Chorizo Sausage Soup

This was tasty but may be too spicy for some.  The sausage was bought at the healthy butcher on Queen here in Toronto.  This sausage

Chorizo Sausage Soup

-1 large Spanish onion
-6 chorizo sausage casing removed
-1 sweet potato peeled and chopped
-3 potatoes peeled and chopped
-1/2 turnip peeled and chopped
-4 roma tomatoes
-1 litre broth (I used organic beef broth)
-1 cup white wine
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1 teaspoon fresh thyme
-1 teaspoon pepper
-dash of salt
-1/2 cup brown rice

In a large pot or Dutch oven add the sausage and onions.  Allow to cook until onions are soft and clear.  Then add the broth, the sweet potato, turnip, potato and roma tomatoes.  Add the spices, you may add half the amount if you prefer less spicy.  once the potatoes were soft and cooked, then add the wine and rice.  Allow to simmer until rice is cooked.  I cooked this for 2 hours.

Tomato and Hot Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

Good evening,


Tonight I was expecting a friend for dinner, however she cancelled.  I have had a tomato sauce cooking all day with onion, hot Italian sausage, tomatoes and roasted red peppers.  I made rotini noodles, covered them with the sauce.  Then I covered the pasta and sauce with amazing assortment of cheeses...

Tonight's Sauce


-2 pounds roma tomatoes, peeled
-1 onions chopped
-2 cloves of garlic minced
-3 roasted red peppers from a jar
-4 hot Italian Sausages, casing removed (from the Healthy Butcher)




-in a sauce pan place roma tomatoes peeled, (I blanch them).  Then add hot Italian Sausage with casing removed, and onions.  allow to simmer all day.  I boiled pasta and placed in a casserole dish, I covered with the sauce and placed grated mozzarella cheese, and then I used up some taco cheese mix.  I placed in the over for 30 minutes and then on broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh Salad with quinoa

So tonight I so far have decided to use up quinoa from the other night.  

Tabbouleh Salad


1 cup of cooked quinoa
2 roma tomatoes chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 green onion minced
1/4 cup of high quality olive oil
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together, salt and pepper to taste....and serve

Four layer black bean dip

So tonight my kids want tacos.  Which is one of my favourite memories as a child.  Now every family makes tacos differently, my family had a few traditions and people are surprised that we eat our tacos with olives.  I also grew up with this notion that tacos can only be served with coca-cola.  As a child my family (there are four kids) would all have a responsibility.  When I reflect back on the making of the tacos, it was when we worked efficiently together.  Tonight I am planning on making a refried black bean four layered dip.  


I have been soaking the black beans since last night...I will boil them....and fry them, add ingredients, and place on the bottom of a tray.  I will top with a layer of sour cream, the next layer will be home made salsa, and then cheddar cheese.  Which I will serve with tortilla chips


I have also made my salsa...I have never made fresh salsa before.  I walked over to Chinatown with my daughter and bought some roma tomatoes.  Her and I chopped the tomatoes, added salt and pepper, added red onions.  garlic, red pepper, vinegar, fresh cilantro and parsley, and a dash of chili powder


I will continue to update about dinner as the day does on

my home made salsa

If you really want to make a friend, 

go to someone's house and eat with him... the people who give 

you their food give you their heart. 
Cesar Chavez 

The start of my pasta sauce