Spinach Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

Was planning on making Hazelnut Chicken Schnitzel and then looking closely at recipe and directions decided it against it as I really like my "Oven Fried Chicken" dish and not nearly as many calories.  http://whats4dinnersue.blogspot.ca/2014/07/oven-fried-chicken-with-tomato-gravy.html

What to do?  It is now 3pm and I have to give hubby his grocery list within the next 20 mins and of course at the same time answering 2 or 3 emails that needed urgent attention and my phone is ringing... but I digress... felt like stuffed mushrooms; quickly searched the web and this is what I decided to try.  Easy, quick and very filling!  Could easy be vegetarian fare as taste would not suffer if pepperoni was omitted.   Served with simple salad and voila, dinner was done!

Ingredients:

4 portabello mushrooms

3T olive oil

2 T Italian seasoning

1 egg

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 10 oz bag of spinach greens, chopped

1/4 c pepperoni, chopped

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

1/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

5 T breadcrumbs, divided

Directions
preheat oven to 350
scrape off the brown ribbing with spoon from mushrooms
Mix olive oil and Italian seasoning and brush on both inside & outside of mushroom caps
place on pan and bake for 12 - 15 mins
remove from oven and wipe away any excess water

In the interim,
mix egg, garlic cloves in a bowl
Add spinach greens (know it seems like a lot but works)
Add pepperoni, parmesan cheese , 3T of the mozzarella cheese and 2 T of breadcrumbs
Evenly divide mixture and place in mushroom caps
top with remaining mozzarella cheese
sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs
return to oven and bake for 10 mins more

adapted from/courtesy of:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/220810/spinach-stuffed-portobello-mushrooms/

Roasted Cornish Hens & Tumeric Roasted Vegetables

Tonight's meal was the perfect ending to a day rafting down the Grand Bend River!  It was quite the work out due to the wind and this meal was simple; satisfying and fortifying!

Brined 2 Cornish hens last night.  Arrived home and preheated oven to 425.
we took our dog out for a walk (at this point skies looked threatening; thunder and lighting storm approaching)
Pat hens with paper towel rub with olive oil and place in roasting pan
Cook as follows:
1st 30 mins at 425; then turned heat down to 400 and cooked another 30 mins; and then turned down heat to 375 and cooked another 30 mins; do not open oven!

in the mean time made Turmeric Roasted Vegetables - this side could very well be a main dish in my world!

Ingredients:

6 c broccoli florets

2 large carrots, cut in half diagonally and then into 1 inch chunks

1 t turmeric

3 T grapeseed oil

1/2 c raw unsalted almonds

1/4 red onion, minced

1/4 c flat leafed (Italian) parsley 

2 T lemon zest

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.
In a large bowl, toss broccoli, carrots and turmeric with 2 T oil.  Arrange on a single layer on a baking pan.  Roast until golden and tender (30 to 35 mins)
Meanwhile; in a food processor, process almonds until finely chopped.
In a small non stick pan, saute onions with 1 T oil until tender (4 - 5 mins)
Remove pan from heat and stir in almonds, parsley, lemon zest and garlic.
Transfer roasted veg to serving platter.
Top with gremolata (parsley/almond mixture)
drizzle lemon juice over top

enjoy!

courtesy of:
Clean Eating May 2017
https://www.clarkscondensed.com/food/the-only-recipe-for-cornish-hens-you-will-ever-need/

Broccoli, Kale & Cheddar Quiche with Quinoa Crust

Not keen on Quinoa but now a fan of it as an alternative to a pastry pie crust.  Quiche was everything it should be and will freeze & save the leftovers for breakfast on to the go over the coming weeks.

Ingredients:

1 cup & 2 T vegetable broth

2/3 c quinoa

1 bay leaf

3 eggs + 4 egg whites

1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1 T halved olive oil

1 leek, lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 c broccoli florets, (1/4 inch in size)

1 c baby kale (or spinach)

1/2 milk

2 t Dijon mustard

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a glass or quiche pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine  broth, quinoa and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed.   (about 10 mins)  Transfer to a bowl and cool.

Whisk 1 egg and stir into cooled quinoa.  Stir in 1/4 c of cheese.  Press mixture into bottom and sides of baking dish.  Bake until crust is dry to the touch, about 25 mins.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat oil on med low heat.  Add leek and saute until softened.  Add broccoli, kale and 1/4 c of water; cover and cook until tender (about 4 mins).  Scrape into crust.

In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 2 eggs & 4 egg whites, milk, mustard, salt and pepper.  Pour into crust and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake until top is golden and knife inserted in middle comes out clean (about 30 mins)

Can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Cut into 6 wedges.


245 Calories per serving
courtesy of:  Clean Eating Jan 2017

Steak & Kidney Pie

How do you express your love?  Hubby's birthday and I  decided to bake him a Steak & Kidney Pie.  But where do I find recipe?  Google?  No luck; called  Carolina,  the best chef we know; she can make a meal from nothing and you are licking your fingers wanting more!   Hubby used to rent bsmt from them over 20 years ago and she would bake him a pie every year for his birthday.

