Honey Walnut Shrimp

Shrimp has to be one of my all time favorite foods and I am constantly on the lookout for tasty new shrimp dishes. A while ago I came across a really interesting one for honey and walnut shrimp on Rasa Malaysia. The name drew me in at first as I like both honey and walnuts in addition to the shrimp and then I saw that it also included mayonnaise and sweetened condensed milk. I would never have thought about a honey, mayonnaise and sweetened condensed milk combo for shrimp and I was really intrigued. The fun does not stop there though as the shrimp are deep fried with a crispy cornstarch coating and the walnuts are candied! There was no way that I could pass up on trying this dish even if it did not sound all that healthy. The honey and walnut shrimp were pretty easy to make with the only challenge being the deep frying. I was not really sure what to expect from this flavour combination but it worked out surprisingly well. The savoury mayonnaise and the tart lemon juice balance the sweet honey and condensed milk and they tasted great together. The crispy coating on the prawns added a nice texture and provided a great surface for the sauce to cling to. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

Honey Walnut Shrimp

(makes 4 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup walnut halves
oil for frying
1 pound shrimp (peeled and deviened)
1 egg white
1/2 cup corn starch
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. Bring the water to a boil and stir in the sugar.
2. When the sugar water turns golden add the walnuts and boil for 2 minutes.
3. Strain the walnuts and set them on parchment paper to cool.
4. Heat the oil in a pan.
5. Dip the shrimp into the egg and then into the corn starch.
6. Fry the shrimp in the oil until golden brown
7. Mix the mayonnaise, honey, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice in a bowl.
8. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.
9. Serve the shrimp garnished with the walnuts.

Similar Recipes:
Amaretto Shrimp
Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp (Tom Rim)
Shrimp and Pineapple Teriyaki

Closet Cooking's 2nd Birthday

Closet Cooking is now 2 years old!

It is times like these that I like to take some time to stop and look back. As I looked through all of my posts over the last year on Closet Cooking I was amazed at all of the tasty food that I have been making. My meals have certainly not been boring since I started food blogging and I have been enjoying them a lot more!

As I looked back over my posts I also noticed my transition from my old point and shoot camera to my new DSLR camera (a Canon XSi/450D). It certainly has been fun learning all the ins and outs of the new camera both with respects to food photography and using it for other purposes. I still have a lot to learn about the camera and about food photography and I look forward to learning more. The next thing on my list of things to do to improve my food photography is to pick up some new props. I'm sure that you are all tired of seeing that some old place mat. :)

I would once again like to take this opportunity to thank all of my readers! Your continued support provides me with the energy and inspiration to continue searching for new and wonderful flavour adventures.

It's time for me to enjoy some celebratory apricot and white chocolate oatmeal cookies. I will leave you with some of my favorite recipes from the last year:

Apricot and White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

While looking for food blogging events to take part in I found out that it was going to be National Oatmeal Cookie day on April 30th and that Jennifer of Savor the Thyme was hosting an Oatmeal Cookie Challenge. I hardly needed an excuse to make cookies so I was in! I see oatmeal cookies as a healthier version of chocolate chip cookies and I like the texture that the rolled oats adds; quite possibly making them my favorite type of cookie. I have a huge list of of different flavour combinations of oatmeal cookies that I want to try and on the top of that was apricot and white chocolate oatmeal cookies, though dark chocolate and dried cherry oatmeal cookies were a close second.

The last time I made oatmeal cookies the oats seemed to vanish when they baked so this time I reduced the flour a bit and tripled the amount of rolled oats. The apricot and white chocolate oatmeal cookies turned out great! The cookies smelled so amazingly good while baking and even after. They were nice and moist and chewy on the inside and just slightly crispy on the edges, just the way I like them. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, was that the apricot flavour was a bit to subtle. I think that the next time I make them, and there will be a next time, I will cut the dried apricots into four pieces instead of six making each piece bigger. This time the rolled oats were a lot more visible and the texture they added to the cookies was really nice.

Apricot and White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

(makes 16+ cookies)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup dried apricots (chopped)
1/2 cup white chocolate (coarsely chopped)

Directions:
1. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl.
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
3. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
5. Mix in the rolled oats, apricots and white chocolate.
6. Place the dough onto a cookie sheet one table spoon at a time.
7. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.

Similar Recipes:
Cranberry, Pistachio and White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chunk and Pecan Cookies
White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies

Butter Paneer Masala

When I was in Little India (Toronto) picking up the alphonso mangoes at an Indian grocery store I took the opportunity to look for some paneer which I had been unable to find anywhere else. I was in luck as I found some bricks of the harder paneer and I picked some up right away. Over the last while I have been building a small list of recipes that I want to try that include paneer but since I had never been able to find any it just kept growing. The first recipe on my list was a butter paneer masala. The basics of a butter paneer masala seemed to be cubes of paneer that are fried in ghee until golden brown in an onion and tomato gravy with spices and ground cashews that is finished with butter and cream. One of the spices in this dish was garam masala which gave me the chance to use some of the garam masala that I had made a while ago. I decided to try to keep the dish a bit lighter and reduce the amount of butter and I replaced the cream with yogurt.

Many of the recipes that I found for the butter paneer masala called for soaking the paneer in water and I was not sure why until I had finished frying the paneer. The paneer was pretty hard after being fried and soaking it in the water softened it up a bit before adding it to the gravy. Needless to say, I tried some of the paneer before adding it to the gravy to see what it was like and it was just like a firm cheese with a crumbly texture on the inside. The paneer was pretty bland and flavourless but that was ok because it readily soaked up the flavours of the sauce that it was cooked in. The butter paneer masala was pretty straight forward and easy to make and it turned out really well. The onion and tomato gravy with cashews was nice and tasty and creamy with a hint of buttery. The paneer had a texture that I enjoyed and it had soaked up all of the tasty flavour from the sauce. I can't wait to use paneer again and now that I have more of an idea of what paneer is supposed to be I will have to try making my own.

Butter Paneer Masala

(makes 4 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups paneer (cut into bite sized cubes)
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion (pureed)
1 teaspoon garlic (grated)
1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
1 teaspoon red chili powder
3 tablespoons cashews (ground)
1 cup tomato (pureed)
1 teaspoon coriander (ground)
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons yogurt
cilantro (chopped)

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a pan.
2. Add the paneer and fry until golden brown on all sides.
3. Let the paneer soak in warm water for 30 minutes.
4. Melt the butter in a pan.
5. Add the onion and saute until brown.
6. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
7. Add the chili powder, cashews, tomatoes, coriander, turmeric and garam masala and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Add the paneer and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and yogurt.

