Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Gingerbread House Photos

IMG_3295

The graham cracker house to the left was mine. It had some stability issues. The roof kept pushing the left-wall over. By the time it completely dried, it looked a little "off."

IMG_3297

I must give kudos to this house in a box. We had a blast building and decorating it. Making these from scratch isn't for the faint of heart.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Screaming latkes and condemned gingerbread houses

I'm taking the week off -- there won't be a recipe this week. The xmas break was great for everybody. Jacob got a great book explaining how Christmas is very different from Chanukah: The Latke Who Wouldn't Stop Screaming.

We also put together a gingerbread house kit. It was amazing. The kit comes with the cookie walls and roof pre-cut, candy decorations, and an icing package that's the perfect consistency. Jacob instructed where to put the icing and he decorated it. It looked fabulous! I'll post the pictures on Wednesday in lieu of a recipe.

Penny from Sweet Sadie's didn't have as much success. Of course, her gingerbread house was made from scratch, however, it had to be condemned. Truth is, I'd still rather eat her condemned gingerbread house than a house from a kit.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

No-bake Chocolate and Coconut Cookies (Cow Patties)


Ah, the semi-annual office bake sale. It can be kinda sad in my office, actually. Nowadays, many people just buy something from a grocery store bakery – I think that defeats the purpose. There's something special about home made baked goods, even if they don't belong on the front cover of Martha Stewart's magazine. They still taste good!

My colleague Kasandra brought these great no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies that are essentially brown blobs plopped onto waxed paper (I'm guessing their name – cow patties – comes from the plopping process ;-).

She thankfully allowed me to share the recipe.

No-bake Chocolate and Coconut Cookies (Cow Patties)
  • 1/2 cup of margarine
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 2 cups white sugar 
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 1 package (8oz) shredded coconut
  • 3 cups quick oatmeal
  1. Combine margerine, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cocoa in a large pot.
  2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and oatmeal.
  4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper or foil and let cool.
  5. Refrigerate in a sealed container until ready to serve.
(recipe courtesy of Kasandra Mathieu)
Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Butter Chicken


Apparently, butter chicken was actually invented in England. So butter chicken is really Canada's equivalent of Chinese sweet and sour chicken balls.

I think England got the tastier fusion/import. But really, you'd think that England would've perfected the deep-frying part. Does a deep fried curry exist?

Butter Chicken
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp chili powder (more or less to taste)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cardamom pods, lightly bruised
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  1. Heat oil at medium, brown chicken in batches and set aside.
  2. Reduce heat and add butter.
  3. Add the garam masala, paprika, coriander, chili powder, cinnamon cardamom and ginger. Stir for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add back chicken and stir to coat in spice mixture.
  5. Add crushed tomatoes and sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add the cream and lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes.
Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Dry Potato Curry



Okay, it was a big curry night and I tried to make a variety and not just have three dishes that all taste the same. Most of my curries have tomatoes in the recipe; my two favourite ingredients are tomatoes and onions.

I found this great dry potato curry recipe on a site called grouprecipes.com and did my thing with it; mainly because I didn't have every single ingredient. I was nervous that the recipe was going to stick to the bottom of the pan, but the pan survived. The most significant substitution I made was using poppyseeds instead of caraway seeds (I know those seeds are nothing alike, but I like how the curry looked and tasted). The first time I tried it, I also used a bag of licorice spice tea because I didn't have fennel seeds. Look at me, the Iron Chef :-)


Dry Potato Curry

For the Panch Phora
  • 2 tbsp black mustard seeds
  • 2 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp poppyseeds
  • 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  1. combine all ingredients in a resealable container and set aside.
For the Dry Potato Curry
  • 1/2 kg potatoes
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp Panch Phora
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  1. Peel and cut potatoes into 1-1/2 cm cubes and set aside.
  2. Heat oil to medium-high and sprinkle in Panch Phora until seeds brown and start popping.
  3. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes.
  4. Add cilantro, turmeric, salt and chilli powder and potatoes and water. Stir, cover and let simmer on low for 20 minutes–shaking pan occasionally to prevent the starches from sticking.
  5. Add garam masala and lemon juice let simmer for another 10-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
(inspired by Group Recipes Dry Potato Curry http://www.grouprecipes.com/29535/dry-potato-curry.html)


Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

Sunday, December 6, 2009

No Tomato Curry

Okay, it was a big curry night and I tried to make a variety and not just have three dishes that all taste the same.

Read more: Dry Potato Curry

hearthandsoulgirlichef

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Chicken Korma


Wanting to make something new for dinner last week, I decided I wanted to make a Korma curry. I picked the first (read: simplest) recipe I could find and went from there. But something wasn't right.

The recipe just called for everything to be dumped into the pot. Nothing in a particular order, no browning the chicken or the onions separately, etc. Obviously preparing an actual recipe for the blog was going to be fun, since I'd only be using the original recipe as a guide for ingredients.

But there were still problems. When the curry was about half-cooked, something was off. It was the colour. It was a pasty grey and looked gross. As in those disastrous chicken meatballs from 1998 that Katie still teases me about, but worse (I used 11 chicken legs) so imagine a bunch of chicken legs in a pot filled with wet spackle.

I looked up a few more complex recipes and figured out what the problem was. No tomatoes to give it an appetizing look (and taste). Fortunately, a bottle of Sarafina's homemade tomato sauce fit the bill and saved the meal.

