Recipe Exchange!

Cinnamon-y goodness ahead!

 To be completely honest, I usually despise forwarded email "games" and chain letters.  If I don't know who my true friends are just by my interaction with them, I sincerely doubt that asking them to send me back a picture of a kitten professing undying friendship will clarify the matter.  Having said that, there are a few that I enjoy (usually when attempting to procrastinate, as I am now).  One of them is the recipe exchange.

This sounded like fantastic fun to me, and came from one of my coworkers.  ALMOST everyone I sent this to, however, declined to participate.  Most excused themselves on the grounds that they don't use recipes.  My dad sent my coworker his recipe for Kraft Dinner (at least she got a laugh!).  Only a few people gave it a go, but I still got a few yummy new ideas.  One, coming via my dear friend Andrea's mom, was for quick cinnamon buns.  Having spent quite a bit of time on some failure-to-rise sticky buns a few months ago, I appreciated this recipe using more of a baking-soda-leavened biscuit dough base:

Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls

From Barb Hoath (not sure of her original source)

Makes 12 buns 

• 2 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• Dash salt
• 1/4 cup cold butter
• 1 cup milk

For Filling:

• 1/3 cup softened butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. "Crumble" butter into the dry ingredients (easier to accomplish with a pastry blender; I had to stick to the two knives technique.  You could try freezing and grating the butter, too)
3. Add milk and mix all ingredients with a fork. 
4. Roll out on a floured counter to a rectangle shape about 12" long by 8" width.
5. Mix softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for filling. Spread this mixture over the dough.
6. Roll up dough from the 12" side and pinch 'seams'. Cut the rolled dough into 12 individual pieces. Place each piece in a greased muffin tin.  Bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes.
7. Optional: glaze with 2 tbsp icing sugar mixed with 1 tbsp milk (I opted out of this; they're great on their own!)

Pre-oven... the dough was a bit sticky, but the end result was worth it!

Somewhat surprisingly, I actually received a number of other recipes.  I have yet to try these, so there are no pictures, but I'm happy to share them with you:

Cream Cheese Brownies

Sent by Sheri Moore, originally from 'Cookies and Brownies' by Alice Medrich

Makes about 16 - 2 inch squares.

Brownie Layer:

• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 4 ounces (115 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (65 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) square baking pan that has been lined with aluminum foil across the bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan.
2. In a stainless steel (heatproof) bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (with a wooden spoon) after each addition. 
3. Stir in the flour and salt and beat, with a wooden spoon, until the batter is smooth and glossy and comes away from the sides of the pan (about one minute). 
4. Remove 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set it aside. Place the remainder of the brownie batter evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
5. Then, in the bowl of your food processor (or with a hand mixer), process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and egg and process just until creamy and smooth. 
6. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the brownie layer. Spoon small dollops of the reserved brownie batter evenly on top of the cream cheese filling. Then with a table knife or wooden skewer, swirl the two batters without fully mixing them.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the edges of the brownies are just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 
8. Refrigerate the brownies until they are firm enough to cut into squares (at least two hours). Once chilled, remove the brownies from the pan by lifting with the ends of the foil and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares. It is a good idea to have a damp cloth nearby to wipe your knife between cuts. 
9. These brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Apple or Rhubarb Cake

From Grandma Mary of the Morris Family

Makes about 9 pieces, judging by how I cut a 9"x9" cake

• ½  cup butter
• 1½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup sour milk or buttermilk (add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk if you don't have buttermilk)
• 2 cups diced rhubarb or apples (blueberries also work well!)

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix as you would any cake; wet ingredients first, then mix in dry ingredients.  
3. Fold in apples or rhubarb and place in buttered 9X9 pan.  
4. Mix ⅓ cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.  Sprinkle on top of cake before baking at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes. 

Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Baguette

From the McCormacks (not sure of original source, but I really want to try this!!)

Makes 1 loaf

• 1 loaf of French bread
• Goat cheese or Feta (enough to spread over the insides of the loaf on both sides)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• Fresh basil leaves ( 1 package should be good)
• Olive oil

1. Split bread lengthwise into two long halves.
2. Cover both sides with cheese and lay basil leaves on top of cheese
3. Thinly slice peppers and cook the in a skillet with olive oil until tender
4. Spread sliced peppers inside the loaf
5. Close loaf and compress; wrap tightly in foil if taking to a party
6. Slice 1 inch pieces with bread knife and serve!

