Europe Part 1: Barcelona, Spain and Stove-Top Chicken and Sausage Paella

by Julie


Paella in PanHello everyone!

John and I have recently returned from the most fantastic of vacations! We were lucky enough to travel to Europe where we split our time between Spain, Italy and Croatia. Over the next several blogs, I will share some of these adventures – both food related and non-food related – with you!

Our first stop on our trip was Barcelona, Spain. Bustling on Mediterranean sea, Barcelona is chalked full of culture, beaches, churches, shops and restaurants. There seems to be at least one café/bakery and one restaurant on every block, so it wasn’t difficult to find places to eat.

For us, the sight-seeing highlight of Barcelona had to be the Sagrada Familia. Established as a basilica by the Pope in 2010, this massive and very impressive church is well into its second century of construction, scheduled to be completed in 2026. However, the church is quite near completion and John and I were absolutely stunned by the grandeur, beauty and creativity of the Sagrada Familia. The primary architaect of the church was Antoni Gaudi, the famous Catalan artist whose architecture can be found all around Barcelona. Although Gaudi devoted much of his time as well as his distinct modern style to the project, he passed away with only a quarter of the project complete. Subsequent architects and artists are helping to complete his vision.

While the completed church will have 18 spires, (for the 12 disciples, the 4 Evangelists , Jesus and Mary) currently, only 4 have been erected. However, it was an impressive sight to see these four spires reaching high into the sky. The impressive façade and entrances of the building are covered in statues, while portions of the exterior seem to be melting.

The inside of the Segrada Familia was enticing and unusual as far as what you expect to see in a typical church. Upon entering the building, you are struck by the massive pillars extending high to the ceiling of the church, with branches reaching out as if the pillars are trees. However, my favourite part of the whole structure was the stunning stained glass, with the blues and greens to capture the morning sunrise and the fiery reds and yellows positioned to catch the light of the setting sun. We were fortunate enough to catch the sunset, and the stained glass kept me mesmerized for some time.

Ok enough about the non-food attractions. I’m hungry!

RestaurantAs mentioned before, the food scene in Barcelona is bumping. You can find whatever you want there – Mexican, Mediterranean, Indian, Sushi, etc. – or you can stick to Spanish. Almost every restaurant in Barcelona was packed, with the peak hours late compared to Canada, around 9:00. But good things are worth waiting for.

From what I could tell, Spanish food seems to fall into two categories – seafood and tapas, with, of course, paella all over the place. The seafood is fresh and plentiful, with restaurants dedicated to fish, shellfish and seafood paella. However, my preference was the tapas – appetizer sized platters featuring cured meats, delicious cheeses, breads, vegetables, miniature sandwiches, patatas bravas and much much more. John and I would sit down and order several of these dishes – and of course enjoy them with some red wine sangria!

The Recipe: Paella

Paella PlatedSo to honour our visit to Barcelona, I would like to share my stove-top paella recipe with you. Yes, paella is traditionally finished in the oven, but if you don’t have the proper pan, this stove top version is an excellent option. It is a surprisingly easy recipe. I make mine with chicken and chorizo sausage, but you can really add whatever you like to the base recipe. Perhaps next time I will make a vegetable or seafood paella, such as the ones John and I sampled in Barcelona!

TIPS:

  • Be sure to adequately season your chicken with salt and pepper before cooking!
  • Try substituting the chicken with extra veggies such as asparagus, zucchini and carrots to make it more vegetable heavy.
  • Try sautéing some shrimp in butter and adding to the paella as you serve
  • The roasted garlic is a must – squeezing it out onto your paella is to die for!

