Kathy's Kitchen

SALMON & ORZO SALAD

2013-04-23T16:42:00.001-06:00

Here's a new recipe that is perfect for a potluck salad, an appetizer, lunch, or supper. It's basically this recipe from Epicure Selections, although I didn't really measure things and made some minor changes.

SALMON & ORZO SALAD

2 - 170 g. cans boneless, skinless salmon

1 c. cooked orzo (or use rice or quinoa)

3 radishes, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green onion, diced

1/2 cucumber, diced

squeeze of lemon (optional)

Sesame Ginger dressing (optional)

lettuce or tortillas (optional)

Toss everything together, and drizzle with fresh lemon juice or Sesame Ginger dressing. Serve as a salad or spoon into lettuce leaves or tortillas to make wraps.

Isn't it pretty!

This salad is very light and fresh. It's supposed to be our main course tonight, although I suspect it won't be filling enough so I think I will serve it as a side dish instead and then make some wraps for lunch tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Panna Cotta

2013-03-16T18:17:00.003-06:00

I saved this recipe on my computer a long time ago, and finally had the perfect opportunity to try it out. Tonight I'm having my splurge group over for lots of food, some jello shots, far too much cheap wine, and these decadent little desserts.

SALTED CARAMEL PANNA COTTA

I followed the recipe just as it was posted, although I had to make a second batch of caramel sauce because I burned the first batch. It took about 8 minutes for the sugar to turn into a light brown liquid, and that's when I removed it from the heat and added the hot cream (slowly, or it will boil over). I thought it was too runny, and I also thought it wasn't salty enough, so I put it back on the stove over low heat and added more salt (one pinch at a time) until I liked the taste. I didn't have fleur de sel, so I used coarse sea salt. (Don't use table salt!!) It all turned out perfectly, and I can't wait to try these out with my friends tonight!

Easy Salsa Chicken

2013-01-22T18:00:00.000-06:00

It doesn't get much easier than this:

SALSA CHICKEN
chicken breasts
any kind of Mexican seasoning (taco, fajita, etc)
salsa
Tex-Mex grated cheese

Sprinkle chicken with the seasoning. Heat some oil in a pan and brown the chicken on both sides. Pour some salsa and a handful of grated cheese over each chicken breast, and then transfer to the oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. (I put a lid on the pan while the chicken was cooking.) Serve with Mexican rice (I used a pack of Sidekicks Mexican Rice, but you could make your own just by cooking rice with some chicken stock instead of water, and seasoning it with some cumin, chili powder, and some finely diced bell peppers if you like.)

Italian Wedding Soup

2013-01-15T17:39:00.005-06:00

My foodie friend, Sook (who writes Heart, Mind & Seoul) posted this recipe for Italian Wedding Soup a long time ago, and I've been dying to try it out!

I used Swiss chard and orzo pasta instead of the ingredients listed in the recipe. I made the meatballs with Epicure's Meatball seasoning. The soup was delicious and everyone loved it!

Buns - the really good kind

2012-11-27T19:04:00.000-06:00

Everybody needs a good bun recipe. Look no further, because here it is! My fellow Epicure consultant Chris shared her recipe and everyone was raving about it. It makes a HUGE batch, so I cut it down to 1/3 of the original recipe. It's very easy to make, it just takes a long time for the buns to rise, but it's worth it! When I handed my kids each a bun fresh from the oven and asked them how they tasted, they replied, "Perfect!"

CHRIS' BUN RECIPE

2 tsp. instant yeast

2/3 tsp. sugar

1/3 c. warm water

Turn the oven light on to warm up the oven a bit. Combine the first three ingredients and place in the oven for 10 minutes to proof the yeast.

2/3 c. sugar

2 c. warm water

1/3 c. oil

1/3 tsp. salt

1 egg

5-6 c. flour (I used 5 c.)

Combine the next 5 ingredients. Start adding flour one cup at a time, and after the first 2 cups you can pour in the yeast mixture. Mix the dough after each addition of flour (I used the dough attachment on my Kitchen Aid), and then knead by hand at the end. The dough should be elastic but not sticky. Drizzle with a little oil and coat the ball of dough so that it won't stick to the bowl. (Make sure you have it in a large bowl.) Cover with a clean tea towel and place in the oven under the light for 2 hours. (It should rise up to the top of the bowl.) Punch it down and let it rise again for 2 hours. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and rip off pieces of dough in whatever size you like. (I made 38 buns on two baking sheets.) Leave them out to rise for at least 4 hours or overnight. Bake at 325 F for 20 minutes.

