Weight Watchers Points Plus Value = 6 points
Servings = 4
Level of Difficulty = Easy

4 cups of vegetable broth
1 small uncooked onion
1/2 cup uncooked leeks
2 stalks of celery
1/2 uncooked medium fennel bulb
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup sweet red peppers
1/2 cup snow peas
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ginger root
12 oz uncooked tilapia
2 cups of cooked rice
1/2 cup cilantro
1 tsp paprika

Combine ingredients together in pot, simmer on top of stove…..add tilapia on top of mixture and let poach for 15-20 minutes with other ingredients.  Used smoked paprika instead of regular paprika.

Happy Sunday everyone!  It’s another beauty of a day here on the eastern edge of the Universe.

Historically, Succotash can be linked to the Great Depression in the United States when food was scarce and expensive.  It is generally a  sweetened mixture of corn and Lima beans cooked together and the word Succotash actually means boiled corn kernels  .  Sometimes it was made into a casserole with the addition of other inexpensive vegetables and even bread crumbs were used for filler.

I wanted to elevate the lowly  succotash to new heights by transforming it into a high-end gourmet  appetizer salad.  The bar was raised the moment I added Lobster to the mix.  The beautiful natural colours of the corn, lobster and Lima beans inspired me to enrich the dish with loads of fresh cilantro, grape tomatoes, Sweetie Oranges and marinated Artichoke hearts.  At one point I was going to cook up some bacon or prosciutto and throw that in but I just did not have the time.  It would have been awesome though if you think about it;  Bacon, Lobster Corn….excuse me while I wipe the corner of my mouth!

But enough talking about it.  Let’s get cooking.

You will need:

1/2 cup of small Lima beans, soaked over night and then cooked or 2 cups of frozen ones

2 cobs of fresh corn, boiled and then grilled on the BBQ or 1 cup of frozen corn, thawed

1 medium Red bell pepper, finely diced

1 cup of grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup of marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

1/2 bunch of fresh Cilantro, leaves only

6 small green onions, thinly sliced

2-3 Mandarin Oranges or Sweetie Oranges, segmented

1 large Kale leaf, stem removed, leaf thinly shredded

2 cups of cooked, well drained, I gave it a good squeeze,  Lobster….Newfoundland if you can get it!

Honey Lime Vinaigrette

1 cup of fresh Lime juice

1 cup of honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ( or more) chili flakes

1 cup of your favourite salad oil

Assemble the salad by gently combining all your ingredients in a large bowl.  Season the mixture with salt and pepper.  Make the vinaigrette by whisking the first four ingredients together and then slowly incorporating the oil in as you stir.  Pour the dressing all over the Succotash making sure it is well coated.  Allow the salad to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, stirring it occasionally for optimum results.

Hi Everyone and welcome back to another rendition of Jaegermush…..home to the wonderful world of uniquely inspired cuisine!  Now that is a tag line!!

I want to talk Sunday Dinner.  Or should I say Sunday Supper or Sunday Lunch or Sunday Tea or even Sunday Joint…..and I don’t mean the kind you are thinking either…it refers to the joint of meat you silly billy. Regardless of what you call it, it is a gathering of 2 or more people to share traditionally, a decent size piece of roasted meat, poultry and sometimes game served with vegetables, gravy and stuffing.

There are (at least) two opinions on the origins of the Sunday Roast. One holds that, during the industrial revolution, Yorkshire families left a cut of meat in the oven before going to church on a Sunday morning, which was then ready to eat by the time they arrived home at lunchtime.  The second opinion holds that the Sunday Roast dates back to medieval times, when the village serfs served the squire for six days a week. Then on the Sunday, after the morning church service, serfs would assemble in a field and practice their battle techniques and were rewarded with a feast of oxen roasted on a spit.

