Recipe #1: Lobster Macaroni & Cheese

One of the New Year’s resolutions I made this year was to try and cook at least one new meal a week. I thought this was fairly achievable and fun enough that I would try to keep it up. Let’s see if I can get 52 new ones on the blog this year (and in our bellies). During the week, we often have our fall-back meals (good old chicken taco salad, eaten usually on Mondays), and even though they are a tasty and quick meal, they lack a bit of imagination. Having limited time during the week to prepare meals means I am often on the look out for quick and simple recipes, but on the weekends, I have lots more time to be adventurous and experiment.

Our first new meal of 2011 was Lobster Mac & Cheese, which we enjoyed one Sunday evening. We had spent the day cleaning the house, doing a small spring clean of our wardrobes (and yarn stash…), and as a nice reward, a candlelit dinner for two. The recipe below serves about 6 people easily, but I adjusted the lobster to just two tails and only cooked enough pasta to serve the two of us (about 2 cups). The rest of the recipe I left the same, and as it turned out, there was extra cheese sauce for just plain macaroni and cheese another time. There were also leftovers for another night, so maybe even 2 cups of pasta was more than enough!

We opted for frozen lobster tails instead of fresh, and cooking them up was a cinch (but man did the  condo smell fishy that night!). Simply throw them in a pot of salted water and cook until red and heated throughout. Getting them out of the shell was a bit of a challenge, but they didn’t struggle too much, and scissors came in handy for cutting the shell off.

I don’t know how often this recipe will fit in our circulation (it did take a bit of prep work, and lobster tails are not that cheap), but even having this cheese sauce recipe means I can whip up a batch of home made macaroni and cheese any time we’d like. I may never go back to KD again.

INGREDIENTS

1 box of penne pasta

1 stick of butter

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup of flour

1/2 cup of white wine

1 can of evaporated milk

4 cups of milk

1 tablespoon of paprika

2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

8 ounces of cheddar cheese, grated

8 ounces of Monterrey jack cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

2x1 pound lobsters, cooked and shelled

2 cups of breadcrumbs (or enough to cover pasta)

DIRECTIONS

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drop the pasta into boiling, salted water and cook until almost tender, about 12 minutes. Make sure the water tastes like a day at the beach, as the pasta will absorb it and become properly seasoned. The pasta should not be fully cooked; it should have just a touch of firmness when tasted. Drain well.

MELT the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook for several minutes until it softens. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, in effect toasting the mixture and adding flavour to it. Slowly stir in the wine and continue mixing until smooth and then add both milks, mixing well again. Continue whisking until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add paprika, Dijon, cayenne, salt, pepper and cheeses and stir until melted.

ROUGHLY chop lobster meat and add to the cheese mixture along with the pasta. Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper. Pour into a 9-inch by 13-inch ovenproof casserole or similar dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake until the mixture is heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Orecchiette with Pesto

A while ago I posted a link on what to do with leftover arugula or spinach in your fridge before it goes bad – make pesto! I made that batch and it sat in our freezer for a long while until finally I remembered it was in there and decided to use it up.

During our trip to Italy, we picked up and brought back some authentic pesto sauce and enjoyed it one night with some Orecchiette pasta, bell peppers, and chicken (and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, too, of course). It was so tasty that I decided to replicate it with the homemade pesto sitting in the freezer. Freezing them in an ice cube tray worked wonderfully. I ran a bit of warm water over the bottom to loosen them, and then they simply dropped right out. I used a few cubes for dinner that night and the rest went back into the freezer in a zip lock bag for later use.

I was delighted at how simple this dish was to whip up. I already had some pre-cooked and shredded chicken in the fridge, so while the pasta cooked, I sautéed some onions and garlic then added the chicken and pesto. Once the pasta was finished, I drained it, reserving some of the cooking liquid, and added the cooked pasta to the pan with the chicken. Saving the cooking water is a tip I’ve learned to help thicken sauces, but in the case of the pesto sauce, it also helped to make it a bit more ‘saucy’ without watering it down too much.