If you want to make an enormous batch of buns and freeze some for later, here are the measurements for the full recipe:
2 tbsp. yeast
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. warm water
2 c. sugar
6 c. warm water
1 c. oil
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
16-18 c. flour

Now go make some fresh buns and your family will thank you!

Tourtière Chinois

2012-11-27T10:15:00.002-06:00

I mashed together two classic Quebec dishes and came up with a Tourtière-flavoured Pâté Chinois. (For all you anglophones, Pâté Chinois is basically the same as Shepherd's Pie.) Sorry there's no picture, but it was very tasty and the kids loved it!

TOURTIÈRE CHINOIS
1 lb. ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. Epicure's 3 Onion Dip Mix
2 tsp. Epicure's Beef & Steak Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Epicure's Pumpkin Pie Spice (I didn't have any so I used Fruit Crumble Spice instead.)
1 tbsp. Epicure's Gravy Mix
salt & pepper
1 c. water
1 potato, cubed or grated
1/2 c. frozen corn
5-6 potatoes, boiled and mashed (with milk & butter)

Brown meat in a frying pan. Add garlic, flour, and seasonings. Add water and potato. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cover for 10-15 minutes (until potato is cooked). Add corn and cook for another few minutes. Pour into a baking dish and spread mashed potatoes over top. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Open House 2012

2012-11-19T10:26:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was my annual open house for my fabulous Epicure customers. There were over 25 people here, and I gave away over $300 in prizes! It was a busy afternoon, but I hope everyone enjoyed themselves.

All the Epicure products can be found at www.epicureselections.com. (Contact me if you have any questions.) Here are the recipes we sampled:

GINGERSNAPS
3/4 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
2 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. Epicure's Gingerbread Spices
white sugar for rolling - if you want really pretty cookies, use Epicure's Decorating Sugar which has bigger crystals and looks way better than regular white sugar
Cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg and molasses. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Roll into balls and coat in white sugar. Place on a lined baking sheet and press down gently with a fork. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.

MOCHA CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

SAGE & APPLE CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH RED PEPPER JELLY
2 lbs. ground chicken
3.5 tbsp. Epicure's Sage & Apple Stuffing Mix
2 tbsp. Epicure's Turkey Rub
6 crackers, crushed
1 egg
salt & pepper
Epicure's Red Pepper Jelly
Combine everything together except the jelly. Roll into small balls and bake at 400 F for 10-15 minutes. Add enough jelly to coat the meatballs and return to the oven or heat on the stove until jelly melts and creates a glaze on the meatballs.

PEPPERMINT MOCHA CHEESE BALL (I forgot to take a picture of this one)
1/2 pkg. cream cheese
1 tbsp. Epicure's Mocha Cheese Ball Mix
1 tbsp. crushed candy canes
more crushed candy canes for rolling
Beat together first three ingredients. Form into a ball and refrigerate. Roll in crushed candy canes before serving. Spread on Nilla wafers, brownies, or graham crackers.

CARAMEL BACON BARS
1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
24 soda crackers (unsalted)
Epicure's Maple Bacon Sea Salt
Line a 9x13" baking dish with parchment paper and lay out the soda crackers. Bring butter and sugar to a gentle boil for 3-4 minutes then pour over the crackers. Bake at 350 F for 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a minute or two and then sprinkle with Maple Bacon Sea Salt. Allow it to cool and then refrigerate or freeze before serving.

DARK CHOCOLATE BARK WITH MAPLE BACON SEA SALT
1 c. Epicure's Belgian Dark Chocolate Chips
Epicure's Maple Bacon Sea Salt
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave using Epicure's square silicone steamer. (Or melt in a bowl and pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.) Spread into a thin layer and sprinkle with Maple Bacon Sea Salt. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve, and then crack into pieces.

