RECIPE: Green Beans with Bacon & Mushrooms

Fresh-from-the-garden green beans are hands-down, my favourite summer vegetable. I even have a favourite variety (Slenderette). Unfortunately, this year I have the worst green bean crop I've had since I started growing green beans. The critters really went to town on them and I lost a lot of my plants in the early going. Despite a replanting to try and help offset the damage, I still have a scanty supply in comparison to a typical year.

These are the types of situations where I'm glad I don't have to rely 100% (or anywhere close to it!) on the food I grow myself to feed my family. While beans from the grocery store or farmers' market aren't going to compare to the ones from my garden, it's better than having none at all!

As you might suspect, when green beans are in season, we take full advantage of it and eat a LOT of them. While they're wonderful simply boiled or steamed til tender-crisp and seasoned with a little salt, pepper and butter, if you're looking to up the ante a little and put an impressive-looking side on the table with your midsummer meal, this is a delectable combination, indeed. So good that there was *very* little left over of that generously full pan in the picture after the four of us had at it.

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans, trimmed

4-6 strips of bacon

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

½ lb mushrooms, sliced

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Instructions:

• Cook the beans in a saucepan of boiling water for about 5 minutes (they should still be crisp). Drain and set aside.

• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a medium frying pan until crisp; remove to a paper-towel lined plate. If there is more than 2 tbsp of bacon fat in the pan, drain some of the fat. Return the pan to medium heat and saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms in the bacon fat until tender; season with the salt and pepper.
  
  
• Add the green beans to the frying pan and cook for about 5 minutes longer or until beans are tender; crumble bacon over top and serve.

Serves 4

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday.

This is just one of the many simple, delicious and inexpensive new recipes featured in my August menu plans. Go HERE to find out more about them - more brand new tasty, family-friendly dishes are on the way for the September edition.

Are you a huge green bean fan, too? What is your favourite way to serve them?

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Healthy and Inexpensive Eats on the Road

 Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Chances are, you're planning a road trip at least once this summer! I'm gearing up to leave on a family camping trip myself, that will involve several hours of driving to get to our destination. 

With two hungry teenage boys in the backseat, I know I need to be prepared with lots of healthy, inexpensive snacks to dole out en route, or we're headed for the dietary (and budgetary) disaster of a fast-food fix somewhere along the way.

One of the strategies I've developed over the years is to make sure to pack some extra-tasty snacks so that they don't feel “deprived” without a stop at McDonald's for lunch.

Two of the best ways to make sure you don't get stuck spending a fortune eating junky food at a greasy spoon on the way to your holiday destination are:

1. Planning ahead: You know you're going to need to eat along the way (and if you have boys who are non-stop eating machines in tow, you know they will need to eat a LOT along the way!) I aim to start tucking some homemade healthy snacks into the freezer a week or two before our departure date, so I just have to pull them out and pack them right before we leave.

2. Packing a cooler: Depending on your final destination, you'll want either a basic cooler to fill with ice, or an electric cooler (one brand name is Koolatron). If you're tent camping without access to electricity, a basic cooler will do the trick. If you'll be staying at a bed and breakfast or hotel, the electric cooler will allow you to easily maintain a stash of healthy foods and drinks throughout your holiday without the inconvenience of draining and refilling a basic cooler with ice every day or two.

What Snacks Should You Pack?

Every family seems to have their favourite “go-to” snacks; below are some suggestions that are quick and easy (and/or make-ahead-and-freeze friendly).

• Chocolate Power Balls (freezer friendly)

• Oatmeal and Fruit Bars (freezer friendly) - substitute raspberries or chopped peaches or plums for the blueberries in these delectable bars

• Muffins (freezer friendly) - Chocolate Zucchini or Banana Chocolate Chip will keep your resident chocoholics happy while being healthier than a donut fix.

• Roasted Chickpeas

• Pocket Sandwiches (freezer friendly) - my boys love these Curried Beef and Spicy Pork pocket sandwiches! The fillings can also be tucked into pitas or wraps if you don't want to wrestle with bread dough, although they're messier and not as travel-friendly that way.

• Popcorn (pack individual servings in ziptop bags)

• Whole fruits and sliced vegetables (pack a container of hummus for extra hunger-pang-busting power!)

• High protein finger foods: Trail mix, cheese cubes, hard boiled eggs and jerky.

• Nut butters and breads or crackers for spreading them on

In addition, we always pack a large Thermos jug with ice water so we can stay well-hydrated in the heat (for a special holiday treat I also bring along a bottle or two of Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade for our roadside picnic – it goes on sale occasionally at Food Basics, Fortinos and Metro for $1.99/960 mL bottle so I stock up then!)