I’m also loving the little Orecchiette pasta (Italian for Ear, I’ve since learned). Their little shapes hold whatever pasta sauce you serve them with, and are small enough that they would also work well in soups (which of late I've been making more of). I’m not sure if I’ll attempt to make my own fresh version or just continue to buy the packaged ones (which are very good)… my guess is probably the latter.

Fat Friday - Canteen Part II

It’s actually been a while since Matt and I have enjoyed a Fat Friday out. The last was probably a few weeks before Christmas when we dined on pizza at Queen Margherita with our friend Christine. I didn’t bother to post about that one since we pretty much ate the exact same thing as our first visit (and now that I think of it, we went with Christine that night too).

Over the holidays we weren’t home much to do a lot of cooking; in fact, just quite the opposite. We did enjoy many home-cooked meals and leftovers with our family and friends, but when we got back to the city, we couldn’t find the time or the energy to do much grocery shopping.

Matt’s mom was also visiting us for a few days, so we thought it only fitting to take her to some of our favourite restaurants. The first night we visited the Bell Lightbox and were lucky enough to get a table at Canteen. We were told the wait would be about 30 minutes when we first arrived, and with no place in particular to be that night, we decided to hang out. About 10 minutes later, the hostess told us that a party of four didn’t show up for their reservation, so their table was OURS. Score!

We’ve eaten at Canteen before, but this dinner was a particularly exciting adventure for me. I was brave that night and ordered the lamb gnocchi (first time trying lamb). I know Oliver & Bonacini have a pretty good track record with making some delicious food, so it was as good a place as any to give it a try. The lamb was very tasty and, while I wasn’t sure what to expect, I was nicely surprised by the flavour and texture. The gnocchi, on the other hand, I was rather disappointed with. I’m used to a firmer and more pasta-like texture, but what I was served was much more like pillows of mashed potato (good mashed potatoes, mind you). The dish wasn’t a flop, however, because it certainly opened my eyes to eating lamb, and I might be less hesitant in the future to try it when I see it on the menu (and, as it turns out, sheep now have a dual purpose – food AND wool!).

Diane, after much debate, settled on the vegetarian curry dish, while Matt went with the old reliable – steak frites. Both looked and smelled delicious (I'm working on my photography skills so you don't have to take my word for it...). I especially like that the hand-cut fries come with homemade ketchup and sprinkled with Parmesan. Matt was kind enough to share.

More Lessons Learned from Christmas Baking

Photo courtesy of Masterfile.com

I like to do Christmas baking; I don’t find it a chore or something I ‘should’ do for the holidays. The great assortment of cookies and bars and sweets lets my creative juices run, not to mention the chance to buy a new recipe book perhaps (there are always new ones out for the holidays). I don’t know why we don’t bake all year round, but it seems the holidays give all us free passes to eat, drink and be merry (and then make annual resolutions to eat less and work out more).

This year was no different. I made my list of sweets to bake up, checked to make sure I had all the ingredients, and then set aside one day on the weekend to bake everything up while Matt kept himself occupied with football. I kept the list relatively short, deciding to bake a few favourites from the year before (many of which I’ve already posted about; just follow the links), and perhaps one or two new ones. My list included Mint Marshmallows (arguably the hit of Christmas past), Toffee-Pecan Bars, Gingerbread Men, and Peanut Butter Brownies. I thought that was ambitious yet manageable.

Unfortunately, I think I left the baking too late, and, in doing so, felt rather rushed to get all my goodies cooked, cooled, sliced, and ready to package (cookies make a great gift around the holidays and I always like to share a plate with family when visiting). Sadly, the gingerbread men didn’t make the cut due to time.

