This weekend we finally got snow, and while most of us Vancouverites are total winter wimps, I admit to loving my Saturday night in the snow. We walked to the newly renovated Waldorf to celebrate a friend’s birthday and by the time we walked the 9 blocks, we looked like abominable snow creatures. But being outside while the snowflakes covered everything, including ourselves, made the late night so much brighter and beautifully quiet. Snow on the west coast is a novel and fun thing, but only because I know it’s temporary. And this morning I was happy to discover that almost all of the snow has melted and the sidewalks are no longer slushy danger zones. Blasts of winter are best when they’re short-term which is why I love Vancouver’s climate so much.

This lentil dish is perfect for cold winter nights. It also contains fennel which has become one of my new favorite vegetables and is readily available all winter. If you wanted this to be a strictly vegetarian affair, just skip the sausage or trade in the meat for your favorite vegetarian sausage links and you’ll still have a fantastic meal. Serve with a crusty peasant bread and a bottle of red wine.

lentils with fennel & sausage
(adapted from Gourmet)
1 c dried French lentils
2 T olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2  bulb fennel, sliced thinly
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 t fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1/2 t crushed chili pepper flakes
1 bunch kale, tough ribs removed & sliced
2 European-style sausage links, sliced
salt & pepper
1 T balsamic vinegar, or to taste

Add the lentils into a medium-sized pot and cover with lots of cold water. Cover and bring to a boil and then simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil and saute the onion, fennel, red pepper, fennel seeds, and chili flakes until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and add in the kale and let that soften before adding in the sausage and let that cook for a few minutes, adding in some of the lentil water if it gets too dry.

Drain off most of the water off the lentils, but keep at least half a cup or so and add it all into the sausage, kale and fennel mixture. Stir in vinegar and toss everything together. Adjust seasonings if needed and serve with crusty bread. Makes 4 main course servings.

Possibly related posts:

• happy new year: pasta with sausage, kale and lentils
• french lentils with sausage, yogurt & pasta

I wish I could tell you about the most awesome meal I made this past weekend. Or about the fantastic supper I had last night. But I can’t. I’m in the middle of what I like to call the “craft fair crazies” and for the past 2 weeks and for another week more I’m up to my ears in prepping and selling and smiling like a mad woman. For a person who works from home and doesn’t really get a whole lot of public face-to-face time, working the craft show circuit is a bit of a stressful time. Not that I’m not loving it, because I am meeting so many people who read this blog and try my recipes and tell me how they gave their friend a card that I made and it made their day. Wow, it’s an amazing amazing thing. But there’s not a lot of cooking going on. Take out? Oh yes! More than once, even. Cold cereal for dinner? Often. So instead of feeling sorry for myself, I’m going to look back on a meal that was a total standout but for one reason or another never made it to this blog. Next week I’ll be back to normal and I’m sure to be cooking something seasonal and delicious. By normal I mean I’ll whip myself into a baking & candy-making frenzy since I love giving out homemade treats for Christmas. So stay tuned, but in the meantime, I give you this…

Oh, that stew that stands before you was such a glorious dish. And it was easy, once all the vegetables were chopped up and the chicken thighs (which are buried underneath) were dredged and browned. But I think that’s not why I loved this meal so much. I made this way back in August the night my husband was to return home from his 2 week bicycle adventure up in the East Kooteney’s (that’s in beautiful British Columbia for those not in the know). I missed him terribly and I wanted him to come home to a really good homemade meal. I had a ton of vegetables from our abundant CSA, some thyme from our garden, along with some chicken thighs and farmer’s sausage. A stew brimming with local flavour seemed perfect and homey. It’s the kind of meal made from the heart. No exact measurements required. Just go with your guts and you’ll be fine.

Chunks of summer squash, baby eggplant, onion, mushrooms, purple potatoes, red-skinned potatoes, carrots and tomatoes mingled with a good glug of riesling for a perfect summer supper. It’s simplicity and it was the perfect welcome home meal made with lots of love. Honestly I don’t know why I didn’t post this recipe until now, but I’m glad I’m mentioning it now. While I took a summer approach to this meal back in August, I think it would do nicely for the fall and winter. Root vegetables and red wine would create a hearty and winter warming dish.

