From Peat Pucks to Peat Pots

Friday was the big day! I transplanted the seedlings into pots. Good thing to, when I took off the plastic wrap (see last post) there were pucks that were completely dried out! I had 3 Tomato plants, Sub Artic Plenty, that were looking pretty wilted. I re-soaked the pucks before I planted them in the soil in the pots. I have more seedlings than I need so if some don't make it I'll still be fine.

Thin out the seedlings (leave just one plant in each puck) when the second set of leaves appears. See the tiny set of second leaves? Ready to thin!

Only some of the peppers had the second leaf sets when I thinned them today but the roots were sprouting out of the bottom of the puck so I should be okay. Really you want that second set of leaves to be fully developed before you transplant so again I may be a bit early on the peppers but I'm hoping they'll be okay. As you can see the second set of leaves on the tomatoes are fully developed and the roots were coming out the bottom of the peat pucks which means they were ready for transplanting.

I mixed crushed (more like chopped) eggshells, used coffee grinds, perilite, potting soil and some seed starter potting soil (at some point I realized I was not starting seeds so only a bit of this was used).

I should have soaked the peat pots first. I read that seedlings need water from below, not watering from above so that the roots reach down, good and deep. Remember I mentioned I re-soaked the peat pucks before they went into the pots. I watered the pots from the top thoroughly and then I've spritzed the pots a bit, we'll see how that works. The soil was good and loose so the watering should have soaked down deep. I plan to keep water in the trays I have the pots in so they well continue to absorb moisture up through themselves.

Now these lovely little green sprouts will sit in the sun for a couple more weeks to get good and strong. I'll stroll them out to the deck on really warm days and then harden them off a week before they go outside (keep them outside for longer and longer periods of time so they are used to the temps outside before they go in the ground).

I have extra pots to do some tomatoes on my deck. The extra pots are actually empty food grade plastic buckets from the bakery department at mom's local grocery store. They just toss the buckets in the recycling so if you ask they will gladly keep them for you as long as you pick them up asap.

7 Day Healthy, Quick Menu

I'm finally getting around to posting the healthy, quick menu I promised back during the Paralympics. Month and a half late.... Wow!

When I do a menu for the week I balance out protein and carb sources. I make sure to include a veggie meal or two which is not only healthy but cuts costs. Each meal is linked to the recipe already on the blog. Create your grocery list by checking out each recipe and writing down what you don't already have on hand. If you are really feeling frisky double each recipe for freezing or lunches. The only recipe that isn't freezer friendly is the Greek Fajitas (actually you can freeze the meat and grilled veggies) but those leftovers are perfect for lunch!

The 7 Day Healthy, Quick Menu

1. Chicken Fajita Pasta
2. Maritime Seafood Chowder
3. Heuvos Rancheros
4. Pasta al Forno
5. Greek Fajitas
6. Jambalaya
7. Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

This menu is heavy on the can tomatoes which are extremely good for you. Try to get the low sodium or no salt added variety. You can always add more salt but you can never take it away....

Add a side salad to get an extra veggie serving into your meals or add more veggies in the meal itself. And don't be afraid of frozen veggies, especially in the off seasons!

Feel free to email me any questions!

Gardening - Getting Started

Last year I put in a veggie garden along the side of my house. It was not a success story but I never give up so I'm back at it this year, determined to be successful! My yard is not big and the space is shared with 2 very large hairy dogs so space for gardening is seriously limited. However, like most foodies, I like to know where my food is coming from so the idea of growing my own is very appealing and worth the effort of finding spots around my yard to do so. I've been guilty of a basic gardening mistake - I start my garden way too late and the veggies don't have time to fully grow before the harvest season. This year I was determined to be different. I've plotted and I've planned.... And am having a hard time resisting the temptation to commit the other common basic gardening mistake - planting too early!



