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A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate enough to exchange the cool spring temperatures in Ontario for a few days of warm but windy weather in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Murray was on Spring Break so he went down a few days ahead to take in a Florida Panthers hockey game. Work obligations meant I flew down a few days later to join him.
The view from the balcony of the Canada House condo we rented in Fort Lauderdale. Not too hard to take!
The view the other way!
It was very windy every day! Perfect weather for kite-boarding. No, I did not attempt kite-boarding. I did not have a death wish or want to spend my mini vacation in the hospital. I was perfectly happy watching the kite-boarders ride the crashing waves and do flips and flops from my comfortable chair on the condo balcony.
Can you see all the kites in the picture below? The boarders were out en masse every day, all day.
How about those waves? They were much bigger than they look in this picture!
We did lots of driving about including a trip to West Palm Beach and down through the Keys all the way to Key West. Nothing like zipping about in a convertible with the breeze (more like gale force winds!) blowing through our hair!
A couple of pina coladas and a shared platter of calamari at Sunset Pier restaurant in Key West made for a perfect afternoon snack. This outdoor restaurant belongs to the Ocean Key Resort and Spa, which looked like a really nice place to stay. The views of the sunset from the pier would have been lovely.
Pina Colada (Sunset Pier Restaurant in Key West)
To make a pina colada, combine 1-1/2 cups coconut cream, 3 tablespoons crushed pineapple, 1-1/2 oz light rum, and 1 cup crushed ice in a blender. Process until slushy. Pour into a chilled glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry. Sip slowly….sitting on a pier on a warm sunny day….looking out over the Gulf of Mexico (or any other large body of water)….with not a care in the world! I should really do this much more often…..
Fried calamari with cherry pepper dip (Sunset Pier Restaurant in Key West)
Key lime pie (Two Friends Patio Restaurant in Key West)
The key lime pie at Two Friends Patio Restaurant in Key West was excellent! I also tried the conch fritters as they appeared on every menu and seemed to be one of Florida’s national dishes. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy them very much. Simply described, these are deep-fried fritters made with conch (a type of snail), flour, green peppers, and other seasonings. They were probably well made, but the texture and taste were just not to my liking.
A few other restaurants we enjoyed while in Fort Lauderdale -
* Flanigans Seafood Bar and Grille – great ribs!
* SeaWatch – great seafood and ocean view!
* Aruba Beach Cafe – great ambiance and ocean view, generous portions!
Chili Cheese Dog
A chili cheese dog would have been the appropriate thing to munch on tonight while watching the series finale of Corner Gas and the conclusion of the show’s successful six year run. Instead I sipped on Darjeeling tea and the last slice of lemon meringue pie left over from Easter dinner.
Much of the zany activities of the quirky characters on this beloved Canadian sit com took place at Corner Gas (the gas station in the small fictional town of Dog River in the not so fictional province of Saskatchewan) or at The Ruby Cafe next door. Brent, one of the main characters in the show, ate a whack of chili cheese dogs at The Ruby over the six years. (The Ruby was the kind of place that would also have served lemon meringue pie!)
A chili cheese dog is simply a hot dog doused in chili (from a can or made from your favourite chili recipe) and topped with grated cheese.
We’re not talking gourmet dining here. Just plain good food. Or so Brent would tell you.
If you’ve never had one, it’s pretty simple to make. And, Brent would likely also tell you, a chili cheese dog is no doubt well worth whatever effort you put in to make the chili – whether from scratch or a can.
If you want to make your own chili, you have some options….
* use tomato sauce, canned pureed tomatoes, canned condensed tomato soup or chili sauce instead of ketchup
* omit garlic and/or onions
* add canned or cooked kidney beans
* add cumin or sauteed green peppers
Chili Cheese Dogs
(Makes 4 servings)
2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound (450 g) lean ground beef
1 cup (250 mL) ketchup
1 teaspoon (5 mL) chili powder
2 tablespoons (30 mL) yellow mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 all-beef wieners
8 hot dog buns
1 cup (250 mL) grated Cheddar cheese
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add garlic. Continue cooking until onion is soft and translucent, another 2 or 3 minutes.