Chicken Korma
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 8 Chicken pieces (thighs, legs, breast)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp garlic
  • 2 tbsp ginger
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  1. Heat the oil in a dutch oven and brown the chicken in batches for 3 minutes per side and set aside.
  2. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pot and fry the onions for 2-3 minutes, scraping any chicken from the bottom of the pot.
  3. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another 2 minutes.
  4. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, tomato sauce and yogurt and stir.
  5. Add the chicken back and bring to a boil.
  6. Simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Reduce to low, add lemon juice and raisins and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
    Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

    Wednesday, November 25, 2009

    Vegetarian Chili

    Photo by Keren Kurtz. Keren's variation uses kidney
    beans and omitted the zucchini.
    I've been meaning to make a chili for a while. Last week, I just decided to change the menu and go.

    Meredith and I had eaten so much meat the previous week, that a vegeterian meal was going to be the way to go. Fortunately, I found a great recipe to use as a base, and I substituted from there based on whatever we happened to have in the fridge. Thanks, Emeril :-) I'll post a link to the original more complex and Dan un-friendly recipe (corn? ewwww) on Wednesday as well.
    Vegetarian Chili
    • 2 tbsp canola oil
    • 3 onions, chopped
    • 2 tbsp minced garlic
    • 2 zucchini, diced
    • 1 package (227g) fresh mushrooms, sliced
    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 tablespooon ground cumin
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 can tomatoes
    • 1 can black beans, drained
    • 1 bottle tomato sauce
    • 1 can tomato paste
    • 1 cup basmati rice, cooked according to instructions
    1. Heat the oil and fry onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes.
    2. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes.
    3. Add the chilli poweder, cumin, salt, cayenne and cook for another minute.
    4. Add the tomatoes (break apart with a wooden spatula).
    5. Add the beans and tomato sauce and bring to a low boil.
    6. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
    7. Add tomato paste to thicken and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes.
    Serve with basmati rice.

    (inspired by Emeril's vegetarian chili)
    Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

    Wednesday, November 18, 2009

    Mushroom and Spinach Curry

    I love it when friends from out of town visit. We get to spend some down time together, just talking. Not necessarily running around from restaurant to restaurant.

    A couple of weeks ago, a good friend from Sweden visited, and, of course, we had to make a nice big meal. My original intention was to make a Moroccan dish and some salad, but mushrooms were on sale. A big sale. So I had to buy some.

    I ended up deciding to make a mushroom curry with spinach in addition to the salad and chicken tajine, and it tasted great.

    "But Dan," you ask, "you can't mix flavours like that!"

    "No, no," I reply, "it's fusion," meaning, I can do whatever I darn well please.


    Mushroom and Spinach Curry

    Curry powder:
    • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 tsp ground turmeric
    • 2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    Remaining ingredients
      • 2 medium onions, sliced
      • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
      • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
      • 3/4 kg mushrooms, roughly chopped (approx. 3 packages)
      • 1/4 c water
      • 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, shredded
      • 1/4 kg spinach (1 bag)
      • 2 tbsp lemon juice
        1. Combine spices for curry powder and set aside.
        2. Heat oil and fry onions and garlic until lightly browned
        3. Add curry powder and stir for 1 minute.
        4. Add the mushrooms and thoroughly stir to coat the mushrooms with the curry mix.
        5. Add the water and stir.
        6. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
        7. Stir through the baby spinach leaves. When wilted, remove form heat.
        8. Sprinkle with coriander and lemon juice and serve with rice.
        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Wednesday, November 11, 2009

        Beef Braised in Guinness

        Photo by Jo-Anna of A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. Jo-Anna
        made this recipe as her Secret Recipe Club assignment for
        March 2012.
        Cleaning off the front of my fridge (layers of notes, photos, magnets and drawing), I found a recipe that I've had for several years.


        An undisclosed number of years ago, I went out with some cousins for drinks. I had a little too much, but the pub was great. It was the fist time I'd been to Fionn MacCool's on the Esplanade. The entertainment was a couple of guys playing an acoustic guitar and a fiddle. All heck broke loose when they started playing Guns n' Roses -- it was fantastic!

        Anyway, while we were drinking, we ordered a big basket of fries. The waxed paper lining came with a recipe for Beef Braised in Guinness. That recipe has been on my refrigerator ever since -- actually prepared only once in a blue moon.

        Beef Braised in Guinness
        • 4-1/2 lb (2kg) rib beef trimmed and cubed
        • 4-5 tbsp flour
        • cooking oil
        • 4-5 garlic cloves
        • 1 lb (450g) onion, thinly sliced
        • 1 pt (560ml) light beef stock
        • 1/2 pt (280ml) Guinness
        • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
        • 3 tbsp brown sugar
        • 2 tbsp mustard, prepared
        • 1/4 tbsp cloves, ground
        • salt
        • pepper
        • bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
        1. Preheat oven to 325-degrees F.
        2. Cover beef cubes in flour.
        3. Heat oil and brown beef in several batches, followed by garlic and onions, removing all to an ovenproof dish.
        4. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil on stove top, then cover and place in oven.
        5. Cook until meat is tender, about 60-90 minutes.
        Serve with boiled potatoes and buttered carrots.

        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Wednesday, November 4, 2009

        Chickpea and Rice Pasta Salad

        Photo above is a quick version that doesn't include
        the "salad" ingredients listed below. 

        Iron Chef: working with limited ingredients

        Meredith is experimenting with liming certain foods, so we're getting creative putting together menus. Pizza and pasta appear frequenly on our menu when Jacob is around, and gluten and dairy are high on the "consume less" list. So are tomatoes and onions, two of my staple ingredients (my sister-in-law is now laughing at me, thanks).

        Last week, I borrowed bits of a chickpea salad recipe from Moosewood and turned it into a pasta salad. It worked quite well and contained everything we needed in a good meal. I put the onions and tomatoes in my dish only.