HOT BLT CHEESE DIP
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 c. low-fat mayonnaise
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. Epicure's BLT Dip Mix
Combine ingredients in a baking dish or bread bowl. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, bread, or veggies. *You could also use this mixture to stuff mushrooms or cherry tomatoes.

VEGGIES WITH 3 DIPS:
BLUE CHEESE DIP
1/3 c. mayo
1/3 c. sour cream
1 tbsp. Epicure's Blue Cheese Dip

MANGO CURRY DIP
1/3 c. mayo
1/3 c. sour cream
1 tbsp. Epicure's Mango Curry Dip

ROASTED GARLIC AIOLI
2/3 c. mayo
2 tsp. water
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. Epicure's Roasted Garlic Aioli

MANGO CURRY MIXED NUTS
2 c. mixed nuts (unsalted)
2 tbsp. Epicure's Mango Curry Dip Mix
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. vegetable oil
Toss ingredients together and spread onto a lined baking sheet. Bake at 325 F for 12-15 minutes, stirring once. Optional: Add in 2/3 c. dried fruit afterwards if you like.

POUTINE CHIPS
potatoes
Epicure's Poutine Chip Seasoning
Slice a potato with Epicure's ceramic slicer. Soak potato slices in water to rinse off the excess starch and then blot them dry on a paper towel. Lay them on Epicure's chipster and season with Poutine seasoning (or use sea salt or some other seasoning). Bake in the microwave for 3 minutes and then add 30 seconds at a time until they are crispy. (Some people find it works better to use your microwave at a lower power level.)

CHOCOLATE PUDDING PARFAITS
1 pkg. Epicure's Chocolate Pudding Mix
2 c. milk
2 c. whipping cream, whipped
Epicure's Canadian Maple Sugar Grinder
Beat pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Stir before serving. Scoop into dishes and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of maple sugar.

HOT APPLE CRANBERRY CIDER
4 c. apple juice
4 c. cranberry cocktail
1 tbsp. Epicure's Mulling Spices
Fireside Rim Trimmer for the glasses
Combine juice and Mulling Spices in a pot on the stove and simmer. Serve in rimmed glasses.

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Thansgiving

2012-10-11T16:28:00.000-06:00

We were at my sister's place for Thanksgiving, and she made a fabulous meal for us! She butterflied a pork tenderloin and covered it with a mixture of mushroom duxelles, dried cranberries, apples, onions, pecans, garlic, rum, maple spice & maple syrup. She rolled it up and secured it with toothpicks, then put it in the oven at 375F for 60-90 minutes. She had lots of the stuffing mixture leftover, so she added pieces of dried bread to it and baked it like regular stuffing for a side dish. She also made mashed purple potatoes (boiled beets mashed in with the regular mashed potatoes), and green beans tossed with bacon and some pecans. To top it all off, she made a red wine gravy that was to die for.

All sliced up and ready to serve.

About to get rolled up and put in the oven.

First slice of thanksgiving goodness!

The first of many helpings that I ate that night!

Coconut Lime Chicken & Coconut Curry Squash Soup

2012-08-17T19:16:00.000-06:00

Tonight I made a recipe I found on Pinterest for Coconut Lime Chicken. I followed it exactly (but used brown sugar instead of white, and didn't bother cooking the marinade afterwards to make a sauce.) I also found a recipe for Coconut Curry Squash Soup and whipped that up as a side dish for our meal. For my super sweet baby (who is 7 months old today!) I puréed the two things together and he gobbled it up (twice!) He's got good taste!!

Thanks for not feeding me boring food, Mom!

Chicken with Bacon Corn Couscous

2012-08-11T21:49:00.000-06:00

Tonight's supper is a mish-mash of Jamie Oliver's Tray Baked Chicken served with a side of Rachael Ray's Bacon Corn Couscous. It's lightning fast to make, and super delicious!

3-4 chicken breasts, seasoned with paprika, oregano (which I didn't have), salt & pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lemon, quartered
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 c. frozen corn
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced (I used a regular onion because my red onion went missing between the grocery store and my house.)
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. couscous

In a large oven-safe frying pan, heat a bit of oil and brown the chicken on both sides. Meanwhile, in a large pot, brown the bacon and drain it off. Preheat the broiler, and add the cherry tomatoes and lemon wedges to the pan with the chicken. Place under the broiler for 15 minutes. Once the bacon is browned, add the veggies and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes.

