Hot dogs & wine

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A popular Italian treat indulged in during the days prior to Lent. Derived from the word for chestnut because of their shape, they are divine little bites I will be revisiting over and over again.

I first saw this recipe at the beginning of January and went straight to the liquor store to purchase some Triple Sec to make these babies. I got busy and the time flew by, before I knew it, we were on the wrong side of Ash Wednesday and I debated whether or not to make them.  I made them anyway…

Fortunately I have a pretty good command of written Italian so I was able to google a few versions of this recipe until I had a pretty good picture of how this was supposed to come together. I have to say, this was an incredibly easy and fun recipe to make.

INGREDIENTS

**you need a scale…unlike English recipes, Italians seem to like to measure things out differently

200 grams of all-purpose flour

75 grams of sugar

50 grams of butter

2 eggs

9 grams of Lievito vanigliato ** I had a sachet of Bertolini that I purchased in an Italian store in Little Italy on a whim …boy was I happy to have it

NOTE: if you can’t find it, substitute with ½ tsp of baking powder & ½ tsp of vanilla extract

The grated rind of one lemon

A pinch of salt

1 tbsp of orange liquor ** I used Triple Sec

Canola oil for frying

Sifted powdered sugar

HOW TO

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients by hand until well mixed and uniform. 

Divide the ball of dough in two and on a floured surface roll out into a long snake.

Cut into 1 inch pieces and roll into balls.

Fry the balls in oil on medium high heat. They puff up and brown incredibly fast so you need to be quick. They take no more than 2 minutes before they are done and ready to be scooped onto a plate lined with paper towel.

Although they are fried, these castagnole are not greasy at all.

Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/veggie-roulade-tart

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see recipe

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/7/20/tartelettes-aux-sirop-drable-groseilles-et-gadellesan-ode-to-grand-maman

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see blog post for recipe:  http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/7/28/madeleine-comme-tu-es-belle?rq=lemon%20madeleine

Check out the recipe:

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/10/13/apple-roses-stunningingly-gorgeous-and-tasty-to-boot

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see blog post for recipe

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/8/9/rhubarb-crumble

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/7/8/delicate-delicious-fried-zucchini-blossoms

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/8/9/freshblueberry-and-sour-cream-muffins

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/11/24/cranberries-and-the-holidays

Check out the recipe:

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/11/22/mason-jar-chocolate-chip-cookiesthe-perfect-gift

See blogpost for recipe:

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/11/29/italian-christmas-cookies

Check out the recipe:

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/11/18/ill-have-another-slice-of-amarula-banana-bread-please

Check out the recipe:

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/11/1/chocolate-hates-me-but-not-this-killer-fudge

Please visit blog post for recipe:

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/9/21/di-sarono-ricotta-tiramisu-cheesecake

see recipe

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/7/19/devinely-moist-carrot-pineapple-cake

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/6/29/deliciously-decadent-chocolate-chip-cookies?rq=chocolate%20chip

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/7/3/strawberry-cake-made-with-farmers-market-strawberries

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/lemon-lime-cranberry-scones-not-just-a-breakfast-treat

ORANGE CRANBERRY BREAKFAST MUFFINS ...or any time of the day

In a large bowl layer the following ingredients

1 cup of Quaker large flake oats

1 cup of orange juice

1 & 1/2 cups of flour

3/4 cup of sugar

1 tsp. of baking soda

1 tsp. of baking powder

1/2 tsp. of salt

1/2 tsp. of cinnamon

1/2 cup of canola oil

1 egg

Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Add 1 cup of dried cranberries and stir.

Fill a muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees.

ENJOY!

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/cuba-meets-italy-its-a-beautiful-marriage

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/arroz-con-leche

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Here is an AWESOME easy DELICIOUS little Easter treat to give to loved ones. Took all of 20 minutes to make and then popped them in the oven at 170 degrees for 3 hours to dry. This is truly an amazing way to eat maple syrup! The meringues are crunchy and light and melt in your mouth but not before infusing all your senses with the scintillating aroma of maple syrup! Try it!

INGREDIENTS

Maple sugar, to sprinkle the meringues

1 cup of maple syrup, boiled ** they say to boil to a temp of 250 degrees but I tried boiling it and it always bubbles over…so I HEATED until hot and that’s that!

3 egg whites

¼ tsp. of cream of tartar

Prep

1.        Place one rack on the bottom and one in the middle position in a preheated oven (170 °F).

2.        Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper ** I had 1 large and 2 medium baking sheets

3.        HEAT the maple syrup in a saucepan making sure it doesn’t boil over and make a sticky mess

4.       In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add the hot syrup to the egg whites, beating constantly. ** I actually stopped beating the egg whites and added a bit of syrup at a time. Beat until stiff peaks form again.

