It’s so funny that I’ve waited so long to post this recipe because it’s a really, really good one. I made this in early fall when I could still put things outside on the balcony to photograph. It’s not that I forgot about this tasty chicken meal, but it’s because I took a photo of this meal in my well-worn Jadite dish. Let me explain. I love this dish. It treats me well and I think I do well by it too. But it is by no means a pretty dish – well, not after I’m through with it. Sure, it’s got a lovely vintage green hue…but it stains easily and it’s near impossible to scrub away all of splatters. No matter how hard I scrub it with my miracle baking soda-vinegar-soap concoction it won’t become pristine (however, my miracle mix does work wonders on bathtubs and cleans grimy ovens like nobody’s business). What I wouldn’t give for a dishwasher! And a window in the kitchen! And more cupboard and counter space! Actually, I’ve got a whole list of wants & you can see them all & follow me on Pinterest because I’m sort of addicted.

But I’m snapping out of my perfect dream world because I made this dish last week with every intention to take another photo. But then dinner was running late, we were starving, and when it came right down to things, we just chomped down. There was no waiting to take photos because this is a chicken dish you just want to inhale. New photos be damned! We dug in and licked our fingers. Happiness achieved.

There is a bit of prep time because the chicken should marinate for a couple hours so that the chicken gets a lemony soak, but other than a bit of advance planning, the rest is a snap. The first time I made this, I threw caution to the wind and left the skin on. But it’s January now and I’m much more sensible, so I pulled that skin right off before marinating it. Chicken skin, I understand the lure, but either way, it’s delicious. Your call.

elsewhere: Need a bowl of gluten-free comfort? Try my coconut and lime rice pudding over at Poppytalk this week. It’s a no-fuss way to near instant happiness. And it’s vegan to boot!

greek lemon chicken
4 chicken thighs (skins removed or not, your call)
2 lemons, juiced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t salt
1/4 t dried chili flakes

Rinse and dry chicken and place in a ziplock bag. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate for 2 hours, flipping the bag once.

Preheat oven to 425F. Place chicken and marinade into a baking dish and bake for 45-55 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear after being pierced with a knife.

Possibly related posts:

• sloppy seconds: greek lemon chicken + greek salad
• chicken and orzo with lemon and olives

My husband’s birthday is January 2nd and while I love my husband dearly, I’m not so keen on celebrating the day of his birth so close to the holidays. After a month of chocolates and sweets, I’m eager to get on with whole grains, raw vegetables and the like. But after years of birthday pie and cake making, I’ve discovered the solution to coping with sweets right after the holidays. And that answer, my friends, is citrus. Seriously, it’s light and bright and I think most deserts made with lemons and limes can’t be too heavy and cloying. Plus, it has the added advantage of making us look ahead towards summer and in the middle of winter that can only be a good thing.

Previous January birthday treats for Cornelius have included lemon meringue pie, a coconut lime cake and a coconut-banana cream pie. Light and tropical! And then there were other birthdays that included a chocolate chip banana bread and ginger loaf and a red ale chocolate cake (yes, beer birthdays are the best). But I think this lime tart has been my favorite birthday baking treat so far and I’m just itching to make it again.

When most people think of lime tarts, a key lime pie is the thing that comes to most minds. It’s got a lovely retro pull and it just sounds refreshing. But the thing about those itsy-bitsy tiny little limes is that you have to juice every single one of them. I’ve heard tales of people using garlic presses to make the juicing of those little green fruit easier, but for me, I like the plain ol’ limes. Every store has them and if you pick right, you can get some juicy little buggers. The trick is to let them come to room temperature and then press on them with your palm just before juicing. Some say use a microwave to heat them up first, but we got rid of ours ages ago, and a good press against the countertop does wonders.

The truth is, I was a little worried because I goofed while mixing up the filling. I used my favorite recipe which calls for yolks only. But as I was whisking away the yolks and the condensed milk, I mistakenly tossed in the egg whites along with the lime juice. But you know what, despite my initial shock that I had done something terribly wrong, it ended up making the perfect pie! The photo above is the the pie just before going in the oven. It looked pretty dang wonderful. I was concerned that the pie filling would be too stiff but the resulting filling was soft and creamy with the added bonus of not wasting any egg whites! My plans on trying out a seven-minute frosting were shot to hell, but I remedied that with some rum-soaked whipping cream which I think made for a perfect dollop of sweetness to contrast against this tart lil’ tart.

