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panang chicken penne…and a barilla giveaway!

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Pasta is always a go-to for anyone wanting a quick and filling meal. Barilla has found a way to get pasta done even quicker! With their new Pronto line, there is no waiting for water to boil or no need to drain the water. For someone like me who has no patience, this is a very great feature.

Basically, you cover the pasta with cold water and cook it on high heat until the water is absorbed, around 10 minutes. I was actually quite surprised at how perfect the pasta cooked.

I tried out Pronto and made this quick Panang Chicken Penne. The chicken and sauce cooked while the pasta boiled and dinner was ready in no time.

Want to try Barilla Pronto for yourself? See the ways to enter below for
a chance to win a prize pack with one box each of macaroni, spaghetti,
rotini and penne. Contest closes on Friday, October 7th at 11:59pm MST
and is open to residents of Canada. A winner will be chosen at random
and will have 48 hours to reply back. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Panang Chicken Penne

1 box Barilla Pronto Penne
1/4 cup zucchini, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 small red pepper, chopped
2 TB panang curry paste
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup + 1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp sugar

Cook the penne according to package directions.

Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry the curry paste with the vegetables. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and the chicken and let cook. Add the remaining coconut milk, water and sugar and heat until boiling. Add the cooked pasta and stir until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Enjoy!

zucchini pakora

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We have been trying to use up the zucchini from the garden before the cold sets in. We have roasted them, grilled them and of course put them in loaves. Here is another way to use up that zucchini – pakora! I’m pretty sure Q ate most of these. He doesn’t like onions but these were so tasty, the fact that they were in there didn’t bother him at all.

These golden balls are easy to fry up and filled with deliciousness. The addition of baking powder makes them a little puffy. The pakora make a great appetizer or snack and are even tastier when dipped in tamarind chutney.

Zucchini Pakora

2 cups gram flour (chickpea flour)
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup zucchini, grated
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp crushed ginger
1 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1 small egg
1/2 cup water 
1/2 tsp baking powder

Combine the flour with the spices, egg and vegetables.  Slowly add the water mixing until it forms a batter. Add the baking powder and mix well. Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil until golden. Enjoy with tamarind chutney.

this weekend in yyc

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There are a lot of things happening this coming weekend in Calgary. So many great events, can’t wait!

YYC Pizza Week (#yycpizzaweek)
This is the third year for YYC Pizza Week which runs from September 23 – October 2. With almost 50 destinations participating, this event raises money for not one, but two charities in the city – Calgary Meals on Wheels and 100 Men Calgary. Grab a friend and feel good about all the delicious pizza options. Check out the website for more info.

Calgary Home + Design Show (#CHDS16)
The Calgary Home + Design Show runs from September 22 – 25 at the BMO Centre. Calgary’s top chefs will be on hand for some cooking demos on the Trail Appliances Cooking Stage. Chefs Neil McCue of Whitehall, Paul Rogalski of Rouge and Duncan Ly from Foreign Concept will be a treat for all the local foodies. And of course, I can’t wait to check out all the great ideas to beautify and decorate my house. Be sure to check out Cory Christopher, who showed me how to make this beautiful terrarium! Buy your tickets online and save $3. Visit calgaryhomeanddesignshow.com for more info.

7th Annual Food for Thought event (#FoodForThought)
On September 25, REAP Business Association is hosting one of Calgary’s favourite food events. This event boasts 22 sampling stations and emphasizes how local food and sustainable practices make a difference. I love that this is a family-friendly event so even my little foodie can enjoy it! Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

broccoli and cheddar soup

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On a recent trip to Vegas, while waiting for our flight back, I enjoyed some broccoli and cheddar soup. It had been a long time since I had that type of soup and I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. I have stayed away from making too many cheesy things since it can’t be enjoyed by all of us but lately there are some great lactose-free cheese options. Since broccoli is one of the vegetables that my kids will actually eat, I thought this was something I really wanted to try at home.

I made this soup last month and it was a keeper. The cheesy broth with chunks of broccoli was tasty and comforting. This paired deliciously with the homemade cheddar crackers – there’s no such thing as too much cheese, right? This will definitely be keeping us warm during those cold days of Fall and Winter.

I’m happy to be participating in the Canadian Food Creatives Autumn Soup Collaboration. Thanks so much to Diana for hosting! Check out all the fabulous recipes and see this recipe below.

Roasted Chicken Minestrone Soup by My Kitchen Love
Lighter Potato Leek Soup by Fuchsia Freezer
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup by 365 Days of Easy Recipes
Cream of Spinach Soup by I Say Nomato
Miso Noodle Soup by The Refreshanista
Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup with Polenta Croutons by Flavour and Savour
Creamy Carrot Orange Soup with Cashews by Making Healthy Choices
Roasted Butternut Squash Ginger Pear Soup by She Loves Biscotti

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Oil or butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups broth
1 small broccoli, chopped
2 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese
salt
pepper

In a pot, heat some oil and saute the onion until translucent. Add some more oil or butter and cook the flour. Whisk the milk into the flour, then the broth, stirring constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Let the broth mixture cook for ten minutes. Add the broccoli and cook until the florets until tender. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve with crackers or bread.

nutella ferrero no churn ice cream

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It’s been a great few days, weatherwise. If you don’t look at the yellowing leaves, you may almost forget that Fall is on it’s way. We are taking full advantage of the heat and sunshine, and using it as a great excuse to eat some ice cream.