This is a tradition that thankfully, at least here in Newfoundland, is not lost on people.  Young and old a like, it is fair to say that most people relish the idea of a juicy steaming roast of something coming out of the oven on Sundays and being served up with all the traditional favourites like turnip, carrots and potatoes.  Occasionally for excitement, parsnips are thrown into the equation.  And oh yes, let’s not forget the stuffing/dressing.  For my mainland readers a great big YES,  Newfoundlanders eat dressing/stuffing a lot…at least in comparison to you.  Most often it is made on the side and does not really compare in any way to the stuffing/dressing that is made elsewhere in Canada.  The reason for that is because Newfoundlanders do not need a roasted turkey or chicken to enjoy stuffing/dressing…they just need Sundays and any cut of meat really.

I suppose the greatest appeal of the Sunday Dinner is the gathering of friends and or family in one room.  Sunday dinner is kind of like a scaled down Christmas dinner if you think about it and for me that always inspires a great deal of nostalgia and as of right now, home-sickness.  My Mom never really embraced cooking the way I have,  although she always had a hot meal prepared each and every day for us BUT she did embrace, even though she may deny it, the family dinner, the Sunday supper.  Man, my Mom could put on a spread!  I don’t remember a lot of roast beef being served but my Mom loved to cook a ham or a turkey and she did it right.  I know she would would give credit to her father, my Grandpa for her talents in this department.  He too was always the master of the roast.

Mom always had all kinds of different vegetables and I seem to have picked up that habit now as an adult.  I too always include 2, 3 and sometimes 4 vegetables when serving up a big feed.  Mom always, always, always had her famous braised red cabbage.  It was expected and still is.  I would continue the tradition if I could get someone to eat with me.  My peeps have tried but it is not what they are looking for on a Sunday.  My rule is always something green on the plate so around here Asparagus plays a huge role as does broccoli.  Green beans would work if only the grocery stores sold ones that were edible…  One of the few drawbacks to living in the middle of the north Atlantic Ocean.  Please shy away from those beans that come in already prepackaged.  Sobey’s is starting to package up all their produce and it is unnecessary.  Once vegetables are in a package they often undergo a chemical “gassing” to preserve them longer.  One of the problems with this however, is that once you break open the bag and air is exposed to the product, bacteria and other harmful pathogens take over en masse.  Also, many pre-packs are using vegetables from China.  There is just no need!  At this point, Peruvian vegetables are appearing local.

Shall we talk roasting?  Lets!!

Not all cuts of meat are created equal but I can at least give you some general rules and ideas of Roast cookery.  First of all I will talk Beef, Pork and Chicken because I have already done the turkey thing and they are more comparable weight size.  To feed 4 to 6 people you will need roasts that are 3-4 pounds.  When choosing beef roasts, Top Sirloin or Inside round roasts are affordable alternatives to the prized Rib Roast.  When choosing a piece of pork select a pork loin roast, with or without the bone.  With the bone, just add 20 minutes to your cooking time.  As for chicken…..it’s a tough one especially here in Newfoundland but I can’t stress enough that free-range or organic chicken is truly the way to go.  You don’t need me to jump on my pulpit right now and condemn the chicken producing companies of the world……you know what I’m alluding to and no one needs to be supporting that or putting all that rubbish in their bodies.

Once you have your 3-4 pound roast of choice, take it out of the fridge a half hour before going into the oven.  Preheat your oven to 475 degrees and prepare your mire poix of flavour builders…..2 onions, 2 carrots and 2 pieces of celery by roughly chopping them and adding them to your roasting pan with about 8-12 cloves of garlic.  Gather all this towards the middle of the pan, drizzle with oil ( olive oil if you have it) and place the roast directly on top of this concoction.  Now drizzle the meat with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper really working it in with your hands.  If you are looking to really jazz things up, add some fresh herbs to the mix like sage, rosemary, thyme or parsley.  Squeeze lemon juice and use oregano instead of the other herbs and voila!  you have a Greek-inspired roast.  It’s that easy.

