Homemade Pizza

Nothing like a little homemade pizza to get cha going. Or, in my case, get cha blogging. How have you guys been, anyhow? What's it been like 4 months since I've posted. Shaaame on me. It's been a great semester of school, and I am proud to say that I finished my last exam this morning! And I must say, Blogging was an obvious celebration technique for me. As is homemade pizza.

If you don't do this at home already, I highly reccomend that you try it soon. Start by buying some fresh pizza dough from the grocery store or make your own. I made this one out of a mix I found at the bulk barn. Just add water, black pepper, oil, and flax seeds.

Gather the kids, friends, and/or neighbors and let everyone add their own personal flare. You can't go wrong! My pizza is topped with spicy tomato sauce, spinach, tomatoes, green peppers and cheese--a valiant vegetarian combination, If I do say so myself.

Old School Stir-Fry

Okay, so I don't actually know what "Old School Stir-Fry" would refer to exactly--but I do know that I am attending a very old school, and that that is where I made my stir-fry!

Students, I understand the challenges that arise from living at school, around school, and near school. It is far to easy to to run to the closest subway and grab dinner as opposed to making something which could take half an hour. I hear you. I came this close to not making food tonight as well. But I had vegetables in the fridge that would go bad if I didn't use them, and that's just money that I don't have down the drain. Or in the garbage.

So. Reality is that we want easy to cook food. This recipe is composed of veggies, pasta, and a 6 ingredient sauce. Ready for it?

Note: If you are up for a sauce which takes more time, but would probably taste even better, I will add that option to the directions.

P.S. Here is what the food actually looks like amidst my school life:

Not as glamorous. Just as delicious!

Ingredients:

1 serving linguine noodles

1 cup chopped veggies (I used yellow and green peppers, bok choi, broccoli, and zucchini)

1 Tbsp canola oil (for the pan)

Sauce Version 1 (I have nooo time, version)

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp. hot sauce (add to your liking)

sprinkling of chili flakes

Sauce Version 2 (I have some time to cook, version)

1/2 c chicken stock

3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp sherry or Chinese cooking wine

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

1 tsp distilled white vinegar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp peanut oil

3 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

(ingredients are mixed into a sauce before being poured onto the noodles and veggies)

Directions:

1. Boil pasta according to package directions, about 8 minutes.

2. Mix sauce in a separate bowl and set aside

2. Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a pan/wok on medium-high. When pan is hot, add veggies (starting with the peppers and broccoli--bok choi goes with a minute left to go) and cook until desired tenderness. Add sauce and lower heat.

3. Place noodles in pan and toss everything together until the sauce is dispersed.

4. Taste, and adjust seasoning accordingly.

5. Eat with chop sticks! (I think it tastes better this way.)

Kitchen Sink Chili

Does anyone out there not like chili? Okay, there are a few of you. And you have my special permission to skip over this post (Oh don't, your call...), but if you do enjoy the rich tomatoey flavor of chili, and the buttery bread which you may dip into it, take note!

This one is a keeper.

I have posted about chili before (see here), and that recipe is still a great standby for me. It takes less ingredients and only about an hour from start to finish. It's very forgiving.

But for tonight's dinner I pull another recipe from theBite Me files, (Cookbook by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat). Just wait until you see what lies behind it's rich flavor! I'll give you a hint...it rhymes with BOGO.

Can you guess??

The rich flavors are enhanced by many spices including cumin, chili powder (of course!), oregano, cayenne, Aaaaaaaaand....

Cocoa powder. If you can believe it. The cocoa gives the chili, not a chocolately taste, but a deepened rich flavor.

It's meaty (if you want--vegetarian works too!), vegetab-ly(?) and delicous, and I had a simple time preparing it. You can do it over the stove top if you prefer, or if you're like me and don't have time to spare, the slow cooker works perfectly fine! (Just remember to pre-cook your meat and onions.)

Serve with caesar salad, a ciabatta loaf, cheddar cheese, and red wine.

