Another video! There is no way to make this the right size so just bare in mind that I'm not actually that wide!
Monday, July 16, 2007
My Bloody Caesar Recipe - in person!
Here is video I did for my bloody caesar recipe. Enjoy!
Click on the second bottom from the bottom right to make it the right size.
Click on the second bottom from the bottom right to make it the right size.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
100 Mile Diet
Yesterday I was watching the Gill Deacon Show, a good Canadian daytime talk show on the CBC. Yesterday's show was about the 100 mile diet. That's where you live off of food only available to you within a 100 mile radius. It's meant to curb greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption by not eating food that has traveled half way around the world to get to your table. Sounds great right? And you all know I am a huge supporter of buying locally. But there is a little fly in this ointment when you try to exclusively buy only food stuff that can be found in a 100 mile radius.
First of all there is a nutritional impact. One of the issues that has been uncovered over the years in the fight against heart disease has been regional diets. Diets in the Mediterranean area are known to have significantly lower rates of heart disease and these diets are full of olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables. Diets in northern climates like Canada and the UK have high rates of heart disease. So finally we are importing and including elements of the Mediterranean diet into our everyday lives and now we need to stop that?! That isn't logical. And for another example lets look at citrus fruits. Without vitamin c you'll get scurvy. So should we stop eating oranges, lemons and limes and stop drinking OJ that all comes out of Florida? And what about the great high blood pressure fighting potassium in a banana? Last time I checked there wasn't a single banana grown in Canada. Imported items are important to maintaining a balanced diet. And this leads me to my second point.
The food industry is an industry that relies on exporting and importing. We have a food industry here in Canada but also there are many parts of the world that rely on exporting food stuff for their economic stability. It's a give and take situation. If Chili no longer exported grapes to Canada the cost to their economy would be $144 million according to the information on the Gill Deacon Show. That means money out of people's pockets and not being able to put food on their families' tables. And there are side industries like shipping that also rely on the exporting and importing of food stuff to keep them in business. Economic instability creates serious political issues and affects the world economy. It's the big picture here.
It can be frustrating to walk into your grocery store during the height of broccoli season in the summer here in New Brunswick and only see broccoli from Ontario. Grocery store chains have contracts with major suppliers, it's how they keep you supplied during the off season but it means they have to keep buying from these sources year round. Farmers markets are popping up all over the place and they are the best places to hit during the growing season. Nova Scotia has a website for the ones around their province http://www.nsfarmersmarkets.ca/. New Brunswick links theirs through the arts and entertainment section of their tourism site which strikes me as funny... http://www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca/en-CA/HNThingsToDo/HNArtsAndEntertainment/HNAEFarmersMarket.htm
Also be aware of where the food stuff you are buying is coming from. According to the Gill Deacon show Canada imports $278 Million of fish and seafood. As a maritimer, I'm not buying any seafood that hasn't come out of local waters. It just doesn't make sense to me. It's not just about supporting local industry, it's also about quality of taste!
Stock up when things are in season but don't forgot great leafy greens in the off season, it's just too important to your health. I like frozen broccoli in the off season myself. And corn on the cob? Unless you know it was picked that morning, don't even bother! The sugars in the corn start converting to starch the minute it comes off the stalk. I buy a large quantity when I can get it fresh and bbq it all, taking the extra off the cob and freezing it. I end up with wonderful roasted corn all year long this way!
Bottom line is that it is a balance. I love supporting local farmers. I love buying in season. But I also love eating healthy and that means buying imported food stuff. Heart disease runs in my family. Olive Oil, fruits and leafy greens are crucial to my long term health. And to yours!
And that's my 2 cents.
(My camera should be back today or tomorrow, so stay tuned for recipes and pics.... I have a plan for leftover rice, chicken and broccoli - quick and easy!)
First of all there is a nutritional impact. One of the issues that has been uncovered over the years in the fight against heart disease has been regional diets. Diets in the Mediterranean area are known to have significantly lower rates of heart disease and these diets are full of olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables. Diets in northern climates like Canada and the UK have high rates of heart disease. So finally we are importing and including elements of the Mediterranean diet into our everyday lives and now we need to stop that?! That isn't logical. And for another example lets look at citrus fruits. Without vitamin c you'll get scurvy. So should we stop eating oranges, lemons and limes and stop drinking OJ that all comes out of Florida? And what about the great high blood pressure fighting potassium in a banana? Last time I checked there wasn't a single banana grown in Canada. Imported items are important to maintaining a balanced diet. And this leads me to my second point.
The food industry is an industry that relies on exporting and importing. We have a food industry here in Canada but also there are many parts of the world that rely on exporting food stuff for their economic stability. It's a give and take situation. If Chili no longer exported grapes to Canada the cost to their economy would be $144 million according to the information on the Gill Deacon Show. That means money out of people's pockets and not being able to put food on their families' tables. And there are side industries like shipping that also rely on the exporting and importing of food stuff to keep them in business. Economic instability creates serious political issues and affects the world economy. It's the big picture here.
It can be frustrating to walk into your grocery store during the height of broccoli season in the summer here in New Brunswick and only see broccoli from Ontario. Grocery store chains have contracts with major suppliers, it's how they keep you supplied during the off season but it means they have to keep buying from these sources year round. Farmers markets are popping up all over the place and they are the best places to hit during the growing season. Nova Scotia has a website for the ones around their province http://www.nsfarmersmarkets.ca/. New Brunswick links theirs through the arts and entertainment section of their tourism site which strikes me as funny... http://www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca/en-CA/HNThingsToDo/HNArtsAndEntertainment/HNAEFarmersMarket.htm
Also be aware of where the food stuff you are buying is coming from. According to the Gill Deacon show Canada imports $278 Million of fish and seafood. As a maritimer, I'm not buying any seafood that hasn't come out of local waters. It just doesn't make sense to me. It's not just about supporting local industry, it's also about quality of taste!
Stock up when things are in season but don't forgot great leafy greens in the off season, it's just too important to your health. I like frozen broccoli in the off season myself. And corn on the cob? Unless you know it was picked that morning, don't even bother! The sugars in the corn start converting to starch the minute it comes off the stalk. I buy a large quantity when I can get it fresh and bbq it all, taking the extra off the cob and freezing it. I end up with wonderful roasted corn all year long this way!
Bottom line is that it is a balance. I love supporting local farmers. I love buying in season. But I also love eating healthy and that means buying imported food stuff. Heart disease runs in my family. Olive Oil, fruits and leafy greens are crucial to my long term health. And to yours!
And that's my 2 cents.
(My camera should be back today or tomorrow, so stay tuned for recipes and pics.... I have a plan for leftover rice, chicken and broccoli - quick and easy!)
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Even I have a few naughty secrets...
I've been reading so many blogs and listening to so many podcasts today that I just had to sit down and blog myself. Unfortunately my camera is still in the canon hospital so no pics. And I'd love to share some fantastic recipe with you but aside from having one of my Indian burgers for lunch (it was fantastic), I'm eating what I would call crap for dinner.
Okay, just so you know, I never claimed to be perfect. I have this one weakness that has been with me for years. I love Liptons Pasta and Sauce Creamy Bacon Carbonara. It tastes nothing like real carbonara but I love it anyway. And as the rain clouds rolled in this evening, the idea of grilling my salmon fillet in the rain seemed less and less appealing. Then I remembered I had picked up some of my beloved Creamy Bacon Carbonara a little while ago to have when Tim was out of town. I would never make this when he is around - waaaay too high in sodium for him. But since he left for Sweden yesterday I thought I'd indulge myself.
