Backwards

There are many things this post could be titled, but I decided that this was the least offensive of the many options I came up with.  This topic quite honestly has me baffled, angry and poised for action.  Here it is...please let me know if this touches a nerve with you too...

A couple of weeks ago I was at my local grocery store (one that usually carries a higher than usual  amount of locally produced foods).  I had missed getting to the market and was looking to make some blueberry and raspberry jam--thinking I'll just stop at the grocery store, they should have some local berries.
 Not only did they not have any (although the did have an abundance of fresh berries from California and Chile on sale for $1.49 per half pint...), but when I asked where they were or when they would be coming in, I was told that they most likely would not get any local berries in this year.

Of course, I asked "Why?".
The manager told me they were too expensive and people would not buy them.
??!! What?

I have 2 responses to this:
1.  When did our food distribution system get so messed up and backwards that it not only is "cheaper" to sell berries from the other side of the continent, but customers are unwilling to pay a fair price for food produced and grown locally by their neighbours?

2.  How is it that we have become so price obsessed, that we are unable to see, and too willing to support a system that doesn't pay its food producers, pickers, or workers a fair price regardless of where they come from. (because you can't convince me that $1.49 per half pint pays that Chilean farmer a fair price or the workers who harvest them a fair wage.)

There are many reasons we should be looking for local produce at our grocery stores, and even more reasons to NOT buy what isn't local--especially when said items are in season here.  We can each make a difference by choosing where/what we spend our money on.  We can each make a difference by asking our local stores where these items are.  Go ahead, make a difference.  It's important.


I made some of this today--if you would be interested in purchasing freshly made pestos, please let me know!
Sundried Tomato and Asiago Pesto
(from better homes and gardens canning special)

3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 jar sundried tomatoes in oil (210ml)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt and cracked pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic
2/3-1 cup walnuts

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process on high until mixture is almost smooth.  Scraping down with a spatula when necessary.  Will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, or for a few months in the freezer.

Tip:  Pesto isn't just for pasta!  You can use it as a sandwich spread, bake it on Pork Tenderloin, or top some brie and warm in the oven.

I have a confession to make...

So, I have a confession to make.  I am not a measure-er.  What??  When I cook, I rarely measure the ingredients.  I follow recipes loosely--they are a guideline right?  Consequently, I sometimes have to guesstimate how much of this or that has gone into a recipe I share with you...so far so good :)

Here is just such a recipe, I wait all  year to harvest the Garlic scape's from my  garden--this past Sunday was the day!!  Yeah!

Not familiar with garlic scape's?  A gourmet delight garlic scape's are the flower stalk of the garlic.  The entire stalk and flower are edible.  With mild garlic flavor and aroma they are wonderful additions to stew, roasts, marinade, salads, sandwiches, sauces, bread, pasta, pesto, stir-fry, roasted, or even steamed and eaten as a vegetable.  The possibilities are endless!

This is my favourite scape recipe--

Garlic Scape and Walnut Pesto

1 200 gr bag of walnuts
1 green onion
7-8 scapes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
cracked pepper
1/4 cup (or more depending on dryness) olive oil
3/4 cup parmesan cheese


In food processor pulse, add all ingredients except olive oil and parmesan.  Pulse until walnuts and scapes are small--but not mushy.  (this is a chunky style pesto--not the same as the grocery store variety!)  Add olive oil, pulse.  Add cheese, pulse.  add more oil if necessary --be careful not to add too much!
( I make mine in the tupperware "Quick Chef" chopper--you can do the same or use your food processor...)

Real Good Food

I am so tired of sifting through marketing ploys, and nutritional facts, and studies and diet info and, and, and...are  you?  It seems that we have been so duped over the last 50 years about what "real, good, food" is, that we can't tell for ourselves anymore,  without all the buzz words and hype from the food marketers...

Here are my best tips of the day:

*If it grows in the ground (or a hydroponic source) it is real, good, food. --fruit and vegetables, beans/legumes and grains

*If it comes from a decently treated animal it is okay real, good, food. --meat, fish, dairy, eggs

*If it comes in a package--be skeptical, read the label.

*If said label has 10, 15, or more ingredients be skeptical.

*If said label has more ingredients that you can't pronounce than ingredients you can, you should probably leave the store without it.

*If said label has word choices like "contains real fruit", "low fat", "beverage", or a plethora of other buzz words--be skeptical.

*eat foods that your Great Grandmother would have eaten--can you imagine what she would have thought of "lean cuisine", or "fruit roll ups", or "go-gurt"?

It isn't rocket science to eat well--feel good--and make responsible choices...how come we have been lead to believe that it is?

~there are a million and one ways to make mac and cheese...here is number 1 million and 2

Homemade Mac and Cheese
1/2 package macaroni --cooked until almost done and drained
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup grated cheese


Sauce
3 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
3 cups grated cheese (any combo will do, I used old cheddar and marble)
2 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
cracked pepper


Heat butter in a saucepan until foaming.  Add flour and cook at least 2 minutes or until just barely turning golden brown.  Slowly add milk while whisking constantly.  Cook and whisk on medium heat until it starts to thicken (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat and whisk in Dijon, pepper and cheese.  Continue to stir until cheese has melted.

