Light and Crispy Fish & Chips

Frying. It's not something that I do a lot at home. To be honest, because it's messy. And it smells. But it tastes so darn good!

Today I picked up some beautiful fresh fish (snapper) and couldn't resist turning it into fish and chips. And it was amazing! Our daughter of course, who has eaten very little deep fried food, if any, in her lifetime of less than 2 years absolutely adored it, even though fish has been an on and off food for her.

The batter was light and crispy, and the tartar sauce was the perfect tangy accompaniment. Definitely worth the mess and smell in my kitchen!

Red Curry Chicken Drumsticks

I don't usually buy drumsticks. I love chicken, but would prefer to buy them whole or if I buy pieces, I prefer the wings or the thighs. That has all changed.

We recently had chicken wings for dinner. As usual, I proceeded to take off some of the meat to give to my 1 year old daughter. This time, however, she was insistent on having a wing too. So, I cut off the drummette and gave it to her. She loved it. So much in fact that she completely cleaned the bone!

Curious to see if this enthusiasm would continue, the next day, I bought a package of chicken drumsticks and made these Red Curry Chicken Drumsticks. I wanted to see if my daughter would like eating off the bone as much as she had the previous day. To my surprise, my daughter happily ate 3 of them! It seems that she likes food with a little kick, and she loves holding the drumstick and eating off of it.

Since that time, I have tried other marinades for drumsticks and I have not been disappointed. My daughter has enjoyed all of them. So I guess I will be buying packs of drumsticks more frequently!

Creamy Sockeye Salmon Orechiette

I realize that I have been missing in action for a while. It's not that I haven't been cooking. It's just that between looking after our active 11 month old, the never ending house projects, and of course, enjoying the summer, I haven't had time to sit down and share.  But don't worry. I'm here. And I've got a really good one for you.

This pasta is so quick and easy and uses ingredients that most of us have regularly in our pantries and fridges. As summer comes to an end (sigh....), the days get shorter, and we get back in the hustle and bustle of work, school, daycare etc, quick no-fuss meals are in high demand. And this is one of them. It is also sure to please as it doesn't skim on flavor, and it contains some kid favorites-- pasta, peas and a creamy sauce. Yum yum!

Dry Rub BBQ Ribs

The sun is shining, so it must be time to fire up the barbeque! 

Well, even if the sun isn't shining, it is always a good time to barbeque! Especially in our case, since our barbeque is just outside our kitchen door on the covered part of our deck, sheltered from mother nature and really just an extension of our kitchen! Oh, and did I mention our barbeque is natural gas? No need to lug propane tanks back and forth and no fear that the propane will run out just as your dinner is in the middle of cooking. Yep, it doesn't get any easier than that!!!!

So, now that the barbeque is uncovered and clean, the question is... what to make? I figure that you just can't start barbeque season without ribs, dry rubbed and slow cooked until tender? Yum yum!

I usually make a whole jar of dry rub, then put it in a mason jar to use on both chicken and ribs whenever I feel like it.

Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Spiced Tomato Sauce

A couple of month ago, I wrote about nesting, freezer meals and preparing for the arrival of our first child. Well, our daughter arrived at the end of September, and boy am I glad that I took the time to stock up the freezer! For those days when you just don't have time to think about lunch or dinner, these make ahead meals really save the day!

One of the make ahead dishes that I already shared with you was my Roasted Chicken (or pork) Enchiladas with Salsa Verde, Sour Cream and Cilantro Sauce. 

In addition to those enchiladas, I also made another variation of this dish with a spiced tomato sauce.  After a long, cold day, we pulled one out of the freezer last night and happily enjoyed this warm, homemade but pre-made meal.  It was so comforting on such a cold day, but because it had been made in advance, it took only an hour in the oven, and literally no work!

Green Tomato Sauce

It's official. Fall is here and my tomato harvest is officially over. Okay, it's been over for a few weeks now, but I've finally gotten around to harvesting the green tomatoes off of the plants before cleaning the beds up for the winter.

I have lost all hope that these green tomatoes will turn red. And unfortunately, with the rainier and cooler August and September that we had, there are lots and lots of green tomatoes. So, what to do with all these completely green (and only partially ripened) tomatoes? Well, I decided to make some tomato sauce.  Now you might think that to do this you need to combine ripe tomatoes with a small quantity of green tomatoes, but that's really not the case. In fact, I used 100% green and partially ripened tomatoes and the sauce tasted fantastic!

Quinoa Zucchini Cakes with Sriracha Aioli

Yesterday, we pulled out all of our zucchini plants and turned over the beds. Sigh... as the weather cools down, it seems to be the end of the growing season for me. I can't really complain though. As a first time gardener this year, I was very fortunate to get a huge crop of veggies throughout the season. Some of the veggies were more successful than others, but overall, it was definitely worth the hard work.