And as though it's not bad enough, I pile it high with freshly shredded parmesan cheese. I did add 2 cups of fresh spinach to it just to make me feel better. I'm enjoying it right at this minute. Here's to being naughty every once in a while! ; )
Okay, just so you know, I never claimed to be perfect. I have this one weakness that has been with me for years. I love Liptons Pasta and Sauce Creamy Bacon Carbonara. It tastes nothing like real carbonara but I love it anyway. And as the rain clouds rolled in this evening, the idea of grilling my salmon fillet in the rain seemed less and less appealing. Then I remembered I had picked up some of my beloved Creamy Bacon Carbonara a little while ago to have when Tim was out of town. I would never make this when he is around - waaaay too high in sodium for him. But since he left for Sweden yesterday I thought I'd indulge myself.
And as though it's not bad enough, I pile it high with freshly shredded parmesan cheese. I did add 2 cups of fresh spinach to it just to make me feel better. I'm enjoying it right at this minute. Here's to being naughty every once in a while! ; )
Saturday, June 09, 2007
More Burgers (Tex Mex, Caesar, Greek and Indian)
Yesterday I did my annual burger making. This is where I take 4 lbs of ground meat (usually half extra lean beef or pork and half ground chicken or turkey) and make our burgers for the summer. I've been doing this for as long as I can remember. Then we can just throw them on whenever we want. If we are having a crowd around then I usually do up a separate batch so we can keep these for ourselves for convenience.
This year I did Tex Mex, Indian (huge hit last year), Greek (always popular) and I thought I'd try something new with a Caesar burger. I used 2 lbs of extra lean beef mixed with 2 lbs of ground turkey. It works out to 4 burgers of each type, each 1/4 lb.
For each mixture I started with 1/2 cup of freshly made bread crumbs. I used some ends of whole wheat bread I had frozen and even one old whole wheat bagel. I put them in the food processor. I swear this is the secret to moist burgers. Last year I made buffalo burgers which are quite lean and can easily be dry but mine were really moist.
Okay, back to the burgers. I then added one egg for each mixture. And that is where the similarities end.
Tex Mex
1 tablespoon Ms. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning but you could use chili powder or chipotle powder
1/2 cup grated cheddar (monteray jack would be nice here too)
1/2 cup salsa
(you could also add either Tabasco sauce, one canned chipotle diced or cut up a jalapeno if you want extra spice)
Mix and freeze
Greek
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried mint
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
juice of half a lemon (about 2 tbsp)
Indian
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1/2 cup yogurt (I used fat free)
2 cloves of garlic, minced (or about 2 tsp bottled)
1/2 inch of ginger, minced (or about 2 tsp bottled)
2 tablespoons of curry powder (I used Madras Curry powder from the Asian market)
Caesar
30 dashes of the Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated parmesan
juice from half of a lemon (1 tbsp is enough)
2 tsp of minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 tsp of anchovy paste
I haven't tried these Caesar burgers yet but I will have one tomorrow night. If they didn't turn out well, I'll edit this post! (I came back to edit this... the lemon zest in the Caesar burgers was too much so just use 1 tbsp of juice)
This year I did Tex Mex, Indian (huge hit last year), Greek (always popular) and I thought I'd try something new with a Caesar burger. I used 2 lbs of extra lean beef mixed with 2 lbs of ground turkey. It works out to 4 burgers of each type, each 1/4 lb.
For each mixture I started with 1/2 cup of freshly made bread crumbs. I used some ends of whole wheat bread I had frozen and even one old whole wheat bagel. I put them in the food processor. I swear this is the secret to moist burgers. Last year I made buffalo burgers which are quite lean and can easily be dry but mine were really moist.
Okay, back to the burgers. I then added one egg for each mixture. And that is where the similarities end.
Tex Mex
1 tablespoon Ms. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning but you could use chili powder or chipotle powder
1/2 cup grated cheddar (monteray jack would be nice here too)
1/2 cup salsa
(you could also add either Tabasco sauce, one canned chipotle diced or cut up a jalapeno if you want extra spice)
Mix and freeze
Greek
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried mint
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
juice of half a lemon (about 2 tbsp)
Indian
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1/2 cup yogurt (I used fat free)
2 cloves of garlic, minced (or about 2 tsp bottled)
1/2 inch of ginger, minced (or about 2 tsp bottled)
2 tablespoons of curry powder (I used Madras Curry powder from the Asian market)
Caesar
30 dashes of the Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated parmesan
juice from half of a lemon (1 tbsp is enough)
2 tsp of minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 tsp of anchovy paste
I haven't tried these Caesar burgers yet but I will have one tomorrow night. If they didn't turn out well, I'll edit this post! (I came back to edit this... the lemon zest in the Caesar burgers was too much so just use 1 tbsp of juice)
Veggie Burgers (but you'll never miss the meat!)
Still no pics. Sorry. Weight update - I ate out last night and had drinks... no way am I getting on a scale today. The water retention from the salty foods will give me an inaccurate read!
Thursday night we had a fantastic veggie burger. And it wasn't one of those soy things which are too high in sodium for Tim. It was a portabello burger. Might I remind you that I don't really like mushrooms but nothing is as yummy as a grilled portie!
We grilled portabello mushrooms, a ring of red onions for each burger and some sliced zucchini. We grilled the porties with the cup side down first then turned them over and added some blue cheese and let it all melt while on the bbq. Don't like blue cheese, try brie, Camembert, cambazola or Gorgonzola. The cheese makes this burger. Then all we did was serve the burger on whole wheat buns, layering the portie with cheese side up, then the red onion, then the zucchini. That's it, nothing else was needed! The way blue cheese melts, it gave moisture to the whole burger. And these were frozen, half stale buns!
Oh, and I keep saying "we" cause Tim grilled and I offered polite suggestions.
Thursday night we had a fantastic veggie burger. And it wasn't one of those soy things which are too high in sodium for Tim. It was a portabello burger. Might I remind you that I don't really like mushrooms but nothing is as yummy as a grilled portie!
We grilled portabello mushrooms, a ring of red onions for each burger and some sliced zucchini. We grilled the porties with the cup side down first then turned them over and added some blue cheese and let it all melt while on the bbq. Don't like blue cheese, try brie, Camembert, cambazola or Gorgonzola. The cheese makes this burger. Then all we did was serve the burger on whole wheat buns, layering the portie with cheese side up, then the red onion, then the zucchini. That's it, nothing else was needed! The way blue cheese melts, it gave moisture to the whole burger. And these were frozen, half stale buns!
Oh, and I keep saying "we" cause Tim grilled and I offered polite suggestions.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Chicken Tex Mex Salad
Weight update - lost another pound.
A little sad news - my beloved camera fell ill on the weekend. Currently it is on it's way to canon emergency care for repair work. I'm eagerly awaiting it's return. So no pics until then.
But you don't need a picture to put this delicious and simple salad on the table quickly!
You will need the following: (the amounts are done per person)
1 boneless chicken breast per person
1/2 a pepper per person (I mixed up the colours, using yellow, red and green)
1/4 a medium red onion per person
6- 8 cherry or grape tomatoes per person
2 cups of lettuce greens per person
1 ounce of cheese per person (I used one ounce of cheddar and one ounce of Jarlsberg for 2 servings and mixed them together)
1 tbsp of light ranch dressing per person
Lime juice.
Ground cumin, Ms. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning, Chili powder, or use a combine of any tex mex seasonings you have. Cumin and Chili powder are a must! But you can add ground coriander, paprika, onion and garlic powder or even some chipotle powder in place of the Ms. Dash.
Sprinkle your chicken, peppers and red onion with the ground spices and let sit for a couple of hours or all day. You can do this the night before. Sprinkle them all with lime juice right before grilling, letting them sit for about 20 minutes.
Grill the chicken, peppers and onion on high heat until cooked.
Assemble the lettuce and tomatoes on each plate. Pour on the dressing.
Slice up the chicken, peppers and onions. Layer them on top of the lettuce, tomato and dressing.
Sprinkle with the cheese.
That's it! Easy and totally delicious. Enjoy!
A little sad news - my beloved camera fell ill on the weekend. Currently it is on it's way to canon emergency care for repair work. I'm eagerly awaiting it's return. So no pics until then.
