What I've been up to lately!

Last week I purchased Candice Kumai's new book Cook Yourself Sexy. It is, hands down, the BEST cookbook I have ever used. Every single recipe is easy to make and delicious (and full of health benefits!). I've posted some pictures below but no recipes. I don't want to infringe on her copyright, and if you like what you see I highly suggest getting a copy of the book for yourself!

Barley Soup with carrots, celery,
leeks, kale & walnuts

Poached eggs with asparagus, cherry tomatoes, whole grain
toast and havarti

Quinoa with arugula, roasted beets
& goat cheese

Chickpea veggie burger with arugula
& cherry tomatoes

Baked Brie

I love baked brie. It's easy and quick to make, looks fancy served as an appetizer and with the right toppings it tastes delicious! Part of the fun is choosing the right recipe, so here I'll summarize some of my favourites:

1 Jam Toppings

One of the easiest ways to serve baked brie is with a pure fruit jam on top. I like using Smucker's Jam but someday soon I'm going to work up the courage to make my own jam.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cheese on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Add your choice of fruit jam over the top of the brie with about 3 to 4 minutes of baking left. Transfer to a serving plate; cool about 20 minutes. Serve with crackers or sliced baguette.

2 Baked Brie with Pecans

                 Serves 8


Baked Brie with Pecans I found on the Martha Stewart website. The maple sauce brings a light sweetness to the creamy Brie and the toasted pecans add a bit of crunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 small wheel of Brie or Camembert (about 9 ounces)
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 3 tbsp light-brown sugar
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• crackers or sliced baguette

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cheese on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate; cool about 20 minutes.
2. While cheese cools, place nuts on a clean baking sheet; bake until toasted and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle nuts over cheese.
3. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and maple syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat; simmer until foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle warm sauce over slightly cooled cheese and nuts; serve with crackers or baguette.

• Another option is to sprinkle 1/2 cup of dried cranberries over the brie with the pecan pieces.

3 Baked Brie with Caramelized Pears

                 Serves 8

I saw this recipe being made on the TV show Best Recipes Ever. It is easy to put together and looks stunning to serve.

Ingredients:

• 1 round Brie cheese
• 1 tbsp sliced hazelnuts or slivered almonds, toasted

Caramelized pear

• 2 tsp butter
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 pear, thinly sliced
• Pinch each salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup pear or apple juice
• 1 tbsp brandy
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp packed brown sugar

Directions:

1. In a nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat; fry shallot, pear, salt and pepper until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add pear juice, brandy, thyme and sugar; bring to boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, until no liquid remains and pear is softened, about 5 minutes. (You can make-ahead - let cool and refrigerate in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)
3. Place brie in small cake pan; top with pear mixture. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is softened, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with hazelnuts or almonds.

Hot Wings & Blue Cheese Dip ... with a twist!

I love wings, but I've never been bothered to make them at home (and they've become a bit of a tradition for girls night out). I found this recipe on the Chatelaine website in the summer, which is when I usually try to make my favourite meals into a salad - translation: less time with the oven turned on during heat waves.
The hot sauce recipe for the chicken was super easy to make and tasted just how I like it. I use it all the time now for buffalo chicken sandwiches (chicken fingers in hot sauce on a bun + lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, ranch).
The garlic-dill salad dressing is also a great recipe. Because of the fresh dill I make it often when I'm having salmon. I like it just as a dip with crudités either as is, or mixed with 1/3 cup sour cream to make it a little thicker. The fresh cloves of garlic can be quite powerful so depending on your preference (and your plans later in the day) you may want to use less than what the recipe calls for.

Grilled buffalo chicken salad
Yields: 4

    Garlic-Dill Vinaigrette
       Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

       Directions:

1. Whisk ingredients together in a bowl. You can store in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days.

    Hot Sauce

       Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp honey

       Directions:

1. Stir ingredients together in a large bowl. Add strips of cooked chicken and turn to coat. 

Serve chicken tossed in hot sauce on top of a bed of lettuce (romaine or arugula are good options). Drizzle dressing on top of salad. Top with crumbled blue cheese.

Seven Layer Taco Dip

A personal favourite of mine at parties is taco dip. New Year's Eve was actually the first time I've ever made one and it turned out great - everyone loved it.

I found the recipe on allrecipes.com and used a few of the reviews from the site to make the final product. The best part about a taco dip is that you can alter the layers to suit your preferences. I made it with a refried bean base and served salsa on the side. Next time I will leave out the refried beans and add the salsa to the dip. Another option to try is a fried ground beef base.

• Layer 1: Refried Beans
• Blend half a package of taco seasoning mix and a can of refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter (I used a 13x9 dish)
• Layer 2: Sour Cream Mixture
• Mix a 250 g package cream cheese and 500 mL container sour cream with half a package of taco seasoning mix. Spread over the refried beans.
  ** Fat-free and non-fat varieties of the cream cheese and sour cream are an option to lower the fat and calories in the dip
• Layer 3: Guacamole
• See recipe below
• Layer 4: Salsa
• I would suggest a mild chunky salsa.
• Layer 5: Chopped Tomatoes, Red Onion, Green Onion
• Layer 6: Sliced Black Olives
• Layer 7: Tex Mex Shredded Cheese

The dip can be served cold, or you can put it in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Guacamole

    Ingredients:

• 2 avocados
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Olive oil
• White vinegar
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• salt and pepper, to taste

    Directions:

1. Pit, peel and mash avocados. Sir in red and green onion, garlic, lime juice, a splash of olive oil, a capful of white vinegar, sour cream, and salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.