Instant Pot Bolognese

Hi everyone,

It is Friday today but feels like it's hard to keep track of the days. I hope you are staying safe, healthy and mentally hanging in there. I think part of what is hard is all the uncertainty. Sure we can hunker down..but until when? how long? what's next? It's the eerie calm before the storm feeling that I find haunting, and really hope that social distancing leads to a less dire outcome. It's hard to plan for the weeks and months ahead so I am trying to let that go and just take things day by day.

You may find you are enjoying the new pace of life, appreciating the extra time with your kids, or spouse one minutes, frustrated and short-tempered the next.. It's okay to have mixed feelings and have highs and lows. There is no "right" way to feel. We are in this together and it's a great time as any to catch up with friends and family near and far! If you are feeling lonely, sad, scared, or just want to talk, please reach out. Lets stay connected and help pick each other up. Send a text, e-mail, call or face-time, I know I would love to hear from you!

Juliet said it might be a good time to revive this little blog and share some recipes. I don't know about you guys but I have been craving comfort food, hard! We are also trying to make sure we eat lots of veggies (while we have them and use them up before they go bad) so I decided to try my hand at making a bolognese sauce . So after days of eating delicious meals prepared by S (he reminds me), I finally got back into the kitchen.

I adapted this recipe and added in spinach and mushrooms. I recently ordered 1kilos of mushrooms from Roots and Shoots - they are doing deliveries if you live in the downtown core and their mushrooms are the local ones and are so good! As part of the delivery we also got eggs, spinach and beets. I was pleasantly surprised to have pretty much all the needed ingredients, including heavy cream and beef brothwhich we don't usually have on hand. We even had parsley for garnish growing in our little aerogarden. If you don't have all the ingredients, you can definitely adapt it and make it with whatever you have on hand. No instant pot? no problem.  This could definitely be made on the stove top, just leave it on low for a few hours to allow the flavours to develop.

I may be biased but I think it turned out delicious. S really liked it too. We froze some of the sauce to have at a later time. 

Spiralized Squash

Usually when I think of using my spiralizer I always think of making zucchini, but a friend of mine  said he was going to make squash noodles and I thought I would try it out. I had a whole bunch of butternut squash from my CSA to eat up. I read a few different recipes and articles. Key takeaway is that you can only use the long skinnier part of the squash (save the rest for a soup). I also found that after peeling the squash, it's good to microwave it for a few minutes to soften it enough so the spikes in the spiralizer can grip on.  If you don't have a spiralizer or it's too much effort, many grocery stores sell pre-made boxes of spiralized squash. Not too overpriced surprisingly and skips a lot of the hassle.

Once your squash is spiralized you can fry it or roast it. I drizzled it with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and roasted at 400 for about 10 minutes. We topped with Stefan's homemade Bolognese meat sauce and it was delicious. I am a pasta lover and even i didn't miss it.

Stay tuned for many more squash recipes and some other ones from new cookbooks I got at the Food Blogger's conference. I've been really busy at work and at night haven't wanted to be on the computer much, but i've been cooking a fair bit and want to share some of the recipes!

One Skillet Steak and Veg

When S moved in, he brought with him a cast iron skillet- yes!! It's awesome. I came across some recipes in Bon Apetit for one-skillet meals with cast iron skillet, and decided to try this one- mainly because I love Steak. Also it is listed as "healthy-ish" and that appeals to me.   Asparagus was on sale at Farm Boy and I stole the peas from my parents. This recipe came together super quickly , thanks to S being a great sous-chef and helping with the mis-en-place/ chopping- all while he also made a delicious soup for us to have for the week. Where did I find this guy?  In the mornings I don't like too many cooks in the kitchen, but at night it's really nice, and sometimes, like this, it goes off without a hitch. The most important was that we had dinner ready in time to watch the Sens win! Go Sens Go!

The original recipe can be found here. I modified slightly mainly just used a different cut of steak and a different vinegar, and regular onion instead of shallots, and a bit less garlic than the original recipe.