Similar Recipes:
Palak Paneer
Cashew Chicken Curry
Egg Curry

Dorayaki

I recently realized that I have not been participating in many food blogging events lately and I resolved to fix that. One upcoming event that caught my attention was the My Legume Love Affair event being hosted by Coco Cooks and this months theme was starters and desserts. I immediately thought about Japanese sweets with red bean paste and there were a few that were on my list of things that I wanted to try. At the top of my list was dorayaki which are essentially a pancake sandwich filled with sweet red bean paste. You should be able to find the sweet red bean paste at your local Asian grocery store or you can make your own red bean paste and it is pretty easy. The dorayaki are pretty simple to make as well. It is just a matter of making some pancakes and then sticking them together with the red bean paste in the middle. The dorayaki turned out really well! I don't know what it is about sweet red bean paste but I like it a lot and it went really well sandwiched between these pancakes. I also liked this pancake recipe as they came out nice and light and fluffy and perfectly golden brown.

Dorayaki

(makes 4 dorayaki)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup flour
1/2 cup red bean paste (tsubushian)

Directions:
1. Mix the eggs and sugar.
2. Mix the baking soda into the water and mix it into the eggs.
3. Mix in the honey and flour.
4. Heat a pan with a touch of oil.
5. Pour enough batter to make a 4 inch diameter pancake.
6. Heat until the surface starts to bubble and the bottom is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
7. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until the bottom is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.
8. Make a sandwich out of two of the pancakes with red bean paste filling.

Other Japanese treats:
Ichigo Daifuku
Azuki (Red Bean) Ice Cream

Related:
How to make red bean paste

If you are interested in participating in the My Legume Love Affair then take a look at the My Legume Love Affair host lineup.

Mango Maddness

Mangoes have to be my favorite fruit! Mango season 2009 has just started and I have already been cooking up a mango storm. I have been enjoying experimenting with mangoes and I have made some really tasty mango dishes. With my growing collection mango recipes I thought that it was about time to go over them all and collect my favorites and here they are:

Desserts

Mango Shrikhand - Thick and creamy strained yogurt with sugar, cardamom and saffron mixed in and either topped with fresh (or caramelized) mango or with mango puree mixed in as well.

Mango on Coconut Sticky Rice - Sweet aromatic sticky rice made with coconut milk and topped with fresh mangoes is a great way to finish almost any meal.

Mango Crisp with Macadamia Nut Crust - If you like crisps and crumble like I do then you'll really enjoy this mango crisp with a touch of the tropics in the form of cardamom and a coconut and macadamia nut topping. Serve with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream for even greater enjoyment.

Mango Coconut Rice Pudding - Mango and coconut rice team up again but this time in rice pudding spiced with cardamom and topped with macadamia nuts.

Mango and Nutella Crepes - Nutella goes great with many fruits and the mango and nutella combo is definitely one to try. The fresh mango and nutella spread are wrapped by a warm just made crepe in this recipe for some breakfast magic.

Mango and Rhubarb Crumble - Mango season starts in the Spring which means that rhubarb is out at the same time and a mango and rhubarb crumble is a must try indeed!

Mango Lassi - When it starts to get hotter out a mango lassi made with either ice of frozen yogurt is a great way to keep cool.

Breakfasts

Curried Mango Bread - Mangoes can be used to make some nice quick breads and this one has the added surprise of curry that gives it a nice hint of spices and warmth. What a great way to start the day!

Mango and Banana Pancakes - If it is the weekend and you have a bit more time for breakfast then these mango and banana pancakes with a hint of cardamom and coconut make a great treat.

Condiments

Mango Chutney - Mango chutney is one of my favorite things. The mango flavour along with the spices and the sweet and sour combo with just a touch of heat is just so amazing. Use it in grilled cheese sandwiches or on grilled sword fish etc.

Mango and Cardamom Jam - The mango and cardamom flavour combination really shines in this mango and cardamom jam. This mango and cardamom jam also works really well in a grilled cheese sandwich

Mango Guacamole - Sweet and juicy mango pairs surprisingly well with the cool and creamy avocado to make this guacamole a special treat. Serve it with something hot and spicy and it will balance out the heat in addition to adding a ton of flavour.

Salads

Mango Caprese Salad - If you get your hands on some really nice mangoes like some alphonso mangoes, this mango caprese salad is a great way to enjoy them. The simple flavours of a caprese salad with mangoes substituted in for tomatoes works surprisingly well.

Curried Chicken and Mango Salad - If you like chicken salads, mangoes and curry the this is the salad for you. It also makes a great sandwich filling.

Savoury

Chicken, Red Pepper and Mango Curry - If savoury is more your style then this mango and chicken curry with red peppers is right up your alley. The sweet juicy mangoes provide a nice balance to the heat and spices in the curry.

Thai Mango Chicken - I really enjoy Thai flavours which is what originally drew me to this dish which consists of chicken in a Thai flavoured mango sauce which is really tasty!

If you enjoyed this collection of mango recipes and are still looking for more you can find them all here:
Mango Recipes

If you have any other must try mango ideas, please let me know about them! I am always looking for more.

Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

There hasn't been any fresh local produce so far this year but I am still happy exploring the last of Winters reserves such as sweet potatoes. I have seen a few recipes for sweet potato and peanut soups over the last few weeks that have sounded good. I really like to use peanuts and peanut butter in savoury dishes and I am always on the lookout for new recipes. I saw several different versions of the sweet potato and peanut butter soups ranging from southwestern versions with chilies to Thai versions with curry pastes and coconut milk. Although the Thai version sounded great I wanted to start with a simpler one that really showcased the main ingredients, the sweet potatoes and the peanuts.

I started out by roasting some sweet potatoes until they were nice and caramelized and full of flavour. In the meantime I started making the soup base with the classic combination of onions, carrots, celery and garlic. From there I added a red pepper for some contrasting colour and flavour and I had some leftover chili peppers that went in for a bit of warmth. The final component of course was the peanut butter. The sweet potato and peanut soup was easy to make and it turned out wonderfully. The flavours of this soup were nice and simple and the sweet potato and peanut not only came through but they worked really well together. With the sweet potatoes and the peanut butter in the soup it was nice and thick and creamy. I garnished the soup with some chopped roasted peanuts and they added a really nice contrasting texture. The weather is supposed to be warming up over the next few days and I am looking forward to the coming fresh local produce but in the meantime I am going to be enjoying my sweet potato and peanut soup.

Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

(makes 4-6 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes (cleaned and cut in half lengthwise)
4 teaspoons oil
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 poblano pepper (chopped)
1 jalapeno pepper (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup peanut butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful peanuts (roasted and chopped)
cilantro (chopped)

Directions:
1. Brush the skins of the potatoes with the oil and set cut side down on a baking tray.
2. Roast in a preheated 400F oven until tender, about 40-60 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a pan.
4. Add the onions, carrots, celery and peppers and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
6. Scoop the flesh from the sweet potatoes skins and add it to the pan along with the broth and peanut butter. (Note: Sweet potatoes can be stringy and if you like, feel free to give them a spin in your food processor to smooth them out.)
7. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
8. Feel free to use an immersion blender to bring the soup to the consistency that you like.

Similar Recipes:
Sweet Potato Soup
Butternut Squash Soup
Thai Pumpkin Soup

Mango Shrikhand

With mango season here it was inevitable that I head down to Little India (Toronto) to look for the Alphonso mangoes. Alphonso mangoes are considered by many to be the best variety of mango with regards to sweetness and flavour. Here in Canada the alphonso mangoes are imported directly from India and thus they are a just a little bit expensive. Despite the expense I like to indulge on them while they are in season as they are really good. I was in luck! They had the alphonso mangoes in at both Kohinoor Foods and Cash and Carry and I picked up a case. On my long tram ride back I was thinking about how I was going to enjoy them.

Other than just snacking on them fresh one of the top things on my list to try was a mango shrikhand. A shrikhand is and Indian dessert made by mixing thick and creamy strained yogurt with sugar, cardamom and saffron. From there you can add other things like mangoes. For a mango shrikhand you commonly add mango pulp but for my first mango shrikhand I decided to just and some freshly chopped alphonso mangoes so that I could enjoy the mangoes more. The mango shrikhand was easy to make, though you do have to wait a while for the yogurt to strain. The alphonso mango shrikhand was amazing! The yogurt was nice and thick and creamy and sweet and the cardamom and saffron flavours worked really well in it. I also added some chopped pistachios for a bit of colour and for a contrasting texture.

I enjoyed the mango shrikand so much that I have already made several of them this week. For the second one that I coated the mango pieces in brown sugar and caramelized them in a pan before adding them to the shrikhand. The warm caramelized mango was so good! For the third mango shrikhand, I made the one with the mango pulp mixed into the yogurt and it definitely enhanced the overall mango flavour. In the end I think that my favorite was the first one as I got to fully enjoy both the wonderful fresh alphonso mangoes and the cardamom and saffron strained yogurt.

Mango Shrikhand

(makes 1 serving)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup Greek yogurt (or strained plain yogurt)
1/4 cup mango pulp (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar (confectioners sugar works well)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 pinch saffron (soaked in 1 tablespoon warm milk)
1 tablespoon pistachios (toasted and chopped)
1 mango (peeled, stoned and cut into bit sized pieces)

Directions:
1. Mix everything save the mangoes and top with the mangoes.

Similar Recipes:
Mango Lassi
Blueberry and Maple Pecan Granola Parfait
Strawberry Rice Pudding with Balsamic Syrup
Mango and Cardamom Jam

More Mango Recipes

Swordfish Steak with Mango Chutney on Curried Lentils

When I was at the fish monger on the weekend I noticed that they had some nice looking swordfish steaks and it reminded me that I had not had swordfish in a really long time. I picked some up immediately and I was wondering what to do with them. When I got home I noticed the jars of the mango chutney that I had just made and I thought that the best way to enjoy those perfect looking steaks was to simply grill them, and a bit of mango chutney to liven things up could not hurt. I still had some lentils left that needed to be used and I though that I would continue with the curry theme that the mango chutney had introduced and I decided to make some curried lentils. I wanted a bunch of vegetables in the lentils and I ended up going with the classic three of onions, carrots and celery and I added some raisins for a bit of sweetness.

I am glad that I kept the swordfish steaks nice and simple and just grilled them because they turned out to be the best swordfish steaks that I have ever had. I ended up grilling them for about 2 minutes per side and they turned out just perfectly cooked through. They were still nice and moist and they had an amazing texture and a great flavour all by themselves. I could easily have eaten the steaks plain but the sweet, tangy and spicy mango chutney also went well with them. The curried lentils rounded out the meal nicely. The swordfish steaks were a great find and it is always nice to find new ways to enjoy my homemade mango chutney.

Swordfish Steak with Mango Chutney on Curried Lentils

(2 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 swordfish steaks
1 tablespoon oil
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups curried lentils (see below)
2 tablespoons mango chutney

Directions:
1. Rub the oil onto the swordfish steak and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Grill until until cooked the desired amount, about 2-4 minutes per side.
3. Serve on bed of lentils with mango chutney garnish.

Curried Lentils

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
1 rib celery (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 cup puy lentils
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 bay leaf
~2 cups water (or broth or stock)
1/2 cup raisins
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the lentils, curry powder and bay leaf and cover in water.
5. Simmer covered until the lentils are al dente, about 20-30 minutes, adding the raisins about half way through.
6. Season lentils with salt and pepper.

Similar Recipes:
Sausage on Lentils and Greens
Swordfish with Amandine Sauce
Halibut with Lemon, Butter, Caper and Dill Sauce

Curried Mango Bread

One of the good things about the mangoes being out now is that there are no local fruits available and I can spend some time focusing on them. I find that during the summer when the local fruits start becoming available that it is rather like a whirlwind of one after the other or many at the same time and I don't get to fully enjoy any of them to the extent that I might like to. I had been wanting to try making a mango bread for a while and now was the time while it was still cool out and I don't mind having the oven on. For some reason I associate mangos with curries and chutneys and the first thing that I thought about for a mango bread was a curried mango bread. I had made, and enjoyed a curried chocolate chip banana bread a while ago and I was looking forward to trying a curried mango bread.

I found a recipe for Dorie Greenspan’s Fresh Mango Bread on gatronomy that looked like a good starting point. Of course the first thing that I did was replace some of the all purpose flour with some whole wheat flour to make it a touch healthier. Next up was replacing the spices with some curry powder and some freshly grated ginger and garlic along with a chopped chili pepper for some heat. Raisins commonly go with chutney's so I left them in to accompany the mangoes and I had a recipe for a curried mango bread.

