Caesar Salad with Chicken

I really like caesar salad, especially for dinner with the addition of chicken. And once you see how much better it is when you make your own dressing, you'll be hooked.
Just a couple of pet peeves regarding caesar salad I need to get out.

I HATE when there is too much garlic in the dressing ( I know, hate is a pretty strong word but it really makes me angry). In my opinion, the garlic should be noticeable but subtle. Nobody needs to know you had caesar salad for the next THREE days. Gross!
I guess because I've always worked in a close proximity to my clients, I'm always conscious of what I eat : ) So I only use 1 or 2 cloves of garlic.

Another thing I really dislike are the packaged croutons. They're way too salty and most of the time they taste stale. I just cube or tear whatever bread I happen to have. Heck, even sliced bread (that's toast bread for all you Anglo-Italian people). Lightly coat with olive oil and a little salt and toast in oven. Easy peasey.
Whenever you have leftover bread and don't know what to do with it, make croutons and store in a zip lock bag for future use. Warning though, you will  be snacking on these all the time! So put them where you don't have easy access to them. Hahaha, but that could just be me!

I'm also not a fan of chicken breast. If it's up to me, I will always choose thighs and legs. When I do cook chicken breast, I cut it on the bias so I get 3-4 pieces. Place each piece between cling film and pound it out a bit. Because they are thin, they cook a few minutes on each side and therefore they are not dry. But you can use whatever cut you want.

Caesar Salad with Chicken

Dressing

3 tablespoons mayo
1 teaspoon anchovy paste or 2 small anchovies, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
a splash of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil, I used a combo of olive oil and veggie oil
pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Romaine lettuce
Croutons
Grilled chicken( breast or thighs)

In a bowl combine mayo, anchovy paste, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Gradually start whisking the oil in drop by drop. You don't want to dump it all in otherwise it won't emulsify and will separate. It should be thick and glossy. Stir in the parmesan cheese and season with pepper. You can definitely make the dressing a day ahead.
Dress your romaine leaves and croutons. Top with chicken.

m xo

Zucchini Butter

When I see recipes that have less than 5 ingredients, I'm intrigued! I don't why. Maybe I'm lazy, hahaha! No seriously, I figure it has to be really good because there aren't a lot of ingredients to mask the taste.
This comes from food52, a site that has some amazing recipes that people share and contribute to. It's a wonderful site that I would definitely recommend.
It suggested to make this in the summer, when there is an abundance of zucchini, but I couldn't resist. I used baby zucchini. I feel they have more flavour when not in season. I also added ground coriander seed to brighten it up a bit.
Really nice on crunchy, toasted bread. It makes a nice appetizer or snack.

Jennie Cook's Zucchini Butter
(adapted from food52.com)

2 lbs zucchini, about 5-6 baby zucchini
1/4 olive oil or butter, I used a combination of both
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
salt and pepper

Grate the zucchini and place in a colander for a few minutes. Saute the shallots and garlic in the oil/butter until soft. Wring out as much liquid as you can from the zucchini and add to the pan. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. You want to caramelize the zucchini until soft. The original recipe says 15 minutes but I cooked it for 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve on toast.

m xo

Valentine's Day Dates for My ❤️

I know! I know! There are a lot of cynics out there when it comes to Valentine's Day…it's commercialized, someone else is dictating when you should buy flowers, jewelry and cards, go out to dinner and even declare your affection or love. Bah, humbug!! But I love it! I never say no to flowers, cards and definitely NOT jewelry! Bring it on!
What I don't like is, going out for dinner that night. Too crowded. The food is not that great and too expensive. Why not use that money for jewelry. Ha! I like to stay in and cook a nice meal. My husband usually surprises me with dessert but I thought I'd make a little treat that doesn't break the calorie bank and keep it healthy but still include some sort of chocolate. Another bonus…no baking involved!
If you are anything like me and need something sweet after dinner, these are perfect.

Coconut Date Bites

1 cup medjol dates, pitted
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup shredded coconut, toasted

Place all the ingredients, except the shredded coconut, in a food processor. Pulse until crumbly. Roll teaspoonfuls in your hands to form balls. Press the balls in toasted coconut. Refridgerate for a few minutes. Voila! Ready to eat!