In the past I liked to make bars because it saved time in rolling and cutting the dough. Once everything is baked up in one pan, all you have to do is cut and serve. Well, that didn’t work out entirely too well this year for me. My brownies had not cooled long enough and were hard to get out of the pan (note to self – line your baking pans with parchment or tin foil, you fool!), and I didn’t follow the directions entirely with the Toffee-pecan Bars, which caused them to be overly brittle. The brownies never made it to family (oh, darn, more for me), and while the toffee-pecan bars didn’t look perfect, they sure tasted great. But I’ve now changed my opinion on the bars vs. cookies debate (the one ongoing in my head, of course) – cookies actually package a lot better then bars, and hence, transporting and arranging is done a lot easier. Next year, I’ve got to remind myself to read this blog post and try to bake more cookies.

I did pick up a new cookie book (I simply couldn’t resist). It wasn’t until after the holidays, so I haven’t yet had the chance to try any of the recipes out. But it’s on my to-do list for the coming weeks. Why not try them out before the holidays and then have a chance to find my favourites? Smart thinking, no? I probably didn't need another collection of holiday treats (especially because they are often repeated from year to year), but after flipping through this one, I thought there would be some new ones to try. I think I already found a winner to whip up for Matt's upcoming birthday.

Recipe: Apple-Chipotle Stuffed Pork Chops

It seems to happen all too often that I am back-logged with blog posts. I bake or cook something and take a photo of it, and then forget about it until I load all my photos on to the computer and remember that I had intended to blog about said cooking or baking. This is the case today, where a while back I cooked up a rather delicious meal for dinner one evening – applewood-smoked pork chops stuffed with an apple and chipotle filling.

We stumbled across the pork chops at the butchers and were just simply delighted with their smoky flavour when we bit into them. Combined with the chipotle and apple filling, and, well, we could hardly eat them fast enough. We enjoyed them so much in fact, that we raved about it to each other for the next week: “Mmmm, do you remember those stuffed pork chops?”

Since then, we have cooked them for my brother and his wife, although I’m not so sure that they loved them as much as we did. The original recipe called for chicken, but substituting the pork chops turned out to be a winner. And anything that has bacon as the first ingredient, well, I’ve simply got to try!

INGREDIENTS

2 bacon strips, diced

1 small tart apple, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

2 pork chops/chicken breasts

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

COOK bacon in a small skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings. Saute apple in drippings until tender. Add the onion, applesauce, chipotle peppers and bacon; saute 2 minutes longer.

CUT a pocket in each pork chop; stuff with apple mixture. In a small skillet, brown pork in oil on both sides. Transfer to an ungreased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake uncovered, at 425° for 12-15 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.

MEANWHILE, add the flour, apple juice, salt and pepper to the skillet; stir to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with pork.

2010 Edition of Matt’s Top 10 TV List

My husband writes an annual Top 10 TV list of the shows we watch throughout the year. I posted his 2009 list last year and thought I'd share with you all again.

2010 Edition of Matt’s Top 10 TV List

By: Matt Reid

For anyone new to this list, I’ve been doing this for a few years now and it seems to be appreciated by friends and family who like to enjoy, discuss and debate the year in television. To recap, these are the shows that I personally watched in 2010 (even though some have been on DVD, as I may be a season behind). As for shows that didn’t make the list, I really don’t have the time to watch much more than these listed below, but I always welcome suggestions for new programs to check out. Also, despite my resolutions from last year, I can’t seem to stick to the “Read More/Less TV plan”, so for now, it’s still a Top 10 list….. something tells me that my TV watching will decrease once I have children.

Honourable Mentions:

TOP CHEF (as a picky eater, I wouldn’t eat half of the stuff they cook, but I really appreciate a reality show that involves that much talent)

CASTLE (I’m not much of a watcher of procedurals, but this is the one I do watch – the charm of the two leads and light tone make it a guilty pleasure)

SURVIVOR (the ‘All Star’ season in early 2010 was one of the best in awhile)

RUBICON (a slow burn, this intriguing AMC show will unfortunately not be returning next year)

DRAGON'S DEN (I can’t believe some of these people think their ideas are worth a million dollars)

The List

10. How I Met Your Mother

This show came back strong in Fall 2010, seeming more focused as the plot moves the characters forward in their lives. I don’t really care who the mother is at this point, but it was nice to see some of the other characters start to deal with their own changes. It’s not all story though: the laughs are still there (led by Neil Patrick Harris’s Barney) and the callbacks to earlier jokes and storylines ensure you don’t want to miss a single episode.