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 large red bell peppers, chopped

2 c sliced white mushrooms

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 c canned chopped green chili peppers, drained

1 (28oz/796ml) can diced tomatoes with juice

2 c canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 c mild salsa

1 c vegetable broth

1/2 c cous cous (optional)

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

Shredded Montery Jack or cheddar cheese, for topping

Directions:

1. This recipe can be cooked either in a large soup pot over medium heat, or in a slow cooker on high.

2. For a meat version (optional), brown ground beef prior to placing into the slow cooker. Also brown the onions in a small amount of canola oil. Add to the slow cooker/pot and season with chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.

2. Next add the red peppers, mushrooms, carrots, minced garlic and chopped green chili peppers. (If using a pot, cook approx. 5 minutes before going on to the next step, stirring occasionally). Stir in diced tomatoes, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, salsa, vegetable broth, couscous, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.

3. Bring to a boil over high heat/allow to simmer in slow cooker. On the stove reduce heat to low, and in the s-cooker, to medium. Simmer gently covered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and serve in bowls, topped with shredded cheese.

Fiesta Bowl Salad

I've never been one for salads as a entrée. Gimme a caesar salad or garden on the side of something substantial like pasta or chicken, but on it's own I won't feel like my hunger has gone anywhere.

Accept maybe back into the pantry for some munchies.

I usually pitty the girls who order, "a small caesar with chicken, please" because not only are they missing out on what could be a bowl of saucy noodles or grilled steak, they are paying 15 dollars for lettuce. Laaame.

Sorry, I digress slightly.

My point is to draw your attention to a change of heart I had recently. This salad...this crazy delicious salad which I decided to get seconds of! It was yet another recipe from Bite Me, and it clobbered my perception of entrée salads.

Sweet and salty and savory and filling. Believe me, I wouldn't be saying that if it weren't true. And this homemade dressing had me cleaning out the bowl.

The contrasting texture of tortilla chips added crunch, and an avocado, freshness.

Note to vegetarians: you could easily ditch the chicken and add chickpeas or black beans!

Ingredients:

1 head iceberg (I used romaine because it was all I had at the time)

4 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 avocado

1 roasted deli chicken breast meat shredded (I used sliced ham because I didn't have chicken)

3/4 c shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (Why is Monterey Jack capitalized?)

Salad Dressing:

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 c salsa

1/4 c mayonnaise

1/2 c canned chopped green chilies

1 lime, juiced

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

2 c crumbled tortilla chips, for topping

Directions:

1. Place lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, and grated cheese in a large bowl. (Or put into serving bowls. I did this so that everyone got equal toppings. Optional)

2. For the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk sour cream, salsa, mayo, chopped green chilies, lime juice, sugar, cumin, and chili powder.

3. Add dressing to salad bowl tossing well to coat. Sprinkle salad with crumbled tortilla chips.

Serves 4

Springtime Spring Rolls

Springtime is here!

(Or at least the weather is!) 11 degrees 3 months from now will be tragic, but for now I LOVE it!

Another good sign of spring's arrival is the increase in students appearing (out of hibernation) around campus. All of a sudden students are assembling themselves where the sun and fresh air is. Good news travels quickly apparently when it comes to weather.

Something else that spring brings? For me, I feel a sudden desire to put the stew cookbook back on the shelf, and to dust off those which contain lighter options. And this week, a trip to the local market introduced me to a great one: spring rolls!

These little babies were vegetarian concoctions but I know you can also make them with meat, like chicken or shrimp.

They came with a sensational peanut sauce which I haven't tried to re-create yet. (Partially for fear of failure and also for lack of ingredients.) But I knew that I just had to try em, so the next time I went to the grocery store I picked up the ingredients I needed and some sweet chili sauce for dipping. Sweet chili sauce is often used for spring rolls, so I knew that it would be tasty. I still crave that peanut sauce though...

Now you can try them at home too! You will wow your friends with a new hunger satisfying snack/meal that appears difficult to make, but in reality, is reeeeallly simple.

Here's what you do...

Ingredients:

(per 1 spring role)

1 rice paper wrapper--22 cm in diameter(you can find these at your local supermarket), soaked and softened

1 lettuce leaf

1 tsp shredded carrot

1 small spear of cucumber (about 2.5 inches long)

a few sprigs cilantro

a few rice noodles, cooked

a dipping sauce of choice (I used a thai sweet chili sauce)

Directions:

1. Soak the rice paper wrapper in water until soft an pliable (about 30 seconds), and place onto a plate or cutting board.

