Stuffed Mushrooms with Goat Cheese

Like Holler over at Tinned Tomatoes, I adore mushrooms. I could eat them almost everyday; they are so versatile, they are good at any time of the day in combination with a variety of foods. I was looking to fill out a meal of leftovers, and so decided to prepare some stuffed mushrooms with goat cheese. As I am also fond of spicy food, I added some cayenne pepper and chopped fresh chillies to the stuffing.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Goat Cheese and Cornmeal

10 - 12 large mushrooms
1 tablespoon of butter or oil
1 medium sized clove of garlic, finely minced
2 green chillies, finely minced
1 shallot, finely minced
4 - 6 oz of goat cheese
1/2 cup of cornmeal
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Grease a large 9" X 13" pan or baking sheet. Wash the mushrooms with a damp cloth and carefully scoop out the stems. Finely chop the mushroom stems.

Heat the butter or oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, fry the garlic, shallot, mushrooms stems and chillies until the water has evaporated - about 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium sized bowl and let cool for a few minutes.

Mix in the goats cheese. I worked it in with my hands rather than using a spoon. Then add the Parmesan, cornmeal, pepper and cayenne pepper and stir well to combine. Using a small spoon, fill each mushroom cap with the stuffing. Transfer filled mushrooms to the baking pan and cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. You can also put the mushrooms under the broiler for a few minutes at the end of the cooking time to brown the tops a bit.

Broccolini, cheese and rosemary tart

I love puff pastry. I have to admit it. I know it’s not light or healthy and not good at all for my waistline, but the thing is delicious.
I never buy puff pastry exactly because I’m not that kind of moderate lady who knows when to stop eating something unless I’m at a party or having lunch with my bosses – that’s when I pretend to be that kind of lady.

There was some puff pastry left because

Cherry Ricotta Crêpes

Watching cooks flip crêpes at a crêperie might make the prospect of making your own intimidating, but you don't even have to turn over these wonderfully light melt-in-your-mouth ricotta crêpes from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café. In fact, they're so fast and easy to prepare and cook that they were done before I knew it — great for a summer weekend breakfast. I love the flavour of sweet Rainier cherries for the filling, but you can use any kind of berry.

Cherry ricotta crêpes

4 large eggs
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup chopped cherries

Place all the ingredients except the cherries in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl and let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes. If you are going to let it rest for more than an hour, cover the bowl tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Butter an 8-inch frying pan and place over medium heat. When the pan is hot, scoop 1/3 of a cup of the batter and pour it into the pan. Wait a few seconds, then swirl the batter around the pan just enough to cover the bottom and let the batter climb just a little bit up the sides.

Cook until the top surface is dry and the edges release easily from the sides, just a minute or so. Place a tablespoon of the cherries directly in the centre of the crêpe and then fold the crêpe across bottom to top and then again on each side to make two small corners. Remove from the pan right away.

Cook the rest of the batter the same way, stirring the bowl briefly before measuring each 1/3 of a cup. Serve each crêpe right from the pan with a little drizzle of pure maple syrup, or keep them warm in a 200° oven.

Gateau Saint Honore

I'm having a slice of the cake while I type this. It is good, but I can’t say it’s my cup of tea…I love puff pastry and even used the amount I had left to make lunch today. The Saint Honore cream is so delicious that I was afraid there was not going to be enough to assemble the cake – I kept reaching for spoons in my drawer and dipping them into the smooth mixture, promising that it would be the

Eggs in a Vegetable Mulligatawny Sauce

The other day, I made my first Vegetarian Mulligatawny soup. I was wondering what to serve with it the next day, as I was a little pressed for time, and discovered a recipe for Eggs in a Mulligatawny Sauce. Both recipes are adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian.

The soup serves as a sauce in this dish, so if you are inclined to plan ahead of time, make sure not to use too much stock when preparing the soup because you will want a nice thick soup for the base. The recipe that I have posted here for Mulligatawny Soup will make more than you need, so if you like, reduce the recipe, freeze what remains, or serve it for dinner the next day which is the option I recommend, as the soup tastes even better after sitting in the fridge overnight. It turned out to be a tasty dish, so I've decided to submit the recipe to Project Foodie, who is hosting Leftover Tuesdays this month.