Tropical Lemonade

2012-08-04T15:02:00.001-06:00

TROPICAL LEMONADE
1 c. water
3 tbsp. Epicure Tropical Fruit Dip Mix
9 tbsp. sugar
3/4 c. fresh lemon juice
4-5 c. cold water
mint leaves
ice

Simmer first three ingredients until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice. Strain and pour over mint and ice. Add remaining water.

Grapefruit Mojito

2012-07-09T21:41:00.001-06:00

GRAPEFRUIT MOJITO
juice of 1/2 a grapefruit
2-3 tsp. sugar
1 sprig of fresh mint leaves
rum (optional)
club soda

Put juice, sugar, and mint in a tall glass. Muddle mint with the bottom of a spoon to release the flavour from the leaves. Add rum. Add ice and fill with club soda.

Lemon Lush

2012-07-08T17:45:00.002-06:00

This dessert is awesome. You should make it. That's all I have to say.

LEMON LUSH (from my friend Carla)
First Layer:
3/4 c. butter
1 c. flour
Mix together and press into a 9x13" baking dish. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Let it cool before adding the next layer.

Second Layer:
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 c. icing sugar
1 c. whipping cream, whipped
Beat together cream cheese and icing sugar. Beat in whipped cream. Spread over the crust.

Third Layer:
1 pkg. lemon meringue pie filling, made according to the directions on the box (you'll need 2 egg yolks and some water)
Follow the directions on the box, and let the filling cool before spreading it over the cream cheese layer.

Fourth Layer:
2 c. whipping cream, whipped
Whip the cream and then spread over the lemon pie filling.

Don't pay attention to the picture - it tastes a thousand times better than it looks!

My friend brought this to our house for a potluck at the end of June, and everyone raved about it. It was so good, I made it for a potluck at our friends' house a few days later. And again, everyone raved about it. It's so light and tangy and wonderful - you really need to make this dessert!!

Chocolate Mint Popsicles

2012-06-13T18:01:00.001-06:00

I can't take any credit for this recipe - found it on Pinterest and thought it would be the perfect way to use up my coconut milk from last night's meal.

CHOCOLAT MINT POPSICLES
1 c. coconut milk
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. sugar (next time I'd try honey or something to see if I could make these even healthier)
1/2 c. spinach (I wonder if avocado would work as well?)
a few chocolate chips

Blend together all the ingredients except the chocolate chips. Pour into popsicle molds. Add a few chocolate chips to each one, then freeze overnight.

We have no idea we're eating spinach popsicles!

These were really yummy, and you honestly can't taste any hint of spinach. You could see bits of it, but the kids just thought it was peppermint leaves. I think this recipe will be the basis for a lot of yummy popsicles this summer!

Cherry Guacamole with Grilled Chicken

2012-06-13T12:36:00.001-06:00

This is easy to make, and adds a little something different to your usual guacamole. You could easily serve this with other meats or with tortilla chips. I ate it with some leftover grilled chicken and it was delicious!

CHERRY GUACAMOLE WITH GRILLED CHICKEN
1 avocado
juice of 1 lime
2-3 tsp. Epicure's Guacamole Dip Mix
about 6 cherries, pitted and quartered
Mash the avocado with lime juice and seasoning. Stir in cherries.

How easy is that? You can find lots of other simple and delicious avocado recipes at Recipes from Avocado Lovers. This is a new recipe section on the Avocados From Mexico website which allows fans to post their own amazing avocado recipes.

This sponsorship is brought to you by Recipes from Avocados From Mexico who we have partnered with for this promotion.

Piña-vocado Smoothie

2012-05-28T11:01:00.001-06:00

A friend posted a new smoothie recipe on Pinterest and she said it tastes just like a piña colada so I thought I would try it out on this dreary Monday morning. Turns out she was right - it's delicious!

Cuban Fish and Beans

2012-05-24T17:46:00.002-06:00

I am currently holding a sleeping baby in one arm, so this post will be short and sweet.

I used my standard Cuban tilapia recipe which is just olive oil, Epicure's Cuban Seasoning, and lime juice on tilapia filets. (I used the same idea to make these fabulous Fish Tacos.)