While prepping food for a road trip does take some time and forethought, that effort pays off hugely in the health of both your body and your finances. I'm always glad I took the time to stock our cooler and picnic basket with wholesome, homemade foods and I'm sure you will be, too!

Do you have a favourite healthy, inexpensive snack for toting on road trips? Leave a comment and share it with us!  
  

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RECIPE: Curried Beef Sandwich Pockets

Summer meals should be relaxed and easy. In my house, it's a good thing if they're "make it now, grab it whenever you're ready to eat" as the boys are often off on adventures with their friends and not necessarily around to eat when Joe and I do. 

These pocket sandwiches, like my Spicy Pork Pocket Sandwiches, are a huge hit with my teenage boys. They are good to eat either hot or cold, so work well for a picnic or an on-the-road feast if you're travelling. They also freeze well, so stashing a batch in the freezer makes for an easy-to-reheat snack or meal on a day you don't have the time or inclination to cook.

We really like these paired with Cucumber & Bean Salad; they will pair nicely with just about any kind of summer salad, though - this post has a roundup of some of our favourites.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 lb ground beef

1 carrot, grated

1 zucchini, grated

½ tsp ginger

1 tsp curry powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tbsp flour

1 lb bread dough - I use my Whole Wheat Refrigerator Bread Dough (or 4 pita breads, halved)

Instructions:

• In a large frying pan, sauté garlic and onion in oil until they start to soften.

• Add ground beef, carrot and zucchini. Cook until no traces of pink remain in beef.

• Add ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper.

• Stir flour into yogurt until smooth. Add to beef mixture and simmer over medium-low heat until mixture thickens.

• Divide the bread dough into 6 or 8 equal pieces (depending how big you want the sandwiches - smaller ones work well for younger kids). Roll a piece of dough out into a rectangle until it's about 1/4" thick. Spoon filling onto one half of the rectangle; fold over and crimp edges to seal. Repeat with remaining pieces of bread dough. Cut 2-3 slashes diagonally across the top of each pocket to allow steam to escape. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise 20-30 minutes (you can skip this step if you're in a real hurry, the crust will just be thinner and not as fluffy). Bake at 375ºF for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 6-8 sandwiches (If you don't want to wrestle with bread dough, spoon filling into pita pockets instead).

Serves 4

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday.

 

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RECIPE: End-of-Summer Corn and Tomato Salad

Yes, the kids are back in school - but technically summer doesn't end for another week and a half. And because fresh, local summer produce is only here for such a brief season, I want to make the most of it before I begin the long fall and winter sojourn of endless root vegetable dishes. I don't have anything again root vegetables (in fact I'm fond of many of them), their season is just a much longer one here in Southern Ontario!

So, always looking for more ways to incorporate the sacred, short-seasoned corn and tomatoes into our lives, I came up with this salad. It was a hit with my family and also when I prepared it for a Cooking at the Market demo a week and a half ago.

I admit that cooking and cooling, then stripping the kernels off, several cobs of corn is a bit time consuming, but the taste of fresh corn in this salad is so worth it! The corn can be cooked and chilled ahead of time; and the whole salad can be made in advance if you have company coming or just want to have less work to do at mealtime.

This salad lends itself well to improvisation, so feel free to add whatever other embellishments you feel inspired to include. Diced avocado or sweet peppers play nicely with these flavours, and cubed or crumbled cheese is another nice addition (mozzarella or feta work well). If you want to make this into a heartier main dish salad, toss in about 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans, or some leftover shredded chicken or pork. You could also add some cooked quinoa or barley to the mix! See, the options are nearly endless :)

Ingredients:
6 cobs corn, cooked and cooled
2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (I used a combination of red cherry and yellow pear tomatoes)
6-8 green onions, sliced

Lime & Cumin Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:
-In a medium serving dish, combine the corn, tomatoes and green onions.

-In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients until well-blended. Pour over corn mixture and stir gently to coat evenly. 

Serves 6 as a side dish. 

For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)

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RECIPE: Moroccan Chicken and Quinoa Salad

This is officially my family's new favourite food! Even my younger son, who is lukewarm about quinoa at the best of times, gobbled this up and immediately asked me when I was going to be making it again. Traditionally, couscous would be used in this type of Moroccan dish but I really like the texture of quinoa in this type of recipe.

There's a lot to love about this dish: It's quick to prepare, it's nutrient-packed, it's naturally gluten-free for those who need that option, and it's easy to make a vegetarian version. It can also easily be made in advance and keeps well for a couple of days in the fridge. You can serve it warm or cold, so leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day.

