Once Upon A Feast - Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories

New Twist on an Old Favorite

2009-12-19T17:58:00.004-04:00

Growing up in Montreal I had an all time favorite breakfast bagels, lox and cream cheese with a slice of onion. It's still my favorite. And truly, it's not my favorite breakfast without the Montreal bagel. And another truth I'll ashamedly share...it wasn't until quite recently I figured out that "lox" was just short for gravelox. I just thought it was the only kind of smoked salmon there was....silly, silly me.

Last weekend I was at the Halifax Saturday Farmers Market and naturally stopped at Mikes Fish Shop - one of the very few places to get great fresh fish and seafood in Halifax, but I digress. They sell St Mary River's Smokehouses smoked fishes. They all looked awesome - at least six varieties of salmon, mackerel, and others and I couldn't decide. The two people in front of me both asked for the maple smoked salmon, so naturally I had to have some.

And that's when it really dawned on me that not all smoked salmon was dry smoked like gravelox. This maple smoked (and not just maple wood), texture wise was more like a roasted or grilled salmon fillet - cooked and actually coated with maple syrup in the roasting/smoking process. And the flavor - awesome! No wonder it's the most popular smoked fish they sell.

Still this was not turning out to be my typical bagel, lox & cream cheese breakfast. I mean, I now CAN actually make Montreal Bagels, thanks to Marcy Goldman, and even though they really don't take that long to make...well it's a crazy busy time of year and my list of things to get done - none of which separately take a lot of time...all of them together take up more than the 24 hours allotted us in a day.
So I did something totally typical - made a quick scramble and yet totally new - took the idea of lox and cream cheese and turned my scramble into a totally different yet totally awesome taste sensation. Just add about 1/4 cup of my favorite Ran-Cher Goat Cheese with chives to 5 beaten eggs, add about a half cup of flaked maple smoked salmon and scramble it over medium heat (a little butter to the pan first wouldn't hurt either).

True, it tastes nothing like my bagel, lox and cream cheese breakfasts of old, but it was still heaven on a plate.

I do hope you get to take some simple, quiet moments out of this busy, frantic season to enjoy something easy to prepare and delicious to savor.

Out With The Old - Presto Pasta Night #144

2009-12-18T22:08:00.003-04:00

What an awesome year it's been!!! 49 Presto Pasta Night Roundups and 849 delicious pasta entries! You all have been amazing participants and I can't thank you enough for playing along week after week.

This week Reeni of Cinnamon, Spice & Everything Nice did a spectacular job of hosting PPN #144 - the last roundup in a sensational year of roundups. Thanks Reeni - you were amazing.

And to everyone who entered a dish this week...and the 48 before - BRAVO! You are all brilliant.

So off you go for the next couple of weeks...enjoy the Holiday Season - eat (lots of pasta), drink (responsibly), and be merry. I wish you and yours a joyous season and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Speaking of New Years...I can't wait to see what 2010 brings...especially when it comes to pasta. I'll be hosting the first Presto Pasta Night Roundup #145 on January 8th. So should you be making a pasta dish between now and then, please write about it, mention and link to Presto Pasta Night and drop me a line ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com.

And if you're interested in hosting a PPN yourself, let me know that too. Once again, thanks everyone for your great contributions.

Sweet Fennel Sausage & Pasta - Nothing Better

2009-12-17T11:35:00.006-04:00

We all know I love pasta, and many of you know that I particularly love it when I can pick up some fresh homemade (okay, not MY home - made especially for the Abato Italian Market down the street) sweet fennel sausage. What a brilliant combination and the best part, is that you can dress it up or down so many ways.

In honor of this being the last Presto Pasta Night of 2009 with Reeni of Cinnamon, Spice & Everything Nice as our intrepid host, I decided to share my three favorite ways to honor the sausage. Last night's (photo at top of page) is a garlicy, spicy dish with olive oil and a little white wine as the base for the sauce.

Rotini with Sweet Fennel Sausages, Sundried Tomatoes & Black Olives

These sweet fennel sausages work so well with tomatoes that this one is always delicious

Last Minute with Fennel Sausages & Mushrooms in Tomato Sauce

And I love to saute the ground sausage meat, removed from the casing, until crumbly as the base for the most fantastic

Bucatini Bolognese

You still have time to send Reeni your dish by end of day today for the last of 2009 - email cinnamonyspice (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me - ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Next time we meet over pasta, I'll be hosting Presto Pasta Nights - January 8th, to be exact. So save up your entries, or send them to me as soon as you're done and I'll start, what will be an awesome start to 2010! Email: ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

In the meantime, enjoy an awesome Holiday Season and remember to be safe.

Holiday Wrapping

2009-12-17T07:27:00.006-04:00

Tis the season for cooks and bakers everywhere to be insanely busy. Like everyone else...at least I hope I'm not alone....I often intend to do way more than I actually achieve...case in point...

I'm ashamed to say that more than a month ago I received a box of great Hallmark goodies, in the hopes that I would share them with you. Naturally being into cooking and baking, the package contained foodie related items. The cake server that plays a Christmas ditty is particularly cute. And since my friends and family always laugh when I send them Hoops & Yoyo eCards, I knew someone would love to receive the singing paper card in the mail.