9. Friday Night Lights

For a show with this small an audience, it seems like a miracle that it is about to launch Season 5 in just a couple months (it will be the show’s final season). This drama about life in a small Texas town (I have to constantly tell people that the show ISN’T ABOUT FOOTBALL) finally got some deserved Emmy love this year with nominations for Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, the most realistic married couple on TV (neither of them won though). The changing cast of high school kids and lo-fi camera work add to the realism of the show.

8. Fringe

Another show that has really hit its’ stride with the Season 3 premiere last fall. The ’two worlds’ scenario revved up the drama, kept the story arc constantly moving forward and allowed Anna Torv a wide range of scenarios to act in. John Noble’s Walter is still the highlight of the show for me, with his odd humour and haunted past. Here’s hoping the move to Fridays in a couple weeks does not signal its death knell.

7. Dexter

Please no spoilers as I’m behind on this show (I haven’t seen any of the season that just ended), but I have to admit that watching this on DVD works just fine for me: I don’t have to wait a whole week to watch the next episode. Michael C. Hall continues to make me root for a serial killer, there are enough laughs to keep the show not too dark and the new supporting players they bring in every season just keep getting stronger and stronger.

6. Walking Dead

All of AMC’s 4 series made this list (if you include Honourable Mention section), showing why I have faith in almost anything that channel brings to television right now. I was never a huge ‘zombie’ fan but had heard great buzz on this one, so I decided to take the plunge (also convincing my wife, who doesn’t like scary stuff at all, to watch). Well, we’ve both really been loving this show - the way it mixes thrills, gore, human drama and even some dark humour. The ratings for the show were through the roof (for a cable series), so we look forward to many more seasons.

5. 30 Rock

This show continues to bring the laughs – so many that I often need to rewind and watch scenes twice to ensure I didn’t miss all the jokes that were unleashed. Alec Baldwin has found the role of a lifetime, as his growing stack of Emmys proves (although she didn’t get the Emmy this year, Tina Fey did deservedly win the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour). It’s become the most enjoyable workplace comedy on television….unlike another office based show I could call out. As I prepare for my own ‘Kabletown’ merger, this is my Thursday night highlight….

4. Modern Family

Last year’s best new show continued to remain exceptionally strong, ending 2010 as the funniest show on television. From the humour-heart mix to the way the show uses the child actors as more than just props to the ability to use the ‘mockumentary’ set-up (and not seem stale), this show is firing on all cylinders creatively. With a ton of Emmy love and solid ratings, this has the popular appeal to stick around for awhile (unlike other shows this funny….ahem…..Arrested Development).

3. Lost

One of the most ambitious shows of all time finally called it quits in May. It had a very divisive finale, which I personally thought was a solid (if not great) wrap up – probably proving I cared more about the characters than the mythology. Regardless of your thoughts on that one episode, we can all agree that strong writing, great performances, and beautiful imagery solidified this as a series that won’t be matched in its ambition for a while. No other show inspired the amount of discussion/research, both online and in conversations with friends, that this one did for me.

2. Mad Men

As the seasons rolls along in this show and time marches forward in the 1960’s, we continue to excitedly anticipate what our anti-hero, Don Draper, will do next. And that’s the best part: you never really can guess where this show will take you. There was lots of change this past season, with many new opportunities, changing relationships, deaths and other surprises all rolled out last summer. A uniformly strong cast, an immaculately designed world and a distinct creative voice guiding the series always ensures I am counting the days until the show returns.