I also made a yummy black bean mixture with cumin, chili powder, garlic, diced tomatoes (red and yellow), corn, red onion, and cilantro (added after everything had simmered for a while.) This is one of my favourite camping side dishes.

Then I topped it all off with some diced avocado sprinkled with lime juice. Tomorrow we're eating the exact same thing, but wrapped in a tortilla to make fish tacos. Mmmmm!!!

Tilapia with Mango Chutney Sweet Potatoes

2012-05-13T16:25:00.001-06:00

This is adapted from Jamie Oliver's Branzino & Crispy Pancetta with Mashed Sweet Potatoes from his Meals in Minutes cookbook.

TILAPIA WITH MANGO CHUTNEY SWEET POTATOES
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 lime, halved
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. mango chutney (recipe below)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil

4 tilapia filets

salt & pepper

zest of 1 lemon

Place sweet potatoes and lime halves in a microwave-safe dish and cover with plastic wrap. (I used my Epicure silicone steamer.) Microwave for about 10 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a bowl and mix in cilantro, chutney, soy sauce, and olive oil. You can mash everything together if you like, but I just tossed it together and kept the potatoes in chunks.
In a frying pan over medium heat, heat some oil and add the fish filets. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Cook until golden brown, then flip and cook until golden on the other side. (The recipe called for pancetta as well, but I discovered that despite my love of bacon, I was not a fan of the pancetta because it was extremely salty, so I would not bother using it in this recipe.)

These sweet potatoes were delicious. And so was the fish. So basically this meal was awesome.

MANGO CHUTNEY
1 mango, chopped
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. raspberry or apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. red onion, finely diced
juice of 1/4 lime
juice of 1/4 lemon
juice of 1/4 orange
1" slice of ginger, finely diced
1 tsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. Epicure's Spices for Chutney

Bring ingredients to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Maple Salmon over Sautéed Spinach

2012-05-13T16:21:00.001-06:00

This is one of those recipes that isn't really a recipe - there are no measurements, but it's so easy to make and it's delicious and healthy too!

MAPLE SALMON OVER SAUTÉED SPINACH
salmon filets
salt & pepper
pure maple syrup
olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bag of baby spinach
white wine

Place salmon in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and drizzle generously with maple syrup. Bake at 375 F for 15-20 minutes (to be honest, I didn't time it so I'm completely guessing at how long I had it in there!)
In a frying pan, sauté onions in oil until they are soft. Add garlic, spinach, and a splash of white wine and cook until the spinach wilts down. Serve the salmon on a bed of sautéed spinach.

Lemon Bacon Mushroom Pasta

2012-04-24T19:04:00.002-06:00

Sorry I couldn't come up with a catchier name for this recipe, but at least you know what you're in for!

I made some delicious Lemon Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms earlier this month, and I loved the hint of spice and citrus (and of course, the bacon!) I thought it would translate well into a pasta dish, so that's what I did tonight.

LEMON BACON MUSHROOM PASTA
8 slices bacon
8 mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, sliced (3 for the pasta sauce, and 1 for garnish at the end)
1/2 tsp. Cinco Pepper Blend
1 tbsp. 3 Onion Dip Mix
1 pkg. cream cheese
2 tsp. dijon mustard
zest & juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. white wine
2 tbsp. pasta water (if you want to thin the sauce out a bit)
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved (for garnish)
fettucine, cooked according to directions

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan. Remove from pan and cut into pieces. Add mushrooms to the pan and sauté until golden brown. Add bacon back to the pan along with 3 green onions, seasonings, cream cheese, mustard, lemon juice & zest, and white wine. Heat over medium heat until cream cheese has melted. Once the pasta is cooked, add some pasta water to the sauce if necessary. Drain pasta and add to the sauce, tossing well. Garnish with green onion and cherry tomatoes.

This was very tasty, although I must admit I prefer the stuffed mushroom appetizer version of this recipe. Since there was quite a bit of pasta, it sort of dulled the flavours of the Cinco Pepper and the lemon zest, but it was still a successful meal.

Mexican Meal (complete with a mini margarita!)

