...Only on a Tuesday; Feeling Under the Weather

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." ~ Harriet Van Horne


Yesterday I started to come down with a cold or flu (maybe a bit of both) so today I decided to take it easy. Luckily the house was still clean from Sunday because I spent the entire day at work yesterday (literally awake 5am and to home just before midnight). I made a quick pit stop at the butcher shop and then at the grocery store. I knew that, being as I was sick, I needed vegetables. And vegetable soup is the best thing to eat when your not feeling well!

One thing that makes me love Smokin' Iron Farms even more is that they not only serve meat, poultry and other specialty meats, they also provide free range eggs, an array of Ukranian treats and some farm fresh vegetables (when available). I was able to get some onions and cuccumber today both of which contributed to my soup! At the grocery store I picked up the rest of the ingredients; carrots, celery, one potatoe, a mix of fresh sprouted beans, fresh chives and vegetable stock (all organic).


Once home all I did was chop the veg (excluding the beans) into large chunks and toss them in a large pot with the stock. I boiled this until the vegetable were soft and then used a handheld blender to puree it (I like to leave the puree still a bit chunky to add some texture) then I added a bunch of finely chopped chives. To serve I spooned the soup into bowls, added a dollop of sour cream and a small hanfull of the sprouted beans and a few more chives. Oh my! The beans were so good in this soup! Because I kept them fresh they had a crunch and zip to them that was such a nice contrast with the velvety richness of the soup!


To put a unique spin on soup and sandwiches, I paired this with a Prosciutto and Havarti Puffed Pastry roll dressed with a light Pesto Aioli (both of which I had previously made and stored in the freezer). On the side a added a few nalysnyky that I picked up at the butchers. I ate all the soup but wasn't able to finish the rest.

This dinner was really easy to make and required little effort in that the soup was 'easy as pie' and everything else was previously prepared, which is good because I'm wiped and need an early bedtime tonight! This soup is so flavorful and yet so simple! It's healthy and packed full of vitamins and all kinds of good stuff, especially with the addition of the beans!

Today was such a beautiful day, the rain this morning was refreshing and made sleeping in that much more cozy and rewarding. Then late this afternoon when I started on dinner the sky cleared and the sun was pouring through our south facing windows putting a smile in my heart!


Enjoy the pics!

Sunday's Family Dinner - Beef Wellington

Sunday's have gone down in history as being the day that families spend together, and one key part of this day is the Sunday Dinner. I usually try to make something a bit "traditional" that's hearty and comforting. And my favorite guests tonight? The ladies of Wisteria Lane! Lol! Tonight was the season premier of Desperate Housewives which made tonights meal that much more special!

Tonight I made on an english favorite, Beef Wellington. Being that I still had 1/2 an uncooked tenderloin roast left over from Friday night (I cut it in 1/2 before cooking as the cut was rather large). I found a recipe from Gordon Ramsey so it was bound to be great! Thankfully, his recipe called for a mushroom and prosciutto filling, rather than the traditional liver pate. While I'm not opposed to pate, it is not something I carry in my kitchen, nor do I know how to cook or prepare it.

This Beef Wellington roast turned out impeccably! I paired it with left over mashed potatoes (also from Friday night) and a mixed Herb Greens salad with Asian Pear tossed in my "Mortar and Pestle" Vinaigrette. Having the leftover mashed potatoes and making a quick tossed salad cut down on the time it took to make this meal, even though the meat entre alone took about 2 hrs (especially being that it was my first ever attempt). I also cut down on most of the ingredients as my roast was a bit smaller. Lastly, I used dried mushrooms and rehydrated them with the white wine before making the duxelle.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_Wellington
History:
Beef Wellington is a preparation of fillet steak coated with pâté (often pâté de foie gras) and duxelles, which is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. Some recipes include wrapping the coated meat in a crêpe to retain the moisture and prevent it making the pastry soggy.

A whole tenderloin may be wrapped and baked, and then sliced for serving, or the tenderloin may be sliced into individual portions prior to wrapping and baking. Many spices may be added to enhance the flavour; some examples are curry, allspice, any grilling mix or ginger.

Naming:
The origin of the name is unclear.[1] One theory is that beef Wellington is named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Some[who?] have suggested this was due to his love of a dish of beef, truffles, mushrooms, Madeira wine, and pâté cooked in pastry, but there is no evidence to say for sure.[clarification needed] Other accounts simply credit the name to a patriotic chef wanting to give an English name to a variation on the French filet de bœuf en croûte during the Napoleonic Wars. Still another theory is that the dish is not named after the Duke himself, but rather that the finished joint was thought to resemble one of the brown shiny military boots which were named after him [2].

