Dairy Free Chocolate Banana Ice 'Cream'

Everyone once in awhile you make a recipe that makes you go 'meh'. This is that recipe. I found it on Pinterest and despite a gazillion repins popping up in my feed daily, it's one of these items that is better left as an idea. 

First off, let me preface that if you're vegan, you might love this recipe. But for me it doesn't come close to the real thing. Also, if I was vegan I'd probably just have sorbet. It didn't scoop into a nice round ball like the pictures on Pinterest. I even gave it a minute or two to soften. Truthfully I gave it an hour and it was still hard as a rock. And for me, it was too 'melty' to eat before it went in the freezer. It also tasted like frozen bananas with cocoa powder. Which is basically all it is, but I think I somehow expected the addition of cocoa powder and peanut butter to transform it? 

Oh well. No tips today as I'm not sure what could have been done to save this recipe. I hope that the yogurt covered blueberries I've been coveting on Pinterest are not as much of a disappointment.

The recipe is below, please comment if you sort how to make it better. Maybe more peanut butter?

Single Ingredient Ice Cream

4 bananas, just slightly overripe (brown spots good, completely black not so good)
2 tbsps creamy peanut butter (optional – thus 2 ingredient ice cream)
2 tsps cocoa powder (Dutch process), (optional – thus 2 or 3 ingredient ice cream depending on peanut butter)

DO NOT FREEZE THE WHOLE BANANA, you’ll have a heck of a time blending that beast.

Peel the bananas and slice them up into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick disks. Place the banana slices in the freezer for about an hour or until they are frozen solid. Put the frozen slices in a food processor and pulse. First they will start to resemble gravel, but keep going. The bananas will soon turn into a frozen mush – at this point, start scraping the sides down (you will do this a lot). Or you could add a dash of milk since the liquid will help the blending. I’m lactose-intolerant, so after a few minutes of stopping to scrape the sides down, the banana begins to blend into a creamy texture. When the bananas look like whipped ice cream, you can add your mix-ins like peanut butter and/or cocoa powder, chocolate chips, toffee, raspberries, anything goes! Straight out of the food processor, the ice cream is like soft serve. You can also freeze it for a firmer texture. I find it’s pretty hard (and therefore, brittle) when I scoop it immediately after removing it from the freezer. Just give it a minute or two to soften up. Makes a pint.

Spanish Roasted Lamb on Chorizo and Saffron Rice

Normally we travel for Easter and I eat what I'm told. This was the first year where, happily, we had no where to go. And so I decided to tackle roasted lamb. Recipe adapted by the LCBO Food & Drink guide, the Ontario government's gift to cooking.

I didn't cut the lamb into smaller pieces as suggested, but I did use a butterflied lamb leg. I pulled the lamb when the internal temp was 130. I also made some additions to the marinade, italicized below. And I used a tsp of anchovy paste instead of the chopped anchovies. 

Now for taste. I LOVED the lamb and I'm so happy I made the additions to the marinade as it was delish. As for the rice, meh, not my favourite. Mostly because I'm not a huge fan of smoked paprika and I think it was paprika overload. I think it worked great in the marinade where there was some balance, but I would take it out of the rice next time. The saffron and chorizo are flavourful enough to carry the rice. The chorizo came from my local sausage butcher, MEATing on Queen, Torontonians take note.

SPANISH ROASTED LAMB
By: Lucy Waverman

This is similar to roast lamb but cut in smaller pieces to roast very quickly. It is seasoned with Spanish seasonings and served atop a Spanish-style rice with chorizo, Swiss chard and saffron. You can sear the lamb ahead of time but bring it back to room temperature before roasting.

1 butterfly lamb leg
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped anchovies
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped garlic
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon rind
2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) hot smoked Spanish paprika

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp dried rosemary
1⁄2 cup (125 mL) olive oil

1. Cut lamb into 6 even-sized chunks. Grind up the mustard seeds and rosemary in a mortar and pestle. Combine with the anchovies, garlic, lemon rind and juice, paprika, balsamic and 1⁄3 cup (75 mL) olive oil. 

(photo pre-olive oil)

Brush over lamb and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).

3. Heat remaining 2 tbsp (25 mL) oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add lamb and sear on each side about 1 minute a side or until golden. Place lamb on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until still pink inside. 

Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6

CHORIZO SAFFRON RICE By: Lucy Waverman A paella-like rice dish but much easier to make, to accompany the lamb. You do not need another vegetable.

