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

Going to the chapel...

I've been meaning to write a bit about Kimmi and Seanno's wedding, which went down on October 16th as part of the Weeks of Insanity.  It was most definitely the high point of that busy time!  It's been put off  as I've been finding myself blogging less, simply because I've actually been going out and doing things... apparently, I seem to have gotten a bit of a life here in the 'Peg!  Regardless, the writing bug is still festering... and I can only watch so many episodes of anime before a serious sushi craving kicks in.  Maybe I should attempt a bento box at some point in the future...

Sorry.  Way off track there.  Let's talk about my most favourite newlyweds.

And here they are, the new Mrs. Kimmi and Mr. Seanno!

  Kimmi and I have a lot of interests in common, a love of good food among them.  So, I've known for some time that her wedding celebration would feature delectable edibles.  In a way, though, I feel like a terrible friend... due to my desire to document said food, and a significant intake of wine, I think I took more pictures of plates than of people.  Ah well, that's what the professional photographer is for, right?  On with the show!

At the rehearsal dinner, which was held at Aroma, a Portuguese restaurant just a few blocks from my old apartment.  This was some delicious chicken, with a hint of the piri piri pepper that seems so central to Portuguese cooking.

The rehearsal dinner was absolutely fantastic-- wonderful people, lovely entertainment in the form of a live singer, and delicious food.  In addition to the above chicken, bitoque was also on the menu... a fried steak topped with a fried egg, and french fries.  Mmm.  Hubs, being the consummate red-meat carnivore, opted for that... I got to taste a bit, and it was to die for.  We got to start off with caldo verde, as well, which was a delicious potato, kale and chourico soup.  Hubs really enjoyed that as well, so Kimmi's mom offered to share the family recipe.  To finish off, in keeping with wanting to save the best for last, we got a Portuguese custard tart.

Image from this cookbook website, which incidentally boasts a simple recipe for these beauties.  I may be tempted into another Portuguese baked-goods DIY project here...

Let me talk to you about these tarts for a minute.  If you don't like custard, fine... just skip this paragraph.  But these things are, simply, amazing.  They're about the size of a standard buttertart, but much better, in my opinion.  Instead of a dense shortbread-like crust, the shells are a bit flaker.  Not as flaky as phyllo, but closer to that idea... according to the above link, puff pastry is used.  The filling is a fantastic, not TOO sweet, firm yellow custard.  What really does it for me is that the tops are caramelized, almost brûléd, which adds a great depth of flavour.  This isn't just some sickly sweet pastry... it's an art form.  We had a huge platter of these at Kim's sister's baby shower, and I'm ashamed to admit that I ate about three of them.  They're just so worth it.

Next up, the food on The Big Day!

Sweet potato soup, with the delicious white wine, my bridesmaid flowers, and a DJ in the background.  I'd never had a soup made with sweet potato before, but it was fantastic... and very much in keeping with the sunset-hued fall colour scheme of the wedding.  The only downside?  We ladies all stuck our napkins in our necklines to prevent drops of this scrumptious concoction from splashing on our fancy dresses.  I'm considering trying out this recipe to see if I can recreate the experience, since I doubt that The Delta London Armouries is willing to give out theirs.

Main course!  Chicken breast with a roasted red pepper sauce, combined with a well-prepared medium/medium rare beef tenderloin au jus.  Parisienne potatoes and steamed veggies went alongside.  DELICIOUS, and very filling... good thing we relaxed for a bit listening to speeches before the dancing began!  As a testament to how thoughtful and considerate Kimmi is, she'd specially arranged for Hubs to receive two pieces of beef to accomodate his poultry prejudice.  What a sweet bride!

Dessert #1.  Fresh strawberries atop chocolate and vanilla mousse, held in a caramelized sugar tuille of sorts, which was cemented to the plate with dark chocolate.  Oh, my.  Yes, please, and thank you.

Dessert #2.  Much later in the evening, we enjoyed the delicious pétit fours created by Seanno's talented cousin.  This was an excellent way to soak up some of the inebriation we were experiencing (as evidenced by my flushed face and the many glasses on the table... these belonged mostly to Hubs, I swear).  A toast to the happy couple!!

As the holiday season approaches, I can't help but reflect on how central food and drink is to celebrations and family gatherings.  Sometimes (not at this occasion, but at certain other, completely overdone Italian weddings), I can't help but groan at the lavish overabundance of food... but really, aren't we just carrying on the medieval tradition of feasts?  Sure, we might not dine on whole roast animals so much anymore (though still popular, if the success of Danny's Whole Hog is any indication...), or take our used bread trenchers and toss them out back for the poor to scavenge, or binge and purge like the Romans... but the overall celebratory feeling is still there.  Everyone, gather round, sit, eat, talk, drink, and revel in the pleasure of good food and good company.

Looking forward to the continuation of feasting as we get closer to Christmas,
-Honeybee

What do aunts and cows have in common?

Whatever terrible, offensive thing you're thinking, you've got it all wrong!  In my experience, aunts and cows both have the makings for delicious chip dips.  In the case of my relatives, though, it's more culinary knowledge than raw ingredients that they bring to the table...  I feel as though I might be digging myself into a hole here.  Maybe I should just get to the stories and recipes.

For Halloween a few weeks ago, I was asked to bring a suitably-themed appetizer to my coworker/friend's party.  So, I whipped out my dear Aunt Lois' recipe for tortilla dip.  It's a lovely orange colour, and I thought it would be appropriately festive with blue-black corn chips.  Mmm. 

I first tasted this over a decade ago.  Aunt Lois would always have the most wonderful parties at her beachfront house, with some very tasty treats-- this was one of them.  Being the ever-gracious hostess, she shared the recipe with me and my sisters, and I still have it to this day.  It's a great one to throw together for a game night, potluck, etc.  I love to put it in my fondue pot and keep it warm with the little candle flame... the temperature makes all the difference!

Didn't have time to present this nicely... just whipped it out of the microwave and snapped a few shots.  Forgive me!

Aunt Lois' Tortilla Dip

No clue what her original source was... and I hope she doesn't mind me sharing!

Makes enough to accompany a large bag of tortilla chips

• 1/2 package cream cheese
• 1/2 regular-sized jar of Cheez Whiz
• 1/2 regular-sized jar of salsa (you can shake things up here and use spicy if you like; I kept it medium since I was making this for a large crowd)
• 1/2 regular-sized jar of queso cheese dip (for example, Tostitos brand)

1. Cut up cream cheese into cubes.
2. Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl
3. Microwave on high for about ten minutes, stopping to stir every 2 1/2 minutes or so, until all the ingredients have melted together are smoothly and fully incorporated.
4. Serve with tortilla chips; keep warm in a fondue pot if you desire (it really is best warm!)

To give you an idea of scale... this is my second-largest mixing bowl.  It barely fits in my microwave.  I made a double-batch of this dip, not wanting its constituents (*coughcheezwhizcough*) to be lurking in my apartment, waiting for me to do all sorts of terrible fattening things with them (like pouring melted cheese-like edible oil product over cooked pasta... mmm...) Ahem.  Sorry.  As it turned out, much of the leftovers went to Sherri, who doled out containers to those who enjoyed it.

On to aunt #2, my fantastic Aunt Lisa.  Being only about 15 years older than me, I've always thought of Lisa as more of a big sister than an aunt.  She would do my nails, let me put on her lipstick, let me watch as she and my Uncle Peter played Nintendo games (now I'm really dating myself here...).  She was (and continues to be) a fabulous baker, cook, and hostess.  Even now, she still makes me a special birthday cake every year to help distinguish my special day from Christmas.  It's so incredibly sweet of her.

Among her many amazing dinner party exploits, every year Lisa and her husband Dave host a Boxing Day feast at their home.  It's characterized by great wine, family, good conversation, fabulous appetizers, tempting holiday pastries for dessert, and... wait for it... some of the best Windsor-style pizza for an entree.  After all the work of the holidays, it's nice to kick back and not have to cook the main dish!  I look forward to this day every year, for all the reasons above... and also for Lisa's dill and green onion chip dip.  I could eat this, and only this, the entire day if I were allowed to (somehow I think my mother would frown upon this).  I wanted to make some for a welcome party I hosted for Hubs when he came to visit in July, so I called up Lisa via Skype and she kindly gave me the recipe.  Hubs absolutely loves it.  I made it again recently for my American Sign Language 101 class this past weekend, since I was hosting a study group.  It was (unsurprisingly) well received... Hubs even requested that I email some to him!  If only technology had come so far...

Aunt Lisa's Chip Dip

Again, original source unknown

Makes enough for a jumbo bag of Ruffles plain ridged chips, which I recommend as a vehicle for this dairy-based deliciousness.