5.        If you have a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip GREAT! If not …do as I do and fill a large freezer Ziploc bag and cut the corner. Squeeze the meringue onto the baking sheets in Kiss shapes or whichever shape you prefer (disks, nests, etc…)

6.       Sprinkle with maple sugar

7.        Pop the baking sheets in the oven and let the meringues dry  for approximately  3 hours or until you are able to remove them from the parchment paper with ease.

Source: Food Nouveau & Ricardo

When you have leftover egg whites you make meringue!

I had a recipe that called for 6 egg yolks and I found myself with all this leftover egg white. Now in the past, I would have chucked the egg whites and moved on with my life. However, the egg whites were "calling" me and I felt bad about throwing them out. I researched what could be done with a whole bunch of egg whites that did not involve scrambling them and found MERINGUES!

Meringues are easy and fast to make and simply GORGEOUS! Give it a try!

Ingredients

6 egg whites

1 cup of icing sugar

A pinch of salt

How to

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Whisk the eggs whites in a large bowl until they form stiff peaks; I used my KitchenAid stand mixer

Slowly add the sugar and salt whilst whisking (you could also add 2 tbsps of sifted cocoa powder at this point for chocolate flavored meringues) and then whisk away at high speed for another 8 to 10 minutes. NOTE: do not over whisk as the meringue will deflate. The meringue should feel nice and smooth between your fingers.

Spoon the meringue mixture onto the baking sheet and get creative with your spoon.

Bake for 1 hour, until the meringues have a nice hard outer shell.

Enjoy!

FOR APRICOT PRESERVES MERINGUES

Add a 1/4 cup of apricot preserves (see recipe here) to the mix and 1/3 cup of preserves to the piping bag.

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/3/16/homemade-granola-for-my-sista-sophie

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So…last night after supper I was looking for a shortbread cookie recipe to make my bunny cookies and I stumbled upon a picture of the most delightful looking cookies…Mexican wedding cookies. The ingredients were simple and I had all of them and the recipe looked quick and easy …my favorite combo. I have to say, I am soooo happy I got side tracked! I LOVE these cookies!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of room temp butter ** I always use demi-salt

½ cup of icing sugar + more to coat

1 tsp of vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

1 & 3/4 cups of flour

1 cup of finely chopped pecans ** I used my Magic Bullet to blend

Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla & salt and then slowly add the flour and the pecans (alternating) until well blended.

The dough will be soft like little clouds.

Roll into little balls (approx. 1 in) and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Cook for 35 minutes at 275 degrees.

While still warm, dust with icing sugar using a sieve. **All the recipes I looked at say to roll the cookies in icing sugar but I found it messy and dusting makes the sugar less clumpy and prettier

Makes 32 cookies. ENJOY!

SOURCE: South your mouth  

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/6/16/bread-pudding-a-la-paula-deen-yummy

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http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/maple-pecan-chocolate-chip-banana-bread-need-i-say-more

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/cooking-at-the-cottage-carrot-pineapple-cake

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see blog post for recipe:

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/friendship-and-tea-cookies?rq=Vanilla%20coco%20chai%20cookies

I’ve been thinking of chocolaty cookies all day. The kind that melts in your mouth and makes you forget what you were doing. Well, I found the perfect recipe. Whipped up a batch of the most delicious triple chocolate chip cookies EVER!

I found the following recipe on FOOD.com and I only made 2 modifications: I added a tbsp. of instant coffee and instead of 2 cups of chocolate chips I used 1 cup of dark and 1 cup of white chocolate chips. This is a recipe I am guaranteed to make over and over again.

Ingredients

1 1⁄4 cups of butter

2 cups of sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla

2 cups of flour

3⁄4 cup of cocoa

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of dark chocolate chips and 1 cup of white chocolate chips

1 tbsp of instant coffee

Directions

Cream the following ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla

Blend in the cocoa and add baking soda, salt ** it’s a bit stiff but be persistent and blend well

Add the flour and fold in the chocolate chips

Bake at 350° for 8-9 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate pizzelle…

Beautiful, delicate, Italian cookies. I first discovered pizzelles about 15 years ago when I was working with a group of Italian ladies. One day, someone brought in a plateful of pizzelles stacked high; it was all I could do not to eat the whole plate. I was hooked.  My friends told me I could buy them already made in most Italian specialty shops; I wanted to make my own. I headed for little Italy and purchased my own pizzelle maker but my first attempt was a gooey mess and the pizzelle maker went into hibernation for a good 10 years.  A few years ago I found it at the back of my pantry, dusted it off and tried again…success!  I have been making them off and on ever since.

I always make the plain vanilla pizzelles which are delicious. However, this time I wanted chocolate pizzelle, so I did my research and more research and I took some from here and there and added the espresso to the mix. The following was the recipe I came up with and it was a resounding success! They are easy to make, super yummy and simply gorgeous…a must try!

