Irish Stew

This recipe is AMAZING. My mother in law is from Ireland, born and raised and she has been making this stew for years, probably decades. The only obstacle is that you can't get Oxtail soup packets in Canada so her sister Audrey mails them to her from Ireland when she needs them! If you can get the packets, (relatives in the UK anyone?) try this recipe, trust me, stew night will never be the same!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef                                  

1 cup carrots, sliced 
1 cup peas (optional)
1 cup turnip, diced (optional)

1 tomato, diced                                  

4 cups water             

1/2 medium onion, diced                    

1 pkg. Knorr oxtail soup                                       

5-6 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown beef in a little olive oil and drain off excess water. Add vegetables and mix together in a large pot. Combine oxtail soup packet with water and add to mixture. Bake in the oven in a covered casserole dish at 350°F for 2½ hours. Stir mixture halfway through cooking, it should be at a nice rolling boil by this point. If not, adjust the temperature accordingly. Stew will thicken on its own as it cooks. This recipe also works well in a crock-pot and left on for several hours. Peel and boil potatoes separately and serve with the stew.

Homemade Falafels

This falafel recipe is also courtesy of Muddy Spoon. I usually add more parsley and turmeric than the recipe calls for, but it's delicious either way. This recipe is great served with greek salad, hummus and brown rice.

Ingredients:

2-2 1/2 cups chickpeas (or two cans)

3 cloves garlic, diced

2 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 sweet onion (about 1/4 cup)

3-6 tbsp. fresh parsley

2-3 tbsp. water

2 tsp. lemon juice

2.5 tbsp. flour

Drizzle of olive oil

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a food processor, (everything except flour) and blend until smooth-ish. Add flour and blend well. When ready to cook, heat a saucepan on medium high. Use wet hands to form patties out of the mixture and saute in a little bit of oil until browned. Makes about 10 small falafels. Enjoy!

Homemade Hummus

This is an absolutely delicious hummus recipe courtesy of Cynthia. You will find it on her blog Muddy Spoon. I've made only a few minor modifications but it's great with warm pita bread or raw veggies and I love it with stir fry. Give it a try, I promise it won't disappoint.

Ingredients:

2-2 1/2 cups chickpeas (or 2 cans)

1/2 cup tahini

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 red jalapeno pepper

1-2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. salt

1 small yellow onion

5 cloves garlic

1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

in a small saucepan, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. It's best if eaten after being refrigerated for at least an hour.

Wild Mushroom Soup

This is my mom's recipe and its a great twist on a traditional mushroom soup...

Ingredients:

3 cups of organic sodium free chicken or vegetable stock

2 tbsp. dried porcini mushrooms

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 celery stalks, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 tsp. crushed garlic

1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

2 tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/8 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup half and half cream

1 tablespoon Madeira (or red wine or dry sherry)

1/2 cup sliced portobello mushrooms

Directions:

Bring 3 cups stock to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Add porcini mushrooms. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Drain; and reserve soaking liquid. Chop porcini mushrooms. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion and garlic and saute until onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Add porcini and shiitake mushrooms and saute 3 minutes. Add flour, oregano and dried red pepper flakes and saute 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in mushroom soaking liquid (leaving sediment behind) and half and half cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add Madeira and simmer 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared a day or two ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to a simmer before serving, thinning if necessary. Serves 4 to 6.

Vegetarian Curry

1 red pepper, sliced

4 mushrooms, sliced

1/2 small onion, diced
3 cups bok choy, washed

1 can of coconut milk, shaken

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. mild curry powder

1 1/2 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. coriander seed

1 1/2 tbsp. turmeric

1/2 cup water

sea salt, freshly ground pepper and hot pepper flakes to taste

2-3 tsp. corn starch (for thickening sauce)

Directions:

Shake can of coconut milk and pour into a large sauté pan. Add olive oil, spices, veggies, salt, pepper and water. Bring all ingredients (except bok choy and corn starch) to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Thrown in a dash of hot pepper flakes and add corn starch to desired thickness. Add bok choy at the end. Serve over brown rice.

Homemade Mobile

How cute is this? I picked up a quilting hoop that will serve as the base for the mobile and I've got tons of felt and ribbon so I'm good to go. Jayden is at the perfect stage for anything colourful or dangly so I know he'll love it! I'll post pics when I'm done!

Sweet Potato Latkes

I received this recipe from a friend of a friend and it's delicious. Give it a try when you're looking for something new or different for dinner.