Like other quick breads the curried mango bread came together quickly and easily. One thing that I did notice about this recipe was that the batter was a bit drier that I was used to but everything worked out. This mango bread takes a bit longer to bake than some other quick breads that I have made but the toothpick test worked like a charm as usual and I got it out at the right time. Because this cake is in the oven longer than normal you might want to keep an eye on the crust and if it is getting too dark, cover it with foil.

The curried mango bread turned out really well! My apartment was filled with an amazing aroma of baking bread and warm curry. I could hardly keep myself from cutting off a slice as soon as it came out of the oven but I let it cool a bit first so that I could take some photos. The mango bread was nice and light and moist and the large chunks of mangoes in it were still fresh and juicy. The curry powder added a really nice hint of spices and warmth without overpowering any of the breads other flavours. The thing that I liked most about this bread was the crust. After baking in the oven for so long the crust was nice and thick though it gives way easily when you bite into it and it tastes like it has caramelized. I really liked both the texture and the caramelized flavour of the crust which along with the soft, moist and tasty inside makes this one of my favorite quick breads yet!

Curried Mango Bread

(makes 1 loaf)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 tablespoon garlic (grated)
1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
1 red chili (chopped)
1 lime (zest only)
2 cups mango (peeled, stoned and diced)
3/4 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, curry powder, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Mix the eggs, oil, sugar, garlic, ginger, chili and lime zest in another large bowl.
3. Mix the dry ingredients in to the wet ingredients.
4. Mix the mango and raisins into the the batter.
5. Pour the batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until a tooth pick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 90 minutes.

The mango and cardamom jam that I made earlier went really well on the curried mango bread for even more mango flavour!

Similar Recipes:
Curried Pineapple Banana Bread (Siamese Loaf)
Curried Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Zucchini Bread
Chicken and Mango Curry
Mango Chutney

More Mango Recipes

Steak and Guinness Pie

Last month with St. Patrick's day I saw a lot of beef stew recipes and something else that caught my eye; a beef stew pie. A beef stew pie is pretty much like it sounds, beef stew that is baked in a pie. That's right, beef that is slowly braised until it is fall apart tender and full of flavour that is baked into light and flaky golden brown pastry...mmm... To make things even better the beef can be braised in Guinness. Not to stop there but you can also add some bacon and brown the meat and saute the vegetables in the bacon grease for even more flavour. I knew that I would have to make a steak and guinness pie long before this point but then I came across an adaptation of Jamie Olivers steak and Guinness pie on The Cutting Edge of Ordinary that also included cheddar cheese! I would not have thought to use cheddar cheese to a beef stew pot pie but as soon as I heard it I knew that I had to try it!

I modified the recipe a bit so that I would have just enough to fill my pie plate with beef stew. I decided to go with an actual pie crust as my pie crust skills could use a bit of work. The steak and guinness pie turned out amazing! The pie crust came out nice and golden brown and it was light and buttery and flaky both on the top and the bottom. After braising for three hours the beef stew was so full of flavour that it would have been wonderful all by itself but then it was wrapped with the pie pastry and topped with a layer of melted cheddar cheese and it was sublimely good! This was one of the best meals that I have had in a while! This recipe is definitely a keeper. I went with a classic pairing and served the beef and guinness pot pie with a side of peas.

Steak and Guinness Pie

(makes 6 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon (sliced)
1 pound beef (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 onion (sliced)
2 stalks celery (sliced)
2 carrots (cut into bite sized pieces)
4 ounces mushrooms (quartered)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 can Guinness
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon thyme (chopped)
1 tablespoon rosemary (chopped)
1 bay leaf
2 pie crusts
1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
1. Cook the bacon and set aside leaving the grease in the pan.
2. Add the beef and brown on all sides and set aside.
3. Add the onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
5. Add the guinness and deglaze the pan.
6. Add the stock, bacon, beef, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat and simmer until the beef is tender, about 2-3 hours.
8. Place the first pie crust into the bottom of a pie plate and pour the beef stew in.
9. Sprinkle the cheese over the beef stew and cover with the top pie crust.
10. Mix the egg and water and brush it onto the top of the pie crust.
11. Bake in a preheated 350 oven until golden brown on top, about 30-40 minutes.

Similar Recipes:
Chicken Pot Pie
Irish Lamb Stew
Italian Style Beef Stew with Butternut Squash
Nikujaga (Japanese Beef Stew)

Baked Sweet Potato Oatmeal with Pecan Streusel

Despite the fact that the days are slowly getting warmer, the mornings are still pretty cool and a bowl of oatmeal still hits the spot for breakfast. I had been wanting to try doing a baked oatmeal for a while and I figured that I should do it now before the morning get too warm. Sweet potatoes are still in good supply and I was thinking about the sweet potato casserole that I had made a while ago and wondering if I could make a baked oatmeal version. I prefer using steel cut oats to rolled oats when making oatmeal but I could not find a recipe for a steel cut oats baked oatmeal. In the end I decided to just modify the rolled oats recipe for the steel cut oats. Steel cut oats require more liquid and more cooking time but you can cut down on the cooking time by soaking the oats overnight which is what I decided to do. I roasted the sweet potatoes in the oven until they were nice and soft and starting to caramelize for added flavour. Maple syrup seemed like a natural addition and keeping with the sweet potato casserole theme I went with a pecan streusel topping. I had to wait to add the streusel topping until the oatmeal had cooked enough that the streusel would not just sink into the oatmeal so I added it part way through the cooking process. The baked sweet potato oatmeal turned out really good! It was nice and warm and sweet and really creamy on the inside with a slightly crisp topping. The sweet potato flavour really came through and of course it worked well with the pecan topping. It was like having dessert for breakfast. In fact, a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream would probably go really well on it.

Baked Sweet Potato Oatmeal with Pecan Streusel

(makes 4 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup steel cut oats
4 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup sweet potato (cooked and mashed)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans (chopped)
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter (softened)

Directions:
1. Mix the steel cut oats and the milk in an 8 inch baking dish and let sit over night.
2. Mix in the sweet potato puree, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.
3. Bake, covered, in a preheated 350F oven until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about for 30-40 minutes.
4. Mix the brown sugar, pecans, flour and butter and pour it onto the oatmeal and bake, uncovered until golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.

