The bottle we decided to open, yes just one, was the Beso de Vino. A red wine imported from Spain by Christopher Stewart Wine and Spirits Inc. It says red so I am assuming it’s a red blend, claiming to have roasted coffee, baked berry, chocolate covered espresso beans and sweet herb aromas. It is a medium to full body wine and reminds me most of a merlot.

J’s first reaction was a shiver. Not sure what that means, but I am thinking he wasn’t expecting a wine with this much body and flavour. I had made J’s favourite pasta for dinner which probably wasn’t the best food pairing. I think steak, rich stews, roast beef or a protein with a more hearty flavour would be better. I personally really liked it and would buy again. I also was under 20.00 which is always a bonus!

When it is sunny out your going to want to eat food that stretches that warm feeling way after the sun goes down.  Coconut is the perfect way to trick you into thinking the sun is going to stick around and warm up. This is such an easy recipe and I am pretty sure kids will like it too.

Ingredients

• 3-4 chicken breasts cut into strips
• ½ cup flour
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup Panko
• ¾ cups shredded , sweetened coconut
• Salt and pepper
• 1-2 tbsp canola oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Put flour into onto a plate, lightly whisk eggs and put them into a shallow bowl and combine panko, coconut, salt and pepper into a third shallow bowl or plate. This is your assembly line to dip and dredge the chicken.

Take a strip and dredge in flour patting off any excess. Then dunk into egg and let extra drip off. Lastly you’re going to roll it into the coconut mixture. I like to press the coconut slightly to make sure it sticks and there is a lot on.  Set aside on another plate.

Heat a large skillet or cast iron pan with canola oil on medium high heat. Add chicken strips but don’t over crowd the pan, you might have to do this in 2 batches.  Cook for 3 min per side, remove and place on a lined baking sheet.

Once all chicken has browned then place baking sheet of chicken into the oven and cook for 10 minutes or so, until no longer pink.

I served mine with a sweet chilli dipping sauce but it’s good on its own too. The coconut toasts and creates this amazing aroma in your kitchen. Your mouth will be drooling while you make these chicken strips. Its light tasting, sweet and oh so good. If you like coconut then this is a MUST!

This is a recipe I made up so I tried my best to remember all the ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken breasts (I used boneless and skinless)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion sliced
• 1-2 jalapenos sliced (remove seeds for less heat)
• ½ Orange pepper sliced (or red, you will need the sweetness)
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tsp Chilli
• ½ tsp Chipotle powder
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• Chicken broth (enough to cover chicken, about 3-4 cups)
• Half a small can of diced tomato (about ½ cup)
• Salt and pepper
• Coleslaw (pre mix is fine)
• 1 Avocado
• Juice of one Lime
• Cilantro
• Buns of your choice

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottom stock pot over medium heat. Add Onion, Jalapenos, peppers and garlic to the pot and fry for 5-10 minutes until they start to soften.

Now you’re going to add whole chicken breasts on top and fill pot with chicken stock until it pretty much covers the meat. Add chilli, chipotle, cumin and tomatoes. Cover the pot and let this simmer over medium-low heat until cooked, about 20 min.

While chicken is cooking it’s the perfect time to make your slaw! I pretty much made the same style of slaw back when I did Fish Tacos, except I omitted the seasoning and cilantro. Get a bowl, add coleslaw (cabbage mixture), avocado and lime in a bowl, I seasoned mine with salt only for this recipe. The slaw was REALLY acidic from the lime, which is exactly what I wanted. You can add less lime, start with half and go from there.

Once chicken is cooked remove it from cooking liquid, set aside to cool. Turn heat back up to medium and with the lid removed let liquid reduce until there is very little broth left. With an emersion blender or regular blender you’ll blend it all together. Taste and season. This is the time where you’ll add salt and pepper and if you want more spice then go nuts. I don’t think I did much at this point myself.

“Pull” chicken with your hands or fork until it’s all shredded. Add chicken back to pot with blended liquid.

Now just pile a bunch on a bun, add chopped cilantro and slaw, its ready to serve. The reason why I left the cilantro out of the slaw is because not everyone loves it as much as I do. This allows people to manage their own sandwiches. Mine turned out amazing! There was a slow mellow heat that crept up on you after a few minutes that was perfect for a pulled chicken sandwich. The tangy slaw went perfectly with this too. I can’t wait to try this again, and again, and again!