Add ground beef, breaking it up with the back of a spoon; cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in ketchup, chili powder and mustard; simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. (Add more ketchup or a little water to thin, if desired.) Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, grill or cook wieners as desired. Grill or toast hot dog buns, if desired.
To serve, place a wiener in each bun. Top with chili and Cheddar cheese. Open mouth wide and enjoy!
Egg in a Nest Muffins (image from Egg Farmers of Ontario, circa 1990)
This “recipe” for Egg in a Nest Muffins has been around for awhile. Perhaps you can tell by the dated look of the picture. I scanned it from a photograph found in the archives of the Egg Farmers of Ontario; it was probably taken about 20 years ago. But the idea is still a good one and a fun festive way to say “Happy Easter” at breakfast tomorrow.
With this easy multi-tasking recipe, you hard-cook eggs and bake muffins at the same time. If you want to make things super-easy, use a muffin mix instead of your favourite muffin recipe.
Fruit, yogurt and juice would complement these protein-packed muffins nicely and make for a simple but delicious breakfast that will allow plenty of time to hunt for treats left by the Easter Bunny.
Egg in a Nest Muffins
Ingredients for your favourite muffins
Medium or large eggs, in their shells (1 per muffin)
Prepare muffin batter. Rub eggs lightly with vegetable oil. Fill lightly greased or paper-lined muffin cups with batter. Gently place one uncooked egg, in its shell, partially into each “muffin”.
Bake in a preheated 400F (200C) oven for 18 to 20 minutes.
Let cool 15 to 20 minutes before serving as eggs will be hot.
To eat, remove the egg from the muffin, peel off the shell and enjoy with the muffin.
Tips:
* For a pretty Easter look, use paper liners with an Easter design and coloured eggs. A little of the color may bleed into the muffins, but it won’t affect the taste.
* Serve warm or cold but refrigerate if not eaten within a couple hours.
It’s spring in Ontario, not that you can tell by the weather we had today.
The snow is back!! It’s been gone for three or four weeks already but I’m sure it’s returned because this past weekend I mentioned to Murray it was time to switch the snowflake-patterned Corelle plates we use in winter with the plain white “rest-of-the-year” plates. (I was talking to myself when I told him this. Apparently the type of dishes we use is of absolutely no interest to him!)
Now yesterday was a beautiful day! We even hauled some of the patio furniture out of hibernation and sat on the front deck for a while enjoying the warm weather.
Then today – snow! Sure it’s not going to last, but c’mon! It’s spring already.
Yes, those are little icicles hanging off the bottom of the chairs!
So, tonight’s spaghetti and meatball supper was appropriately served on the “winter plates” that were still in the cupboard.
The amount of effort one can put into making spaghetti and meatballs can really vary. The general “recipe” is simple. Heat home-made or store-bought spaghetti sauce with home-made or store-bought meatballs. Spoon over cooked multigrain or whole wheat spaghetti. Grate Parmesan cheese over top, if desired.
Serve in any season, and on any plate you choose (or that’s handy)!
Easy Spaghetti Sauce
(Makes 4 cups/1 L)
2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) sliced cremini mushrooms (6 oz/175 g)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried basil
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) pureed tomatoes
1/4 cup (60 mL) tomato paste
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil and salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.
Is it a fried egg?
Be on guard tomorrow. It’s April Fool’s Day.
All may not be what it appears. Even at the breakfast or dinner table.
Nope! It's a chocolate fried egg on a stick!
With the following “recipes”, you”ll be the one planning the surprises, serving “cake” for dinner and “spaghetti and meatballs” for dessert. Don’t be fooled into thinking these ideas are difficult. Read on to see how easy it will be to play food pranks on your fellow diners tomorrow, or any day of the year.
If you want more wacky food ideas and recipe pranks, there are additional suggestions and videos at Family Fun magazine’s website.