1. Breaking Bad

There was no show I looked forward to this year more than this one. What had already been an amazing show somehow kicked into a higher gear. The performances were top notch (although only the two leads won Emmys, the entire cast in uniformly strong), the pace thrilling (the parking lot scene may have been my favourite single scene of the entire year, having me holding my breath for what felt like forever) and the look of the show stunning (the cinematography reminds me of watching a film). And, just to show how strong the show is, it can have a slow paced episode take place entirely in one room (one that revolves around two people trying to catch a fly) and it will still stick with you.

So, what did you love this year in TV? What did you feel let down by? Which show did you not watch but still feel they should execute the whole cast, gangland-style : The Bachelor or Jersey Shore ?

P.S. A quick aside, a couple people asked for my top five CDs for the year as well, so here they are:

Arcade Fire “The Suburbs”

Band of Horses “Infinite Arms”

Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs “God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise”

The National “High Violet”

Cee-Lo Green “The Lady Killer”

Lessons Learned from Cheesecake

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2011, and to another (exciting?) year with BusyBeeBets. I’ve already been cooking and baking and knitting up a storm; now to find the time to write about it!

For New Year’s Eve this year, we gathered with friends for a night in to enjoy some good food and drinks. None of this dressing-up-and-spending-lots-of-money-and-fighting-the-crowds nonsense! No, instead, we laughed and ate and drank and played board games, all in the comfort of home, and all for the reasonable price of a GO train ticket (we have since learned that the GO is FREE after 7pm on Dec. 31st). And when the clock struck midnight, we welcomed 2011 with a glass of champagne, a kiss, and flush of the toilet. Yes, you read right. One of our friends likes to be the first one to flush a toilet in our time zone. Strange, yes, but true.

My item to bring for the potluck meal was dessert (our friends read my blog, you see), and for the occasion, I browsed my collection of dessert recipes (both online and in print) and came across one for Candy Cane Cheesecake – prefect for the holidays. But this dessert came with a few struggles (seems everything I do these days has a few roadblocks).

While gathering our ingredients, we searched high and low for candy canes, and wouldn’t you know, we couldn’t find them any where. We thought for sure grocery stores would have them marked down, but turns out we thought wrong. Luckily, earlier that day, we had a massage appointment, and in their waiting room they had a bowl of small candy canes. We nabbed three, just enough for the topping. First hurdle – cleared!

Lesson One: Bake something you know you’ll be able to find all the ingredients for, or be willing to change your recipe.

And then came the baking. I read the recipe the night before, and with baking and cooling time, it took about 4 hours; I thought we’d have enough time to bake it the same day as the party. What a lack in judgement! I greatly underestimated how long it would take to cool, and by the time we had to leave for the train, my cake was still warm and hadn’t yet set. Carefully carrying it to the train station was a feat in itself; trying to keep it level proved to be challenging. When we had found our seats on the train, I checked to see what condition the cake was in, and found that the top had slid a bit, creating an uneven surface, but luckily, that was all. 

Lesson Two: Make sure you plan ahead and leave enough time. I would even recommend baking the day before, if possible.

When we arrived at our friend’s, I was able to put the cake in the fridge, and by the time we were ready for dessert, the cake had set and everything turned out just fine. The ironic thing is, after we ate so much at dinner, we hardly put a dent in the cheesecake! Our friends, whether they wanted to or not, kept the leftovers.

Lesson Three: Bake small or individual size desserts from now on. Easy to carry and easy to serve. Plus, leftovers, if any, are easy to store.

The cheesecake was tasty enough, but I've definitely seen other recipes that take less time and include less ingredients, but I'm glad I gave this one a try.