"Wellington" is sometimes informally used to describe other dishes in which meat is baked in a puff pastry; the most common variations are sausage Wellington, lamb Wellington and salmon Wellington.


http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2538/beef-wellington
Ingredients:
a good beef fillet (preferably Aberdeen Angus) of around 1kg
3 tbsp olive oil
250g chestnut mushrooms , include some wild ones if you like
50g butter
1 large sprig fresh thyme
100ml dry white wine
12 slices prosciutto
500g pack puff pastry , thawed if frozen
a little flour , for dusting
2 egg yolks beaten with 1 tsp water
Recipe:
1.Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Sit the beef on a roasting tray, brush with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with pepper, then roast for 15 mins for medium-rare or 20 mins for medium. When the beef is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven to cool, then chill in the fridge for about 20 mins.
2.While the beef is cooling, chop the mushrooms as finely as possible so they have the texture of coarse breadcrumbs. You can use a food processor to do this, but make sure you pulse-chop the mushrooms so they don't become a slurry.
3.Heat 2 tbsp of the oil and all the butter in a large pan and fry the mushrooms on a medium heat, with the thyme sprig, for about 10 mins stirring often, until you have a softened mixture. Season the mushroom mixture, pour over the wine and cook for about 10 mins until all the wine has been absorbed. The mixture should hold its shape when stirred. Remove the mushroom duxelle from the pan to cool and discard the thyme.
4.Overlap two pieces of cling film over a large chopping board. Lay the prosciutto on the cling film, slightly overlapping, in a double row. Spread half the duxelles over the prosciutto, then sit the fillet on it and spread the remaining duxelles over. Use the cling film's edges to draw the prosciutto around the fillet, then roll it into a sausage shape, twisting the ends of cling film to tighten it as you go. Chill the fillet while you roll out the pastry.
5.Roll out a third of the pastry to a 18 x 30cm strip and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Roll out the remaining pastry to about 28 x 36cm. Unravel the fillet from the cling film and sit it in the centre of the smaller strip of pastry and brush the pastry's edges, and the top and sides of the wrapped fillet, with beaten egg yolk. Using a rolling pin, carefully lift and drape the larger piece of pastry over the fillet, pressing well into the sides. Trim the joins to about a 4cm rim. Seal the rim with the edge of a fork or spoon handle. Glaze all over with more egg yolk and, using the back of a knife, mark the beef Wellington with long diagonal lines taking care not to cut into the pastry. Chill for at least 30 mins and up to 24 hrs.
6.Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Brush the Wellington with a little more egg yolk and cook until golden and crisp - 20-25 mins for medium-rare beef, 30 mins for medium. Allow to stand for 10 mins before serving in thick slices.

Tips:
Trim carefully
Lower the chances of the edges separating by giving yourself lots of room - and don't trim the pastry too close to the meat.
Keep it air-free
Drape over the top layer of pastry very carefully, smoothing it down with your hands as you go. You don't want any air trapped between the pastry and the meat.
Use up leftover pastry
Any leftover pastry is fine to use for something else, even if covered in egg. Simply roll it into a ball and refrigerate until needed.
Gordon's tips
Brush the meat as well as the pastry with egg wash. This will make the top layer of pastry stick to the meat and stop it from rising and leaving a gap.
Sealing the pastry
Use the rounded end of a fork or spoon handle to seal the edges rather than the prongs of a fork - using the prongs will only pierce the pastry rather than joining it.

Friday's Fun Feast! A late night dinner for four.

Last night we had some friends over for a late dinner! Neglecting the fact that I didn't get home until well after 6pm I chose to do a roast. I made a trip to Smokin' Iron and picked up a beautiful beef tenderloin roast that the butcher trimmed up perfectly!

(this is not an actual picture of the roast I picked out, but there's really not much difference so this will do)
Due to time constraints I had to adjust my homemade Gnocchi with Herbed Goat Cheese Sauce idea to simple mashed potatoes with Herbed Goat Cheese (still very yummy). We paired the tenderloin and potatoes with corn on the cob and roasted Kale Chips.