My mom gave me this recipe a long time ago and we have been making it for ages, and I am glad to finally share it with you! Great for a regular supper or a dinner party, it will certainly bring a taste of Spain into your home!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Other posts in this series:
Part 2: Montserrat, Spain and Patatas Bravas
Part 3: Rome, Italy and Pasta Carbonara
Part 4: Florence, Italy and Bistecca Fiorentina (Florentine Steak)
Part 5: Croatia, The Dalmatian Cost and Pasticada

Click here to view printable Word version of recipe:
Paella Chicken and Sausage

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Stovetop Chicken and Sausage Paella

Serves 4-6 

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 whole garlic bulbs

Olive oil

 

2 + 1/2 cups Chicken stock

½ cup white wine

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

2 chorizo sausages, cut into rings

1 onion, minced

1 red pepper, sliced

1 large tomato,chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ cups Aborio rice

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt to taste

Fresh parsley to garnish

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Slice off top of garlic bulb, drizzle with oil and wrap in foil. Roast at 350 degree in oven for 30 minutes. You might want to do a second one if you are having a dinner party.
  2. Season chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
  3. In large 13-14 inch pan, heat oil. Add chicken, sauté and then add chorizo. Cook until chicken has browned, then remove meats.
  4. Lower heat and sauté onion for a few minutes. Add pepper and cook a few more minutes, then add tomato and garlic for another 5 minutes
  5. Add rice to pan and stir to coat. Stir in smoked paprika, and salt ( less or none if using salted chicken stock)
  6. Add meat back to pan, spreading meat and vegetables evenly throughout the rice. Pat mixture to evenly cover bottom. Do your best to cover all the chicken with rice.
  7. Increase heat and add wine, and chicken stock ( keep ½ cup for later) Unwrap roasted garlic and place in middle of pan. DO NOT STIR! Let liquid come to boil, place lid on, lower heat and cook for 20 – 25 minutes, or until no liquid remains. If rice is not done but no liquid remains then additional reserved ½ cup stock and cook for 5-10 more minutes.
  8. Garnish with parsley

 

Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Grilled Chicken or Pork Chops

by Julie

Full Meal
Hello everyone,

Welcome summer!

For me, the real start of summer is not June 21 but rather July long weekend. This is the weekend we celebrate Canada Day on July 1st, the birth of our beloved nation. The kids are finally out of school, the summer heat is in full swing, and the barbecues are all fired up.

In my family, July long is best spent at the cabin. It is always the kick-off to the summer as my family, uncles and aunties, cousins and friends are all out at the lake. This means three days with family and friends partaking in such great activities as boating, fishing, swimming, lawn games, camp fires, sing-a-longs, adult beverages, and eating. Did I mention eating?

For some reason, food always tastes better at the lake. Maybe it’s because everyone cooks together, maybe it’s because we’ve typically had a few glasses of wine or a couple of beers before dinner. It could just be that eating dinner with a beautiful view of our beloved lake makes the meal just perfect.

BBQ is best suited for summer lake dinners, and this Jamaican Jerk marinade is just perfect for chicken or pork chop on the grill. I’ve had many-a-jerk in my day, and this recipe is pretty awesome, topping anything store bought I have had. Try serving it with a coleslaw and Jamaican peas and rice. You can double or triple the recipe depending on how many you have to feed.

Jamaican Jerk Pork ChopsMarinade your meat for a few hours of more and fire up the grill, cooking your chicken or chops just as you like!

Happy Canada day to you! Hopefully you get the chance to get out and enjoy some BBQ on the long weekend!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here to view printable Word version of recipe:
Jamaican Jerk Marinade

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Jamaican Jerk Marinade

INGREDIENTS:

4 pork chops or 6 chicken pieces (double’triple recipe if you have more)

1/3 cup green onion
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 inches ginger, peeled
3 cloves garlic
2 jalapenos or 1 scotch bonnet peppers cut into pieces (keep the seeds if you want your marinade hotter)
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp salt
Pepper
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp lime juice

DIRECTIONS

  1. Add all ingredients in a food processor, magic bullet or blender. Blend marinade is smooth.
  2. Marinade meat for at least 2 hours.
  3. Grill you meat as you like

 

Enchiladas with Homemade Ancho Chili Sauce

by Julie

IMG_0197Hello everyone,

In case you haven’t noticed, I have an unusually high proportion of Mexican recipes In my blogs. I’m unsure as to how “authentically Mexican” a lot of these recipes are, but I do my best! Either way, homemade Mexican food is always tasty and fun.