Eggs in a Mulligatawny Sauce

1 tablespoon of oil or butter
1/2 teaspoon of whole brown mustard seeds
4 - 5 cups of Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup
6 - 8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise
salt to taste
freshly ground cracked black pepper
squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice

In a medium sized pot, heat the oil or butter over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds until they begin to pop, then add the soup and stir to a simmer.

Ladle the sauce into shallow serving dishes. Put the eggs in the sauce, cut sides up so that the tops rise above the sauce. Sprinkle the dish with some salt and pepper and sprinkle with lime or lemon juice.

Lentils with Browned Onion and Garlic

Since beginning this blog, I've been inspired to try some new dishes in addition to making some of my usual creations. Though I have a few shelves of recipe books, including a couple of binders of recipes I have collected over the years, one book I refer to frequently is Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian

This book is one of the wisest investments I have made when it comes to cookbooks. Whether I am looking for something fast or more complex, Madhur Jaffrey never fails to please. She offers over 650 meatless recipes from around the world for grains, beans, vegetables, dairy and condiments. Tonight I was looking for something fast, as it's been a busy week and so I decided to make this quick and easy lentil dish. It may be simple, but it isn't lacking in taste. Serve it with bread, and Lemon Rice with Toasted Cashews for a satisfying meal.

Lentils with Browned Onion and Garlic

1 cup of dried green lentils
2 1/2 cups of water
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion, finely sliced into small strips
1 whole dried hot red chili pepper
1 - 2 fresh red chili peppers
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Sort through the lentils and remove any bits of debris. Wash the lentils well and drain.

Heat the oil in a medium sized pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and stir and fry until the onion is reddish-brown and crisp. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel to drain.

Put the red chillies and garlic into the pan, followed immediately by the lentils and water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat, partially cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until lentils are cooked. Add salt and pepper.

Sprinkle each serving with bits of the fried onion.

Lucknow Rajma with Sautéed Chard

It's national vegetarian week in the UK and though I don't live in the UK, my kitchen's vegetarian everyday, so I decided to submit this satisfying dish to eat the right stuff, who will be presenting a summary of vegetarian creations from across the world.

Rajma is a curried tomato and kidney bean dish that's strikingly reminiscent of Southwestern-style chilis, but it's all Indian in origin and spicing, and made everywhere across the Indian subcontinent with all kinds of regional variations. It's also one of my favourite Indian dishes, so I'm always on the lookout for new versions to try. And since, oddly enough, only one of the local Indian restaurants actually serves rajma, I just have to make my own! This Lucknow recipe is a spicy hot rajma that I've adapted from Yamuna Devi's Vegetarian Table to compensate for the ridiculous party-sized quantity it suggests and to make it even more fiery — just the way I like it, but feel free to slightly reduce the spices or to leave out the chili pepper. What makes this rajma unique is the addition of sautéd chard to a dish that's typically made without vegetables. Make sure you use the stems of the chard as well.

Lucknow Rajma with Sautéed Chard

1 cup dried red kidney beans
2 tablespoons ghee, or a mixture of olive oil and butter
1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated or minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup parsley or cilantro, chopped
salt to taste
1 lb. swiss chard, stems included, sliced into strips

Soak the beans overnight in water with a little yoghurt whey or lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover, cooking for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are soft. Drain, and save 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee or oil and butter in a large saucepan over low heat. When hot, add the ajwain seeds, garam masala, chili powder, asafoetida and ginger. Stir constantly to prevent the seasonings from sticking to the bottom of the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Add half the tomatoes and turn up the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the oil separates from the tomatoes.

Add the other half of the tomatoes, and cook for five minutes. Stir in the beans and the 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and reduce the heat, letting the mixture simmer.

In the meantime, heat the other tablespoon of ghee or oil and butter in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. When hot, pour in the chopped chard and stir fry for about 10 minutes until the leaves are wilted.

