The Cook-a-Palooza Experience

Spiced Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa

2013-04-09T05:00:00.000-04:00

Surprise!

That's what went through my mind when I saw my wife had bought quinoa at the supermarket.

I'd seen pictures of quinoa on pinterest, checked out some quinoa recipes but never had the urge to look for it at the store.

To my surprise it ended up finding me.

Quinoa has a neutral flavor like couscous and you cook it the same way which is very easy. What I like about it is you make it taste however you want.

Being a quinoa newbie, I followed a Spiced Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa recipe and added a few of my own tweaks as I went along.

The texture is definitely different. It took a few bites to get used to it but after that I was good!

The funny thing is I ended up liking it more than my wife. Who knows, I might just have to keep an eye out for it next time I'm at the grocery store.

How about you? Have you cooked with quinoa?

Spiced Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa

Quinoa mixed with tender carrots, zucchini and roasted red peppers.

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Recipe Inspiration: Bon Appetit Magazine
Makes: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

1 cup water
½ cup quinoa, rinsed well, drained

1/8 tsp salt

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 large carrot, peeled, cut into small cubes

1 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into small cubes
1 jarred roasted red pepper, diced

½ tbsp paprika
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium saucepan, combine water, quinoa and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and red pepper and cook for 3 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Mix in paprika and cinnamon. Add cooked quinoa to skillet. Toss to blend. Drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Mix in cilantro and serve.

Orange Cranberry Walnut Muffins

2013-03-28T08:16:00.001-04:00

Somewhere, at this very moment, someone is in a grocery store or bakery purchasing muffins.

The muffins are baked, packaged and ready to eat. The only effort required of the person is buying them.

Meanwhile, I’m sharing a muffin recipe that requires...

10 minutes to mix the ingredients
2 minutes to get the batter in the muffin pan
18 minutes to bake
And 5 minutes to let cool.

Of course making homemade muffins takes effort. The question is why bother.

Better taste? Healthier ingredients? Saving money? Love of baking?

For me it’s about how homemade muffins make me feel.

I feel good when I smell the muffins baking in the oven.
I feel good biting into them knowing there are healthy ingredients like wheat bran, nuts, orange juice and yogurt inside.
I feel good about what I've created.
I feel even better when my family enjoys what I've made AND reap the healthy benefits the muffins offer!

Not having to throw away excess packaging is a good feeling too!

Convenience sometimes trumps effort but no matter how good the muffins are at the grocery store (or bakery), they'll never deliver the kind of excitement or feelings I get from the ones that are freshly baked at home!

How about you?

Orange Cranberry Walnut Muffins

Moist low-fat muffins filled with chopped walnuts and dried sweetened cranberries!

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Recipe Inspiration: Cook-a-Palooza Cookbook's Cranberry-Lemon Loaf
Makes: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 10 to 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 18 to 20 minutes

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup wheat bran

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp each baking soda and salt

½ cup sweetened dried cranberries, divided

½ cup chopped walnuts
1 egg

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
(banana yogurt works well too)
3 tbsp canola oil
Juice of 1 medium orange
1 tsp orange zest

Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, wheat bran, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in 1/4 cup cranberries and walnuts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together, egg, yogurt, oil, orange juice and zest. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin pan cups. Top each with remaining cranberries.

Bake in a 375F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Low-Fat Chocolate Muffins for This Easter Weekend...

Get the Recipe!

Creamy Corn and Bell Pepper Chowder: Fend Off the Early Spring Chills

2013-03-21T05:30:00.000-04:00

As I write this post I’m sitting in a café and the song “Good Thing” by Fine Young Cannibals is playing through the café’s sound system.

Remember that tune?
Good thing…where have you gone…
doo…doo…doobie-do
Good thing…you’ve been gone too long!

Right now it’s adding some much needed liveliness to this rain and snow mix day!

What’s been "gone too long" around these parts is the sun. Spring may have officially arrived on the calendar but with the sun hiding behind the clouds there’s still a chill in the air. That's reason enough to stir up a pot of this Creamy Corn Chowder.

It’s thick and has LOTS of goodies for your spoon to scoop up when you submerge it in the broth. The cubed potatoes make it hearty and the small pieces of bright red bell pepper add sweetness and a touch of lively color!

I only made a few adjustments to this recipe which was submitted by a couple to Bon Appetit magazine. I paired it with a warm sandwich (grilled cheese) like they suggested and it made for a great weeknight dinner! It's also as easy to make as they said it would be.

Good thing…because according to the local weather guy warmer temperatures are still a few weeks away.

Guess I’ll have to make more chowder because those weather forecasters always get it right, don’t they?

Singing the Praises of my Favorite Kitchen Tool…Again

You probably already know the Hand Blender (Stick Blender) is one of my favorite kitchen tools because I won’t shut up about it.

This soup recipe is just another example of its ability to make the cooking experience easier. It blended the corn and broth with ease and as always was a cinch to clean. Totally worth the money if you don’t own one already!

My top recipe pick for this week’s newsletter is a really nice soup you can serve with Easter dinner. It's super nutritious, scored high marks with everyone in my family and is incredibly easy to make! It also has a sophisticated look which is nice when serving soup to guests! The newsletter goes out this Sunday morning and is free!

Creamy Corn and Bell Pepper Chowder

A low-fat creamy corn chowder with chunks of potato and diced red bell peppers for your spoon to scoop up!

Recipe Inspiration: Bon Appetit Magazine (Too Busy to Cook section)
Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

3 cup fresh or frozen corn (thawed), divided

2 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided

2 tablespoons butter

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into small cubes

3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts kept separate)

½ tsp paprika

2 tbsp low-fat sour cream

Blend 1½ cups of corn with 1 cup chicken broth in a blender (or use your new hand blender!) until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium pot melt butter over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, potato cubes and white parts of green onion. Cook and stir for 4 minutes. Add paprika and stir for 30 seconds longer.

Add remaining 1 cup broth and 1½ cups corn. Stir in purée. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer until potatoes soften, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Ladle into bowls and garnish with green onions.

Another Corn Chowder You Might Like...

Creamy Corn Chowder with Fries

Crunchy Pear Salsa

2013-03-12T06:30:00.000-04:00

I was skeptical about using pears in this salsa because…really…who makes salsa with pears?

You never know until you try, right? Plus it’s about time I switched things up from the usual tomato version.
I really shouldn’t be so skeptical....fruit based salsas are among my favorites!

Their sweetness contrasts perfectly with salty tortilla chips and they’re right at home on top of grilled chicken or pan-fried fish.

Like most homemade salsas, this one needs some "alone time" before you dig in. I tasted it immediately after making it and did another round of tasting thirty minutes after it chilled in the fridge.

There was a BIG difference!

The chilling time allowed the flavors to combine and build.

When I took a taster of the chilled version I almost ended up eating it all with a spoon!

What can I say...this dish turned me into a believer that pears have a place in salsa!

Beware of the Jalapeno Sting!

When chopping a jalapeno pepper, its seeds and membrane can leave a residue on your fingers that may not necessarily come off even after washing your hands with soap and water.

I learned this lesson the hard way.

