Strawberry Ginger and Basil Shortcake

So with summer here there are so many amazing fruits that come out. Now I have love for many food items - fruit and dessert is chief among those food loves (I mean are you surprised?) I also am in love with homemade pasta - so simple, so easy and so much better.  Anyways I have been hearing about Strawberry Shortcake for a long time and honestly for a very long time all I could think of was the character in a cartoon when I was a kid.  So when I started to figure out and see what these actually were I was sold on the concept - a simple yet sweet biscuit that is served with whip cream and strawberries - I mean yum!


This week has been about basil and using it in different ways. I have also wanted to do a white pepper Strawberry Shortcake (maybe later). In any event I was trying to think about the combination and how I could mix basil with strawberries, plus I was also trying to find ways that I could convince my willing victim to eat a sweet that he doesn't normally love so I set out to Google and I found some interesting drinks that featured a combination of Strawberries, Ginger and Basil!  I was sold especially since I had so much basil! I tried out the recipe below and while they were amazing (seriously amazing) I not sure I'm sold on this form of biscuit - I think I need to revisit the combinations used and maybe add more basil and ginger plus find a biscuit recipe that has butter in it (I mean everything is better with butter!) On a note: I did use a bit more flour just because of the moisture from the basil and ginger but maybe only 1 or 2 tbsp. more not sure - you'll know when you have the right consistency!

Strawberry Ginger Basil Shortcake

Makes 6 servings - takes about 1 hour with cooking and cooling

Strawberry Filling

1 1/2 pounds strawberries, stemmed and quartered

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp fresh basil chiffonade

1” piece of fresh ginger finely (grate right into the strawberries)

Biscuits:

2 tbsp sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 tbsp fresh basil chiffonade
1” piece of fresh ginger finely (grate right into the strawberries)

Whipped Cream:

1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilled
3 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
Note: I used Splenda in place of sugar in all parts of this recipe

1. Mix the Strawberries with 3 tbsp of sugar with the strawberries, basil and ginger. Cover in a bowl and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes for the juices to develop. I grate the ginger right into the strawberries so that I can get the juices (do NOT use the ginger from a jar it won’t be the same).
2. Preheat the oven to 400F
3. Sift together the flower, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 tbsp. of sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
4. In mixing glass measure out the heavy cream and add the fresh basil and grate the ginger directly into the mixing glass. 
5. Add the heavy cream mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. 
6. Either place the mixture into an ungreased 8” square pan and bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes OR divide the mixture into 6 equal size balls and flatten the top so they look like the size and shape of a hockey puck and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and cook 20 to 25 minutes. 
7. Remove the shortcake from the pan and place on a rack to cool. When ready to serve Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece if half horizontally. If you made individual biscuits allow to cool on pan and then store in an airtight container until ready to serve then slice in half. 
8. Spoon some of the strawberries and their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. 
9. For the Whipped Cream: Mix all items in a bowl using a mixer until soft peaks form about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. If you are preparing the Whipped Cream ahead and want to keep its form then add 1 tbsp of skim milk powder to stabilize the Whipped Cream which means it will keep its form and not become runny again. This will not change the taste. I also just whipped the cream without adding anything and it was good like that!

Inspired by Basil

Just a little Basil!

So I came home from the Lake where my Dad happens to have a little herb garden going in pots. Well - I took some basil home (just a little...) mostly because I have wanted to make Pesto but find buying all of the basil needed just too expensive (especially compared to how much a jar of pre-made pesto costs!

Now again I know that you can make Pesto with more than Basil and Pine nuts - really any combination of herbs with a buttery nut (walnuts, pecan) can be used to make a pesto. However, I can't remember having ever made pesto from scratch so I wanted to actually try a classic pesto. So I got inspired and made classic pesto from scratch. I also made dessert inspired by basil so stay tuned!

Inspired by the sheer amount of basil I had - I also made basil pasta, served with pesto and cheese chicken roulade (yes lots of pesto in this dish - but I had lots and wanted to us it. In order to make the basil pasta I started preparations like normal for the pasta but then when mixing the egg , water and oil I added in 2 ounces (by weight) of fresh basil that had been chopped and purred the mixture with an immersion blender. The dough was a little wetter than normal so I added a little more flour (not sure how much but I would guess up to 2 ounces of extra flour to accommodate for the extra moisture from the basil). 

