The culinary adventures of a 20-something woman navigating the wonderful world of food!

The culinary adventures of a 20-something year old woman navigating the wonderful world of food!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Cecile's High-Fibre Energy Bars

           I have been searching for a good homemade granola bar recipe for a little while.  A few weeks ago, I noticed a lovely lady at work named Cecile eating the most delicious-looking granola bar. I could tell that it was homemade instantly. She was sweet enough to send me the recipe, and I have been sitting on it for two weeks waiting for time to make them. It was absolutely worth the wait, these energy bars are fantastic!!
           I got all of the ingredients at the bulk store, and played with the recipe just a bit. I added less walnuts and more almonds, completely for personal preference. I let the pan firm in the fridge overnight, and cut them into bars in the morning. Perfect!



 Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup granola
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup bran
1/2 cup protein powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans or almonds)

1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
1 cup peanut butter
 

Optional Additions:  I add extra walnuts & almonds
Add what you like in the amounts that suit you.
1/4 - 1/2 cup of each coconut, raisins, chocolate chips





Directions:
1. Grease 9x13 pan and set aside.  
2. Mix all dry ingredients in big mixing bowl.
3. In big Pyrex measuring cup stir peanut butter, honey and maple syrup, till smooth and    microwave 1 min, stir well and microwave another min, stir well again. Quickly pour over dry mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. Pour into prepared pan and press to mold pan. Let sit about 24 hours in refrigerator.  

   Cut into bars.
   You can wrap individually or store in layers on plastic wrap in airtight container in  refrigerator.  




        

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Asian Beef Salad

           Last year, the husband and I ordered a full years worth of organic meat. It comes from a few farms near Barrie, and we have been really happy with the quality and taste of all the meat - except for one type. the sirloin tip steak. It is quite tough, largely because there isn't enough fat on the meat. Its too lean. So I have been trying to figure out ways to use the steak and get it tender enough to enjoy.
           The biggest trick to this meat (and any other cheap cut of beef) is to marinate it extensively. This steak I marinated for about 6 hours, although overnight would have been ideal.  I am happy to say though, that this steak turned out fabulous. And it was absolutely perfect for the Asian Beef Salad.






Steak Marinade/Dressing:
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp sodium-reduced soy sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup apple or orange juice
1 tsp minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, smashed


Steak:
1 lb sirloin tip steak


Salad:
6 cups leaf lettuce
1 small red pepper, thinly sliced
red onion
1/2 cup snow peas


Directions:
  1. Whisk ingredients for marinade together. Pour half over sirloin steak and let marinade 6+ hours, or overnight. Refridgerate remaining dressing.
  2. Pre-heat BBQ. Grill steak 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Do not overcook steak (nothing past medium). Let stand 3 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
  3. Combine lettuce, red pepper & onion in a large bowl. Pour remaining dressing over and toss lightly to coat. Arrange on plates with steak on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion, if desired.




          

Monday, May 17, 2010

Roasted Beet & Grapefruit Salad

           I know most of you are tempted to close your screen just based on the title of this post. Roasted Beet and Grapefruit salad?!? That was pretty much what I thought when I came across this recipe in Chatelaine. It seemed too 'out there', too adventurous. But the same day I saw the recipe, my friend Kennedy blogged about trying new vegetables on her blog Running After Balance. Her goal is to try a new vegetable every week, so that she isn't eating the exact.same.food. each week.
             Well, since I have little shame and am easily inspired, I am going to copy Kennedy and pick up a new fruit or vegetable at the grocery store once a week. Then I'm going to make a new recipe, and then I'm going to blog about it. Good or bad, I will let you know.  I think its a fabulous idea, and I am looking forward to adding new foods to my palette.  Hence where I got the inspiration to make a roasted beet and grapefruit salad.
             Friends, I was most skeptical. I read the ingredient list carefully, knowing that I couldn't make any substitutions when I had NO idea what I was making in the first place.  I debated scrapping the "Vegetable of the Week" idea completely. But then I re-read Kennedy's post and decided to go for it.
             This recipe is very, very good. The roasted beets & grapefruit are a wonderful compliment, and the salad is utterly refreshing. Its easy to find all of the ingredients, and very inexpensive to make. I highly recommend making this as a starter for a dinner party. Its impressive and unique while being simple to make. My only caveat would be that you have to really like both grapefruit AND beets. The husband doesn't really like beets. He did try this though, and said it was "much better than he thought."



