I've been busy but not too busy to cook!

Looking at my photo albums in iPhoto today made me realize how much I have cooked lately. I have been pretty busy with school and when I come home I am usually starving. Anything that slows down the time it takes for me to eat (aka. taking pictures/writing down quantities) has been cut from the routine. This week is equally busy so I will make this post relatively quick. Showing some pictures of my latest creations and either a link to a recipe, or a quick recap of what I did.

A while back my Nonna made me a pasta dish with no sauce, and was dressed with some olive oil and canned clams. I LOVED it! I made it once after that and then totally forgot about the potential of canned clams. They went on sale at the grocery store a couple weeks back and I remembered how much I loved them. I sauted up some garlic, chili pepper, onions, mushrooms, and broccoli, and then added the drained canned clams. Once all the veggies were tender and the calms were hot, I added some cooked rice noodles and tossed until mixed well. Any noodle would work well here but I liked the tenderness of the rice noodle.

One night a couple weeks ago I knew I wanted to use up some lentils so I did the usual search on Google Reader. I came across this recipe for a Vegetable Pie With Cornbread Topping from Seasonal Ontario Foods blog. I made some substitutions with vegetables I had on hand and I was a little disappointed. I definitely didn't like the pepper and I could have done without the eggplant (my substitution for zucchini). I liked the combination of the cornbread with the lentils (mostly because I LOVE) however and see a lot of potential in this one! I think next time I would use my personal favourite cornbread recipe.

I have been big into making baked fries lately. I make them about once a week, with sweet potato or regular potatoes. I love changing up the flavours using different spices to toss the taters in olive oil with, but one of my favourites is this flavour combination by Dani Spies, Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges With a Garlic Yogurt Dip.

On the weekend of Thanksgiving I found stewing lamb at the grocery store. Now I love lamb! It is by far my favourite meat. The best peice of lamb that every graced my lips came straight from a pot of sauce my Tatone was making. So I knew for sure I was cooking this lamb in some tomato sauce. I cut off as much of the lamb from the bone as I could. I then browned the lamb, as well as the bones with meat still on it, in a sauce pan, and then added onion and chopped portabello mushrooms. Once the veggies were cooked I poured on the strained tomatoes, added some basil, oregano, garlic powder, and 2 bay leaves. I let this simmer for about 45 minutes covered, and then allowed to reduce for another 15-20 minutes. I served it over cooked spaghetti squash, a great alternative to spaghetti! The sauce was delicious becuase you could taste the flavour of the lamb in each bite.

I am off to Montreal next week :) but I will be sure to write a real post before then. I bought myself an artichoke on the weekend and I am going to find out how to use it.

Eggplant Parmesan

Get ready for lots of pictures. As I loaded up my pictures to iPhoto I realized how much has happened in the last week. This happens to me every week when I go to write a new post so I shouldn't seem so surprised every time. The main recipe for this post was inspired by 99 cent eggplant at the Hamilton Farmer's Market and a bunch of tomatoes courtesy of my Tatone :D
You will also notice the lack of measurements. This is due to the fact that I was hungry and impatient, what else is new.

Eggplant Parmesan

1 very large ripe eggplant
salt
oil
breadcrumbs
quick rolled oats
basil
oregano
parsley
garlic powder
salt
pepper
1-2 eggs

Slice the eggplant into thick pieces (3/4 inch?). Layer slices in a colander sprinkling with salt in between layers. Place a heavy item on top and allow to sit for 30 to 60 minutes to draw out any excess water. Wipe slices dry with paper towel. Lightly grease a baking sheet with oil and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together about 1:1 of breadcrumbs to oats. (I only added oats becuase I ran out of bread crumbs but it turned out quite nice). Sprinkle basil, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.

You can hardly see the spices in the mix there and I would probably add more next time. I would say 2 tsp each (basil, oregano, parsley) if you use 1/2 breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup oats. Whisk the egg until mixed. Dip each side of eggplant in the egg and dredge through the breadcrumb mixture to coat well. I didn't bother dipping the sides of the slices (I was trying to conserve breading mixture). Place on the greased baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 7-10 minutes on eat side. Watching carefully that they don't burn.

While this was all happening I was also making some sauce. Very similar to the recipe I posted a while back (found here). With these soft delicious eggplant slices you could layer with some sauce and parmesan and bake some more, OR you could make a sandwich.

The sandwich consisted of whole-wheat toast, eggplant slices, fresh tomato sauce, and parmesan cheese. Adding the cheese to the hot eggplant and sauce allows it to melt without toasting the sandwich further (another time saver). I loved this sandwich and loved how the eggplant turned out. The leftover eggplant was good on its own with some sauce and cheese. If you are wondering, on the side there I had some chicken and roasted red peppers cooked in red wine and balsamic vinegar, probably one of my favourite food combinations.

Now as promised, here is a series of pictures from the past week.