INGREDIENTS

Blend together:

4 eggs

1 cup of sugar

½ cup of melted butter

1 & ¾ cups of all-purpose flour

1 tsp of baking powder

¼ cup of cocoa powder

3 tbsps of freshly brewed espresso

Pinch of salt

1 tsp of vanilla

Spoon the mix into a greased pizzelle maker (I use cooking spray)

Makes approximately 22 pizzelles

ENJOY!

Apricot and pistachio fekkas, a Moroccan twice baked cookie that’s not too sweet and perfect with tea or coffee; reminiscent of a cross between an Italian biscotti and a shortbread cookie.  This blog is about adventure and discovery and these delightful morsels fit the bill. My good friend and co-worker Aziz is from Morocco. He knew about my passion for Moroccan food and culture and he referred me to Choumicha’s website; an authority on Moroccan cuisine.

As a birthday gift, I wanted to make him one of Choumicha’s recipes; I chose these apricot and pistachio fekkas.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

In a large bowl mix the following ingredients by hand

250 grams of softened butter

150 grams of icing sugar

1 sachet of vanilla sugar

Then

1 egg

350 grams of flour

A pinch of salt

**add more flour by the tablespoon until it forms a thicker but not too thick consistency

Add 

75 grams of whole roasted shelled pistachios

100 grams of finely chopped dried apricot

Roll into a long thin tube (2-4 cm wide) with the help of some parchment paper and place in the freezer for 1 hour.

Remove from freezer and slice the rolls into ½ cm slices. Sprinkle with some coarse sugar. Lie flat on a parchment paper lined tray and bake in the oven for 12 minutes on each side.

Enjoy!

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/baklava

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Fancy sounding and oh so delicious. They remind me of a cross between a meringue and pecan brittle.

Choco praliné

1 cup of brown sugar (I used golden)

1 tbsp of all-purpose flour

¼ tsp of salt    

1 egg white

1 tsp of vanilla

1 cup of chopped pecans (you can roast them but I didn’t)

1 cup of chocolate chips

In a bowl beat the egg white and the vanilla until you get nice stiff peaks.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt.

Add the sugar mixture to the egg whites and fold gently.

Add the pecans and the chocolate chips.

Spoon (1 tsp) onto  a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Cook in a 275 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

Makes approximately 24 cookies.

Hubby scored it a 10/10.

I have tried making bread once before and was discouraged by the lump of rock I produced. So, when I saw a video Ricardo posted on FB for this super easy bread, that even a 9 year old could make, I jumped at it. He was right! It was easy, the bread is deliciously crispy on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside and it has renewed my faith in my abilities for bread making. Now I am going to try different kinds of bread…maybe cranberry walnut or cinnamon raisin …watch for it on the blog!

INGREDIENTS

3 & ½ cups of all purpose unbleached flour

1 & ½ tsp of salt

½ tsp of instant yeast

1 ¾ cups of cold water

½ cup of whole wheat flour to coat

HOW TO

In a large ceramic mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients together minus the whole wheat flour. You can do this with a fork.

Make sure all of the flour/dough has been moistened.

Cover the bowl with saran wrap and stick it in the microwave oven with the door slightly ajar for 8-12 hours. ** I let it rise for 8 hours

Deflate the dough with your hands and fold it into itself at least 6 times or until the dough is uniform.

Drop the dough into another large bowl filled with half of the whole wheat flour and cover the dough with the rest of the whole wheat flour making sure all of it is nicely coated. Let it rise again for 45 minutes.

In the meantime, place a large cast iron pot in a 450 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Carefully drop the dough in the piping hot pot, cover it and let it cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and let it cook for another 30 minutes.

Let the bread cool for at least 10-15 minutes.  Dust off the excess flour.

Enjoy your masterpiece!

SOURCE: RICARDO

HERB & GARLIC CHEESE BISCUITS

As I was doing the groceries yesterday, I noticed a bag of shredded Herb & Garlic cheese on sale. I knew I wanted to make biscuits to go with my chile con carne so I bought it. I adapted my cheese biscuit recipe by simply switching the regular cheddar for the herb & garlic. The herb & garlic cheese was a very nice twist! Check it out!

Quick, easy and delicious! Anybody can make French Toast or as my friend Graeme calls it ...eggy bread.

In a bowl crack two large eggs, add 2 tbsps. of sugar, a tsp. of cinnamon and whisk well. Add 3/4 of a cup of milk and continue whisking until it's all incorporated. Take a few thick slices of bread and soak them in the egg / milk mixture until moist but not falling apart soaked. Transfer the bread into a buttered hot frying pan and cook until both sides are golden brown. Serve with maple syrup and some fruit and voilà!

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/3/21/cooking-at-the-cottage-maple-syrup-pouding-chmeur

see blog post for recipe

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making pancakes for my family on the weekends.  As a young girl, I remember finding a recipe for pancakes in one of my mother’s cookbooks and asking her if I could try making them. Pancakes were my first accomplishment in the kitchen.

