Zucchini and Tomato Puff Pastry Tart

There is a part of me that cringes when I step outside my front door, only to be greeted by the rain. A part of me that wants nothing more then to walk back into the warmth and comfort of my home. But there is another part of me that finds a therapeutic property to rain. This part of me wants to experience the drip, drip, drip of rain falling on every surface I see. Sometimes I think that the only time my mind is ever truly silent is when it is simply listening to the rain. If you can for even a moment stop the noise in your head you will be amazed by how comforting the sound of rain can be. To think that rain is not only nourishing your soul, but that of every living thing in the world around you is both a warm and comforting thought.

This coming from someone who often starts her posts off with a complaint about the weather! I have decided to embrace the changing season by taking some of my favorite summer vegetables and pairing them with puff pastry which is not ideal to bake in hot weather therefore making it perfect for a rainy day such as today!

I have to admit that I sort of cheated on this recipe by not making my own puff pastry. If it weren't a weekday and if I wasn't feeling under the weather I would have attempted it myself. You can manipulate this recipe to incorporate your preferred combination of vegetables and cheese. I think I am going to try a caramelized onion tart next time!

• I pkg puff pastry
• 4 vine ripened tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large zucchini, sliced into rounds
• 1/2 cup Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• fresh ground salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 


2. On a floured work surface, roll out puff pastry into a rectangle 10 by 12 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. 
3. Spread the Asiago cheese over the surface of the dough. Top with zucchini and tomato slices to within 1 inch of dough edge and finish off with feta, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pastry turns golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Summer Salad

I apologize for my delayed posting. This month is proving to be a very busy one in our household. When we do have free time I am finding it hard to motivate myself to sit down long enough to organize a post. Mostly the overwhelming hot weather is to blame for this! I hope you are all equally busy with outdoor activities and of course wearing sunscreen! I think I have consumed enough watermelon and summer fruit in the past month to keep a small army out of famine.

In an attempt to keep our little cave (basement suite) nice and cool I have been taking advantage of local greens and produce by making refreshing salads. You don’t need a recipe for salad but it’s always nice to have a base for inspiration. In this instance I found inspiration in a salad from my new WhiteWater Cooks at Home cookbook. I will roughly outline the ingredients required for this recipe and I am sure you can figure out the rest!

• mixed greens
• diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
• grated beet
• bocconcini balls, halved or crumbled feta
• pumpkin seeds (toasted)
• dill, chopped

Dressing

• extra-virgin olive oil
• balsamic oil
• splash of lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• fresh ground salt & pepper

Baked Tofu Parmigiana

For those of you that have been following my blog since the very beginning you will probably recognize this recipe. As I mentioned a few months ago I am working on updating and improving the pictures and recipes on my blog. So here it is again!

This recipe gets better every time I make it! It's super easy and comes very close to the much loved chicken parmigiana. I fool Mike by serving this slightly different every time I make it. For example you can use different cheeses and serve over rice, pasta or oven toasted  bread. This time around I served over orzo.

• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp dried oregano, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp cold water
  
• 1 lb extra firm tofu
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (no salt added)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt, and black pepper. 
2. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. 
   
3. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices and begin the following process, one piece at a time: coat tofu with flour then dredge in egg and finish by pressing into bread crumb mixture turning to coat all sides.
4. Cook tofu slices in skillet until brown on both sides. Set finished pieces on plate until all the tofu has been breaded.
   
5. Combine tomato sauce, basil, garlic, and remaining oregano. Place a thin layer of sauce in an rectangle baking dish. Arrange tofu slices in the pan. Spoon remaining sauce over tofu. Top with shredded mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.
6. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Serve over rice or pasta with garlic bread and a side salad.

Roasted Vegetable Stacks

I hope you all had a very restful long weekend. I don't know that I can say that mine was restful but it certainly was productive. Mike and I succeeded in making three batches of jam; blueberry-apricot, raspberry-peach and strawberry-apricot. The first batch proofed to be very stressful as we didn't quite have our bearings yet but by the last batch we could be considered pros!

This is a recipe from the Whitewater cooks at home by Shelley Adams which is a new addition to my cookbook library and probably one of my new favorites. For those of you non-vegetarians you will be happy to know that this cookbook includes lots of yummy looking seafood and meat recipes.

