Creamy Cheese & Vegetable Flatbread

This recipe came from my cousin's ex-wife - - I really miss her food ;-) This dish in particular was always one of my favourites. Every single time I've made this appetizer it's always been a hit with kids and adults alike. I serve it in any season and you could adjust the toppings based on what's available at the market. I'll share with you my favourite version:

Creamy Cheese & Vegetable Flatbread

• 2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 2 eight ounce packages light cream cheese (room temperature)
  
• 1 cup miracle whip (if using mayonnaise add a 1/2 tsp of sugar)
• 2 tsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 small onion, finely diced (yellow, white, sweet)
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 cup finely cut broccoli (I cut them into tiny florets - check out the picture)
• 1 cup finely cut cauliflower (cut similar to the broccoli)
• 1 cup diced green olives
• 1 cup aged cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Open up the crescent rolls and spread out flat on the baking sheet, making sure to join the seams neatly and spread out evenly. Bake for 5-8 mins or until slightly golden. You want to make sure the bottom doesn't burn. Let cool.

Using hand beaters or a mixer, blend the cream cheese, miracle whip, dill, garlic powder and onion until smooth. Set aside.

It is important to finely chop all the toppings or else the bread won't be able to support them. You may find you need more or less of the measurements given.

Using a rubber spatula, evenly spread the cream cheese mixture onto the bread going right to the edges. Next, sprinkle on one topping at a time, ending with the cheese. To finish, take a piece of parchment or waxed paper, lay on top and press down so all the toppings stick into the cream cheese mixture and stay put.

For best results cover in plastic wrap and chill for a couple hours before serving. If you have however made this last minute, no problem, cut it up into small squares and eat it! I take 2 corners of the parchment paper that is lining the baking sheet while the flatbread is still on it and carefully slide it onto a cutting board. This makes it very easy to cut the flatbread evenly and doesn't scratch your pan.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Celery

Here is a great summer appetizer to enjoy while lounging around outside. It's refreshing, has great eye-appeal and should taste great with a Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, or a Pinot Gris.

Stuffed Celery

• 1 bunch celery
• 1 250g container plain cream cheese (full fat or light)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiana, Asiago or Pecorino Romano.
• 1/3 cup finely chopped, toasted walnuts*
• 2 tbsp chopped basil
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
• salt and pepper
  

Wash celery and separate ribs; cut into even lengths.

Combine the rest of the ingredients using an electric mixer, or mix well by hand. Using a butter knife, small rubber spatula, or piping bag, fill the celery ribs with the cheese mixture.

Cover celery with plastic wrap or store in container and chill well before serving. Arrange on a platter and serve. Enjoy!

To toast walnuts:

Dry skillet method:
Cook nuts over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown.

Oven method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, or until nuts are golden brown.

Adobo Chicken Pita Pizza

I guess I have been on a bit of a pizza bender lately. So, I console myself with the fact that these are "pita" pizzas and not delivery with thick crust and mounds of cheese. Makes sense, right?

Anyway, this pizza turned out to be SO good that I really wanted to share it. If you're not familiar with Adobo sauce then it's time you got yourself acquainted. Adobo sauce is used in Mexican and Peurto Rican cuisine. It is a spicy, dark red sauce or paste made from ground chiles, spices, herbs and vinegar. It is the sauce that is used to can chipotles, a smoke-dried jalapeno chile. The Adobo sauce is rich and smoky and adds a great depth of flavour to this pizza.

Adobo Chicken Pita Pizza

Makes 2 large pita pizzas

• 1 chicken breast (I used a cutlet, which was nice as it really picked up on the marinade, more surface area)
• Adobo sauce
  
• 2 large whole wheat pitas
• 1 cup of pizza sauce
• 1 onion, diced
  
• 1 cup sliced fresh button mushrooms
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Grana Padano, Asiago, or Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/2 cup crumbled Queso Fresco (a crumbly, fresh Mexican cheese), could subsititute with mild goat cheese

Marinate the chicken with the Adobo sauce for a couple hours. My Adobo sauce was more of a paste so I spread it evenly on both sides. Grill the chicken breast or cutlet over medium heat, about 5-7 minutes per side depending on the thickness. Let cool enough to handle and dice.

Caramelize the onions along with the mushrooms. Refer to my posting on Greek Pita Pizza for instructions. Set aside and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 400. Place the pitas on cookie sheets to bake. Spread the pitas with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle on the onions and mushrooms, diced chicken, Grana Padano, and Queso Fresco.