I try to keep some shredded chicken handy in the freezer so it's extra quick and easy to make up dishes like this and another huge family favourite, my Chicken Enchiladas. When chicken legs go on sale, I will stock up and split them into thighs and drumsticks. I freeze the thighs whole for use in other dishes, and poach the drumsticks and shred them. If you've never poached chicken, it's very simple: toss the drumsticks into a large saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes or so until the meat is cooked through. Save the cooking water - once you've shredded the meat off the bones, you can return the bones to the water and simmer for another hour or so to get stock.

This recipe makes a generous amount - enough for 4 main course servings plus 2-4 lunch-sized servings.

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked quinoa
4 cups water
2/3 cup olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
24 dried apricots
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
8-12 green onions, sliced

Instructions:

• Rinse and drain the quinoa, then place in a large saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the "tails" pop out and quinoa is tender. Let stand, covered, for 10-15 minutes, then uncover and cool to room temperature.

• While quinoa is cooking, place apricots in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10-15 minutes, then drain thoroughly and chop apricots.

• In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and salt. In a large bowl or serving dish, stir together the cooked quinoa and the dressing until well combined. Gently stir in the chicken, apricots and green onions.

For a vegetarian version, substitute 3 cups of cooked chickpeas for the chicken.

For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)

 I have added new events to my event page! Come find out where you can catch up with me at a signing, seminar, workshop or food demo HERE.

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Ten Things To Do with Fresh Herbs

When I talk to people about starting to grow some of their own food, herbs are one of the things I encourage them to start with. They are generally really hardy and will survive with less-than-expert care, they can be grown in containers (even small pots on a sunny windowsill), many of them will tolerate shadier conditions, and, most important of all, they provide meals with some major pizazz with little time or money invested.

In a good growing season, you will likely end up with way more herbs than you know what to do with!
The herbs in my garden all seem to be getting bigger by the minute with the onslaught of heat we've had the past few days. While sharing them with family, friends, and neighbours (or your produce cooperative) is always an option, there are plenty of ways you can make use of them in your own kitchen.

Here are some of my favourite ways to use fresh herbs: 

1. Salads and salad dressings: You can toss chopped herbs into just about any kind of salad, whether it be a leafy green salad, a grain-based salad like my Southwestern-Spiced Barley and Vegetable Salad, or a chunky vegetable and bean salad like my Build a Bean and Cucumber Salad. Of course, fresh herbs are perfect for salad dressings, too and can be tossed into almost any kind of dressing - they are delicious in my Buttermilk and Herb dressing or my Honey Mustard Vinaigrette.

2. Egg dishes: Eggs and herbs are fantastic together. Fresh herbs are an absolute must in a summer omelette at our house, and they are also a wonderful addition to a quiche.

For both of the above purposes, I'm particularly fond of using a random blend of parsley, chives, basil and oregano.

3. Teas: Fresh mint makes a fantastic tea and couldn't be simpler to make. Stuff a few large sprigs of mint in your teapot, fill with boling water and steep for about 15-20 minutes (for lots of other ways to use mint, check out this post). Other fresh herbs good for making tea are lemon balm, lemon verbena, chamomile, catnip and raspberry leaf (if you have raspberry canes in your garden). If you want to try making your own herbal sun teas, check out this YouTube video.

4. Pasta toppers and pestos: Many pasta dishes can be elevated to a new level of deliciousness with a sprinkling of fresh herbs over top. Creamy sauces such as Alfredo or other cheese- or cream-based sauces are particularly tasty this way. And of course, there is the classic heavy-on-the-herbs pasta dish: pesto. You don't have to make it just with basil, though! There are many recipes for pestos using other herbs. Try using parsley and toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in place of the basil and pine nuts in your favourite pesto recipe!

5. Meat marinades: Adding fresh herbs to marinades is a great way to enhance the flavour of all types of meat and poultry. For a really easy chicken marinade, stir about 1/4 cup of chopped herbs (thyme and rosemary are particularly good with chicken, and parsley, chives, basil and oregano will all work, too) into 3/4 cup of buttermilk and pour over 8 chicken thighs, turning to coat. Let sit several hours or overnight in the fridge.

6. Fancy iced drinks: Make herbal lemonade by using one of your favourite herbal tea blends in place of the cold water in any basic lemonade recipe (you can find an easy one here). You can also freeze herb leaves in ice cubes to add to your cold drinks, or simply toss a fresh sprig of mint or basil right in the glass.

7. Vinegars: Herbal vinegars are an easy way to add the taste of fresh herbs to your salads throughout the long winter months. They are quick and easy to make, too - check out this post where I show you how I make mine (I'm going to try making them with apple cider vinegar rather than white vinegar this year).