I cut a jalapeno, washed my hands (thinking the residue would come off) and 10 minutes later (while driving my car), I rubbed my eyes. That's a sting I'll never forget. Just a heads up! = ]

Crunchy Pear Salsa

A sweet and spicy fruit based salsa made with ripe pears

Recipe Inspiration: Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine
Makes: 1 cup salsa

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: nada

2 pears, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Cover and let chill for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

You May Also Like this Fruit Based Salsa...

Roasted Jalapeno Mango Salsa

Savory Southwest Chicken Pizza

2013-03-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I prepared a Roasted Red Pepper and Jalapeno Steak Sauce and didn't have enough steak to use it all up. It's far too tasty of a sauce to waste so I've been finding other ways to make use of the leftovers.

I've already topped a Re-fried Bean, Beef and Vegetable Wrap with it (which was excellent) and used the remaining 1/2 cup as a savory pizza sauce! Hmmm, that's not exactly right.

I was PLANNING to use the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce but I only needed 1/4 cup because I wasn't sure my kids would approve of it on their "za". So when I made this pizza only half the dough got a shot of the roasted pepper sauce and the other half (the kid's side) was lambasted with pizza sauce out of can (they ended up with a Hawaiian pizza pie instead of the Savory Southwest Chicken version).

One thing I noticed after tasting this pizza was that I was far too timid with was the sauce. I spread it on fairly thin because I thought it would overpower everything. It didn't. I would have liked to have tasted more of that incredible deep southwest flavor this sauce has to offer!

For toppings, I seasoned cubed chicken breast with salt and pepper then fried them in a cast iron skillet along with chunks of red onion. I also used raw diced yellow bell pepper as a topping.

As for cheese, I had three types to choose from in my fridge.

There was Havarti. Although not enough to cover my side of the pizza.
There was mozzarella, but after topping the the kid's side with it there was little left.
That left the third option was Marble Cheddar which ended up being quite a good fit with the sauce and the chopped cilantro I added on afterwards.

The ONLY other obstacle I ran into during this cooking experience was the pizza crust stuck to the sides of the baking sheet (I must have skimped on the oil when I prepared the pan). By the time I freed the pizza from the sides most of the outside crust was a mangled mess...not exactly great for photos.

Then I thought of what my mom often does with her homemade pizza.

She cuts it into appetizer sized pieces!

In the end everything worked out great! The pizza tasted awesome. The smaller slices kept me from eating too much pizza (that's a good thing seeing that when I stand on my bathroom scale the numbers are starting to get ugly). The kids inhaled their Hawaiian version and I got to share some decent photos of pizza slices that look like they just slipped right off the baking sheet with ease!

Never a dull moment in the kitchen!

First Time Making Pizza with Fresh Dough?

Before you begin it helps to know a few things up front.

This post comes in handy if using fresh dough for the first time...5 Tips for Painless Pizza Making Experience

Savory Southwest Chicken Pizza

A homemade pizza topped with a savory charred pepper sauce, skillet fried chicken, red onions and yellow bell peppers.

Recipe Inspiration: Using up my leftover Roasted Red Pepper and Jalapeno Steak Sauce
Makes: 1 pizza

Prep Time: 10 minutes (if you have the sauce already made)
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Fresh pizza dough 750g / 26 oz.

Olive oil
1/2 cup Roasted Red Pepper and Jalapeno Sauce (find the recipe here)
2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed

1/2 red onion, chopped
1 green yellow pepper, diced

1 cup shredded marble cheddar cheese
chopped fresh cilantro

Bring pizza dough up to room temperature and stretch over an 11x17 baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray or covered with oil. Lightly brush the top of dough with olive oil and tenderize with a meat tenderizer.

Evenly spread on sauce. Top with cubes of cooked chicken breast, red onion, bell pepper and cheese.

Bake in a 425 F oven for 10 minutes. Broil for the last 2 minutes to brown the cheese on top. Garnish pizza with cilantro.

More into Quick and Easy Mini Sized Pizzas?
Then you might like these...

English Muffin Mini Pizzas

Roasted Red Pepper and Jalapeno Steak Sauce

2013-03-05T06:30:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed it’s been a tad quiet around here the last few weeks.

That’s because a certain blogger has been off having fun on vacation = )!

The highlight of my time off was my visit to Salt Lake City, Utah. The skiing there was absolutely amazing and so was the food!

Salt Lake has a large Mexican community and with that comes some incredible Mexican food! I had a chance to sample some at a very popular restaurant called The Red Iguana. The beef taco, cheese enchilada and tostada were all excellent! What I loved most were the sauces that covered them!

The experience obviously left an impression on me because when I arrived home I started looking for saucy Mexican recipe ideas.

During my search I saw a Charred Pepper Steak Sauce recipe posted on Smitten Kitchen. It's a fantastic looking recipe! To make it more of a South of the Border style sauce I switched up some of the spices and added a roasted jalapeno pepper to give it some spicy heat!

Save the Charred Skin!

Usually after roasting peppers you remove the charred skin. In this case leave it on and blend it into the sauce for extra deep rich flavor!

And if you want to make this sauce extra spicy, add in some seeds from the jalapeno pepper. The more seeds you add the more spicy your sauce will be!

The great thing about this sauce is it's very straight forward to make...AND...you end up with plenty of leftovers to smother over tacos or enchiladas the next night! As for how good it tastes...well I certainly liked it! As you can see in the picture below, the steak I photographed on the cutting board never made it to the plate!

Roasted Red Pepper and Jalapeno Steak Sauce

A thick and tasty Mexican inspired steak sauce!

Recipe Inspiration: Smitten Kitchen's Charred Pepper Steak Sauce
Makes: about 2 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes to roast peppers, 10 minutes to re-heat sauce

1 red bell pepper

1 jalapeno pepper
2/3 cup tomato sauce (no salt added)

1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp molasses

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat bell pepper and jalapeno pepper with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set on baking sheet.

Place oven rack on top 1/3 of oven. Set oven to broil and broil peppers until charred, turning every 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove tops, seeds and inside membrane from roasted peppers (leave the charred skin on as it will add extra flavor).

Place peppers in a blender with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.

In a small saucepan, heat sauce until warmed through over medium-low heat, about 10 minutes. Serve over grilled or pan-fried steak and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Love Grilled Beef Recipes? You may also want to try this one...

Grilled Beef and Vegetable Skewers

4 Steps to the Best Ever Spaghetti and Meatballs

2013-02-20T09:41:00.000-05:00

I was planning to share a spaghetti and turkey meatball recipe with you today but after tasting the meatballs (or should I say...not tasting them) I decided it was better to hold off on that recipe for the time being.

So in its place I have some inside cooking tips for you. The funny thing is they're about ensuring your spaghetti and meatballs turn out great!

Thankfully none of steps you'll find below have anything to do with turning ground turkey into a delicious meatball. I'm obviously no expert at that. They're more about making the pasta, sauce and meatballs sing in harmony together when served on your plate!

Step # 1 - Make the Tomato Sauce Stick

I don't know who told me to rinse my spaghetti under cold water after cooking it but I can tell you this...it's terrible advice.

When you rinse cooked pasta with water you rinse away the starches. Without those you turn spaghetti into a water slide for the tomato sauce.