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until cheese and crust are golden.

Enjoy!

Greek Pita Pizza

There is this Greek store just around the corner from my place - it has the most delicious and good quality ingredients: Greek feta shipped in wooden barrels from Greece, the most flavourful Kalamata olives I have ever tasted, and super fresh pitas. I also picked up some very tasty grape tomatoes from Co-op. What better inspiration for a Greek pizza? With spring fast approaching and the days getting warmer every day (however, it could still snow, a lot, so I hope I just didn't jinx anything!) it's time to start embracing the fresh produce that is becoming available. Seriously, if you have not bought some of the great asparagus that's out you need to - now! The recipe...

Greek Pita Pizza
For one large pita pizza

• 1 large pita - I used whole wheat
• pesto (recipe below)
• brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
• quartered grape tomatoes or sundried tomatoes
• spinach
• sweet onion, caramelized is best*
• Kalamata olives
• feta
  

For the Pesto:

• 2 cups roughly chopped fresh oregano (could also use basil, thyme or a mix or all three - just be heavier on the oregano or basil if using thyme)
• half a head of roasted garlic (to roast slice off top of head so all cloves are exposed. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and bake at 375 for 15-20 mins, or until golden brown. Let cool).
• 2 Tbsp of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Put first 4 ingredients in food processor and blend until well combined. (just squeeze the roasted garlic in, the cloves will pop right out). Add salt and pepper to taste, and perhaps a little more lime juice - you should be able to taste the lime.

Spread the pesto and on the pita and top with other ingredients. Don't overload the pita or else it will be too heavy and the pita may not crisp up enough on the bottom.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until pita is crispy. Cut up into wedges, serve and enjoy!

*To caramelize onions, check out this website with step-by-step photo instructions. I would cut the onions smaller for our purposes in this recipe. I use extra virgin olive oil too, only up to medium heat, and it works great (remember, that unless you are buying organic canola oil it is all genetically modified (GMOs) and it's not good for you, at all):

http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/vegetables/ss/onionscaram.htm

Roasted Zucchini and Asiago Dip

It's harvest season! This is one of my favourite times of the year and really when I give my thanksgiving to the Earth (and farmers!) for all the wonderful produce put forth. It's really been a great summer. This past weekend Percy and I went to the Crossroads market here in Calgary and there was fabulous array of fresh, Canadian produce to choose from. Walking amongst the stalls farmers were calling out to shoppers shouting out prices for big bags of fresh potatoes, peaches from B.C. , the famous Taber corn and much more. I had a great time!

When we were last visiting our cabin one of our new friends gave me a pale green zucchini from his garden as he had heard me discussing ways to use zucchini with another friend. So, I just had to try out this dip I'd thought up: it turned out perfect.

Baked Zucchini and Asiago Dip

• 1 large zucchini (or fresh summer squash, with the soft skin). You don't want to use a monster zucchini here as it would compromise the taste, look for one about a foot long.
• 3 large shallots
• Extra virgin olive oil
• White balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Asiago (you could use any sharp cheese here)
• Salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375◦

Wash zucchini, trim off stem, and slice lengthwise down the middle. Lay round side down on baking sheet.

Peel and cut shallots in half. Place next to zucchini on baking sheet.

Drizzle all with olive oil and drizzle shallots also with white balsamic.

Place in oven and bake for about 1/2 an hour or until all is soft and the shallots are barely golden on the underside (and I mean barely as any overly brown bits will be too much for the delicate flavour of the zucchini).

Cut zucchini into large pieces and put everything, including any juice or leftover oil or balsamic, into a food processor. Process until all is nicely blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour half of zucchini mixture into an oven safe dish. Sprinkle on 1/4 cup of the Asiago. Pour in the rest of the zucchini mixture and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of Asiago on top.

If you are serving this right after you make it, simply place the dish under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese bubbles and turn golden. If you are making this ahead of time, keep covered and refridgerated until ready to use. Bake in a 350◦ oven for 15 minutes or until heated through then turn on the broiler to get that cheese bubbling and golden.

Serve with pita slices, pita chips, tortilla chips or dip some veggies into it. This is a pretty healthy dip so Enjoy!