- Fried Egg and Toast? – Serve breakfast for dessert. Create a faux fried egg by spooning vanilla yogurt or sweetened whipped cream on a plate in the shape of the white of a fried egg. Add the yolk by placing a well-drained canned apricot or peach half, round side up, on top of the yogurt or cream, a little to one end. Toast a slice of pound cake. Spread with a thin layer of jam. Serve with the fried egg.
- Drink Up! – Prepare fruit-flavored gelatin according to package directions. Pour into drinking glasses. Place a straw in each glass. Chill until set. At serving time, garnish rim of glasses with fruit. Serve and see how long it takes for someone to request a spoon to eat the “drink”.
- An Antsy Cake – Turn a layer cake, ice cream cake or cheesecake into an anthill with this easy treatment. On top of the cake, carefully pour crushed vanilla wafers or nuts in a small mound to resemble an anthill. Arrange ants parading around the top of the cake and climbing up or down the side of the cake and/or the anthill using a chocolate-covered almond for each ant body and a chocolate-covered raisin or caramel (e.g. Skor Bites) for each ant head. Pipe on eyes and legs using a tube of black gel icing.
Meat Loaf Cake
(Makes 8 to 10 servings)
Favourite meatloaf recipe (use 2 to 3 lbs/1 to 1.5 kg) ground beef
Hot mashed potatoes (about 4 cups/1 L)
Cherry tomatoes
Ketchup
Prepare meatloaf mixture as usual but before cooking, divide mixture in two and place into two 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans. Bake as usual, allowing a shorter time since meatloaf will likely cook faster as the mixture will be thinner than usual.
Meanwhile, prepare mashed potatoes using boiled or instant potatoes. The mashed potatoes should be fluffy and spreadable. Keep mashed potatoes warm until meat loaves are cooked.
Once cooked, drain fat from meat loaves. Invert one loaf onto a round pizza pan or heatproof plate. Cover with a thick even layer of mashed potatoes. Place second loaf on top and “frost” the top and sides of cake with remaining mashed potatoes.
If desired, some of the mashed potatoes can be spooned into a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and piped around top or bottom edge of cake.
Place cake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 10 minutes to warm through. Remove from oven and decorate with halved cherry tomatoes. If desired, write a message on top of cake with ketchup. (If the opening of the ketchup bottle is too large to write a message easily, spoon some ketchup into a clean piping bag or a squeeze bottle with a small top to write your message.)
Spaghetti and Meat Ball Dessert
(Makes 1 serving)
Small slice of pound cake or half of a cupcake
Homemade or prepared icing
Yellow food coloring (if desired)
Strawberry sauce
2 of 3 chocolate malt balls or small truffles
Ground almonds or grated white chocolate
Chopped white chocolate or chocolate chips or candy melts
Lady fingers or biscotti
Toasted coconut
Green sprinkles
Place pound cake in the centre of a plate.
If desired, tint icing with food colouring to resemble the colour of cooked spaghetti. Spoon icing into a decorating tube fitted with a large circular tip; pipe icing in a looping fashion around the sides of the pound cake (don’t frost the top) to resemble spaghetti.
Spoon strawberry sauce (meat sauce) on top of the cake to cover it. Drizzle a little over portions of the spaghetti.
Using the dull side of a knife or a grater, rough up the surface of the malt balls (meatballs). Place them on top of the sauce.
Sprinkle ground almonds (parmesan cheese) over sauce and meatballs.
Carefully melt white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave oven; stir until smooth. Spread chocolate over lady fingers (garlic bread). Sprinkle coconut (garlic) and green sprinkles (parsley) over top. Serve with spaghetti and meatballs.
Salad greens with fried egg and balsamic vinaigrette-sauteed mushrooms and grape tomatoes
I get paid to say nice things about eggs. As the Food and Nutrition Specialist for Egg Farmers of Ontario, it’s my job to promote the nutritional goodness of eggs and the many different ways they can be prepared.