8. Honey: Herb-infused honeys are delicious, and can also be medicinal, too. I make a lemon-thyme honey that I pull out whenever we've got a cough or cold - it could also be used for culinary purposes, too. If you have lavender growing in your garden, it makes a wonderful infused honey perfect for stirring into tea or drizzling over pancakes

9. Oils: Herb-infused oils can be used for either culinary or medicinal purposes. When using fresh herbs, simply combine about 3/4 cup chopped herbs and one cup of oil (I prefer olive) in a clean glass Mason jar and let steep for 2-3 weeks. Strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. A lavender or chamomile infused oil is great for making an all-purpose salve or adding to your bath water; use your favourite combination of culinary herbs to make an infused oil you can use for dressings and marinades.

10. In the bathroom: Fresh herbs elevate a hot bath to new levels of relaxation! Lavender, mint, chamomile, lemon balm or lemon verbena are all wonderful additions to the tub. They also make great room fresheners - simply gather up a bouquet of fresh herbs and place it strategically in a vase in your bathroom.

I'm sure I could find many more uses for fresh herbs, but I'm going to stop there for now! At least I hope I've conveyed just how versatile they can be and given you some new ideas to try.

If you find yourself as hooked on herbs as I am, I highly recommend the book The Herbal Kitchenby Cami McBride, which is just packed full of recipes using both fresh and dried herbs (yes, that is an affiliate link!).

What are your favourite ways to use fresh herbs?

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MAKE IT FROM SCRATCH: Three Easy Salad Dressings

Salads have a prominent place in our warm weather menus, and that means we go through a lot of salad dressing at this time of year. Of course, since I make just about everything from scratch, that goes for our salad dressings, too. It doesn't have to take a lot of time or effort to whip together a salad dressing -  I usually do mine in small batches while I'm cooking dinner. I have three "standard" dressings that I can make in next to no time - I don't even measure the ingredients! With a bit of experience it's easy to "eyeball" it and adjust amounts to taste as you go.
 
As I already mentioned, I usually make these in small amounts (just enough for one meal) although they can be made in larger quantities and stored in the fridge for a few days. The buttermilk and herb dressing doesn’t keep as well with fresh herbs mixed into it but will be okay for a day or two. I have a small glass pitcher that has about a one cup volume – I mix all the ingredients up right in the pitcher and serve! 

My Three Favourite Salad Dressings: 

1. Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

 Combine the following in a small glass pitcher or jar:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1½ tsp Dijon mustard

1½ tsp honey

¼ tsp each salt and pepper

Whisk together thoroughly until well combined and serve.

2. Thousand Island Dressing

Combine the following in a small glass pitcher or jar:

2 large spoonfuls of mayonnaise

approximately 1 tbsp of ketchup (enough to make the mayonnaise a light pink colour)

1-2 tsp relish (I use our homemade zucchini relish)

a few drops of Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp each salt and pepper

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or enough to thin to desired consistency)

Whisk together thoroughly until well combined and serve.

3. Buttermilk and Herb Salad Dressing

Combine the following in a small glass pitcher or jar:

1 large spoonful of mayonnaise

1 large spoonful of sour cream

2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, oregano, basil)

¼ tsp each salt and pepper

⅛ tsp paprika

enough buttermilk to thin to desired consistency

Whisk together thoroughly until well combined and serve.

Do you make your own salad dressings? What's your favourite recipe that you can throw together quickly?

For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)

I've added new events to my EVENTS PAGE. Come find out where you can catch up with me over the next few months at a signing, seminar, workshop or food demo HERE.

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RECIPE: Taco Platters

It's summer. It's hot. Cooking seems like too much effort - and I definitely don't want to turn on the oven unless absolutely necessary.

Taco platters to the rescue! These are so yummy that just looking at the picture makes me want to run into the kitchen and whip some up. Seriously, I always get the "best mom ever" award from my kids whenever these appear on the dinner table. And what's more, they don't even involve a lot of effort. I made this dish last week using the grass fed beef we bought from VG Meats, and it was so good I think I could eat it for dinner every night all summer long! 

This recipe is a very loose guideline, and you can substitute or add whatever toppings you have on hand and happen to be in the mood for. You could easily use refried beans or black beans to make this vegetarian (or add the beans along with the meat for an even heartier meal).

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup water

1 recipe Zesty Cheese Sauce, made extra-thick by adding an additional tablespoon of flour (I also omit the onion and garlic as there's already enough mixed in with the beef)

1 pound bag of good quality tortilla chips (I like Que Pasa, they are an organic brand priced comparably to non-organics; the chips in the photo are their "O Canada" variety - and don't worry, the red ones are coloured with beet powder, not red dye!)