Just before adding the chard, stir in the parsley or cilantro into the bean mixture and season according to taste with salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons. When the beans are salted to your taste, stir in the chard.

Serve hot over a bed of white basmati rice, with an optional dollop of yoghurt. Serves four.

Food, Food, Glorious Food

I've been tagged by Holler of Tinned Tomatoes to come up with 7 random "foodie" facts about myself. I've become quite fond of my Scottish friend, so I'll play along.

1. I've since mellowed, but I have been known to throw dough across the room when dissatisfied with the result.

2. Relatedly, I'm pretty sure I remember throwing some phyllo pastry (Basil of London Fog could verify this) and I am certain I was angry with the whole experience. I've yet to get over my fear of phyllo pastry, though my first and last attempt worked out well if one factors out the anger and I love phyllo pastry creations besides.

3. Herbs and vegetables I started growing in pots in the backyard on Monday: Snow peas, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, parsley, chives, lemon grass, mint, bay leaves, dill, coriander.

4. When I was a kid, I did eat meat, but I preferred beef and bacon, especially because they didn't contain bones. If served chicken from a bucket, I would consume that first, dispose of the bones, and then finish my dinner. Mind you, I used to poke at the thawing ground beef marinating in blood in disgust.

5. I once told by my mother that I would never, ever, clean out a turkey or chicken, as I watched her doing several times in disgust, though I would later consume the cooked carcass. My mom assured me that one day I would prepare a chicken for consumption, though I have proved her wrong.

6. Bacon was the last meat that I enjoyed before becoming a vegetarian.

7. The spicier, the better, and everything tastes better with red wine.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Once upon a Tart is hosting the second round of browniebabe of the month, so I was provided with an excuse to make a batch of brownies. Darn, and I had to eat some too. I originally planned to make this decadent and heavenly looking Caramel-Peanut Topped Brownie Cake that I discovered while indulging my food fantasies browsing through Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. I still plan to give this recipe a try, as I am especially fond of caramel, but I wanted a quick fix the other night and settled upon the next best thing to caramel and chocolate, which is chocolate and peanut butter. These brownies are soft and chewy and literally melt in your mouth.

Peanut Butter Brownies

1/3 cup of butter
2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Butter a 8 X 8 inch baking pan. Melt the butter and chocolate in a saucepan and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lightened in colour and stir in the vanilla. Add the flour, chocolate and sugar and egg mixture. Stir well to combine. Transfer the mixture to the baking pan, and prepare the topping.

Topping:

1/3 of a cup of chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon of butter, softened
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of flour
1 egg

Combine the peanut butter, butter, sugar, flour and egg and beat until well combined. Scoop dollops of the peanut butter mixture over the brownie layer. Run a knife through the pan to spread the peanut butter throughout. Bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Cool and serve.

Patience was a virtue that was lacking when I made these brownies, and I didn't allow them to cool for too long before indulging.

Tomato, broccolini and basil risotto

I was going through one of the editions of my Donna Hay magazines when I saw a delicious pasta dish* – I immediately thought of making it for our lazy Sunday lunch. The cold weather changed my mind – I knew then that I needed some risotto.I’d seen a recipe for roasted tomato risotto and it sounded great – but the tomatoes I had at home were so beautiful and juicy I didn’t want to roast them. I

Banana hazelnut muffins

Searching for a new way to use my much too ripe bananas, I found a banana muffin recipe that called for walnuts too. That sounded great to me. I didn’t have walnuts at home but I did have some hazelnuts and I thought it would be a different twist to an already good recipe.I made the muffins and they turned out really good. I was amazed by how tender they were, even on the following day. I

Vegetable Mulligatawny Soup

A faithful reader emailed me last week wondering if I made a vegetarian version of Mulligatawny Soup. Though I sometimes enjoy a bowl of spicy mulligatawny soup when visiting Indian restaurants - my local favourite being the dark and very spicy version offered by Curries Indian restaurant here in London, Ontario - I had yet to make my own, until now.

