Pizza Dough Nirvana--Ingredient of the day

This frozen beasty......or......this homemade frozen yeasty?

(Okay, these pictures suck, but we ate it too fast to photograph. YUM!)

This pizza dough recipe is astoundingly perfect.

Warning!!! joyous raving rant of riotously happy taste-buds to follow:

Without exaggeration (Well actually with a helluva LOT of exaggeration but that's still not enough exaggeration) this is awe-inspiring. I have eaten a lot of pizza in my time. I'm originally from Ontario where there were many great pizza joints--which has caused me many a sad "sighhhhhhh" since I moved to BC. Here, (near Burnaby) I couldn't find a good pizza place at all. Now, I no longer need to. All is well!

The recipe was shared by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. It was created by Peter Reinhart who wrote Bread Baker's Apprentice. The man is a genius.

Don't let the recipe's many pointers intimidate you; they are beyond handy. If I can do this, you can do this. I hadn't ever made a single pizza dough, yet it turned out so well that it was seriously the best thing I have ever eaten.

The six things you do that make it work so well:

• Chill the flour in the fridge (I used all-purpose but purists say to get the best)

• Chill utensils as you work (or your hand) in a bowl of cold water with an ice cube in it. SO worth the chilliness.
  

• Let the dough sit in the fridge for 1/2/3 days (though after the 3 days, you need to freeze unused portions) The frozen crusts come out lovely, just defrost for a day.
  

• Use a Pizza Stone & heat it first (mine is from Pampered chef & worth every penny--though I did get it free, haha from my BamBam (grandma) who got it at a garage sale.) I am considering buying a second one for entertaining though. It's a gem.
  

• Fire up your oven as hot as it can go--safely ;0) 450 will work, but I like 525 degrees--I was giddy with joy when I saw that my oven goes to 550; you can't imagine!

• Keep the fillings simple & high quality. (I'm usually a top it til it tumbles kind of girl, but great sauce, cheese, & pepperoni (or your favourite vegetarian topping) can't be beat for simple yummiousness.

One method for working with the dough, if it intimidates you (like it does me):

I'm awful at working with dough & transferring it to my hot pizza stone without calamity, so I developed this trick to get it to work. I make panzerottis instead of flat pizza.

• Lightly flour & put pizza stone in oven (higher the better--cornmeal is awesome in place of flour) :0)
  

• Use the bottom of another solid pan or large plate to build your pizza on.
  

• Flour it and stretch dough out (don't be upset if your dough is very thin. The major problem with homemade they say is that the middle is tricky to get the dough to cook. The thiness doesn't burn amazingly enough (at least not in my experience) and it isn't undercooked. Nice crunch too.
  

• Sauce the whole dough and build ingredients on one half
  

• Fold in half to form panzerotti
  

• Flatten edges of crust out well, so they'll cook evenly
  

• Open oven and quickly turn the pan upside down to flop it onto your hot pizza stone
  

This really is way easier in practice, promise!

Enjoy!
:0)
mel

Club sandwich Salad (a crunchy green take on the sandwich)

This picture is a cheat, because it's a bread-less version of this club salad recipe--with red pepper as a substitute for the tomatoes. Hardly the same, but kinda perty, no? It also has fresh dill and sorrel. (Sorrel is an unusually lemony perennial green that is delightful. I grow it in a pot.) :0)

Being a club sandwich fiend this is my favourite salad:

• Lettuce (a mix of Iceberg or Romaine for crunch with organic salad greens like mescaline mix or baby spinach is scrumptious and a good way to introduce greener varieties of lettuce to kids)
• Bacon Cooked 'til it's the crispness you like (avoid bacon bits like the plague--> they are evil! Muhahaha!)
  
• Tomatoes (if you don't have fresh canned finely diced are nice)
  
• Chicken or Turkey (For best results, put poultry in a ziplock bag and flatten it with a meat hammer until even. Cook 'til tender & moist, but not overdone of course!) ;0)
• Havarti or old /medium cheddar (or your favourite cheese)
• Green onion (fine chop)
  

You could use shrimp/crab/scallop as well or instead of poultry (seafood club, right?)

Avocado is awesome too (large cubes lightly salted.)