I tend to have a heavy hand when it comes to pouring booze. One of our friends who partook in this pie thought my whipped topping was pretty rummy indeed (I, however, thought it perfect). If you did want to make some sweet rum whipping cream, just whip most of a small container of heavy cream and add a tablespoon of powdered sugar (more if you like it sweet) and a glug of good dark rum (Goslings Black Seal is my fave). If free pouring scares you, start off with a teaspoon and taste – adding more if needed. And if you think like me, more is needed.

And the bonus of fluffy dollops of whipped cream is that it hides those tell-tale candle holes left in the pie. We do birthdays up right in our house. Thankfully, we only went with 6 candles instead of the 30-plus candles that would have been necessary for a proper birthday send-off!

elsewhere: Not interested in dessert just yet? Head over to Poppytalk where you’ll find a delicious recipe for Salsa & Black Bean Tortilla Soup. Perfect for warming up the endless January chill.

lime tart
Note that condensed milk must come in different sizes depending where you’re from. I used a 300 ml can but you can easily use a 400ml can just as easily without subbing a thing. If you do use a larger can, you’ll get a sweeter pie. Can’t find sweetened condensed milk in your country? Google a recipe, there’s many out there.

tart shell
1 1/4 c graham cracker crumbs
2 T white sugar
5 T melted butter

filling
3 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk (300 ml)
1/2 cup lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 t grated lime zest

1. Preheat oven to 350F and place oven rack in the centre. Butter a tart pan (sides and bottom) and set aside. Mix together the crumbs and sugar until well blender. Stir in the melted butter with a fork and then firmly press the crumbs into your prepared tart pan with your hands – up along the sides and the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

2. While the crumb crust is baking, in your electric mixer, whisk together the eggs until frothy. Slowly pour in the condensed milk and beat for 5 minutes until fluffy. Pour in lime juice and zest and beat until mixed.

3. Pour filling into crust and bake for 10-15 minutes or until filling has set. Place on wire rack to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two – or overnight. Serve slices with a dollop of  lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Possibly related posts:

• coconut lime cake: a birthday cake for cornelius
• burnt nectarine tart (but not on purpose)

Usually the transition into a new year brings a bit of stress. Maybe I set my goals and expectations too high or maybe I just feed off the stress of others. But not this year. I made a couple simple goals and one of them – to be a better hugger – already got in some practice-time through December. And yeah, about that hugging goal, I’m totally serious. Truth is, I’m a wimpy hugger and I really noticed how lacking I was in the hugging department when I visited my friend in Montreal. After we had met up, he sent me off with a big ol’ bear hug and it made me feel pretty great. It’s amazing how a hug can really make someone else feel good. So I told myself that I’m going to quit giving out namby-pamby tentative hugs to my friends and instead deliver good, hearty and heart-felt hugs. We’ll see how it goes.

A hug makes you feel warm and loved and happy and I think this meal does the same. This dal uses red lentils which cook up in a hurry into a soft and tender bite. There’s curry involved along with a bit of sriracha because I like heat. But there’s also some diced apples to nudge in some mellow sweetness. I added in fennel because I had some lying about my vegetable crisper, but you could sub in something as common as celery, broccoli or cauliflower. I even think some greens like spinach, kale or chard would be good here too. There’s no fuss involved and it’s an easy enough meal to make on a busy weeknight. See, it’s like a nice hug for your insides and it’s a good a place to start as any.

elsewhere: Yup, I love year-end recaps and over at Poppytalk, I list my top 12 favorite recipes that have appeared over on Poppytalk through 2011! Take a peek and check out my favorite recipes.

tomato-apple dal
2 T coconut oil
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 c fennel bulb, finely diced
2 apples, finely diced
2 T fresh ginger, minced
pinch of salt
2 T curry paste
2 c red lentils
2 c diced tomatoes
3 c water
Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, to taste
1/4 c yogurt (optional)

