Archive for May, 2009
This Mother’s Day Weekend has been brought to you by the letter B. B is for Bread. And Bacon. Both of which I have eaten far too much of in the past two days. And because both days featured giant lunches right in the middle of them, we haven’t eaten an actual dinner since Friday.
Saturday my family came for lunch – and since my Mom’s favourite thing to eat out is bacon and eggs, that’s what we had, with crusty homemade bread and sauteed spinach and maple sausages on the barbecue. Saturday night my sister and I brought our boys to Chuck E. Cheese. Yes we did. Not for the food, it must be stressed (we didn’t eat), but to cash in the hundred or so tickets my 6 year old nephew had inadvertently brought home from a birthday party, which were haunting his every waking moment. (His mom needed to bring me along to ease the pain a little, and so that she would have someone to roll her eyes at.) Ben wore his skinny jeans, which were really his jeans left over from when he was 4. Those two hours I’ll never get back are two hours I’m sure W will cherish forever – as he walked into that lit-up video game heaven, it was like the Mother Ship was calling him home. The only way it could have been improved upon would have been if the whole of Chuck E. Cheese was lifted up and dipped in chocolate, then coated in sprinkles.
On the way home we stopped at Home Depot to buy tomato plants. (Yes, my Saturday nights are decidedly different than they were a decade ago.) We closed the place, and while loading up the car, and stupidly allowing W to sit on the roof (don’t gasp – it’s a low, smallish car, not an SUV or a minivan) he kicked the trunk closed with my head in it. I spent the rest of the evening with a bag of frozen wild blueberries on the ostrich egg on my forehead, wondering if it really was a good idea to fall asleep (Mike was out), and if I was a good enough make-up artist to shoot a few TV segments I had to do today without looking like an alien. (Fortunately there was not much in the way of bruising, but my entire right hemisphere is still puffed enough to smooth out any forehead lines – who needs botox?)
Today – Mother’s Day – started off as most others do, with W pinching my cheeks and poking my head, which woke me up faster than usual. Mike got up (from W’s bunk bed – most nights it’s a game of musical beds/couches in this house), went downstairs and reheated me the leftover Tim Horton’s from yesterday, and brought it up, then put the road runner on for W and went back to sleep on the couch. Not that I wasn’t appreciative, but my breakfasts in bed can only go up from here.
Later in the morning I was back in our bedroom, changing, ranting to Mike about the big blue truck that was parked directly in front of our house, ousting us out of a parking spot for the better part of a week. I walked over to the window and was standing there, blinds open, wondering aloud who it belonged to, hands on my hips in a -humph- sort of way, when I realized I had no shirt on. I have recurring nightmares about scenarios such as this. I actually wondered if I had drifted back to sleep.
I had not.
The second string – Mike’s Mom and sister – came for lunch today. Since his Mom adores bread pudding, I made one out of the extra loaf of no-knead bread I had baked on Friday night for Saturday.
Of course there are a million things you could do with this blank canvas – use raisin bread and add a grated apple and a handful of pecans, or add shredded cheese and slivered ham with a few chopped green onions or wilted spinach, saute a whack of mushrooms in butter with garlic and add them with a handful of grated Parmesan (omit the honey or maple syrup if you’re making something savoury) – really the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. But Shirl likes hers just plain-old, straight-up. So I thought I’d make a quick espresso syrup I read in an old Donna Hay book (besides beautiful photos, she has great ideas) for the option to drizzle overtop. After all, bread pudding is just like French toast, in casserole form. (Yes, it is espresso. It’s not expresso. Not expresso!)
Plain Old Bread Pudding
You can use any kind of milk – or even eggnog – to make bread pudding. Obviously the heavier the cream the richer it will be – but even using all 1% works just fine.
1 large loaf good-quality crusty bread, or an assortment of bread ends (a loaf of untouched no-knead bread is perfect)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 1/4 cups 1% milk
1 1/4 cups half & half (or more 1% milk)
2 tsp. vanilla
a shake of cinnamon (optional)
Cut or tear the bread into 1” chunks in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, milk, cream and vanilla. Pour over the bread and let sit for an hour or two, stirring gently once in awhile. All the liquid should be well absorbed, but the bread shouldn’t turn to mush (thus the good-quality crusty loaf).
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pour the bread mixture into a 9”x13” pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, or any baking dish that will accommodate the quantity you made. If you like, douse it with cinnamon.