The result is what I witnessed all the time when I made spaghetti at college. A plateful of lightly pinkish spaghetti surrounded by a moat of red runny tomato sauce. I never knew why it happened. But I do now so I no longer rinse my cooked pasta. Now the tomato sauce stays on my pasta instead of running off it.

If you're wondering how you're going to keep the spaghetti from sticking together (which is why we rinse the spaghetti in the first place) you'll want to stick around for step #4.

Step # 2 - Create a Light and Flavorful Meatball

Pat, don't pack. That's the trick to making a light meatball. Scoop up a handful of meat and gently roll it in your palms to form a perfectly round meatball.

As for building flavor, I find a meatball that is fried in oil and nicely browned on the outside is tastier than one that just cooks in the sauce.

My turkey meatballs are proof to that. They may have been flavorless as a rice cracker on the inside but you could pick up the richness of flavor developed on the outside because they were browned in the skillet.

Step # 3 - Sauce the Spaghetti Perfectly

Remember Tip #1? O.K. good! So instead of rinsing the spaghetti under cold water after draining it, return it to the pot.

Then add a couple big spoonful's of your cooked tomato sauce, set the heat to medium-high and toss until each piece of spaghetti is fully coated with sauce.

This allows the pasta to absorb the sauce so every strand of spaghetti is flavored. That's how the best Italian restaurants do it and that's the secret to perfectly sauced spaghetti!

Step # 4 - Reserve Pasta Water

You've cooked the spaghetti, drained it, returned it to the pot and maybe left it for a couple minutes while you cut some bread. You come back to serve the spaghetti only to find all the strands are now sticking together.

First off, it's not your fault.

You read this post, I suggested not rinsing your pasta, you decided to give it a try and now you're faced with sticky spaghetti.

So let me give you the easy fix.

Before draining the pasta, ladle about a cup of the pasta's cooking water into a measuring cup. Add about a tablespoon or two of the reserved cooking water in with the spaghetti, give it a stir and you'll find it loosens the strands. If it's still sticky, add a little more of the water. The beauty of doing it this way is there's starch in the cooking water so it doesn't create the water slide scenario I described in tip #1 where the sauce slides right off your pasta.

Everyone has their own way of preparing spaghetti and meatballs so I have a feeling you were either shaking your head while reading my tips or maybe even nodding in agreement. Either way I look forward to hearing your tips, thoughts and opinions in the comments.

By the way, if you like my tips please share or tweet this post. That way maybe you and me can put an end to spaghetti floating in a sea of tomato sauce = )

Apple Butterscotch Chip Pancakes

2013-02-05T08:21:00.000-05:00

Experimenting with recipes matters. For me it's what keeps cooking interesting.

One of my favorite recipes to experiment with is pancakes. Their neutral flavor craves creativity!

This recipe started as apple-cinnamon pancakes and somehow along the way butterscotch chips found their way into the batter.

It's a crap shoot when you start messing with the ingredients in recipes but I find if you go with flavors you like (butterscotch is one of my favorite flavors) chances are things can't go too wrong.

Plus the great thing about experimenting with pancake recipes is even if they don't turn out as good as expected you can always fix them with some extra syrup on top!

Pancakes for breakfast on a weekday?

One thing that makes my weekday mornings better is having pancakes for breakfast. Gives me the feeling of the weekend!

With no time to make them during the week, we make a double batch of pancakes on the weekend and freeze the extras in a freezer bag.

During the week, you simply pop the frozen pancakes in the toaster for a quick hot breakfast. Topped with maple syrup makes it a tasty way to start the workday!

Apple Butterscotch Chip Pancakes

Fluffy pancakes with shredded apple and butterscotch chips inside.

Recipe Inspiration: Apple Cinnamon Pancakes from 2010 Milk Calendar
Makes: 8 pancakes

Time to prepare: 10 to 15 minutes
Cooking Time: about 4 minutes for each pancake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tbsp canola oil

1 1/2 cups milk

1 apple, peeled, cored and grated

1/4 cup butterscotch chips

In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together, egg, oil and milk. Stir in grated apple and butterscotch chips. Add to dry ingredients and stir gently to combine (a few lumps should remain)

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Scoop about 1/3 cup batter into skillet. Cook until batter on bottom turns golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip to cook the other side.

Repeat with remaining batter, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

You may also want to try...

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

Baked Western Omelette

2013-01-17T09:52:00.000-05:00

This recipe was originally supposed to be a Baked "Persian" Omelette. The thing is I screwed it up by messing with one too many ingredients in the recipe. I also forgot to add the flour and baking soda.

When my Baked Persian Omelette came out of the oven it was flat as a pancake...I wasn't smiling.

Even the flavor combination I used was nothing to get excited about. But in a strange way, its total lack of flavor was a relief since it didn't look very appetizing anyways.

Hitting a cooking conundrum like this in the past would have caused me to get mildly agitated. Perhaps "pissed-off" would be a fairer description. But that didn't happen this time.

This time, instead of scrapping the recipe entirely, I asked myself a simple question.

"What do I know about omelettes?"

My response was as simple as the question..."I know how to make a damn good Western Omelette."

And THAT"S what I baked!

Because of my initial screw-up it took fourteen eggs and double the time to pull this eye-popping dish together. But that no longer matters because this is one delicious omelette!

Careful...the skillet's handle is STILL hot!

Remember that the handle is very hot when you go to remove the skillet from the oven. It also stays hot longer than you might think.

I’ve burnt my hand a number of times thinking the handle had cooled or by simply forgetting it had just come out of the oven.

Now I leave it covered with a tea towel long after it has been removed from the oven.

Baked Western Omelette

A meatless omelette that rises like a pizza!

Recipe Inspiration: Bon Appetit Magazine's Baked Persian Omelette
Makes: Enough to serve 4

Time to prepare: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

7 eggs

2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup salsa

1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 big pinches each salt and pepper

1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese, packed, divided

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced

Pre-heat oven to 350 F

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together eggs, onions, salsa, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tbsp of cheese. Set aside.

In a 10-inch oven-proof non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms. Cook and stir until mushrooms begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove skillet from heat.

Slowly add egg mixture. Give it a stir to evenly combine ingredients. Place in the oven and bake until edges of egg begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

Carefully remove skillet from oven (that handle is hot) and evenly sprinkle on remaining cheese. Place back in oven. Broil to melt and lightly brown the cheese on top, about 2 minutes.

Carefully remove from oven and slide omelette out of skillet onto a cutting board. Cut into slices and serve.

You may also want to try...

Bacon Pierogi Omelette

Orange Creamsicle Milkshake

2013-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

The weather for the next few days looks like it’s going to be downright balmy here in Oakville.

I’m talking 11 degrees Celsius (52 Fahrenheit). That’s crazy warm for these parts in January. It’s giving me visions of the last year’s winter that never was.

After this brief warm smell (unfortunately with rain) it looks like old man winter is coming back "big time" so I’m going to soak in the warm vibes (rain or no rain) while they stick around!

One of my favorite treats on a hot summer day is an Orange Creamsicle! This milkshake version is acting as my January meltdown substitute!

I reduced the fat in it (for those New Year’s resolutions that are still alive and well) by substituting in low-fat yogurt for some of the vanilla ice cream.