So after consulting books, the net, friends and family and the farmers' almanac I have determined that I'm late getting my beets, onion and garlic in and late starting my pepper seeds. However, I am on time starting my tomato seeds and planting potatoes. My garden has 2 criteria. One it must be done on the cheap. I'm using some leftover garlic I bought from the store, you just separate the cloves and plant them pointed end up, the potatoes will be grown from some leftover from a bag of potatoes bought for cooking. The beets and onion are from seed, as are the tomatoes and peppers. It is cheaper to start from seed and I already had the peat disks and a bunch of peat pots to put the disks in as they grow. You need about 6 - 8 weeks when you start seed inside. The beets and onion seeds will go directly in the ground. The peppers and tomatoes are started below.





This is my version of a humidity tray. I've always ended up killing the seedlings in a humidity tray so I wasn't keen on attempting seedlings with one this time and I didn't have one on hand anyway. Seedlings do need a good humid environment. It's amazing what you can do with a large pot tray and some plastic wrap! I think what I did wrong in the past was putting the tray directly in the sun. Apparently they should only be in a bright space but not in direct sunlight! As you can see, they are growing quite nicely.

I also suffer from another basic gardening mistake. I hate to thin out perfectly good seedlings. It goes against my fugal, efficient side to waste 2 out of every 3 seedlings! However it must be done. I went to do it today for my tomatoes (you can see the disks with little or no seedlings are the peppers, the other 15 disks are 3 types of tomatoes) and then read that it's too soon. I need to wait until the roots are penetrating the sides of the peat disks.

The second criteria for my garden is that I must be able to grow things here and there, where ever I can get some good sun and space that doesn't take away from the yard for the dogs to run and play and is safe from them. I have a strip along the side of the house that doesn't get full sun all day. It gets about 6 hours along the strip throughout the day so I'm going to put my root veggies there. Right along the back of my house there is full sun, it's protected a bit from the wind and the dogs are trained not to pee there That's where I'll put 2 - 3 tomato plants and 2 pepper plants. I have a lot of chives that grow there already. See my Chive Butter Pictorial for what to do with your abundance of chives.

I also have a blueberry bush! I may get a second. I only spent $7 on the bush. It's a 2 year old plant and I won't see any blueberries this year for sure. I have an area that had some fruit bushes but it's very overgrown and the bushes haven't done well since I bought the house because I didn't know what was what and just let the space grow. I'm going to clear it out and put the blueberry bush there. I'm just not sure what to do to keep the dogs out of that space. They've taken it over lately. I may have to fence it off a bit.

I will probably also put some of those tomato plants in some pots to keep on my deck with my herbs. I get great sun on my deck! The most important thing about growing anything in pots is to have pots that are big enough. You need really big pots to allow the roots lots of room. All of my herbs were very pot bound this spring and they were all doing so poorly. Also, anything done in pots needs a soil mix of about 1/2 potting soil and 1/2 some sort of moisture mix like perlite or vermiculite. Think less actual soil and more moisture retention. And remember to put some rocks or something in the bottom to allow proper drainage. A water logged plant won't grow any better than a dried out one will!

So why am I tell you all this? I'm going to take pics and keep you all posted as we go through the growing season. I'll share my successes, tips, failures, etc. And, of course, there will be recipes for the bounty... (here's hoping there is a bounty!)

Tuna Pate

Since we are hot and heavy into shower season (the baby and bridal type, not the cleanliness type) I thought I'd share another great party dish. This pate always gets rave reviews no matter where I take it!

Tuna Pate

Ingredients:

• 1 can tuna, drained
• 8 oz/ 250ml cream cheese, softened
• 1 pkg ranch salad dressing mix
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion or 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 c fresh parsley, finely diced or 1 tbsp dried parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1. Mix everything together.
2. Line a small bowl with plastic wrap, fill with pate, press down firmly and smooth top
3. Chill for a couple of hours or overnight
4. Plate by unmolding in the center and surround with crackers OR
5. Shape pate into whatever you want, a rattle for a baby shower is nice! And chill.

