Recipe - Mozzarella and Tomato Appetizer

My mom and I have made this recipe a number of times. It originally came from Everyday Food and it's called an "Instant Party".  It is very tasty and simple to make.

Marinated Bocconcini

1 pint (about 2 cups) of mini bocconcini (bite sized fresh mozzarella)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cups chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper

Drain bocconcini, add olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.  Stir in the fresh basil.

Crostini (this is optional, you can serve this on crackers or untoasted bread)

1 baguette, sliced

olive oil

salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place slices of baguette on cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.  Place in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes until lightly toasted.  Set aside.

Roasted Tomatoes

1 pint grape tomatoes

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 garlic clove, smashed

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (or keep the oven on from when you did the crostini).  Spread tomatoes, thyme, and garlic on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil.  Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.  Roast for about 8 minutes or until the skins on the tomatoes have split.   Serve with the mozzarella and the crostini.  The mozzarella and the tomatoes should be served in separate bowls, with everyone heaping their own onto the crostini.

(Caution: when you roast the tomatoes, chances are there will be smoke and if you have a sensitive smoke detector, it will go off.  I speak from experience. So turn on your oven fan on high when you put the tomatoes in the oven.)

Recipe - Baked Ziti

We were slow to watch The Sopranos and only watched the series a couple of years ago.  Aside from my love of the characters, I was also inspired to make baked ziti, just like Carmela.  I found this recipe a few years ago and have made it a few times. 

2 lbs of ground meat (I use beef and pork; I have also used sausage meat (removed from the casings))

1  24 oz jar of pasta sauce

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced (You could probably add more, this is an Italian dish after all)

1 tsp oregano

1 lb box of ziti (which I actually cannot find at the grocery store so I used whole wheat penne)

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 cups shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper





Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown the meat in a skillet until cooked through. Add onion, garlic and oregano and sauté for 5 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add the pasta sauce and mix together.  Set aside.

Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions.

Combine ricotta cheese and egg together.

Drain pasta, put back into pot, add meat sauce and cheese mixture.  Stir until well mixed.

Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish and pour ziti mixture into the dish.  Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.



Cover with foil and bake for 40  minutes.  Remove foil and cook for another 10 minutes.  You may want to briefly use the broiler at the end so the cheese browns and bubbles. 

This makes a lot, but it is good for leftovers and to freeze.

Channel your inner Carmela and make this!

Salads

I have been making a few different salads lately when we have had guests for dinner.  It's a great way to round out a full supper, or to serve as a lunch.  I like being able to make food ahead of time so I'm spending less time in the kitchen after our guests have arrived.   I wanted to share some of these salad recipes that have been a hit around here.

Just a side note, it is so easy to make your own salad dressing, once you realize this, it will be hard to go back to the bottled dressings from the store.

Asparagus Pasta Salad
This is going to quickly become a staple at our house.  The asparagus is so nice and fresh for the summer, it is perfect for a side dish for a BBQ or to bring to a potluck.

8 oz ditalini pasta (about half the box, you could use other pasta shapes but this one matches the asparagus)
12 oz fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
10 oz bacon, fully cooked and cut into bits
7 oz feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup green onion
1 tbsp lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup Homemade Ranch Dressing (seriously, don't bother with the bottled ranch, it will not be as good as this homemade recipe, see below)

Cook pasta al dente according to package directions.  Drain.  Put pasta in a large bowl, toss with lemon juice and olive oil. Let cool.

Add asparagus pieces to a pot of boiling water. Blanch for 2 to 3 minutes until brightly coloured.  Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water.  This stops them from cooking more.  You just want them to be slightly soft but still crisp and definitely not mushy.  Let cool and then add to pasta in bowl.

Add bacon, cheese, green onions.   Stir.  Add the dressing (as much or as little as you like), and some salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup light buttermilk (they sell 1% here)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tbsp plain yoghurt

3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp fresh chives or ends of green onion, chopped

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a jar or other container with tight lid, shake until combined.  This will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

Green Salad with Figs, Walnuts and Chèvre

Mixed Salad Greens (you can just eyeball this, it is about one handful per person.  The rest of the ingredients can easily be modified depending on the size of your group)

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dried figs, cut into strips

1/3 cup crumbed goat cheese (chèvre)

Dressing

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp whole-grain dijon mustard

2 tsp honey

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (about half of a large orange)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh black pepper

Place walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat and toast for a few minutes until they begin to brown and become fragrant.  Stay close, these can take a turn very quickly and you'll burn them.  Remove from heat and pour into a small dish to cool.

Add salad greens to a large bowl.  Top with cooled walnuts, figs, and crumbed goat cheese.  

