Mediterranean Risotto with Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese

This was supposed to be my Valentine's Day Post. A semi-fancy dinner for the loved one in your life. However, if you follow me on twitter you'd know that just before Valentine's Day I found out I was pregnant with our 3rd little one! A fabulous Valentine's present for sure, but it's come with some unpleasant side effects, like extreme exhaustion, a queasy stomach and an aversion to almost everything food related. Not great for a food blogger!

I've wanted to post this recipe weeks but just looking at the pictures made my head spin. Thanks to a life-time supply of Peppermint gum I'm able to sit here and write about one of my family's favourite dinners.

My local grocery store has a little magazine they put out a few times a year and usually the recipes in it involves some sort of frozen, partially prepared, or unhealthy food item so I rarely give them more than a 2nd glance, but last spring they had a recipe for risotto that caught my eye. The pictures look sooo tasty and I'd always wanted to try making risotto.

Risotto can be intimidating. It's a seemingly tricky dish that, if you watch Hell's Kitchen, you'd think is impossible to get right (those chefs screw it up almost every episode!). But there's no need to be scared to try it, as long as you keep an eye on it, this dish will turn out perfectly, every time!

I'm trying something a little different with this post as I suspect some of you would appreciate some step-by-step instructions with this recipe. So taking a page from The Pioneer Woman (not that I do her any justice, I still need to master the art of taking pictures of food through steam!), I've taken a ton of pictures in hopes this will help you to try making this tasty dish. Fear not the risotto, you can do it! (The recipe with quantities will follow the photo tutorial)

Start by melting some butter into some extra-virgin olive oil

Brown some quartered mushrooms in the butter/oil combination

Add some diced red onion and sauté for about 3 minutes

Add the arborio rice and stir to combine. I like the cook it for a minute or two to develop the nutty flavour of the grain.

Add 2 cups of boiling water and 1 tsp. of sea salt and stir and then cover.

In the meantime, brown some chicken breasts in extra-virgin olive oil.
Okay, they're not quite brown here, I like to keep them a little pale, they look fancier that way.

When the water is almost all absorbed add another cup of boiling water and stir and cover. Keep a close eye on the risotto now, stirring every minute or so and adding a little more boiling water until the rice is tender. Tasting is encouraged.

When the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked fully it'll look like this... yum!

Add some spinach that's been julienned

... and some roasted red peppers. This is the product that inspired the recipe, if you want to save time by all means use it or a jar of roasted red peppers chopped up works as well. If you're feeling a little extra ambitious, roast your own red peppers! Not sure how to do that? I'll tell you how after this recipe.

With the red peppers add your balsamic vinegar (not pictured, hey, I'm new at this!) and give it a good stir.

Crumble in your goat cheese and stir lightly to mix. Slice up the chicken breasts and serve over top the risotto for a fancy meal for two or a family meal on a regular ol' Tuesday night!

Print this Recipe

Mediterranean Risotto with Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese adapted from sobeys.com

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 c. white mushrooms, quartered
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 c. arborio rice
1 tsp sea salt
2 c. boiling water
1 c. fresh spinach, julienned
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade or roasted red pepper, diced
1/2 c. goat cheese, crumbled
4-5 chicken breasts
2 tbsp herbs de provence or a Mediterranean spice blend (thyme & oregano work in a pinch)

Instructions:

1. Melt butter into the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned on all sides.
3. Add the diced onions and stir and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions start to soften.
4. Add the rice and stir to mix. Cook stirring frequently for a minute or two.
5. Add 2 cups of the boiling water and stir and cover immediately. Quickly stir every 2-3 minutes recovering the pot after each stir.
6. In a frying pan brown chicken breasts sprinkled with herb mixture until cooked through.
7. Add more water as the rice absorbs the liquid until the rice is tender.
8. Add the spinach, red peppers, balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
9. Crumble goat cheese into the risotto and stir lightly.
10. Slice the chicken breasts and serve over the risotto immediately.

Print this Recipe

Enjoy!
Amanda

How to Roast a Red Pepper

Turn on the broiler and place red peppers directly on an oven rack at the highest level in your oven.

Turn the peppers around as they blacken so every side becomes dark.

Once blackened on all sides remove the peppers from the oven and place into a paper bag and close for about 2-3 minutes. The steam helps loosen the skin for easy removal.

Remove the charred skin by peeling or scraping it off with your fingers or a spoon. Using a knife cut around the top of the pepper and remove the center with all the seeds.

And voilà! Perfectly roasted Red Peppers, perfect for sauces, soups, your antipasto platter or a really yummy risotto...

Cheesy & Pizza Puffs

Cheesy Puffs

I love entertaining over the holidays. Every year my parents have a big Christmas Eve party and friends and family stop by for drinks, and food, and catching up. It's always a lot of fun. I can't make it home this year so I plan to throw a little party here for just my little family, but with all the same elements, food, drinks and catching up (I forget my husband's name some days!) with the people I love most.

