Swiss Chard or Kale Pesto

When our garden and CSA baskets hit full swing we are always overwhelmed by kale and swiss chard.  Now that I have found this recipe, we will no longer have a problem using up our leafy greens! It even works well with the ones that have been forgotten in the back of the fridge and started to wilt.

The pesto tastes fantastic tossed over pasta with sun dried tomatoes or in a simple pasta salad with cherry tomatoes and feta. I find it tastes even better cold which makes it a staple for lunches in our house right now.

It could also be served over grilled chicken, shrimp or vegetables. 

Adapted from Kitchenaid, makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients

1 medium bunch (about 8 stalks) swiss chard or kale
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Remove the leaves from the stems of the kale or swiss chard. Discard the stems. Blanch the leaves in the boiling water for 15 seconds and then transfer immediately to a sieve. Rinse with cold water and allow to drain. Once the leaves have cooled, squeeze out as much water as possible. Don't be afraid to squeeze the leaves into a tight ball to do so.

Add the drained leaves, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, chopped garlic, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend the ingredients for 10 to 15 seconds.With the blender still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue blending until the mixture is well combined and even consistency.

Store in the fridge for up to a week.

♥  Amy

Grandma's Green Bean Casserole

This is one of my all time favourite foods. A family recipe passed down from my Grandma to my mom to me. Now it is also one of Dave's favourites as well.

Serves 6 to 10

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup sour cream
1 16 ounce bag frozen green beans, defrosted, or fresh beans, cut and blanched
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup bread crumbs or panko
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, stir the flour into the melted butter. Add in the salt, sugar and sour cream. Stir to combine.

Add the onion and green beans. Toss until well coated. Transfer to a casserole dish, a shallow rectangular dish works best.

Spread the cheese over top of the bean mixture.

In a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs in the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Serve hot.

♥  Amy

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is one of my favourite desserts - and so easy to make!

Adapted from Simple Food by Antonio Carluccio, serves four to six

Ingredients

2 egg yolks
100 grams sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
400 grams mascarpone cheese
80 ml heavy cream
400 ml espresso
4 tablespoons Kahlua
8 to 18 ladyfingers biscuits, depending on size
Cocoa powder, to dust

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, 80 grams of sugar and vanilla extract. Add the mascarpone and cream. Stir until combined.

In a second bowl, mix together the remaining sugar, espresso and liqueur. Dip the biscuits quickly into the liquid mixture and place them into individual bowls or glasses.

Spoon or pipe the cheese mixture over the biscuits. Dust with cocoa powder.

Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

♥  Amy

Cream Cheese Frosting

The original recipe used this on cinnamon buns which would be heavenly... I need to try it some time... I used it as the base for the frosting on the Blackberry Swirl Cupcakes I made recently.

I will post the remainder of my Blackberry Swirl Cupcake recipe soon.

Adapted from Not So Humble Pie, makes approximately 3 cups

Ingredients

16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream, cold

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream to nearly stiff peaks. Remove to a separate bowl and set aside. In the stand mixer bowl, next beat the cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Fold in the whipped cream and briefly beat to combine. Do not over mix.

Frost using a knife or a piping bag with your favourite tip.

♥  Amy

Mutter Paneer

We ate a lot of paneer while we were in India - whether it be palak paneer, paneer kofta, paneer paranthas and mutter or mattar paneer - so now I have a long list of paneer recipes and a kitchen full of spices to try out!

Mutter paneer would traditionally be served with rice or naan but we find that it is plenty filling on its own and makes a fantastic fast vegetarian dinner. You can find cubed paneer in the freezer aisle in Superstore and we keep a good stock in our freezer for last minute weeknight meals. 

Serves four

1 pound paneer, cubed
1/2 pound peas
2 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ghee
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Cilantro, to garnish
Heat the ghee in a large pan. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and saute until softened. Add the spices and heat until fragrant.

Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes, paneer and peas. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the cream and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.

♥  Amy

Baked Ricotta Dip

I made this for a Christmas potluck and it was a huge success. Unfortunately I din't manage to get any photos.

Adapted from Inspired Edibles

500 mL container ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons Kalamata olives, finely chopped

3 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon hot chili pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil (or oil from sun dried tomatoes)

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine. Transfer the ingredients into an oven proof dish.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until cheese mixture is warmed through and starts to bubble around the edges.

Remove from oven and drizzle with olive oil. 

Serve warm with an assortment of crackers, bread and vegetables.

Chèvre Goat Cheese

Fresh goat cheese or Chèvre is one of the easiest cheeses to make and only takes a day before it is ready to be eaten.

I order all of my cheese cultures and supplies from The Cheesemaker but you can also get convenient starter kits from Urban Cheesecraft.

From 200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes; From Cheddar and Brie to Butter and Yogurt by Debra Amrein-Boyes, makes about 2 pounds


4 litres goat milk
1/4 teaspoon mesophilic culture
1 drop liquid rennet
Kosher salt


In a large pot, warm the milk to 77 F or 25 C, constantly stirring. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle the culture over the surface of the milk and let stand for about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon and a gentle up-down motion, mix the culture into the milk. 

Dilute the rennet in 1 tablespoon of cool water. Add to the milk and combine using the same up-down motion. Cover the pot and let rest at room temperature for 24 hours. 

After 24 hours the milk will have formed a large disk of curd that is floating on top of the whey.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curd to a draining bog or to a cheesecloth lined colander. Let the curd drain for 6 to 7 hours.

Remove the cheese from the bag and place into a bowl. Weight the cheese and add 1% of the weight in the cheese in salt. For example, the cheese should weigh approximately 2 pounds or 900 grams, therefore you would add 9 grams of salt. If the cheese is to be eaten immediately, simply add salt to taste.

The cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Amy

Cheese Sauce

Adapted from AllRecipes

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups milk

1/3 cup cooking sherry (optional)

1 cup shredded cheese - any combination of swiss, cheddar, mozzarella, etc

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add in the flour, paprika, mustard, and pepper. Stir constantly until the flour begins to brown. Add the milk and sherry, stirring constantly until thickened.

Stir in the cheeses until melted and well blended.

Serve over broccoli or your favorite vegetables.

  

Amy

Green Tomato Gratin

A little more original and refined than the traditional fried green tomatoes. I was actually surprised how the freshen and tartness of the tomatoes lent itself so well to the creamy gratin.

From No Recipes, serves 4


1 pound green tomatoes, sliced 1/8″ thick
1/2 cups breadcrumbs or panko
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 teaspoons flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg


Preheat over to 450 F. Lightly oil a casserole dish.
In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and oil olive. Stir to combine. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and sauté until fragrant. Add the flour and cook for about one minute longer. Whisk in the cream, ensuring all of the flour is broken up. Add the cheese, salt and nutmeg. Continue whisking until well combined. 
Dip the tomato in the white sauce and arrange in the casserole dish. Spread the remaining sauce over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top. 
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the breadcrumbs are browned. 

Amy