Roasted Red Pepper Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Chatty Kathy

This summer we had a LOT of Italian red peppers in the field ….. we decided to try roasting and canning them – they were a fantastic success!

Creamy and delicious stuffed mushroom caps

To make stuffing for about 12 medium – large mushroom caps

1/3 cup softened cream cheese
1/2 cup minced roasted red pepper
1/4 cup minced green onion
1 mushroom (minced)
1 stalk celery (minced)
1 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Lightly toasted sliced almonds
fresh parsley

First, sauté the minced mushroom and celery until lightly browned.

Stir all ingredients together until smooth and creamy – taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper, but also be aware if you have enough red pepper flavour. If not, mince some more!

Stuff mushroom caps and bake at 375 until bubbly – sprinkle almonds and parsley over top and serve

Mashed Garlic Herb Potatoes

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Chatty Kathy

Often I like to do what I call “smashed potatoes” which includes the skin and all … a more rustic look. Tonight I felt like a more refined approach (and had rustic russet potatoes with not very pretty skins..) Try this with a Sunday roasted chicken or beef – or tonight we had it with lamb shanks!

Creamy Smooth, Luscious Whipped Potatoes

Wash, peel and quarter potatoes – cover with water – once water comes to a boil generously season with salt, and add a few garlic cloves. (as much garlic as you are interested in)

Turn heat down to a moderately high heat and cook until potatoes are just tender to a fork.

Remove from heat, drain well.

Add milk (whole milk or cream works best), butter, salt and pepper. Use a potato masher to blend well, and then sprinkle in your herbs – stir in.

NEVER use a food processor. This will turn your potatoes into glue.

A hand potato masher works, as does a hand held blender, or a potato ricer.

Spoon into serving dish, dot with butter and sprinkle paprika over top. Put into a heated oven for a few minutes and the edges will crisp up and everything will just look so luscious … yum yum

Greek Salad

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Chatty Kathy

I’m always puzzled by anybody using a bottled jar of dressing …. it is so easy to make your own and nail the taste down just the way you like it! Greek salads are so amazing at this time of year … full of fresh vegetables out of the garden mixed with tangy, salty olives and feta cheese.

SALAD

cubed cucumbers, tomatoes, colored sweet peppers and sliced red onion
crumbled feta and black olives
torn fresh basil and oregano leaves

DRESSING

I like to make my dressing right onto the salad … gives me an excuse to keep tasting the salad in the event I need to make adjustments …

Over salad squeeze:
juice of 1 lemon
1 crushed garlic clove
drizzle of your best olive oil
sprinkle of salt and pepper

Now taste it …. enough balance? If not, and you aren’t eating it all immediately while you taste, just keep adding bits at a time until it is perfect.

Torn and Tossed Garlic Bread

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Chatty Kathy

Everybody loves the crunchy crust and soft tender bits of garlic bread – why not get more of it?

Torn garlic bread is crunchy and soft all at the same time.

I had a loaf of sourdough bread and half a loaf of French bread – rather than tear it I cut it all into approximately 2 inch pieces.

Melt 1/2 cup butter, stir in 2 garlic cloves and 1 small shallot – both chopped fine. Naturally, use more garlic if you feel so inclined (and everybody is eating it…).

In a large bowl combine the melted butter, garlic and shallot mixture – add in the cubed bread, season with salt and pepper and toss well.

This is great made earlier in the day too, just let it sit and absorb all those flavours.

When you are ready to serve, spread cubes on baking sheet – take care not to overcrowd the pieces. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes just until the outside is nice and crispy, golden brown.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve – everybody will love it!

Serve this with as any side dish, or with your favorite soup or salad.

Avocado Salad Dressing

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Chatty Kathy

Ever slice open an avocado to use in a salad and think …. yuck … half of this is disgusting???? That happened to me this week when I really had a craving to add creamy avocado to my salad. After fuming for a moment I decided to turn it into a dressing. I know I always say to taste taste taste – but it is really important to do that with this dressing – you really want it to pack a punch of flavour into a mouthful. By the time you dilute it with all your salad ingredients you still need to get all that avocado party going on.

In a mortar and pestle combine:

avocado (1/2?)

grainy dijon mustard (1 tsp)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp lime juice

Grind well until it is all creamy and bright – slowly drizzle in about 1/3 cup good quality olive oil and continue until it is all smooth. (Yes, sure – you could do this in a blender, or a bullet, or just in a bowl)

Taste and adjust for seasonings. If you like it a bit spicy, add a few chili flakes. If you like garlic, add a garlic clove before you really start grinding it with the mortar and pestle. You get the idea – add stuff you really like. And – yes, that is a glass of wine in this photo – everything I make tastes better when I cook with wine!

Sweet Basil Pesto

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Chatty Kathy

I think one of my favorite herbs is basil – always makes me think of summer and freshness – drinking Holy Basil Tea right now in fact!!

3 cloves garlic

4 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/3 cup finely grated best quality parmesan cheese

2 tbsp lemon juice

2/3 cup olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

drop garlic cloves into food processor while it is running, continuing with basil, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice and salt. Pulse after it is finely chopped, and with motor still running slowly add oil – scrape down the side of the bowl a few times. Do another couple pulses just to make sure it is all finely blended.

