Monthly Archives: January 2013

Day 4 of 5 Days of Soup-Quinoa and Kale Soup

Posted on by
13

Here are two of the most popular ingredients brought together in this amazing soup. A full blast of healthy!!! If you follow along here you know you get a wide variety of foods from vegan and vegetarian to full on carnivore to decadent. Something for everyone. I love food, I love veggies and fruit and we all like to have variety. Soups in this house are huge, there is not one that I put in front of Amber that she doesn’t gobble down with enthusiasm. This soup was no exception. Full on flavor, filling and satisfying!!

I would love to share a big bowl of soup with you. So pull out the pot and try this one!!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Print
Day 4 of 5 Days of Soup-Quinoa and Kale Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6
 

A delicious healthy wonderful soup!!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-900 ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. rubbed Dalmation sage
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-14 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups chopped Kale
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa

Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, sage, thyme and salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 min.
  2. Add the white beans and kale and simmer for 5 min. Add the cooked quinoa and heat through. Adjust seasonings and serve.

WordPress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

 

No Cream Creamy Tomato Soup

Posted on by
8

Day 3 of 5 Days of Soup and this is one that is a bit lighter than the last two but we are so not compromising on the flavor. This soup is fantastic. I did use my homemade canned tomatoes but that can be remedied with any canned tomato and some sprigs of fresh basil. There is also a trick to make a soup more flavorful and creamy without the calories and that is to use Parmesan rinds. We love Parmesan here and I mean by that Parmigiano Reggiano, I buy nothing else. Expensive yes, but you don’t have to use tons for great flavor and if you use everything including the rind, even better!! I just save them and add them to soups or stews when I am making them.

As I have said before when I use olive oil it is EVOO and when I use Parmesan it is Parmigiano Reggiano and as Mario Batali says “The Undisputed King of Cheese”.

To also make this soup creamy I used a potato, a little secret that I got from Joan Lunden’s cookbook. It makes it creamy and thick. Nicely done Joan and thanks for the idea!!

Lastly I added a little Greek yogurt to up the creaminess but to take away the tartness I did this next trick.

I have done this for years, adding a bit of sugar cuts the acidity from the tomatoes and the tartness of the yogurt, and adds a bit more flavor too! I always use a sprinkle with sliced tomato sandwiches or BLT’s, try it next time and you will see the difference.

Onto the soup at hand. We all loved this one and you will too!!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Print
No Cream Creamy Tomato Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4-6
 

A fantastic creamy tomato soup with no cream!!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 large sprigs of basil
  • 42 oz. canned tomatoes
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 large potato, diced
  • 1 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers
  • 1-2 Parmesan rinds
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
  1. In a large pot saute garlic and onion over medium heat in the Tbsp. of olive oil until translucent. Add tomatoes, broth, basil, potato, roasted red peppers and Parmesan rinds. Cook for 30 min. simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove Parmesan rinds. Let cool slightly and blend in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and yogurt, whisk well and reheat and serve.

WordPress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

 

 

Guest Post- Canadian Beer Cheese Soup- 5 Days of Soup

Posted on by
7

I am guest posting on an amazing site called Cooking Around The World. I met Chris through a Facebook group that is so very helpful for bloggers like us to communicate and support one another. Chris lives in Germany, how exciting to be writing a post for him!! When Chris asked me if I could guest post and to do something Canadian I wasn’t sure what to do. There are a few Canadian recipes but not like other countries that have a huge cuisine attached to them. We are a melting pot here so our cuisine is very diverse, in my opinion. We have a lot of French Canadian recipes but not much out west where I live. We are influenced more by Texas as we have loads of cowboys and The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the Calgary Stampede.Well I didn’t want to go there as that is not what you really think of when you think of Canadian food. The Caesar cocktail was invented here in Calgary but I had done a lot on that subject already.

Hmmm, where else to go??? I wasn’t quite sure then I thought of something I have never made before and thought I would give it a whirl, Canadian Beer Cheese Soup. I selected a lovely red amber ale from a brewery called Alexander Keith’s. We do have a great selection of beer up here in Canada. I think beer is pretty Canadian!! It goes nicely with our sports of hockey and football watching!!

I have to say this soup turned out so magnificent, thick and creamy with an incredible taste. We all loved it!! And I sure hope you enjoy it too!!

For this amazing soup recipe come on over to Cooking Around the World.

Thanks again Chris for allowing me to be there. Cheers, Tara

The DIY Dreamer

 

 

Mouth Watering Mondays

Posted on by
1

Monday, Monday, here you are again so quickly. Doesn’t the weekend fly by? I always have in my head that I will sleep in, read a bit of my book, lounge, watch a movie, etc. but it all goes by in a blur! Not that is wasn’t all good and we always accomplish a lot just not very relaxing!! Oh well such is life!!