In a large heavy pot, melt coconut oil over medium-high heat and add in onions, fennel, apples and ginger along with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until everything starts to get a little soft. Add in the curry paste and lentils and stir around until the lentils start to glisten. Turn down heat and add in the tomato puree and water, stirring so everything is combined. Put the lid on the saucepan and let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until everything is soft. If it’s too dry for your liking, add in a bit of water. Stir in yogurt (if using) and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

Possibly related posts:

• curried apple & lentil dal
• warm up with winter squash, red lentil & tofu curry

This is the time of year that I find myself totally craving comfort. Wooly tights. Flannel sheets. Knit caps. Fuzzy sweaters. Heavy quilts. I think it’s because I get a little run down with work and all the craft fairs that pop up around this season. And craft fairs are hard work. I never realized how sore my smile muscles could get until I entered the craft fair circuit. It’s kind of a big change from working from home, let me tell you. Which reminds me, thank you to everyone who came around to my table at Got Craft this past Sunday! Thank you for saying hi and making me blush! And if you’re in Vancouver and want to pick up a few more paper doo-dads, I’ll be at Toque as a fundraiser for the Western Front this Friday and Saturday (details here).

And speaking of comfort, there’s something about this dish that seems like old-fashioned comfort food. Maybe because this dish is various shades of brown. Or maybe it’s the pasta which is always welcome this time of year, but I think the meaty mushrooms lend some earthy appeal. Don’t skimp! I used baby ‘bellas here, but I think a good mix of wild mushrooms would really kind of make my mouth go wild in a good way. There’s lots of garlic and the caramelized onions add some nice sweetness. I wasn’t sure what kind of herb to throw in and when I spied a bottle of herbs du provence (a mixture containing fennel, savoury, thyme, basil, lavender, etc.) it just seemed like the right thing to do and it worked really well. Of course, I thought lemon juice would go nicely here and next time I might add in some of the zest as well for extra zing.

When you’re run ragged with work and all the busy stuff that seems to crop up at this time of year, you need a little bit of comfort and ease around the dinner table. Even when that table is just the warm spot on the couch as you catch up on your latest tv craving. But just as this dinner is easy to whip up in about 30 minutes, it’s also perfect to serve at a casual gathering of your bestest friends. Just a bottle or two of your favorite wine and maybe some fresh parsley or basil to sprinkle overtop and you’re good.

elsewhere: The other morning was chilly and I wanted something warming so I made a batch of delicious oat and nutmeg scones. They were perfect little bites of quiet happiness. Get the recipe over at Poppytalk. You won’t regret it.

spaghetti & mushrooms
250 g spaghetti
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced thinly into strips
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 lb baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 t sea salt
1 t aleppo pepper
1 t herbs de provence
1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock
1 lemon, juiced
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add in spaghetti. Add in a little salt if you remember. Let it simmer over medium heat until almost al dente……

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add onion slices. Saute until soft and fragrant, about 5-10 minutes. Toss in mushrooms, garlic, salt, aleppo pepper and herbs de provence. Stir everything around until the mushrooms release some of their moisture. Pour in stock and let simmer and reduce slightly.

How’s that spaghetti doing? Almost al dente? Then strain out most of the cooking liquid, but reserve about 2-4 tablespoons of cooking water with the spaghetti and toss the whole shebang into the skillet. Toss with the mushroom mixture, squeeze in the lemon juice, toss again, and serve in deep bowls with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Possibly related posts:

• 500 grams of spaghetti = two delicious summer pastas
• boot-strapped: mexican-spiced roasted mushrooms & yams

As I mentioned in my last post, I was flown out to Montreal, put up in an awesome hotel and got seriously caffeinated by the lovely coffee folks over at VanHoutte. Along with 5 other bloggers, we got to experience their “master roaster” heritage and check out all their roasting factory (where I got to see a robot packaging boxes which was like taking a jet pack into the future). It was a cool experience and it also was the first time I was seriously schmoozed over. I loved eating out at fancy restaurants (if you’re in Montreal or plan to visit, make sure a visit to Le St. Urbain is on your list) that I’d never have the opportunity to eat in on my own and I loved doing the wine tastings and coffee cuppings a whole lot. It was an experience to push myself out of my comfort zone (working for yourself turns you into a social misfit) and meet up and spend a weekend with a group of other bloggers from across Canada. And what do you know, it turned out to be fun! You can check out the good times over on my flicker set. But this also wasn’t a holiday – it was work and since I run this blog as a my hobby (ie. I make no money from this blog) it did make me question if I was “selling out” (I’m so old-fashioned according to this article in the NYT). I think I came out of the experience unscathed with my ethics shaken but intact.

