White Turnip Home Fries

White Turnip Home Fries

-2 cups broth (I used beef)
-3 cups white turnip, in chunks
-2 tablespoon olive oil or butter
-1 onion chopped
-2 cloves of garlic finely minced
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
-2 tablespoons brown sugar (to caramelise)
-pepper to taste
-2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

-place turnip and broth in a pan on medium heat.  Allow the broth to cook off.  Once the broth is gone, remove turnip and add the oil or butter cook onion until soft then add the turnip, garlic, chili powder, cajun seasoning, pepper.  After the garlic is cooked add the sugar, once coated and browned, add the parmesan cheese, stir and serve.

Orange Pineapple Mustard Rum Glazed Ham

This had amazing flavour!

2 tablespoons Grain Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons maple smoked mustard
1 oz dark rum
4 tablespoons brown sugar
Zest and Juice of 2 oranges
1 fresh pineapple chopped
the ham

-mix the mustards, rum, brown sugar, zest and juice of orange juice together.  You want it to be thick, so you may need to add more brown sugar.  Slice the pineapple and place over the ham.  Bake in the oven at 350 for about an hour (depending on size).  If I had a roasting pan I would have used, but my dutch oven helps me to accomplish everything.

Miso Rum Salmon

Miso Rum Salmon

-1 tablespoon sesame oil
-2 tablespoons red miso paste
-1 teaspoon tamari (soya sauce)
-1 tablespoon brown sugar
-1 oz dark rum
-the juice and zest of a lemon
-pepper
- green onions chopped

-I used a 1.5 pound piece of salmon.  I mixed the above ingredients together and poured on fish letting it marinate for 20 minutes.  I baked at 420 for 10 minutes.  Top with roasted sesame seeds or almonds.

Sesame Peanut Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

Sesame Peanut Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

-1 tablespoon sesame oil
-3 onions chopped
-1 large butternut squash
-900 ml of veggie broth
-1 tablespoon soya sauce
-1 tablespoon yellow thai curry paste
-1 can coconut milk
-2 tablespoons peanut butter (natural peanut butter)
-1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
-1 teaspoon brown sugar
-pepper

in a large pot add sesame oil, onions and cook until onions soft.  While the onions are cooking, peel and chop the butternut squash in small squares.  When the onions are soft add the butternut squash and allow to cook in the sesame oil/onion mixture for about 5 minutes.  Then add the vegetable broth, soya sauce, yellow Thai curry paste and bring to a boil.  When the squash is soft, add the coconut milk and ginger, brown sugar and peanut butter.  Allow to cook together and then either use a hand blender or regular blender until puréed.  Add pepper as per your own taste.  I like my soups to simmer all day, just adds the amazing smell throughout the house.

-sesame seeds black and regular toasted in a frying pan and top soup with them.

Raspberry Salmon with a Raspberry Lemon Ginger sauce

This is my favourite salmon recipe yet.  It was incredible.  I had left over raspberry sauce which I combined with plain yoghurt for breakfast the next day.  The sauce takes a while to cook.  About 30 minutes.

Raspberry Salmon

-Atlantic salmon (I cooked about 2 pounds of salmon)

-1 oz dark rum

-2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

-the zest of 1 lemon and juice

In a casserole dish place fish skin side down and place the zest of lemon on top of fish.  In a bowl mix the rum, raspberry vinegar and lemon juice.  Pour over fish and cook at 425 for 10-15 mins.

Raspberry Lemon Ginger Sauce 

-1 pint of  raspberries

-the zest and juice of 1 lemon

-2 tablespoons raspberry balsamic vinegar

-1 tablespoon fresh ginger

-2 tablespoons maple syrup

-2 tablespoons brown sugar

-1 cup red wine or cranberry juice

-in a sauce pan add raspberries, zest of the lemon, ginger, maple syrup, brown sugar and wine or cranberry juice.  Cook on medium to create a thicker sauce.  Serve on top of the salmon

Brown Sugar, Mustard and Rum Salmon

Brown Sugar, Mustard and Rum Salmon

-1 oz dark rum
-2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
-1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
-1 tablespoon smoked mustard
-pinch of salt
-pepper to taste
-juice of half a lemon
-juice of half a lime
-salmon with skin on

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix ingredients together and pour over salmon.  Cook for 10-15 minutes.

Peach Glazed Chicken

I had a basket full of peaches and friends coming for dinner

Peach Glazed Chicken

-4 chicken breasts
-5 peaches skin removed and sliced
-1 clove of garlic chopped
-1 small onion chopped
-1 cup brown sugar
-2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
-2 tablespoons chili powder
-1/2 teaspoon of cumin
-zest of lime and lemon
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-juice of half a lime
-salt and pepper to taste

I placed the chicken in a casserole dish.  I sliced the peaches and placed over the chicken and added the garlic and onion.  I mixed all the dry spiced and ginger together and mixed in with peaches, onion and garlic, added the zest and juice of lime, gave a stir and cooked at 350 for 40 minutes.  
I served over rice.