2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil 1 cup (250 mL) chopped onion 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) chopped chorizo 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped garlic 2 cups (500 mL) Spanish or Arborio rice 1 tsp (5 mL) smoked Spanish paprika Salt and freshly ground pepper 1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) saffron 5 to 6 cups (1.25 to 1.5 L) hot chicken stock 4 cups (1 L) chopped Swiss chard leaves 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) chopped green onions Lemon wedges 1. Heat oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and chorizo and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic and cook another minute or until softened. Stir in rice and toss with oil. Add paprika and season with salt and pepper to taste. 2. Combine saffron and hot stock. Pour in 5 cups (1.25 L) hot stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until rice is mostly tender. Stir in Swiss chard, pushing it into the rice, adding extra 1 cup (250 mL) stock if needed. Cook another 5 minutes, stir in green onions and remove from heat. Cover and let sit 10 minutes before serving. Surround with lemon wedges and serve. Serves 6

Jamie Oliver Proper Blokes' Sausage Fusilli

Confession: I've made this dish many times before. But that's why I decided to blog about it. It's actually one of my all-time favs. The flavours are just beautiful. There's a perfect balance between savory, spicy and citrus freshness. And just in case you didn't know, Jamie Oliver is my secret boyfriend. I love his recipes so much. I know some people hate the way he never gives you the proper measurements, but I love that. A wineglass of wine or a handful of parmesan cheese, it just speaks to my cooking style. And the flavours of his dishes never disappoint. He knows the way to my heart.

Note: please listen to my boyfriend and only use good quality sausages. If you're a Torontonian, you can get your sausages at MEATing on Queen, the best sausages in the city in my humble opinion. I usually get the Moraccan Pork or Moraccan Chicken sausages for this dish because the spices in the recipe are simple enough to let the sausages be the star. And they really should be, they are phenomenal. I mean look at them, gorgeous no?

Last note, I couldn't find any dried chili peppers so I used 2 small fresh chili's, deseeded, which worked perfect.

Proper blokes' sausage fusilli

This is a real blokey, gutsy yet simple pasta dish – but saying that, girls tend to like it as well! It hasn't really got a sauce of any description because all the flavour that comes out of the ingredients will stick to the pasta and that's enough. I will even go so far as to say that this is one of my top ten pasta dishes! Remember to buy the best sausages you can afford – if you get cheap, dodgy sausages it just won't work.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 heaped teaspoons fennel seeds
2 dried red chillies, crumbled
olive oil
400 g quality coarse Italian or Cumberland sausages
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 small wineglass white wine
zest and juice of 1 lemon
320 g good-quality fusilli or penne
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 small handful Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra for serving
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Method
Bash up the fennel seeds and chillies in a pestle and mortar or Flavour Shaker until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of a spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so it resembles coarse mince. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized.

Stir in your oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it in the pan with your sausagemeat. Coat the pasta in all the lovely flavours then add a lug of olive oil, the Parmesan, chopped parsley and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

Onion Rye, Mushroom, Gouda & Ham Grilled Cheese

This Sunday was my father-in-laws birthday and being that we'd be travelling to hubby's hometown for a spaghetti dinner, I decided to make lunch. 

This recipe is super easy, but it was really tasty. It's from the LCBO Food & Drink guide. 

I used normal bread as DH is not a fan of rye bread and I added thyme to the mushrooms because that's how I roll. And of course my favourite dijon mustard on the planet, Kozlik's. If you ever come to Canada, you must find this mustard. It's the best I've ever had, like off the charts yummy. My fave, that I used for this recipe, is Antons Secret Bordeaux. But I suppose any dijon mustard will do. :P

ONION RYE, MUSHROOM, GOUDA & HAM GRILLED CHEESE

AUTUMN 2009
By: Heather Trim

Thunder Oak Gouda from Thunder Bay has been at the forefront of great cheese making for several years. Not only does the company make an excellent traditional Gouda, it also offers flavoured goudas such as cumin or jalapeño. Available in specialty cheese stores or on-line at www.cheesefarm.ca.

4 tsp (20 mL) butter, at room temperature
1 cup (250 mL) mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 slices onion rye or light or dark rye, with or without caraway seeds
Honey Dijon or regular Dijon mustard
4 oz (125 g) Ontario Gouda or cheddar, thinly sliced
2 thin slices black forest ham

1. Melt half the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it starts to sizzle, add mushrooms. Stir frequently until softened and browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in pinches of salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Turn mushrooms into a bowl. Wipe pan clean.

2. Spread remaining butter over 1 side of each slice of bread. Spread 2 slices with mustard followed by half the Gouda, a slice of ham, folding to fit if needed, mushrooms, remaining Gouda and bread, butter-side out.