Happy Valentine's Day

m xo

Not Really a Recipe #1... Avocado on Toast

This is not a recipe, just something I wanted to share.

Toast some wholegrain bread. With a fork, mash avocado, place on toast. Top with a poached or sunny side-up egg. Salt and pepper. I sprinkled a little sumac on it to give it some brightness.

If you don't know what sumac is, it's the berry of a bush that grows in the Mediterranean and Middle East. It has a tart, fruity flavour and is used in the same way as lemons. It comes in ground form.

Makes a nice breakfast or light lunch.

Enjoy!

m xo

Marcella's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

As you may or may not have heard, Marcella Hazan, who first properly introduced Italian cooking to Americans, died last year. She was for Italian cooking what Julia Child was for French cooking. They both inspired many professional and amateur cooks, me being one of them.

I kind of came late to the party when it comes to this recipe. People have been praising it for years! One my clients used to and still does rave about a tomato sauce but I didn't know it was THIS tomato sauce. It's from "The Essentials Of Italian Cooking" by Marcella Hazan. So this past weekend I had the opportunity to make it.

The secret to this sauce is very simple: 1 onion and butter. That's it! No fancy ingredients. And you most likely have these in your pantry already.

Just put everything in a pot and simmer. The only word I can think of to describe this sauce is, lush. It tastes lush. It just melts in your mouth. Please give this tomato sauce a try.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter
(from Marcella Hazan's "The Essentials of Italian Cooking")



28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, halved
salt to taste


Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and keep simmering for 45 minutes. Stirring occasionally. I simmered mine for an hour and a half because I had the time. Season with salt. Serve with your choice of pasta

m xo



Pork Meatballs

I love when I got to my local grocery store and there is a big selection of organic or natural meats. There are always the usual cuts of chicken like thighs and breast, but when I find beef and pork cuts, I stock up! There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to make beef stew, going to the grocery and not finding it. So I buy as much I can to fit in my little freezer.
These little meatballs were really tasty and tender. I used grated zucchini and because of that they do give off some water when they are baking. I just drained the tray halfway through and continued baking.
I served these with a yogurt sauce I threw together with what I had on hand.

Pork Meatballs

1 lb. ground pork
2 slices whole grain bread
1/4 cup almond milk
1 small zucchini, grated
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 400F.
Soak the bread in the almond milk. Wring out the grated zucchini to extract most of the water. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Form into 2 inch balls and place on a lightly greased pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Yogurt Sauce

1/2 cup yogurt
a splash of lemon juice
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

Mix everything and serve!

m xo

Johnny's Granola

My husband John's go-to breakfast on the weekend is yogurt and granola. During the week it's a granola bar. No exceptions! He has been having a granola bar for breakfast for as long as I've known him. Only recently has he switched up his weekend breakfast to YOGURT and granola. Not a far stretch, I know. Ahhh, you gotta love him!
Granola is pretty easy to make. It's basically oats, whatever nuts and  dried fruit you like and some spices. I add shredded coconut because John likes it.
The dried fruit and coconut doesn't go in until the granola comes out of the oven, otherwise it would burn.
Just keep on eye on the granola because it could easily burn (or you could forget it) as I learned the hard way one summer. I put a batch in the oven and went out and sat on my stoop right outside the kitchen, chatting with my nieces. As I'm sitting there, I could smell something burning but thought it MUST be one of the neighbours. And I just kept talking and talking. Finally it hit me!! OMG!! My granola! Well needless to say I don't think I made granola for the next year. I was pissed…at myself of course. Hahaha!

Granola with Coconut and Cranberries

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slices almonds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup wheatgerm
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 300F.
Throw all the ingredients except the cranberries and coconut in a bowl and mix until combined. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 45- 55 minutes. Give it a stir after 30 minutes. When it is golden brown and your house smells amazing, it's ready. Take out of the oven and add the dried cranberries and coconut. Cool and store in air tight containers. I store mine in mason jars.

m xo