Candied Roasted Almond, Sunflower, Sesame seed and Brown Rice Salad

I made this incredible salad today.  I was using up brown rice from last night and was wanting to make a salad.  Each bite was exciting and different and all flavours blended so well.  It may sound like a weird combination however it was exciting!  Also it sounds like a lot of work, it really wasn't...took about 15 minutes to make.

Candied roasted almond, sunflower, sesame seed and Rice Salad.

-1/2 cup blanched almonds

-1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
-1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
-1/4 cup black raw sesame seeds
-2 tablespoons brown sugar
-1/4 cup red or white wine


-2 cups cooked brown rice
-1/2 granny smith apple chopped
-1/2 onion chopped
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-1/4 cup craisins
-1/4 cucumber
-a handful of pea shoots
-salt and pepper
-olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste

-1 medium tomato chopped
-pinch of salt and pepper

On medium heat, add almonds and dry roast after a few minutes add the sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.  Continue to roast.  When they have become browned, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of wine.  Stir and when all coated set aside to cool.

Mix together the rice, onion, granny smith apple, pine nuts, craisins, and cucumber together.  Leave the tomatoes aside as they make the salad soggy, top salad with the tomatoes.  When the seeds have cooled add them.  The pour olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.  mix well.

Fresh Ontario Peaches oven baked

Yesterday I went to the Brickworks in Toronto which has a farmer's market.  It was the blueberry festival, however I forgot to buy any.  I was having some vegetarians over for dinner and I wondered around the market deciding what to make.  The peaches were incredible. I bought a basket and made this for dessert.

Baked Peaches

-4 peaches washed and cut in half, pit removed
-2 tablespoons brown sugar
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of melted butter.

preheat oven to 350.  In a bowl mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.  Have peaches laid out on a casserole dish skin side down.  Coat the top of the peaches with the melted butter.  And sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon ginger mixture on top of each peach.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Serve with ice cream.  

Orange Pineapple Mustard Glazed Ham

Last night I made mango salsa which has fresh pineapple in it, so I wanted to use it up today.  I bought a ham, scored it to allow the flavour to infuse into the ham.  I also have had it marinating for the few hours

Orange Pineapple Mustard Glazed Ham

-ham scored (fine slices to allow the flavour to infuse)

-1/2 fresh pineapple chopped

-1/2 cup orange juice

-3 tablespoons brown sugar

-1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Place ham in dish a casserole dish, add chopped pineapple around the ham.  Make sure to finely score the ham to allow the glaze to get into the ham.  In a small bowl mix the brown sugar, orange juice and mustard and pour over the ham.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, with lid.  Take the time to re-glaze while cooking.  The pineapple is so delicious in the orange mustard glaze.

Baked Brie

Last night I made an amazing baked Brie...


I use a French onion soup bowl to bake the Brie.  


T's Baked Brie


-2 ripe pears
-brown sugar
-cinnamon
-fresh grated ginger
-splash of white wine

in a frying pan on medium heat add pears, brown sugar, cinnamon, and grated ginger cook until soft and add a splash of white wine, let liquid thicken.  I cut my Brie in half, placing in soup bowl I put a layer of the pears and place top portion on top.  I top Brie with more pears and cover with foil.  I bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until rind is melted

Miso Ginger Rum Salmon

Good evening everyone, I just finished another busy 12 hour day at work.   I have made a colourful dinner tonight.  In fact I think I have covered all the colour in the rainbow.  Tonight I have started with a mixed lettuce salad with cranberries, purple carrots, peppercorn goat cheese and red pepper.

Then I pan fried king oyster mushrooms with onions, purple and orange carrots, in a frying pan in a small amount of butter until mushrooms golden brown.  Then I added red wine.  (I always keep wine that has outlived it's drinking days for recipes like this) I also added chopped garlic, ginger and scallions.

I also added quinoa from dinner last night at the end to warm up.

I made a delicious Miso Ginger Rum Salmon.


T's Miso Ginger Rum Marinate


Red miso past 2 tablespoons
1 shot of 1919 Rum (expensive but delicious) 
squeeze the juice of half a lemon
squeeze the juice of half a lime 
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons olive oil


Marinate fish
Cook at 350 covered for 10-15 minutes

I also made my mango salsa...  Here is the dinner all together

Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy. 

And cooking done with care is an act of love.”

Craig Claiborne, ‘Craig Claiborne's Kitchen Primer’