Scottish Oat Cakes

So yesterday (January 25th) was Robert Burns day or The Burns Supper. Don't know anything about it? Neither did I! Welcome to the club! Apparently this has been a somewhat awesome holiday that has been going on since 1802! Robert (Rabbie) Burns, was a Scottish poet and one of the key figures in the introduction of the Romantic movement. His poems and lyrics were often written in his native Scottish language, and the ones that were not often had a "light" Scottish tone or accent to them.

So unbeknownst to me,  this has actually been a fairly popular holiday (especially in Scotland) that has spread to North America.

So my Scottish blood was immediately in an uproar that I knew nothing about this famed fellow Scotsman! I should point out at this particular time, that I have very little actual Scottish ancestry in me. I believe that I'm approximately only ten percent Scottish (My Grandma's Grandpa). Bah, math has never really been my strong suit. Although history always has been, so even if my Scottish background was a minuscule one percent, I'd still honour and treasure that part of my heritage. Does that make sense to anyone else?

Now traditional Burns Nights often involve a large dinner that usually revolves around Haggis and Whiskey, and then finishes off with a poetry reading and occasional dancing. My own lacked all of those. I did however, manage to whip up these little delights as a tribute to the Scottish background before heading to bed.

Perfect with a side of tea or milk, they are perfect as a midnight or after school snack. They are recommended to be served hot with butter, although eating them cold is just as good. I would also suggest serving them with strawberry or raspberry jam, or some honey. Although I can definitely sit and eat a handful with nothing served with them at all. So while playing a friendly game of cards tonight, that is exactly what we did!

 Scottish Oat Cakes

Rolled Oats - 3 Cups
Flour - 3 cups
Brown Sugar - 1 Cup
Salt - 2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Butter (Lard, or Shortening) - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 2/3-1 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine the dry ingredients, then cut the butter into the mixture. Cutting butter means adding small drops of it and mixing it in.  Slowly add water to moisten. The recipe calls for 2/3 of a cup, but I found that adding that last 1/3 helped bring the whole thing together.

Flatten the mixture into a bowl and place in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes for it to chill. Remove from the fridge and place on the counter, patting the ball into a rectangle. With a rolling pin, flatten the oat mixture until it is about 1/4" thick. Cut into 2 inch squares.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden. I prefer mine golden on the bottom only. Allow to cool before eating and enjoy!

Experiencing Almond Milk

I've always been a big fan of a nice tall glass of cold milk. I would take a glass of milk over water almost any day. It's just something that I enjoy to drink. So when the fiance started to purchase a small carton of almond milk for her coffee, I was slightly perturbed. Almond milk seemed like an impostor and had no place in my kitchen! BUT, in the spirit of trying new things, I thought I'd give it a shot!

The History: Almonds derive from the Mediterranean, and have spread across Europe to the Americas through human transportation. They originally were actually poisonous once the seed becomes injured. However, after domestication, the almond became non-toxic. The wild almond actually mutated, and the amygdalin (the poison within the almond) disappeared. Enter the Amygdalus dulcis... the sweet almond! These domesticated almonds actually started to appear around 3000 BC.

Almond milk started to make it's first appearance more towards the middle ages (That's medieval times for your non-history types). Cows milk was often turned into cheese or butter almost immediately because it would expire quickly. Remember, no refrigerators! So instead, almonds and milk were mixed together, and the almonds crushed. This mixture would then be pushed through a cheesecloth or strainer to remove any almond debris.  Even today, the almond milk in my fridge will last almost a whole month longer than the dairy variety.

Currently almonds are mostly produced in California. Actually 80% of almonds come from California, which has a strong environment for them to grow. Almond milk itself has high protein, and contains no lactose or cholesterol. It's also a suitable addition to a vegan diet as it contains no animal products (Did you hear that sister?). Basically, it contains the same nutrition as milk, except milk contains higher amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Calcium.

My Perspective: Okay Almond Milk, I'm actually pretty impressed. You're actually fairly delightful. I wouldn't really add it to a bowl of cereal in the morning, but it has some other successful uses. Adding it to cakes or other recipes brings some added flavours. and I particularly enjoyed it with a cookie or on its own.
It doesn't have a strong flavour, but is more of a subtly sweet nutty flavour. It doesn't dominate the tastebuds, which makes it refreshing to drink. It also isn't as thick as I had thought, but is similar to the light consistency of skim milk.

Now for those interested in different flavours of Almond milk, STOP. It's basically like drinking a milkshake, so all the health benefits of the almond milk are pretty wasted. The same goes for sweetened almond milk. Trust me, it's going to be sweet enough as it is. And come on, how good does it look with those Anzac Cookies? That is the quality test for all milks... how well it works with cookies.