Maple BBQ Wings

One of the easiest, most economical and tastiest snacks - wings. Everyone has their favourite; whether they be dripping with sweet sauce, rubbed in spices or served suicidally hot! Now, we all know that wings are not the most low fat food (someone once told me that one deep fried wing was equivalent to the fat content of one Mars bar - not sure if that's true!), but every once in awhile it's OK to indulge and your tastebuds will rejoice!

I've opted to pick a method of cooking the wings that would remove some of the fat, rather than adding to it. The BBQ is a good choice, especially in the summer heat, plus there is hardly any mess to clean up (just the chicken bones!).

Maple BBQ Wings

• 2 lbs wings/drummies
• 1 can tomato paste
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp maple syrup (if you don't like the taste of maple you can replace this with agave nector for a healthy choice, or sugar).
• 2 cloves crushed garlic (either buy it crushed, or use a mortar and pestle, or the back of your knife, to crush).
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• salt and pepper

Sauce

1. Combine all ingredients, except for the wings and salt and pepper, in a saucpan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point also taste to see if the balance of the ingredients tastes right - you might want more vinegar or more syrup. Let cool.
3. Store in a jar in the refridgerator for up to a week.

Wings

1. Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Season the wings with salt and pepper.
2. Grill wings, turning occasionally, until they are nicely browned and almost cooked through.
3. Place a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil on the grill and scrunch up the sides so it looks like a bowl (you want to keep the sauce from escaping!)
4. At this point you could either: a) put the wings in a metal or glass bowl (because they will still be hot do not use plastic, you do not want to ever heat plastic) , toss them with the sauce then pour it all into your foil bowl, or b) put the wings in the foil bowl, pour the sauce on and stir it around gently making sure to coat the wings well. If you use option B you can always slowly add the sauce, saving some for near the end to ensure they are really saucy!
5. Close the lid and let the wings cook for about 15-20 minutes, gently stirring/flipping the wings to ensure they are well coated and sticky.

Remove from the heat and enjoy!

p.s. I leave for Ontario this Friday to visit my family. So there will be no posts next week, but definitely the week after.

Pineapple Salsa

Well, Percy and I rolled back into Calgary around 8:00pm on Sunday. It's pretty crazy going from a very secluded, serene and beautiful location to a city, but the drive on the #1 highway back into town pretty much warms you up to it (picture almost bumper to bumper traffic going anywhere from 100 km/hr to 150).

At the cabin we had some friends come stay with us. Generally when with friends and on vacation, eating and drinking can get a little out of control when it comes to calories. This pineapple salsa, served with slightly salted natural corn chips, is one of my more healthy summer recipes and is always a hit. Plus, it's a great way to get kids or men to eat fruit and veggies! (I swear most men I know are trying to catch scurvy with the lack of vitamin C in their diet!) We even served this to some other friends as a side to go with barbequed chicken without the jalapenos.

With all the wonderful produce available right now this is really a treat to make - and to eat of course! We found some of the most delicious tomatoes, cucumbers and fruit in BC. In fact, the great tomatoes in this salsa came from the same nursery/hothouse as our new walnut tree!


Pineapple Salsa

• 1 pineapple, peeled and cored, chopped into small pieces
• 1 pint worth of cherry tomatoes, or about 2 large tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
• Half of one large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 jalapenos (or more or less to taste - 2 large makes it pretty hot!), chopped into small pieces.
• Juice of 2 limes

Prepare all ingredients, and combine! I like to let this sit, covered, on the counter for an hour or so before serving. The reason I don't refridgerate it until after the first day is because I don't like cold tomatoes - chilling them does nothing for them. If you find there is too much liquid just strain some out before serving.

For those of you that don't like hot food, cilantro or can't eat tomatoes (mom!), here are some ideas for variations:

• Use red bell peppers instead of tomatoes.
• Use mint instead of cilantro.
• Replace all or half of the pineapple with mangoes.
• Use sweet onions instead of red to cut down on the heat (although the lime juice does a pretty good job of that).
• Or, if the pineapple it too sweet for you, cut down on that and double tomato/bell peppers.

Any other ideas?? Please share! And remember to try this with chicken, pork or fish. A friend of ours can't eat corn so he enjoyed the salsa with water crackers instead.

Below is a picture of our favourite beach to swim at on Slocan Lake - the salsa tasted REALLY good there!

Enjoy!

Deviled Eggs

I love deviled eggs. They are one of those foods I should not be alone with. Like with pizza, my stomach knows no bounds when it comes to how may deviled eggs I could eat! I think that is why they are really called "deviled" eggs!