However I found the real self-discipline comes in when adding the final scoop on top. When the ice cream on top mixes with the milkshake on the spoon it tastes so much like an Orange Creamsicle that I wanted to keep adding more and more ice cream!

Somehow I managed to stick to one scoop…I doubt I’ll be so disciplined next time!

In my freezer...

I keep a container of frozen orange juice concentrate that I only use for cooking, smoothies, and now, for making Creamsicle milkshakes!

It's not like I use it often but it has saved me from having to make an extra trip to the grocery store on a few occasions.

Orange Creamsicle Milkshake

Tastes like a Creamsicle...looks like a milkshake!

Recipe Inspiration: Canadian Living Magazine
Makes: 1 Milkshake

Time to prepare: 5 minutes

1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice

2 tbsp frozen orange concentrate

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

You may also want to try...

Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake

Morning Spice Mini-Muffins for an Act of Kindness

2013-01-08T05:30:00.000-05:00

The camera I use to take the pictures you see on this blog is now ten years old and not in good shape.

Sadly it is held together with an assortment of elastic bands to keep the batteries from falling out and the digital screen is on the fritz. It's time for a new one, so last week my wife and I went to check out a new Canon T3i that was on sale.

We couldn't find any staff to help us when we were in the store so we took a shot at figuring out its features on our own. We didn't have much success because the camera wouldn't turn on.

Thankfully an older gentleman walked up beside us to jot down some information about the camera next to the one we were scoping out (we later learned he was looking to buy it for his wife). He asked if we were thinking about buying the camera we had in our hands. We said we were but were unsure because we knew little about it.

It turned out he had purchased the same camera a number of months back, before going on a trip with his wife, and absolutely loved it! The only thing he didn’t love was that he had paid double for what the camera sells for now.

What I found so amazing about this experience was a total stranger ended up spending 15 to 20 minutes of his time answering our questions about the camera. I kept expecting him to blow us off after our fifth, sixth and seventh question, but he never did. Time is a precious thing and he was willing to share his with us.

We ended up buying the camera but never did get the man's name.

I thought of that gentleman while making these Morning Spice Mini-Muffins. I wished I knew who he was because I would send him and his wife a batch of these muffins as a thank-you for being so helpful and kind!

I doubt I'll bump into him again but if I do I'll make sure I get his name!

P.S. - I'm still figuring out how to use the new camera so the ten-year old Fuji had to take a few more pictures for this post before it goes into retirement.

Three mini-muffin tips!

Tip #1 - Any muffin recipe can be turned into a mini-muffin recipe as long as you have a mini-muffin pan. Just remember...they'll cook in half the time.

Tip #2 - This recipe calls for ground cloves which I don't happen to stock in my spice drawer. However I do have whole cloves. I simply use a mortar and pestle I bought at the dollar store to grind them up. Great kitchen utensil to have!

Tip #3 - If you find pouring molasses out of a measuring cup to be too slow for your liking, lightly coat the measuring cup with oil before measuring the molasses...it'll glide right out!

Two-Bite Morning Spice Mini-Muffins

A blend of spices make these moist and sweet mini-muffins taste so good!

Recipe Adapted From: The Canadian Diabetes Association's Healthy Living Calendar 2012
Makes: 24 Muffins

Time to prepare: 15 minutes Time to cook: 9 to 10 minutes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp each baking soda, salt, ground ginger and ground cloves

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

Spray a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ground ginger and ground cloves.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, molasses, sugar, oil and yogurt. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among the 24 min-muffin pan cups. Bake in a 375F oven for 9 to 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

You may also want to try...

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins
Glazed Eggnog Banana-Nut Muffins

Strawberry Chocolate Muffins
Zucchini Pecan Muffins
Vanilla Pudding Banana Muffins

Glazed Eggnog Banana-Nut Muffins

2012-12-11T09:01:00.002-05:00

I never considered spices to be sexy until I saw John Legend sing about nutmeg on a Stephen Colbert Christmas special.

In his sexy, soulful voice he sang...

"on the 25th, I'm going to cover you with...my nut-meg"

The song was supposed to be about how much he loves nutmeg sprinkled on his eggnog, although you'd never know it listening to the lyrics which happen to be very funny.

If I was singing the song I would have taken it a step further. I would also "cover (my eggnog) with...nut-meg" and then I'd turn both into a flirtatious glaze to be brushed all over the top of my banana-nut muffins! Now I just have to learn how to sing.

The glaze is very easy to make. You simply whisk together 1/2 cup icing sugar with 1 tbsp of eggnog. Since nutmeg has become my new favorite spice, after hearing John Legend's song, I added a couple big pinches of it to the glaze as well.

Once smooth, the glaze is ready to be brushed on top of the muffins followed by another sprinkle of, you guessed it, nutmeg!

I tested one...then ate two more!

I could have easily eaten another. It was tough not to….especially with the sweet eggnog and nutmeg glaze on top!

Thawed frozen bananas make mashing bananas easy!

When bananas hit that overly ripe stage, where they'll stink up anything you carry them in, I put them in my freezer so I can use them later for making muffins and quick breads.

What I like, is when they defrost they get mushy inside making them a cinch to mash!

Glazed Eggnog Banana Nut Muffins

Banana, eggnog and walnut muffins topped with a sweet glaze.

Makes: 12 Muffins

Time to prepare: 15 minutes Time to cook: 18 to 20 minutes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp each baking soda, ground nutmeg and salt

1 egg

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1/2 cup eggnog

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp canola oil

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Glaze

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 tbsp eggnog

big pinch (or two) nutmeg

Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, bananas, eggnog, brown sugar and oil. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Gently fold in walnuts. Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin pan cups. Bake in a 375F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

To make glaze, in a bowl whisk together icing sugar, eggnog and nutmeg until smooth. Brush on top of muffins. Lightly sprinkle with a few pinches of nutmeg.

You may also want to try...

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins
Strawberry Chocolate Muffins
Zucchini Pecan Muffins
Vanilla Pudding Banana Muffins

Teriyaki Beef and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

2012-11-30T09:57:00.000-05:00

As I write this post I’m sitting in a coffee shop, enjoying a cup of coffee and an oatmeal raisin cookie. Funny how coffee shops have changed since Starbucks arrived on the scene. They used to be about the coffee and donuts. Now they're more about the atmosphere and experience.

The place I’m in now sort of delivers on atmosphere but it could be better. That’s what I said last time I made a stir-fry...it could be better.

When I say "better", I'm really talking about the sauce because we all know stir-fries are all about the sauce. Last time my stir-fry sauce was lacking in flavor I tried to fix it by adding more ingredients.

A strategy that rarely works.

The thing that never ceases to surprise me about cooking is that "less" is often "more". That’s why when I was making this Teriyaki Beef and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry I threw more of less at the sauce, rather than more. Say what?

I used more lime juice, more garlic, more ginger than I normally would and left out rice vinegar and sesame oil. It built a ton of flavor into the sauce and the thought "it could be better" never came to mind!

Cook with Less Effort

A stir-fry over rice is nice but it takes 15 minutes to cook the rice. Capellini noodles cook in 3 minutes. I think 12 minutes of less cooking time is even nicer!

Beef Teriyaki Stir-Fry

Sirloin beef and bell peppers covered in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.