The secret to these enchiladas is the homemade ancho chili sauce. If you happen to have whole dried ancho peppers at home, you are in business. Ground ancho peppers work too, and if all else fails, you can substitute for regular chili powder.

As for the filling, the recipe starts with my general mish-mash of Mexican goodness: an assortment of vegetables fried with jalapenos and garlic, chili powder, ground cumin and black beans. If you want your enchiladas vegetarian, you can leave it at that, or if you’re an omnivore such as myself, you can try adding any meat you like. John and I had leftover pulled pork in the freezer that worked just swell for these enchiladas.

When I made my enchiladas, I put them in disposable pans. Some I baked for dinner that night, and others I froze for an easy dinner at a later date.

This is a tasty recipe for sure, and a real crowd pleaser! Mexican comfort food at it’s best (although isn’t all Mexican food comfort food?)

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here for printable Word version of recipe:
Enchiladas with Ancho Chili Sauce

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Enchiladas with Ancho Sauce

Makes 8-10

Ancho Sauce

2 dried ancho chillies, stemmed and seeded or 2 tsp ancho chili powder – if you don’t have ancho, use regular chili powder
2 cups water
Cooking oil
1 cup chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups  vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried
2 tablespoons  tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Filling

Cooking oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
8 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tomato diced
3 tsp ancho chili powder (or whatever chili powder or combination of powders you have on hand)
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp paprika
1-2 tsp salt
1 can black beans
1 lb cooked meat of choice (pulled pork, ground beef, chicken etc.)
or for vegetarian
1 extra can of black beans, cooked rice, or cooked pieces of sweet potato
Water

2 cups grated cheese

8-10 soft large tortilla shells

Garnish

Cilantro
Lime juice
Sour Cream
Valentina’s hot sauce

 

DIRECTIONS:

Ancho Chili Sauce

  1. Put dried ancho chili in pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove peppers and slice into small pieces (skip this step if using chili powder. Save the water.
  2. In a medium pot, fry onion in oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and fry for another minute or two.
  3. Add sliced ancho chilies / chili powder. Add salt.
  4. Transfer mixture to food processor or blender. Blend with 1 cup of the chili water. Blend as smooth as possible.
  5. Transfer mixture back to the pot. Add 2 cups vegetable broth, salt, oregano, cumin, tomato paste, red wine vinegar and red pepper flakes
  6. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until sauce thickens. IF you are having trouble getting it to desired consistency, add 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water.

Filling

  1. Heat a large pan. Saute onion in cooking oil for about 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and garlic, saute for a minutes.
  2. Add mushrooms, and green peppers, saute until they are cooked.
  3. Add tomato and spices. Mix well and cook for a few minutes.
  4. Add beans and meat/sweet potatoes/rice. Stir well. Add about a ¼ of water to moisten the mixture, more if needed.

Enchiladas

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F
  2. Put about ½ cup of the ancho sauce on the bottom of a large baking pan.
  3. On a tortilla, add about two scoops of the filling and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll tortilla, closing both ends.
  4. Place all tortillas in baking pan seam side down. Top with remaining ancho sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
  5. Bake for about 15 minutes.

 

Garnish with any combination of cilantro, lime juice, sour cream and Valentina’s hot sauce.

 

Alternatively, you can pre-make a pan and freeze before cooking to be eaten at a later date!

 

 

 

Italian Sausage Meatballs

by Julie

photo 1Hello everyone,

As John is half Italian, I try to make a point to feed him Italian food ever so often. It is always an intimidating venture as he has had the privilege of growing up eating wonderful Italian cooking courtesy of his mom and Nonna (Italian Grandmother.) I have had the pleasure to sample Italian cuisine prepared by both these women, and alas, I am no match for these great cooks, but I do try my hardest to at least prepare something decent.