Salsa
Sour cream
Guacamole
Green onions
Other chopped vegetables as desired

Instructions:

In a medium frying pan, saute the onion and garlic in oil until onion starts to soften. Add beef and cook until no trace of pink remains. Combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, cornstarch and water, stirring until well combined. Add to ground beef mixture and cook over medium heat until sauce has thickened.

To serve:

Arrange about 1/4 pound of tortilla chips on a plate. Spoon 1/4 of beef mixture on top, then pour some of the cheese sauce over top. Add remaining desired toppings. Repeat three more times to make 4 servings.

Dig in!!!

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursdays.

What are some of your favourite go-to meals for hot summer days?

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RECIPE: Black Bean and Roasted Vegetable Salad

We've had some record-breaking temperatures in the last few weeks, making it feel like we've already hit the dog days of summer, when normally we're just kicking off the start of the growing season. This bizarrely hot weather has got me into full-on "summer cooking mode"; when the temperatures start to soar we trade our piping hot soups and stews for lighter, cooler fare which includes lots of hearty dinner-worthy salads made with a variety of grains and beans.

Lately black beans and sweet potatoes seem to be an "in" combination, judging by the number of recipes pairing them together that I've seen in magazines and on the internet. Since everyone in my family loves roasted vegetables, I was inspired to create this salad which features the aforementioned beans and sweet potatoes with a variety of other roasted vegetables, then dresses them up with the Lime and Cumin Vinaigrette from my Southwestern-Spiced Barley and Vegetable Salad.

This turned out to be a winning (and very filling!) combination. It also makes a lot, as we miraculously had leftovers (that doesn't happen too much around here these days). I served the leftovers a few days later by tossing some steamed broccoli into the mix, then smothering it all in my Zesty Cheese Sauce, topping with breadcrumbs, and baking for about half an hour. It was delicious served that way, too - and might be a good option for those of you who have kids who are a bit apprehensive about beans and/or vegetables. For some reason cheese sauce seems to make most things have a lot more kid appeal :)

Ingredients:

3 cups of cooked black beans (or 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained)
4-6 spring onions (scallions), sliced
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
3 small onions, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 large red pepper, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:
Arrange the vegetables in a single layer in a 9 x 13" baking dish. Combine the olive oil, salt and pepper and drizzle over top, turning to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast at 425F for about 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Let cool for 15-20 minutes, so they are warm but not piping hot.

Combine dressing ingredients and pour over vegetables. Add black beans and green onions and stir gently until everything is evenly combined. Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 6-8 as a main dish.

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday, the GCC Recipe Swap and Friday Favorites. 


Want more salad ideas? Check out my roundup of Spring and Summer Salads.

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RECIPE: Quinoa and Zucchini Corn Cakes

I've been making some variation or other of corn cakes for years. They are a quick and easy vegetarian (a.k.a. cheap) meal that is perfect for the warmer months of the year as preparing them doesn't heat up the kitchen too much. I've been experimenting with quinoa a lot lately and decided to try adding some to these corn cakes to give them a nutrition boost. They were a lot more filling than I expected! If fresh corn is in season, it will make these extra special, but you can use frozen or canned corn if fresh isn't available.

These are great with any type of salad on the side - you can find some of my favourite spring & summer salads here. In the above photo, they are shown with my Build a Cucumber and Bean Salad.

It also occurred to me that this batter is suspiciously similar to the one I use for making hushpuppies. So, I think you could probably get away with deep frying these by the spoonful like you do with hushpuppies if you want a special treat (and with the additional of the veggies and quinoa, they'll be a lot more nutrient-dense than your average hushpuppy!)

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup cooked quinoa

oil or bacon fat for pan frying

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, butter, onion, zucchini, corn and quinoa. Add the buttermilk mixture to the cornmeal mixture, stirring gently just until combined.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil or fat in a large frying pan (I like to use my cast iron skillet for these). Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan for each corn cake. Cook until they start to form bubbles on top; flip and cook another minute or two, or until golden brown on second side.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Makes about 3 dozen corn cakes.

A Sea of Salsa

Salsa is one of our favourite things to can - cracking a jar open in the dead of winter allows you to inhale the smell of midsummer (and of course, taste it, too!) Canning salsa usually involves one really long, hot and sweaty afternoon in the kitchen. This year, it was still a long afternoon - just not so hot and sweaty. After a few days of swelteringly hot and humid weather, the temperature did a sudden nosedive and the high yesterday was about 18 degrees Celsius - which gave us the perfect opportunity to get our salsa made without feeling like we were going to pass out from the heat.

We ended up with just under 12 litres of salsa from our afternoon of effort (which involved peeling and chopping 20 lbs of tomatoes, along with a plethora of red peppers, jalapenos, and onions). The recipe we use is the Picante Salsa recipe from Jean Pare's Company's Coming: Preserves book (you can find the uncredited recipe online here. We make 2 double batches to get 12 litres, which usually doesn't quite last us all year, but it's about as much salsa as I can handle canning in one day!

