Year Round Recipes

[Anna Michele]

RECIPE: Nachos with Roasted Summer Tomatoes
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 bag of your favourite tortilla chips
200g aged cheddar, grated
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)



Preheat your oven to 425°F. You need about 2 pints of tomatoes; you can use your own garden tomatoes or anything from the market or grocery store. Toss them in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure everything in well-coated. Don’t forget: mixing is a fun “kid” job.



Line a cookie tray with parchment paper (to avoid messy cleanup) and spread out the tomatoes. Put them in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until they’ve shrivelled up on the tray. They can be a little brown and caramelized on the exterior — it just adds to the flavour. Set aside the tomato tray, and keep the oven on.


Pour your tortilla chips onto another parchment-lined tray.



Sprinkle the tortilla chips with approx. 200g of grated aged cheddar. (Another fun “kiddie” job. See how much joy can result from putting the kids to work?) You may be a cheese-indulgent family, so feel free to add more cheese if you think I’m being chintzy. Sprinkle with diced green pepper and put into the oven until the cheese melts (4-5 minutes).


Once the nachos come out, spoon the roasted, room-temperature tomatoes all over and serve. Don’t forget some sour cream on the side for dipping.


Now? Forget about making dinner — who’s going to be hungry?

RECIPE: Nachos with Roasted Summer Tomatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 bag of your favourite tortilla chips
200g aged cheddar, grated
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Put the washed and dried cherry tomatoes in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper until well-coated. Season to your own taste.
3. Put the tomatoes on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and into the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and starting to wrinkle. They will caramelize a little on the exterior. Set aside. Leave the oven on.
4. Fill another parchment-lined cookie sheet with tortilla chips. Sprinkle them with the grated cheddar and the then the diced green pepper. Put into the oven until the cheese has melted (4-5 minutes).
5. Spoon the warm tomatoes over the nachos and serve with sour cream.

[Anna Michele]

Pita Pizza Rounds


Preparation time:
Cooking time:
Yield: 12
Ingredients

• 24 mini-pita bread rounds
• 1 can (7 1/2 oz/213ml) pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) thinly sliced prosciutto
• 1 cup (250 ml) fresh sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups (500 ml) shredded Canadian mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Canadian parmesan cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
• Place the bread, hollow side up, on the baking sheet. Spread equal amounts of pizza sauce over the crusts. Distribute the green pepper and mushrooms (or any other of your favourite pizza ingredients) equally over the crusts. Top with Canadian Mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Canadian Parmesan cheese. Add the prosciutto strips.
• Bake 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
• Tip: Chopped black olives or anchovy paste (or both!) will give a true taste of the Mediterranean to your Pita Pizza Rounds.

[Anna Michele]

Roasted Root Veggie Platter


Preparation time:
Cooking time:
Yield: 10
Ingredients

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Veggie Platter

• 4 small waxy potatoes
• 3 small onions
• 3 large carrots
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 small head cauliflower
• 1 celery root
• 1 head garlic
• 2 parsnips
• 4 small beets
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• black pepper
• chopped parsley to garnish

Directions

Dressing

• Combine ingredients and set aside.

Veggie Platter

• Veggies can be trimmed, blanched and oiled earlier in the day and kept covered at room temperature until roasting time. Note: different veggies are peeled or left unpeeled, plus parsnips and beets blanch for different lengths of times.
• Peel potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks. Peel onions, keep whole for time-being. Peel carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks. Peel sweet potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks. Cut cauliflower into 2-inch chunks. Peel celery root, cut into 2-inch chunks. Separate garlic head into unpeeled cloves. Peel parsnips, cut into 2-inch chunks. Leave beets unpeeled and whole for time-being.
• Bring large pot of lightly salted water to simmer. Blanch the following vegetables in batches for 4 minutes: potatoes, onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, celery root and garlic. Drain with slotted spoon and transfer to large bowl after each blanching. Top up water in pot as required to fully immerse veggies. Bring back to simmer after each blanching. Cut blanched onions in half.
• Blanch parsnips for 6 minutes. Drain and add to bowl of veggies.
• Mix 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus black pepper to suit taste (reserve about 2 teaspoons for beets) and drizzle over veggies. Mix to coat. Add a little more olive oil, if you need to lightly coat all sides of veggies. Cover and set aside until roasting time.
• Blanch beets last as they will stain the pot of water. Blanch beets 6 minutes. Drain and transfer to separate baking dish (Note: roast beets separately from other veggies as beets will stain veggies pink). When beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut in half. Discard peels. Drizzle beets with reserved balsamic mixture. Mix to coat. Cover baking dish with foil and set aside until roasting time.
• To roast, preheat oven to 400 F. Spread blanched veggies (except beets) over two parchment-lined baking sheets. Avoid crowding or browning will be uneven. Roast sheets of veggies and foil-covered dish of beets in oven 45 to 50 minutes, turning once, until knife can be easily inserted into thickest pieces.
• Transfer all hot veggies to warm platter. Drizzle with reserved dressing. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

