Spicy Dill Feta Baked Eggs

I often stay at Hotel le Germain in Montreal, and one of the breakfast options from Laurie Raphael that they offer is "an egg casserole of the day" that is cooked and served in individual dishes. I really liked it and thought it was great presentation, so I was really excited when I came across the recipe for Tomato and Feta Baked Eggs on one of my favourite blogs, Closet Cooking. This recipe is an adaptation of the recipe on that site, with more emphasis on dill (my favourite herb!) and a bit more spice with Frank's Red Hot. 

Prep Time: 12 mins  
Hands on cook time:  16 mins
Bake Time: 17 minutesTotal Time: 45 mins


Ingredients
1/4 onion (I used sweet), chopped
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/8 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/8 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
3 dashes Frank's Red Hot, plus a few drops
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1 tsp garlic, minced (I used jarred)
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
2 Naan breads


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Heat oil in pan over medium heat.
3. Add onion to pan and saute until soft, approx. 6 minutes.
4. Add garlic, dried dill and Frank's hot sauce and continue to saute until fragrant and mixed.
5. Reduce heat to low and add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Simmer until tomatoes start to break down and thickens into sauce, about 10 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and mix fresh dill, fresh parsley, feta, and green onion.
8. Divide into two portions and put in two individual sized oven safe dishes, I used French onion soup bowls.
9. Indent the centres with a bowl, and crack one egg into each indentation. Be careful not to break yolk. Put a few extra drops of Frank's Red Hot on egg.
10. Put bowls on baking sheet and bake in oven for about 15 minutes to the point where egg whites are set and sauce just starts to bubble.

Serve it up with a simple green salad and naan bread (pop it in the oven with the egg to warm) to dip in the eggs. Enjoy!

Tip: For added protein put 2 eggs in the dish, that's what I did for Mike :) It may take a bit longer for the egg to cook though...about 3 minutes or so more.

Summer Fruit and Fried Goat Cheese Salad

We love goat cheese, and especially when it is warmed up. To beat the cloudy evening, I made this bright summer salad with goat cheese. It presents well with many different vibrant colours, and egg adds that extra protein. You could also server this with grilled chicken. 


Serves 2 - me and my hungry husband with a big appetite! Could serve three people. 


Prep Time: 10 mins  
Hands on cook time:  25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins

Ingredients
1 egg, whole uncooked
2 eggs, hard boiled (I used this method), crumbled
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
4 oz log of goat cheese
handful of blueberries
8 strawberries
4 cups of spring mix or mache blend 
1 bell pepper, I used orange...you could also use jarred roasted red peppers
1/2 onion, thinly sliced 
1/2 tsp roasted garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic, I use jarred


For dressing:
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp mustard
splash lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
balsamic glaze (optional)




Directions

1. Cut cheese into six 1/2 inch slices (roughly). If you have dental floss, use that to slice. I didn't so I put the cheese in the freezer for a few minutes and then cut with a very sharp knife. Once cut put back in the fridge to keep cool. If any cheese crumbles off while you are cutting, just add to salad bowl. 
2. Heat grill (my trusty Breville) and slice pepper into pieces to be grilled. When grill is hot, grill peppers until soft and set aside to cool down. Once cool, finely slice the peppers.
3. While peppers are cooking, use a small bowl or dressing jar to make dressing by mixing: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic and lime juice. Set aside.
4. Slice the end off of 6 strawberries and slice berries, add to salad bowl. With the remaining two, keep end on and slice, then fan out for garnish.
5. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil with brown sugar and minced garlic in small fry pan over medium-high heat, when warm add onion and cook until soft and caramelized. Remove onions from pan  
6. While onions are cooking, set up three small bowls with:
1. Flour
2. Egg, beaten
3. Breadcrumbs, rosemary, salt and basil
7. Dip each slice of goat cheese in flour, then egg, then breadcrumb mixture.
8. When onions are cooked and removed from pan, add 2 additional tsp of oil (don't wash out pan) and then add breaded cheese once the oil is hot. Cook until browned on one side, then flip and brown the other side.
9. While cheese is cooking, add spring mix, blueberries, sliced grilled peppers, caramelized onion and crumbled egg to salad bowl and toss with dressing.
10. Plate salad and place goat cheese patties on top with fanned out strawberries for garnish. 
11. Drizzle with balsamic glaze (optional).

Mozza Chicken Grilled Sandwiches with Crispy Coated Asparagus

Back from vacation, so time to hit the blog again. After travelling for a few weeks I was only up for a quick recipe tonight. It's a great standby when you don't have a lot of time, but want something tasty.


Click here for ingredients and directions for Crispy Coated Asparagus

Prep Time: 10 mins  
Hands on cook time:  10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients
1/2 sweet onion, sliced into rings
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp walnut oil (or EVOO, I was just trying to be adventurous!)
1/2 tsp minced garlic (I use jarred)
9 slices of deli chicken (I used brown sugar chicken)
6 slices of sour dough bread
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
margarine


Directions

1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, garlic and onions.
2. Cook until onions are caramelized. Take off heat and set aside. 
3. While onions are cooking, butter one side of each slice of bread. 
4. Top three slices each with 1/3 of cheese, 3 slices of chicken and 1/3 of onions.
5. Heat fry pan and add sandwiches, grill until brown on each side. 
6. Cut in half and server 1 and 1/2 sandwiches.
7. Serve with crispy coated asparagus.