I intended to make some muffins or cupcakes to share and display on the "Merry Munching" box, but my cute little grandson, got to it first and turned it into giant confetti...oops. These Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream Icing were delicious, but they had to make it to the party in a regular plastic container.
My favorite thing to do for gifts, is to bake some biscotti or cookies and package them in a pretty box...like the cute Gingerbread House in the picture at the top. Somehow, I ran out of time. Instead, I filled it with some of the cute tree trimmers - all with a baking theme instead.

My poll for the season...do you prefer gifts that are homemade or bought? And a second question...are you like my good friend Val of More Than Burnt Toast who is already done with gift buying and wrapping, or more like me, still rushing about at the last minute?

Foods To Choose - Part Two

2009-12-16T09:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I shared 1-12 of the "25 Ridiculously Healthy Foods" and today, I'm sharing the rest with some of my recipes. What I didn't mention yesterday, and should have...is that I truly believe in the notion of eating healthy as opposed to sticking fast to the latest diet trend. And, while I really am a South Beach Diet fan...because it includes all of our favorite foods and is easy to do... I never did count the calories or stick to the absolute letter of it. Whenever I take that route, I get bored, or frustrated...or both, and there goes the whole diet thing out the window. Choosing healthy foods and putting them together in my favorite dishes is much healthier and easier to manage. Admittedly, some are more my favorites than others, that said...on with the list....

13. Broccoli - well really, did you think your mother only told you to eat it as a joke? From a quick steam, stir fry or roasted, they are awesomely good for you and don't forget cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts and the rest of the cabbage family. You'll find tons of other choices here.
14. Spinach - lutein for eye health; iron to oxygenate your blood for energy...just like Popeye. Baby spinach is great in a salad, tossed last minute into soups or quickly sauteed as a side.
15. Tomatoes are the most common source of lycopene, an antioxidant that may protect against heart disease and breast cancer. Another one of those veggies I have to hide from my Honey. That said, I love simple tomato salads especially in August & September when they are ripe for the harvest.
16. Sweet Potatoes are the best source of Vitamin A that protects your eyes, skin and linings of all our organs. Good thing it tastes so good...from latkes to roasted to "chips", well sort of chips.
17. Garlic...seriously good for you, not just to keep vampires at bay. As for me...other than in desserts, breads or cakes, you'll be hard-pressed to find a recipe of mine without this.
18. Red peppers provides more vitamin C than oranges and is a great way to keep those wrinkles in check. And just think of all the other ridiculously healthy things you can stuff them with...like these charred peppers stuffed with anchovies and other goodies.
19. Figs, high in potassium and calcium - 20% of your daily needs. I really do have to start eating more of them.

20. Blueberries...I'd love them even if they weren't so full of antioxidants (more than any other fruit). This photo of blueberry salsa looked the prettiest, but I love them in salads, pancakes, muffins,
21. Asian pears - who knew that they contain 10 g of cholesterol-lowering fiber, about 40% of your daily need.

22. Lychees - they have the second-highest level of heart-healthy polyphenols of all fruits tested—nearly 15% more than the amount found in grapes. I've only eaten canned...I wonder where that ranks and will now hunt for fresh - presuming I can find any.

23. Apples...well you know the saying "an apple a day, keeps the doctor away". Apparently a study showed that along with red wine and pears, they were the most effective at reducing risk of "death due to heart disease and lung cancer" Yikes! I do lots with apples, but the two most favored around here are the Normandy Apple Tart and the Apple Crisp.
24. Guava (which I don't think I've ever tried) has 5 times as much Vitamin C as the same amount of orange juice. I'm adding that to my shopping list too.

25. Dark Chocolate - I saved the best for last and...really...do you need a reason?

My question to you....which of these are on your list?

Foods to Choose - a More Positive Spin Part One

2009-12-15T11:23:00.002-04:00

On Saturday I shared a link and my thoughts on what food experts say to avoid. That done, it got me thinking. Normally I'm very much a "glass half-full" kind of girl...perhaps even more. I don't usually go to the Dark Side. I don't usually stand on a soap box either. And, the truth is, what's good for us today, some "expert" will say is terrible in a year or two anyway. I am a cynic about that, if nothing else.

So I thought I'd share another link from Saturday..."25 Ridiculously Healthy Foods" , especially since the holidays are upon us and we tend to overdo life, and that means lots of stress and not always eating well. Plus this is an easy start to the 2010 Resolutions we're all going to make.

And I thought I'd share a few of my favorite recipes to help out even more.

1. Eggs - can apparently lower risks of breast cancer, antioxidants to prevent macular degeneration & cataracts. And since I love what a wonderful canvas they are to a happy weekend morning

....here's my total list of frittatas, omelets & scrambles.

