Let it snow

I woke up this morning thinking I would see a few feet of snow based on all the weather warnings we've been seeing and reading about. I was pleasantly surprised to find that while we had some snow - there wasn't half as much as I thought there might be.

Oakley and I enjoyed a nice walk around the block.

Mango and Baby Tomatoe Salad

Sweet and fresh mangoes and mint are the perfect contrast to the deep richness of cloves in this tasty salad by Bal Arneson.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4

Ingredients
Dressing
1/4 cup mango juice
1/4 cup flaxseed oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
pinch of clove powder
pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
Salad
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 cup baby tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup ripe mango chunks
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Directions
Dressing
1.Whisk the ingredients together in the bottom of a salad bowl.
Salad
1.Add ingredients to dressing bowl and toss well. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

This is sooooo good

You have to try this one. The yogurt almost tastes like whipping cream. It's well worth the wait. We made this with the same yogurt that we feed Oakley - it's Astro Original - Balkin Style Yogurt. Yummy.

So simple and yet so good! Yogurt, honey and almonds are all you need to make this delicious treat.

Firm Yogurt with Honey and Almonds

Ingredients
3 cups plain yogurt (2% MF)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions
1.Place a strainer over a deep bowl. Line the strainer with 3 layers of cheesecloth (or 1 large coffee filter or 3 layers of extra-strength paper towel). Pour the yogurt into the strainer. Cover, refrigerate and let drain for 5 hours or overnight. Serve drizzled with honey and sprinkled with almonds.

5 Stars

Ricardo's Moussaka

I was a little worried that I wouldn't be posting a recipe this week for the simple reason that I have been sick. I was sick with the flu for almost 5 days - as a matter of fact, I'm still not feeling 100% yet. Thankfully Ralph offered to cook supper tonight and said he would try this recipe for me. I saw Ricardo cook this on tv and it looked simple enough. The key is having everything ready in advance as there is alot of preparation needed. We cooked mashed garlic potatoes as a compliment to this.

This delicious dish layers meat, tomatoes, and eggplant all covered in a creamy white bechamel sauce.

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

Moussaka

1 large eggplant, cut into 1-cm (1/2-inch slices)
2/3 cup olive oil
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground ginger
1/2 cup white wine
1 can diced tomatoes (14oz)
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper

Yogurt Béchamel

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup plain yogurt (4% MF or lighter)
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 egg yolk
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Directions

Moussaka

1.In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the eggplant, several slices at a time, using 125 ml (1/2 cup) of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside on a plate.
2.In the same skillet in the remaining oil, brown the meat and onion with the garlic and spices, breaking the meat up with a fork or wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine. Bring to a boil and reduce until nearly all the wine has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and parsley. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add 60 ml (1/4 cup) of breadcrumbs, stirring well to combine. Adjust the seasoning. Set aside.

Yogurt Béchamel

1.In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Dust with the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the yogurt and bring to a boil while stirring. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, egg and nutmeg. Adjust the seasoning. Set aside.
2.With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Assembly
1.With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
2.Butter a baking dish about 18 x 28-cm (7 x 11-inch) in size or able to hold about 2 litres (8 cups). Sprinkle 30 ml (2 tablespoons) breadcrumbs on the bottom. Lay half of the eggplant slices on the bottom. Top with the meat mixture. Cover with the remaining eggplant slices. Spread the béchamel over the eggplant. Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs. Bake until the béchamel turns gold-coloured, about 30 minutes.

The Best Egg's ever

I made these for us for Christmas - I have made them twice since that day as they are so good.

Ingredients: (Serves two) - Oven Temperature 350F

4 Eggs (room temperature)
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cup grated cheese (hard cheese - similar to gruyere)
Butter
Cream Fraiche

Separate the egg yolks from the white. Place the egg yolks (whole) in a flat bowl with cold water. In a mixer add egg whites and pinch of salt and whip till stiff peaks form. Fold in 1 cup of grated cheese.

Butter a ramkin or small oven proof dish to hold two egg's per person (two dishes) and add the whipped egg white and cheese mixture. Smooth top and with the back of a tblspn place an indentation where the egg yolk will be. With a tblsp gently pick up 1 yolk and drain the water and add to the egg white mixture. Repeat with all yolks. Add 1/2 tsp Cream Fraiche on top of each egg yolk and sprinkly with remaining grated cheese.

Bake in over for 16 minutes.

4 Stars

Sunday-Best Garlic Roast Beef

Ingredients:

Beef:
8 large garlic cloves unpeeled
1 Top Sirloin roast with some top fat intact (4 lbs)

Garlic-Salt Rub:
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt

Garlic Paste:
12 large garlic cloves, peeled, cut in half lengthwise
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
Pepper to taste

Jus:
1 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1. For the beef: Toast the unpeeled garlic cloves in a small skillet over medium high heat tossing frequently, until the cloves are spotty brown, about 8 minutes. Set the garlic aside and when cool enought to handle, peel the cloves and cut them into 1/4 inch slivers.

2. Using a paring knife, make 1 inch deep slits all over the roast and insert the toasted garlic into the slits.

3. For the Galic-Salt rub: Mix the minced garlic, thyme and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the roast. Place the roast on a large plate and refridgerate uncovered for at least 4 hrs or preferably overnight.

4. For the garlic paste: Heat the halved garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaves, salt and oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the bubbles start to rise to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the garlic is soft, about 30 minutes. Cool completely and then strain the mixture reserving the oil. Discard the herbs and transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Mash the garlic with 1 tblsp of the garlic oil until a past forms. Cover and refridgerate the paste until ready to use it. Cover and reserve the garlic oil.

5. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place a nonstick roasting pan or broiler pan bottom on the oven rack and heat the oven to 450 F. Using paper towels, wipe the garlic-salt rub off the beef, then rub the beef with 2 tblsp of the reserved garlic oil and season it with the pepper. Transfer the meat, fat side down the preheated pan and roast turning as needed until the meat is browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Reduce the oven temperature to 300F. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Turn the roast, fat side up and using a spatula cost the top of the roast with the garlic paste. Return the meat to the oven and roast it until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees (for medium). Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent it with foil for let rest for 2 minutes.

7. Jus - drain the fat from the roasting pan and place the pan over high heat. Add the broths and bring them to a boil scraping the browned bits from the pan bottom. Simmer, stiring occasionally until the liquid has reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Add any accumulated juice from the roast and cook for 1 minute. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Slice the roast crosswise against the grain into 1/4 inch slices and serve with juice.

Side note: I added potatoes (cut into 1/4's and roasted them in the juice from the roast (plus I added a little olive oil on top of them). They nicely pick up the garlic flavour.

3 stars (out of 4)

Buttery Blondies with Chocolate Fudge Cups

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour - all purpose
1 tsp baking powder
1 pkg PC Mini Fudge Melts
1/2 cup salted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9 inch square metal baking pan with Canola Cooking Oil.

2. Into large bowl, sift together flour and baking powder, measure out 1/2 cup of fudge cups and set aside. Stir remaining baking cups into flour mixture.

3. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until butter is creamy and light in colour. One at a time add eggs beating well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and press down lightly with floured hands to make a smooth even layer.

4. Bake in center of oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, top with reserved chocolate fudge cups. Return to oven and bake another 15-18 minutes until golden brown and skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Cool for 15-20 minutes in this pan before cutting and serving.

Makes 25 servings.

Per serving - 170 calories
Fat 8 gram
Sodium 70 meg
Carbs - 21 gram
Fibre - 1 gram
Sugar - 1 gram