Pasta with Broccoli, Pecans, Lemon and Feta

Excuse the terribly lit photo, and see it's tasty potential. This is a pasta dish I discovered a long time ago and have been making ever since. And I don't re-make a ton of recipes. I just love the combination of lemon, toasted pecans and feta. Add in the broccoli, leeks, and pasta and it's one of my favourite meals.

I'm trying to infuse more positivity into my life, so throughout the day I add to a note file on my phone things that make me happy or that I'm grateful for. I've tried the thing of writing down 5 things at the end of the day, but so far I like doing it all throughout the day because it keeps me constantly searching for something positive instead of dwelling on negative things.

Some things on my list so far are seeing farm animals during the day, snow capped mountains, non squeaking windshield wipers, Abby's (my cat) floppy sleepy body, having a husband who's willing to eat anything I make, and getting home when it's still sunny out. What are some good things in your day so far?

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Roasted Vegetable Tomato Sauce on Penne
Quick Vegan Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
Pasta with French Lentils and Kale
Red and White Tortellini

Pasta with Broccoli, Pecans, Lemon and Feta
Adapted from Entertaining for a Veggie Planet

Note: I edited the olive oil. The original recipe has 1/4 cup, but I usually use less like 2 tbsp.

Serves 4 to 5

1 bunch broccoli, stems and crown, cut into 1 inch pieces
3/4 lb whole wheat pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise and washed well
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the leek until translucent, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the broccoli and red pepper flakes and heat through.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind, juice and pecans. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sauce and feta to the hot pasta and cooking water, toss to coat well.

Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons

I started a new job last week which I'm super excited about! I have a long commute - about 3 hours total a day - so I plan to try and cook and prepare as much as I can for the week on Sundays. I figure with some organization I should still be able to easily have healthy home cooked meals, and have time to exercise on week nights too. Anyway, I just wanted to share my news. :)

I made this in the summer when we had an abundance of amazing tomatoes from our CSA. I know tomatoes aren't in season now but I think it'd still be delicious, and would be a great addition to a big family meal. Or something comforting and warm to eat at home. The garlic, basil and Parmesan cheese make this tomato bread dish into something really flavourful. I found it quite rich and strong tasting, which was great, but it's definitely best eaten alongside something else like a salad.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Tomato Corn Pie
Pan-Roasted Cauliflower
Tarragon Pecan Asparagus
Cauliflower Gratin

Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted from Ina Garten

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices whole grain bread (I used Silver Hills), cut into 1/2" pieces
2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly slivered basil leaves, lightly packed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium. Add the bread cubes and stir so that they are evenly coated with oil. Cook cubes, tossing frequently, until toasty on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are toasted, add the tomato mixture and cook them together, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the basil. Pour into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.

Tex-Mex Stuffed Portabellos

I found out yesterday that I passed my certification exam! Hurray! I'm sure there are more stressful certification exams but the oral situational exam was definitely tough for this one. But it's over. I'm so happy!! :)

The green in the green onion looks too bright and kind of out of place, but it definitely adds to the deliciousness. (The green onion, not the green.)

I'm sharing this recipe with you not because I thought it was the most amazing food ever, but because I love the idea and think with some tweaks it would be really yummy. Mostly I would just increase the level of spices (coriander, cumin and paprika). I love the combination of onions, bell peppers, toamto, cheese, mushrooms, and green onions.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Swiss Rarebit
Red and White Tortellini
Black Bean and Zucchini Chilaquiles
Southwest Brunch Bake

Tex-Mex Stuffed Portabellos
Adapted from The Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp chipotle powder
1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped (2 to 2 1/2 cups)
1 tsp ground coriander (I would use 2 tsp next time)
1 tsp ground cumin (I would use 2 tsp next time)
1/2 tsp paprika (I would use 1 tsp next time)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 fresh roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced (about 1 cup)
6 oz monterey jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
4 large portabello mushrooms (4 to 5 inches in diameter)
minced green onions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a skillet on medium-high heat, cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the chipotle powder and bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the peppers are tender but still firm. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes and two-thirds of the cheese.

3. Break off the stems of the portabellos and save them for another use or discard. Rinse the caps (gently so they don't break), and place smooth side down in a lightly oiled baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Mound each mushroom with about a cup of the filling. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cover the baking dish with foil folded lengthwise to form a little tent so that the foil won't stick to the cheese.

4. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese browns, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve topped with green onions.