3. Return large frying pan to medium heat. Add sandwiches to pan. Cook until cheese is melted and bread slices are golden, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Press with spatula to help sandwiches stick together better.

Makes 2 sandwiches

Mushroom Spinach Stuffed Shells

I missed last week because I was on vacation. I had planned on cooking and posting from my aunt's house in Florida, but Carrabba's Italian Grill got in the way. And for a chain restaurant it was pret-tay pret-tay good.

While there I picked up a copy of Food Network Magazine's Cheese Issue. As a self-proclaimed cheese fiend, it only seem appropriate that my next post come from the mag. They had a section presenting a single dish two ways: light and rich. I choose the light option, but only because my husband preferred mushrooms over the sausage being offered in the rich version. And then I made it unhealthy because that's how I roll. Lots and lots of cheese. Oodles in fact. Yummy dairy goodness.

The recipe calls for a 10 oz package of frozen spinach. You can do that, but I didn't think I'd have time to thaw the spinach so instead I bought two 8 oz packages of fresh spinach that I cooked down until the moisture was gone with garlic, marjoram, butter and a slight sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.  And of course the other change I made was to up the cheese factor to heart-attack level. Otherwise I followed the recipe below. It was delicious. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Mushroom-Spinach Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

For the stuffed shells:

Kosher salt8 ounces (20 to 24) jumbo pasta shells2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling and brushing1 small onion, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, minced12 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry1 1/2 cups low-fat small-curd cottage cheese1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese1 large egg, lightly beaten1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

For the sauces:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced1 teaspoon fennel seedsLarge pinch of red pepper flakes1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by handKosher salt1/4 cup low-fat small-curd cottage cheese1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Make the stuffed shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook until slightly softened but still firm, about 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drizzle with olive oil and toss; set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 more minutes. Add the spinach and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. Let cool completely.

Finely chop the spinach-mushroom mixture and combine in a bowl with the cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the filling; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, then rinse out the can with 1 cup water and add to the skillet; add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the skillet and rinse out the blender.

Make the cheese sauce: Combine the cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan and egg in the blender and puree until smooth.

Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil and pour in half of the tomato sauce. Add the stuffed shells, then top with the remaining tomato sauce. 

Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 minutes; uncover and continue baking until bubbly, 15 to 20 more minutes. Turn on the broiler; drizzle the shells with the cheese sauce and broil, about 2 minutes.

See you next week!

Rachel Ray New Mexican Green Chile Chili

One of my besties made this chili this summer and it was so yummy that I really wanted to try making it myself. It was super hearty and actually made a great winter meal. When Amanda made it, it was a little less thick and more like a soup. She's really good at feeding lots of people for very little, so I'm willing to bet she went with less meat than the recipe called for. As it was, I only went with 2 lbs of pork butt and I found that it was quite heavy on the meat, so you could probably go with just 1 1/2 lbs and still get a delicious meal that is a little less stewy in consistency. 

I also used grape seed oil for browning the pork as I recently learnt it has a higher smoke point and won't set off the fire alarm in your house. Key when you have a little one sleeping.

I couldn't find Mexican oregano, but the amount is so small that using regular oregano really didn't change the flavour too much. I wish you successful cooking! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 1 pork shoulder/butt (2-3 pounds)
• Salt and pepper
• 3 medium yellow onions, 2 thinly sliced, 1 chopped
• 1 bottle Negra Modela or other Mexican beer
• Juice of 3 limes, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (1/3 palmful)
• 1 tablespoon cumin (a palmful)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander (a palmful)
• 2 cans or 12 fresh tomatillos, chopped, divided
• 4-5 New Mexican green chili peppers or 3 poblano peppers, charred, peeled and seeded
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons masa or cornmeal
• 1 can pinto beans (optional)

Toppings:

• Cilantro
• Raw red onions, finely chopped, or pickled red onion rings
• Fritos or corn tortilla chips
• Queso fresco, crumbled, or other mild cheese, shredded
• Lime wedges

Serves 4-6

PREPARATION

Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.

Heat a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and brown on all sides until deep golden in color.

Top the browned pork with a pile of the sliced onion; add the bottle of beer and juice of two limes to the pot. Cover and roast for 2-2 1/2 hours until very tender. Shred the pork with forks and set the meat back into the drippings.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the remaining EVOO, two turns of the pan. To the hot oil, add the chopped onions and garlic; season with salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and coriander. Cook to tender.

If using canned cooked tomatillos, add one can of them to a food processor with the roasted chili peppers, seasoned cooked onions, garlic and honey. Puree, then return to the stove top and stir in the remaining can of tomatillos and stock.