One thing I like to make to go with my tomato pasta sauce are meatballs. Meatballs are a wonderful thing. You make a ton at a time with not too much effort. This recipe uses about 3 lbs of meat and makes about 3 dozen meatballs. That’s a lot for one meal, so freeze them and then bust them out for pasta dinners.

Usually I go with a pretty basic meatball recipe, but I tried to change it up this time by combining beef with Italian sausage. This is what I got for you.

Another trick I used is courtesy of Chef Michael Smith. To make these meatballs extra moist, you soak your breadcrumbs in milk before adding. Just make sure you mix everything very nicely to avoid chunks of the breadcrumb mixture in your finished product.

So next time you’re making a tomato sauce for your pasta, try a batch of these meatballs! You can easily feed a large group of 6-8, or have leftover meatballs to freeze!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here for printable Word version of recipe:
Italian Sausage Meatballs

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Italian Sausage Meatballs

Makes about 3 dozen meatballs

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup milk
3 lbs ground meat, combination of ground Italian sausage and beef.
(I used a 50-50 split, with mild Italian sausage)
1 onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup parsley, minced
1 egg
1 tsp salt
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp olive oil

If you use more beef then sausage, consider adding some dried thyme, basil and oregano.

DIRECTIONS:

Combine milk and breadcrumbs. Let sit until mixture softens.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Make sure the breadcrumb/milk mixture is well broken up. Mix so everything is evenly incorporated.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll meatballs, make approx 1 ½ – 2 inches wide.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

by Julie

photo 2Hello everyone,

With John working long shifts, one meal isn’t enough to get him through the day. So I have been freezing up food like a madwoman.

This tortellini soup is one of those meals that freezes spectacularly. Also, this recipe will feed John and I for dinner, the two of us leftovers for lunch, and still have 3 servings left to freeze!

photo 1When meal planning for the week, I often ask John if he has any requests. Time and time again, he asks me to make this sausage and tortellini soup. I have to admit it is quite delicious. The rich broth is composed of tomato, beef broth and red wine. Each bowl contains a decent serving of vegetables, and the hot Italian sausage and red pepper flakes give the soup a nice spice. I always elect to use the tri-coloured four cheese tortellini in my soup. If you would like your soup with a little less heat, substitute mild Italian sausage for the hot.

Of all the soups I make, John and I agree that this is the best. Not only is it delicious, but it is easy to make. Treat yourself to a bowl of this sausage and tortellini soup.

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here for the printable Word version of recipe:
Sausage and Tortellini soup

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Sausage and Tortellini Soup

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound hot Italian sausage, sliced – substitute with mild if you prefer a less spicy soup

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 large carrots, diced

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp dried oregano

3 cups beef broth

1 can diced tomatoes- 28 oz

1 can tomato sauce- 14 oz

3 cups water

2 cups red wine

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste – start with 2 tsp

Pinch of red pepper or chili flakes

1 small zucchini, diced

1 package (300 grams) cheese tortellini – try tri-colour four cheese

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large soup pot, fry sausage until cooked.
  2. Add onion and garlic, cook for a few minutes.
  3. Add carrot and cook. Add herbs.
  4. Stir in everything else except zucchini and tortellini. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes
  5. Stir in zucchini and tortellini and simmer for 10 minutes.
  6. Serve with parmesan cheese and parsley

 

Freezes spectacularly well!

Cashew Chicken – Thai Style

by Julie

photo 1Hello everyone,

Back when John and I were in Thailand, we took a Thai cooking class. One of the things we got to cook were Thai stir fries. Our cooking instructor described these stir fries as “Thai fast food, faster then McDonald’s!”

I’d say she’s partially correct with this statement, as the prep takes a few minutes for sure. But once you have all the ingredients ready to go it’s super quick.

