My Recipe Box - Cooking Class

June 2017 - Toronto ON

 John and I took a cooking class at our local Longo's store. The cost was $35 each and you could add a wine paring for $12 each. We thought this was a great deal for a dinner out and we learned some things as well. This was a gluten free class as well.
We'll definitely be signing up for more.

I've scanned the recipes because I'm too lazy to type them out but you can click on the images to make them larger.

Mushroom Bolognese served over penne pasta (Catelli gluten free). I have been searching for tomato paste in a tube and the chef used this one, Alpino. Of course I find this now, when John just picked up 12 cans at Costco just today!

All the ingredients came from this Longo's.

     

As a bonus the chef had mixed ricotta cheese with feta with salt and pepper to top the pasta.

This was so tasty and a nice change from using meat. I was intrigued by the addition of milk.

2 oz pasta per person is a good rule of thumb.

Next we head North to Egypt where we’ll enjoy roasted snapper and dukkah spiced greens. 

Duqqa, du'ah, do'a, or dukkah is an Egyptian condiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts, and spices. It is typically used as a dip with bread or fresh vegetables for an hors d'œuvre.

The addition of lemon juice to the kale was brilliant! Combined this all tasted delicious.

Finally for dessert, a hint of the tropics with coconut, chocolate and peanut butter squares.
John pronounced these as fantastic. The chef also suggested adding chia seeds and protein powder to have them as a breakfast dish.
You could also add cranberries or other dried fruit. The peanut butter can be switched out for any other kind of nut butter.

My Recipe Box - Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

My step-daughter recently served us a salad from Costco which was delicious.


Since I already had kale and brussels sprouts I made my own version.

2 cups finely shredded kale
2 cups finely shredded Brussels sprouts 
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup chopped feta
Sliced apple with skin
Cucumbers - drained


I made my own salad dressing. Again, use whatever you would like.

There are so many other things you could add, so just use whatever you have lying around.
Cranberries
Pears
Parmesan cheese 
Almonds
Pumpkin seeds

My Recipe Box - Sauteed Kale

Kale is in abundance right now. Give it a good rinse under cold water, then tear it into chunks. If the kale is overly gritty/dirty, soak the kale in cold water for a few minutes.

After you've torn it up, pat it dry with paper towels.

Chop some garlic and onions, any kind you have.

Add olive oil to the pan and saute the onions and garlic  once these brown lightly add the kale. Immediately move it around with a tongs and watch as it shrinks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. It'll only take a couple of minutes and it's ready to eat!

Add chili peppers if that appeals to you. Some recipes add some chicken stock. I've seen capers added but that won't happen in this house.

You could add a slpash of red wine or balsamic vinegar.

I was thinking that almonds would also be a good addition. 

Kale freezes very well so stock up.

Some recipes boil the kale first which doesn't make any sense to me.

Other recipes using kale:

Spanokopitas

Colcannon

My Recipe Box - Spanakopitas

I have made Greek meat pies also known as spanakopitas many times and eaten spinach pies in Greek restaurants. We had a large frozen bag of kale from Costco so I decided to make pies with the kale instead. This recipe is very easy even though it says intermediate.

Dinner Spanakopitas
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved

Prep Time:20 minute active Prep Time: -- Cook Time:1 hr 0 min
Level:
Intermediate this was easy to make
Serves:
12 strudels


Ingredients
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped I omitted
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted I used kale
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Plain dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg Could be increased if you wish

I would also add some oregano and thyme2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups small-diced feta cheese (12 ounces)
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts I omitted
24 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling wouldn't do this again, was too salty for us. I did however, sprinkle them with Parmesan.


Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the scallions, and cook for another 2 minutes until the scallions are wilted but still green. Meanwhile, gently squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a large bowl.

When the onion and scallions are done, add them to the spinach. Mix in the eggs, Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Gently fold in the feta and pine nuts.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough flat on a work surface with the long end in front of you. Brush the dough lightly with butter and sprinkle it with a teaspoon of bread crumbs. Working quickly, slide another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first, brush it with butter, and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. (Use just enough bread crumbs so the layers of phyllo don't stick together.) Pile 4 layers total on top of each other this way, brushing each with butter and sprinkling with bread crumbs. Cut the sheets of phyllo in half lengthwise. Place 1/3 cup spinach filling on the shorter end and roll the phyllo up diagonally as if folding a flag. Then fold the triangle of phyllo over straight and then diagonally again. Continue folding first diagonally and then straight until you reach the end of the sheet. The filling should be totally enclosed. Continue assembling phyllo layers and folding the filling until all of the filling is used. Place on a sheet pan, seam sides down. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with flaked salt, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the phyllo is browned and crisp. Serve hot.

Friday Finds - Recipes

Chicken legs with lemon and oregano

Recipe and image source The Wednesday Chef



Avocado icebox pie


/recipe and image source Cooking on the Side



Key lime yogurt pie


Recipe and image source Cooking on the Side

Kale and goat cheese frittatas

Recipe and image source

Chicken nuggets with honey mustard sauce

Recipe and image source


Egg and tarragon tea sandwiches

Recipe and image source

My Recipe Box - Colcannon

I found this photo over at A good Appetite

This is an old Irish recipe(Irish: cál ceannan – white head) that has many variations on it. It is mainly mashed potatoes with raw onions and spinach (or kale or cabbage) mixed in with the potatoes.

Make your mashed potatoes as you usually do.
Have the vegetable of your choice cleaned and boiled just until done, it will vary depending on what you use.
Chop onions.
After potatoes are mashed, mix in the cooked vegetable with the raw onions.

Delicious with ham or pork chops or even with a fried egg on top!


I had some leftover colcannon and I used it on top of a shepherd's pie and it was delicious plus added an extra vegetable to our meal.

There are many other takes on this simple recipe.
The Healthy Irishman has a version on his blog.
Gavan Murphy The Healthy Irishman did a healthier version on Paula Deen's show. He used chicken broth to replace the milk and butter.
Gavan also did another recipe using swiss chard, kale and collards.