Asparagus Bacon Carbonara

Have you tried the asparagus this year? It is wonderful! Yum yum! Here is a super easy recipe using a wonderful double smoked bacon I get at my local farmer's market. While it has been a late growing season, and the produce is a bit sparse, I have been eating so much asparagus I am about to turn green.

Asparagus Bacon Carbonara

- One bunch of asparagus
- A chunk of double smoked bacon, or about 5-6 strips of streaky bacon
- Two eggs
- Pasta for 2-3 people; I use brown rice pasta
- Cracked black pepper, salt to taste

1.   Fry up your smoked bacon, cut into small bite-sized chunks while boiling your pasta water. Make it nice an crispy.

2. Chop up your asparagus, removing the woody ends.

3. Add your asparagus to the bacon once it gets crispy. Add your pasta to boiling water.

4. Crack two eggs into a mixing bowl and scramble. When your pasta is ready, drain. Place your pasta back into it's pot and pour your mixed eggs into the hot pasta. The heat will cook the eggs (don't worry). Mix your pasta with the eggs so the eggs are well distributed through the pasta.

5. Take your bacon and asparagus mixture and add it to the pasta, egg mixture. The bacon fat is like the sauce in this dish, which is really wonderful when you use smoked bacon! There shouldn't be too much fat if you are using double smoked bacon. If you are using bacon strips, you may like to drain off some of the fat before you add the bacon to the pasta.

6. Serve with a little bit of cracked pepper. Need more umph? Add some baby tomatoes to your asparagus, bacon mix whilst you are cooking your asparagus. Chili pepper flakes would be yummy too!

Natural Peanut Butter, Vegan Baggage and Cookies

In a rush, I grabbed the first peanut butter on the shelf. It was on sale. We needed peanut butter. I grabbed it...

Didn't realize until I got home, not only was it crunchy, it was natural.

I'm all for natural products. The less chemicals in my food, the better. So I thought, "What the hey" and stirred my separated oil and nuts.

Things I don't like about Natural Peanut Butter:

1. You have to stir it well. If you don't stir it well enough, you will find that when you get to the bottom of the jar it is oddly, freaky, crusty dry. 
2. There is less sugar and I like sugar. It is really noticeable in Natural Peanut Butter. To solve this problem I added jam to every peanut butter'd piece of bread I had.
3. I don't know if it is all those saturated fats but DAMN IT REALLY STICKS TO THE ROOF OF YOUR MOUTH.

I couldn't throw out the peanut butter. I resolved to bake with it.

UGH! You have to stir it before you even bake with it!

I scoured the internet for a new peanut butter recipe and found an interesting vegan one.

Vegan?!?! I just didn't know. Vegan? Tasteless, wacky, kale?  You see, I have vegan baggage.

A vegan stole my job. Another vegan I used to work with would insult me on a daily basis (I blame diet/lack of food). And the whole wool thing, honey thing really gets my goat.

But, I am open minded. I know of one vegan who is sane and a terrific person. There is hope. So I decided to try it. This recipe uses olive oil (I have never baked with olive oil despite how many recipes are out there) and good ol' natural peanut butter.

"If it doesn't taste good, I'll eat it!"

Did it work? Does it taste as good as a normal, regular, everyday peanut butter cookie?

YUPPERS! And there are very few ingredients: Maple syrup, flour, vanilla, salt, baking soda and peanut butter.

This is an important picture: the dough looks just like
a regular non-vegan recipe.

The final product: just wonderful!

A warning: Mr. B believes these cookies are dry, but I don't find them that way at all. They do stick to the roof of your mouth a bit more than a regular cookie. They are less sweet (which I remedied by sprinkling sugar on the top of them).

To try this recipe out visit the link at 101 cookbooks right here.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Working and commuting so much has made me embrace my slow cooker. A familiar fav is my Chicken Cacciatore which I continue to adapt and work on. I don't know what it is but I am not impressed with most C.C. recipe's. They are lacking in flavour and are too simple.

That's right Delia Smith and America's Test Kitchen: your recipes are boring.

Maybe my adaptation is not traditionally Italian. Who cares? It's good.

Miss Loverly's Chicken Cacciatore
4 large chicken breasts, skin on, with bone
A can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of dried mushrooms (assorted is good)
1/4 cup of Kalamata Black Olives (remove the pits yourself)
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 large garlic cloves, diced
white wine
1 bay leaf
1 heaping tablespoon of dried Italian herbs
salt
pepper
fresh basil if you have it (not necessary)
pasta or rice to serve with

While this recipe may be made in a crock pot, you can as easily make this in a large cast iron pot to cook away slowly on the stove or in the oven.

1. Boil your kettle and let your dried mushrooms seep in half a cup of the hot water. After fifteen minutes, take your mushrooms and dice them. Save the water.

2. Place your chicken in the crock pot. If you are diet conscious, remove the skin. Sometimes I like to do half with skin on and half without. This time it's sans skin. Bone in is ideal for flavour. Salt and pepper your chicken. Add your onions and Italian herbs.

3. Add your garlic, onions and olives. Add the chopped dried mushrooms and it's seeped liquid. Add your can of diced tomatoes, a bay leaf and one cup or more of white wine (just ensure that the chicken is submerged). Make sure your ingredients are well distributed and stir if they are not. Set your crock pot on for 6 hours. If you are to make this on the stove, a slow two hours is good.

4. As there is quite a bit of liquid, you may add rice directly to the crock pot and wait for it to cook, testing it ever so often to see if it is ready. Remember brown rice takes longer! If you are adding to pasta, you may like to take the top off of the crock pot and let some of the liquid simmer off. You may also add a tablespoon of cornstarch and hot water (well mixed) to the sauce to thicken as well.

5. Adding some fresh torn basil is completely optional though it is a great addition.

Why this recipe works:
The dried mushrooms add an earthy-ness to the dish and don't water down the sauce.
The olives add saltiness.
The basil is just darn good and extremely Italian.
It is so easy!

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes (or Car Crash Cupcakes)

A kitchen decoration of my dog chows down on a cupcake!

I was sentimental and decided for a family gathering I would make Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes. If you never had these as a kid, you missed out! In making these, I discovered many pros and cons about making them - something I would have never known as a kid.

You need: cake mix, ice cream cones and icing. Candy is good too.

Take your batter and pour it into your cone below the lip. In fact, I would even pour it lower than the batter in this image.

I found that loaf pans work very well to hold the cones. Make sure the cones are level otherwise you will get this or this: (especially if you overfill your cones!)

Thankfully you can pick some of this cake residue off and eat it!

FIRST MESS UP: I made these ahead of time and put them into a plastic container. Overnight the cones became soft from the moisture of the cake. Not cool.

I also made the icing ahead of time (a simple buttercream) and put it into a large plastic bag to pipe onto the cupcakes.

Early morning sunlight casts it's rays onto my icing and cupcakes.

SECOND MESS UP: It was a hot morning and the buttercream quickly became soft. It was not cooperative and soon I had icing everywhere. (Is that really a bad thing?) Top your icing with some candy. I used sour atomic balls.

If you have empty space in your plastic traveling container, fill it out with a ball of wax paper.

Cupcake for breakfast? Okay!

THIRD MESS UP: (Probably the biggest one to avoid): On route to the gathering we got in a car crash by being rear ended by another car and pushing us into the one in front of us. This will topple your cupcakes and make a big mess. At this point, you are allowed to eat any or all of the cupcakes to feel better.

Now if you remember these from your childhood, you will remember that the cone part is not the yummiest from baking. My boyfriend called it "stringy." I would describe it more as stale. I actually like the combo of the cake and cone but it is up to you to decide.

A Super-Duper Fast Lunch

This could not be more simple and to make it better it contains cheap ingredients that are in a lot of people's fridges at home.

Mexican Chickpea Salad

You need a can of chickpeas, salsa, cilantro and the juice and rind of a lime.  Directions: rinse chickpeas, add salsa, big handful of cilantro, juice of lime and rind. Chill to let the flavours mingle. You can add salt and pepper if you like. That's it!

Another version of this salad involves combining black beans, fresh tomatoes, red onion, avocado, a squeeze of lime and cilantro. Happy eats!

Sparkles and Easter Bunnies

Last year, I purchased a bunny cookie cutter at Loblaws and didn't have the time or energy to try it out. It was pretty neat - coming with 3 stencils to use with powdered sugar. Boring! I want sparkles!