[Anna Michele]

Sundried Tomato, Parmesan and Basil Whirls

These little savoury whirls are great served straight from the oven and are just as good at room temperature. Don't be stingy with the filling, and do use all-butter puff pastry if you can get it. Be creative, try using different cheeses and herbs, or some finely chopped fresh pepper/chilli. Meat eaters can add a layer of parma ham, smoked ham or salami - and strips of anchovy give a salty bite.


Before baking

Sun-Dried Tomato, Parmesan & Basil Whirls
Amounts are a bit vague - use your judgment - the above right photo of the rolled out pastry used roughly two thirds of a pack of pastry, about 350g.

1 packet puff pastry, 500g, all butter
2-3 cups of grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained from olive oil and chopped
Fresh basil leaves, torn up
Chilli flakes to taste
1 egg, beaten, for glazing

Roll out the pastry quite thinly into a large rectangle.

Spread the chopped sun-dried tomatoes evenly over the pastry, leaving a little gap at the edges. Then scatter the Parmesan over, followed by the fresh basil leaves and the chilli flakes. Season with salt and pepper if wanted.

Brush one of the long ends with a little beaten egg, and (from the opposite side) roll the pastry up like a long sausage, and place on a baking tray. Put it in the fridge for about half an hour - it makes it easier to cut. You can cut it in half if it's too long to fit on the tray.

Brush the roll with beaten egg and with a sharp knife, cut it into slices that are no more than 1cm wide. Put them on baking trays, spaced apart and brush the pastry with a little more beaten egg.

Bake in a hot oven, about 200ºC for 20 minutes or so, until they are beginning to brown and the pastry is cooked.

[Anna Michele]

Marinated Feta




Cut the feta into cubes, add oregano, coriander and black pepper


Use a sterilised jar and cover with the oil

Marinated Feta
Adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook

350g feta cheese
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon coriander seeds (I used ½t of ground coriander)
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
125g sun-dried tomatoes in oil
4 small fresh red chillies (I will slice these in half next time)
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Olive oil

Pat the feta dry with some paper towels and cut into 2cm cubes. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with the oregano, coriander seeds and black pepper.

Drain the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and put the oil to one side.

Arrange the feta, chillies, rosemary and sun-dried tomatoes in a 750ml sterilised jar. Cover with the saved tomato oil and top up with extra olive oil if needed.

Seal and refrigerate for 1 week before using (it will keep for 6-8 weeks in the fridge). Serve at room temperature.

[Anna Michele]

Boursin, Tomato and Cucumber Nibbles
Amounts are approximate because it depends on the size of the cucumber. I used Boursin cheese, but you can use any cream cheese - one with herbs would be good.

1 small cucumber, or half a long one
100g Boursin, or cream cheese
Fresh basil leaves
Semi dried tomatoes in olive oil, sun blushed tomatoes or even half a cherry tomato

Cut the cucumber in half length-ways and slice a little off the bottom to make it sit flat on the plate.
Scoop out the seeds and discard them.
Fill the hollow of the cucumber with the Boursin/cream cheese, smooth top with a knife.
Cut the cucumber into bite sized pieces and top each one with a basil leaf and a tomato. Secure with a cocktail stick.
Drizzle with some of the olive oil from the tomatoes.
Chill until ready to serve.