So in conclusion, Almond Milk is surprisingly enjoyable! I would probably enjoy a carton alongside the dairy version.

Have you ever tried Almond Milk? What about other non-dairy varieties? Let me know what you think!

Banana Pancakes

Banana Pancakes never really existed in my recipe collection. I'm much more of a waffle fan myself. But for some reason, the mood for pancakes was upon me. And I didn't want just normal pancakes, I wanted Banana Pancakes! Who else has the song (Banana Pancakes) by Jack Johnson leap into their heads once they read the title to this post? Here's a the song if you happened to miss it on the radio somehow during the last several years.

It's really a song that has nothing to do with pancakes, and everything to do with staying in the house due to a rainy day. However, the lyrics and melody always seem to bring Banana Pancakes to mind, even if they were never really one of the recipes that I cooked regularly.

Jack Johnson was a  big thing when I first started university. Perhaps it was the acoustic freedom of it all, although I never went the dreadlock, hippy-dippy route, it was still a pretty good sound. However, years later, my musical tastes have once again changes and I no longer seem to enjoy the same songs. I used to be able to sit and listen to all three of his albums in a row, but now it's just the three or four songs that I really enjoy. This one happens to be one of the classic favourites, and not simply because it makes me think of food! It just gets me humming!

Anywho...the pancakes! Delicious, and they definitely hit the spot. Don't you love it when you can actually make something you've been craving?  All I did was make pancake batter, and then add some smushed up bananas to the mix. It's the perfect use of those leftover soft bananas sitting on your counter. I hope you like them! I made enough for about 5-6 pancakes, and this recipe reflects that amount. Easy to double though!

Banana Pancakes

Flour - 2/3 cup

Sugar - 2 tsp

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Egg - 1

Milk - 2/3 cup

Canola Oil - 1 tbsp

Banana - 1

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the middle of the mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil and banana.

If you don't have a banana that is soft, You may want to mash it (With a potato masher) before adding it to the wet liquids. This will make life easier on you when trying to combine them all.

Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat and let warm. Melt about a tbsp of butter inside and swirl it around. Once completely melted, ladle out a spoonful of the pancake mixture (About a 1/4 cup). Once bubbles start to form on top of the pancake, you know they are ready to flip. Once both sides are golden brown, serve with a little butter and some syrup. Enjoy! 

Jambasta

Jambasta is a combination of two of my favourite dishes, Jambalaya and Pasta. This was one of the first recipes that I had ever cooked for myself. Cue flashback... (Which makes me think of the movie Wayne's World. You know... doodaaloo doodaaloo doodaaloo. If you don't understand this, you really need to watch that movie, or some old SNL skits. Then all will be revealed.

As some as you may know, I started cooking by learning from a roommate and trying out some family recipes. So as I started to cook more, I started to explore the online cooking community. So of course, as one of the newbie chefs, I looked in one of the most obvious spots - the Food Network (dot com). So online I explored.I came across this recipe from famed celebrity chef Rachel Ray and I knew instantly that it was something that I should make.

So after purchasing the necessary ingredients, into the kitchen I went. Still being a rookie chef, I remember making a proper mess of things. However, I had some pretty good music and attitude going on! Perhaps its moments like that which made cooking so interesting to me. Anyway, the dish turned out really well and I proceeded to show off my cooking prowess to my roommates. Who knows... if that dish had been a disaster, perhaps I wouldn't have continued to cook with the same interest as I do today!

So we flash back to the present. I had loved this recipe when I first made it, and I love it still today. Don't be daunted by the large recipe list, because it's relatively an easy recipe to cook. And it makes one great set of leftovers as well! Oh, and make sure to crank up the tunes when you make this recipe... it seems to help the flavour of the food. The original recipe can be found at The Food Network.


Jambasta

Penne - 2-3 cups
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsps
Italian Sausage (Or Andouille)  - 4-5, sliced into bite sized pieces
Garlic - 4 cloves, minced
Jalapeno - 1 whole, diced
Red Pepper - 1, diced
Onion - 1, diced
Celery - 2 ribs, died
Flour - 2 tbsps
Beer - 1 cup
Chicken Stock - 1 cup
Crushed Tomatoes - 1 (14oz) can
Tabasco Hot Sauce - 2 tbsps
Thyme - 2 tbsps
Chicken - 4 thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
Shrimp - About 2 handfuls (It's about 1-2 cups)
Heavy Cream - 1/4 cup

Start to boil water for the pasta in a large pot. When boiling, add the penne and salt the pasta.

