Spring-time Penne

Fresh from our garden!
Still to come: melons, peas, sunflowers, corn, cucumber, and onions.

We decided to try our hand at a vegetable garden this past February, since Arizona has not one, but TWO growing seasons. We have been rewarded for our hard work (well, Claudio's hard work), with beautiful produce that seems to just keep coming! Even with temperatures consistently hitting 100F or higher, our little garden continues to give and give. Gorgeous sunflowers, massive zucchini (recipe for zucchini bread and muffins coming soon!), plump eggplants (for eggplant parm, of course), and hundreds of tomatoes, are just a small selection of our spring collection. We are still waiting for our melons and cucumbers, which should be ready any day now! I can't wait until this fall, when we flip our garden over and plant leafy greens, such as lettuce, arugula, kale, and chard. It will be exciting for our Little Lucas to learn where food comes from, right in his own backyard. 

For whatever reason, homegrown food just tastes better!

With so many tomatoes, I had to get creative for the best way to use them up. As much as I adore Caprese Salad (tomato, mozzerella, basil, and olive oil), we were due for a bit of a switch-up.  This pasta dish is quick, easy, and delicious.  Maybe next year we will have to add asparagus to our garden project! 

Spring-time Penne

based on recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

serves 4 (or two hungry people who love leftovers!)

16oz penne pasta

1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 bunch asparagus (approx. 1lb), trimmed and cut into 1.5" pieces

1 pint grape tomatoes

1/2 cup chicken broth

handful of basil - chopped

1 cup parmesan - grated

1. Cook pasta according to package direction (do not over cook! Soggy noodles are no fun). 

2. While pasta is cooking, heat EVOO in a large sautee pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add asparagus, and sautee 2-3 minutes, until slightly soft. Add tomatoes and cook 2-3 minutes more, until some of the tomatoes just start to burst.  

3. Pour chicken broth over veggies bring to a simmer. Continue to cook until broth reduces by half, and more tomatoes have burst. Season with S&P.

4. Transfer pasta to sautee pan with veggies - toss to combine. Add some pasta water if dish seems too dry. Stir in cheese and basil. Garnish with more cheese and basil, if desired.  

The "How Come I Wasn't Invited" Burger

Born in Wisconsin, my husband and his friend created this burger one night when they were in grad school - and everyone who heard about it insisted that they make one for them too. We upgraded it slightly, by grinding our own beef and seeking out fancy buns, but the toppings always remain the same. No need for ketchup and mustard here.

4 - 5-6oz beef patties

5yr cheddar cheese

1 pineapple - peeled,cored, and sliced

1 poblano pepper- whole

1/2 red onion - cut into disks

4 sesame seed buns 

1. Season patties with salt and pepper. Preheat gas grill to med-high, or prepare charcoal grill (mesquite briquettes are fantastic for these burgers).

2. Grill onion rounds, pepper, and pineapple slices until golden. Slice pepper (keeping the seeds, if you like a little heat), and set ingredients aside while you cook the burger.

3. Grill burger. Add cheese slice after flipping the burger. Cook meat to an internal temperature of 155F for medium (it will rise to approx 160F while it rests). Make sure cheese has melted before removing from grill, closing grill lid if necessary, to speed up this process. Remove burgers from gill, and let rest, covered with foil, 5-10 minutes. This will ensure a nice, juicy burger.

4. To bun, add burger, cheese side up, and toppings in the following order: pineapple, onion, pepper. Enjoy with a delicious summer pilsner. 

Coffee-Break

Cinnamon-Sour Cream Coffee Cake
from Cheryl and Griffith Day's
'The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook'

Need an amazing dessert to impress company or the in-laws? This coffee cake always comes out moist and delicious - it never lasts more than a couple of days in our house. Ground cardamom gives it a unique taste, making the cake feel extra special. 

For the Streusel 1/4 cup packed Light Brown Sugar 1/2 cup AP Flour 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon  1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup Chopped Pecans 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into cubes

For the Cake 2 1/2 cups Cake Flour (NOT self-rising) 2 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cardamom 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 cup sour cream (NOT light or fat-free)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 10" tube pan with PAM..
2. Prepare the streusel - Combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and pecans in a small bowl. Cut the butter into sugar mixture, until the crumbs are approx. pea-sized. Keep bowl of in freezer while you make the cake batter.
3. For the cake, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and sour cream - mix until just blended. Turn the mixer to low, and slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, in thirds. Mix until just combined and no streaks of flour are visible.
5. Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle with approx 3/4cup of the streusel mixture, then add remaining batter and top with remaining streusel.
6. Bake 50-60 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Let cook in the pan for 30min. Remove from pan (streusel-side up) and allow to cool completely on a wire-rack, before adding the glaze.

For the Glaze
Combine 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar with 3 tbsp of honey*, and 2 tbsp of water, in a small bowl. Use a form to drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Brew a big pot of your favourite coffee (or tea!), and enjoy!

*if honey is too thick, warm it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Meatless Monday

Frittata with Potato and Swiss Chard

This makes for a lovely lunch or nice light supper. Served with a green salad, this easy Frittata has become one of our "Meatless-Monday" favourites, any day of the week. Although we love the slightly bitter taste of swiss chard, spinach would make a great substitution (use whatever veggies you have in your fridge). That's the beauty of the frittata - it's a blank canvas for thousands of delicious combinations.

Hubby loves this with a bit of hot sauce (Sriracha is his favourite), and I love it with ketchup.

1 shallot, finely diced 

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 bunch swiss chard leaves (approx 6), washed and trimmed (optional: stems reserved and diced)

1 medium white or red potato, diced

8 eggs

1/4 milk or cream

1/2 - 1 cup parm reg cheese

S&P to taste

1. Heat some EVOO in a 10" non-stick, oven-proof skillet over medium. Sautée shallot and garlic until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. If using, add trimmed chard stems and sautée 2-3 minutes more. Add potato and cook until fork-tender, 10-12 minutes. Gently stir in chard leaves, and heat until slightly wilted.

2. Preheat oven to 425F. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir into skillet with veggies, ensuring egg mixture covers the entire pan. As it cooks, gently run a spatula around the outside edge of the pan (as pictured below), allowing the raw egg from the centre to cook more evenly.

4. Once edges of frittata have set (4-6 minutes), place skillet in preheated oven. Cook 7-9 minutes, until centre has puffed and set (test with a sharp knife - when the knife comes out clean, the Frittata is done!). For a nice browned top, place frittata under broiler for 2-3 minutes (watch it closely - it can burn easily).

5. Slide frittata onto cutting board. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing like a pie. Makes great leftovers too!

    

Happy Valentine's Day!

M&M Cookies

Just because Hallmark decided to make February 14 the official day of lovey-dovey-mushiness, doesn't mean we can't have some fun with it. M&M's are always available in holiday colours, so this is a great cookie recipe no matter what time of the year it is. You can even go to M&M.com and have custom-coloured candies made, which would be great of wedding or baby showers, or even kids birthday parties.
The original recipe said to bake for 8-10 minutes - I found that this made for very soft and slightly under cooked cookies. My oven is "cool" and never holds the right temperature, so it took up to 14 minutes per batch. I recommend checking around 10 minutes, just to be on the safe-side. You want the cookies to be slightly brown around the edges, and still look soft in the centre.  

3/4 cups unsalted butter - at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup M&M candies (mini-m&ms work well too)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Cream butter and sugars in mixer, fitted with paddle attachment. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter, until dough just forms. Gently stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms. Place dough in fridge while you prep the pans and oven preheats.
3. Preheat oven to 325F. Cover three cookies sheets with parchment paper. Once oven has preheated, remove dough from fridge and drop spoonfuls onto cookie sheets (I use a small ice cream scoop for more uniform cookies). Bake, 10-14 minutes, until edges are slightly brown and centres appear slightly soft and puffy.

Enjoy!
xox

Best-Ever Eggplant Parmigiana

Eggplant Parmigiana

adapted from David Greco's recipe

Even eggplant haters (Dad, I'm talking to you) will love this take on Eggplant Parmigiana. Pre-fried breaded eggplant, layered with cheese and marinara, this dish is served more like a lasagna rather than the traditional eggplant slices with sauce - no need for a side of pasta either. Just a Caesar salad, crusty bread, and a fantastic bottle of  red wine. Perfect on a cold snowy night in Canada, or a cool-ish winter night by the fire in Arizona. 