Jenna's Birthday celebration


Carrot Spice Birthday Cake (made by me..isn't it pretty?! haha)


Sweet Potato Quesadilla's from the Bean Bar


BFT....Bacon Fig and Tomato Sandwich

Baked Foods Equal Comfort Foods

I love when foods are baked in the oven. I am fairly certain that any and all comfort foods are baked for some period of time. Think about it: cookies, muffins, macaroni and cheese, lasagna, chili (not usually baked but I think it would be even more comforting), and many more I'm sure. I had just made some fresh tomato sauce and was really craving cheesy pasta. The only cheese I had on hand was cottage cheese and goat cheese so I worked with what I had. I also had kidney beans cooked up so the next day I finally got to make a dish similar to one I've looked at (ok, maybe drooled over) so many times on 101cookbooks that would use up more tomato sauce.

Tomato and Cheese Baked Macaroni

~1 cup whole-wheat macaroni
~1 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup cottage cheese
crumbled goat cheese

I tried to make a layered baked pasta but the layers mixed a bit in the oven. I first added half the pasta to the bottom of the pyrex dish. I then added the cottage cheese and mixed it in. Add half the sauce. Add the rest of the macaroni and then the rest of the top. Crumble goat cheese on top. Baked in a 375 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until it is heated through and slightly crispy on top.

This wasn't the cheesiest pasta dish and would have worked better using mozzarella or ricotta cheese. But, it definitely hit the spot and was a great use for the fresh tomato sauce.

Tomato Baked Kidney Beans adapted from 101cookbooks.com

~1 cup of kidney beans
~1 cup of tomato sauce
1 small stalk of kale, leaves removed from tough stems
1/4 cup cottage cheese
crumbled goat cheese

Into a pyrex dish, add beans, sauce, kale and cottage cheese and mix together. Crumble goat cheese on top. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until slightly crispy on top. I had the beans with some polenta chips that I made. I am still working on perfecting the polenta chips so I wont share a recipe for those quite yet.

This recipe deviated largely from that on 101cookbooks because I already had sauce made and I dislike cilantro greatly. I even made pesto to go on top (made with parsley) but I forgot about it and never added it on top as Heidi Swanson's recipe suggests.

I would love to one day make the Giant Chipotle White Bean Recipe with authenticity, but this version suited me fine....for now.

Tomorrow is my first official day as a Master's student, wish me luck :)

Fresh House, Fresh Tomato Sauce

I am now blogging from my new kitchen in my new house! It is a wonderful kitchen with more gadgets and small appliances than any other student house, I am sure. We are now fully settled in, and I am enjoying my last few days of summer before school starts. Along with everything I own, I made sure to bring some veggies from my parent's garden when I moved in. I brought tomatoes, leeks, eggplant, chili peppers, and managed to dry some basil in time for the move.

I had 5 very ripe plum tomatoes on hand and knew I could not forgive myself if I didn't make some tomato sauce at the end of my personal tomato season (no longer right out my back door). I usually rush sauces when making them for myself and do not take the time to do it properly. I figured I would do it differently this time since I currently feel like I have all the time in the world. The sauce turned out pretty good and has been used in two different recipes which I will be posting in due time.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

5 Plum tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
1 small leek, chopped
1 cm of chili pepper, chopped finely
oregano (sprinkle to taste)
basil (sprinkle to taste)
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

To remove skin and seeds from tomato:
Bring a pot of water to a boil, leaving enough room for tomatoes. Make very shallow slices all around the tomato to make a cross shape.

Add tomatoes to boiling water. Boil until skin starts to peel back, a minute or two. The riper the tomatoes are, the quicker this will happen. Remove from water and allow to cool. Peel off the skin and cut off the tough stem areas. Cut into quarters. Remove seeds and put into a fine strainer over a bowl. Cut remaining tomato flesh into bite sized pieces. Once all the tomatoes have been seeded, move the fleshy seeds around in the strainer to remove all the juices. Add these juices to the diced tomatoes.

To make the sauce:
In a medium pot, add olive oil, chili pepper, and garlic. Heat on medium-high for a few minutes until fragrant. Add leeks and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft.

Add tomatoes, tomato juice, and tomato paste. Heat until simmering for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and use a hand blender to blend the tomato pieces. This can be done as much or as little as you wish. I do not normally do this but wanted a traditional sauce this time. Put blended sauce back on heat and add oregano, basil, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer until sauce has reduced to desired consistency, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

This sauce was very fresh and delicious. It really would not have been the same without the fresh overripe tomatoes. I will miss those guys. I used this sauce to make a baked pasta as well as a baked bean dish. Good comfort food let me tell you.

I'll leave you with a few pictures of the new place and some meals I've created in it.

blogging station #1

blogging station #2

Leeks, Zucchini and Tomato with Black Pearl Medley Rice

Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper


Dilled Carrots and Beans with Cottage Cheese on Lavash

Heirloom Carrots, Salt & Vinegar Potatoes...and more

As I was uploading my pictures onto my computer today, I realized how much cooking/baking I have done in the last week. As to not overwhelm you (or myself), I will take it one day at a time. I will go back to Saturday July 31. I lucked out and did not work all weekend, but that left me with a lot of free time with very little to do. Most of the weekend was spent with Jenna, asking each other; "What should we do?" All in all it was a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. We managed to rollerblade at Bayfront, walk Locke St., stroll the Hamilton Farmer's Market, walk to the William's at Bayfront, and of course, cook a delicious meal filled with new recipes and ideas.