        Chickpea and Rice Pasta Salad

        Chickpeas and dressing
        • 1 can chickpeas, drained
        • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
        • 2 tbsp olive oil
        • 2 tbsp lemon juice
        • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
        • salt
        • fresh ground black pepper
        Pasta
        • 1 bag (approx 500g) rice pasta (penne or rotini)
        • 1 tsp olive oil
        Salad (optional)
        • 1 cup broccoli florettes
        • 1 cup cucumber, quartered and sliced
        • 1/4 cup finely minced red onion
        • 1 tomato, diced
        • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
        1. Combine the ingredients for the chickpeas and dressing and let marinate in the fridge (overnight is best). Toss mixture occasionally to allow flavours to mix.
        2. Cook pasta following the directions on the package, then drain with cold water, toss with 1 tsp olive oil and set aside.
        3. Toss the pasta, salad, chickpeas and dressing.
        (inspired by Gingery Marinated Chick Peas from The Moosewood Cookbook)
        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Wednesday, October 28, 2009

        Fruit-curry-glazed Chicken (Seduction Chicken)

        Visiting our friend Julia from Fibre Fantastics we got to see her beautiful work firsthand. Meredith and I were afraid to sit on what was really a work of art draped over the sofa, but we were assured it was, in fact, for sitting on.

        After a nice discussion (and some good wine, cheese and pate), we sat down to a lovely chicken dinner spiced lightly with curry and served with peaches. I had never tasted a sweet curry like that and I thought it was fabulous.

        Fortunately for me, Julia agreed to share her recipe with us.

        Fruit-curry-glazed Chicken (Seduction Chicken)
        • 3 bone-in chicken breasts
        • salt
        • 1/4 cup melted butter
        Glaze:
        • 1 29 oz. can peaches
        • 2 tablespoons honey
        • 1 tablespoon instant minced onion
        • 1 teaspoon curry   
        • 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
        1. Sprinkle chicken with salt, brush with melted butter.

        2. Bake skin side down in 425 deg. oven for 45 minutes.

          Meanwhile prepare glaze:
        3. Save a few peach slices for garnish. Place remaining peaches, honey and spices in blender; process until smooth.

        4. When chicken is done, drain, and turn breasts skin side up. Pour glaze over chicken, and bake another 15 minutes. Garnish with peach slices.
        (recipe from Julia Bryant of http://www.fibrefantastics.com/)
        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Wednesday, October 21, 2009

        Dan's October Soup

        • 1 butternut squash
        • 1 rutabaga
        • 1 potato
        • 2 carrots
        • 2 celery stalks (cut in half)
        • 2 cups vegetable stock
        • water
        • 2 tsp ground ginger
        • 1 tbsp garam masala
        • 2 bay leaves
        1. Peel and cube the squash, rutabaga, potato and carrots.
        2. Put all of the vegetables in a large pot and fill with stock and water until the vegetables are covered and bring to a boil. Add ginger, garam masala and bay leaves and simmer on medium for 40 minutes until soft.
        3. Discard bay leaves and celery and puree.
        4. To serve, reheat and add 1 cup of cream and enough stock or water to give the soup a good consitency.
        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Sunday, October 18, 2009

        Soup in the fall

        The leaves are changing colours and falling to the ground, and it's cold enough to enjoy a nice thick vegetable soup.

        My cousin made a spectacular cream of carrot soup a few weeks ago that really did the trick on that cold, wet day.

        Last week, I was in the grocery store and loaded up on squash, rutabaga and carrots and started a soup as soon as I got home. It's exactly what I needed.

        Recipe: Dan's October Soup

        This post is also being featured as part of the Real Food Holidays Blog Carnival.

        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen.
        Try other tasty recipes

        Wednesday, October 14, 2009

        Another Delicious Chocolate Cake

        Note: I'm too lazy to re-write this recipe.

        Another Delicious Chocolate Cake is not Sweet Sadie's famous chocolate cake, it's another one. It's delicious.

        Understand?

        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Sunday, October 11, 2009

        More birthday cake

        Meredith's 2007 Birthday Cake

        This was the first and last cake I ever baked Meredith. It was all in the decoration :-)

        A few weeks ago, when Penny (of Sweet Sadies Baking) posted her latest chocolate cake recipe. I mentioned that Meredith might consider making her own cake given my lack of talent in the baking department. But that just wasn't in the cards this year. I was organizing the party (read: cooking only, no baking), so unless someone else brought cake, there wasn't going to be any. I'm too spoiled to buy store-bought cake.

        Magically, Penny's new chocolate cake appeared in our kitchen shortly after Meredith's birthday (courtesy of Penny, of course). Oh, what a happy day!

        Recipe: Another Delicious Chocolate Cake

        Wednesday, October 7, 2009

        Quinoa and Black Beans

        • 1 cup quinoa
        • 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
        • 1 tbsp olive oil
        • 1/2 cup chopped celery
        • 1 carrot, sliced into rounds
        • 1/2 cup sliced olives
        • 1/2 tsp salt
        • 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
        • 1 tsp ginger
        • 1 tsp cumin powder
        • 1 tsp coriander powder
        • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or basil
        • Fresh ground pepper
        1. Soak the quinoa in cold water for 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly.
        2. Bring to a boil with vegetable stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
        3. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes covered, then fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
        4. Sautee carrots and celery for five minutes.
        5. Add the beans, ginger, cumin and coriander and stir for five to ten minutes.
        6. Combine with quinoa and add pepper to taste.
        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Sunday, October 4, 2009

        Quinoa

        I know, quinoa is s supposed to be this fabulous miracle grain from darkest Peru, but the thing is, it actually tastes good too. What a really don't understand is why it's still such an obscure grains (if you're not in the health-nut community). Likely because it's so hard to grow in North America.