Mulligatawny, literally "pepper water", is Anglo-Indian in origin. There are hundreds of versions of this soup. It's easy to make, though it does take a little while to prepare the ingredients for the soup. I had a browse through a few of my cookbooks, and decided to try Madhur Jaffrey's recipe. I've adapted it somewhat to suit my tastes. Free feel to experiment with different kinds of vegetables, and add some chopped fresh chillies for extra heat.

This soup is a thick version of Mulligatawny, but you can add more stock if you wish to thin it out a bit. It can be served with any Indian meal. As is the case with most soups, it tastes better the next day once the flavours have had a chance to blend, so for an even spicier soup, make it ahead of time and simply heat it up before serving.

Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
2 - 3 tablespoons of whole coriander seeds
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
1/2 - 1 teaspoon of cayenne
2 tablespoons of chickpea flour
5 - 6 cups of vegetable stock
1 large potato, diced
6 fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 small turnips, peeled and diced
4 - 5 tablespoons of red lentils
12 fresh curry leaves, or a couple of crushed bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 14 ounce can of coconut milk
salt, to taste

In a heavy frying pan, dry roast the peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds over medium-high heat. Stir for a couple of minutes, or until the spices begin to emit a roasted aroma and darken a bit. Remove from the pan, let a cool a bit and grind the seeds in a coffee or spice grinder. Ms. Jaffrey recommends pressing the ground spices through a fine meshed sieve for a finer soup. Add the turmeric and cayenne to the ground spices and set aside.

Put the chickpea flour in a medium sized bowl and add a few tablespoons of the stock. Stir and remove any lumps. Add another 5 cups of stock and mix.

Combine the chickpea flour mixture, spices, all of the vegetables and lentils, curry leaves or bay leaves, garlic, onion and ginger in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for about 45 - 50 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add more stock if necessary. Using a blender, or an electric hand mixer, process the soup until well combined. If using an ordinary blender, you will have to blend the soup in batches.

Return the soup to the pan, add the coconut milk and salt and simmer the soup for a couple of minutes to combine the flavours. Again, more stock can be added if you wish. Serve with lime wedges.

Simple Dill Rice

This dill rice is simple to prepare and cook, and makes a tasty and versatile accompaniment to any Indian meal. For a delicious and attractive addition, serve the rice with diced cucumber, tomato, onion or mango chutney on the side.

Dill Rice

1 cup white basmati rice
3 teaspoons ghee, or a mixture of butter and sesame oil
6 cloves
3 green chilis, minced
1/3 cup packed fresh dill, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 teaspoon sea salt

Rinse the rice and let it air dry for half an hour before cooking.

Heat the ghee in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, while at the same time begin boiling at least 2 cups of water in a kettle. When the ghee is hot, add the cloves and chilis and stir fry for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the rice, dill and peas and continue to fry, stirring, for another minute, making sure that all the grains of rice are coated in oil.

Stir in the salt, and add 1 3/4 cups of the boiling water. Cover, and turn the heat down to low, cooking for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the water has disappeared. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Corn fudge

I had to make a recipe with corn to take part in one event for blogs written in Portuguese. You guys might think “Corn? So easy!” – but that’s the whole point: I wanted to make something different, unusual. Something new.It took me forever to choose something but I finally did: this corn fudge, which I found at the Brazilian Nestlé website.It’s similar to brigadeiro, but flavored with corn

Chickpea, Olive and Feta Cheese Salad

This is a delicious salad that combines all the great flavours of the Mediterranean — feta cheese and kalamata olives from Greece, chickpeas from southern Europe, and some homemade harissa hot sauce from North Africa to give it a spicy kick. It's a refreshing and simple dish for the hot summer months when a light meal is called for. Serve it on a bed of salad greens with rice or as part of a picnic with crusty bread.