Over the years I’ve grown less fond of the thick American-style pancakes and much prefer the thin French crêpes. My son Gabriel simply loves his weekend crêpes covered in maple syrup and I always make a big enough batch of batter to make crêpes for both days.

They are fast and simple to make and oh so yummy. I always make my batter in the blender…less mess and easy to pour. So, blend the following ingredients in a blender and then pour the batter in a BUTTERED frying pan; instant heaven.

2 cups of all-purpose flour

4 tbsps of sugar

A pinch salt

4 eggs

3 cups of milk

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Pour the leftover batter in a mason jar for the next day. Top crêpes with maple syrup and fruit or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Delicious, fast and easy!

In a blender (yup a blender), blend the following ingredients.

NOTE: you can play with the quantities of sugar, vanilla and cinnamon but NOT the rest.

2 eggs

2 cups of all-purpose flour

2 cups of milk

½ cup of canola oil

2 tbsps. of sugar

4 tsps. of baking powder

1 tbsp. of vanilla

A pinch of salt

Spray the griddle with cooking oil.

Pour batter onto hot griddle (I love my Cuisinart waffle griddle); approximately 1/3 cup at a time.

Top waffles with maple syrup, fruit or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/simple-elegant-vanilla-cupcakes

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It’s spring…although you really can’t tell from looking outside at the snow covered landscape …and alas I am craving FRESH. For me there is nothing fresher than LEMONS & LIME. In my quest for a very lemony muffin recipe that incorporated ricotta (my new favorite food) and blueberries I came up empty handed. So I took bits and pieces from several recipes and added the apple sauce halfway through. These muffins are just the right firmness on the outside and soft and moist on the inside with a not too tangy lemon lime flavour that I was told by my baby girl was my best muffin yet! Wooohooo! I had two straight out of the oven …oops!

Give it a whirl…

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Blend, using a hand blender, the following ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup of ricotta cheese

½ cup of softened butter

¾ cups of sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

½ cup of unsweetened apple juice

The juice of 2 limes

Once well blended mix in the following ingredients

1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp pf baking powder

The zest of one large lemon

 Just before pouring the mix into a muffin tin, fold in ½ cup of frozen blueberries.

Cook for 30-40 minutes. Makes 12 beautifully delicious muffins

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/1/27/sunday-lunchbox-muffins-la-recette-de-ma-tante-fleurette

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March break is nearly over and it’s time to start thinking about making lunches for Olivia again. The week before March break I made the most delightful lemon poppy seed muffins. I’ve always wanted to make lemon poppy seed cake. When Olivia was younger, I spent a lot of time at the Montreal Children’s hospital with her and my little pick me up was always a slice of lemon poppy seed cake at the little café. They were always outrageously priced, as is everything in a hospital, but they were worth every bite.  Here is the recipe I tried for Olivia’s Sunday lunchbox muffins; they are sure to brighten your day!

Ingredients

Makes 12 muffins

1⁄2 cup of softened butter

2⁄3 cup of sugar

2 large eggs**separate the yolks from the white

1 1⁄3 cups of flour

1 tsp of baking powder

1⁄2 tsp of baking soda

2 tbsps of poppy seeds

the zest of 2 lemons ** microplane them

1⁄4 tsp of salt

1⁄2 cup of plain yogurt

2 tbsps of lemon juice **squeezed 1 of the grated lemosn

1 tsp of vanilla

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F  and line a muffin tray with cupcake paper or like I did with flowery silicone molds

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and then add the egg yolks one at a time beating well after each

In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, poppy seeds, and lemon zest.

Slowing blend the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating the following : yogurt then lemon juice, and then vanilla.

Beat just until smooth.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Gently fold them into the muffin batter until blended.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin mold.

Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

ENJOY!

Source: Food.com

I have a tendency to buy a ton of bananas and watch them ripen on my counter. Over the years I’ve made dozens and dozens of banana breads, cakes and muffins with these forsaken mushy fruit. This week’s muffins were supposed to be lemon poppy seed but I hate to throw food away so banana chocolate chip it was. I had 6 wonderfully yucky ripe bananas and I found the most AWESOME recipe for banana chocolate chip muffins to date. I made a dozen muffins and a banana chocolate chip loaf that I put in the freezer. It’s Thursday and there is only one muffin left for Olivia’s lunch tomorrow! I will definitely be making these again!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 6)

3 large eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips (6 ounces)

How to:

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients above making sure they are all well combined and adding the chocolate chips at the end. Scoop into 2 paper lined muffin tins, pop into a 350 degree oven for approximately half an hour and enjoy the aroma. Let cool before biting into the most amazing banana chocolate chip muffin ever!

Source: Food & wine

My Sunday lunchbox muffins were one day late this week. I was so busy this weekend; I barely had time to cook, much less blog. When I went to fill my baby girl’s lunchbox yesterday morning, I felt like the worst mom ever. Yes, a bit harsh but true.