2. Greek yoghurt - better than regular - twice the protein plus immune-boosting bacteria. And although this doesn't sound much better than gruel, I can assure you this mush is pretty, tasty, and very, very good for you. 3. Fat-free milk (fine...any milk) is a great source of Vitamin D, something we never get enough of, especially in the winter. That definitely goes for us, but we do enjoy cheeses with crackers and freshly baked artisan breads for relaxing weekend "lunches", does that count?
4. Salmon for so many reasons...omega 3 rich, prevents heart disease, smooths your skin, boosts your mood and...best of all...slows the rate of digestion. Since my Honey isn't really a fish eater...especially those with lots of bones and strong aroma (my word, not his), we typically stick to salmon & tilapia, so here are some of our favorite recipes.
5. Lean beef - best absorbed source of iron, zinc and did you know that grass fed beef has twice the level of vitamin E - brain boosting anti-oxidant. We are serious carnivores, so naturally there's lots of beef served here. Two of our favorites are strip loin and flank steak because they are lean and yet still extremely flavorful. This Teriyaki Flank Steak has been a staple since forever...even before I worried about too much fat. You can find a ton of other options here.
6. Beans - did you know that 1 cup of cooked = 17g of fibre - reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers - enough said. Lentils, split peas, red, white, black, cannelini...I love making them as a side, or a main; with and without meat.
7. Nuts can also reduce risk of heart disease & diabetes. Typically I sprinkle them over salads, coat fish fillets in them
and naturally use them in brownies and cookies.
8. Edamame & tofu - we're not so big on this one at our house.

9. Oatmeal - which in my world is only used in cookies, breads, muffins, even meatloaf rather than breadcrumbs, but never as a hot morning breakfast...too much like slimy gruel to me...and all you morning oatmeal fans, don't bother trying to convert me.
10. Flaxseed is the "most potent plant source of omega-3 fats. Studies indicate that adding flaxseed to your diet can reduce the development of heart disease by 46%" Wow! I put them in the mush and many of my bread recipes.

11. Olive oil is my favorite heart healthy monounsaturated fat. It is the oil I use most frequently...at least from appetizers through mains and sides.

12. Avocado - packed with heart protective ingredients like Vitamin E, folate, soluble fibre & potassium. Like my littlest grandson, I could eat it just scooped out of its shell, in guacamole and healthy dips...
...my Honey, on the other hand, is not a big fan, so I have to hide this heart healthy ingredient in wraps.

Stay tuned for Part Two of the top 25 Ridiculously Healthy Foods tomorrow.

Hanukkah Means Kids

2009-12-13T11:11:00.017-04:00

It is Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights , or in our house, the Festival of Latkes. Fifteen pounds of potatoes and this is the best photo I could get. "Helpers" were having to taste them as they came out of the frying pan and by the time we all sat down to eat...well...the camera was at the other end of the house.

Truthfully though, in my world, it's a holiday for children. It's even more wonderful if you have grandchildren. And I am especially blessed to have two very delicious grandsons. Dov, who just turned one a couple of weeks ago has just learned to walk and although he sort of looks like Frankenstein in his tentative steps, he's very proud of himself, as are the rest of us.

His big brother Boaz, is just about to turn three and hasn't quite mastered the concept of Dov's gifts and Bo's gifts, but hey... Last year Boaz helped his mummy and me make Hanukkah cookies. I love the shapes and design...

...- so artistic, don't you think? But my favorite photo from last year is this one...well someone has to taste the dough to make sure it's good. This year, though there was definitely more interest in the process and Boaz created these cookies with very little help from us. I have to thank Marcy Goldman for her kidproof dough. As you can see, though...tasting is still a requirement. This time it's the sprinkles. Happy Hanukkah, everyone and may you share whichever holidays you celebrate with lots of little ones...at least those who are kids at heart.

Great Article on Foods to Avoid ...Or...

2009-12-12T10:03:00.005-04:00

My friend Norene, found this terrific article The Seven Foods Experts Won't Eat. I'm not sure I can actually follow all of them, and I'm wondering about you.

Here's my take on the Seven Deadlies....
1. No canned tomatoes...something about the tins themselves that are linked to horrible diseases. They suggest buying tomatoes in glass jars. I don't know about you, but other than in sauces or pickled, I've never found jarred tomatoes....and I don't think I'm going to spend too much time looking either.

2. No corn fed beef....I do try to find grass fed beef, but not always available at local supermarkets and the price is usually a lot more. The taste of the meat is also different, so it does take some getting used to. An easy start is to find the grass-fed beef producer at your local farmers market and go for stewing meat and ground beef for braises, chilis and stews.

3. No microwaved popcorn...again chemicals in the bags. Not really a big popcorn eater, so not really an issue for me. Any thoughts?

4. Non-organic potatoes...being root vegetables they not only absorb nutrients from the soil, but pesticides etc., as well. Hmmmmm, I never thought of that. So I'll be on a hunt. I wonder how easy/hard it will be to find. I wonder if I'll even remember this the next time I hunt for potatoes.
5. Farmed Salmon...too gross to repeat here, and apparently here on the East Coast, there is no commercial wild salmon fishing. Since salmon is high in Omega 3s and important for eye and heart health, I think this needs more research for me as to the quality of fish farms here in the east before I totally boycott them.