Time to prepare: 15 minutes

Time to cook: 10 minutes

8 oz capellini noodles
3 tbsp teriyaki sauce

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 oz. sirloin beef, thinly sliced
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp grated ginger
1 green onion, chopped (separate white from green parts)

In a pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a bowl, stir together teriyaki sauce, lime juice, honey and red pepper flakes. Mix well.

Place sliced beef in a large bowl. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Add cornstarch and 1 tbsp of sauce mixture. Toss to coat beef Set aside.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and cook just until slightly tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cooked peppers to a bowl.

In the same skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Add beef. Cook until beef is almost cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add remaining sauce, garlic, ginger and white part of green onion. Cook and stir for one minute. Stir in cooked peppers, serve over noodles and garnish with remaining green onions.

5 Steps to Crispy Oven Roasted Buffalo Potato Wedges

2012-11-28T10:48:00.001-05:00

Oven roasted potato wedges are so good...IF...they're golden brown and crispy on the outside!

That really is the goal of any roasted potato isn't it? I doubt any of us are overly happy when they come out of the oven soft and limp.

I've shared tips on this blog in the past about how to make crisp oven fries but not in as much detail as in this post. Since that original post, I've picked up a few cool tricks we can use to make our potatoes wedges in less time with less effort!

So before checking out the Crispy Buffalo Roast Potato Wedges recipe at the end of the post, here are 5 steps to ensure they come out of the oven looking golden brown, crispy and delicious!

Slice Potato Wedges Evenly

It makes sense that when we make potato wedges we should slice them so they're about the same size. That way they all cook evenly.

I use a chef's knife to cut my potatoes and I use the same slicing technique, I picked up at a cooking class, for slicing apples or onions into equal-sized pieces. Instead of using the entire blade, you draw the tip of the blade towards yourself, at an angle, through the potato.

It takes some practice but is a very efficient way to slice wedges that are relatively equal in size. This short video I posted on YouTube gives you the visuals.

Rinse before Roasting

Rinsing the potatoes under cold water washes away surface sugars and helps the fries (or wedges in this case) crisp. I learned this from reading Fine Cooking Magazine and it's definitely a game changer. It helps crisp the wedges perfectly!

The article I was reading also suggested parboiling the potatoes in order to cook them all the way through. I parboil them when making roasted potatoes but don't find it necessary for wedges or fries. These potato wedges cooked all the way though just fine in the oven.

Spin Cycle vs. Paper Towels

Alright at this point we have a bunch of very wet potato wedges and the next step is to coat them in oil. Hmmm...that whole water and oil thing obviously isn't going to work in our favor.

In the past I used paper towels to dry them but that's literally a pain in the...you know what. This time I ditched the paper towels and used the salad spinner instead. It did an awesome job whisking away the excess water! Plus it's fun!

Leave Space Between Wedges

Food releases moisture as it cooks so it's important to give each potato wedge some space on the baking sheet. If they're too close together they end up taking a steam bath together (like the 3 in the middle of this picture) and they won't crisp. For this recipe, there are a lot of wedges so I used a second baking sheet.

I cooked these potato wedges at 425 F oven for 12 minutes and then flipped them to cook for another 8 minutes on the other side. No oven seems to work the same, so keep an eye on them and record how long it takes in your oven so you know for the next time you make them.

Salt them While They're Hot!

The instant the potato wedges come out of the oven, sprinkle them with salt and gently toss!

You're done! Your crispy potato wedges are ready for eating straight-up or dipping in your favorite sauce!

Crispy Oven Roasted Buffalo Potato Wedges

Crispy oven roasted potato wedges tossed in Buffalo wing sauce.

Time to prepare: 10 minutes

Time to cook: 20 minutes

8 potatoes, unpeeled and sliced into equal sized wedges

2 big pinches salt
1 tbsp canola oil or vegetable oil

2 tbsp Buffalo wing sauce, divided

In a colander, rinse potato wedges under cold water to remove excess starch. Dry the wedges using paper towels or a salad spinner.

Place dried potatoes in a large bowl and add salt, oil and 1 tbsp Buffalo sauce. Toss to coat.

Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange the potato wedges on each baking sheet leaving at least 1/2-inch between each potato wedge.

Cook in a 425 F oven, turning the fries over and rotating the baking sheets once after 12 minutes. Cook for 8 minutes more or until wedges are golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and lightly season with salt. Toss wedges with remaining Buffalo sauce (optional).

You may want to also try...
Oven Fries

5 Easy Tips for a Painless Pizza Making Experience

2012-11-21T17:02:00.001-05:00

I don't recall what prompted me to start making my own pizza (maybe it was having to pay over $20 for delivery) but I'm very happy I did!

I'll admit, the first time I bought fresh pizza dough (I have no urge to make pizza dough from scratch) I was nervous about using it. I also wasn't sure about what I was doing so that first pizza making experience didn't go very well. Since then, I've learned some inside tips about making pizza and once you know them preparing a homemade pizza is very simple and painless.

It's now one of my favorite things to make! Follow these five easy tips and you might fall in love with making your own pizza too!

Warm Up before Stretching

Fresh pizza dough is really difficult to stretch when it's cold. I've found that if I pull it out of the fridge and give it at least two hours to warm to room temperature, it's much easier to deal with and stretch. It's sticky stuff so be sure to dust your hands in flour.

The dough I buy comes in a 750g / 26 oz. bag and the first time I made pizza with it I used a standard round baking sheet. That wasn't a good idea. There was far too much dough.

I now use an 11 x 17 baking sheet and it works perfect!

Prepare the Dough

Once the dough is stretched on the baking sheet there are a couple quick things you can do to ensure it cooks properly.

The first is to lightly brush the dough with olive oil to create a water barrier between the dough and the toppings. This prevents moisture from getting into the dough so the top of the crust fully cooks and isn't doughy after cooking.

The second step is to pull out the meat tenderizer and start smacking the dough.

My brother-in-law (who is in the pizza business) taught me that tenderizing the dough prevents the dough from bubbling up when it cooks. I like doing it because it's a chance to get out some daily stress. Some days I smack that dough harder than others.

Break Out the Parmesan

Once the pizza dough is lightly oiled and tenderized it's time for the sauce. I use a 7.5 oz. can of pizza sauce which works perfect to just cover the dough. Once the sauce is on, I like to break out the Parmesan and lightly sprinkle it on for extra flavor.

Add Your Toppings

I forgot to buy pepperoni at the store so as a substitute I cut up a few slices of Genoa salami. I slapped them on the sauce along with chopped green bell peppers, sliced red onions and shredded mozzarella cheese.

My kids have taught me to cut suspect toppings like onions in larger pieces...they're easier to pick off.

Bake then Broil

Fresh pizza cooks fast! By fast I mean 10 minutes in a 425 F oven. To give it that authentic pizza look, I like to broil it for the last two minutes to lightly brown the cheese. It makes it look extra delicious!!!!

Give your pizza about 5 minutes before slicing...

And enjoy your homemade pizza pie!

Homemade Genoa, Bell Pepper and Onion Pizza

Fresh pizza dough topped with Genoa salami, green bell peppers, red onions and mozzarella cheese.

Time to prepare: 15 minutes

Time to cook: 10 minutes

Fresh pizza dough 750g / 26 oz.