Before I signed on for this gig, I was already an egg lover, readily extolling the virtues of eggs. One of the reasons I was – and still am – a fan of this nutritious and economical food is that it’s quick to cook, so versatile and always available.
The other night I came home late from work, tired and hungry. There wasn’t much in the fridge except for some mushrooms, eggs and salad greens. Within minutes I had put together a simple supper salad and was sitting down to eat.
To make the salad I sauteed sliced mushrooms in a little balsamic salad dressing, tossing in a few halved grape tomatoes partway through cooking. Before the mushrooms and tomatoes were completely cooked, I cleared a space among them in the middle of the pan and cracked an egg into it. I covered the pan with a lid and within a few minutes had a steam-basted sunny side up egg that resembled a poached egg. (I cooked the yolk so that it was still runny but it could also be cooked thoroughly if desired. And, instead of “frying”, the egg could have been soft- or hard-poached in simmering water.) The mushroom/tomato mixture and egg were then spooned over a plate of salad greens, and dinner was served!
Easy, fast and very good!
I’ve been eating a lot of crepes lately.
Last night we dined with friends at the Village Creperie on Belmont Avenue in Kitchener. I’d eaten at this lovely, intimate restaurant awhile ago and really should have been back sooner.
On the menu are a variety of appetizers, salads, and galettes (savoury crepes made with buckwheat). The restaurant uses only organic flours, fish, meat, vegetables, fruits and dairy.
I chose the galette special of the day – a fajita crepe with seasoned chicken, sauteed peppers, guacamole and sour cream. It was a winner as were the galettes enjoyed by my fellow diners (Very veggie – spinach, roasted red pepper, caramelized onion, portabello mushroom, goat cheese and pesto; Saumon et salsa – marinated salmon and salsa; and Le Complete – sunny side up or flat egg, aged white Cheddar, mozarella, green onion and ham).
Although everything on the dessert menu (including flambed crepes) sounded very tempting, we opted to share the dessert special of the day – a waffle crowned with strawberries, blueberries, syrup and creme fraiche.
I look forward to returning to the Village Creperie again soon, perhaps on a Saturday morning for a brunch crepe.
For a good assessment of the restaurant, read the review written by Andrew Coppolino, Restaurant Critic for the Waterloo Region Record.
A few weeks ago, work took me to the Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket where I happened upon Crepe Delicious, a kiosk-style restaurant that sells crepes and paninis. I enjoyed a Popeye crepe with its filling of spinach, cheese and tomato. I expected the crepe to be served to me either filled and folded or rolled over like an omelette. Instead, the large crepe was folded in half, filled, rolled into a cone shape, and tucked into a pointed cone cup. The whole thing was then wrapped in foil. The result? A crepe that could be eaten out of hand, on the go, with any juices falling into the cup instead of dripping through your fingers. Genius!
Crepe Delicious has locations throughout Toronto and according to its website, is looking for individuals interested in franchise opportunities.
Back to the crepe marathon…. One night last week we enjoyed crepes with maple syrup and sauteed bananas for dinner. Yes, probably more a dessert than dinner entree, but oh well! They were very good.
The picture above is of the crepes we made when I visited my sister Loreen on Long Island last summer. These crepes were made from a Bisquick recipe. (Stir together or process in a blender 1 cup Bisquick mix, 3/4 cup milk and 2 eggs. Use about 2 tablespoons batter per crepe.) We let the mixture stand for about 30 minutes so the dry ingedients had a chance to absorb the liquid ingredients. This makes the batter less lumpy.
Here’s the recipe for the crepes I made last week.
Basic Crepes
(Makes 16 crepes)
1-1/3 cups (325 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, melted
Additional butter for crepe pan
In a bowl, stir together flour and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the butter; pour over dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the flour expand.
Heat an 8-inch (20 cm) crepe pan or skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with butter. For each crepe, pour about 1/4 cup (60 mL) batter into the centre of the pan; immediately swirl pan to coat bottom with batter. Cook until top is no longer shiny and bottom is lightly browned, about 45 seconds to a minute. Flip crepe over and cook briefly on the other side, 25 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing pan with butter between crepes as needed.