And if you’ll be in Vancouver, please stop by the new Vancouver Convention Centre from Thursday to Sunday this week for the One of a Kind Show & Sale. I’ll be there with my Hob Snobs pals selling up a storm (or so we hope!). I’d love for you to stop by!

chicken, sausage and vegetable stew
4 chicken thighs, skin removed
1/2 c flour
salt & pepper
1 t garlic powder
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
2 T olive oil

5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 large red onion, cut into a large dice
1 T olive oil (if needed)
an assortment of your favorite in-season vegetables, chopped (enough for a good deep layer in your stock pot 3-4″ thick, or more)
1 6″ piece of cooked farmer’s sausage, sliced into chunks
1/2 t dried red chilis, crushed
a few springs of fresh thyme
salt & pepper to taste

1 c wine (white or red)

Preheat oven to 400F. Add flour and spices along with pepper and a sprinkle of salt and toss with a fork on a large plate. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess and set aside. Heat olive oil over med-high heat in a large heavy stock pot. When oil is hot, add chicken and brown on both sides, 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken.

Pour a tablespoon of olive oil if needed and add in garlic and onion and saute until soft, fragrant and just starting to caramelize. Put the chicken back into the pot and top off with the vegetables, sausage and pour in the wine. Season with a touch of salt and a good grind of pepper, chilis and add in thyme.

Place the lid on your pot and pop into the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Halfway through the cooking, check to see if more liquid is needed – if so, add a bit more wine or stock or water and give things a bit of a stir. Remove the lid for the last remaining 15 minutes to help evaporate and thicken up the liquid. Serve in deep bowls with crusty bread.

Possibly related posts:

• leave your fancy pants in the closet: paprika chicken & vegetable stew
• happy new year: pasta with sausage, kale and lentils

I’m seriously jonesing for a trip, a hike, some camping, just something. Reading magazines about beautiful provincial and state parks is just whetting my tastebuds for a bit of time outdoors. I’m ready to hop on my bike, strap on a tent and a couple of panniers and take a weekend away on my bike. Maybe because the weather is getting nice again and the days are getting longer, I’m getting restless and tired of being tied to my computer. Gimme some adventure please!

This meal, however, isn’t an adventure. It’s a few shades of brown but it is delicious, homey, and satisfying. I use lentils du puy because they stay firm after they’re cooked which gives them great texture. The Italian sausage is spicy and the yogurt adds a voluptuous creaminess that mixed in with some rotini makes this very comforting and good. And while my head is thinking of trips and the good times ahead, right now my reality is closer to home. I’ve got taxes to do, deadlines that need to be met and some spring cleaning that needs tending to. So I’ll reign it in, take a few bike rides around the city for a break and keep dreaming for a bit longer.

Elsewhere: Got leftover rice? No worries! I’ve got some great ideas and a recipe for what you can do with your rice leftovers over at ReadyMade.

french lentils with sausage, yogurt & pasta
1 c french green lentils, rinsed
250 g rotini or any short pasta
2 hot italian sausages
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
broth, wine or water
3/4 c plain yogurt
salt & pepper, if necessary
Parmesan cheese

1. Cook lentils in 3 cups of water in a lidded saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.

2. In another pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, remove sausage casings and crumble into a skillet over med-high heat. When the sausage starts turning brown, add in the onion and garlic and continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through and the onion and garlic is wilted and caramelized. If the sausage gets too dry, add in some broth, water or dry wine (red or white).

4. Add the lentils, pasta and yogurt into the sausage mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if necessary and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Possibly related posts:

• happy new year: pasta with sausage, kale and lentils
• lentils with fennel, kale & sausage

Growing up, it was my mom who did all the cooking. When I got older and my mom went back to work, I took over cooking on weeknights. Making our meals back then was the spark of a lifetime of love. My dad, on the other hand, was quite content to sit back and enjoy all the bounty. Sure, I remember my dad making us fried eggs with buttery crinkly, crispy edges on Sunday mornings, or his specialty, “eggs in a hole” topped with a slice of processed cheese melted on top. He also was the one to make traditional Lithuanian dishes like the ones he remembered from his childhood. I remember him grating potatoes for kugelis and making large pots of stinky cabbage and apples (which I grew to love). However, when my mom got sick, my dad was the one in the kitchen. And he wasn’t happy about it.