Candy Cane Cheesecake

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

2 pkg cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar

3 eggs

2 cups (500 mL) sour cream

1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice

1 tsp (5 mL) peppermint extract

Crust:

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) chocolate wafer crumbs

1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, melted

Topping:

1 cup (250 mL) sour cream

2 tbsp (25 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla

2 tbsp (25 mL) coarsely crushed candy canes

DIRECTIONS
Grease bottom of 9-inch (2.5 L) springform pan; line side with parchment paper. Set pan on large square of heavy-duty foil; press up side of pan. Set aside.

CRUST: In bowl, stir crumbs with butter until moistened; press into prepared pan. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until firm, 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.

In large bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Beat in sugar until smooth; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in sour cream, lemon juice and peppermint extract. Pour over crust.

Set springform pan in larger pan; pour enough hot water into larger pan to come 1 inch (2.5 cm) up sides. Bake cheesecake in centre of 325°F (160°C) oven until shine disappears and edge is set yet centre still jiggles slightly, about 1 hour.

TOPPING: Combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla; spread over cheesecake. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn off oven. Let stand in oven for 1 hour.

Remove cheesecake from water and transfer to rack; remove foil and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 2 days or overwrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.) To serve, sift candy to remove powder; sprinkle pieces around edge.

A Special Christmas Knitting Project

Where last year I hand-made many of the gifts for our family and friends, this year was quite different. It was probably mostly due to a lack of time on my part, but we also tried to scale back Christmas this year. Instead of exchanging gifts with friends, we enjoyed a good meal and good laughs together. We’re all at a point in our lives were we really just don’t need any more “stuff," and getting together for a potluck dinner is almost preferred.

But there was one gift that I did knit, and it was at the request of one of Matt’s uncles. His daughter has posted a couple times on her own blog (http://littleloghousechronicles.blogspot.com/) of a knitted shawl that she really quite admired, and Ken, knowing that I was a knitter, had asked if I would like to make it for her. Of course I was delighted and said yes immediately. I know Melissa reads my blog, so I was sworn to secrecy until after Christmas.

But this project wasn’t without a few hiccups, let me say. I had to track down the yarn, of which no suppliers in Canada had any in store. So off to search the web I went, and even when I found a place in the US that carried it, she, too, was out of stock. She ordered some in for me and then sent it along, but the ironic thing is that the yarn is actually hand-dyed here in Canada! It took a bit longer than I had anticipated, and with my mailing deadline looming (it had to go all the way to BC), I was really quite anxious for it to arrive so I could get started. Thankfully it arrived about two weeks before I needed to put the parcel in the mail, and my full attention was turned to knitting this shawl up.



I was trying to be creative with my photo...

The project went rather quickly, and I had almost completed the body of the shawl in about two days…until I realized I had made a small error and would need to rip the whole thing out. Sure, the error wasn’t that noticeable, but I couldn’t very well send it out knowing that it was not perfect. So, take two. I completed it correctly this time in the next two days, and now it was on to the leaf detail. This wasn’t all that difficult, but it sure did take some time. At last, it was completed, and after blocking it to make sure the leaves were flat, I was so happy with the finished shawl. I wrapped and shipped it off to BC, and I heard that she was really happy with the gift (Melissa, I’m sure you’ll comment yourself…).

It was a really neat thing to do for both Ken and Melissa, and as this was my first commissioned project, I guess BusyBeeBets is officially in business! This might be a venture I pursue more in the future, but I couldn't resist doing up some labels to attach with the gift. At least she knows where it came from...

Recipe: Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

It’s that time of year again – the holidays! And that means potluck dinners with family and friends. This year, for our first potluck dinner, I was in charge of bringing a dessert; it had to feed 6 adults and be easily transported. I always like to try something new, so I thought a pie might do the trick. I found this easy recipe online and knew I had found a good one – no baking, few ingredients, and easy to tote.

Plus, it had chocolate and peanut butter, so it was already a winner in my mind. And after a very nice dinner of roast chicken, potato casserole, stuffing, broccoli and Caesar salads (two different salads, not one), it was a nice treat with our Bailey’s and hot chocolate. This pie is very similar to my Peanut Butter Cup Mini Cheesecakes, but if you don't feel like making individual ones, this is a great substitute. It also reminds me of these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecakes (hmm...I see a theme with these desserts...).