        Anyway, Meredith's nutritionist told her to try eating less glutenous grains, so we're giving quinoa another try. I'm saying another because the first time I tried making it, it was a bit of a disaster. I stored the grain in the fridge and it went a bit funky.

        Recipe: Quinoa and Black Beans

        MakeItWithMondays

        Wednesday, September 30, 2009

        Indoor S'mores

        • 5 cups + 1 cup mini marshmallows
        • 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips
        • 5 tbsp butter or margarine
        • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
        • 1 tsp vanilla
        • 8 cups Golden Grahams cereal
        1. Melt 5 cups of marshmallows, chocolate chips, butter or margarine and corn syrup in a 3 qt. pan over low heat stirring occasionally.

        2. Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla.

        3. Butter a 13" x 9" rectangular pan or line completely with parchment and set aside.

        4. Pour Golden Grahams into a large bowland coat with marshmallow mixture. Stir in remaining marshmallows.

        5. Press marshmallow-cereal mixture in pan with a greased spoon or wet hands.

        6. Let cool and cut into squares; store in a loosely covered container.
        (recipe from Nancy Hechter)
        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Sunday, September 27, 2009

        Blast from the past

        I think retro-style food is having a bit of a comeback. I'm not condoning salads suspended in Jell-O or anything, but recently I've had some flavours that I haven't experienced in a while. Many of them are very comforting.

        In Edmonton, my brother's in-laws hosted a great Friday evening get-together for the out-of-towners and one of my favourite munchies were S'mores made with Golden Grahams. Again, just the right amount of comfort. I couldn't tell you the last time I'd eaten Golden Grahams before that evening.

        Recipe: Indoor S'mores

        Wednesday, September 23, 2009

        Lemon-Rosemary Chicken

        • 8 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
        • 1/2 cup olive oil
        • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
        • 6 bay leaves, broken into small pieces
        • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
        • 4 large garlic cloves, pressed
        • 1 teaspoons salt
        • hot pepper sauce to taste
        • 2 tbsp light mayonnaise

        1. Whisk oil, lemon juice, bay leaves, rosemary, garlic, salt and hot pepper. Pour marinade over chicken and marinate for 2 hours or overnight in fridge.
        2. Preheat oven to 425F. Drain marinate and bake chicken on lowest rack for 30-minutes, turning halfway.
        3. Transfer reserved marinade to medium saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat 1 minute, cool and whisk in mayonnaise. Serve chicken with sauce.

        Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

        Sunday, September 20, 2009

        Cooking when Sick

        I was sick for part of last week.

        Meredith's mom showed up with a bunch of rosemary so I obviously had to use it right away. Sick or not, I was still hungry and I thought cooking supper would make me feel better, so I did. The important thing is Meredith liked the result: a really tasty rosemar-lemon chicken dish.

        Recipe: Lemon-Rosemary Chicken

        Wednesday, September 16, 2009

        Cheese-Choc Dog

        [Dan: it's been a busy summer and I fell behind. When I was in university, Stuart McLean described one of the most disgusting food projects I've ever heard. I've never tried it, but I would on a dare (if only someone would supply the ingredients and hardware). Thanks for copying and pasting the post in, Meredith.]

        Here's what you need to make the Cheese Choc-Dog:
        • 1 package hot dogs
        • 1 squeeze bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup
        • 1 loaf white bread
        • 1 can aerosol cheese product
        • Safety glasses or goggles
        • and an electric drill with 1/4" bit
        Doesn't this sound like fun? Once you assemble the ingredients and the tools here are your instructions.
        1. Put on safety lenses.
        2. Hold unopened package of hot dogs with ends pointing towards you.
        3. Using slow speed, carefully drill each hot dog lengthwise.
        4. Open package and remove hot dogs. If you have done this correctly each dog should have a hole down the center. You have just cored the dog with the drill.
        5. Fill the cavaties with aerosol cheese product.
        6. Place hot dogs on a slice of white bread. Then pinching the bread to make a trough around the hot dog cover it liberally with chocolate syrup.
        7. Pop the dog and bun into a toaster oven for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is runny.

          Et viola ... your Cheese Choc-Dog is ready.
            
          (From the CBC's Vinyl Cafe)

          Sunday, September 13, 2009

          The Lingnan

          In Edmonton, my family got together with my brother's in-laws at The Lingnan. Retro Chinese food is an understatement. It was great.

          Avoiding the fact that this restaurant has its own reality TV show, the Lingnan is a great place on its own:
          • the interior is classic; the staff are all in uniform
          • the tablewear must have been bought on eBay, or they still have stock from 1971
          • the placemats are the ones with the cocktail selection that hasn't changed since the '80s
          • the food is good old-school Canadian chinese food: no Thai/Japanese fusion here
          • they contracted a microbrewry to brew their own excellent beer (iinfused with ginseng)
          I haven't been to a restaurant like that since my family frequented Lucky Star (Victoria Park and Steeles) in the 1980s, and the Lingnan is far better.

          The Lingnan on Urbanspoon

          Wednesday, September 9, 2009

          Latkes

          • 2 cups coarsely grated potatoes
          • 2 eggs, separated
          • 1 tsp salt
          • 1 tbsp flour or matzah meal
          • 1 onion, grated
          • vegetable oil
          1. Combine potatoes, egg yolks, salt, flour and onion.
          2. Beat egg whites until firm and fold into the mixture.
          3. Heat a deep pan with oil and drop mixture into pan.
          4. Fry latkes on both sides until golden brown.
          5. Drain on paper towels.