John was craving stir fry the other day, so we decided to bust out our little Thai cookbook. John and I altered the recipe a bit, but it’s pretty close to the original. The nice thing for me that evening was that John spoiled me and did most of the cooking. I sat back, relaxed, and watched my man cook. (Then I cleaned up.)

Unfortunately, John and I don’t yet own a wok so we cooked ours in a cast iron pan. The pan worked great, but if you own a wok I encourage you to fire it up as you’ll have this meal cooked in less then 5 minutes as we did in our cooking class.

What I like about this recipe is that none of the ingredients are too exotic so you shouldn’t have to make any special trips apart from your usual grocery store run. In fact, we already had them all in our fridge when we decided to try this dish. Chicken, cashews, mushrooms, carrots and green onion are the main ingredients – just make sure you have fish sauce and oyster sauce! (see photo for our preferred brand of Oyster sauce, recommended by our cooking instructor)

We served our cashew chicken on a bed of rice, with a side of broccolini sauteed in sesame seed oil and a little bit of soy sauce.

John did a great job cooking up this stir fry, and was probably done in 20-25 minutes including the chopping for prep time. The stir fry is really nice and light, as well as healthy.

If you need a quick and healthy meal, this cashew chicken is just the ticket!

Bon appetit,

Julie

To view printable Word version of recipe, click here:
Cashew Chicken

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Cashew Chicken – Thai Style
Inspired by Thai Farms Cooking Class

Serves 3-4*

INGREDIENTS:

Oil and salt for frying
2 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips for stir fry – may replace with tofu
6 gloves garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2-5 birds eye chili peppers, minced
5 stalks green onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup unsalted cashews

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup water
3 tsp fish sauce – may substitute with soya sauce
2 tsp sugar
¼ cup oyster sauce

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Have sauce and all ingredients prepared in advance.
  2. Heat oil in wok or large frying pan
  3. Add chicken and garlic. Season with salt and pepper until almost cooked.
  4. Add onion, carrots and mushrooms, chili peppers. Fry for 1-3 minutes.
  5. Add sauce. Mix well and salt to taste. Cook until vegetables are ready to eat. You can cover to steam the veggies faster
  6. Turn off heat. Add cashews and green onions. Mix well.
  7. Serve with rice.

Note: If you are serving 4, you may want to bolster the mushrooms and carrots a bit. You can top the sauce off with an extra dab of oyster sauce if this is the case. 

Mexican Chorizo Sausage and Black Bean Soup

by Julie

IMG_3120Hi everyone,

I love tortilla soup! The spicy tomato broth, the tortillas, the avocado, the cheese floating around in there is all delicious.

The only problem with tortilla soup for myself is that I find it often isn’t hearty enough for a full meal. Yes, I have had some tortilla soups that have been, but I have found others not heavy enough to satisfy my often voracious appetite all on its own.

Beans and sausage to the rescue!

This soup is my attempt to bolster tortilla soup into a heartier meal. I have taken my tortilla soup broth and have added chorizo sausage, black beans, corn and vegetables to make it more of a meal. Garnish with cilantro and cheese, as well as sour cream if you happen to have some.

IMG_3133TIPS:

  • For an even better broth use fresh tomatoes and roast them in the oven. Click here for instructions
  • Feel free to add any extra ingredients you want – chicken, avocado, tortillas, whatever floats your boat!

This soup is very easy to make and freezes just great for meals on the go. It is spicy and will fill your hungry belly!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here for printable Word version of recipe:
Chorizo Sausage and Black Bean Soup

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Chorizo Sausage and Black Bean Soup
This soup incorporates the traditional taste of a Mexican tortilla soup into a more hearty version, good for a complete meal.