I have always wanted to cook something with ricotta and a few weeks ago I bought a tub of the yummy stuff. The best before date was still good, I checked, and I went on the hunt for a ricotta blueberry muffin recipe (Olivia loves blueberries). The first recipe that caught my eye had my name all over it; literally. I found it on a fellow blogger’s page, Eva Bakes. I know! We share the same name so it must be good!

I followed the recipe to the "T" and the muffins were a total hit! I will be making these again but next time I will add grated lime rind and a splash of lime juice to brighten them up.

Blueberry ricotta muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 cup ricotta cheese ** I used a 300gram tub of Silani

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup (6 ounces) frozen or fresh blueberries

1tbsp of grated lime rind

1tbsp of freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. 

In a medium bowl beat the egg, vanilla extract, oil, ricotta and milk until well mixed.

Combine the wet with the dry ingredients and stir. Then fold in the blueberries.
 

Bake in a 375 degrees F oven for 22 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Enjoy!

The last couple of days/week have been kind of chilly and I have been reminiscing about my hearty winter soups. Today I decided to make a butternut squash soup with a twist. I had flavours in my head but wasn't sure how they would play out in the pot...I crossed my fingers and was rewarded with one of the most heavenly soups I have made to date! Try it...I swear you won't be disappointed.

INGREDIENTS

 1 medium/large butternut squash, peeled and diced

1/2 a Vidalia onion, finely chopped

2 tbsps. of butter

3 large roasted red peppers, finely chopped

2 Bosc pears, seeds and stem removed and finely diced

Approximately 4 tbsps. of Bovril Chicken stock

1/2 cup of 15% cooking cream

HOW TO

In a large pot heat the onions in the butter until translucent. Add the diced butternut squash, the roasted red peppers and the pears. After a few minutes of tossing on medium-high heat add the chicken stock and cover with just enough water to submerge all the ingredients. Cover and let boil for approximately half an hour. Once the ingredients are soft,add the cream and using an immersion blender purée the soup adding a bit of water if it's too thick. 

Serve and enjoy!

On the menu this week I had several recipes to tackle but the one I was looking forward to the most was the chicken noodle soup. I have never made a chicken noodle soup before, yet it is one of my favorite dishes. I pieced together this recipe from memories of my favorite chicken soup experiences. This soup is easy to make and divinely delicious; not sure why I’ve never made it before. I will definitely be making this soup more often.

INGREDIENTS

8-10 chicken thighs, sliced into smaller pieces

½ a finely diced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

Goya Adobo seasoning

Bovril chicken broth, a good squirt

1-2 liters of water

Angel hair pasta nests x 4 ** as opposed to egg noodles which I can’t palate

1 large potato, diced

3-4 carrots, sliced thin

12 brussel sprouts** the kids did not eat them

HOW TO

Brown the chicken thighs in a tablespoon each of butter and canola oil for approximately 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Season with a good dash of Adobo and add onion and garlic. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, brussel sprouts, potatoes and chicken broth and cover with water. Cook on medium high with the lid on for 15 minutes.

Add the pasta and cover for another 8-10 minutes.

Enjoy!

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/1/24/cream-of-butternut-squash-soup

see blogpost for recipe

see blog post for recipe

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/6/10/tallarines-verdes-peruvian-pasta-pesto

I try and cook fish at least once a week; the kids love it! I usually buy salmon or trout and cook it in tin foil with butter and lemon slices...divine. However, I am on my 60 day Eat Healthy Challenge and I wanted to make it a little healthier and more posh! This dish is so quick and easy, delicious and healthy, there is no excuse not to try it.

INGREDIENTS

Trout or Salmon

Bertolli Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil

Goya Adobo

Fresh lemons sliced thinly

A few sprigs of fresh thyme

White wine

Capers

Parchment paper

HOW TO

Place the fish on a piece of parchment paper and season with Goya Adobo

Drizzle some olive oil over the fish

Cover with a layer of sliced lemons

Add a few sprigs of thyme and a splash of white wine

Capers add a nice salty touch with each bite

Cover with another piece of parchment paper and fold the edges inwards until completely sealed

Pop into a 375 degree oven for 8 - 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish) and enjoy!

Quick, yummy and healthy are my key words these days. This recipe is all of those words in one delicious pot.

INGREDIENTS

2 large chicken breasts; cut into thin strips

A good splash of olive oil and a tbsp. of butter for frying

Goya's Adobo seasoning (approximately 1tbsp)

1/2 cup of honey

2 cups of chop suey

2 medium zucchinis; sliced thin

1 large head of broccoli; chopped into little trees

3 long sweet peppers; sliced thin

HOW TO

Sautée the chicken in the hot oil and butter mixture until nice and brown. Season with Adobo and honey and stir until well mixed. Add the veggies and toss until well coated. Put the lid on the pot and let simmer for 15 minutes, Done!!