Chickpea, Olive and Feta Cheese Salad

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mediterranean Published on May 19, 2007 A simple, zesty and refreshing salad that combines all the great flavours of the Mediterranean — feta cheese and kalamata olives from Greece, chickpeas from southern Europe, and harissa hot sauce from North Africa Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas 8 oz Greek sheep's milk feta cheese, cubed 4 oz kalamata olives, pitted and halved 8 oz cherry or grape tomatoes large handful fresh parsley, coarsely chopped 5 tablespoons olive oil juice of 1 lemon 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons harissa, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Instructions: Soak the chickpeas overnight in water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover, cooking for 1 1/2 hours or until soft. Drain and add to a large bowl. If using cherry tomatoes, halve first and add to the chickpeas, along with the feta cheese, olives and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, harissa and salt to make the dressing. Pour over the salad and mix gently together. Serve at room temperature or cold. Makes 6 - 8 servings

Staple Corner: How to Make Your Own Harissa

Harissa is the classic flavour of Tunisia, a fiery hot sauce that is widely used across Algeria and Morocco as well. Plenty of dried hot chili peppers, garlic and roasted cumin seeds give harissa a characteristic burst of fire that works wonderfully as a condiment for couscous, flatbreads and vegetables and also as an ingredient in soups, stews and salad dressings. If you're looking for a creative way to spice up any of these kinds of dishes, try adding a little harissa — but be sparing with it until you're used to it!


This is a typical version of harissa, although caraway seeds and tomatoes are often used in variations. It's a little trouble to make it, especially if you were to use the traditional method of grinding the ingredients with a mortar and pestle, but it keeps for months when stored in a jar with a tight-fitting lid with olive oil poured over the top.

Homemade Harissa

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: North African Published on May 19, 2007 Plenty of dried hot chili peppers, garlic and roasted cumin seeds give this traditional Tunisian condiment a characteristic burst of fire that works wonderfully for couscous, flatbreads, vegetables, soups, stews and salad dressings Print this recipe Ingredients: 24 dried whole red chilies 2 tablespoons coriander seeds 4 teaspoons cumin seeds 6 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon sea salt 6 - 8 tablespoons olive oil Instructions: Place the chilis in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for half an hour until softened. Meanwhile, heat the coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan over medium heat for five minutes or until they become aromatic. Grind to a powder with a mortar and pestle or with a coffee or spice grinder. Drain the chilies when they are soft, and place in a small blender or food processor with the coriander and cumin powder, garlic and salt. Blend together while trickling in the olive oil until the sauce has a thick salsa-like consistency. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid with olive oil poured over the top for up to 4 months. Makes about 1 cup

Raspberry Cornmeal Muffins

I'm relatively new to food blogging, but as I explore other food blogs, I'm discovering a number of food roundups that make blogging and cooking (and yes, baking) even more fun. It has inspired me to find new ways to cook with food and it's a good way to discover other cook's creations. So when I saw that the next Weekend Cookbook Challenge was featuring one of my favourite grains, I took a quick look through my cookbooks and dashed off to the grocery store for some raspberries.

Raspberry Cornmeal Muffins

1 cup of unbleached white flour
1 cup of cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
2/3 cup of sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1 large egg
4 tablespoons of butter, melted
1 cup of raspberries

Lightly butter 12 muffins cups.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar.

In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and buttermilk. Add the egg and beat gently with a small whisk or fork.

Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter. Gently mix until almost combined, then fold in the raspberries. Take care not to over-mix.

Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and a cake tester inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Set the muffin pan on a wire rack and let cool for 5 - 10 minutes before removing the tender muffins. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and let cool for 20 - 30 minutes and serve.

Adapted from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café

Garlic chickpeas with cumin fried fish

This dish reminds of my dear friend Valentina – she is crazy for chickpeas and I’m sure she’d love this.



There’s not much left to say about Donna Hay’s recipes – they look good, taste fantastic and are not over the top complicated to put together. Her success is totally deserved – she’s the real deal, in my humble opinion.

What a delicious way to have chickpeas – they were the perfect side

Staple Corner: Simple Vinaigrette

While visiting my parents this past weekend, I rummaged around in the fridge for some salad ingredients and created a very simple vinaigrette for dressing.