6. Milk produced with artificial hormones....another thing I never thought about....just checked my milk carton and, of course it doesn't say anything. Big sigh....apparently now I have to look for Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free products. Given I don't drink a lot of milk, (I'm pretending cheese doesn't count) I won't worry.

7. Regular apples...too many pesticides. Look for organic or at least wash & peel. I think I'll go that route.

That said, I do think we can get carried away and sometimes, I choose not to look too closely. What's your take on all of this? Which ones matter and which will you ignore?

Presto Pasta Night #143

2009-12-11T08:13:00.000-04:00

It's deja vu all over again, as the great Yogi Berra once said. Kevin of Closet Cooking hosted Presto Pasta Nights for the second time. He was our first PPN guest host and did an awesome job with it. So it's no surprise that this one rocks too. In fact, it even surpassed itself with a ton of stunningly beautiful (can't have too many superlatives) and unique pasta dishes. So kudos to Kevin for hosting and all you amazing contributors for your over-the-top dishes.

Next week, Reeni of Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice is hosting the very last Presto Pasta Night of 2009, so be sure and send in your pasta entry to cinnamonyspice (at) gmail (dot)com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com. After all, we can't go cold turkey. I mean imagine no pasta recipes until January 8th - the first PPN of 2010.

Once Again Pasta Saves The Day

2009-12-09T22:08:00.006-04:00

On Monday, I had a great plan for dinner. Nothing fancy, just a pasta using my favorite fresh sweet fennel sausages from the Italian Market down the street. I was just deciding what, besides the plump cremini mushrooms, I'd add to the mix when the phone rang. It was my Honey suggesting we go over to see the grandsons. I knew I couldn't take the sausages over to my daughter's. She likes to keep her kitchen kosher style which means no pork and I'm pretty sure that the sausages are pork. That said she was happy to have us visit and would figure out her own pasta delight by the time we got there.
It was so delicious, I just had to share this Mustardy Rotini with Chicken and Mushrooms (among other things) with Presto Pasta Nights. I't incredible how a little grainy mustard added to pasta water can make the most heavenly sauce. The left over roasted chicken didn't hurt either.

This week Kevin, my very favorite Closet Cook is hosting PPN again. If you remember, Kevin was the first guest host - #67 way back in June, 2008. Thanks Kevin, for hosting again. And everyone else...please send Kevin your latest and greatest pasta by Thursday night - lynch (dot)kevin (at)gmail(dot)com and cc- ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com and then join us for the roundup on Friday.

Can One have Too Much Coffee - Yes Indeed!

2009-12-09T09:12:00.008-04:00

I realize everyone's metabolism is different, so asking when is too much when drinking coffee is really personal, but I have to share my crazy day yesterday with someone...may as well be you. I'm working on a project about independent coffee houses in Halifax - not Tim Hortons, Starbucks or Second Cup. In my "support local"frame of mind, I thought this would be fun. Totally personal bias, nothing scientific. I just drop into small coffee shops that I've either heard about or pass by and think..."cool"...where I can actually sit down and take in the flavor - no pun intended - of the shop as well as the coffee.

One thing Halifax has lots of are little coffee shops, perhaps it's all the university students...not sure, but I'm glad they're here. And now on to my drama....

I take my Honey to work in the mornings and he does leave very early - always in before 7 and usually we just do a "Tim's run" -there's a Tim Hortons drive through just down the street from his office and it's open 24 hours. But for my "research", we decided to do something together and have a coffee for him, cappuccino for me at some independent place. The problem is that many don't open until 11am, and the earliest we found was still closed until 7:30.

Not easily discouraged, we went to Chez Cora for a real breakfast...bacon & eggs with toast and coffee. They open at 6am! And after a tasty breakfast and a big cup of coffee, I kissed him goodbye and headed off to do more research. By this time, Ciboulette was open and I was excited to check it out. After all, Chef Craig Flinn is the owner (and I love his stuff - restaurant and book Fresh & Local), plus my Honey told me that the muffins are "to die for"...and it's true. So...one big cappuccino, a cranberry & orange muffin (I wish I had another one right now) and a flip through his new cookbook that looks wonderful.

Still feeling fine, so I thought I'd try Uncommon Grounds, there's one right around the corner. This time I just ordered a medium roast Mexican blend of coffee to go. I could have stayed, there are tables, but I just took a few sips and headed out the door.
I should have gotten in the car and gone home....but that would have been sensible, and why would I want to do that! Right at the end of the street, was The Paperchase Newsstand & Cafe. I remember it from when my older daughter went to Dalhousie University and lived just up the hill from it. She would take me there often when I'd visit. It's still there in all its glory more than fifteen years later, so I HAD to check it out....well,didn't I? The cappuccino savored first in front of the fireplace and then in the back on a big comfy couch, was one of the best I've had anywhere.
The photo at the top of the page is from one of my favorite coffee haunts...The Trident Booksellers & Cafe. (I was there just the day before.) It brings out the writer in me. But I digress...

