Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch ,
Halibut Crusted with Cornmeal and Sesame
Yield: 4
Instead of deep-frying to get a crispy crust for fish – this method is a good lean and mean alternative. The cornmeal and sesame give a wonderful textured crust and there’s a double coriander flavour with the fresh herb and crushed seeds.
Ingredients:
Halibut Crusted with Cornmeal and Sesame
- 4 piece skinless halibut fillet, each fillet about 5 to 6-ounces
- 1/3 cup cornmeal (75 ml)
- 3 tbsp Sesame seeds (45 ml)
- 1 tsp cracked coriander seeds (5 tsp.)
- Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Small handful of fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (30 ml)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add cornmeal, sesame seeds, cracked coriander to plate or shallow baking dish. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
- Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dip fish into freshly chopped coriander. Dredge fish generously into the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly on all sides.
- Add oil to non-stick skillet or large sauté pan over medium high heat. When oil is hot, pan sear fish on both sides until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake fish in oven until just firm to the touch and cooked through, about 7 to 9 minutes.
This one came from Foodtv.ca, Christine Cushine Live (
here)! Aw, darn I should have taken a picture of it! I just devoured it! (And I used Basa instead of Halibut.) Enjoy!
Posted by Teresa in : Dessert ,
This recipe is from one of my favourite sites, 101Cookbooks! 
Click here. They are a bit of work, but SO WORTH IT!
Amazing Black Bean Brownie Recipe
For those of you who have a hard time tracking down agave nectar (which is becoming much more readily available) substitute honey 1:1 for the agave nectar. Ania’s head notes encourage you to keep these brownies in the refrigerator, they will slice much better if refrigerated several hours or preferably overnight. I used instant coffee this time around, but you can find natural coffee substitute at many natural food stores.
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups soft-cooked black beans, drained well (hs: canned is fine)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (granulated) natural coffee substitute (or instant coffee, for gluten-sensitive)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1½ cups light agave nectar ( I used honey… and wow, that’s a lot!)
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan (hs note: or jellyroll pan) with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.
Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well.
Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)
Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.
Reprinted with permission from Baking With Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature’s Ultimate Sweetener by Ania Catalano. (Ten Speed Press 2008)
Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch ,
It was the week of crazy food around here! When I went to Mexico, Mary introduced me to the Papa Locas, the “crazy potato.” It’s a baked potato, with a crazy variety of toppings on it. They peel back the foil, add some crema (a thick cream they have in Mexico, similar in texture to toothpaste, not sour, just cream) and some butter and some soft cheese (again, something I’ve only had in Mexico, like a cross between cream cheese and ricota). Then they wrap it back up again in the foil, and let it warm up for all the yumminess to melt. Then, a few minutes later, they open the foil and add any or all of these toppings (depending what you want):
- shaved marinated beef
- radishes (sliced)
- lettuce
- tomatoes (diced)
That’s all I can remember, they might have also had more cheese. I’m pretty sure they add fat (beef fat) to the shaved beef to keep it moist while they warm it on the BBQ.
So, I wanted to make this at home, so I went to the deli and got some roast beef, sliced as thin as possible. I cut up some mushrooms, and cooked them in a pot with a little butter, until they released their juices and were smelling wonderful. Then, I added the beef to that, put the lid on and forgot about it. I had whipping cream for the cream, and used Ricota for the cheese, but also had sour cream and cottage cheese on standby in case someone wanted those. I had lettuce cut into small strips, and sliced radishes. I grated some mozza too, because who wouldn’t want mozza on a baked potato! After a half-hour or so, I took the beef out of the pot and cut it into slices, so it was more or less like the beef from Mexico (shaved). It was all so yummy when I put it all together! It’s a meal all in itself!
My ingredient list:
- yukon gold potatoes, wrapped in foil
- roast beef, sliced very thin
- sour cream
- whipping cream
- cottage cheese
- Ricota cheese
- butter
- lettuce (romaine)
- tomatos, diced (roma)
- radishes, sliced
- green olives, with pimento, just for fun!
Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch ,
I made a crazy salad the other day… it turned out great, so I didn’t want to forget how I made it! Preheat oven to 350°F.