For entertaining friends who are Vegetarians: You could make a salad bar that includes the above, but also has chickpeas (Garbonzo beans--which are lovely toasted.) Other options include pine nuts, spiced pecans, pomegranate seeds...

Dressing:

I love this best topped with Ranch dressing (to which I add a shot of white balsamic vinegar & fresh herbs) or a with any mayonnaise-y vinaigrette. The pow of vinegar is the best! (TIP: If you can let your homemade dressings sit for at least an hour/overnight for flavours to marry.)

Homemade Sourdough croûtons:

If you hate store bought croûtons, like I do, you may be pleasantly surprised by making your own tasty morsels.

Butter & a little cooking oil
Sourdough (or other fresh bread)
Sea Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch cayene
Paprika/other spices you like
Lemon/lime zest
Flat Leaf Italian Parsley/Cilantro/Dill or finely chopped Herb of your choice
Garlic

Add the ingredients in the order above (most important is the garlic last to avoid burning it bitter.) Toast it. This makes crispy croûtons with a soft warm inside. Mmmmm....

Thanks for looking. Happy Cooking,
:0)
Mel

Red Cabbage Coleslaw with fresh Dill

The key to this coleslaw is to add more vinaigrette than mayonnaise (unless you like it the other way 'round.) The zingy vinegar & onion against the nutty cabbage & sweet carrot is nicely accented by fresh pepper and a touch of creamy mayonnaise.

• 1/2 small Red Cabbage Finely chopped
• 1 large carrot shredded (or add more to taste)
• 2 green onions finely chopped
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette (or more to taste)
• 2 tbsp real mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp or more white balsamic vinegar (or dark balsamic or other vinegar)
• Liberal amount of fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• Handful Fresh dill-chopped

Mix everything.

Couldn't be easier. Chops well in a food-processor also. This is lovely the next day... the flavours marry nicely. You may find you need to add a little more dressing & vinegar to get the same flavour kick.

Other flavour options:

If you can get your hands on Kohlrabi, Fennel, or Celeriac try a little in here too. :0) Kohlrabi is amazingly yummy. It's not that hard to grow from seed either.

Dry mustard
Optional add fennel seed

Enjoy!
:0)
Mel

Lemon Walnut Bread

This lemon bread recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book It can have subtle lemon flavour, or you can boost it by adding more lemon zest & juice. It makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves (16 servings.) I love to serve it with lemon zest sprinkled all over the plate, so I can get as much lemon as possible.

TIP: If you're using the juice of a lemon but not the zest in a recipe, zest it first anyhow. If you zest onto a piece of plastic wrap you can freeze it for later. Also, rolling a lemon on the counter will make sure it gives up all of its juice. :0)

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 cup 2% milk
  
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel (I like 3 or 4)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans/almonds) , toasted

Glaze:

• 1 tablespoon sugar (either granulated or powdered icing (confectioners) sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Grease 8x4x2-inch loaf pan or two 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaf pans. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients :

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• & 1/4 teaspoon salt

3. Make a well in dry ingredients
4. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 cup 2% milk
  
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

5. Add to dry ingredients (in the well you made.) Stir until just mixed. Batter should be lumpy, otherwise it'll be tough.

6. Fold in nuts and lemon zest:

• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel (I like more: 3 or 4)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans/almonds) , toasted

7. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and spread evenly. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven about 50-55 minutes for 8x4x2-inch loaf and about 45 minutes for 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaves or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center(s) comes out clean. (If necessary, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning.)

8. The sauce: While baking the bread, in a small bowl stir together 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar until sugar is dissolved. Right after the bread comes out of the oven--while still hot--spoon glaze over top(s). Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and store overnight before serving.

Make-Ahead Tip: Bake loaf or loaves. Glaze, then cool completely. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Or, place cooled loaves in freezer containers or bags and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Happy Baking,
:0)
Mel

Easy Casserole style Spanakopita

Charles gave this easy casserole style Spanakopita ten out of ten, and insisted it was company worthy. I loved it too...for some reason spinach by itself feels funny on my teeth, but this is a dream to eat. Popeye would approve!