Dice the sausage into cubes, add to a deep skillet with olive oil and butter. Brown the sausage to render the fat, then remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, setting aside in a bowl. You may wish to pat them down with paper towel.

Add the garlic, peppers, celery, onion, jalapenos and saute for 5-6 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon, and season with salt and pepper. Add the flour, stir into the vegetable mixture, and let cook for another 2 minutes.

Whisk in the beer and let cook for another 2 minutes, cooking out the beer. Pour the rest of the beer in a glass and consume as desired.

Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, hot sauce and thyme. Bring to a boil, then add the diced chicken. Cook for about 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the shrimp and sausage. When the shrimp is pink and cook through, add cream and stir. Gradually add the cream until it is of a colour and consistency that you wish. I have cooked this recipe with and without cream, so the choice is yours. Add the penne and you have...

JAMBASTA!

I hope you like it.

Zesty Shrimp Tacos

Sometimes I think that lunches get a bad rap. For some reason, being stuck in the middle of the day, lunches can be restricted to brown paper bags, leftovers or takeout. Perhaps it's because we are too busy to sit and enjoy them even though it can be one of the best times to actually sit and enjoy a meal. Why not? The sun is shining (usually), life is happening, and your not exhausted from not getting enough sleep or from a long day. Poor lunch :(

So today I decided not to make one of the usual lunch suspects and make some tacos! And I also decided to differ from the original ground beef taco and come up with something a little more exciting. Besides, shrimp are also a healthy alternative to beef, and they change the ordinary taco into something exotic.

My first bite was a little dismayed, I suppose because it was trying to compare this recipe to that of the ordinary taco. They are in completely different worlds however, so I shouldn't be sad about it! And with each bite, I seemed to like these tacos more and more. When the final bite disappeared into my gaping maw, I realized just how much I had actually enjoyed this recipe! I hope you like them as much as I did!


Zesty Shrimp Tacos

Onion - 1, diced
Green Pepper - 1, diced
Jalapenos - 1-2, chopped (Green Chili would work as well)
Garlic - 3 cloves, minced
Cumin - 1 tsp
Tarragon - 1 tsp
Brown Sugar - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 2, coarsely chopped
Lime - 1/2, juiced
Salt and pepper for flavouring
Shrimp - 2 handfuls, shelled and deveined

Taco Shells - 6
Sour Cream - a couple spoonfuls
Green Onion - 2, chopped

In a large skillet, heat a tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add the green peppers and jalapenos and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, tarragon and sugar. Give the mixture a stir and let cook for another 2-5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, lime juice and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp, cover, and cook gently for about 5-8 minutes.You have to be careful to cook off excess water at the same time as to not overcook the shrimp.

Meanwhile, put the oven on broil. Place the taco shells on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 1 minute for each side or until hot.

Using a slotted spoon, place a generous portion of shrimp inside the taco and add a spoonful of sour cream. Plain yogurt, ranch or other creamy dressings work as well.

Foodie New Years Resolutions

 I know that we are already 10 days into January, but better late than never! Besides, I can pretend that I just thought really, really hard about it! So here we go! These are the goals that I'm going to attempt to follow this year!

1. After taking a picture of my Scrambled Eggs on toast yesterday, I realized that I really need to try to take better food photos. That dish was seriously amazing, but the photos made it look seriously blah. I've definitely come along way since I first started blogging, but why not push keep pushing myself.

2. After watching the movie Food Inc. several new concepts about food came up. For example, wondering where exactly my food comes from. Is the chicken I pick up from the grocery store raised in a productive manner, or are they raised in a completely black filtered areas and given tons of antibiotics and hormones. I guess I just became more concerned with actually wondering about food, not simply ignoring where it came from. So I plan to look for seasonal/local produce. And PS. check the movie out if you can! It was wonderful!

3. I'm going to eat Anchovies. Preferably on pizza or something... I can't seem to ever bring myself to actually eat them, but I'm going to! Sometime this year!

4. Thanks to the the fiance, I've realized that I need to drink more water. I don't drink nearly enough in the day. I really never was a big water drinker, as in almost never, so I'm pushing myself to drink more. That's cutting back on juice/tea and going for the water! Although tea is still delicious...  and cranberry juice... AH, this could be a challenging goal.

5. As you may know, we are big fans of Vietnamese around this house. So this year, we are also looking at making... no, MASTERING salad rolls. Delicious and healthy, I want to get these down! Good thing I know a local Asian market in town!

6. I want to throw more foodie parties! Getting together with a group of friends and celebrating different foods can be fun and interesting! Sure it's fun to cook at home for the future wife, but I want to share it with others. We had a fondue party the other night that was a blast, so why not keep the good times going!