This keeps easily in the fridge for up to a week, and will store well in freezer also. Either freeze in small containers, or in ice cube trays. Once they have frozen in the trays, pop them out and store in a ziplock bag.

This makes an amazing pasta dish – toss it with freshly cooked pasta, adding either a bit of the pasta cooking water or heavy cream, whichever is your preference that night!

Other suggestions:

Pizza topping, with prawns and carmelized red onions – sprinkle with fresh spinach

Blend with butter and spread on french bread for an alternative to garlic bread

Top a grilled steak with a tbsp of pesto

blend 1 tbsp with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar & 5 tbsp olive oil for a salad dressing

Peanut Sesame Vegetables

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Chatty Kathy

Tonight I wanted some stir fry vegetables that would compliment Kung Pao Chicken and Chinese Chow Mein – this was perfect! Feel free to try out different vegetables, and even add a protein if you like – let me know what you think.

assortment of vegetables, prepared for stir fry

tonight mine included cauliflower, broccoli, orange pepper, zucchini

sliced scallions

toasted sesame seeds

SAUCE

2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Stir fry vegetables lightly, just enough to give them a bit of carmelization in spots – then add a wee bit of water to allow them to steam a bit.

Pour sauce in, and toss with vegetables just until they are crunchy cooked and well coated.

Top with freshly sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

If you want to kick up the heat a notch, and haven’t overwhelmed your taste buds with a bunch of other peppers in other parts of your meal I recommend adding a tsp or so of chile flakes … yum yum yum.

Zucchini Fritters with Lemon Mustard Aioli

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Chatty Kathy

2 medium zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (1 lemon) freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup minced fresh herbs – flat leaf parsley, basil & chives
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Using the large holes of a box grater, grate zucchini into a medium bowl. If you have really juicy zucchini, make sure to drain out liquid by allowing it to rest in strainer, or wrap in a towel and squeeze liquid out. Add salt, lemon zest, chopped herbs, garlic, pepper, and eggs. Mix well to combine. Slowly add flour, stirring so no lumps form.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until oil sizzles when you drop a small amount of zucchini mixture into the pan. Carefully drop about 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture into pan; repeat, spacing fritters a few inches apart.
Cook fritters until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Turn fritters, and continue cooking until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer fritters to a plate; set aside in a warm place. Cook remaining zucchini mixture, adding more oil to pan if necessary. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.
Serve with lemon/herb/mustard aioli.

Aioli: Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp grainy dijon mustard, 1 tsp horseradish, juice of 1/2 a lemon, generous amount of freshly chopped herbs. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Family Style Indian Curry Chicken

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Chatty Kathy

I know the title says chicken curry – but the sauce made an awesome Prawn Masala another day!

I don’t know how I have managed to forget about getting this recipe on here! It is a tried and true favorite, and as delicious as it is the first day – even better the 2nd. I always find my curry recipes make more sauce than needed on the first night and so the sauce will show up with a different protein or vegetable a couple days later – tasting amazing.

1/3 cup canola oil (or ghee)

2 cups finely chopped onions

3 inch piece of cinnamon stick

3 tbsp finely chopped garlic

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger

2 cups chopped tomatoes (or 1 large can)

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1 lbs chicken thighs, bone in

1 cup sour cream

1 cup water

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In large pan, heat oil or ghee on medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cinnamon – saute for 5-8 minutes until they have reached a rich, golden yellow color. Add garlic and saute for another few minutes. Add ginger, tomatoes, salt, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala and cayenne. Cook this over medium heat until the oil separates from the masala.

Wash chicken thighs well and add to the masala. Stir well and cook chicken thighs until they look cooked on the outside (about 10-15 minutes). Add sour cream and water – stir well. Increase heat slightly until it starts to boil,then turn down to gently simmer. Stir occasionally, and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through. (at least 30 minutes depending on the size of the chicken thighs)

Remove and discard cinnamon stick.

Stir in cilantro just at serving time and serve with basmati rice. We also love it served with Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower with Mint Cilantro chutney …. yummmmmmy.

Try this with cooking the masala, and then stirring in a vegetarian option of tofu or vegetables! Also amazing with any number of seafood options – pictured today here with prawns.

Yorkshire Pudding

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Chatty Kathy

After trying a variety of different Yorkshire Pudding recipes, this old fashioned one became my favorite. It always turns out, and is very simple, so go ahead and give it a try.

14 TBSP flour

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup water

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

Have all ingredients sitting on the counter for a few hours before you begin – if everything is at room temperature first it will make them puff up beautifully!

Preheat oven to 375 – put 1 tsp of canola oil into each of the muffin tins, and set pan in oven to heat while you mix the ingredients.

Lightly beat eggs, add milk and water. Sift flour and salt. Beat into egg mixture, beating well until smooth – NO lumps …

By this time your muffin tin will be hot and almost at the smoking point and your oven preheated.

Remove muffin tin carefully from oven and set on a safe – solid – heat proof surface. Carefully (but quickly) add 1/4 cup of mixture to each muffin tin.

Return to oven and cook for about 40-45 minutes. DO NOT OPEN YOUR OVEN.

They will puff up – turn golden, and be a perfect complement to most dinners, but especially to everybody’s favorite Sunday dinner – roast beef.

When they are cooked, I like to just lift them out slightly and rotate them so they are still in the muffin tins resting, but on an angle so air is getting at all sides – this keeps them nice and crisp.

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