2012-04-23T19:32:00.004-06:00

My absolute favourite ethnic food is Mexican food. Chili and lime make me happy. Margaritas do too. Here's what we had for supper tonight:

CORN & BEAN SALAD
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
1 c. black beans, rinsed and drained (use a whole can and save the extra for the taco recipe below)
1 avocado, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
Epicure's Chili Lime Sansel (or some salt and pepper)

Toss together and serve.

BEEF & BEAN TACOS
1 lb. ground beef
taco seasoning
salt
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 pkg. Refried Beans mix
2/3 c. water
1/2 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
grated cheese
shredded lettuce
diced tomato
salsa

Brown beef. Drain and season with taco seasoning and salt. Simmer kidney beans with water and Refried Beans mix. Purée and add to beef. Stir in black beans. Serve in taco shells with your favourite toppings.

I could eat a whole plateful of that salad, it's so delicious. And if I weren't breastfeeding, that margarita would have been a whole lot bigger!

Indian Meal

2012-04-19T17:55:00.000-06:00

I've been cooking recipes from the Usborne Children's World Cookbook this week - so far we have had pizza and Spaghetti Bolognese, and tonight we're trying the Indian recipes.
BHUNA GOSHT (one of those words probably means lamb, which is what the recipe calls for, but I used chicken)
3 chicken breasts, cubed

juice of 1 lemon

pinch of salt

4 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 c. chicken stock
3 tomatoes, cut into large pieces
14 oz. can tomatoes
Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice and salt and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot and cook onion and garlic until softened. Combine spices and add to the pot, stirring for a minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, and stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes.
DHAL
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion, diced
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Garam Masala
1/2 c. red lentils (I didn't have lentils so I used yellow split peas and they took a lot longer to cook)
1 c. water
salt
Melt butter in a saucepan and cook garlic and onion until softened. Add spices and cook for a minute. Add lentils or split peas and water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until lentils are cooked. (I seemed to be running low on liquid, and my chicken stew had more liquid than I wanted, so I added the stew liquid to the split peas and just let it continue to simmer until they were softened.) Purée slightly so that it's smooth but still has some whole pieces left in tact.
CUCUMBER RAITA
1/2 c. cucumber, diced
1 c. plain yogurt
salt and pepper
fresh mint, chopped (I didn't have any, so I used some Lamb Seasoning)
Put cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for an hour so the water comes out. In another strainer over a bowl, put some cheesecloth and put the yogurt on top to let the water drip out. Combine the strained cucumbers and yogurt with mint and pepper.

Everything was really tasty, although I made way too much raita and my split peas still weren't cooked all the way through, even after an incredibly long time on the stove. You could definitely kick up the spices a bit in the stew and the dhal, but it was perfect for kids.

Taboulé

2012-04-18T13:45:00.000-06:00

This is one of my favourite lunches, and it's so simple and healthy!

TABOULÉ

1 c. water

1 tbsp. butter

pinch of salt

2/3 c. couscous

1 tomato

1/2 cucumber

2 green onions

1 tbsp. basil or mint leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp. parsley, chopped

juice of 1/2 a lemon

Bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Stir in couscous, remove from heat, cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let it cool to room temperature. Dice up the vegetables, toss with the couscous, and drizzle with lemon juice. Stir to combine everything, and serve.

Waldorf-ish Salad

2012-04-16T14:28:00.001-06:00

Here's what I had for lunch today:

equal parts:
pistachios, shelled
cucumber, sliced and quartered
red grapes, halved
apple, sliced
chicken, cubed

Dressing:
3 tbsp. plain yogurt
Juice of half a lemon
salt
pepper

Easter Desserts

2012-04-08T20:53:00.000-06:00

Friends came over for Easter supper tonight, and brought a delicious ham with potatoes, asparagus, and a to-die-for maple dijon cream sauce. I was in charge of dessert, so I made a fun little "cracked egg" dessert that I saw on Martha Stewart's website:

Kinder Surprise egg shells with a scoop of mango sorbet

Then I made a decadent Easter trifle:

Layers of chocolate cake crumbles, chocolate pudding, strawberries, whipped cream, and crushed mini eggs

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend! I'm looking forward to a week of holidays, where I can hopefully get out for a few runs (finally) and work off all the calories I consumed over the past few days!