Ed. note: This sounds delicious; when I make it, though, it'll probably be comprised of actual charred roasted peppers, mixed with sautéed onions and garlic in olive oil.  I would also probably pop the foil wrapped loaf in a 350ºF oven for about 20 min. to heat through before slicing.  But that's just me!

So despite my distaste for email "games", I think I really benefited from this one.  It was a bit strange to be getting emails from people I'd never met before, but I think that just lends more evidence to my belief that food is a universal unifier.

Hoping to share another community food event with you before the weekend is out,
-Honeybee

French Onion Soup

In the theme of hearty, winterizing meals, I made some absolutely delicious French onion soup for myself and my coworker Jess before the holidays.  It was nice to have some guests over on a Thursday night to watch Big Bang Theory... why not dinner and a show?  It's nice to have Snickers around, too, to put my cat Chief in her place.

Ready for company... Soup, crudités, and sundried tomato and herb bean dip.  Don't forget the vino!

I really enjoy French onion soup.  It's so simple (and cheap!!) to make, but it has such a depth of flavour from the soft, caramelized onions.  Plus, it presents a PERFECT excuse to use my mandolin!  No way in heck I'd want to slice all those onions so thinly by hand... this just speeds up the process (and reduces the time I spend "crying" over the pot).  If you don't have a mandolin, the recipe would still work with manual knife-slicing... I'd just recommend unearthing some goggles from your old swimming lesson days prior to!!  I think Chef Michael Smith once hinted on his show that contact lenses decrease the teariness... I have yet to test this theory.  I'll let you know.

Mmm... Cheesy... Bread-y... Delicious...

French Onion Soup

Adapted from "Living the G.I. Diet" by Emily Richards and Rick Gallop

Makes 4 servings

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 6 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• 6 cups beef stock (low fat, low sodium)
• 1/2 cup red wine (sometimes I use white... whatever you have on hand)
• 2 Tbsp dry sherry or cognac (in a pinch, I've even used rum...)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 slices crusty French bread or baguette
• 1 cup shredded light-style Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese (for this batch, all I had was cheddar and mozzarella, so I used a blend)

1. In soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Cook onions, garlic, and salt, stirring ften, for about 10 minutes or until they start to brown.  Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until onions are very golden, caramelized, and very soft.  Add flour and stir to coat onions for 1 minute.
2. Add beef stock, wine, sherry, bay leaf and pepper; bring to boil (make sure you scrape up all the lovely bits on the bottom of the pan).  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.
3. Pour soup into desired bowls.  Place bread on top to fit bowls and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in 400ºF oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.  Broil for 30 seconds to brown top.

Looking back, I find it hard to believe that I used to hate onions.  As a kid, I can actually remember claiming that I was allergic to mushrooms and onions so I could avoid eating them (my cousins saw right through my claims... but I thought with all the hoopla surrounding Ni's food allergies, I could squeak by).  I'm not sure when I started to actually like onions, which is why I'll occasionally re-try things I dislike (read: olives, mushrooms, peppers) to see if my tastes have broadened.  I'm just glad they did in this case... I'd hate to miss out on this onion-y goodness.  Though, to be fair, there are still some onion applications I don't like... I can't see myself ever partaking in one of Hubs' cooking-onion-and-yellow-mustard-on-Wonderbread sandwiches.  *Shudders*

Hoping she'll be able to convince Hubs to save the onions for soup instead,
 -Honeybee

Stocking up for the Winter

Just wanted to share a few pics and a recipe from last year.  There’s something about big-batch make-ahead recipes that remind me of winter.  Specifically, it reminds me of woodland creatures hoarding food for the cold months.  But, just because I don’t sport paws and a furry tail, doesn’t mean I can’t take a page out of their book and stock up for cozy nights by the fire.

...clearly, I'm not the only one who feels this way.  Edited slightly from Facebook, but still 100% true... just wanted to protect the identity of my fellow squirrel.  See how lucky I am, to fit in so well with Hubs' family??