It is such a satisfying dish that you need no meat (the egg adds protein of course.) It's a wonderful vegetarian entertaining option. This is perfect balanced with a lemony balsamic-dressed salad to refresh your palate. I like to sprinkle the dinner plate with fresh lemon juice & fresh ground pepper, so that every once in a while you hit a taste of it. Lemon wedges let your eaters add more if they like. :0)

To make it:

1 large bunch spinach Well washed--remove much of the stems & cook with a little olive oil and the 'aromatics' (or you can use two frozen packages squeeze to drain.) After cooking the spinach drain it.

Aromatics:

• Spanish Onion (1/2 medium sized one) I save some to add to the filling right before assembly
• Cilantro (handful fresh chopped) (or dill)
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• Grating nutmeg (equivalent of 2 pinches) I add some during cooking and some before assembling
• Fresh Lemon zest (2 tsp or so)
• Pinch or two salt & lots of fresh ground pepper

Mix in with the above:

• Aprroximately 150 grms (3/4 cup or so) Feta cheese
  
• 1 egg
• bit more fresh nutmeg
• a bit more of the finely chopped onion
• more fresh cilantro (or dill)
• more lemon zest

Preheat oven and Layer in a casserole dish:

• 1st: Phyllo pastry sheets (I use 3-4 layers on the bottom; it is not important if the sheets break, but melted butter brushed on them is key. I use my hands to put it on. No need for a brush)
  
• 2nd:Add bread crumbs between layers
  
• 3rd: Spoon in and spread filling
• 4th: Add more bread crumbs
• 5th: Add the 3-4 layers more lightly buttered phyllo on top. (Butter top layer well)
  
• 6th: Add more bread crumbs
• 7th: Sprinkle with Nonya seasoning
  

Bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 an hour (or until golden brown)

Don't have bread crumbs?

Take a bun/bread (I just LOVE sourdough bread) and put it in the microwave for a minute or so--or oven (until it's overheated.) Then just let it harden & grate it. I like that the bread still tastes fresh, not stale, and that you can make it quickly. Don't even have bread? Use well-crushed crackers. Ritz are nice and buttery.

If you cut slits in the top it lets the steam evaporate so it's not too moist:

I found that the slits closed during baking, so I just used a spatula to open them 1/2 way through cooking.

You can fold your phyllo into the traditional shape of spanakopita bundles instead OR roll it, chill it, and cut it to make appetizers. It freezes well and reheats nicely in the oven (though you may want to sprinkle a little butter on top before reheating to keep it from drying out.)

Happy cooking! Happy eating!
:0)
Mel

P.S. Roasted Feta looks GOOD

Cheese Dip Delight for One or Two (Or a Crowd of You)

I've adapted a cheese dip, because I had no sour cream to make a traditional one. This really quick and easy recipe is rich and satisfying. It can replace lunch or dinner and is great with a salad or side veggie (especially cauliflower) to balance the richness and creamy texture. It is also scrumpdilitious as a topping to bake onto parboiled cauliflower or broccoli.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cream cheese (light if you like)
1/2 cup cheddar grated
3 tbsp mayonnaise (real is nicest, but light is an option)
3 tbsp goat cheese (or 2 tsp creamy feta crumbled)
1 small red pepper (diced)
2 green onions (just the tops unless you love it super oniony)
1 tbsp V.E. Pesto Artichoke Dip
2 pinches of V.E. Nonya seasoning (about 1/4 tsp) This is just a tiny bit spicy.
1 pinch dried dill (or 1 tsp fresh)
1 tsp fresh thyme (chopped & some for garnish) I don't like dried, but maybe use 1/4 tsp instead.

Directions:

1. Warm the cream cheese in the microwave in a medium sized mixing bowl. (Mine takes 1 minute in high.)

2. Grate and add cheddar. Crumble & add goat cheese or feta. Add mayo, Pesto Artichoke dip, Nonya (if you like a tiny bit of heat), dill & chopped fresh thyme leaves.

3. Mix in diced red pepper & green onion. Reserve a small handful for garnish (pepper rings too?)

4. Hollow out buns of your choice. fill with cheese mixture and wrap buns in tinfoil like this:


If you're doing veggies, just layer on top of parboiled well-dried cauliflower/broccoli in a baking dish (avoids carbs.) 8-10 min. in 35o oven (or until it's melted); then, broil until golden.