In January when I was back home, I spent a lot of time cooking. My brother and his wife had a brand new beautiful baby and I wanted to help make the transition easier by dropping off dinner for them. As well, making a big, comforting dinner after my mom died was a welcome relief for my dad. Whereas my brother and I had come to terms with my mom’s illness years ago, my dad couldn’t get there. He always believed she’d pull through, even at the very end. Having me around cooking dinners certainly didn’t soften the blow, but I know it was one less thing that my dad had to worry about and I was so glad I could be there doing my small part.

During the one and a half years that my mom lived at the hospital, my dad relied on his “cooking” which meant oatmeal for breakfast, tomato and avocado sandwiches for lunch, and either frozen pizza or canned soup for dinner. With my dad at the helm of the kitchen, he was getting gaunt. So one night when I was making soup, my dad started asking me questions about what went into the pot. He wanted to learn to cook.

After I came back to Vancouver, my dad would tell me about his wonderful soups that he was making. He was proud and I was happy that I could pass along a bit of myself to my dad. But then he goofed. He threw in too much spice and ended up throwing the entire pot into the toilet. He stopped cooking just like that. I was disheartened and wanted him to try again, to help him regain some of that new-found kitchen confidence, but I wasn’t sure where to start. And then this morning, while thinking about what to write here, I came across a photo of a meal I had made last week. It was so simple and it had all the ingredients that I knew my dad would love. So I sent him an email with a recipe and even a photo of the completed dish. I wrote it out in a way that I hoped would be easy for him to follow. It’s just a simple recipe that would suit his tastes and hopefully would coax him back into the kitchen. I’m not sure it’s going to work, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

fried chickpeas with sausage & kale
(adapted from Mark Bittman)

What you’ll need: 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, olive oil, 1 can of chickpeas, 2 uncooked Italian sausages, a bottle of beer/wine or some water, 1 bunch of kale or chard or spinach (rinsed & hard stems removed) chopped into bite-sized pieces

1. Chop up a small onion and a mince up 2 cloves of garlic. Put some oil in a large frying pan and add in the onions and garlic. Saute over medium high heat until onions get soft and start smelling good.

2. Add a can of rinsed chickpeas to the frying pan and cook them for 10 minutes until they start getting a bit brown on the edges. Stir them from time to time.

3. Cut up some uncooked sausage. Add them to the frying pan.

4. Once the sausages are cooked through, add some chopped kate or spinach or chard into the frying pan. Add in some beer or wine or water, a little bit at a time, so things don’t dry out. Toss around the kale until it’s bright green and cooked.

5. Eat in a big bowl with some rye bread. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if you like.

Possibly related posts:

• lentils with fennel, kale & sausage
• happy new year: pasta with sausage, kale and lentils

For the cheese in this dish, I used an organic Parmesan that I bought at a pretty amazing Vancouver market, Tosci & Co. It’s the oldest Italian market in Chinatown (and I’d venture to say in this whole city) and I had always been afraid to step inside since you have to ring a bell to be let in. I must have been crazy to worry about that because it’s pretty much my favorite store now. I wrote a post about it over at Bazaar on the Food Network Canada site. Take a look and leave a comment!

pasta with sausage, kale & lentils
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 bunch of kale, chopped
3/4 c dry red wine
2 hot Italian sausages, casings removed and crumbled
1 can of lentils, drained & rinsed
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
500g pkg of short pasta (I used bowtie pasta)

1. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, peppers and sausage and stir about until the sausage is brown. Add in the kale and saute until softened. Add wine and cook until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Stir in lentils and cook until mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Return cooked pasta to pot. Add sausage-lentil-kale mixture, cheese and toss to coat. Add enough reserved pasta cooking water to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with additional cheese if needed.

Possibly related posts:

• french lentils with sausage, yogurt & pasta
• lentils with fennel, kale & sausage

Today is our 2nd wedding anniversary and while tradition dictates that it’s the “cotton anniversary”, I think we’ll choose bacon. Last year we whooped it up and thew party…a Mississippi Luau, in fact. My hand-drawn invite featured a pig eating a sausage, so I think sticking with the porcine family kinda works.

