Chicken Livers

We are lucky to have access to produce from Wildfire Farms and this year I was especially lucky to pick up chicken livers. Oh my goodness, they are delicious. It's easy to cook delicious food when you have access to good product.  

Chicken livers

Sweet onions

Brown mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms

Dry Sherry

Montreal chicken spice

How about you?  Do you have a favourite farm that supplies you with your good eats?  

Lasagna

I usually make the Ooh-la-la-sagna recipe from The Looneyspoons Collection cookbook but today I just went with what I had on hand since I was missing a few key ingredients.   

Instead of making the centre layer with spinach, ricotta and parmesan cheese and egg I went with what vegetable I had in the fridge. 

3 medium onions roughly chopped

4 zucchinis

2 yellow peppers

large package of mushrooms

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato oil

Toss and roast for 30 minutes in a 350º F oven.  Meanwhile, I worked on my meat sauce.  I removed the skins from fifteen hot Italian sausages, diced and cooked with one white onion. When meat is cooked add 

1 jar of Marinara sauce 

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

Once is reaches a boil, reduce, and simmer for 20 minutes.  

Now comes the fun part. Start with a layer of meat sauce, then a layer of Le Veneziane Gluten-free Corn and Rice Lasagna noodles.  They are oven ready so no need to pre-cook these noodles. Top with more meat sauce, 1/2 of the roasted vegetables (I made enough for 2 trays of lasagna), mozzarella cheese, lasagna noodles, meat sauce and a final layer of cheese.  

Bake in a 350º F oven for 30 minutes. And then enjoy!

Thai Chicken & Coconut Soup

I discovered the most aromatic and de-lish soup recipe. It is from Emeril's cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One Pot Wonders but you can also find the recipe on Emeril's website over here. 

You might want to print this recipe ASAP before it disappears because this one is a keeper. And it is gluten-free too!  

This is the second pot of Thai Chicken & Coconut Soup that I've made and I did tweak it a wee bit according to the ingredients that I had at home. Instead of vegetable oil, I used avocado oil.  I replaced the Thai chilies with a heaping teaspoon of Sambal Oelek. Mushroom stock replaced the chicken stock. And I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Even still with the changes this is still delicious. Thanks Emeril!  

Happy Eats!  

Wild Mushroom and Garlic Pasta

Super easy dish when your short on time.   

6 cups of assorted mushrooms

2 tablespoons of butter

12 cloves of garlic

4 more tablespoons of butter plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 teaspoons dried basil

gluten-free spaghetti 

Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!  

Roasted Mushroom and Brie Soup

This soup is inspired by a recipe that I found online, I just tweaked it to make it a gluten-free version after being tempted by pre-made Mushroom and Brie Soup available at Costco but wasn't gluten free. I typically like cooking with sherry when making a mushroom soup but I didn't have any on hand. The white wine worked quite well.  

Super yummy creamy mushroom soup! Start with about 2 lbs of mushrooms, a tablespoon of olive oil, a cookie sheet and 400˚F oven.  

Roast the mushrooms for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile melt some butter (2 tablespoons) in a soup pot, and cook down onions for about 8 minutes.  

Add garlic and dried thyme.

Cook for about 1 minute more.

Add gluten free all-purpose flour blend. I like Cloud 9 gluten free flour, it is a cup for cup replacement for non-gluten-free recipes. Deglaze the pot with white wine.  

Add stock and roasted mushrooms, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it simmer away for about 20 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup of milk and brie cheese, skinned and cut into cubes. Stir until cheese is melted and milk has been blended.  

Puree the soup and serve.

Happy Eating!

One of My Favourites: Curried Pork Tenderloin with Curried Blueberry Sauce

Ground Cumin

Curry Powder

Turmeric

Fresh Ginger

Cardamon

Butter

Olive Oil

Sliced Mushrooms

Organic fresh Blueberries

Butter

Curry Powder

Paint the plate with the blueberry sauce, layer with sauteed mushrooms and top with pork tenderloin that has first been seared and then finished off in the oven for about 8 minutes.  Serve with stir fried baby bok choy, yellow bell peppers and zucchini.

Vegetarian Fare

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Mushrooms

Crustless Crab & Mushroom Quiche

This is the second time that I made this crustless quiche. I found the recipe in the Looneyspoons cookbook. I had a few ideas as to how I wanted to tweak the recipe. 

1. The first time I used canned crab meat, not this time. Since I had one can left, I did use that but the remaining crabmeat was found in the deli section of Costco. Huge difference in taste! 
2. Instead of parmesan and cheddar cheese I went with feta. 
3. I left out the onions and garlic and went with shallots. 
4. And I raided the herb garden with the exception of the dried dill.  

3 cups sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1 yellow pepper, diced

2 tsp. olive oil

2 tsp. butter

In a skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil, add the mushrooms, shallots and pepper and cook until soft, about seven minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile in a large bowl mix the following ingredients.  

6 eggs

3/4 cup of evaporated milk

1 tsp. fresh oregano

3 large basil leaves, chopped

1 tsp. dill

1 cup feta cheese

Sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup crab meat

Pour into a greased quiche dish. Bake for 45-60 minutes until firm to the touch.

This adapted recipe is a keeper!

The Fixings for Scrambled Eggs

Diced Cherry Tomatoes
Diced Red Peppers
Diced Mushrooms
Chopped Green Onions
Chopped Marinated Artichoke Hearts
2 Eggs
Sprinkle of Italian Seasoning
Dab of Butter
Drop of Milk
Feta Cheese

In a heated pan melt the butter.  Add all of ingredients that have been whisked together and cook until almost done. Add crumbled feta cheese until it begins to melt.  Enjoy.

Spinach, Mushroom and Beef Stir-fry

Onions

Mushrooms

Freshly minced ginger

Olive Oil

Thinly sliced beef

Spinach

Sea Salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Gluten-free Soya Sauce

Serve with sprouted brown rice.  

Artichoke & Spinach Baked Eggs

Years decades ago I found myself at a little theatre/restaurant for brunch in Minneapolis. While there I had an egg and artichoke dish that had a bread crump topping. It was delicious and this recipe is inspired by that dish I enjoyed many moons ago.

Marinated artichoke hearts

Red peppers

Brown mushrooms

Spinach

Eggs

Sea Salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Pour into buttered ramekins, top with gluten-free bread crumbs.

Don't forget the cheese! Pop in a 350 degree pre-heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Yum! Happy Eating.

Creole Style Chicken-a-la-King

A basic Chicken-a-la-King recipe kicked up a whole bunch of notches!  

Butter

Celery

Red Peppers

Wild Mushrooms

Onions

Shallots

Garlic

Gluten-free flour (I used Cloud 9 all-purpose blend, available at Costco)
Thyme

Gluten-free Creole Spice 

Milk

Chicken Stock

Left-over Roast Chicken

Serving suggestions:  Serve on sprouted brown rice, quinao, or roasted spaghetti squash.  

Bok Choy Stir-fry

Coconut oil

Whites of Bok Choy

White onions

Garlic

Fennel

Red peppers

Mushrooms

Bok Choy Greens

Sea Salt

Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Mushroom and Cornish Game Hen Soup

Yesterday was nippy outside, today it is down right cold! It feels like a north wind that is blowing out there. Perfect weather for soup.

Mushroom and left-over cornish game hen was the foundation for this pot of soup. Add some shallots, freshly minced ginger, carrots, celery, flavourful water from a previously cooked home-made chorizo, mushroom stock, thyme, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Happy Eats!  

Beef Fried Quinao

It is nippy outside. Perfect day to use up some left-overs and cook up something to take the autumn chill off.  

White onions, minced garlic, diced celery, carrots sauteed in a stir-fry pan with sesame seed oil. Add diced yellow peppers and roughly chopped exotic mushrooms. Cook a few minutes more.  Add cooked and cooled quinao, season with gluten-free soya sauce. Add left-over roast beef. Season with more gluten-free soya sauce if needed. 

And enjoy!  

Quinao-Stuffed Bell Peppers

This recipe is from the Looneyspoons Cookbook but can also be found online here. These are just before they were popped into the oven. Since I had some leftover corn, I threw that into the quinao and mushroom stuffing mix.

OH MY GOODNESS, this dish is delish!

Mushrooms

Sauteed Mushrooms, Yellow Beans, Fresh Basil, Portuguese Hot Pepper Paste, Gluten-free Soya Sauce, Olive Oil

These delicious mushrooms were made by my father, one of the greatest cooks I know, next to mom. They were delicious and I could have easily made this side dish my main course.  

Weekend Omelette

Nothing says weekend for me better than an omelette. Mushroom, Havarti cheese, eggs, mmm, mmm, mmm.