Archive for the ‘Main Course’ Category
Food, Recipes, side dishes
In Pasta, Rice, and Doughs, Poultry on December 26, 2011 at am
Casseroles are simple, one dish meals that are commonly found in North American homes, at pot lucks, and at other gatherings. I have seen countless tv and movie scenes that portray families complaining about casserole dinners or that jokingly associate casseroles with poorly skilled cooks. I was in university the first time I tried a casserole and, jokes aside, casseroles are tasty, convenient, and most of them freeze well. They’re great for using up leftovers and they can be thrown together using any protein, pasta/rice, and vegetables that you happen to have on hand. I don’t make casseroles often, because they tend to be high in calories and sodium, and are often made with processed foods, but every now and then I will surprise my sister with her favourite casserole (recipe below).
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Food, Recipes, side dishes
In Red Meat and Eggs on October 3, 2011 at am
First off, I should inform you that this pork souvlaki recipe is not authentically Greek. It has soy sauce in it, but once the meat is cooked, you can’t tell that it was flavoured with soy sauce. I’ve tried more authentic pork souvlaki recipes in the past, but this is our favourite. It’s easy to make and the meat can be marinated ahead of time for entertaining. It is best cooked on a charcoal BBQ, but any grill or cast iron pan will work.
When it comes to tzatziki, I am extremely picky. Tzatziki (yogurt cucumber dip/sauce) varies in consistency depending on the brand or restaurant, but in my opinion, the thicker the better. My favourite store bought brand of tzatziki is Skotidakis and this can be found at some Costco locations.
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Food, Recipes, side dishes, vegetarian
In Pasta, Rice, and Doughs on August 18, 2011 at am
A neighbour was kind enough to give me a large basil plant. I wanted to use it for something different than the standard pesto and this pasta recipe was perfect for that. If you have a garden with tomatoes and basil, this is an easy pasta dish that will help you use up a lot of both. It’s also perfect for cheese lovers as it contains an entire pound of brie. This is a great option for entertaining.
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brunch, Food, gluten free, Recipes, side dishes, vegan, vegetarian
In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks, Main Course on August 2, 2011 at am
I made a French themed picnic (pique-nique) basket for Ed and I, but I was feeling too sick to go outside, so we enjoyed it in our pyjamas at home. (That’s the second picnic that has been foiled this summer.) Below, I have shared our menu, a simple and wonderful recipe for tomato salad, as well as other French picnic menu ideas. (See Southern themed picnic menus and recipes here.)
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Food, Recipes, reviews, side dishes, vegetarian
In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks, Main Course, Other Dishes, Reviews, Sides and Sauces on July 21, 2011 at am
A few of Ed’s friends stopped by in Kingston for lunch one day. We only had two hours notice, but that was enough time to put a menu together, run out and get groceries, and host a miniature BBQ. Luckily, I had some miniature frozen strawberry pies in the freezer. (See the menu and recipes below.) I love miniature food (see my miniature food display here) and I think it’s a great way to entertain, especially if you’re serving a light meal or throwing a baby shower. I love that this was all finger food and cutlery was only required for the dessert. A review of some of President’s Choice’s new summer 2011 products is also provided below.
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brunch, Food, Recipes, side dishes, vegetarian
In Main Course, Other Dishes, Sides and Sauces, Soups and Salads on July 5, 2011 at pm
I made up a Southern style picnic basket for Ed and I last weekend. The weather didn’t cooperate so we had to enjoy it indoors, but Ed loved it nonetheless. I’ve shared our menu and some recipes, as well as some other Southern picnic menu ideas below. Feel free to add more suggestions in a comment! (See here for French picnic (pique-nique) menus!)
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Food, gluten free, Recipes
In Poultry on April 18, 2011 at am
I brined a turkey for the first time for Christmas dinner, 2010. Brining a turkey infuses the meat with flavour and moisture. You can flavour the brine with any herbs and spices that you like. Although frozen turkeys (that have been thawed out) can be used, I prefer to brine fresh turkeys.
I had originally planned on spending my holidays in flannel pyjamas drinking canned mushroom soup and eating cranberry sauce out of the can. In bed. But my favourite people, Ed and Krystal, inspired me to host Christmas. So I invited the family for a few days and made them two [slightly healthier] traditional holiday feasts. I’m really glad I did, because the food turned out wonderfully and with my surprise (my “new” dog – a first for our family), it turned out to be the best Christmas ever.
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Food, Recipes
In Pasta, Rice, and Doughs on January 30, 2011 at am
I roast chicken breasts often because they’re a healthy source of protein. However, I find them bland and boring. So I’m always looking for flavourful ways to use the leftovers. One day, I was craving chicken pesto pizza, but didn’t have the time, energy, or the motivation to make pizza dough. So, I threw together a few things that I had on hand and put them on toast. It was so delicious that I started roasting chicken breasts just for this. When I’m really lazy, I use the microwave to melt the cheese so dinner literally takes seconds to make.
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Food, Recipes
In Pasta, Rice, and Doughs on January 28, 2011 at am
Since I started taking professional courses outside of work, cooking regularly during the work week has been a challenge. So I used this as an opportunity to try various foods that I wouldn’t normally buy. For example, I discovered that I like canned Atlantic salmon. It’s closer to fresh salmon than canned tuna is to fresh tuna, in my opinion. I used it in this quick and easy, delicious pasta dish. Even Ed liked it and he doesn’t usually like cream-based sauces. Feel free to substitute the asparagus with any vegetables that you like.
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Food, gluten free, Recipes, side dishes, vegan, vegetarian
In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks, Pasta, Rice, and Doughs, Sides and Sauces on January 6, 2011 at am
I’ve made butternut squash risotto and pea and prosciutto risotto before, but mushroom risotto is my family’s favourite – so far (I haven’t made them seafood risotto yet). Since this dish is so simple, the selection of mushrooms is critical to the success of it. The secret to my mushroom risotto is the use of dried black trumpet mushrooms. The texture of these mushrooms is thin and leathery, but they lend the most amazing flavour and aroma. When my mother tasted this, she was so impressed with the mushroom flavour that she thought I had added some processed or artificial flavouring. For texture and aesthetic appeal, I also used dried porcini and fresh oyster mushrooms. (I love the dried mushrooms from Marx Foods (review here). You can taste the quality of their mushrooms from the soaking liquid, which in this case, added tremendous flavour to the rice.)
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Food, gluten free, Recipes, side dishes
In Fish / Seafood on November 18, 2010 at am
This dish was inspired in part by shrimp and grits and in part by gambas al ajillo (recipe here). I hope you like it as much as Ed and I did.
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baking, Food, Recipes, side dishes
In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks, Poultry on November 8, 2010 at am
I have been making pot pies for years and it is still one of the dishes that Ed requests the most. I’ve made family style pot pie, individual pot pies and even miniature pot pies (second photo below) for pot lucks and parties. This is a very forgiving recipe. You could use half and half instead of cream, and you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. This is a great way to use up left over turkey because you can freeze the pot pies and then bake them from frozen.
If you’re short on time, here are 2 shortcuts:
- instead of blanching vegetables in a separate step, cook all of the vegetables together with the onions in the first step, prior to adding the flour
- use store bought puff pastry
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