2. Place the lettuce into the centre of the wrapper, followed by the cucumber, carrots, a few cooked rice noodles and cilantro.

3. Follow these directions for proper rolling techniques.

Edamame, Avocado, and Cranberry with Rice

This is pretty one. (Like, I wouldn't be surprised if you were scurrying to find your camera to take a picture of this picture.)

No seriously. When you mix the cranberry sauce into the rice, it turns pink, and with accents of green throughout...it's technically art.

SO going to the highest bidder-- the recipe!

Going Once.

Once.

Once!

Okay fine. I will just give it to you. You have convinced me! That, and the title of this post doesn't exactly hide the ingredients from you; nor does the full colour photo.

My friend Genevieve is one of the healthiest people I know and she inspired this recipe. She pulled this yummy vegetarian protein dish out of her purse the other day at the coffee shop and I was (in line buying sugar I didn't need...) like, woah! What is that!?

Cooked brown rice, eaten cold or hot, topped with edamame and avocado. She introduced me to edamame, or soy beans; you can buy them at the grocery store in the frozen section for only a few dollars. They are high in protein and pretty yummy.

In my version, I added homemade cranberry sauce, which added a nice sweetness.

Ingredients:

1 c. prepared brown rice

1/4 c. edamame (from fresh or frozen)

2 Tbsp. homemade cranberry sauce

1/2 an avocado

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Top cooked brown rice with edamame that has been prepared according to the package directions, large scoops of avocado, cranberry sauce, and salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

My 'Yay!' Soup

Yay! for using up ingredients; for cleaning out a terribly cluttered fridge; for easy and healthy options; for creating something from nothing; for yummy dinners that you can totally make in a snap. Yay! for the combination of tomato and basil; for the unlimited food combination's you can find if you search them; for the occasional Swedish massage (???); for food that can sit on the kitchen counter top and stay hot while I rush to take my laundry out the machine so that no one else in residence will plop it on top of the washer, exposing my...ahem. Yay! for taking your blog photos using photobooth because you still can't afford a new lens, but for the prospect of better photos in the near future; for the ability to still post regardless, and to have so much fun while doing it. Yay! for this beautiful day God has given us; for you, because you are the reason I do this whole blogging thing; and for everything in between.


Ingredients:

1 can PC tomato, basil and parmesan soup (I reccommend the PC brand version, it is the best canned tomato soup I have ever had. End of story.)
1 can water or milk
a few shakes of hot chili flakes
1 c broccoli, chopped into pieces
1 chicken breast, cooked and sliced into pieces (optional)
2 pieces rye bread, toasted with butter

Directions:

1. Cook can of soup over medium heat with one can of water or milk and stir.

2. As the soup warms up, assemble your veggies and chicken and once chopped, stir into the soup. (Now would be the time to add ANY other ingredients you like in soup: noodles, chickpeas, spinach, cooked lentils, extra tomatoes, zucchini, etc.) Add chili flakes and your done! Serve with toasted rye bread.

My Favourite Sweet and Sour Dill Pickles

I grew up being one of those people who always asked for "no pickles, please!" I always thought they looked funny, and the pungent smell didn't help either.

That all changed the moment I tried one of my mom's sweet and sour pickles. These pickles opened my eyes to an entire new burger topping; to a brand new snack to eat with my tuna sandwich. Alas, the perfect crunchy pickle has been created. And you can make them at home too!


We have about 10 jars sitting in our basement just waiting to be devoured. And believe me, they will be soon enough. I have my 1 jar at school thankfully- all for meeee.

Ahem.

But like I said, they changed the way I look at wrinkly cucumbers.


I don't think they take much work to make (I mean, a pickle kinda makes itself, don't cha think?), but then again my mom is always the one to make em'!

So what do I know? I just make the blog post.

So without further ado, here is her recipe for sweet and sour pickles!