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/spinach-ricotta-lasagna

see blog post for recipe

see blog post for recipe

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/6/26/maille-honey-dijon-crusted-pork-tenderloin-and-red-lentil-basmati-rice

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/cvabbage-rolls-bundles-of-heaven

see blog post for recipe

My idea of a pick me up is to go shopping for a nice dish at Homesense. Doesn’t have to be something big, it can be as simple as a small bowl, a nice cake stand, a kitchen utensil…you name it. This week I picked up a gorgeous white oval serving bowl and a beautiful square baking dish.  I had to fill the bowl with something equally as gorgeous to eat, so I decided to make pasta primavera. I love this cold pasta packed with flavor and it’s quick and easy to make! Now to plan a mouth-watering spinach and ricotta lasagna for my square dish!

INGREDIENTS

2-3 cups of uncooked pasta; I chose fusilli

1 can of drained sliced black olives

1 can of corn nibblets** would have preferred frozen but I used what I had in my pantry

2 cups of frozen peas

2 long carrots shaved

Approximately 1 cup of store-bought Italian zesty salad dressing

Cook and drain the pasta in cold water and add all the ingredients and presto!

You can add just about any vegetable (tomatoes, artichokes, zucchini)  and salad dressing (olive oil mixed with some balsamic vinegar).  You can also add grilled chicken on top or canned tuna to the mix. Fast, filling and delicious = perfect!

Along with pâté chinois, chop suey is one of my all-time favorite childhood comfort foods. My dad used to make it, my aunts made it and each had their own little twist but the basics were always the same; ground beef and bean sprouts.

This is my version of a thoroughly satisfying and healthy little dish; a definite must try.

INGREDIENTS

2lbs of lean ground beef

1 large package of bean sprouts (approximately 2 -3 cups)

1 large red bell pepper, diced

2 cups of frozen green peas

1 cup of sliced mushrooms ** did not add it this time

½ cup of soy sauce

Adobo seasoning

HOW TO

Brown the beef in a bit of butter or canola oil and season with some Adobo (approximately a tbsp.)

Add the bell pepper and the frozen peas and continue cooking and stirring

After approximately 20-30 minutes, once the beef is nicely cooked, add the bean sprouts and the soy sauce

Stir and cook for another 10 minutes with the lid on. You want the bean sprouts to cook but still remain a bit crunchy

Serve with white rice and enjoy!

Delicious, quick and easy!

It’s true! You can make your own pizza in less time than it takes to order and you don’t need fancy gadgets. I’ve made pizza at home with my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and I’ve made pizza at the cottage using just my hands. Either way, it’s quick and easy and oh so good. The most “complicated” part is the dough and really it’s not that complicated.

Begin by heating the oven up to 450 degrees

In a small bowl mix 1 cup of warm **not hot** water with 1 tsp of INSTANT yeast and 1 tsp of sugar

Set the bowl on the stovetop so that the heat from the oven helps it along

 In your stand mixer or in a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour and 1 tsp of salt

Once the yeast mixture is bubbly and stinky (approximately 5 minutes) add it slowly to the flour while mixing it using either the dough hook or your hands

Once the dough has come together, drop it onto a lightly floured surface and knead it 2 or 3 times

Spray a ceramic bowl with vegetable oil and drop the kneaded dough into it. Cover with plastic film and set it on the stovetop to rise.

While it rises (approximately 20-30 minutes) clean up and start prepping what you want to top your pizza with. I usually put tomato sauce then pepperoni, sliced mushrooms, sliced bell peppers and grated mozzarella. One time, I realized at the last moment that I had no tomato sauce so I added pesto sauce instead…divine.

Once the dough has doubled, turn it onto a well-floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin into a nice circle. Place it on an oven ready tray or pizza stone, dress and pop into the piping hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Presto!

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/4/3/vibrant-and-delicious-quinoa-saladoh-yes

see blog post for recipe

Posted on our FB page today

Yucky avocado...yummy guacamole...I can't be the only one who has ever left an avocado on the counter to rippen and forgotten about it. This little shriveled up gem was headed for trashbin heaven when I hesitated. I decided to crack it open and take a peak. I found a beautiful pastel green! Morale: Always check before you chuck

INGREDIENTS

1 ripe avocado; mashed

1 small tomatoe diced (small)

juice of one lime

pinch of fleur de sel

a sprig or 2 of chopped cilantro

Mix and enjoy!

http://www.hotdogsandwine.com/food-diary/2015/1/5/salade-nicoise

see blog post for recipe

I always have frozen raviolis or tortellinis from this fabulous little Italian pasta shop, Pastadoro in St-Leonard, on hand to whip up a quick and filling hot lunch for my daughter.  Just boil and serve with a quick-made tomato sauce. Quick does not mean flavorless. In a pot brown a small diced onion and a clove of minced garlic in some butter. Add a bottle (1 liter) of pureed tomatoes, ½ a cup of grated parmigiano reggiano and a few leaves of fresh basil. Pour the cooked pasta into the sauce to absorb for about 5 minutes. Dish is ready in less than 20 minutes and absolutely delicious!