This post is not about the coffee shops really, or even which coffee I liked best. It's about what happened next. I started feeling hyper the second I walked in the door. So hyper in fact, I couldn't concentrate on any ONE thing. I started three different posts and articles, started to organize my kitchen, threw in a load of laundry, back to one of the posts, but couldn't concentrate on that...came up with three new ideas, remembered the cookbooks I had to write about and tried to figure out which dishes to try.

I'm not sure if you can tell by my writing style, but I'm still speedy today. When I was talking on the phone to my daughters yesterday, they found it very funny...me talking so fast they could hardly understand me....not able to actually finish one thought or make more than one sentence stick together. But at this end of the phone, it didn't feel very funny. I have come to understand what it must be like to suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and it's no joke.

As for me, I'll just lay off the coffee for a few days, the shaky hands will still, the jumpy thoughts will subside and I'll be fine.

Cookbooks Low on List of Holiday Best

2009-12-08T10:43:00.009-04:00

Perhaps I have a skewed view when it comes to books. Don't get me wrong, I love to read just about anything put in front of me. My favorite bedtime reading is usually novels - total escapism - which includes mysteries, fantasy (at least that's usually the heading...books like The Mists of Avalon, for one), historical novels, and classics like Jane Eyre ,which is on my night stand at the moment.

All that being true, I do head directly to cookbooks when I enter a book store and I'm lucky enough to get lots of evaluation copies of food related books from publishers to share with you. So perhaps I'm naive to be shocked that the email from Amazon with the top 100 books for 2009 was very short on cookbooks. In fact of the editors choice - zero; customer overall top 100 - 6 and 5 of those were some sort of diet related books.

If you actually go down the left hand column you can find a link to the top ten cookbooks of 2009. Only one or two are actually on my list....so I thought I'd share two lists with you...

Top ten I already own and love, in no particular order, and why I love them :

Best of Chef at Home

Earth to Table

Quick Vegetarian Pleasures

A Year in Lucy's Kitchen

Anita Stewart's Canada

Beyond the Great Wall

The Craft of Baking

Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

plus the three by Jamie Oliver, the four by Donna Hay and the four Barefoot Contessa and...

And just a few on my personal wish list...hint, hint.
Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals because I love everything Jamie Oliver writes.

Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller because it looks awesome!

Pasta Et Cetera a la di Stasio because I love pasta and Josee di Stasio's first book was amazing.

Presto Pasta Night Roundup #142

2009-12-04T08:01:00.001-04:00

This was a quiet week for Presto Pasta Nights, but all the entries are fantastic! Thanks so much for taking time to share with the rest of us pasta lovers. For the scallop fans (like me) there are two heavenly options...I'm heading out to our farmers market tomorrow to get some fresh world famous Digby scallops, right off the boat. And I'll be serving peanut buttery pasta to a very finicky grandson. Then I'll be dishing up the rest of these amazing pastas. Which will you be choosing first?

First in this week is Graziana of Erbe in Cucina is back and is lucky enough to grow her own dill and put it to good use pairing it with smoked salmon – one of my favorite combinations - for this creamy salmon pasta. Second helping, please!
Joanne, who always Eats Well With Others, and often shares with us, brings an Asian twist to Peanut Butter with this Pasta with Broccoli and Peanut Butter Sauce. I'm licking my lips, that's for sure.
Sarah of What Smells So Good shares a funny story and a very tasty, healthful Spinach & Black Bean Pasta with the rest of us.
Ann of PigPigsCorner was planning one pasta dish and was mostly done, when...horror of horrors, the key ingredient was not where it was supposed to be. What's a girl to do?....make a delicious dish using whatever else is on hand. This Korean style Spicy Penne is a perfect example of delicious creativity.
Tigerfish of Teczcape always brings something gorgeous and delicious to PPN and today's Seared Scallops with Simmering Noodles is no exception. I'm drooling!
My good friend Katie of Thyme for Cooking is having trouble figuring out where the day went...read the story for yourself and if you're like me, you'll find yourself in the same place. At least she shared a fantastic looking Scallops on Pasta with a Creamy Sauce that's actually healthy!
Judith of Think on It is back too with a lovely recipe for besciamella (think Bechamel with a little twist) and a droolingly delicious looking Chicken & Spinach Lasagna.
And last, but not least. In fact, I think this is my new favorite "go to" winter pasta. Linguine with Savoy Cabbage & Pancetta. I only wish I had leftovers...I'd be eating some for breakfast right now.
Hard as it is to believe, there are only two more Presto Pasta Night Roundups before we break for the holidays. So get your pasta pots ready and share, share, share and then tell your friends to do the same. After all we can't have pasta withdrawal, can we?!

Next week Kevin, my very favorite Closet Cooking will be hosting. Kevin was the very first guest host way back when and he's graciously agreed to do it again. So please, send your fantastic entries his way - lynch (dot)kevin (at)gmail(dot)com and cc- ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

If you're interested in hosting Presto Pasta Nights yourself, please send me an email. I'm looking for hosts for 2010

Healthy Diets for Your Eyes

2009-12-03T16:21:00.003-04:00

I went to the Optometrist for my annual eye exam...annual because I'm developing cataracts, lucky me. Also lucky me, she found some floaters which mean I could end be developing AMD = Age-related Macualr Degeneration. Don't panic, I don't need a seeing eye dog, but I will be paying more attention to my diet...lots of antioxidant rich foods. If you're interested in specifics there are lots of great sites out there to help out...Canadian Living's 5 Best antioxidant rich foods; and Fat Free Kitchen lists 20 with serving sizes and antioxidant values; are just two that are interesting. Omega 3 is also important and here's a list and Vitamin A (carotene in particular) and another list.