This little appetizer is sure to make an appearance on Christmas Eve. My cousin Kelly made them for us when she visited 2 summers ago and I fell in love with them! Made with Pillsbury Cresent dough, these tender little, buttery bites have a wonderful cheesy-garlic flavour. I decided to play around and made one batch with pizza sauce and finely diced pepperoni and cheese and the result was delish!

Great on their own or dipped in marinara or pizza sauce, these little appetizers are sure to be a hit at your next holiday party!

Cheesy Puffs

1 pkg. Pillsbury Cresent rolls (1 tube makes 18 puffs)
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp grated cheese (I use marble cheddar)
1 egg white
1/4 tsp italian seasoning

Instructions:

1. Open cresent roll tube and unroll the dough.
2. Press together the pieces to form a square.
3. Sprinkle the garlic powder over the rolled out dough and top with the cheese.
4. Roll up the dough starting at one end to form a log.
5. Slice into 1/2" rounds (pinwheels)
6. Place rounds onto a cookie sheet and brush tops with egg white.
7. Sprinkle tops with a bit of italian seasoning.
8. Bake at 375˚F for about 10 minutes or until the edges are golden.
9. Serve warm right from the oven.

Pizza Puffs

Pizza Puffs

1 pkg. Pillsbury Cresent rolls (1 tube makes 18 puffs)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp pizza sauce
2 tbsp finely diced pepperoni
3 tbsp grated cheese (I use marble cheddar)
1 egg white
1/4 tsp italian seasoning

Instructions:

1. Open cresent roll tube and unroll the dough.
2. Press together the pieces to form a square.
3. Spread pizza sauce over the dough leaving about 1" at one end.
4. Sprinkle the pepperoni over the pizza sauce and top with the garlic powder and then the cheese.
5. Roll up the dough starting at the end opposite the end without pizza sauce to form a log.
6. Slice into 1/2" rounds (pinwheels)
7. Place rounds onto a cookie sheet and brush tops with egg white.
8. Sprinkle tops with a bit of italian seasoning.
9. Bake at 375˚F for about 10 minutes or until the edges are golden.
10. Serve warm right from the oven.


enjoy!

Amanda

Salmon Cakes with Herb Cream Sauce

Nothing gets kids running to the table, excited for dinner, like fishy cakes!



Okay, I lied... chances are if they knew this was on the menu they'd be hiding under their beds. Unless they're my kids. My kids have a strange affinity for salmon, not strange like salmon is gross (cause my husband and I love it), just strange cause most kids their age like hot dogs and.. well... just hot dogs.

Salmon is one of those super foods, full of anti-oxidants and Omoega-3s, brain food. But salmon, especially fresh salmon, is expensive. When you're attempting to stay within a food budget, one salmon meal could easily use half your week's food allowance. Ever since our teenaged nephew moved in with us I've watched our weekly grocery bills sky-rocket and I've watched my husband get more and more depressed over how much of his paycheck is getting left at the grocery store.

In an attempt to keep my husband from going off the deep end, and serve my family the fish they all so deeply love, I tried to figure out a way to make everyone happy. That's when I remembered my grandma's salmon cakes. She used to make these all the time when I was little, using up left over mashed potatoes and a can of salmon. $7.99/filet (x 5 for my hungry family) vs. $1.99 for 1 can of salmon. Now THAT'S a budget conscious meal!

You could easily make this with tuna, shrimp or any other cooked and flaked, white fish. Give them a try with my herb cream sauce and serve up some affordable brain food!

Salmon Cakes with Herb Cream Sauce

Salmon Cakes
1 can salmon (I use Cloverleaf Wild Red Pacific Sockeye Salmon), with skin and bones removed
2 c. potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled
1/2 container of light garlic & herb cream cheese
3 scallions, diced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. dried dill or 1 tsp. fresh
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:

1. Boil the potatoes until for tender. Drain and a return to the pot and place the pot on the burner for a few seconds to dry out the potatoes.
2. In a bowl mash the potatoes with the cream cheese.
3. Add the salmon, egg, scallions and bread crumbs, dill and salt & pepper. Mix to combine thoroughly.
4. Shape into 8 patties.
5. Heat butter and oil in a skillet and fry patties until golden brown & heated through.

(ridiculously easy) Herb Cream Sauce
1/2 container light garlic & herb cream cheese
2 tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Place cream cheese and milk in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave for 30 seconds (or until cream cheese really soft and milk is heated) and stir to combine.
3. Season with salt and spoon over salmon cakes.



enjoy,
Amanda

Magic Soup

Whenever I'm sick, before I reach for the tissues or cold medication, I go straight to the freezer to see if I have any of this soup left. If I don't, I start to make it ASAP. It's another one of my Gran's recipes, she's truly my biggest cooking inspiration. This soup was always in her fridge once the weather started to cool down. I call it her Magic Soup cause this soup can cure any cold almost over night. I don't know what it is, maybe it's the chicken, maybe it's the veggies, or maybe it's just the idea that it's magic, but whenever I've been sick and had this soup I'm better the next day.