So, as I turned over a majority of our beds last night in preparation for perhaps a little bit of fall/winter gardening but mostly to prep for spring, I reflected on what the growing season looked like for us and all the great recipes that came out of it.

Fortunately, before calling it a season, I was able to get a few more zucchini out of the plants and thus able to make one more great garden fresh meal.

Pulled Pork or Roasted Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde, Cilantro and Sour Cream Sauce

It's official. I am nesting. With the upcoming arrival of our first child, I have found myself stationed in the kitchen making freezer meals for the time crunched days and nights ahead.

Lasagna's and chili already done, I was looking to make something a little different. So started my stroll through the grocery store, where I picked up a massive pork shoulder to make a pulled pork with crispy pork crackling! Now, with only 2 of us in the house at the moment, I figured I would need to do something else with the pork besides eat it for lunch and dinner for the next week, so I stopped at the market where my favorite little Mexican joint is and bought some corn tortillas. Enchiladas here we come!

Wild Rice Salad

I love summer. Sunshine, music, farmers markets, bbqs....What could be better than that?

In Vancouver, this weather lasts just a few months, but it's these few months that propel us through the rainy and grey days during the rest of the year. Then, when the warmth and sunshine returns, we somehow quickly forget about those cold, wet days and become happy and social again!

So, to take advantage of the sunshine, I am spending as much time outside as I possibly can, trolling farmers markets, working in the garden, and of course, enjoying summertime meals. For this summer evening meal, I combined some farm fresh ingredients with some hearty wild rice, feta and dried cranberries to create this amazing salad that I really think I could eat all year long!

Kale Caesar Salad (and other great uses for Caesar Salad Dressing)

Who doesn't like caesar salad? Even if you aren't an anchovy fan, the rich and creamy taste of caesar dressing is just addictive!

I used the Rebar Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe, which is absolutely fantastic and flavorful, made even better with roasted garlic, capers, and dijon. Then I made it a little healthier by using non-fat yogurt in place of some of the oil.

Besides having a great dressing, having fresh salad ingredients is also important. I personally love to make caesar salads with chopped kale. I find that it makes the salad heartier and the salad stays crisp and crunchy. In the picture above, you can see I used a mix of kale and romaine. Or of course, you could use the classic romaine if you wish (or really any other salad green you like).

Fresh & Filling Asian Lettuce Wraps

As the warmer weather hits, I am always looking for delicious recipes that are filling and fresh. I have lots, but most of them are some form of salad. Here are some of my favorites in case you missed them...

Blue Cheese, Walnut & Quinoa Chopped Salad

Panzanella Salad (Italian Bread Salad)

Couscous Salad

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Four Bean Salad

Kale Salad with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts and Boursin

Summer Quinoa Salad with Chicken and Apple

Chunky Greek Style Pasta Salad

Lentil & Chickpea Salad with Dried Cherries and Creamy Lemon Yogurt Dressing

Anyway, as much as I love summer salads, this time, I wanted to do something different. And I have found the perfect recipe--- Asian Lettuce Wraps.

Baked Zucchini Fries

It's Stanley Cup season and that means game food! Unfortunately, game food although tasty is usually hard on the waistline. That is, until I discovered these baked zucchini fries. They are crisp on the outside and soft in the middle, making for an addictive game day snack. Enjoy them with regular ketchup, or elevate them by serving them with a warm marinara sauce.

They are very easy to make and will disappear so quickly, you will question whether they were actually zucchini! In fact, kids love them too!

Beer Battered Fish and Chips with Tartar Sauce

Okay, I will admit that I slightly misnamed this post.

It isn't actually beer battered fish and chips. It's beer battered fish with Roasted Baby Potatoes (which are just as yummy and provide a great alternative to chips). Or you could serve it with Baked Sweet Potato Fries. 

Why not regular french fries you ask? Well first of all, with the fish already fried, a healthier side dish might be preferable. But the real reason? It's just plain difficult to perfectly fry fish and potatoes at the same time. And let's face it, if you fry one first, then the other, the first item is surely going to be cold. And who wants to eat cold fried fish or chips?

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

They say that most people have a preference for either salty or sweet. Me, I love salty. So, when I am in the mood for something comforting, I turn to savory favorites. And as a snack, I often think about eating things like crackers, nuts, chips, and fries.

Most of the time, I can let the day go by without succumbing to my desire to eat these kinds of snacks, because I know that some of them aren't the healthiest of choices (i.e. chips and fries). But sometimes, I just can't get them out of my head.

Today was one of those days. I wanted fries. Badly.

