loyal followers...

"Sorry..." Me

Well, due to technical difficulties, I cannot post a blog today. I hope to be back tomorrow. Sorry...

"A man taking basil from a woman will love her always." Sir Thomas Moore

Happy Monday morning, my loyal followers! First of all, I must mention Kevin's Dad's 65th birthday party. The celebration was great! Ron shared his party with his friend Christina and fun was had by all! Great food, drink (I must say, the punch, a.k.a. 'Mystery Juice' was fabulous!), and music made for a fantastic night! Kevin's family and friends have welcomed me with open arms and I am so happy to be a part of the gang! Yippy!
Ahhh, basil... For me, no other herb says summer more. I love basil! It's aroma, it's taste. Beautiful! Years ago, before I got into Chefs school, I worked at an Italian restaurant in Hamilton. When summer came, the owner would bring in bushels of basil plants for us in the kitchen. As the apprentice, it was my job to pick the leaves, gently wash them and load them into large colanders. The Chef would then process the basil with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, then put the puree into containers to freeze. A great way to have fresh basil all year round! So, maybe it's just me but when I think basil, my mind automatically goes to two other ingredients. Come on, guess what they are! You're right followers (you know me too well!), tomatoes and bocconcini cheese. Yum!

 I love the subtlety of bocconcini cheese! For those of you who aren't familiar, bocconcini is an Italian cheese. It comes in the shape of balls and the name translates into 'small mouthfuls.' It is a fresh, unripened cheese and is made from cow's or buffalo's milk. The buffalo milk bocs are a bit hard to find, but if you have the chance, buy some! The flavour is quite different and delicious! For my friends' wedding I catered, I made cherry tomato and bocconcini skewers with fresh basil. Super easy to make and super tasty! I sprinkled the skewers with sea salt before serving and had balsamic vinegar and a really nice extra virgin olive oil on the side, if people wanted a little drizzle. The same ingredients can be made into a salad, just halve the cherry tomatoes. Personally, I would skip the vinegar and just enjoy a drizzle of oil. A good quality extra virgin olive oil is one of my most favourite things and believe me, you wouldn't even miss the vinegar. The oil has all the flavour you need!
Well, here we are in the height of summer and now is the time to enjoy fresh Ontario grown veggies and herbs picked from the garden. Get out there and enjoy them as much as you can, followers! I promise you won't regret it!

Japanese Inspired Ontario Cucumber and Radish Salad

"To see cucumbers in a dream denotes that you will speedily fall in love. Or, if you are in love, then you will marry the object of your affection." Richard Folkard

Wow, Friday already!
So, this morning felt just like deja vu. Again, I was on my morning walk trying to figure out what recipe to make for the good ol' blog today. Hmmm, let's see, what's left in the bushel of veggies picked from our large garden up in Norfolk County... Eggplant, radishes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes. That's it! I'll use the cucumbers and radishes in a Japanese flavoured salad! Off to the grocery store I went and bought some sesame seeds for the garnish. When I got back to our place, I looked for a cookbook I picked up here in Georgetown at a book sale in May (blogged about on May 3). It is a 'Time Life' reference book for Japanese cooking, it's one of a dozen or so of a collection that was published in 1976. You see, while I was recipe testing for Jane Rodmells's latest cookbook ('All the Best Recipes,' released in late 2008), I used these international cookery books to cross reference my use of ingredients, methods, etc. Jane has the entire collection in her cookbook library (a room in her house, with hundreds of books lining shelves from floor to ceiling! I love that room!). So, of course, when I saw several of them at the book sale, I had to buy them! I recommend them for the serious cook (if you can find them), for they are accurate and cover just about every cuisine out there! Anyhoo, I found a recipe for a daikon (Asian radish), and carrot salad in vinegar. I have taken the base recipe, substituted cucumbers and radishes and have added a couple of things. You gotta play with your food, right?! How else will you discover a tasty new treat?

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Japanese Inspired Ontario Cucumber and Radish Salad
(serves 4 to 6)

1 or 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeds scraped out and sliced thin
3or 4 radishes, sliced thin
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar
raw sesame seeds, toasted

.place the cucumbers and radishes in a bowl, add salt and cover with cold water, set aside for 30 minutes
.meanwhile, set a pan on medium low heat, add the sesame seeds and swirl/stir until lightly toasted, remove, cool
.drain the veg, rinse and pat dry on paper towels
.place them in a bowl, add the vinegar and sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved
.sprinkle with sesame seeds, itadakimas!