Thai Chicken Wraps

Thai Chicken Wraps, Salad and Mango Juice
There was also a dessert (not pictured), but I was too full to eat it.

Do you know that expression, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach? Well I think that definitely applies to women too. There is something about a delicious dinner, and nice presentation, that just melts my heart. If you want to impress that special someone, definitely make these wraps!

This meal was so yummy, I may have asked S to marry me after. I definitely got down on one knee. I am not sure what happened after that as I was a bit delirious, overtaken with love and acting kind of goofy.  It occurs to me that If I did propose, I never got an answer! Hmm.. Anyway, yes these are THAT GOOD!

S actually wanted to make some wraps for a potluck with his friends and so this was a bit of a trial run. He added a sauce to them the second time around and they were even better.  I'm happy to be the test kitchen anytime ;)

I'm hoping to share some of S's recipes because they are so yummy!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

So did yall watch the election results last night? We did and it was quite a late night. In theory the night was pretty bad. We lost soccer 7-3, I got a parking ticket trying to do a good deed of watering my friend's orchids (grrrr), Sens lost and then Trump won the election.. and yes that last one is in a league of its own. Despite all that it was a really nice evening yesterday watching the results come in with S's colleagues, and although I woke up with some anxiety and apprehension about the future of mankind,  society, the stock market and everything else, I can't help but be in a generally good mood.

Lasagna holds a special place in my heart. I really love it and find it so comforting. However it's not exactly light. When I came across this recipe on Paleomg and modified it a bit. I was excited to try it out, as I happened to have spaghetti squash and the rest of the ingredients on hand. It requires a bit of time, mainly just because you bake the spaghetti squash first and then bake it again with the sauce in the casserole. It is quite simple though and tastes great. It makes a lot and is perfect for dinners or lunches.

This recipe could easily be made vegetarian just omit the meat and add in more veggies.

Chicken a la King

Okay, so here is the recipe for chicken a la King that Carolyn and I made when I was visiting St Catharines. I've never tried to make anything like it before. It seems complicated but is quite easy. It  was so good!  The recipe was made easier with pre-made shells.

Green Curry Shimp

I can't believe it is already December!! Is anyone else addicted to going to Christmas fairs and markets, or is it just me? I am such a sucker for all those things. I checked out the Christmas market at the Museum of History (formerly Museum of Civilization) and it was so beautiful in the grand hall! I picked up some ice wine and cheese from local producers and some other goodies and presents. I also checked out the market at Landsdowne. It moved back from Brewer park to the Aberdeen Pavilion. The Ottawa Citizen had a list of all the upcoming markets and fairs so check it out if you are into that sort of thing.

This recipe is modified from Cooking Light magazine. I made it less spicy (although it was still quite spicy!)  and served it over udon noodles instead of rice noodles, but that is just my personal preference.

This dish is really flavourful and comes together fast. I feel like I say that about most of the recipes I share on here, but it is true. I appreciate meals that are simple, fast and full of flavour.

I was pleased that the recipe called for Kale as I have a lot that I want to use up before it goes bad. If you know any good kale recipes please post in the comments!  I was having a bit of a stressful day on Saturday and for me cooking is a stress reliever.  I really liked it, and was glad there were some leftovers to take for lunch. D was over for dinner and said he liked it as well.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces dried rice noodles
• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions ( I omitted because I didn't have any)
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons Thai green curry paste (the recipe called for 2 tablespoons- use that much at your own risk)
• 1 1/4 cups matchstick-cut carrots 
• 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock ( I used water and a quarter cube of chicken bouillon)
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk 
• 6 cups packed chopped kale (about 1/2 bunch)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (omitted- didn't have)
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind (omitted- didn't have)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 

Directions: 
1. Prepare udon noddles according to package directions. I stir fried them but you can also boil them. 

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions, garlic, and ginger; sauté 1 minute. Stir in curry paste; sauté 30 seconds. Add carrots, chicken stock (or water and bouillon cube), and coconut milk, stirring well to combine; bring to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes.