I'm not going to share the recipe because their pretty simple but I wanted to share a very humorous story about the cooking of last nights dinner! While I have mastered some cooking techniques, I am still lacking in math skills! I quickly researched google (as I do for so many of the things I make) for what temperature I should cook my roast to. One website said 120 - 125 degrees! Perfect! My roast was small so, as per the butcher, it should have cooked for only about 20 minutes. After about 1/2 hr I checked the temperature and it said 24 degrees! Wow! That was the room temperature that the roast started at... hmmm...ok, we'll keep cooking it then. So we kept it roasting for another 20 minutes. Checked it again and it was saying only 60 degrees! What was going on? It looked done, it had roasted longer than what the butcher had recommended... that's when I clued in! My digital thermometer was set at celsius, not farenheit! OOooooooh! Oops! Lol!

Luckily for my guests (and myself being someone who refuses to eat over cooked meat) we had taken the roast out and just the right time and it was actually cooked perfectly! But next time I will definately make sure that my thermometer is set right.

I just thought I would share :)

Wednesday's a Write-Off...Hello Thursday! - Lamb Chops

Wednesday is a write-off because it's now the day that I work the "night" shift (1-10). If I'm lucky I'll whip up something quick in the morning for breakfast, but usually it's a bowl of cereal, the View, and out the door! By the time I get home at night I have to put myself immediately to bed and try to force myself to sleep. Usually I'm still buzzing having come just from work so I watch TV in bed late into the night and wake up tired early the next morning. Basically, my point is that this leaves me no time to cook! The Hubs has to fend for himself (usually a freezer pasta or McD's) and he plays video games until he falls asleep somewhere around 9 or so. If I could change Wednesday's I would... but hey, it's only one day in the week and I get to spend some quality time with my staff.

But Thursday comes around and if I can muster up the energy I'll try to make something interesting for dinner (although, it's not uncommon for Thursday to be a 'take out' day). Usually by Friday I'm back on schedule and ready to be inspired!

Tonight's meal is a combination of Homecooking and Take Away! On Tuesday, while I was picking up the elk meat from Smokin' Iron Farms, I just had to pick out some lamb because they'd just had a fresh cut. I would love to do a leg of lamb roast, but I need more time and I need to research proper cooking times and temperatures (I find I have difficulties cooking a roast to the right level of doneness...usually it ends of overdone). I decided to go with the lamb chops because their fast and taste so good! Today while at work I had the briliant idea to pick up a rice bowl from the new restaurant (I use that term very loosely in this situation) that just opened up in the foodcourt in West Edmonton Mall. The name of the place is Freshii and they make an assortment of fast healthy dishes with only fresh ingredients. I decided at work today that I would do a brown rice pilaf and lamb chops! Quick and easy, but flavorful and healthy!

First some information on why I love lamb.


http://www.blue-kitchen.com/2010/02/17/easy-to-make-easy-to-love-lamb-chops-with-dijon-mustard-and-thyme/
"There are a lot of things to love about lamb, starting with its distinctively rich, mild, sweet taste. Too much has been made of its gaminess, I think. As I said when I wrote about lamb stew, “that gamy flavor—as the dictionary defines it, ‘having the tangy flavor or odor of game’—is what makes lamb special. It’s the same quality that separates venison from beef and duck from chicken. And while I love a good steak or roast chicken, there’s just something exciting about the ‘wildness’ of game.” Even though lamb has a more intense flavor than beef, it also seems somehow lighter than beef to me.

Lamb is also lighter on the environment. Sheep are generally raised in ways that are easier on the planet and on the animals themselves than other animals raised for meat. They’re naturally grazing animals, not suited for factory farming and feedlots. With improved animal husbandry practices, much American lamb is raised with little or no feed grain. Instead of requiring the production of feed grain with its attendant fertilizer and pesticide requirements, sheep actually contribute to healthy land. They do so by grazing omnivorously and keeping weeds in check without the use of pesticides and, well, by providing natural fertilizer."


Lamb Chops with a Dijon and Thyme (adapted from the website above)

- 2 Fresh All Natural Lamb Chops
- 2 tsp Grainy Dijon Mustard
- Small Clove Garlic
- Dash White Balsamic
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- Sea Salt and Pepper
- Grapeseed Oil


Season the chops with salt and pepper. I used my mortar and pestle again to grind up the garlic with the dijon and thyme, then added a splash of balsamic. I slathered the chops with the dijon mixture and with the oven preheating to 350 degrees I seared the chops in a oven proof fry pan in the grapeseed oil. A couple minutes on each side and then I popped them in the oven.