Classic Pesto 

1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted if you want an extra touch)
2 garlic cloves
2 1/2 cups packed fresh basil
1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil (a good quality)

1. In a food processor blitz the cheese and pine nuts until they are coarse 
2. Add the basil and garlic to the food processor (I mince the garlic or use a press prior to adding it to the mix) 
3. Pulse 6 times just to get everything started
4. turn on the food processor and add oil in a steady stream and there is an even consistency in the mixture.
5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge (I use glass jam jars).

Basic Pasta Dough

1 lbs Flour (by weight - I use AP or sometimes a mix of AP and OO Flour) 

4 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

2 tbsp water 

1. Put the flour on a clean dry work surface. Make a hole in the center of the flour pile that is about the size of a dinner plate. Add all other ingredients into a bowl or heck just a large glass measuring cup and mix with a fork - then add to the hole or well in the flour. (If making flavoured pasta - this is where i would mix in the basil to the liquid mixture then work into the dough) 
2. Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful of the flour "walls" around the liquid or the egg mixture will run all over your board. Once the flour and egg mixture seems like it is less fluid and more gel like consistency (basically not running consistency) begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. Once all of the flour has combined into one mixture then start kneading. 
3. Knead until the pasta is soft and supple - when you push a finger in lightly the dough should bounce back. Be careful when kneading to not push too far or it will break or tear the dough. 
4. Wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately do not refrigerate.
5. Roll and cut the pasta into desired shape - I usually roll everything down to an 8. 
6. When rolling I always roll at the thickest setting a couple of times.  Cut the dough disk into 4 pieces and then cover three of them back in plastic wrap. Press the dough out until less than 1/2" thick.  Run it through the machine and then fold each side into the centre overlapping (so the rectangle folded in thirds). then run it through with the open end (not folded side) down and repeat several times just working the dough - you may have to dust a little with flour. I add flour to the work surface, place the sheet down then slap over the other side and brush lightly with my hands. When the dough seems to be a consistent size and thickness then I start going down 1 step at a time. When moving to the next pieces of dough - put the rolled out ones between two towels on a cookie sheet being sure to flour well between the folds. 
7. Once cut to the shape or size you want boil a pot of WELL salted water and then add the pasta (being careful to not overfill the pot with pasta) and cook for about 3 minutes on a full boil). 

Lots of Chocolate Cupcakes

So I love to bake. As much as I love to cook and have the freedom to try different things and not follow the rules or measure carefully. That being said I find baking to be almost magical. That you take certain items, add them together and put them in the oven and something completely different comes out at the end. Now I know and understand thanks to Good Eats and Alton Brown that this is science - it is the reason  why you have to be so specific when baking.

That being said I still find it fascinating. Not to mention I am spending more time now trying to figure out how to make things on my own without a recipe (I just got a book called Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking) It's an inexpensive book and seems interesting.  I am waiting to try something out until I don't really need it to turn out just in case. 

That being said one of my favourite things to experiment with these days are cupcakes! I took cake decorating classes and when we went to class I would go the easy route and buy the often $1 cake mix and just make that (I mean come on - how easy and simple is that!!) It wasn't until the Monkey's birthday a couple of years ago that I started really making my own cake instead of using a mix (now I never use a mix).  All because she said "Mom, your really not making me a home made cake if it is from a box" - I signed because she was right so I pulled out my trusty cookbook Canadian Living: The Ultimate Cookbook and found a classic chocolate cake recipe - it seemed pretty easy - like ok really easy. This is by far the best - hands down - cake recipe ever! I say this because I have had people convert to actually eating cake and convert to liking chocolate cake once they try this recipe. It is good because it's chococlatey without being an overwhelming chocolate. 

As directed in the recipe I always use coffee instead of water to help bring out the flavour. However at times I have changed that up and have also used mulled red wine (especially around Christmas) I have also done a coffee and Khalua mix with a Bailey's Icing (a B52 cupcake!) the possibilities are endless once you get the basic cake down! Including the variety of different butter cream icing you can use to decorate it with.

The best part about this recipe is that I can usually get it made and in the oven within about 5 to 8 minutes! (you may be asking about the coffee - I usually make that using the Keurig or lately a french press and all I do is put Ice in a bag and let it sit in the hot coffee to cool it down before adding it to the mix. 