Wheat Thins are the best cracker to go with this pate.
May your showers be short on games and big on wine....

Sausage Cheese Balls.... and list of excuses

Wow, has it been a while. I've been really busy getting ready for the gardening season and baby season. I've knit hats and booties for 3 different babies plus it's birthday month around here so that's more knitting. Whew! I still have a 7 day healthy menu to post. I'll get around to it....

But speaking of all things baby - I went to a baby shower this past weekend and I made a great party dish that is deadly simple. Sausage Cheese Balls are really easy and can be made ahead, even frozen before cooking. I like to make a batch at Christmas time. They are perfect for cocktails or tapas parties but also for having along with a brunch menu!

Sausage Cheese Balls - Makes 50 - 75 balls

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups Bisquick
• 1 lb sausage meat, flavour of your choice, casings removed and crumbled
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• dash of Tabasco sauce

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Shape into 1/2 inch balls
3. Freeze until needed or
4. Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes until lightly browned

Enjoy!

Red Beans and Rice

I love this recipe. The beans and rice make a complete protein so it's an excellent meatless meal. It's also deadly cheap and super, super easy. Seriously, beyond simple. You can use brown rice if you like but it makes the fiber content really, really high (so drink lots and lots of water to avoid a backlog....) You can also spice it us as much as you like. Get out the Tabasco!




Red Beans and Rice
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 roasted red pepper, diced (or you can use a fresh one)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 19oz/540 ml can of red kidney beans, do not drain
• 28 oz/796ml can of diced tomatoes, no salt added
• 3/4 cup long grain rice
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Coat the bottom of a saucepan with oil and heat over medium
2. Add the onions and peppers and cook until soft
3. Add all the remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is done. (the rice package should give you a pretty good idea of how long this will take)
4. Serves sprinkled with cheese

Dang this is good!

Indian BBQ - Acorn Squash Perfection

Okay, I know I never posted a Paralympics menu. Man have I been busy lately! And I haven't even touched the backyard yet. I'm hoping to clear out some old bushes and put in a blueberry bush, some tomatoes, maybe some peppers. On the side of the house, in space that we cleared last year, I am planning on planting some root veggies, potatoes, onions and maybe some garlic. But I digress.

Since I didn't get a menu up for the Paralympics, I thought I'd share what I did pull together as a "Healthy Menu" with links to all the recipes. I'll try to get that up in the next couple of days.

But to talk about the meal I had tonight... YUM. BBQ season is officially full on around here. I did a Tandoori Beer Can Chicken which is definitely going to be a summer mainstay! I also did 2 acorn squash. Super simple.

Acorn Squash Perfection:
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with honey, toss in some onion slices and sprinkle with curry powder. Roast while doing a chicken or roast on the bbq, about 350 F for an hour or so, until you can poke a fork into the flesh. Don't drain out the liquid that accumulates in the centre! Put it in a bowl and scoop out the flesh and add it. Add a little butter and mash. That's it. You'll be amazed.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Quick note. Broken Mom on the mend. Trying to help out as much as possible while being motivated by warmish sunny weather to clear yard, plant things.. oh, and take down outdoor Christmas lights (left up, not because I am beyond lazy {which I am} but to show support during the Olympics), wash and shave large hairy dogs, etc, etc, etc. Just realized Paralympics start tonight. Menu is roughed out. Will share at soonest possible opportunity (maybe tonight... if I have any energy after running errands with gimp mother and shaving said hairy dogs....)

Leftover Turkey Curry

Are you wondering why I'm talking about leftover turkey in March? I froze some from my holiday bird and now I'm going to make use of it. I've made turkey curry before but this time I'm going to use a basic sauce that will make it a more " European style" curry sauce. That's what it made me think of when I tasted it, it tasted like something I would have had in Sweden. So I wouldn't call this a seriously authentic Indian dish. I'm using the sauce recipe from the Fiskboller as the sauce recipe for this curry sauce. It's just the right sauce for this dish (how many times did I just say 'sauce'?!). And this is a one pot meal!

Leftover Turkey Curry
Serves 6 -8



Ingredients:

• 1 lb dried pasta, penne or fusilli work well
• 3 cups broccoli, diced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tsp curry powder (or more if you like)
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups diced leftover turkey or chicken
• 8 frozen cilantro cubes or 1/4 cup fresh, finely chopped

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Add broccoli in for the last 4 minutes
2. When pasta is cooked, drain and set aside
3. Heat butter in empty pasta pot
4. Saute onions until soft, 3 - 5 minutes
5. Add ginger and garlic and cook 30 seconds
6. Add flour and whisk for 30 seconds
7. Add chicken broth a little at a time, whisking until incorporated and thickened
8. Add curry and fenugreek
9. Add salt and pepper to taste
10. Toss in turkey and heat through
11. Add pasta, broccoli and cilantro and fold in until blended.

**A couple of notes.

If you don't have fenugreek then don't worry, turmeric would be nice too but just plain curry powder does just fine.

The cilantro cubes I speak of are the frozen packs you can find in the produce section. You can also use the tube of cilantro, just give a squeeze! Obviously fresh is best but I keep the frozen cubes on hand because it's a herb I often use but never seem to have and when I do buy it I never use it all and it goes bad in my fridge. You can skip it. The flavor will be different but still quite yummy.

Use whole wheat pasta if you want to up the nutrients.

Enjoy!

Scary fridges, freezers and other bedtime stories...

I just came back from my mom's. She fell and hurt herself quite badly so I headed over to help out for the day. My first task was to decide what I'd make for dinner. This required a review of her fridge and freezer. I was seriously depressed when I found an expired box of fresh spinach, unopened and a 3 pack of romaine hearts gone bad. I even found a cream cheese that was unopened and expired Nov 2009 in the back of a shelf! Then I played the "Name That" game while trying to identify frozen meat packs hiding in the freezer. People, people, people label EVERYTHING that goes into your freezer. It's a simple task that makes life so much easier in the long run. Tomorrow I'm going to do an inventory of her freezer contents and get a list done up for the freezer door so she'll know what she has without having to poke around and play the "Name That" game every time she goes to cook.

Mom had a just made a Pete's run the day before her accident. If you live anywhere near Halifax or even visit once in a while, you've been to Pete's for a top notch selection of veggies. If you're not lucky enough to live here, then if you ever head this way plan a trip, even if it's just for snacks. It's a fun spot. Mom had veggies at home she had forgotten about plus she bought a bunch of stuff at Pete's so I wanted something that would make a big dish with lots of leftovers and use a lot of her veggies. So what did I do?!

Lasagna! It's a great way to use a whole lot of veggies. (and I managed to identify some ground beef to throw in as well) For today's edition I used leeks, onion, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus and tomatoes. Man was it tasty. And Lasagna doesn't have to be too complicated. Fresh lasagna noodles freeze right in the package and are ready to go when you are or buy the ones that don't need boiling. You don't have to get really complicated with the sauce or you can buy something already to go. Today I just used a can of tomatoes and tomato paste with some italian seasoning sprinkled in. And the very best part.... tons of leftovers that freeze beautifully!

I'd like to take this opportunity to speak to the issue of overbuying. Either make a list of what you need or want before you go to the grocery store or as soon as you get home, take your receipt and sit down and make a menu plan. Go through the items you bought and determine what will go bad first then use it first. And so forth and so on. Don't assume you'll remember what you bought or what you planned to use the items you purchased for. WRITE IT DOWN!! It is the simplest and most effective advice I can give you.

And now we bring you the Paralympics!

The fun continues! The Olympics may be over but now we need to show our Paralympians the same support. What they do is even more awe inspiring! I'm hoping we get the same type of television coverage. Nothing is so exciting as watch live events with the all the thrills, chills and spills! I'm going to do my part and develop a Vancouver 2010 Paralympics Menu.

So what do the Paralympics represent? Athletes - well that's obvious. Determination - sure. Commitment - definitely. Over coming obstacles - yup. Living with Challenges above and beyond the average - oh yeah. So how am I going to represent the Paralympic experience in a menu? Hmmm. I've done the international winter menu for the Olympics, I'm going to do a summer inspired international menu for the World Cup this coming June. I think the best thing I can do are meals that are simple, uncomplicated, tasty, healthy and quick. Because that's what every Paralympian needs! (and so do most of us on a daily basis!!) Meals healthy enough for athletes, quick for busy people, simple for those who aren't masters in the kitchen.

So stay tuned for the offical Paralympic Menu. The game start in just 11 days! And once again - Go Canada Go!!

Fiskboller

The last meal of the Official Olympic Menu... I'm a little sad. This winter has sure been made a lot more fun with the Olympics to cheer for. Tomorrow is going to be one sad Monday! But even without the Olympics to inspire me, I can still find a lot of joy in the kitchen, cooking internationally. Winter is a great time to experiment in the kitchen. You can travel to exotic locations without leaving your house!! And we all need a little "getaway" in the dead of winter. I really loved the Korean Barbecue last night.

I just realized that the paralympics run March 12 - 21. We have shown so much love and support for the Olympics. I hope we have the same enthusiasm for our paralympians! What they do is even more thrilling!

Okay, on to tonight's meal. Fiskboller which are Norwegian Fish Balls.

Fiskboller
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Balls:

• 1 lb white fish, cod, haddock, pollack
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup flour to form a nice dough
• 1 clove roasted garlic
• Salt and Pepper

Sauce:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 cups leftover simmer broth

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, you want the dough to form a nice ball
2. Bring chicken, fish or veggie broth or water (I used plan ol' water and it worked great) to boil in a large pot
3. Form balls with two spoons and drop into the simmering water.
4. They are cooked when they firm and float to the top.
5. Strain the leftover broth and use it to make a nice white sauce.
6. Melt butter over medium high heat in a saucepan
7. Add flour and cook for about 30 seconds
8. Whisk in white wine and curry powder until thick
9. Add in enough leftover broth to make a smooth sauce.

Serve with some steamed veggies or a nice salad and you have a complete meal.

I'm thinking of something special to do for the Paralympics next month so stay tuned!

Korean Bulgogi

Tonight's meal from the Olympic Menu is Korean Bulgogi which is just marinated barbecued beef. It's easy to make this very authentic dish with ingredients from your local grocery store.

Even the marinating stage looks tasty....I'm drooling already!

Korean Bulgogi

Serves 4

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 4 tbsp soy sauce


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 3 green onions, finely chopped


• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated (I cut fresh ginger into chunks and freeze then it's easy to grate it and I always have fresh ginger in the house)


• 1 tsp sesame oil (if you can't find this, double the amount of sesame seeds)


• 1 tbsp brown sugar


• 1 tbsp sesame seed

• 1 lb finely sliced lean beef


• large lettuce leaves


• shredded carrots and green onions


• soy sauce for dipping


• kimchi, if you can find it!

Instructions:

1. Mix the marinade ingredients together and toss the sliced meat in it. Marinate for at least 1 hour


2. Set a pan over high heat or use an indoor grill set on high.


3. Sear the meat


4. Set out the meat and remaining ingredients for everyone to make their own.


5. Roll the meat in the lettuce leaves with shredded carrots, green onions and kimchi and dip in the soy sauce.

If you have an indoor grill or raclette and can place it in the middle of the table, diners can cook their own meat which is exactly how the Koreans would enjoy this meal.

Mani deuseyo!

Wiener Schnitzel and Spaetzle

Tonight's selection from the Olympic Menu is a salute to Germany. Typically Wiener Schnitzel is made with veal, that is the traditionally correct way to make it. However, believe it or not, veal can be hard to find in my local grocery store. So I'm going to use the very acceptable substitute - pork. Some traditionalists will tell you this is not an acceptable substitute but many others will tell you it's just fine. And increasingly popular given that many people are opposed to eating veal and pork is readily available and cheaper. You can use which ever you like, I won't tell.

Schnitzel is incredibly easy. Perfect for a Friday evening in! Don't feel like making the Spaetzle? Serve Schnitzel with pasta or potatoes.
Wiener Schnitzel
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 veal sirloin, scallopini or boneless pork chops


• 2 eggs


• 1 cup bread crumbs


• salt and pepper


• 1 tbsp butter


• 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Instructions:

1. If the meat is not already thin, pound out to 1/4 - 1/2 inch (about 2cm)


2. Heat butter over medium high heat in a frying/saute pan


3. Beat eggs in a dish and place bread crumbs on a plate with salt and pepper


4. Dip meat in eggs, then in bread crumbs


5. Saute meat in butter until cooked through


6. Squeeze one wedge of lemon on each piece of meat, serve the remaining wedges with each piece as garnish

Spaetzle
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour


• 2 eggs


• 3/4 cup water


• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Set a large pot of water on to boil


2. Mix all the ingredients together


3. The water needs to be boiling before you proceed!


4. Push the batter mix through a colander or grater into the water (or use a ricer if you have one)


5. The dough bits should cook 2 -3 minutes, they will float to the top when done.


6. Remove with a large slotted spoon and drain


7. Toss with some butter or your favorite cheese and enjoy!

Serve the Schnitzel and Spaetzle with some steamed veggies or a salad and you have a nice balanced meal!

We interrupt these Olympics for a brief moment of appreciation.

I was just watching a segment on TV about our PEI bobsleigher Heather Moyse. I think I've spent most of these Olympics a little moist in the eyes. Amazing. Prince Edward Island, Canada is one of the most beautiful places. I highly recommend a visit at least once in your life. I'm heading over that way in the fall and I can't wait. Maybe it's part of being a Maritimer, but PEI gives me a sense of peace. And my camera really gets a workout!

My mom has been thoroughly enjoying the Olympics. She's watched everything with full intensity and passion. And I mean EVERYTHING! She's right there, cheering on our athletes. A lot of these sports she doesn't really understand, like a lot of us, but she's been learning as we go along. I hope everyone out there has been enjoying these games as much as my mom has. I'm running out of clean red attire to wear! Must go put on a load of laundry...

I've been enjoying the Olympics all the more with my Olympics Menu. Last night I had Swedish Meatballs... what a yummy comfort meal to curl up in front of the TV with! I might have to make them a regular winter addition to my yearly menu. One big batch, divided and frozen will be a nice addition to the comfort food selection in my freezer next winter.

It's been a wonderful winter (even if the weather hasn't been very wintery around here...). I hope everyone is enjoying theirs as well. Not liking winter so much? Might I recommend lighting some candles (carefully!), curling up with some comfort food, opening up a nice bottle of wine or putting on a pot of apple cider and watching an event or two while cheering on your national athletes. And don't worry, spring is right around the corner!

Mac and Cheese of Olympians!

Why do I call this Mac and Cheese of Olympians? Because it's part of my Olympics Menu and because it has spinach! If it makes Popeye strong imagine what it does for Olympians! No patience or time to make homemade mac and cheese? KD fans - add veggies to your KD! Kids don't like spinach? Try a can of tomatoes, some chopped broccoli or cauliflower. Even peas will do! At least it will get the kids used to seeing some colourful veggies in their Mac and Cheese. I love one dish meals, so by adding veggies dinner is done. Easy!

Mac and Cheese of Olympians

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3/4 - 1 lb dried pasta, I used Scooby Doo pasta.
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 1/2 cup milk
• 3 c shredded cheese, I used old cheddar and white cheddar
• 1 pkg chopped spinach, DO NOT Drain
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp each, Dijon and Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar for top
  

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain but don't rinse!
2. Preheat oven to 350
3. In the same big pot you used to cook the pasta, melt the butter over medium high heat
4. Add the onions and saute until soft
5. Add the flour and whisk until blended
6. Slowly add milk and continue whisking until blended and thickened, reduce heat to medium
7. Add 1/2 c of the cheese and whisk until melted, continue adding 1/2 c at a time until it's all incorporated
8. Stir in the Dijon, Worcestershire sauce and nutmeg
9. Fold in the spinach and then the pasta
10. Pour the mixture into casserole dishes. I like individual casseroles as they freeze quickly and defrost quickly. But if you have a big family one big casserole will do!
11. Top with bread crumbs and cheese
12. Bake for 20 -30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.

Cheers! Back to the games!

Austrian Goulash

A lot of the countries have their own form of ragout. Ragout is simply braised beef, using a cheap cut of meat so it's a good way to make a hearty meal go far for less. And nothing smells nicer than beef braising in the oven on a chilly winter day. Add rosemary and tomatoes and you have the Italian version. Add herbs de Provence and red wine and you have a French Version. A Goulash is the Austrian version with paprika and sour cream. Simple and very tasty. Here's the Austrian version in honour of their participation in the Vancouver Olympics as part of my Olympic Menu.

Austrian Goulash
Serves 4 (double this recipe, it freezes perfectly!)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp bacon fat or beef suet
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 lb lean beef cut into chunks
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp dried oregano or marjoram
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup sour cream or balkan style yogurt

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 300 F
2. Heat bacon fat in a large oven safe pot over medium high heat
3. Add onion and cook until soft
4. Toss in the garlic, paprika and tomato paste and cook 30 seconds
5. Add beef, water and oregano
6. Bring to a boil
7. Salt and pepper to taste
8. Cover and place in oven for 2 1/2 hours.
9. Remove from even and stir in sour cream or yogurt
10. If the sauce is too runny, reduce on the stove top by simmering until the liquid is the consistency of a nice gravy.

Serve with boiled potatoes and carrots.

Guten Appetit!

Japanese Teriyaki Salmon, Veggies and Rice

It snowed last night! Now it really feels like the Olympics! But that also meant the big dig out. Luckily my neighbor got a snowblower for Christmas and this was the first time they could use it so they cleared everyone's driveway. I just had to tidy up and clear a path to my backyard. Still a good work out but not unmanageable. And tomorrow morning I'll have to clear the end of the driveway again but that's okay it'll be another workout!

Tonight's meal should have been a quickie but the brown rice takes 30 minutes or more. I'm making a big batch to freeze some for meals in the future. Next time I need rice I can just pull it out of the freezer and not have to wait a half hour or more. It's the only way to get supper on the table fast during the week.

Tonight I'm really keeping it simple. Brown rice, frozen Asian mixed veggies and a piece of salmon. I'm going to bake the salmon in the toaster oven covered in Teriyaki sauce. I'll stir fry the veggies and throw some of the same Teriyaki sauce on it. Serve it all over the rice and that's it, dinner - done!

A stir fry can really come together quickly with frozen Asian mixed veggies or pre-cut veggies from the grocery store. Add you pre-made rice or noodles and you can literally put dinner on the table in about 15 minutes!

My end result:

Yum !

(sushi would have also made a nice Japanese meal tonight....)

Now back to the games!

French Onion Soup

Here's my recipe for French Onion Soup. It's pretty traditional a la Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This is one of my favorite winter recipes. So simple but so delicious. Wonder how to get that nice melted cheese on top? You can put some toasted bread on the top of the soup, top with cheese and put under the broiler. I have soup bowls just for this purpose. But if you are not sure your bowls can handle this then sprinkle your cheese on thick slices of toasted bread and either bake them at 450 or broil them on a baking sheet until melted and lightly browned. (Watch closely because they can brown up pretty fast!) You can then just place these right on the top of the soup. Viola! This is a great way to handle the melted cheese component if you want to pack this up for lunches. Just heat your soup and then top with the toasted cheese bread, made ahead or toasted while the soup heats. Don't worry if the bread is really hard and crunchy... all the better to absorb the soup!