With a never ending bone chilling winter, a nice hot bowl of chile con carne can really warm you up! The following is my version of this delicious meal that can be served alone, on a bed of rice or like today with a side of herb and garlic biscuits.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb of ground pork

1 lb of medium ground beef

2 tbsps of Goya Adobo seasoning

1 sachet of Old El Paso Burrito seasoning

½ tsp of Pimenton picante (smoked Spanish paprika available in hot or sweet)  or cayenne pepper ** more if you like it really spicy

½ a Spanish onion, diced into small bits

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bell pepper, diced into small cubes

2 cups of mushrooms, sliced

1 liter of pureed tomatoes

1 cup of sliced olives

2 cans of Clark’s baked dark brown beans in molasses

1 can of small lima beans, rinsed and drained

1 can of large fava beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup of maple syrup

HOW TO

Brown the onion and the garlic in a bit of butter.

Add the mushrooms and the bell pepper and cook until softened.

Add the meat and the seasoning (Adobo, pimenton and burrito seasoning).

Brown for about 5 minutes, making sure to stir and incorporate all of the ingredients.

Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well, cover and let simmer on medium high for 45 minutes.

Buen provecho!

When I think of comfort food, I think of paté chinois; the French Canadian version of Sheppard’s pie. Every family has their own version of paté chinois, mine is no different. Here is my “Latina” version of this divine dish.

Brown 1 pound of medium lean ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork.

For seasoning add Goya’s Adobo (a good dusting) and a package of Old El Paso Burrito mix .

Separately, prepare some mashed potatoes. I like to boil about 8 medium size potatoes with one onion in salted water. Once tender, drain and mash with a sprinkle of Goya’s Adobo, butter (2-3 tbsps) and milk (enough so that it’s not runny and not dry).

I usually don’t add peas to this dish; corn being king. However, these days I am trying my best to sneak in veggies anywhere I can. So, I stirred in about a cup of frozen peas in the meat mix.

To finalize, you take a nice deep oven ready dish and start layering. First the meat mixture, then a layer of frozen corn and top off with a layer of the mashed potatoes.

Some people decorate the top with paprika, I do not. Simply pop into a 450 degree oven for another 15-20 minutes to set and you’re done.

Beautiful and delicious!

Posted to our FB page yesterday

Rough day...needed an outlet...baked mac n cheese from scratch ...NAILED IT...best part (aside from the divine unctuousness) ...I succeeded where I've failed in the past...the dreaded béchamel...a thing of beauty!! Blog post mañana ...last night's fabulous salade niçoise and todays warm and fuzzy mac n cheese!! Watch for it!!

INGREDIENTS

4 cups of macaroni pasta

4 tbsps of butter

4 tbsps of all-purpose flour

1 cup of milk

1 cup of cooking cream

½ tsp of salt (I did not add salt seeing as I used salted butter )

Fresh ground black pepper

2-3 cups of shredded cheddar; preferably strong aged cheddar (I used a combo of cheeses I had in my fridge including Vacherin)

HOW TO

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Boil macaroni in salted water until softish, drain and set aside.

In a large pot melt butter.

Add flour, salt and pepper to the melted butter and whisk until well blended (this is called making the base of a béchamel).

Add milk and cream in slowly and a bit at a time whilst always whisking.

Once it starts boiling calculate 2 minutes while constantly stirring then reduce heat and continue stirring for approximately 8 to 10 more minutes. NOTE: Your arm will feel like falling off at this point.

Add the shredded cheddar in small handfuls and stir until melted before adding more cheese.

Once the cheese has been completely incorporated by the béchamel, add the cooked macaroni and stir to coat the pasta with the cheese sauce.

Pour the mixture into a buttered oven-ready dish and bake for 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Approximately 8 cups of sliced apricots 

1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed) 

6 cups of sugar or a bit less **taste to see if it is to your liking

HOW TO: 

So that all your hard work doesn't go to waste, wash the jars first, then boil the germs to smithereens for 10 minutes.

Next, combine all the ingredients in a large pot.

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

Once it reaches a bubbling boil, watch it like a hawk and let it boil for 30 minutes while stirring constantly to make sure it does not stick and burn.

You'll know it's done when you take a spoonful and it's not runny.

Fill the jars. I prefer the small 125 ml jars for my apricot jam. Leave a little leg room in the jar. Seal it with the STERILIZED 2 piece metal lids; not too tight though. Boil the filled jars again for 10 more minutes.

And voilà! Ready to delight your taste buds!

They can keep for up to a year; even though you'll finish them way before.