Wheat Berry Salad with Zucchini and Mozzarella

There was a time when I used to try to take better photos for my blog. I had a white piece of poster board that I would always get out. Not that my photos are amazing, but I did try to make them decent. However now it's just taking a photo as quick as I can. I thought it might be interesting to take a photo on my dining table. At the time it was covered with cookbooks to protect the puzzle underneath from Abby's curious paws. There's a laptop in the corner, our house phone (how many people even have one anymore?), and a recipe I printed out in the top left corner. A little piece of my world.

While I made this salad in the summer, I think it'd be great this time of year too. You can have everything warm and then put it on top of the lettuce. My favourite things about this salad are the radishes (which I never think to buy or add to salads but add such a nice crunch and flavour) and the wheat berries (oh how I love the chewiness). The salad also has walnuts (originally pine nuts but holy those are expensive), zucchini of course, roasted bell peppers, lettuce, garlic, dill, mozzarella cubes (yum) and vinegar. It was best on the first day - probably because I didn't keep the lettuce out, which I would highly recommend you do if you aren't going to finish the whole thing in one day.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
High Protein Quinoa Almond Fruit Salad
Warm Roasted Pumpkin & Shallot Salad
Know Your Roots Salad
Back On Track Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad

Wheat Berry Salad with Zucchini and Mozzarella
Adapted from Eats Well With Others who adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook

Serves 4-5

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 lb zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
1 cup raw wheat berries
3 roasted red bell peppers, cut into strips
6 radishes, sliced thinly
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped (I would add more next time)
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup cubed mozzarella

1. Add 2 1/2 cups water to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the wheat berries. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until tender but still a bit chewy. Drain any excess water and set aside. This step can be done in advance and the wheat berries can be refrigerated.

2. Turn on the broiler. The heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Brush the zucchini with the 1 tbsp oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and broil, turning as needed, until lightly charred on both sides and beginning to soften, 5 minutes or more. When they're cool enough to handle, cut the zucchini into chunks or slices.

3. Toss together the zucchini, wheat berries, roasted red peppers, radishes, lettuce, and dill in a large salad bowl. Add the vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Toss with mozzarella. If you don't plan on finishing the salad the day you make it, keep the lettuce out and add it just before serving.

Thanksgiving! Featuring Sweet Potatoes with Pecans, Goat Cheese and Celery

I hope all the Canadians had a great Thanksgiving this past weekend! I was so ridiculously excited for Thanksgiving this year for some reason. My mom and I planned an epic feast with appetizers, punch, lots of of side dishes, and desserts. I'll be sharing the recipe for the sweet potato appetizer E made as it was my favourite new thing we tried. Looking at the photos on the camera now I see that some of them are actually quite blurry, but I wanted to eat and was taking them mostly for documentation purposes! :) Let's begin our journey through Thanksgiving 2011.

Appetizer - sweet potatoes with Thanksgiving on top. I ate way too many of these because they were so good, and then was worried I wouldn't be able to eat much at dinner. The topping was so flavourful and perfect for a holiday meal - shallots, celery, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and herbs. Next time I'd try to fit more topping on each sweet potato, though it's kind of difficult and messy. Will definitely make these again! I've included the recipe at the end of this post.

Appetizer - cranberry cheese phyllo parcels, made by my mom. I just tried to find the recipe online but couldn't. She got it out of a Canadian Living holiday magazine I think. They were really yummy!

Punch! I don't actually like punch and almost always drink water, but I thought punch would be fun and I wanted to make neat ice cubes. I was going to make an ice ring with frozen fruit inside, but then decided to use my Halloween pumpkin silicon muffin mould instead. Don't think you can really see the pumpkin ice cubes in this photo though.

The table ready for dinner. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes (yummy but needed more roasted garlic - maybe 6 heads next time?), brussel sprouts, and homemade cranberry sauce.

Beets, salad, baked cheesy cauliflower, vegan gravy, and vegetarian stuffing. I really need to post about that baked cheesy cauliflower sometime as it's a family favourite. I made the vegan gravy from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan because Angela said it was really good. It was alright but I've had better vegan gravy, like this shiitake one that I need to make again and then post about. (There was also turkey, meat gravy, and sausage stuffing.)