In a separate dish, mix together vinegar, mustard and honey.  Whisk in oil, then orange juice, salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  

Toss the salad in about 1/2 to 3/4 of the dressing.  Serve remaining dressing on the side if necessary.

Sweet Potato Salad

I am not a huge fan of regular potato salad, but this recipe takes it to the next level.  The salad is pictured below in the bottom bowl.  A great way to add flavour and colour to your plate.  This recipe is originally from Michael Smith's cookbook Back to Basics.  

2 to 3 sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into cubes

2 tbsp olive oil

2 green onions, chopped

2 ribs of celery, diced

Handful of fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Dressing

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp salt

a few splashes of your favourite hot sauce (I use chili pepper paste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; turn on convection fan if you have one. 

Toss cubed sweet potatoes in olive oil in a festive salad bowl.  Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast potatoes until they are golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes.  Don't over-roast them or they will get mushy.

Wipe out the salad bowl with a paper towel, then add vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, honey, salt and hot sauce. Whisk dressing until smooth.  Toss in green onions celery, parsley, pecans and cranberries. Add the potatoes (no need to cool them, but if you have a few minutes, do let them cool a bit), and give the whole bowl a thorough toss. 

I've got a few more salad recipes I will share throughout the summer. 

Party Food

Oops!! 100 Posts was actually today.  I had two old draft posts that I hadn't published that were contributing to the total count.   Sorry about that, but milestone reached just the same! 

I wanted to share some recipes from our party last weekend.  Not that anyone was begging me for recipes at our party, but they were all very easy, so I thought I would share.

First of all, go to M and M Meats and buy the Oriental Pack; it is a crowd pleaser!  Sausage rolls are also a favourite, but the Oriental Pack was miles ahead.

Oat Cakes and Shrimp Butter

Shrimp Butter

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp butter, softened

4 tbsp mayonnaise

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp minced onion

dash of salt

1 small can of shrimp (or about 5-10 larger cooked shrimp, chopped into small pieces)

 

Blend together all ingredients except shrimp.  Stir in shrimp.

 

Oat Cakes

3 cups quick oats

3 cups white pastry flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups lard

ice water

 

Combine dry ingredients. Work lard into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly.  Add ice water, a little at a time, until of a consistency that can be rolled out.  Divided dough into three pieces.

Roll out each piece on floured board so it is thin. Cut into rounds.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. 

(Oat cakes also go with cream cheese and red pepper jelly, or a piece of cheese, or by themselves).

 

Vegetable Dip

 

 

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (not light, not Miracle Whip)

1 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp curry powder

Dash tobacco

Dash salt and pepper

 

Combine all and serve with vegetables.  It's so easy to make your own dip.

 

Sugar Cookies

 

 

 

3/4 cups butter, softened

3/4 cups white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups white flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp salt

 

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat together.

Mix remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir into butter mixture. 

Roll out into 1/8 inch on lightly floured surface.  Cut into shapes.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.

 

I usually decorate them with icing and sprinkles but this time I left them plain.  They are still tasty on their own.



 

Recipe - Chili and Tea Biscuits

I made this meal on the weekend, it is a favourite of ours during the winter.  The recipe for chili is my mother's, but I think she originally found it in the Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook (correct me if I'm wrong, Mom).  The tea biscuits are from my Nana.  I'm sure she had many recipes for biscuits over the years but this was the one she made the most often in later years. 

Chili Con Carne (I doubled the recipe and made it in the slow cooker so I'd have plenty left over)

3 medium onions, chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
1 (28oz) can tomatoes, diced or whole
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1-2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
1 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
2 bay leaves (if you have them, I didn't)
1/4 cup cold water
2 (14 oz) can kidney beans, undrained
1 cup corn

Saute onions in a bit of oil until softened then add the beef and brown it.  Add tomatoes and tomato paste.  If using whole canned tomatoes, break them up with your spoon. 

Mix all spices in the water in a small bowl or measuring cup to make a sort of paste. 

Add to meat mixture.  Cover tightly and simmer 1 hour stirring occasionally.  Add beans and corn, simmer for another 15 minutes.

If you're using the slow cooker, after the onions and meat are cooked, add all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Tea Biscuits (Some people are afraid of making their own biscuits and often just buy them or use Pillsbury.  Try it, it is easier than you think and so worth the little extra effort!)

3 cups all purpose flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
2 cups plain yoghurt (the original recipe calls for sour cream, but the yoghurt makes them much healthier)

Mix together dry ingredients and cut in shortening.