So yeah, that's about it! Just some relatively easy goals that I should be able to try out this year! Do you have any foodie goals that you want to try to make this year? Let me know!

Scrambled Eggs on Toast

The fiance has started to have a morning shake for breakfast, instead of dinning on breakfast foods. This means that I no longer have to worry about making breakfast for two or making food that we both like. For the weirdest reason, scrambled eggs has never been one of the fiance's favourite egg dishes. So it's steadily disappeared from morning meals.

So with the introduction of this breakfast shake, breakfasts are mine again!

Scrambled eggs on toast is one of my comfort foods. It's so easy to prepare and so easy to enjoy, it should be in every chefs repertoire! My mom makes them with some sauteed veggies mixed in. However, my favourite is just plain old scrambled eggs with some green onions chopped inside. Oh! And it has to have toast. Scrambled eggs are just fine on their own... but served on the toast raises it to another level.


Scrambled Eggs on Toast

Eggs - 2
Green Onion - 1, diced
Milk - A splash
Butter- 1 tbsp
Toast - 2
Butter - for the toast

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and green onion. The more that you whisk, the frothier the eggs become!

Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Once warmed, add the butter and swirl around. When it breaks down, pour the eggs inside. Let the eggs settle and cook for a second, then stir gently with a wooden spoon. Let the eggs settle again, then give another stir. Make sure that you get all the egg from the edges as well. Stir constantly, but slowly.

While the frying pan is heating up, heat the bread in the toaster. When finished, butter them. You can be healthy and serve it without, but I love the butter on my toast as well.

When the eggs become fluffy and light, and no longer wet, serve over the toast. Make sure not to over cook or they will taste dry. Serve hot immediately!  Ketchup and hot-sauce are optional...and not optional at the same time. It's a must. Just do it. And enjoy!

Dad's Homemade Chicken Soup

Sometimes you have recipes that you just want to hold close to the chest. You want to save them for a variety of reasons. Perhaps your saving your tastiest recipes for a dinner party. Reserved strictly for guests! Or maybe it's a very personal recipe and you don't feel like it should be one to be giving out.

After some soul searching, I feel I can give this recipe out. At first it was going to remain in my own cookbook simply because it was my dad's recipe, and I didn't want to be just broadcasting it across the Internet. Then I wasn't sure if I wanted to give it out because it was some insanely simple. Almost every cookbook has this recipe written down as a method to make chicken stock. So after I made it just before Christmas, I pondered and pondered (almost, ALMOST, Grinch like) and decided that really, there wasn't any reason why I shouldn't give out this recipe!

Even though this recipe appears almost everywhere, this one recipe will always remind me of my dad. Almost after every chicken or turkey dinner, he'd have the carcass sitting in a soup pot of water. And if it was particularly cold out, my dad's personal touch would be to have the whole thing cool down in the snow after simmering for hours. Ah, the smells that would fill the house... it just felt good! And if you were sick, this was the soup to have.

You can serve this soup full of veggies, leftover chicken, or my personal favourite, tortellini. Remember, it is basically the broth, so feel free to add anything you want. It's almost a crime...nay... it IS a crime to cook a turkey and then not make this soup afterwards. It's just a waste of deliciousness. Besides, it's a good way to use up any leftover chicken meat.

Dad's Homemade Chicken Soup

Chicken Carcass

Large Carrots - 3

Onion - 1, Quartered

Celery - 3 stocks

Garlic - 1 head. broken down

Peppercorns - 15

Rosemary - 2 stocks (Although the herb/spices can change with whatever you may be feeling, I just had this laying around after my Apple Roasted Chicken)

Water

Take off any choice meats from the bird carcass, although any remaining will also help flavour the soup. Place the carcass in the stockpot. Fill with water until the chicken is just covered. Add the veggies. Cover, then bring the soup to boiling. Lower the temperature and let simmer for about 2-3 hours minimum. The longer is simmers however, the more flavours come out, so I am for about 4-5 hours.

Turn off and strain into another large pot or Tupperware containers and let the soup cool. With a sharp edged spoon (usually a typical metal dinner spoon), gently scoop off the top layer of fat. Place the soup in the fridge, or freeze. This soup freezes for awhile, although I'm not quite certain how long exactly, so be cautious.

When ready to cook, place a portion of the soup in a pot and bring to a boil. Add any veggies, chicken meat, tortellini or other ingredients and let them get tender. Serve hot and enjoy! Thanks for this one dad... I appreciate it!