          Serve hot with sour cream and\or apple sauce.
          (based on the official recipe of the Hot Latkes Klezmer Band)
          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Sunday, September 6, 2009

          It's time to break out the Menorahs!

          Note: I was saving this for Chanukah, but I ran out of time so Chanukah is early this year.

          Like most other Jewish holidays, Chanukah has a simple theme:
          1. They tried to kill us.
          2. We won.
          3. Let's eat.
          The story of Chanukah includes the miracle of the oil, so the traditional foods of Chanukah are pretty much drenched in it.

          European Jews brought the latke (potato pancake) into the mainstream, and now you can get them with your breakfast at the local Pickle Barrel any time of the year.

          Recipe: Latkes

          [Editor's note: Pickle Barrel no longer serves real latkes. It's a disgrace.]

          MyMeatlessMondays hearthandsoulgirlichef

          Wednesday, September 2, 2009

          Chocolate Revel Bars

          Cleveland was a great choice for a boys weekend road trip. The food there wasn't spectacular with the exception of Rock Bottom. The Rock Bottom brewpub had decent food (salmon fish and chips, one of my favorites) and an excellent stout.

          For the road, Meredith made us some chocolate revel bars (without nuts of course -- we saved some for Jacob) and lemon squares. The revel bars held up well in the car, but the lemon squares were a bit messy, so we saved those until we got back to the hotel.

          Chocolate Revel Bars
          • 3 cups quick cooking oats
          • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
          • 1 teaspoon baking soda
          • 1 teaspoon salt
          • 1 cup butter, softened
          • 2 cups packed brown sugar
          • 2 eggs
          • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
          • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
          • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
          • 2 tablespoons butter
          • 1/2 teaspoon salt
          1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
          2. In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir into butter mixture. Set aside.
          3. In a medium saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
          4. Pat 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over the top, and dot with remaining oat mixture.
          5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool on a wire rack, then cut into bars. 
          (based on Chocolate Revel Bars from Better Homes and Gardens)
          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Wednesday, August 26, 2009

          Chicken Tikka Masala


          Mixing your own spices

          It wasn't until recently that I started deviating from a basic curry recipe, including pre-mixed curry powder. I still don't grind all of my spices from scratch, but I'm now more comfortable creating spice mixtures. I'm also more comfortable with more comlex recipes that go beyond "throw everything into the pot" and hoping for the best.

          The first time I made chicken tikka masala, I had to get my head around coating chicken in yogurt before placing it under a broiler, but wow. The result was spectacular!

          Chicken Tikka Masala

          Ingredients: chicken
          • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
          • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
          • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
          • 1 tsp table salt
          • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
          • 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
          • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
          • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tsp)
          • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
          Ingredients: masala
          • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
          • 1 medium onion, diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
          • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tsp)
          • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
          • 1 fresh serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced 
          • 1 tbsp tomato paste
          • 1 tbsp garam masala
          • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
          • 2 tsp sugar
          • 1/2 tsp table salt
          • 2/3 cup heavy cream
          • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
          1. Chicken: combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
          2. Masala: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
          3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
          4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.
          Serve with basmati rice.
          (based on a recipe from America's Test Kitchen)
          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Wednesday, August 19, 2009

          Baba Ghannouj (Roasted Eggplant)

          • 1 medium-sized eggplant
          • 1/4 cup lemon juice
          • 2 garlic cloves, minced
          • sea salt to taste
          • 3 tbsp tehina
          • 2 tbsp olive oil
          • chopped parsley for garnish
          1. Puncture eggplant and bake at 450F for 45-50 minutes, turning once.
          2. Remove the eggplant pulp and set aside.
          3. Quickly puree lemon juice, garlic and salt in food processor.
          4. Add tehina and olive oil and puree again.
          5. Add eggplant pulp and puree until smooth.
          6. garnish with parsley.
          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Sunday, August 16, 2009

          Oh mi-va-me, oh my

          When Meredith and I first met, I took her to Mi-Va-Me, a great restaurant at Bathurst and Steeles. When she tried the baba ghannouj, she asked me why all baba ghannouj didn't taste like what we were eating.
          I told her "All baba ghannouj does taste like what you're eating. What you were eating before was President's Choice memories of mayo and eggplant!"

          Recipe: Baba Ghannouj (Roasted Eggplant)

          MyMeatlessMondays

          Wednesday, August 12, 2009

          Beans and Onions with Cous-cous


          I remember my friends and I spending incredibly little money on food when I was in university. At the same time, we didn't starve. Most of what we made was from scratch and many of my friends were vegetarian so McDonalds and Kraft Dinner didn't cut it. Not that Kraft Dinner wasn't vegetarian, but we also ate pretty healthy compared to your average students.

          Okay, so we ate a lot of beans, but we made the best of it and there was also lots of flavour. There was one particular dish I used to make quite frequently. It was a dish that a friend of mine made and I added to. His base recipe was onions fried with kidney beans with a couple of spices. I added chickpeas, another spice and then served it over cous cous.

          Beans and Onions with Cous Cous
          • 2 tbsp olive oil
          • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
          • 1 tbsp paprika
          • 1 tbsp cumin
          • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
          • 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
          • 1 can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
          • 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
          • 1 can diced tomatoes
          • 1 cup cous-cous, prepared according to package directions
          1. Heat oil at medium in a deep frypan.
          2. Fry onions in oil until translucent (4-6 minutes).
          3. Add paprika, cumin, salt and cayneee pepper and fry for another 2 minutes.
          4. Add beans and tomatoes and bring to a quick boil.
          5. Reduce heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.
          Note: If the mixture gets too thick or begins to stick to the pan, add 1/4 cup water.
          Serve mixture on top of cous-cous.

          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen.
          This post also linked to Fit Foodista's blog carnival.

          Wednesday, August 5, 2009

          Mom's Creamy Greek Salad Dressing

          Happy birthday Mom

          It's my mom's birthday, so I thought I'd post her own Greek Salad dressing this week. It's one of her older recipes that I've always enjoyed.

          Mom's Creamy Greek Salad Dressing
          • 1/4 cup vinegar
          • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
          • l/2 tsp salt
          • 1/2 tsp pepper
          • 1 tsp basil
          • 1/4 tsp oregano
          • 1/4 tsp onion powder
          • 3-5 garlic cloves
          1. Blend all ingredients with a hand-mixer.
          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Wednesday, July 29, 2009

          Balsamic Roasted Chicken with Oregano

          • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
          • 1 tbsp olive oil
          • 1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
          • 1 tsp kosher salt
          • 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
          • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
          1. Preheat oven 400 degrees.
          2. Combine the vinegar, oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a small baking dish.
          3. Coat chicken in mixture, cover and marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes while oven heats.
          4. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes (turning after 15) and baste with the vinegar juices.
          (adapted from original recipe on recipezaar by Barb Gertz)
          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Sunday, July 26, 2009

          Setting the menu

          Although I love cooking, I don't always love deciding what to make on a Friday night. If I'm not inspired, I'd end up making old standards which are nice sometimes, but there's always room for something new.

          Lately, Meredith has taken the reins and has either thrown out ideas for me to search (ingredients, spices, types of cuisine) or sourced the recipe herself. A few weeks ago, she discovered a fantastic balsamic chicken recipe which is perfect for a Friday night. There's very little prep work involved for those evenings when you don't want to start dinner at 8:00!

          hearthandsoulgirlichef

          Recipe: Balsamic Roasted Chicken with Oregano

          Wednesday, July 22, 2009

          Moroccan Eggplant Salad

          • 1 large eggplant
          • 1 tsp cumin seeds
          • 1 small red onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
          • 1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
          • 1 tsp sugar
          • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
          • 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
          1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
          2. Pierce eggplant and roast on a pan for 45 minutes.
          3. While eggplant is roasting, toast cumin in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and dark brown. Let cool and grind with a mortar and pestle.
          4. Remove flesh from roasted eggplant, discarding skin and stem; mash the eggplant with a potato masher.
          5. Toss eggplant flesh with onion, vinegar, sugar, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
          6. Serve drizzled with remaining oil, parsley and cumin.
          (Original recipe by Ruth Cousineau on Epicurious)
          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Sunday, July 19, 2009

          So much eggplant, so little time

          I realize now that I've eaten a lot of eggplant over the years. It's not my favourite vegetable, I just really like working with it. There are so many ways to prepare it.

          Last Friday, I tried a new Moroccan eggplant salad recipe that involved roasting the eggplant, but the remaining ingredients are just tossed in. Something new.


          Recipe: Moroccan Eggplant Salad

          MyMeatlessMondays

          Wednesday, July 15, 2009

          Perogies

          Student life in Peterborough, Ontario was a frugal one. We didn't often hang out at pubs and clubs, opting to take turns hosting dinner parties instead. The booze was cheaper and, more often, the food was decent.

          I didn't realize how much time I had on my hands when I was a student. Class was over by lunchtime on Friday and if it was my turn to host, I had all afternoon to cook.

          One of the more memorable dinner parties I attended was Giles Grierson's big perogie party. Giles found the recipe on the sleeve of a Rythm Activism record sleeve. I think he actually quadrupled the recipe because of the number of people attending.

          Making the perogies was quite the production. We started in the early afternoon and weren't finished until late in the evening. Aside from the massive amounts prep work involved, the recipe called for copius amounts of vodka which we assumed was meant for the chefs during preparation. While we did control ourselves, the alcohol surely contributed to the amount of time it took us to prepare the meal.

          Perogies

          Ingredients for perogi dough
          • 3 cups flour
          • 1 tsp. salt
          • 1/2 cup milk
          • 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
          • 1 egg, beaten
          Ingredients for stuffing (makes enough for 4-6 guests)
          • 8 medium sized potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
          • 1 grated large onion
          • 500 grams cottage cheese
          • 300 grams of sharp, old cheddar, grated
          • an equal amount of milder cheese, grated
          • 3 or more heads of garlic, peeled and chopped finely
          • a handful of either chopped dill, or 2 tablespoons of dried dill
          • 1 tsp ea. salt and pepper
          Ingredients for perogie sauce
          • 6 or more onions peeled, diced
          • 2 or more heads [Dan: no, that's not a typo] garlic peeled, cut finely
          • 1/4 pound of butter
          • big handful of fresh, chopped parsley or a handful of chopped green onions
          • 1 tsp each salt and pepper
          Preparation

          Mix flour and salt. Combine egg, milk and water, gently stir into flour mix. Knead 3-4 minutes, make 6 balls of dough. Flour rolling surface, then roll out dough to approximately 1/16 to 1/8" thickness. Cut into 3-4" squares.

          Meanwhile, combine all the stuffing ingredients in a big ball, and season to taste. Don't be afraid of lots of garlic - it's good for you.

          Begin boiling a large pot of water, add a teaspoon salt, a teaspoon oil.

          Preparing the sauce

          Brown the onions and garlic in the butter and then add remaining sauce ingredients and simmer.