Ingredients:

Cucumber Prep:
1 gallon/4 qts. 2 or 3 in. baby cucumbers, cleaned and then cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2/3 c. pickling salt
Boiling Water

1st Brine:
1 pt. white vinegar
3 pt. water
1 1/2 Tbsp. alum
1 tsp. tumeric

2nd Brine:
1 pt. white vinegar
1 pt. water
4 c. sugar

6 or 7 mason jars, cleaned and prepared

12-14 dill florets
6-7 garlic cloves

Directions:

1. Mix prepared pickles with in a large pot with pickling salt and enough boiling water to cover them. Let stand over night.

2. Drain well and rinse.

3. Mix white vinegar, water, alum, and turmeric (1st brine) into the pot with the pickles and simmer for 20 minutes. After wards, drain well and dispose of the brine. Set aside.

4. Make second brine: Combine white sugar, vinegar, and water and allow it to come to boil (or until the sugar is completely melted.)

5. In each mason jar, place 1 dill floret and 1 garlic clove. Pack cucumbers into the jars until full and pour second brine over the cucumbers. Top jars with another dill floret, sealer lid and ring (tightly).

6. Wipe of the jars well and leave to cool, turned upside down.

I would recommend letting the cucumbers 'pickle' for a few weeks to allow the flavors to mix and mingle. Then you may mix and mingle with your pickles. Or if you are like me, hide the jar and tell no one it exists. (Except those on your blog of course.)

It's Not Delivery, It's Kraft

This is an ode to Kraft Pizza Kits.

Oh Kraft Pizza Kits, how simple you are.
The basics are covered,
every thing thought of ahead of time!
Parmesan cheese, oregano, sauce,
it is ALL there- ready for the cooking.
You have created a palate for me to work with,
a canvas to create art work on.
My art has become so delicious Kraft Pizza Kits,
and I can thank you for....

okay. okay. I just couldn't think of any other way to introduce a recipe that I didn't make from scratch at all. But I declare that Kraft Pizza Kits are undiscovered treasures, awaiting our creativity. What a fun way to create dinner with the kids; allowing them to pick their own toppings. Plus it really easy whip up if you don't have a lot of time/energy.

If you haven't given them a go before, please do. My family could make a pizza from scratch, but with this mix we always find excuses not to. For example, "it is too quick!" and "the sauce on this one tastes way better." So why mess with a good thing?

For a little inspiration, here is the pizza I made:


It plays host to:

• chopped ham
• green and red peppers
• baby spinach
• tomatoes
  
• oregano
• parm cheese
• tex mex cheese

Pasta Rose with Zucchini, Corn, Green Peppers and Ham

Pasta is great because it creates a palate for all of those leftover veggies and meats you have lying around in your fridge. (Not to suggest that I ignore my veggies and sometimes overstock meats! No sir, not I).

I had a packaged Knorr Parma-Rosa sauce sitting around as well, and bam-shabam, lunch was served!

And what a satisfying meal it was! The combination of the sweet corn with the salty ham and savory sauce was really nice, and the green peppers were a natural fit. The zucchini gave just a subtle crunch with not an overwhelming flavor. Seriously I couln't have made a better combination if I had planned it! (It really was, 'a little of this, a little of that' in the pan).


Vegetarians, a note to you: sub the ham for veg. ham or chicken and you have a great vegetarian lunch.

Be brave when you are making pasta! There is sooooo many things you can add to a basic tomato sauce, or a not so basic Parma-Rosa sauce (which is just a parmesean tomato sauce).


Keep in mind, any type of sauce will work. If you don't have a Knorr sauce mix or prefer a plain tomato one, that will be just as yummy. You have your own creative license over your pasta. If I was out of sauce mix, I would probably suggest an Alfredo sauce or blush sauce (tomato and Alfredo sauce combined).


Ingredients:

1 serving dry pasta ( I used vegetable fussili)
1 package Knorr Parma-Rosa sauce mix (+ 1/2 Tbsp. butter and 1 1/2 c. milk)
1/3 c. green zucchini, chopped into bite size pieces
1/4 c. frozen corn
1/4 c. green peppers, chopped
2 slices deli ham, sliced
parmesean cheese

Directions:

1. Put water on to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile begin pasta sauce and cook as directed on the package. Boil pasta according to package directions.

