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prawns biryani

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Earlier this week, we celebrated Eid-Al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice. As with any major occasion, we celebrate with food. One dish that you will find at any special occasion, like Eid or a wedding, is biryani. Biryani is a rice dish topped with a reduced curry of chicken, beef or prawns.

I figured this Eid would be a great excuse to try out a new dish. I have been following Fauzia’s Kitchen Fun for a while and all her recipes look great. I was excited to give her Prawn Biryani a try. The recipe was easy to follow along and the end result was a tasty dish.

I did make a few changes since my decision to make this was so last minute and there was no time for marinating over night and I also didn’t have all of the ingredients. This is best served with raw onions, tomatoes and cilantro topped with some lemon juice.

Prawn Biryani
Adapted from Fauzia’s Kitchen Fun

Prawns Masala:
oil
1 pound prawns
1/2 tsp garlic paste
6 TB fried onions
2 tomatoes
1/2 cup yogurt, whipped
2 TB tomato paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
juice of half a lemon
pinch of saffron
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 cinnamon stick
1 cardamom pod
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large potato, boiled and cubed
4 TB chopped coriander

Heat oil and add the prawns, frying until translucent. Drain and set aside.

Add the cumin seeds, cardamom and cinnamon to the oil. Once they start popping, add the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle a bit of salt on them, and fry until all the moisture evaporates.

Combine the yogurt, 3 TB of the onions, the tomato paste and the saffron in a bowl.

Once the tomatoes have dried, add the ginger, garlic, turmeric and cumin powder. Fry for a minute and add the yogurt mixture. Cook this down for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens. Add the prawns, remaining onions and potatoes and simmer together on low heat. Add salt as desired. Top with coriander.

Rice:
Wash then soak 3 cups of rice in water for about 20-30 minutes.

Soak a few saffron strands in some water and set aside.

Bring a big pot of water to boil, add salt, 4 cardamom pods, 2-3 cinnamon sticks and 2-3 cloves plus about 2 tbsp. of oil.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to this water when it is boiling. Cook until the rice is about 3/4 done, remove and strain out all the water. Put half the rice back into the pan, drizzle about 2-3 tbsp. of oil and the saffron water. Add a bit of orange color on one side and mix it up a bit with a spoon and add the remaining rice. Then cover the pot tightly. Steam this on low heat for 15minutes or put in a 180 C preheated oven for about the same time. Serve the rice with the prawns on top.

win tickets to the rocky mountain wine and food festival!

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Back for it’s 16th year, the Calgary Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival is back for two days of indulgence at the Stampede Park BMO Centre!

Friday, October 18th, 5 to 10pm
Saturday, October 19, 12 to 4 pm
Sunday, October 19, 6 to 10pm

Over 200 exhibitors will be on hand allowing guests to find their favourite beverage while tasting delicious treats from local restaurants.  With an onsite Liquor Depot store, you can pick up your favourites on the spot!

Sunshine Village will be sponsoring the Grand Prize All-Inclusive Weekend Getaway for two, including two nights accommodation at Sunshine Mountain Lodge, VIP parking, a $100 gift certificate for food and beverages, a couple’s spa treatment and next day lift tickets.

Want to win a pair of tickets and check out this fabulous event? Entering is easy! Just leave a comment here, send me a tweet or leave a note on Facebook. Last day to enter is Thursday at noon.

The fine print: The giveaway tickets are for the Saturday, October 19, the afternoon session (12-4 pm).  When presented at the door, these tickets will allow for complimentary access into the Grand Tasting Hall.  Tickets are not transferable to another session.  Please note that all attendees will need to purchase sampling coupons (50 cents each) to use in exchange for samples of food, wine and other beverages.  This is an adult only event.  All attendees must be 18 years or older.   Minors (including infants) are not permitted to attend.

thanksgiving and apple pie

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It’s Thanksgiving here in Canada. Happy Turkey Weekend! Hope you all got stuffed with turkey and were able to spend some time with your favourite people.

 

This year, we had Thanksgiving dinner at my sister-in-law’s house. She did a fabulous job filling our bellies with juicy turkey and delicious sides like cheesy mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes.

My job was the apple pie. I have to admit, that when it comes to pie, I usually cheat with the crust and use puff pastry.  I searched for a recipe that was easy and came up with one from Martha Stewart.

Q had fun pulsing the flour and butter together in the food processor (and sneaking some bites of butter when he thought I wasn’t looking). After the dough rested in the fridge for a couple of hours, it was really easy to roll out. I will definitely be using this recipe again.

Served with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream, it was the perfect end to a delicious and filling meal.

 

Apple Pie

Crust:
Martha Stewart’s Perfect Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cubed
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Combine the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until well combined and the mixture looks crumbly. Slow add water while pulsing until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 days.

Filling:

5 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced
2 TB lemon juice
1/2 brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Finish:

1 egg
2 TB water

Combine the apples with the lemon juice, sugar, flour and spices.

On a floured board, roll out pastry, using your pie plate as a guide. Place the first circle in the pie plate and fill with filling. Top with the second crust. Fold bottom pastry over the top and crimp the edges. Using a pastry brush, brush the crust with the egg and water mixture and add some vents.

Bake at 375 F for about an hour, until the crust is nice and golden.

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peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

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These. Are. Amazing. When you can’t decide what kind of cookie to have, this is the perfect one. It incorporates peanut butter, oatmeal and chocolate. It’s crispy and chewy all at the same time.  Absolute perfection.