I had the pleasure of being served these delectable treats at a dinner with friends and was so impressed by them that I decided to make them for a potluck I recently attended. Although I can not disclose the full recipe I can give you an idea of what the dish consists of. The basic idea is to stack roasted or grilled vegetables with layers of goat cheese, mozzarella and pesto. Finish off with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a drizzle of balsamic crema. You can make these a day ahead and serve warm by heating them up in a 350° oven for 20 minutes.

Berry Layer Cake

Here is a great summer dessert that will put your local berries to good use. The original recipe makes a gigantic 4 layer cake with cream and berries in between. I opted to half the recipe and make individual size cakes as I didn't have a big enough crowd to share this with and we all know that fresh whip cream doesn't last long. You can use a 3" muffin pan which will yield 6 mini cakes.

We enjoyed these mini cakes with my oldest and best friend Kylee on her birthday. Ky and I first met at the tender age of two. Awww! Yes, well Mom say's we were making mud pies together back then and continue to share a love of food to this day. Ky is going to hate this because she is very modest but she just so happens to be the best home cook I know. I think it's because she doesn't follow a recipe and is really good at creating amazing flavor combination's on a whim. She is the only person I know that would prefer to cook on her birthday and that she did!

PS - did I mention she is an electrial engineer? Who say's girls can't be amazing cooks and break down the barriers in a male dominant career? Sorry for boasting Ky, but I'm just so proud of you!

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 large whole eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp confectioners sugar
• fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease muffin tin (make sure to grease well as sponge cake has a tendency to stick). Sift together flour and corn starch and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the whole eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, salt and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until thick and pale (should be able to hold a ribbon-like trail on the surface), about 5 minutes. Add oil in a steady stream, mixing until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and fold mixture several times.
3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture. With mixer on low speed, beat until just combined. 
4. Evenly pour batter into muffin pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, about 17-20 mins.
5. Immediately invert cakes onto wire rack. Then reinvert cakes, and let them cool completely, top side up.
6. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine cream, confectioners' sugar, and remaining vanilla extract. Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 mins.
7. Using a serrated knife, cut cakes in half. Place one of the bottom layers on a plate. Spread a few dollops of cream on top and cover with berries. Cover with the top half of the cake and repeat cream and berries. Serve immediately!

Mikey's Fajitas

I understand that to some cooking and baking is a chore, and although necessary it can be very cumbersome to prepare meals when you have little time to do so. I know that one day I may be faced with the same challenges as a working mother.

However, I think it is possible to change your perspective of cooking and transform it from a chore to an interactive family experience. I think it’s a great opportunity to engage in active family time opposed to inactive family time. I don’t know when family time became TV time but I think my generation and even the generation one step ahead of me has a responsibility to change this. We live in a time where we don’t have to work together to keep a homestead like the pioneers did. But I think we are missing out on a very important communal component living by today’s conveniences (ordering in or picking up food to go). Although necessary at times I think that if you all work together there is no reason why you can’t commit to making dinner as a family a few times a week.

Of course the opposing argument is that it is often faster and easier for the most experienced cook to make a meal without extra hands on deck. Although I agree I am up for the challenge of working and teaching others so that I am not the only one that can whip up dinner every day. We don’t live in the 60’s anymore people and we are not house wives! Why can’t your children help rinse and spin dry lettuce while you chop up the veggies? And why can’t your spouse make the dressing?

This recipe was created by Mike and approved by Lyndsay!

• 1 bell pepper, cut into strips
• 2 cups white or cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters or 1/8ths if large
• 1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
• kernels from one cob of corn
• 1 carrot – julienned
• 2 cups fresh spinach (washed and spun dry)
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 4-6 tortilla shells

Sauce

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1.25 tbsp oregano
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 lime juice
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 2 oz water or more for liquid consistency

1. Stir together all ingredients for the sauce.
2. Combine all vegetables in a bowl and stir in the sauce.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add veggies to the pan and sauté until onions turn translucent.
4. Warm tortillas in oven on LO broil for about 2 minutes each side. Careful not to crisp them.
5. Assemble fajitas starting with spinach followed by sautéed vegetables and finishing with feta.

Lentil and Bulgur Soup

I recently realized that I was a major contributing factor to the rising heat inside our suite. I thought the look on Mike's face when he came home to find me baking bread and making soup would be one of admiration.....but instead I received a look of puzzlement followed by "Hi hun...uh, why are you making soup when it's 30° outside?" Honestly I don't think I ever stopped to think that maybe I should be testing Martha Stewart's summer recipes instead of the fall ones! Either way, I'm going to go ahead and post this recipe from the March 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Living with a commitment to finding more recipes that require less heat and more chill!