Similar Recipes:
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potato Bread with Praline Sauce
Sweet Potato Pie Pancakes
Oatmeal
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mango and Cardamom Jam

I have been enjoying the sweet and savoury combination of grilled cheese sandwiches with jam for a while. With my newly made mango and cardamom jam in hand the first thing that came to mind, after the required display of the jam on toast of course, was a grilled cheese sandwich with mango and cardamom jam. There is just something magical about that melted gooey, savoury, cheese contrasted with a sweet jam all wrapped up in golden brown buttery grilled bread...mmm... The grilled cheese sandwich with mango and cardamom jam met and even exceeded all of my expectations with the addition of the aromatic cardamom lifting it above other grilled cheese and jam sandwiches from the past.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mango and Cardamom Jam

(makes 1 sandwich)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 slices bread
1 tablespoon butter (room temperature)
2 slices cheese (cheddar, gruyere, etc.)
1 tablespoon mango and cardamom jam (or any jam)

Directions:
1. Assemble the sandwich and grill until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Similar Recipes:
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mango Chutney
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Green Tomato and Jalapeno Jam
Eggplant and Mozzarella Panini
Monte Cristo

More Mango Recipes

Mango and Cardamom Jam

I just can't seem to help myself; every time I walk through Chinatown those cases of perfectly ripe mangoes just keep calling to me and I end up walking home with another. I needed to use some more mangoes and the best way that I know to use a lot of fruit in a hurry is to make jam with it. I have made several jams over the last two years starting with single fruit or berry jams and then moving on to two fruit or berry jams. This time I wanted to try adding a spice to a jam. I have been enjoying cardamom lately and cardamom seems to be commonly paired with mangoes so I thought that a mango and cardamom jam would be a good idea. The box of pectin crystals that I normally get did not have a recipe for a mango jam on it so I kind of winged it using the ratios from the other recipes. Luckily it turned out well, thickening nicely but not too much. I left a lot of the pieces of mangoes fairly large as I like chunks of fruit in my jams. The mango and cardamom jam turned out great! It is nice and sweet and just bursting with mango flavour and the cardamom goes really well with mango! I will certainly be enjoying this jam!

Mango and Cardamom Jam

(makes 5 cups)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups mango (stoned, peeled, chopped)
1 box pectin crystals
5 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 cardamom pods (crushed and ground)

Directions:
1. Bring the mangoes and pectin crystals to a boil with high heat in a large pot.
2. Add the sugar, lemon juice and cardamom and bring to a hard boil for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat, stir and skim foam for 5 minutes.
4. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

To sterilize the jars:
1. Wash in hot soapy water.
2. Keep the lids in boiling water until ready to use.
3. Place jars in 225F oven for 10 minutes and keep warm until ready to use.

Similar Recipes:
Mango and Vanilla Jam
Mango Chutney
Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mango and Cardamom Jam
Mango Shrikhand

More Mango Recipes

Fish a la Spetsiota

I have a new found appreciation for cooking meats in sauces as the sauce helps keep the meat nice and moist and it also infuses the meat with its flavours as it cooks. The meats juices also drip directly into the sauce further enhancing the sauces flavour. It's a win win scenario that results in tons of flavour!

I while ago I came across this recipe for fish a la spetsiota or fish done in the style of Spetses, on kalofagas.ca which caught my attention because the fish is baked in a tomato sauce. The tomato sauce sounded nice and simple and I knew that after cooking with the fish they would both be wonderfully tasty! Topping the fish with bread crumbs also sounded good, though I could not help myself and I added some cheese in the form of grated parmigiano reggiano. I used some stale whole grained bread that I toasted and processed in a food processor for the bread crumbs for some extra texture.

While cleaning out my freezer recently I came across some basil pesto. I had made a bunch of the pesto in the summer when the basil was plentiful and I had frozen the extras to enjoy during the winter. I thought that serving the fish covered in the tasty tomato sauce on a bed of basil pesto rice would be nice and I decided to finish the meal off with some steamed spinach.

The fish a la spetsiota turned out really well! The sole fillets were nice and moist and so full of flavour! The bread crumb and parmigiano reggiano really finished the fish in tomato sauce off nicely. The spinach and basil pesto rice soaked up any excess sauce meaning that there was never a dull moment in the meal. I will definitely be making this again!

Fish a la Spetsiota

(makes 4 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 fish fillets (rinsed and pat dry, I used sole fillets)
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup canned plum tomatoes and their juice
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:
1. Season the fish with salt and pepper and let them stand for 20-30 minutes.
2. Mix the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, oregano and wine in a food processor and let stand for 20-30 minutes.
3. Grease the bottom of a baking dish with the oil.
4. Spread half of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the baking pan.
5. Place the fish in the baking pan and cover with the remaining tomato sauce.
6. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano over the top.
7. Bake in a preheated 375F oven the sauce thickens and the top is golden brown.

Similar Recipes:
Tilapia with Puttanesca Sauce
Osso Buco
Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style Chicken)
Chicken Giouvetsi

Ham and Lentil Soup

I always like cooking ham and I often find myself thinking that my favorite part is the leftovers; especially that ham bone. Ham bones can be used to either make a nice ham stock or you can just throw the bone right into any number of tasty soups and it adds a ton of flavour as simmers away. This time I was thinking that I don't use lentils often enough and that a ham and lentil soup would be really nice. I don't normally use a recipe for these kinds of soups as they are so easy. After I have decided on the primary ingredients I normally go for the standard onion, carrot and celery combo along with some stock. From there I add a few herbs, fresh or preserved and I like to finish the soups off with a green vegetable, in this case I went with some spinach. The soup is really easy to make and once you are done with all of the chopping you can relax while it simmers and draws out all of the flavours. The ham and lentil soup turned out great! It was nice and tasty and I really enjoyed the texture of the lentils in the soup. I will need to experiment some more with lentil soups.

Ham and Lentil Soup

(makes 4-6 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup lentils
2 cups ham (diced)
1 ham bone (optional)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
pepper to taste
1 bunch spinach (rinsed and trimmed)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan.
2. Add the onions, carrot and celery and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, a few minutes.
4. Add the stock, lentils, ham, ham bone, oregano, bay leaf and thyme and simmer, covered on low heat for an hour.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach.