It will feel like the first batch of eggplant takes FOREVER to brown, but don't be fooled by this for the remaining batches - they will fry very quickly and can burn easily if you aren't careful. If dishes aren't an issue for you, pull out two frying pans to fry double the eggplant in half the time.

2 eggplants (approx 1lb each), peeled and sliced 1/4" thick lengthwise

4 large egges

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano Cheese - divided

2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley

S&P

2 cups AP Flour

3 cups Italian-seasoned dry breadcrumbs

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cups tomato sauce (bottle marinara, or make your own - my recipe is listed below)

1 lb mozzarella, thinly sliced*

1 cup shredded, low-moisture mozzarella

1/2 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano Cheese

fresh basil to garnish 

*for mozzarella, low moisture is ideal. If using fresh, let the slices dry out, uncovered, in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for 30 minutes before using.

Prep the Eggplant:

1.  Beat eggs with 1 tbsp Pecorino, parsley, salt and pepper. Pour into a shallow dish (like a pie-plate). Put flour in another shallow dish or plate, and the bread crumbs in a third dish. 

2. Pre-heat oils in a large skillet (12" with straight sides is ideal) over medium heat. When oil begins to shimmer, proceed with eggplant.  

3. Coat both sides of the eggplant slices with flour, followed by egg mixture, then bread crumbs. Fry eggplant slices in batches, until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer eggplant to a wire wrack to cool and drain.

Build the Parmigiana:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Spread some marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (or any dish you would use for lasagna). Add a layer of the pre-fried eggplant, covering the bottom of the dish. Add more sauce to cover, followed by 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 1/3 cup shredded Pecorino.  Continue to layer, eggplant, sauce, cheese (now using the fresh mozzarella too), until you reach the top of the dish. Top with sauce, fresh mozzarella, remaining Pecorino and Parm-Reg cheese.

3. Bake, 25-30 minutes, until top is lightly crisp. If you like a more brown top, place dish under broiler for 2-5 minutes (watch it closely so it doesn't burn). Let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
As with most Italian dishes, this tastes fantastic the next day as leftovers.

Andrea's Marinara Sauce

1 med onion - diced

2-3 gloves garlic - finely diced

2 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste

1 cup red wine (one you would drink, so you can enjoy a glass or two while you cook)

1 16oz can diced tomatoes (look for no-salt added, if available)

1 16oz can pureed tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp each: dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano OR 2 tsp Italian seasoning

S&P to taste 

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt, until soft and fragrant. Add garlic and sautee 2 minutes until fragrant.

2. Stir in tomato paste. Cook 1-2 minutes, until well incorporated into onions. Add wine. Stir to combine.

3. Add tomatoes and seasoning. Stir well. Let cook uncovered over med-low heat, 20-30 minutes, to allow flavours to combine. Remove bay-leaf before serving.

Happy New Year!

"WifeSaver"

Sunday Morning Brunch

from "Best of Bridge" cookbook

This breakfast casserole has been our traditional Christmas morning breakfast for as long as I can remember. My family enjoys it so much, we have started to have it on New Years Day, too. Filled with eggs, meat, cheese, and toast, this casserole has everything you need for a delicious, complete breakfast and can easily serve a crowd if necessary. 

Best put together the night before, the is the perfect breakfast for Christmas morning to throw in the oven while you open presents, or for any other Sunday in the year when you want to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee while the casserole bakes, before everyone else in the house wakes-up for their day.

16 slices white bread - crusts removed
16 slices Canadian bacon or ham
16 slices sharp cheddar cheese

6 eggs
1/2 tsp dried mustard
2 green onions - finely chopped
1/2 red pepper - finely chopped
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 cups whole milk
S&P

4 tbsp butter - cubed and cold
crushed cornflakes (enough to cover casserole)

1. Butter a 9x13" glass baking dish. Line the bottom of the dish with 8 pieces of bread. Top bread with bacon and cheese, then sandwich with additional 8 pieces of bread. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl (ideally with a pouring spout), beat together eggs, dried mustard, onion, pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, milk, S&P. Pour the mixture over the prepared "sandwiches" in glass dish. Cover and let stand 2 hours, preferably overnight.
3. Preheat  oven to 350F. Sprinkle top of casserole with crushed cornflakes and cubed butter. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with hot sauce (Hubby and Brother's favourite), and fresh fruit salad.