INGREDIENTS
 
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup whipped topping
14 peanut butter cups, divided
1 ½ cups chocolate crumbs
½ cup butter


DIRECTIONS
 
BEAT cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Fold in whipped topping. Coarsely chop half of the peanut butter cups; stir into cream cheese mixture.

MELT butter and mix with crumbs. Spread into pie pan and pat with hands to cover evenly.

SPOON into crust. Quarter remaining peanut butter cups; arrange over the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Recipe: Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

(Photo: Courtesy of meals.com)
 

I'm actually quite surprised that I haven't posted this recipe sooner, since its certainly one of my favourites, and one I used to cook often. But it has been a while since I cooked this for dinner, and since we were having our financial adviser over for dinner the other week (yes, he makes house calls), this was perfect timing. And with cooking and shredding the chicken ahead of time, putting this dish together really didn't take any time at all!

We used fresh corn tortillas, but when rolling them, they actually cracked a little, and so filling spilled out (not making it any less delicious, mind you) so an alternative is to make an enchilada ‘pie’, similar to what they do in New Mexico. I’ve also included those directions for you to try. I took leftovers to the office the next day, and this was certainly an easier alternative.

Feel free to add any other of your favourite ingredients to beef up the vegetable content.

INGREDIENTS

1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast meat
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups (12-ounce bottle) chunky salsa, divided
1/2 of an 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese
8 (7- or 8-inch) soft taco-size fat free or regular flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Cook onion over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add chicken, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup salsa and cream cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheeses are melted.

SPOON a scant 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place in 13 x 9-inch (3-quart rectangular) baking dish; drizzle with remaining salsa. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese; cover. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese on top is melted.

OR:

PLACE a tortilla in a baking dish and spoon a generous portion onto one tortilla and spread to edges; layer another tortilla on top and repeat. Add about 4 layers, ending with a tortilla, and top with remaining salsa. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese; cover. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese on top is melted.

Recipe: Strawberries

What are the holidays without some time spent baking with loved ones? That’s what we did this weekend while on a visit to Belleville. As Diane liked to call it, it was “Baking with Ma Ma” and today’s recipe was Strawberries – coconut flavoured candies shaped like, you guessed it, strawberries. These are one of Matt’s favourite Christmas treats, and since he and his uncle seem to be the only ones who eat them, Diane thought it might be a good thing to bake together.

The process was simple enough, and actually quite fun. With only a few ingredients, the main work is getting your hands dirty by shaping each one. But when we were finished, I think they looked pretty good…and the taste test confirmed they tasted really good, too! I bet with the many flavours of Jell-o out there, you could create other types of fruits, too. Maybe next year…

This is only the start of my baking. I've yet to narrow down what treats to bake; making a list between new ones to try and old favs can be quite hard. Perhaps time will dictate what I end up making, as it usually does... But hopefully this weekend Matt and I can do some of our own holiday baking.

INGREDIENTS

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
16 OZ (1 pkg) Coconut (finely shredded)
2 pkgs Strawberry Jell-o Powder
2 lbs Icing Sugar

DIRECTIONS
RESERVE ½ - ¾ package of Jell-o Powder.

MIX the condensed milk with coconut and Jell-o power. Gradually add the icing sugar until the mixture gets thick enough that it can be shaped.

SHAPE mixture into small strawberries. Roll in reserved Jell-o powder and rest on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until cool and hardened.

DECORATE the top ends with green icing in the shape of leaves.

What to do with leftover meatballs…?

When I cooked up a batch of The Ultimate Meatball for dinner a couple weeks back, there were plenty of leftovers, even after four of us indulged for dinner. I froze a batch for a later date (long since been eaten now…), and kept a few in the fridge for leftovers that same week. The plan? Meatball subs!