Olive oil
1 can (7.5 oz. / 213 ml) pizza sauce

2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese

5 slices Genoa salami, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 green bell pepper, diced

Sliced red onion
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Bring pizza dough up to room temperature and stretch over an 11x17 baking sheet that has been lightly covered in oil. Lightly brush the top of dough with olive oil and tenderize with a meat tenderizer.

Evenly spread on pizza sauce and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Top with salami, bell pepper, red onion and mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 425 F oven for 10 minutes. Broil for the last 2 minutes to brown the cheese.

You may also want to try...
English Muffin Mini Pizzas
Layered Tortellini Pizza Bake

Spicy Vegetable Wraps with Nacho Hummus

2012-11-15T15:33:00.001-05:00

I ended up dipping a whole lot of tortilla chips in the nacho hummus I made on Tuesday. It's was really good! So were the tortilla chips. Actually I had to put an end to my dipping because I was chowing down on way too many chip's.

That sparked the idea for today's recipe, which is a much healthier way to use the nacho hummus or any other kind of hummus you may have available.

Even if you don't have leftover hummus, this vegetable wrap can easily be whipped up in around 10 minutes. I'd say that's pretty quick for a wrap that can top up our daily dose of healthy vegetables in one sitting!

While I was warming the tortillas for these wraps I thought I should share with you how I often warm tortillas using the stove top. It's really quick and it may not be a way you've seen before.

Warm flour tortillas with LESS effort.

I learned this from watching Tyler Florence on the Food Network. It's a little more dangerous than the typical microwave or oven method but it's quick and good way to test my reflexes = )

Spicy Vegetable Wraps with Nacho Hummus

Nacho hummus spread on a flour tortilla and topped with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, and hot peppers.

Time it takes: 10 minutes

Makes: 4 wraps

1 can (540 ml) canned chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp reduced-sodium taco seasoning
crushed red pepper flakes

4 flour tortillas
2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1 tomato diced
2 green onions, chopped
Jarred hot peppers

To make hummus, combine chickpeas, salsa, oil, garlic and taco seasoning in a blender. Blend until smooth. Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on top.

Heat flour tortillas in the microwave covered in damp paper towels or heat on the stove top (as per the video). Liberally spread hummus over eat tortilla. Top each with equal amounts of lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, and hot peppers

Wrap and enjoy!

Like this recipe? Pass it on. Thanks!

You may want to also try...

Heart Healthy Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Nacho Hummus

2012-11-13T10:14:00.000-05:00

Just before sitting down to write this blog post I was thinking about chickpeas. I know...I need to get a life.

When I look at a can of chickpeas I see an uninspiring label with a bland photo of chickpeas staring back at me. It doesn't exactly fire me up to use them.

On the other hand, I’ll be in the grocery store and see a container of prepared hummus, with a catchy name and colorful labeling, and can’t help but pick it up! I guess I'm just a sucker for food marketers.

Since hummus is 95% blended chickpeas I'm going to post this note in my kitchen...

"Look at ingredients for what they are AND what they can become"

Hopefully it'll remind me to look past that boring can of chickpeas and think about the exciting things I can make with what's inside!

Hummus is definitely one of those exciting things! It wasn't until I made it for the first time that I realized there's no point paying the extra dollars to buy the prepared stuff from the store. It's ridiculously easy to make and the flavors you can add are basically unlimited!

Blend your chickpeas into hummus with LESS effort.

The only thing that would keep me from making my own hummus is if I had to make it in a regular sized blender. I'm not a big fan of pulling those big blenders apart and cleaning them. To avoid that, I use a Cuisinart Hand Blender SmartStick (an affiliate link). I don't mind giving it a plug because I literally use it all the time for blending smoothies, pureeing soups and more recently making hummus.
I love it because it's super easy to clean! You press a button, the bottom pops off and you rinse it clean. I don't use the extra attachments very often but the chopper and whisk do come in handy from time to time. It's a great kitchen tool to have!

To make the nacho hummus I have for you today, I blended the chickpeas with olive oil, salsa, garlic and reduced-sodium taco seasoning. I finished it with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for some heat and to make it look good!

It's very tasty stuff...and proof that the only thing boring about a can of chickpeas is the label!

Nacho Hummus

Canned chickpeas blended with salsa, garlic and reduced-sodium taco seasoning.

Time it takes: 5 minutes

Makes: 1 cup hummus

1 can (540 ml) canned chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp reduced-sodium taco seasoning
crushed red pepper flakes

Combine chickpeas, salsa, oil, garlic and taco seasoning in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on top.

Like this recipe? Pass it on. Thanks!

You may want to also try...

Sweet Fire Roasted Pepper Hummus

Sesame Pork Tenderloin

2012-11-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hallelujah!!! That witch named Hurricane Sandy finally booked it out of town and the rain is slowly coming to an end. Good riddance!

It's been seven days of rain and I gotta tell ya...it's so nice to get back outside! I don't know how you folks on the west coast do it.

With only a few scattered showers still lingering around, I took the opportunity to do some grilling.

What I grilled was a pork tenderloin I had marinated in a sesame and ginger based marinade. The marinade was an adaptation of a sauce I had used in a sesame noodle dish not long ago.

I bumped up the quantity of both the ginger and the toasted sesame oil and it ended packing more punch than I thought it would!

Grate Fresh Ginger with LESS effort!

This recipe calls for grated fresh ginger which can be a hassle to grate because it gets stringy. The quick fix is to store it in the freezer. It keeps the ginger from spoiling and it's much easier to grate when frozen. I don't even bother peeling it when I use it in marinades.

I only marinated the pork for an hour and it was singing with a whole lotta flavor after grilling it!

There's really no reason to keep this recipe cooped up for a special occasion. It's a quick one to prepare for a mid-week meal plus it gives you a chance to get outside after a long day and take in some fresh fall air while you grill. Just don't forget your headlamp!

Sesame Pork Tenderloin

Sesame and ginger work their magic together in this tender and flavorful meat dish.

Time it takes: 5 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes to cook

Makes: 1 tenderloin makes 4 servings

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
1/2 onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 or 2 pork tenderloins (about 12 oz / 340 g each)

To make marinade, in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, oil, ginger, vinegar, hot sauce onions and garlic.

Place pork in a large resealable plastic bag. Add marinade. Seal bag and turn several times until pork is coated with marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat grill to medium setting. Grill turning and brushing occasionally with leftover marinade, until pork is slightly pink in the center, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Like this recipe? Pass it on using the buttons below!

Layered Tortellini Pizza Bake

2012-10-29T13:49:00.000-04:00

Two foods you’ll always find in my kitchen; frozen cheese tortellini in the freezer and cans of pizza sauce in the cupboard.

I keep the tortellini for those days when life is extra crazy. With it, I'm able to pull together a quick meal without having to hit the drive-through.

The pizza sauce is more for weekends. I love making pizza while having a cold brewski. I find the whole process very relaxing! Might have something to do with beer!

The recipe I have for you today combines both these ingredients in a baked pasta dish that smells like pizza while it cooks in the oven and has that familiar pizza-pie flavor when you bite in!

I should also mention...it's a cinch to make!