That said the easiest way to remember what's good for you is ...the brighter the color, the better.
Bright orange - remember your mother telling you to eat carrots, they're good for your eyes.."did you ever see a rabbit with glasses?" mine would add. Brilliant green, the darker the better and don't forget nuts and seeds....squirrels and birds don't wear glasses either. Berries and other fruits of every hue also add to a healthy diet.

So last night I made the perfect eye-healthy dinner....

Roasted Salmon

(this time with some PC Cranberry & Orange Sauce to make a delicious glaze)

Thyme Roasted Sweet Potato Slices

Sauteed Swiss Chard

( the salmon & scallops add omega -3 in this recipe too)

And of course, dark chocolate from my President's Choice stash.

Tonight we'll be having pasta with savoy cabbage and pancetta, and a dark green salad, but you'll have to wait for the Presto Pasta Night Roundup tomorrow for see that one. I'm hosting and you still have time to enter. Just drop me a line with a link to your post. Send it to ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com and check back for all the wonderful choices tomorrow.

Holidays Coming Early

2009-12-03T14:28:00.007-04:00

Well the holidays certainly are coming early around here. First let me state that I've long been a fan of President's Choice products, going back to the first bottles of "Memories of..." series and frozen appetizers for those days when I'm just a party of one and crave something festive to munch on.

Naturally I said yes when I was contacted by them wondering if I would like to receive a "Holiday Package" no strings attached, but if I'd like to mention ....you get the idea. And yesterday I got the buzz from the Purolator delivery guy that there was a package for me. So I walked down the three flights and 48 steps to the front door to let him in and saw the giant box you see at the top of the post (It literally comes up mid thigh). "Don't worry", he said "it's not that heavy"....I guess that's true if you lift weights every day. In fact, it was so heavy I felt compelled to stand on my scale with it...50 pound....yes that five - zero - that's 22.67 kg, in case you're interested.
And being me, which is to say having absolutely no ability to wait and savour things...I opened the box to discover 25 individually gift wrapped parcels and a letter telling me to open one a day until Christmas. Since it was December 2nd, I didn't feel guilty opening the first - a 2L bottle of mulled apple soda that was quite tasty and a silver cake server.

....but as you can see....I couldn't stop myself. And by the way...the truffles dusted in cocoa are fantastic and the Cranberry & Orange sauce made the perfect glaze for my roasted salmon...more about that later.

There really are too many things to list here, but I will mention the Mocktail Martini a non-alcoholic version for your tea-totalling guests...think super sophisticated Shirley Temples

...everything from appetizers to desserts. Marinated Gigantic Beans (that's what the jar label says and believe me they are the size of large olives) for savory snacks and Chocolate covered Gingerbreadh Bites for the sweet tooth (that and the dark chocolate orange thins and several kinds of cookies and biscuits).

I guess the exercise of carrying the fifty pound box up three flights of stairs will help balance my calorie intake.

What kind of holiday treats to you keep on hand for those spontaneous parties?

Saturday Special - Diner Scramble

2009-12-01T21:48:00.003-04:00

Every once in a while, my Honey and I love to do a diner breakfast. Get in the car, drive to some little diner and order breakfast. It doesn't really matter where we go...the one around the corner - Johnny's, run by a Greek family (we're sort of regulars) I even wrote about them at Foodtv.ca/blog. We even tried a new (well new to us) diner - The Armview Restaurant which still has that 1950's feel to it.

But no matter where we go, our orders remain constant - 2 eggs (scrambled for my Honey and lightly poached for me), bacon, hash browns and toast. After all, we we changed anything, how would we know which was the best diner?

What's a girl to do when we don't actually get to a diner? Well, this weekend I made a fantastic scramble by just frying up some diced potatoes and pancetta - Italian bacon and my new favorite ingredient. I even named it Diner Scramble and I think I'll be making it often and serving it with some homemade rye toast.

Now you know our favorite guilty pleasure....what do you order for your diner delight...and is it breakfast or lunch?

Pasta For Kids of All Ages

2009-11-30T20:38:00.004-04:00

I'm hosting this week's Presto Pasta Night Roundup, so I thought I'd start the week with an all time favorite comfort food....mac 'n cheese....but not just any mac 'n cheese. This one is for kids of all ages. It's from a new cookbook (I'll be writing more about it this week) 250 True Italian Pasta Dishes: Easy and Authentic Recipes and it is particularly delicious.

Maccheroni ai Formaggi (I do love how just saying it in Italian adds an exotic touch even before I tell you about it). It's in the "Pasta for Kids" section of the book and, basically it is Mac 'n Cheese. Just don't think KD. Ricotta, mascarpone, Parmigiano-Reggiano and if you're lucky enough to find it...Gorgonzola dolce (I haven't found it yet but I still have one more shop to try) which makes this the creamiest, sweetest mac 'n cheese ever.