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes, shredded and drained well in cheesecloth

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp. brown sugar

3 tbsp. flour

pinch of nutmeg

2 tsp. cinnamon

extra virgin olive oil for frying

Directions:

Combine sweet potatoes, eggs, brown sugar, flour, cloves and cinnamon; mix well. Heat oil in large skillet on medium high. Form mixture into cakes, and fry in hot oil. (use a medium ice cream scoop so all the cakes are the same size). Drain on paper towels and serve with sour cream on the side.

Kitty Cookies

Wanna drive your cat wild? Try whipping up a batch of these!

Ingredients:

1 can salmon or tuna, drained

1 egg

1 cup of flour

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix ingredients well, adding small amounts of water if mixture is too thick. Make sure to use the canned salmon or tuna in water, not oil. Turn dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to ¼ inch thick onto a lightly floured surface. Use a pizza cutter to cut into small treat-sized squares or triangles. Bake for 15-20 minutes until firm and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to three weeks or freeze for up to one year. This is Ollie’s favourite homemade treat! He knows when I’m making them for him and the smell drives him wild! Dogs like these treats too!

My First Quilt

A few weeks ago I decided to learn how to quilt, so my first project was a quilted playmat for Jayden. Fortunately Chantelle had some scrap fabric for me to practice on. I made A LOT of mistakes the first time around but I must say that it was quite an interesting and, surprisingly, relaxing process turning scraps of fabric into a beautiful work of art (well, maybe my next one will be.) Baby steps!

The first step is to cut your fabric into pieces and sew them together from the centre outward, forming a consistent repetitive pattern that's pleasing to the eye. I had to teach myself how to use a sewing machine at the same time so needless to say it took a while to get things flowing.

Next you press the seams open with an iron and stack the layers together (backing, batting and quilt top). Pin all three layers together to avoid too much movement when quilting and baste the layers together. Basting is essentially hand sewing temporary long stitches from the centre outwards through all three layers of your quilt.

The next step is to choose the quilting pantograph you would like to use. I made my own templates but there are many intricate patterns to choose from. Many quilts are hand sewn but I chose to give machine quilting a try.

I chalked a diamond pattern onto the quilt top because I figured it would be easier than trying a

curvy pattern for my first try. Most quilts are sewn with invisible thread but for this project I chose gold because I thought it would look cool.

The last step is to bind the layers by completing the border or edging of the quilt. I chose a "butted" edge because it's the most economical and doesn't require extra fabric.

I'm really happy with the way things turned out so I have plans for three more. One in blue and yellow, one in turquoise, cream and brown and another in pink, white

and purple. I can't wait to make my next trip to Fabricland!

Jalapeno Red Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil

½ cup red onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1/2 cup seeded cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 tsp. chili powder

1 15oz. can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed

¼ cup breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. BBQ sauce

1 egg white, beaten

4 whole grain buns, toasted

Directions:

Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, plum tomato, jalapeno, garlic and chili powder; sauté 5 minutes and cool slightly. Using fork, coarsely mash beans in bowl. Combine with onion mixture, breadcrumbs, barbecue sauce and egg white. Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Pan fry over medium heat 3-4 min per side. Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Curry Chicken

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, sliced

1 head of broccoli, chopped

1/2 red pepper, diced

4 mushrooms, sliced

1 can of coconut milk, shaken

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. mild curry powder

1 1/2 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. coriander seed

1 1/2 tbsp. turmeric

1/2 cup water

sea salt, freshly ground pepper and hot pepper flakes to taste

2-3 tsp. corn starch (for thickening sauce)

Directions:

Shake can of coconut milk and pour into a large saute pan. Add olive oil, spices, veggies, salt, pepper and water. Set aside. In a separate pan, brown chicken in a little olive oil on medium heat (cook it halfway) and add to mixture. Bring all ingredients (except corn starch) to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Thrown in a dash of hot pepper flakes and add corn starch to desired thickness. Serve over brown rice.

Jayden is here!

I've been meaning to start a blog for a while now and since I managed to make it through the past 10 weeks without hurting anyone, I figure no time like the present right? I enjoy sharing good recipes so check back often, I'm sure I'll have at least one every week. I'm also teaching myself how to sew and quilt so I'll be sharing my latest projects here as well.

On Saturday December 11th 2010, after only 5 1/2 hours of labour, my first son Jayden Gregory Wallace was born at 4:51am, weighing in at a healthy 8 pounds, 7 ounces. Colin and I spent the majority of the first 48 hours of his life watching his chest rise and fall and staring at his cute little face. I can't believe how tiny he is and he's just absolutely gorgeous. Our lives have changed forever.