Verdict:

Well, I am the first to admit that Carolina is still #1 in my books when it comes to Steak & Kidney pie; although hubby wolved it down (he just loves the smell and the taste of the meat) I was disappointed as the gravy in the pie should have been a bit thicker!

Although I feel I did not meet her standard; K already tasting the meat mixture and in heaven!  When telling her after the fact she laughed and said "this is why we love to cook for him! : But hubby did admit, with love, that she did make it to perfection her very first time!  She gladly offered to make one together which make hubby grin from ear to ear which is why we love her to pieces!  But I think the fault was cooking 5 hours in crock pot vs stove so I will have to try another time:)

But that's not to say not good; meat was fantastic!  I had drained some of the juices prior to putting in the pie shell and made gravy which was awesome and leftovers will be amazing next day! My only complaint;  for the pie itself -  no gravy consistency like a true English  meat pie :(

Nope, haven't given up yet!  Next time will be even better!

Peach Jalapeno Jam

Enjoyed my breakfast this morning!  Toasted English muffin slathered with cream cheese and topped with Peach Jalapeno Jam.  Great way to start off day before dashing out the door to catch my morning train.

Ingredients:

3.5 lbs of ripe yellow peaches (I left the skin on)

1.5 c of sugar

1 jalapeno chile

7 strips of lemon peel

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp of salt

Directions:
In a large bowl, toss peaches and sugar until well mixed.
Pour into a large strainer placed over a bowl and let stand for 30 mins.
Reserve accumulated juices for another purpose (like Peach Sangria over as a topping over ice cream)

In a large saucepan, bring peaches, chopped jalapeno chile,  lemon peel &juice and salt to a boil.
Lower heat to simmer and cook for 30 mins.

With a potato masher, lightly mash fruit.  Discard lemon peel.  Ladle mixture into sterilized canning jars and jar properly or refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Adapted from/courtesy of:  
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a15367/carlas-peach-jalapeno-jam-recipe-ghk0714/

Roasted Beet Wellington

This was the hit of the party and a great the next day!  In fact, I think I enjoyed them more (but that might actually be more for the fact that all I had to do was warm them up)  Have to admit that working with phylo makes me so nervous; so fussy and temperamental!

Will definitely attempt this dish again as it really did receive rave reviews!   

Ingredients:

2 -3 beets

1/4 c olive oil

1 t fennel seeds

1 t black peppercorns

1  3" sprig of fresh rosemary (I stole one from my neighbour's garden)

1/2 t salt

1 large leek (white and light green parts only)

4.5 c of chopped baby kale

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 t peper

6 oz soft goat cheese

4 sheets phylo pastry

poppy seeds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400
In small baking dish, toss together beets, oil, fennel seeds, pepper corns and rosemary sprig and1/4 t salt.  Cover dish with aluminium foil and bake for 45 - 60 mins.

Using tongs, transfer beets to a cutting board.  when beets cool enough to handle, slide off and discard skins.  Cut beets into bite sized pieces

In a large skillet, heat up 2 t oil.  Add leek and saute, stirring frequently, until tender (about 3 mins).  Add kale, garlic and ground pepper, chopped rosemary and 1/4 t salt tossing frequently with tongs until garlic is fragrant (1 - 2 mins).  Add 2 T of water cover and cook stirring occasionally until kale is tender.  Transfer to a large bow and let cool for 10 mins.  Add beets and goat cheese and lightly mix.

Now here's the scary part.... phylo is so fussy... but by the end of the process I think I was getting the hang of it...

take 1 phylo sheet and I placed on my cutting board (big work surface)
recipe states you should brush phylo with remaining oil mixture from beets in oven
then put a 1/4 of the mixture in bottom corner of phylo.
Fold the adjacent up diagonally into a triangle shape.
Continue folding diagonally until you reach the end of the phylo
folding over and pushing in the end of the triangles slightly
place on cookie
brush with more oil and bake until golden brown

well I had made a double batch as appetizer for my summer garden party

by the time I had made my 4 tart I was in a tizzy

worried that taking too long, phylo drying up (not good)

so... ended spraying each phylo with cooking spray (so much faster and more coverage)

and repeated process above.  This is how I will work with phylo in future. 

Cooking spray, olive oil - wonderful thing!

Per serving / 1 triangle:   391 calories
served with Kale salad on the side
Cheers

adapted from Clean Eating Jan/Feb 2017

Easy Peasy Peach Crostata

Can't believe how easy this was and how succulent and sweet the peaches tasted! 

Of course you have to serve with vanilla ice cream!  Using a ready to use deep dish pie crust; seriously only takes minutes to prepare; no excuses not to prepare!

Ingredients:  

1 lb of peaches, pitted and sliced

3 T brown sugar

1 Tcornstarch

1/3 t of ground ginger

pinch of salt

frozen pie crust

Preheat oven to 425

In a large bowl, toss peaches with brown sugar, cornstarch, ground ginger and salt.

Place pie crust on a cookie sheet.

Arrange peach mixture in the middle, leaving a 2 inch rim around the circle.

Fold border overfilling.

Bake 20 - 25 mins.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Courtesy of:  
http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a33434/peach-crostata-recipe-ghk0812/