.

Growing up they frequently made an appearance at family functions. And with springtime rolling in, and with BBQs and outdoor parties to attend, here's a recipe you can wow your friends and family with - it's all in the presentation. Deviled eggs are also an economic dish to make - in fact the toppings might be more expensive than the eggs! So get creative with your egg toppings - wouldn't bacon pieces be good?? Just like eggs and bacon! You could even add a little slice of cherry tomato. For more ideas see the recipe below.

I've always wanted a deviled egg tray (you know, the plates with the egg shaped indentations that hold your deviled eggs just right), so please, if you have one - use it!

Deviled Eggs

Makes 12 eggs

The Eggs

• 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise.
• ¼ cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (if you use mayo you might want to add a little sugar).
• ½ teaspoon dry ground mustard, yellow mustard, hot, or whole-grain mustard (pick your preference here keeping in mind that your guests may or may not like hot flavours).
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Toppings

• The classic paprika – splurge a little here and get your hands on some good quality paprika, such as Hungarian or Spanish. These can range from delicate to hot, choose whichever one (or two!) that strike(s) your fancy.

• Chopped olives: try high-quality black olives (never buy “California ripened”, they are picked unripe and then treated with chemicals), kalamata or green. For an extra zip try olives stuffed with jalapenos.

• Sundried tomatoes, sliced into small slivers.

• Roasted green chilies or other hot peppers, finely chopped.

• A variety of chopped herbs such as dill, basil or chives.

• Crunchy vegetables such as celery, radish or carrot, finely chopped or slivered.
  
  1. For perfect hard-boiled eggs: Put eggs with enough water to cover them in a saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, and then turn off heat. Leave the covered saucepan where it is for 12 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath to cool. This will not only quickly cool them, but it will shrink the egg away from the shell to ensure that you get a perfect egg when you peel it!
  
  2. After the eggs have cooled and are peeled, pop out or gently scoop the egg yolks into a small bowl and mash with a fork or beat with an electric mixer until smooth (this is important if you chose to use a piping bag to fill the eggs). Add the other egg ingredients and mix thoroughly. Taste to see if you are happy with the balance of flavors. Using a small spoon or a piping bag, fill the empty egg whites with the mixture. ***Note: using a piping bag really isn't very hard and the results are well worth your efforts. You can usually find one at your supermarket and it will work fine.
  
  3. Cover eggs lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving. When ready to serve, arrange eggs on a tray and serve with any of the suggested toppings. You can top them yourself or serve the toppings on the side.

Wine pairing: try a bubbly, a Prosecco, a crisp white wine (ie. Sauvingnon Blanc), or a light and subtle red (ie. Beaujolais). Personally, my favourite pairing would be a dry rosé. Let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Mmmmmushroooms! This is one of my favourite recipes. It's quick and easy to put together, can be prepared ahead of time and it incorporates many of my favourite ingredients (herbs and wine!!). Plus, everyone loves them. These took me a few tries to get right so I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Sarah’s Stuffed Mushrooms
Makes 20

· 1 small onion (yellow, white or sweet), diced
· ½ cup bread crumbs
· ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Asiago cheese
· 100g pancetta, chopped (you can often find this at deli counters, if not use bacon)
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
· 1 tbsp lemon juice (½ to 1 lemon)
· ½ tsp pepper
· 20 large button mushrooms
· 3 tbsp white wine (a Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc is nice)
· 1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chooped
· 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 425º.

Clean mushrooms by wiping with a damp paper towel. Gently break out entire stem. Reserve ¼ of the stems, trim off the woody ends and dice. Place mushroom caps gills up on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Briefly sauté the pancetta and onions, for about 3 minutes. Add garlic, sauté another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients, including reserved diced mushroom stems.

Once well combined stuff each mushroom so they are heaping.

Bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

When it comes time to stuff I generally just use my hands - the ingredients really stick together so you can just mold a little clump of the filling and put it in the mushroom.

I always use Yalumba's Y series Viognier from South Australia for this dish. It's perfect. Enjoy a few stuffed mushrooms with a chilled glass of this great wine and you will have a match made in Heaven. For more information on this wine check it out here, http://www.yalumba.com/vintage.asp?p=154&l=63&v=1965

Enjoy!!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Well, I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here in Calgary it has been getting chilly! Know what that means? Time to use the oven again! But whether you're hot or cold, who couldn't use a ball o' meat?!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
You can use this sauce on other meats, such as pork or chicken. Alternatively, you can make the meatballs with a regular beef gravy and serve with mashed potatoes.