[Anna Michele]

Without the tuna

Greek Salad
Serves 2

1 cucumber
4-5 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
A handful of black olives
Feta cheese, cut into small pieces
1 can of tuna, optional
Extra virgin olive oil, good quality
Red wine vinegar
Oregano, fresh or dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Crusty French bread to mop up the juices

Peel the cucumber, slice in half lengthways and remove the seeds. Slice it up into bite sized pieces. Chop up the plum tomatoes and slice the red onion into thin rings. Mix together and place into 2 bowls.

Scatter the olives, feta and tuna (if using) over the tomatoes, cucumber and onion salad.

Measure 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of fresh oregano (½ if using dried) and some salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together and pour over the salad.

Serve with crusty bread.

[Anna Michele]

This could def be an everyday recipe just swap the filling


Use an upside down muffin pan, cover it in foil, weave bacon around the muffin cups, and baked the bacon at 400 degrees into a crispy mini bowl. Keep in the mind, the bacon is going to shrink, so overlapping the bacon is best for a more secure cup. You can make the bacon cups as deep or shallow as you would like; the shallower ones make for a better a finger food. Caution: use a baking dish below the bacon to catch drips, and also keep a close eye while the bacon is cooking.

http://www.kidskubby.com/bacon-cups/

[Anna Michele]

Spinach Balls



Original Recipe: http://thekitchenismyplayground.blog...ach-balls.html

Ingredients:

• 2 (10 oz.) packages frozen spinach, thawed & well-drained
• 2 small onions, very finely chopped (I use a food processor)
• 2 1/4 c. stuffing with herbs (I use Pepperidge Farm)
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 c. melted butter
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients until well combined.
2. Form into about 1" balls; place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Makes approximately 60 balls.

Note

Spinach balls may be frozen, either baked or unbaked.
For pre-baked balls: Remove from freezer about 30 minutes prior to reheating. Reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
For unbaked balls: Remove from freezer 30 minutes before cooking. Bake as directed (350 for 20 minutes).

I think i would also add a tad bit of feta mmmmmmmmm

[Anna Michele]

CAUTION _ VERY DANGEROUS

Bacon Cinnamon Rolls



After I took a bite I renamed them Bacon Sin Rolls.

Holy smokes.

This is so easy and the combination is amazing!
All you need is a can of cinnamon rolls and bacon.

Cook the bacon.


And then drain on a paper towel.

Make sure you get the bacon nice and dry.
Unravel the cinnamon buns.

And top each strip of dough with a strip of bacon.

See, they were meant for each other!
Carefully roll them up.

And put them into a greased pan.


Once they are all rolled, bake them according to the directions on the cinnamon roll package.

After about 15 minutes they will be golden brown.

Top the cinnamon rolls with the frosting.

[Anna Michele]

Crescent rolls wrapped around bacon, jalapeno and cream cheese are the perfect 2-bite appetizers!
Preparation Instructions

Open crescent rolls, break into precut triangles. Cut each triangle in half, forming 2 smaller triangles.
Place 1 teaspoon cream cheese on each triangle.
Place 1 jalapeno pepper slice on top of cream cheese.
Place 1/3 slice bacon, folded on top of cream cheese and jalapeno.
Wrap crescent roll around all, pressing edges together to seal.
Bake according to crescent roll package instructions until lightly browned.
Serve warm, with ranch dressing for dipping if preferred.

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 Oz. Size) Crescent Rolls
• ½ blocks (8 Oz. Size) Cream Cheese
• 1 Medium Jalapeno Pepper, Sliced Into Rounds
• 8 slices Cooked Bacon
• ½ cups Ranch Dressing, For Dipping (optional)

[Anna Michele]

Preheat oven to 400.
Slice avo in half.
Scoop a bit of avo out to make room for egg.
Crack egg into the lil avo bowl.
Salt and pepp.
Bake, eat and enjoy.

[Anna Michele]

Dicing the Ice Cream

Save minutes (and your poor wrist) by trading in an ice cream scoop for a knife. Place a cylindrical cardboard container of slightly softened ice cream on a cutting board and cut it in half lengthwise to create 2 half-circles. Turn each portion of ice cream cut-side down. Remove and discard the packaging. Cut each portion crosswise into slices.

http://www.realsimple.com/m/holidays...696/page3.html

[Anna Michele]

[Anna Michele]

garlic-pita-bread-bites


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/garlic-...es/detail.aspx?