This picture is from another recipe, but I wanted to show you this utensil again.  It is perfect for cutting butter or shortening into flour for dough and pastry

Beat together egg and yoghurt and stir into dry ingredients.  If you want to add cheese, like I did, now is the time.  I added about 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

The dough will be sticky, but use a scraper to turn it out onto a board to knead it with some extra flour and it will come together.   Knead 10-15 times.

Cut into pieces about 3"x3". Place on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees F. 

This meal is so cozy on a cold fall or winter day.  E loves chili.  I found this picture from two years ago, I think the first time he tried it.

An answer to the age old question of spoon or fork?  Hands!

Recipe - Salted Caramel Brownies

Fall marks the return of not only the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks, but also the Salted Caramel Latte, my personal favourite.  This is the brownie version, very decadent, but worth making. I have made these brownies a few times for potlucks and dinner parties and they get a lot of compliments.

The original recipe calls for brownies from scratch but I have made it easier by using a boxed mix.

Helping himself to some pretzels

Salted Caramel Brownies

1 cup crushed pretzels (I used my food processor)
1/2 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup melted butter
1 boxed brownie mix, made according to its instructions (I used Duncan Hines Chocolate Decadence)
Caramel sauce
Fleur de sel

 

Mix together the pretzels, flour, brown sugar and baking soda.  Pour in the melted butter and stir until combined and crumbly.  Press into a greased 8x8 pan. 

Pour prepared brownies over pretzel crust. Spread around to cover all corners.

Bake according to brownie mix directions.  In my case it was 45 minutes at 325 degrees and they were done when a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the side comes out clean.  My first instinct was that it had to be cooked all the way through but it is okay if the middle is a little fudgy. 

Once cooled, drizzle the caramel sauce over top.  Sprinkle with fleur de sel.  This is a key ingredient, since regular salt will just dissolve into the caramel.  The fleur de sel sort of stays solid.  It can be expensive if you can even find it in your local grocery store, but a little goes a long way and can be used in a variety of dishes.

 

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While I was making these, E was "cooking" supper.  This is Cuddly Pal, a lemon, and an elastic stretching band in the pan in the drawer.  They were soon accompanied by an airplane and a pair of (clean) underwear. 

Apple Cupcakes

E's day care is having an end of summer party today, and some of his friends are going to be "graduating" from preschool.  They usually order pizza but most of the parents bring something too.  I signed up to bring apple cupcakes.  I saw the recipe here: Momfessionals. Andrea said they were great for back to school and getting into the fall spirit.  I agree.

Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup butter, softened 
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
4 eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 cups apple sauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves

 

1) Preheat oven to 350 and line mini muffin tin with cupcake liners.  A good job for a little helper!

2) Cream together the sugars and butter.

 

3) Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

4) Add applesauce.

5) Add dry ingredients (mix just until combined).

6) Place 1 tbsp of batter into each liner

7) Bake for about 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

8) Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Then make the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting.
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 brown sugar, packed
2 tsp vanilla (I only have vanilla bean paste,  it added those nice specks to the frosting)
4 cups powdered sugar

1) Beat together butter and cream cheese
2) Add sugar, vanilla, powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.
3) Pipe onto tops of cooled cupcakes.  I used a Ziploc bag with a hole cut in the corner.  For years I have been looking for a fancy piping bag with the correct attachment for frosting cupcakes, who knew a plastic bag and scissors would be all you'd need?!

I made mini ones too so they would be easier for the kids to eat.

They turned out pretty well. Let's hope the kids enjoy them! 

Taco Salad

I love Mexican food, and one of my favourite things to make is taco salad.  I have made it for potlucks and for my bag lunch to take to work.  It is something that you can easily make and one that you can add or subtract whatever you want to make it your own.  Here is my version:



Taco Salad



1 lb ground beef, cooked and crumbled
2 cups corn (frozen or canned)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 bell pepper, any colour, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped (or 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved)
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
250 mL sour cream (or less depending on preferred consistency)
500 mL salsa (or less depending on preferred consistency) (get the fresh stuff in the deli section, not the bottled Old El Paso style stuff)
Tortilla chips or Doritos, broken into small pieces

 

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and serve.  Optional, serve sour cream and salsa on the side for people to add their own.  Makes enough for a large crowd, or for a small crowd with lots of leftovers.

 

Will keep covered in the fridge for a couple of days. Because you're using prepared salsa, it is not necessary to add taco-style spices to the meat, but you can.  Another option is to omit the beef, use shredded chicken breast, or nothing at all for a vegetarian option.  This is very kid friendly too, and they can help dump everything in and mix it. 



E wanted to take a picture of his plate too, and this is what he took: