Skotidakis Jalapeno Yogurt Dip

I absolutely love this product from Skotidakis. You have not tried this savoury and spice concoction from the best Feta makers in Canada, you are missing out. Thankfully, my Mom introduced this yogurt dip to me not too long ago and I've been having for my snack ever since. Skotidakis Jalapeno Yogurt Dip is reminiscent of my Tirokafteri Dip that I've made for fondue parties. Now that I back on the Doctor Daniels diet to shed my baby weight and them some, I'm finding healthy snack options to tie me over until lunch or dinner. Just a few minutes ago, I polished off a bowl of celery and cucumber (from my Mom's garden) whilst dipping into the creamy, tangy and spicy Skotidakis Jalapeno Yogurt Dip. You will find it at Costco. Try it!

Fasolakia me Kota - Green Beans with Chicken

Fasolakia me Kota - Green Beans with Chicken

As the summer is winding down here in Toronto, I decided it was time to make a seasonal Greek dish after buying a bag of green beans over the weekend. Fasolakia me Kota is a traditional Greek dish that is made in the summer because the green beans are in season. All Greek dishes revolve around the harvest of each particular season. Unlike your grocery stores here in Canada, fresh seasonal fresh produce is hard to come by off season. Aside from being a staple in most Greek households in the summer, this dish is perfect for those who are seeking healthier dinner options. The roasted chicken is a perfect match to the stewed green beans and makes for a fantastic high protein / good carb meal.

4 chicken breasts, skinless, bone in

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tbsp oregano

1/2 tbsp mint

salt 

pepper

olive oil

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup white wine

2 lbs green beans

1 onion, diced

1 tbsp minced garlic

3 large potatoes (optional), quartered

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups tomato pulp

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.

2. In a small mixing bowl combine the paprika, oregano, mint, salt and pepper. Pour a good amount of olive oil over the chicken and then rub the spice mix into the flesh of the chicken. Place in an oval roasting pan. Pour the 1/4 cup water  and the white wine on the bottom of the pan and roast for 30 minutes.

3. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken breasts into a bowl. In the same pan, place the green beans, onions, garlic and potatoes. Toss gently together. Add the chicken stock and tomato pulp over the vegetables. Replace the chicken breasts onto of the green beans and cover. Roast for another 45 minutes.

4. After 45 minutes, remove the chicken breasts back into the bowl. Raise heat of the oven to 450F. Return the pan uncovered into the oven for another 15 minutes so that the juices evaporate. You should have juices on the bottom of the pan but not a soupy consistency.

5. Before serving, return the chicken breasts back into the roasting pan, baste with the pan juices and cover. Let is stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. 

6. For a true Greek dinner accompany this dish with a slab of feta and a loaf of crusty bread. 

Quinoa with Corn & Peas

Quinoa with Corn & Peas

This side dish was inspired by a recipe I received from one of the blogs I follow - Simple Recipes. To see Sandra and kids off on Saturday night, Rafael barbecued some chorizo. To accompany the chorizo I decided to try my hand at this delicious side dish. Once again, I made something that everyone enjoyed along with their chorizo.

1 cup of quinoa

2 cups of water

1/2 cube of chicken stock

olive oil

2 cups of corn

1 cup of peas

1 red onion, diced

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tbsp oregano

1/2 tbsp cumin

1 cup of cilantro, chopped

1. Prepare the quinoa ahead of time. Bring the 2 cups of water with the chicken stock and olive oil to a boil. Add the quinoa. Lower the heat to medium / low and boil for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, saute the onion and garlic in a deep pan. Add the seasonings except for the cilantro. Leave that for the end.

3. Stir in the corn and peas and lower heat.

4. Once the quinoa is cooked and the water has evaporated add to the corn and peas mixture. Combine and add the cilantro.

5. Serve as a side dish to your favourite barbecued meats.

Simple Cabornara

Simple Carbonara

There is nothing like a comforting bowl of Carbonara to make house guests feel at home. Over the last week I was challenged to come up with lunch and dinner ideas that everyone would enjoy. Thankfully, my husband's niece and nephew are good eaters which made cooking for the extended family less complicated. For lunch one day I decided to crack open one of the favourite cookbooks - Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Italy - to get ideas for a simple yet satisfying lunch idea. As I was flipping through the pages I remembered that Toshio loved spaghetti. Thankfully, I had a pack of spaghetti and I had all the ingredients for a simple Carbonara. Jamie Oliver's recipe asks for sausage and prochetta, however I substituted the sausage and prochetta for Rosemary Ham. 

1 pack of spaghetti

4 eggs

2 cups of Parmesan cheese

1 cup of milk

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 onion, diced

200 g of Rosemary Ham, cubed

1 cup of frozen peas

1 tbsp basil

1. Boil the pasta to your preferred consistency. I like my pasta al dente. 11 minutes.

2. In a separate mixing bowl combine the 4 eggs, 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese, milk, garlic and basil.

3. As the pasta is boiling saute the onion and ham in a non-stick pan.

4. Once the pasta boils strain the pasta but reserve 2 cups of pasta water to help combine the egg mixture with the pasta.

5. In the same pot, replace the cooked pasta, the saute ham and onion and pour in the egg mixture. Stir quickly together. be careful not to scramble the eggs. Pour in the pasta water and stir again. 

6. Last throw in the defrosted peas and remaining Parmesan cheese. Stir one last time and serve hot.

Ceviche con Tilapia

Ceviche con Tilapia

Last week we had Sandra and the kids visiting us from Montreal to welcome our new baby and to spend time with Alejandro. To welcome Rafael's sister to Toronto I decided to make a Ceviche. Ceviche is the most popular dish from Peru and you can make it with any white fish or seafood. I usually make my Ceviche with shrimp or tilapia. For this recipe I chose tilapia. 

4 fillets of tilapia, cubed

1 large red onion, sliced thinly

3 lemons

3 limes

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

4 chilies, diced

1/2 cup of cilantro

2 tbsp minced garlic

salt

pepper

1. Cube the tilapia fillets so that each piece is not too thick or big. You want the fish to cure through properly. If you cut the pieces too big or too thick you will not get a consistent cure throughout the fish.

2. Squeeze the juice of the lemons and limes and place in rectangular Pyrex dish. Add the white wine vinegar.

3. Add the sliced onions, garlic and chilies into the citrus juices. Stir together.

4. Add the fish to the citrus mixture and combine until the fish is submerged. Sprinkle with a good helping of salt and pepper.

5. Last add the cilantro. Mix together one more time. Cover the Pyrex dish and refrigerate for 3 hours.

6. At 3 hours remove the Pyrex dish and stir all the ingredients. This helps the fish that is not quite cured to settle on the bottom. Taste for salt. Add some more salt if needed. Replace into the refrigerator for another 3 hours.

7. You may need to add 2 more hours to the curing process depending on the thickness of the fish.

8. Serve with boiled sweet potato and corn.

Cau Cau con Pollo

Cau Cau con Pollo

The first time I was introduced to this dish was when my mother-in-law was visiting last summer. Cau Cau is a Peruvian stew made with chicken, potatoes and other root vegetables. What makes this stew unique is Aji Amarillo that gives it an exotic flavour base. Since acquiring a Peruvian cookbook from my father-in-law, I became more interested in the wide variety of Peruvian dishes. The recipe for Cau Cau is in the cookbook, however traditionally the recipe calls for cow innards and since I don't eat organ meats my suegra showed me how to make it with chicken instead. I have made this classic Peruvian meal several times already and experimented using different cooking methods. Once I made it in a slow cooker. The taste was good but not as good as when I made it today in a stock pot. 

2 chicken breasts, cubed

4 potatoes, cubed

2 celery stalks, diced

3 carrots, diced

1 onion, diced

3 to 4 garlic, diced

3 bay leaves

1 tbsp aji amarillo

1/2 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp oregano

salt

pepper

1 chicken stock cube

4 cups water, boiled

2 cups water

1/2 cup of frozen peas

1. Brown the chicken pieces in a large stock pot until browned on all sides. Set aside in a bowl.

2. In the same pot saute the onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the seasonings and potatoes. Stir together with the other vegetables and cover with 2 cups of water.

4. Meanwhile, in a large measuring cups dissolve the chicken stock cube in 4 cups of boiled water. Once dissolved well, pour into the pot. Add the chicken and bay leaves. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

5. In the last 10 minutes of the cooking process add the frozen peas.

Venetia's Pork Stir Fry Wraps

Venetia's Pork Stir Fry Wrap

With the onset of our second son coming early and my recovery after the c-section, my Mom has been the family cook. Everyday, my Mom comes to the condo and makes one of her famous Greek dishes. Every once and awhile she will go on a more adventurous path and create a new recipe like the one a few days ago. This recipe was inspired by some leftover bbq pork chops and Skotidakis Jalapeno Yogurt Dip.

3 bbq pork chops, thinly sliced

1/2 pint mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

lemon juice

tabbouleh

Skotidakis Jalapeno Yogurt Dip

8 whole wheat tortillas, small

1. In a non-stick frying pan saute the onions and mushrooms until brown.

2. Add the pork slices and squeeze a few drops of lemon in the pan. Stir fry together until the pork is heated through and softened.

3. To assemble the wraps you will need 2 tortillas for each serving if you are using small tortillas, the pork stir fry mixture, tabbouleh and Skotidaki Jalapeno Yogurt Dip.

3.1. Spread 1 tbsp of Skotidaki Jalapeno Yogurt Dip on the tortilla.

3.2. Spoon on 1/2 tbsp of tabbouleh.

3.3. Spoon on enough of the pork stir fry mixture so that you can wrap it well yet have a good amount of filling.

Ham & Peas Macaroni Bake

Ham & Peas Macaroni Bake

Last night's dinner idea came from my husband. Every now and then I am stumped with an idea for dinner and every now and then Rafael gives me an idea. His original suggestion came from his childhood days but I didn't think it was too delectable. Then he suggested spaghetti with Al Fredo sauce. Well, then I took that idea and came up with this hearty macaroni bake.

1 box of macaroni

500 g of ham, cubed

1 cup of frozen peas

1 pint of mushrooms, chopped

1 onion, diced

3 to 4 garlic cloves, diced

1 tbsp basil

1/2 tbsp thyme

1 tsp mustard seed

salt

pepper

1 bag of Italiano shredded cheese

4 tbsp seasoned bread crumbs

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups pasta water

1 cup of milk

1. Boil macaroni for 11 minutes.

2. Meanwhile prepare other ingredients. Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in a pan. Season with basil, thyme and mustard seed.

3. Place the macaroni in a deep baking dish. Pour in 2 cups of pasta water to moisten the pasta.

4. Add the cubed ham, frozen peas and mushroom saute. Pour in the milk and combine all ingredients well.

5. Add the cheese and mix again. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and seasoned breadcrumbs.

6. Bake in the oven at 425F for 30 minutes.

Peach Blueberry Crisp

Peach Blueberry Crisp

Every now and then I venture into making desserts. As you will see from my blog, the majority of my recipes are of savoury dishes. Perhaps my New Year's Resolution for 2014 should be to expand my cooking repertoire to baking. Anywho, yesterday I was inspired to create this simple yet satisfying dessert with some peaches and blueberries that were on a deep freeze in the fridge. A few days ago, I had put a basket of local peaches in the fridge because they had ripened and I was afraid that they would go bad if I left them on the counter. When I took out one of the peaches to cut for my son, I discovered that the peach was frozen. To my dismay, all but three peaches were frozen. Instead of throwing away this delicious peaches, I allowed them to defrost and prepared them into a seasonal crisp. My parents had gone Blueberry picking on the weekend, but the blueberries were a bit to tart for me to eat straight out of the basket, so I incorporated the tart blueberries with the peaches to create this satisfying dessert.

6 to 8 peaches, peeled and quartered

2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup oat bran

1 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp butter or margarine

1. Place the peeled and quartered peaches in the rectangular Pyrex baking dish along with the blueberries.

2. Sprinkle with the sugar and mix the fruit together.

3. In a separate mixing bowl prepare the crisp topping. Mix together the oat bran, walnuts, sugar and cinnamon.

4. In a small pot melt the butter. Cover the fruit with the oat bran mixture and pour the melted butter over the oat bran topping.

5. Bake for 30 minutes at 375F.  

6. Serve with ice cream or whipping cream.

Island Omelet

Island Omelet

The Island Omelet was inspired by leftover empanada filling I had from a couple of days ago. As I was creating a new empanada for my empanada business, there was a small portion of the filling that was not large enough to fill anymore shells. After some thought as what to do with this leftover filling, I came up with this brunch concoction.

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp salsa fresca

1 cup empanada filling

Empanada Filling

black beans

plantain

corn

red pepper

onion

garlic

cubed marble cheddar cheese

cilantro

oregano

cumin

aji colorado

salt 

pepper

1. In a non-stick pan heat canola oil. Add the empanada filling and bring to a saute. Lower heat as not to burn the cheese.

2. Beat the eggs and stir in the salsa fresca with a dash of salt and pepper.

3. Pour egg mixture over the black bean mixture. As the egg is cooking gather the edges to the middle so that the raw egg runs to the edges of the omelet. Do not turn over. 

4. If you have an oven proof pan, continue baking at 350F for 10 minutes. If the handle of your pan is plastic like my pan has, lower the heat and cover with a lid. The heat will steam the egg on top of the omelet and make it puffy too.

5. Serve with toast and your favourite brunch beverage.

Island Empanada Dinner

Island Empanada Dinner

Eleni's Island Empanada is a perfect choice for a vegetarian dinner paired with fluffy basmati rice and salsa fresca. Savour the flavours of the Caribbean. Black beans, plantain and corn flavoured with cumin, oregano, aji colorado and cilantro. For more information about this delicious empanada contact Eleni's Empanadas at elenisempanadas@gmail.com.

Giagia's Chicken Vegetable Soup

Giagia's Chicken Vegetable Soup

Although we are in the middle of summer here in the GTA, last week the temperature was more suitable to early Fall or Spring instead of mid Summer. Since the weather was unseasonably cool for end of July, my Mom and I decided to make her famous Chicken Vegetable Soup. My Mom has been making this hearty soup for decades and now that I have my own family, I make it as often as I can; especially in the Fall and Winter. Not only does this soup bring comfort every time I eat it, but it also bring back fond memories of my grandparents. 

Easter of 2001 was the last time I had seen my Pappou George alive and I had the pleasure of introducing this delicious Canadian Soup to my grandparents. Traditionally, I would have stayed at my Aunt Stella's apartment across the street but since my grandparents had space for me in their apartment, I decided to stay with them. My Aunt Stella usually cooked for both families seeing how my grandparents were pretty old. On occasion Pappou would cook for himself and Giagia because he got tired of eating my Aunt's food. One day, after the big fast for Easter I asked my Pappou and Giagia if I could cook for them. My Pappou was delighted. You see, I had never cooked for them. After getting permission to cook for my grandparents I decided on making my Mom's Chicken Vegetable Soup to suit their delicate digestive systems. Cooking for the elderly is tricky sometimes. I gave my Pappou a list of the ingredients I needed for the soup and off he went to the market. Several hours later the three of us were enjoying hearty bowls of my Mom's Chicken Vegetable Soup. This has to be my fondest memory of my grandparents because I was able to do something for them, plus they loved the soup and most of all that I made it for them. My grandparents talked about that soup for years afterwards. Before coming back to Toronto that Spring, my grandfather had twiddled me a cooking fork out of cherry wood and told me to use it well to feed people. To this very day, I still have that cooking fork and every time I use it I remember my awesome Pappou and his words of wisdom. I am grateful to have had such a wonderful Pappou. Euxaristo Pappou! Se agapo polli!

4 chicken breasts

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

1 celery stalk

1 carrot

thyme

oregano

basil

salt

pepper

1 onion, diced

3 to 4 garlic cloves, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

3 carrots, diced

1 large potato, diced

1 medium sweet potato, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1/2 cup barley

4 cups tomato pulp

4 cups chicken stock

1. Place the first grouping of ingredients into a large stock pot and boil for 30 to 40 minutes. 

2. Remove the boiled chicken from the pot and reserve the chicken stock. Make sure to strain it well so that you have a clear chicken stock for later.

3. In the same stock pot, heat some canola oil and saute the onion, garlic, celery and carrots for 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Add the potatoes, zucchini, tomato pulp and chicken stock. Simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, shred the chicken breast into small pieces to replace back into the pot.

6. Last, add the barley and continue simmering for another 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked.

7. Serve with your favourite crusty bread.