If using fresh tomatillos, soften the onions for 5 minutes, then add the tomatillos and cook for 10-12 minutes more until the color of the tomatillos pales and they have cooked down into a thick sauce. Puree the cooked tomatillo sauce with the chili peppers and honey, then return the puree to the pot and stir to combine with the stock.

Marry the pulled pork and its drippings to the chili base; stir in the masa and pinto beans, if using. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes to thicken. Serve in shallow bowls with the toppings of your choice and wedges of lime.

Lobster Tails with Dill Butter & Pistachios on Saffron Risotto with Leeks

Eek it's Wednesday and I'm only posting about my Sunday meal now. Oops. Moving along...

I've burnt the last two weeks meals. Both salvageable, but nonetheless I was determined not to overcook this week's meal. And I almost accomplished it. I say almost because I did overcook the lobster ever so slightly but the flavour was so good it didn't really matter. Plus this isn't Top Chef and no one at the table was complaining. 

Today's recipe comes courtesy of the Ontario Government. Odd I know, but our government controls our liquor in Canada. The downside is that it limits the variety and is very corporate, almost like a Walmart. The upside is they fund this AMAZING magazine called the LCBO Food & Drink. And for all you non-Ontarians, they post the recipes to past issues on their website with an excellent search engine. These recipes are created by some of the top culinary experts in the country and it's rare that one disappoints. And this one is no exception. The dill butter poaches the lobsters to perfection and they are perfectly matched with the creamy flavour of the risotto. Enjoy!

Large Lobster Tails with Dill Butter & Pistachios

This is among the simplest of entrées to prepare and is quite festive. Cooking lobster in the shell results in a concentration of seafood flavour.

1 cup (250 mL) shelled pistachios (see TIP)
1 lemon
⅓ cup (75 mL) salted butter, softened
1/4 cup (50 mL) finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
6 large lobster tails, each 10 to 12 oz (300 to 375 g), defrosted

1 Finely chop pistachios by pulsing in food processor; however, leave large enough so pieces of nut are recognizable. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.)

2 Finely zest lemon with a rasp. Stir zest with butter, dill and pepper. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Bring butter to room temperature before using.)

3 To prepare lobster tails, place each one, smooth-side up, on a cutting board. Use heavy kitchen scissors to snip open shell along midpoint from front (where meat is visible) going back to the tail. Using your fingers, force shell open and loosen the meat. Stuff butter between meat and shell and over the exposed meat. Tails can be covered and refrigerated for up to half a day.

4 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

5 Place stuffed tails, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Fan out each tail to steady. Bake 25 minutes or until lobster separated with 2_forks at thickest point has lost grey centre and reads at least 165°F (73°C) on an instant-read thermometer.

6 To serve, force open shells more widely. Grasping meat with tongs, loosen at bottom and pull out. Place lobster on a bed of risotto (below). Nap with butter and juices from broiling pan; liberally sprinkle with pistachios. Serve right away.

TIP
The pistachios need to be bright green, which means shelling large salted California pistachios, as already-shelled pistachios sold in bags are usually too darkly roasted. Nearly 3 cups (750 mL) of nuts in the shell are needed to yield 1 cup (250 mL) of shelled pistachios.

Serves 6

Saffron Risotto with Leeks

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice, but thankfully a little is all that is needed and too much actually decreases the pleasure of the flavour. Saffron is often sold in tiny 2-g boxes—use about one-sixth of the contents for this risotto. If purchasing broth in a 900-mL carton, simply use water to make up to 1 litre. 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine Generous pinch of saffron threads

4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 medium finely sliced leek (white/light-green part only), about 1 cup (250 mL)
1⅓ cups (325 mL) arborio rice, about 8 oz (250 g)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp (1 to 2 mL) salt (optional)
Sprigs of fresh herb such as dill, parsley or thyme

1 Measure wine; add saffron. Let threads soak 1 hour or more. Heat broth in a small saucepan or in microwave, until just boiling. Keep hot over low heat.

2 Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add leek; stir 3 to 5 minutes or until transparent. Then add rice all at once; stir 2 to 3 minutes or until coated and edges are becoming transparent. Add wine, including saffron threads; stir until absorbed.

3 Continue to cook slowly, adding 1/2 cup (125_mL) hot broth at a time, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until each ladleful is absorbed. This takes about 25 minutes. The rice ultimately is creamy and tender to the bite. If more liquid is needed, simply use water. Taste; add salt if needed.

4 Heap risotto into warmed shallow soup bowl or deep plates. Garnish with sprigs of fresh herb.

Serves 6