So, I decided to turn on the oven and make some baked fries in hopes that they would satisfy this urge. And to make them even healthier (and in my opinion, more delicious), I made them with sweet potatoes. 

Stir Fried Beef and Vegetables

Stir fries are great because they are simple, quick and versatile. Choose your protein and veggies (or skip the protein), add a few pantry ingredients, and voila... dinner is served!

My favorite combination for a stir fry is beef with some crunchy green vegetables. My preferred vegetable for this stir fry is broccoli and that is generally how my mom used to make it. However, because my husband doesn't like broccoli, this dish has been modified in our household and is now made with celery, bok choy, green beans, zucchini and just about every other green vegetable that you can think of.

In this recipe, I am using a mixture of celery and baby bok choy. Use whatever vegetable you like and use a quantity suitable for 2 servings.

Beef Stew

My husband requested beef stew the other day. So, I went out and bought everything that I needed to make stew.  After a bit of thought, something occurred to me.... the stew that I was thinking of may not have been the stew my husband was thinking of. I mean, usually when he requests something particular, it's a dish that his mom used to make and he wants me to try to recreate. But beef stew? With potatoes, carrots and tomato? Never seen him mom make that! So, I thought I would ask.

And I was right. He was actually thinking of something similar to Blanquette de Veau (French Veal Stew) or some kind of slow cooked meat in a brown sauce and starch on the side.

Oh well. With the ingredients already in the fridge, I decided to go ahead with a traditional (well, by North American standards) beef stew.

Despite the fact that it wasn't what my husband had in mind, he loved it. And so did I! The ultimate comfort food!

Dan Dan Noodles (Noodles in Spicy Peanut Sauce)

One night, I went for dinner at a place in Vancouver that makes handmade noodles called Peaceful Restaurant. Let me tell you, the food was fantastic. So tasty and exactly what I wanted. 

However, there was one small issue. It was packed. And I mean packed, line up out the door kind of packed. So packed in fact, that when we were ordering, the waitress asked us if we would want anything else because they only allow you to order once. Basically what she was saying is to order, eat and leave because there were other people to feed.

Despite the rushed experience, the food was delicious. Especially one of the dishes called Dan Dan Noodles. It was basically ground beef in a spicy peanut sauce tossed with homemade noodles. After finishing the noodles, we practically lifted up the bowl and drank and sauce it was so good. So, from that moment, I decided I had to recreate it.

Pulled Pork with Crispy Pork Crackling

Yes, I realize that it's been forever since I last posted. Thanks to everyone who has stayed with me:)

The reality is, with a new house (which is actually an old house), life has been full of projects from painting to insulation to excavation.  That doesn't mean that I don't eat. It just means that I find myself gravitating towards quick recipes that I know and trust.

That is, until the other day, when I went to the store and found myself buying a monstrous pork picnic roast (comes from the lower part of the pig's shoulder). I had no idea what I was going to do with it at the time, but it looked tempting, so I bought it.

The next day, I prepared to roast it for most of the day. I took it out of the fridge in the morning so that it could come up closer to room temperature. Then I seasoned it generously, poked holes in it and filled them with fresh, slightly crushed garlic cloves, and roasted it at 250 degrees for about 7 hours. I pulled it out of the oven, tented it with tin foil, and let it rest for about 30 minutes. After resting, I pulled the crispy skin off (eating some of the delicious crackling while working), and started to pull the pork apart with my fingers.  The pork was perfect to eat just like that, with pieces of crackling, or with any variety of sauces including barbeque and chimichurri (sauce of garlic, parsley, red wine vinegar--- the acid is great as it really cuts through the fattiness of the pork).

Of course, since there was TONS of pork, I made lots of other stuff in the days that followed.... that's the great thing about a roast like this. There is minimal effort as the oven does most of the work for you, and then you have food for days!

Salmon with Easy Dill Sauce

My extended family is visiting from France at the moment. That combined with the moving and our house renovations has contributed to my sparse postings recently.

But I wanted to share this one because it is quick, easy and delicious.

First of all, what could be a better marriage than salmon and dill? Especially to showcase the beautiful wild sockeye salmon available in beautiful British Columbia.

Secondly, what could possibly be easier that this recipe? The ingredients are straight forward and the salmon is baked in the oven. You need a baking dish or sheet for the salmon and a bowl to mix the sauce. The result? Easy clean up and a fantastic meal!

Chinese Poached Chicken with Fragrant Ginger Sauce (Hainanese Chicken)

So, to the untrained eye, this just looks like a plain old chicken. And when I was a kid, this chicken was served with a horrible, spicy, pungent sauce that only my mom would like.

Now? This is a fabulously moist and tender chicken with a flavorful, fresh sauce as a complement. Super simple, but really, can it get any better?