Rabbit Stew

Ok so this one is a first for me. But my hubby loves rabbit so I figured I would give it a try.

this is the base sauteing away

Ingredients:



1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp all purpose flour

2 rabbit loins

2 medium onions

3 medium carrots

4 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of pepper

1 tbsp salt

2 small turnips

2 pints of mushrooms- I used button because they were on sale this week but I think it would be better with a mix of different ones

3 large potatoes

fresh sage

fresh rosemary sprigs

1 box of chicken stock



Directions:

cut rabbit loin into bite sized pieces and place in bowl. pour salt on the rabbit and let sit for 30 min at room temperature. chop onions, garlic and carrots. sautee onions, garlic and carrots with the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. once onions are softened and translucent add mushrooms. sautee until mushrooms are softened. braise rabbit in a skillet (I prefer cast iron), sprinkle with flour then add rabbit to pot, de-glaze the skillet with a bit of red wine, add to pot. add stock, herbs and pepper to pot. chop turnip and potatoes and add to pot. turn heat on high and bring to a boil. once boiling lower heat and simmer for 2-3 hours or until potatoes and turnips are softened and rabbit is tender.

Three Bean Bake

I got this recipe from the Pulse Canada recipe booklet. I have altered it a bit and was thinking it would be a good recipe to add cooked ground chicken or canned flaked tuna to. I'm sure you can find the original recipe at http://www.pulsecanada.com/

INGREDIENTS

1 can of baked beans in tomato sauce

1 can of white kidney beans

1 can of black beans

2 medium onions

3 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp of sesame oil

1 tbsp all purpose flour

2 tbsp of molasses

2 tbsp of reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tsp of ground ginger

2 cups of uncooked rice

(optional pinch of chili powder)

DIRECTIONS:

preheat oven to 325 degrees F. combine baked beans, black beans and white kidney beans in a 2L casserole dish. in a large skillet saute onion, sesame oil and garlic until the onion is tender. stir in the flour then add the molasses, soy sauce, ginger and chili powder (if desired). bring to a boil and pour over beans. mix together, cover and bake for 1 hour. cook rice then combine the rice and the beans and serve

Vegetarian Kale and Bulgar Soup

I got the idea for this soup from the blog "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" but theirs is a Turkey and Kale soup. My Grandmother is a vegetarian so I wanted to make mine something she could eat. At this time of year a nice warm soup is what I like to feed my family and this one is tasty.

Ingredients:

1 tsp of oil ( I use coconut but olive is good too)
2 yellow onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 box of vegetable soup stock
1 cup of bulgar
1 bunch of kale
2 cans of white kidney beans
2 tbsp of lemon juice
4 carrots
1 tsp of salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tsp of fresh ground ginger
2 tsp of cumin
and I throw Parmesan rinds that I have frozen into my soups took add some extra flavor and instead of throwing them out. I pull them out before I serve it though.

To Make:
put your oil in a big soup pot and turn heat onto medium. chop onions and garlic into bite sized pieces then put in pot. Chop carrots and add to pot. Saute until the onions are soft then add full box of stock. Rip the kale leaves into bite sized pieces and put in pot. Add bulgar, beans, lemon juice and spices. Turn heat on high until simmering, stirring occasionally, then lower heat and let continue to simmer. Stir occasionally. Let simmer for 2 hours or until kale and carrots are soft.
Serves 4-5

CHANGE IT UP- have fun with this and make it with whatever you have on hand, add potatoes or winter vegetables like squash or turnip to make it heartier. Add barley or rice instead of the bulgar. Try cayenne pepper to give it a bit of heat (just a tsp is enough). Add fresh herbs like thyme or

Potato Leek Soup

I love a nice thick soup once the weather turns cold. This is one of the dishes we serve when we go and get our Christmas tree which is just around the corner now. The flower market where I work just got their Christmas Greens in so the whole place smells of cedar, pine and eucalyptus. I make a huge batch because everyone loves it and I divide it up so you can half it for a smaller batch.

