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Q turns 2!

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This past weekend, my little man turned 2!  Seems like just yesterday he was born.  We celebrated with a few friends and family with a Sesame Street themed music party. 

I think I shocked the people who knew me by not making a single thing! Well, I did make chocolate chip cookies for the kids to take home with a crazy straw for milk but besides that, nothing! 

We ordered pizza from down the street and snacked on veggies and chips and assorted flavours of crackers from the goldfish bar. 

My mom, who makes the most delicious cakes, baked Q’s cake and we got the local bakery to decorate it with the Sesame Street theme. 

My sister-in-law led the kids in song so they were able to play with their tamborines, xylophones and maracas which they were able to take home with them.  All in all, it was a fun day!

garlicky tomato and avocado bruschetta

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We have been lucky in the last couple of weeks to enjoy some great October weather.  We took advantage of this last week and went to Canmore for the day.  We had lunch at Luna Blue and enjoyed a feast of garlic with bruschetta, pizza and pasta.

I had good friends coming over for a lasagna dinner and I needed a quick appetizer to go along with it.  The garlicky bruschetta from the week before had been on my mind and I figured it would be the perfect starter.  I added an avocado to the mix which added some texture and made the bruschetta creamy.  It was a hit, even with the little ones.



Garlicky Tomato & Avocado Bruschetta

3 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 TB olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
bunch of basil, chopped
salt
pepper

baguette, sliced
olive oil for drizzling

Slice the baguette on the diagonal and place on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake until toasted.

Mix the ingredients for the brushcetta.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Top the toasted baguettes with the mixture and enjoy!

banana bread

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When visiting my cousin in Toronto this summer, she had made the most amazing banana bread. This bread is incredibly moist and so tasty, I was delighted when she shared the recipe. It became an instant hit and is now a regular in our house. Thanks A!

Banana Bread
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream margarine and sugar together.  Once combined, add eggs and vanilla.  Next, mix in the dry ingredients – flour and baking soda.  Add the mashed bananas, sour cream and chocolate chips.

Add the batter to a loaf pan and cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

chicken and spinach curry in less than 30 minutes

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We have been eating way too much red meat lately.  It was time to take a break and start making more chicken and fish dishes.  Looking through my fridge, I found I had some chicken and spinach, so I figured I would make hubby happy and make an Indian dish.  Indian food does not have to be complicated or time consuming.  In less time than it took Q to watch an episode of “In The Night Garden”, this dish was ready to eat!


Chicken and Spinach Curry

Oil
3 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 pound baby spinach
3 TB crushed tomatoes
2 tsp tomato paste
3 TB fried onions
1 tsp crushed ginger
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
coriander for garnish

Saute the chicken in the oil until half-cooked.  Add the spinach and continue cooking until chicken is cooked and spinach is wilted.  Add the tomatoes, onions and spices and cook for a few minutes.  Add water and let simmer for 10 minutes.  Serve with rice or naan.

comforting slow cooker chili

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Its getting cold out there!  The winter chill is in the air and its not even fall (almost, but not quite)!  With a weekend filled with cold and rain, comfort food was called for, like slow cooker chili.

I love the slow cooker.  You dump things in, plug it in and let it sit and cook for you.  Plug it in in the morning and you have a delicious meal waiting for you when you come back home from work.  I prefer plugging it in at night and enjoying the wonderful smells as I sleep.

This is the easiest chili recipe and its delicious.  Perfect for those cold, rainy days. 

Slow Cooker Chili2 pounds ground beef, chicken or turkey, browned and drained
1 can mixed beans, drained
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 – 4 tablespoons chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon 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.

celebrating eid – tomato and bocconcini salad

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Today is Eid, a festival which marks the end of Ramadan and a month of fasting.  On this joyful day, people celebrate by going to mosque and sharing a feast with friends and family.  This year’s dinner consisted of a fabulous meal made by my mother-in-law which consisted of biryani (a rice and meat dish), and freshly fried samosa. 

My contribution to the meal was a Tomato and Bocconcini salad made into an appetizer by placing the cherry tomato and cheese on a toothpick.  This is one of my favorite salads – the combination of the lemon, garlic and basil adds so much flavour to the otherwise flat-tasting cheese.

This is a ridiculously easy to make salad and a great way to use up those summer tomatoes.  Its packed with so much flavour, and is a hit everytime it is served.