Turn your oven down to 400 degrees once you put the roast in the oven.  For beef cook about an hour for medium and about 10 minutes less or so for medium rare.  A 3-4 pound pork loin roast will take about an hour and 20 minutes.  If you like your pork fat to be “crackling” keep it in longer until it crisps up or turn on the broiler at the end.  Your roasted whole chicken will  take about an hour and 20 minutes to cook as well.  There are two very important things to remember here folks when it comes to roasting….1. if your are roasting veggies they need a good 45 minutes in the oven so don’t forget to add them to the pan….and 2. let your roast rest out of the oven for a half hour before you carve it.  This allows the meat muscle to relax and draw all the moisture back into the meat.  A way better experience I assure you.

So it is written and so it must be done.  Get roasting my amigos, get roasting!!

I’m in the middle of making this right now and so far so good.  My plan is to prepare a dish that is similar to a chowder only with bigger chunks, like a stew right?  We shall see.  Right now I have veggies simmering in white wine and chicken stock.  I also added some garlic and lemon grass hoping to capture some lemon essence since I don’t have a lemon in the house.  My next step is to slightly thicken it using a roux, a blend of flour and a fat and in this case, olive oil.  Then I’m going to take the great big piece of fresh Cod loin and cut it into big chunks and add it to the simmer pot and add something to lighten it up like cream or yogurt.  Give it a few minutes and it should be good to go…well don’t forget to season it with some sea salt and pepper.

Whoa!!  It was delicious!  A hit!  A big score!  I blew them out of the park!  My only complaint, and use this as really good advice, I over stirred it and all the cod broke up instead of staying in nice meaty chunks.  The problem with cod is that it is soooooo delicate that it doesn’t take much to blow it to smithereens.  This stew could be made with any white fish as well like Haddock, Halibut, Tilapia, Sea Bass or Grouper.  Oh Grouper, how I miss you.  I digress….

So this is what you will need:

3 Tbsp Oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

4 stalks of celery, medium diced

1/2 of a turnip, medium diced

6 carrots, peeled and medium sliced

4 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp of lemon grass paste.  I buy mine in a tube from the produce section at the supermarket

250 ml bottle of white wine

1 and 1/2 litres of Chicken broth

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt

1 and 1/2 pounds of fresh Cod Loin

Salt and pepper

1.  Heat the oil in a heavy dutch oven or pot and add onions and celery and “sweat”them for 5 minutes.  Add the carrots and turnip and stir until all veggies start to glisten.  Add the white wine and chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a low simmer, add garlic and lemon grass, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

2.  Prepare roux by mixing the flour and the olive oil together.  You will end up with a paste.  Meanwhile, cut your fish in chunks and have your yogurt ready to go.

3.  When veggies are tender, use a fork because you should always use the utensil to check for doness that you will be eating with,  Just saying…..turn up the heat so that they start to boil up again.

4.  Add the roux in clumps at a time stirring very well between to avoid getting lumps.  Turn stew down, stirring and noting how thick things are getting.  At this time you need to simmer the stew for at least 5 minutes to “cook out” all the roux flavour.

5.  Add the fish and the yogurt and stir in.  From this point you need to be careful not to over stir or allow the stew to bubble too aggressively.

Lastly my friends, add some sea salt and pepper and give ‘er a slurp  Yum! Let me know know this easy to make stew goes.

It’s unbelievable really!  I go and make probably theeeeeeeeeeee best meatloaf I have ever made and I didn’t write the darn thing down!! I just can’t believe it and naturally my brain just doesn’t quite work the way it use to…memory is definitely going.

I am going to give it a shot since it would be such a shame not to share it with you.  The recipe uses some leftover ham I had kicking around as well as 4 spears of Asparagus…….call it a little surprise in the middle if you will! There is no egg in this recipe.  I thought the consistancy was perfect once everything was mixed.  Feel free to an egg for that added texture.