Lisa's Simple Vinaigrette

1/3 cup of olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
1 - 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of dried oregano

Whisk together all of the ingredients. Toss the salad greens with vinaigrette and serve.

Foodie Blogroll

The Left Over Queen has started up a foodie blogroll for people interested in food. Some nice looking blogs have joined already. Leave a comment on her blog to add yours.

Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole

Though I often make meals that vegans would find friendly, this vegetarian cannot resist the goodness of cheese. If you like olives and feta cheese, then you'll want to try this recipe that I found years ago in a milk calendar. I've adapted the recipe to my taste and so increased the amount of feta cheese and olives, and included a few green chillies to add a little heat. It's so good, I've decided to submit it to Once Upon a Feast who hosts Presto Pasta Night every Friday.

For an especially cheesy meal, serve with Cheddar Dijon Biscuits.

Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on May 16, 2007 A a rich, robust and wonderfully flavorful pasta casserole loaded with cheese and olives and seasoned with herbs — an extraordinary dinner for special guests, and one of my all-time classics Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 pound shell pasta 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 2 - 3 fresh green chillies or jalapeños 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 2 cups milk 1/2 cup yogurt 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper 12 oz Feta cheese, crumbled 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and havled 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Instructions: Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water to al dente according to package instructions. Rinse, drain, and set aside. Heat the butter in a large saucepan. When it is hot, add the onion, garlic and peppers. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Next, add the flour and cook for a few minutes more. Add the milk and yogurt, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, along with the Feta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the olives, fresh herbs and oregano. Stir to combine and transfer the mixture to a 9 × 13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top of the casserole. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the casserole is hot and the top is browned and bubbling. Makes 6 – 8 servings

Lisa's Classic Vegetarian Caesar Salad

A beautiful early summer day, I just can't resist making my famous Caesar Salad with a creamy dressing. This salad remains popular with my dinner guests and I've been asked several times for the recipe. To this day, I've yet to try a tastier version.

Lisa's Classic Vegetarian Caesar Salad

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on May 15, 2007 A zesty and incredibly flavorful vegetarian Caesar salad — this salad is always a popular request among my family and friends who never fail to say that it's the best Caesar salad they've ever had Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/4 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard lots of fresh cracked black pepper 1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil 1 cup of fresh grated or shaved Parmesan cheese 1 large head romaine lettuce, broken into pieces juice of 1 lemon (optional) Instructions: Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, mustard and black pepper in a bowl. Whisk until well blended. Taste and add more mayonnaise, red wine vinegar and/or black pepper as desired. Drizzle in the oil and add 1/2 cup of the grated or shaved Parmesan cheese. Pour the dressing over the lettuce and toss gently with the lemon juice if using. Scatter the remaining Parmesan cheese and crack more black pepper over top, and serve. Makes 4 - 6 servings

Lime meringue muffins

Some of you know that I have a 13-year-old sister who happens to be the apple of my eye.
I chose her name and looked after her since she was a 4-month-old baby until a bit before I got married, 2 years ago. I used to bathe her, feed her, play with her, take her to school…
We used to do everything together and I’d take her with me wherever I went. Every time we were at the counter at the

Cornmeal Biscuits

If you are looking for a simple solution to fill out a meal, these easy to make delicate biscuits are a perfect choice. The addition of cornmeal provides a slightly crunchy texture. They take about 30 minutes to prepare and bake and are best served warm with some butter. If you have any biscuits left over from dinner, consider finishing them off for breakfast.

Cornmeal Biscuits

1 3/4 cups of unbleached white flour
2/3 cup of cornmeal
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of cold butter
1 cup of buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until only small pieces of butter are visible.

Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the buttermilk. Stir until just combined.

