Piccadilly Circus

This crisp cocktail will surely give some clarity. Smooth with a hint of absinthe coming  through. 

Piccadilly Circus

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz dry gin

1/2 oz French vermouth

dash absinthe

dash Grenadine

Ice

Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Enjoy the sunshine. Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Eat Your Greens

Now more than ever there are plenty of green options at the grocery store. Which has an increasing imaginative way of incorporating these versatile veggies into our everyday cooking and baking. Nutritious and tasty, greens are considerable ingredients to boost your recipes and your health. 

Eat Your Greens, is informative with helpful hints and tips. An introduction is included with 4 other chapters titled, Light Bites, Dynamic Dinners, A Little on the Side, and Green Juices. If you would like a compact guide on the important nutrients in green vegetables, how to choose produce, growing your own greens, how to prepare and cook green vegetables, and green juices this is a good book for you. There are many recipes to inspire and ponder, like... Pork Coconut Lettuce Wraps, Spicy Eggplant & Chickpea Casserole, Greens, Pea & Bean Burgers, Stir-fried Brussels Sprouts with Almonds, Kale & Mango Juice and Lettuce & Kiwi Quencher. These sound all perfectly delicious and tantalizing and hopefully inspiring; like this recipe from the book... 

Kale, Lemon & Chive Linguine

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Serves: 2-3   Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins 

Ingredients:

9 ounces kale, thick stems removed, leaves sliced widthwise into thin ribbons 

(about 3 3/4cups prepared)

8 ounces dried linguine

1/2 cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

grated zest of 1 large lemon

large pinch of dried red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the kale and blanch for 2 minutes, until just wilted. Drain, reserve the water, and set aside.

2. Bring the reserved water to a boil in the large pan. Add linguine and cook according to package directions until tender but still firm to the bite.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil n a large skillet over medium - high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute. 

4. Stir in the kale, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but still bright green. Add a little of the cooking water if the mixture becomes dry.

5. Drain the pasta and transfer to a warm serving dish. Add the kale mixture, tossing with the pasta to mix. Stir in the chives and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Toss again and serve immediately.

Hero Tip: Using the kale cooking water to cook the pasta not only saves time and fuel, but also gives the pasta more flavour.

Who doesn't remember pushing greens around the dinner plate, when younger, in hopes they would magically disappear on their own. - JD  

Food Photo of the Day ~ Three Cheese Macaroni

When you are not quite ready to give up comfort food right yet; this gooey three cheese macaroni and cheese will pleasantly appease the last of those stodgy cravings. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Jalapeño cheeses are blended with elbow macaroni topped with a crispy parmesan panko crust.   

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Warm temperatures are here again!  - JD  

Cyva

This slightly strong blend creates a fresh and lively cocktail. Surprisingly, very refreshing! 

Cyva

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makes 1 cocktail

1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz dry sherry
1 teaspoon cognac
2 dashes of orange bitters
Ice

Place all ingredients into a cocktail mixing pitcher. Stir. Strain into a cocktail glass, and serve with a pitted green olive, if you wish.

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Oven Roasted Curried Potatoes

When the weather has turned these tasty potatoes are pure comfort. Inviting spices that add flavour to any meal.

Take washed potatoes (about 10-12 russets), chop them into random pieces, place them in a large bowl. Drizzle with some olive oil, or any oil you may prefer, and some balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Add a tablespoon or two, depends on your taste, of curry powder, a teaspoon of paprika, a tablespoon of parsley and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Getting all the pieces of potatoes nicely coated. Line a baking tray with some baking parchment paper. Dump... or place the potatoes on the prepared tray and bake in a preheated 425ºF oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  

As soon as the snow fell it quickly subsided. Warm, sunny temperatures have come our way. -JD 

Easy Spelt Muffins

There is no other word other than easy when it comes to making these substantial muffins. They are dense and have a slightly sweet wheaty taste and texture. You can add fresh herbs for a more savoury muffin or omit the cheese and add fresh fruit for a bit more sweetness. 

 Easy Spelt Muffins

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2 1/4 cups spelt flour

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheese

1 1/4 cups milk 

3 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon oil

Preheat oven to 425ºF Grease and flour 12 cup muffin tin or line with muffin baking papers.

Combine spelt flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the shredded cheese, stir to combine. 

In a separate bowl beat together the milk, eggs and oil.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until just moist. 

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 17 minutes or until lightly brown. 

Notes: you can replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar or honey. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! - JD 

Modern No.2

This is a strong and peculiar cocktail with an interesting warm blend. Definitely worth a sip.