I also do a wee tasting patty whenever I’m making meatloaf,, meatballs or burgers.  I take a tiny piece, about an ounce or so and I cook it.  Then I eat it. Unless you have made them many times you just don’t know what they will taste like cooked unless you give it a go.

I started out with:

Preheating my oven to 350 degrees

1 pkg of ground lean turkey

1 pkg of ground pork

half a sleeve of whole wheat saltine crackers that I bagged and crushed with a mallet

1/2 of a large red onion, diced, fried and cooled

3 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons of grainy honey Dijon mustard, but I think any mustard would do…go easy on the Frenches yellow stuff though

1 whole yellow apple, peeled and grated

half a bunch of fresh Sage finely chopped

1 tablespoon of dried Thyme

1 cup of pecan halves, chopped up

salt and pepper

4 Asparagus spears, cooked slightly in the microwave

2 thin slices of Ham

Pan spray

Okie dokie then.  With the exception of the pan spray, ham and asparagus, mix all the other stuff together very well.  Get your pan warmed up and do a taster.  It will likely need salt but if you would like to kick it up add some Cajun seasoning or more garlic.  I bought these frozen little chilli portions at the grocery store and man are they good.  Not only does it give it a hit of heat but it also imparts a lovely flavour unlike cayenne or Tabasco.

Using the pan spray, evenly coat your loaf pan ( I used a glass “pyrex” one) and put HALF the mixture in the pan gently pressing down and making it all even.  Then roll your 4 pieces of Asparagus together in the Ham trimming the Asparagus if they are too long for the pan.  I had to.Place the rolled Asparagus in the centre of the loaf and add the rest of the meat gently filling in the gaps until the pan is full.  Mine was filled right to the top.  I placed it on a baking sheet because it was huge and I really thought it was going to be a mess at the end.  It took an hour to cook and it didn’t make a mess at all.

My peeps loved it.  The boy was feeling a little “under the weather” wink wink, if ya know what I mean and he felt great after a nice big slab of my meatloaf.  Here’s to making you feel good!!  Enjoy

A gluten free diet is a lifetime commitment.  It`s not easy, particularily in the beginning but anyone I know who follows a gluten free plan seems to have adjusted and even made some sense of it.  I think it is because they focus on foods that they can eat and accept the challenge.  There is much to learn about following a gluten-free lifestyle .   I learn through reading, experimenting and by sharing  experiences, hints and tips with others.  Cooking gluten-free is basically learning to cook with alternate ingredients to those containing gluten. The main challenge is that there is no single flour that contains all of the qualities  of wheat or gluten containing flours.

So what is the function of Gluten you ask?
Gluten is the protein that provides the strength and elastic properties to flours containing gluten. It helps trap gases in baked goods and provides binding qualities. Gluten gives kneaded dough its elasticity and supports the rising dough. It provides stability to baked goods.  So you can see how a lack of gluten in baked goods could be problematic.

When substituting wheat flour with gluten-free flour, you will usually get best results with recipes that have only a small percentage of flour in them. Your local health food shop or perhaps even your supermarket will sell some or a variety of gluten-free flours. Many grocery stores will stock a range of pre-blended general-purpose gluten-free flours.

Learning to cook gluten-free baked goods will be challenging.  Gluten-free cooking takes practice.  Learning about qualities of different flours helps, but the best way to do this is through experience.   Stay positive and accept the challenge and  do not expect gluten-free goods to look or taste the same as wheat based products. Gluten-free cakes will generally not be a very high.

A helpful tip when substituting a regular flour recipe for a gluten free recipe is to keep it to recipes that do not require a lot of flour to begin with. 
In recipes using very little flour (1 1/2 cups or less) just replace regular wheat flour with a gluten-free blend.