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup green lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• fresh ground pepper and sea salt

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook carrot, celery and shallot until tender, about 6 minutes. Add water and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Stir in bulgur and cook partially covered until bulgur is tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve soup with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Quinoa and Buckwheat Burritos

If you don’t currently have plans for this upcoming weekend I have a wonderful outdoor proposition for those of you living in or around Victoria, BC. The Organics Island Festival which is apparently Canada’s largest outdoor green festival is being held at Glendale Farms on July 10 and 11th. I’m very excited about the opportunity to sample organic and fair trade food and beverages from over 40 food and drink vendors. Not to mention the large array of vendors providing locally farmed produce and packaged goods. If nothing else it’s a good reason to get outside on a sunny day!

Speaking of food...here is a variation of the Taco Salad I made not too long ago. Simply warm some tortilla shells and fill with a few spoonfuls of quinoa-buckwheat mixture and your preferred veggies and cheese. Roll up and serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.

Note: Omit the cheese to make this recipe vegan.

Rice noodles with Coconut Curry Sauce and Roasted Cauliflower

Home sweet home! Hope you all enjoyed your Canada Day festivities or at least the day off.... We walked to the inner harbor last night to see the fireworks. One thing I love about living so close to downtown is being able to arrive at the last minute and completely avoid the whole parking frenzy. I think I can count on one hand all the times I have had to park in downtown Victoria since I moved here 5 years ago.

Seattle was a lot of fun. The market was beautiful with all the local produce and fresh cut flowers. I will point out a few very important things that friends and family forgot to mention when filling me in on their own Seattle trips. Hills... lots of them. For two people who are used to walking everywhere in Victoria we were completely uninformed of the mountain we would have to climb to get to our hotel! The high rises appear monstrous from sea level - partly because they are and partly because they are at the top of a mountain (okay, I'm exaggerating a bit)! Secondly, Seattle is not in fact sleepless. By the time we arrived on Sunday everything was closed! I was also surprised at how few restaurants were open late for those people looking for a late meal. Lastly, wine is cheaper then juice and bottled water!

Mike and I ventured out of Belltown for 30 minutes up hill so I could see what Trader Joe's was all about. I believe Mike was being strategic by not telling me just how far it was and refusing to answer to my whiny "are we there yet?" and instead distracting me with delicious homemade ice cream in a freshly made waffle cone. It was all worth it in the end. Trader Joe's is everything that my fellow food bloggers hype it up to be. It sure is nice to own a bottle of "real" balsamic vinegar that doesn't run the same price as a bottle of wine. The concept of a store selling mostly organic products without the hefty additional fees is absolutely genius.

Anyways, I'm glad to be back home cooking again. I was about ready to ask the chef in our last restaurant if I could help chop some vegetables! Here is a very, very easy recipe to whip up when you have nothing in your fridge. I sort of made this recipe up on the fly so you should alter it as you see fit. Also you can use any roasted vegetable you like or not at all.

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• grapeseed oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 14 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 heaping tbsp curry paste (or more until you reach desired taste)
• 3 keffir leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• rice noodles

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange cauliflower florets on a baking dish and drizzle with about 1-2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and salt. Roast in oven for about 40 minutes.
2. When cauliflower has baked for about 20 minutes, begin your sauce by heating up a medium sauce pan with 1-2 tbsp grapeseed oil. Stir mustard seeds into the oil and let them cook until they begin to pop. Add the onion and cook until they begin to turn translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for one more minute. Pour in coconut milk, tomato sauce, sugar, curry paste and keffir leaves. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add water if sauce becomes too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Serve over a bed of rice noodles and roasted cauliflower and top with cilantro. You could also squeeze some lemon juice over top to cut down on the acidity of the tomato sauce. 

Falafel

Well friends this week has come and gone and Summer is actually showing her true colors! And so am I! I have never been so happy to pull out my bright and colorful summer wardrobe. I know there will still be cloudy days and the occasional rain but I can live with that as long as the warmth keeps up!

Mike and I are Seattle bound tomorrow morning. We plan to do the tourist thing for 4 days and are especially looking forward to some great cuisine and of course Trader Joes. If any of you have any recommendations please do share! I am currently having a pep talk with Kobi the cat to ensure she is on her best behavior for her babysitter. I am getting a lot of back talk though so I'm not entirely convinced.

I'm leaving you with a classic falafel recipe that I think you will all have fun with. And I think the word fun can be applied to more than one part of the falafel experience. Fun as in you can dress it up any way you like. You can use them in a salad or roll them up in a pita. But it doesn't seem to matter how you do it, falafels are messy! This is not polite food people! You are going to get your hands dirty whether you like it or not. It is inevitable that your pita will split and your beautiful master piece will slowly slide out the back door and onto your plate and all over your fingers! My only advice to you is to embrace it. This is not in any way a sign that you have failed to pull off a perfect falafel. And it is in no way different then having your burger slide out of your bun! It simply can not be helped.

I like falafels with tzatziki but this time around we tried out a miso dressing that was equally as satisfying.

 

• 1/4 cup bulgur
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1/2 large red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• a pinch of red chili flakes
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1 egg

1. Spread bulgur, coriander and cumin seeds on a baking sheet and roast for 5 mins (or until golden brown) in a 350° oven. Cool and grind thoroughly in a clean coffee grinder. You could also use a mortar and pestle.
2. Heat grapeseed oil in a skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and remaining spices and sauté for a few more minutes.
3. Combine all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth and sticky.
4. Shape into 1.5" patties and cook in a greased skillet over medium-high heat about 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Transfer cooked patties to an oven set at 200° to keep warm until you are ready to serve.

Note: You can top your falafels with a large array of vegetables such as shredded carrot, beet, diced cucumbers or peppers, lettuce, spinach or sprouts.

Raspberry Sorbet

Summer....has finally arrived! Today was not exactly the model summer solstice day as it was a bit gray and not so summer like. However, I am looking forward to the smattering of summer days coming our way in the next few months. I got so excited about the prospect of summer that I took it upon myself to open up all the windows in our suite to air out the winter/spring congestion. I'm afraid by doing so I may have negatively contributed to Mike's hay fever. Sorry honey!

Speaking of summer, have you seen all the beautiful local berries that are beginning to appear at the farmers markets? I’m afraid my list of fruit dishes and desserts to try is becoming a bit ambitious! I find inspiration for cooking everywhere but there is something overwhelming about summer produce. It’s just too hard to pass up!

This particular dessert is very easy and light compared to traditional desserts. You could easily make it with whatever berries or soft fruit you have on hand. Peaches and blackberries come to mind when I think of a nice variation.

Recipe featured in the July 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. Recipes yields 4 servings.

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 cups fresh or 300g frozen raspberries

1. Stir together water and 1/4 cup sugar until sugar dissolves.
2. Pulse raspberries in a food processor until coarsley chopped. With machine running, pour in sugar-water; pulse until mixture is smooth. Transfer to an airtight container, and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Spaghetti with Eggplant Sauce

There are very few things that we ourselves can control in our lives. You can complain about the nagging things in your life, like the pot hole at the end of your street or rain during your week off. A traffic accident when you're already late or a group of over friendly seagulls that have taken it upon themselves to serenade you when you want nothing more than you're precious allotted sleep! I could go on but I won't because I'm starting to sound like an Alanis Morissette song!

It's not so bad really. I mean for all the things we can't control we always find a way around them. And when it all comes down to it we have the reins on some of the things that matter most in our lives. Like food. Without it we would no survive. Which is why we are lucky to live in a country with an overwhelming array of food choices. We have no excuse for not eating healthy wholesome foods. What you put into your body is one of the most important things you can control in your life.

It's easier then you think to turn a much loved dish into a healthy dish. Especially if you try to keep your processed foods to a minimum and cook with as much fresh, local and organic produce as possible. Little things like using whole wheat or brown rice pasta instead of white flour pasta and adding fresh chopped spinach before serving with a side of salad instead of bread. You will find yourself missing your bread and white pasta for the first while but will quickly adjust and possibly even acquire a taste for your new substitutes. Plus think of all the benefits you gain from the vitamin rich foods you are now consuming on a regular basis.