Spoon the dough onto a greased baking sheet. Alternately, you can gently shape the dough into twelve equal portions, and transfer to the baking sheet. For fluffier biscuits, place the biscuits closer together on the baking sheet. For crustier biscuits, place the biscuits 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken with rosemary and lime

I usually cook 2 different types of food for Sunday lunches: one beef-based dish for João and pasta or salad for myself. A friend of mine told me once that I was “brave” to do that. :)The idea of making chicken that day was João’s, so I searched for a chicken recipe that would please us both.This is a very simple recipe that I adapted from a Brazilian cookbook and it turned out very good. I

Wild Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms are the "fruit" of the underground growing fungus. Not only are mushrooms a versatile food, they are especially good at absorbing flavors because of their high water content. Most edible varieties of mushrooms are also quite good for you; mushrooms are high in fibre and protein, and provide B complex vitamins, iron, calcium, phosphorous and potassium. Mushrooms are also a good source of trace minerals and antioxidants such as Selenium, which is essential for healthy blood circulation. Some varieties are believed to have anti-cancer properties.

As this fairly easy to make mushroom soup tastes even better after the flavors have had a chance to blend together, I recommend making it ahead of time. It is best served hot, so be sure to heat it up before serving. For an especially flavorful soup, I recommend adding a few teaspoons of vermouth or extra dry white wine.

Wild Mushroom Soup

1 ounce of dried wild mushrooms (a mixture of porcini and portabello)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1/2 - 2 cups of fresh mushrooms, preferably wild, sliced
4 1/2 cups of vegetable stock or water
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
2/3 cups of heavy cream or yogurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak the dried mushrooms in a cup and a half of warm water for about 30 minutes. Lift the mushrooms from the bowl, squeezing out the liquid. Reserve the soaking liquid and set aside. Finely chop the soaked mushrooms and set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a large pot until hot. Add the leeks, shallots and garlic and cook and fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the chopped fresh mushrooms to the pan and stir and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the stock or water and bring to a boil. Add the soaked mushrooms, soaking liquid, thyme and salt and pepper. Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend 3/4 of the soup in a blender or use a hand blender to blend a portion of the soup. Return the processed soup to the pot and stir in the cream or yogurt. Cook for a few minutes more. Check the seasonings and add more water if necessary.

Curry couscous

This is a fast and tasty way to enjoy couscous, the staple grain food of northern Africa. Despite the addition of a teaspoon of hot curry powder, this recipe contains only a hint of spice. It's a good choice if you are looking for a simple side dish to compliment a meal. Increase the amount of curry powder and add some cayenne pepper and cumin to spice it up a bit.

Curry couscous

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large scallions, both green and white parts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 large clove garlic, crushed or minced
1 teaspoon hot curry powder
1 2/3 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 cup couscous

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the white parts of the scallions and almonds and sauté for a couple of minutes until the scallions soften. Add the green parts of the scallions and stir fry for another minute. Stir in the curry powder until the scallions and almonds are coated and the powder begins to char ever so slightly.

Add the water, butter and parsley and turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous and immediately remove from the heat and cover. Let the saucepan sit for 5 minutes or until the liquid is completely absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Penne with Fennel, Tomato and Blue Cheese

I don't serve pasta for dinner very often, as I generally prefer beans and grains. However, Ilva's call for healthy pasta dishes over at Lucullian Delights and The Heart of the Matter inspired me to try this light tomato based pasta dish. It would make a good lunch dish, and is a perfect choice for a light supper. Crumbled feta can be used instead of the blue cheese if desired.

If you are pressed for time, make the tomato sauce ahead of time, or use a jar of preprepared pasta sauce, though I highly recommend you make you own sauce, as I did here.

Penne with Fennel, Tomato Sauce and Blue Cheese

1 fennel bulb
3 to 4 cups of dried penne pasta
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 - 4 cups of tomato sauce
2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh oregano
4 ounces of crumbled blue cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the fennel bulb in half. Cut away the hard core and root and slice into very thin strips.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 10 - 12 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and return to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the fennel and shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes over high heat, stirring occasionally.

Add the pasta sauce and oregano to the fennel and shallots. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes, or until the fennel is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce mixture into the cooked pasta and toss well. Serve with bits of blue cheese crumbled over the top.