But you don't need a picture to put this delicious and simple salad on the table quickly!
You will need the following: (the amounts are done per person)
1 boneless chicken breast per person
1/2 a pepper per person (I mixed up the colours, using yellow, red and green)
1/4 a medium red onion per person
6- 8 cherry or grape tomatoes per person
2 cups of lettuce greens per person
1 ounce of cheese per person (I used one ounce of cheddar and one ounce of Jarlsberg for 2 servings and mixed them together)
1 tbsp of light ranch dressing per person
Lime juice.
Ground cumin, Ms. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning, Chili powder, or use a combine of any tex mex seasonings you have. Cumin and Chili powder are a must! But you can add ground coriander, paprika, onion and garlic powder or even some chipotle powder in place of the Ms. Dash.
Sprinkle your chicken, peppers and red onion with the ground spices and let sit for a couple of hours or all day. You can do this the night before. Sprinkle them all with lime juice right before grilling, letting them sit for about 20 minutes.
Grill the chicken, peppers and onion on high heat until cooked.
Assemble the lettuce and tomatoes on each plate. Pour on the dressing.
Slice up the chicken, peppers and onions. Layer them on top of the lettuce, tomato and dressing.
Sprinkle with the cheese.
That's it! Easy and totally delicious. Enjoy!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Jane's on the Commons
Mom and I went to Jane's on the Commons for Mother's Day brunch. Actually we went Saturday to avoid the rush. We had been wanting to go. I had read about this restaurant several times while on the road in several different Canadian publications.
http://www.janesonthecommon.com/index.html
It was everything I had read about and more. We just had coffee since it was brunch and it was an excellent cup of coffee and I'm pretty fussy about my coffee (surprise, I'm fussy about something food related...). I ordered the grilled cheese. I had heard so many good things about the grilled cheese I just had to try it even though there were so many good things on the menu. Mom had the ricotta pancakes. Mom is doing LA Weight Loss and I'm also trying to eat healthier. So this was our treat outing that wasn't suppose to break the bank, if you know what I mean.
This was the most amazing grilled cheese I had ever had. It was made on french bread with sharp cheddar (the secret to great grilled cheese and mac and cheese is using a good sharp cheddar, even kraft's old or extra old will do the trick) and provolone. It was served with tomato butter. I can't even begin to think of how you make tomato butter but it was delish. I had the spinach salad on the side with goat cheese and pistachios. Yum, yum, yum!
Mom's pancakes had bananas in the middle and had maple syrup on the side but it was so tasty that mom didn't use much syrup. And the service? It was impeccable. And you all know how I have high expectations for service!
The grand total for this excellent meal - just $30 with tip! And we were full right up until dinnertime. So if you are in Halifax anytime soon, make a trip to Jane's on the Commons. You won't be disappointed.
http://www.janesonthecommon.com/index.html
It was everything I had read about and more. We just had coffee since it was brunch and it was an excellent cup of coffee and I'm pretty fussy about my coffee (surprise, I'm fussy about something food related...). I ordered the grilled cheese. I had heard so many good things about the grilled cheese I just had to try it even though there were so many good things on the menu. Mom had the ricotta pancakes. Mom is doing LA Weight Loss and I'm also trying to eat healthier. So this was our treat outing that wasn't suppose to break the bank, if you know what I mean.
This was the most amazing grilled cheese I had ever had. It was made on french bread with sharp cheddar (the secret to great grilled cheese and mac and cheese is using a good sharp cheddar, even kraft's old or extra old will do the trick) and provolone. It was served with tomato butter. I can't even begin to think of how you make tomato butter but it was delish. I had the spinach salad on the side with goat cheese and pistachios. Yum, yum, yum!
Mom's pancakes had bananas in the middle and had maple syrup on the side but it was so tasty that mom didn't use much syrup. And the service? It was impeccable. And you all know how I have high expectations for service!
The grand total for this excellent meal - just $30 with tip! And we were full right up until dinnertime. So if you are in Halifax anytime soon, make a trip to Jane's on the Commons. You won't be disappointed.
Friday, May 25, 2007
The Expanding Waistline (aka How did I get this big?!?!)
I"m a pudgy little wino. Okay, I'll admit I've gotten a little thicker around the middle in the last few years. It didn't happen overnight. And it didn't happen because I quit smoking (the exact date, I don't remember because I was so ready it was a non-event but I think it's been about 4.5 years) I was already gaining weight before I quit. It might have something to do with the huge lifestyle change that came with going from being single to being a couple. Every night was a romantic candlelight dinner with wine and gourmet fare. And then there was the introduction into all sorts of evil fast foods that I never would have indulged in but that my new partner was used to.
It hit me a while ago when Tim said to me that this was the best he had ever eaten in his life. This from a man with stage one hypertension ( we had just found that out. since then he has gotten it down with diet and exercise!!!!!) I had to tell him it was the worse I have ever eaten. Time for a reality check.
So after a few too many pounds I decided it was time to do something about it. I don't believe in diets. Anything that deprives you is going to fail in the long run and research has shown that those who diet never really keep it off. The regular meetings of weight watchers do work but you must always go, forever. Yup. Big commitment for me.... But how was I nice and healthy sized before? Well for me it was about grocery shopping and menu planning. See I used to go to the store and buy all the nice looking veggies. Then I'd come home and plan my menu based on using those veggies up before they went bad. Sounds funny? Maybe but works for me. In the last 3 weeks I've lost 6 pounds. No pain, no misery. I also started weighing or measuring my cheese portions. I try never to have more than an ounce at any one meal. We are cheese craze around here so any 'diet' that says no cheese isn't going to fly. But if I can have a little at every meal then I'm happy.
I'd like to add that I've lost weight but still ate out, including a trip to MacDonald's (they have those Shrek glasses!). We had date night (lamb chops and creme brulee were on the menu) and girls night (more creme brulee, mussels, bruschetta, shrimp) in the last week and I still didn't gain anything back!
I do have at least 2 veggie servings per meal. I weigh my meat portions ( i buy in bulk and then bring it home, cut away visible fat and divide it up into 4 ounce serving portions). We eat red meat. We drink wine. Tim hasn't really lost anything but he has been eating out for work related events for at least 13 meals in the last 3 weeks. Eating out is tough. The portions are way too big, everything is well salted and the fat is not controlled. That doesn't mean you can't eat out but I do limit it to only once a week. Now that is something I couldn't have done when I was travelling all the time. Although now when I eat out I make sure to get a salad to start because it fills me up and I can split the main course for 2 meals - less calories to burn at once!
So stay tuned as we see how I fair. Also, I have a restaurant review of Jane's on the Commons in Halifax that I have been meaning to share.
It hit me a while ago when Tim said to me that this was the best he had ever eaten in his life. This from a man with stage one hypertension ( we had just found that out. since then he has gotten it down with diet and exercise!!!!!) I had to tell him it was the worse I have ever eaten. Time for a reality check.
So after a few too many pounds I decided it was time to do something about it. I don't believe in diets. Anything that deprives you is going to fail in the long run and research has shown that those who diet never really keep it off. The regular meetings of weight watchers do work but you must always go, forever. Yup. Big commitment for me.... But how was I nice and healthy sized before? Well for me it was about grocery shopping and menu planning. See I used to go to the store and buy all the nice looking veggies. Then I'd come home and plan my menu based on using those veggies up before they went bad. Sounds funny? Maybe but works for me. In the last 3 weeks I've lost 6 pounds. No pain, no misery. I also started weighing or measuring my cheese portions. I try never to have more than an ounce at any one meal. We are cheese craze around here so any 'diet' that says no cheese isn't going to fly. But if I can have a little at every meal then I'm happy.
I'd like to add that I've lost weight but still ate out, including a trip to MacDonald's (they have those Shrek glasses!). We had date night (lamb chops and creme brulee were on the menu) and girls night (more creme brulee, mussels, bruschetta, shrimp) in the last week and I still didn't gain anything back!