Melt 2 tbsp butter and add fresh bread crumbs, stir to combine well.


In a casserole dish, pour sauce evenly over pasta.  Top with buttered bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated cheese.  Bake at 350 about 30 minutes.

Slim Pickin's

Tomorrow is grocery day...and it is getting pretty bare in the fridge and in the cupboard.  The choices for dinner tonight were pretty slim.  First I thought we could have homemade pizza--but no cheese.  Then I thought we could have sausage and perogies--but no sausage.  Then I though we could have Thai stir fry--but no mushrooms, or broccoli, or anything else stir fry like..and on and on it went...

What I did have was lots of pasta, 1 carrot, 2 green onions, 1/4 red pepper and a few other items...here is what I came up with for dinner--turned out pretty excellent too!

Penne Carbonara

1/3 bag penne cooked al dente
1 small carrot shredded with your vegetable peeler
2 green onions sliced
1/4 red pepper diced
1/4 cup diced and cooked bacon
1/2 jar julienned sundried tomatoes
1/4 cup pecans


Sauce
3 egg yolks
1 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup half and half cream
Mix well. (will thicken as it sits)


Saute vegetables and add bacon, sundried tomatoes and pecans.  Drain pasta and reserve 1/3 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta to veg mixture pour in reserved cooking liquid and sauce mixture.  Mix until well coated.  Serve with a bit of parm grated on top.

Carbs anyone?

Hi, my name is Bonnie and I am a carboholic...

I can't seem to get enough of them these days...well carbs and cheese...Not sure what the scoop is, I figure my body must know to some degree what it needs.  I try to balance the carbs and cheese with as many vegetables and I can cram into the carb-fest...sometimes I am more successful than others.

Here is a great pasta recipe--you can substitute any kind of pasta (spaghetti, fusilli, fettuccine, you get the idea.)  You can also  substitute just about any vegetable or meat addition...here is our favourite combo...

Pasta Carbonara (enough for 3-4 people, plus leftovers)


3-4 egg yolks
1 cup parm (fresh grated or a good quality powdered)
1/2 cup or so of cream
Mix all together and set aside.  (you want the finished amount  to be about 1 1/2 cups of sauce...add more cream and/or parm until you get there)


Half  900 g bag pasta (penne is our fave)
2-3 thinly sliced sausages (you already know I use Oktoberfest...but any kind-fresh or leftover- will do)
1/2 head broccoli cut into bitesize peices
1 med onion sliced
5-6 mushrooms quartered
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/3 jar sun dried tomatoes


While heating water and cooking pasta, saute sausage until golden brown.  Add onion and cook until translucent.  Add other veg and cook until done.  Add lots of cracked pepper and sun dried tomatoes. Take off heat.  Drain pasta (reserving about 1/2 cup of cooking water) and pour pasta over veg/sausage mix.  Pour sauce over and add pasta water.  Mix thoroughly and keep mixing about 1 min or so, giving time for the sauce to thicken slightly and coat the pasta.


Top with chile peppers and/or parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!

Ahh Friday...

So, it's Friday--hurray!
Here is a good one for the weekend..easy, cheap, yummy, and it will make you some extras for lunch too!  All my favourite things rolled into one!

Baked Ravioli
2 pgks frozen ravioli (you can also use fresh, but frozen is so much cheaper!)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can  tomato pasta sauce
1/2 cup beef stock or beef bouillon
2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette or Italian style dressing
2 cups grated cheese 


In a 9x13 pan, mix tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef bouillon and vinaigrette.  Add ravioli and toss to coat.  Let sit covered at room temp for a couple of hours or in the fridge all day.  Toss before re-covering and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover, top with grated cheese and continue to cook for 1/2 hour.
Top with grated parm if you like. MMM!
Enjoy!

Cleaning out the Fridge...

Here we are Post-Holiday.-- time to clean out the fridge.  Use up the little bits of this and that, less room for dip, cheese and snacks, more room for vegetables, lunches and yogurt.

This is one of our favourite pasta recipes--tasty, good and a great way to use up some of the leftover bits and bobs from the fridge :)

Alfredo Pasta a la Fridge
(this makes enough for 3 of us to have dinner, and 2 of us to have lunch the next day--you can easily make more or less. **feel free to substitute any vegetable or meat you need to finish up-this works with everything!!)


2 thinly sliced oktoberfest sausages (or cut up leftover turkey/chicken, bacon or ham)
1 med onion cut into wedges
2 cups broccoli
1 red or yellow pepper (or any variation you have...)
5-6 sliced mushrooms
1/3 jar julienned sundried tomatoes drained
1 shredded carrot
1/2  900 g bag of pasta (like fusili, or penne)


1 batch of Alfredo Sauce

Saute sausage until nicely browned. Add onion  and saute until translucent. Add mushrooms then broccoli and saute.  Add all other veg and cook until done.
Meanwhile cook pasta according to pkg directions, and cook Alfredo sauce.