3. Fold in kale; sprinkle with salt. Cook 3 minutes or until kale is wilted and tender. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Remove from heat; top with cilantro, lime rind, and juice. Serve over rice noodles.

Enjoy! 

Pulo Chicken Naan Wrap

I was recently selected to participate in the Pulo Recipe Challenge. That is, Pulo sent me their collection of sauces and marinades and I was asked to come up with, and share, a recipe using one of the sauces. Although the sauces were provided to me by the company, all opinions are my own. 

Pulo is an authentic collection of sauces and marinades inspired by the 7000 Islands

of the Philippines.  They have no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. That is very important to me! Although not familiar with Philippine cuisine, I was excited to try it! My very first roommate (at Queen's University) is from the Philippines and she is just AWESOME (Hi Xyza! ) I read up on the culture of Philippine cuisine and learned that what makes it so rich and tasty is its dynamic mixture of different cultures: Malay, Chinese, Spanish and Indian. What a wonderful mix! 

I love Indian food, so I decided to take the fusion aspect one step further and make Pulo chicken Naan wraps, using the mango chili marinade. I have eaten Naan wraps from an Indian restaurant in the market building but have never tried making one myself. What on earth was I waiting for? These were so easy and delicious.  The marinade pairs perfectly with chicken, making it so tender and flavourful. The recipe has less than 5 ingredients and can be whipped up in no time. 

A selection of Pulo sauces and marinades- Coconut Adobo, Pineapple Tamarind, Kare Kare Toasted Peanut
and not pictured here: Mango Chili and Lemon Grass Atsuete

I chose to use the mango chili marinade

I forgot that marinades not only add flavour, but also make chicken so tender! 

Spread the lettuce and chicken on Naan Bread

So delicious

Ready to eat! 

Ingredients:
- Pulo Mango Chili Marinade
- 6 chicken thighs
- lettuce
- store bought Naan or home made if you are feeling ambitious- I used bought chilli and coriander Naan.

Instructions:
- Pour marinade over chicken thighs in a bowl or ziplock bag.  Let marinade for about 1 hour (longer is fine too)
- Preheat oven to 425 F
- Put chicken into a baking dish and cook for about 45 minutes
- Warm naan in a frying pan
- Cut chicken into bite size pieces
- Place lettuce and chicken on the naan, wrap up and enjoy!

These marinades and sauces also go well with other meats and seafood. So far, I have tried the Lemongrass Atsuete marinade with Tilapia. I look forward to trying out the pineapple marinade as well as the sauces.

Blackened Trout with Mango Salsa

I have wanted to make this recipe since It came up on my blogger reader ages ago from SkinnyTaste.com. Her version uses salmon but i decided to use fresh Atlantic trout that I got at Costco. I love going to Costco by the way! I went on Saturday with P and totally stocked up on all things healthy and delicious.

Anyway D came for dinner on Sunday so I made it. I used less cayenne than the original recipe and it was a bit spicy but still tasty. I don't think I would have enjoyed it otherwise. We both started eating it right away and I didn't get a chance to take any photos! Well I did take a photo of a half eaten plate..not the best! So this photo is from leftovers that I had again the next day served with Farro (stir fried with mushrooms and leeks). Have you tried it? It's supposed to be healthy and tastes really good. nice change to rice.

For the mango salsa: 

2 asian mangos, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice  

For the trout:

1 tablespoon paprika 
1/2 tablespoon cayenne 
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh if you have)
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
3-4 large pieces of trout 
olive oil to brush pan

Instructions:

Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate salsa until ready to serve. 

In a small bowl, add the paprika, cayenne, chili, thyme, and salt and mix to blend. Put the mixture on a plate and coat the fillets.

Heat a large  pan  over medium heat, and brush with oil. When very hot add the fish, flesh side down and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully turn the fish, then cook an additional 5 to 6 minutes.

Enjoy!!

We both really enjoyed it. one critique I received was that the mango was chopped too coarsely.. That is my bad for lack of finesse. So cut the mango a bit smaller depending on your target eaters.