• 1 package cream cheese, at room temperature (I use light, it works just fine too)
• 1 small tub of sour cream (again, light is okay here)
• About 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill (don't ignore me and use dried, you'll regret it!)
• Three green onions, chopped
• About 1/2 tsp of salt, to taste

1. Using a mixer with beater attachments, blend together the salt, cream cheese, and sour cream until fully incorporated and smooth.
2. Stir in the dill and onion.  Check for seasoning; add more salt/dill/onion, as you like.
3. For best flavour, chill and let the flavours meld for at least a couple of hours (I chilled mine overnight).  Serve with plain ruffle chips.

Suggested serving!!

It's entries like this that make me miss my family.  I know I'll be seeing Lisa at Christmas, but since moving to Ottawa, I haven't seen Aunt Lois in some time (except for when I Skyped into my family reunion!)  I'm just looking forward to the impending nuptials (the planning for which has been keeping me quite busy) to bring everyone together.

Using my current illness as an excuse to eat chips and dip (it's comfort food!!),
-Honeybee

God Bless America!

Ed. note: Alright, folks, I feel as though I've been failing you all here a bit.  After the Weeks of Insanity died down at the end of October, I guess I never fully bounced back.  As it is, it's the middle of the day, and I'm dozing at home due to some sort of stomach/flu/throat soreness bug that I can't seem to shake.  I'm all "sleeped-out" for the moment, so why not regale you with tales of some of the delicious food I've been eating?  Here goes...

As many of you know, I did my Masters degree training in Detroit, which isn't that uncommon for a lot of Canadian students.  Crossing the border every day to get to school (and being subjected to the whims of the U.S, Border Patrol) was a bit of a drag, but it meant that I had daily access to things that Canada (as wonderful as it is) couldn't offer me.  Things like Cherry Coke, Chipotle, Panera Bread, Target, and a "local" Ikea... fantastic.

I seriously pine for this stuff... particularly the "Zero" version.

Back in October, before the Weeks of Insanity, I took a trip down to Lincoln, Nebraska to visit one of my former classmates (who became a dear friend), Steph.  She and I are very much in the same boat: we moved away from our friends and family to a city where we didn't know a soul, all for the sake of being a practicing clinical genetic counsellor.  Hooray for work experience!

It should come as absolutely no surprise that food played a prominent part in our weekend.  Let's start with IHOP, as we did for breakfast (brunch?) several hours after my 3 am arrival.  I am a HUGE fan of the International House Of Pancakes (or potatoes, if you ask Kiks...),  even if they fall a little bit short of good international representation.  Given that it was Thanksgiving weekend, I opted to try their special pumpkin spice pancakes.  These were fantastic... pretty much the best combination of pumpkin pie flavour and moist pancake texture that a girl could ask for.  Top it with butter pecan syrup, and you've got yourself a meal!

And here they ar--uh, oops.  Sorry.  Must've devoured the pancakes before I could get a picture.  The advert on the table will just have to do!

For dinner that evening, we went to a local brewpub chain called Lazlo's.  It had a bit of a Chili's/TGIFriday's kind of feel to it... standard American food fare (not that I'm complaining... I mean, who DOESN'T need cornbread AND fries as side dishes?).  I had a major red meat craving, so I went for a burger.  I was NOT disappointed.  It was juicy, well-cooked, and came with tons of deliciously drippy toppings.  This suits me perfectly.  And the crinkle-cut fries were perfection!  It was a bit finer of a crinkle than I'm used to, which increased the critical surface-area-to-volume ratio (I can hear my old physics teacher cheering), coated in cracked black pepper and sea salt.  Yummy!!

FANTASTIC.  Definitely beat the cow craving right out of me.

Steph, enjoying some barbecue pork roast, fries, and cornbread.  That counts as two vegetable sides, right?!  Potatoes and corn? Ah well, when in Rome...

Your very own Honeybee, tucking in to the burger deliciousness.

After our filling dinner, we headed to downtown Lincoln to see the sights.  There was a huge railway display, and some funky sculptures and so on.  One thing in particular did stand out to me:

NEBRASKA wine sampling?!  Nebraska makes wine...???!

I'm a firm believer in the saying: "You learn something new every day."  Based on my drive into Lincoln, I was already overwhelmingly aware of how much Nebraskans love their corn (more to come on that below...), but wine grapes?!  When I really stopped to think about it, though, Nebraska is approximately on the same latitude as northern California and southwestern Ontario... so it seems less ridiculous now that they could produce wine.

