Summer Quinoa Salad

I love this salad so much. I can never make enough of it. Then again old Quinoa ins’t that great. So maybe it’s best to make smaller quantities that you easily eat. Its up to you. Though this recipe will feed 2-4.

Ingredients

-1 cup Quinoa

-half a container cherry tomatoes

-1 red pepper

-1 bunch green onions

-1 carrot

-1 bunch of cilantro

-3 Tbsp Tamari soy sauce

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-1 Tbsp honey

-1 Tbsp lime juice

Method

1.) Cook the Quinoa in a pot on the stove. 1 cup Quinoa to 2 cups water. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer till it has absorbed all the water (10-15 minutes – depending on your variety of Quinoa). Once cooked set aside to cool.

2.)While the Quinoa is cooking, mix up your dressing. Take 3 tbsp tamari soy sauce (made from sesame – this recipe depends on it) and put in a bowl for mixing. Add in the honey, the olive oil and the lime juice. Mix it up till it is one smooth consistency. (You can heat it on the stove or in the microwave to speed up the process if your honey is not mixing).

3.) Chop your vegetables. Cube your red pepper, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice the green onions and cut some Cilantro. Don’t forget the carrots. What you do with the carrots is up to you. You can slice them, or peel them (which is what I do – so that there are nice ribbons running through) – but it’s your choice.

4.) Mix all together. Throw in the veggies, the cilantro, the Quinoa and the dressing. Done.

If you want to dress it up add some slices of lime or lemon and throw some fresh mint on top! Keep it in the fridge.

Angela’s Quick Pizza Dough

With the permission of Angela Tunner (gourmet genius) I am sharing the fastest and tastiest pizza dough recipe ever. Now I’m not going to make any outlandish promises about how “this dough is so fast, it will practically make itself” or “this dough is so quick, your eyes will explode if you watch it happen”. No.  I am just going to promise that you will eventually grow fat and lazy if you try this once, because you wont want to go back.

Topping ideas? What do I have to spell everything out for you? Think up your own damn topping ideas.

PS: ask Angela for ideas. She knows her pizza.

Ingredients

2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast

¾ cups warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

Method

1. In bowl of mixer or large bowl, add water, yeast and sugar. Leave to sit for 5 minutes. Add in flour and salt. Mix until well combined and knead for at least 2 minutes or mix using bread hook on mixer.

2. Leave to rise for 10-15 minutes. Roll out to make your pizza.

Blueberry Butter Tarts

I kind of invented this recipe. And it has been turning out well every time I make it, so I decided it was safe to post here. So consider that my official disclaimer.

That being said, I LOVE THESE.  Being Canadian, I like butter tarts, though I often find them too sweet. These, on the other hand are not too sweet because they have the blueberry addition. Mmm. I am going to go have one right now. No. I will finish writing out this recipe. And then go have one.

*Note: I don’t make my own crust – I prefer these in phyllo pastry. I buy the pack and put about 8-10 layers together (with butter) and cut them into large squares and push them into a muffin tin. Thats how I like to do it. You can use tart shells or make your own for all I care. This is my blog so I get to tell you how I do it.*

Blueberry Butter Tarts

(makes 12-14 tarts)

-1 package of phyllo pastry OR tart shells

-butter for phyllo pastry

-1/3 c. butter

-1 c. brown sugar

-1/8th cup whipping cream or half and half

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup blueberries

-Cinnamon

-Nutmeg

-Vanilla

Tart Pastry Method:

1.)I take 8-10 sheets and paint them with melted butter between each layer and then cut them into large squares.

2.)I take the 12 large squares and press them into a muffin tray, with the corners sticking up.

Filling Method:

1.) Take softened butter and cream together with sugar. After mixed, add eggs one at a time. Add 2 tsp vanilla,  1/2 tsp of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg, and cream. Mix.

2.)Put blueberries a microwave safe dish, with 1 tsp vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and microwave till they are cooked down a bit (roughly 5 min depending on your microwave). If you don’t have a microwave do it on the stove. You just want to take some of the moisture out of them.

3.)Put a few blueberries at the bottom of each tart, and then cover with filling.

4.)Bake at 350 degrees – they should be golden brown. Leave in muffin tin till cooled. Don’t try to remove before they are cooled.

Done. Delicious. If anyone does them, leave me a comment letting me know what you thought. Be nice, as this is my first recipe that I invented. 🙂

Home Baked Bread

Makes three loaves.

In a large bowl pour:                       1 cup lukewarm water

In the water dissolve:                      1 tsp white sugar

Over the water sprinkle:                 2 tbsp’s yeast granules

Let stand for 10 minutes. By that time yeast will have risen to the surface. Stir to mix, and don’t stop till the yeast is dissolved.

Into the yeast mixture stir:           2 cups lukewarm water

1/2 cup white sugar

1 heaping tablespoon salt

1/2 cup salad oil or melted butter

Beat, then stir in, 1 cup at a time:  9 cups all purpose flour

Mix till it requires muscles. You may need to add another 1/2 cup of water to work in the last two cups. Gather ball together and move to a floured surface. Knead it for about 5 minutes. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it and keep it in a warm place for 1-2 hours. Then punch it down and let it rise all over again.  You want to let it rise in a warm place so if you don’t have one, put the oven on its lowest for 5 minutes and then turn it off and stick the bowl of dough in there.

It should take slighly over an hour for the second rising. You will want to let it rise in the pan you are baking it in. Once it has risen over the top of the pan, take it out and heat the oven to 400 F.  Bake in a 400 F oven for 20 minutes or until the top is nice and brown. Take it out and immediately flip it onto a rack. And your done!

Tandoori Chicken – Spiced Oven Roasted Chicken

3 lbs roasting chicken, cut up

1 large onion

1 tsp fresh ginger root

3 cloves garlic

2 tsp. cayenne

2 tsp garam masala

1/3 cup plain yogurt

2 tsp. salt

2 tbs tomato paste

1 tbsp corn starch

2 tbsp butter melted

Wash and dry chicken well with paper towel. Prick pieces all over to allow spices to penetrate.

Mince together onion ginger and garlic. Add cayenne, garam masala, yogurt, salt and tomato paste.

In mixing bowl, combine chicken and spice mixture, cover and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Before roasting, add corn starch and butter to chicken.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Arrange chicken pieces in roasting pan, side by side, but not touching. Roast in hot oven for 20 minutes. Baste occasionally with marinade until chicken pieces are golden brown. Cooking time is approximately 35-40 minutes.

Vegtable Koftas – Curried Zuchinni Balls

Koftas:

2 cups zuchinni, coarsely grated

1/2 cup pea flour

1 tsp garam masala

oil for deep frying

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl and mix into smooth batter. Heat oil in wok. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter into hot oil, a few at a time, and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain and set aside.

Sauce for Koftas:

2 medium onions, minced

2 tbsp clarified butter

1/2 cup tomatoes, cubed

1 tsp garlic, crushed

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 tsp salt or to taste

3 1/2 cups water 1 tbsp fresh  cilantro, chopped for garnishing

In saucepan, fry onion in butter until translucent. Add next 6 ingredients and cook until butter separates from sauce. Add water* and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Add zuchinni balls and garnish with cilantro.

*Zuchinni balls absorb a lot of liquid so adjust about of liquid as needed.

Serve with plain paranthas or rice pilaf.

Spinach with Indian Cottage Cheese – Palak Paneer

This one is by request – my Mother keeps trying to steal my Indian cookbook – actually everyone in my family does, and so I am posting this recipe (and a few others) for them.

Ingredients

4 cups spinach, finely chopped

1 cup split green peas

3 cups water

3 tbsp butter

1 med. onion finely chopped

1 tsp garlic, crushed

2 tbsp whole wheat flour (or thickener of your choice)

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt or to taste

2 cups paneer, cubed OR 2 cups tofu lightly covered in flour & pepper mixture and pan fried

Wash spinach in several changes of water. Discard tough stems and chop finely.

Wash peas, checking thoroughly for foreign objects. In saucepan, combine peas and water, bringing to boild. Reduce heat to simmer. Partially cover and cook for 10 minutes or until peas are half cooked.

Add spinach and continue cooking until peas and spinach are fully cook, about 10 minutes.

In saucepan fry onion in butter until golden brown. Add ginger and garlic, frying for a few more seconds. Add flour and cook for another couple of minutes.

Combine peas and spinach mixture, paneer, cayenne pepper and salt.

Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until smooth in consistency.

Serve hot with rice or Chapatties

Watermelon Lemonaid with Ginger

Okay so this may sound like too much. But it is absolutely amazing. I have become a believer. It is all thanks to Charlotte Ruttle, culinary/lemonaid genious.

Syrup:

Watermelon Lemonaid with Ginger

2 c sugar

2 c water

combine in sauce pan. disolve and let simmer with zest of 4 lemons and 3 tbsp fresh grated ginger. let simmer on med/low until all sugar is disolved (roughly 10 min)

Lemon Juice:

in meatime juice about six lemons for 250 ml of lemon juice.

*Add a pinch of salt to the syrup at the end of cooking to make sure it disolves. Then strain the syrup to get out the pulpy bits.  Combine lemon juice and syrup, and add 6 more cups of water, and chill.

Watermelon:

Take a watermelon, cut up into chunks, blend and mix 50/50 with lemonaid.

Serve chilled or over ice. Garnish with mint if you like or spike with a little white rum. Mmmm. Sounds good doesn’t it? You want to make it right now don’t you. Well it should make you green with envy then to know that i am enjoying a tall glass of it myself.

What to Cook For Fathers Day

I need some fathers day menu ideas. I am all out. Any suggestions?

He can’t eat red meat. I know right? So I am thinking Salmon. Ideas? Please?

I should probably mention that I don’t like fish so I don’t cook it. So I REALLY need some ideas.

Merlot Braised Beef

*from Canadian Living February 2002*

• 1 lb stewing beef cubes (500 g)
• 1 each onion and stalk celery and leaves, sliced
• 3 each cloves garlic, smashes, and sprigs parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 juniper berries
• 1 1/2 c Merlot or other dry red wine (375 ml)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4  tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 c beef stock or water
• 2 carrots, cut in 1 inch lengths
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. pearl onions
• 1 c.  button mushrooms
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

-In a large bowl, combine beef, sliced onion, celery, garlic, parsley sprigs, bay leaf juniper berries, wine, thyme and pepper; cover and marinate in refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.

-Remove beef; sprinkle with flour and set aside. Strain marinade through sieve into bowl, pressing solids, set marinade aside. In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown beef, in batches. Transfer to bowl.

-Add 1 tbsp butter to pan. Stir in sugar;cook until deep nutty brown. Stir in  reserved marinade and stock, averting eyes to avoid splatters. Add beef, carrots and salt . cover and simmer over low heat stirring often, until beef is tender. about 11/2 hours.

-Brown onions and mushrooms and add to pot. Simmer for 10 min.