Spaghetti is a staple in our household. We quickly learned that it is not only very easy to omit meat in pasta dishes but quite satisfying to discover a whole new palate of wonderful flavors that were previously masked by the overpowering flavor of meat. Vegetables offer so many sweet and savory flavors that can easily be altered by different cooking methods. For this dish I simply made a quick marinara sauce combined with my eggplant meatball recipe without forming the meatballs as I wanted a ground meat texture. I also roasted the eggplant instead of sauteing as I wanted a hands free method of cooking the eggplant while I whipped up my marinara sauce. I served this dish over a bed of whole wheat spaghetti and chopped spinach topped with sauteed corn and shallots with a sprinkling of smoked Gouda. I used fresh corn instead of frozen because it's currently in season. Simply shred off the kernels using a large knife cutting in a downward motion.

Note: The first corn of the season is almost always the sweetest!

Lentil Salad with Mint, Roasted Peppers and Feta Cheese

Deborah Madison is like the Julia Child of vegetarian cooking. Her methods are tried tested and true. I can say from experience that they are also thoroughly flavorful. With that said, I would like to caution the importance of reading through her cooking methods. I for one used to skim through her recipes often skipping important steps that I thought to be tedious and unnecessary. As I become a more experienced cook I can see that by leaving out important flavors and bypassing steps I was depriving my dish from it's true potential. Now that I am coming back to some of these recipes and trying them again without skipping steps or leaving out ingredients, I have noticed quite a difference in the finished product.

This salad would not have such a rich flavor if you didn't roast the peppers or use fresh mint. It is also important to use French lentils as they hold their shape without becoming mushy. I served this salad with honey mustard glazed tofu but I think it would also be nice served with roasted vegetables or poached eggs served on toasted bread.

You can find this recipe in The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison or via a Google search.

Leek Soup

It's amazing how quickly a good day can turn into a bad day. Sometimes it's the little things that make for a bad day. Like misplacing your keys or forgetting your lunch at home. Today it was the news that our new Subaru had been victim to a hit and run. Once I get over the shock that our four day old car is no longer the beautiful shiny car we couldn't wait to call our own, and realize that these things not only happen but they can happen to you. I think I will be thankful that no one was hurt and that it is just a car which can be fixed. And as I listened to the many similar experiences around my office I realized that this is all part of growing up!

I initially felt like sulking this evening instead of making dinner. Then my tummy started to grumble and I realized my time was better spent making something comforting to eat, while taking advantage of the therapeutic benefits of doing something you love.

Since I have my homemade vegetable stock on hand and couldn't resist buying an armful of local leeks (which were awkwardly taking up space in my already cramped fridge) I decided to put some of my new soup making skills to the test and whip up a pot of leek soup!

I must take a moment to enlighten those of you that don't already know this little secret. In order to obtain a very smooth melt in your mouth consistency for cream soups you must strain the entire finished product through a sieve. Thus, resulting in a beautiful creamy soup that will instantly turn you into a soup snob!

• 4 large leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise and sliced thin (about 6 cups)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp grape seed oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• kosher salt
• 1 large russet potato, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 4-inch sprig fresh thyme
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in sliced leeks, onion and 1 tsp kosher salt. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often until leeks and onions are soft about 10 minutes.
2. Increase heat to high, stir in vegetable stock, potato, bay leaf and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatos are tender about 10 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprig. Puree soup in two batches in a blender or food processor, or in the pot using an immersion blender. Return pureed soup to dutch oven. 
4. Strain soup through a fine mesh sieve into another pot using the back of a ladle to push any liquid through. Compost the remaining pulp. Bring the strained soup to a simmer. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Garnish, if desired, with chopped chives, scallions or croutons. I reserved some leeks to sauté for my garnish.

Vegetable Stock

I feel as if this week just slipped by without my even noticing. I regret to admit that I did not get around to much cooking this week. I did however get my fill of chocolate cake and fruit flan thanks to Mike and the girls at work! I am now one year older and probably one pound heavier! On top of all the birthday fun this week I also took one giant step into adulthood and traded in my peppy sports car for a more practical Subaru Outback. Funny how life changes when you least expect it. One day your thinking "I wouldn't be caught dead driving a station wagon" and the next your jumping at the chance to get rid of your 2 door coupe!

I have learned so many new and enlightening skills over the past few weeks that I feel the need to improve quite a few of my recipes. With that said, you may notice some of my recipes disappearing. I will be working on re-posting these with new and improved techniques and ingredients.