I thought of bringing you some nibbles for the big game this weekend, The Super Bowl. I gave you 8 this week unlike the 6 you usually get. My team is there this year. The San Fransisco 49ers. Love, love, loved when Joe Montana played!!! So instead of searching around for recipes from other blogs I am going to give you a review of my blog here and the big one is Joe Montana’s Guacamole. I sure fire hit for The Super Bowl and maybe it will bring my 49ers some luck!!

To start off with is this amazing Pepperoni and Mozzarella Pull Apart, a sure crowd pleaser, that will bring all the fans together to enjoy this!!

Next up are these little Pork Tenderloin Tid Bits and they are oh so good to munch on during the game!!

Always great to crunch on our Spiced Pecans!! Pass these around and the bowl may come back empty. The recipe gives you enough for a refill!!

Chorizo Cheese Dip will make them go crazy with ooohs and aaaahs. Served right out of the cast iron pan couldn’t be easier!!

Are you getting thirsty yet??? How about a Lemon Whistle Cocktail to wash this all down!!

Still got the munchies, these Sticky Mustard and Ginger Cocktail Sausages will cure any hunger!!

Next up are some great Mozzarella Cheese Sticks that will wow the crowd. They are so unbelievably yummy!!

Well lastly for my 49ers is this wonderful guacamole. Joe Montana’s Touchdown Guacamole. A huge hit at any game!! Go 49ers!!!

 

5 Days of Soup-Chorizo Roasted Red Pepper

Posted on by
9

By overwhelming demand I bring you 5 Days of Soup. I asked on Facebook what you would like to see, 5 days of Soups, Salads, Meatballs or Pasta and by a landslide you picked soup. Well it is that time of year!!! Perfect for a big bowl of steaming soup. I came up with 5+ wonderful soups and will share them with you over the next two weeks. They will be interrupted by our usual Mouth Watering Mondays and BundtAMonth but I will be sharing them all with you.

I came up with what I think are very unique soups, not your usual here but every single one is fabulous. Some decadent, some healthy, some low in fat but I guarantee all delicious. My family loves soups and when I wrote out a list of what I wanted to make we couldn’t slim it down to only five. So some of them will carry over into the second week.

Soups are easy once you master the basis of them. Start with a little fat, then onion, garlic maybe a carrot or celery thrown in. Then the a veggie to shine through and flavoring like herbs and spices, maybe a protein like meat or beans, then broth, cream or tomatoes and voila you have a soup. They can then be pureed or not. Additions like croutons, crostinis, a dollop of sour cream or cheese always add something too but the wonderful thing about soups is that the list is endless. Your mind is your only limitation. Leftovers work great or what you have hanging around in your pantry. Go wild, experiment, you might even surprise yourself. All for the love of soup!!

Today I bring you a wonderful creation of a slightly spicy, soul warming Chorizo and Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Enjoy!!

Print
5 Days of Soup-Chorizo Roasted Red Pepper
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

A lovely combination of roasted peppers and Chorizo make this soup shine!!
Ingredients
  • 3 red pepper, seeded and halved
  • 2 red jalapenos, seeded and halved
  • 4 links or Chorizo
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • pinch or crushed red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 19 oz. can diced tomatoes with celery and onion
  • 1½ cups chicken stock
  • Sour cream for garnish

Instructions
  1. Place the peppers on a rimmed cookie sheet and broil until the skin is blackened. Place the peppers in a Ziploc bag to steam. When cooled remove the blackened skin and dice the red pepper and mince the jalapenos. Set aside.
  2. Remove the Chorizo meat from the casings and saute in a large pot over medium heat until browned. Remove the meat onto a paper towel lined plate. Drain any fat.
  3. In the same pot over medium heat add the Tbsp. of olive oil and saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, paprika, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Saute for 1-2 min. Reserve ¼ of the red pepper and add the rest with the jalapenos. Add the chicken stock and canned tomatoes. Cook simmering for 15 min.
  4. With a hand held immersion blender or standup blender, blend until smooth. Add the reserved Chorizo and peppers, heat through and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

WordPress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Addicted Button 2, Addicted to Recipes Butoon, v@
 

Tandoori Chicken and Tomato Onion Salad

Posted on by
8

Now we go to India with all their fabulous spices. I wanted to make Butter Chicken but the recipe that I was using asked to make Tandoori Chicken first. Well it looked so good I never did get to making the Butter Chicken. Ken marinated this chicken one night for me and then I broiled it the second night and we ate it on the third night. Wow, was it good.I accompanied it with a basmati rice and a simple tomato and onion salad and it was perfect!

Cooking like this in stages is easy. It just takes a little planning but in the end you don’t feel like you are stuck in the kitchen for huge lengths of time. I cooked the chicken the second night while I was making another meal, so by the third night I hardly had anything to do, it makes for a relaxing evening. Love that!! So that was my path to the Tandoori Chicken and it was excellent. I hope you enjoy it too!