Variations:
* Buckwheat Crepes: Replace half of the flour with light buckwheat flour.
* Herbed Crepes: Just before cooking crepes, stir in 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh herbs (e.g. any combination of parsley, chives and tarragon)
* Chocolate Crepes: Replace 1/3 cup (75 mL) of the flour with 1/4 cup (60 mL) cocoa powder, sifted. Stir in 3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar.
Tips:
* Crepe batter can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
* Batter should be the thickness of whipping cream. If it is too thick, thin with a little milk.
* Crepes can be made ahead. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before using.
Count yourself lucky to find these great recipes to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Have fun being Irish for a day!
These muffins are full of apricot flavour and a surprise centre!
It may not be the season for fresh apricots in wintry southern Ontario, but you can make muffins that are ripe with the sunny flavour of apricots by using dried apricots and apricot nectar in the muffin batter, and apricot jam as the sweet surprise centre!
Enjoy!
Apricot Flavour-Full Muffins
(Makes 12)
1 cup (250 mL) boiling water
3/4 cup (175 mL) finely chopped dried apricots
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tablespoon (15 mL) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) baking soda
1/4 cup (60 mL) butter or hard margarine, softened
2/3 cup (150 mL) sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 mL) apricot nectar
1/4 cup (60 mL) milk
1 teaspoon (5 mL) lemon juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) apricot jam
Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray or lightly grease with cooking oil.
Pour boiling water over apricots in small heatproof bowl. Let stand 10 minutes until softened.
Meanwhile, measure flour, nuts, baking powder, salt and baking soda into a large bowl; stir. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.
With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat well. Add apricot nectar, milk and lemon juice; stir to combine. Pour mixture into well in dry ingredients.
Drain apricots; add to well. Stir just until all ingredients are moistened.
Fill muffin cups half full with batter. Make a small dent in the batter in each cup with the back of a spoon. Spoon 2 teaspoons (10 mL) jam into each dent. Spoon remaining batter over top.
Bake in a preheated 375F (190C) oven until muffins are firm to the touch, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes before removing muffins to cool on a wire rack.
Tip
* Use peach or raspberry jam, or marmalade instead of apricot jam.
Recipe Source: Mostly Muffins by Jean Pare, Company’s Coming Publishing Limited, 2006
Pappadums
I was first introduced to pappadums at a Grey Cup party about 25 years ago. (The Grey Cup is the Canadian Football League’s version of the Super Bowl.)
Served alongside chili, potato chips, chicken wings, and other more typical fare for hungry football fans, these thin, crisp wafers made from lentil and rice flours were a novelty back then.
Pappadums are likely still not standard Grey Cup or Super Bowl party fare today. They are most often served as an accompaniment to Indian food, but they also go well with dips and chutneys and can be served as a snack or an appetizer, or as an accompaniment to soups, stews or chilis. Hmmm, why not serve them at a football championship party? Sounds as though they’d easily fit most menus.
You can purchase dried pappadums under a few different brand names. In my local grocery store, I can buy plain, garlic or black peppercorn pappadums under the Patak’s label.
Patak’s pappadums are sold in packages of 10 thin, flat discs. The pappadums must be fried in oil, baked in a microwave oven, or roasted over an open flame before serving.
I prefer to prepare them in a microwave oven, first lightly brushing them with oil on both sides. Then, one at a time, they are popped into the microwave to cook on High power for 45 to 60 seconds or until they expand. And expand they will! As they cook, the dried discs magically morph into crisp crackers with a multitude of craters and ridges!
This dip goes well with a plate of crisp pappadums.
Bean Dip
(Makes 4 servings)
1 cup (250 mL) canned drained kidney beans, rinsed
1/2 cup (125 mL) coarsely chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground cumin
3 tablespoons (45 mL) low-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon (5 mL) lemon juice
In food processor or blender, combine all ingredients; blend until smooth. Serve with pappadums, naan or pita bread.