6 leeks
4 lg onions
4 lg garlic cloves
oil for sauteing about two tbsp of olive oil
4 lg potatoes
2 cartons of vegetable stock
2 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp sesame oil
250 mls cream (optional, leave it out if you want this to be vegan)
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
1/2 tsp of chipotle powder

chop leeks (I dont use the really green tops of the leeks, they are a bit stringy and I save them to make my own veg stock) and rinse them in a bowl of cool water, strain the leeks and let dry. chop onions and garlic. saute onions, garlic and leeks in your soup pot with the oil until soft. chop potatoes into bite sized chunks, add to pot. add stock and rosemary to pot, make sure the stock covers the potatoes and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 20-25 min or until potatoes are soft. remove from heat and set aside. cook the rice (following the directions on the bag). add the sesame oil to the soup pot and puree. add the cooked rice and puree. let sit and cool then put in fridge for 12-24 hours. reheat on stove adding the cream (if you are going for non-vegan) and the chipotle and puree.

Perfect! Enjoy!!

Puffballs!

Look at these beautiful puffball mushrooms the family and I found! The hubby, the kids and I went out on a nature hike today through our neighbors trails. We looked at the stream that cuts through the limestone rock to form waterfalls and had races with sticks down the stream. The weather was beautiful and not too cold. We stopped along the trail to pick up some acorns when the hubby noticed these beauties just off the trail. We harvested them and brought them home along with free run eggs from our neighbors chickens. We also got those as fresh as can be as we grabbed them fresh from the coop. I love the flavors of these eggs since the chickens are allowed to roam all through the woods during the day. I am so excited to cut into the mushrooms! We already have many plans for them including mushroom soup and sauteing them in butter. The smaller one weighed 4lbs and the larger one weighed slightly over 10lbs! I can't wait to enjoy these beautiful mushrooms.

***please note NEVER consume mushrooms found in the wild without absolutely confirming that they are safe!

Spinach And Barley Bake Recipe

I found this recipe on cdkitchen.com but I modified it a bit.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup pearled barley
1 2/3 cup water
1 box (10 oz size) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3 medium cloves of garlic diced or crushed
1 red pepper diced
2 cup grated parmesan cheese (add more if you wish---we LOVE parmesan or use cheddar---be creative!)
1 egg
1 tablespoon unbleached flour
1 teaspoon of fresh or dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 container or 250 ml of sour cream (use low fat if you wish)



Directions:
Place the barley and water in a 2-quart pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the barley is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir often so barley doesnt burn.

Place the cooked barley and all of the remaining ingredients except for 1 cup of the Parmesan in a large bowl, and stir to mix well. Coat a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray, and spread the mixture evenly in the dish. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top.

Bake uncovered at 375degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove the dish from the oven, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 4

The kids and the hubby loved it and it was easy to make. I prepared it in the morning and then let it sit in the fridge until dinner time. Then I baked it off and we enjoyed. I think the time it got to sit made it tastier!

Wine Review: Cab Franc where have you gone?

I love Cabernet Franc, I have a passion for that grape in particular. I think its bold, tough and has great flavor. I found that wineries used to produce great Cab Francs in the past. Everything I loved about Cab Franc was showcased in these wines. Now I find that it has become a grape of icewine and blending. It is extremely hard to find a Cab Franc that isn't an icewine. So I have been shopping at my local LCBO's and trying to find a Cab Franc that stands up to my memories of the varietal. Its been awhile since I have been back in the wine industry but I was hopeful to find something tasty!

I first bought the Vineland Estates Cabernet Franc 2007. I was disappointed, where was the raw bold flavors I was used to. This was a everyday wine, something anyone could buy and enjoy. I understand the reasoning behind producing wines like this, obviously they sell more if they are produced with an average palate in mind. If you enjoy red wine and aren't picky then it is a very nice wine. At just over $13 it is a reasonable everyday wine. I hated it!

So try another, I bought the Henry of Pelham Cabernet Franc 2006. This is a winery known for their bold Baco Noir. I was hoping to find their Cab Franc to be as outstanding as their Baco Noir (and I love their Sibling Rivalry red as an everyday wine). I opened it and poured it into my glass, the aromas were heavenly. I was getting excited...this is it! I tasted it and I was disappointed all over again. The flavor just doesnt match up to the nose of the wine. It smells of blackberry and leather and tastes of grapey water. There was no tannins left in the wine, I was so upset with the taste I wont drink it again so it has been relegated to cooking wine.

So my search continues for a Cab Franc to live up to my lofty standards ;)