This morning, I made a breakfast worthy enough to declare my love to Cornelius: poached eggs, toast, freshly picked strawberries and some tricked out bacon. And coffee, of course, but that goes without saying! Over the weekend I found myself browsing through the Gourmet Cookbook and spotted a recipe for sweet & spicy bacon. I just adapted the recipe to my needs and was pretty pleased with the results. It’s easy to put together and super delicious. I especially loved preparing the bacon in the oven (less mess and splatter) and next time I make bacon, it’s definitely forgoing the stovetop.

sweet n’ spicy bacon
6 strips of european bacon
2 t brown sugar
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t crushed black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Place bacon strips on cookie sheet and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the sugar, cayenne and black pepper. Turn bacon over and sprinkle with sugar mixure. Continue baking for 10 minutes until bacon gets crispy.

Possibly related posts:

• snack attack: spicy-sweet glazed pretzels and nuts
• crunchy sweet & spicy freezer pickles

enchiladas with chorizo, corn and zucchini
(adapted from The Rebar Cookbook)
3 chorizo sausages, uncooked
1 recipe “mesa red sauce”
2 T vegetable oil
1 red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t salt
1 t coriander
1 t cumin
1/4 t red chili flakes
1 red pepper, diced
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 c zucchini, diced
3 c frozen corn
1/2 t cracked pepper
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
3 c cheddar cheese, grated
20 corn tortillas

1. Begin by preparing the mesa sauce. Next crumble and fry up the chorizo sausage until cooked. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

2. Heat oil in the skillet used for the sausage and saute the onion until soft. Add in the garlic, salt, coriander and chili flakes. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, jalapenos, corn and zucchini and saute until tender. The goal is to keep the vegetables firm. Turn out the vegetables into the bowl with the chorizo and let cool. Add in 1/2 of the grated cheese.

3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Brush each tortilla with oil and place one at a time in the hot pan. Flip when small bubbles appear on the underside and heat the other side briefly. Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

4. Pre-heat oven to 350. Lightly oil a 9×13 glass baking dish. Ladle just enough mesa sauce into the pan to cover the bottom. Lay one or more tortilla out before you. Spoon about 1/4 cup filling into the centre of each tortilla and roll to form a cylinder. Place seam side down into the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spoon mesa sauce over the enchiladas, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheese over top and bake until cheese is melted and golden. Serve hot.

—

mesa red sauce
(from The Rebar Cookbook)
2 T vegetable oil
1/2 onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 T masa harina (or flour)
4 T ancho chile powder
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t cayenne
1 t salt
1/2 t cracked pepper
1 T oregano
4 c vegetable stock, heated
2 T tomato paste
1 t brown sugar

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the masa harina and stir constantly as it cooks and turns golden.

2. Add the spices and oregano and stir for another 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and whisk in the tomato paste and sugar.

3. Simmer partially covered for 30 minutes, stirring regularly. Season to taste.

—

green rice
(from The Rebar Cookbook)
1 bunch spinach, stemmed
1 bunch cilantro,
1/2 bunch Italian parsley
2 jalapeno peppers, one seeded
1 t salt
2 1/4 vegetable stock
2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c long grain rice

1. Carefully wash spinach, cilantro,parsley and jalapenos. Place in a blender with salt and 1 cup of stock. Blend to liquify and set aside.

2. Heat a rice pot at medium-high and add the oil. Heat and add onion with a pinch of salt; saute until translucent. Add the garlic and rice and saute for a few minutes, stirring often, until the rice turns lightly golden. Add the contents of the blender and the remaining stock to the rice; stir well to combine. Turn up th eheat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to very low and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let the rice stand covered for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately.

—

vegetable slaw with jalapeno-lime dressing
(from The Rebar Cookbook)
dressing:
juice and zest of 1 lime
3 T rice or cider vinegar
1 T honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t salt
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 t coriander
1 c olive oil

salad:
1/2 head green cabbage
1/2 head red cabbage
1 small jicama, juilienned
2 carrots, grated
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped

1. Blend dressing ingredients in a small jar, adjust seasoning and set aside.

2. Core the cabbages and finely shred them. In a large bowl, add in the cabbage, jicama, carrots, peppers, onions and cilantro and toss. Stir in the dressing, let sit for 30 minutes and then toss again before serving.