Add More Flavor to Your Pasta Bake with LESS effort!

I love sweet fire roasted red peppers from a jar. They offer a convenient way to add sweet flavor to pasta dishes.

Pizza sauce gives any pasta bake that authentic pizza smell and flavor.
For this dish a rubber spatula makes it easier to spread the sauce over the tortellini!

There's so many different ways you could make this pasta bake. You could add ham and pineapple to make a Hawaiian version. Or...make a meat lover's version with meat filled tortellini, sausage and pepperoni. I like the Hawaiian version idea. I'll have to try that next!

Layered Tortellini Pizza Bake

Tortellini and peppers in a pizza flavored pasta bake.

Time it takes: 25 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

454 g cheese tortellini
1 can (7.5 oz) pizza sauce
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup chopped sweet roasted red peppers from a jar
1/2 cup (packed) grated mozzarella cheese

In a large pot, cook tortellini according to package directions.

Spread 2 spoonfuls of pizza sauce over the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Evenly spread half the cooked tortellini along the bottom of the dish. Spread half the pizza sauce on top of tortellini and evenly sprinkle on half the Parmesan cheese.

Top with half the chopped green bell pepper and half the roasted red peppers. Sprinkle half the cheese on top.

Repeat the process with the remaining pasta, pizza sauce, Parmesan cheese, peppers and cheese.

Bake in a 425 F oven for 10 minutes. Set to broil for the last 2 minutes to lightly brown the cheese on top.Remove soup from heat and let slightly cool before whisking in sour cream. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with equal amounts of cheese.

Southwestern Pumpkin Soup with Cheddar Cheese: Easy-Peasy No Matter How You Make It!!!

2012-10-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

In last Sunday’s newsletter, I shared a mini meatloaves recipe with subscribers. To make them I pared-down the meat loaf recipe found in my cookbook.

Making the mini meatloaves was a fun way to see if reducing the number of ingredients (from sixteen to nine) would noticeably affect the overall taste of the meat loaf. It didn't and they worked out awesomely!

I took the same approach with this Southwestern Pumpkin Soup. However in this case the original recipe isn't mine. It's from the Watermark restaurant in Cleveland.

Their version is pretty easy as it is but I still wanted to see if I could trim down the ingredients to make it even easier without losing flavor.

To test this I made the original recipe, minus the whipping cream (I used low-fat sour cream instead) and made a second batch using three less ingredients.

The ingredients I ended up slashing for the second batch of soup were the four spices. I got rid of them, one by one, and replaced the whole lot with reduced-sodium taco seasoning. Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha...ha...ha...ahem!

I was sort of surprised that I preferred the soup with the taco seasoning! Maybe I'm just biased because it was my version.

I just thought it made the soup pop more with southwest flavor!

Make this Soup with LESS effort!

The original recipe calls for 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp ground coriander and 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg.

I found all the spices could be replaced by using 2 tsp reduced-sodium taco seasoning.

This creamy pumpkin soup tastes great whether you use the four spices or the taco seasoning. Making two batches wasn't a big deal either because it's probably one of the easiest fall soups I've ever made!

Southwestern Pumpkin Soup with Cheese

Canned pumpkin puree makes this creamy soup extremely easy to prepare!

Time it takes: 15 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

3 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
3 tbsp (packed) brown sugar
2 tsp sodium-reduced taco seasoning
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 cup (packed) grated sharp cheddar cheese

In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. Whisk in canned pumpkin, brown sugar and taco seasoning. Reduce heat to low and let simmer to let flavors blend, about 15 minutes.

Remove soup from heat and let slightly cool before whisking in sour cream. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with equal amounts of cheese.

More Soup Recipes to Try!

Egg Ribbon Parmesan Soup in 15 minutes

Vegetable Chowder with Fries

Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Tortellini and Vegetable Soup

Egg Ribbon Parmesan Soup in 15 Minutes

2012-10-18T17:20:00.002-04:00

This is my first time making egg ribbon soup and I'm blown away by it!!!

The fact that six ingredients can make such a flavorful soup in less than 15 minutes amazes me!

From what I understand, egg ribbon soup is typically flavored with Asian inspired ingredients, which I'm sure is good!

I just thought this one from Robyn Fuoco, the chef at Mainly Cafe and Bakery in Philadelphia, would be a good one to try for my first time because it's different.

Instead of flavoring the soup with ginger and sesame oil it uses Italian inspired ingredients such as Parmesan cheese, orzo pasta and parsley!

It's really good!

There is however one trick you need to know...how to make the egg ribbons. My first shot at it didn't go so well. The second time was a charm.

It's not hard. I just screwed it up because I tried to "wing it" without really knowing what I was doing. I put together a short video so you won't have that problem.

How to Make the Egg Ribbons for this Soup!

This is my 1 minute video on how to make the egg ribbons.
If you already know how to make them ...skip it.

As for garnishing this soup, instead of chopping the parsley, I find it easier to pluck the leaves (if they’re small) from the stem and sprinkle them directly in my bowl!

Egg Ribbon Parmesan Soup

Egg ribbons, pasta and Parmesan cheese in a delicious easy-to-make soup.

Time it takes: 15 minutes to prepare

Makes: 4 servings

3 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup water
4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup orzo pasta
Italian parsley to garnish

In a large measuring cup (or bowl that's easy to pour) whisk together eggs and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat water and broth over high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add orzo. Cook until orzo is tender, about 6 minutes. Turn off heat.

Using a fork, stir broth in one direction. While stirring, gradually add egg mixture until egg ribbons form. Ladle hot soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley leaves.

More Soup Recipes to Try!

Vegetable Chowder with Fries

Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Tortellini and Vegetable Soup

Icy-Cold Blueberry Orange Smoothie...Classic Fall Recipe?

2012-10-16T09:21:00.002-04:00

Surprised to see me posting a smoothie recipe in mid-October?

Me too! A pumpkin spiced latte would definitely be more appropriate with the cool air outside.

The thing is...I have frozen blueberries from the summer with a mild case of freezer burn that desperately need to be used. Smoothies offer an easy way to find a home for them.

Now, I don't want this recipe to be totally irrelevant for this time of year which is why I've done some checking around online to learn about the health benefits of blueberries. Turns out they have a lot going for them.

They're packed with vitamins and antioxidants that boost your immune system so it can CRUSH things like evil fall flu viruses that try to bring you down. Some studies even suggest blueberries improve memory function. I’m still waiting for that benefit to kick in.

So...if I’m reading what I just wrote correctly, this tasty smoothie, full of healthy blueberries, would fit right in with my list of recipes to beat the fall flu season; it may one day help me remember what my wife tells me in the darkness of an early fall morning when I'm in a confused daze...AND...it's perfect for using up frozen blueberries from the summer?!

Sounds like a classic fall recipe to me!

Make Smoothies with LESS effort!

Traditional counter-top blenders still come in handy for big blending jobs. But having to clean one for a single smoothie? Forget that action.

One of my all time favorite power cooking tools is my stick blender. I use it all the time for quickly blending smoothies and for pureeing soups and sauces!

Here’s what I used to make the orange zest. Another favorite utensil of mine!

Since it's late in the year, frozen blueberries may be your ONLY option for this smoothie but that's o.k! They'll help make it thicker!