Initially I knew I wanted to use up some jarred stewed tomatoes in the fridge, and for some reason I also thought of the package of frozen okra that I had in the freezer. That took care of one dish, Okra with Tomato Sauce. The second dish was inspired by Oh She Glows as well as Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks (surprise, surprise). At first glance of 'Salt and Vinegar Potatoes', I knew I would be making those one day. I LOVE salt and vinegar chips so I was looking forward to making a much healthier alternative. We both agreed the long weekend would be a perfect time to experiment with this recipe.

So the goal of our trip to the Hamilton Farmer's Market was to A) get potatoes and B) other goodies for our meal. As soon as I spotted these heirloom root vegetables, I knew I had to have them and eat them. How cute! I love cute small food.

Our meal was now missing one thing, protein! We opted for tuna (the canned variety), which we made into a delicious salad. To make the salad more complete, we wrapped it in swiss chard leaves, inspired by Oh She Glows.

Okra with Tomato Sauce

1 package of frozen okra
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 jar stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup onion
cumin
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Okra is a tricky vegetable to cook with. This is only the second time I have used it, but it turned out much better than the first. Okra secretes a mucous when cut and/or cooked at lower temperatures. Therefore, the best way to cook okra is by frying or high-heat stir fry.

For the sauce: heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat and then add the onions. Cook until translucent. Add the stewed tomatoes and reduce heat. Cover and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. At this point, season to your liking. I just added cumin and cayenne until I liked the flavour. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Once the sauce is almost done, cook the okra.

For the okra: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium-high and add the frozen okra whole. Keep the pan at as high of a temperature as the oil will allow. This will prevent oozing from the okra. Beware, cooking okra splatters!!! Cook until heated through and browned.

Put the okra in a serving dish and pour sauce over top.

The okra turned out very well, not slimy at all. Jenna was a big fan. Now I know how I like my okra and will definitely use this cooking method in the future. The tomato sauce was nothing special but went well with the okra.

Salt and Vinegar Poatoes from 101cookbooks.com

2 potatoes
vinegar to cover
olive oil
salt and pepper

Cut the potatoes to your desired thickness (the thinner they are cut, the crispier they will turn out). Put into pot and cover with white vinegar. Cover and bring to a boil. Depending on the thickness of the slices, boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit in the vinegar for 30 minutes. Be ware of the acetic acid vapour, it will burn your nose/eyes a bit.

Spread the potato slices on a baking sheet. Toss in olive oil and salt. Bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees F. Turn, adding more olive oil and salt if desired, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

These turned out FANTASTIC! I LOVED THEM. They are vinegary so you gotta love the vinegar to like these potatoes. I can't wait to make them again. This idea of boiling veggies in vinegar can be used for a large variety of vegetables. I can't wait to do some experimenting.

Roasted Heirloom Carrots and Potatoes

Carrots
Potatoes
Onions
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
oregano, thyme or savory (optional)

Roasted vegetables are so easy to make, and I have been craving them a lot lately. It makes me want fall/winter for the abundance of root vegetables and squashes.
Cut the veggies into appropriate thickness so they will cook roughly in the same amount of time. In a deep baking pan, toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and herbs of your choice. We added some fresh oregano.

The dish was covered in foil and roasted in a 425 degree F oven for 30 minutes. We used this temperature becuase they were in the oven with the salt and vinegar potatoes, but normally I would roast vegetables at around 375 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes.

This dish was very simple and earthy. The heirloom veggies definitely had unique flavours. It was also fun to eat purple carrots.


Tuna Salad Swiss Chard Wrap, inspired by Oh She Glows

1 can of flaked tuna, drained
onion
avocado
tomato
carrot
hot banana pepper
lemon
goat cheese

Chop everything nice and small and mix together. I don't know exactly how much of everything we added but it doesn't matter. The important thing is that you include avocado (or else!). This salad is similar to the Zesty Tuna Salad I made back in June.

The mixture was then spooned into the middle of a swiss chard leaf. Each flexible edge was folded inwards to form a wrap.

While this wrap looks like rabbit food, it was actually very hearty! As far as I can remember, this was the first time I had swiss chard. I really liked using the leaf as a wrap becuase it has structure and crunch.

That all seems like a lot of food doesn't it! Here was our plate in case you forgot anything:

The weekend was filled with other good eats that I will share in due time. I will be volunteering at the Kitchener Blues Festival this weekend so I might have to keep you in suspense until my return. Let's just say I dealt with an abundance of peaches, cooked with a particular fruit for the first time, and made a popular dish that I have never attempted before.