Gluten-free flour can produce a crumbly product in some baked goods.  Gums are used to stabilize foods and replace the function of gluten.  Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum are the most widely used and available.  Some recipes will also use Psyllium husks, flax, gelatin / knox or a gluten-free gluten substitute.  As a guideline for adding Xanthan Gum, start with: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon  to GF flour for a cake, 1 teaspoon to a pie crust, 1 tablespoon for bread in a bread machine.

Another great tip I have learned from my gluten free friends is to use a  combination of gluten-free flours.  It  will usually produce a far better result than using just one.  All the gluten-free flours have different qualities but not one has all the qualities of wheat flour. I also suggest using sheets of parchment paper to roll out pastry dough.  This will make it easier to move and not stick to your worktop.  Handle gluten-free pastry very gently and carefully, as it will be quite fragile.

It is best to leave gluten-free cakes and biscuits to cool in the tins/trays for a least 5-10 minutes before turning out. This should help reduce failures at the last minute.  Baked gluten-free goods are much softer than those containing gluten. They  take that extra time to firm up.  Use heavy-duty bread or cake tins as the heat is distributed much more evenly.  This should reduce having a firm cooked crust and an uncooked center.  Did you know dark bake-ware may require either a lower temperature or shorter time cooking?

GF cakes are best eaten within 24 hours of cooking.  Any leftovers can be sliced and covered in cling wrap in individual servings…… great to take to work or school.  Stale gluten-free bread can be used to make breadcrumbs.  Use these to directly replace crumbs used in regular recipes.  Slice bread then place in a slow oven on a baking tray.  Cook until the bread is golden and then process to a crumb using food processor or use a rolling pin with the bread inside a large ziplock bag.  Store in an airtight container in pantry, fridge or freezer.  Use in place of regular breadcrumbs in stuffing mixes or burger patties.

On a side note……you can make your own Gluten-free baking powder by using 1/4 cup bicarbonate soda (baking soda) combined with 1/2-cup cream of tartar.  Mix well and keep in an airtight container.

I welcome any and all comments and recipes particularly about gluten-free eating.  I’m fairly new in my learning and look forward to learning much more.   The 2 links below are good spots for more recipes and information.  Happy eating!!

www.food.com/recipes/gluten-free

www.celiac.com/categories/Gluten%252dFree-Recipes/

I just haven’t had the chance to do these at work but I’m hoping now that I decided to put the recipe down that I will feel compelled too make them.  Perhaps tomorrow…..I’m in the Bake Shop coincidentally…….actually its no coincidence at all!!  One of my students got a job today and I could not be prouder!  I’m a little verklempt really……seeing this great man find his own path and shine so brightly!!!!…….I will miss his wit and indelible charm but am soooooooooo incredibly happy that he has found work at a decent place with a Red Sealed Chef to boot!

So, for the Tortillas…..versatile to say the least.  These little darlings can be used for both sweet and savoury dishes…making you the cool Mom, partner or party planner at the table.   You can be very adventurous with these.  Try a breakfast tortilla with a fried egg, feta, spinach and tomatoes.  Yum!……  Or some left over steak with avocados and salsa!  Even something as simple as peanut butter and jam will go a long way wrapped in a warm tortilla.  I prefer to add some Banana to that concoction and you can substitute the jam for some organic honey or agave.

I find that the tortillas are cooked the best if I use a timer or stop watch and flip the tortillas right at 30 seconds. If you over cook them they will get a bit crisp.

For soft tortillas that roll up easily its best to stack them and keep them covered with tinfoil as you cook them  and then let them sit for a minute or two after they are all cooked. By covering and stacking them it steams the tortillas below and softens them.  Go on, give these a shot….you will be surprised.

You will need:

• 2  3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for rolling the tortillas
• 5 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup very warm tap water

1. Work the vegetable shortening into the flour with your hands. Make sure to fully incorporate it and rub it in completely.

2. Dissolve the salt in the water. Work the water into the flour – shortening mix with a fork until a dough forms.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough smooths out.