I love chili, which is a little strange.  I mean, sure, I love meat, onions, tomatoes, beans and spices… but I also love consistency.  My chili is ALWAYS different from batch to batch, mostly owing to my complete disregard for measuring.  A palmful of cumin here, a squeeze of sriracha there, a few cans of this, that or the other until it all comes together.  It always tastes good, but it’s also unique.  I made a pretty delicious version  back in November, with some for lunches that week and some frozen and saved for future dinners.

Some animals have a cave... I have a freezer.  I should probably make a smoothie out of that banana... it looks lonely.

 Now, I can't give you the recipe for this to a tee, obviously.  But, I'll try to give you a fair estimate.

Honeybee's Lazy Toss-it-in-the-Pot Chili

Hardly unique, but probably not published.  I don't think anyone can take credit.

Makes about 6-8 servings, I'd say.

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• About 1 lb (454g) extra lean ground beef
• 2 bay leaves
• About 1 Tbsp cumin
• About 1 Tbsp chili powder
• About 1 tsp cayenne
• About 1 tsp smoked paprika
• About 1 tsp salt
• About 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 can (19 oz) black beans
• 1 can (19 oz) kidney beans
• 1 can (19 oz) chick peas
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (28 oz) diced or whole tomatoes
• Optional: sometimes, if I have some leftover canned corn, I'll toss that in too.
• Also optional: I like to add about a tablespoon of Sriracha to the chili.  Then again, I like things spicy.  Add at your own risk... and yes, I'm aware that it's not even remotely Mexican.

1.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a very large saucepan/dutch oven.  Saute onions and garlic until softened.  Add ground beef and cook until nicely browned, using a fork or the back of a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces (you don't want big chunks).
2. Add the spices to the meat, stirring well.  Keep frying the meat for just a minute or so more, to toast up the spices a bit.
3. Add all the beans and tomatoes, as well as the Sriracha if you're using it.  Stir well.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes or so.
5. Serve!  It's good either with toast and margarine, or corn chips.  Neither if you're trying to be a bit healthier. 

I also stocked up by making a big pan of veggie lasagna and freezing individual pieces, so that's ready to go as well.  It really helps on nights when I don't feel like cooking anything, or when I don't have time to do anything but microwave before American Sign Language class.   And as the thermometer in Winnipeg drops below -30ºC, I think I'll be welcoming nice hearty chili more and more often!

Snuggling with a mug of tea and some disgruntled cats,
-Honeybee

Veggie Voyage: Orzotto and Vegetable Crumble

I’ve long admired the restraint of the vegetarian set.  In a North American culture so deeply rooted in “meat and potatoes”, I find it amazing that vegetarianism (nevermind veganism!) has survived and flourished.  It’s truly impressive how creative and delicious vegetarian recipes can be.  For whatever reason (Lack of time?  Lack of money?) I’ve found myself cooking more meatless dishes lately.  A few gems stood out in particular, so I thought I’d share.

First up: Orzotto.  No doubt you’ve heard of its rice counterpart, risotto... it seems pretty ubiquitous on restaurant menus at this point (though frequently made by cheating and adding cream… tsk tsk).  You might’ve picked up that I’m a bit of a risotto snob (I prefer the term “purist”, myself).  So, I was incredibly skeptical about this recipe for leek and lemon barley risotto.  First problem?  Barley.  I think my only prior exposure to barley had been beef and barley soup, complete with boiled-to-death vegetables and tinned broth (let me be clear: this was NOT one of dear mom’s offerings).  I was, to say the least, hesitant about inviting this grain into my dish.  It is, however, dirt cheap from the bulk bin, so at least any financial losses would be minimal if the dish tanked.

The dish did not tank.  Instead of laboring over the ladling of stock for the next 45 minutes, I could walk away, fold my laundry, and play with the cats as this super-simple dish bubbled away, perfuming the apartment with its onion and lemony scents.  Finish it off with some more lemon and some pecorino romano, and you’ve got yourself dinner.  To paraphrase Nonna, “I will do again”.

Leek, Lemon and Pea Orzotto

Adapted from "The G.I. Diet Clinic" by Rick Gallop

Makes 4 to 6 servings (main versus side dish)

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped leek (white and light green parts only)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp thyme (fresh if you've got it)
• 1 cup barley
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
• 3 cups vegetable stock (low fat, low sodium) plus 1/2 cup more if needed (you can use chicken stock for a non-veggie option)
• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
• Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook leek, garlic, and thyme, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened.  Stir in barley until well coated.
2. Add wine and stir until absorbed. Add stock and bring to boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally (yay!) for 40 to 45 minutes or until barley is tender.  If necessary, stir in a little more stock or hot water near the end of cooking time to maintain a creamy consistency.  
3. Stir in peas, lemon zest and juice, and Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper.

Step 4: After decorating prettily and taking pictures, scarf down.

 Next up is vegetable crumble.  Most people are acquainted with the dessert variety of crumble, with fruit on the bottom and sweet oatmeal-cinnamon-ish crumbly topping.  This is a much more savory application.  Instead of fruit, you’ve got a fantastic assortment of veg (though admittedly, some of these are technically fruit).  I’ve made this a couple of times, most notably for the vegetarian girlfriend of one of Hubs’ friends. 

Mmm.  Crumbly.

I’ve fiddled with the recipe a bit to suit my tastes.   I think I’ve previously confessed just how terrible an Italian I am: I’m not a fan of peppers, olives, or mushrooms.  I’m also not big on celery.  This dish calls for 75% of my no-thanks veg list.  Not a problem.  In place of the mushrooms, I use Chinese eggplant for its slightly spongy texture but lack of bitterness.  Sometimes, I do actually add pepper, since it softens nicely in the cooking and imparts a nice flavour.  Celery gets ignored entirely.  I can do without its mild licorice taste and impossible to chew fibers.  Grr.

Just look at all that veggie goodness!

Vegetable Crumble

 Adapted from "The G.I. Diet Clinic" by Rick Gallop

Serves 4-6 (again, main vs. side dish sizes)

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup sliced leeks (while and light green parts only)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 Chinese eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes and lightly salted
• 1/2 red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp thyme (again, fresh if you've got it... you know how I kill herbs)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup drained canned plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 cup vegetable stock (low fat, low sodium)
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (freeze-dried for me)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

For topping:

• 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated soft margarine
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup wheat bran
• 3/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds or other nuts
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Cook leeks and onions for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add zucchini, carrot, sweet potato, eggplant, red pepper, and thyme.  Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.  Stir in flour; cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes, stock, milk, parsley, salt and pepper; bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. For the topping, in bowl, combine margarine, flour, and bran.  Using your fingers, rub ingredients together until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in cheese, nuts and sesame seeds.
5. Spoon vegetable mixture into 8-cup shallow baking dish (I used a 9x13 pan).  Sprinkle topping evenly over top.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until topping is crisp and golden and vegetable mixture is bubbling.

I do love that this can be a meal on its own, instead of just a side dish—that really is how I eat it.  The contrast from the nuts and seeds is nice.  I think I’ll make just one further addition- chickpeas- to up the protein in future versions (and keep me sated for longer).  Sure, you could probably add meat to it, but why?  All the vegetables (particularly the sweet potato) sort of come together in a delicious harmony of textures, colours and tastes.

Having been exposed to vegetarianism from a very young age via my dear godparents, I’ve always felt that I’m a little more open to veggie-friendly food.  I personally have failed multiple times at adopting the lifestyle (I think Ni and I lasted three days in our childhood home, putting margarine instead of meat sauce on our pasta).  Also, although Hubs’ consumption of vegetables is somewhat of a running family joke, I don’t think he’d be willing to give up chicken wings, baby back ribs, bacon, and burgers to pursue a plant-only diet with me.  Happily, though, he doesn’t seem to complain if I serve up meatless fare.  He usually just goes, “Hm.  There’s no meat in this.”  Then proceeds to continue shoveling food into his mouth.  Guess he’s got an open mind, too!

Hoping her loving aunt and godmother will share the recipe for her awesome hot artichoke casserole served on Christmas Eve,

 -Honeybee

Scrumptious Schnitzel

I've been trying, both pre-New Year and post, to really take stock of what I eat and reflect on how I could make it healthier.  Regardless, I had a breaded chicken craving that simply needed to be addressed a few weekends ago.  How to accomplish this?  Though I might not be militant when it comes to adhering to a low fat, high fibre diet, I know enough to avoid the dangers of KFC or similar fried chicken outlets.  All I have to do is remember the cloudy, peachy-pink tinged blood plasma of a particularly portly gentleman I met at Canadian Blood Services to know how instantly harmful it can be... seeing pretty much pure lipid coming out of this guy's arm has been enough to ensure that I haven't eaten from there since.

Luckily, I opened my G.I. Diet cookbook and found that yes, you can have fried and breaded chicken and still be healthy about it, by way of their chicken schnitzel.  Now, let's face it... I don't have a German bone in my body.  As such, I don't think I'd ever had a "traditional" schnitzel before, so I have no idea if I was "missing out" by making a G.I.-friendly version.  It featured a higher-fibre breading made from wheat bran, whole wheat breadcrumbs, and omega-3 eggs, not too much oil for frying, and a fresh apricot-and-green-onion based sauce for the top.  Sounded delicious enough, so I busted out my new rolling pin (thanks again, Kimmi!) and bashed away at a helpless boneless skinless cut of chicken to see how things would turn out.

Schnitzel, frying away, with breading station in the background.  Sometimes I wonder if my neighbors can hear me pounding out meat... and if so, what do they imagine is going on in my apartment?

Finished product, with a salad alongside.

You just knew my post wouldn't be complete without a closeup, right?

Chicken Schnitzel

Adapted from "The G.I. Diet Clinic" by Rick Gallop

 

Serves 1 (just me... multiply as necessary for multiple people.  

And you thought math class was a waste of time!)

•  1 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/8 cup whole wheat flour
• Pinch each salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 omega 3 egg
• 1/8 cup wheat bran
• 1 Tbsp wheat germ
• 1 Tbsp dry Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp grated orange zest
• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 cup fresh orange juice*
• 1/8 cup chicken stock (low fat, low sodium)
• 1/8 cup thinly sliced dried apricots
• 1 chopped green onion

1. Using meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap until about 1/4 inch thick.
2. In large, shallow dish or pie plate, combine flour, salt and pepper.  In another plate, whisk eggs.  In third dish or pie plate, combine bran, wheat germ, breadcrumbs, and orange zest
3. Pat chicken dry and dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess.  Dip in egg, letting excess drip off, then dredge in bran mixture, coating completely.
4. In large non-stick frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Fry chicken for 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and just cooked through.  Transfer schnitzel to platter and place in 200ºF oven to keep warm.
5. In same frying pan, combine orange juice, stock, and apricots.  Bring to boil and reduce until slightly thickened and syrupy, about 3 minutes.  Stir in green onion.  Pour sauce over schnitzel.

*One of the paradoxes of the G.I. Diet is that they discourage you from drinking orange juice... yet they include it as an ingredient in various recipes.  I avoid this conundrum by freshly juicing a real orange (you need one anyway for the zest, right??)

Unwritten direction: Do not share with greedy, misbehaving cats.  I like to think she's saying, "Oh, what's that over there, mom?" in an effort to distract me and pilfer my chicken.

Overall, I was pretty pleased with the schnitzel itself... though I wasn't as huge a fan of the apricot/orange/green onion sauce (mostly due to the apricot texture; the flavour was nice).  I might try to adapt the sauce by puréeing... or swap it out entirely for some G.I.-diet friendly tomato sauce (read: no sugar added.  Try to find a jarred pasta sauce without added sugar; it's HARD!).  I could see this atop a modest serving of whole wheat pasta, with a bit of low fat mozzarella sprinkled on top... clearly, the Italian heritage is asserting itself over this twist on classic German fare.  Ah well.  I did really enjoy the healthy "breading", so I could see myself using this to make chicken fingers, too (even if that meant dipping them in the unhealthy-but-delicious Manitoba classic, honey dill sauce).

Looking forward to using my new meat mallet (thanks again, cuz!) to pound my way to more breaded chicken goodness,

-Honeybee