I do have at least 2 veggie servings per meal. I weigh my meat portions ( i buy in bulk and then bring it home, cut away visible fat and divide it up into 4 ounce serving portions). We eat red meat. We drink wine. Tim hasn't really lost anything but he has been eating out for work related events for at least 13 meals in the last 3 weeks. Eating out is tough. The portions are way too big, everything is well salted and the fat is not controlled. That doesn't mean you can't eat out but I do limit it to only once a week. Now that is something I couldn't have done when I was travelling all the time. Although now when I eat out I make sure to get a salad to start because it fills me up and I can split the main course for 2 meals - less calories to burn at once!
So stay tuned as we see how I fair. Also, I have a restaurant review of Jane's on the Commons in Halifax that I have been meaning to share.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sunday Suppers
We had a roasted leg of lamb for dinner on Saturday night for my mom's birthday. After dinner we didn't know what to do with the leftover leg bone. There was still quite a bit of meat on it but it was entangled with a lot of fat and grizzle. I decided to make an Italian Sunday Gravy out of it. Basically you just brown some onion, toss in some peppers, mushrooms, celery, carrots, whatever you want. Add in some wine, apple juice or broth to deglaze the pan. Add in some fresh or dried herbs of your choice. Open a can of tomatoes or tomato sauce and simmer the lot with your leftover lamb, beef or pork bone. Let it go for a couple of hours until the meat has fallen off your bone. Serve it over pasta or potatoes and you have a healthy dinner with freezable leftover!
Another great tip for a Sunday supper is to use chicken or turkey parts for a nice home cooked meal without the fuss of a whole bird. You can buy turkey breasts, legs or thighs and roast them just like a whole bird but in about 1/4 of the time. You can even make a stuffing and cook it on the side or under the turkey pieces with some stuffed under the skin of the pieces. Same with Chicken. Gravy can still be made out of any drippings or use chicken broth as the base. Yes, you can even cheat and buy the can or package mix gravy.
Another great tip for a Sunday supper is to use chicken or turkey parts for a nice home cooked meal without the fuss of a whole bird. You can buy turkey breasts, legs or thighs and roast them just like a whole bird but in about 1/4 of the time. You can even make a stuffing and cook it on the side or under the turkey pieces with some stuffed under the skin of the pieces. Same with Chicken. Gravy can still be made out of any drippings or use chicken broth as the base. Yes, you can even cheat and buy the can or package mix gravy.
Mom's Birthday Cake
Alec and I picked out a nice looking, not too terribly sinful, cake to make for my mom's birthday. She's losing weight (15+ lbs so far!) and didn't want to spoil it on her birthday. We won't speak about the wine and chocolate she ate while waiting for her special dinner.... Anyhoooo. This was the cake we decided to make. Isn't it beautiful?
So I cheated and got an angle food cake mix. Then I discovered I didn't have a tube pan. I don't bake much so I'm not that well equipped. I put half the mix in one round cake pan and then added cocoa powder to the rest of the mix and put it in the second cake pan. I was a little worried about the chocolate cake because it seemed that adding the cocoa powder really took the fluffiness out of the angel food cake batter. But it cooked up okay. I layered the pieces on top of each other but didn't trim around the top of the while cake to give the cake a good slope like the one in the picture. Therefore the glaze didn't drizzle down the sides well, it just dripped from the top to the bottom of the dish. And it seems my cocoa powder wasn't as dark as the one they used in the picture because I ended up with a brown and white cake instead of a black and white cake.
Luckily it tasted great.
Worse part of the meal was that I had planned to make a Squash, Spinach and Boccochini salad but ended up completely forgetting. I've never forgotten a whole menu course before!
So I cheated and got an angle food cake mix. Then I discovered I didn't have a tube pan. I don't bake much so I'm not that well equipped. I put half the mix in one round cake pan and then added cocoa powder to the rest of the mix and put it in the second cake pan. I was a little worried about the chocolate cake because it seemed that adding the cocoa powder really took the fluffiness out of the angel food cake batter. But it cooked up okay. I layered the pieces on top of each other but didn't trim around the top of the while cake to give the cake a good slope like the one in the picture. Therefore the glaze didn't drizzle down the sides well, it just dripped from the top to the bottom of the dish. And it seems my cocoa powder wasn't as dark as the one they used in the picture because I ended up with a brown and white cake instead of a black and white cake.
Luckily it tasted great. Worse part of the meal was that I had planned to make a Squash, Spinach and Boccochini salad but ended up completely forgetting. I've never forgotten a whole menu course before!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Quick Haddock Dinner, Suitable for Guests!
Tonight I made a really quick dinner that was totally suitable for guests. Healthy and delicious! And cheap! So let me share it with you.
Here are the ingredients:
3 Haddock fillets (or one per person)
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes (I got mine from the Italian market so they had no salt added)
2 tsp of capers (something I didn't think I liked but I have found add a nice flavour even if I don't like to bite into them, I just pick out the whole ones when I see them)
1 zucchini, cut in half and sliced
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning (I have the no salt version but you can use the regular or just mix up equal parts of dried basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary)
2 tbsp of crumbled blue cheese (optional or use another cheese like Cambonzola or Gorgonzola or even Parmesan)
Spray a baking dish with olive oil. Place the fish fillets on the bottom of the dish. Pour the rest on top, mixing it all together as best as you can. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 if the fillets are thin. If they are thick you may want to cook longer. You can test to see if they are done by poking them with a fork in the middle of the dish and seeing if they are flaky. Be careful not to over cook the fish! I served this on polenta I had from a roll that I just cut into slices and grilled but you could use pasta, I would go with spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine. Or risotto or polenta. Serve with Parmesan on the side for sprinkling on.
Here are the ingredients:3 Haddock fillets (or one per person)
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes (I got mine from the Italian market so they had no salt added)
2 tsp of capers (something I didn't think I liked but I have found add a nice flavour even if I don't like to bite into them, I just pick out the whole ones when I see them)
1 zucchini, cut in half and sliced
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning (I have the no salt version but you can use the regular or just mix up equal parts of dried basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary)
2 tbsp of crumbled blue cheese (optional or use another cheese like Cambonzola or Gorgonzola or even Parmesan)
Spray a baking dish with olive oil. Place the fish fillets on the bottom of the dish. Pour the rest on top, mixing it all together as best as you can. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 if the fillets are thin. If they are thick you may want to cook longer. You can test to see if they are done by poking them with a fork in the middle of the dish and seeing if they are flaky. Be careful not to over cook the fish! I served this on polenta I had from a roll that I just cut into slices and grilled but you could use pasta, I would go with spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine. Or risotto or polenta. Serve with Parmesan on the side for sprinkling on.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Trattoria Toscana
Saturday night Tim and I decided to try the new Italian restaurant in town. It opened 4 months ago in the former Mavericks location. I reviewed the menu on line www.toscanas.ca before we made the reservations and started drooling immediately... So expectations were set. We've eaten at some amazing Italian restaurants in NYC and in Stockholm, yup you heard right, Stockholm. So we were pretty excited to try this new place. We had heard nothing about it from anyone we knew so it was risky but we were up for the challenge.
When we arrived we were pleased to see they had updated the decor to match a more Mediterranean style restaurant. It was a bit bright but cheery. We were seated in the back room along the wall. Now this is the seating style I dislike the most when you have a row of tables lined up so that you are sitting beside your neighbor like it is communal dining. It's hard to have a private conversation this way. The waitress did look to move us but the place was fully booked. The real reason she looked to move us was because we couldn't hear each other. It was so noisy! Neither of us could ever remember it being that noisy when we ate in the same room when it was Mavericks. And there was no background music. Some nice cheery Italian dinner music would have been perfect. I could see speakers but only heard the loud ramblings of the other diners.