Modern No.2

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makes 1 cocktail

2 oz Scotch Whiskey

1 dash Lemon juice

1 dash Pernod

2 dashes Jamaica Rum

1 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass. Serve with a cherry.

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Going with the Grain

Half the grains grown around the world are harvested for consumption; they are a food staple for about half of the world's population. Not only for human consumption, grains are also for the production of animal feed and industrial products like biodiesel. Nutritionally, grains are important because they are a good source of carbohydrates and vitamins. They can grow and thrive under extreme weather climates, regardless the of the condition of soil and may be stored for long periods of time. Some ancient civilizations even considered grains as wages or as a form of currency. Grains have gone from staple, to health food to a culinary ingredient must have. Especially with the superfood frenzy.  

This cookbook breaks down each grain featured with useful information, health benefits, pronunciation, guide to shopping, cooking, and tasting. Four chapters, Break the Fast, Let's do Lunch!, What's for Dinner? and Sweet Nothings contain a wide variety of delicious recipes. The Apricot & Raisin Oat Bars, Three Grain Pilaf with Chicken, Quinoa-Stuffed Eggplants, Quinoa & Beet Burgers, Broiled Shrimp with Crisp-Fried Red Rice, Barley & Lima Beans with Chorizo, Farro & Cranberry Bean Soup are all tempting! 

Squash, Kale & Farro Stew

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Serves 6    Prep Time: 30 mins    Cook Time: 55 mins

1 dense-fleshed squash, such as kabocha or butternut

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 cups vegetable stock

3/4 cup quick-cooking farro, rinsed

4 cups sliced kale

1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cut the squash into quarters, peel, and seed. Cut the flesh into large cubes (you need about 4 cups).

2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the oregano and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. 

3. Add the squash and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes, stock, and farro, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the kale and chickpeas. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the kale is just tender.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice just before serving.

Hero Tips: Use quick-cooking farro (farro dicocco) so you can add it straight to the casserole without soaking or recooking, or follow package directions to use regular farro. It may seem like a lit of stock, but once you add the farro, most of it will be absorbed, resulting in a stew with just the right amount of liquid.

Hope everyone has been having a good week so far. - JD 

Buttermilk Oat Bread

Small but substantial. This oaten loaf is wonderful with butter and jam or cheese.  

Buttermilk Oat Bread

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makes 2 small loaves

1 cup fine oatmeal

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, soak the oatmeal in the buttermilk and milk overnight. 

The following day...

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the oatmeal and milk mixture and mix well to give a soft dough. Knead until smooth.

Divide the dough into two portions. On a floured surface, roll each portion out to a thickness of about 1 inch and about 4 inches in diameter. Place both loaves on the prepared baking sheet, side by side about 3 inches apart, and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and sound hollow when tapped.

Remove from the oven and serve hot with butter and jam. 

Notes: I brushed the tops of each loaf with a bit of butter then sprinkled flaked oats on top.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Some warmer temperatures are coming our way. 
- JD 

Screwdriver

This classic cocktail gets a nod with this, the addition of grenadine. More fruity and sherberty well suited for a brunch cocktail.

Screwdriver

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Vodka

dash of Grenadine

Chilled orange juice

Place three ice cubes in a tall glass. Add vodka, the dash of Grenadine and enough orange juice to fill the glass. Stir.  

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD   

Food Photo of the Day ~ Custard Tartlets

These tartlets are lovely for a low key dessert that cleanses the palette and satisfies that sweet tooth. Simple to make and so delicious to enjoy; even in winter their sunny disposition brightens the dessert table.   

Bit of a short week so hope everyone is having a good one so far! - JD 

Cheesy Herb Bread

This savoury bread may be enjoyed anytime with pretty much anything. Different herbs and different cheeses will change the deliciousness of this loaf however it is all for the better.   

Cheesy Herb Bread

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1 2/3 cups self - rising flour 

1 teaspoon English mustard powder

2 tablespoons fresh or dried chives

1 teaspoon fresh or dried summer savoury

1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme

2 teaspoons fresh or dried parsley 

2 cups strong Cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of butter

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup water

Pre-heat oven to 375ºF. 

Grease and flour a loaf tin. Line the prepared loaf tin with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, mustard, herbs and cheese. Melt the butter, add it to the mixture and add the egg and water as well. Mix to a soft, wet, cake-like dough.

Turn into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with butter. 

Notes: Oven vary so baking time may vary. 

Hope everyone had a lovely relaxing long weekend. We did! - JD