Bake for an hour or so, until puffed, golden and set. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Espresso Syrup (adapted from Donna Hay’s New Classics): bring equal amounts of strong espresso and sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan with a capful of vanilla. (Instant espresso works very well for this – just add it right to the pan.) Cook for about 15 minutes, until it has reduced slightly and has a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat. If you like, add a splash of half & half – it won’t make it completely creamy, it just sort of takes the edge off.
One Year Ago: Spiced Roasted Chicken Stuffed with Falafel, and Greek Salad
Print Post
May 10 2009 | breakfast | 24 Comments »
HIGH FIVE. Oh yeah.
I got W to eat broccoli. And not only eat it – LOVE IT. One small step for W, one giant leap for motherkind.
A few days ago I made a pot of pasta fazool (must have been for lunch) and W walked in, looked at it, and said: “what! I don’t eat vegetables!” and stomped outside. Five minutes later I could hear him out on the patio, back arched, yelling at the sky: “I need some SUGAR!!”
Great.
So I became determined to get him to eat broccoli. He’s fine with spinach, so long as it’s cooked and on pizza or mixed into meatballs or some such. Peas get snuck in if they’re mixed with rice, but mostly he tries to eat around them. It’s not the green he’s against per se – he loves pesto – it’s the vegetableness of things like asparagus and broccoli. He won’t touch raw veg like sugar snap peas or (god forbid) leafy green salads.
So I focused on the loving of the pesto. Whizzed broccoli might look a lot like pesto. And taste like it too, if I added a handful of fresh basil leaves, garlic and Parmesan. I went to the Crossroads market this morning and picked me up some broccoli and basil. I roasted it, rather than steam or boil it and leave it soggy while losing nutrients. (Roasting, by the way, is by far my favourite way to cook broccoli. It morphs it into something without that cabbagey bitterness – it’s sweeter, nuttier, intense, with crispy bits.) I wish I had thought of roasting a couple garlic cloves along with it, just to take the edge off; we all have some serious garlic breath tonight. Not that there’s any risk of making out or anything. (Garlic breath might facilitate that anyway, if you ask Mike.)
When it was done and cooled a bit, I mulched it in the food processor with a handful of basil (8 leaves or so?), a small clove of garlic, a pinch of coarse salt, and a good grating of Parmesan cheese. (No pine nuts.) Then with the motor running, I dribbled in some olive oil. Damn. I had to keep myself from eating it all off the spatula as I scraped down the sides of the bowl.
Meanwhile, a pot of whole wheat rotini was boiling, and Mike was grilling chicken – something I haven’t had in a very long time. I made a quick vinaigrette/marinade out of lime juice, olive oil, crushed garlic and a drizzle of honey. Half went over the chicken to marinate for an hour or so, and the rest was saved to toss with greens. The greens were dressed and set on plates as a bed for the grilled chicken. There are a lot of things you could add to this salad to make it more interesting, but I was focused on the pesto.
I am totally trying this again with asparagus. I may just go buy a caseload of whole wheat rotini, broccoli, basil and Parmesan and just settle in for the summer. We’ll call it Willem chow. (I know it doesn’t look like much, but there was a lot of broccoli in there, and we (mostly he) polished it off with only about 1/4 cup of pesto left over for tomorrow.)
In other news, my kitchen was featured on the Kitchn today! Check it out.
One Year Ago: Jambalaya
Print Post
May 08 2009 | chicken & turkey and on the grill and pasta and veg and vegetarian | 89 Comments »
Last night, at around dinnertime, I decided to clean out the fridge. Don’t ask me why this suddenly seemed like a good idea. It’s one of those tasks you commit to finishing as soon as you start – not only because everything is out of the fridge and splayed across every iota of counter space (and some floor and chair space), but because once it’s out you can see the many layers of disgusting multi-hued, gummy/sticky/crispy/petrified muck that was underneath everything. Some of the containers I pulled out were left over from the It’s Just Food shoot in February. Here I thought it was all sourdough starter.
While I was on my knees with my head in the fridge, W sawed the edge of the wooden countertops with the serrated edge of the barbecue flipper at perfect 1-inch intervals, and fed a $16 wedge of Parmesan to the dog. To be honest, I don’t even remember what we had for dinner. I think I ate a few spoonfuls of sour cream and the end of a bag of Triscuits.
So I finished the fridge with about 10 minutes to get to my Artemis meeting. We’re closing in on our annual Gallery Calorie event – a Saturday afternoon of gallery and restaurant hopping up and down 17th Avenue with food and drinks at each venue (noon-4pm), after which everyone converges at Tompkins Park (in front of Mount Royal Village) for a huge party afterward – there is a band, and an art race, and wine and martinis and bacon wrapped scallops and cupcakes – and I’m emceeing – and all proceeds going to benefit Peer Support Services for Abused Women. (It’s on Saturday, June 13, if anyone wants to come! Email me at onesmartcook[at]hotmail dot com if you do – tickets are hot off the press and I have an envelope of them sitting here beside me on my desk. They are $40-well worth it and all toward a great cause!)
When I got home after 10pm, having stopped for groceries on the way, I opted out of my post to answer some questions for … drumroll please … The Kitchn! Who want to feature … drumroll please … MY kitchen as one of their kitchen tours! Which meant I had to clean it a little (really I just told Mike to) – that’s what it takes to get this kitchen clean – a camera crew or some threat of public footage. But The Kitchn! How cool is that? So I answered some questions for them instead of doing my usual post here. I was sure you’d understand. (Look for it tomorrow, I think!)
Tonight I gave in to W’s persistent request for yellow noodles. He may have meant macaroni & cheese – I dunno. When I asked him for the first time to choose his own clothes and get himself dressed (any other time I’ve attempted this he chooses “naked”) he came downstairs in two shirts and announced “I’m wearing my shirtpants!” So instead of being the kid who wears a superhero suit everywhere he goes (that was Ben), mine will be the kid walking around wearing another shirt as a skirt, with arms flopping along beside him. Hopefully I can at least convince him to wear his Shrek underpants.
Please pardon the trashy yard. Keep in mind that it is scarcely spring yet here. At least there is no Lou poo visible. (He is responsible for the gaping chasms behind W though.)
Sesame Noodles with Pork
a drizzle of canola or olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice or balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey or sugar
a tiny squirt (about 1/8 tsp.) chili sauce or sambal oelek
1/2 lb. fresh thin Chinese egg noodles, rice noodles or spaghetti
leftover pork (I used about half a pork tenderloin, cut into strips)
1 small carrot, cut into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
a handful of cilantro, torn
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (optional)
In a large skillet heat the canola oil and sauté the garlic and ginger for a few minutes, until soft but not brown. Transfer to a bowl and add the sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and chili sauce.
Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions, or until tender. Drain them well in a colander. When the pan is empty, add a little more oil and toss the noodles in the pan, letting them sit for a bit to get nice and brown, then tossing them around. Add the pork and sauce, and toss to coat and heat through.
Transfer to a large bowl and add the carrot, green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds. Toss to combine everything and then divide among bowls or refrigerate for an hour or two to allow the flavours to meld. (Or you could hold off adding the pork and veg and refrigerate the noodles and sauce overnight, then add the pork and veg just before serving. Or heat everything through in the skillet if you don’t want it to be cold.) Serves 4.
One Year Ago: Homemade Falafel
Print Post
May 07 2009 | one dish and pasta and pork | 19 Comments »
Although we ate it standing up while doing dishes, it was a good one today, on account of our “Ode to the Pig” this morning on CBC. I could not do a pork show without making ribs, but in typical Julie fashion did not make it out to buy them until close to 8 Monday night, which had them coming out of the oven (I always pre-bake ribs on a rimmed baking sheet, covered tightly with foil, at 300F for 2.5-3 hours) at around 11. I didn’t have any barbecue sauce, so was going to make them ginger-soy in the morning. I finished up some stuff and went to bed at midnight.
At 12:10, it occurred to me that maple-rosemary ribs would be pretty fantastic. And why not add the sauce now, so that the ribs marinate overnight? Why not marinate cooked meat, when it’s all about flavour? So I fumbled around for my glasses and padded back downstairs, separated the ribs and put them in a pot with 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup soy sauce, a couple squirts of grainy mustard and the leaves pulled from a few stems of rosemary. Then I put it back in the fridge, and this morning put the pot over medium heat, brought it to a simmer and cooked them for about 15 minutes, to rewarm and glaze the ribs. They were like the very best candy; tonight when we reheated the leftovers I found myself running my finger through the bottom of the pot to get every last drip of the sauce. It was late, and M had to go out, so we ate ribs, teeny rainbow Hotchkiss carrots, strawberries and apples. M and I ate the ribs while cleaning the kitchen, and when he left W insisted we eat the fruit, carrots and some cheese outside sitting on a towel (he will sit on a washcloth and call it a picnic).
Maple Rosemary Ribs
Put a rack or two of side or back pork ribs on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with foil; bake at 300F for 2 1/2-3 hours. When cool enough to handle, separate into ribs.
In a large pot, combine:
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Dijon or grainy mustard
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Add the ribs to the pot and let sit for half an hour or so, or refrigerate overnight (or for up to two days, if well covered so they don’t dry out). When ready to eat, set the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for about 20 minutes, tossing them around in the pot so that the ribs absorb some of the sauce, get glazed and and sticky, and heat through. Serves 4.
And the cake! That was actually lunch, but I had to include it, because it did contribute significantly to our caloric intake for the day. And it’s so pretty. (Two friends were having or recently had birthdays, so I invited them and their juniors over for lunch.) It is actually lower in fat than many cakes, and I didn’t use coconut milk, which is common in coconut cakes and not a bad idea per se, but gets lost, I think, and is ultimately a waste of coconut milk that could be put to better use elsewhere, especially considering the high quantity of saturated fat it contains.
When I make coconut cake I just use a regular white or yellow cake recipe, and add 2 tsp. coconut extract in place of the vanilla. Easy. Same with the frosting – I generally start with a lump of soft butter and add a dribble of extract, then add icing sugar and splashes of milk until I have something spreadable. Is that enough to go on? If not, I’ll add some more precise measurements below.
I kind of wish I had left it a pristine white, but I went and (over)toasted some shredded coconut, and so decided to sprinkle it over top anyway. I like the crunch it adds to the soft, buttery cake.
Creamy Coconut Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. canola oil (optional)
3 large eggs
2 tsp. coconut extract
1 1/4 cups milk
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8” or 9” round cake pans or one 9”x 13” pan with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for about half a minute, until it’s pale and creamy. Pour in the sugar (and oil if you’re using it) and continue to beat for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, and adding the coconut extract somewhere along the way. Scrape down the sides of the bowl whenever it needs it.
Add about one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir it in by hand or with the electric mixer on low speed, just until it’s combined. Add about half the milk in the same manner, then another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and the rest of the flour, mixing just until the batter is blended.
Divide the batter between the greased cake pans and tap the bottoms a few times on the countertop to remove any air bubbles. To prevent a domed top, spread the top of the batter with a spatula, creating a slight dent in the middle and a raised edge. This compensates for the way a cake tends to rise higher in the middle.
Bake for 30-35 minutes for round layers or 40-45 minutes for a 9-x 13-inch cake, until golden, the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan, and the tops are springy to the touch. Let them cool for about 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the pans and inverting them onto a wire rack. Cool completely before you frost them.
Coconut Frosting:
1/4-1/2 cup butter, softened (depending on whether you’re watching fat intake or not)
1 tsp. coconut or vanilla extract
3 cups icing sugar
1/4-1/3 cup milk, as needed to achieve a spreadable consistency
In a medium bowl, beat the butter and extract with an electric mixer until creamy. Add about a third each of the icing sugar and milk; beat and continue to add each until you have a spreadable frosting. Makes enough for 1 cake or a batch of cupcakes.
One Year Ago: Grilled Farmers’ Sausage, Roasted Sweet Potato and Braised Red Cabbage
Print Post
May 05 2009 | cake and on the grill and pork | 36 Comments »
The only thing that makes these panini and not grilled cheese sandwiches is the panini press – something you don’t actually need to make panini. If you don’t have one, just put another skillet on top of your sandwich as it cooks – the idea is to just squish it, flattening and compacting it slightly – and for that you could really use anything that works. (Have you tried chocolate panini yet?)
The rosemary-sea salt bread from Bliss (that makes me want to add rosemary and a sprinkle of crunchy salt to my next batch of no-knead bread) made some mighty fine panini, but I was still too lazy to come up with anything more stimulating than just cheese. I had some apple chutney in the freezer that would have been fine spread inside, but it was frozen, and I was impatient. I did manage to squish a clove of garlic into a tiny ramekin of olive oil, and let it sit for a bit before brushing on the outside of the bread – this is something I’ve started to do on regular grilled cheese sandwiches as well. I do adore butter, but that’s part of the problem.
The heel of the loaf got torn into bits and dunked in the last of the oily puddle-yum.
I was convinced that upon my return I’d subsist for at least a few days on leafy green things, lentils and vegetarian soups, but my gut has a different agenda, and is accustomed now to all that good eatin’.
I picked up a new accessory at the ferry terminal – think it suits me?
One Year Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookies
May 04 2009 | leftovers | 16 Comments »
« Prev - Next »