Drain pasta and add to veg/sausage mixture.  Top with sauce and toss until well coated.  Serve with a little extra Parmesan and some crushed chili peppers if you like.
Enjoy!

Moving Day..

My sister moved into a new house today--beautiful!  I hope she and the kids are very happy there!  What a busy day--lifting, unpacking, moving things around--you know, we have all been there!

Here is a quick easy side dish, for busy days like today!

Cheesy Orzo Pasta

1 Cup Orzo Pasta

Almost 2 cups water

1 Tbsp garlic seasoning (like herb and garlic or italian seasoning

½ cup Parmesan Cheese

Place pasta, water and seasoning into micro steamer or oval cooker.  Cook on high until it comes to a boil, (about 4-5 min).  Reduce power to 3 and simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes.  Stir periodically throughout cooking.  When almost all the water has been absorbed take out of microwave and let stand for 3-4 minutes.  Add cheese, mix and serve.

Enjoy!

Somebody please tell me...

My rant for today:

Somebody please tell me when we all got "too dumb" to know how to cook and how to eat--marketers have convinced us we don't have the time, we don't have the skills and we just aren't smart enough to figure things out on our own.  I don't know about you, but it sure gets my hackles up!

(...because we do have the time--20 min or less for some great dinners!, we do have the skills--come on I know you can chop and saute vegetables! and we are smart enough! :)  There, 'nuff said.

Here is all we need to know about eating healthy:
1.  Eat more fruits and vegetables than any other food group during the day.
2.  Choose foods that are as close to "natural" as possible--butter vs. margarine, full fat sour cream vs ultra-low fat, etc.  In other words, the less processed the better...
3.  Eat all things, but in moderation-no need to deprive yourself!! (... Sometimes you just need a few chips!)
4.  Think about what you buy, question the marketing thrown at you, and make eating GOOD food a priority!
Great Healthy Dinner in under 20 minutes--from start to finish!

Sesame Noodles with Napa Cabbage--adapted from Vegetarian Times

• 3 Tbs. peanut butter
• 2 Tbs. sesame oil
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 2 Tbs. rice wine (optional)
• 1 Tbs. rice vinegar (or white)
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes or 1/2 tsp. chile sauce
• 10 oz. long noodles, such as udon or spaghetti
• 1/2 lb. napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
• 1/2  red pepper (cut into very fine strips)
• 2 green onion chopped fine
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

1. Whisk together peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce,  vinegar, sugar and red pepper flakes in saucepan.
2. Cook noodles according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, place  cabbage, peppers and onion in colander over sink. Warm Sauce.
4. Drain noodles over cabbage in colander to wilt cabbage. Transfer noodles and cabbage to serving bowl, add sauce, and toss until combined.
5. Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds, and serve.

Enjoy!

Tip:  This recipe is just as good cold as it is hot--so make a little extra and have dinner tonight, and lunch tomorrow!

Less trips to the store...more money in your pocket!

Grocery Shopping Tip
for today:
*make sure you know what you need , and buy it all at once-less trips to the store means more money left  in your pocket!

I know this isn't exactly a profound announcement, but perhaps it is one that we all need to be reminded of once in awhile.  It is easy to just stop and pick up the milk or cheese...but how often is it JUST the milk or cheese?  (or is it the milk, cheese, butter, chips, chicken, might as well get some toilet paper and orange juice while i am here too...?)

My solution?  If I don't have it, I cook around it--meaning, too bad, you have to wait until grocery day--and if that means I can't make pizza because there is no cheese, then I choose something else to make for dinner tonight.

Radical?  I don't know if that is radical, but it did help to change my perception a little--we live in a culture  obsessed with "I want it now"  and instant gratification.

Perhaps waiting 2 days to pick up the milk won't scar us, perhaps it will help to teach us patience.  Perhaps it will force us to be a little more creative in the kitchen, by using only the ingredients on hand.   Perhaps it will help us to put a little space between the instant and the gratification...

What I know for sure, is that less trips the store  has left more money in my pocket, and more time for other important endeavors at home.

This recipe came out of a "Oh my God, I don't have any...." panic in the kitchen--surprisingly it became a favourite at our house--what a happy accident!  It is also extra economical (read: super cheap to make :)

Pasta with Sausage and Vegetables
1/2 package Oktoberfest sausage sliced very thin
1 med onion sliced into wedges
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot (use your vegetable peeler to "peel" the carrot into strips)
a few mushrooms quartered
1/2 red or yellow pepper chunked
any other veg. you need to use up
1/2 900g package of pasta (like fusili or penne)
1 can diced tomatoes
oregano
thyme
crushed chilies


Saute sausage until golden brown.  Add onion and mushrooms and cook until onion is softened.  Add peppers, carrots and garlic and saute for about 2 min. Add tomatoes and seasonings  and simmer gently  for about 15-20 min. 
In the meantime, cook your pasta until done.  When it is finished, drain and add to sausage mixture. Toss  and serve.  Top with grated Parmesan Cheese.


Tips: sauteing the sausage until golden brown caramelizes the sausage adding extra flavour.
This makes a great leftover lunch or extra dinner--adjust the quantities to make more or less depending on your needs.


Enjoy!