Similar Recipes:
Ham and Bean Soup
Italian Lentil and Chestnut Stew
Split Pea Soup
Spinach, White Bean and Turkey Sausage Soup

Mango and Nutella Crepes

I have been hooked on crepes ever since I first made them. They are easy to make and nice and light and there are just so many great ways to fill them. One of my favorites ways to fill them is with nutella (a chocolate hazelnut spread) and fruit. My normal pairings include bananas or strawberries but I had been wanting to try combining mangoes with nutella for a while. Now that the mangoes were here it was the perfect opportunity to try the new combo out. When making crepes with a nutella (or peanut butter) filling you can go one of two ways; you can fill it right away while the crepes are still warm and let the nutella start to melt or you can let them cool off just enough so that the nutella does not melt. I can never decide which way I like best so I normally end up having two, one each way. The mango and nutella combination worked surprisingly well and the crepes were a great way to start a weekend morning!

Mango and Nutella Crepes

(makes 4 crepes)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 batch crepes
2 cups mango (peeled, stoned and sliced)
4 tablespoons nutella
1 handful pistachios (chopped, optional)

Directions:
1. Assemble.

Similar Recipes:
Strawberry and Nutella Crepes
Banana and Nutella Crepes
Peanut Butter Banana and Honey Crepes

More Mango Recipes

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mango Chutney

One of my favorite ways to enjoy mango chutney is in a grilled cheese sandwich and the timing couldn't be better as April is grilled cheese sandwich month. Panini Happy is hosting a grilled cheese pageant to celebrate and I thought that I would share one of my favorite takes on a grilled cheese sandwich. A couple of years ago I would never have thought to use something like mango chutney in a grilled cheese sandwich but then I tried a monte cristo sandwich which is basically a ham and cheese sandwich that is cooked like French toast and commonly served with strawberry jam. I was immediately hooked on the sweet and savoury combo and I have been making grilled cheese sandwiches with jam ever since. Shortly after discovering mango chutney I had the idea of trying a grilled cheese sandwich with it and now the mango chutney grilled cheese sandwich is one of my favorites! The sweet, tangy and spicy mango chutney goes surprisingly well with ooey gooey melted cheese wrapped in perfectly grilled golden brown bread!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mango Chutney

(makes 1 sandwich)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 slices bread
1 tablespoon butter (room temperature)
2 slices cheese (cheddar, gruyere, etc.)
1 tablespoon mango chutney

Directions:
1. Assemble the sandwich and grill until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Similar Recipes:
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mango and Cardamom Jam
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Green Tomato and Jalapeno Jam
Fig and Brie Panini with Prosciutto
Peanut Butter and Green Tomato and Jalapeno Jam Sandwich

Mango Chutney

Over the last few weeks the markets have been flooded with mangoes from Mexico. I am particularly fond of mangoes and after a long winter of mostly apples I was really please to see the mangoes and I picked up a lot of them. I may have even picked up too many of them and I needed to use them before they went bad. It was the perfect chance to try another mango chutney recipe.

I first discovered mango chutney in the grocery store a little over a year ago and I really liked it. Since then I have been trying to make my own and I have tried several recipes but I have not been pleased with any of them. After another search on the net I came across this recipe for mango chutney that sounded good. I noticed that this recipe include vinegar and I am pretty sure that vinegar is included in the store bought version that I like so much. I was thinking that the tangy vinegar might have been what was missing from my previous attempts.

This mango chutney turned out great! The flavours were just amazing! The chutney was sweet and tangy and spicy with just the right amount of heat. I now have a new favorite mango chutney!

Mango Chutney

(makes 4+ cups)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
6 cups mango (stoned, peeled, chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 red chili (chopped)
1 tablespoon garlic (grated)
1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup raisins
6 cardamom pods (crushed and ground)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne
3 cups vinegar

Directions:
1. Place everything in a large pot and boil until it thickens, about 30-60 minutes.
2. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

To sterilize the jars:
1. Wash in hot soapy water.
2. Keep the lids in boiling water until ready to use.
3. Place jars in 225F oven for 10 minutes and keep warm until ready to use.

Recipes that use mango chutney:
Curried Chicken and Mango Salad
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mango Chutney
Swordfish Steak with Mango Chutney on Curried Lentils
Curried Chicken Burger

Similar Recipes:
Green Tomato and Jalapeno Jam
Mango and Cardamom Jam
Mango and Vanilla Jam
Curried Mango Bread
Cranberry Chutney
Apple Chutney

More Mango Recipes

Apricot Lamb Tagine

After the pistachio crusted rack of lamb I was thinking about lamb even more. My thoughts naturally came the the Moroccan lamb tagine that I made and enjoyed so much last year. This lamb tagine uses a wonderful blend of Moroccan spices to season the meat before it is braised until it is nice and fall apart tender. Near the end of the cooking some dried fruits and honey are added for a bit of sweetness and some harissa is added for some chili heat. The combination of the flavourful slow braised lamb with the spices and the sweet dried fruit and the warmth is simply amazing and I was salivating at the thought of making it again this year. This time I changed things up just a little. The last time that I made this I used various dried fruits and I chopped them up so that they melted into the sauce. This year I decided to focus on apricots and I left them whole to add a nice change in texture and bursts of apricot flavour to the stew. I also decided to drop the carrots in favour of having the vegetables on the side.

This years apricot lamb tagine easily lived up to my memories of last years and I was thoroughly satisfied! The lamb was perfectly fall apart tender and oh so tasty. All of the flavours in the pot had plenty of time to mingle and get to know each other over the hours of simmering and the lamb was infused with the wonderful results. Despite the strong flavours in the sauce the taste of the lamb still came through and it really works well in this dish. Of course I served the lamb tagine on a bed of light and fluffy whole wheat couscous and I garnished it with some chopped cilantro and pistachios.

I hope everyone has a great Easter!

Apricot Lamb Tagine

(makes 4 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pinch saffron
1 teaspoon lemon (zest)
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound lamb (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon garlic (grated)
1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I used chopped sun dried tomatoes)
* beef stock
3/4 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons harissa
1/4 cup pistachios (chopped, optional)
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped, optional)
1/4 cup parsley (chopped, optional)
1 cup Greek style yogurt (optional)

Directions:
1. Mix the paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, cayenne pepper, saffron, lemon zest and oil in a ziplock bag.
2. Add the lamb, mix well and marinate the fridge for a few hours to overnight.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan.
4. Add the lamb, brown well on all sides and set aside.
5. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for about a minute.
7. Add the lamb and tomato paste and cover with beef stock.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce the meat and simmer covered until the lamb is fall apart tender, about 2-3 hours.
9. Add the apricots, raisins and more beef stock to cover.
10. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
11. Add the honey and harissa.
12. Serve on couscous and garnished with pistachios, cilantro, parsley and Greek yogurt.