I think this is my new favourite. I’m totally loving the no churn aspect. No worrying about chilled bowls and being able to just make ice cream anytime. This dessert combines my favourite things – Nutella and Ferrero Rocher. The result is creamy, decadent, and so satisfying!

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bruschetta

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We learned a lot from this year’s garden. We had some hits and some misses and know what we want to focus on for next year. We had success with our tomatoes so we will definitely be planting those again.

One of my favourite things to make with the ruby gems is bruschetta.

With bruschetta, there are no rules. Like garlic? Add as much as your heart pleases. We like lots. Want a crunch? Add an onion. Or don’t. It’s really what you want. To make this batch, I cut up some tomatoes into halves and quarters. I added a small onion, a couple cloves of garlic, a glug of olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. I finished it off with ribbons of basil and a sprinkling of salt. This was served on toasted baguette and was oh so good! A great way to use up all those garden tomatoes.

cheddar crackers

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It’s getting cold. As much as I want to hold on to summer, there’s no denying the chill in the air. Reports of snow on it’s way make me want to get cozy and enjoy comfort foods like steaming hot soup.

What goes great with soup? Crackers! Bowls of delicious broth topped with buttery cheddar crackers. Yes please! These crackers are topped with nigella seeds giving it an extra burst of flavour. Not only are these crackers super easy to make, they are great on soup, a nice addition to any charcuterie board and they make the perfect snack!

Cheddar Crackers

1 cup flour
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
4 TB butter
4 TB cold water
1 TB nigella seeds

In a food processor, pulse the flour and the butter. Add the cheese and pulse again. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough forms into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for half an hour. This will make the dough easy to roll. Roll the dough, sprinkle the nigella seeds and roll again. This will allow the seeds to stick right to the dough. Cut into squares, or use a cookie cutter for your desired shape. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

roll-out shortbread cookies

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Looking for something sweet to pack into your little one’s lunchbox? Shortbread cookies are a hit with everyone. They are super easy to make and a great vehicle for sprinkles. Although whipped shortbread are my go-to, you can roll out this dough and cut out your favourite shapes.

Here’s hoping for a happy school year!

Roll-Out Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1 1/2 cups flour

Cream the butter and icing sugar. Add in the corn starch and flour until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.

Roll out the dough and cut with your favourite cookie cutter. Dab some water on top before adding sprinkles.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

spud and beef akni

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September is here and looking at the calendar, life is about to get crazy. From school to activities to meetings, time is a bit limited. Anything to simplify our lives, we’ll take it. Like SPUD.

My friends have raved about SPUD and how wonderful it is. Thanks to SPUD, I was able to try it out for myself and have to agree – it’s pretty awesome. You do all your shopping online at your convenience, which is perfect because sometimes I can’t get onto my computer until the kids are in bed. You pay online and they drop off a reusable box on your delivery day. They pack the products really well, so all the refrigerated and frozen items are in insulated bags with ice pouches.

Not only does SPUD make life easier for you, they make things easier on the environment by partnering with local producers and farmers. I love that on the website, it shows how far each product travels to get to you, helping you to buy local. Not only do they have the necessities like fruits and veggies, they have some great products like salmon sausages and beef bacon. Of course, we tried both (so good!). Try out SPUD for yourself. If you are in a SPUD delivery area, use this code to save $20 off your first order: CRCAL-JADFAA.

One of the things I made using ingredients from my SPUD order and from my garden is Akni. Akni is an aromatic rice dish made with either chicken or beef. Influenced with East African and Indian flavours, it is full of flavour and easy to make and is one of those dishes that are perfect for feeding a crowd. This goes great with yogurt and onions.

Beef Akni

1 lb beef, cubed
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
2 cups water
salt

2 cups rice
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves
4 small cinnamon stick pieces or 2 whole cinnamon sticks
3 cardamom pods, slightly cracked open
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp garlic
1 TB lemon juice
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
cilantro

In a large pot, add the first six ingredients. Bring to a boil and then turn the temperature to medium and let it simmer for about an hour, until the beef is tender. If you use a pressure cooker, this can be done in less than 20 minutes. Be sure to reserve the stock. While the beef is cooking, soak the rice in water.

In a large pot, heat some oil and cook the onions. Add the spices and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the meat and cook for a few minutes. Add the drained rice and 4 cups of reserved stock/water. Add salt, potatoes and a sprinkling of cilantro leaves. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat until the water is absorbed. Place the rice in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes until the rice is completely cooked.