Ingredients:
4 beets, trimmed & washed
2 grapefruits
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp horseradish
salt and pepper
1 tsp parsley

Directions:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Rinse beets with water so they are damp. Lightly wrap in foil and roast in oven, about 60 minutes until they are tender. Let cool (about 1 hour) then peel & slice thinly (1 beet should make 8 slices).
  2. Cut ends of grapefruit, then peel including the whites. Slice into rounds. Put into bowl with beets.
  3. Combine vinegar, horseradish, salt, pepper & parsley. Drizzle over beet & grapefruit, then toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.
Source: Adapted from Chatelaine.




Monday, May 10, 2010

Chicken Pad Thai

       One of the things I miss most about living in a larger city (aside from Starbucks!) is the variety of ethnic food available. In the Kitchener-Waterloo region, you can get Thai, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican and about 6 other ethnic varieties in the same block. My sister is constantly calling me to tell me about a new restaurant she has found that has a three-course meal for $10. 
       In Woodstock, there is very little ethnic diversity, which translates into a fairly generic set of restaurants. There are only two places that I have found thus far with really good ethnic food: Banana Leaf (thai) and A taste of China (I think you can guess). Both of them are quite expensive compared to the ethnic places in Waterloo. So when I want a little kick to my dinner, I usually have to make it myself.
        This chicken pad thai turned out amazingly well - but I have to admit, I used a seasoning package. Its too hard & too expensive to find the various seasonings & sauces needed to make this dish from scratch where we live. But thats good for all of you out there who ALSO live in a small town! 
         It has a bit of a spicy kick, so if your palette isn't used to spice, have the meal with a glass of milk - or better yet - a beer. Both milk & beer will offset the spiciness of the meal. Whatever you do, don't drink water!! Water will actually make it seem hotter. Little tidbit that i learned from my days at Curry on Wellington. Also, I cooked the rice noodles whilst the chicken was browning, so that they were cooked in time to add near the end.


Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 each red, yellow & orange pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1 small grated carrot
2 cups bean sprouts
2 tbsp oil
2 - 28g "Pad Thai" seasoning mix (I used Sun-Bird brand)
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup milk or light cream
3 tbsp peanut butter
4 cups cooked rice noodles

Directions:
  1. In a large wok, heat 2tbsp oil and add chicken. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add peppers, grated carrot and about 1/4 cup diced green onion. Cook another 2 minutes. Add bean sprouts & cook another 2 minutes.
  3. Mix together seasoning mix, milk, sesame oil & soy sauce. Add peanut butter and add to chicken & veggie mix until peanut butter is blended in. Add cooked rice noodles & cook another 3-4 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
  4. Plate & garnish with chopped peanuts & green onion.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Raspberry Bars

            If I had to pick a favourite fruit, I would pick the raspberry. It is perfect in almost every way, except for its price. With 5 months of winter around here, there is a very short raspberry season. So If i'm craving raspberries, I often try to use recipes with jam or frozen berries instead of fresh.
         These bars use raspberry jam, and they are absolutely phenomenal. They are also quite inexpensive to make (under $5 if you have the staple ingredients) so they are a great choice when you want to make a "wow" dessert without compromising your wallet. An added bonus - the ingredient list is short & simple. Anybody can make them, and they are fail-proof. I promise!!
           So all of the ladies at the office who have wanted to make something off my blog but swear to me they can't bake - I promise, you can all make this. Like I have said before - If I can do it, you can do it!'

Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup raspberry jam

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 8 inch square pan, and line with greased foil.
  2. Combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and rolled oats. Rub in the butter using your hands or a pastry blender to form a crumbly mixture. Press 3 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the jam to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top, and lightly press it into the jam.
  3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into bars. (I let it cool at room temp for about 2 hours)
          

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Crockpot pulled pork

       About 4 years ago, the darling husband and I drove to Florida with his parents. Somewhere in Ohio (or Kentucky??) we stopped at the Cracker Barrel to eat. It has to be one of the BEST chain restaurants in the US. I had never been for dinner before, and the husband (boyfriend at the time) wanted me to order the pulled pork. He swore up & down it was the best pulled pork in the entire world. I thought pulled pork sounded disgusting, and I ordered ham.
        I hate to admit when I'm wrong. My mother will attest to this, as will the hubby. Well friends, treasure the moment that is about to occur.
         I. was. wrong. His pulled pork (and biscuits!) was one of the best meals I have ever tasted. The pork was tender, flavourful, and made a perfect dinner.
         Because of the perfect pulled pork from the Cracker Barrel, I have always been hesitant to make it at home. But the husband has been begging for me for at least 2 years. So when I saw a good recipe on the cooking blog The way the Cookie Crumbles, I caved.
        Lo & behold, it was absolutely amazing. And it really wasn't that hard!! I did the spice rub the day before and kept it wrapped in the fridge overnight. I put it in the crockpot at about 8 am, and was able to shred it by 430pm. After I added the BBQ sauce, I served it on fresh buns an hour later. Delicious!