5. If you are using buns, wrap them in tinfoil, like this, to prevent them drying out:

6. Bake (350 degrees) for 12 minutes. (Optional: add top rounds of your bread & broil 'til golden.)

7. Top with diced pepper& green onion (and garnish with rings & thyme, if you're into that!) :0)

This is a perfect party food served the way you would a spinach dip. Just cut a circle in the top of a round loaf (or oval loaf or thick baguette) of sour dough or pumpernickel or some other bread :0) Remove bite-sized pieces as you hollow out the loaf leaving about 1 inch thickness. Then stuff the bread with the cheese mixture. Wrap loaf in in tinfoil and serve with remaining bite-sized bread.
The topping can also be baked in ramekins/a baking dish (bread on the side.)

Happy nibbling,

Mel

Kim's 5-minute "One Bite Brownies" with Tiramisu (easy as it gets)

Okay, for once I'm not going to complicate a recipe, but that's because I didn't invent it. LOL...my awesome friend Kim did.

Buy the "one Bite Brownies"
(of course, you could always make your own or use another type of dessert. This is also amazing between/on cookies. (Shortbread are lovely!)

This recipe makes enough for a few dozen brownies or to have the topping on brownies & plenty left for dipping fruit. It will keep for at least a week in the fridge. It has a mild cheese cake-y flavour and is even good with pretzels. (Just ask Kim's 4 year old twins!) :0)

Mix the following:

1/4 cup sour cream (lite if you prefer)
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups lite or ultra lie Cool Whip
2 tablespoons V.E. Tiramisu Fruit Dip Mix
V.E. Mocha Beans (5/6 beans are the equivalent to one cup of coffee, so no need to worry too much about the caffeine) ;0)

The only real trick to this is to defrost your cool whip, mix well, & let it sit for 20 minutes or so in fridge (to marry the flavours.)

Enjoy!

Mel

Hot Crab & Artichoke Dip (No crab is good too)

This is from the Epicure Fall/Winter 2007 catalogue, so they get every lick of the credit. It's nice to serve a hot appetizer that's this easy & tasty, so I thought I'd put it on here for those of you who do not have the catalogue (or just want to print this 'easier to read' recipe out...)

[I have changed four things --'cause I'm a fussy pants! :0P-- I add 2 tablespoons of the mix instead of three. I chop the bottoms of the artichokes coarsely and the tops finely (since I find the tops can be chewy otherwise.) I add a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese to the mix, and last, but not least, I crumble 4 Ritz crackers for the top (instead of breadcrumbs.)]

To Make 2 cups (500 ml) Hot Crab & Artichoke Dip:

1 14oz (398ml) can of artichokes (drained and chopped)
1 8oz package cream cheese (or light)
2 tbsp V.E. Pesto Artichoke Dip mix
1/2 cup real mayonnaise (or low-fat)
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese.
1 5oz can of crab meat (excess liquid drained) Opt to leave this out for vegetarians
4 Ritz crackers (crumbled finely over the top)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put cream cheese in microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat it in microwave until just soft for super easy mixing ( I found it took 5o seconds, but I have an old microwave...)

3. Drain and add chopped artichokes (bottoms of the artichokes coarsely and the tops finely.)
Add mayo, dip mix, Parmesan cheese, and drained can of crab. Stir well.

4. Put dip into an attractive oven proof serving dish. Crumble Ritz crackers finely (a baggy works well if you want to keep your hands clean.) Sprinkle the cracker crumbs on top.

5. Bake in your 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Turn on broiler & broil 'til top is golden brown.

Serve with baguette (toasted or not) and or crackers. Warning: the serving dish may be hot!

Seven-Layer Mexican Dip

This is a crowd pleaser and can be given a little bit of heat (or a huge kick!) if you like it like that.
This seven-layer dip using Victorian Epicure products has seven easy steps (I know, duh...Imagine that!)

The first four layers can be made ahead:

1. Prepare Pueblo Bean Dip (according to the directions on the jar.) Spread it in a serving dish.
(A clear glass one looks nifty.)