Rice Pilaf
For the rice I ordered I had them add the following:
- Brown Rice
- Chopped Dates
- Sunflower Seeds
- Roasted Red Pepper
- Celery
- and EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)


Once home with the chops in the oven, I quickly diced up half a small onion, a bit of garlic and sauteed them in another pan until the onions turned clear, then I simply added the rice bowl and tossed together (seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper). Once heated I added in some fresh parmegiano reggiano. Done!


Lastly, I love eggs... really love eggs, so I had to fry up one of the great free range, organic eggs from Smokin' Iron Farms to top off the rice pilaf. I love when I break the yolk and it mixes with the rice. Mmmmmm!

I love when dinner can taste gourmet, but take less than 1/2 hour to make!

...only on a Tuesday - Elk Shepard's Pie

Tuesdays are the days I get to play "epicurean". This is because my days off are Tuesdays and Sundays, the latter of which I spend catching up on rest with my hubby (aka The Hubs) trying to do as little as possible. So that leaves Tuesday as my day to clean the house, grocery shop, run errands quick as I can in the morning (all the while fitting in The View and Ellen) so that I can leave ample time in the afternoon to try a new recipe (or two or three) and make a delicious meal for The Hubs and I!

I figured being as this is my first "...Only on a Tuesday" post, I would humour myself with a little history lesson in the evolution of an increasingly popular "foodie" word...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus
"Epicurus (Greek: Ἐπίκουρος, Epikouros, "ally, comrade"; Samos, 341 BCE – Athens, 270 BCE; 72 years) was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism. Only a few fragments and letters remain of Epicurus's 300 written works. Much of what is known about Epicurean philosophy derives from later followers and commentators.

For Epicurus, the purpose of philosophy was to attain the happy, tranquil life, characterized by ataraxia, peace and freedom from fear, and aponia, the absence of pain, and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. He taught that pleasure and pain are the measures of what is good and evil, that death is the end of the body and the soul and should therefore not be feared, that the gods do not reward or punish humans, that the universe is infinite and eternal, and that events in the world are ultimately based on the motions and interactions of atoms moving in empty space."

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/epicurean
ep·i·cu·re·an (p-ky-rn, -kyr-)
adj.
1. Devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasure, especially to the enjoyment of good food and comfort.
2. Suited to the tastes of an epicure: an epicurean repast.
3. Epicurean Of or relating to Epicurus or Epicureanism.
n.
1. A devotee to sensuous and luxurious living; an epicure.
2. Epicurean A follower of Epicurus.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_definition_of_epicurious
It's a made-up word, from a mashup of "epicure" and "curious".
Epicurious is a website giving information on food, wine and restaurants. The name is a mix of epicure, a person with discriminating tastes in food or wine, and curious. It is a pun based on the name of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, the origin of the word epicure.











Today's Epicurean Adventure was my own take on a Shepard's Pie and a Simple Mortar and Pestle Spinach Salad! Read below for my personalized recipes!

For the Shepard's Pie I was inspired by both this past Sunday's leftover Candied Sweet Potatoe's and the Organic Ground Elk Meat I knew was waiting for me at my favorite butcher shop (see last post for details!).
Recipe
- left over bite sized candied yams in their juices (brown sugar and white balsamic glaze, dash of cinammon and nutmeg)
- russet potatoe chopped into bite sized pieces, blanched
- diced white onion
- diced organic carrots, blanched
- minced organic garlic
- ground elk meat
- sea salt & pepper
- grapeseed oil
- a few greens from the tops of the carrots, roughly chopped
- dash of tamari and even less worcestershire sauce
- puff pastry
- individual sized pie pans

First I sauteed the onions, garlic and carrots then added the elk meat and cooked until the meat was no longer pink (season with salt and pepper). While the meat was cooking through I rolled out my pastry and lined it into the pie pans. These were placed in the freezer until they were ready to be used. As the meat was finishing I added a dash of tamari for some great umami flavor and a quick spritz of worcestershire sauce (not too much because it can be really overpowering), then quickly tossed in the carrot greens for an earthy touch. I transferred the meat to a seperate bowl and used the leftover oil and liquid to flavor the leftover sweet potatoe and russet potatoe (season with salt and pepper). I tossed these in the pan while reducing all the liquid down to a thick glaze, then stuck it underneath a 500 degree broiler until the corners of veg turned dark and started to get sticky.