INGREDIENTS:

5 – 6 cups chicken broth
*1-28 oz. can stewed tomatoes blended, or 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 onion, sliced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced – keep seeds if you want a spicier/hotter soup
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt, more if desired
Pepper to taste

3 chorizo sausages, sliced into circles, then half circles (use 2 if you are adding other meat, see below)
1 can corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
Leftover chicken or pulled pork, broken into small stringy pieces (optional)

To garnish:

Grated cheese
Sour cream
Green onions
Cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large soup pot, fry onions, garlic and minced jalapeno pepper in oil.
  2. Add carrots and fry. Then add peppers. Cook for a few minutes.
  3. Add chili and cumin powder to pan. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add broth and crushed/blended tomatoes.
  5. At this point, if you want a smoother broth, you can blend the broth (I like to use a hand blender in the pot.) If you are low on time or want a chunkier soup, proceed to step 6.
  6. In a frying pan, fry chorizo sausage. If you are using cured sausage, only fry for a couple of minutes. If you are using fresh sausage, fry until cooked. Add chicken/pulled pork (if you are using) and fry for a few minutes. Add corn and red pepper and fry for another minute or two.
  7. Add contents of pan and black beans into soup.
  8. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  9. To serve, garnish with grated cheese, green onions and cilantro.

*Alternatively, you can use 8-10 fresh tomatoes that have been roasted in the oven. Click here for roasting instructions. Blend before adding to soup

Best Brownie Recipe Ever

by Julie

photo 3Hello everyone,

I started a really bad brownie related habit a while back, a habit I don’t intend to break anytime soon.

A couple of years ago, I bought a whole bunch of mini brownies at the farmers market and froze them. Every morning, I would pull out a brownie, thaw it in the microwave and enjoy it with my coffee (brownie + coffee = excellent combo.) What a delicious way to start your day!

I have continued my morning brownie habit since then. I never feel too guilty as the brownies I eat never really exceed the diameter of a toonie.

The problem is, when the farmers market ended, my brownie supply ran out. I needed to make my own brownies!

After trying many different recipes, I finally think I got it. This is my perfect brownie recipe – extra chocolate and dense, moist brownies. I really think you will like these!

The recipe is pretty quick, and I will whip up a batch when my freezer supply is running low.

So when you’re craving something sweet and chocolatey, these brownies will do the trick. They are incredible warm out of the oven, but also freeze wonderfully to satisfy your future brownie cravings.

I swear by this recipe, give it a shot!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here to view the printable Word version of recipe:
Best Brownie Recipe

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Best Brownies

INGREDIENTS

6 oz bittersweet chocolate
½ cup butter
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 and ¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter
  3. Add sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and mix.
  4. Remove from double boiler.
  5. In a separate bowl, quickly beat eggs with a fork.
  6. Add eggs to chocolate mixture, mix until eggs are incorporated.
  7. Add flour, salt and making soda. Mix until ingredients are incorporated.
  8. Grease a 9×9 pan. Pour mixture into pan.
  9. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Deconstructed Salad

by Julie

Salad 1Hello everyone,

After my last post for gooey macaroni and cheese, I thought I would give you something a little healthier to try.

This salad is a take on a salad nicoise. However, salad nicoise is traditionally served with fish, and apparently anchovies too. Since I’m not the biggest anchovy fan, and happened to have some leftover steak that John and made for me, I had to re-name this salad.

The first time I heard the term “deconstructed salad” was from my cousin Lori. So that is what I’m calling this one.

I love this kind of salad. The different proteins – egg and steak, the fats – avocado and cheese, the starch – boiled baby potatoes, the satisfying steamed veggies – green beans and carrots, and the fresh vegetables – tomato and cucumber, all served on a bed of lettuce with a lovely red wine vinegar tarragon dressing. You can do all or any of the ingredients, depending what you have in the fridge. This salad is so satisfying compared to a regular salad, and in my option looks just lovely plated!

So if you want something nice and healthy but doesn’t leave you with the emptiness in your stomach that a light salad sometimes does (at least for me,) a nice deconstructed salad will hit the spot.