2. Prepare Cheese & Jalapeño Dip and layer it on top of the bean dip.

3. Prepare Guacamole (I prefer a different recipe to the one on the jar; my good friend Kim does too. ) Prepare this part ahead, stir well and let it sit for at least a half an hour (overnight is awesome): Combine 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tbsp mayonnaise and 2 tbsp guacamole dip mix. Then, before serving add the sour cream mixture to two mashed avocados with the juice of half a lemon (I like it really lemony.) For a more creamy version (that makes a great salad dressing see this Taco Supreme Salad post.

4. Prepare salsa according to the directions on the jar (or see my Epicure salsa recipe.) Layer on!
Choose your heat: Use V.E. Poco picante Salsa or Caliente. Add jalapeños & fresh cilantro maybe?

Before serving:

5. Chop iceberg lettuce & layer over. If you like, add mescaline mix for more flavour & nutrients.

6. Grate cheddar (or the cheese you like) and spread over lettuce.

7. Dice red pepper and green onion & add to the top. (Tomato and parsley will do instead.)

Serve with tortilla chips, toasted baguette or bagel rounds, or baked pita triangles. You'll need a spoon and some serving plates if you make a deep one (as I have in the picture above.) I should have spread it in a much larger more shallow dish for easy dipping. :0)

Happy munching!
Mel

Easy PEASy Chicken Pot Pie.

It ain't pretty, but it tastes that way! Yes, that is an aluminum pie plate from a store bought crust. I'm no Martha. (Also, if you like pretty crusts, don't let an unseasoned shopper buy your pie crusts for you. They come home cracked, LOL.) Tastes the same though, and saves you doing the shopping (Wee!)

There's frozen peas in this recipe. Wanna know why there's no peas in the picture? They're camera shy (nyuk nyuk!) Actually, I forgot them (and they're my favourite part! I like the pop they make in your mouth.) If this tragedy happens to you, just nukerwave them and serve 'em on the side (with a teensy little bit of butter and salt.) Charles (my other-half) says he like em better that way now, so there ya go!

Necessary food stuff to make one Large pot pie:

Standard store bought pie crust
1 can Campbell's cream of celery soup
1 tsp butter
and 1 tsp cooking oil
Three chicken thighs
2 medium-sized carrots (peeled and diced)
4 medium-sized potatoes
3/4 cup frozen baby peas
1 small (or half a medium) onion
1 small clove of garlic
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon white vinegar (weird I know, but trust me!)

I also add a half of a small jalapeño pepper (no seeds & minimum veins for a little bit of heat.) Try it if you like a medium heat.

Last but not least is an ingredient worth searching out (in my humble opinion)
3/4 tsp of this seasoning I love:

It's an unusually intoxicating Hungarian spice-blend bought at specialty shop by my m.i.l. called "Pride of Szeged: the world's best chicken rub seasoning" If you can't find it just add a little pinch of dried Basil and Oregano (they keep the other spices a secret!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Peel potatoes & carrots, chop them (medium dice), chop the onions (medium dice), celery and garlic (fine dice.) Keep ingredients separate from each other. Chop chicken into medium small pieces & put back in fridge. Even if you don' t normally use chicken thighs, please consider giving them a chance. They are much more tender and moist. Try 'em these even if you normally like white, just one bite? ;0)

2. Put a medium-sized sauce-pan on filled with water (slightly salted with a tbsp of the onions in) to boil the potatoes.

3. Boil the potatoes 'til tender, while you prep & pre-bake the pie crust. Poke holes into the bottom crust with a fork or knife and put it frozen into preheated 400 degree oven and bake until browned (takes about 7 minutes.) Leave the top crust out to defrost a little.

4. Prepare the filling, by adding 1 tsp butter & 1 tsp cooking oil to a decent-sized frying pan. Set the pan to medium high. Add carrots first & cook for about three minutes or so (stirring often to prevent burning.)

5. Turn down the heat to medium & add onions, celery & seasonings. Cook until onions are clear & carrots are tender (Keep on stirring those seasonings can burn.) Add and garlic at the last minute & stir.

6. Move veggies to outside of pan & put a little oil in the middle turn pan up to medium high (I put it on high, but I'm a whacko.) Let the pan heat a tiny bit (30 seconds or so); then, add chicken pieces to the pan & brown them. When the chicken is almost cooked, turn the heat down to medium low. Now add the can of cream of celery soup (put a little water 3 tbsp in the can & mix--dump that into your pot pie filling. ) Time for the peas too. Heat until just warmed through (2-3 minutes should do it.)