4. Roll the dough out into a log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll them into balls and either cover with plastic wrap or place in a plastic wrap. Let them rest for at least 20 minutes

5. Preheat an ungreased heavy skillet or griddle to medium high. Then roll out the dough into seven inch circles.

6. Cook the tortillas (I do them one at a time) for 30 seconds on each size. The tortilla should sizzle a bit when you place it on the hot pan.

7. As you cook them keep the other cooked tortillas warm and soft on a tinfoil covered plate. Let them soften covered by tinfoil for a minute or two before using. The tortillas on the bottom will be softer than the ones on top so use those first.

Here in Newfoundland there is a disturbing number of households that use canned cranberry jelly to accompany their Christmas dinner.  Before moving here, I didn’t even know that cranberry sauce came in the jelly format.  I have had canned cranberry sauce before and it works in a pinch but let’s be frank here folks, nothing is quite as yummy as a true blue, well its not really blue,  cranberry sauce.  The best part is, is that it is totally easy to make.  I love when that happens.  It increases the chances that people will make them!!

I am a lover of Cranberry sauce.  I often make variations of it by adding for example finely diced sauteed onions and or ground ginger, orange zest, balsamic syrup, balsamic vinegar, cloves, cardamon, cumin, cinnamon, wine, orange juice, other preserves….you get the picture.  Then it even gets more interesting when you pair that variation of a cranberry sauce with something groovy ( I am soooooo dating myself)  like fresh Salmon! But  Don’t stop there my friends.  Glaze your fresh beets with cranberry sauce next time you roast them or boil them off.  I’m serious. They are tasty enough to convert a non-beet eater into a give me more of those awesome beets eater. )

In the end we all know that any variation of Cranberry sauce,  even in it’s most simplest form is probably best served with turkey.  It’s sweet unique bitterness somehow compliments the richness of the turkey.  I love it most heavily spooned onto my turkey sandwich the next day, on fresh, fresh , fresh whole wheat bread, salt and pepper and crisp lettuce…..and oh yes, don’t forget the dressing, you have to have the dressing….:o)

So here is the recipe in all it’s easy goodness!!

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

¾ cup  water
½ cup  sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 x 12-ounce / 360g bag fresh cranberries

Combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a heavy medium saucepan.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Stir in the cranberries and simmer until the berries burst open and the cranberry sauce thickens slightly, stirring often, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the sauce to a bowl to cool.

Enjoy!!

Hey Folks!!

This is a recipe I copied verbatim from the Turkey Farmers of Ontario website.  Below is the link to their other recipes…..I highly recommend them.  They have awesome ideas for turkey leftovers.  My hyper -link function is not working on my blog so you will have to copy and paste the address.

www.turkeyrecipes.ca

These portable mini pies are a breeze to make with shredded, cooked turkey (great for leftovers), tart apples and a bite of cheddar.  Perfect for a lunch pack or a healthy on-the-go option when rushing to a weeknight game.

2 cups (500 mL) shredded, cooked Ontario turkey
1 tart apple, peeled and grated
1/2 cup (125 mL) grated sharp cheddar
1 green onion, sliced
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped parsley
16 3-inch (7.5cm) frozen tart shells, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp (2 mL) coarse salt

In bowl, combine turkey, apple, cheddar, green onion and parsley.

Divide the mixture over eight of the tart shells. Brush edges of tarts with egg and top with remaining shells. Brush with egg and sprinkle each with coarse salt. Using the tip of a sharp knife, make a few ventilation slits in the top of each pie.

Bake at 400°F (200°C) until pastry is golden and filling is hot and bubbling, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving:  About 240 cal, 15 g pro, 11 g total fat (3 g sat fat), 24 g carb, 1 g fibre, 25 mg chol,
320 mg sodium. %RDI: iron 8%, calcium 4%, vit A 4%, vit C 6%

Tip:  Leave the top tart shells in the freezer until ready to use.  This will make it easier to pop them out of the foil base.