——————————————————

Blogging about Meatball Stroganoff last year

These cookies were introduced to me by a co-worker who regularly brings them to feed the hungry staff. We then take over the lunch room and gorge on them like piranhas. They’re super moist like a brownie but much lighter in flavour and according to the recipe low in fat.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup margarine or butter softened
• 3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Icing sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar. Stir in margarine until the mixture is well combined and crumbly. This can be done in a food processor. (I wouldn’t say this step leads to a crumbly mixture but more of a damp powdery mixture).

Add eggs whites and vanilla and stir by hand just until the dough comes together.

Place a few heaping spoonfuls of icing sugar in a bowl or shallow dish. Roll dough into 1 ½ inch balls and then roll the ball into the icing sugar to coat.

Place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray or parchment paper.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until just set around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to rack to cool.

*Makes 2 dozen

Like I said, these cookies actually make me want to go back for seconds which is rather unusual. I couldn’t get over how easy they were either, which is a bonus for the non-bakers like me.

Now I am stuck with having to drive around to find a new spot with crispy baguettes filled with fresh vegetables and and savoury meat. I have yet to find one close enough to call home so in the meantime I decided to try my hand at re-creating the sandwich. I omitted the pate but I think next time I make them it’s a must.

Meatball Banh Mi

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground pork (or chicken)
• 1 large egg 
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 inch ginger grated
• 2 green onions, minced 
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• ½ tablespoon cornstarch 
• ½ tablespoon fish sauce 
• ½ tablespoon soy sauce 
• ½ tablespoon sugar 
• ½ teaspoon salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all meatball ingredients together and a bowl, using your hand mix until incorporated.  Roll into approximately 1 inch wide balls and cook for 15-20 min until cooked and golden.

Other sandwich components

• Light crispy baguette style buns (the lighter the better)
• Cilantro springs
• Jalapeno, thinly sliced (remove the seeds to control heat)
• Julienned carrots and daikon (don’t use regular radish)
• Mayo (you could make a sriracha mayo for more spice)
• Cucumber julienned
• Pate (optional)

I also made a quick sauce to drizzle over my bahn mi. This was mostly due to my buns being slightly denser then I would have liked and I didn’t want a dry sandwich. I also didn’t get pate which is also a traditional ingredient in the original sandwich which offers lots of extra savoury flavour and moisture.

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2  tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ lime juiced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• Salt and pepper

Wisk all ingredients together, drizzle lightly over sandwich.

One last thing I did was pickling my carrot and daikon. I did this because it’s also traditional and who doesn’t love that extra sweet pickling flavour. If you chose to, then do this before making the meatballs. Julianne your carrots and daikon. Put in a jar or bowl and fill with equal parts rice wine vinegar and white vinegar along with about a 1/4 cup of sugar. This can be done up to an hour to a day before you need them and also can be stored in the fridge for a week or two longer. This softens up the vegetables slightly and adds just an extra pop of flavour. Again, it’s not necessary and you can probably get away with not doing it if you top your sandwich with the sauce but add a bit more vinegar for the tartness.

Once you’re meatballs are cooked top with whatever sandwich components your like and you’re good to go. There really is no “right” way to make these as every single restaurant, recipe and Vietnamese family will all make them slightly different. I think as long as you’re bread is light and you have the fresh ingredients it will be heaven! ENJOY!!

————————————————————————–

Blogging about Steamed Mussels last year

I know for me the weekends that aren’t jam packed with events are the perfect opportunity to make those long slow cooked meals that fill your home with a delicious aroma of what’s to come. During that waiting period relaxing with a nice glass of wine or beer is essential. The last time I was able to do this I tried What the Huck, huckleberry wheat ale by Fernie Brewing Company.

It’s a little bit of a lighter beer and first reminded me of summer. I could imagine myself reaching for an ice cold beverage in the sweltering heat and huckleberry wheat ale could be that beverage. It’s crisp, tangy and slightly creamy. This is an unfiltered beer so it will be a little foggy looking. I think it would be great with chicken or citrusy seafood. This was originally a seasonal product but due to its popularity it’s now available year round. If you’re a fan of lighter unfiltered beer then definitely give this a try!