2. In a sautee pan, simmer one serving of sauce, zucchini, frozen corn, green peppers, and ham for about five minutes. Put cooked pasta and some parmesean cheese into the pan, combine, and serve. Top with additional parmesean cheese.

Getting Acquainted with Asparagus

To continue with my local, fresh, and (hopefully) organic pattern...I am pleased to introduce, a perfect side veg for summer dining: The Asparagus!


Asparagus is low in calories, contains no fat or cholesterol, and is very low in sodium. It is a good source of folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber, and rutin. PLUS, (as if there could be more), it tastes yummy.

Now I know that many people might be looking at they computer with grossed out expressions. For how does one learn to love a vegetable that, ahem, makes their pee smell funny?

Well learn to love it my friends, because it so darn good for you and can be used in many ways. Today I will walk you through the basic how-to's, complete with a classic recipe: Barbecued Asparagus.

Preparation:

1. Begin by washing your asparagus like you would most vegetables (a thorough rinse in cold water) to remove any potential pesticides and/or dirt. Then, pat dry with a paper towel.

2. You probably purchased your asparagus from the grocery store where it had been sitting inch deep in water. This keeps it from drying out and wilting, but you should get rid of the ends that rested directly in the water.
To do this, hold the asparagus at the end, and about 3 inches up. Begin to slightly bend the asparagus until it snaps in a spot, probably close to the bottom. This is its natural, fool-proof, assist in making you the best chef ever. You will wow your friends with this trick if they don't cook already. (Otherwise, you might appear a little over excited about breaking asparagus...Not that I've ever experienced that. No sir.)

3. The asparagus is ready for any cooking method you wish to throw at it: steaming, bbq-ing, baking, deep frying, boiling, even microwaving.

Barbecued Lemon Thyme Asparagus:



















(The photo prior to cooking can be seen at the top of this post)

Ingredients:

depending on the size of the asparagus, approx. 5 shoots of asparagus per person (prepared as instrcted above)
a generious drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
a few sprigs of lemon thyme
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Toss already prepared asparagus spears in olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon thyme. Then place on a barbecue safe tray. (I used a disposable tinfoil-ish one that had little tiny holes in it- hence the dark spots on my asparagus, seen above.)

2. Barbecue until the asparagus is softened, and has nice char marks. The lemon thyme will probably fall off during the cooking process, but not to worry, it will still leave a light flavor.

Cous Cous and Lemon Almond Salad

When its summer, sometimes you don't want anything heavy and overly filling. Just a nice, light salad can hit the spot. Particularly when you pair it with a glass of pink lemonade, a nice spot to eat (maybe on a patio or beside a pool), a good book, some really nice sunglasses...I could go on!

The only problem I have with most salads (not including the pasta variety), is that I am really hungry an hour after eating it. Like, did I forget to eat or something? A lack of protein and carbs is typically to blame. I don't run on vegetables alone after all!

This summer salad is host to some lovely fresh vegetables, crunchy almonds, crasins, a refreshing lemon vinaigrette, and my new favourite salad mix-in, cous cous!


Cous cous looks like a small grain, but is in fact a pasta! It is really simple to make, and tastes great in a variety of ways. It is a kind of rice substitue, with a really neat texture, and if that isn't enough, it is really economical! (About 2 dollars a box- which will last you until the turn of the century).



Ingredients:

Cous Cous:
1/2 cup boiling water
Just over 1/4 cup cous cous
lemon pepper seasoning (or you can use salt)

Salad:
a handful of raw almonds
romaine lettuce
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/4 cup crasins (or any other dried fruit you prefer)

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
3/4 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp coarse salt
pinch of freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Add the cous cous and a few shakes of the lemon pepper seasoning to the boiling water. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Fluff cous cous with a fork when the water has absorbed into the pasta.

2. Assmble salad with 1 portion of chopped romaine lettuce, cucumber, almonds, crasins.

3. For the vinaigrette: in a jar or bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, garlic salt, and pepper.

4. Toss salad with dressing and top with cous cous.