Ingredients:

Spice Rub:
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (omit if you don't like the heat!)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 (6-8 pound) pork tenderloin
1/3 cup Coca Cola
2 cups barbecue sauce ( I used Diana's Original Gourmet)


Directions:
1. Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl.

2. Massage spice rub into meat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.

3. Unwrap roast and place it in slow cooker. Add 1/3 cup Coca Cola. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender. (this was 8.5 hours for me)

4. Transfer roast to cutting board; discard liquid (I kept about 1/4 cup ). “Pull” by tearing meat into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers. Discard fat.

5. Place shredded meat back in slow cooker liner; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce and 1/4 cup saved liquid and heat on low for 30-60 minutes, until hot. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.

Source: Adapted from The way the cookie Crumbles cooking blog, spice rub from Cooks Illustrated.
       

Sausage & Pepper Penne

                 When the darling husband and & I were students, we would often go on dates at East Side Mario's. We loved the unlimited salad & bread and the husband loved the sausage and pepper penne. One of the best things about me finally learning how to cook? I can make the same meal at home without having to spend $40 for the two of us.
               This sausage & pepper penne recipe is easy, fast, & very satisfying. It can be on the table in under 30 minutes yet it doesn't feel like you scrimped on dinner! You can easily add different summer vegetables to change things up if you'd like. Cook the sausage while you bring the water to a boil, then cook the vegetables/sauce while the penne cooks. If you time it properly, it should take about 25 minutes total.


Ingredients:
4 cups penne pasta, uncooked
4 italian sausages, uncooked
cooking spray
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1" pieces
1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1" pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach (or 1 cup frozen, drained)
1 clove garlic. minced
1 can (700ml) of tomato sauce (I used Classico)
parmesan cheese & oregano for garnish


Directions:
1. Slice sausage into 1" pieces. Spray a non-stick skillet and cook sausage over medium-high heat, about 7 -10minutes. 
2. Once you start the sausage, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions. (usually 8-10 minutes).
3. Once the sausage is cooked in skillet, add onion, garlic, peppers & spinach about 5 minutes, until spinach is wilted and onion is translucent. Add pasta sauce and cook until warm, an additional 5 minutes (about 10 minutes total - the time it takes to cook the penne)
4. Drain penne & add to skillet with sauce. Stir well & serve immediately. Garnish with parmesan cheese & oregano.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Rosemary Bread

          I love, love, love bread. I can smell a bakery from a mile away. When I lived in Stratford, there were at least 4 bakeries that I could get fresh-baked bread from on a regular basis (and I worked at one of them!) Unfortunately, I haven't found anywhere (yet!) in Woodstock that has the same (and I don't count grocery stores....its not really fresh bread). If anyone knows of a great bakery to get fresh bread from in Woodstock, please let me know!! In the meantime, I have taken up baking bread with a little help from my dear friend Cait.
             This recipe for rosemary bread comes from Martha Stewart Living. I followed the recipe exactly, and it was very good. Mine turned out slightly dense, so next time I would let the bread rise another 1 hour.  Great bread for an Italian dinner, or for sandwiches. This recipe makes 2 medium-sized loaves. Bon Appetit!

          
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups white flour, plus a little more for dusting
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
5 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp rosemary, crushed
sea salt, for dusting

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients and knead well (50+ times). If you have a stand mixer with a bread hook, mix on low for 1 minute and then medium-high speed for 2.
2. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with saran wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour (I would increase to 2).
3. Split into 2 loaves. Cut 3 slits onto top of bread, and with lightly floured hands, work gently into desired shape.  Let rise for another 30-60 minutes. Brush with olive oil & sea salt
4. Place loaves on a bread stone and bake in a preheated oven at 400F for approximately 30 minutes. Halfway through baking, if you spray bread with water, it will have a crispy crust with a soft inside.
5. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart Living