Similar Recipes:
Moroccan Lamb Tagine
7 Chili Chili
Beef Rendang
Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemons
Artichoke and Fava Bean Tagine
Moroccan Nectarine and Plum Chicken Tagine

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

My collection of shredded chicken, from leftover roasted chickens, was growing and I wanted to use some of it to clear some space in my freezer. (Ice cream season is coming and I will need that space!) After searching around for a while I came across the concept of a king ranch chicken casserole which sounded really good. A chicken ranch casserole seems to be a creamy chicken casserole with texmex flavours that is layered like a lasagna using corn tortillas. I had been thinking about doing something with a creamy poblano sauce for a while and this seemed like the perfect time to.

Most of the recipes that I came across called for canned creamed soups to form the base of the sauce but I was determined to do it without them. I started by sauteing the vegetables in more butter than I would normally use so that I could sprinkle in some flour to form a roux and thicken the chicken stock. I finished the creamy part of the casserole off with some milk and sour cream for a bit of tanginess. For the texmex flavours, I used those poblano peppers and some jalapeno peppers, canned chopped green chilies, chipotle chili powder, cumin, oregano and cilantro. With all of the chili heat in the dish I thought that some corn would go well to take the edge off. Of course it is really hard to not top off a texmex dish like this with some ooey gooey melted cheese.

The king ranch chicken casserole was easy to make and it was super tasty! I over filled my baking dish and some of the sauce bubbled over. Luckily I always bake things like this on a baking sheet so I was saved from having to clean up a big mess in the oven. The chicken casserole was nice and creamy and cheesy and good! This dish is packed with so many of the texmex flavours that I like so much and it sure is a winner in my books. I am looking forward to enjoying the leftovers for lunches over the next few days.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

(makes 6+ servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion (chopped)
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 poblano pepper (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 jalapenos (chopped)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin (toasted and ground)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup of chicken broth
2 cups chicken (cooked and shredded)
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup corn
1 lime (juice)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
10 corn tortillas
2 cups cheese (grated)

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a pan.
2. Add the onion, red pepper and poblano pepper and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic jalapenos, chili powder and cumin and saute unto fragrant, about a minute.
4. Mix in the flour and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth and simmer until the liquid thickens.
6. Add the chicken, tomatoes, green chilies, milk and oregano and simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the corn, lime juice, sour cream, cilantro, salt and pepper.
8. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of an 8 inch square baking pan.
9. Top with a layer formed with 1/2 of the tortillas.
10. Top with a layer of 1/2 of the the sauce.
11. Top with a layer of 1/2 of the the cheese.
12. Top with a layer of the remaining tortillas.
13. Top with a layer of the remaining sauce.
14. Top with a layer of the remaining cheese.
15. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the sides are bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Similar Recipes:
Texmex Lasagna
Corn and Black Bean Tortilla Pie
Lasagna

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb with a Pomegranate Port Sauce

With Easter quickly approaching, I have been keeping an eye out for ideas for a nice holiday dinner. Over the last few years I have been associating lamb with Easter and when I saw this recipe for a pistachio crusted rack of lamb it definitely caught my attention. I had been wanting to try cooking a rack of lamb for a while and I really liked the sound of a pistachio crust held on by a tangy mustard and mint paste. While looking for recipes for lamb dishes I came across one that included a pomegranate port sauce which sounded good and since the meal already had some Mediterranean flavours in it I thought that the sauce would be a nice addition. It was actually pretty easy cooking the rack of lamb and it turned out great! There is not much meat on a rack of lamb so it cooks up fast and I got it out of the oven just in time to keep it a nice medium rare. After letting the rack rest for a while I cut between the bones to get individual slices. After placing the lamb on the plate I drizzled some of the pomegranate sauce beside it. The lamb was nice and tender and the slightly crunchy pistachio crust was nice and tasty. The pistachios, lemon, mustard and mint worked well together and the pomegranate sauce added a nice finishing touch. Another great lamb dish for the recipe collection!

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb

(makes 4 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/4 cup pistachios (chopped)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mint (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon oil
1 rack of lamb
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Mix the pistachios, bread crumbs, lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl.
2. Mix the mustard, mint and garlic in another bowl.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan.
4. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.
5. Brown the lamb in all sides on high heat, about 2 minutes per side.
6. Spread the mustard mixture over the lamb.
7. Press the breadcrumb mixture into the mustard.
8. Bake in a preheated 425F oven until a meat thermometer reads 140-150F, about 10-20 minutes.
9. Remove form oven cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Pomegranate Port Sauce

Ingredients:
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup ruby port wine
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
* sugar
1 tablespoons butter (chilled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Bring the red wine and port to a boil.
2. Simmer to reduce by half.
3. Mix in the pomegranate molasses.
4. Taste test for sweetness and add sugar if necessary.
5. Mix in the butter and season with salt and pepper just before serving.

Similar Recipes:
Lamb Chops with Pomegranate and Red Wine Sauce
Roasted Lamb in Coffee Sauce

Sweet Potato Pie Pancakes

After the success of the pumpkin pie pancakes that I made a while ago I was thinking that sweet potato pie pancakes would also be good. The basic idea was a pancake with all of the flavours of a sweet potato pie or a sweet potato casserole. I pretty much just took my basic pancake recipe with some of the flour replaced with whole wheat flour and added some pureed sweet potato long with some spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. For the sweet potato puree, you just need to cook a sweet potato until it is nice and soft and mash it up. I like to slow roast sweet potatoes as they caramelize and that adds a ton of flavour. The Sweet potato pie pancakes turned out great! They were nice and light and fluffy and moist and good. I really enjoyed the sweet potato flavour in the pancakes. I served the sweet potato pancakes with maple syrup, toasted pecans and topped them off with a slice of melting butter. It is always fun transforming your favorite deserts into breakfasts!