French Onion Soup
Serves 4 - 6 as a main course, 6 -8 as a starter

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 mutant large onions, or 5 cups onion sliced (I had mutant large onions on hand)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups beef stock + 4 cups water or 8 cups store bought fat free beef broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• French bread, cut in thick slices
• Gruyere or Emmentaler Cheese, shredded

Instructions:

1. Heat butter and oil over medium low heat in a large pot until the butter is melted
2. Add onions, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes
3. Add sugar and turn heat up to medium, stir often and cook until the onions are golden.
4. Add flour and salt and cook 1 - 2 minutes
5. Add stock through Worcestershire sauce, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
6. Salt and Pepper to taste
7. Serve in bowls with toasted bread slices and cheese melted on top (see above note)

This meal isn't due until later in the Olympic menu but I do love to make my meals ahead when I have time. This one freezes beautifully. Don't pre-toast the bread, just slice it up and freeze it. It will be just the right texture for this dish when you are ready to eat it.

Back to the Games!

Fan's Restaurant for Chinese New Year

Last night we went out for Chinese New Year. I had Chinese Pork, Bok Choy and Noodle Soup on the menu in honour of Chinese New Year but then I got invited out. So out for Chinese food I went!

I had investigated Chinese Restaurants in the area around Christmas time when we spoke of doing Chinese again for Christmas Eve. In the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas, picking up dinner instead of making it on Christmas Eve is a wonderful idea. However we used the same place as the year before in Halifax, the Silver Dragon which we drive right by on the way home from the Christmas Eve service at my Nana's church. It's really good but out of the way from here for regular take out. I do keep a copy of their take out menu in the car so I can order their seafood noodles for take out when I'm over that way!

So for Valentines Day/Chinese New Year we tried Fan's Restaurant. I'd read a couple of reviews and it seemed like a safe bet. The place was pretty busy but it was Chinese New Year after all. There were a few Chinese people eating in the restaurant. It's always a good sign if you see some folks of whatever nationality the restaurant is actually eating in the restaurant.

I started with a Tsingtao, a beer from China. I always like to drink a beverage from the nation whose cuisine I'm eating. It's a natural match. They claim to specialize in Northern Chinese Cuisine. The menu items were not named like I'm used to. I didn't see Almond Guy Ding or chicken chow mein or items like that but instead the items were more simply named. The menu was quite large and very overwhelming but I find that in most Chinese places. We settled on the dinner for 3 and, as usual, ended up with way too much food. They didn't have egg rolls, just spring rolls which were quite tasty. They were also quite greasy. They arrived at our table immediately after placing our order. Which was great because we were hungry.

Next was soup. The wonton filling in the wontons in the soup was perfect. We followed that with Ginger Fried Shredded Beef, Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin, Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables with Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice. It was all quite tasty. I don't like the deep fried Sweet and Sour dishes we typically get around here but this one was well done. I like to go with some basics the first time I go to an ethnic restaurant before I venture off to dishes that aren't familiar to me. It gives me a better idea of how good the restaurant really is. Fan's definitely peaked my interest to try other items on the menu. The only complaint I had is that they brought each dish out separately with time in between. So we got our Fried Rice and then a few minutes later the Stir Fried Veggies and then we were waiting for the rest before digging in. We ended up starting to eat the first 2 main dishes while waiting and then adding the final two main dishes to our plates as they showed up. It would have been really nice to have gotten them all at once.

One item on the menu that is part of their claim to Northern Chinese Cuisine is the Peking Duck. I'd really like to try it. They also do Dim Sum during lunch time on Saturday's and Sunday's. I'd love to go back and try that. They recommend reservations so they must do it well to be that busy! Overall it was a good meal and if you're craving Chinese this is a good spot.

Tonight is Spanish Paella from my Olympic's Menu. Buen Apetito!