Tag Archives: food

Squash and Kale Orecchiette with Italian Sausage

This is a delicious fall pasta. The original recipe is from a magazine cut out (I have a lot those). I think the magazine was The Pioneer Woman Magazine. It got us to eat our weekly bunch of kale!

Ingredients:

1tbsp olive oil

2-3 Italian sausages removed from casings (I used medium heat)

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled seeded and and cut in 1/2 ” cubes

1/4 tsp chili powder, plus a pinch extra

Black pepper

1 bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves torn into bite size pieces

Parmesan cheese for serving

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage meat and cook breaking up with a wooden spoon, stirring occasionally until browned.

Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Pour off drippings if there is a lot. You probably need about a tbsp of oil. The sausage I used didn’t leave much dripping so I added a drizzle of olive oil to the pan.

Add the squash and toss to coat with the oil then sprinkle with chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt and a sprinkle of black pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until squash is browning and tender (not mushy or falling apart). I did have to add water to the pan a couple of times because it was browning and getting dry but not getting softer. Add a few tbsp at a time as needed. Once the squash is cooked add to the bowl with the sausage.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve about 2/2-3/4 cup of the pasta water before draining.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over med-high heat. Add half the kale and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook tossing until wilted. Then add other half and another 1/4 tsp salt and toss to mix and cook until all wilted.

Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the pan with kale and then add the squash sausage mixture and cooked pasta. Give it a generous sprinkle of black pepper. Cook tossing carefully until heated through.

If it seems dry add the rest of the reserved pasta water.

Serve topped with shaved Parmesan.

This was delicious and the leftovers were really good the next day for lunch. I will definitely be making this one again and I hope you give it a try.

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In My Kitchen a long time ago

Here we are in winter, again. The holidays are over, thank the Gods! I have to admit that I am daydreaming of what to plant and where once the snow melts. Though I don’t get much sun anymore so not sure how that will work out. Oh well,we are still a bit away from that. In the meantime I have been instagramming a lot and have left the blog to collect a little dust. I just went poking around in here and realized I started this post a very long time ago and didn’t hit the publish button, better late than never.

Made these as a baking challenge, the chocolatiest cake pops you can imagine

We have some fancy apple cider vinegar. This will go into some sort of salad dressing

the annual Paczki, yum!

made these pesto chips for a valentines post, super easy and fast

made a large casserole, so froze a container for another meal later

We did a baking challenge in January, which was bread bowls. They turned out really well and tasted great

Pre karate training lunch

Using up leftover bits and pieces for a breakfast “pizza”

We are growing the world’s smallest terrarium, I was sceptical but it is working. I am still sceptical…

made chocolate 8 bit hearts

The “In My Kitchen” monthly theme host is Sherry, from sherryspickings.blogspot.ie If you would like to know what is happening in other kitchens or join IMK head over to Sherry’s blog and check out all the other IMK participants and join in.

Chicken pesto flatbreads with arugula salad

This looks fancy but really is very easy, fast and delicious. Perfect for busy summer days!

I used prepared flatbreads and brushed with olive oil, add small dallops of pesto all over, added cut up cooked chicken breast (vegetarian option-leave out chicken) and topped with crumbled goat cheese. Then bake this in 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes.


Take out and top with arugula (dressed with balsamic vinaigrette) top with a few cherry or grape tomato halves. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. That’s it, quick, fancy and delicious. Just pop open a nice bottle of wine et voila!

Homemade Cough Drops

The air has changed this weekend. There is a chill in the air and the light has changed,the sun seems a little lower in the sky and there is less natural light in the house. Not great for picture taking. I have a dry tickle in my throat that I hope is just due to the air getting drier and not of anything else starting. Since it is a holiday we get to stay home, so we decided to give these cough candies a go. 

There are only a few ingredients, and I had all on hand. These are to use when you just need to keep your mouth and throat from being too dry, not in place of medication or a visit to the doctor if you are feeling under the weather. 

The recipe is from Noshing with the Nolans, take a look for detailed instructions. Basically, to a saucepan add 1 cup sugar, 1/2cup sugar, 1tbsp honey (I used unpasteurized buckwheat), 1/2tsp ginger, 1/2tsp cinnamon & 1/4tsp cloves, 1 tbsp lemon juice. Bring to a boil & boil until it reaches hard crack stage, about 20 minutes. That is 302 degrees Fahrenheit, you will want to use a candy thermometer.





Drop in little blobs onto a silpat or parchment, let cool.

Let cool and harden completely, the toss in confectioners sugar so they don’t stick together. 
Shake off excess sugar.  Store in a container until ready to use.

IN MY KITCHEN OCTOBER 2016

I have been missing the IMK monthly link up, but I have found out through the blogging network that Lizzy from bizzylizzysgoodthings is now hosting the “In My Kitchen” monthly virtual meet up. Thank you so much Lizzy!

Today was Thanksgiving in Canada so I am writing this while being almost in a Turkey 🦃 coma!

In my October kitchen…

Fall themed cakelettes, made with spice cake


A few Russian chocolates that my husband picked up when passing a little Russian store.

Cranberry coffee cake

Some art made for me, you would think I liked coffee!

Fancy cocktail gummies, the pink gummy bears were the best, bubbly bears

Cheese crackers for lunchbox snacks

Delicious buttermilk pie
There was turkey dinner with pumpkin pie today as well but I didn’t get any pictures. Right now my slow cooker is going with some vegetables, herbs and the carcass, making bone broth for future soup.

Thank you again Lizzy for hosting IMK.