Vegan green bean casserole. I've been dying to try making this for so long. Unfortunately I didn't think it was that good. Maybe because the mushroom sauce wasn't that flavourful or there wasn't enough sauce? I used this recipe from Fat Free Vegan. I used 3 tbsp flour instead of 2, unsweetened plain soy milk instead of soy creamer, and omitted the sherry.

My plate! Yum yum yum. Going clockwise from the bottom left corner - vegan green bean casserole, vegetarian stuffing (YUM stuffing is my favourite), roasted garlic mashed potatoes with vegan gravy, beets, baked cheesy cauliflower, carrots, brussel sprouts, salad, and homemade cranberry sauce.

Dessert! My brother and sister-in-law made sex in a pan, which I've never had before so was really excited to try. And I made pumpkin cheesecake.

I was really happy with how the pumpkin cheesecake turned out. I won't pretend that I can always make cheesecake this well though. A lot of times it cracks and the edges are a bit rubbery. Not this time. It was perfection. So creamy. What I did differently is used mini cheesecake pans (so I baked them for a shorter amount of time) and used a water bath. I posted a bit more of the details on my original pumpkin cheesecake post.

And thus concludes Thanksgiving 2011. We brought home tons of leftovers and I'm so looking forward to eating them all week.

Sweet Potatoes with Pecans, Goat Cheese and Celery [a.k.a. Roasted Marshmallow-y Sweet Potatoes with Thanksgiving on Top]
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 pounds sweet potato, scrubbed, unpeeled, in 3/4- to 1-inch coins
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup toasted and cooled pecan halves
2 tiny or 1 small shallot
2 stalks celery
2 tsp herbes de provence (original recipe used 2 tbsp fresh parsley)
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
2 ounces firmish goat cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450F. Coat a large baking sheet generously with olive oil, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Lay sweet potatoes in one layer on the oiled sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, without disturbing, for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully flip each piece: the undersides should be blistery, dark and a bit puffy and should release from the pan with no effort. If they’re not, let it cook longer. Sprinkle them with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper and return the pan to the oven for another 10-30 minutes or so, until the undersides match the tops. (Ashley note: E was the one that made these, and he said that he had to bake the sweet potatoes a lot longer than the recipe suggested so that's why I changed it to 10-30 minutes.)

Meanwhile, prepare your salad. Chop your pecans well, mince your shallot, chop your celery, mince cranberries. Crumble your goat cheese and stir it into the mixture. In a small dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon. Pour over salad.

When the sweet potatoes are done, lay them on a serving platter. Scoop a spoonful of the salsa over each round. Eat immediately. (Ashley note: We baked the sweet potato earlier in the day and kept the salad separate, then reheated the sweet potato just before serving and topped with salad.)

Red and White Tortellini

This baked tortellini dish is a favourite in our family. You spread homemade tomato sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish, top it with tortellini in a mushroom parmesan sauce, then sprinkle on some mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese and bake. What's not to love about that! This is a great dish if you're having people over, or need something to take to a potluck. Though we made it on a weeknight and enjoyed leftovers the rest of the week!

I know I said I'd post wedding photos ages ago but it's been hard for me to pick which ones to post! For now I'll share one of my favourites.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Chuck's Favourite Mac and Cheese
Portabello Fettuccine with Spinach Pesto, Roasted Peppers & Romano Cheese
Asparagus and Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Tarragon
Spaghetti All'Arrabbiata with Crispy Garlic Crumbs

Red and White Tortellini
Adapted from The Best of The Best and More

Serves 4-6

Tomato Sauce
1 tsp oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
14 oz. (398 ml) can tomato sauce

12 oz. (340 g.) tortellini, fresh or frozen

Mushroom Parmesan Sauce
1 tbsp butter
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
grated parmesan cheese

To make tomato sauce: Heat oil on medium and saute garlic and onion until tender. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Cook tortellini according to package directions.

To make mushroom sauce: Melt butter and saute mushrooms and green onion until tender. Sprinkle with flour and gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens to consistency of mushroom soup. Remove from heat. Stir in parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Add mushroom parmesan sauce to cooked, drained tortellini.

To Serve: Preheat oven to 400F. Spread tomato sauce over bottom of a large shallow casserole. Spoon tortellini mushroom mixture on top leaving a red border of tomato sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and additional parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven about 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden. Serve immediately.