Classic Chocolate cake

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups brewed coffee or water (I would never water - coffee makes them SO much better! it must be cool not HOT when adding to the cake batter)

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla 

3 tbsp cider vinegar (I have used apple cider because I couldn't find plain cider and it worked fine) 

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees 

Cake: Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside,

Cupcakes: Line 24 cupcake tins with liners and set aside. 

• In bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
• Whisk in coffee, oil and vanilla. Stir in the vinegar. (I usually just combine this all in one large glass measuring cup) 
• Divide evenly between the cupcake tins or cake pan (I found for the cupcakes they were almost all of the way full). 
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes for the cake or 18-20 minutes for cupcakes. Make sure you test with a tester.
• Let cool for 10 minutes and then invert cake pan onto a cooling rack or remove the cupcakes from the tins. 

Bailey's Butter Cream Icing

1 lbs Icing sugar (measure by weight)

1 cup butter

8 tsp of Bailey's

Chickpea, Cumin and Spinach Koftas with Tahini Dressing

So I am going to start with saying that my version or adaptation of these made for a very odd looking end product but putting that aside they were amazing and definitely will be on our list of things to make again. It is also nice as a non-meat meal that left all of us fully stuff.

This recipe comes again from Gordon Ramsay's cookbook "Home Cooking Everything you need to know to make fabulous food" (I would include this book on my must buy list - there are a number of amazing recipes that are easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser even with the fussy eaters!)

Mine ended up with a totally green blob like appearance because I pureed everything for the husband and his texture issues in food. The only picture I have also is from the next day at work when we were sharing the left overs they were that good!

Note: this was not a difficult weeknight recipe to make; however, it does have a 1 hour chill time during the recipe so I would probably make one night and then cook another night - once they are cooked they don't hang around long!

Chickpea, Cumin and Spinach Koftas with Tahini Dressing

Koftas

8 ounces spinach (I used 1 package frozen spinach)

Olive Oil

1 tbsp. cumin seeds

2 x 14 ounce cans chickpeas, drained

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. chickpea (gram) flour, plus extra for dusting)

Dressing

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1-2 tbsp. tahini paste, to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive Oil (optional)

1. Wash the spinach, then place in a medium-hot oiled pan and stir until wilted. Drain thoroughly, squeezing out any excess water, then finely chopped. (Here I just used 1 package of chopped frozen spinach and squeezed out all of the excess water using cheese cloth).
2. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry hot pan for about 1 minute until aromatic and golden, then grind in a mortar with a pestle.
3. Place the chickpeas, cumin and spices along with a good pinch of salt and pepper in a blender and blend to a fine paste. (If the mixture looks too dry to hold together, add 2 - 3 tablespoons of water and blend again).(I used a vitamix for this part because we don't own a blender and it didn't work very well - the next time I would try a food processor instead).
4. Add the spinach, sprinkle in the flour and mix well to combine (I processed the spinach because the husband has texture issues).
5. Dust your hands with flour, then take a tablespoon of the mixture and mold it into an egg shape. (I did this with a cook scoop but it didn't work well next time I would use just a regular spoon). Repeat until all of the mixture has been used, then place on a plate or baking sheet dusted with flour. Chill for at least 1 hour until you are ready to cook.
6. For the dressing - combine all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ad a little olive oil if you want a looser consistency. I found that this was better to sit overnight so I would actually make this first before making the koftas.
7. Preheat the oven to 250F.
8. Heat some oil in a pan and pan-fry the koftas in batches over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown on all sides and hot all the way through. Drain after frying, and keep them warm in the oven.
9. Serve the koftas warm with the dressing on the side.

Chicken Parmesan Balls an amazing Alton Brown creation

So I don't know how many times I have heard/read/seen the advice that you really must read through an entire recipe before you start cooking.

The foreword of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" 50th Anniversary edition has some words of advice that I would like to copy here again just in case you need another reminder:

Our years of teaching cookery have impressed upon us the fact that all too often a debutant cook will start in enthusiastically on a new dish without every reading the recipe first. Suddenly an ingredient, or a process, or a time sequence will turn up, and there is astonishment, frustration, and even disaster We therefore urge you, however much you have cooked, always to read the recipe first, even if the dish is familiar to you. Visualize each step so you will know exactly what techniques, ingredients, time, and equipment are required and you will encounter no surprises. Recipe language is always a sort of shorthand in which a lot of information is packed, and you will have to read carefully if you are not to miss small but important points. Then, to build up your over-all knowledge of cooking, compare the recipe mentally to others you are familiar with, and note where one recipe or technique fits into the large picture of the theme and variations. (pg xxvi)

Well those who have had the opportunity to see my cookbooks know that I often read them like a novel when I get them. I sit and study which recipes I may want to try and mark them with post it notes along the top of the book and make note of them in my notebook (I try not always good on this point). I have mentioned that I have a rule that I need to have at least 1 recipe per dollar I spend on a book - so if a cookbook costs $10 I must have 10 recipes I want to try. I even make notes directly in a cookbook about the steps, ingredients that go together for each steps. What's the point?