First on my cooking improvement list is to stop following recipes step by step and begin to taste for balance and use my own intuition to tell me what I need to add next. I am going to start at the beginning and learn the fundamentals and commit to applying these to every dish I make from here on out! Well, at least I'm going to try.

I woke up this morning eager to find inspiration for today's dinner. This involved a trip to the produce market which is not unusual for a Sunday morning. This time around I decided to leave my shopping list behind. In order to find balance in my cooking I need to start off with only the freshest ingredients, buying what looks appealing instead of what is on my shopping list. Today I shopped based on what was in season and fresh!

Today I am making vegetable stock. Partly because its Sunday and I have the time to do so and partly because I recently learned the importance of using real stock in my fundamentals cooking class at the French Mint. This is one of the improved ingredients you will notice in my recipes from now on.

You really don't need a recipe to make vegetable stock. However, I have roughly outline one you can use as a base. 

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 cup leek greens, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2-3 stalks celery with leaves, diced
• 1 cup squash, cubed
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup green lentils, rinsed
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme or 6 branche
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 handfuls lovage leaves, roughly chopped
• 8 branches parsley, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 8 cups cold water

1. Heat butter in a large pot, add vegetables, herbs, garlic and nutritional yeast, 1/2 cup  water, and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Pour in 8 cups of water, bring to a boil; then simmer partially covered for 40 minutes.
2. Pour stock through a sieve and press out as much liquid as possible. Add salt to taste. Use immediately or store in refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Note:  Keep odds and ends of vegetables in your freezer until you are ready to make stock. For example I made leek soup last week so I kept the ends of my leeks for stock.

Yellow Split Pea Dhal

As an aspiring home cook I am yet to learn the secret to a really good curry. I can admit without shame that all my curries not only taste the same (inspite of using different spices) but tend to lean to the bland side of the flavor scale. I am beginning to learn the importance of knowing the fundamentals of cooking and how the in-between steps are what makes for a truly mouth watering, full flavor meal.

Unlike many hobbies or tasks we perform on a daily basis cooking is one of the few that enables you to actively appreciate every step of the way. You have the opportunity to engage in all the human senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Next time you are cooking try to engage each one of these senses and you will begin to notice all the beautiful colors and wonderful aromas. Most importantly you will learn to cook by taste and not by measurement. I believe this is where I fall short. A good home cook does not need to follow a recipe but instead uses it as inspiration, while allowing the senses to tell you what you need to do next.

I am constantly fascinated by some of the cooking tips and techniques I learn from cook books and more recently from my fundamental cooking classes at the French Mint - which I highly recommend. I have never given my spice shelf much thought other than to take note of which ones are running low. So here is a tip that might inspire all of you to label and replace old spices in hopes of a simple improvement in the flavor of your cooking. Always store your spices in airtight containers in a cool, dry, dark place. Also, you will want to label your spice containers with the date they were opened or filled with fresh spices, as the recommended lifespan is 6 months for ground or flaked spices and 12 months for whole spices.

As most of you know, curry powder is a blend of many different spices and can be made easily at home. In fact you can be assured that your home made blend of curry powder will have more flavor then the store bought variety as you will know your spices are not only fresh but quality. I have outlined a recipe for curry powder that you can use as a base in developing your own preferred curry blend.

Final tips in closing; let your taste buds help you to develop your curry (always keep a taste spoon near by). Be patient and let the flavors mingle; curry is always most flavorful on the second day. And last but not least, take the time to enjoy the delicious aroma wafting through your kitchen.

Curry Powder

• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 dried red chiles, broken in pieces, seeds discarded
• 1 tablespoon turmeric

1. Toast the whole spices and the chiles in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, shaking the pan often to prevent burning. Toast for a couple of minutes until the spices smell fragrant. 
2. In a clean coffee grinder, grind the toasted spices together to a fine powder. Add the turmeric and give it another quick buzz to combine. Use the spice blend immediately, or store in a sealed jar for as long as 1 month. (Yield: about 1/2 cup) 

Yellow Split Pea Dhal

Note: I soaked my split peas for 8 hours prior to cooking.

Pecan Logs

Your not living if your not indulging in the odd treat now and then! Of course it helps to have friends to share these treats with, as we all know how easy it can be to overindulge.

If you like pecans you will surely love these cookies. I am a little mystified as to how Martha managed to get all the pecans to form such a nice crust as most of mine just fell off. And yes, I did press them in! My only thought is that maybe my pecans were too coarse. 

