Cheese

Just getting back from Kensington Market, which was an adventure for my taste buds.  In particular I popped into Global Cheese to buy there spicy olives and was given a piece of Cambozola Cheese.  Fantastic!!!  Currently enjoying with my friend on top of bread, freshly baked at a local bakery.

Baquette with Cambozola cheese and roasted red pepper

My children are enjoying some of the treats from Cora's.

Yellow Thai Curry Chicken for dinner tonight

I am off to Kensington Market to get the ingredients for dinner

-coconut milk
-chicken
-ginger
-garlic
-yellow thai curry
-red chili flakes
-potatoes
-cilantro
-cinnamon sticks
-shallots
-chicken broth
-fish sauce
-tomatoes

Looking forward to tonight dinner.

Four Layer Black Bean Dip

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 

Essentials in my kitchen

What items I almost always have in my kitchen

lemons and limes
onions and garlic
olive oil
butter
tamari soy sauce
ginger
rice
quinoa
pasta
peppers (red, yellow, green)
real parmesan cheese, goat cheese (Peppercorn goat cheese my favourite)
red and white wine
sweet potato
carrots
miso
BACON
beef broth, chicken broth and vegetable broth
cilantro
peppercorns
mustards, sweet and smokey, dijon, honey mustard


When I make my dishes, I try to freeze or take for lunch so that I do not waste.  
Try to experiment and enjoy!

Fried Radicchio

Tonight's dinner is a 'use' up in the fridge kind of dinner.  So tonight I was inspired by colour and taste.  I knew that I wanted bacon.  Bacon makes everything taste good.  I bought radicchio which is a bitter lettuce.  Beautiful but bitter.  so tonight is a colourful dinner made better by bacon.


Teresa;s Radicchio Salad.


Fry 4 pieces of bacon until your desired bacon texture.  ( I like mine crispy)
half a head of radicchio chopped
1/2 cup chipped pineapple
2 mushrooms diced 
1/4 red pepper chopped
2 small scallions chopped
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 small red chili pepper
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
lime zest and lime juice (fresh)
cilantro


Fry bacon.  Remove from pan, add mushrooms and cook till golden brown.  Add pineapple, red pepper, scallions, chili pepper and ginger.  Cook until warm.  Add radicchio.  Cook for a few more minutes than add, honey, tamari, wine and stir together.  Let cook for another few minutes on medium heat.  Hit with some lime zest, i/2 lime juices squeezed and fresh cilantro.  Crumble bacon on top.


Every bite is a little bit of a discovery, there is heat, sweetness, bitterness and the freshness of lime.

Bacon also makes everything better....

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’