Countdown to Christmas: 1 Sleep!!!

Tourtière

-from Laura Calder's 'Dinner Chez Moi'

This is our family's traditional Christmas Eve dinner. It typically doesn't leave a lot of leftovers, which is perfect pre-Christmas, and is still special and show-stopping for a family holiday meal.
Originally a traditional French Canadian meal from Quebec, Tourtière is a type of meat pie, packed with belly-warming flavours. We typically have a nice, warm, homemade soup to start, and serve this pie with a side of peas and chili sauce. As a kid, Tourtiere was always a sign that Christmas had finally arrived, starting off our family celebrations the evening before Santa came to our house.

Merry Christmas!

1lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground veal, hare, or beef (we prefer beef)
1 large onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp dried summer savory
pinch ground cloves
S&P to taste
6 tbsp fresh bread crumbs
1 recipe savory tart dough, divided in two disks (see below)
milk, for brushing

1. In a large sautée pan, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine the ground pork, beef, onion, garlic, savory, cloves, S&P, in a large bowl. Stir mixture into water. Cover, and simmer until meat is cooked through and tender, approx. 20 minutes.
2. Stir breadcrumbs into meat mixture, and continue to cook, uncovered, until all liquid has evaporated. Taste for seasonings, adjust as necessary, and let cool completely.
3. Heat oven to 450F. Roll first dough disk out on a lightly floured surface, and gently press into pie plate. Spoon mixture into shell. Roll out second dough disk, and place on top of pie. Make 2 or 3 slits on top to allow steam to escape. Brush top with milk, for a golden crust.
4. Bake until pastry is crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature (we prefer warm).

Savory Tart Dough:

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup ice-cold water

1. Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add butter pieces, and pulse until mixture is crumbly, and butter is the size of small peas.  Slowly add the cold water through the feed-tube of the processor, and pules until dough just comes together into a ball.
2. Divide dough into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Countdown to Christmas: 2 Sleeps

Grandma's Cabbage Salad

I remember my Grandma bringing this every year to our house for Christmas dinner, and I would gobble it up! I nice cool side-dish for turkey dinner, this salad keeps well for up to a week so it's great for a make-ahead or as leftovers. The recipe below makes A LOT (at least 8-10 servings), so halving it might be a good option for a smaller dinner party.

1 head cabbage - shredded
2 carrots - grated
2 stalks of celery - diced
1/2 cup red or green onion - chopped
2 tsp celery seeds
S&P to taste

Dressing:
1 cup vinegar (I prefer cider)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Combine cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, celery seed and salt & pepper a large bowl.
2. In a small sauce pan, heat vinegar, sugar, and oil over medium heat, until sugar has completely dissolved. Pour over cabbage mixture, and stir well. Refrigerate overnight. Stir well before serving with a slotted spoon.

Countdown to Christmas: 3 Sleeps

Citrus Cranberry Sauce

Since I'm not a huge fan of gravy, my turkey-side of choice is cranberry sauce. I love the tartness of this sauce, and even spread it on my left-over turkey sandwiches. The addition of fresh ginger is optional, adding a complex yet subtle background flavour to this already delicious sauce.

Fresh cranberries really are best. Frozen may be used in a pinch (like when we can't find any fresh berries in Arizona for Canadian Thanksgiving), but the sauce will be a bit more liquid, as freezing the berries really effects the pectin. 

1 package fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange - juiced and zested
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp fresh ginger (optional)
pinch of salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pot. Heat over med-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to "pop" and break-down (approx. 10 minutes). Continue to cook until sauce reaches desired consistency - I like a few cranberries left whole, but if you prefer more of a puree texture, cook a bit longer.
2. Either serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 weeks and serve cold.