Roasted Portobello and Caramelized Onion Pizza with Arugula Pesto

TGIF! I'm feeling a little giddy, not just because I'm on my second glass of wine but because Friday is my all time favorite day of the week! There is the wonderful feeling of freedom and the potential for two full days of me time. The possibilities are endless apart from those necessary commitments such as laundry and grocery shopping. At least I enjoy the latter!

This weekend I start my first of five fundamental cooking classes. I will be learning proper knife skills which I'm sure will greatly improve my amateur cooking skills and at the very least teach me how to sharpen my knives!

So enough about me. Whats for dinner? I am sure I have mentioned at least once before, I am a bit of a traditionalists when it comes to Friday. I tend to opt for easy finger food such as pizza and burgers. This time around pizza was on the menu and local arugula was in my fridge from my last market trip.

I have been waiting for the perfect moment to bust out an arugula pesto recipe. For those of you that have never tried arugula before it has a very fresh peppery taste to it. I quite like it, but I bet there are quite a few people that would much prefer traditional basil or sun dried tomato pesto (either would work for this recipe). We had an unfortunate mishap with the pizza dough so the crust you see pictured is just a store bought shell. This recipe yields two pizzas.

Arugula Pesto

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
• 4 cups arugula, heavy stems removed
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 

Pizza 

• Dough for two medium pizzas (I use my bread machine to make dough)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large sweet onion, sliced
• 3-4 vine ripened tomatoes, quartered
• 4 large or 6 medium sized portobello mushrooms
• 1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 4 cups cheese (I used Mozzarella and Asiago)

1. To make pesto throw all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Season with freshly ground sea salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 400°. 
3. In a medium frying pan heat up 1.5 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. When oil is nice and hot add onions (should sizzle). Stir so all onions are coated with oil. Cover with lid and lower heat slightly. Cook until onions become very soft and turn caramel color, about 20-30 minutes. 
4. While onions are cooking, spread tomatoes out on a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic and freshly ground sea salt and pepper. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until wrinkly and soft. The aroma will be amazing!
5. In a large frying pan heat up 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat (8 on my dial) add portobello mushrooms and allow them to fry until their juices are released. Squeeze 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice over mushrooms and stir with a pinch of freshly ground sea salt and pepper.
6. Raise oven temperature to 500°.
7. Roll pizza dough into two medium size crusts. Smear both with generous amount of pesto and top with tomatoes, onions and mushrooms. Sprinkle cheese.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until crust begins to brown.

Note: If using a pizza stone you will need to allow the oven to cool before placing stone in oven and heating up to 500°. If you add a cold pizza stone to a hot oven you risk cracking or shattering your stone. Also this method will allow the stone to distribute heat evenly.

Tortilla Soup

If you haven't made tortilla chips before, do so now! They are easy to make and look really impressive in Mexican soups. Mike liked them so much I had to hide them so he didn't eat them all before the soup was ready!

You don't need to follow a recipe to make this soup, in fact I urge that you don't. I think you need to taste as you go along so you don't end up with a soup that is too spicy or too bland. If you like your soup more brothy add more stock. If you like it thicker add less. You can add bell peppers, corn or black beans just to name a few extra ingredients. You can make this soup vegan by omitting the cheese and sour cream and if you are a carnivore you can add bits of rotisserie chicken.

Tortilla Chips

• 4 tortillas, julienned

Soup

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-3 (depending on your spice preference) fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced
• 2-4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 lime juiced (or more to taste)
• 1 28 oz can chopped fire roasted tomatoes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsp goat cheese
• 2 tbsp sour cream

1. To make tortilla chips; preheat oven to 400°, arrange tortilla strips on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes (or until brown and crispy). Set aside.
2. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno and sauté 7 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute more.
3. Stir in tomatoes and vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Cover, and simmer 25 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime and season with salt and pepper.
4. Place sliced avocado into bowls and ladle soup over top.
5. Combine goat cheese and yogurt in small bowl. Swirl goat cheese mixture into each serving and top with crispy tortilla strips.

Kale Chips

These are so cool! They are crunchy, tasty and so addicting. I don't think I'm alone when it comes to craving salty potato chips. Now there is a guilt free way to enjoy chips and sneak in some really awesome nutrients thanks to Kale's super food complex! Watch the video twice and you will be making these in your sleep.

Laurene, many thanks for introducing these to me!