The little giftshop/wine store displaying this sign was staffed by a charming, witty guy.  I have to admit, the wine we tasted was pretty delicious!!  The whites tended towards the sweet end of the spectrum, which was great for me.  I very nearly bought a bottle of white wine in a bright red glass bottle, for the sheer novelty of it... but I'd already used up my booze importing limit at Target.  Seriously, though, when your favourite Barefoot Pinot Grigio is only $5.50 a bottle, how do you NOT buy one??

In addition to wine, this gift shop was practically blanketed in the red and white of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.  It was EVERYWHERE we went.  And, akin to the cheese hat worn by Green Bay Packers fans, the "Huskers" fans have been known to sport this extremely corny (heh, heh) headgear at games.  It's mortifying, really, but I posed for this pic at my dad's request.  Hope he's happy.

Steph and me, decked out in Husker gear.  We couldn't help poking fun at the families we'd see walking around, all dressed in Huskers gear (and it wasn't even a game day!!)  Sadly, this was not at the aforementioned gift shop... the local J.C. Penney actually had all of this gear in a special section.  I bought a shirt for the sheer hilarity of having "Cornhuskers" written across my chest.  And those N-bedecked women's jean capris?  Designed by Alyssa Milano!  Who knew...

Ahem.  Sorry.  I think I'm done insulting the locals for their obsession with football.  Back to food!!

One of the things that Steph introduced me and my classmates to while in the U.S. was Chipotle Mexican Grill.  I understand that there are a few of these fabulous burrito chains located in Toronto now, but they certainly haven't made their way to Winnipeg as yet.  These things are, to put it simply, AMAZING.  I fell in love with them in Chicago, and most definitely smuggled a few of them back to Windsor for quick dinners with Hubs.  I shall let the pictures speak for me:

And so it begins, with a mystically foil-wrapped package of goodness.  This weighs, no joke, probably around three pounds.

Cross-section.  Allow me to orient you, from top to bottom: fluffy cilantro lime rice, vegetarian black beans, Monterey Jack cheese, mild tomato salsa, spicy chili salsa, guacamole, lettuce, and barely peeking in (though I assure you there was plenty of it), barbacoa beef filling.  I made barbacoa once, to try to recreate this deliciousness... it's basically beef stewed in chipotle pepper adobo sauce.  I cannot even accurately describe the flavour to you... it's just a huge party in your mouth, all surrounded by a warm flour tortilla.

As the wise and gastronomically inclined Professor Albus Dumbledore once said: "TUCK IN."  Eating these are a challenge, though I pride myself in having successfully eaten these behemoth burritos while driving.  TWICE.

Steph opted for the healthier and tidier option: you can have all your burrito fillings, minus the tortilla, as a salad instead.

I love that Chipotle is all about fresh, naturally raised ingredients.  They're also pretty funky, for a fast-food chain.  Check out the soliloquy on chips that one patron sent them... they put it on their cups!  Cool!  Added note: I love that Dr. Pepper is so easy to find in restaurant soda fountains in the States.

We left Chipotle, my inner burrito-craving beast sated (for now).  After more sightseeing, shopping, and enjoying the University of Nebraska at Lincoln's dairy program's ice cream (yummy!), it was time for me to say goodbye and start my drive back to Winnipeg.  I wasn't about to leave the States, though, without a couple more special treats...

Panera Bread, known to us GC students for its fantastic sandwiches, bagels, baked goods... and yes, breads.  This is a pretty big chain of stores, too... and they make some top-notch nosh.  We used to get their sandwiches as a free lunch once a month for cancer genetics educational presentations... mmm.

My sierra turkey sandwich, on asiago focaccia, with some sort of delicious aioli.  It WAS Thanksgiving Monday in Canada, after all... I had to have SOME of the bird to celebrate.

In Grand Forks, North Dakota, I stopped for dinner... and enjoyed a U.S.-only sandwich from the golden arches: the Southern Fried Chicken sandwich.  It's a different chicken patty than they use on their typical chicken sandwich... this one is thicker, juicier, and in my opinion, less processed.  Topped with a few pickle slices on a slightly sweet steamed bun, this thing is delightful...

...especially when paired with McDonald's fresh-brewed Sweet Tea.  This is NOT the same as the lame Nestea that Canadian McD's have.  This is The Real Deal.  It's things like this that make me wonder if I was a Southern Belle in a previous life...

So there you have it.  A successful weekend in the U.S. of A, visiting a dear friend and pigging out on all the unique and delicious foods that I've missed.  I have heard rumours that Winnipeg will be getting an Ikea and a Target in the relatively near future... is it too much to hope that some of these American gems will follow?

Unashamedly proclaiming her admiration for the red, white, and blue,
-Honeybee