I came back from Montreal with a backpack full of coffee and I wanted to do something special with it instead of just gulping it back in the morning like the lifeline it is for me. Luckily, I spied a lovely little recipe over at DesignSponge and my coffee and baking needs were instantly met. The recipe was a simple, no-fuss affair.

The resulting cake does taste like coffee which was a bit unexpected. Traditional coffee cakes like this one or this one or this one are meant for drinking with coffee. But these pretty little cakes call for a half cup of strong brewed coffee in the batter – and you can definitely tell. Plus, there’s molasses, cinnamon and nutmeg that tugs you towards a gingerbread-y flavour. And while these cakes taste dark and spicy, their texture is light and airy. These cupcakes aren’t super sweet so you could easily add a mocha or cinnamon scented glaze without fear of aching teeth, however, I preferred them with a light dusting of confectioners sugar. Their soft white tops looks like the light coating of snow on the mountains off in the distance, so it’s a tentative step into a tasty winter wonderland.

I should also mention a few exciting things. I will be speaking at PechaKucha Vancouver on November 24th at the Vogue Theater. The theme this month is food and I’m going to be super nervous (I don’t have my speech completed yet nor have I even started thinking about my slide presentation – but that’s because I’m a huge procrastinator), but hopefully I’ll get my stuff together in time for the big event. I also want to say thanks to Gourmet Live (that’s the online keeper of the *sniff* no-longer-published magazine, Gourmet) for featuring this blog as their Food Blog of the Week (uh, last week).

elsewhere: Over at Poppytalk I’ve got 2 posts up today! Stop by and check out my recipe for Garlic & Seedy Whole Wheat Pretzel Bites and get into the holiday spirit with my kitchen-themed Contributor’s Holiday Gift Guide which was so much fun to put together!

coffee & spice cupcakes
(recipe adapted from Kristina Gill & the South Australian Country Women’s Assoc.)
1/2 c butter, room temperature
3/4 c white sugar
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 T molasses
2 c self-rising flour (or make your own with 1.5 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt per cup of all-purpose flour)
pinch of salt
2 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/2 c strong coffee (should be room temperature)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add in the vanilla, eggs and molasses and combine well. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add half the flour mixture into the butter mixture and lightly stir. Add half the coffee and lightly stir. Repeat with the remaining flour and coffee.

Line a muffin tin or two with 14 liners and drop batter into each liner, 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until a skewer poked into a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners sugar. Makes 14 cupcakes.

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• whole lotta love: pumpkin cupcakes
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Growing up, my mom made accordion potatoes on special occasions. I loved them because they seemed super fancy but also their shapes were totally appealing and very kid-friendly. My mom always sprinkled the tops with breadcrumbs which made the tops extra crispy. We always called them accordions but they are also known as hassleback potatoes – named after a Stockholm restaurant where they originated from. Years ago, I made these for a dinner party and they were a huge hit. Everyone loved the crispy exterior and the soft insides, plus they were sprinkled with garlic, salt, herbs and swimming with butter. What’s not to love?

When we had our Thanksgiving dinner a few weeks ago, I decided to give accordion potatoes another go, but I cut down on some of the butter and subbed in some olive oil. I decided to leave out my mom’s breadcrumbs to keep things simple. Once again, they were a huge hit. I large potato is more than enough per person, but you could easily double this recipe for a crowd.

I’ve been making these potatoes forever and I’ve learned a tip to make slicing the potatoes so much easier and stress-free. Line up 2 chopsticks lengthwise on either side of the potato, so when you cut your slices, you don’t end up slicing all the way through!

elsewhere: If you’re already tired of salads from summer, think again. Over at Poppytalk I make a delicious salad using greens, beets, carrots, apples, nuts & seeds and my favorite pink vinaigrette. Get the recipe!

accordion (aka hassleback) potatoes
4 large russets, scrubbed & washed (oblong shape preferred)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh rosemary
1 T fresh thyme
1 t garlic powder
2 T olive oil
2 T unsalted butter
1 t freshly ground black pepper
1 t sea salt

Preheat oven to 425F.

