A Life, Lived

Meyer Lemon Thyme Martini

Paul and I usually plan a nice dinner for Good Friday. We always start off with a cocktail - usually something that is 'spring-like' whatever that means.

This year it meant something bright and refreshing.

We've made a similar drink before but made with regular lemons, not Meyer lemons. Meyer lemons are more floral than regular lemons, less bitter and astringent. It really showed in this drink.

We LOVED this. Had it not been for the fact that stores were closed and I had used all of the Meyer lemons making the first round there definitely would have been another round immediately.

We did not rim the glass with sugar and cardamom. Other than that we followed the recipe as printed.

Enjoy!

Meyer Thyme Martini

1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon Cardamom
1 small Meyer Lemon; plus 1 lemon twist for garnish
1 teaspoon crushed fresh thyme leaves
2 ounces Vodka, chilled
2 ounces fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 ounce (2 Tbs.) simple syrup (recipe below)

Pour the sugar and cardamom onto a small, wide dish like a salad plate and mix to combine. Run the lemon half around the rim of a chilled martini glass to wet it. Dip the rim into the sugar mixture, margarita-style.

With a muddler or the bottom of a wooden spoon, crush the thyme leaves in the bottom of a chilled cocktail shaker. Add the vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Fill the shaker with ice. Put the lid on the shaker can and shake until well chilled.

Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass. Garnish with the lemon twist and a thyme stem.

Simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let cool completely before using. Makes 1/2 cup.

Travel Tuesdays - Savannah

13 years ago Paul and I traveled to Savannah for the great Slow Travel GTG. More than 50 travel fans from across North America gathered in the city for a long weekend of wine, laughter, chatter, and food.

Happy Easter!

This never gets old . . .

After al of these years and in the middle of a pandemic, it still puts a smile on my face . . .

Happy April Fools Day

Travel Tuesdays - Rome

For the past couple of weeks I have been featuring pics from London - our last real vacation before the pandemic hit. A year before I spent a week in Rome enjoying the sights, sounds, and tastes of the city. Here are some shots from that trip.

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Parmigiano (foil packet recipe)

Looking for a side dish with big flavor? This recipe for roasted cauliflower with garlic and parmesan will fit the bill. Try serving it up with a nice juicy rib eye steak cooked over a fire.

I had a giant cauliflower in the refrigerator that we had received in the CSA delivery that needed to be used up. I had some steaks thawing on the counter so I googled for foil packed cauliflower recipes. While we have all sorts of equipment for cooking veggies on the grill nothing beats a foil packet in my opinion. The one drawback is you can't see what is happening inside that foil packet so you can overcook the veggie inside. You may need some trial and error in this regard.

I've modified this recipe a bit to fit a grill rather than a campfire. I also cut back the salt because I found it to be too salty - mind you, I am sensitive to salt since we use little of it. Whatever, if you think you need more salt best to add it at the end before serving - it's easier to add than it is to turn back time and take it out!

Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Parmigiano (foil packet recipe)

1 head of cauliflower
1/4 cup, olive oil
1 med. red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs., minced garlic
1/4 tsp., red pepper flakes
1 tsp., dried thyme
1/2 tsp., kosher salt
1 tsp., black pepper
1/2 cup, grated Parmigiano cheese<
2 sheets heavy duty aluminum foil (18″ x 24″)
Slice of lemon

To assemble your foil packs, first cut your cauliflower up into small bite sized pieces. Toss out the trimmed off portions of the stem.

Next, slice up your red onion. You can’t slice it too thin for this recipe.

Remember, the amount of onion you use is key in how big the flavor will be in this dish. If you want to lighten it up, use as little as half of the onion as opposed to the entire thing.

Now, take all of your ingredients, except the Parmesan, and toss well in a large bowl.

Once it’s well mixed, divide it evenly and place it in the center of your two foil sheets. Since you added the quarter cup of olive oil, it isn’t necessary to spray the foil sheets with cooking spray. Just pile on your cauliflower mix.

Fold the foil sheets into tent packs.

Place over a medium hot BBQ. I grilled about 20 minutes per side and that was too much. I suggest 10 minutes per side.

Remove from the grill (or place in a warming area where the packet will receive indirect heat rather than scorching heat if you have other items to still grill).

Open the packets careful as the steam that has built up inside is QUITE hot. Sprinkle on the parmigiano cheese and stir to combine.

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top, after you’ve served up your roasted cauliflower, will help balance out the dish.

Check the seasonings. If necessary add more salt and pepper.

Serve while hot.

Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats

This is a perfect low carb recipe - one where you don't think it about being low carb while you are enjoying it.

There are so many different ways to eat zucchini, I think it is most often served as a  side dish. In this recipe zucchini is elevated to another level when it is stuffed and served it as a main course.

Followed out zucchinis are filled with a zesty tomato and ground beef mixture, topped with cheese, and baked.

Delicious comfort and no one will guess it is healthy . . .

Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats

6-8 medium zucchini or 12 small
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup marinara sauce
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. Slice zucchini in half, and carve them out with a spoon. Chop the zucchini pulp and set it aside. Line zucchini boats on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased with oil.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to golden. Ad the garlic and cook for a few seconds. Add meat and cook until it's no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, zucchini pulp, italian seasoning and salt + pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Spoon mixture into zucchini boats and top each with a drizzle of cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheesy is fully melted and bubbly.

Travel Tuesdays - London

More shots from our last real vacation.

Healthy Granola

I've been eating a lot of the Blueberry and Almond granola that I made last month. So much that I was running out last week. Instead of making a tried and true recipe I thought I'd branch out and make something new.

This 'healthy' granola is sweetened with maple syrup or honey. I found a lot of both when I cleaned out the pantry so was happy to use some up. It's made with oats, your favourite nuts and fruit. The nice thing about it is the flexibility.

It make a lot - about 8 cups. When you only use a bit to sprinkle on yoghurt or cereal that will last a while.

Now, how does it compare to the version I made last month?

This recipe makes a granola that is less sweet. It also doesn't form the larger clusters that the other recipe formed. I didn't like it as much. Don't get me wrong, it is good, just not as amazeballs good as the other version.

Healthy Granola

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola)
1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds (I used 1 cup pecans and ½ cup almonds)
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup melted coconut oil or olive oil
½ cup maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup dried fruit, chopped if large (I used dried cranberries)
Totally optional additional mix-ins: ½ cup chocolate chips or coconut flakes (I didn't add any of this in. Depending upon what you add the resulting granola may not live up to its name. LOL)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.

Pour in the oil, maple syrup and/or honey and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.

Bake until lightly golden, about 21 to 24 minutes, stirring halfway (for extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). The granola will further crisp up as it cools.

Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if using). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.

Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Sloppy Joes

Depending on where you live, a "Sloppy Joe" can mean many different things. The Sloppy Joe I love is the one I'm presenting here—a sweet and tangy ground beef concoction that you ladle onto a hamburger bun.

It's a mess. Intentionally so. Even though it's in a bun, it must be eaten with a fork.

It's also a delicious mess!

Lots of people open up a can of sloppy joe mix, dump it in some sauteed ground beef and call it dinner. Trust me on this - it is easy to make and the flavour is far superior.

Most recipes take close to an hour. Using the instant pot means dinner is ready in 20 or so minutes.

Now you notice right away from the pic below that there is something not quite right about our sloppy joes . . . I had to serve them on a bagel half because the brioche hamburger buns that I had purchased went into that black hole of small food items. We looked everywhere for those buns to no avail. The bagel was a bit more challenging to cut and eat but it's bread so i guess all was OK.

Whatever. You'll enjoy these, bagel or hamburger bun.

Oh yes, you'll also notice that I sprinkled some grated cheddar cheese on top . . . everything is better with cheddar in my book!

Enjoy.

Sloppy Joes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion finely diced
2 celery stalks finely diced
1 small green bell pepper diced
3 cloves garlic minced or put through a garlic press
1 ½ pounds lean (93%) ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch, optional for thickening
2 tablespoons warm water, optional for thickening
6 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Select the sauté setting and adjust it to high (more). Add the oil to the pot. When it shimmers, add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Lock the lid into place and turn the valve to “sealing.” Select pressure cook (manual) and program for 10 minutes at high pressure. When the cook cycle completes, allow the pressure cooker to cool without venting steam for 5 minutes. It's fine if the keep warm setting turns on. After 5 minutes, turn the pressure release valve to “venting” to manually release the steam. When the pressure valve drops, carefully remove the lid. (Always remove the lid away from your face.)

Stir the Sloppy Joe mixture. You can serve as is or you can thicken the sauce. To thicken, stir together the cornstarch and warm water in a small bowl until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the beef mixture. Set the pot to “sauté” (You might have to turn off your pressure cooker and turn it back on to do this.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 2 minutes. Taste. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Spoon Sloppy Joe mixture on the bottom halves of the buns. Cover with the bun tops and serve immediately.