Ingredients for the salad:
- 1 1/2 heads Romaine lettuce
- 5 Radishes, sliced
- 3/4 cup Almonds (whole, raw)
- 1 cup Goldfish (the little crackers)
- 1 small container (about 3/4 cup) cubed Feta cheese
Ingredients for the dressing:
- 1 can Lychee fruit
- 2 Tbsp coconut milk (canned)
- 1 tsp (approx) white balsamic vinnegar
- mint
I washed the lettuce, and then cut it into slices. Sliced the radishes, tossed them in. Then put about a cup of the Goldfish snack crackers on a cookie sheet and into a 350°F oven, to toast them a bit and dry them out. They are the croutons! Then put the almonds on a cutting board and cut them up a bit – so each nut was roughly in half. I cubed the feta cheese and threw it in. This particular feta wasn’t too salty, but I think the salty kind would be fine too.
For the dressing, I threw most of the canned Lychees (and juice) in the blender and whizzed them until they made a smooth sauce. I had some canned coconut milk from the sweet potato recipe I’d made a few days before, so I added about 2 Tbsp of it. I knew it would be ridiculously sweet, so I added a little balsamic to offset the sweetness. Try 1 tsp, taste it and add more if you need it. Then I thought I’d toss in a little mint from the garden, just for flavour! And it turned out great! The radishes give a little zing, the almonds a little crunch, and the dressing a little sweetness. The Goldfish absorb the dressing, so don’t add them and toss until you are ready to serve!
Posted by Teresa in : Dessert ,
I found this excellent, easy apple pie recipe… from one of my favourite TV chefs, Michael Smith. Not that I watch a lot of Food Network, but I do watch him from time to time. Reference
Upside-Down Apple Pie
Yield: 4
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Ingredients:
The Pastry
- 1 cup pastry flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup frozen butter
- 4 tbsp ice water
The Apples
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 x golden delicious apples, cored and sliced into 6 pieces each
Directions:
The Pastry
- Put flour into a large bowl and whisk in sugar and salt.
- Grate in frozen butter and blend lightly with fingertips.
- Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time and stir until dough comes together. Pat into a flat disc and refrigerate for at least a half hour.
The Apples
- Melt butter in an ovenproof skillet and add sugar.
- Swirl pan around to help dissolve sugar and then let it caramelize.
- Add apple slices in an attractive pattern and let them cook until they begin to brown and get soft.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Roll dough into a 10-inch round and lay it over the apples in the skillet, tucking edges around apples.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until pastry is golden.
- Invert onto a serving platter while tart is still warm.
I love the frozen butter trick for pastry! How cool! I made mine with a bit less pastry, and it cooked about 10 minutes faster. I also used light brown sugar and a touch of Sucanat, which gave it a slightly molasses flavour! Delicious!
Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch ,
This comes from a recipe on Big Oven, a great site for a zillion recipes. There are lots of places to find recipes, but I really love the “Big oven leftover wizard.”Very cool way to search for recipes based on what you have kicking around!
I didn’t actually make the sauce (I had some in my fridge I had made last week or whenever), but I will have to try it sometime! How will I ever go vegetarian?!
Ingredients
- 2 large pork baby back ribs rack
=== RUB ===
=== BASTE SAUCE ===
Instructions
To make the ribs, cut each large rack of ribs in half so that you have 4 half-racks. Trim away any excess fat from ribs. Sprinkle a light coating spice rub over ribs and press into meat. Wrap the ribs in aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 275 degree oven for 3 hours.
As the ribs cook, make the sauce by heating the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saut? the onions for 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the remaining ingredients and bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, uncovered, or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside until the ribs are ready. Preheat your barbecue grill.
When ribs are finished in the oven, the meat should have pull back about 1/2-inch from the cut-ends of the bones. Remove the ribs from the oven, let them sit for 10 minutes or so, then remove the racks from the foil and put them on the grill. Grill the ribs for 3 to 4 minutes per side. They should be slightly charred in a few spots when they’re finished. Brush barbecue sauce on the ribs while they’re grilling, just before you serve them. Don’t add the sauce too early or it will burn.
This recipe yields 2 (full-rack) to 4 (half-rack) servings.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 221 Calories; 8g Fat (29.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 40g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 1584mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.
Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch ,
Another great one from 101 Cookbooks (don’t want to lose this recipe)! All below is pasted from the site:
Asparagus Stir-Fry Recipe
I mention this up above in the main post, but be sure you have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start actually stir-frying.
toasted sesame oil
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into slices thick as a pencil
4 green onions, thinly sliced
scant 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (peeled)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 a bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
a couple big pinches of fine-grain sea salt
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 big handful of toasted cashews, chopped up a bit
a few handfuls of spinach, or chopped kale, or chopped chard
zest and juice of one lime
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 small handful fresh mint, slivered
1 small handful fresh basil, slivered
Have all your ingredients prepped and within arms reach of the stove. Heat a splash of sesame oil in a large pan, or well-seasoned wok over medium high heat. Alternately, you can do this in a dry non-stick pan – one of the few occasions I still use non-stick. When it is hot, add the tofu, and cook until golden – a few minutes. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.