7. Pour the filling into the Pre-baked crust & add the uncooked top. Cut vent holes in the top & pinch/fork the edges together.

8. Turn your oven onto broil (do not preheat; chuck it in there right away.) Broil the top of the pie crust. My oven takes 8-10 minutes, but you may want to watch yours while you broil 'til lightly golden. Turn off oven & let it coast for 5 minutes (unless you have the broiler from hell; I wouldn't wanna make you burn dinner!)

Serve hot on a warm plate. (Goes great with a side-salad.)

:0) Mel

Mini Quiche (Great make-ahead Party food, not low-fat)

This also works as a large Quiche or a Brioche and reheats very nicely.

Prep. time 20 min. To make 12 mini quiche or one large quiche use the amounts here...

Bacon (1/3 package)
Spinach (fresh baby organic is my fave) (1/2 package)
(12) Premade mini or full size pastry shells (unless you're Martha)
Creamy Feta Cheese (Superstore has a great one) (20 small pieces)
Pinch o' salt. Fresh ground pepper
Eggs (I love Born3 eggs) (4)
Dash of cream (optional)
Pinch of paprika

Put pastry shell(s) on a cookie sheet. Poke pastry shell(s) with a knife/fork and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven 'til lightly golden; set aside.

Break/cut feta into small chunks,
add to a bowl with the beaten Eggs.

In a medium-large frying pan add bacon (cut into small pieces) and fry; drain all of the fat. Add slightly chopped spinach with no stems (if using baby or medium chopped for large spinach) and fry until lightly wilted. Cool the bacon-spinach mix.

Add bacon and spinach to eggs; grind in pepper & add a pinch of salt (or your favourite V.E. sansel/seasoning.) Cook until eggs are done and serve warm.

Compliments ensue: "buttery!" "melt in your mouth."
and they look nice with a little herb bouquet on the plate.

For a vegetarian option: omit bacon, add 1 tbsp butter to saute spinach in & then add 3 small roasted red peppers (minced), 1 tbsp spanish onion (minced.) And sauted minced mushrooms if you like them.

Fresh Salsa & Roasted Almond Baked Goat cheese (on Sourdough Baguette Rounds)

I was going through my recipe hoard and found this one. (I haven't cooked from recipes in ages. I miss it a lot--Charles does too; occasionally he whines to be fed.) I swear I am like a bear. I wanna hibernate in a culinary kind of way come fall.

When I found this I remembered how I stole it from The Keg (well, intuited it from them, since I invented the recipe based on advice from my taste-buds.) And I also remembered it was really popular with company, so I'm glad I wrote it down, and maybe you will be too. :0)

Necessary Foodstuff:

Butter
Sourdough Baguette
Fresh Tomatoes
Bit o' Onion (white and Green)
Shallots
Splash of Vinegar (I love V.E. White Balsamic)
1 tsp Ketchup
1 clove or less (or more) Fresh Garlic
Italian (flat-leafed) Parsley
Basil
1/2 tsp or less of Chili Flakes (hydrated) or paste (tube at grocer's)
Salt & Pepper

Make slightly ahead (or well ahead) SALSA:

Very finely chop the tomatoes, shallots, onion (white and green), the parsley and basil.
Mix these and the remainder of the ingredients. Put in a strainer to drain the tomatoey water (concentrates taste & keeps your salsa from sogging your bread rounds.)

TOASTED SOURDOUGH ROUNDS:

Lightly butter and broil the sourdough rounds (I like mine sliced about a 1/4 of an inch thick and not too toasted... (so they don't hurt when you eat 'em, LOL) .

Set aside with a tea-towel over to keep warm while you bake the cheese. (If you want 'em really nice and warm, then just prepare the cheese and toasts ahead and bake one right after another.)

BAKED GOAT CHEESE (with roasted almonds):
You can use pine nuts in place of almonds; they're lovely.

One goat cheese (soft)
Almonds (raw & whole with skin)
Bit o' butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place the goat cheese in/0n an oven-proof dish (If it's suitable dish, you can serve on it to keep your baguettes and cheese hot.)