Yesterday I made some for three generations of kids...my Honey and I, my son-in-law and my two delicious grandsons, aged one and almost three. Now Boaz, the older one is not into eating...in general, so his eating a couple of spoonfuls is actually impressive. His younger brother Dov, loved using his hands to gobble up his portion. When I say he's delicious...I'm not kidding...especially covered in pasta. And the rest of us "kids" licked our plates clean too.

Don't forget to send me your latest pasta dish to add to the Presto Pasta Night Roundup. Just send your entry to me ruth(at)4everykitchen(dot)com by Thursday night and then check back to see everyone else's dishes on Friday. And if you're interested in hosting a PPN roundup, drop me a line about that too.

The Latest Delicious Presto Pasta Night Roundup

2009-11-27T08:08:00.006-04:00

Deb at Kahakai Kitchen did a superb job of hosting this week's fabulous Presto Pasta Night Roundup #141. The roundup is fantastic - Nineteen droolingly delicious dishes to whet your appetites.

I don't know where the time flies, but it does...in spades and we're about to start that really crazy month.... December....with lots of holidays toward the end of the month and pre-holiday celebrations and preparations before that. A perfect month for whipping up stress reducing pasta dishes. Hopefully your December will be more JOYful than STRESSful and I do hope you plan on sharing your pasta treats with us.

I'm hosting next, so send all your tasty pastas to me by next Thursday... ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com to start off December's PPN roundups. If it's half as great as this week's roundup it will be amazing.

Thanks Deb for a terrific hosting job. And all you excellent pasta makers...you make every week special!

Revisiting an Old Pasta Friend

2009-11-26T21:13:00.003-04:00

Since I didn't actually make any pasta this week, I thought I'd take a walk down memory lane and see what pasta dishes I wrote about when I started blogging back in 2005.

I found this one, adapted from an early Donna Hay Magazine, back in June, 2005 and still makes it onto our table often...Winter Greens, Pancetta & Mushroom Pasta. It's still my favorite- easy-to-put-together, comfort food. And, believe it or not, that's still my favorite pasta bowl.

I'm sharing this with Presto Pasta Nights...this week Deb of Kahakai Kitchen is hosting. Next week it's back to me and, if I don't see you at this week's round up, I can't wait to see what you all plan on sending my way.

Hard to Believe - No Pasta To Write About

2009-11-26T17:27:00.005-04:00

What a sad day indeed. Somehow, I made it to Thursday without one pasta dish this week! Shocking, I know. I even tried to make a pasta for lunch...sounded good - crab, peas & white wine. What could be bad? It even looked pretty. That said, it was probably the blandest pasta I've ever made. Good thing that tomorrow Deb of Kahakai Kitchen is hosting this week's Presto Pasta Night. I know I'll find some amazing choices there.

If you're not too busy celebrating American Thanksgiving, you still have time to share a dish by sending it to debinhawaii (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me - ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Happy American Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T08:35:00.004-04:00

Wishing my American friends a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you're spending it with those you love and ....on the off chance that you don't have all the dishes done for your dinner, here are a couple of fantastic side dishes from The Blackberry Farm Cookbook: Four Seasons of Great Food and the Good Life which is stunning and delicious. I'll be writing much more about it soon.
Even if you usually turn your nose up at Brussels Sprouts, you should give these Roasted Pecan Brussels Sprouts a try. The toasted pecans and the oven roasting with olive oil give the leaves a crispness and cut that often bitter flavor.
While this is not the prettiest photo I've ever taken, the Roasted Winter Squash Puree was unbelievably easy to prepare and (shhhh...don't tell anyone...) I must have eaten more than a portion during the "tasting"...even though it didn't need anything else to make it delicious.

These two sides are so tasty, I could easily forget about the turkey!

A Lovely Anniversary Dinner

2009-11-25T07:36:00.004-04:00

I won't tell you how long we've been married....long enough to not believe it's been that long, and yet it still feels perfect and as if we've always been together. Enough mush!

This post...without photos of food, if you can believe that!...is about our dinner. We went to Da Maurizio in the heart of Heritage Properties just off the Halifax Harbour and right next door to my favorite Saturday haunt...the farmers' market. They specialize in Northern Italian food and the rich setting, with high ceilings and Botticelli et al prints and lots of candles makes it a perfect refuge on a wintry day. We could imagine snow outside, a sleigh pulled by horses, waiting for us outside....but I digress...service was friendly, but not intrusive. Our knowledgeable waiter seemed to show up just when we wanted something or other, like he read our minds.

But let's face it....you really want to know about the meal. We almost went for the all inclusive seasonal dinner...appetizer, main and dessert for $40, with lots of choices in each category, but I had my eye on ....I was going to say a couple of dishes ...but actually, make that a bazillion choices... on the regular menu.