Tomato and Bocconcini Salad

200 grams mini bocconcini
1 pint cherry tomatoes
zest and juice of one lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
basil bunch, chopped
2 TB parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
pepper

Combine lemon, garlic, basil, parmesan, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Add cheese and tomatoes and toss.

jessica’s restaurant in chestermere

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Beef, coated in batter, deep fried and tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce…yum!  Ginger beef is one of my favorite dishes and a must have at least once a month (or twice!).  Luckily, Chestermere has a fabulous restaurant that serves great ginger beef to satisfy me every time I get a craving.  The restaurant is located in the plaza just behind the car wash.  Usually, we get their dinner for 2 – soup, spring rolls, chicken fried rice, chicken with mixed vegetables and ginger beef.  Their portions are generous, and we always have left overs.  The staff at Jessica’s are very accomodating. When I have my son with me, they are happy to deliver the food to my car so I don’t have to take him out of his car seat – how sweet is that!  If you live in the city, Jessica’s has a second location in Temple.

Jessica Restaurant‎ #1 on Urbanspoon

no-knead bread

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This no-knead bread is the easiest way to make homemade bread with very little effort.

No-Knead Bread

There is nothing better than freshly baked bread with melting butter and home made jam.  Last summer, I had made loads of jam and was itching to make some bread at home to accompany it.  I had asked my friend and fellow blogger Cheryl (Backseat Gourmet) to recommend something easy and she suggested a no-knead recipe posted on Julie’s website (Dinner with Julie).  This is the easiest recipe ever and it makes the most delicious bread.  All you need to do is mix it and forget about it – for 24 hours anyway.  I have made this so many times, and it is one of those no-fail recipes.  Try it – your friends will think you’re a star!

No-Knead Bread
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups + 2TB water

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt.
  2. Add 1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons water, and stir until blended. The dough will be sticky.
  3. Cover the bowl and let it rest on the counter for 18-24 hours at room temperature.
  4. Flour a surface and place the dough on it. Sprinkle it with flour and fold it a couple of times before shaping it into a ball.
  5. Place the dough on a piece of parchment and cover it with a towel and let it sit for another 1-2 hours.
  6. Preheat the oven to 450°. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats.
  7. When the dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven.
  8. Place the dough with parchment into the pot.
  9. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes, until it’s nice and golden. 
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chana bateta

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It was quite the week last week, even though I had it off!  My parents had gone away with the family for the week and since I had no childcare, I was lucky enough to spend the week with my toddler.   I thought that I would be able to update this blog every couple of days, completely forgetting how much attention little ones need.  We enjoyed our week with playdates and trips to the zoo and I even managed to do some experimenting in the kitchen.

This is a dish that I have eaten since childhood, called Chana Bateta.  Literally, it translates to “Chickpeas and Potatoes”.  I would consider this as more of a soup or a stew than a curry as it is not eaten with rice or a bread, like naan or chopati.  It is eaten with a spoon, topped with the indian snack Chevdo, or what I prefer, potato chips!  If you have some tamarind chutney, add a bit of that too.  I couldn’t believe how easy this vegetarian recipe was to make, 20 minutes and it was ready to serve. 

Chana Bateta

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3 curry leaves
2 TB gram flour
1 large can of plum tomatoes, blended + 1 TB of its liquid
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 medium potatoes, boiled and cubed
1 large can of chick peas
1 cup water
3 TB lemon juice
salt

Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves.  When the seeds start to pop, add the gram flour and cook for a few minutes.  Add the tomotoes and cook for another five minutes.  Add the turmeric and some red chili powder next.  Mix and add the chickpeas, water, lemon juice and salt and cook for 10 minutes. 

greek chicken kabobs

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We finally had a fabulous hot weekend and it was the perfect weather to enjoy the Kensington Sun and Salsa Festival.  We tried many different salsas – spicy, cool, red, green – but my favorite was Broken Plate’s greek salsa made with feta.  It was delicious and I was inspired by the mediterranean flavours.  I had thawed chicken breasts waiting for me at home for the next day’s dinner, the perfect canvas to play!  A little of this and a little of that and I came up with this tasty marinade that left the chicken flavourful and juicy.

Greek Chicken Kabobs

1 cup plain yogurt (Balkan style or homemade)
1/4 cup seasoned feta cheese
2 TB greek seasoning (I used Club House)
2 cloves of garlic
Zest of one lemon
Juice of half a lemon
3 chicken breasts, cubed

In a bowl, mix first 6 ingredients.  Add the chicken and marinate overnight.  Skewer the chicken and bbq.  Perfect with salad and grilled smashed potatoes.