For the recipe, I used Nigella Lawson's, 'Cut Out Cookies' from her cookbook, "How to be a Domestic Goddess." I had a bit of trouble figuring out the British measurements and after calculation after calculation, I went to the food network for their adaptation. Sooo much easier!

The reviews on this recipe are mixed. Those who say the recipe tastes like cardboard I think are trying the cookies sans icing or sugar. This is a cookie recipe that is meant for decorating, hence why it is called what it is people!

The trick to make your sparkles stick is to lightly brush them with water. Otherwise they just fall off.

It does help to lightly press them into the surface of the dough too.

Hippity Hop!

I made a little tray for my boyfriend's co-workers and added some "Just Ears" chocolates (the best bit of the bunny) from Walkers Chocolates. Happy Easter!

Gotta Date (Square)?

OMG! Time has flown. Perhaps it was the pre-Christmas nonsense. Perhaps it was laziness. Perhaps it was the fact I was working my butt off. Now I return to you....

One of my favourite places to go is the Bulk Barn. It has so many endless possibilities...plus the gluten free section has widely expanded and it is so much cheaper to buy at the Barn then it is anywhere else.

Plus they have gluten free oats. YUM!

They had dates on sale not to long ago and I was inspired to make Date Squares. This recipe ROCKS! It is easy-peasy and the squares are nice and moist. Here you go!

Date Squares
1 pound of dates (about 3 cups), chopped
1 cup of water
3/4 cup of butter (or shortening, but butter is better!)
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 tsp of salt (omit if you are using salted butter)
1 1/2 cup of oats
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp of baking powder

Boil together your chopped dates and water, until dates are soft and of a spreadable consistency.

Combine your dry ingredients and half the mixture. Press half the mixture in a 9" x 13" pan. Press firmly!

Pour the date mixture on top of the pressed mixture. Spread evenly. Crumble the rest of the mixture overtop and bake for 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Oh these are soooo fab! I pat myself on the back! Yay me!

Pretty, Pretty Pumpkin Time

I looooove pumpkins - they make good eats. For Thanksgiving, we have glorious pumpkin pies (plural) because one is not enough. My parents recently traveled to the States and they picked up this interesting confection:

Maine Root - a New England soda manufacturer
http://www.maineroot.com/

I haven't tried the Jones Cola seasonal experiments but I have luckily tried this. I have to admit, it isn't half bad. I did find it really, really sweet and if they'd cut back on that ol' sweetener, I'd try it again.

On another note, the Autumn Longo's magazine is terrific. They have an AMAZING recipe for Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake. In the magazine they layered it with Marscapone Icing (!) which I did not do. It is simply good enough without it. The plan was to bring this cake to work, however Mr. B and I stuffed our faces with it pretty quickly. Enjoy this wonderful link!

Tomato Sauce: Part Two!

Of the baked tomato sauce that I created, I placed about half aside to make a roasted pepper sauce. Trick is, I don't have a bbq to roast my peppers. I have heard that you can roast them under a broiler or on the flame of your oven. I thought I would try this:

I placed a piece of foil on my coil burner and rested the pepper on top....

...slowly it began to cook and blister....

...and despite how sometimes the pepper would stick to the foil, the results we excellent!

I washed off the skin with water, chopped it into chunks, added it with my tomato sauce to my magic bullet and voila! a really, really awesome sauce. It is so yummy, if you made it in a large enough quantity you could serve it as an incredible soup. Yes, I licked the blades of the bender. No, you shouldn't do that.

Yum yum yum, roasted pepper sauce!!!

Tomato Time! Part One!

I have been fortunate to receive some tomatoes from my parents garden and have gathered some of these plump babies from the local farmers market. Here is a super easy recipe for tomato sauce which is great to freeze and enjoy in the cold winter months.

Quantities are not important here. You can make a large batch or small.

These are all the ingredients you need: tomatoes, garlic,
a good olive oil, basil and a little bit of salt and pepper.

First, peel your tomatoes by scoring their bottoms with a knife, making an x. Drop these into some boiling water for about 30 seconds, spoon out and the skins peel right off.

Next, cut the tomatoes into slices and lay in an oven proof glass pan. Julienne your basil, dice your garlic (however much you want, I used 3 large cloves) and cover the tomatoes with olive oil. Be generous with your oil, covering the bottom of the dish.

Cover your pan with foil, leaving two corners turned up so you let the moisture escape. Put into a 300 degree oven and let that sucker cook for a long time. About two hours, or more if you'd like. I would check it at hour two... the tomatoes may start to burn. Not all is lost at this point though. Those bits are super sweet and awesome in your pasta sauce.

Take your sauce and blender it (I use a magic bullet) or just leave be and you have your yummy sauce!

Sometimes We Overdo It

....Mr. B whispers in my ear, "I don't like it - do I have to eat it?".....

Honestly, it is a good salad(!) Yet, I overdid it.

The 4 B Salad.

There are no measurements for this recipe. It is just a combination of 4 "B's": Beets, Blueberries, Blue Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar. And trust me, it is a delicious salad. I quickly learned that too much Blue Cheese makes everything taste like Blue Cheese. The delicate flavour of the blueberries gets lost fast.

I am going to blame how much Blue Cheese they put into a package - I couldn't put in half of the cheese I had available, because what would I possibly do with my leftover cheese. It's their fault!

Damn I ruined the whole salad. And you know it isn't a success when you bring it to a gathering and you keep looking at peoples plates and see it untouched. #@%&!!!!!!!

....so I say to Mr. B: "It's okay, you don't have to finish it."

"I don't think I like blue cheese," says Mr. B.

I don't think many people like the salad, I think to myself.

Mmmm Cream....

....welcome back into my life. I missed you. Then some fabulous people developed lactose-free cream!!!!!!

Hello there....are you free tonight?

To celebrate the beauty of this wonderful product, tonight I made a yummy fav: Tarragon Chicken.

Tarragon Chicken
4 chicken breasts
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 tsp of tarragon
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup of cream
salt, pepper
pinch of paprika
a bit of lemon zest (if you like)

1. Add oil to the frying pan on medium heat. Add garlic and fry until light brown. Add chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.

2. Fry for 2 minutes and add tarragon one side of the chicken, turn over and add tarragon to other side.

3. When chicken is light brown, add cream and any remaining tarragon you may have. Sprinkle with paprika. Continue until cream is bubbling slightly and chicken is firm. Serve with roasted potatoes or on rice.

Summer Rice Salad

Trying to figure out something different for dinner, I was recently wandering the aisles at my local Bulk Barn and noticed the various rice blends they have available. I grabbed some, just to try. When I got home, it occurred to me that these rice blends would be perfect for a cold, rice salad. Most of the blends available have bulger wheat, wheat berries, lentils, et al. and are just screaming to be chilled with a nice vinaigrette!

I settled on a tabouleh recipe: a simple 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Mark Bittman recommends using lots of freshly ground pepper. Added some red peppers and cilantro I had on hand and voila! It tastes incredible! Next summer party I am making this because it is SO easy!

The Hippie Food: Granola

I hate breakfast. The food selection is a tad limited. Eggs, bacon, toast, oatmeal, fruit, cereal. But I love a good European breakfast: cold cuts, croissants, butter (and lots of it), smoked fish and yogurt. And what goes best on yogurt but granola!

Lately, I have been going towards comfort foods and foods my Mom used to make when I was young. And there is something wonderful about homemade granola. And was my Mom a hippie? She'll deny it - but she did have a beaded curtain.

Mom's Granola
6 cups of Oatmeal (I really like the gluten free Only Oats! - one pkg of)
1 cup of unsweetened coconut
1 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
1 cup of honey (though you may want to reduce this amount if you want it less sweet)
1/2 cup of veg oil
Cranberries, raisins (half a cup of each or more if you prefer)

Don't add the fruit til the end!!!- otherwise you will have fruit rocks!
(you like your teeth don't you?)

Combine your the above ingredients (but do not add the fruit!!!). I have been looking at various Mark Bittman recipes and he does not use the veg oil. Personally, I have tried it without and you get a more golden appearance and less burnt taste.

This is the loverly golden colour it should be!

Spread out evenly on baking trays with parchment and bake at 350 degrees. Stir the granola every 10 minutes to evenly brown.

 

The parchment is a great tool to lift up the bottom bits of the granola rather then relying entirely on a spatula. Wait until the granola is cool and add your crans and raisins. Store in an airtight container for two weeks.

You can get really fancy with what you put in your granola: like chunks of dark chocolate and dried cherries.....but basic is sooo good. Why mess with a good thing?