We were served drinks in a reasonable time period which always makes me happy. The waitress took our order then had to come back to clarify a few things. She quickly explained that she had only been waitressing for 3 weeks but that the food was way better than her service. She was actually a full time paramedic who was waitressing as a new challenge. By her taking the time to share this with us it endeared her to us and we were quite willing to be patient and offer our feedback. And, as I said to Tim, I could never imagine being able to waitress myself so I have a lot of respect for those who attempt this.
I ordered a bloody caesar to start. I feel this is one of the basic measures of a good restaurant. Tim had a glass of chianti. Both were perfect. And my caesar had 2 spicy green beans as garnish - my favorite! They also served us bread with olive oil and balsamic for dipping, another of our favorites. We were off to a good start. And the large table behind Tim was about to leave so there was hope that the noise level would drop soon.
Tim ordered the calamari to start and I ordered the mussels. I only ordered the mussels because usually the calamari is a relatively small order. Not here! It was huge. Had we known that I wouldn't have ordered the mussels too. However, they were delicious. They had a cream wine sauce with basil that was amazing. The calamari was obviously seasoned with course salt because we would actually bite into a piece of salt while eating them. Now if you remember, we eat low sodium at home which means we are a little salt sensitive. Tim told our waitress because really the calamari should have been salted with a finer salt, even a plain kosher salt would have been better. Tim figured this was a course sea salt. It may have had more to do with the fact that the calamari may not have been salted as soon as it came out of the fryer so the salt didn't melt into the calamari like it should have. We also recognized that we may have to start asking for the chef to leave off the last seasoning of salt because of our own sensitivity. Anyway, the calamari itself in the batter was a good texture, not too chewy. We had the remainder of it wrapped to take home because it was just too much food and we didn't want to spoil our appetite for the main course.
We didn't order salads because there was creme brulee on the dessert menu. However I saw a bunch of the salads come out to other tables and I will definitely be trying one next time. They looked divine.
I should tell you about our dining neighbors because they were moderately amusing. I wouldn't normally but I'm pretty sure they won't be reading this and there are some good lessons to be learned from their night out. First of all they were seated after us with wine in their hands so they had obviously had to wait to have their table prepared. There were 4 of them. From what I could tell, a couple, the sister and the mother. We had reservations for 7:30. Even if they had their reservations for 7, it is still way too late to be taking out Granny. When dining out with your beloved elderly mother or grandmother, make reservations for no later than 5pm. Older folks tend to be on an earlier schedule. This poor woman looked as though she was going to fall asleep in her chair while her dining companions proceeded to sling back the wine and behave badly... When I say they behaved badly, well aside from the basic disregard for Granny needs, they sent back the caeser salad which I drooled over when it came out. It was not a diner caeser salad, no this was a gourmet caesar salad with big freshly toasted croutons and beautiful crisp green romaine. I think their complaint was how the dressing was placed on the salad. I believe it was drizzled and they wanted it tossed. I'm not sure why they hadn't gone to East Side Marios, especially when I heard them order the lasagna. Why bother going to an upscale Italian restaurant if all you want is lasagna? Mind you, every good Italian restaurant in North American must have it on their menu but all 4 of them order it. So you could tell they were really gourmet connoisseurs...
Things were moving slowly as we waited for our main course. We had ordered a bottle of wine and neither of us was driving home so we were quite content to drink our wine and enjoy each other's company. However, the table next to us were missing Granny's med time and were getting antsy. The gentleman went to complain to the manager and felt quite vindicated when, as he returned to his seat, their meals appeared. The lasagnas were individually baked so while the gentleman was convinced that complaining to the manager made their meals appear, the truth is it was just coincidence that they came out of the oven at the same time. At this point he felt compelled to tell the waitress that he was from Nova Scotia. I'm not sure what that proved but as a fellow bluenoser I was embarrassed. And then he went on to state that they were reviewers. Okay no reviewer ever reveals himself like that. It was quite laughable and Tim and I were quite entertained.
We were offered complimentary drinks for the wait since we had polished off our bottle of wine. This is always a nice touch when the service isn't going smoothly. Nothing like free booze to make your customers happy! Our meals arrived, Tim had the beef tenderloin with wine sauce and gorgonzola while I had the salmon stuffed with shrimp and scallop puree. It was totally worth the wait! And this is an important point - if you make your customers wait, it better be perfect when it gets there! We both cleaned our plates.
We were too full of wine to have room for dessert. The chef came out to say hello. But this time there was only us and one other table left in the restaurant. Apparently he had just come back from catering. It's a hard call to make for a lot of these folks in the restaurant business in small markets like Moncton. When it's busy you have to try and do it all because in a small market it can be slow for a long time. It turned out that the kitchen had a hot water problem halfway through service and the chefs in the kitchen were panicking. I thought the service was just slow because they had been only open for 4 months and getting the timing down to keep meals running smoothly is truly an art. My point here is to tell your customers what is going on. You'd be surprised at how most of them will be understanding. Life happens. We still had an excellent meal.
And then the chef sang for us. This chef is known as the "Singing Chef" and he was quite good. At the end of the evening when the bill came we were shocked. We had a full evening for under $125! Tim tipped the waitress well and made sure he told the chef what a great job she had done. We'll be back!
On a side note, on the cab ride home we were also sang too. Seems our cabbie was a long time singer songwriter. Tim and I just may have to get out more often.
When we arrived we were pleased to see they had updated the decor to match a more Mediterranean style restaurant. It was a bit bright but cheery. We were seated in the back room along the wall. Now this is the seating style I dislike the most when you have a row of tables lined up so that you are sitting beside your neighbor like it is communal dining. It's hard to have a private conversation this way. The waitress did look to move us but the place was fully booked. The real reason she looked to move us was because we couldn't hear each other. It was so noisy! Neither of us could ever remember it being that noisy when we ate in the same room when it was Mavericks. And there was no background music. Some nice cheery Italian dinner music would have been perfect. I could see speakers but only heard the loud ramblings of the other diners.
We were served drinks in a reasonable time period which always makes me happy. The waitress took our order then had to come back to clarify a few things. She quickly explained that she had only been waitressing for 3 weeks but that the food was way better than her service. She was actually a full time paramedic who was waitressing as a new challenge. By her taking the time to share this with us it endeared her to us and we were quite willing to be patient and offer our feedback. And, as I said to Tim, I could never imagine being able to waitress myself so I have a lot of respect for those who attempt this.
I ordered a bloody caesar to start. I feel this is one of the basic measures of a good restaurant. Tim had a glass of chianti. Both were perfect. And my caesar had 2 spicy green beans as garnish - my favorite! They also served us bread with olive oil and balsamic for dipping, another of our favorites. We were off to a good start. And the large table behind Tim was about to leave so there was hope that the noise level would drop soon.
Tim ordered the calamari to start and I ordered the mussels. I only ordered the mussels because usually the calamari is a relatively small order. Not here! It was huge. Had we known that I wouldn't have ordered the mussels too. However, they were delicious. They had a cream wine sauce with basil that was amazing. The calamari was obviously seasoned with course salt because we would actually bite into a piece of salt while eating them. Now if you remember, we eat low sodium at home which means we are a little salt sensitive. Tim told our waitress because really the calamari should have been salted with a finer salt, even a plain kosher salt would have been better. Tim figured this was a course sea salt. It may have had more to do with the fact that the calamari may not have been salted as soon as it came out of the fryer so the salt didn't melt into the calamari like it should have. We also recognized that we may have to start asking for the chef to leave off the last seasoning of salt because of our own sensitivity. Anyway, the calamari itself in the batter was a good texture, not too chewy. We had the remainder of it wrapped to take home because it was just too much food and we didn't want to spoil our appetite for the main course.
We didn't order salads because there was creme brulee on the dessert menu. However I saw a bunch of the salads come out to other tables and I will definitely be trying one next time. They looked divine.