Line up 2 chopsticks lengthwise on either side of your potato on your cutting board. Slice each potato at 3-4mm intervals – basically as thick as a really thick chip, but if you cut slightly thicker slices, that’s okay too. Carefully place potatoes on a lightly oiled glass baking dish.

In a small saucepan, let the olive oil, butter, garlic, garlic powder and herbs melt together. Brush liberally over potatoes, making sure to get the butter/herb/oil mixture into the crevices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 45-65 minutes or until potatoes are tender & crispy.

Possibly related posts:

• farm fresh dinner: new potatoes, braised greens and a beet salad
• eat fish and be merry: baked fish with potatoes & rosemary + lime & honey wax beans

I love super simple recipes like this. Especially when the result is so tasty that I’m ready to fill my plate for seconds and I’m visibly crushed because I know there’s none left in the pan. Poor me, I’ll just have to make this recipe again soon. Trust me, I will and so will you, I’m sure. This will be a staple chicken thigh recipe and I’m a chicken thigh lover through and through.

One thing that is different in this recipe is that the chicken skin stays on the chicken. If you grew up in a house that banished any notion of fat, the number one rule in cooking with poultry was that chicken skin must always be removed. And into my adult life, I’ve pretty much followed that rule hook, line and sinker. And with thighs, that is totally fine because thighs are juicy and rarely seem to dry out. But I was eager to try out this recipe as I’m a sucker for simplicity and with a come-on as enticing as Perfection, I could’t resist. The skin stayed on. And trust me, any extra calories are seriously worth it.

This chicken that is easy enough to make on a harried weeknight. Despite it’s simple ingredient list- salt, pepper and a bit of vegetable oil, it’s really about technique and searing the skin to get really crispy results. Did I mention that it only takes 35 minutes?

Perfection does come with a bit of a cost. The only real drawback to this meal is that it is a bit messy. The oil and the chicken fat does splatter, but it’s not enough of a mess to call the whole thing off. Just steer clear of the pan while it’s on the stove to prevent random burns and do a quick wipe down when you put the pan in the oven. The resulting chicken is one with super crisp skin and a moist and juicy interior. Biting into it had me smiling from ear to ear. This isn’t as fussy as traditional fried chicken but it was incredibly delicious! Hello pan perfect chicken, we’ve become fast friends indeed.

elsewhere: Pop over to Poppytalk and take a gander at a very lovely no-fuss Blueberry Almond Norwegian Tea Cake. It contains no butter or oil and it’s completely delicious and easy to prepare.

perfect pan-roasted chicken thighs
(recipe from Bon Appetit)
1 T vegetable oil
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 475F. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat. Add chicken skin side down and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 12 more minutes skin side down, rotating and rearranging chicken to evenly distribute heat until the fat renders and skin is golden brown.

Move skillet to the oven and cook for 13 more minutes, still skin-side down. Turn over chicken and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Possibly related posts:

• make this now: roasted chicken thighs with miso and ginger
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I have 2 small confessions for you. One, I had my first bite of an apricot a few days ago. Two, I didn’t like it. How did I get through my life without trying an apricot? Well, that would be an insanely long story that basically boils down to the fact that me and fruit have always had a tumultuous relationship. Sour fruits like Granny Smith apples, pineapples, blackberries and raspberries have always been perfect pals, but my relationship with other fruits haven’t been so tight. Some of it has to do with the fact that instead of paying me an allowance, my parents decided that it would be better if we sold the pears from our backyard tree door to door. I don’t think my brother and I ever sold a basket to anyone. Being a door-to-door pear salesman was humiliating and not something I’d recommend for other ten year olds. I could also tell you that one summer, my brother and I spent the first few weeks of our vacation picking strawberries for a couple of bucks. We made enough to buy a bag of chips at the farm store and that pretty much wiped out our strawberry picking income for the day. I only started coming around to strawberries 10 years ago and I still pretty much have a strong hatred for pears. But for most of my life, I never really crossed paths with apricots. When I asked my husband what they tasted like, he said “like a bad peach” which isn’t really a ringing apricot endorsement.