 

Print
Tandoori Chicken and Tomato Onion Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

A fabulously flavored Tandoori Chicken with a just right salad!
Ingredients
Tandoori Chicken
  • 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ⅓ cup Greek style yogurt
  • 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. flour
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. ginger paste, jarred or fresh
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. garam masala
  • 1 Tbsp. canola oil for brushing
  • 2 Tbsp. melted butter, warm
  • ½ tsp. ground tumeric
  • Lemon for serving
Tomato Onion Salad
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
  • 1-2 fresh green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice or to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pinch of sugar

Instructions
  1. Poke each piece of chicken several times with a sharp knife. Rub the chicken in the lemon juice and salt, place in a nonmetallic bowl, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 min.
  2. Meanwhile, put the yogurt in another medium bowl with the flour and the cream. Whisk well and add the garlic, ginger, chili powder, coriander, cumin, garam masala and tumeric. Pour over the chicken and marinate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat the broiler to high and line a broiler pan with foil brushed with 1Tbsp. canola oil. Place the chicken on the broiler pan. Reserve the marinade. Broil the chicken for 4 min. turn and broil again for 4 min. Baste with the reserved marinade. Broil now for 2 min. a side. Brush with the marinade and broil again for 5 min. a side or until chicken is done. Brush with warm butter and serve with basmati rice, lemon and tomato onion salad.
  4. For the salad, put the tomatoes, onion, cilantro and chiles in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and sugar. Toss gently and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Before serving adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice and gently toss. Garnish with cilantro and serve with the chicken.

WordPress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Recipe adapted from Indian cookbook by Parragon Publishing

Avocado Tomato Boats

Posted on by
12

Well today is my birthday and you would think I would have a birthday cake here. Well I do have one for tonight prepared but it is for another post I will be doing. Today I wanted to share something with you. Something I love and it is avocado. I know they are higher in fat but it is the monounsaturated fats and they are oh so good. Nothing I love better for lunch than a quick little salad in an avocado or just the avocado with a little bit of dressing. Filling, satisfying and delicious!!

I love avocado anything, guacamole, in sushi, in salads or just alone. They fall into the fruit category but you wouldn’t think of them that way. They are ripe when the skin blackened and give way to squeezing just slightly. Careful as to not get one too ripe as it will be blackened in spots inside. They do ripen nicely in a fruit bowl at home in two to three day. I like to cut them in half and very carefully with a sharp knife bang the knife blade into the pit, twist slightly and it removes very easily. Be careful this can be dangerous. If I was using the avocado in a recipe I would then peel back the skin and remove the pulp to slice or mash etc.
This fruit is a treat at anytime!!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Print
Avocado Tomato Boats
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer/Salad/Lunch
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 2-4
 

A perfect fast lunch or appetizer
Ingredients
  • 2 Avocados
  • 16 grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ Tbsp. lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Parsley to garnish

Instructions
  1. In a small bowl place the tomatoes, green onion, feta cheese, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently.
  2. Halve the avocados and divide the salad among the four halves. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

WordPress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

 

Tasty Food Photography

Posted on by
4

This book has completely changed how I do photography. I resource it back again and again. It is excellent for anyone wanting to improve their food photography skills. Between this and a fantastic three hour photography lesson in my home I have learned so much. I literally knew nothing prior to that. I am now on all the big sites regularly like Tasteologie, Tastespotteing, Foodgawker etc. If you want to get on these sites or just improve your photography this book is fantastic!!! It is a small investment with a big pay off!!! Just CLICK HERE to purchase this book. You just download it and you have it at the ready on your computer anytime you want it. No worry about it being misplaced, you always know where it is. I clearly can’t say enough about this book and how it has changed my photography skills. Click on in and have a look. It will change your photography for life!!!

Snack Pack Canada Giveaway

Posted on by

It is giveaway time again you lucky Canadians. Snack Pack Canada has supplied me with this wonderful giveaway. It is going to be very easy for you to enter again!! The prize pack is worth $50. Who doesn’t like free stuff and especially when it comes to yummy free stuff!!

The winner will be chosen randomly by “And The Winner is” on January 31, 2013 at noon MST. Entries are simple and are listed as follows.

1. Go to the Snack Pack Canada Facebook page and choose a favorite flavor and come back to tell me what it is in the comment section.

What that’s it, that’s too easy you say. Yup, that’s it!! Have fun with Snack Pack Puddings.

Contest is only open to Canadian residences only.

 

Slow Cooker Ribs for Addicted To Recipes Guest Post

Posted on by
6

I am thrilled to be guest posting again. Dawn has a great site at Addicted To Recipes. The last time I did a guest post on her site was way back in June of last year and I had made for Dawn  Moroccan Chicken. This time I am doing a Slow Cooker Rib recipe. This recipe is oh so easy as most are in a slow cooker. Succulent fall off the ribs meat is waiting for you after a busy day of running around. I did like to stir these every once in a while to coat them nicely which is usually a no no with a slow cooker but I find they cook better and more even. So do this recipe on a weekend when you are popping in and out.

Can you believe ribs that look this good came from a slow cooker???

To get this fabulous recipe come on over to Addicted To Recipes. Have a great day all!!!