Pizza Dough

Ready top pop into the oven

Mmm lunch is ready

Slicing a piece

So the last time I tried to made pizza, I used all the dough and it was soo think. It was pretty much the deepest dish pizza you can imagine. I didn't love it. When I told my friend Kristin about it, she burst out laughing and said the dough always makes enough for at least two pizzas. Woops. Last time I used the kitchen aid cookbook. This time I used Kristin's recipe and modified it/combined it with the Kitchenaid one.

It turned out much thinner and was delicious. I froze the leftover dough and will have enough to make another pizza and maybe even try out some of these ideas of 10 things to do with leftover pizza dough  that Kristin sent me ( thank you!!). She also informed me that when using frozen dough be sure to let it thaw to room temperature first.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4  cups lukewarm water (105-120 F- you can use a candy thermometer for this, or just wing it) 
• 1 1/2 teaspoon yeast, or 1 package
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups flour, I used half all purpose, half whole wheat
• cornmeal

Instructions

• Mix everything except for the flour together and let it foam a bit. 
• Mix in the flour, knead until dough has the right consistency. I used my Kitchenaid with the hook attachment on setting number 2. If you don't have one, kneed by hand.
• Place in a lightly greased bowl. Let it sit in warm place covered by tea towel for 2 hours or so. It will roughly double in size.
• Preheat oven to 450F
• Punch down dough.
• Roll out onto a lightly greased pizza pan ( sprinkled with cornmeal for an authentic look)
• Cover with toppings- here I used tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, mozzarella and chili flakes
• Bakes for 15-20 minutes. 
• Enjoy! 

This was so easy. I'll never buy ready made pizza crusts again. As long as you have enough time to let the dough rise, it's easy peasy and delicious. 

Peach Salsa

I am always looking for new dinner ideas. D came for dinner on Friday and I made a variation of turkey scalopini with this peach salsa. Peaches are in season right now and I had delicious local ones that I brought back from my trip to visit C and S.  I also brought some over to my parents the next day and we had some with crackers which was also good. My mom liked it so much she made some for their dinner gusts the next night.

I originally found found my inspiration on southernfood.com and modified the recipe.

- 2 larges peaches
- 1/4 cup lime juice (less if using 'real lime')
- 2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar
- 2 tablespoons roasted red pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced jalepeno pepper
- 2 tablespoons fine chopped red onion
-1 heaping tablespoon cilantro

Mix everything together in a bowl and chill until ready to serve.

Eggplant parmigiana

I love eggplant but was undecided about eggplant parmigiana. I usually prefer grilled eggplant, or cooked in a stir fry. I found this recipe in The Australian Women's Veggie Stars (new cookbook from Gail- see earlier post earlier post on avocado and tomato) and thought it looked good. 


The cookbook says to use 2 large eggplant, but I used baby eggplant. I find them less bitter, and you don't need to drain the bitterness by putting salt and letting them sit for an hour.

Baby Eggplant

I used to think this type of eggplant was called thai eggplant. However the cookbook shows all the different types, and it turns out thai eggplant are the smaller round ones (green or purple) as shown below.

Thai Eggplant

This recipe turned out really well and was even better as leftovers the next day. I definitely recommend trying it out, with whatever eggplant you have on hand.

Ingredients:
- 2 eggplant
-vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3-4 eggs beaten lightly
- 2 cups breadcrumbs (I used panko crumbs)
- tomato sauce ( can be bought or made, I used president's choice marinara)
- 1 cup grated mozzarella
-1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
-1/3 cup fresh oregano leaves (or dried oregano if that's what you have)

Directions:
1. using vegetable peeler, peel random strips of skin from eggplant, discard. Slice eggplants thinly
2. heat oil in a large frying pan
3. coat eggplants in flour; dip in eggs and then in bread crumbs. shallow fry in batches until slightly browned.
4. Preheat oven to 400F
5. Spread 1/3 pasta sauce in a greased oven proof dish.  Top with 1/3 eggplant, 1/3 cheese and 1/3 oregano. repeat layering
6. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover; bake about 10 minutes or until browned slightly.