Sweet Potato Pie Pancakes

(makes 4 large pancakes)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
1 egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (cooked)
1 handful pecans (chopped)

Directions:
1. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
2. Mix the buttermilk, egg, butter and mashed sweet potato in another bowl.
3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients making sure to not over mix.
4. Heat a pan and melt a touch of butter in it.
5. Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into the pan and heat until the surface starts to bubble and the bottom is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until the bottom is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

Similar Recipes:
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potato Bread with Praline Sauce
Pumpkin Pie Pancakes
Baked Sweet Potato Oatmeal with Pecan Streusel

Jalapeno Poppers

Recently I made a jalapeno popper dip that I really enjoyed and I was craving more. This time though I was thinking that making actual jalapeno poppers was the way to go. In theory jalapeno poppers sound pretty easy; just stuff some jalapenos with cheese, bread them and fry them. I have had jalapeno poppers before where the jalapenos were still crispy and barely even cooked and I wanted mine to be soft and fully cooked so I decided to roast them up a bit first. After roasting the jalapenos I removed the loose skin to ensure that it did not interfere with the texture of the poppers. The soft roasted jalapenos were much more difficult to work with but it was well worth the extra effort. The jalapeno poppers turned out great! They were nice and crispy and golden brown on the outside and soft and warm and gooey on the inside with just the right amount of chili heat! I used a combination of cream cheese and cheddar cheese stuffing in the jalapeno poppers and the cheese melted nicely when the poppers were fried. Roasting the jalapeno peppers was the way to go as it added a ton of flavour to the poppers. The only problem was that the poppers disappeared much to quickly and now I need to make some more.

Jalapeno Poppers

(2 appetizer sized servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
12 jalapeno Poppers
4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
2 ounces cheddar cheese (grated)
1/4 cup flour
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
oil for frying

Directions:
1. Roast the jalapeno peppers in a preheated 450F oven until browned on all sides.
2. Place in a bowl sealed with plastic wrap and let cool.
3. Squeeze the skins off of the peppers.
4. Slice a slit down one side of the pepper and scoop out the seeds.
5. Mix the cream cheese and cheddar cheese in a bowl.
6. Stuff the pepper with the cheese.
7. Dredge the pepper in the flour, dip them in the egg and dredge them in the bread crumbs.
8. Fry in oil until golden brown.

Similar Recipes:
Jalapeno Popper Dip
Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks with Marinara Sauce
Curried Fried Mushrooms
Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Medjool Dates

Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpea Wheatberry Salad

This roasted butternut squash and chickpea salad with tahini dressing has been making its way around the food blogging sphere over the last few months and it has been on my to try list for a while. I figured I had better try to make it soon or else file it away for next year. Luckily I was able to find a small butternut squash and I was all set to make the salad. I pretty much used the recipe as it was though I took the opportunity to try adding a new whole grain that I had wanted to try, wheatberries. Wheat berry is simply wheat that is less processed and has had less removed. The roasted butternut squash and chickpea wheatberry salad turned out quite well. Sweet roasted butternut squash is great all by itself but the creamy and tangy tahini dressing worked really well with it and with the rest of the salad. I enjoyed the nice chewy texture that the wheatberries added to the salad and I am looking forward to using them again. The salad good both still warm from the squash and wheatberries being cooked and chilled from the fridge.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpea Wheatberry Salad

(makes 4 side dish sized servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound squash (peeled, seeded and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup wheatberries (cook as directed)
1 cup chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup red onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons cilantro
1/4 cup tahini, lemon and yogurt dressing

Directions:
1. Toss the squash in the oil, salt and pepper to coat.
2. Bake in a single layer in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes flipping once in the middle.
3. Mix the squash, chickpeas, red onion and cilantro and top with the dressing.

Tahini, Lemon and Yogurt Dressing

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup cup Greek yogurt (or regular plain yogurt)
1 clove garlic (grated)
salt and pepper to taste
* olive oil or water

Directions:
1. Mix everything and add olive oil or water to get it to the desired consistency.

Similar Recipes:
Roasted Cauliflower and Red Pepper Farro Salad
Mushroom and Thyme Farro Salad
Roasted Butternut Squash Farro Salad
Green Beans in Tahini and Yogurt Dressing

Chicken Giouvetsi

I was craving some good home style comfort food and one of the top recipes in my bookmarks was this one for chicken giouvetsi from Kalofagas. Giouvetsi is a one pot Greek dish where the meat is baked along with the pasta. The recipe for giouvetsi is quite simple and I realized immediately that the secret was that while the meat is cooking its juices drip right into the pasta where its flavours are absorbed. I really like one pot meals like this because they generally required very little preparation and then you can relax while the whole meal cooks all at once. For the pasta I used some whole wheat orzo to make it a touch healthier. The chicken giouvetsi was pretty easy to make and the hardest part was quartering the whole chicken though you could easily just use chicken legs and or breasts to save some time. The simple sounding recipe really belies the amazing flavour of this dish! While baking, all of the flavours have plenty of time to mingle and become good friends and every bite right down to the last piece of orzo on the plate was tasty and full of flavour. For even more flavour feel free to garnish the meal with some grated kefalotyri or pecorino romano cheese.

Chicken Giouvetsi

(makes 4+ servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion (chopped)
1 cubanelle pepper (chopped)
1 1/2 cups orzo (I used whole wheat)
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup tomato puree
salt and pepper to taste
1 whole chicken (separated into pieces)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion and pepper and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the orzo and toast for a few minutes.
4. Add the stock and tomato puree and season with salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil and transfer to a baking dish along with the chicken.
6. Bake in a preheated 375F oven until the liquid has been absorbed and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Similar Recipes:
Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style Chicken)
Osso Buco
Lemon Roasted Chicken
Fish a la Spetsiota

Black Bean and Roasted Pepper Soup

I still had a bunch of roasted red peppers in my freezer and I was thinking that it would be nice to get another hearty soup in before the weather warmed up too much more. I had been enjoying bean soups over the winter and I thought that a black bean and roasted pepper soup would be nice. Continuing on with the roasted peppers theme I added some roasted poblano peppers for their amazing flavour and a bit of heat. For even more heat and a bit of smokiness I threw in some chipotle chili powder. To finish of the base of the soup I added some diced tomatoes and some herbs and spices. I like the sweetness that corn adds to spicy Texmex dishes and corn goes well with the creamy black beans so I threw some in as well. The black bean and roasted pepper soup came together quickly and easily and it tasted great! I really enjoyed the flavour combinations and the spicy kick. I garnished the soup with some avocado, sour cream and cilantro.

Black Bean and Roasted Pepper Soup

(makes 4+ servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin (toasted and ground)
2 (19 ounce) cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
3 roasted red peppers (chopped)
3 roasted poblano chilies (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup corn
1 lime (juice)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the beans, tomatoes, chicken stock, poblano chilies, red peppers and oregano and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the corn.
6. Use an immersion blender to puree some or all of the soup depending on the texture that you prefer.

Similar Recipes:
Black Bean and Quinoa Chili
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ham and Bean Soup