Add another (generous) splash of oil to the pan and, as soon as it is hot, add the onions, ginger, red pepper flakes, asparagus, and salt. Stir fry for about a minute, then add the garlic, cashews, and spinach and stir-fry for another minute, or until the spinach wilts. Return the tofu to the pan. Stir in the lime zest and juice and the hoisin sauce. Cook for another 10-20 seconds, stirring all the while.
Remove from heat and stir in the mint and basil. Taste and add a bit more salt if needed.
Serves 2-4 (main/side)
Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch ,
I truly invented this one… didn’t use any sort of recipe, just made this up on the fly! It turned out very tasty! It’s nutritious too, with protein, fibre, carbs and a tiny serving of vegetables (the tomato sauce).
Ingredients:
- 2 cups wild rice blend (or brown rice)
- 1 cup chick peas
- 2 cups mashed tofu (see instructions below)
- 1 cup grated cheese. I used Monterey Jack and aged cheddar, but use whatever you have handy, and add more if you like.
- 2 Tbsp ketchup or pasta sauce
- 1/2 cup of tomato/pasta sauce or 1 small can tomato paste
- small amount of chicken stock (if using tomato paste)
Instructions:
Cook the rice according to directions, stirring in the ketchup at the beginning for a little extra flavour. Remove lid, stir and allow to cool a bit. Alternately, you could use any leftover rice you have, 3-4 cups.
Cut open a package of firm tofu and drain excess water. Put tofu in a medium sized bowl and mash it with a pastry blender or potato masher. Leave some lumps in it, so that it looks almost like dry cottage cheese. Grate the cheddar and monterey jack cheese (or whatever you have) right into the bowl (just estimate the amount). Lately, if I just have a little grating to do, I use my IKEA grater, which is quicker and easier to clean than the traditional stand-up one. I just hold it in one hand and grate directly into the bowl!
If you are using tomato paste, scoop it into a smaller bowl and add a can-full of chicken stock and mix together to make sauce. Add some spices if you like. I used some leftover pizza sauce, which had oregano and basil in it, which worked great!
Combine the tofu, chick peas, rice and pasta sauce and mix together.
Put into casserole pan and into the oven, on about 350 degrees F, for just enough time to warm it through, about 15 minutes. The leftovers reheat well, if there are any! (See IKEA graters below.)
Posted by Teresa in : Snacks/Party Food ,
Here’s another great recipe from Michael Smith… oh, you’ll never want to go back to regular nachos!
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Ingredients:
- 6 slices bacon, roughly chopped (I think I used almost a whole package!)
- 2 x onions, finely diced (I only used 1)
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and minced (I used canned ones, and they seemed fine)
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1 bag restaurant style tortilla chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon.
3. Let brown and then add onions and jalapeno and cook until they have softened and are beginning to caramelize.
4. Cool slightly and then pour into a bowl and add grated cheese.
5. Toss to combine.
6. Spread the tortilla chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet and top each one generously with a spoonful of the cheese mixture.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or so until chips are golden and cheese is melted and bubbling.
Posted by Teresa in : Dessert ,
I’ve been selling cookies on Wednesdays at the airport, and I was looking for something really cool to try. Lo and behold, I came across this recipe! Wowzers. It’s sweet, but good… I substituted apricots for peaches (no peaches in my grocery stores) and cashews for walnuts (’cause I’m a sucker for cashews and not a fan of walnuts). The recipe comes from Sunny Anderson, host of “Cooking for Real,” another Food Network show. She’s cool because she’s not a size zero (which is a good sign in chefs, I hear) and she’s very casual and fun! But I only watched her show once… but look at the recipe I got!
Cooking time: 12 min Level: easy Yield: 20 cookies
Ingredients
-
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
-
1/2 tsp baking soda
-
Pinch salt
-
1/2 cup butter, softened
-
1/4 cup light brown sugar
-
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
-
1/4 cup sugar
-
1 large egg
-
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
-
1/2 cup chopped dried peaches
-
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
-
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add egg and continue mixing. Slowly add flour mixture, oats, peaches, walnuts, and white chocolate chips. Mix until combined.
Line 2 sheet trays with parchment. With wet hands make 20 balls from the dough placing evenly among sheet trays. Press down on cookie dough with palm of your hand to make a flat circle.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and still a bit tender in the center. Remove from oven and let sit on sheet trays 1 minute. Remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
Of course, I don’t have a fancy mixer; my arm worked just fine.