(You can do this step ahead of time to save on preparation time)
Chop the raw almonds. (a medium fine chop is great.)
Add a small amount of butter to a small frying pan. On medium-high heat, roast your almonds 'til they are nicely browned. Be sure to stir constantly and turn heat down if it seems too much (I am infamous as a high-heat cooker.) Lightly salt the almonds.

After your almonds have cooled (just enough for you to touch 'em) pour them over the goat cheese and pat them into it. (Overflow is just hunkydory.)

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or so ('til hot) :0)

I love to serve the toasts around the baked goat cheese with the the salsa at room temperature in a dish on the side. The mix of temperatures and textures is supremely satisfying.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, an Incredibly Simple (and tremendously popular) Dessert

I first made these for my grade eight graduation; I took a book out of the
school library and followed the simple directions. I still remember the
teachers having the kids spread all of the food out on different mixed plates.
When it was time to eat, kids were running up and down the hallway
looking for the chocolate strawberries. Let me tell ya,people still do that.
Try serving it to company; I personally guarantee success. These are SO simple,
(I just make it sound hard :0) because I'm obsessed with the details)

Here are a few little tricks...

Warm chocolate for dipping:

You can just melt the chocolate in the microwave and dip strawberries if you like
them warm. (or any other fruit. The chocolate stays liquid for a surprisingly long time)

Microwave melting:

Try a mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate; it'sdivine. I don't usually like
dark chocolate, but I actually prefer V.E.'s dark to the milk.

Use a relatively deep small bowl for ease of dipping (stone-wear or ceramic keeps
nice and warm if you have it): 1 cup of the V.E. chocolate 'chips' takes just under
a minute. Stir every 20-30 seconds to prevent burning. (Time depends on how
powerful your microwave is.)

To make chilled strawberries:

1. Lightly butter (or margarine) a plate--(or use a tray covered in wax=paper.)
2. Chill plate in freezer for a couple of minutes.
3. Wipe strawberries thoroughly with a paper towel (don't wash in water or the chocolate will not stick well.) Leave tops on.
4. Melt chocolate (as above) and dip strawberries into it. Twirling them in the chocolate gets an even line.
5. Let excess drizzle back into bowl and set strawberries on chilled plate or wax paper tray.
6. Chill in fridge for 10-15 minutes or until desired hardness.

Decorating & other Options:

• You can drizzle more of the left-over chocolate on the hardened strawberries to make a little raised design (and/or on the plate for prettiness.) Garnish with mint if you have it...
  

• Before serving, loosen the berries from the plate by giving them a little poke with a knife (so all of the chocolate comes off the plate and into your mouth!) :-) Or just loosen off of wax paper and put on a serving plate.
  

• Alternative fruits that work great dipped (if dry enough) nectarine, raspberries on a toothpick (small but delctable)banana dipped all the way (to prevent them browning.) :-)
  

• This same process works great for dipping cookies too (or mixing into cookie recipes like chocolate chip peanutbutter...)and the chocolate makes incredible nut or V.E. berries & cherries clusters: just throw nuts/fruit in the melted chocolate and spoon out clusters onto the chilled sheet. (Perfect for holiday gifts.)
  

• It's definitely the great chocolate that makes the difference; use the finest quality you can afford. Yummmm!

• Here's the sweetest decorating option: little tuxedos

Enjoy!
:0)
Mel

Mel's Taco Supreme Salad (my favourite Guacamole & Salsa recipe)

This satisfying (low-carb) salad has 3 easy parts and it makes great left-overs, 'cause the ingredients can also be served as soft tortilla wrap fillings or crispy taco stuffings (or go crazy! and have a crispy taco inside a soft one)

Victorian Epicure Products this salad uses are: Taco Seasoning; Guacamole Dip Mix; and Salsa mix: choose your heat: Poco Picante (Medium) Caliente (hotchacha); sea salt and pepper. Optional time savers: toasted onion and red bell peppers.