We started out sharing Calamari alla Gradese - flash fried calamari finished with tomato, sautéed garlic, crushed chilies, lemon and fresh Italian parsley. It was so fantastic, I could go back and make a complete meal of a double portion...crispy yet light batter coating the tenderest calamari rings and lightly topped with a perfect sauce. I'm drooling as I write about them, before 8A.M. the next morning.

Perhaps next time I'll just do appetizers...
Salmone Affumicato Cipollato - Nova Scotia smoked salmon layered with horseradish mascarpone, lime marinated red onion, shaved cucumber, lemon, capers and grilled bread.

Lumache al Tartufo - Snails sautéed with garlic butter and white wine, baked on crostini with melted truffled pecorino and fresh herbs.

Fegato Grasso all’ Amarena -seared foie gras deglazed with brandied cherries, orange, honey and port, served on toasted brioche.

Muscoli alla Triestina - fresh mussels sautéed with garlic, onions, chilies, white wine, leeks, tomato and fresh herbs, topped with crusty bread.

Prosciutto e Fromaggi ai Datteri - San Daniele prosciutto and medjool dates stuffed with goat cheese and fresh basil, garnished with shaved grano padano and balsamic reduction.

There's more and I haven't even mentioned the soups and salads.

But on to the next course....we should have done a pasta course, but passed. Not because there was nothing appealing...there are ten droolingly delicious sounding varieties to choose from. Perhaps next time I'll forgo the Secondi Piatti (main course) and choose Fettucine All’ Aragosta - Fettucine sautéed with fresh lobster, shallots, garlic butter, wine white, tomato and cream, finished with fresh herbs.

This time around, though we opted for veal scaloppine - Lombarda for my Honey -sautéed with cremini, oyster, porcini and shiitake mushrooms, finished with red wine and demi-glaze and, for me.... all’ Astice - sautéed with fresh lobster and finished with a garlic, tomato, brandy and cream sauce. One word - DIVINE! So rich, I could barely eat a third of our shared dessert...Crema Bruciata alla Canadese - maple crème brûlée garnished with candied nuts and cinnamon sugar cookie. Don't worry, my Honey finished it up.

So...stretchy pants and much yoga on tap for today before I make my own simple pasta for dinner...not sure what exactly...stay tuned.

Just don't forget that this Friday, Deb of Kahakai Kitchen will be hosting Presto Pasta Night Roundup #141, all the way from Hawaii. You can send your entries to her debinhawaii (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me - ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Now that I've whetted your appetite, where do you like to go for a celebration dinner?

Lentil Soup -Old Favorite with a New Twist

2009-11-23T14:56:00.004-04:00

Let me start by saying...I love cookbooks. I love flipping through them in book stores, at friends and family...in fact I just borrowed New Vegetarian: Bold and Beautiful Recipes for Every Occasion from my daughter, but more about that some other time. And currently there are eight evaluation copies of great cookbooks from various publishers and author/agents for me to review, sitting on my table.

One of them is even called "Soup" and even though there are tons of great recipes in the book, I was in a very particular mood. I wanted to use the short ribs and marrow bone I had on hand to go with a lentil base. And the funny thing is, I ended up making my own old favorite - Mellow Lentil Soup, adding, not only a marrow bone for extra richness, but a grated sweet potato to thicken and sweeten it up a bit.

It was the grated sweet potato that was really calling me, and I was worried that it would overwhelm the earthiness of the lentils. It didn't and I got to add all that nutritional value without anyone being the wiser.

Did you know that nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables? With a score of 184, the sweet potato outscored the next highest vegetable by more than 100 points. (Info found at FoodReference - almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and, when eaten with the skin, sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal. All these benefits with only about 130 to 160 calories).

Just curious....what healthful ingredients do you "hide" from your family?

Lots of Butternut Squash at Presto Pasta Night #140

2009-11-21T08:45:00.002-04:00

PPN #140 is up and delicious as usual....Kait of Pots & Plots did a lovely job of hosting and everyone brought such wonderful things to the table, it's hard to know where to start. One thing is for sure...I'll be using the butternut squash that's been sitting on my counter for a week.

Thanks everyone for a job superbly done!

And even though we have tons of recipes to try out this week, don't forget that Deb of Kahakai Kitchen will be hosting all the way from Hawaii. You can send even more tasty treats her way by Thursday. Email your entries to her debinhawaii (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me - ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Urgent: And believe it or not...December is fast approaching. And although it is a busy time of year, I'm hoping to find two more hosts to help out with the hosting line up before we break for the holidays. If you're interested, please drop me a line.

Early Reminder about Presto Pasta Night #140

2009-11-20T08:08:00.000-04:00

Presto Pasta Night Roundup #140 isn't quite ready, but on the off chance that I don't get back to the computer until late tonight....

Please check Pots and Plots. Kait is our fantastic host this week and I don't want anyone to miss out before I get to add my two cents!

Next week Deb of Kahakai Kitchen will be hosting all the way from Hawaii. You can send your entries to her debinhawaii (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me - ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

And believe it or not...December is fast approaching. And although it is a busy time of year, I'm hoping to find two more hosts to help out with the line up before we break for the holidays. If you're interested, please drop me a line.