Possibly related posts:

• born in the 70′s: braised green cabbage / brown rice with mushrooms
• brown rice bowl with vegetables & roasted chickpeas

cabbage, potato & chorizo soup
1 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small cooked chorizo sausage, diced
1 potato, diced
1/2 head of cabbage, diced
water
2 beef stock cubes
1 large pinch thyme
1/4 t chili flakes
1 T dill mustard
salt & pepper to taste
sour cream (optional)

In a large pot, saute the garlic and onion until translucent. Add in the chorizo, potato and cabbage and mix about until the cabbage gets wilty. Cover with water and add in the stock cubes, thyme and chili. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes to 40 minutes. Throw in a large dollop of mustard and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls topped with sour cream.

Possibly related posts:

• smooth like orange velvet: winter vegetable soup
• soup for 2: potato coconut corn chowder

mustard & maple pork tenderloin
2 T Dijon mustard, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
16 ounces trimmed pork tenderloin
1 t canola oil
2 T cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Take 1 T of dijon and spread it over the tenderloin, making sure it’s all covered with the mustard. In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown all sides evenly. When evenly browned, move pan into the oven and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove tenderloin from the oven, transfer to a plate, and let it rest before slicing.

3. While pork is resting, add the vinegar, maple syrup and remaining mustard to the skillet. Cook over medium heat while scraping all the brown bits from the bottom into the sauce. Add any juice from the pork into the sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce until thickened.

4. Slice tenderloin and pour over sauce.

Possibly related posts:

• peachy keen: peach & vanilla yogurt scones + pork tenderloin with peaches & ginger
• southern hospitality: lemon ice tea + pulled pork sandwiches + incredible lemony potato salad + lemony-garlicy green beans

Our week-long camping trip was wonderful! We canoed on Slocan Lake, wandered around historic Greenwood, and dreamily made plans for the future. Ahhhh, I love summer roadtrips and get-aways! The food was amazing as well. The vegetarian cashew chili I prepared the first night was delicious and the left-overs made an amazing burrito dinner the second evening. Over the course of the week, we had amazing barbequed corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, delicious nectarines, and the best sandwiches from the Frog Mountain Cafe in Cresent Valley. Yum!

Back in Vancouver, I made sure to start our return to civilization on the right foot with a freshly baked batch of peach and vanilla scones for breakfast. The turned out deliciously and were great served with cold butter and a bit of cinnamon honey from the Okanagan. To carry on with the peach theme, dinner was a super-tender pork tenderloin roasted with peaches and ginger. As much as I love travelling, I sure do enjoy the comforts of home!

peach & vanilla yogurt scones
1 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 T sugar
1/3 c chilled butter, diced
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 c vanilla yogurt
2 T milk
1 peach, diced

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the butter. With your hands, combine the flour and butter together until mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are no larger than peas.

3. Add the vanilla extract, yogurt, milk and peaches and stir into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. When the mixture comes together, knead the dough a few times, and then flatten dough into a disc about half an inch thick. Cut into 8 pieces, place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

pork tenderloin with peaches & ginger
1 pork tenderloin
salt & pepper
1 t olive oil
2 peaches, diced
1 red onion, diced
2 T chopped ginger
1 T chopped garlic
1 t molasses
1 T soy sauce
1 t hot sauce
juice of half a lemon

1. Heat oven to 450 F.

2. Sprinkle salt & pepper over the pork tenderloin. The secret to a tender roast is to sear the meat, so this step is very important! In a heavy cast iron pot, heat the olive oil and sear the meat on all sides. Turn off heat.

3. Add the peaches and onion to the pot. Pour the remaining ingredients over top and mix with a wooden spoon. Cover the pot and place into hot oven for about 30 minutes or so. Remove lid and continue cooking for another 15 minutes before removing from oven. Slice and serve.

Possibly related posts:

• snow day: ginger & vanilla scones
• a saucy little meal: mustard & maple pork tenderloin