She brought me and J some fresh homemade (from a bakery in Chilliwack) cinnamon apple bread. I am sure she could make this bread with her eyes closed but sometimes seeing this type of yummy delight in a farm fresh market would make the best of us break down and buy it.

My first thought was to just go nuts and eat the stuff, but my Mom suggested French toast. Of course, French toast would be fabulous! I used a super simple basic French toast recipe but omitted the cinnamon since the bread itself had a lot of cinnamon.

Ingredients

(Serves 2)

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
• butter or vegetable spray
• 4 slices day-old bread (baguettes work great too)

Whisk together eggs, mill, and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl.

On medium heat, melt a little butter until it starts to slightly bubble. Dip a slice of bread in egg mixture and let some excess drop off. Place slices in hot pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook again for another 2-3 minutes, again until golden brown. Repeat until you’re out of egg mixture.

I haven’t had French toast in a while and what an amazing treat to have it made out of this specialty bread. It was absolutely amazing. Thanks Mom!

——————————————————————————————–
What was I blogging about last January? Lemon Meringue Pie

When I was making French Onion Soup I realized that I added too much butter/oil to my onions after they started to reduce. I didn’t want to pour it out so I just let the onions cook away thinking that it would just cook off but I was wrong. It just sat at the bottom of my pot bubbling, taunting me and ridiculing my cooking abilities. After a while I spooned out as much as I could and poured it in a bowl with the hopes that it would be a yummy infusion from the garlic, onions and shallots.

I was right!! I threw in a bunch of herbs and this mistake turned into a wonderful appetizer. Using this herbed, onion infused oil as a bread dipper was the perfect thing to start out the evening. It was deliciously sweet and with the addition of herbs there was this flavour explosion that almost made me want to lick the bowl. I can’t wait to try this, on purpose, for a bread dipper in the future.

My latest poached egg adventure consisted of a dill sauce over a bagel. I was little worried that the sour cream base might be too strong for an egg but I was wrong. It was delicious.

Ingredients

(Serves 3-4)

• ½ cup sour cream (or more depending on how many you’re making)
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• ½ lemon juiced
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together, use as a topping for eggs. This would also taste great as a vegetable dip.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 jalapenos, finely diced (leave out the seeds if you don’t want spicy)
• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced (or a tsp of chipotle powder)
• 1 small yellow pepper chopped
• 1 can of corn
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes (or regular diced)
• 1  can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 2 limes, 1 juiced, plus wedges for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 (8-inch) flour tortilla, grilled, cut into thin strips (or chips) (optional)
• 1 avocado, pitted, sliced
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey cheese (OR SOUP CREAM)

In a large soup pot, heat vegetable oil on med-high. Add diced onion, garlic, jalapeno and chipotle, stirring, cook until they start to become soft, about 8 min. Add yellow pepper, corn,  tomatoes, black beans, cumin and chicken broth. Bring temperature back up to a low simmer.

To cook the chicken, you can do this 2 ways.

One-add chicken breasts right into the soup and poach in soup for 20 min, or until done.

Or two- you can poach in a separate pot for 20 min. If you chose to cook in a separate pot, poach in chicken broth and you might want to add some seasonings like whole black pepper corns, chilli powder, chipotle powder, cumin and salt. It will help give your chicken some flavour.  Just remember to taste it before you put in the raw chicken. I used this cooking method, which worked out well. I also ended up adding some of the cooking liquid to the soup because my soup reduced just a tad too much.

Once chicken is cooked, using your desired cooking method, remove it from the liquid and place on a plastic cutting board too cool. Once cooled, shred with a fork, add back to soup.

Add limes juice and cilantro, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream or grated cheese…or all of the above. I used avocado and sour cream with a few chips on the side. If you don’t like spicy as much as me, you can leave out the chipotle pepper but don’t leave out the fire roasted tomatoes. I think the Smokey flavours really go so well with the acid from the lime.

I absolutely loved this soup. It was spicy, flavourful, packed full of healthy vegetables, chicken and avocado. It made enough for me to freeze some too and I can’t wait for another tortilla soup night!