The three parts are:

1--The Salad & Toppings
2--The Dressing
3--The Tortillas

1--THE SALAD & TOPPINGS

Chop or tear:
Iceberg lettuce (for the crunch; you can add the greener/more red varieties for flavour and vitamins)

Dice:
a red pepper (or use V.E. red bell peppers to save time)

Grate:
old cheddar (or your choice of cheese)
Season to taste with V.E. Sea Salt & V.E. Pepper to taste

Chunky fresh salsa--"kicked up a notch!":

Mix:
2 tablespoons V.E. salsa mix (Poco Picante (medium) or for the brave: Caliente (hot)
1/2 a finely chopped Spanish onion
2 fresh tomatoes (chopped coarsely)
1 can of tomatoes drained and chopped
1/2 a pepper finely-chopped (green or yellow look best)
fresh cilantro chopped (to taste)
1/2 a lime juiced
salt and fresh pepper to taste
Optional for heat and flavour: fresh jalapeño

Let flavours marry and seasonings hydrate for 1/2 an hour. This keeps very well and is a fantastic low-fat, lycopene-filled topping/filling for: wraps, sandwiches, Mexican recipes, meats, eggs, hot dogs, hamburgers. Salsa's also a vegetarian's best friend for flavour.

P.s. This makes a large amount of salsa; half it if you need to.

Meat or Vegetarian Taco Topping:

Brown prepared mix of:

2 tablespoons V.E. Taco seasoning

1 lb lean ground beef/chicken/turkey... or 20 medium-sized finely chopped mushrooms. (adjust

the seasoning to taste.)

1 clove garlic

1/2 a finely-chopped medium onion

--If you immediately mix all ingredients above with the seasoning (before the meat/mushrooms are cooked) it tastes much better, I swear; something about already cooked things not absorbing flavour--don't know the technical name ;-)

salt and pepper to taste.

2--THE DRESSING

This dressing is also topping! It's a Creamy Guacamole Dip set free!
(use light products if you like)

My ultimate favourite Guacamole recipe:

Mix:
2 tablespoons guacamole dip mix
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Let this mix sit for 1/2 an hour (or you can leave it in your fridge overnight, or until you need it.)

Before serving add the sour cream mix to a bowl with:

2 ripe avocados (leave some chunks if you like em.)
1/2 a fresh green jalapeño pepper finely diced (optional of course) You can always try a wee bit for great flavour or add a lot.
and the Juice of half a small lemon

To turn into a dressing just add 2-3 tablespoons water; that way, you can have both guacamole dip and dressing on hand by only adding liquid to the amount of dreesing you need to dress your taco salad.

3--THE TORTILLAS

My favourite to serve with this is white or yellow taco shells heated in the oven and broken into triangles. The warm crunch is a great texture against the smoothness of the guacamole dressing and the fresh bite of the lettuce and they make perfect scoopers: a fun party food and an answer to the messy eating of 'normal' tacos.

Other options are tortilla chips, warmed or not. Low-fat versions include any crisp bread, toasted pita or thinly sliced toasted baguette.

OR Try making Cajun Tortilla Chips

(Yield 32 chips) A low-fat treat that pairs well with spicy salsa. Spray vegetable oil instead of butter to reduce the amount of saturated fat (or coconut oil: it doesn't turn into a trans fat when heated & the flavour is heavenly!):

4 - 8" (20 cm) tortilla rounds1 Tbsp (15 ml) melted butter1 - 2 tsp (5 - 10 ml) VE Cajun Seasoning
2 tsp (10 ml) Parsley, Sea Salt, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400° F (205° C).

2. Whisk together melted butter (or oil), Cajun Seasoning and Parsley.

3. Cut each pita round into 8 even wedges and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with prepared butter and sprinkle with Sea Salt.

4. Bake for approximately 8 minutes, or until chips are crisp and slightly browned. Serve with taco supreme salad or a selection of prepared Dips.

ALSO,

This salad is just as easily served as a layered dip:

Simply mix 1 8oz pkg of cream cheese and 1 cup sour cream with a tbsp of herb and garlic dip mix and spread in a dish, then pile the goodies on top.

Leave your guacamole as a dip (instead of the dressing) and voila!

I layer in this order:

cream cheese base-->guacamole-->salsa-->lettuce-->(and save some diced peppers and cilantro to top with; green onions is another optional addition).

E.T.A: If you're avoiding red meat, chicken makes a great substitute for the hamburger.

Enjoy!
Mel