We are way off our usual canning schedule this year; we didn't get to any pickles in August, and I don't know whether I'll still be able to track down any pickling cucumbers at this point in the season. I'm hoping to get around to making some grape jam in the next day or two since my neighbour very kindly brought me over a whole grocery bag full of Concord grapes that grew over on his rental property. I've never made grape jam before, so we'll have to see how it turns out.

 Have you been canning (a lot or a little) this year? What are your favourite things to can?

RECIPE: Peach & Salsa Baked Beans

Photo by Suat Eman/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My family loves baked beans and I'm sure glad they do! They are such a simple, filling and inexpensive meal. I'm always looking for a new "twist" on the standard to keep things interesting.

I make an apple and bacon baked bean dish in the winter. Now that peaches are in season, I was inspired to do a summery version of that recipe, and Peach & Salsa Baked Beans was born. They were a big hit around here, so I hope your family will love them, too!

Note: This recipe calls for 6 cups of cooked white beans. I cook large quantities of dried beans and then freeze them in 1 1/2 cup portions, as that's roughly the amount in one can of drained beans. Using cooked-from-dried beans is much cheaper than buying canned, but if you don't have any cooked beans on hand, you can use 4 cans of drained white beans instead.

Ingredients:

6 cups cooked white beans (such as navy beans)
8 slices bacon
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4-6 peaches, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dry mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup ketchup

Instructions:
Place the beans in a large casserole or bean pot. Cook the bacon until crisp, reserving drippings. Saute the onion in the bacon drippings until it starts to soften; add peaches and cook about 5 minutes or until very tender.

In a medium bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, salt, pepper, brown sugar, molasses, salsa and ketchup. Crumble bacon and add to mixture, then stir in peaches and onions. Pour over beans, stirring gently until well combined. Add 1-2 cups of water, to just barely cover beans (amount of water will depend on size and shape of baking dish you're using). Stir again to blend water into sauce.

Bake at 375F for 1 1/2-2 hrs or until sauce has thickened and a crust has formed on top of beans.

Makes 6-8 servings.

I shard this recipe at Recipe Swap Thursday, Full Plate Thursday,  Frugal Food Thursday, Fat Camp Friday and Friday Favorites.

Fresh, Local Food for Free: Starting a Produce Cooperative

You all know how much I love free stuff, right? And how much I love food? Well then, in my world it can't get much better than getting free food - especially when it's fresh and local!

That is exactly what's happening in my neighbourhood with the advent of the West Hamilton Produce Cooperative. I got the idea to start this group after Angela Barton shared her experience as a member of the Hillside Produce Cooperative on her blog last year. I was so smitten with the idea that I knew I had to give it a shot in my own area.

Last Saturday, the West Hamilton Produce Cooperative held its first exchange and in my opinion it was a great success. We have over 20 members signed on to the group thus far, and about half a dozen participated in the first exchange (we had a really cold, wet spring so a lot of people's gardens aren't producing much yet).

The offerings included: 

Cilantro, dill, spearmint, peppermint, chives, garlic chives, oregano, lettuce, arugula, two kinds of basil, lovage, parsley, sage, thyme, summer savory, lemon balm, rhubarb and a variety of ornamental plants (echinacea, coral bells, daisy, black eyed susan).

 

I was very impressed with the quality, quantity and variety of items participants contributed to the group. It took me about an hour to sort through everything and distribute the goods evenly amongst the members' bags. When they were all packed up and ready to go, it looked like everyone had just hit up the local farmers' market - but instead, all the food was FREE! It reminded me a lot of picking up my share back when I belonged to a CSA. You never knew exactly what you were going to get, but you knew it would be fresh and local.

 

The co-op really didn't take that much work to get up and running. I'm excited to see what types of offerings we get as the season progresses. It's pretty cool to enjoy another member's lettuce and know someone else is getting to feast on my arugula! Plus, I've enjoyed the opportunity to meet other enthusiastic backyard veggie gardeners in my neighbourhood. Not to mention the fact that I don't have to spend as much money on produce at the grocery store.

 

If you're interested in starting a produce cooperative in your area, Hynden Walch (the founder of the Hillside Produce Cooperative) wrote an article sharing her experience starting her group. 

Kickoff to Summer: An Inspirational Link Roundup

As of yesterday, it's officially summer - YAY! My garden is even getting into the act and finally growing up a storm now that we've had some consistently warmer temperatures and not so much rain.

To kick off the start of my favourite season, I thought I'd highlight some of my favourite posts from last summer. I hope you'll bookmark this page so you can refer back to it during these next few warm and (hopefully) sunny months!