Nutty Thai Chicken Naan Pizzas

This recipe is adapted from Closet Cooking, a great recipe blog by a Torontonian Kevin, who loves to cook...in his closet sized kitchen. I must say, he comes up with some big tastes in that little kitchen, and I really enjoy his recipes. 


I was inspired by his recipe for Thai Spicy Peanut Chicken Enchiladas, but adapted it a bit to suit my personal tastes, and desire to experiment!  I love Indian Naan bread, so I opted to make something that is a little bit Indian, a little bit Italian, a little bit Thai...and A LOT of flavour! I hope you will enjoy this recipe from me, or Kevin's version over at Closet Cooking. 

आप का खाना स्वादिष्ट हो (Hindi for Bon Appetit...pronounced āp kā khānā svādiṣṭa ho)

Buon appetito! (Italian for Bon Appetit)

ขอให้เจริญอาหาร! (Thai for Bon Appetit...pronounced kŏr hâi jà-rern aa-hăan)

Prep Time: 20 mins  
Hands on Cooking: 25 mins
Baking Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 60 mins


Ingredients:
Nutty Satay Sauce
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 tablespoon red curry paste, I used Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 thai chili, seeded and finely chopped CAUTION - these suckers are hot, so add less if you don't like a lot of spice


Nutty Thai Chicken Naan Pizzas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced (I used yellow pepper)
3 tbsp sweet onion, chopped finely
1 large carrot, skin removed and finely sliced (julienne)
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded with a fork (I used chicken bbq'd last night)
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
1 cup Nutty Satay Sauce (see above)
4 Naan breads (or pita if you can't find naan)
1 cup mozza and old cheddar cheese
3 tbsp chopped peanuts, I used Our Compliments Jalapeno Kettle Cooked Peanuts


Directions:
Nutty Satay Sauce

1. Heat the walnut and sesame oil in a small pot over medium head
2. Add the red curry paste and stir into oil until well mixed
3. Add other ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, then turn heat down to low and simmer until thick
4. Set aside, you will have some left over and it is great with another meal, or with carrot sticks dipped in it

Nutty Thai Chicken Naan Pizzas

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat
2. Preheat oven to 350 F
3. When heated, add carrots, peppers and onion. Cook until soft, about 6 minutes
4. Add chicken, peanuts and two teaspoons of nutty sauce, stir until warm and well mixed.
5. Heat up grill and grill naan until crisp (optional)
6. Lay naan on baking sheet and spread a thin layer of peanut sauce - Remember it is spicy so don't put too much! 
7. Put chicken and veggie mixture, spread evening across 4 naan
8. Sprinkle with cilantro and cheese, then a little bit more cilantro for garnish
9. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted

Enjoy! Leave comments and let me know if you like it and your twists on this recipe

Grilled Veggie, Pineapple, Teriyaki Chicken and Beef Skewers with Crispy Crusted Asparagus

We couldn't really decide on dinner tonight, so we have a lot of everything! My husband, Mike, is down at the bbq's grilling up some skewers and I am making some tasty Crispy Crusted Asparagus! It is a rainbow coloured dinner, and delicious! I hope you enjoy it too :)

Prep Time: 25 mins  
BBQ and Bake time: 35 mins
Total Time: 60 mins

Ingredients

Skewers

1 thick cut sirloin

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 bell pepper, cut into big chunks

10 cherry tomatoes

8 white mushrooms

1/3 of a pineapple, cut into thick squares

1 onion (I used sweet onion)

1/2 cup roasted garlic teriyaki sauce (I used Kikkoman)

1/4 cup Olive Oil dressing (I used Kraft Extra Virgin Olive Oil Greek Feta)  

Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus, rinsed, dried and ends cut off

3 tbsp parmesan, finely grated

1.5 cups croutons (I used Our Compliments White Cheddar and Bacon Croutons)

1/3 cup flour

1 egg

splash of cream

1 tbsp sea salt (not ground)

1 tbsp rosemary, dried

Directions

Skewers

1.     Marinate steak, uncut, in 1/4 cup teriyaki marinade over night

2.    Marinate chicken, cut into chunks, in remainder of teriyaki marinade up to three hours before dinner

3.    Cut steak and skewer, roll in marinade

4.    Skewer chicken, roll in marinade

5.    Skewer veggies - peppers, zucchini, onion (PZO skewers) together, mushrooms and tomatoes each on their own, brush with dressing

6.    Skewer pineapple

7.    Heat grill to medium/high heat

8.    Put chicken on, as well as PZO skewers and cook until about 1/3 done (about 10 minutes), turn occasionally

9.    Add mushroom, tomato and pineapple skewers to grill, turn occasionally

10. After 15 more minutes add steak to grill (we like ours on the rare side, add earlier to your liking), turn occasionally

11.  All skewers should be done in another 5-7 minutes

Asparagus

1.     Turn on oven to 375 F

2.    Coarsely chop croutons in food processor

3.    Lay out three dishes: 

1.     Flour, spread on dish

2.    Egg and milk, whisk together

3.    Crouton "crumbs" with parmesan, rosemary and sea salt, mix

4.    Dip asparagus in flour to coat, then egg mixture to coat then Crouton mixture

5.    Lay on baking sheet lined with foil

6.    Repeat for remaining asparagus

7.    Bake asparagus for 15 minutes until cooked and crispy

Enjoy!