Molasses Oat Bread

There is nothing better on a fall day than warm bread out of the oven with butter melting on it. Do I even have to mention the smell of warm baking bread, there is nothing like it.


You will need:

1&3/4 cups boiling water

3/4 cup oats 

1/4 cup molasses

1&1/2 tsp salt 

3tbsp oil 1tsp sugar 

1/2 cup warm water 

1pkg active dry yeast 

4 cups all purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl pour boiling water over oats. Stir in molasses, salt and oil. Let cool to lukewarm.


Dissolve 1tsp sugar in 1/2 cup warm water and sprinkle in yeast. 

Let stand 10 minutes.  Then stir well. 

Sorry, got carried away and forgot to take doughy pictures.

Add dissolved yeast and 1&1/2 cups flour to the oat mixture. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for about 1/2 minute then at high for 3 mins. Scraping sides of bowl often. Stir in with dough hook or by hand, the remaining 2&1/2 cups flour until thoroughly blended. Cover with greased parchment or cling film then a tea towel. Let rise in a warm place for about an hour.

Then beat about 25 strokes with a wooden spoon,or knead, dough will be sticky.  

Grease a 2qt casserole dish or loaf pan and sprinkle top lightly with oats and press down gently so they stick. 

Cover and let rise another 30 mins. 

Bake in 375F oven for 35-45 mins until done. 


If you are using the bread for sandwiches or to toast it would be easier if you used a loaf pan. We ate most of it warm from the oven with butter.

Madras Chicken Soup

I found this recipe in an old Chatelaine magazine. I put it aside years ago and decided to actually make it. It is fall and that brings soup weather.  It was very tastyand smelled wonderful.


I didn’t have any brown rice so I used basmati. Also, I didn’t have frozen peas, I used a mixture of peas and corn.




This is the point when the smell gets amazing!


This is the point where I forgot to take pictures, but you just add the stuff to the pot, so there wasn’t anything to exciting that you missed.


Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.

Steak Sandwich with Gorgonzola Spread

Evie got a new book, guess what, it involves cooking! She was so surprised to find this book, it is a kids book by Giada de Laurentis. There are two others in the series as well that we are keeping an eye out for. 

This is the book

There are two recipes in the back, one for pizelles and one for steak sandwiches. 

We made the sandwiches.

First of all you need to marinade the steak. We liked the flavour of the marinade and will try freezing steak in it sometime for a freezer meal.

You will need:

1/4cup balsamic vinegar 

1/4cup soy sauce

1/4cup Worcestershire sauce

1tbsp yellow mustard seeds cracked

4oz Gorgonzola crumbled

1/2cup sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 baguette

2cups lightly packed arugula

3 (12-14oz) ribeye steaks

Combine first five ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag, and the steaks and seal the bag. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours. Turn occasionally as they marinate. 

Remove steaks from bag and discard marinade. Grill steak to desired doneness. Let steaks rest on a plate for about 10 minutes then slice thinly across the grain.

Stir sour cream and Gorgonzola together with a sprinkle of salt and pepper to make a thick spread. 


Cut baguette lengthwise and scoop out a little of the bread. Smear the spread over both sides of the baguette halves.  Sorry, got carried away with making dinner and forgot to take pictures. Arrange arugula over bottom half of baguette then add warm steak slices on top. Sprinkle the steak slices with a little salt and pepper. Cover with baguette top. Cut sandwich crosswise into 3-4 equal parts.


Then Evie made these little sandwiches from the leftovers for her lunchbox the next day.

Just baguette,steak with a drizzle of balsamic and some arugula leaves.

Notes: we did not use ribeye steaks as the store that I went to had noe, so we just used another type of sandwich/grilling steak.

Also determined that neither Evie or I like Gorgonzola, we ate the sandwiches because they were very good, but Gorgonzola stinks! We can’t get over that so I will use the steak part again, maybe with a different less stinky spread!

Favorite food spots in Victoria

These were the favourite spots where we ate while in Victoria. 

Jam Cafe. 

The first time we went here we were shocked at the line up down the side walk to get in. They had been featured on Food Network’s show ” you gotta eat here”, we saw that show.  We wanted to stay and try it.  We waited in line about 20 minutes and it was worth the wait. We went back again. Here is a sample of what we had

veggie bowl. hash browns, biscuit, mushroom gravy and egg. it was huge but delicious

kids pancakes with maple butter

Fruit salad french toast with lemon curd

eggs benedict

Huevos rancheros with cornbread


We also quite enjoyed a couple of visits to Frankie’s

frittata

Waffles with blueberries, lemon curd and whipped cream

kid’s french toast

oatmeal with blueberry compote, carmelized apples, granola and warm vanilla milk


Well that is a sample of some of the great food that we ate at Jam Cafe and Frankie’s Modern Diner.  We did eat at a few other places that were not bad but not worth the money or a second visit. I won’t go into detail on those places. However, if you are visiting and want to know the places that we were not impressed with either the food, service, or both, just email me and I will let you know. There are a few other places that I would recommend as well. 

We were not compensated in any way for this post. The above are the opinions of all three family members, in total agreement that we loved it! 

Rebar 

This vegetarian restaurant was on my bucket list and I got to eat there multiple times while in Victoria. I have the cookbook and have made several recipes over the past few years, now I have tried some in the restaurant and it was soooo good!

I had these wild salmon tacos twice.

wild salmon tacos

yam falafel

Bergamot ginger cheesecake

This cheesecake was delicious, you could really taste the bergamot.

Evie’s favourite was the rebar chocolate cake.

I definitely recommend Rebar restaurant.