I saved about 6 or 8 meatballs, cut them in half (so they would sit nicely on the bun), and then reheated them in a pot with spaghetti sauce. Meanwhile, I toasted/warmed a baguette in the oven, then put everything together. Voila! An easy weekday dinner with leftovers and very little prep.

Next time I might hollow out a bit of the bread to make eating it a bit easier, and maybe melt a bit of cheese on top (I can't believe I forgot to do that THIS time!). That reminds me…I think I need to make another batch of those meatballs soon!

Recipe: Pan Seared Steak with Herb Butter

I don’t think I shared with you the latest recipe magazine I picked up - Best Ever Recipes. It’s from America’s Test Kitchen, and after flipping through it at Diane’s house, well, I simply had to have a copy of my own. A friend of mine, Shannon, also needed to pick up a copy for herself after flipping through mine, and I look forward to tasting the potato casserole when we have dinner at her place next weekend. So far, every recipe I’ve liked and tried has been a winner. The oven-baked onion rings were from this magazine, along with our latest dinner – pan seared steak with herb butter.

For dinner the other night, I wanted to try something different, and even though we don’t have a bbq, steak was on the menu. It is possible to get a nicely cooked steak done just in the frying pan, as is evident from most major steak houses. The recipe itself called also for frites, but I was in the mood for a baked potato, and luckily, this magazine had a recipe for that, too! What’s not to love about a potato baked in the oven then sprinkled with a cheesy breadcrumb topping and browned until golden and crispy? And no deep frying required! Complete the dish with some fresh green beans with carrot shavings, and you've got yourself a nice Saturday night dinner.

STEAK & HERB BUTTER INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 medium shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 boneless strip or rib-eye steaks (1 pound each), cut in half

INSTRUCTIONS

For Herbed Butter: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.

For Steaks: Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Lay steaks in pan, leaving 1/4 inch between them. Cook, not moving steaks, until well browned, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, flip steaks and continue to cook until instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 120 degrees for rare to medium-rare, 3 to 7 minutes. Transfer steaks to large plate, top with butter, and tent loosely with foil; let rest while finishing fries.

A good cup of joe!

I think Matt has always had a love of good coffee, and over these past two years together, he’s taught me to appreciate the fine art of crafting an espresso (not by us, usually a talented barista), and of enjoying a coffee for its taste, not just its caffeine. It’s no surprise, then, that plain old regular coffee (aka Tim Horton’s) just doesn’t cut it for us any longer.

There also seems to be a revolution towards better tasting and better made coffee, especially in bigger cities. New coffee bars are popping up around town and, just like new restaurants to try, our list is rapidly growing. We already have a few favourites, but we love seeing what else is out there. Very timely, an article published in Eye Weekly narrows down the java joints in Toronto to check out to the Top 10. An interesting read of you also enjoy your coffee…

We’re also experimenting with making our own coffee and espressos at home. We invested in a French press to make freshly brewed coffee, and the difference from machine drip coffee in taste and quality is quite remarkable. We also upgraded our beans, getting freshly ground beans of our favourite Starbucks blend. And next, we’ve moved on to espressos, thanks to a tiny and wonderful little item we picked up in Italy.

I saw this in several store windows on our trip and was first drawn to it because, frankly, it’s so darn cute! It even has small espresso cups in various colours to go with it. I didn’t think Matt would go for bringing one home, but he surprised me and also suggested we get 4 cups to go along with it. This little contraption works by boiling the water in the bottom container through a filter with the ground beans, and out through each of the two pipes into the cups… brilliant!

Add a dollop of steamed milk (and sugar for us sweeter types), and you’ve got yourself a macchiato. We often drank this type of espresso in Italy, so each time we brew up a batch, it instantly takes me back to the numerous piazzas where we spent sipping coffee and people watching. When we have a bigger place with more counter space, we’re definitely going to invest in an espresso machine, full with milk steamer and everything. But until then, this little guy will do the trick.