Orange-Ginger-Lime Soup

17 Aug

So comforting on cold days and super easy to make! Ingredients can be added or removed per your tastes. Whatever is in the fridge will work! (If you add mushrooms, though, put them in last. They shrivel up pretty quickly.)

Serves 4.

Ingredients

2 c orange juice
2 c chicken/vegetable stock
2 packages soba noodles
1 red/green/yellow pepper, sliced
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 cabbage, shredded
1/2 onion, sliced
12-16 shrimp, shelled
2 ts soy sauce
1 tb ginger, grated
1 lime
1 tb hot sauce (*less if you don’t like things too spicy)

Directions

1. Bring orange juice and broth to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add grated ginger and vegetables. Cook 2 minutes.
3. Add soy, juice of one lime and hot sauce. Taste and adjust if necessary. If it’s too spicy, add a little more oj.
4. Toss in shrimp and noodles. Cook 3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and slurp away!

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Kick-A** Mexican Pulled Pork

17 Aug

It was a happy day in our house when we busted out the slow cooker for its maiden voyage into the Land of Yummy. I’d made this recipe in a large saucepan in the oven a couple of times before and while it was good, it paled in comparison to the slow cooker method. When you can cook meat that long at that low a temperature, it’s bound to be good. (Note: this recipe is easy but you will need to start it early in the day. It’s an nine-hour process when all is said and done.)

Ingredients

3.5lb pork butt (it’s the shoulder. Please don’t go into the store and ask for pork ass. Actually…do that.)
1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
2tb vegetable oil
2 diced onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 diced jalapeno (keep the seeds if you want more heat)
3tb chili powder
2ts ground coriander
2 bay leaves
2tb cumin
1/3c tomato paste
1 can (14oz) tomatoes
1/2c cilantro
1 minced green onion

Directions

1. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.

2. In a Dutch oven or large sauce pan, heat the oil to medium-high and sear pork on all sides.

3. Remove pork from pan and set aside on a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add onions, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder and cumin. Stir occasionally and look for onions to soften and darken slightly, roughly 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir. After 2 minutes, add the tomatoes and break them up with a spoon. The tomatoes should loosen up the tasty bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Make sure they’re incorporated in this delicious concoction.

3a. Make sure you taste your sauce. If you think it needs a little salt or pepper, add it. Remember, though, that the flavours will intensify over the cooking process so aim for balance.

4. Transfer both the pork and sauce to the slow cooker. Set it to low for four hours. At four hours, turn the pork over and stir the sauce. Reset the timer for another four hours.

5. At the eight hour mark, remove the pork from the slow cooker, set aside in a large bowl and cover.  Let stand for 10 minutes and then shred with two forks. Meanwhile, return the sauce to the pan/Dutch oven and skim off the fat. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 20 minutes in order to thicken. Return the now-shredded pork to the sauce. Sprinkle final product with cilantro and green onion.

6. EAT IT, ALREADY. You’ve been waiting for eight hours and there are probably people with forks who are closing in on you with a hungry look in their eyes.

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Coconut-Crusted Salmon w/ Pineapple Salsa

17 Aug

This was my first foray into making a fish dish. I was nervous a little nervous – no one wants an overcooked fish! – but the recipe turned out to be foolproof. I’ve made it dozens of times since and it never fails to please!

Serves 2.

Ingredients
Fish
2 pieces of skinless, boneless salmon
1 ts salt
1 ts pepper
1/3 c shredded coconut

Salsa
1 c chopped pineapple
2 tb extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/4c chopped cilantro
1 lime
salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375.
2. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the salmon. In a bowl, pour out the coconut and coat the salmon.
3. Line a tray with foil, place the fish on the tray and pop it into the oven for 13 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine the pineapple, cilantro, onion, oil, juice of the lime and salt & pepper in a bowl. Mix and taste – you may feel it needs more salt, pepper or lime juice depending on your preference.
5. Remove the fish from the oven and plate. Top with the salsa and devour!

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Garlic & Herb Cherry Tomatoes

17 Aug

Easy, delicious, flavourful side dish that’s ready in no time! A great side dish that can be whipped up without much effort.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tb parsley, chopped
1 tb basil, chopped
1 tb thyme, chopped
2 tb olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions

1. Chop up your garlic and herbs.
2. Heat the oil to medium in a saute pan big enough to hold all the tomatoes without any overlap.
3. Add in the garlic and cook for roughly 30 seconds, til aromatic.
4. Add in tomatoes and herbs. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to lose their shape and some of the liquid seeps out.
5. Plate, making sure to serve the liquids in the pan, too!

*These tomatoes would be amazing in a pasta dish with some feta or goat cheese.

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Guy Fieri: Ruler of the FN Universe

17 Aug

I cannot stop myself from watching Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. Y’know, that show where a florescent orange man with spiky white hair drives around the States checking out the favourite spots of the locals. Of course you know: if you ever watch anything on the Food Network, the likelihood is that it’s DDD.  The appeal of this show is not limited to foodie-types: everyone can watch it and get a kick out of it. Sometimes the food looks unbelievably tasty, sometimes it looks straight up unbelievable. (Peanut butter on a burger? Um, no thanks.)

Since winning the first season of The Next Food Network Star, Fieri has been on a roll. (And let’s not forget that in addition to the multitudinous shows, he also has two restaurants. He has his own cooking show, DDD, hosts a competition show and appears in various other FN shows as a guest star. (And let’s not forget that in addition to the multitudinous shows, he also has two restaurants.) He’s Rachael Ray without the incessant perkiness. I could – and do – watch this man for hours every week. I watch repeats of DDD and have been known to change dinner plans based on what the episode’s theme. I know people who have done diner tours based on his show and friends who had lived or are living  in the States gleefully report that their favourite spot was featured. (And I become a lovely shade of envious green.)