So in an effort to ditch all my childhood fruit hang-ups, I thought I’d give apricots a try. I picked up a batch of organic Skaha apricots from a farmer who drives into Vancouver on a regular basis. They looked beautiful – bright orange globes with a gentle blush of pink. I took my first bite and was sorely disappointed. They weren’t juicy or flavourful or interesting in any way. So I hopped onto Twitter to complain and almost everyone said cook the damn things and they’d be wonderful. Luisa, of The Wednesday Chef, even passed me the link to Olga’s blog which had a recipe for apricot jam. Olga uses a recipe from David Tanis’ wonderful book Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys. Lucky me, I had fallen in love with the very same book when I borrowed it from the library and purchased it soon after I returned it, so I felt it was totally fortuitous to try out the recipe myself.

I felt pretty confident making this despite the fact that as David Tanis writes it, it’s more of a story than a cut and dried recipe – but that’s part of the charm of his book. I have made a couple rounds of blackberry jam in my day and like David, I’m all for making small batch jams for breakfast rather than preserving the summer for posterity. I knew I could do this apricot jam thing and perhaps I might give apricots another chance. So I got to work and it was all pretty simple stuff: sugar, fruit and a bit of water. I decided to add a vanilla bean since I figured these babies needed all the help they could get. As the jam was simmering away, David notes that things will start to “smell really, really good and look even better”. Uh oh, I was worried because despite my Class A sniffer, I couldn’t smell a damn thing besides the sugar and the vanilla bean. It also just looked like apricots floating in a sugar syrup. Here is where Twitter again came to the rescue. I was told not to panic but to continue giving the jam a bit more heat. So I did, I let the thing simmer briskly for a while longer before turning it down to a low simmer. My jam panic was subsiding and I began to trust in my instincts.

Re-reading David’s “making a little jam” story he says that judging by eye is the key to making this jam and I have to agree. It’s not one of those things that require 20 minutes of heat and an 45 minutes of cool down. This isn’t a science experiment where exact measures and temperatures are required. Making this jam is more of a craft. But don’t worry about it being a complicated process – you’ll get the gist of it soon enough – just trust your gut. And leaning on Twitter also provides some welcoming reassurance.

And how were those boring bland apricots? Delicious! The jam turned out beautifully and the jammy taste is bright, sweet and almost floral. Apricot jam is a win! Seriously, how could you look at all that bright sunshine spread over toast and not be happy in the mornings. It’s completely impossible. Thanks apricots for showing me something new.

A few notes. According to David Tanis, do not be tempted to reduce the sugar as apricots are never sweet enough for jam. Also, this jam tastes best the week it is made, so make up a small batch and enjoy it every morning over toast until it’s gone and share it with friends. It will, however, last for about a month in the fridge.

simple vanilla bean apricot jam
(Adapted from Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys)
2 c organic sugar
2 c organic apricots (about 8 apricots)
1 vanilla bean

Cut apricots in half, removing pits, but leaving the skin on. Place in a large heavy pot and add in sugar. Lightly give the mixture a stir so that the apricots help to moisten the sugar. Place over low heat with a 1/2 cup of water. Scrape the seeds of 1 vanilla bean into the pot, stirring until combined. When the sugar melts, turn up the heat to medium and let it simmer rapidly, scraping off any foam that gathers on top, giving it a stir now and then.

Bring the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 30 – 45 minutes or until the apricots begin to soften and melt. Stir frequently which will help get those fruit a-melting. When the jam coats the back of a spoon and starts to look “right”, you’re there! Remove from heat and let the jam cool down to room temperature. Spoon into jars and refrigerate, or process if you plan on canning this batch.

Possibly related posts:

• happy birthday cake to me: black magic cake with vanilla bean buttercream
• jam it on the one: sour cherry vinaigrette

I always have miso in the fridge. While it’s not something not usually considered a kitchen staple in North American households, I love having it close by. Not only does it last forever – hello, fermented rice paste! – but there’s something both pungent and mellow about it that makes it pretty versatile. It’s fantastic in vegan gravy, delicious in stirfries and soups, and perfect with cod or salmon. Yeah, I’m a fan.