Pull-Apart Cheesy Onion Bread

I love any sort of pull apart bread. So when I saw this savoury version of pull apart bread (!!!) I made immediate plans to bake it. Onion is cooked in lots of butter. A quick bread dough (no yeast involved) is rolled out and cut into rectangles. Each rectangle is topped with an onion/poppy seed/Gruyere cheese mixture. Next the rectangles are ever so carefully stacked (there are 10 of them! It's a topsy turvy tower), then squished into a loaf pan and baked.

The end result is good, though honestly not as magical as I'd hoped. There's so much "stuff" (onions and cheese), that it doesn't quite stick to the dough and is more like slices of cheese/onion bread (nothing wrong with that!) So I was thinking it might be even more delicious if some of the onions (or most?) are mixed into the dough.

If this sounds good, you might like:
Yorkshire Pudding
Light Brioche Burger Buns
Cheddar & Dill Beer Bread Rolls
Peppered Pear and Goat Cheese Scones

Pull-Apart Cheesy Onion Bread
Adapted from Food & Wine, found on Dana Treat

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, 1 stick cubed
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup coarsely shredded Gruyère cheese (3 ounces)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425F. Butter a 9"x5" loaf pan. In a large pan, melt the 1/2 stick of uncubed butter; pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into a small bowl and reserve. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds and season with salt and pepper. Scrape the onion mixture onto a plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes, until cooled slightly. Stir in the Gruyère.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the cubed butter and pulse until it is the size of small peas. Add the buttermilk and pulse 5 or 6 times, just until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Pat or roll the dough into a 2-by-24-inch rectangle. Spread the onion mixture evenly on top. Cut the dough crosswise into 10 pieces. Stack 9 pieces onion side up, then top with the final piece, onion-side down. It's difficult to move the whole stack to the pan, so I'd recommend doing half at a time. Carefully lay the stack in the prepared loaf pan and brush with the reserved 2 tbsp of butter.

Bake the loaf in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until it is golden and risen. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding and serving.

Pasta with Ruby Chard and Cranberries

This pasta with ruby chard, cranberries, toasted walnuts, lots of garlic, and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese is one of my new favourite things to eat. I've never been one to toast walnuts when a recipe calls for it because I didn't used to think it would make a huge difference. What was I thinking??! The toasted walnuts add something amazing to this dish. It seems like such a simple pasta dish yet is really flavourful and addictive. I might use even less pasta next time (I already reduce it from the original amount) as I love having lots of "stuff" versus pasta.

We just joined an organic vegetable CSA and I have a feeling we'll be getting a lot of greens, so I know I'll be making this pasta many times this summer. We just picked up our first allotment last weekend and I was thrilled to see tons of chard - regular, ruby and yellow. We also got a bunch of kale (delicious in smoothies!), 2 beautiful heads of lettuce, 2 beets, and some seedlings (basils and hot peppers). I planted the hot peppers but didn't have enough soil for the basil, so hopefully they don't die before I can get some more soil to plant them. I'm completely in love with all of the vegetables we received and even enjoyed washing and chopping them. It gave me more time to admire their perfection - especially the precious lettuce. I may be a crazy vegetable person.

Giant bag of greens and beets.


Beets, chard stems, chard, kale and beet greens.


2 heads of lettuce.


The most beautiful little beet leaf there ever was.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Last Minute Sesame Noodles
Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill and Lemon
Asparagus and Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Tarragon
Spaghetti All'Arrabbiata with Crispy Garlic Crumbs

Pasta with Ruby Chard and Cranberries
Adapted from Eats Well With Others who adapted from The Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health

Serves 4-6

1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 lb whole grain pasta (my favourite is linguine)
2 to 3 bunches ruby or red swiss chard (1.5-2 lb)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it comes to a rapid boil, ladle a few tbsp of it into a bowl. Add the dried cranberries and set aside to soak. Cook the pasta until al dente and drain.

2. While the water heats, rinse the chard and remove the bottom 1/2 inch of the stems. Discard. Cut the remaining stems crosswise into 1/2 inch slices and set aside. Chop the leaves. Set aside.

3. While the pasta cooks, warm the oil in a large soup pot on high heat. Add the chard stems and saute for a minute. Add the garlic and the chard leaves and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until the chard is limp but the leaves are still bright green, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt. Add a sprinkling of black peper and red pepper flakes to taste.