Bon appetit,

Julie

Salad 3Click here to view printable Word version of recipe:
Deconstructed Salad

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Deconstructed Salad

INGREDIENTS:

Romaine lettuce – 3 leafs per salad, torn

Meat of choice. Try:
– Leftover steak
– Leftover pork chop
– Fish
– Chicken breast

Any or all of the following:

Hard-boiled egg, sliced
Cheese, cut into cubes
Green beans, steamed
Sliced carrot, steamed
Baby  potatoes, boiled
Beets, roasted
Avocado, sliced
Tomato, sliced
Cucumber, sliced

DRESSING

½ cup olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon or grainy mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp parsley, minced
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Make a bed of lettuce on a plate.
  2. Place all salad ingredients in sections on the bed of lettuce, keeping each food in separate segments.
  3. Season everything with salt and pepper (this is key!)
  4. Drizzle with dressing and serve!

Macaroni and Cheese: The Cheesy, Gooey, High Calorie, Good Kind

by Julie

photo 4Hello everyone,

Are you gluten intolerant? Lactose intolerant? Trying to lose weight? Have a heart condition? Trying to avoid developing a heart condition in the future? If any of these apply to you, stop reading immediately! If none apply or you simply don’t care, read on!

I’m sure you have all tried recipes that boast healthy substitutes: applesauce for sugar, cauliflower for a carbs, greek yogurt for sour cream. Warning … this is NOT one of those recipes.

There is something like seven cups of cheese to three cups of macaroni in this recipe. SEVEN!

For this recipe, I started with Best of Bridge’s gourmet mac and cheese recipe and did my best to make it better. I made such substitutes as cheddar and jalapeno Havarti in lieu of velvita, and I spiced it up a little with garlic powder and cumin.

Apart from the calcium in the dairy, there is NOTHING healthy about this recipe. No fibre, lots of fat and white carbs, and cheese cheese cheese and more cheese. I suppose you could argue that using ricotta instead of more cheddar cheese makes it slightly healthier, but that’s like saying you made your triple chocolate sundae healthy by adding nuts instead of chocolate chips. Don’t kid yourself, you’re eating like a zillion calories in one scoop of this stuff. But let me tell you, they are glorious, magical, comforting, gooey calories that are well worth the spare tire that this mac n’ cheese will create around your waist line.

TIPS:

  • One recipe probably feeds 6 people or more if you are using it as a side. I divided mine into two smaller pans and froze one before cooking for future mac n’ cheese cravings
  • Try using different types of cheese and different spices if you like. I wanted to keep the classic macaroni and cheese thing going so I didn’t go too crazy on the spices but have fun spicing this one up if you like!

Maybe plan to have a salad for lunch or perhaps a jog the day you eat this mac n’ cheese.

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here for printable Word version of recipe:
Macaroni and Cheese

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Macaroni and Cheese
Inspired by Best of Bridge

Feeds 6 as a meal, 8+ as a side
Try dividing into 2 dishes.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups macaroni (uncooked)

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp butter

2.5 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1 Tsp sugar

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp paprika

Pepper

150g cheddar cheese, grated

100g jalapeno Havarti

(Havarti + cheddar roughly 3 cups)

2/3 cup sour cream

1 1/3 cups Ricotta

1 cup old cheddar cheese grated

½ cup jalapeno Havarti grated

Bread crumbs to sprinkle

2 Tbsp butter

DIRECTIONS:

Cook and drain macaroni and place in large baking dish.

Melt butter over heat and mix in flour, mix well and then add the milk and cook  stirring constantly until thickens.

Add salt, sugar, spiced, and  150g grated cheddar, 100g grated Havarti . Mix well

Then add sour cream, Ricotta

Pour over macaroni and mix well. If you are using 2 smaller baking dishes, divide cheese and macaroni mix into the pans. I used disposable baking pans.

Sprinkle cheddar cheese, Havarti  and bread crumbs over top. Dot with butter and bake at 350 for 45 minutes,

Alternatively, divide into two smaller pans and freeze extra pan before baking.