To start things off, I'll point you to my musings on my favourite Simple Summer Pleasures.

If you want some motivation to get out there on the yard sale circuit, take a peek inside my gift cupboard.

Need a little inspiration out in the garden? Check out our $75 Deck Makeover (this year I'll be chronicling the overhaul of a major part of our backyard; the first installment will be coming soon!). If you're still struggling with veggie gardening in an urban environment, Incredible Edibles may be just the resource you're looking for. And if, like me, you have way more mint in your garden than you know what to do with, Making the Most of...Mint should give you plenty of new ways to use this proliferative herb!

Summer Eating:

If you missed my earlier roundup of warm weather salads, you'll want to head over and check out this list of some of our favourite summer side dishes.

Some other tried-and-true savoury summer dishes at our house are Stuffed Jalapenos, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, and Thai-Style Peanutty Pasta.

Of course, it wouldn't be summer without a few sweet, fruity treats! Raspberry Cream Cheese Squares and Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake travel well for potlucks and picnics. Peach Clafouti is an easy-to-throw-together dessert that lends itself to variations with a variety of summer fruit. And if you have that age-old gardener's dilemma of way too much zucchini, Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are a tasty way to use up some of the surplus!

I know I'm looking forward to a couple of months of warm weather, outdoor activity and lots of delicious meals featuring fresh, seasonal produce. I hope you'll stick around and join me in celebrating all the pleasures summer has to offer.

RECIPE ROUNDUP: Rhubarb

Rhubarb belongs to one of the frugalista's favourite categories of food: hard-to-kill perennial. That means that once you've planted it, you'll probably have some forevermore. No matter what you do to it, it just keeps coming back, year after year. Even if you don't have your own rhubarb patch, chances are someone close to you does - and is eager to get rid of some of their surplus. I planted rhubarb in my garden a couple of years ago, so it's still getting itself established. Luckily for me, my neighbour has a well-established patch that produces a bounteous crop every year (even during the exceptionally cold, wet spring we just experienced). So, yesterday afternoon, I had this much rhubarb to wrestle with:

Fortunately, rhubarb freezes exceptionally well, so my younger son and I got to work washing, chopping and bagging this mountain of free food.

Of course, that led me to start thinking about all the things I could do with that much rhubarb. I think it's an extremely undervalued food and lots of people don't really know what to do with it. Since it's one of the foods you're most likely to receive an armload of for free, I thought it must be time to do a roundup of some good rhubarb recipes!

Rhubarb Streusel Muffins are a staple food at our house.

I made this Rhubarb and Raspberry Crostata for my birthday dinner last weekend (I still had some of last year's rhubarb left in the freezer). It was a big hit and I think you could come up with a lot of variations from this basic recipe. The filling would be delicious served over ice cream or sponge cake instead of baking it in the crostata crust (for days when it's too hot to turn on the oven!)

I'm extremely fond of the classic strawberry-rhubarb combo, so I'm going to give this Strawberry Rhubarb Compote a try.

I came across a recipe for Roasted Rhubarb and was fascinated - it has never occurred to me to try roasting rhubarb. I saved a few juicy looking stalks to use in this recipe.

Rhubarb can even be used to make some tasty beverages - as soon as our local strawberries are available (in about 3 weeks or so) I'm going to be brewing up a batch of this Strawberry-Rhubarb Lemonade (scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the recipe).

I have yet to find a recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Jam that I'm happy with, so if you happen to have a tried-and-true one, I would be thrilled if you would pass it along (I'm looking for a cooked jam that can be canned, not a freezer jam).

Do you have a favourite rhubarb recipe? If so, please share it with us below!

RECIPE ROUNDUP: Spring & Summer Salads

I've gained a lot of new readers in the past year, so I thought I'd start hilighting some of the posts you may have missed if you've just joined me recently. Since spring has finally made it to Southern Ontario (thank goodness!) I'm going to kick things off with a roundup of some of our favourite warm-weather salads. 

Build a Cucumber & Bean Salad

It's easy to vary the type of beans and vegetables in this salad to use what you have on hand and what's in season.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

There is rarely any of this salad left at the end of a meal; I often toss in a handful of freshly chopped herbs from the garden.

Broccoli, Bacon & Cheddar Salad with Old-Fashioned Boiled Dressing

Quite possibly my favourite way to eat broccoli!

Southwestern Spiced Barley & Vegetable Salad

Barley makes a great base for a salad with its satisfying, chewy texture. I particularly like it with the southwestern flavours featured in this recipe.

Colourful Cabbage Salad

This makes a big batch and keeps well for a few days in the refrigerator. There is usually a bowl of this salad in our fridge throughout most of the summer - I can't believe I don't have a picture of it!!