With Thanksgiving this past weekend, I found myself with a rather large turkey carcass and a whole lot of leftover turkey so I seized the opportunity to make my own stock for a big batch of soup.

Stock simmering

Stock is really easy to make. Take your bones and put them in a big pot and cover with water. You need some flavours to add depth to the stock so the next thing to add would be Mirepoix, also known as the Holy Trinity of cooking: carrots, onion and celery. No need to dice or be fussy with this, just a rough couple of chops is good. I was preparing the veggies for my soup at the same time so I also threw in the skins of the onion and carrots and the base of the celery, you're not eating them, they're just for flavour and will be strained out later. I also like to throw in a lemon or two to brighten up the stock. The last thing to add would be your herbs. Salt and pepper along with bay leaves, thyme and anything else you like can go in. Simmer the stock for a couple of hours to get all the flavour out of the bones, veggies and herbs.

Cool down your stock and strain it to removes all the bones, skin, and cooked veggies and then let it sit (you can even do this overnight in the fridge) and skim off the fat that rises to the top. And voilà, your very own homemade stock, perfect for Magic Soup!

Magic Soup

4 c. chopped chicken or turkey, cooked
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tbsp. butter
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 c. small pasta (I use pasta stars but any will do)
1/2 c. short grain rice
8-10 c. of water or stock
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot and sautée to onion, celery and carrots for a few minutes.
2. Add the chicken and continue to sautée for 2 minutes.
3. Add stock or water.
4. Add the tomatoes (with juice), pasta and rice.
5. Cover and bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to low and allow to simmer until pasta and rice are cooked.

Enjoy right away or freeze in small batches for when you really need it!

*Note, my grandma was never a stickler for a recipe with this soup, she threw in whatever she had, cabbage, beans, macaroni, peas, etc... let your pantry be your guide!

My favourite way to have a bowl of soup!

enjoy,

Amanda

Cheesy Bacon Scalloped Potatoes

Barbecue season is upon us and there's nothing I love more with a nice juicy steak than potatoes. Especially these ones. Full of cheese and bacon and cream this is comfort food at it's best. I've been playing around with this "recipe" (and I use that term lightly cause I really just guesstimate everything) for a while now. I think I have finally perfected it so that it's creamy without being soupy and the cheese, bacon and potatoes are all balanced. Hope you try it and let me know what you think!


Cheesy Bacon Scalloped Potatoes

3 lg. russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
1 c. (approximately) Cream (Heavy/Whipping or Half and Half work well)
3 tbsp Butter
1 c. Grated Cheddar (I use light marble)
6 Slices of Bacon cooked crisp, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Slice enough potatoes to fill your dish (I needed 3 huge ones for a small corning ware dish)
2. Spray your dish with Pam or rub with a bit of butter and then put down a layer of potato slices.
3. Pour a bit of cream over and then put another layer of potatoes down.
4. Put little dots of butter and then another layer of potatoes and then more cream. Salt and pepper every 2nd layer.
5. Continue doing a layer of potatoes and cream and then potatoes and butter. Every 3rd or 4th layer sprinkle with cheese and bacon.
6. Top with remaining cheese and bacon and some more butter and then cover and bake at 350 degrees for an hour or more depending on how big your dish is.
7. Garnish with diced scallions, or sour cream, or both!

Quinoa with Mushrooms, Spinach, Peppers and Red Wine

I've started experimenting with Quinoa. If you've never heard of Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wa) before here's a little something about it. Quinoa is a grain, not unlike couscous or rice. It was one of the 3 main staples of the ancient Inca civilization (along with corn and potatoes). Quinoa is a super food, it has more protein per ounce than red meat and it has a near-perfect amino acid balance. It also is a good source of fibre, complex carbohydrates, calcium, iron and vitamins B and E. It is gluten free, easily digested and very versatile. And lastly Quinoa has been included on every space shuttle mission since the 60s due to it's nutritional benefits.

Last night was my first attempt at cooking with Quinoa. My husband (read: Guinea Pig) liked the taste of this dish but has some issues with the texture. I'm sure a few more tries and he'll come around!

Quinoa with Mushrooms, Spinach, Peppers and Red Wine

1 c. Organic Quinoa (Quinoa must be rinsed for 3 minutes under warm water before cooking. )
2 c. Water (you could substitute chicken or vegetable broth)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/4 med. red pepper, diced
1/4 yellow pepper, diced
1/4 medium orange pepper, diced
1 c. quartered mushrooms
1 c. fresh baby spinach, chiffonaded (cut in thin strips)
1 garlic clove
1/4 c. red wine (you could also use white, red is what I had on hand)
1 tsp. Club House Vegetable seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Rinse Quinoa.
2. In a rice cooker or pot add Quinoa, water, garlic powder and salt and cook until all water is absorbed and Quinoa is soft.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, sautée onion, peppers, garlic, spinach and mushrooms in olive oil.
4. Add Vegetable seasoning and salt and pepper.
5. Add wine and cook on med-low until veggies are tender and liquid is reduced by half.
6. Add cooked Quinoa and mix. Remove from heat and serve.