I hope you like your salad! I'm gonna eat mine with sushi for lunch today!! Yummy!
Alrighty, well, I have got to get movin' here! It is Kevin's Dad's 65th birthday party tomorrow and I am making three hors d's, a potato salad (found on my 'Recipes' page), made from the Norland potatoes I dug up from our garden Monday morning and a fruit punch. About 80 guests are coming, so that will keep me busy today! Don't worry my followers, I will have a full update of the party on Monday and more fun summer recipes! Have a good, safe weekend!

Ontario String Bean Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette and Fresh Basil

"What did one bean say to the other bean? 'How you bean doin'?'" Ha!

Oh, vegetable humour! I'm sure the person who came up with this one was out in their sunny garden for a bit too long!!
This morning I went for a walk and thought about my recipe for today... It is quite hard trying to figure out what to make when you have a bushel full of fresh veggies from the garden! Vegetable gardens are fantastic! I've never work so much on a garden before this year and felt so rewarded! Tilling and raking the soil in the early spring, planning where everything should go, measuring out your rows, planting and weeding, weeding, weeding. Watching a little seed grow into a vegetable producing plant is amazing and whats even more amazing, is picking the vegetables and eating them! Yum! It might sound simple to some, but for a city kid like myself, it truly is magic! This year my Mum planted two rows of string beans: green, yellow and purple. They must like it up at our land, because they are producing an absolute tonne of beans! What do to with all these beans?! Well, I absolutely adore boiled beans finished with butter and salt, but I wanted to do something a bit more summery for you. So, I have thought of a salad. Growing up, we never had string bean salads. In fact, I do believe the first salad I made that had green beans was the classic French 'Salade Nicoise,' that I made in Chef school. Since then, I have made quite a few salads with string beans, but I thought it would be fun to make up something different this morning! I hope you like it!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario String Bean Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette and Fresh Basil
(serves 4)

a couple hand fulls of string beans (any colour)
some cherry tomatoes, halved
slices of red onion
fresh basil, torn
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Lemon vinaigrette:

1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup lighter tasting oil (I used safflower oil)
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar or honey
sea salt, a pinch

.whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together or place in a jar with a tightly fitted lid and shake
.either place all salad ingredients in a bowl and toss with dressing, or arrange on a plate and drizzle vinaigrette, enjoy!

You can make this vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, but I prefer a lighter tasty oil to allow the lemony goodness to shine through! This salad is super light and refreshing, perfect for a summer BBQ! Actually, I think I'm going to marinade some pork chops in chopped garlic and a touch of this vinaigrette for dinner tonight... I hope Kev feels like getting out there and BBQin' later! (Now this is completely off topic, but aren't Arcade Fire so good?! I've been rockin' out to their first album this morning while making my salad! Good times!)

Ontario Salsa Fresca

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." Lewis Grizzard

Good morning followers! Ready for a great summer recipe? Well, have I ever got one for you!
Yesterday I had my thinking cap on all day... What to make for dinner? So many fresh vegetables from our garden, so many options! I decided I would use our tomatoes. We have a lot of tomatoes growing up at the land, four different varieties. My Dad's favourite have always been beefsteak. In our family, as soon as the beefsteaks are ready to be picked, we treat ourselves with a toasted tomato sandwich. Simply seasoned with salt and pepper and made with a touch of mayo, nothing is better! And even though  those sandwiches are great, I didn't want to make them for our dinner. I had to keep thinking! Finally I thought of a salsa fresca, or fresh salsa. I have made many over the years for the many catering companies I have worked for, but I've never made one at home! I checked to see that I had all ingredients and sure enough, I did! I pulled some chicken from the freezer to thaw and invisioned marinating it with garlic, cumin and lime juice before throwing it on the BBQ. Oh yes, I was on a roll!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Salsa Fresca
(makes about 2 cups)

1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
*1/2 avocado, chopped (optional)
1 to 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
*1/2 to 1 jalepeno pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 Tbsp oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)
sea salt to taste

.combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill in the fridge for at least one hour before using, disfrutar!

Salsa fresca should be eaten the same day it is made, especially if you are using avocado. It was utterly fantastic! Kevin and I loved this salsa so much with our BBQ chicken, I think I'll be making it more often! So yummy, I'm sure it would still be delicious even if the tomatoes weren't picked fresh from your garden... Wink! Tomorrow I will have another great summer recipe! What an amazing time of year here in Ontario!!