I should tell you about our dining neighbors because they were moderately amusing. I wouldn't normally but I'm pretty sure they won't be reading this and there are some good lessons to be learned from their night out. First of all they were seated after us with wine in their hands so they had obviously had to wait to have their table prepared. There were 4 of them. From what I could tell, a couple, the sister and the mother. We had reservations for 7:30. Even if they had their reservations for 7, it is still way too late to be taking out Granny. When dining out with your beloved elderly mother or grandmother, make reservations for no later than 5pm. Older folks tend to be on an earlier schedule. This poor woman looked as though she was going to fall asleep in her chair while her dining companions proceeded to sling back the wine and behave badly... When I say they behaved badly, well aside from the basic disregard for Granny needs, they sent back the caeser salad which I drooled over when it came out. It was not a diner caeser salad, no this was a gourmet caesar salad with big freshly toasted croutons and beautiful crisp green romaine. I think their complaint was how the dressing was placed on the salad. I believe it was drizzled and they wanted it tossed. I'm not sure why they hadn't gone to East Side Marios, especially when I heard them order the lasagna. Why bother going to an upscale Italian restaurant if all you want is lasagna? Mind you, every good Italian restaurant in North American must have it on their menu but all 4 of them order it. So you could tell they were really gourmet connoisseurs...
Things were moving slowly as we waited for our main course. We had ordered a bottle of wine and neither of us was driving home so we were quite content to drink our wine and enjoy each other's company. However, the table next to us were missing Granny's med time and were getting antsy. The gentleman went to complain to the manager and felt quite vindicated when, as he returned to his seat, their meals appeared. The lasagnas were individually baked so while the gentleman was convinced that complaining to the manager made their meals appear, the truth is it was just coincidence that they came out of the oven at the same time. At this point he felt compelled to tell the waitress that he was from Nova Scotia. I'm not sure what that proved but as a fellow bluenoser I was embarrassed. And then he went on to state that they were reviewers. Okay no reviewer ever reveals himself like that. It was quite laughable and Tim and I were quite entertained.
We were offered complimentary drinks for the wait since we had polished off our bottle of wine. This is always a nice touch when the service isn't going smoothly. Nothing like free booze to make your customers happy! Our meals arrived, Tim had the beef tenderloin with wine sauce and gorgonzola while I had the salmon stuffed with shrimp and scallop puree. It was totally worth the wait! And this is an important point - if you make your customers wait, it better be perfect when it gets there! We both cleaned our plates.
We were too full of wine to have room for dessert. The chef came out to say hello. But this time there was only us and one other table left in the restaurant. Apparently he had just come back from catering. It's a hard call to make for a lot of these folks in the restaurant business in small markets like Moncton. When it's busy you have to try and do it all because in a small market it can be slow for a long time. It turned out that the kitchen had a hot water problem halfway through service and the chefs in the kitchen were panicking. I thought the service was just slow because they had been only open for 4 months and getting the timing down to keep meals running smoothly is truly an art. My point here is to tell your customers what is going on. You'd be surprised at how most of them will be understanding. Life happens. We still had an excellent meal.
And then the chef sang for us. This chef is known as the "Singing Chef" and he was quite good. At the end of the evening when the bill came we were shocked. We had a full evening for under $125! Tim tipped the waitress well and made sure he told the chef what a great job she had done. We'll be back!
On a side note, on the cab ride home we were also sang too. Seems our cabbie was a long time singer songwriter. Tim and I just may have to get out more often.
Mac and Cheese Tip
Everyone knows I am a big fan of freezing meals for eating later when life is short on time or I just don't feel like cooking. This week we had a meal I wasn't thrilled with. I had made macaroni and cheese a few months ago and put one square aluminum pan in the freezer. I took it out this week and baked it. It was toooooooo dry. And not very cheesy. I've talked about freezing your pasta separately from sauces and soups because they tend to continue to absorb the liquid until completely frozen, making for mushy pasta and gloopy soup. Well I think this also applies to some casseroles. In the future I will make my cheese sauce and boil up my macaroni but I will stop there. I'll freeze them separately. When I'm ready eat the meal at a later date, I'll defrost both the pasta and the sauce and then combine them in a pan for baking. If it gives a nice creamy casserole then it is definitely work the effort!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Crepes! They aren't just for breakfast!
Here is a fun idea for the whole family or for a romantic evening in.... Crepes! They aren't that terribly complicated and you can put almost anything inside of them. We used a simple recipe of 1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups of skim milk
2 Tbsp melted butter
Mix it all together. You should have a thin batter. You don't need a crepe pan, any frying pan will do. Heat the pan to medium and spray it with a little cooking spray. You should put the batter in the middle of the pan and then sort of swirl it around. You want to cover the bottom of the pan. It will most likely take you a couple of tries to get a nice crepe but even Julia Child used to throw out the first one she made out of each batch! So don't get frustrated. Once you get the hang of it you'll be fine. This recipe makes about 10 - 10" crepes. They freeze well so don't worry if you aren't going to eat them all at one meal.
The recipe I used was inspired from the cookbook "A New England Table", a great resource for home style recipes.
The nice part about crepes is that each family member can make their own. So if you have picky kids they can just put add the ingredients they like to their crepes.
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups of skim milk
2 Tbsp melted butter
Mix it all together. You should have a thin batter. You don't need a crepe pan, any frying pan will do. Heat the pan to medium and spray it with a little cooking spray. You should put the batter in the middle of the pan and then sort of swirl it around. You want to cover the bottom of the pan. It will most likely take you a couple of tries to get a nice crepe but even Julia Child used to throw out the first one she made out of each batch! So don't get frustrated. Once you get the hang of it you'll be fine. This recipe makes about 10 - 10" crepes. They freeze well so don't worry if you aren't going to eat them all at one meal.
The recipe I used was inspired from the cookbook "A New England Table", a great resource for home style recipes.
We had crepes because I had bought some lovely asparagus at the grocery store and Tim isn't a big fan of them just steamed or sauteed with garlic so I wanted to dress them up a little. We had leftover ham from Christmas in the freezer so we pulled it out to go with the asparagus. Then I made a "mock" Hollandaise sauce.
Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 Tbsp of cornstarch and 1 egg yolk. Heat them in a pan over low -medium heat, stirring until thick. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1 Tbsp of butter, 2 1/2 Tbsp of lemon juice, 1/2 tsp of dijon mustard, 1 tbsp of sour cream and a pinch of salt and pepper.
I sauteed the asparagus and ham, which I had cut into strips. We then assembled the crepes by putting in some asparagus, ham, shredded mozzarella and mock Hollandaise sauce. The important thing is for everything to be warm. That way the cheese melts all through it.
The nice part about crepes is that each family member can make their own. So if you have picky kids they can just put add the ingredients they like to their crepes.
Turning Leftovers into a Frittata
How many of us had a nice "cooked" dinner yesterday? Being part Newfoundlander, it is a tradition in my family to have a nice big dinner on Sundays with all the fixin's. Usually there is a roast chicken, beef or pork with mashed potatoes, turnip and carrots. There may be some greens, turnip tops or green peas. Gravy is a must. All these things freeze reasonably well which is convenient for quick meals at a later date. However, how about trying something different with the leftovers on Monday night? I'll often take the leftover veggies, sometimes the meat too, and make it all into a Frittata (which is basically Italian for omelet). Due to the fact that the eggs add protein to the dish, I often leave the leftover meat out, using it instead for sandwiches for weekday lunches. And I put away the gravy in the freezer for making meat pies at another time. There is no place for gravy in this frittata unless you are feeling super adventurous...
All I do is fry some onions in a non-stick pan with some cooking spray. Add in the veggies, dice up any veggies that are big. You want everything to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. If you mashed your potatoes and/or turnip, don't worry, just add them to the pan as is. I like to get the veggies browned a bit over medium high heat. Stir over 4 to 6 beaten eggs. I like to add some cheese too. Mozzarella or cheddar work well as do ricotta or even cottage cheese. Yes I'm serious! Put a lid on the pan if you have one. It will be quite thick and a lid will help it cook through quicker with the steam. If your pan is oven safe you can also put it in the oven for about 10 - 15 minutes at 350.
And that's it! There is your Monday night dinner. Quick, delicious and nutritious. Anything the kids don't like? Make smaller ones for each person or just a separate one for the kids. And if you are lucky you'll have leftovers for lunch on Tuesday.
All I do is fry some onions in a non-stick pan with some cooking spray. Add in the veggies, dice up any veggies that are big. You want everything to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. If you mashed your potatoes and/or turnip, don't worry, just add them to the pan as is. I like to get the veggies browned a bit over medium high heat. Stir over 4 to 6 beaten eggs. I like to add some cheese too. Mozzarella or cheddar work well as do ricotta or even cottage cheese. Yes I'm serious! Put a lid on the pan if you have one. It will be quite thick and a lid will help it cook through quicker with the steam. If your pan is oven safe you can also put it in the oven for about 10 - 15 minutes at 350.
And that's it! There is your Monday night dinner. Quick, delicious and nutritious. Anything the kids don't like? Make smaller ones for each person or just a separate one for the kids. And if you are lucky you'll have leftovers for lunch on Tuesday.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Bogart's Restaurant Review
When your dinner companion asks you at the end of the evening "was that really worth $125?", you have to question your restaurant selection. For years now we have had a "like" versus "not so crazy about it" relationship with Bogart's. I used to live close by so it was great fun to stroll over for a good bloody caesar and a nice appetizer. They used to make a great hummus back in the days before Tim made his own. Then they changed the menu. Tim was so disappointed at the time that we stopped going.
Every once in a while we give Bogart's another try. They have a solid menu of fine dining classics. Veal Osso Bucco, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Rack of Lamb, Roast Duck, etc. Last week we tried it again. They always make a fuss about having reservations. In the city of Moncton a reservation on a weeknight for 2 people is rarely needed unless you are going to the Windjammer or Pastelli's. Few other restaurants are that busy during the week. I called ahead. This time they had lost our reservation in the 30 minutes that elapsed between the time we called and the time we showed up there. They were still able to seat us given that the restaurant was only about 20% full.
We were served drinks fairly quickly which as you all know is one of my pet peeves. Don't leave me sitting there without a cocktail! I can eat at home and have a cocktail in my hand in a timely manner! The bloody caesar was okay but not one of the better ones I have had. Tim ordered a brandy and the waitress had to bring out the whole selection for him to pick one because she knew nothing about brandy. Okay, I could let that slide.
Tim ordered the fish chowder as a starter and I ordered the roasted duck salad. We never got our bread until we already had our appetizers on the table. And we had to move our own bread plates out of the way for the waitress to put our appetizers down. These are little things but when you are paying fine dining prices, you should expect fine dining service. She kept saying how I was the first one who had ever ordered a duck salad in the 6 months since she had been there. That should have been a sign.... I now know why no one orders it. It was mostly salad with a little duck that was basically tasteless. The greens were nice and there were lots of them. The dressing was lovely too. But there was really no need for the duck. Except that it was called a "duck" salad. And for $12.99, I wanted to taste some good duck! I was a little disappointed. Tim's chowder, on the other hand, was fantastic. Full of flavour and rich. It even had corn in it which Tim does not like but he thoroughly enjoyed it anyway.
For our main courses, Tim ordered the Chicken Aphrodite. It was an interesting dish of chicken stuffed with walnuts and cooking in phyllo pastry. It had a sweetness about it. It was interesting but Tim was full after the chowder so he was a little disappointed that he couldn't enjoy his main dish more. This is why sometimes we just go out for appetizers or don't bother ordered them if we are being sensible.
I had fillet of sole stuffed with shrimp and crab. It tasted just like the ones you can get at the Costco. Isn't that a terrible thing to say?! But I've had the ones from the freezer at the Costco and they are pretty darn good. Now we should point out here that the kitchen at Bogart's is open for all to see so I'm pretty sure they aren't whipping out boxes from the Costco. The fillet was served on a bed of creamed leeks and spinach which was divine. I also had the rosemary mashed potatoes which were lovely.
We shared a bottle of Germany Pieroth Riesling, had cocktails to start but no dessert. So was the meal worth $125. For us I'd have to so no. I can do most of the dishes at home but I am The Gourmet Goddess. For most folks looking for the fine dining standards, this is a good place to go and it's not too fussy so you won't feel embarrassed if you don't know which fork to use.
If you have a different view or something to say, leave a comment. We all work hard for our entertainment dollar so let's share our experiences!
Every once in a while we give Bogart's another try. They have a solid menu of fine dining classics. Veal Osso Bucco, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Rack of Lamb, Roast Duck, etc. Last week we tried it again. They always make a fuss about having reservations. In the city of Moncton a reservation on a weeknight for 2 people is rarely needed unless you are going to the Windjammer or Pastelli's. Few other restaurants are that busy during the week. I called ahead. This time they had lost our reservation in the 30 minutes that elapsed between the time we called and the time we showed up there. They were still able to seat us given that the restaurant was only about 20% full.
We were served drinks fairly quickly which as you all know is one of my pet peeves. Don't leave me sitting there without a cocktail! I can eat at home and have a cocktail in my hand in a timely manner! The bloody caesar was okay but not one of the better ones I have had. Tim ordered a brandy and the waitress had to bring out the whole selection for him to pick one because she knew nothing about brandy. Okay, I could let that slide.
Tim ordered the fish chowder as a starter and I ordered the roasted duck salad. We never got our bread until we already had our appetizers on the table. And we had to move our own bread plates out of the way for the waitress to put our appetizers down. These are little things but when you are paying fine dining prices, you should expect fine dining service. She kept saying how I was the first one who had ever ordered a duck salad in the 6 months since she had been there. That should have been a sign.... I now know why no one orders it. It was mostly salad with a little duck that was basically tasteless. The greens were nice and there were lots of them. The dressing was lovely too. But there was really no need for the duck. Except that it was called a "duck" salad. And for $12.99, I wanted to taste some good duck! I was a little disappointed. Tim's chowder, on the other hand, was fantastic. Full of flavour and rich. It even had corn in it which Tim does not like but he thoroughly enjoyed it anyway.
For our main courses, Tim ordered the Chicken Aphrodite. It was an interesting dish of chicken stuffed with walnuts and cooking in phyllo pastry. It had a sweetness about it. It was interesting but Tim was full after the chowder so he was a little disappointed that he couldn't enjoy his main dish more. This is why sometimes we just go out for appetizers or don't bother ordered them if we are being sensible.
I had fillet of sole stuffed with shrimp and crab. It tasted just like the ones you can get at the Costco. Isn't that a terrible thing to say?! But I've had the ones from the freezer at the Costco and they are pretty darn good. Now we should point out here that the kitchen at Bogart's is open for all to see so I'm pretty sure they aren't whipping out boxes from the Costco. The fillet was served on a bed of creamed leeks and spinach which was divine. I also had the rosemary mashed potatoes which were lovely.
We shared a bottle of Germany Pieroth Riesling, had cocktails to start but no dessert. So was the meal worth $125. For us I'd have to so no. I can do most of the dishes at home but I am The Gourmet Goddess. For most folks looking for the fine dining standards, this is a good place to go and it's not too fussy so you won't feel embarrassed if you don't know which fork to use.
If you have a different view or something to say, leave a comment. We all work hard for our entertainment dollar so let's share our experiences!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Braised Dinners - Quick and Easy
I love winter but even I feel like it's dragging on at this point. Here is a meal I like to make to help me cope with those cold nights. Braising doesn't take a lot of effort and is a great way to make an inexpensive and perhaps not so tender piece of meat melt in your mouth. The smells of the dish simmering away in the oven will fill your whole house with warmth.
For this recipe I'm going to show you how to braise chicken legs but you could use beef, pork, lamb or turkey. You do want something on the bone as this will help flavour the dish. I cut off any visible fat or skin to help lower the fat content.
Braising consists of 3 simple steps - 1. Brown 2. Add everything to the pot 3. Simmer.
First we brown our meat. Use a 1-2 Tbsp of oil. Heat it in an oven safe frying pan with straight sides and a lid like I have here or use a dutch oven (biggest pot out of your set with 2 handles). If you don't have either then do all you work on the stove in a pan and transfer everything to a round casserole dish before you put it in the oven. You must have a properly fitting lid - this is a must! Heat the oil to medium high. Brown your meat on both sides, about 5 minutes each. Remove them from the pan and put them on a plate to add back in later.
For this recipe I'm going to show you how to braise chicken legs but you could use beef, pork, lamb or turkey. You do want something on the bone as this will help flavour the dish. I cut off any visible fat or skin to help lower the fat content.
Braising consists of 3 simple steps - 1. Brown 2. Add everything to the pot 3. Simmer.
First we brown our meat. Use a 1-2 Tbsp of oil. Heat it in an oven safe frying pan with straight sides and a lid like I have here or use a dutch oven (biggest pot out of your set with 2 handles). If you don't have either then do all you work on the stove in a pan and transfer everything to a round casserole dish before you put it in the oven. You must have a properly fitting lid - this is a must! Heat the oil to medium high. Brown your meat on both sides, about 5 minutes each. Remove them from the pan and put them on a plate to add back in later.
Next brown your aromatics - onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ginger, whatever you want. I used onion and carrots in this dish. 
Once they are brown add in your liquid, herbs and flavorings. I used a small can of diced tomatoes, 1 cup of red wine, 2 cloves of garlic, chopped rosemary and a smidge of anchovy paste. Stir it all to blend well and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. You should still have the pot on the stove so it should all start to simmer together. Add back in your chicken. 
Now you are ready to go to the oven. Preheat your oven to 350. Cover your dish and cook it for 40 -50 minutes until the meat is falling off the bone. That's it! That's dinner. You can serve this over rice, pasta, couscous, potatoes, whatever you feel like. Make your own combinations. Just Brown, Mix it all together and Simmer. That's braising!
The nice part about this dish is that it is truly elegant enough for company and you can have it in the oven before dinner guests arrive. But it is also quick and easy enough for a week night. You could even brown everything the night before and even have it all mixed together in a container in your fridge, just put it in a oven safe pot or casserole when you get home, cover it and pop it in the oven. You will have to cook it a little longer to allow time for the food to warm up from fridge temperature. I'd add 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Perfect Weekend Indian Chili
Why does chili have to be Tex-Mex inspired? If you have a crock pot and some ground meat, you can make all sorts of variations of chili. This one is easy to assemble and if you don’t want to wait all day for it to cook, put it in a big pot on the stove and it will cook in about an hour. Remember though, all chilies – no matter what the variety – taste better after they have sat a while. So think about making this a day or 2 before you want to eat it.
I used all frozen veggies in this. During the winter months I find frozen veggies tastier. And it is definitely more convenient!
Serves 8
Ingredients
• 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger, chopped fine
• 2 tsp or 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 lb, 454 g ground lamb, extra lean beef or buffalo
• 540ml can of chickpeas
• 14 oz./398ml can of tomato sauce, no salt added
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 2 Tbsp Curry Powder
• ½ Tbsp 13 Spice Curry Blend or ½ tsp each – cumin, coriander, chili powder and turmeric
• 4 cups frozen cauliflower
• 2 cups frozen diced turnip or one small fresh turnip, diced small
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 1 cup fat free yogurt
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat
2. Sauté the onion and ginger until softened, about 3 minutes
3. Add in the garlic and cook one more minute. Empty the pan into the crock pot
4. Return the pan to the stove. Brown the ground meat. If using lamb, drain it and rinse under hot water to remove the excess fat. Add it into the crock pot.
5. Add the next 7 ingredients to the crock pot (from the chickpeas through to turnip)
6. Cook for 4 -6 hours on high or up to 8 hours on low
7. Right before serving, stir in the peas.
8. Put a dollop of yogurt on each bowlful before serving.
9. Enjoy!
This dish freezes beautifully. If you want to lower the fat content then go with the extra lean beef or buffalo. You may need more broth if you are using fresh veggies or are cooking this on the stove. Just be sure this is enough liquid to cover the other ingredients.
Serve with mashed potatoes or basmati rice, white or brown.
Nutritional Information Main Servings with Ground Lamb: 323 Calories, 14g Fat, 5g Saturated Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 37 mg Cholesterol, 400mg Sodium, 8g Fiber, 32g Carbohydrates
I used all frozen veggies in this. During the winter months I find frozen veggies tastier. And it is definitely more convenient!
Serves 8
Ingredients
• 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger, chopped fine
• 2 tsp or 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 lb, 454 g ground lamb, extra lean beef or buffalo
• 540ml can of chickpeas
• 14 oz./398ml can of tomato sauce, no salt added
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 2 Tbsp Curry Powder
• ½ Tbsp 13 Spice Curry Blend or ½ tsp each – cumin, coriander, chili powder and turmeric
• 4 cups frozen cauliflower
• 2 cups frozen diced turnip or one small fresh turnip, diced small
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 1 cup fat free yogurt
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat
2. Sauté the onion and ginger until softened, about 3 minutes
3. Add in the garlic and cook one more minute. Empty the pan into the crock pot
4. Return the pan to the stove. Brown the ground meat. If using lamb, drain it and rinse under hot water to remove the excess fat. Add it into the crock pot.
5. Add the next 7 ingredients to the crock pot (from the chickpeas through to turnip)
6. Cook for 4 -6 hours on high or up to 8 hours on low
7. Right before serving, stir in the peas.
8. Put a dollop of yogurt on each bowlful before serving.
9. Enjoy!
This dish freezes beautifully. If you want to lower the fat content then go with the extra lean beef or buffalo. You may need more broth if you are using fresh veggies or are cooking this on the stove. Just be sure this is enough liquid to cover the other ingredients.
Serve with mashed potatoes or basmati rice, white or brown.
Nutritional Information Main Servings with Ground Lamb: 323 Calories, 14g Fat, 5g Saturated Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 37 mg Cholesterol, 400mg Sodium, 8g Fiber, 32g Carbohydrates
We ate in?! The Signature Fish Dish, Roasted Veggies and Smashed Potatoes
Last night we had a meal that was elegant enough to be from a restaurant yet simple and quick enough to put on the table after a long week. And most of it came out of my freezer! The meal consisted of my signature wrapped haddock, roasted brussel sprouts (other veggies work well here if you don't like brussel sprouts - but why not? what did a brussel sprout ever do to you?!) and smashed crispy potatoes.
First we start with the potatoes. These are fresh, not frozen. You need to give them a wash then boil or microwave them until soft. Not quite ready to eat soft but soft enough so you can poke them with a fork and then smash them down. Use a dish towel and place the potato inside. Now use the palm of your hand to squish the potato down to about 1/2 inch thick. Put the smashed potatoes on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil and then a layer of parchment paper if you have it. Sprinkle on Olive Oil and salt or salt substitute. They get cooked in a 425 oven for 30 minutes.
Next we prepared the brussel sprouts. I used frozen brussel sprouts - much easier. Just toss them with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a little pinch of salt or salt substitute. The can cook in the same oven as the potatoes during the last 15 minutes. You could also use frozen asparagus but it will only take 5 minutes in the oven.
Now on to the fish. The fish cooks at 350 for 15 minutes or so. The rule is 10 minutes per inch of thickness of the fish. All I do is smear some Laughing Cow light cheese on the top. If you don't have this then use light cream cheese. Want to shake it up some - use a flavoured light cream cheese like herb and garlic or vegetable! You only need about a Tablespoon per fillet. Lay a slice of prosciutto on top of each fillet. That's it. Put it in the oven. I have a toaster oven so I used it to cook the fish while the potatoes and brussel sprouts were in the big hotter oven. Once the fish was done I topped it with some shredded parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh basil which I had on hand. It's optional. 
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