          Stuff the perogies: hold a dough square in the palm of one hand, wet to joining sides of it with your finger, add about 1 teaspoon of stuffing in the middle, the fold the dough dry corner to wet corner to form a triangular "hat" and pinch the two sides shup firmly. Lay the stuffed perogies gently on a tray keeping them seperate from each other, then add to boiling water, about 10 at a time, stirring gently 3-5 minutes, until they float to the surface. They're ready.

          Back to the sauce: coat a good sized casserole dish with a bit of sauce, then alternate layers of perogies and sauce.

          While perparing the perogies, don't hesitate to toast major accomplishments regularly with a coderate shot of vodka, followed immediately with a chaser of hot tea.

          Serve perogies with sauerkraut, sour cream, mushrooms, pickles, tomatoes, and fresh bread. Dessert should be something light.

          Refreshments
          • 1 bottle for every two guests of either Polish, Ukranian, or Russian vodka, chilled.
          • 1 pot of black tea.
          (recipe found on a Rythm Activism record sleeve)
          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Wednesday, July 8, 2009

          Bayngan Barta (Roasted Eggplant and Onions)


          And yet another fun Indian Friday night with friends. Chicken Tikka Masala and an eggplant dish from India Food House. I'll save the Chicken Tikka recipe for another week, tho :-)

          India Food House was a landmark in Peterborough when I was at Trent. I hung around so much I was eventually put to work in the kitchen – mostly preparing naan, peeling garlic, and doing dishes.

          Only once, when the restaurant was short-staffed on a busy day, I actually waited tables.

          Bayngan Barta (Roasted Eggplant and Onions)
          • 1 large eggplant
          • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
          • 4-5 large onions, diced (equal to the amount of eggplant pulp)
          • 2 tomatoes, chopped
          • 1 tsp turmeric
          • 1 tsp Spanish paprika
          • 1 tsp garam masala
          • salt (to taste)
          1. pierce eggplant and roast at 450-degrees for 45 minutes
          2. remove eggplant skin and chop the pulp
          3. heat oil and saute onions on medium until onions are translucent
          4. mix in tomatoes, turmeric, paprika, garam masala and salt, and simmer for 2-5 minutes.
          5. add eggplant pulp and let simmer on low for 45 minutes.
          (adapted from the Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes Region Restaurant Guide feature on the India Food House)


          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Saturday, July 4, 2009

          Excellent Samosas: Surati Sweet Mart

          Nathan brought some excellent samosas as an appetizer tonight. They were big, light, not oily at all and were spiced really well. Kinda like the perfect matzo ball:

          Surati Sweet Mart, 26 Carnforth Road, Toronto

          Wednesday, July 1, 2009

          Sweet Sadie's Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing




          Jacob and Meredith made me the best birthday cake ever.



          print recipe

          Sweet Sadie's Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing
          Jacob and Meredith made me the best birthday cake ever. Cake recipe from Sweet Sadie's; icing from Better Homes and Gardens.
          Ingredients
          • 3/4 cup cocoa
          • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached)
          • 2 cups sugar
          • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
          • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
          • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
          • 2 eggs (large)
          • 1 cup milk
          • 1 cup boiling water
          • 2 tsp vanilla extract
          • 1 cup whipping cream (for icing)
          • 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (for icing)
          Instructions
          1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees and grease a 12 x 9 cake pan.2. Sift the dry ingredients together.3. Mix the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl (low speed).4. Add oil, eggs (one at a time until incorporated), vanilla and milk (medium speed).5. When batter is smooth, add boiling water ( start on low and be careful that it doesn't splash!).6. Pour into prepared pan and bake approx. 35- 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.Note: Cool the cake completely before icing.For the icing:
          1. In a medium saucepan, bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium heat.
          2. Remove from heat and add semi-sweet chocolate (do not stir) and let stand for 5 minutes.3. Stir untill smooth and cool for 15 minutes.Spoon evenly over cake.
          Details
          Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 1 12x9-inch cake.


          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Wednesday, June 24, 2009

          Rockin' Moroccan Barbecued Chicken

          Note: the chicken pictured above was actually roasted at
          375-degrees for 50 minutes. It looks (and tastes)
          even better when barbecued.
          For my birthday, I was allowed to cook my friends dinner. I made roasted chicken using the spice rub from Chef Liliane Sibonney's Rockin' Moroccan Chicken recipe.

          Meredith and Jacob also made me a great cake, and that recipe (along with the story) will show up in a couple of weeks.



          print recipe

          Rockin' Moroccan Barbecued Chicken
          Based on Liliane Sibonney's Rockin' Moroccan BBQ Chicken.
          Ingredients
          • 4 tbsp Turkish coffee (I used decaf)
          • 2 tbsp ground cumin
          • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
          • 4 tbsp ground coriander
          • 4 tsp paprika
          • 3 tbsp garlic powder
          • 4 tbsp brown sugar
          • 1 tbsp chili powder
          • 4 tsp black pepper
          • 1 tsp salt
          • 2 tbsp olive oil
          • 1 tbsp hot pepper sauce
          • 3 large, whole chickens, quartered, bone in
          Instructions
          1. In a large bowl, mix the coffee, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, chili powder, pepper, and salt to make the spice rub. Set aside.2. Mix the olive oil and pepper sauce in a separate bowl.3. On a baking sheet, and brush the chicken on both sides with the olive oil and pepper sauce mixture.4. Liberally dust the chicken with the spice rub on both sides and let marinate for up to 4 hours before grilling.5. Preheat grill to 400 degrees.6. Oil grill rack, then grill chicken skin sides down first, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.7. Turn chicken once, until just cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes.8. Transfer to a platter and let stand 5 minutes before serving.9. Spice rub keeps covered in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
          Details
          Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 12-14 servings

          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Sunday, June 21, 2009

          A birthday chicken

          For my birthday, I was allowed to cook my friends dinner. I made roasted chicken using the spice rub from Chef Liliane Sibonney's Rockin' Moroccan Chicken recipe.