Layered Salad

This is my go-to salad when I want something a bit fancier looking for company. It's always a big hit whenever I serve it!

Do you have a tried-and-true salad that you serve often in warmer weather? Please share!

Really Easy Stuffed Jalapenos

My jalapeno pepper plant is producing like crazy right now! This is one of the best ways I know to use up a bunch of them - and they certainly don't last long (at least not around here).

Ingredients:
jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
cream cheese, softened
cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper
1 slice of bacon (uncooked) for every 4 pepper halves

The amount of cheese you need will obviously depend on how many peppers you have to fill. Start with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup cream cheese and stir in about half as much grated cheddar (you can add a bit more if you want, you just want to end up with a bit more cream cheese than cheddar in the mix). Add salt and pepper to taste. Fill the jalapenos pretty generously with this mixture. Cut the bacon slices into 4 equal size pieces and wrap a piece around each stuffed pepper. You can secure the bacon with a toothpick if you want; I usually just tuck the ends underneath the bottom of the pepper. Place the peppers in a baking dish large enough to hold them all without crowding them too much. Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and a little crispy.

I shared this recipe at Tasty Tuesday, the GCC Recipe Swap and Friday Favorites.

RECIPE: Peach Clafouti

I've had recipes for clafouti in my recipe box for years; it wasn't until last summer that I actually tried making one. A clafouti is a French dessert that's somewhere between a custard and a cake. It's traditionally made with cherries; you can use just about any type of summer fruit in this delicious dessert, though!

Since clafouti is both extremely tasty *and* quick and inexpensive to make, it's become one of my go-to summer desserts.

Ingredients:
3 cups sliced fresh peaches
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light (10%) cream
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp almond or vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
icing sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 2 quart casserole or baking dish. Arrange the peach slices in the bottom of the dish. In blender, combine remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and pour over peaches. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Dust with icing sugar before serving if desired. Serve warm.

This is probably supposed to serve 6-8, but I confess the four of us always polish the whole thing off in one go :)

I shared this recipe at Tasty Tuesday, Foodie Friday, Friday Favourites and the GCC Recipe Swap.

RECIPE: Curried Turkey & Rice Salad

 This is a great main course salad to throw together on a hot summer day - you can make it using leftover rice and turkey (chicken or ham would also work here) and it goes together lickety-split! If you don't have leftover rice on hand, cook 1 1/2 cups of raw rice in 3 cups of water and you'll have the right amount to use for this recipe..

Ingredients:
3-4 cups leftover cooked rice
2-3 cups leftover cooked turkey, diced
1/2 a medium red pepper, diced
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen and thawed)
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 of a 13 oz can coconut milk
1 tbsp curry powder
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp EACH salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine the rice, turkey, pepper, peas, peanuts, and green onions. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. Pour dressing over rice mixture and stir until evenly coated.

I shared this recipe at Foodie Friday, Friday Feasts, Friday Favorites and the GCC Recipe Swap

RECIPE: Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake

I have to begin by saying that this is quite possibly the best cake I have EVER made! And considering that I've been baking for 30 years, that's fairly impressive. Even my two boys gave it their highest ranking, putting it ahead of anything chocolate (even my chocolate peanut butter brownies!). So in other words, I highly recommend you make yourself some Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake as soon as possible. And I'm not just saying that because I invented it :)

This recipe will make two 8" cakes - one to share and one to keep all for yourself! Or if you have a bit more willpower, you can stash the second one in the freezer to pull out on a day when a dose of Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake is just what the doctor ordered.

This is a moist, dense cake with a lovely texture (courtesy of the cornmeal). You could use raspberries, blackberries or sliced strawberries in place of the blueberries. Heck, I think I'm going to try it with chopped peaches or cherries. I can't imagine any of them being better than the blueberries, though!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 pint fresh blueberries
icing sugar for dusting (optional, but makes your cake look extra-fancy)

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add olive oil and eggs and beat for a minute or so. Add almond extract and lemon juice and zest. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture gradually, beating on a medium-low speed until well combined.

Line two 8" round baking pans with parchment paper. Fill each pan a bit less than half full with batter. Sprinkle blueberries over batter in a single layer (you should use a full pint between the two cakes). Pour remaining batter over blueberries and carefully smooth it over the top of the fruit to cover completely.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown on top and cake no longer has any "jiggly" bit in the centre. Cool on a wire rack for 30-60 minutes, then carefully flip out of pans and onto rack to cool further (although you probably won't be able to wait any longer to start eating it!) Dust with icing sugar before serving if you have guests for dinner :)

I shared this recipe at Foodie Friday and Friday Feasts.