Q and I had a free afternoon and we spent some time in the kitchen making these cookies. Really, any excuse to help mamma with a recipe that includes chocolate, Q will take it. We measure and mix and talk about the day. I’m not sure which reward is greater, time in the kitchen with my little guy or sharing cookies with him after they are out of the oven.

I was happy to have these cookies on hand when we had a fire on our block. The fire started in the morning and unfortunately the house a few doors down was destroyed. The firefighters were amazing and stayed around for most of the day, ensuring that all the hot spots were extinguished.  These cookies provided them with a sweet treat after battling the flames and smoke.

The recipe is from Skinny Not Skinny and is amazing! I have written the recipe as halved, more for myself, so that I don’t end up with more than 30 cookies at one time. It’s too dangerous! I have also reduced the amount of chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted From Skinny Not Skinny

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal (quick or old fashioned oats)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream the margarine, peanut butter, and sugars in a mixer. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix. Combine the flour, oatmeal, baking soda and salt and add to the cream mixture.  Add chips to the dough and mix by hand.

Scoop the dough into 1″ balls and slightly flatten.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes and then enjoy with a tall glass of milk.

turkey chili

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When given a choice, Q would rather have a home cooked meal over eating out. He doesn’t like the usual things you can find on a kids menu. Chicken strips and mac and cheese, forget about it. A bowl full of chili though, and he’s a happy camper.

I tweaked my original chili recipe, omitting chili powder all together and adding more of everything else to ensure a flavourful bowl of goodness. With everything thrown into the slow cooker the night before, we have a hearty lunch ready in the morning with hardly any effort.

You know its a great recipe when my picky little guy asks for seconds. Q likes his topped with cheese, lots of it. It’s also great with some sour cream and green onions or over a baked potato.

Turkey Chili

2 pounds ground turkey, browned and drained
2, 19 oz cans of mixed beans, drained
1, 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 TB olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Cook on low for 8 hours. Top with cheese, onions or sour cream.

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Cook on low for 8 hours. – See more at: https://foodmamma.com/2010/09/comforting-slow-cooker-chili.html#sthash.Xk50XJIz.dpuf

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Cook on low for 8 hours. – See more at: https://foodmamma.com/2010/09/comforting-slow-cooker-chili.html#sthash.Xk50XJIz.dpuf
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Cook on low for 8 hours. – See more at: https://foodmamma.com/2010/09/comforting-slow-cooker-chili.html#sthash.Xk50XJIz.dpuf
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Cook on low for 8 hours. – See more at: https://foodmamma.com/2010/09/comforting-slow-cooker-chili.html#sthash.Xk50XJIz.dpuf
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Cook on low for 8 hours. – See more at: https://foodmamma.com/2010/09/comforting-slow-cooker-chili.html#sthash.Xk50XJIz.dpuf
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Cook on low for 8 hours. – See more at: https://foodmamma.com/2010/09/comforting-slow-cooker-chili.html#sthash.Xk50XJIz.dpuf

cauliflower curry

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I’ve been trying to keep the fridge stocked with cut veggies, so that there are always healthy snacks on hand. The carrots and broccoli and the snap peas and red peppers, are all happily enjoyed, being dipped in hummus or yogurt. The cauliflower always seems to get left behind. I was tempted to make the cauliflower bread sticks but knew Indian flavours would make hubby pretty happy.

I played with the flavours and the end result was a success! The fragrant veggies are perfect eaten on their own or with a bowl of basmati rice.

Cauliflower Curry

Oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 head cauliflower
2 – 3 tomatoes, cubed
1 tsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup water

Heat some oil in a pan and add in the mustard and cumin seeds. When they start popping, add in the cauliflower, tomatoes and spices. Stir so that the cauliflower is well coated. Add the water and cover with a lid.  Cook until the cauliflower is tender and the water has evaporated.

beef ribs with blueberry bbq sauce

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Fall is here! You can feel the chill in the air and see the leaves changing colour.  It really is a beautiful time of year.

I’m still holding on to summer though, and thinking about how we took advantage of all the summer fruits in our meals. We tried to use them in as many things as possible.  Blueberries were used in one of my favourite recipes this summer – blueberry bbq sauce!

I think it was all the yummy BBQ I smelled but it was at the Stampede that I thought I wanted to incorporate blueberries into a bbq sauce. Hubby indulged me and we went right away to stock up on blueberries so that I could play in the kitchen. We also stocked up on ribs, thinking it may be a good vehicle for the sauce.

A little mix of sweet and savoury, this bbq sauce turned out better than I had imagined. It tasted really great in an ooey gooey grilled cheese sandwich. It went amazingly with the big beefy ribs that were cooked in the slow cooker until they were tender and then finished off on the grill. 

I froze some blueberries just so that I could enjoy this sauce later in the year.

Bluberry BBQ Sauce

1/2 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint blueberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 TB coriander
1 TB cumin
1/2 tsp sweet paprika

Heat olive oil in a pan
over medium heat. Cook the onions and garlic until softened.Add blueberries, sugar, vinegar, ketchup and spices and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced. Let cool slightly and and then puree in a blender.

Slow Cooker Beef Ribs

Cut a rack of beef ribs into pieces. Smother each rib with the bbq sauce and place in a slow cooker. Add enough water to cover the ribs and let them cook on low for eight hours until the meat is almost falling off the bones. Glaze each rib with more bbq sauce and cook on the grill until they are nicely charred and the sauce is caramelized.