Icy-Cold Blueberry Orange Smoothie

A frothy smoothie made with frozen blueberries, low-fat vanilla yogurt and orange juice.

Time it takes: 5 minutes to prepare

Makes: 1 smoothie

1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
Orange zest (optional)

Blend blueberries, orange juice and yogurt together until smooth. Top with orange zest.

L.T. (Leftover Turkey) B.L.T

2012-10-10T10:29:00.001-04:00

This past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving and after a couple big family dinners I was feeling more stuffed than the butterball turkey we ate.

I managed to score some leftovers from both dinners...awesome...and yesterday I made a dent in the leftover turkey and stuffing by adding it my absolute favorite sandwich - the good old Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato!

My bet is cranberry sauce would have made this sandwich ridiculously good but I didn't have any so you're getting the crazy good version!

Here’s the leftover turkey and stuffing I scored from one Thanksgiving dinner. Not a bad haul = )

Cook Bacon with Less Effort!

As far as I know, there's no such thing as leftover bacon. Instead of cooking it in a skillet, I prefer to broil it in the oven on a baking sheet lined with foil. It crisps the bacon perfectly and makes clean-up easy! Here are the steps:

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil
Evenly place bacon slices on top of foil keeping some space between them
Set the oven to broil
Cook bacon for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until crisp. When you flip the bacon, drain the fat.
For cleanup...remove the foil from baking sheet and wipe the sheet clean.

Once the bacon is cooked, it's time for the fun part...building your L.T. B.L.T!!!
The stuffing works perfect as a base layer to hold the turkey and bacon in place on the bun. The mayo helps keep the lettuce, tomato and sliced red onion in check on the opposite half.

If you have leftover dinner rolls, the L.T B.L.T. gives you the perfect opportunity to use them up!

L.T. B.L.T.

Leftover turkey and stuffing on a dinner roll with crisp bacon, lettuce, red onion & sliced ripe tomato.

Time it takes: 15 minutes to prepare

Makes: 1 sandwich

1 dinner roll
Leftover turkey meat
Leftover turkey stuffing
3 or 4 slices of cooked bacon
1 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
1 small leaf romaine lettuce
1 slice tomato
2 thin slices red onion

Cut dinner roll in half. Heat leftover turkey and stuffing in the microwave.

Spread desired amount of warmed stuffing over bottom half of dinner roll. Top with turkey and cooked bacon.

Spread mayonnaise over top half of bun. Top with with lettuce, tomato and red onion.

Put the two halves together and bite in!!!

Thanks for reading!

5 Quick and Easy Recipes to Beat the Fall Flu Season

2012-10-02T14:06:00.000-04:00

Here in Canada, fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year...it also marks the beginning of the dreaded cold and flu season.

The change in temperature, fewer hours of daylight (bummer), and the increase in "stuff" going on in our busy lives makes it's easy for our minds and bodies to become more taxed.

I've been told, by a guy with a stethoscope around his neck, that under these conditions we become more exposed to cold and flu viruses.

Eating right and exercise are a couple ways he suggests we can build our defenses and avoid getting sick.

Now, I don't have an exercise program for you (I hear Zumba is good) but I have assembled 5 quick and easy recipes from this blog that have the nutritional benefits to build your body's defenses so you can beat the fall flu.

Sweet Orange Ginger Tea

One way we can stay healthy is by reducing stress.

Ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties which explains why I feel so relaxed after having a cup of this sweet aromatic tea.

To make it easier to prepare, I store fresh ginger in the freezer and finely grate it right into the cup.

I don't peel the ginger because that takes time and my guess is a little ginger skin never hurt anyone.

Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Carrots are full of beta-carotene. That's good for our eyes.

It also happens to protect us against nasty colds.

As for the maple syrup in this soup...

I haven't a clue if it's any good at preventing a cold. However I do know it's awesome on pancakes and it makes this soup taste extra delicious!

Sweet Fire Roasted Pepper Hummus

Chickpeas (or Garbanzo beans) contain small amounts of antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and a butt-load of fibre.

Did I say butt-load? Sorry...poor choice of words.

The sweet fire roasted peppers make this hummus very tasty and it's extremely easy to make!

Fruit Salad

The berries and fruit in this flavorful fruit salad are low in calories and contain vitamins and minerals our body's need!

Skip them and your defense against colds is about effective as the Toronto Maple Leafs blue line (in case you don't follow hockey, I'm referring to a terribly sad and ineffective defensive unit).

I like to prepare it this fruit salad the night before so I can have a bowl of it first thing in the morning!

Strawberry Almond Smoothie

I originally shared this recipe as a quick way to replace lost nutrients after a workout.

I've included it here because exercise and proper smoothie-licious nutrition give us the best shot (after washing our hands) at warding off cold and flu viruses.

Exercise and blend to stay healthy my friends!

Tropical Fruit Sugar Cones

2012-09-27T08:24:00.000-04:00

While searching for a picture for my Pinterest “Food Pic of the Day” board, I found this great post! It's filled with fantastic pictures showing really clever and simple things you can do with food to bump up the flavor.

I have a feeling I’ll be trying most of them!

The one idea I couldn't wait to try (because the picture looked so damn good) was filling a sugar or waffle cone with fresh fruit and yogurt!

Unfortunately my first attempt didn't go so well.

I simply loaded a sugar cone with sliced kiwi, fresh strawberries and banana slices and then topped it with a spoonful of low-fat vanilla yogurt. I also sprinkled on toasted shredded coconut that was leftover from a cooking event I did not too long ago.

It was ok, but once you got past the yogurt and sweetened coconut on top the rest of the cone was a bit of a letdown.

My second attempt was better!

I went into "layering" mode and placed just enough sliced fruit in the cone to fill it halfway. Then...I spooned in the yogurt, sprinkled on the shredded coconut and that left me enough room to add a second layer! I would have gone for a third layer but my waffle cone couldn’t handle it.

Layering was good, but I had one more idea (good thing I had a lot of cones)!

This time, after I added the first layer of fruit, I drizzled on honey (fruit looks sooo, sooo good covered in honey)! I followed it up with the yogurt and coconut then added the second layer using the same approach.

It was…AWESOME!!!

With the layering and the honey you get sweetness all the way down to the bottom of the cone! It tastes way too good to be good for you!

Keep in mind the sugar cone is no super-food, but that doesn’t matter much when it packed with nutritious healthy fruit!

P.S. – After taking the pictures, I also tried topping it with whip cream. Yeah…that’s really good too!

Tropical Fruit Sugar Cones

Recipe Inspiration: This post.

Make this recipe with LESS effort!

Omit the toasted shredded coconut

Time it takes: 5 minutes to prepare
Makes: 2 cones

2 sugar cones
sliced strawberries
sliced kiwi
sliced banana
2 tbsp honey
¼ cup 1ow-fat plain yogurt
¼ cup toasted shredded sweetened coconut

Fill each waffle cone halfway with equal amounts of strawberries, kiwi and banana. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp honey over fruit in each cone.

Top fruit in each cone with 1 tbsp yogurt followed by 1 tbsp coconut.

Repeat process to add a second layer to each cone.

By the way...I hope you like the new look of the blog. Been trying to tidy things up around here!

Thanks for reading!