I envy his job 98% of the time. In turn, I’m also happy it’s not my job to try pig ear or menudo. I don’t share Fieri’s loathing of eggs, but I appreciate that he reacts the way I think I would: with a mix of trepidation and determination. It would appear, though, that the vast majority of the food is just damned delicious.

The show is so pervasive that one chef saw another make an amazing burger and he decided he had to have that on his menu, too. It was interesting moment when Fieri realized that he’d seen this burger before and the second chef fully admitted to swiping the idea from the earlier episode. You know a show’s a hit when that kind of thing happens.

Ultimately, Fieri’s massive success is based on what I’m sure is a carefully cultivated persona. He is a huge presence on screen, but is able to step back and let others shine, too. He is eminently likeable and seemingly self aware. He’s not super perky, nor is he a snark. (Though I have a special place in my heart for snark. I *heart* Anthony Bourdain a whole lot.)

Really…how could you just not dig a dude who looks like this:

Pineapple Rice

17 Aug

Muy delicioso. A nice change to plain rice and is especially good with the Beef & Veggie bowl!

Serves 2.

Ingredients

2c vegetable broth
1 c rice
1 c pineapple, chopped
1 tb ginger, grated
1/4 c cilantro

Directions

1. Cook rice in vegetable broth and ginger.
2. When cooked, add pineapple chunks and cilantro.
3. Stirred til all ingredients are incorporated.
4. Serve!

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Beef & Veggie Bowl

17 Aug

With tons of flavour and lots of healthy, delicious ingredients, you can’t go wrong with this! It’s especially good with the Pineapple Rice.

Serves 2

Ingredients
3tb rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tb soy sauce
1 1/2 tb honey
1/3 lb skirt steak
1/4 lb green beans
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1/4 red cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 c cooked rice

Directions

1. Preheat your broiler.
2. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, soy and honey. Brush the beef with 1/2tb of the sauce and broil roughly 10 minutes.
3. Arrange the vegetables on a tray and toss with 1 1/2 tb sauce and broil, stirring at the 5 minute mark.
4. Let the beef rest for 10 minutes.  In the meantime, transfer rice and vegetables into 2 bowls. Slice the beef, add to the bowls and drizzle with the remainder of the sauce.

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Asian Pasta

17 Aug

We call this “peanut butter pasta” at home, but that can sound kind of unappealing. My mother-in-law made this a while back and I absolutely dug it. It covers a wide range of flavours – salty, sweet, hot – and is very versatile.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

12 oz spaghetti (or however much you think you need! Some peeps are hungry, okay?)
1/2 green/red/yellow pepper, julienned
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 cabbage (Napa or red. Depends on your preference)
1/2 onion, julienned
1/2 c peanut butter
1/4 c soy sauce
2 tb sesame oil
2 tb cider vinegar
1 tb hot sauce
2 tb olive oil
1 ts salt
1 ts pepper
2 tb sesame seeds (toasted if you have time)
1 scallion, chopped

Directions

1. Set a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Slice (julienne) all the vegetables. (Note: you can really put in any veg you like. It all works!)
3. Whisk together the peanut butter, soy, sesame oil, vinegar and hot sauce. Taste it! You might want to add more of one ingredient depending on your personal preference.
4. The pasta should take 6-8 minutes to cook. Add salt to the pasta water, followed by the spaghetti.
5. Heat the oil in a medium pan to medium heat. Add vegetables, then salt and pepper.
6. Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of the cooking liquid. Add the vegetables and sauce to the pasta. Combine all the ingredients and add some of the reserved water if the sauce is too thick.
7. Plate the dish and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and scallion.

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Stupendously Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

16 Aug

Full credit to the people at Kraft Peanut Butter – this is straight off the jar. If you have kids or are a new baker, this recipe is a great gateway to baking all sorts of other goodies.

Makes 14-20, depending on how big you like your cookies!  

Ingredients

1 c smooth peanut butter
1/2 c sugar
1 egg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325.
2. In a bowl, mix all three ingredients til smooth.
3. Roll into balls and place 3 inches apart on baking sheet.
4. Press flat with a fork.
5. Bake 13-17 minutes. When you can smell them, they’re done. Let sit for 5 minutes then inhale.

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Mango, Cranberry Pecan Salad w/ Honey Mustard Dressing

16 Aug

Honestly,  the best and most crowd-pleasing salad I have  made. Borrowed from the Bite Me cookbook, which I can’t recommend highly enough!! Please note that the recipe calls for 4 cups of pecans; however, the salad does not actually need that much. Save the leftovers for a ridiculously addictive snack.

Serves 6.

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Ingredients

Toasted Pecans
4c pecan halves
1 large egg white
1 tb water
1 c sugar
1 ts cinnamon
1 ts salt

Dressing
1/4 c canola oil
1/4 c seed mustard
1/4 c honey mustard
1/4 c honey
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
2 tb orange juice
1 – 2 ts salt

Salad
10 c romaine lettuce or mixed greens
2 mangoes, diced
1/2 c  dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 250F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray.
2. In a bowl, whisk the egg white and water until bubbles form. In a larger bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, salt and pecans. Add this mix to the egg white and water, coating all the pecans thoroughly. Spread the pecans in a single layer on the sheet and bake for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, peel and dice your juicy, juicy mangoes and toss with the cranberries and lettuce.
4. Mix the ingredients for the dressing together.
5. Add roughly half of the pecans to the salad, along with the dressing. Proceed to snarfle it down…and you will.

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