          Meredith and Jacob also made me a great cake, and that recipe (along with the story) will show up in a couple of weeks.

          Recipe: Rockin' Moroccan Barbecued Chicken

          hearthandsoulgirlichef

          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen
          Try other tasty recipes

          MakeItWithMondays

          Wednesday, June 17, 2009

          Sweet and Sour Meatballs


          Not that I learned to cook out of necessity, but my mom was busy and I was given the opportunity to start experimenting at the stove as soon as I was old enough to not burn myself on the pots and pans.

          Aside from stir-frying mushrooms with rice and soy sauce (hey, it was the 80's, that was exotic!), mom taught me a recipe from the one cookbook we had in the house, Tangy Sweet & Sour Meatballs from the Second Helpings, Please cookbook. It was the perfect starter recipe for a fourteen-year-old, and I continued to make it occasionally. The ingredients are easy to find and it's fun. One day, when Jakey decides he likes sauces, I'll make it with him.



          print recipe

          Sweet and Sour Meatballs
          This recipe was adapted from Second Helpings, Please, originally published April 1968.
          Ingredients
          • 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken or beef
          • 1/2 tsp salt
          • 1/4 tsp pepper
          • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
          • 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
          • 1 egg
          • 2 cups ginger ale
          • 1 1/2 cups ketchup
          Instructions
          1. Combine the ground meat, salt, pepper, garlic powder, egg and breadcrumbs in a bowl and roll into 1-inch balls.2. Combine the ginger ale and ketchup in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Gently drop meatballs into sauce. Cover and simmer on low for at least an hour or until fully cooked and sauce has thickened.Serve with rice.
          Details
          Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 6 servings


          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

          Wednesday, June 10, 2009

          Ginger Cookies

          I love ginger cookies

          There's something about ginger cookies that's just so comforting.

          Meredith did a great job with a recipe she adapted from Better Homes and Gardens. The cookies were perfect -- soft in the middle and very yummy. Most importantly, they got the thumbs up from Jakey.


          print recipe

          Ginger Cookies
          These ginger cookies are hand-held comfort. The recipe was adapted from adapted from the New Better Homes and Gardens Giant Ginger Cookes recipe.
          Ingredients
          • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
          • 4 tsp ground ginger
          • 2 tsp baking soda
          • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
          • 1 tsp ground cloves
          • 1/4 tsp salt
          • 1 1/2 cups shortening
          • 2 cups sugar
          • 2 eggs
          • 1/2 cup molasses
          Instructions
          1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.2. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.3. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.5. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 9-10 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. (Do not overbake or cookies will not be chewy.) Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.Note: Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
          Details
          Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 50 cookies


          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen.

          Wednesday, June 3, 2009

          Chicken Tajine with Honeyed Tomatoes and Chickpeas


          Another Moroccan Shabbat (sorta)

          Last week was a last-minute Shabbat special.

          After picking up the Craisin challah from Jeff at What A Bagel York Mills, Meredith e-mailed me the menu for the evening:

          pickle tray
          beans and onions with crackers
          Asian salad
          chicken tajine with with honeyed tomatoes and chickpeas

          After looking at the original recipe for the tajine (from Bonnie Stern's Friday Night Dinners), I switched up the method a bit (I wanted a one-pot solution, instead of going from the pot to the oven) and make things a bit more to my taste.



          print recipe

          Chicken Tajine with Honeyed Tomatoes and Chickpeas
          This recipe was adapted from Bonnie Stern's Friday Night Dinners.
          Ingredients
          • 1/8 tsp saffron threads
          • 2 tbsp boiling water
          • 1 tsp sea salt
          • 1 tbsp smoked Spanish paprika
          • 1 tbsp ground cumin
          • 3 chicken breasts, cut in half
          • 10 chicken legs
          • 1/4 cup olive oil
          • 2 onions, sliced
          • 3 garlic cloves, minced
          • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
          • 2 tsp ground cumin
          • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
          • 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
          • 1 can tomatoes (not drained), lightly mashed with a potato masher
          • 2 cups chicken stock
          • 1 can chickpeas
          • 2 tbsp honey
          • 1 tbsp lemon juice
          • to taste pepper
          • 1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
          • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
          Instructions
          1. Let the saffron steep in the boiling water and put aside.2. In a small bowl, combine salt, paprika, cumin (1 tbsp) and sprinkle over chicken.3. In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-heat and brown the chicken in batches for 3-5 minute per side and set chicken aside in a separate bowl.4. Reduce heat to low and add onions, garlic and ginger to the pot and cook gently for 10 minutes, scraping the solidified juices, spices and oil from the bottom of the pan.Reduce heat to low and add onions, garlic and ginger to the pot and cook gently for 10 minutes, scraping the solidified juices, spices and oil from the bottom of the pan.5. Add remaining cumin (2 tsp), cinnamon and cayenne, and cook for 30-60 seconds.6. Add saffron, tomatoes, stock, and chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium.7. Let cook for 20 minutes (uncovered), add chickpeas, honey and lemon juice and cook for an additional 20 minutes.8. If the sauce isn't think enough, remove chicken and reduce sauce on medium-high for 10-15 minutes.9. Add back chicken and mix in sliced lemon and cilantro. Remove from heat and serve.
          Details
          Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 10 servings


          Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen


          Note: this post also shared with Real Food Digest Rosh Hashanah 2011
          Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...