From this point all I had to do was add the meat to the pie pans and top with the potatoes, pop in the oven that had rested back to 400 degrees and bake until the pastry puffed up and turned all golden brown! Mmm Mmm!

While the pies were in the oven I took a few quick minutes to throw together my "best ever" Mortar and Pestle Spinach Salad!
Recipe
- fresh washed organic spinach
- prosciutto
- havarti
- organic apple slices (optional)
- organic EVOO
- grainy dijon
- white balsamic vinegar
- organic garlic
- sea salt & pepper

I chopped the prosciutto into small bits and did the same with the havarti. Then using the mortar and pestle (where I give the dressing it's name) I put in one small clove of garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a few drops of EVOO. I used the pestle to grind up the garlic into a near paste. Then I added a teaspoon of dijon, a dash of white balsamic and another glug of EVOO. Mixed again with the pestle until the djion emulsified then voila! Best EVER salad dressing! I tossed it all together in the plastic container the spinach came in (to save dishes...aah?).

In the last few minutes of baking, I also whisked up a quick gravy for the Shepard's Pie using the remaining oil and sticky bits of the same pan I used for the meat and the potatoes. With the oil heated I added a few teaspoons of flour, blended it with the oil and then whisked in some beef stock until it was well blended (seasoned with salt and pepper). Delish! A bit sweet from the glaze, a bit salty from the stock, and bit warm and comforting like a good gravy does!

Now that's an umami dinner that'll warm the soul on the last blustery day of summer. And leftovers too!

new beginnings everyday

This morning I awoke to the phone ringing at 8am (well actually I was woken by my 6:30am alarm which I speedily dismissed and snuggled back to dream land). But this morning was different than most. Instead of jumping in the shower before my eyes even opened I ventured out to the living room to the answering machine to see who's call I had missed. This is always a bad idea at our house. Because we have an old fashioned answering machine it catches every call regardless if a message is left or not so I had to scan through about a hundred empty messages (and a few old ones I should have avoided missing). After that groggy adventure I proceeded to the couch and pulled up my laptop to catch up on some blogs I like to follow (with a quick Facebook check in here and there). I was inspired this morning to continue blogging, but rather than spend my time writing on issues that I'm sure you'd agree can be a bit "intense" I realized that I needed to share the joy that I find in my life! And there is no place I find more joy right now than sharing my passion for great ingredients and yummy tasting, creative food!

Let's start with a few things I love. Nothing makes me happier than seeing fresh ingredients, and turning them into something that brings people together.


Summer 2010 - City Garden

buds


blooms


blossoms



A Celebration of Food

garden fresh


zen creations


late night gourmet


Smokin' Iron Farms
My favorite local butcher shop and it's right down the street!

"Smokin’ Iron Farms is a family owned and operated deli that sells only the best quality meats and produce. Most of the products sold at Smokin’ Iron Farms come from the Hutterite Colonies such as ham and garlic sausage (with no MSG, wheat or grain products), old style, and thick sliced, smoked bacon. Our beef is aged 21 days for premium quality and tenderness for you; our valued customer, and we use no growth hormones or steroids. You can be rest assured that you are purchasing a quality product and making a healthier choice.

When you walk into Smokin’ Iron Farms you will be greeted by our friendly, helpful staff. You will see a large selection of beef, pork, free range poultry, smoked sausage, exotic game as well as farm grown produce with no herbicides or pesticides. The prices are competitive, the quality, incredible. If you don’t have time to come to our shop, no problem, we’ll come to you as we now offer online or phone ordering for a small delivery fee. Please visit our order page for full details."

"Smokin' Iron Farms Products
For a happier and healthier lifestyle choose Smokin’ Iron Farms.

We carry the following products:

•Ham and Garlic Sausage (with no MSG or wheat or grain fillers)
•Old Style Bacon
•Farm Fresh Eggs
•Free Range Chickens and Turkeys
•Pork
•Beef
•Bison
•Elk
•Hand Made Crafts from the Hutterite’s

We have a wide selection of specialty meats including:

•Quail
•Pheasant
•Rabbit
•Duck
•Goose
•Cornish Hen
•Wild Turkey
We also have a seafood selection:

•Salmon
•Bassa
•Tiger Shrimp
•Tuna Steaks"