Gruyere Mashed Potatoes

 A good friend of mine went to spend Christmas with his wife's family this year for the first time. Breaking from his normal tradition, he missed out on having a turkey dinner during the holidays. His wife's family has it's own tradition of having a lamb dinner. The poor guy!

So upon his return, his loving wife went about cooking him his missed turkey dinner. What a gal! And so the fiance and I were lucky enough to be invited to the event, and to help out we brought along the mashed potatoes. In the Chef Michael Smith's Kitchen: 100 Of My Favourite Easy Recipes cookbook that I had gotten for Christmas, was a recipe for Gruyere Mashed Potatoes. 

So I took a risk on my poor friend. Even though he wanted the traditional turkey dinner, I wanted to shake things up a little. It turned out to be an excellent choice addition. The addition of the Gruyere changed the potatoes from plain ol' mashed potatoes, to something that was kicked up a notch. It really does have an earthy, smoky flavour and was a great addition to the turkey dinner. The smokey flavour opened up some more recipe possibilities  that I'd be willing to explore in the future. Perhaps a diced up chipotle pepper, smoked paprika, or some bacon! Maybe even a splash of bbq sauce if you were feeling pretty risque!


Gruyere Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes (Russet preferably) - 4-5 large ones
Milk - 1 cup
Nutmeg - 1 tsp
Gruyere Cheese - 2 heaping cups
Pepper and Salt - a taste

Heat a large pot full of water on the stove top. Once boiling, add the cubed potatoes. Cook until tender. You should be able to stick a fork in them with no resistance. Remove from heat.

As the potatoes are cooking, add the milk and nutmeg to a small pot and warm over low heat. Do not let boil.

When the potatoes are finished, add the milk and cheese to the pot and mash. At first it may look too liquidy, so keep mashing and stirring until well blended together.

The Top Five Recipes of 2011

I'm sorry that I haven't gotten the opportunity to write lately! The holidays have definitely been busy, and I haven't really found the time to do both cooking and writing. However, things have slowed down a bit tonight as the fiance is out with her visiting relatives to do some wedding preparation that I was exempt from.
So I have managed to sit back and look over 2011 in terms of food enjoyment. I have examined all the  years blog posts very carefully, trying my best to remember the recipes, the flavours and the enjoyment that each of those dishes brought to determine my favourites. It wasn't easy, but these are the recipes that got my taste buds applauding!

1. In March, the food bloggers social media site Foodbuzz, came out with a Tea time challenge, to create a dish that could be served alongside a cup of tea. I pushed the boundaries a little and went with the Asian themed, Ahi Tuna Tacos. It involved a lightly seared ahi tuna steak served on top of a deepfried wonton shell and an Asian style coleslaw. I can't wait for summer so I can make these again! And what a great appetizer for a party! People will marvel at your unique and amazing recipe that obviously you must spent a lot of time with (Except you didn't). YUM!

2. "Probably one of the best recipes of the year. Hands down." That's what I wrote for these Boxty (Irish Pancakes) after I had first made them. It remains to this day the first recipe that leaps to mind when I have leftover mashed potatoes. I have even found myself making extras just so I can make these the following day! Hot and flavourful, these are great anytime of day/month/year.  The addition of a spicy sour cream (Sour cream, hot sauce, Worcestershire) pushed this recipe into legendary status!

3. Hungarian Mushroom Soup was an instant favourite of mine. Earthy and natural tasting, this recipe satisfied my soupy cravings. I've made it several times since it's first introduction into my kitcheb. It became one of those recipes that you look forward to, even if it isn't something necessarily special. I would serve this soup year-round, and I may have to make it soon! While my picture at this time isn't anything to blush over, the soup makes up for my own inexperience with the flavour it provides. A dollop of sour cream just ties the whole thing together! Beautiful!



4. Ah, Chocolate Eggplant. Definitely the strangest and most adventurous recipe of 2011.
I never would have considered making it if Chef David Rocco hadn't had such an excellent description and delicious looking photo of this recipe. I'm so glad I did though! It's completely original, not very difficult to make, and surprisingly delicious! It's the perfect finish for any Italian pasta night and will awe even the relatives from Europe's boot!

5. This salad managed to get into the top five thanks to both flavour and texture. Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad may not sound very exciting, but this was one tasty dish! Fruity cantaloupe, cool cucumber, crunchy almonds and hot shredded chicken all battle for supremacy in this dish, and the result afterwards is pure deliciousness. I remember making this and eating the entire thing. GAH, I want cantaloupe to be in season NOW!


If you get the chance to make any recipes in 2012, these five should definitely be on your list. I know that these will definitely be returning to my table! I hope you're able to give them a try!