I made this delectable strawberry rhubarb jam last summer. Why rhubarb and strawberries and not just strawberries? Growing up, I remember visiting my grandmother out in the country and all around her house she had rhubarb plants. They had beautiful giant leaves and gorgeous red stalks and at the end of the summer my grandmother and my aunts would cut them down to make jams and pies. Rhubarb gives a lovely tangy taste to this jam; love it.

Rhubarb is a hard plant to find nowadays. It’s readily available in the farmers markets; my place of choice for fresh produce in the summer. However, I want to grow my own rhubarb. I have put out the word to my friends that if they have any rhubarb growing in their yards, I would really like to have some.

Here is the recipe…

Yummy stuff:

4 1/2 cups of rhubarb cut into thin slices

6 cups of white sugar ** you need it to cut the bitterness

1/4 cup of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

4 1/2 cups of fresh strawberries cut into halves ** I get mine from the local farmer’s market by the crate

Canning jars with lids & rings ** depending on the size of the jar (125ml or 250ml) you may want to prepare a dozen of each 

Making the magic happen:

Mix rhubarb and sugar in a large heavy pot and let it stand for 2 hours.

Turn the heat on and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Add the lemon juice and the strawberries.

Bring the jam to a full bubbling boil until thickened. Keep stirring so that it doesn’t burn or stick.

You’ll know it’s ready when it’s not runny anymore, approximately 30 minutes.

Pour the jam into your sterilized jars and boil the filled jars for another 10 minutes.

Ready to enjoy the next day; I like to give the 125ml jars as gifts.

I love meatballs! But I hate dry tasteless meatballs. The following is a recipe born out of leftovers I had in the fridge that turned into a phenomenal hit with my family and friends. These meatballs are moist and packed with flavor! A definite must try!

In a large bowl, mix the following ingredients:

A small package of minced meat combo (beef, veal & pork); approximately 2lbs

1 egg

A generous dusting of Goya’s Adobo (my go to spice mix)

1 minced garlic clove (Microplane it)

½ cup of parmesan cheese (I used Kraft)

½ cup of tzatziki sauce

½ cup of chopped Kalamata olives

Mix well and then add as much bread crumbs as needed to firm up the little balls…not too much (I used Aurora Italian Bread Crumbs)

Form into 2-bite balls and brown them in a combo of EVOO and butter

Once they are nice and dark, cover with approximately 1 liter of pureed tomatoes (I used a mason jar of pureed tomatoes my Italian friend’s mom canned for me)

Let simmer on medium-high heat for one hour and PRESTO!

Makes approximately 26 balls or 4-5 burgers

I also use this recipe to make my burger patties. The yogurt in the tzatziki sauce really makes the burgers and the balls moist and delicious!

I’ve mentioned Peru a few times now, so I am sure this drink comes as no surprise. My mother is Peruvian, I lived and studied in Peru, I’ve vacationed there and I absolutely love the richness of their cuisine.

Pisco sour is Peru’s national drink and is considered one of the world’s greatest cocktails. In Peru they celebrate Pisco Sour on the first Saturday of February; Dia Nacional del Pisco Sour.

In Quebec, you can find pisco in many SAQs. Be sure when purchasing pisco, to buy a Peruvian pisco such as SOL DE ICA or DEMONIO DE LOS ANDES.

In a blender add the following ingredients:

2 parts pisco (200ml)

1 part freshly squeezed lime juice (100ml)

1 part jarabe de goma or simple syrup (100ml)

1 egg white

12 cubes of ice

4 drops of Amargo de Angostura (Angostura bitters) available at Peruvian grocers like Lima Limon in Montreal

Blend until ice is well incorporated (10 seconds)

Pour in chilled glasses

Top with a drop or two of Amargo de Angostura

Enjoy!

NOTE: The drink is deceivingly mild and it takes a while before it hits you

Frijoles peruanos…one of my mom's culinary masterpieces. Just thinking of my mom's frijoles makes me salivate. This is hands down one of my top 5 favorite comfort food dishes.

This is so easy to make, there is NO excuse not to try it!

Ingredients:

750 grams of large Lima beans

2 large pork shoulder steaks

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

Goya’s Adobo

Butter

Bovril chicken stock

How to:

In a large pot, brown the 2 pork shoulder steaks in butter, making sure to season them well with Adobo.

Once browned, set the pork steaks aside and sauté the onions and the garlic in the juices.

Add the rinsed Lima beans to the pot and the steaks that you’ve cut into smaller pieces. **If there is meat on the bone, throw in the bone; the meat will fall off the bone once it has finished cooking.

Cover the beans and the meat with chicken stock and cook on medium heat for at least 3 to 4 hours adding chicken stock when necessary.

Serve on a bed of rice or on its own.

NOTE: If you have issues with beans, I recommend having a side order of Gas-x (read their directions first). Do not let this deter you, gas or no gas this dish is worth it.