SB's Carrot & Potato Soup

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18TH, 2009

4 stars (out of 5 - a delicious meal-in-a-bowl!)

Ingredients:

2-4 carrots
2 medium-large potatoes
2 large tomatoes
2 small-medium onions
1 leek
1 cube veggie bouillon*

{Note. Use whatever bouillon you normally like; we used veggie so that the soup is vegetarian. We also recommend using celery and the leek is optional... we just had it in the fridge at the time}.

1. First, we put about 2 cups of water in a large pot and brought to a boil.

2. Next, we peeled the carrots and potatoes and chopped them roughly into medium-sized pieces.

3. We then cut the tomatoes into quarters (notice how SB is taking out the core)...

4. ... and cut the leek and onion (not pictured). The onion can be cut just into quarters.

5. We added the veggies and bouillon to the boiling water. The water should basically be deep enough to just cover the veggies. We stirred in some salt and pepper and brought to a boil.

6. Once the soup was boiling, we lowered to heat to low (3-4ish) and simmered for about 40 minutes. We checked on it once and a while to make sure that the water wasn't evaporating too much.

7. After, we added the soup mixture to the blender and mixed it all up!

8. Served with a dollop of sour cream:

Very yummy and filling soup! We ate it with our meals for days. It's also very good for you (no fat). SB thought it was missing something, and then we realized that we had forgot celery, so I think that would be a great addition. Basically throw whatever you have in your fridge in and mix!

Hearty Salad from the South-West of France

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH, 2009

5 stars (out of 5 - a very hearty meal in a bowl)

It was SB's birthday dinner and he wanted us to make this huge salad that is popular in the south of France...

Ingredients:

Spring salad mix
Prosciutto
1 package Magret de canard (fumé)
Cherry tomatoes
Shredded cheese*
Potatoes (1 per person)
Eggs (1 per person)

Dressing: (as you wish)
Dijon mustard
Olive oil
White wine vinegar

1. First we peeled the potatoes, and sliced them as finely as we could. We put them in a pan with olive oil and fried them for a long time. You want them to be very well-cooked.

2. As the potatoes were cooking, we shredded the cheese and chopped the cherry tomatoes in half. We also started boiling the eggs (1 egg per person; for soft-boiled we left them in for four minutes).

3. We then made the dressing by mixing in dijon mustard (3 tsp) and white wine vinegard (1 tbsp approx) and olive oil, until smooth.

4. After the potatoes were ready (see above pic), we started the salad by using HUGE bowls and layering the bottom with the spring salad mix and tomatoes.

5. Next, we added a layer of magret de canard...

6. ... and topped this with another layer of salad, followed by the cooked potatoes.

7. Then added the cheese...

8. ...prosciutto...

9. ... and then the magret de canard and potatoes.

10. Finally, we topped it with a soft-boiled egg and the dressing.

We served it with champagne to complete the French experience ;)

My version, sans meat:

Me, not sure what to expect:

SB looking happy with his creation:

And yes, SB did finish his whole HUGE salad:

Overall, this was a quite delicious salad. I liked the warm egg and potatoes , which made it a very hearty meal (even without meat). I think that for us Canadian meat-eaters (and the budget-conscious), just one of the meats would suffice, but what do I know?! I will definitely be making this again, on another special occasion.

Thanksgiving Dinner - Turkey Rolls with Stuffing

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, 2009

4.5 stars [out of 5 - pretty good, but a whole turkey is probably better ;)]

Ingredients:

This is for 6 people (original recipe); I used only one turkey cutlet for SB:

2.5-3lb turkey breast*
1.5 cups of your favourite stuffing*
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Olive oil (2 tbsp)
Toothpicks or twine

{Note. For less people, you can also use individual turkey cutlets for each person, which is what I did. However, the turkey breast will still have the skin, which makes for a better meat in the end and prevents it from drying out. I think I will do that next time. For the stuffing, I just used StoveTop because I was lazy, but if you have a great stuffing recipe it will probably make this meal even better}.

1. First, I cooked the stuffing and set it aside.

2. If you have turkey breasts, you will need to butterfly the meat, and pound it with a meat mallet until even thickness. I seasoned one side of the turkey cutlet with salt, pepper and a sprinkling of garlic powder.

3. I spooned stuffing over the turkey (non-skin side), about 3/4 of an inch deep.

4. Next, I rolled up the turkey as tightly as possible and secured with toothpicks. If you are using a large piece of meat for several people, you will need to use some twine. This keeps the shape of the turkey as it cooks.

5. I then gave the turkey a good coating of olive oil, and seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder again.

6. I then placed in the oven at 350F. If you are using a large piece of meat, use a rimmed baking sheet covered in a little olive oil.

7. I only had to bake mine for about 35 minutes because my cutlets were so small, but if you have a large piece of meat, this can take up to 1.5 hours. Cook until the internal temperature is 165F (you can cook it until 160F and let it rise to 165F as it cools to prevent it from drying out), and let it sit, covered for 10 minutes. Remove twine/toothpicks, and serve! (One note, if the turkey becomes brown while cooking, you may also want to cover with aluminum foil).

I served this with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans, but you can serve with whatever sides you like for Thanksgiving. I like this recipe because I don't see myself ever tackling a full turkey (I don't think that as a vegetarian I could handle that), but can still make a nice Thanksgiving meal for non-vegetarians. I have only tried this with small pieces of turkey cutlet, but think next time I will try a large turkey breast so that I can keep the skin on it, which everyone loves and I don't have to worry about it drying out.

Cheesy Artichoke Dip

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, 2009

5 stars (out of 5 - delicious appy!)

Ingredients:

1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Splash of lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small package spreadable cream cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayo*

{*Note. I use real mayo (or low-fat real mayo). I find that if you use Miracle Whip it tastes too sweet}.

1. First, I prepped all of my ingredients by chopping the artichokes, onions, and garlic. I added everything to a bowl and then transferred it to a casserole dish.

2. I then baked it, covered, at 350F until bubbly (about 30-45 minutes), stirring it once so that the sides don't burn and the middle gets cooked.

3. Serve with baguette or tortilla chips!

I love making this for parties, as everyone loves a warm appy. One problem is that you will want to serve it when everyone has arrived, as it cools quickly. This has been one of my favourite appy's (passed down from my mom) for a long time!