Meatball Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs ground beef
• 1 med onion, finely diced
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
  

**if you are making these meatballs to go with beef gravy, try adding a tsp of allspice - my dad calls these “Swedish” meatballs, and they’re really good.**

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 large can crushed pineapple
• 2 cans mandarins (or two fresh mandarins), chopped small
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• ⅓ cup white vinegar
• 2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup cornstarch, with a little water

Preheat oven to 375º.
Combine all meatball ingredients in large bowl, take off your rings, and squish it all together.
Roll out meatballs and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet with sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned.

In large saucepan on stovetop over medium-high heat, add all sauce ingredients, except for the cornstarch and water. Let bubble away for a few minutes to let everything melt and meld.
Put the cornstarch into a jar or glass and dissolve it in a little water (to prevent lumps). Add this to the sauce, stir, and watch it thicken. Remove from heat.

Pour meatballs and sauce into a lidded casserole dish (use a cake pan if you don't have one) and replace in oven set at 350º.

Bake, covered (use foil if you have to) for a half an hour. Remove lid and stir gently (don’t bust up those meatballs!) and bake uncovered for another half an hour. Check periodically to make sure it doesn’t need to be stirred again.

Enjoy!

Mini Fajitas

mmmm....Mexican food! Tomorrow night my best friend Jen and her husband Garry are having their post-wedding party. They married in Mexico a few months ago and are having a party here in Calgary. So, what a great opportunity to make some Mexican food (and of course, drink some rum!) Since the party is in the evening appetizers will be served rather than dinner. We have a really fun menu (which I can't wait to eat!):

• Tomato based salsa, and pineapple salsa with chips
• Chicken Mole with Kahlua and Pistachio (this is a neat dish: the chicken is cooked in Kahlua and the sauce is a savoury, spicy, chocolate sauce. The chicken will be skewered with the sauce on the side)
• Layered bean dip
• Veggies and dip - with a Mexican twist - colourful bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchinis, and mushrooms. A dip comprised of sour cream, mayo, cilantro, garlic, diced jalapeno, diced green onions - - and maybe more, this will be a dish with whatever looks fresh and whatever inspires.
• And my favourite - Mini Fajitas:

• Get a hunk of cheap beef, like chuck, and cook it in a crock pot until it is tender enough to fall apart, with some Mexican inspired flavours: you could use beef stock with store-bought taco seasoning, some people like to use things like Coke (which helps break down the connective tissues in the meat, making it tender), jalapenos or other chilies, chili powder, garlic, cilantro, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, cumin, lime juice, the list goes on. You could do this the day before, that way you can give it a chance to cool and it will be easier to work with and also because it takes awhile to cook this, about 8 hours. The beef should shred easily when you take a fork to it.
  
• Buy those "Scoops" chips, or cut out rounds or squares from tortillas and bake until they are toasted (you just want to give them some support to hold the beef, and also to not allow the beef to make your chips soggy), at 350º for about 5-6 mins, make sure to keep an eye on them.
• Place a small pile of shreeded beef on the chip
• Thinly slice onion and place a little on top of the beef
• Thinly slice bell peppers and place on top
• Shred some cheese and pile a little on top (whatever you like - there is a nice Mexican cheese called "Asadero". This is a smooth, yellow cheese with more "tang" than other milder melting cheeses. This cheese is ideal for baking because its stronger flavor adds to the appeal of a baked dish. http://www.specialcheese.com/queso.htm)
• Bake in a 350° oven for about 8 mins, or until cheese is melted and meat is heated through.
• Serve with salsa and/or hot sauce on the side.

For those of you in Calgary visit Boca Loca, located at 1512 - 11th Ave SW, they sell fine Mexican Foods. I'm not sure if they sell Asadero, put they do carry Manchego, a very popular Spanish cheese made with goat's milk. They also carry all sorts of fantastic chilies that are hard to find elsewhere and fresh tortillas. If anyone happens to know of another store or source for these ingredients, please share!

Sobey's also carries a great variety of chiles - I found Anaheim, Serrano and Poblano chiles there.

Enjoy! And have a great weekend - it's Willie Nelson tonight for me!!