This cooking expedition is a real reminder that this holds true no matter how simple the recipe is and no matter how familiar you think you are. I missed a step  but at the end of the day the recipe was still amazing despite the imperfections in my technique!  The recipe was straight forward and honestly we enjoyed it more than a traditional chicken parmesan.

Oh and I happened to stumble across AB's page in which he has clarifications about some of the recipes in his Everyday Cook book (click the link for the book on amazon). Find them here: Everyday Cook Corrections and Clarifications. Just now that this recipe is (a) Game changer (b) easy weeknight meal that the Monkey helped out with!

Chicken Parmesan Balls

3 ounces panko bread crumbs (divided 1/2 ounce and 2 1/2 ounces)

4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated (divided 1 ounce and 3 ounces)

1 1/2 lbs ground chicken

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. herb oil (another AB recipe could also just Olive Oil)

1 tbsp dried basil

2 tsp garlic power

2 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp kosher salt

Spaghetti sauce (the original recipe uses an AB sauce - I used 1 can or about 2 1/2 cups)

4 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, grated

1. Heat the oven to 400F
2. Mix together 1/2 ounce of the panko with 1 ounce of the parmesan in a small bowl and set aside. (note: this is where I messed up this is for rolling the balls in before frying).
3. Combine the chicken, egg, 1 tbsp. of the herb oil, the remaining 2 1/2 ounces panko, the remaining 3 ounces parmesan, the basil, garlic powder, parsley, oregano and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands, gently combine until just incorporated, trying not to overwork the meat.
4. Divide the meatball mixture into 28 golf ball-size rounds (1 ounce each) (now - you can weigh out the mixture or use a cookie scoop - I used the scoop then rolled them). Roll the balls in the panko mixture (I missed this part of the step entirely).
5. Heath the remaining 1 tablespoon herb oil over medium heat in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Brown the meatballs in the herb oil, about 30 seconds on each side, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan. Remove the browned meatballs from the pan (if using AB's weeknight spaghetti sauce make it - or do like me an open the can)
6. Cover the meatballs with the sauce, cover with the grated mozzarella and bake until the meatballs are cooked through about 10 minutes, and the cheese is melted. Serve over cooked pasta or on top of crispy bread. (Frankly - the 4 ounces of mozzarella was not enough cheese for us so we used more and because I still had that panko and parmesan set aside from earlier I just put them on top of the cheese for a crusty top.

Cardamom-Spiced Custard with Chai Syrup

So anyone who knows me by this point knows that I love cooking shows of all varieties - Top Chef; Masterchef (Canadian and US versions of both); Good Eats; Cut Throat Kitchen; Hells Kitchen. I also would love to be on one or anyone of these shows - particularly Masterchef Canada. So I watch the show and see how I could do in similar situations and also to push myself to try and learn new things.


So another MasterChef Canada like adventure. They had a recent episode where the contestants had to make a crème brulee with a caramel cage during a pressure test. Crème Brulee has been on my list of things to make for a long time. However, just haven't had a chance. Ultimately, then with the husband was diagnosed with diabetes it makes it more difficult to make certain desserts because of the sugar content. Then in what I would guess is a sponsored post one of the judges Claudio share a recipe for making a crème brulee style dessert that used Splenda. Now, I know that some people have issue with using artificial sweeteners; however, with diabetes a real concern and trying to find a way to enjoy the same or similar kind of desserts I use them. 


Now, I also wanted to try the other part of this challenge of making the caramel cages - so I used Google to find some videos on making the caramel and voila - I managed to achieve a pretty amazing result. That being said while I enjoyed the dessert I was not a fan of the Chair Syrup.  I think I will try a different variation of this the next time and I have a goal of trying a crème brulee in the sous vide.

 

 

Cardamom-Spiced Custard with Chai Syrup

 

INGREDIENTS

Custard 

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup cream

2 eggs

1 yolk

2 Tbsp SPLENDA® Stevia No Calorie Sweetener, for bottom of ramekins

1 Tbsp SPLENDA® Stevia No Calorie Sweetener, for custard mix

2 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 salt

 

Chai Syrup

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp SPLENDA® Stevia No Calorie Sweetener

1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon, cardamom, clove, anise

 

SERVINGS: MAKES 4

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, melt 2 Tbsp SPLENDA® Stevia No Calorie Sweetener with 2 Tbsp vanilla. When bubbles begin to form on surface, set a timer and let boil for 1 min. Divide evenly among ramekins and let cool. Caramel should harden as it cools. Scald milk and cream in a sauce pot. Add 1 Tbsp SPLENDA® Stevia No Calorie Sweetener, remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla, cardamom, and salt. In a mixing bowl whisk eggs and yolk, then strain through a fine sieve. While whisking constantly, very slowly add the egg mixture to the scalded milk
2. Divide mixture evenly into ramekins. Put ramekins in a Bain Marie with boiling water halfway up the side. (a 9x13 baking pan works great for this). Bake for about 18 minutes, or until middle is jiggly but set.
3. Remove from Bain Marie and let rest out of the water on counter for 30 minutes. Do not refrigerate as it will cause the caramel to harden. Run sharp knife around the edge of custards. Place plate on top of ramekin, invert and turn out onto plate and serve immediately.
4. To make the Chai Syrup: In small saucepan, stir together water and SPLENDA® Stevia No Calorie Sweetener over medium heat until fully dissolved. Stir in spices and let cool. Then pour as much as desired on top of custard before eating.

 

Golden Chicken with Potatoes and Chickpeas - more tagine adventures!

More experimenting with the Tagine. I like the idea because most of the recipes that I have used or I have tried require very little effort or preparation work and they cook for longer periods of time without much attention required which means they are perfect for after a long day at work. I can come home and put the few but amazing ingredients together then sit and relax for a while supper cooks and we still end up with an amazing supper that was home cooked without a lot of effort.

This recipe was a particular hit because it had a potatoes in it which made it a full meal.  The only down side was that we did not have any pitas or like bread to eat with the meal so we used toasted bread. But this meal is one that does require something to soak up the amazing sauce with! The left over chicken breast also made a very good and amazing chicken salad sandwich the next day.

Note that many of the tagine recipes I am cooking called for either avocado or Olive Oil and I have used an avocado blended mix because pure avocado oil was not in my budget.

Golden chicken with Potatoes and Chickpeas

Designed for Medium or large

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 tbsp melted butter

20 strands saffron

1 tbsp ground turmeric

3 tbsp avocado or olive oil

2 onions, cut into quarters (I only used 1 because of my tagine size)

4 to 6 skinless boneless chicken breasts (I only used 3 because of tagine size)

1 cup chicken broth

1 piece approx. 2" cinnamon stick

1 can - 14 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 chopped flat-left parsley

1. In a bowl combine the melted butter, saffron and turmeric. Set aside.
2. In the bottom of the tagine heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and potatoes cook while stirring for 5 minutes.
3. Add spice mixture, chicken sliding around and moving the onions away to brown the chicken - I made sure that the chicken made contact with the bottom and side of the tagine to improve browning. Cook for about 5 minutes or until chicken is browned.
4. Using tongs, turn chicken over, add broth and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Cover with tagine lid, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring once, for 25 minutes.
5. Stir in the chickpeas and parsley. Replace lid and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until chickpeas are heated through and chicken is no longer pink inside. Discard cinnamon stick prior to serving.

Cinnamon Chicken Tagine with Peaches

My Tagine :) Christmas present!!

I'm still getting the hang of using the tagine and understanding how it is best to use it. The one thing I am definitely falling in love with is the different flavour and food combinations of food used in this style of cooking.  The combination of fruits, spice, meats it amazing and opens a new window in life.

This recipe is definitely one that I would not have expected as it combines canned peaches, cinnamon and chicken in one recipe.  The end result was amazing. The original recipe gave the option of using a Moroccan Spice Blend or just ground Cinnamon so I went through the extra effort to use the spice blend and there is a lot of the blend left over so I'm excited about what to use it with next. Frankly I am thinking of some form of bread pudding. Although the next time I make the blend I may try going another route and using the whole spices, roasting and then grinding them at home.

Cinnamon Chicken Tagine with Peaches

Makes 4 servings

Medium size Tagine

2 tbsp avocado or olive oil

1 onion - cut into quarters

2 tsp Ground Moroccan Spice blend (see below) or ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Ground ginger

1 tsp hot pepper flakes (optional) (I use 1/4 tsp and don't like anything spicy - I would use more next time)

4 Skinless boneless chicken breasts

Juice of 1 lemon (I also added the zest from the lemon)

1 - 14 oz can of sliced peaches or apricots in water or juice (I used peaches)

2 cups carrot coins

1/4 toasted slivered almonds

1. In the bottom of a the tagine, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, spice blend, ginger and hot pepper flakes stirring, for 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken and toss with onion and spices to coat.
3. Add lemon juice, peaches with the liquid and carrots. I cut the coins about 1/4" think and they were tender but not soft. The husband prefers them to be soft so I would cut them thinner next time.
4. Bring to a boil, cover with lid, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring once for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chick is no longer pink inside.
5. Garnish with almonds when serving.

I served this over a quinoa, grains and wild rice blend. The onions honestly were the best part of this dish - everything else was really good but the onions were amazing! You may also notice that I used slivered vs. sliced almonds and that is simply because it is what I had on hand.

Ground Moroccan Spice Blend

3 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp ground cardamom

2 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground ginger

Combine all of the above in a bowl and store in an airtight glass jar with a lid in a cool place for up to 3 months.

 

 

Toad in the Hole

So the Husband is English (yes the accent is fantastic and yes it is the reason I agreed to go out with him in the first place and then sat and was memorized by his voice... ok I am drifting from the point).

One of his biggest complaints here is that he just can't seem to get a home-cooked meal that would be normal for him. I understand this after melting down in Tesco's on our trip to Europe - I think it was day 5 or 6 and we went to the store to get some food to make supper and I was dazed, confused and lost NOTHING seemed familiar or normal.

I have been trying my best to learn things that he would have at home in England and make them. Sometimes I run into problems like not being able to find proper english style sausages (yes it is on my list of things to cook/make for the 366 challenged).

Last night I made Toad in the Hole (a variation on Yorkshire pudding).  Basically it is bangers cooked into the yorkshire pudding, then served with mashed potatoes, veggies (normally - but don't get me started on the microwave..), and a red win reduction gravy (yum!).

I have had people say that they are afraid of making Yorkshire pudding but honestly it isn't that tough. I measure my dry ingredients with a scale.

Here is the recipe and my general directions:

Yorkshire Pudding 

• 4 eggs
• 140 g of flour
• 200 mL Milk 
• Salt and pepper (yes I know usually you don't use these but i do it anyways)
• (for a variation the small ones in the pictures had rosemary added, and next time I might try some different spice combinations to see how they go). 

Using a metal whisk beat the eggs until they are smooth and creamy yellow colour. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Do not be afraid to beat the mixture hard you want to incorporate air into the mixture. Once smooth whisk in the milk.  

I use a 4-cup glass measuring cup for this entire process. Once the mixture is fully combined I cover it with plastic wrap and put it into the fridge (leave the whisk with the batter). This can be done right before you make them or in advance - I try to do it in advance or at least make the batter before I start heating the oven. 

Heat the oven to 350F. Once the oven is preheated I then put oil into my containers. I use either muffin tins (for the small ones) or glass cake pans (prefer metal) 9"x9" for the large ones. 

Put enough canola oil in each space so that there is about 1/4" at the bottom.  THIS IS THE KEY - anytime I have screwed up Yorkshire Pudding it is usually because I have second guessed myself having TOO much oil and then take some out - you can't have too much unless the space is over half full that would be too much.)

Put the pans/tins into the oven until the oil is HOT (at least 5 minutes) but pull if the oil starts to smoke.

Grab the batter from the fridge and whisk again then working as close to the oven as you can pour the batter into the tins/pan - I would guess until the space is about half full on muffin tins about 1" tall in the cake pans. 

Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Try to not open the oven door because the steam will escape. 

Toad in the Hole  

- This variant is basically done with cooking the sausages until they are no longer pink, then place into the oil and then cover with the batter as above. I had a problem with the sausages not being cooked into the dough itself - I didn't use enough of the batter apparently but still very tasty. 

I used the oil/fat from the sausages and cooked that with red wine until it reduced before adding some broth, salt and pepper and some flour to make a gravy.