Taco Fiesta Potato Crisps

Winner, winner - NOT chicken dinner!   This VEGAN recipe from the "Oh She Glows" cookbook is AMAZING!!!  I have included a link to the recipe, but it really is worth buying the cookbook to get more recipes.....

I loved the idea of the potato crisps and will incorporate those into other recipes - perfect solution for those guests who are "gluten free".   The cashew sour cream is to die for - I could see myself using this in lots of everyday recipes.   The walnut mixture is delicious - even my husband was surprised when I told him that it was not ground meat but ground up roasted walnuts with perfect spices!  The textures, colours, flavours ALL worked in this recipe.  I can see myself making these over and over.  I can see these suiting a potluck appy party or even a camping trip - YUM!!!  Enjoy!

BONUS:  
1)You can make all the components ahead of time and assemble them minutes before serving them. 
2) These are even good when served cold.
3) Once assembled, they keep well in the fridge for a couple of days.  (I never tried reheating them....)


https://www.copymethat.com/r/3Vh0qrG/taco-fiesta-potato-crisps/

Finished Product

Potatoes ready for roasting

Walnut mixture ready for the mini processor

Walnut Mixture

Carmelized Onion and Apple Stuffing



What a Thanksgiving Feast we all pulled off and we were camping (okay - glamping - we had hook-ups...)!!   One of my contributions was to make the stuffing, so I thought that I would try this recipe as we were cooking the turkey in an oil less turkey fryer.  I also had this recipe in my pile of new recipes to try, so it was perfect!

 

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/255771/caramelized-onion-apple-stuffing/

 

 

I carmelized the onions at home, but everything else was done in the trailer at the campground.  From start to finish, this recipe impressed me.   I wish I could insert the smells that this recipe produced.  It was simply an aromatic heaven of onions, sage, thyme, apples - yum!   The only stray that I did make - ok - I made two changes.  One - I added cooked pork sausage to the recipe as that is almost a non - negotiable for me with stuffing and...Two - I used the Sage and Apple Stuffing Seasoning from Epicure as it seemed to fit perfectly with the recipe.  My biggest surprise was how 8 cups of onions seems like a lot until you cook them for almost an hour!  The recipe itself is a bit hands on, but you can do it in stages and bits and pieces ahead of time.  Let me tell you  - it is worth it!  Everyone kept sneaking into the trailer to get small samples and all of the comments were extremely positive.  I can't wait until our next turkey dinner when I can make this recipe again.  It is now my new stuffing recipe.  I hope you try to make it one day - you won't be disappointed!

 

 

 

Veggies, Apples, Sage and Thyme Cooking

(I wish I could blog the scent!!)

 

 



Carmelized Onions and Toasted Bread

(and a small glimpse of the Epicure seasoning!)

 

 

 



Curried Chickpea Salad

A vegetarian friend of mine brought a chickpea salad sandwich to the beach a few summers ago.  I thought that this would be a refreshing change from the usual proteins I use, such as egg, tuna, salmon, chicken, and shrimp to make my protein salad sandwiches/wraps.  I was very excited when I stumbled across this recipe from "Oh She Glows" as the chickpea salad has been in the back of my brain to try to make for a few years.  This recipe seemed even better upon reading it as it has some excellent flavour additions.  Alas, the time came to make it and it was worth the wait!  I was fine just eating it as is without crackers, but crackers are a nice touch.  I think it would be excellent served on cucumber circles, too!  I can see myself making this with my classes or for my own lunches.  The recipe in the cookbook has a nice variation to omit the cilantro, ginger, turmeric, and curry powder and to add in fresh dill and more lemon juice.  It says that is can be frozen for up to a month as well, but this is too delicious to freeze.  I can eat it all in 3-4 days!  Yet - another keeper!!  I hope you try it out!

http://www.oprah.com/food/curried-chickpea-salad-recipe

PS  I also tried making a Vietnamese Chicken Salad, but I can't remember from which magazine I got the recipe.  It is good too - diced chicken with grated carrot, chopped mint, mayo, minced shallots, chili garlic sauce, sugar, grated ginger, fish sauce, lime juice and zest, salt and pepper.  when I find the magazine, I will update this post.   This recipe will tie in nicely to my Foods program when we discuss Fusion Foods as well as designing our own protein salads!  FUN!

Curried Chickpea salad on Crackers

Top View

Rustic Grilled Pizzas

FUN!  FUN!  FUN!  Every time we make this recipe, we are reminded of how much fun it is.  This is great for a family meal or for a group of people.  It is especially perfect for a beautiful afternoon/evening when you want to be out on your deck!   We love that we get to design our own pizzas.  We love the crust, and we especially love the leftovers!  Our next wonder is if we could pull this off camping???  Enjoy!

 

http://www.bcliquorstores.com/recipe/food/rustic-grilled-pizzas



Rolling out the Dough





Various Toppings



The beginning of the process






All done!!

Lemony Basil Chicken Crepes with Curry Sauce

A keeper...a keeper...a keeper!   Alive magazine has come through again!   From start to finish, this recipe impressed me.   I loved how you can make the components ahead of time.  I made the crepes, broccoli and chicken well in advance as well as prepping the garnish and a few items for the sauce.  All I had to do at dinner time was make the sauce and heat up the filling and crepes!  I see many possibilities with this recipe....my grade 9 Foods classes could make this....I will make it for dinner again...I could make it for company....and I could even make this either camping or glamping! 

As far as flavours and textures, this recipe has many dimensions.  The flavours work.  I was worried when making the crepes as I was sampling a few pieces.  I thought the lemon was going to be overwhelming....not so at all...remember...sweet, spicy, sour, salty....they balance each other out.  The textures reminded me of my first Ethiopian restaurant experience in Edmonton, AB. They use a crepe like bread called injera topped with various spicy dishes...no cutlery...one uses the bread to scoop up the filling.  I am thankful for this memory two weeks before I head back to that city where I will scout out that same restaurant.  In the future, I can see making the crepe and the sauce with many filling ideas like:  cottage cheese, paneer, cauliflower, spinach, chick peas, spinach, lentils....anything that goes well with curry...yum!  I do hope you make this recipe.....your taste buds will thank you!


http://www.alive.com/recipe/lemony-basil-chicken-crepes-with-curry-sauce/

Buffet Style Dinner

The Finished Product!

Squash Lentil Soup with Dukkah

Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you!  This soup is worth the measuring!  A little hint if you are feeling overwhelmed is to use frozen diced butternut squash to save some time.  I just brought the soup to a boil after the 10 minute mark with the lentils and cooked the frozen squash with the lentils in the soup...easy peasy!  The bonus is that there is no squash mess to clean up once you roast it. Up to you....you miss out on the roasted flavour, but the soup is still delicious.  I have tried it both ways, and I am not sure which one I will choose next time...The soup freezes really well!  



http://www.alive.com/recipe/squash-lentil-soup-with-dukkah/

Cauliflower Nuggets

I love the idea behind the "Tasty" you tube channel.  Be warned:  it gets addicting to watch the quick videos that show recipes from start to finish in sometimes under 2 minutes!

This recipe was neutral for us.  It was a bit time consuming, and we are on the fence if we would make them again.  They were tasty and great to have leftover in the fridge for a snack.  Give them a try and see what you think! 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db8h8VuN388

Cauliflower Nuggets