I’ve never tried miso with chicken and I’m so glad that I did. This dish was unbelievable! The garlic, ginger, chili paste and miso all worked its way into the chicken thighs to make some seriously delicious magic. The flavour was deep and despite how it looks, it’s surprisingly not very spicy. If you like a lot of heat, add some sriracha to the mix, but I think this is pretty perfect as is. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Miso comes in light and dark versions – I prefer the light version (shiso is my fave) and you can find it in health food stores and Asian markets. And please don’t leave out the chili garlic sauce – it has a special kind of magic all its own. One sniff from the jar and I get all goo-goo faced. You can find it at Asian markets everywhere.

elsewhere: Visit Poppytalk to check out my current favorite salad dressing recipe. It’s creamy and delicious over summer greens.

roasted chicken thighs with miso and ginger
(adapted from the kitchn)
4 skinless chicken thighs
2 T shiso miso paste
1 2-inch knob fresh ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 t sesame oil
1 t rice vinegar
1 t soy sauce
2 T chili garlic sauce
1 T vegetable oil

Rinse chicken under cold water & pat dry. Remove skin if they aren’t skinless already.

Add all ingredients in a small bowl and give it a good mix until you have a fragrant red paste. Put the chicken in a large zip loc bag, pour in the paste make sure the sauce covers the chicken completely. Seal bag tightly. Marinate chicken overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Add vegetable oil to the bottom of your baking dish, spreading it around with your hands. Add chicken on an even layer and bake for 40 minutes, turning chicken over once halfway through baking time. Chicken will be cooked when the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Remove chicken and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Possibly related posts:

• perfect pan-roasted chicken thighs
• ginger pineapple chicken — the speedy way

If there’s a meal that could make me shout my love from the rooftops, this recipe might just be the one. Forget that I had my camera settings all wrong when I took these photos – who could blame me to be careful about these things when shrimp and broccoli have come together to create beautiful magic together? No one. I admit to being prolific with my compliments. My husband accuses me of using superlatives too easily and declaring my current meal as “the best thing ever”, but you’ll have to trust me here because my compliments are very well-deserved.

Don’t be like me and wait over two years before trying this dish out. I first spotted Melissa Clark’s recipe in the New York Times and I was intrigued. And then Luisa over at The Wednesday Chef quickly wrote about it and I became smitten. I jumped on the shrimp + broccoli bandwagon without even tasting a bite. Somehow, I just couldn’t get it together to have broccoli and shrimp at the same time until now. I’ve smacked my head enough so that you won’t have to.

Write up your shopping list, make sure you’ve got everything you need – not that you’ll need a lot of things. Nope. This isn’t fancy pants territory, it just tastes like it is. And don’t forget to serve this with rice. Brown rice I’m sure is fine and healthy, but I did enjoy this with my plain old Jasmine white rice very, very much. And lemons, don’t forget the lemons! Get to it, I’m waiting. Go!

elsewhere: Hop on over to ReadyMade where I wax on about pancakes for one. Not only that, these pancakes are vegan and could kick your diner pancakes to the curb. Oh yeah. And if a bourbon hot toddy is more your style (I know it’s spring, but I’ve been sick!), whip up this easy goin’ number.

spicy roasted broccoli & shrimp
(adapted from The Wednesday Chef)
2 large heads of broccoli
4 T olive oil
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t chili flakes
1 t kosher salt
1 t black pepper
20 large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
zest from 1 lemon + remaining lemon cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a large bowl combine the broccoli with 2 tablespoons of oil, cumin, coriander, 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, mix together the shrimp with the remaining chili flakes, salt and pepper, olive oil and all the lemon zest.

Add the broccoli onto a prepared cookie sheet (lined with either parchment paper or silpat) in one layer and roast for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 10 minutes more – tossing once at the midway mark. When the broccoli is golden and crispy and the shrimp is opaque, remove from oven. Serve over rice and squeeze (this is a must!) with lemon juice. Serves 2 very happy people.

Possibly related posts:

• spicy masala shrimp with zucchini and coconut rice
• brown rice & broccoli cheddar pie