4. Drain the soaked cranberries. Divide the pasta into serving bowls and top with the garlicky chard, plump hot cranberries, and toasted walnuts. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Chuck's Favourite Mac and Cheese

From the picture, this looks like it could be some sort of sweet crumbley bar, but it's a slice of macaroni and cheese! I've heard about macaroni and cheese made with cottage cheese but have never tried it. I had some leftover in my fridge (I never buy cottage cheese), so knew it was my opportunity to try it out! I found this super simple recipe that combines cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and sour cream with pasta, then is baked with buttery panko on top. It was amazing! Not something I'd make all the time as it's not the healthiest, but we both really enjoyed it. It's good reheated but not as good as when you first make it, so I would half the recipe if you think you'll have a ton of leftovers.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Mediterranean Macaroni and Cheese
Asparagus and Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Tarragon
Portabello Fettuccine with Spinach Pesto, Roasted Peppers & Romano Cheese
Audrey's Deluxe Mac & Cheese with Crispy Pine-Nut Herb Crust

Chuck's Favorite Mac and Cheese
Adapted from MRSO at AllRecipes

8 oz macaroni
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
12 oz small curd cottage cheese
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup panko
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.

In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

This dip is just completely phenomenal, and the best cheese dip I've ever had. It's amazing when it's hot out of the oven, and maybe even better when it's cooled down to room temperature. It tastes just like a jalapeño popper - though I like this dip better. And while it does have a distinct jalapeño flavour, it's not too spicy. My favourite things to dip were celery sticks and pita chips!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Roasted Red Pepper & Almond Hummus
Cheddar Ale Dip
Pan-Fried Onion Dip
Grape Tomato Salsa

Jalapeño Popper Dip
Adapted from My Baking Addiction

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
4 ounces canned diced jalapeño peppers, drained
1 cup grated jalapeño Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.

Using an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in green chilies, jalapeño peppers, and Monterey Jack cheese. Spoon this mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Mix together the Panko and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle it over the cream cheese mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the topping is lightly browned.

Goat Cheese and Herbes de Province Biscotti

Alright, this is the last of my goat cheese recipes for a while! I bought a Costco size block of it and making these scones twice and this salad left just the perfect amount (2 ounces) for me to make this delicious savoury biscotti. The goat cheese is combined with herbes de Provence (one of my favourite things and used in one of my favourite salads) resulting in a shortbread-like textured biscotti. The goat cheese taste isn't prominent but I'm sure it's responsible for contributing to the overall amazingness of the biscotti. Fresh out of the oven was the best time to eat them when the edges were crisp (oh crisp edges, how I love thee), but they're still good days later. I haven't forgotten about posting wedding photos, but there's 1400+ to choose from so it's taking me some time haha. :)

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Chile-Cheese Bread
Sun-Dried Tomato, Feta and Oregano Muffins
A Dilly of a Cheese Scone
Cheese Straws

Goat Cheese and Herbes de Province Biscotti
Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis, found on Pink Parsley

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350F, and position the rack in the middle position. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, herbs de Provence, baking powder, and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the goat cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs and sugar, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until just combined.

Turn out dough onto the baking sheet. Using damp hands, shape the dough into a 13 x 4 inch log. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Cool on a baking sheet for 30 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, cut the log on the diagonal into 1/2 to 1 inch slices. If you slice them closer to 1 inch thick, the insides remain soft. Slice thinner if you want them to be more firm.) Transfer slices to the baking sheet, cut side down.

Bake an additional 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Spiced Squash, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad

I've never been a big fan of goat cheese (it always tasted like blue cheese to me which I don't usually like), but it's really starting to grow on me. I wouldn't sit down and eat it on its own, but mixed into things like this salad or these scones, it can be quite nice. I enjoyed this salad, though wouldn't say it's a new favourite. It kind of reminded me of this Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad. I think I might not be a fan of lentils in salad. Or maybe I like my leafy salads leafy, and my lentil/bean salads grainy. However, I really liked the smoked paprika roasted butternut squash in this salad. It smelled amazing when it was baking. I think anything coated and baked in smoked paprika would be delicious!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Warm Roasted Pumpkin & Shallot Salad
Potato Salad Niçoise
Greek Barley Salad
Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill and Lemon

Spiced Squash, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad
Adapted from Bon Appétit | October 2009 by Ross Dobson

Makes 6 servings

3/4 cup green lentils
6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded butternut squash (from about one 2-pound whole squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups mixed greens
1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.

Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.

Garlic Cheese Bread

This is definitely not the glamorous photo this cheese bread deserves! Because it is just completely perfect, delicious, gooey, cheesy, and flavourful. I've never made cheese bread with mayonnaise before - turns out it's an excellent addition. The original recipe suggests that it serves 4, but I don't recommend eating 1 serving of this, unless you eat it with a giant plate of raw vegetables, as we did one night. So basically what I'm saying is you have to try it, but make it when you're serving lots of people or have lots of raw vegetables!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Mediterranean Macaroni & Cheese
Chile-Cheese Bread
Sun Dried Tomato, Feta and Oregano Muffins
Flatbread with Caramelized Onions and Brie

Garlic Cheese Bread
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 6-8

3 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cups mayonnaise
4 green onions, minced
1 loaf crusty French bread
8 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, finely minced

Mix cheeses with the mayonnaise and the green onions. Set aside or keep in fridge until you need it.

Cut loaf of bread in half, then each half into half again. Working 1/4 loaf at a time, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add 1/4 of the minced garlic. Place 1 of the 1/4 loaves face down in the skillet, swirling it to soak up the butter and garlic. Allow bread to toast in the skillet, removing garlic if it starts to get too brown.

Repeat with remaining butter, garlic, and bread.

Spread cheese mixture on warm loaves and bake in a 425F oven until cheese is hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Peppered Pear and Goat Cheese Scones

I could eat scones everyday. However I try to mix them up with lots of healthy muffins. And then sometimes I try and take not so healthy scones like this one and make them healthier. Sometimes it fails, like this time. (Other times it doesn't, like with these dill cheese scones.) I didn't even change that much - I just tried to use half whole wheat flour. And the scones turned out dry.

So of course I had to make them again, the original way. And while the unbaked dough was still really crumbly and hard to form into mounds, the resulting scones were soft and moist with nice crisp edges. The flavour combination in these scones - pepper, pear, goat cheese - was wonderful. I love pepper in savoury baked goods. So while it all worked out in the end and I did like the scones, I won't likely be making them again because I don't know about you, but crumbly dough really aggravates me!

Abby's new favourite sleeping spot (the back of a couch cushion).

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Tomato Rosemary Scones
A Dilly of a Cheese Scone
Cheddar and Black Pepper Scones
Apple Cheddar Scones

Peppered Pear and Goat Cheese Scones
Adapted from Savory Baking

Makes 6 scones

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium pear, peeled, cored, and diced
4 ounces goat cheese, broken into large walnut-size pieces
1/2 cup 2% plain yogurt
2 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and stir together. Add the butter and break it into pea-size pieces with your fingertips. Sprinkle the pear pieces and crumbled goat cheese over the top of the flour mixture and gently toss together, being careful not to break the cheese into smaller pieces.

Soften the yogurt by whisking in the milk. Pour the yogurt over the flour mixture and gently blend the ingredients together with a spatula, being careful not to break up the cheese. The dough may look slightly dry, but it will produce a moist scone. Divide the dough into six equal mounds on the baking sheet, leaving about a 1inch space between each to allow for slight spreading.

Place the baking pan in the center of the oven and bake until lightly brown, about 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the scones on a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cauliflower and Parmesan Cake

I loved the idea of this cauliflower and Parmesan cake when I saw it on Smitten Kitchen. Since then I've seen so many Ottolenghi recipes on blogs, many of which I want to try! I thought this savoury cake was good but not amazing. Fresh herbs may help to bring it to that next level (I used dried though the recipe calls for fresh). It's something different and fun to try though and I loved eating it with a big salad.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Savoury Vegetable Cheesecake
Butternut Squash Casserole
Tomato and Corn Pie
Tracy's Lentil Loaf

Cauliflower and Parmesan Cake
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4 to 6

1 medium cauliflower (1 1/2 pounds, 23 to 24 ounces or 650 to 700grams)
1 large red onion, peeled
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
10 medium or 8 large eggs
1 tsp dried basil
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups (about 220 grams) finely grated parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper
Butter, for greasing pan
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) degrees. Break cauliflower into medium florets (this will cause less mess than chopping it). Place floret in a pot with a teaspoon of salt, cover them with water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until quite soft. Strain and let drip in the colander for a few minutes so they dry and cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the batter. Halve your red onion and cut a few thin rings off the end of one side; set them aside. Coarsely chop the remainder of your onion. Heat all of your olive oil in a saucepan and saute the chopped red onion and rosemary together until soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Whisk eggs and olive oil and onion mixture together. Stir in basil. Whisk flour, baking powder, turmeric, cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (use 1 teaspoon if you are nervous about this amount) and many, many grinds of black pepper together in a separate bowl and add to egg mixture, whisking to remove lumps. Stir in cauliflower gently, so most pieces remain intact.

Line the bottom of a 9-inch (24cm) round springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the sides generously. Put the sesame seeds in the pan and toss them around so that they stick to the sides. Pour in the cauliflower batter, arrange the reserved onion rings on top and bake cake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes, until golden brown and set.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Before you serve the cake, be sure to run a knife around the pan.

Mediterranean Macaroni and Cheese

I love trying out different versions of macaroni and cheese so I was excited to hear about this Mediterranean version my classmate had made. It has tomatoes, olives, oregano and feta so how can you go wrong. And of course it was delicious.

The other night I went to a chocolate tasting at a local chocolate shop. I had a coupon for the tasting plus a box of 16 chocolates. In addition to the box of chocolates, I couldn't help but come home with a few unique bars! One of them is made in the shop - blue corn tortilla chips & lime. The other two are made by an Austrian company called zotter. One flavour is peanuts & ketchup, and the other is port wine, celeriac and truffles. How could I not try those?! And there are a ton of other interesting flavours I want to try. Apparently they have a bar with olives in it that's really good.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Audrey's Deluxe Mac & Cheese (with Crispy Pine-Nut Herb Crust
Asparagus and Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Tarragon
Spaghetti All'Arrabbiata with Crispy Garlic Crumbs
Asparagus and Feta Pasta

Mediterranean Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Everyday Food, April 2010

Serves 6

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (I'd use more next time)
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
8 ounces feta, crumbled
Coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Set a large pot of salted water to boil and get out an 8 inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, and oregano.

2. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions; drain pasta and return to pot. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens, 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in 4 ounces feta. Stir in tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over pasta; stir to combine.

3. Pour pasta mixture into dish and top with 4 ounces feta. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese begins to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad

If I were given the choice between beans and lentils, most of the time I'd pick lentils. And as a vegetarian I definitely need to be picking at least one of them! Sadly, I don't seem to come across many lentil recipes. At least not compared to bean recipes. (So please share your favourite lentil recipes with me!)

So one day I went searching for lentil recipes and came across this one on Epicurious. Looking at the ingredient list I was kind of skeptical (mint mixed with the arugula for the greens? no real added flavour except for salt, pepper, vinegar and garlic?) but it got really good reviews so I gave it a try. And I liked it. It's just a nice, fresh salad that's great to eat as a meal. The flavours are simple with salt, pepper, vinegar and garlic but it's good. And this salad can easily be made vegan by omitting the feta.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Greek Barley Salad
Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill and Lemon
Broccoli Slaw
Portobello Salad with Mustard Dressing

Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad
Adapted from Gourmet | September 1995

1 cup brown lentils
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 bunch arugula, stems discarded and leaves washed well, spun dry, and chopped
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 pound feta, crumbled or chopped (about 1 cup)

In a small saucepan simmer lentils in water to cover by 2 inches until tender but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes, and drain well. Transfer hot lentils to a bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Cool lentils completely, stirring occasionally.

In a saucepan bring water to a boil and add couscous and salt. Remove pan from heat and let couscous stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and cool completely, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl whisk together garlic paste, remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir lentils and dressing into couscous. Chill salad, covered, at least 3 hours and up to 24.

Just before serving, stir in remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Black Bean and Zucchini Chilaquiles

I've made chilaquiles before, but the last time was with crushed tortilla chips. While I did really like that black bean chilaquile, I think I prefer this one which uses corn tortillas. Oh corn tortillas, how I love you. This is basically a Mexican casserole. Black beans, zucchini, chilies, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, cheese. Mmm. I'll be making it again for sure. It's really hard to find good and relatively healthy vegetarian casseroles, as I've lamented before.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Frijoles, Etc. Casserole
Summer Strata with Spinach, Basil & Roasted Garlic Custard
Southwest Brunch Bake
Butternut Squash Casserole

Black Bean and Zucchini Chilaquiles
Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook (found on Epicurious)

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, diced
One 28-ounce can crushed or puréed tomatoes
1 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
One 16- to 20-ounce can black beans or 2 1/2 cups cooked black beans (from about 1 cup dried)
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 small fresh hot chile pepper, seeded and minced
12 6-inch corn tortillas, torn or cut into several pieces
8 ounces grated Cheddar cheese
Green onions, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 9- by 13-inch baking pan or 2-quart round casserole (optional).

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Sauté the onion until translucent. Add the bell pepper and continue to sauté until it has softened and the onions are golden. Stir in the tomatoes, seasonings, beans, zucchini, and chile pepper. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently for 5 minutes.

3. Layer as follows in the prepared pan. Half the tortillas, half the tomato black bean mixture, and half the cheese. Repeat. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

Summer Strata with Spinach, Basil & Roasted Garlic Custard

Not too long ago I made this southwest brunch bake for mother's day brunch, but I had initially wanted to make this summer strata. The strata is more work though with caramelizing onions, roasting garlic, washing and cooking spinach, etc whereas the southwest brunch bake is pretty much dump and mix. I don't mind doing the bit of extra work for this strata, but when I had to prepare a few other dishes, I went with the simpler southwest brunch bake! However, this summer strata is super yummy and flavourful, and I'm really happy I tried it out for a weeknight meal. The only thing I'd change is to use less milk, as the bread was a bit soggy for my liking.

Also, I hope you guys didn't miss out on seeing this seriously amazing chile-cheese bread I just posted about. It would be sad if you did because it was one of the best things I've eaten this year!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Southwest Brunch Bake
Savoury Vegetable Cheesecake
Butternut Squash Casserole
Tomato and Corn Pie

Summer Strata with Spinach, Basil & Roasted Garlic Custard
Adapted from Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook

Serves 8-12

Caramelized Onions
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 yellow onions, sliced or diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup vegetable stock or water
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
1 tsp minced fresh thyme, sage or rosemary

Filling
1 lb sourdough loaf, cut into 3/4" cubes (I think you can use whatever bread you want here)
2 bunches of spinach, wilted, squeezed and chopped
1 recipe caramelized onions
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (not oil packed)
1/2 cup chopped basil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese

Custard
6 eggs
3 cups milk (I used 1%, and will use less milk next time)
2 bulbs roasted garlic, mashed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper

Caramelized Onions
1. Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter begins to foam. Add the onions and stir to coat. Add salt and cook for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2. Sprinkle in the sugar and wine and reduce until the liquid has evaporated. Add stock, vinegar, pepper and herbs. Cook gently until the stock is reduced and the onions reach a creamy texture.

Filling and Custard
1. Prepare all of the ingredients for the filling. Soak the sundried tomatoes until soft, strain and chop coarsely.

2. To make the custard, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, cream, mashed roasted garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in the bread cubes, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Stir occasionally to ensure that all of the bread is evenly soaked. Stir in the remaining ingredients, reserving half of the grated cheese.

3. Heat the oven to 350F. Butter or oil a 9"x13" baking dish and scoop the bread pudding mixture into it. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese and bake until crusty, golden brown and just set in the middle (about 45 minutes). Let stand for several minutes, cut into squares and serve.

Chile-Cheese Bread

I always have this plan to update my blog every 2-3 days. Sometimes I do it but sometimes life just gets distracting. I'm amazed at the healthy living bloggers who are able to update their blog several times a day and still seem to lead very busy lives! Anyway, now let's talk about this chile-cheese bread. Because it is one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. Ever. It is so incredibly flavourful I can't even describe it. Cheddar cheese, black pepper, canned green chiles, fresh jalapeno pepper, red bell pepper. SO good oh my. Just make it. And have you heard of the Savory Baking cookbook? I want to make pretty much everything in it.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Cheddar & Dill Beer Bread Rolls
A Dilly of a Cheese Scone
Cheddar and Black Pepper Scones
Sun Dried Tomato, Feta and Oregano Muffins

Chile-Cheese Bread
Adapted from Savory Baking (found on montcarte from Pink Parsley)

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt (I'd use 1/2 tsp next time)
4 ounces (1 cup) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained (Though I couldn't figure out how to effectively drain it so just dumped it in)
3 Tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno chile, veined and seeded
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

Preheat the oven to 375F, and grease or spray an 8x3 inch loaf pan.

Sift together the flour, salt, pepper, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add the cheese and gently toss and stir until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Whisk the milk, oil, egg, green chiles, jalapeno, and red bell pepper in another bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and cheese mixture, and pour the milk mixture in the center. Briefly blend with a spatula, only until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and place in the oven. Bake until the top is golden-brown, and springs back when touched in the center, about 45-50 minutes (mine needed more time). Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and cool completely.