Dulce de leche brioche rolls

The minute I saw Helene’s wonderful rolls I knew I had to make them – my dad is absolutely crazy for dulce de leche!So I invited dad, my brother and my sister to have dinner at my house. I baked the bread and left it on the dinner table, while I was making the pizzas in the kitchen. You should have seen the look on his face when he arrived and saw the rolls… He immediately asked what those were

Staple Corner: Homemade Pasta Sauce

When I first started cooking, I relied heavily on preprepared tomato sauces for my dishes. Since I learned how to make my own from fresh tomatoes, I never purchase tomato sauce anymore. It is relatively easy to make, and you can control the consistency and seasonings. I have a preference for thick sauces, and so when I saw this recipe over at Dalitoy, I adapted it somewhat for a pasta dish I plan on making. The key to a nice thick sauce is to simmer the tomatoes over medium-low heat, uncovered, for about 30 - 40 minutes.

Tomato Sauce with Sun-dried Tomatoes

1 tablespoon of olive oil
5 - 6 large tomatoes, diced
10 - 12 sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup of robust red wine (optional)
1 large onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 - 3 hot chilies or jalapeno peppers (optional, but recommended)
salt

Soak the sun dried tomatoes in a small bowl in enough warm water to cover the tomatoes, for 15 - 30 minutes. Cut the sun dried tomatoes into bits and set aside. Reserve the soaking liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a medium large pot. Add the onions, garlic and carrot and stir and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the hot peppers and chili flakes and saute for a minute or two. Add the dried and fresh tomatoes and red wine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer over medium low heat until the liquid is reduced and the sauce thickens - about 30 - 40 minutes. If required, add some of the reserved liquid used for soaking the sun-dried tomatoes.

Remove from the heat and add salt to taste. Transfer the sauce to a blender - or use an electric hand blender - and process until nice and chunky.

Makes approximately 5 cups.

Baby Artichokes and Peas

Artichokes and peas are wonderfully complementary vegetables, and the vermouth in this Italian dish adds a perfect dry and slightly spicy finish to their flavours. I cooked this Carciofi con Piselli the other night and they didn't last long at all! I've adapted this recipe from one in Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian, but instead of using the hearts from large globe artichokes as she suggests, I've used baby artichokes for the added texture and variety of the edible chokes, or petals, of the smaller plant. Baby artichokes are actually not immature artichokes, but fully grown artichokes that remain small because they grow closer to the ground and under the shade of the plant's large leaves. They still require plenty of trimming, but because they have developed no fuzz or fibrous leaves in the center of the chokes, much of the soft and barely developed petals can be eaten along with the hearts. I've included instructions on the trimming, but if you prefer a visual demonstration, see these Ocean Mist instructions.

Baby Artichokes and Peas

juice from two lemons
large bowl of cold water
12 baby artichokes
4 cups water
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and lighly crushed but left whole
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup water
dash of celery seed
3 tablespoons dry vermouth
6 tablespoons parsley, chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Put the juice of one lemon into a large bowl of cold water.

Rinse the artichokes and cut the stems to about 1/4 inch from the base. Peel off the petals until two thirds of the artichokes show yellow. Pare off the green top and any remaining green around the base. Immediately put the artichoke into the bowl of water and lemon to prevent it from becoming discoloured, and continue preparing the rest of the artichokes the same way.

When the artichokes have all been pared, retrieve them one at a time from the water and slice crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Return immediately to the water.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the peas. Cook for just a couple of minutes until the peas are just tender but still undercooked. Drain and set aside.

Just before cooking the artichokes, dry off the artichoke slices between paper towel.

Heat the oil in a heavy non-metal saucepan over medium-high heat. When very hot, add the garlic and artichoke slices and fry, stirring gently, for 5 minutes or until the garlic and artichokes are golden brown. Sprinkle in the celery seed and a little of the salt, and add the 1/2 cup of water and vermouth. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to low and let the vegetables simmer for 5 minutes.

Uncover, add the peas, parsley, the juice of the other lemon, the rest of the salt, and black pepper to taste. Turn up the heat to medium and bring to a simmer again, without returning the cover. Turn the heat back down to low and simmer, stirring gently, for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve.